UK - The Evening Standard

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1. Alaa Abd El-Fattah apologises, says some posts were twisted out of meaning

   He flew to the UK on Boxing Day and was reunited with his son, who lives in Brighton, after a travel ban was lifted.

2. Starmer faces calls to strip UK citizenship from Egyptian activist

   Posts have emerged dating back to 2010 in which the activist appears to call for violence towards Zionists and the police.

3. Air fare price warnings mount as regional airports set for rocketing tax bills

   Regional airports are among those facing the steepest increases in business rates in the UK amid an overhaul of the way the tax is calculated.

4. Haughey unhappy after gun allegedly put to Dubliner’s neck on Carlingford Lough

   Irish officials urged that the matter be raised with British officials in ‘strong terms’ with British authorities.

5. My family and I will face ‘personal pain’ in toxic election campaign – Sarwar

   The Scottish Labour leader said he is certain his loyalty, his ‘identity’ and his ‘belonging and commitment to Scotland’ will be questioned.

6. Which high street brands closed stores in 2025?

   A raft of major UK retail and hospitality brand shut down stores across the UK this year, amid pressure on consumer finances and rising costs.

7. John Major reprimanded John Bruton for ‘stormy’ speech in 1995

   ‘I regret that you have spoken in this way,’ British PM John Major wrote to Taoiseach John Bruton in 1995.

8. Bruton contacted Major about Sellafield concerns as legal action was explored

   Then-taoiseach John Bruton raised the issue with British prime minister John Major after several safety incidents over a short period in the 1990s.

9. Claudia Winkleman says The Traitors series four will be ‘truly extraordinary’

   Series four follows hot on the heels of the hugely popular celebrity version of the game.

10. Majority of investors planning to boost portfolios in 2026, survey finds

    Scottish Widows commissioned a survey of more than 1,000 UK investors with a minimum of £100,000 in investable assets, who have a pension.