The Princess Royal has a reputation for her no-fuss attitude and practical approach to royal duties – and eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot an interesting detail about her Christmas card

10:06, 11 Dec 2025Updated 10:07, 11 Dec 2025

Princess Anne’s Christmas card had a personal touch(Image: (Image: Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images))

Princess Anne takes a famously no-nonsense approach to her royal duties. At 75, the King’s sister is considered the hardest-working royal, often performing nearly 500 official engagements a year. And she does it all with a practical, down to earth attitude that also makes one of the most popular members of the Firm.

It’s perhaps no surprise then that her Christmas card sign-off is simple and fuss-free. Eagle-eyed fans spotted a significant detail in Anne’s festive greetings after the Governor of Queensland’s office shared the card on social media.

Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence chose a photo showing them during their visit to Sark in the Channel Islands this past May, travelling by horse-drawn carriage. The couple signed the card off in handwritten pen, simply writing, ‘From Anne and Tim,’ – forgoing their official titles to give their card a more personal touch. The signature sits below a printed greeting which says, ‘With Best Wishes for a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year.’

READ MORE: Princess Anne’s strict morning routine is very relatable – apart from one stomach churning foodREAD MORE: Princess Anne’s playful nickname for King Charles revealed in hilarious exchangeThe card was very low-key

It comes after King Charles and Queen Camilla released their Christmas card, featuring a picture taken during their trip to Rome in April. The image was first shared to mark their 20th wedding anniversary, and it shows Camilla wearing a cream Anna Valentine dress and a Lily of the Valley brooch.

The message inside the card reads, “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.” But there is no signature.

Similarly, Prince William and Princess Kate – who have not yet released their 2025 offering – didn’t sign their official Christmas card in 2024. The family photo they chose was a still from the September 2024 video that Princess Kate issued to share that she completed chemotherapy treatment after announcing that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

READ MORE: Hilarious moment Princess Anne gifted King Charles a toilet seat for Christmas Kate and William’s 2024 family Christmas card(Image: Instagram)

“Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year,” read the inscription next to a photo of them with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

While it may seem unusual for the royals to not sign their Christmas cards, there’s a practical reason behind it. Members of the British royal family reportedly avoid signing autographs due to the risk of forgery, and Princess Kate had a polite reply when asked why she couldn’t sign drawings she made with schoolchildren in 2022.

“My name’s Catherine. I’m not allowed to write my signature, it’s just one of those rules,” the Princess of Wales told young fans at the Chelsea Flower Show. William and Kate tend to sign personal messages on social media simply as ‘W’ or ‘C’, while King Charles and Queen Camilla sign statements with “Charles R” and “Camilla R,” their regnal signatures as King and Queen.

Yesterday King Charles joined a group of senior Christian clerics for an annual Advent service at Westminster Abbey.

The monarch joined the members of the church from the UK and Middle East to celebrate “light, hope and, above all, the peace of this season”. Charles attended the service at the iconic London church, where the congregation was drawn from churches across the country to mark the run-up to Christmas.

In a foreword to the official order of service, the King, who is a committed Anglican Christian and head of the Church of England, said: “It is a great joy to gather with you in the most glorious setting of Westminster Abbey as we celebrate the light, hope and, above all, the peace of this season of Advent.

“This period is one of preparation, of readying ourselves and looking forward to the wonder of Christ’s birth. Today, we gather for prayer, reflection and music, and to celebrate the Good News in which all Christians rejoice: those around us, and those in areas where it is not easy to live out one’s faith.

“I am so pleased to be joined by church leaders from across the UK and Middle East, leaders of other faiths, charity representatives, and so many of you who contribute to your communities in myriad ways.”

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Crowds celebrated in the Syrian city of Latakia after the US House of Representatives approved a bill that will lift sanctions imposed on Syria six years ago. The legislation will now go to the US Senate where it’s expected to pass.

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‘I am very hopeful Venezuela will be free,’ Nobel prize winner Machado says

Over in Oslo, María Corina Machado is now appearing at a press conference with the Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre.

Welcoming her to the Norwegian capital, her Nobel prize lecture, read by her daughter, “brought your message, your story and your struggle for democracy very close to the Norwegian public.”

Responding, she thanks for the warm welcome, and says:

“I would say to all citizens of the world in this hour and assure you that I am very hopeful Venezuela will be free and we will turn a country into a beacon of hope and opportunity, of democracy.”

She adds “peace ultimately is an act of love,” and says “that’s what brought me here: the love of millions of Venezuelans for country, for freedom and for children.”

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Merz also gets asked about his recent suggestion that the US should at least have a good relationship with Germany, if not with the EU.

He explains what he meant by saying that the US administration “obviously has great difficulty understanding the European Union as a union of states,” which he says he can understand that as the set up is fairly unique globally.

He says that if the US finds it difficult to deal with the EU, Germany is always ready to step in as a mediator, using its longstanding close relations with the US.

And that ends the press conference.

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No reason to doubt US commitment to Nato, Merz and Rutte say

Asked about the recent noises from the US, Merz says he has “no reason to doubt the agreements we have made with the US within the Nato alliance.”

German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Photograph: Liesa Johannssen/Reuters

He says that the US national security strategy’s language on Nato shows clear commitment.

In other areas, the US government is more critical, he concedes, and says that Germany will have to analyse it.

But he generally says that “we know we must do much more for our security than in the past.”

Nato’s Rutte strikes a similar tone, as he says the US NSS “clearly states that the US is committed to Europe, to keep Europe safe,” and he says it’s clear that European countries are “stepping up.”

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Merz also gets asked about the use of frozen assets to fund Ukraine, and he praises the EU’s proposal on this and points to next week’s European Council summit as the key moment, but signals – once again – Germany’s backing for the proposal.

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Germany’s Merz plays down suggestions of clash with Trump, says they had ‘constructive’ call

Asked about Trump’s comments about his recent calls with Europeans, Merz plays down the tensions between the two sides.

He says they had “a very detailed conversation” discussing some proposals, with the focus on “what territorial concessions Ukraine is prepared to make.”

But Merz said “it was a question that … the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people must answer.”

He says that if the talks progress as he expects them to, there will be further conversations with US officials over the weekend, and then “possibly a meeting here in Berlin beginning of next week,” which could see US participation.

But he says that overall Trump gave the impression that “he is prepared to go down this path with us,” and that the US president “knows that the Europeans must also be heard.”

He calls the call “constructive” with both sides showing “mutual respect.”

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Updated at 10.59 CET

Nato’s Rutte largely sticks to usual pleasantries, but says the clear political signal from Germany and other European partners is that “Europe is ready to take on more responsibility,” and “a signal that burden sharing is not just a slogan.”

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We will not let anyone or anything to divide Europe, Germany’s Merz says

In his opening remarks, Merz says that Nato plays “a key role in a time of great geopolitical upheaval,” as he recalls his numerous meetings with Rutte in recent months.

He also pushes back on the recent US criticism, saying that the US national security strategy confirms that Germany was right to focus on strengthening the European pillar of Nato, and on its security, migraton and economy policy.

“We are doing this out of our own conviction, not because anyone is pressuring us,” he says, as he insists that Europe “can stand firmly on its own feet.”

He says the focus is on keeping European unity intact, and says “we will … not allow anything or anyone to divide us.”

He says that in this context, he sees Europe as going beyond the EU membership, as he name checks the UK and Norway as important partners.

Merz also criticises Russia’s Putin, and says Germany and partners will continue putting more pressure on Moscow to end the war, secure “robust legal and material guarantees,” and make sure no peace settlement can take place above the heads of Europeans.

He says the leaders are in agreement, however, that they can’t pressure Ukraine’s Zelenskyy into making concessions that would be unacceptable for the Ukrainian people.

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Germany’s Merz, Nato’s Rutte brief press after talks

Germany’s Merz and Nato’s Rutte are now giving a press conference after their talks this morning.

I will bring you all the key quotes.

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‘Quite an experience,’ Machado says of her secret trip to leave Venezuela for Oslo

Machado also gets asked about her incredible trip to get to Oslo (9:38).

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks during a press conference with Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere (not pictured), a day after the award ceremony, in Oslo, Norway. Photograph: Leonhard Föger/Reuters

She says she doesn’t think the Maduro regime had any idea where she was hiding, “and certainly they would have done everything to stop me from coming here.”

She doesn’t want to give away any details of how she got to Oslo, but says she wants to “thank all those men and women that risked their lives so they could be here today.”

“One day I will be able to tell you because certainly I don’t want to put them in risk right now. It was quite an experience, but I think it’s worthwhile being here with you, telling the world what’s happening in Venezuela,” she says.

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‘I’m just one of millions of mothers longing to embrace their children,’ Machado says of family reunion in Oslo

Machado movingly talks about the experience of seeing her family for the first time in 16 months last night.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado hugs her daughter Ana Corina Sosa Machado, who accepted the award on her behalf, in Oslo, Norway. Photograph: Leonhard Föger/Reuters

She says:

“I couldn’t sleep last night going over and over again that first instant when I saw my children, and for many weeks I had been thinking of that possibility, and which one of them I would hug first.

And, to tell you something, I hugged them, the three, at the same time, and it’s been one of the most extraordinary spiritual moments of my life.

And that happened in Oslo, so I’m very grateful to this city, something I will never forget, because at the end, I’m just one of millions of innocent mothers that are longing to embrace of children and are not able to do that.”

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‘I am very hopeful Venezuela will be free,’ Nobel prize winner Machado says

Over in Oslo, María Corina Machado is now appearing at a press conference with the Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre.

Welcoming her to the Norwegian capital, her Nobel prize lecture, read by her daughter, “brought your message, your story and your struggle for democracy very close to the Norwegian public.”

Responding, she thanks for the warm welcome, and says:

“I would say to all citizens of the world in this hour and assure you that I am very hopeful Venezuela will be free and we will turn a country into a beacon of hope and opportunity, of democracy.”

She adds “peace ultimately is an act of love,” and says “that’s what brought me here: the love of millions of Venezuelans for country, for freedom and for children.”

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Russia sent US proposals on collective security guarantees to end Ukraine war, Lavrov says

In the last hour, we have also heard from Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who said Russia insisted in its talks with the US on “a set of agreements for lasting, sustainable peace with security guarantees for all countries involved.”

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at an event in Moscow. Photograph: AP

He said that Russia has sent to the US its own proposals on security guarantees.

“Our talks with the US president and his team are focused precisely on finding a long-term solution to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” he said.

“The root causes of this crisis” is the key phrase here, as Russia has repeatedly used it to describe its maximalist demands towards Ukraine.

More broadly, Lavrov was complimentary of US president Donald Trump’s “genuine” efforts to end the war.

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Czech Republic’s Babiš has arrived to Berlaymont for his meeting with EU’s Ursula von der Leyen, and if I heard him correctly, he promised journalists to come back and chat with them after their meeting.

I will look out for any lines coming from that – the billionaire is not afraid to speak his mind, and it will be interesting to hear what he thinks on the latest on Ukraine and the bloc’s plans for a reparations loan backed by frozen Russian assets.

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Nobel peace prize winner Machado arrives in Oslo

In other news, we will also hear from Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado later today, as she arrived in Oslo overnight after a truly incredible trip from Venezuela.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the details of the operation to get her out of the country and over to Norway, describing how she “slipped through 10 military checkpoints to reach a fishing boat bound for Curaçao and a private jet headed to Norway,” where she met members of her family for the first time in almost two years.

Speaking to the BBC, she did not confirm or deny details of her trip, but acknowledged that “I am here because many men and women risked their lives in order for me to arrive in Oslo.”

“They [the Venezuelan government] say I’m a terrorist and have to be in jail for the rest of my life and they’re looking for me,” she said. “So leaving Venezuela today, in these circumstances, is very, very dangerous.”

She appeared on the balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo at 3am local time to greet her supporters, later joining them on the street.

Nobel peace laureate Maria Corina Machado greets supporters from a balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway. Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty ImagesNobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado greets supporters outside the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway. Photograph: Lise Åserud/Reuters

Machado said she plans to bring her award back to Venezuela, but declined when she would return to her home country, which previously threatened her with sanctions for leaving it as a “fugitive” wanted by the Maduro regime.

“I came to receive the prize on behalf of the Venezuelan people and I will take it back to Venezuela at the correct moment. Of course I will not say when that is,” she told reporters in Oslo.

We will hear more from her this morning as she is due to give a press conference at 11.30am UK (12.30 Oslo).

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Morning opening: Strong words, but what’s next?

Jakub Krupa

The US president, Donald Trump, said that he “discussed Ukraine in pretty strong words” in his last call with British prime minister Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Given the US language on Europe, European leaders and Ukraine in recent days, it’s not difficult to imagine that the three Europeans felt the need to push back a bit on the rhetoric coming from the White House.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall.

But the key thing is what’s next. Trump revealed that the Europeans are trying to get him to come over to Europe for a meeting this weekend to discuss the latest in person, possibly joined by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

But he didn’t sound too keen, at least for now.

“I think we had some little disputes about people, and we’re going to see how it turns out. And we said, before we go to a meeting, we want to know some things.

They would like us to go to a meeting over the weekend in Europe, and we’ll make a determination depending on what they come back with. We don’t want to be wasting time”.

In the meantime, the Europeans continue to coordinate their positions between themselves, with another “Coalition of the Willing” call planned for this afternoon.

Separately, Germany’s Merz will welcome Trump whisperer and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in Berlin, hoping the two can come up with a plan to get Trump – or “daddy” (rolls eyes) – on board again.

In Brussels, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will meet with Czech Republic’s incoming prime minister, Andrej Babiš.

But already this morning she has met with Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić, who seemingly unaware of just how sensitive the pool microphones are told her that he “got a message from Moscow.” Oh.

I will bring you all the key updates throughout the day.

It’s Thursday, 11 December 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.

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Updated at 09.39 CET

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At least 34 people have died and dozens more are injured after air strikes from Myanmar’s military hit a hospital in the country’s west on Wednesday night, according to ground sources.

The hospital is located in Mrauk-U town in Rakhine state, an area controlled by the Arakan Army – one of the strongest ethnic armies fighting the country’s military regime.

Thousands have died and millions have been displaced since the military seized power in a coup in 2021 and triggered a civil war.

In recent months, the military has intensified air strikes to take back territory from ethnic armies. It has also deployed paragliders to drop bombs on its enemies.

The Myanmar military has not commented on the strikes, which come as the country prepares to vote later this month in its first election since the coup.

However, pro-military accounts on Telegram claim the strikes this week were not aimed at civilians.

Khaing Thukha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, told the BBC that most of the casualties were patients at the hospital.

“This is the latest vicious attack by the terrorist military targeting civilian places,” he said, adding that the military “must take responsibility” for bombing civilians.

The Arakan Army health department said the strike, which occurred at around 21:00 (14:30 GMT), killed 10 patients on the spot and injured many others.

Photos believed to be from the scene have been circulating on social media showing missing roofs across parts of the building complex, broken hospital beds and debris strewn across the ground.

The junta has been locked in a years-long bloody conflict with ethnic militias, at one point losing control of more than half the country.

But recent influx of technology and equipment from China and Russia seems to have helped it turn the tide. The junta has made significant gains through a campaign of airstrikes and heavy bombardment.

Earlier this year, more than 20 people were killed after an army motorised paraglider dropped two bombs on a crowd protesting at a religious festival.

Civil liberties have also shrunk dramatically under the junta. Tens of thousands of political dissidents have been arrested, rights groups estimate.

Myanmar’s junta has called for a general election on 28 December, touting it as a pathway to political stability.

But critics say the election will be neither free nor fair, but will instead offer the junta a guise of legitimacy. Tom Andrews, the United Nations’ human rights expert on Myanmar, has called it a “sham election”.

In recent weeks the junta has arrested civilians accused of disrupting the vote, including one man who authorities said had sent out anti-election messages on Facebook.

The junta also said on Monday that it was looking for 10 activists involved in an anti-election protest.

Ethnic armies and other opposition groups have pledged to boycott the polls.

At least one election candidate in in central Myanmar’s Magway Region was detained by an anti-junta group, the Associated Press reported.

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NEED TO KNOW

• The former couple made a pact at 18 to support each other through college, no matter what happened to their marriage
• Years later, the woman invited her ex and his fiancée to her graduation as a gesture of gratitude
• Soon after, anonymous messages accused her of overstepping and being “obsessed,” leaving her unsure of what she did wrong

A woman turned to Reddit for advice following a graduation celebration that took an unexpected turn. 

In her post, she wrote that she married her high-school boyfriend, Elias, after four years together, and explained that they “didn’t have much money and college for both of us was impossible.” She said they agreed one of them would attend first and even “literally flipped a coin,” which resulted in him going to college while she worked to support them.

She recalled how they put their promise in writing. “We made a contract I wrote on a paper… that said even if we end up divorcing the pact of helping me to attend college stands,” she shared, adding that neither family had the means for anything more formal. 

Stock photo of a woman graduating.

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While Elias studied locally, both sets of parents contributed what they could, and she covered the household costs so he could focus on school.

When he graduated, life shifted. She explained that “a year later life got in our way when he started working and I was preparing to enter college,” and another year passed before he admitted he had feelings for a coworker. 

According to her, he told her he “started to fall in love with a coworker… but he respects me and love[s] me enough not to do anything,” prompting the couple to reevaluate their marriage. They separated amicably, and she said he reassured her that “our agreement still stands,” keeping his promise to support her education just as she had supported his.

Years later, she finally reached her own graduation. Elias had since moved away and become engaged to the coworker, Lorna, but she maintained a warm relationship with his parents. 

When she received an extra ticket for her graduation from a classmate, she decided to extend an invitation. “I called him… and told him I had extra tickets if he would like to attend with his fiancée,” she wrote, adding that he was “actually excited about it” and planned to request time off.

The graduation day felt joyful, with her parents, her ex-in-laws, Elias and Lorna all present. She said her ex-in-laws reserved a restaurant and later gifted her something special, telling her “in their hearts I would always be their daughter.” 

Her parents also offered touching words, and then Elias surprised her with a necklace. She recalled how he said he had it custom-made and how moved she felt by the support around her.

She made a point to thank everyone, even hesitating politely when approaching Lorna for a hug. “I said I would but only if you want it,” she explained, to which Lorna replied with a laugh, “Oh no I think I’m okay.” When she hugged Elias, he told her, “I’m really proud of you cricket,” using the nickname he once had for her.

After the celebration, she assumed all was well. But days later, anonymous messages began pouring in. According to her, they accused her of being a “homewrecker” and insisted she should “take a hint” because he had moved on. 

She said the messages claimed she was “obviously still obsessed with him because I’ve been single since the divorce and leeching out of his kindness,” which left her shaken and confused.

She wasn’t sure whether the messages came from Lorna, from Lorna’s friends or from strangers who’d somehow heard about the situation. She confided in her parents, who encouraged her to tell Elias’s parents, though she worried “that would only worsen everything,” given the delicate nature of the family relationships.

Stock photo of graduates.

Getty

The poster insisted she had genuinely moved on. “I think of Elias as my oldest friend now,” she said, explaining that her singlehood was intentional because she wanted time to “experience singlehood and living alone” after marrying so young. She shared that her courses were difficult and she “didn’t have time or energy” to date while focusing on school.

Still, she found herself unsure whether she unintentionally crossed a boundary by inviting her ex to such a meaningful milestone. “Was I really the a—— for inviting him?” she asked, noting that she “never thought it could be disrespectful to Lorna but maybe it is?” 

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One commenter reassured her that she wasn’t wrong, writing, “Y’all kept up the agreement… You supported him through school, so he supported you through school.” 

The commenter urged her to tell him about the messages because “she’s not being fair to you.” In response, the poster wondered whether Lorna even knew about the pact before the graduation, saying, “If [she] didn’t it would explain her behavior.”

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Palestine Action protesters taking part in a prison hunger strike are likely to die in custody, their lawyers warn.

Eight activists are involved in the strike in total with five now in hospital and one losing 10kg after 37 days without food. 

Imran Khan & Partners, representing the prisoners, have requested to meet with Justice Secretary David Lammy to discuss the situation.

In a letter, they wrote: ‘We note with genuine and significant concern the immediate and real risk that their deeply held conviction, in tandem with their deteriorating health, poses to their lives. 

‘We are concerned that, should this situation be allowed to continue without resolution, there is the real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence.’ 

Four of the protesters on hunger strike, thought to be the biggest in the UK since 1981, are accused of being involved in the raid on a UK branch of Israel’s Elbit Systems Horizon near Bristol in August 2024. 

A prison officer was allegedly left with a fractured spine after the incident, a court heard. 

The other strikers allegedly broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes.

Palestine Action protesters taking part in a prison hunger strike, including Kamran Ahmed, pictured left, and Jon Cink, right, are likely to die in custody, their lawyers warn

Imran Khan & Partners, representing the prisoners, who also include Teuta Hoxha, pictured left, and Amy ‘Amu’ Gardiner-Gibson, right, have requested to meet with Justice Secretary David Lammy to discuss the situation 

Heba Muraisi, pictured left, and Qesser Zuhrah, right, are also participating in what is believed to be the UK’s largest hunger strike since 1981

In the aftermath of the incident, Palestine Action said two of its activists infiltrated Britain’s largest RAF base and sprayed red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft before escaping without being caught. 

Lawyers claim the activists are also being hit with heavy restrictions on visits, calls and mail and this could amount to enforced disappearance, citing claims from UN special rapporteurs.

Amy ‘Amu’ Gardiner-Gibson and Jon Cink, reportedly 37 and 33 days into their hunger strikes respectively, have been remanded in HMP Bronzefield, Surrey for their alleged roles in the Brize Norton break-in.

Ms Gardiner-Gibson has lost more than 10kg of weight, according to lawyers, and is experiencing muscle twitches and deep exhaustion and has been offered a wheelchair.

Mr Cink has allegedly lost 10kg and barely slept over the course of the strike, suffering from deteriorating vision and ‘life-threatening’ ketone levels in her blood.

Lewie Chiaramello, 15 days in at HMP Bristol, and Umer Khalid, on day five at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, London, are also alleged to have been involved in the Brize Norton raid.

Qesser Zuhrah, who has been involved in the strike for 37 days while at HMP Bronzefield, has apparently lost ‘considerable weight’.

The activist also struggles to walk and her pulse never drops below 100bpm, according to her lawyers. 

Some of the strikers are accused of allegedly breaking into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes, pictured 

Heba Muraisi is believed to have caught a cold on the 34th day of her 36-day hunger strike at HMP Newhall.

Teuta Hoxha and Kamran Ahmed were both taken to hospital last month following headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and low blood pressure.

They are on day 30 and day 29, respectively, of strikes at HMP Peterborough. 

Mr Ahmed collapsed twice in his cell in November and was most recently admitted to hospital on Monday, Sky News reports. 

The hunger strike started following complaints of alleged mistreatment in prison as well as a string of demands, including the ban on Palestine Action being lifted and a defence firm with ties to Israel being shut down.

Courts granted permission for the group’s founder Huda Ammori to challenge the move to proscribe the organisation under anti-terror laws, meaning three High Court judges will rule on the ban’s lawfulness in the coming weeks.

Lawyers added that it is becoming increasingly difficult to talk to clients about the state of their health because ‘all are showing signs of memory loss’.

The strike was described as an ‘imminent risk to their health and life and a ‘medical emergency’ in a previous letter to NHS England, signed by 147 medical professionals.

Protesters in Liverpool pictured holding banners in support of the hunger strikers last week

Ms Ammori described the protesters’ conditions as an ’emergency’.

She said on social media: ‘Their health is severely deteriorating, with one described as “skeletal”. 

‘Each face up to two years on remand before trial and face harsher treatment as they are labelled as “terrorists”. This is an emergency.’ 

The Daily Mail has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment.

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Eight brands have issued product safety notices

Thousands of tumble dryers may need to be repaired(Image: OPSS)

Owners of specific models of integrated heat pump tumble dryers manufactured by Haier are being urged to check if their machine requires an urgent safety repair due to a fire risk. The brands in question include Baumatic, Candy, Caple, Haier, Hoover, Lamona, Iberna and Montpellier.

Those who have the devices are advised to verify their model number and serial number online to determine if their appliance is affected, and if so, to get in touch with the manufacturer to organise a repair. Until the repair has been carried out, the appliance should not be used.

If the plug can be reached, owners are advised to switch off and unplug the appliance. Earlier this year, the manufacturer initiated a corrective action programme for 103,000 affected machines.

However, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) instructed Haier to suspend its initial repair programme due to concerns that the modification was still unsafe. Following an updated modification, Haier has restarted its programme and begun reaching out to consumers again.

Initially, Haier prioritised arranging a second repair for machines that had previously been modified and are now organising repairs for the remaining 85,000 owners whose appliances continue to pose a fire risk. Owners are strongly advised to cease using affected appliances immediately.

An internal short circuit can occur during normal use, leading to the tumble dryer catching fire.

Check if your tumble dryer is affected and contact the manufacturer if it is.

This update is based on the regular reporting that Haier has been providing to OPSS.

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Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado greeted supporters in Oslo after missing the ceremony to award her the Nobel Peace Prize. Machado has spent more than a year in hiding, and has backed sanctions and US military intervention against the government.

Published On 11 Dec 202511 Dec 2025

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Queensland’s Liberal National party government will overturn a ban on property developer donations and quadruple the state cap on electoral donations, after tabling new laws which the Greens claim will “legalise another avenue of corruption”.

Developers have been prohibited from donating to candidates and parties in state elections since a 2018 bill passed under Labor.

The attorney general, Deb Frecklington, said the ban was a “financial gerrymander”, because it didn’t apply to trade unions and that the LNP’s bill would “promote freedom of expression”.

“This is an election commitment that we took to the election. There is no surprise here. We are doing exactly what we said we were going to do,” Frecklington said.

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“Trade unions, property developers and every other donor, all on a level playing field. That’s what we’re doing now.”

Queensland currently caps donations for each person or entity at $4,800 for a political party plus $7,200 for its candidates, a total of $12,000 for each four-year term of parliament.

The new legislation will quadruple the limit by making it apply each year – allowing for donations of up to $19,200 a party and $28,800 for its candidates across four years, a total of $48,000. Frecklington said the new approach mirrored the one that applies at federal elections and in New South Wales.

Frecklington said the change would make it “a lot easier for someone that would wish to support a local candidate, for example, in year one of a four-year term. It would enable them to donate again in the fourth year.”

The Guardian has previously reported that many developers had lawfully got around Labor’s ban through loopholes such as companies established for nondevelopment purposes – but controlled by individuals with property development interests. More than $500,000 had been donated to the major parties, largely the LNP, before last year’s election.

Greens MP Michael Berkman said the bill was “a blatant move by the Crisafulli LNP government to line their own pockets with developer donations, legalising another avenue of corruption in Queensland”.

“Allowing developer donations can only benefit developers and the LNP, while everyone else is being priced out of a secure home,” he said.

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Berkman said the state government could directly make decisions to the benefit of developers. Its Olympics-enabling legislation exempts games infrastructure, including residential development, from 15 laws including the Heritage Act and the Planning Act, and gives a state authority approval power without the right to appeal.

“This kind of quid pro quo, where the state will get donations from developers, [then] make decisions that directly benefit developer profits, it just stinks, and people need to see it for what it is,” Berkman said.

The shadow attorney general, Meaghan Scanlon, said the premier, David Crisafulli, “didn’t tell Queenslanders before the election that he planned to increase donation caps”.

“At a time when there should be less money and influence in politics, the LNP is giving the top end of town even more influence,” she said.

The legislation would also ban any person serving sentences of a year or longer in prison or detention from voting. At the moment, only those serving sentences of three years or longer are disenfranchised.

Frecklington also announced the appointment of former Queensland police officer Deborah Platz as the state’s new human rights commissioner, succeeding Scott McDougall, who criticised both sides of politics over a range of issues, particularly the state’s youth law and order crackdown.

Frecklington said Platz was “a champion for those less fortunate than all of us”.

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Deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia near the disputed border between the two Southeast Asian neighbors continued ahead of an expected phone call from US President Donald Trump to the two nations’ leaders on Thursday.

At least 19 people have died in the latest violence, including soldiers and civilians, while hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border have been displaced.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday he would “explain and clarify” the situation to Trump during the call.

“He will need to hear the details directly from me if he contacts me,” he told reporters. “I believe the foreign minister will already be providing information at the diplomatic level.”

This is the deadliest skirmish between the two countries since a five-day war in July, which ended with a ceasefire brokered by Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. 

Border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia flares up again

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What you need to know about the dispute

• At the center of the decades-old border dispute is the Emerald Triangle — a border region housing several temples to which both countries lay claim 
• Thailand and Cambodia signed a peace deal in October on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit
• The ceasefire was called off after Thailand accused Cambodia of laying fresh landmines in the region
• Both countries have repeatedly blamed each other for starting the fighting
• This week, Thailand carried out air strikes on Cambodian territory, which it claims was in response to an on-ground attack
• Cambodia initially said it did not retaliate but then vowed to fight back
• Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from both sides of the border, some moved to shelters 

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fightingImage: Sarot Meksophawannakul/THAI NEWS PIX/AFP/Getty Images

Cambodia asks UNSC to intervene

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Cambodia’s Ambassador to the United Nations asked the international body to mount pressure on Thailand for “an immediate cessation of all attacks,” followed by an independent fact-finding mission.

The letter described the latest Thai military operations as “violations of international humanitarian law.”

Meanwhile Cambodia’s defense Ministry accused Thailand of targeting schools and temples. Thailand has denied that it targets civilian infrastructure, which is a war crime under international law. 

Renewed Thai-Cambodian clashes displace tens of thousands

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Edited by Karl Sexton

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