Author: INDEPENDENT

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsMassive hikes in mortgage rates failed to give UK house prices a boost or fall at the end of 2023, Nationwide has said. The average price of a home was £257,443 in December, according to the lender, which showed no change from the previous month.This means house prices in the UK end the year 1.8 per cent cheaper than they had been at the end of 2022, and 4.5 per cent below the all-time peak…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe UK is sending hundreds of British-made air defence missiles to Ukraine, after Russia launched the largest aerial attack since the war began on several major cities, leaving at least 30 civilians dead and scores injured.In an 18-hour bombardment, Moscow attacked Kyiv, Lviv, eastern Dnipro, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv with 158 drones and missiles including hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles, Ukrainian air forces said.The assaults left at least 144 people injured, including children, and many…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter What the papers sayMohamed Salah remains a target for clubs in the Saudi Pro League but they will have to wait beyond January, according to the Daily Mirror. Liverpool are not expected to agree to a mid-season sale for the 31-year-old forward with bids expected to come in the summer.Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is likely to concentrate on loan deals in January, reports the Daily Mirror. The club needs to offload players before making any signings with…

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviewsSign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Mbongeni Ngema, renowned South African creator of the musical Sarafina!, has died in a car crash aged 68. News of his death was announced by his family in a statement to the Associated Press. It is understood that he was a passenger in the car.“Ngema was killed in a head-on car accident while returning from a funeral he was attending in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape this evening,” the statement said.More than 700 people have been killed in car…

Kyiv suffers largest ever drone attack by Russia leaving five woundedFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsVladimir Putin is “completely furious” after Kyiv missiles destroyed his warship in Crimea, a Ukrainian partisan group has claimed.The Atesh group reported that the Russian president ordered raids throughout the city and is expected to punish the Crimean air defence forces.Images posted by a local Crimean Telegram channel show the Novocherkaask landing ship appearing to be completely destroyed.Atesh posted on Telegram: “The flywheel of repression…

Moment Manchester City lift Club World Cup trophy after thrashing FlumineseEverton host newly crowned world champions Manchester City at Goodison Park as Pep Guardiola’s side return to Premier League action.City defeated Fluminense in Saudi Arabia on Friday to lift the Club World Cup for the first time but return to the Premier League with ground to make up in the title race. The defending champions not only find themselves eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool in the table, but behind Arsenal, Aston Villa and Tottenham too.Guardiola’s side have games in hand on those teams above them, but their domestic form…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsIsrael has begun the third stage of its ground offensive in Gaza, launching an attack in areas densely populated with refugee camps as aid agencies warned Palestinian civilians are running out of safe spaces.Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said they have expanded their operations into the centre of Gaza having spent months fighting against Hamas in the north, before moving into the main southern city of Khan Younis in November. Its forces are now active…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Jamaal Lascelles has played himself into Eddie Howe’s long-term plans at Newcastle after stepping back into the firing line amid an injury crisis.The 30-year-old defender found himself part of the supporting cast as head coach Howe, armed with the spending power of the club’s new Saudi-backed owners, embarked upon a spending spree which has to date seen them invest around £400million in the squad.Sven Botman’s £32million arrival from Lille in particular left the Magpies’ club captain largely…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the US President Joe Biden has ordered retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed militia groups after three U.S. servicemembers injured in a drone attack in Northern Iraq.National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said one of the U.S. troops suffered critical injuries in the attack that occurred earlier Monday. The Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, under an umbrella of Iranian-backed militants, claimed credit for the attack.Biden, who is spending Christmas at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland,…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter When Sir Jim Ratcliffe was born, Manchester United were champions of England. If that was an unusual status for them then – Sir Matt Busby’s triumph in 1952 was United’s first in 41 years – the chances are that Ratcliffe hopes their 21st title will come with him in the boardroom. It has taken him seven decades to travel the seven miles from his Failsworth birthplace to Old Trafford and a status as co-owner of United. That,…