Kate âlights up Christmasâ and MI5 focuses on âhostile statesâ
âRoyal festive returnâ, reads the Daily Mirrorâs front page, as it features the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, singing âin harmonyâ at a Westminster Abbey carol service. Catherine told the congregation that âlove is the light that shines bright, even in our darkest timesâ, the paper reports.
âKate lights up Christmasâ, the Sun says, alongside a picture of the Princess of Wales and her youngest child Prince Louis during the carol service, each of them holding a lit candle. The paper says the princess âsmiles proudlyâ as she hosted the event.
The Times leads with a story about the boss of MI5 saying it is shifting its focus from counter-terrorism to âhostile statesâ, including Russia, China and Iran. The intelligence serviceâs director-general Ken McCallum, said Britain is facing âmuch, much more aggressionâ from some states and so they have had to make âuncomfortable choicesâ, such as paring back spending on countering terrorism. Many of Saturdayâs papers feature pictures of the Princess of Wales â who hosted the Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on Friday â with her children.
âLabour drops NHS pledge to cut A&E waiting times to four hoursâ is the i weekendâs headline. It says the government is âabandoningâ the commitment as No 10 Downing Street can no longer guarantee that the target can be met by 2029.
The Daily Mail leads with an exclusive interview with the chancellor, who warns cuts need to be made to pay for an increase in the UKâs defence budget. The Mail says Rachel Reeves is going to launch the âbiggest audit of government spendingâ in nearly 20 years to âslash waste and drive up efficiencyâ.
The Guardian leads with a story about rape trials collapsing due to ârecord court delaysâ with the backlog seeing a âdoubling of victims pulling out of casesâ in England and Wales. The paperâs analysis found that more than 280 rape prosecutions have fallen through after the alleged victim withdrew in the past year. A study of crown court cases also found that women who gave pre-recorded evidence â instead of in-person â during rape trials were 41% less likely to get a conviction, the paper adds.
âHouseholds could face higher energy billsâ, the Daily Telegraph says, because the private companies who would build the nuclear reactors the government says are key to its ânet zero plansâ have called for help with construction costs. Earlier this week, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said nuclear power is âessentialâ to Labourâs plans. The Telegraph also reports that the Prince of Wales will be joining US President-elect Donald Trump for the reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on Saturday.
The Financial Times focuses on Romaniaâs top court scrapping Sundayâs presidential election run-off, after allegations that Russia used TikTok to promote the âpro-Putinâ leading candidate, Calin Georgescu. Romanian authorities published papers this week suggesting Moscowâs involvement. Runner-up liberal candidate Elena Lasconi called the courtâs decision âillegal, immoralâ and said it âcrushes the essence of democracyâ, the paper adds.
The Daily Star says âsucking upâ to the âhead honchoâ â your boss â is the way to succeed at work. âForget about working hardâ, the papers reads, adding that you may be more likely to get a pay rise or a promotion this way.