https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8dZgf6uBOU

Wham!'s Last Christmas has been crowned this year's Christmas number one, 39 years after it was first released.

The festive classic beat Sam Ryder to the top spot after one of the most open races in years. Mariah Carey was third, with Noah Kahn's Stick Season fourth.

It's the first time George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley's song has been number one in Christmas week.

"It's marvellous and humbling to have got there," Ridgeley told the BBC. "Top of the pile is a great place to be."

He added that Michael, who died in 2016, had always wanted the song to be a Christmas number one.

"He felt any great songwriter should be able to write a Christmas hit to order. Unfortunately, it's taken too long for George - but he'd be absolutely over the moon.

First released in 1984, Last Christmas was originally held off the top spot by Band Aid's charity single Do They Know It's Christmas?

But this week, UK fans streamed the song 13.3 million times, making it the most-played song ever during Christmas week.

comment by BraveheartTyke (U6173)
posted 3 hours, 18 minutes ago
Frank Bernard Wearne VC (1 March 1894 – 28 June 1917) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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Kim discovers she slept through Christmas

Christian Feast Day:

Abassad (Coptic Church)
Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs (Coptic Church)
Dagobert II
John Cantius
O Emmanuel
Psote (Coptic Church)
Thorlac Thorhallsson, patron saint of Iceland; The last day of preparations before Christmas.
Victoria
December 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Wendy Mary Beckett (25 February 1930 – 26 December 2018), better known as Sister Wendy, was a British religious sister and art historian who became known internationally during the 1990s when she presented a series of BBC television documentaries on the history of art. Her programmes, such as Sister Wendy's Odyssey and Sister Wendy's Grand Tour, often drew a 25 percent share of the British viewing audience. In 1997 she made her debut on US public television, with The New York Times describing her as "a sometime hermit who is fast on her way to becoming the most unlikely and famous art critic in the history of television."

Ian Pepperell, known for his role as Roy Tucker in The Archers, has died at the age of 53, the BBC has said.

The actor, who appeared in the BBC Radio 4 drama for more than 20 years, died on Friday after a long illness.

Pepperell also starred in EastEnders for a short stint in 1993, as well as on stage in several productions.

"Ian was the perfect Archers actor," The Archers editor Jeremy Howe said. "It is tragic that he died in his prime, we will miss him dearly."

Pepperell played long-suffering hotelier Roy Tucker for 22 years in the drama produced at the BBC's studios in Birmingham.

Mr Howe said: "Ian had a lot more gas in the tank and was desperate to return to Ambridge once his health permitted...

"We will miss him dearly and our hearts go out to his family and friends and everyone who knew him. Ambridge loved Roy - The Archers and our millions of listeners loved Ian's Roy Tucker."

In his last conversation with Mr Howe, Pepperell said: "The Archers is my family."

Reflecting on how he played the character, Mr Howe added: "He captured Roy as both genial and anxious, funny and sad, easy-going and permanently stressed - a man who could hold down with ease a top job, yet who always carried with him Hamlet's sense of failure."

BBC director of speech, Mohit Bakaya, paying tribute said: "Ian was a hugely talented actor who contributed greatly to The Archers and brought much pleasure to listeners on Radio 4 for over two decades.

"He will be missed greatly and we send our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved him."

Pepperell played Hamlet for the Oxford Stage Company and Richard III at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester. He also appeared in ITV police drama The Bill.

Outside of acting, he ran pub The Star Inn in Ringwood, Hampshire.

In a statement on the pub's Facebook page, it said: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must tell you all, that Ian - left this world today - in peace, his way. As I, and all of the closest to him knew he would."

Boss David Wagner's rejuvenated Norwich City eased past his former side Huddersfield Town to record a third win in a five games and move to within two points of the Championship play-off places.

The Canaries, who have now lost just one of their past eight matches following a dismal run of five defeats in six league games, dominated the first half but were unable to find the breakthrough until substitute Sam McCallum headed them ahead after the break.

And a 10th win in 23 league games was as good as sealed when Borja Sainz curled home a second goal after great work by Adam Idah.

Huddersfield barely threatened throughout, failing to muster a single attempt on target until late in the second period, but the visitors remain two points above the relegation zone despite seeing their winless run extended to five games.

comment by Emperor Kami (U9880)

posted 13 seconds ago

Would you tomiyasu or kiwior on for zinchenko

FT: Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal

After this draw, Arsenal will start Christmas Day top of the English top-flight table in two consecutive years for just a second time, after last doing so in 1932 and 1933.

Alabama mother with rare double womb gives birth to two babies in two days

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67810645

TOTL

1912

Xmas Eve

Christian feast day:

Adela and Irmina
Paola Elisabetta Cerioli
Adam and Eve
December 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances:

Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italian Americans)
Juleaften (Denmark)/Julaften (Norway)/Julafton (Sweden)
Nittel Nacht (certain Orthodox Jewish denominations)
Nochebuena (Spain and Spanish-speaking countries)
The Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City)
Wigilia (Poland)
Quviasukvik, the Inuit new year (Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia)

Sir Jimmy Ratcliffe has agreed to buy 25% of Moan United for $1.3bn (£1.03bn).

Titanic was registered in Liverpool, and so carried the city's name on her stern.

Titanic has never visited Liverpool so far to date in her history

Titanic's managing company, the White Star Line, had its head office in James Street, Liverpool

Titanic propulsion was supplied by three main engines—two reciprocating four-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engines and one centrally placed low-pressure Parsons turbine—each driving a propeller.

Titanic's electrical plant was capable of producing more power than an average city power station of the time

Titanic lacked a searchlight in accordance with the ban on the use of searchlights in the merchant navy

Once in Royal David's City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knEuXzMpTbE