DEFRA ANNOUNCES BIGGEST ANIMAL WELFARE REFORMS IN A GENERATION 

LONDON, Dec. 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Thegovernmentwill launch its Animal Welfare Strategy on Monday 22 December, setting out new plans to protect treasured pets and much-loved wildlife across the country.   These generational reforms will end the cruel practice of puppy farming, where breeding dogs are kept in appalling conditions, often overbred, and denied proper care. These inhumane practices often resul...


PM CALL WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP OF THE UNITED STATES: 21 DECEMBER 2025

LONDON, Dec. 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon. The two leaders began by reflecting on the war in Ukraine. The Prime Minister updated on work by the Coalition of the Willing to support any peace deal and ensure a just and lasting end to the hostilities. Turning to the Middle East, the leaders discussed the situation on the ground in Gaza. The Prime Minister also u...


TAXPAYER CASH PROTECTED AS CRACKDOWN ON ROGUE LANDLORDS EXPANDS

LONDON, Dec. 20 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Around 400,000 households receiving housing support to be better protected from rogue landlords thanks to an expanded crackdown scheme. * After a successful trial, 41 local authorities across England will now be empowered to better protect their local communities against non-compliance. * Comes as local authorities will be able to recover up to 24 months of rent from landlords who flout the rules - double the p...


SEAMLESS STREAMING FOR FESTIVE JOURNEYS WITH SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY'S SUPER WIFI TRIAL

LONDON, Dec. 20 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * passengers travelling home between London Waterloo, Portsmouth and Weymouth this festive period can nowbenefitfrom stronger, faster wifi * publicly-ownedSouth WesternRailway beginsone-yeartrial using new satellite technology - delivering 97% coverage through the New Forest, one of the network's most challenging 'not spot' areas * followscreation of Project Reachto boost UK's connectivity and eliminate mobile si...


THE SPARK

LONDON, Dec. 19 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The December edition of The Spark brings exciting news for the future of clean energy in the UK. Wylfa on Anglesey has been confirmed as the site for the country's first small modular reactors (SMRs), marking a historic milestone in delivering secure, homegrown power. This project will add up to 1.5GW of low-carbon energy to the grid, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen Britain's energy independence. It's a ...


LOSS OF CARGO FROM BALTIC KLIPPER

LONDON, Dec. 19 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Following the deployment of a team of investigators to the scene, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has started an investigation into an accident involving the cargo vessel Baltic Klipper that occurred on 6 December 2025 in the Solent, England. At approximately 1800 on 6 December 2025, 16 refrigerated shipping containers fell from the Liberia registered cargo vessel Baltic Klipper as it was prepari...


INCREASED ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CLAIMANTS TO TAKE ON POWERFUL ORGANISATIONS IN COURT

LONDON, Dec. 19 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Legislationtoensure access to funding for ordinary people in 'David vs Goliath' casesconfirmed * Safeguards will mean morecollectiveactionproceedings can be brought againstrich andpowerfulopponents * Measures willbring stability to the litigation funding sector after the PACCAR ruling Ordinary people will have greater access to justice thanks to Government's plans for legislationto help claimants receive the f...


CICA CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR OPENING HOURS 2025-26

LONDON, Dec. 19 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Using our contact form is often the best way to contact us. We'll aim to reply to you within 10 working days. If you need help applying for compensation, or have an urgent enquiry that is not a request for an update on your application, our helpline is open during the following hours: Day Opening Times Monday 22 December 8.30am to 3pm Tuesday 23 December 8.30am to 3pm Wednesday 24 December Closed Thursday 2...


SCHOOL TRANSPORT PROVIDER CURTAILED FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE BUS OPEN DATA

LONDON, Dec. 19 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The inquiry examined concerns about the operator's compliance on a variety of issues, including vehicle maintenance, driver hours, tachograph use, and governance arrangements. One of the issues considered was the operator's compliance with the Public Service Vehicles (Open Data) (England) Regulations 2020, which require operators of registered local bus services in England (outside London) to publish open data on...


NEW CHAIR APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW

LONDON, Dec. 19 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Sir Andrew Steer has been appointed as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Sir Andrew is a globally recognised leader in sustainable development, environmental economics and climate action, serving as President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund from 2021 to 2025. He previously spent eight years as President and CEO of the World Resources Institute.He was knighted in 2024 for services to s...