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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.

England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama at the Met Life Stadium in New Jersey at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.

Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am BST 14 June).

They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm BST) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm BST) on 24 June.

Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.

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Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.

Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

The World Cup final will be a 3pm EST (8pm BST) kick-off in New Jersey, New York, on 19 July.

However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.


Up to 8,000 people could need hospital care before flu wave reaches peak, health leaders warn
Health leaders are warning that up to 8,000 people could be taken to hospital before a flu wave currently gripping the country reaches its peak. 

A new strain of the flu virus is believed to be much more infectious than previous strains and has already led to a record number of patients needing urgent hospital care.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it is seeing the flu among younger patients and fears the virus will now spread to older, more vulnerable patients.

Dr Jamie Lopez Berbnal, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, told Sky News: "The new strain circulating has evolved a bit more rapidly than normal.

"And that could mean that there's a bit less immunity in the population from what we normally see in a flu season.

"And that could mean that the flu virus spreads a bit more than usual. And that's something that we've started to see already, in particular in children and young adults.

"But we're now starting to see flu take out a bit more in older adults, who tend to be more vulnerable to flu as well."

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Why is flu season worse this year?

More than 17 million flu jabs have been administered in England so far. But that's not enough.

Flu season has come early and hit harder. A mutated, stronger strain of the virus is driving this wave and the peak is nowhere in sight.

The NHS said that unlike a cold, flu symptoms can come on very quickly and can include a sudden high temperature that appears within a few hours.

With a cold, a high temperature would appear gradually.

Flu can cause a headache, dry cough and aching body - while a cold mainly affects your nose and throat.

And flu can leave you feeling too exhausted to carry on as normal - unlike a cold, which leaves you feeling tired. In children, flu symptoms can include an earache and a drop in energy.

Professor Julian Redhead, national director for urgent care for NHS England, said this flu season would be a "big challenge" for the health service.

"I think it's going to be a big challenge for us as we go forward because it just increases the pressure.

"I mean, at the moment we've got around, say 1,500, maybe 2,000 patients in hospital with flu and the predictions are that it will rise to somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000.

"So you can see the pressure that will be put on the system will be very large and that's why we're concerned."

Professor Redhead also warned people not to underestimate the virus. Even for normally healthy people the effects of flu could be quite serious.

He said: "Anyone can be at risk of severe flu and it does carry complications, which people won't necessarily recognise because it can affect the heart and lungs and things like this.

"Clearly, it's the most vulnerable population that we're really worried about and what happens for them, is they can get bacterial infections on top of the flu and end up with things like pneumonia, which can be really, really serious.

"And we see patients going into ITU in these circumstances every year and that puts pressure into the ITU systems as well.

"So yes, it can be dangerous. It is mainly the very old and very young, where we see the complications.

"But remember that the increase at the moment is very much in the younger population and the danger is it then transmits into the older, more vulnerable population and that's what we want to try to prevent."


King and Queen choose 20th wedding anniversary portrait for Christmas card
The King and Queen have released their Christmas card for this year, featuring a portrait of the royal couple arm in arm as they celebrated their 20th anniversary.

The photograph was taken earlier this year as the couple visited Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador's residence in Rome, Italy.

It is framed inside the card by a dark red border, with the printed message in a matching colour on the opposite side reading "Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year".

Charles and Camilla's wedding anniversary on 9 April came on the same day they met Pope Francis, who died less than two weeks later at the age of 88.

In the image, taken by royal photographer Chris Jackson, Camilla is wearing a white and beige coat dress by Anna Valentine and a lily of the valley brooch, while the King is dressed in a blue pinstripe suit with a grey tie and a silk handkerchief in his chest pocket.

The Christmas card is the couple's fourth since Charles ascended to the throne.

Hundreds of copies are sent out every year to family, friends, world leaders, diplomats, charities and organisations.

For last year's Christmas card, Charles and Camilla chose a picture of them smiling in the Buckingham Palace garden.

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The year before that, the card showed the royal couple in the Throne Room at the Palace following the coronation.

The picture, by Hugo Burnand, showed Charles wearing the Imperial State Crown, coronation tunic and the robe of estate, with Camilla wearing Queen Mary's Crown.

On Friday, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children attended the Together at Christmas carol service, where they were joined by Hollywood stars including Kate Winslet and singer Katie Melua.

But the focus of Kate's annual service at Westminster Abbey was the UK's local communities and the princess took the time beforehand to thank volunteers from across the country.


At least 23 people dead after fire at nightclub in Goa, India
At least 23 people have been killed after a fire at a nightclub in Goa, India.

Dr Pramod Sawant, Goa's chief minister, said a "major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people".

"I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss," he said.

Local media reported the fire took place in a nightclub around midnight on Saturday.

The majority of victims are believed to be staff at the club - although some tourists are thought to be among those killed, local media reports.

Videos on social media showed emergency services lining up to help the injured - some of whom were taken to nearby hospitals.

Authorities worked through the night to bring the situation under control and all bodies have been recovered, the state's police chief told reporters, according to Reuters news agency.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the deadly fire was "deeply saddening".

He said he had spoken with Goa's chief minister and that "the state government is providing all possible assistance to those affected".

Dr Sawant said he has "ordered an inquiry" to discover what happened after visiting the site.

"The inquiry will examine the exact cause of the fire and whether fire safety norms and building rules were followed," he said.

"Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law - any negligence will be dealt with firmly."

Goa, a small state on India's western coast, is a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of tourists every year.


Russia hits Ukraine with missile and drone attack - as Zelenskyy notes 'substantive call' with US officials
Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight into Saturday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a "substantive phone call" with US officials aimed at ending the nearly four-year war.

Ukrainian and US officials noted any "real progress toward any agreement" ultimately would depend "on Russia's readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace."

"Ukraine is determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace," Zelenskyy wrote on social media.

It comes after Russia launched 653 drones and 51 missiles in its attack on Ukraine, triggering air raid alerts across the country overnight into Saturday, Ukraine's air force said.

Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralised 585 drones and 30 missiles, the air force said, adding that 29 locations were struck.

At least eight people were wounded in the attacks, Ukraine's minister of internal affairs Ihor Klymenko said.

Russia conducted a "massive missile-drone attack" on power stations and other energy infrastructure in several regions, Ukraine's national energy operator Ukrenergo said on Instagram.

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant temporarily lost all off-site power overnight, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

The plant is in an area that has been under Russian control since early in Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. It is not in service, but needs reliable power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel in order to avoid any catastrophic nuclear incidents.

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Zelenskyy condemns 'meaningless' strikes

The Ukrainian president condemned the strikes as "meaningless" from a military point of view.

He said energy facilities were the main targets, but a drone strike had "burned down" a train station in the city of Fastiv, in the Kyiv region.

"The Russians' goal is to hurt millions of Ukrainians, and they have sunk so low that they are launching missiles at peaceful cities on St. Nicholas Day," he said.

"That is why additional pressure is needed. Sanctions must work, and so must our air defence, which means we must continue to support those who defend our lives."

Ukraine strikes oil refinery

Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its air defences had shot down 116 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Ukrainian forces had struck Russia's Ryazan Oil Refinery, while Russian Telegram news channel Astra shared footage appearing to show a fire breaking out and plumes of smoke rising above the refinery.

Over the last few months, Ukraine has used long-range drones to target Russian refineries in an attempt to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to continue the war.

Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is trying to cripple Ukraine's power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in winter, which Ukrainian officials call "weaponising" the cold.


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