Newspaper headlines: 'Christmas getaway hell' and UN backs more Gaza aid
- Published
The Times, external reports that ministers are pushing for the routine use of live facial recognition cameras in town centres after testing found the technology could help to catch criminals in a "fraction of the time it would otherwise take". The paper said both the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police have used the kit in recent weeks to find people wanted for offences such as rape, violent crime and robbery. The National Police Chiefs' Council said live facial recognition would free up officers to investigate other crimes, but that forces must use it in a proportionate and accountable way. The paper added that civil liberty groups have likened the technology to "Orweillian surveillance".
The Daily Telegraph, external leads with an interview from British businessman James Dyson calling for the UK to focus on growth, rather than cutting inflation, as official figures show the country is on the brink of a technical recession. Dyson told the paper he feels wealth generation and growth have become "dirty words". He also praises the economic policies of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, saying he thought they were doing the right thing by going for growth.
The Sun, external carries more of its exclusive interview with Alex Batty, the British teenager who was missing for six years before being found in France last week. Speaking about his time abroad, the 17-year-old has said he missed out on what he called "a proper education". He said he wasn't going to school but tried to read as much as possible, and was "obsessed" with the Harry Potter series. His grandmother, Susan Caruana, who he is living with now he's back in the UK, has told the paper she feared she'd never see Alex again.
Labour is considering whether to scale back on its pledge to spend £28bn ($35.6bn) a year on green investments, the Guardian, external has reported. The paper added there are concerns within the party that the policy could be attacked by the Conservatives in a general election campaign. Sir Keir Starmer and the shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, are due to discuss options next month.
Some of the papers have picked up on an international study which says British people are now the second biggest users of cocaine in the world. A league table has been published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development using the latest data from 36 countries. Experts are quoted in both the Times, external and the Telegraph, external as saying getting hold of cocaine is as easy as ordering a pizza.
According to the Daily Mail, external, the King is to knight the Archbishop of Canterbury in the upcoming New Year Honours list. The paper said the Most Rev Justin Welby would be admitted to the Royal Victorian Order for his "personal service" to the Crown - marking only the second time in recent history that a serving leader of the Church of England has received the honour.
And Wham! securing the Christmas number one single for the first time, with their festive classic "Last Christmas", gets a mention in most of the papers. Both the Mail, external and the Sun, external reflect on the fact that the song has missed out on the title for decades, having first been released 39 years ago, with the headline "At Last Christmas".
Sign up for our morning newsletter and get BBC News in your inbox.