Hectragon: HOT NEWS AND GISTS

NHS hit by nurses' pay scandal:
Locum agencies creaming off up to half the fees hospitals pay them

NHS hit by locum agency nurses’ pay scandal

Telegraph investigation finds locum agencies are making huge profits from fees to supply last-minute staff, and are charging hospitals wildly different prices

Driven by money: the £1m 'biller’ for NHS nurses

Premium-rate agency charges up to 100pc mark-up in commission to get trusts last-minute staff

£2.5m of public money spent on gadgets for NHS chiefs

Nursing agencies and the cost to the NHS - by numbers

The family of 11 Walthamstow had planned a holiday to Disneyland in California

US bans Muslim family from Disneyland holiday

David Cameron urged to intervene as Walthamstow family stopped from entering country to go to California

World champion skier Marcel Hirscher almost killed in near miss with falling camera drone

Marcel Hirscher, who had narrow escape when a drone came crashing down just behind him

Austrian skiing champion inches from death as camera drone falls from the sky and nearly lands on him during slalom race

From online shopping to channel hopping: the habits damning marriages

One in 10 divorces stem from hidden frustration with partners’ bad habits

Turkish security forces direct traffic outside the airport

Woman dies and a second person wounded in explosion on the tarmac at Istanbul airport

The nightmare before Christmas as Storm Eva to batter Britain amid more flood warnings

Met Office warns of 80mph winds and torrential downpours through to Boxing Day as dozens of flood alerts issued

Afghan reinforcements arrive in desperate battle to save Sangin from the Taliban

An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier keeps watch during an ongoing battle with Taliban militants in the Nad Ali district of Helmand

Taliban close to capturing Sangin in "fight to the death" as insurgents execute captured security officials in the street - and locals appeal to Afghan president on Facebook

Sangin is heroin trade's answer to Colombia's cocaine cartels

15 years ago the CIA tried to predict the world in 2015. Here's what they got right - and wrong

News Headlines»

Buried alive for 60 hours: Survivor pulled from rubble of industrial park flattened by landslide

Rescuers encouraging a trapped person by holding his hand at the site of landslide at an industrial park in Shenzhen
Landslide in Shenzhen, China

UK awash with oil as tankers forced to turn around

BBC commissions Countryfile spin-off after record ratings

Nathan Crawford poses for a photo near his home in Bude, Cornwall

Schoolboy, nine, with brain tumour is first to have testicular tissue frozen to save fertility

Head quits school that lost 23 teachers in three years

Christmas getaway: Fears of travel chaos as 4m take to roads

Jeremy Vine reported to BBC bosses over 'man flu' remark

The chaos started around 4pm and continued well into the evening

Christmas shoppers endure six hour wait to get out of Bluewater Shopping Centre

Spanish school celebrates €300m Christmas lottery haul

'No room at the cinema for the baby Jesus’: Nativity advert banned from the big screen

Unexplained depression could be brain tumour

Rachel Boddy, an army nurse who wrote off £22k BMW after guzzling free wine and port in sergeants' mess

Army nurse wrote off £22k BMW after guzzling free wine and port in sergeants' mess

Michael Schumacher is not walking: Manager of F1 star forced to deny report raising 'false hope' of his recovery

TripAdvisor-style ratings website launched for care homes

Barack Obama nails effortlessly cool chip-in from 40 feet in front of the world's media

U.S. President Barack Obama celebrates after chipping in on the 18th green

Finance headlines»

UK economy in shock slowdown as recovery loses steam

Britain's recovery is losing steam, according to official data that showed growth this year was weaker than previously thought

Official figures show UK growth was weaker than thought in the second and third quarters

Panmure shares sink after it warns it will make a loss

Game Digital shares dive 40pc after Christmas profit warning

Slater & Gordon faces class action suit over Quindell division purchase

Shell plans big cost cuts on BG merger

Osborne's deficit target in doubt as borrowing climbs in November

How Britons splashed their cash in 2015

UK awash with oil as tankers forced to turn around

Christmas»

The days of the cheap panto are behind you

Middle-class families are being priced out of the much-loved Christmas tradition as productions become more expensive and over the top

Inside Windsor Castle at Christmas

Last minute Christmas shopping: subscription gifts

Why does Santa wear red and why do we kiss under mistletoe? The mysteries of Christmas unwrapped

10 great Boxing Day pub walks

Where to buy the cheapest Christmas turkey right now

9 surprising benefits of working during the Christmas period

Recommended»

Is December 23 too late to start planning Christmas?

10 great films for Christmas

Stick Man: the tale of an unlikely hero

Dear Mother Christmas, thank you for being the one who actually does the work

Hipster guide to being a husband tops 2016 Christmas book charts

1970s New York Disco: photos by Bill Bernstein

Strictly winner Aliona Vilani: This was my last Strictly

What time does the NORAD Santa Tracker start?

Why savings rates will finally improve in 2016

Johnny Depp is the most overpaid actor of 2015

TV quiz of the year 2015: take our mega interactive test

Telegraph Christmas Appeal

Telegraph Casino: enjoy classic table games and slots

Sport»

City may rival Chelsea for Vardy

Leicester City centre-forward has been the subject of a tentative inquiry from Manuel Pellegrini's side but the champions interest is more solid

34 Comments

Why Simeone is a good fit for Chelsea

Argentine is a street fighter and already knows how to handle Diego Costa, plus three other reasons why he should take over hotseat

5 Comments

Louis van Gaal - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal insists he will not walk away from the Old Trafford job

Van Gaal insists he will not walk away from United job

Louis van Gaal has forced Manchester United’s board to make the final decision on his future by making clear that he will not resign

75 Comments

Anderson a doubt for first Test after calf blow

A grim-faced James Anderson left team hotel after the rest of the team had gone to the ground for training to have scans on his right leg

2 Comments

Olivier Giroud thanks Mesut Ozil for the assist

Ozil gives Arsenal freedom to evolve

Sam Wallace: German playmaker and positional discipline of the wide players has given Arsenal more tactical flexibility and counter-attacking threat

6 Comments

Nick Davies (right) with Lord Coe in November 2015

IAAF chief steps aside over leaked doping email

Lord Coe's aide, and deputy general secretary of the IAAF, has stood down after an email appearing to show showing he knew about cover-up two years ago emerges

Martin Skrtel - Liverpool news: Defender Martin Skrtel sidelined for six weeks after picking up hamstring strain in Watford defeat

Skrtel out for six weeks with hamstring strain

Liverpool centre-back to miss League Cup semi-final, FA Cup third round and league visits of Leicester, Arsenal and Manchester United

If the Fifa Ballon d’Or world coach of the year shortlist is any guide, the idea of a big British club ever being managed by a British coach again is one for the birds

Paul Hayward

If Eddie Jones wants Dylan Hartley to lead England, he is quite entitled to pick him. After all, a poor disciplinary record did not stop Martin Johnson captaining England

Mick Cleary

Maybe it is time for Louis van Gaal to go. But is Jose Mourinho the right replacement?

Jason Burt

'There's been a mistake. We gave some gold, frankincense and myrrh to Miss Colombia'

Miss Universe: Twitter reacts to Steve Harvey announcing the wrong winner

Comment & Analysis»

Con Coughlin

Afghanistan shows we must stay the course

John McTernan

MPs need an independent regulator

Dalia Gebrial

Cecil Rhodes was a racist colonial thief

Letters: EU

Let's hear the case for and against Brexit

Malaysia's first Islamic airline takes off

'Robot reindeer' pull Santa's sleigh

Tian Zeming is moved on a strectcher as rescuers scrabbling through the aftermath of a huge three-day-old landslide discovered two people alive in the mud, as China's cabinet announced a probe into the country's latest industrial accident

Man rescued 60 hours after China landslide

Aylan Kurdi's father delivers alternative Xmas message

Best drone videos of all time - top five

'Fireball' lights up sky over US

Flooding returns to Cumbria

Nursing agencies and the cost to the NHS

Zoo animals unwrap Christmas gifts

Bungling burglar gets stuck in ceiling

Travel»

The best travel videos of 2015

Our 15 favourite videos of the year, from airborne felines to the best aerial views of Ireland since the opening credits of Father Ted

Comment

Anthony Peregrine's Provence

Telegraph Tours Join us for a springtime adventure in this wonderful region of France with our inimitable expert

The 10 best hotels for 2016

Fiona Duncan, our hotel columnist, recommends 10 of her favourite places to spend the night

Comment

Rich Kids of Instagram on holiday

We reveal how the wealthy showboaters from the Channel 4 show spend their time - and money

A chance to see the world in 26 luxury stays

Telegraph Travel Awards 2015/16: win a luxury stay in 26 hotels around the world

Complete our Travel Awards survey for the chance to win 26 nights in Waldorf Astoria hotels around the world - a prize worth more than £16,000

Characterful Venice hotels

Top 10 As George Clooney prepares to marry Amal Alamuddin in Venice, our expert offers a guide to 10 of the city's most characterful hotels

Comment

Malaysia's first Islamic airline takes off

Video Rayani Air is to comply with Islamic law, with an alcohol ban and halal food on services from Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi

85 Comments

The Amalfi Coast's best hotels

Top 10 Where to stay for clifftop views and romantic dining, from Positano to Sorrento

The best Canary Islands hotels

Top 10 The best places to stay in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Palma and La Gomera

Celebrities favourite hotels of 2015

Celebrities reveal their favourite hotels of the year

Comment

Culture»

Stick Man (Martin Freeman) with his Stick Lady Love (Sally Hawkins)

Stick Man: the tale of an unlikely hero

TV and Radio A new Julia Donaldson animation celebrates the joy of outdoor play and family love, says Julia Llewellyn Smith

1 Comment

The Dad's Army Story: 'wonderfully witty'

John Sessions and Julian Sands as Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier

TV Reviews This warm making-of drama delivered lashings of nostalgia, says Gerard O'Donovan

Comment

Luther, series 4, ep 2: 'beyond silly'

Luther returned with the usual pyrotechnics - but just how did he retrieve his coat from the Thames?

TV Reviews Despite its ludicrously charismatic lea, this is a show that has run out of good ideas, says Gerard O'Donovan

3 Comments

Charlize Theron and David Fincher team up for FBI Netflix series

TV and Radio Mindhunter will be the second Netflix series from the House of Cards creator

2 Comments

The 11 best pieces of Christmas music ever written

Music Tired of being force-fed the same old festive tunes? Ivan Hewett rounds up 10 timeless pieces of music

Johnny Depp is the most overpaid actor of 2015

Film A new Forbes list shows that in 2015, the average return on each dollar Depp was paid to star in a film was just $1.20

Aliona Vilani: 'This was my last Strictly'

Strictly Come Dancing The professional dancer, who won this year's competition with The Wanted's Jay McGuiness, has announced she is leaving Strictly Come Dancing

7 Comments

What time and when is the Downton Abbey Christmas special on TV? Plus, will Lady Edith get her happy ending?

What time and when is EastEnders on TV this Christmas? Plus, is Phil Mitchell going to die?

What time is the Doctor Who Christmas special on TV? And who are River Song's husbands?

What time and when is Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special on TV? Plus, when is the live episode?

What time and when does Celebrity Big Brother 2016 start on TV? Plus, Emma Willis promises 'TV gold'

Johnny Depp is the most overpaid actor of 2015

Film A new Forbes list shows that in 2015, the average return on each dollar Depp was paid to star in a film was just $1.20

Culture stars who died in 2015

Culture Picture Galleries Brooke McCarter, one of the vampires in cult Eighties film The Lost Boys, has died aged 52. Here Martin Chilton looks at other culture greats who died in 2015

The man who inspired Homer Simpson

Books It is 75 years since the death of Nathanael West. Martin Chilton pays tribute to this 'funny, but desperately sad' writer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - how can I get tickets?

Market Data»

Premier League fixtures»

Monday 21 December
FT	Arsenal	2	-	1	Man City
Saturday 26 December
12:45	Stoke		v.		Man Utd
15:00	Aston Villa		v.		West Ham
15:00	Bournemouth		v.		Crystal Palace
15:00	Chelsea		v.		Watford
15:00	Liverpool		v.		Leicester
15:00	Man City		v.		Sunderland
15:00	Swansea		v.		West Brom
15:00	Tottenham		v.		Norwich
17:30	Newcastle		v.		Everton

Premier League table

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Leicester	17	11	5	1	13	38
2	Arsenal	17	11	3	3	17	36
3	Man City	17	10	2	5	14	32
4	Tottenham	17	7	8	2	14	29
5	Man Utd	17	8	5	4	8	29
6	Crystal Palace	17	9	2	6	7	29
7	Watford	17	8	4	5	5	28
8	West Ham	17	6	7	4	4	25
9	Liverpool	17	6	6	5	-2	24
10	Everton	17	5	8	4	7	23
11	Stoke	17	6	5	6	-2	23
12	Southampton	17	5	6	6	0	21
13	West Brom	17	5	5	7	-6	20
14	Bournemouth	17	5	4	8	-10	19
15	Chelsea	17	5	3	9	-6	18
16	Norwich	17	4	5	8	-9	17
17	Newcastle	17	4	5	8	-13	17
18	Swansea	17	3	6	8	-9	15
19	Sunderland	17	3	3	11	-15	12
20	Aston Villa	17	1	4	12	-17	7