Status Quo honoured

Having rocked the world for more than 40 years, the original members of Status Quo have been recognised in the New Year Honours List. Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi were awarded OBEs for their hugely successful musical career. The bands response to the award was f*** it, I’m so made up it’s ridiculous. Honours also went to 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button and his Brawn GP team owner Ross Brawn. Knighthoods have been awarded to the actor Patrick Stewart and Scottish rugby international and Lions coach Ian McGeechan.

Status Quo included in the New Year Honours list

British hostage released

One of Britain’s missing hostages has been released after more than two years in captivity, in Iraq. Peter Moore was finally freed today and is believed to have been surprised, but in good health. The computer expert was seized along with his four British bodyguards from the finance ministry in Baghdad, in May 2007. There had been fears for his life as three of the dead bodies of the guards had been handed back to UK authorities. The last guard is believed to be dead and Foreign Secretary David Miliband has pleaded for the body to be released.

You want a slap

Iran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki says Britain will get a slap in the mouth if it doesn’t stop the nonsense. This warning comes as a response to the UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who hailed the great courage of Iranians who staged opposition protests on Sunday. Iran believes the clashes, which resulted in eight people being killed, were inspired and aided by the West and want to make a formal complaint about the UK ambassador.

Council detectives in your home

A report has apparently revealed that council workers have the power to barge into our homes. It is believed that the average local authority has 47 employees authorised to enter private homes, although some councils may have hundreds of such inspectors. There are 1,043 different laws to permit such inspectors from entering a property. Gordon Brown pledged he would review the power of councils to enter people’s homes without warrant.

Paper plane record

A Japanese engineer has set a world flight record for a hand-folded paper plane flight. He unfortunately narrowly missed out on a Guinness world record he holds for cello-taped plane but this was the longest flight by a plain paper plane, using the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. The construction stayed in the air for 26.1 seconds.

Attack on a plane

Police are now beginning searches in London in connection with the inquiry into an attempted act of terrorism on a US passenger plane. Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23 Nigerian man, is being held having been arrested on the flight to Detroit. He is suspected of being an al Qaeda operative and is accused of trying to blow up the transatlantic passenger jet, with explosives strapped to his leg, as it landed on Christmas Day. The man is thought to have been a student at University College London and therefore have connections back the UK.

The Queen’s speach

The Queen pays tribute to British troops serving in Afghanistan in her annual Christmas speech. This year has seen heavy losses for UK forces in Afghanistan and as head of the armed forces; the Queen looks out for the efforts of the country’s soldiers, sailors and airmen. Merry Christmas everyone.

Obama backed for health care bill

US President Barack Obama has received an early Christmas present as the US Senate has backed his landmark health care bill. Under the bill medical cover will be extend to some 30 million-plus Americans who do not receive it at present. The vote followed months of political squabbling, and now if the House-Senate agrees on a single bill, the chambers must approve it before sending it to President Obama to sign into law. This is yet another breakthrough in what has been a successful year in power for Mr Obama.

Amy Winehouse charged

The singer Amy Winehouse has been charged with assault. The incident in question happened at the theatre in Milton Keynes on Saturday. Police say Winehouse attended the police station voluntarily and she is due to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court in January. The star is supposed to have hit a theatre manager after a disruption in the performance of Cinderella.

Prince sleeps on streets

Prince William slept rough on the streets of London in freezing temperatures, raising awareness of a charity for homeless young. The prince is the patron for Centrepoint, a charity working to improve the lives of socially challenged young homeless people. Prince William and Centrepoint chief executive Seyi Obakin, along with the prince’s private secretary, slept on cardboard boxes next to Blackfriars Bridge. The aim of the stunt was to raise awareness of people on the streets with the charity looking to end youth homelessness in the next 10 years.