Alan Milburn will lead a review urging No 10 to overhaul youth employment, training and pay to avoid a “lost generation”. It will scrutinise the lower youth minimum wage, entry routes and apprenticeships, pushing action to raise prospects, cut insecure work and improve living standards.

Rory McIlroy has been named Sports Personality of the Year after a standout season on tour. The award recognises his sustained excellence, consistency and leadership in golf, rounding off a year that reaffirmed his status among the sport’s elite.

European intelligence says a hostile state is targeting EU finance chiefs and politicians to derail plans to use profits from frozen central bank assets. Leaders will decide whether to proceed, with legal backing and guarantees for Euroclear under discussion.

Britain will rejoin the Erasmus programme, restoring EU student exchanges. Ministers plan to widen access, including apprentices and those from lower‑income backgrounds. Grants and fee waivers are expected, with placements across Europe resuming from 2027, aiding a practical reset with Brussels.