Both Dumfries and Galloway's MP vote in favour of sending UK asylum seekers to Rwanda

Rishi Sunak says the government is making 'great progress' in 'levelling up' the country. But when the Manchester Evening News asked voters in a Conservative constituency which the Prime Minister visited in Greater Manchester today (January 5), hardly anyone agreed.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, or BAFTA, has become a crucial indicator on which films and performances could garner support for the Academy Awards due to the huge overlap of voting members. Over the years, its influence on the Oscars has been undeniable, with many of its winners often helping to shape a narrative. After getting ignored by all the major guilds, last year’s German-language film “All Quiet on the Western Front” made a big showing before going on to nab nine Oscar nominations and winning four.

The country will go to the poll within the next 12 months to choose a new government. The last general election took place in December 2019 when Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party won a landslide victory with a majority of 80 seats.

An exhibition celebrating women in photography is set to tour Dumfries and Galloway.

A Kirkcudbright businessman has urged the Scottish Government to help Dumfries and Galloway’s hospitality industry.

More than 500 pupils have been excluded from schools across Dumfries and Galloway in the last two years.

Barack Obama has published his annual favourite songs of the year list, with Beyoncé, Stormzy, Mitski and more making the cut in 2023.Beyoncé’s ‘America Has a Problem’ remix featuring Kendrick Lamar, Stormzy’s ‘Toxic Trait‘ featuring Fredo and Mitski’s ‘My Love Mine All Mine’ all feature on the list, which also includes songs by Dave and Central Cee, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, Burna Boy and 21 Savage, Blondshell and more.“Here are some of my favorite songs from this year,” Obama wrote on Twitter/X today (December 29). “Let me know if there are any artists or songs I should check out.”The former president included more releases by Big Thief, Tems, Asake, Victoria Monét, 6LACK, Jon Batiste, Karol G and Shakira.Here are some of my favorite songs from this year. Let me know if there are any artists or songs I should check out.

War, continued anti-LGBTQ crackdowns and the decriminalization of consensual same-sex sexual relations are among the issues that made headlines around the world over the past year. Here are the top international stories of 2023.

Three nurses at DGRI are steeling themselves for a New Year’s Day challenge – but it’s nothing to do with stitches or bandages.

The severe shortage of wheelchair accessible taxis in Dumfries and Galloway must be addressed urgently, councillors have insisted.

The royal family marked Christmas Day by attending the traditional festive church service on the King’s Sandringham estate.

Kate Middleton cut a chic and classic figure as she led the Wales family to the annual Christmas Day service at Sandringham, in a stunning blue ensemble to mark the special day. The 41 year old Princess of Wales opted for a tailored deep blue single breasted coat by Alexander McQueen, which featured an asymmetric waist button detail and notched lapels, that Kate effortlessly paired with a navy blue turtleneck and matching boots.

The Royal Family are expected to spend Christmas at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk this year with members of the family all staying in the main house and vacant surrounding properties.To relieve the number of people staying in the house itself, royals such as the Prince and Princess of Wales are likely to stay at their nearby home of Anmer Hall with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.Thought to be their favourite property, Anmer Hall was a wedding gift to the couple from the late Queen and is located on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Anmer Hall is an 18th century red-brick home situated in the village of Anmer in Norfolk, England.

A hotel housing asylum seekers in Standish has closed three months earlier than planned. Kiley Court Hotel in Wigan was only designated as a spot to house migrants in August in a surprise decision by the Home Office.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief It seems Hollywood’s “sequel-itis” has reached China’s box office too. Despite the country’s dramatic overnight removal of COVID restrictions in December 2022 and film imports quickly restarting with the triumphant debut of “Avatar: The Way of Water,” Hollywood’s new normal in the Middle Kingdom bears little resemblance to its pre-pandemic status. During the three-year disruption of 2020-22, caused by the pandemic and soured U.S.-China diplomatic relations, few Hollywood films — and no Marvel titles — made their way onto Chinese screens. But if Hollywood studios read the $240 million-grossing “Avatar 2” feeding frenzy as a sign that pent-up Chinese demand for their sequels and superheroes slate might continue throughout 2023, they were sorely disappointed. In the world’s second-largest box office territory, with a cume to date of $7.3 billion, the market share for all imported films in China has crashed, standing at less than 15% at the beginning of December. Hollywood films’ share is just 12%, consultancy Artisan Gateway calculates. This month, “Napoleon” and “Wonka” have continued the trend of dismal flops, with $5 million and $3 million opening weekends, respectively. The slump is particularly disappointing given that the Chinese authorities that carefully control the film industry have this year made several moves designed to put Hollywood releasing back on the rails.

The region’s top cop confirmed that community police officers will be on the beat soon as the force welcomed 12 new recruits last week.

A pioneering approach to substance misuse has won Dumfries and Galloway’s Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service a top national award.

SNP ministers have refused to ditch controversial gender reform legislation despite accepting it has no chance of becoming law while the Conservatives remain in power at Westminster.

The Scottish Government is in line to freeze the threshold for the higher rate of income tax in the Budget today.

One of the biggest nights in the TV calendar is here - the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 final. It's set to be a dazzling night in the ballroom as, after 13 weeks, this year's winner will be announced.