Parcel theft is happening in the city centre 'on a daily basis' - what can be done about it?

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester was tonight marking a New Year's Eve like no other.It's usually a night we all look forward to.

direct to your inbox It’s been a very difficult year, we know - but there’s hope on the horizon. For most people, 2020 was a year to be consigned to the history books.But amid the darkness and sadness, there were moments of light.

direct to your inboxParking will be free at a number of Manchester city centre car parks next week.It comes as some of the city's car parks are taken over by Manchester council from NCP.The council says there will be free parking at more than a dozen car parks from Friday, January 1, until Thursday, January 7.Then from January 8, motorists will need to pay for parking before they leave their cars.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN

straight to your inboxWith Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi's contract expiring at the end of the season, the Argentine can open talks with interested parties in January, with Manchester City one of the clubs linked with signing the legendary forward.Ahead of January, former City defender Pablo Zabaleta is under no illusions that City would be a great club for Messi to join."Manchester City is the best place for Messi," Zabaleta told Spanish media outlet Marca.

direct to your inboxPolice have had to shut down a Boxing Day rave after a huge gathering in the city centre.A man was arrested and two teenagers were handed a £1,000 fine following the incident.Officers were called at around 4.20am this morning after getting reports of loud music at an address in Shudehill.When they got there, they discovered around 100 people attending a rave at empty flats in Hanover Street.They dispersed the crowd and seized musical equipment.Two teenage boys – aged 17 and

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is at the centre of intense speculation ahead of the January transfer window, following comments made by his agent Mino Raiola.According to a report from Tuttosport.

straight to your inboxWith Sergio Aguero becoming less influential and Gabriel Jesus struggling for goals, Manchester City could be in the market for a new striker, either in January or in the summer.That's according to a report from 90min, which suggests that City are keen to keep Aguero, but are planning to lessen their reliance on him and have made a new striker their top priority next summer as they prepare to transition away from the Argentine.The report goes on to suggest that City are

direct to your inboxShe has spent her life caring for others - from nursing patients at the first ever NHS hospital in the 1940s to helping rehabilitate ex-offenders today.Now Manchester grandma Dena Murphy, who has won a Pride of Britain Award for her work in the community, has delivered a Christmas speech to offer comfort to the people of Greater Manchester in these dark times.It has been a tough year for many during the pandemic, with thousands losing loved ones to Covid-19, and others facing

straight to your inbox every day for freeWith Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba's future at the club thrown into question earlier in the month, his international teammate Eduardo Camavinga has been linked with replacing his compatriot at Old Trafford.The Rennes wonderkid, who only turned 18 in November, has already made 60 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, featuring in the Champions League and also making his international debut.The youngster has also recently confirmed a change of agency,

direct to your inboxThe date and kick-off details for Manchester United and Manchester City's Carabao Cup semi-final have been confirmed. The match will come after a hectic festive fixture schedule for both clubs and be played on January 6 at Old Trafford, with kick-off at 7:45pm.

direct to your inboxManchester United will host Manchester City in one of the Carabao Cup semi-finals in a repeat of last year's last-four tie. Earlier this year City won 3-2 on aggregate after the Blues won 3-1 at Old Trafford and United won the reverse fixture 1-0.

direct to your inboxThugs shouted 'Manchester Manchester' at horrified onlookers after battering a man in a shop doorway in Liverpool city centre. Mobile phone footage shows two men kicking and punching the man on Basnett Street in front of Christmas shoppers on Sunday, the Liverpool Echo reports.

direct to your inboxA man was taken to hospital after he was rescued from a canal in Manchester city centre.Emergency services were called to the Rochdale Canal, off Castle Street, shortly before midnight on Friday.The man had already been rescued before firefighters arrived.He was taken to hospital by North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).It's not clear who pulled the man from the water.A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "At 23.44PM on the 18th December GMFRS were

direct to your inboxPolice were scrambled to Manchester city centre after a car crashed into railings.Pictures from the scene showed a badly damaged saloon car after it had crashed through railings on Great Ancoats Street.The road was closed briefly while the wreckage was cleared from the carriageway.A flatbed truck later removed the damaged car.Unconfirmed reports from the scene suggested the crash followed a police pursuit.The incident happened on Great Ancoats Street at its junction with

direct to your inboxRio Ferdinand has echoed Roy Keane's comments and criticised the Manchester United squad for their embraces with Man City players after Saturday evening's Manchester derby. The former United centre-back questioned Harry Maguire, who was seen hugging England teammate John Stones after the 0-0 bore draw at Old Trafford.Neither side created many opportunities in a stalemate that brought a point for both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Pep Guardiola's sides.

direct to your inboxThree people are in hospital including a young child after a van crashed into a bus in Manchester city centre last night.Police, fire and ambulance crews attended the incident on Angel Street near the Co-op headquarters in the NOMA district at around 9.24pm.A transit van appears to have collided head-on with a bus while travelling the wrong way down the one-way road.

direct to your inboxJeremy Corbyn's brother led an anti-lockdown march in the city centre today.Piers Corbyn was one of around 500 people who marched through Manchester in another protest against lockdown regulations.The protesters marched through the city centre, starting in Piccadilly Gardens at around midday.

direct to your inboxPolice took to social media to call out the 'worst parking in 2020' after a car was found on a grass verge near the Trafford Centre.The black Vauxhall had come off the road and onto a grass area on Old Park Lane in Trafford Park.It appeared to be damaged, with the front bumper hanging off.Officers said the driver of the car had no insurance, and the vehicle was seized.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletterYou

direct to your inboxThe fire service was called to the city centre on Friday morning to a fire in a lighting unit at a commercial property.Crews from Moss Side and Salford were called to Lloyd Street and spent just under an hour at the scene.A spokesperson for GMFRS said: “On Friday, 11 December, at 8.37am, firefighters were called to a fire on Lloyd Street in Manchester.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletterYou can sign up very

straight to your inbox every day for freeAhead of arguably Manchester United's most important game of the 2020/21 season so far, agent Mino Raiola chose to drop a bombshell about Paul Pogba's future at the club.His comments have emerged on the eve of United's game against RB Leipzig in the Champions League group stages, a game they need to avoid defeat in order to advance to the knockout stages.Raiola, who is the Frenchman's agent, has suggested that Pogba's time at United is coming to an end,