24/12/2017 London News

We're back with the late

news at 10:15pm.

Now on BBC One, it's time

for the news where you are.

Hello and welcome

to BBC London News.

I'm Alpa Patel.

The husband of Nazanin

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British

Iranian woman jailed in Iran, said

he is hopeful she will be in the

next fortnight.

The family have been separated

for more than a year and half.

Emma North reports.

There'd been hopes for her release

by Christmas, but the husband

of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe says

he's trying to keep a level head

while his wife's fate looks

as uncertain as ever.

So far, there hasn't been any

substance and obviously she's not

home for Christmas Eve,

but Christmas Day,

possible, Boxing Day...

It could be that we are in

for a much longer haul.

So I'm not yet gearing up

to escalate and do more.

I'm still hoping

and fingers crossed.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who turns

39 years old on Boxing Day,

is being held in Iran on spying

charges, which she denies.

Her daughter, Gabriella, who is now

three, is being raised in Iran.

These latest pictures

show her wearing a dress her mother

knitted for her in prison.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's lawyer has

reportedly told her to ignore any

reports in the Iranian media

either of fresh charges

or of an early release.

Of course, we had a second court

case that was mooted before,

but the Foreign Secretary went over

to Iran and then it fell away.

So only last week, the court case

disappeared and was cancelled

formally by the court,

and then it's been revived again.

So it's really hard to know what's

going on and it's hard not

to get too up or too down.

Mrs Ratcliffe's case

was taken up by Boris Johnson

during a visit to Tehran.

The Foreign Secretary

apologised for a gaffe

which appeared to contradict claims

she was on holiday.

The Foreign Office delegation

reportedly left Iran,

sensing that both sides wanted

to resolve the issue

as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the Iranian judiciary

is expected to speak later,

leaving Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's

family here in London experiencing

a difficult but familiar mixture

of bewilderment and hope.

Emma North, BBC London News.

The restaurant chain Wagamama has

apologised after a manager

at its North Finchley branch warned

workers that they would face

disciplinary action if they called

in sick over Christmas.

Wagamama said the manager "feared

team member shortages"

It is said to threaten this kind

thing might be unlawful.

Wagamama said the manager "feared

team member shortages"

and "regrettably decided to take

this highly unusual approach",

which is not company policy.

Harlequins Rugby Club lost

by just one point yesterday,

away at Newcastle in the

Aviva Premiership.

But they won't be sitting

back and relaxing over

the Christmas period,

because this is their busiest

training time of the year.

So how much do the players actually

get to enjoy their Christmas?

Sara Orchard has been finding out.

While most of us indulge,

Harlequins do this.

They play a special home match

at Twickenham in front of 80,000

fans, and this year it's

against Northampton Saints,

who have just sacked their director

of rugby, Jim Mallinder.

In times of strife they probably

find themselves in,

the group probably rallies together

a little bit more, so it is sad news

seeing Jim leave the club and I'm

sure the players will be up for it.

What more than a big game

at Twickenham in front of 82,000

to try and kick-start

your season again?

It is what it says

on the tin - a big game.

It's the tenth time Quins have

taken their Christmas fixture

to the home of English rugby,

but first there is the matter

of Christmas to be enjoyed.

The average daily intake of calories

for a woman is 2,000.

For men, it goes up to 2,500.

But it's thought that,

on Christmas Day, we

all slightly indulge.

We tend to take in

around 5,000 calories.

But what happens when you are

a professional rugby player?

I'm all right.

I can...

I can pile on the pounds

over Christmas.

Treat myself to some pigs

in blankets and so forth.

We are lucky as backs.

We can eat quite heavily

on Christmas Day.

It's the front row lads who got

to look after themselves a bit more.

I love the puddings.

I've got a big sweet tooth myself,

so any pudding that comes

out, I'll enjoy that.

Harlequins against Northampton kicks

off at 4pm on the 30th of December.

Sara Orchard, BBC London News.

Weather now - rather

cloudy across the capital

this evening, with patchy light rain

or drizzle becoming widespread

by tomorrow morning.

Maximum temperature: 11.

That is it from us

here at BBC London.

Have a lovely Christmas.