Here's a look at what's on the national and international news agenda this morning:-

Arise, Sir Mo: Knighthood 'a dream come true' for Olympic great

Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah has said being given a knighthood in the New Year Honours is a "dream come true" for a boy who arrived in the UK unable to speak English.

The 33-year-old distance runner, who successfully defended his 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the Rio Games, is recognised for services to athletics.

He is joined at the top of an honours list heavy with Team GB heroes by tennis world number one Andy Murray, who took gold in Brazil and becomes a knight for services to tennis and charity, while heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill is made a dame.

Anger as foreign aid chief receives knighthood

The head of Britain's foreign aid department has come under fire after he was awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours.

Mark Lowcock, permanent secretary at the Department for International Development, has been honoured despite controversy over the £12 billion that gets sent overseas each year.

The honour comes just weeks after the £160,000-a-year civil servant was criticised for building a £285 million airport on the remote island of St Helena, where it is too windy for commercial planes to land.

Russia 'always denies bad news,' says former British ambassador

Britain's former ambassador to Russia has said the country "always denies bad news" as he backed the US decision to expel 35 Russian diplomats.

Sir Andrew Wood said the West had moved to confront a Russia "which respects no rules, does not keep to its agreements and is determined to force is views on others - by force if need be".

Barack Obama decided to expel the diplomats amid allegations of Russian interference in the US presidential elections, which Moscow denies.

Put Syria war crimes cases on hold to help ceasefire, says Andrew Mitchell

Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell has called for war crime prosecutions in Syria to be put on hold to preserve the country's fragile ceasefire.

The chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on Syria also called US foreign policy in the country "a total failure", adding that incoming president Donald Trump could be "a silver lining" in efforts to end the conflict.

A ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey survived its first day on Friday, a major mark of progress after six years of fighting.

No surprise over football club abuse, says Sharon Shoesmith

The social services boss at the heart of the Baby P scandal has said no social workers are surprised that child abuse has taken place at football clubs.

Sharon Shoesmith warned of a culture of "denying crimes against children", with politicians instead looking to blame the social work profession.

The former director of children's services for the London borough of Haringey also hit out at senior politicians in the fallout from Peter Connelly's death, accusing the likes of Ed Balls and David Cameron of "trading in untruths".

Police out in full force amid New Year's Eve terror attack anxieties

New Year's Eve revellers are set to be greeted by a major police presence as they flood cities across the country to usher in 2017.

Thousands of police officers will provide a protective ring around London's set-piece firework display, while tactics have been adjusted following this year's terrorist atrocities in Europe.

Armed police will also be a fixture on the capital's Tube trains as they travel between jobs in a move that is hoped will reassure passengers.

NHS becoming 'national hangover service,' warns NHS chief

The NHS is being transformed into the "national hangover service" as binge-drinking diverts vital resources, the head of the health service in England said.

Simon Stevens condemned "selfish" party-goers in a stark warning as the nation gears up for one of the most alcohol-fuelled nights of the year.

The chief executive of NHS England added that the health service is already facing considerable strain from the annual spike in winter emergencies.

New year revellers set for fireworks fiesta as fog expected to lift

Heavy fog is expected to largely lift ahead of New Year's Eve fireworks displays.

But the Met Office fog warning across the South has been extended until 10am on Saturday, with drivers being urged to take care.

Air passengers are also being warned of cancellations and delays in a further day of travel chaos.

The Beatles' first manager Allan Williams dies aged 86

The Beatles' first manager, Allan Williams, has died at 86, it has been announced.

He took the budding musicians under his wing while they cleaned and decorated his Jacaranda Club in Liverpool.

Williams later drove the fledgling band to Hamburg in Germany in 1960 where they learned many of the skills that would help them to stardom.

Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher to be buried together

Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, will have a joint funeral and be buried together, their family has confirmed.

Reynolds' son, Todd Fisher, said his mother and sister would be laid to rest at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, the burial site for a number of celebrities including Bette Davis, Stan Laurel and Liberace.

A date for the funeral has not been set but it will be a private ceremony, while a public memorial is also being considered, Mr Fisher said.