No 12512, Tuesday 01 Jan 2019, Dr. X,

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I wonder why so many husbands are running away on this New Years day :-)

ACROSS
1   Belief essentially dividing world? (8) RELIGION {RE{beLIef}GION} &lit
5   Nastier guerilla angrily dispatches note (6) UGLIER GUERILla*
10 Partly retract a booze ban (5) TABOO [T]
11 Perhaps invents a lot essentially? (9) INNOVATES {INVENTS+A+lOt}* &lit
12 Hot disagreement in row! Be more prudent (9) THRIFTIER {T{H}{RIFT}IER}
13 Chop a little radish in hut (5) SHRED {SH{Ra...h}ED}
14 Ruins man entering to criticise (6) DISHES {DIS{HE}S}
15 Involved De Niro raging about President (5,2) ROPED IN {P} in {DE+NIRO}*
18 Spread suspicion about director (7) BREADTH {BREA{D}TH}
20 Department treating herpes (6) SPHERE*
22 Helped a venomous revolutionary imprisoned to escape (5) EVADE [T<=]
24 Turn to interrupt group that’s complaining (9) WHINGEING {W{HINGE}ING}
25 Very high on ecstasy, a fellow’s completely unable to hear anything (5-4) STONE-DEAF {STONED}{E}{A}{F}
26 Member in love rushed to embrace girl (5) ORGAN {O}{R{G}AN}
27 Taunt journalist about including appalling review (6) DERIDE {E{DIRE}D}<=
28 One breaking wildly erratic rules (8) CRITERIA {1} in {ERRATIC}*

DOWN
1   Treat perhaps to eat egg roll (6)  ROTATE {O} in {TREAT}*
2   Playboy’s occupation — taking one to bed when husband’s away (9) LIBERTINE {L{1}{BERTh}INE}
3   What novice swimmer should not do to lose temper completely (2,3,3,4,3) GO OFF THE DEEP END [DD]
4   Retired gentleman drinks alcohol after love dawns (7) ORIGINS {O}{RI{GIN}S<=}
6   Abstains from the spirit but dies (5,2,3,5) GIVES UP THE GHOST {GIVES UP}{THE GHOST}
7   Inert sadly! Do this? (5) INTER* &lit
8   Settled rift over border (8) RESIDENT {RE{SIDE}NT}
9   One making a ruckus right through nose, perhaps with a bit of rhythm (6) SNORER {SNO{R}E*}{Rh..m}
16 Pistol given by revolutionary upset about making a mistake (9) DERRINGER {D{ERRING}ER<=}

17 Dominated and cruelly bossed around, girl abandons husband (8) OBSESSED {OB{ShE}SSED*}
19 Run after woman in depression — blunder (6) HOWLER {HO{W}LE}{R}
20 Almost break up over difference of opinion! Becoming more inflexible (7) STIFFER {TIFF} in {RESt<=}
21 Lock up thug and accomplice in African country (6) UGANDA [T]

23 Secret love affair in the morning time after husband leaves (5) AMOUR {AM}{hOUR}

GRID