94 minutes ago ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS: What is the story of the disputed Republic of Abkhazia which borders Georgia?

Abkhazia is in the South Caucasus, along the eastern coast of the Black Sea. It borders Georgia to the southeast and Russia to the northwest. The ethnic Abkhaz people are indigenous to the region.

Politics

1 hour ago Four people found dead at home on Christmas Day after suspected carbon monoxide leak

Tragedy prompts police to remind householders of the importance of having working carbon monoxide alarms in their homes

Events

1 hour ago Travel expert warns against common luggage mistake that increases risk of losing your bags

There are a few things you can do to ensure your luggage stays safe and arrives at your destination with you - but there's one mistake people often make which could result in it getting lost.

Events

2 hours ago Motorists told to swerve Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's for petrol as costs soar

Allied Autocare has urged drivers to avoid filling up their cars at Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco and explained supermarket fuel would likely "cost more in the long run"

Politics

3 hours ago Surfing the internet in middle age can cut risk of dementia in later life by more than half, study shows

Scientists think processing the vast amounts of information encountered online can benefit people's brains, while social media use may help to combat loneliness

Events

3 hours ago A quarter of people killed in car accidents last year were not wearing seat belts, figures show

The percentage of fatalities in any seat not wearing a belt rose from 21% in 2022 to 25% last year.

Events

3 hours ago Willy’s Chocolate Experience: The Unknown teenager remembers ‘crazy’ Wonka event

Felicia Dawkins captivated the internet as Willy Wonka’s masked rival.

Politics

4 hours ago Russia tried to make Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in the sea by refusing permission to land after missile attack, then jamming its navigation to force hero pilot over water before crash killed 38

A Russian surface-to-air missile struck the flight on Christmas Day, causing the airliner to crash in Kazakhstan - a tragedy which claimed the lives of 38 people.

Events

4 hours ago Union accused of woke 'language policing' after banning pharmacists from referring to patients who faint as suffering from 'blackouts'

In what critics are calling woke 'language policing', a union has given staff a list of terms to avoid due to their 'racial undertones'.

Events

6 hours ago Air pollution caused by AI tech could lead to 1,300 U.S. deaths annually by 2030, researchers say

Air pollution already kills millions of people and more data centers could add to the burden, scientists warn

Events

6 hours ago World Health Organisation chief was at Yemen airport during Israeli airstrike that killed two: Shocking footage shows travellers rushing out in panic

Israeli forces struck the airport in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa earlier today - killing at least two people.

Events

6 hours ago World Health Organisation chief was at Yemen airport during Israeli airstrike that killed two

Israeli forces struck the airport in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa earlier today - killing at least two people.

Events

6 hours ago Infectious disease expert reveals the pathogens that could spark another pandemic in 2025

Influenza A subtype H5N1, sometimes called bird flu, has sickened at least 66 people across ten states, sparking worry among infectious disease experts looking at public health threats in 2025.

Events

7 hours ago Antiques Roadshow guests admit ‘creepy head’ worth thousands was used to ‘scare people’

An Antiques Roadshow expert jokingly instructed the owners of a bust on what to avoid when it comes to taking care of the “rare” item

Culture

7 hours ago Majority of Brits say fixing broken NHS should be top of PM's priorities, poll shows

Almost two-thirds (64%) of people put fixing the health service in their top three priorities - ahead of money worries, immigration and cutting crime, according to an exclusive poll

Politics

7 hours ago Major poll shows what majority of Brits believe should be PM's top priority

Almost two-thirds (64%) of people put fixing the health service in their top three priorities - ahead of money worries, immigration and cutting crime, according to an exclusive poll

Politics

8 hours ago California residents urged to avoid ocean as high surf pounds coastline

At least one dead and three missing amid storm that has split wharf, wrecked boat and piled up debrisCalifornia residents are being warned to stay off wharves, piers and other waterside structures as 20-30ft waves are expected to batter the northern Pacific coast for the rest of the week.The National Weather Service advisory comes after a 150ft section of the wharf in Santa Cruz collapsed amid high waves on Monday, and storm debris was blamed for the death of a Santa Cruz county man on a beach in Watsonville. Continue reading...

Politics

9 hours ago Trump tells 37 people on death row with commuted sentences to ‘go to hell’

On Truth Social, president-elect also lashes out at Chinese troops in Panama Canal and Canadian PM Justin TrudeauDonald Trump has told 37 people on death row who had their sentences commuted by Joe Biden to “go to hell” in a lacerating Christmas Day social media post.The president-elect – long a vocal advocate of capital punishment – lashed out at Biden’s decision on his Truth Social platform, after wishing a merry Christmas to political opponents he addressed as “Radical Left Lunatics”. Continue reading...

Politics

9 hours ago The Guardian view on digital media: the case for better regulation must be made | Editorial

Over the holidays, this column will explore next year’s urgent issues. Today we look at the crisis in western democracy, Donald Trump’s victory and the role played by digital mediaIn November 2020, shortly after Donald Trump’s defeat in the US presidential election, Barack Obama observed that America risked entering “an epistemological crisis”. The prospect of Mr Trump’s return to the White House in January validates his predecessor’s premonition.Mr Obama was talking about media fragmentation and polarisation: different segments of society existing in discrete information spaces; arguments no longer drawn from a common reservoir of facts; no shared reality, no foundation of truth. “Then by definition the marketplace of ideas doesn’t work,” he said. “And by definition our democracy doesn’t work.” Continue reading...

Politics

10 hours ago Three quarters of Brits think Royals should cough up and pay taxes on their estates

More than 150,000 people have signed a petition calling on King Charles III and Prince William to speed up work on sub-standard properties after our investigation revealed scores fail minimum energy efficiency standards for landlords

Economics