96 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

97 minutes ago Yoon Suk Yeol impeachment: court hearings to begin in South Korea over president’s martial law crisis

Yoon’s legal team will attend the first hearing in impeachment review on Friday, the same day that the acting president also faces an impeachment voteSouth Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s legal team are set to attend court on Friday as the constitutional court begins hearings into his impeachment by parliament over his short-lived imposition of martial law,The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him. In the latter scenario, a new presidential election would be held within 60 days. Continue reading...

Events

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

3 hours ago Sycamore trees hit by devastating disease triggered by warmer weather, National Trust warns

After record breaking temperatures in 2022, the trees familiar to children from their 'helicopter' seeds - are being attacked by Sooty Bark Disease, the charity warns.

Events

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 Dull and drizzly weather over coming days before ‘wet and windy’ New Year’s Eve

Those celebrating Hogmanay in Scotland next week may be hit by ‘disruptive weather’, according to the Met Office.

Politics

3 hours ago Official says NIO should have offered Rosemary Nelson protection ‘in hindsight’

Mrs Nelson was killed by a loyalist car bomb outside her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh in March 1999.

Politics

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 Senior bishop barred from moving into historic palace used for centuries so Church of England can hit Net Zero targets

Wolvesey Palace has been the Bishop of Winchester's seat since Anglo-Saxon times but it will soon undergo a refurbishment to cut carbon emissions.

Events

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 Size of state on track to hit New Labour levels: Civil Service now employs more than 5,000 workers

There are now 513,000 full-time civil servants, up 121,000 on 2015 levels.

Events

5 hours ago Liverpool refusal will leave Arne Slot delighted after very different Boxing Day repeat

LIVERPOOL 3-1 LEICESTER CITY: After suffering an early sucker punch at a foggy Anfield on Thursday night, Arne Slot's Premier League leaders hit back and extended their lead at the top of the table

Society

5 hours ago Outnumbered viewers 'distraught' with surprise change minutes into Christmas special

The Brockman family were back on BBC One for a one-off Christmas special, but fans were left in uproar as they were hit with some unexpected changes after an eight-year hiatus

Politics

5 hours ago Mikel Arteta sends Arsenal players key warning over replacing injured Bukayo Saka

Arteta admitted Gunners will be “different” without Saka for extended period

Events

5 hours ago Deciding to read a book a week was the best new year resolution I ever made | Katie Cunningham

I read 52 books that year and I’ve kept the habit up in the years that followed, the routine now firmly establishedMore summer essentialsI’ve always been a reader. In primary school, I’d tear through 60-odd books in a month when the annual Read-A-Thon rolled around (they were mostly Babysitters Club books, but still). Then as a teen, I discovered the quiet beauty that could be found in great novels, taking solace in those pages as hormones and high school made the real world awful.In my 20s, though, my pace started to wobble. I was still getting through 15 or 20 books a year, but less consistently. Partly this was because I had to make time for an exciting new hobby called binge drinking. But I was also increasingly distracted by the bottomless pit that was my iPhone. It always went the same way: I’d be on a roll with reading until I hit a book that just wasn’t that interesting. I’d gradually stop reaching for it at night as doomscrolling on Reddit became a more appealing prospect, ...

Politics

5 hours ago Liverpool punish rivals’ errors with dominant win over Leicester to stretch lead

Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah scored in a 3-1 win at Anfield.

Politics

5 hours ago Mo Salah rounds off Liverpool recovery to sink Leicester and stretch lead

Liverpool have kicked off at 8pm on a Boxing Day twice in their history. The first time was in 2019, when Jürgen Klopp’s team demolished Leicester en route to winning the Premier League title with ease. The second time ended with another convincing defeat of the Foxes. That may not be the only repeat.Arne Slot’s soaring leaders moved seven points clear of their closest challengers for the title, with a game in hand, courtesy of a controlled comeback against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side. Leicester took a shock early lead through Jordan Ayew and, while Liverpool never hit the heights of their 2019 performance at the King Power Stadium, goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah’s 19th of the season ensured the outcome remained the same. Continue reading...

Politics

6 hours ago Liverpool fight back against Leicester to stretch growing title race lead

LIVERPOOL 3-1 LEICESTER: Liverpool fell a goal down early on at Anfield to a Jordan Ayew strike, but goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mo Salah extended their lead at the top

Sport