39 minutes ago First footage from inside crashed jet moments before it went down as dozens missing

A passenger on board the doomed plane recorded a video, talking to the camera. He sent the video message to his wife, before the plane went down and burst into flames in Aktau, Kazakhstan

Events

45 minutes ago Lovely in lilac! Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, stands out in vibrant coat as she attends Christmas church service with daughter Lady Louise Windsor

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh , looked typically chic today as she joined other members of the royal family at a special Christmas service in Sandringham.

Politics

66 minutes ago ‘You learn to live with the pain’: 20 years after the Boxing Day tsunami, Australian couple remember son Paul

Joe and Evanna Giardina treasure memories of the affectionate 16-year-old they dubbed the ‘love machine’, who died in the 2004 disasterAt first, there seemed nothing to be afraid of. Joe Giardina, his wife, Evanna, and their 16-year-old son, Paul, were taking in the picture-perfect waters of Patong bay as they ate breakfast in their Phuket beachfront hotel on Boxing Day morning in 2004.“We were admiring the view and all of a sudden the water disappeared,” says Giardina, 67, speaking from his home in Rosanna, Victoria. The water level had dropped so quickly that fish were floundering on the exposed seabed. But rather than sensing any threat, curious onlookers made their way to the beach. “The locals thought, ‘This is fantastic.’ They were running around picking the fish up.” Continue reading...

Politics

66 minutes ago Before the algorithm, we watched ‘surprise TV’, and it can still offer unexpected delights | Emma Wilkins

Our family’s holiday tradition? We throw caution to the wind and surrender to the novelty of free-to-air televisionI can see why kids who find themselves at a holiday shack where the only screen-based entertainment is an old TV would be perplexed. By the time you explain all the things the remote “control” doesn’t do, all you’re left with is a limited number of viewing options at any given time, and no control over when each starts or stops.In the age of smartphones and streaming, you could call it “dumb TV”. Or you could sell it as unique, novel, a game: “surprise TV”. Continue reading...

Politics

67 minutes ago Christmas Strictly star Billy Monger quit BBC show amid family emergency

The former racing driver is the first double amputee ever to take to the Strictly dancefloor

Politics

67 minutes ago Taylor Swift's 'random' first Christmas job before fame that inspired festive song

In her youth, superstar singer Taylor Swift, 34, had a very important role on her family's Christmas tree farm where they sold the festive plants - but it's not for the faint-hearted

Politics

67 minutes ago Inside Royal Family’s lavish Christmas lunch – from touching tributes to surprising menu for picky kids

EXCLUSIVE: Ever wondered what it would be like to dine with royalty? Our experts describe the food, cocktails and traditions that one might expect of Christmas at Sandringham

Politics

67 minutes ago Mrs Brown's Boys biggest scandals from Christmas racism probe to cast walkouts

Mrs Brown's Boys, created by Brendan O'Carroll, has been a huge hit with BBC viewers for more than a decade, however that hasn't stopped the sitcom from being rocked by scandal over the years

Events

68 minutes ago Ben Shephard braves the cold as he flaunts abs in freezing Christmas Day dip

This Morning host Ben Shephard joined hundreds of other brave and daring swimmers as he took a dip in the chilly sea in Port Isaac, Cornwall before enjoying Christmas with his family

Politics

75 minutes ago Beatrice joins family at Sandringham after changing plans on medical advice

The princess and her husband are expecting their second child in early spring.

Politics