33 m. ago At the dark end of a brutal year, I’m grateful to these heroes for showing us the light | Jonathan Freedland

From Palestinians standing up to Hamas to the Bondi beach rescuers, great acts of courage offer hope even in the bleakest timesSome traditions are getting harder to maintain. Among them, my own custom of devoting the last column before Christmas to reasons to be hopeful. In recent years, amid war and bloodshed, that task has been especially challenging – and this week was no exception.It began with the news from Bondi beach, where 15 people were gunned down and dozens more injured, most of them Jews celebrating the festival of Hanukah. That came just two-and-a-half months after the deadly attack on Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester, on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. To be a Jew at the end of 2025 is to fear that to gather together, whether at moments of joy or sorrow, is to take a mortal risk. That even to do relatively ordinary things together has become a matter of life and death.Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist and the author of The Traitors Circl...

Politics

35 m. ago Heathrow airport worker named Santa is convicted of dealing prescription drugs days before Christmas

Rohan Santa, 37, was part of a 'commercial enterprise' running prescription drugs Xanax and Pregabalin illegally.

Economics

36 m. ago Lydia Millen's chic Christmas: From countryside walks to dazzling dinners at The Ritz and carol concerts, inside the influencer's very posh festivities

'Poshinfluencer' Lydia Millen has spared no expense when getting in the festive spirit this Christmas.

Science

45 m. ago Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue festive tradition with new Christmas family photo

The Sussexes as sharing the festive cheer with a rare family photo with their children.

Politics

48 m. ago Oh not so jolly! Secret Santa is an HR minefield with scores of Christmas related tribunals a year

HR experts have warned that festive gifts and celebrations can be a minefield, with recent tribunals launched over 'Secret Santa' gags, trendy trees and even a luxury hamper.

Politics

50 m. ago Holy Land's top Catholic leader visits Gaza parish, greeted by children in Santa hats and keffiyeh

The top Catholic leader in the Holy Land has visited the Gaza Strip’s only Catholic church, sharing a message of Christmas hope and support as conditions in the war-torn territory slowly improve while the Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds into its third month

Politics

53 m. ago BREAKING: Kylie Minogue secures Christmas Number One with catchy XMAS

The Official Chart's Christmas Number One single was announced on BBC Radio 1 and Kylie was announced as the winner after Wham! took home the coveted title two years in a row

Politics

55 m. ago Pop icon secures UK Christmas No 1 with ‘genuine festive banger’

Kylie Minogue has become the first woman to achieve number one singles across four decades

Politics

56 m. ago Kylie Minogue celebrates her first UK Christmas Number 1 single as she breaks records set by Madonna and Mariah Carey with new song XMAS

The singer, 57, has broken records previously set by Madonna and Mariah Carey as she became the first woman to secure UK Number 1 singles in four different decades.

Culture

57 m. ago Kylie Minogue gets her – and Amazon’s – first Christmas No 1, with Xmas

Exclusive song for online retailer prevents a hat trick of Christmas No 1s for Wham!, as Kylie becomes first woman to secure UK No 1 singles in four different decadesKylie Minogue has scored her first UK Christmas No 1, and eighth No 1 single overall, with the song Xmas.She beat competition from Wham!’s mega-streaming Last Christmas, which has been Christmas No 1 for the past two years: it was last week’s chart-topper but drops to No 2. Also in the race was Lullaby from the charity campaign Together for Palestine, which reached No 5. Continue reading...

Politics

57 m. ago Kylie steals festive No 1 with XMAS but here are some Christmas number one hit wonders!

It’s official - XMAS by Kylie - has been crowned the Christmas Number One 2025, narrowly beating Wham’s! Last Christmas to the top of the charts

Events

57 m. ago BREAKING Kylie Minogue beats WHAM! to UK Christmas number one with first chart topper in 22 years

Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue has landed the Christmas number one spot with her brand new track XMAS, ending WHAM!'s two year reign at the festive chart summit

Politics

58 m. ago Shocking pictures show train station outside London completely flooded as it’s closed until Christmas Eve

The flooding at Rye House station is due to a burst Thames Water sewer pipe

Events

74 m. ago Coleen Rooney looks effortlessly chic as she keeps in casual in beige suede jacket and jeans while running Christmas errands in Cheshire

The mother-of-four, 39, layered her Zara jacket over a brown and blue poloneck jumper and high-waisted jeans.

Politics

76 m. ago All the Greater Manchester motorways closed this weekend including M60, M62 and M66

There are planned overnight closures on the last weekend before Christmas

Politics

90 m. ago The £33 fake tan reduced to £12 that will give a 'flawless' Christmas party colour

"The tan looks incredibly natural - not orange or streaky - and gives a beautiful sun-kissed glow. It’s easy to apply, and I always get an even, flawless tan"

Society

91 m. ago This is the cheapest supermarket to buy your Christmas dinner from – and it’s less than £2 a head

From the turkey to the trimmings, here are some budget-friendly options from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and more

Economics

99 m. ago Scottish Media Club celebrates talent and raises funds at Christmas

The event, the first of its kind in Scotland for decades, saw 130 people gather at the Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh earlier in the week

Politics

1 hour ago BBC pulls Christmas comedy special at last minute as fans fume 'take risks'

A Christmas special has been pulled from the BBC schedule just days before it was due to air

Events

1 hour ago Vladimir Putin is 'Christmas crackers' to threaten Britain, Defence Secretary says

John Healey warned the Russian dictator that he would never take Ukraine, and that the UK was investing millions 'right now' to mobilise British troops 'day one' of a peace deal

Politics