The wife of deposed Syrian leader Bashar Assad is severely ill with leukaemia and has been given a 50/50 chance of survival, media reports have claimed. Asma Assad is being isolated to prevent ...

In his homily, Francis said the Holy Year is an opportunity to relieve the debt of poor countries and commit to protecting the planet.

Here is the full text of the King’s Christmas broadcast: “Earlier this year, as we commemorated the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, the Queen and I had the enormous privilege of meeting, once again, the ...

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts as the two sides inch closer to a deal that could wind down the 14-month war in Gaza.

Swimmers take part in an early Christmas Day dip on Boscombe beach in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA) Some members of the Serpentine Swimming Club were in fancy dress for the Peter Pan Cup race, which is ...

Serbia’s striking university students have rallied outside the chief prosecutor’s office to demand justice over a concrete canopy collapse that killed 15 people last month in the country’s north. More ...

Pope Francis has used his traditional Christmas message to urge “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions”.

One of the first babies born on Christmas Day in Scotland interrupted her parents’ Christmas Eve movie night after arriving early. Anne-Marie Hunt and Gordon Wilson, of Livingston, were just settling ...

A Belfast Parkrun broke its course participation record on Christmas Day, as almost 800 festive runners crossed the finish line. Hundreds descended on the Stormont estate in east Belfast for an event ...

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Russia’s strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid “with no respite even at Christmas”. Russia launched a massive missile barrage on Christmas Day, with the aim of crippling ...

Brave outdoor swimmers wore Father Christmas hats as they kicked off their celebrations with a festive dip. Sea surface temperatures across the country were between 8C and 11C, the Met Office said.