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Pope Leo urges 'courage' to end Ukraine war in first Christmas address

The pope also laments the condition of Palestinians during his address to worshippers at the Vatican.

6 hrs agoEurope

Turkey detains 115 IS suspects 'planning New Year's attacks'

Turkish authorities say firearms were seized and efforts to trace further suspected members are continuing.

12 hrs agoEurope

Pope Leo urges 'courage' to end Ukraine war in first Christmas address

The pope also laments the condition of Palestinians during his address to worshippers at the Vatican.

6 hrs agoEurope

Turkey detains 115 IS suspects 'planning New Year's attacks'

Turkish authorities say firearms were seized and efforts to trace further suspected members are continuing.

12 hrs agoEurope

Zelensky hails 'new ideas' on peace after talks with US envoys

Ukraine's leader gives an upbeat assessment after discussing the plan with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

14 mins agoEurope

We invited a man into our home at Christmas and he stayed with us for 45 years

An arrangement Rob and Dianne Parsons thought would last a few days ended up changing their lives.

15 hrs agoWales

King's Christmas message urges unity in divided world

He invokes the wartime spirit in his annual speech, delivered from Westminster Abbey.

7 hrs agoUK

Where is Santa now? Trump answers kids' Christmas calls to Norad tracker

Norad got some help from President Donald Trump as it marked its 70th year tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

22 hrs agoUS & Canada

Jingle bills: Arkansas Powerball player strikes $1.8bn jackpot on Christmas Eve

The prize marks the second-largest US lottery jackpot ever won.

7 hrs agoUS & Canada

Only from the BBC

The travel images that transported us in 2025

From a secluded valley in Uzbekistan to a sacred Canadian island you can see but not touch, these images captivated BBC.com's photo editors this year.

12 books you need to read in 2026

Fictional gems, debut thillers, cracking biographies and everything in between.

Best Audio of the Year

More or Less

Are 80% of women really only attracted to 20% of men?Save

The Global Story

The death of readingSave

You're Dead to Me

History of Coffee: from devil’s brew to our favourite beverageSave

Good Bad Billionaire

Evan Spiegel: Snapchat fratboySave

History's Heroes

The Night WitchesSave

World of Secrets

1. The real Mona KizzSave

The Interview

Reid Hoffman: Should we trust the tech elite?Save

The Documentary Podcast

LOUD: Is noise an invisible killer?Save

More news

Waterskiing Santas and giant cuts of meat: Christmas around the world

From London to Bethlehem, services and festivities to mark the holiday cheer are in full swing.

8 hrs ago

Brazil ex-President Jair Bolsonaro's surgery for hernia 'successful'

The former leader is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 presidential election.

4 hrs agoLatin America

Officials discover a million more documents potentially related to Epstein case

The US Department of Justice says reviewing the material could delay the full release of Epstein documents by a "few more weeks".

24 hrs agoUS & Canada

Trump-backed candidate wins in knife-edge Honduran election

His rival Salvador Nasralla says he will not accept the result, but urges his supporters to remain calm.

19 hrs agoLatin America

The 25 best sports photos of 2025 - and the stories behind them

From the bottom of the swimming pool to the top of the pole vault bar, photographers reveal the stories behind these amazing shots. And a bonus point if you can spot the photographer in their own image.

12 hrs ago

Is Newcastle the best away-day in the Premier League?

The best food, shopping and things-to-do if you decide to go on a football away-day to Newcastle.

9 hrs agoNewcastle

Quiz of the Year 2025, Part 1: Which star teased her engagement on the red carpet?

Test your memory of 2025 in the first part of our quiz. What happened from January to March?

22 hrs agoUS & Canada

Editor's Picks

The astonishing pagan origin of Christmas

The Angle-Saxon pagan tradition that became Christmas.

Culture

The dark history of Santa's official hometown

How an Arctic town rose from WWII ruins to reinvent itself as Europe's Christmas capital.

The SpeciaList

The AI toys taking over Christmas shopping lists

Tech Now investigates the latest AI toys on the market and how safe they are for children.

Tech Now

What Jennifer Lawrence fed Robert Pattinson for dinner

The actress reveals she dug through her rubbish bin when her co-star came over hungry one night.

Film & TV

How Kim Kardashian ended up walking Madonna's dog

The reality TV star sparks laughter when she reveals her quirky bracelet payment for a childhood gig.

Film & TV

The little-known truth behind a Christmas tale

Science says that Santa must have a crew of female reindeer. So why do we think Rudolph the reindeer is a boy?

Culture & Experiences

Extinct tree from the time of Jesus rises from the dead

Ancient Judean palm tree, a symbol of life and prosperity in biblical times, is resurrected after 2,000 years.

Travel

The psychology behind why we give gifts

Gift-giving is more than a tradition – it’s a part of our evolutionary history.

Psychology

Year In Review

The 25 best travel destinations of the year

From bubblegum-coloured lakes in Australia to a solar-powered safari camp in Botswana, these are BBC journalists' top destinations this year.

How Snow White turned into a nightmare for Disney

The world's five happiest cities for 2025

18 of the most striking images of the year

Popular Reads of 2025

How Last Tango in Paris undid its female star

New film Being Maria explores the life of actress Maria Schneider and her mistreatment in one of the most notorious, explicit scenes in cinema history.

Young US men are joining Russian churches promising 'absurd levels of manliness'

A religion with traditions dating back centuries is attracting young American men.

The furious debate over the US's fourth-best city

After New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the fight is on: locals make the case for the city that should be number four.

Editor's Picks of 2025

The Eminem album that sparked outrage in the '00s

Twenty-five years ago, Eminem provoked outrage with The Marshall Mathers LP, which was notorious for its offensive lyrics. Now it has become an even more divisive listen.

The radical erotic novel that has divided readers

Peru's new city unearthed from the desert

Tracking Marie Curie's century-old radioactive fingerprints

US & Canada news

Democratic lawmaker sues to remove Trump's name from Kennedy Center

Rep Joyce Beatty, who sits on the centre's board, argues the name change is illegal because it requires approval from Congress.

Mudslides, flooding and debris - storms batters southern California

Moment robbers rip ATM from inside Texas store

Sean 'Diddy' Combs files appeal asking for immediate prison release

More world news

Front-runner to be Bangladesh PM returns after 17 years in exile

Tarique Rahman, who has lived in London since 2008, arrives weeks before pivotal elections are held.

Bomb blast in packed Nigerian mosque kills five

Eleven arrested over mass shooting in South Africa tavern

Chronic water shortages dampen holiday mood in Tanzania's biggest city

Business

BP sells stake in motor oil arm Castrol for $6bn

BP has sold a 65% stake in its motor lubricant arm Castrol to US-based investment firm Stonepeak.

Rivalries and rumours: How the new order of the Murdoch dynasty is playing out

UK social media campaigners among five denied US visas

US economy grows at fastest pace in two years

Sport

'Picasso' of football Robertson dies aged 72

Former Scotland, Nottingham Forest and Derby County winger John Robertson - once described by manager Brian Clough as "a Picasso of our game" - dies at the age of 72.

'England must stir themselves to find a Christmas miracle'

'The scruffy fat lad who conquered Europe twice'

'Impossible to replace' - Fernandes could miss up to a month

Latest Sport audio

Test Match Special Podcast

No Balls: Snow Balls the Christmas PodcastSave

Football Daily

Manchester United’s Fernandes blow & player discipline at ChristmasSave

More Than The Score

More than 2025: Flavor Flav hypes the Winter OlympicsSave

Football Daily

72+ EFL Pod: At Home with the BrucesSave

The Wayne Rooney Show

Wayne's Shocking Christmas Dinner & Players Going AWOLSave

Test Match Special Podcast

Ben Stokes responds to Noosa revelations & Archer is outSave

More Than The Score

More than 2025: Cristiano Ronaldo and the art of marketabilitySave

FPL Podcast from BBC Sport

Cunha, camembert and Christmas songsSave

Tech

Tributes to TikTok star gaming gran who died aged 78

Agnes, or EpicGamerGrandma as she was known online, passed away in hospital after suffering from a stroke.

25 years of the ISS in 25 numbers

AI app apologises over false crime alerts across US

Man develops dog walking app after redundancy

Science & health

Christmas can be a nightmare for misophonia sufferers like me

Christmas is a difficult time if you suffer from a reduced tolerance to sounds, but there are ways to make it easier.

What does a huge festive meal do to your brain?

US regulator approves pill form of Wegovy weight-loss drug

Divided between two states, the town at the heart of America's abortion debate

Culture

Royal Family greet crowds after Christmas Day service

The King and Queen attend a church service alongside other family members, including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Friends and The Middle actor Pat Finn dies aged 60

Jethro Tull founding member dies aged 82

The Salt Path and 2025's most scandalous books

Arts

The 'It Girl' style wars of Renaissance Italy

During a turbulent period of Italian history, some noblewomen used flamboyant, luxurious looks to gain soft power. Five hundred years later, they continue to influence designers.

The dark side of the US's most divisive painter

Is this the real face of Elizabeth I?

Blank canvas or tone-deaf? Pantone's white Colour of the Year sparks backlash

Watch

Behind the scenes at Gaudi's stunning La Sagrada Familia

Tech Now gains special access to Gaudí's iconic La Sagrada Familia as it nears completion.See more

Travel

The Mexican beer you can only buy at Christmas

Mexico is the world's largest exporter of beers. But one of its most beloved brews, Noche Buena, is only available for just a few weeks each year.

BBC Travel's favourite stories of 2025

Are passport stamps disappearing for good?

The six best places to ski in 2026

World's Table

Sorry, France, the world's best bubbly is British

Over the past decade, international chefs have swept French culinary competitions with unprecedented frequency.

Why travellers keep queueing for viral food

The controversial snack that fuels Norwegian trips

The hidden history of a classic American dish

Earth

US pauses offshore wind projects over security concerns

The Trump administration has long opposed wind power, most often citing cost and reliability concerns.

'This is our future,' climate adviser warns as 2025 to break UK heat records

'Year of octopus' declared after warmer seas leads to record numbers

The best nature photos of 2025

Video

BBC Talking Movies top 10 films of 2025

Talking Movies presenter Tom Brook looks back at 2025 to pick the top 10 films of the year.

Köttbullar: The secret behind the iconic Swedish meatballs

The forgotten underground river that shaped Paris

George Clooney and Adam Sandler's recommended movies

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