Top stories

Their gruesome abuse laid bare, Sara Sharif’s father and stepmother start life sentences to cries of ‘evil’

Sara Sharif, pictured at school before she was removed by her family (Surrey Police/PA)

Mark Almond

Ukraine’s assassination could alter course of war … but not for reasons you might think

Middle East

Netanyahu heads to Cairo for ceasefire talks amid hopes Gaza deal is close

Ukraine assassinates Putin's nuclear general in Moscow blast calling him a 'war criminal'

<p>A view of the blast scene, which killed the commander of Russian armed forces’ chemical, biological and radiation defence troops, Igor Kirillov </p>

How Ukraine’s Mossad-style deadly assassins have terrorised Russia

<p>Reform leader Nigel Farage and Party treasurer Nick Candy met with Elon Musk at Mar-A-Lago </p>

Farage meets Musk at Trump’s mansion amid rumours of $100m donation

‘Day of shame’: Waspi women will not be paid compensation

<p>Yang Tengbo (left) and Christine Lee (right) have both lost legal battles in recent days over allegations they are Chinese spies </p>

LiveUK Politics

'Chinese spy’ loses MI5 legal battle as Beijing accuses UK of ‘smears’

<p>The task of patriots like Yang is not to steal secrets. It is to influence their targets, to absorb their worries, to soften their impressions of a hostile regime and to create the conditions for appeasement and hesitation in a crisis</p>

Michael Sheridan

Yang Tengbo isn’t just a Chinese ‘spy’ – he’s far more interesting

<p>Hopwood DePree</p>

Hollywood actor’s £13m dream to restore ‘ancestral home’ in ruins after council row

<p>Sydney Sweeney has been accused of ‘catfishing’ by men who don’t understand how makeup works </p>

What the Sydney Sweeney photos really prove about women

<p>The NHS is urging vulnerable people to book in for free vaccines this week before the system closes. (PA)</p>

Urgent ‘festive flu’ warning as people urged to book pre-Christmas jab

Doctor at centre of Letby lawyer claims denies changing his mind

<p>There has been recent talk of an oppressive and draconian law, introducing harsher punishments for women who expose their hair, forearms or lower legs – even executions</p>

Jemima Shelley

Iran’s brutal oppression of women has entered a dark new phase

<p>Melania Trump strives for open communication between her and her son, Barron Trump, to ensure he is happy and healthy </p>

United States

Melania Trump is devoted to her son, Barron, insiders reveal

<p>The Bank of England is set to announce the last rates decision of the year on Thursday</p>

Surge in wages means beleaguered borrowers must wait for a rate cut

<p>Elon Musk helped to get Donald Trump re-elected </p>

Chris Blackhurst

Why Elon Musk should get every cent of his $56 billion pay package

World Darts Championship LIVE: Trans star Van Leuven makes history

<p>Dickie Beau as Oscar Wilde and Simon Russell Beale as AE Housman in ‘The Invention of Love’ </p>

The Invention of Love is plotless, showily clever – and wonderful fun

<p>A UK ticket-holder has received a £177m prize just days before Christmas (Yui Mok/PA)</p>

UK winner claims £177m Euromillions jackpot prize

<p>Rebekah Edwards was jailed for two years </p>

Mother of paedophile ex police officer buried his phone in cat’s grave

<p>Robert De Niro in ‘Goodfellas’, Elliot Page in ‘Juno’, and Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Wolf of Wall Street'</p>

17 movies where viewers completely missed the point

<p>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have sent Christmas greetings with their 2024 ‘happy holidays’ card</p>

Harry and Meghan’s ‘happy holidays’ card features rare pictures of Archie and Lilibet

<p>The Windsor Framework, and its predecessor the NI Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland (Mark Marlow/PA)</p>

M&S rents warehouse just to store post-Brexit paperwork, boss reveals

Independent campaign

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‘He beat me black and blue’: Love Island star tells of her abusive ex

<p>Malin Andersson told of how her ex love-bombed her – bombarding her with messages, lavishing her with gifts, as well as ‘over-complimenting’ her</p>

Lifestyle & Culture

<p>Victoria Beckham clears the air the rampant nose job speculation</p>

Victoria Beckham sets the record straight on nose job rumors

<p>Dave Malloy’s EDM-fuelled musical is based on Leo Tolstoy’s famously mammoth novel ‘War and Peace’ </p>

This EDM-fuelled Tolstoy rock opera is a thing to marvel at

Zoe Ball fights back tears after Robbie Williams gives special speech

<p>Diane Delano was best known for her role as Officer Semanski in the CBS series ‘Northern Exposure’ </p>

Nineties drama star dies aged 67 after brief illness

News

How Fergie urged Andrew to skip Sandringham Christmas over Chinese 'spy' links

<p>A pile of debris of metal sheets, wood, furniture and belongings after the cyclone Chido hit France's Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte</p>

Cyclone Chido before and after images show ‘nuclear war-like’ damage

<p>Sewage is discharged into Earlswood brook, Surrey, from a nearby treatment works</p>

Government breached law by allowing water firms to discharge sewage

<p>Many GWR staff are not contractually obliged to work on Sundays</p>

GWR explains why Sunday train cancellations will continue

<p>Football manager Steve Bruce’s baby grandson died in October</p>

Woman arrested for ‘neglect’ over death of Steve Bruce’s grandson

<p>Chris Kamara is battling apraxia of speech </p>

Kamara to return to Premier League reporting amid health struggles

<p>Luigi Mangione appears in court in Pennsylvania </p>

LiveUS Crime News

Public donates $130,000 to defence as Mangione hires New York lawyer

<p>File. People gather in front of US restaurant giant McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan</p>

Police look for man who killed schoolgirl at Japan McDonald’s

Explore News for You

Premium

<p>Syria’s former president Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma walking with their children, Hafez, Karim and Zein next to the Grand Umayyad mosque in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo</p>

In Depth

The Assads’ next chapter: A ‘desert rose’ wife and a life of luxury

Dictators who build the biggest bunkers have the most fragile minds

In Depth

The Assads’ next chapter: A ‘desert rose’ wife and a life of luxury

Head shot of Zoë Beaty

As their brutal 24-year reign finally came to an end, the Assads fled to Moscow, where they were granted asylum. Here, Zoë Beaty looks at a family living in a bubble of privilege, and at how they will be protected by an elite circle of power and influence that reaches across Europe and beyond

Dictators who build the biggest bunkers have the most fragile minds

<p>Syria’s former president Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma walking with their children, Hafez, Karim and Zein next to the Grand Umayyad mosque in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo</p>

<p>Milk thistle helps repair and regenerate liver cells that have been harmed by all those boozy nights </p>

Health and Wellbeing

How milk thistle can help your gut and liver this festive season

<p>Sydney Nicole Gifford (right) has filed a lawsuit against Alyssa Sheil, claiming the latter has caused her ‘mental anguish and lost sales’ </p>

In Focus

Meet the ‘clean girl’ influencers going to court over who’s more beige

<p>Your gut deserves some Christmas love too – here’s how to keep it happy</p>

The nutritionists’ guide to having a gut-healthy Christmas

<p>The secret to a show-stopping Christmas? It’s all in the sides – and these indulgent recipes will have everyone coming back for more</p>

Christmas side dishes by Jamie Oliver, Tom Kerridge and River Cottage

<p>The secret to a show-stopping Christmas? It’s all in the sides – and these indulgent recipes will have everyone coming back for more</p>

Christmas side dishes by Jamie Oliver, Tom Kerridge and River Cottage

<p>‘Tucked away in the margins, perpetually bubbling under’: Tom Waits in the 1989 film ‘Cold Feet’</p>

How Tom Waits became cinema’s great unsung character actor

<p>Jakob Ingebrigtsen celebrates winning the 5,000m final at the Paris Olympics</p>

The longer read

The untold cost of Ingebrigtsen’s father building the perfect athlete

Partner Content

<p>For a fresh spin on the season, try one of these festive family getaways </p>

From seaside stays to city breaks, five family festive getaways

<p>From stunning light shows to festive markets, make the most of the season with a city break </p>

Seasonal stays: Five of the best UK cities for a festive break

<p>From relaxing spa days to festive high teas, find unique ways to tick off your gift-list </p>

Gifts with a twist: Five special ways to spoil loved ones this season

Stave off chills & spend £40 or less with The Oodie’s Christmas gifts

Most commented

Nigel Farage refuses to take ‘woke’ anti-bullying training for MPs

537 comments

EU sues UK over post-Brexit freedom of movement failures in blow to Starmer’s reset

274 comments

Ukraine-Russia war live: Kyiv kills nuclear general in Moscow scooter bomb attack

147 comments

Ukraine-Russia war latest: North Korea suffering ‘significant losses’ in Kursk

90 comments

World News

<p>This photo provided by Brian Glenn shows what appears to be multiple drones flying over Bernardsville</p>

How to tell the difference between a drone, a plane and a UFO

<p>Homer, a miniature horse used for therapy programs, smells a painting of its portrait, created by Stamatina, righ</p>

Greece’s therapy horses bring joy to many – but for how much longer?

<p>Photographs from annual ‘Two by Twos’ sect conventions sit on a table at a library </p>

Inside the secretive sect at the centre of a sex abuse scandal

<p>Afternoon traffic on the busiest British motorway M25</p>

Experts tell drivers to avoid these roads for six hours this weekend

Independent TV

The A-Word | An Independent TV Documentary

Zac Efron emotional tour-de-force in the wrestling ring

The Travel Smart guide to southeast Asia

Why you should go back to school with BBC Three’s Boarders

Culture

<p>A slow burn: the relationship between the series main duo takes centrestage in this crime story </p>

New Strike series, The Ink Black Heart, loses too much in translation

<p>‘I’ve done all sorts of things, but you just haven’t seen them because they’re often very bad and shown at four in the morning’: Margot Kidder in 1978</p>

inside film

The tragedy and triumph of Superman’s Margot Kidder

<p>What kept your favourite stars on the edge of their seats this year? </p>

2024 in review

2024’s TV heroes on their unmissable cultural picks of the year

<p>Paul McCartney on stage in Manchester </p>

Paul McCartney, the last great Sixties showman, is truly breathtaking

Lifestyle

<p>‘Hugging a fluffy croissant or smooshing a smiling cauliflower is an instant serotonin boost,’ says psychologist Veronica West. ‘It’s like an emotional support animal’ </p>

Let’s unpack that

Are you obsessed with cuddly toys? There’s a simple reason for that

Sales of squishy objects – items that exist somewhere between a pillow and a stuffed animal – are currently booming, and particularly among young people. But are they just symptoms of a generation scared to grow up, asks Ellie Muir

<p>Santa’s grottos and crying children go hand in hand</p>

Comment

We need to accept that Christmas ‘experiences’ are hell on earth

<p>Parents are finding their stolen buggies on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, where they’ve been put up for sale by buggy burglars</p>

in focus

Mums are being robbed of their pricey buggies in a mini crimewave

<p>Not so festive: Christmas cards have embraced crudeness </p>

Let’s unpack that

The unstoppable rise of the rude Christmas card

Lily Allen admits she’s stopped eating due to mental health struggles

‘I’m not really in a great place mentally at the moment,’ the singer said

Lily Allen admits she’s stopped eating due to mental health struggles

‘I’m not really in a great place mentally at the moment,’ the singer said

How Gavin and Stacey’s long-distance relationship would actually work

Kieran Culkin goes viral after listing the most ‘adorable’ Britishisms

Selling Sunset’s Bre Tiesi clarifies Nick Cannon relationship status

<p>Davina McCall pictured in 2019 </p>

Davina McCall gives speech in first public appearance since surgery

<p>Davina McCall pictured in 2019 </p>

Davina McCall gives speech in first public appearance since surgery

Forbes 30 under 30 influencer accused of vicious workplace bullying

The Wanted star Max George to spend Christmas in hospital for surgery

Sport

Age brings double-edged sword which will decide Fury v Usyk rematch

<p>Keely Hodgkinson delivered one of the moments of the Olympic Games for British fans</p>

How SPOTY favourite Hodgkinson became Britain’s best loved athlete

<p>Pep Guardiola gives instructions to Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva</p>

Man City’s worsening crisis shows why they need these five new players

<p>Yee claimed a stunning gold medal in Paris </p>

Triathlon champion Alex Yee to race London Marathon: ‘A no-brainer’

Fitness & Wellbeing

<p>I tried tackling a Hyrox race and though things didn’t go to plan, I’m already keen for another</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

I tried my first Hyrox race – here’s what I learned

<p>Could this viral treadmill routine replace my go-to walking workout?</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

Is the 12-3-30 trend better than walking 10,000 steps? I tried both

<p>I took these supplements for a month to see if they were really worth the hype</p>

Fitness and wellbeing

I swapped my usual probiotic for Emily English’s Epetōme

My favourite weighted backpack is down £95 in the Black Friday sale

Beauty

<p>I’ve handpicked the best offers across myriad brands </p>

Advent calendars

Best beauty advent calendar deals 2024

<p>I’ve rounded up the sets worthy of gifting this festive season</p>

Fashion & Beauty

Best beauty gift sets for Christmas 2024, tested by a beauty writer

<p>From budget buys to salon-quality finishes, we’ve got you covered </p>

Best at-home gel nail kits 2024, tried and tested

<p>From the rich cream to the face oil, here I review the skincare line </p>

Is Augustinus Bader worth it? I tried its hero products to find out

<p>We take your sleep seriously and have tried and tested the very best mattresses </p>

Best mattress 2024: Memory foam, pocket-sprung and hybrids reviewed

Looking for a new mattress? Our experts have tried and tested the best UK mattresses for back, side and front sleepers from Simba, Emma, Dormeo and more top brands

<p>We took these to bed during a heatwave and winter nights</p>

Best mattress toppers 2024, tried and tested

<p>While babies ought to sleep on a firm surface, children should have something with a bit more give </p>

15 best mattresses for children that ensure a great night’s sleep

<p>A group of lucky volunteer testers signed up to help us find the best toys for Christmas 2024</p>

Toys & Activities

Best kids’ toys for Christmas 2024, tried and tested

For smiles all round on Christmas morning, you can’t go wrong with these tried-and-tested toys

Toys & Activities

Best kids’ toys for Christmas 2024, tried and tested

For smiles all round on Christmas morning, you can’t go wrong with these tried-and-tested toys

<p>A group of lucky volunteer testers signed up to help us find the best toys for Christmas 2024</p>

<p>Avoid Yuletide arguments and dropped needles, by investing in one of these fuss-free artificial pines </p>

The best artificial Christmas trees for 2024, tried and tested

<p>Sales of wood burners are on the rise across the UK</p>

11 best log burners that’ll heat rooms of all sizes

<p>We went under covers, putting several weighted blankets, in various sizes and styles, to the test</p>

Best weighted blankets 2024

<p>The most advanced models can now empty their own bins, mop the floor and refill their water own water tanks. </p>

Vacuum Cleaners

Best robot vacuum cleaners for 2024, tried and tested

<p>The most advanced models can now empty their own bins, mop the floor and refill their water own water tanks. </p>

Vacuum Cleaners

Best robot vacuum cleaners for 2024, tried and tested

<p>SAD lamps work by reducing melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep, and increasing your serotonin levels </p>

10 best SAD lamps to banish the winter blues, tried and tested

<p>We tested the power banks and portable chargers for speed, weight, portability, power, design and extra features</p>

Phones & Accessories

Best power banks and portable chargers 2024

Partner Content

Ralph Lauren is the top brand for men’s Christmas gift ideas in 2024

A cheat sheet to the best jewellery, lingerie and more gifts for her

This is your go-to guide to the best gifts for him for Christmas 2024

6 best AI Headshot Generators of 2025

Independent TV

The A-Word | An Independent TV Documentary

Travel

<p>The picture perfect Laundry Cottage in Coombe Hay </p>

10 best cosy Cotswolds cottages straight out of The Holiday

Live out your Christmas romcom fantasy with a cosy cottage in this picturesque part of the UK

10 best cosy Cotswolds cottages straight out of The Holiday

Live out your Christmas romcom fantasy with a cosy cottage in this picturesque part of the UK

<p>The picture perfect Laundry Cottage in Coombe Hay </p>

<p>Britain’s high streets get a festive makeover come Christmas </p>

The best Christmas markets in the UK

<p>A Christmas cruise can help you celebrate the festive period without worrying about the turkey </p>

7 of the best Christmas cruises

<p>Penguin power: there was no shortage of wildlife on this journey </p>

My Antarctica voyage ended in protests – but I loved every minute

<p>Delight in seasonal sights and sounds this Christmas</p>

What to do on Christmas Day if you don’t celebrate it

<p>Delight in seasonal sights and sounds this Christmas</p>

What to do on Christmas Day if you don’t celebrate it

<p>The property where the Duttons live in Yellowstone is a real life, working ranch in Montana </p>

Inside the real-life ranch where Yellowstone was filmed

<p>Late autumn and early winter bring striking colours to Tokyo</p>

Why you should experience Tokyo by bike

Hotel reviews

<p>For a refined, relaxed and easygoing Greek getaway, stay at The Wild hotel in Mykonos </p>

Best hotels in Mykonos 2025, reviewed

<p>Forest Side hotel in the Lake District is a food-lover’s destination and one of the many top-rated hotels our experts have reviewed </p>

Best hotels in the Lake District 2024, reviewed

<p>Many hotels in Dubrovnik make the most of the gorgeous coastal location - these are the best places to stay </p>

Best hotels in Dubrovnik 2024, reviewed

<p>Kimpton Charlotte Square offers a sound wellness room</p>

Best spa hotels in Edinburgh, reviewed

More hotel reviews

Electric Vehicles

<p>My certified pre-owned Tesla Model 3 arrived looking as good as new </p>

Electric Vehicles

Used Tesla Model 3 review: The reality of driving a pre-owned EV

<p>Exclusive: Our artist’s render of the Tesla Model Y Juniper based on expert insight</p>

Electric Vehicles

New Tesla Model Y Juniper: everything you need to know

<p>The electric DeLorean DMC-12 comes from a company called Electrogenic </p>

Electric Vehicles

Back to the Future’s DeLorean got electrified – and we’ve driven it

<p>The new Jaguar Type 00 Design Vision concept was revealed in London Blue and Miami Pink</p>

Electric Vehicles

Jaguar Type 00 revealed: Pictures, details and what you need to know

Voices

indy100

showbiz

Fans of new Netflix Christmas film notice hilarious filming mistake

Fans of new Netflix Christmas film notice hilarious filming mistake

news

Man recalls disturbing story of stranger living in his house

news

Hannah Kobayashi breaks silence after her 'disappearance' in Mexico

celebrities

Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner seen together for first time in months - and the internet reacted

news

A major brand is now selling their own version of Dubai chocolate

news

A major brand is now selling their own version of Dubai chocolate

viral

Woman urges others not to use real name on delivery service apps following scary experience

news

'Nike trainer' spotted in 17th century painting