Stories of great escapers of second world war brought to light

Of all the daring wartime escape attempts, the great escape fictionalised in the classic film starring Steve McQueen is among the most famous.

May 2024 election is 'worst kept secret in Westminster'

Labour is talking up the prospect of a May general election, with the shadow cabinet minister Emily Thornberry saying it was \"the worst kept secret in Westminster\" that a contest would be called then.

Three men die as their car is trapped in floods and 100 homes damaged in tornado

Three men have died after their 4x4 became submerged in the River Esk in the North York Moors amid ferocious weather and severe flooding across parts of the UK yesterday.

Conservationists laud UK recoveries but warn slump in wildlife continues

Spectacular feeding frenzies of Atlantic bluefin tuna, surging numbers of glow-worms, and a record-breaking breeding season for pied flycatchers are among the British wildlife highlights of 2023.

Women at risk if short jail terms ended for abusers - watchdog

Abusive men in England and Wales will walk free from court under a new sentencing policy that flies in the face of ministers' claims to take domestic violence seriously, an independent government watchdog has said.

Blair looked at plans for offshore asylum

Sending asylum seekers to holding camps on the Scottish island of Mull, and removing them to “safe havens” in third-party countries such as Turkey, South Africa and Kenya, was among the “nuclear options” considered by Tony Blair’s government, documents reveal.

Doctors raise alarm over 'moral distress' from NHS overstretch

Two-thirds of British doctors are suffering “moral distress” caused by the enfeebled state of the NHS and the damage the cost of living crisis is inflicting on patients’ health, research has found.

Spain shone as women's football broke boundaries

Inthe first of a series on 2023's big tournaments, Suzanne Wrack reflects onrecord attendances inAustraliaandNew Zealand and signsa newera has started

Leno set to avoid FA action after ballboy altercation

The Fulham goalkeeper, Bernd Leno, action is poised to avoid retrospective despite from the Football Association his unsavoury altercation with a Bournemouth ballboy.

Howe faces days of reckoning as ragged Newcastle soldier on

After four league defeats in five, with numerous injuries anda tough fixture list, the manager is under pressure

Hwang's double for Wolves punishes slapdash Brentford

Hwang Hee-chan took advantage of calamitous defending from Brentford with two goals to provide Wolves with a festive double after a frantic first half that featured four goals.

Madueke spot-on as Chelsea give thanks to VAR for win against Palace

When Mauricio Pochettino looks for proof that he is capable of creating something coherent out of this talented and often chaotic Chelsea squad, he could be forgiven for dwelling on the persistence that made this nervy victory over Crystal Palace possible.

Littler leaps into round four on his teenage rampage

Luke Littler continued his incredible rise with a 4-1 defeat of Matt Campbell to reach the fourth round of the PDC world darts championship last night.

Retailers to pay bill for recycling electronic products from 2026

British households will benefit from improved routes for recycling electronic goods from 2026, under government plans to have producers and retailers pay for household and in-store collections.

Most of world's billionaires became even richer in 2023

The cost of living crisis has made it a struggle for many to put food on the table at Christmas, but for US tech billionaires and Russian oligarchs alike, the festive period is all gravy.

'Sitting on a powder keg' A divided US braces for contest that could erode its democracy

The 60th US presidential election, which will unfold in 2024, will be quite unlike any that has gone before as the US, and the rest of the world, braces for a contest amid fears of eroding democracy and the looming threat of authoritarianism.

Chinese plan to curb time and money people spend gaming sends shares falling

China's $45bn (£31bn) gaming industry has been dealt a blow by proposals to limit the time and money people spend on the sector.

Far-right extremists buy up land in pursuit of a 'parallel Germany'

A strategic rural land grab by rightwing extremists is taking place across Germany with the concerted aim of creating communities independent of the state, according to the domestic intelligence agency and government ministries.

Illegal Amazon mining on the rise despite clampdown, warns Indigenous leader

Thousands of illegal miners are resisting government attempts to evict them from Brazil's largest Indigenous territory, the renowned activist and shaman Davi Kopenawa has said, nearly a year after operations to displace them began

Bill Granger, 'godfather of avocado on toast', dies at 54

Friends and fellow cooks paid tribute yesterday to the Australian restaurateur Bill Granger, who died on Christmas Day at the age of 54.

Faith in freefall Scottish churches face grave problem in selling off properties

At first sight, the lichen-covered sandstone slab seems to be the doorstep of Morham church in A East Lothian. Yet four rusting iron rings set into the stone hint at the slab's true purpose.

Hostages Many of those freed by Hamas still being treated for trauma

Many of the hostages released in November from detention in Gaza by Hamas still require intensive treatment for the trauma of weeks in captivity, a leading Israeli psychiatrist has said.

Netanyahu resists pressure from his security chiefs to make postwar plan for Gaza

The Israeli military expanded its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip to the densely populated urban refugee camps in the central part of the territory as Benjamin Netanyahu was reported to have refused requests from security officials to make plans for control of Gaza after the war with Hamas ends.

Inflation-proof? Pricey Balloon Museum targets Instagram users

As my metre-tall daughter's head slowly disappeared beneath the surface of a swimming pool filled with smiling yellow balls, I realised four-yearolds might not be the intended demographic of London's latest interactive art exhibition.

3D-printed invention promises animal-free testing of medicines

Scientists have developed a pioneering 3D-printed device that could speed up patient access to new medicines and eliminate the need for animal testing.

Gut microbes 'may play role in social anxiety disorder'

While some people might relish the prospect of a new year party, for others socialising can trigger feelings of fear, anxiety and distress.

Budget Hunt's choice of early March date fuels May election speculation

Jeremy Hunt has announced that a spring budget, expected to feature a host of tax cuts, will be held on 6 March, fuelling speculation over an early general election.

Greece is prepared to fill the void'at British Museum if Parthenon marbles reunited

Greece would be prepared to part with some of its greatest treasures to \"fill the void\" at the British Museum if the Parthenon marbles were reunited in Athens, the country's culture minister has said.

Scotland bears the brunt as Storm Gerrit makes landfall

A major incident has been declared in parts of Scotland where drivers are stranded in blizzard conditions after the arrival of Storm Gerrit.

Outrage in France as 56 celebrities defend Depardieu against 'lynching'

An open letter signed by 56 prominent figures defending Gérard Depardieu and suggesting that the actor - who has been accused of rape and sexual assault - is the victim of a \"lynching\" has sparked outrage in France.