Panama pile-up Shipping queuing for weeks as rains fail to fill canal

Symbol of the triumph of modern engineering is critically exposed to changing weather

'All my stress, I leave it here' The charity bringing joy into asylum seekers' lives

When Nzuzi Musungu isn't singing in Asylum Link Merseyside's community choir she's working as a carer, looking after her blind husband and four children, and working feverishly with immigration lawyers to bring back the son she left behind when she escaped political persecution in Congo 20 years ago.

'We treat dogs better' Readers share their views on assisted dying and the law

Keir Starmer has said he backed calls for a change in assisted dying laws and as prime minister, he would allow MPs a free vote on the issue.

Gaza tunnels Flooding plan risks 'ruining life conditions’

A potential plan by Israel to flood the Hamas tunnel network with seawater risks \"ruining the basic conditions for life in Gaza\", one of the elements of the crime of genocide, a senior hydrologist has told the Guardian.

'Our Munich' What history can tell us about Israel's assassination campaign

A worldwide campaign aiming to assassinate Hamas leaders announced by senior Israel officials is likely to be counterproductive, impractical and ineffective, targets of previous such efforts have suggested.

Police launch inquiry into boy's alleged abduction in Spain

Greater Manchester police have said they have launched an investigation into the alleged abduction of Alex Batty, a 17-year-old who went missing while on holiday in Spain at the age of 11.

Threats to families of Brianna's killers must stop, judge says

The judge in the Brianna Ghey trial has warned those \"tempted to direct vitriol or malice\" towards the families of her teenage killers that it ignores the \"express wishes\" of the victim's grieving mother.

'It evokes hope' Thousands gather at Stonehenge to mark winter solstice

It was a little chilly, with a strong wind whipping at the robes of the druids, and cloud meant the sunrise was a soft blur rather than a spectacular blaze.

Trapped in room 309A 'We locked the door just before he reached us'

Witnesses have described scenes of panic inside and outside Charles W University after gunshots rang out in the heart of historical Prague on Thursday, sparking chaos and fear in an area bustling with locals and tourists.

Santa’s little doubters: study pinpoints average age when children stop believing

From empty glasses of sherry on the mantelpiece to sooty footprints leading to the Christmas tree, evidence of Santa’s existence is clearly irrefutable.

Labour may curtail green plan to avert Tory attacks

Labour is considering scaling back ambitious plans to borrow £28bn a year to invest in green jobs and industry, amid fears that the Conservatives will use the policy as a central line of attack in the general election campaign.

Queues at Dover and high winds slow down Christmas getaway

Christmas getaway disruption was continuing last night with long queues for cross-Channel journeys, motorway closures and train cancellations on one of the busiest days of the year for travel.

Wham! bam thank you fans: Last Christmas finally tops the festive chart

Wham! have finally earned a Christmas No 1 for Last Christmas, 39 years after the song was denied the festive top spot by Band-Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Khawaja charged by ICC over Gaza protest in Australia Test

The player wore a black armband and faces further sanctions if he repeats act

Wind energy makes up record percentage of UK's energy

The blustery weather brought by Storm Pia has helped Britain's windfarms set a new clean energy record, with turbines generating more than half of the country's electricity.

Justices in Colorado face death threats after Trump ruling

Justices on the Colorado supreme court have received a barrage of death threats after it ruled to exclude Donald Trump from the state's presidential ballot next year because of his attempts to cause insurrection.

'He thinks he is an emperor': protests as Argentina's new leader reveals radical changes

Thousands of protesters have poured on to the streets of Buenos Aires after Argentina's new president announced a far-reaching emergency decree containing dozens of controversial economic measures.

Chaos at ballot box pushes DRC vote into second day

Voters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been left with more questions over the credibility of this week's presidential election after fresh accusations of irregularities and an unplanned second day of voting.

Poland's new justice minister vows to 'find any niche' to restore rule of law

Warsaw Poland's new justice minister has vowed to \"find any niche in the legal system\" that will allow him to push through reforms, as he starts work to reverse rule-of-law breaches carried out under the previous government.

Wave of opposition to Olympic surf tower in Tahiti

Tahiti Surfing's world governing body has said it opposes construction of a controversial new judges' tower for the 2024 Paris Olympics event in Tahiti that has sparked a backlash from residents and environmentalists over fears it could irreparably damage the coral reef.

UN warns of 'catastrophic' hunger crisis in Gaza amid fading hopes of ceasefire

Gaza is facing a \"catastrophic\" hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions, according to the UN, with everyone in the besieged coastal strip liable to face acute food insecurity in the coming weeks.

Joanna Parrish's parents tell of missed chances to catch killer

The parents of Joanna Parrish, the British student who was murdered by the French serial killer Michel Fourniret 33 years ago, have said their daughter and other victims could have been saved if police in France had done their job properly.

Villagers in shock after 100 ancient trees felled with no consultation

Not much happens in the sleepy village of Colaton Raleigh, where almost half of the residents are retired. So local walkers were horrified when they discovered an act of \"environmental vandalism\" - the felling of 100 ancient beech trees.

Late queen nearly put her duty above final wish to die in Scotland

After a lifetime of public service, Queen Elizabeth II was still preoccupied with her duty in the last days of her life, expressing concern that it would be \"difficult\" if she died at Balmoral, the Princess Royal has revealed.

Starmer backs calls for change in the law on assisted dying

Keir Starmer has backed calls for a change in the law on assisted dying after the issue was highlighted by Dame Esther Rantzen. The Labour leader said he believed that any vote by MPs should be a free one, because of the \"divided and strong views\".

Dissidents reject UK claim that Rwanda is safe

Rwandan dissidents living in the UK who have received police warnings over assassination attempts from the African country's agents have spoken of their shock and dismay at Rishi Sunak's insistence that it is a safe country.

Killers of Brianna Ghey can be named in new year, judge rules

Two teenagers found guilty of the \"senseless\" murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey can be named when they are sentenced in the new year, a judge has ruled.

Christmas getaway is hit by severe weather and walkout by French Eurotunnel staff

Passengers were suffering fresh disruption in the Christmas getaway yesterday after severe weather left rail lines blocked around Britain, while a strike by French Eurotunnel workers halted Eurostar trains and cross-Channel shuttle services.

English National Opera chorus to vote on strike over pay cuts

Employees of the English National Opera are to be balloted for strike action in a dispute over pay.

Warner Bros and Paramount in talks to create $38bn media colossus

Warner Bros Discovery, the Hollywood studio behind the Batman, Harry Potter and Barbie films, and Paramount Global, the media company behind Top Gun, Titanic and Mission: Impossible, are in merger talks that could create a $38bn (£30bn) colossus.