CATEGORIES

How to fix our courts Five ways to clear the backlog and end the criminal justice crisis

Few would argue that the criminal justice system is not in crisis, with huge backlogs in the courts.

Police seek driver after hit-and-run kills boy, 2, and injures four adults

A two-year-old boy has died and two adults have been left in a critical condition after a hit-and-run involving a stolen Porsche in the West Midlands.

Tributes paid after Mango founder Andic falls to death

Tributes have been paid to Isak Andic, the billionaire founder of the Spanish high-street fashion chain Mango, after his death in a hiking accident in Catalonia on Saturday.

RAC warns drivers to avoid peak times this weekend

Drivers are being urged not to travel on major routes at peak times this Friday and Saturday, with record levels of holiday traffic expected to cause long queues in Britain roads.

British Sikhs asked about Views On India at UK airports, says MP

British Sikhs are being stopped at airports and questioned about their attitudes towards India, a Labour MP has said, raising concerns about Delhi's influence over British security checks.

Prince Andrew Why the royal is at the heart of another 'scandal'

The royal family's Christmas Day walk from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene church in Norfolk is a longstanding tradition. But it has become a barometer of internal pressures - so all eyes will be on whether the Duke of York is among those walking alongside the king and queen this Christmas after the alleged Chinese spy controversy.

'Civilised' debate on equal rights impossible today, says Sturgeon

The \"civilised\" debate that led to the legalisation of equal marriage in Scotland would not be possible 10 years on because of a trend towards polarisation and inability to find common ground, Nicola Sturgeon says.

Mother of jailed dissident takes hunger strike to Foreign Office

A woman on hunger strike to secure the release of her son, the British-Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah, is to protest outside the Foreign Office each day to remind diplomats of his plight.

Music review Beatlemania is back as McCartney gives his everything

I'm just going to take a little moment to enjoy it for myself,\" says Paul McCartney, standing aside to take in an atmosphere like that of an arena-sized Last Night of the Proms, with Beatlemania.

Guardian appeal Our readers give £500,000 for war victims

Generous Guardian and Observer readers gave £57,000 over the phones during our annual telethon for charities supporting the victims of war and conflict, with the overall total hitting more than £500,000.

More than 1m vapes thrown away every day in the UK, research finds

Thirteen vapes are thrown away every second in the UK - more than a million a day - causing an \"environmental nightmare\", according to research.

'Creepy' undercover Met police officer had sex with teen in 1990s, inquiry hears

A \"creepy\" undercover police officer in his 30s formed a sexual relationship with a teenage activist without disclosing his true identity to her, a public inquiry has been told.

French police search for motive after five shot dead in Dunkirk

French police are still trying to establish the motive for five murders that were committed in the space of less than two hours near the port city of Dunkirk on Saturday afternoon.

Small boats Cooper says UK 'making progress' on backlog

Small boat crossings would be \"thousands higher\" under the Conservatives, the home secretary said yesterday, though they remain 20% higher than this time last year.

Comeback kid-US hit comedy Malcolm in the Middle returns after 18 years

It's been nearly 25 years since audiences first heard the now-familiar shout \"Malcolm!\" from the actors Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, but they are coming back with a new series of Malcolm in the Middle.

Devolution Mayors to get powers to stop planning delays

Mayors will be given sweeping powers to unblock planning delays for major building projects in England, Angela Rayner has announced, as she promised a \"devolution by default\" approach to handing down authority from Whitehall.

Tories only spent a quarter of cash for levelling up, FoI requests show

The Conservatives spent only a quarter of the money they allocated to levelling up, according to freedom of information requests that underline how Michael Gove's key regional spending scheme failed to live up to expectations.

'It's always 5%' Chancellor's call for civil service savings will sound very familiar

Experienced Whitehall officials would have been forgiven for experiencing a sense of deja vu when listening to the chancellor Rachel Reeves this month as she laid out her plans to drive efficiencies from the civil service as part of her spending review.

Water firms urged to step up bills help for vulnerable people

Water companies should spend more on helping vulnerable customers, according to consumer groups, as households in England and Wales brace for steep bill increases to be announced this week.

Man dies after falling from balcony at Birmingham's Bullring centre

A man has died after falling from a balcony at the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham, police said.

Silt and sea air expected to make brussels sprouts 25% bigger this year

In a development likely to inspire both joy and dismay round the Christmas dinner table, farmers are forecasting brussels sprouts will be 25% bigger this year.

Foreign Office £50m pledge to aid most vulnerable across region

The UK has announced £50m of humanitarian aid for vulnerable Syrians across the Middle East after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Syrian asylum seekers call on Home Office to end its 'cruel' pause on decisions

Syrian asylum seekers, left in limbo after the home secretary said the government was pausing their claims, have called the decision \"cruel\" and urged officials to resume processing their cases.

Israel strikes dozens of sites inside Syria despite rebel chief's peace pledge

Israel struck dozens of sites in Syria overnight on Saturday, despite the Syrian rebel leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, saying his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group was not interested in conflict with Israel.

'We fear a new oppression' Alawites worry as uncertain future unfolds

To prepare khubeiza, the leaves of the kale-like plant must be roughly chopped and sauteed with onions, garlic and a dash of salt.

Daily life Schools, bars and shops in Damascus reopen while petrol shortage eases

Damascus appeared to be adjusting to a new normality a week after Islamist-led rebels forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country, with schools and universities reopening on the first day of the working week.

Woman dead and man in hospital after shooting in London

A woman has died after a triple shooting in Brent, north-west London, on Saturday night.

Hundreds feared dead after Cyclone Chido wrecks French territory

At least several hundred people are feared to have been killed after the worst cyclone in almost a century ripped through the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte on Saturday, uprooting trees, tearing houses apart and pounding the archipelago's already weak infrastructure.

'A light that shines': McCausland helps Strictly regain entertainment crown

It has been a difficult year for Strictly Come Dancing. Just six months ago, questions were mounting about whether it should be axed after a string of allegations of bullying during rehearsals, amid fears controversy would hang over its 22nd season when it launched in September.

One in four babies delivered by caesarean in England last year

One in four babies born in NHS hospitals in England last year were delivered by caesarean section, official figures show.