MORE NEWS

Thai army deports Laos refugees

Hmongs, who fought with the US during the Vietnam war say they have been persecuted by the Laotian government ever since

Lack of buyers threatens recovery of housing market

New-buyer registrations have fallen, raising prospect of further falls in prices over the next year

Forecasters warn of up to a foot of snow

Drivers urged to take care as Wales to bear brunt of fresh snow with the Midlands also likely to see heavy falls

Sport News  

Bellamy insists he will stay at City

Forward rules out reports linking him with a transfer-window move, insisting manager Roberto Mancini has his full support

• Ploys from Brazil drag on

• Petrov puts grievances to one side

Rooney relieved to escape the hairdryer

Late goals help out the Manchester United striker after his misplaced backpass costs his side penalty against Hull City

Fabregas throws title race wide open

Arsenal captain scores twice to inspire win over Aston Villa before departing early with recurrence of hamstring problem

Business news  

Pound may fall below parity with euro

Britain's mountainous budget deficit and unconvincing proposals to remedy it push pound to brink, economists say

Brown’s untimely sale cost UK billions

Prime Minister sold the UK's gold when its price had reached rock-bottom - that sale today would have raised an extra $10bn

Companies still cautious on new year recovery

Two thirds of businesses plan to cut or freeze wages, while one in five will cut benefits such as bonuses or gym memberships

Comment  

Listen well to this part-monk, part-maverick

Mike Richey sailed the seas as he lived his 92 years, with simplicity, skill and a talent for making the best of each day

• Libby Purves

Every student pays about the same

Universities must run themselves. These funding rows are absurd

• Stephen Pollard

Voters want hope: Mr Glum doesn’t offer it

Gordon Brown’s fatal flaw is his underlying gloom. If a politician doesn’t believe in his own star, how can anyone else?

• William Rees-Mogg

Life and Style  

What took place in 2010...

Richard Watson, the man who predicted the credit crunch, gives his take on the shape of things to come next year

Can you really cure a hangover?

Some remedies may actually work, but others are just old wives’ tales — or may even be bad for you

The rise of mid-life lesbians

Late-flowering lesbians have never been so prevalent. What makes a woman jump the fence?

Arts & Entertainment  

Puccini in a pub? Now that is bohemian

OperaUpClose, the little company putting on grand show - La Bohème - in a London local is leading an artistic revolution

Sheridan Smith drops the chav act for Legally Blonde

If the buzz is right, the TV actress is set to be a sensation in the musical Legally Blonde, a stage version of the film

Vampire Weekend: America's hottest export

They’re cute, preppy and the coolest band in years. Meet Vampire Weekend, from their deck-shoe chic to Ivy League lyrics