MORE NEWS

Australia apologises to abused British migrant children

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says sorry to the thousands of British migrant children who were abused in institutions

Iraqi cleaner sues UK over sex claims

Mother of five says she was sexually harassed at Baghdad embassy and ambassador’s residence, but complaints were ignored

Top Sicilian Mafia fugitive captured in Italy

Italian police have captured the number two leader of Sicily's Cosa Nostra Mafia, Domenico Raccuglia, after 15 years on the run

Business news  

GM to repay $6.7bn in government bailout funds

The American carmaker reveals a smaller-than-expected loss in its first results since emerging from bankruptcy in July

BA cabin crew begin vote on Christmas strike

Staff at the airline are being urged to vote for industrial action as new working conditions come into force

Japan reinforces exit from recession

World's second largest economy grows 1.2% in the third quarter as the UK languishes in its longest downturn in history

Sport News  

Van Persie out for six weeks, say Arsenal

The Dutch striker is unlikely to play againt this year after he damaged ligaments in his right ankle against Italy on Saturday

• Arsenal's Van Persie fears realised

• Van Persie has 'torn ankle ligaments'

Capello facing goalkeeper crisis

Concerns over fitness of David James have led England coach to look for alternatives in case his No 1 is not able to play in the World Cup

Pacquiao wins status as lord of the rings

Boxing: brilliant victory over a gallant Miguel Cotto means the Filipino welterweight is ‘better than Muhammad Ali’

Comment  

We’re all too cross to play by the rules

Referees are a very strange bunch of people that no one ever sees outside the confines of a footballing ground

The heartland won’t be fooled again

There is something a little pitiful watching Brown tell the country how worried he is about immigration and how it must not be taboo

• Rod Liddle

It’s not what it looks like

A middle-class crime wave is ripping through Britain - it’s the aspirational bourgeoisie whodunnit

Life and Style  

Is lack of sleep taking a toll on children?

As experts call for school sleep lessons and a head teacher gives his pupils a lie-in, we look at why bedtimes matter

Extreme commuting: How far would you go?

What distance would you travel to work – 10 miles, 20, 30? Meet the people with long-distance commutes

How to pull: a guide for men and women

Two writers discuss how to successfully chat-up the opposite sex. It's actually not as complicated as you might think

Arts & Entertainment  

Joseph Strick, maverick in full Bloom

The iconoclastic film director of Ulysses is being honoured with a retrospective at the Barbican, writes Kevin Maher

Johnny Vegas: how fatherhood has changed him

The comedian talks to Richard Benson about accusations of sexual assault and why Mass is like a nice family meal

The Execution of Gary Glitter: a new low

Contact with the dead! In prime time! On a major channel! We mustn’t lose sight of how odd this is, say Caitlin Moran