MORE NEWS

Opposition proves it’s alive and kicking

Thousands of students led the latest round of demonstrations in Iran against a Government that they regard as illegitimate

Hamid Karzai delays naming new cabinet

After pondering make-up of new Government since his controversial election win Aghan president was to name cabinet today

Taxi driver 'source of Iraq 45-minute WMD claim'

Iraqi driver was said to be ‘intelligence sub-source’ quoted in Government dossier to point out threat from chemical missiles

Business news  

Darling asks foreign banks to help UK firms

Chancellor meets multinationals with big City operations and seeks contributions to fund that will lend to small businesses

False dawn for Christmas spending hopes

The number of shoppers hitting the high street fell by nearly 5 per cent last weekend, figures from Experian Footfall show

• Traders apply lessons learnt last Christmas

• Traders hope for festive shopping lift-off

Consultancy drawn into Welsh Water inquiry

Investigation into alleged bribery involving utility widens to include Cardiff project-management adviser

Sport News  

Ancelotti blames midfield for defeat

Chelsea manager accuses midfield of capitulating under weight of home side’s pressure but defends goalkeeper Petr Cech

• Hughes and Man City get back on track

• Ballack keeps cautious eye on rejuvenated City

Pietersen racing to get up to speed on tour

England batsman admits he needs more time in the middle to rebuild his confidence before facing South Africa’s pace attack

Silverstone eyes rich rewards from big gamble

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton delighted as a 17-year deal for British Grand Prix is agreed with Bernie Ecclestone

Comment  

Darling won't pay for Brown give-away

As he prepares for his Pre-Budget Report, the newly confident Chancellor is standing up to the pressure

• Rachel Sylvester

E-mails were quoted out of context

We non-media-savvy scientists at the University of East Anglia have learnt a hard lesson

• Andrew Watson

Brittle Britain: anxious and stressed

Loneliness and lack of support have become much more important than material poverty

• Geoff Mulgan

Life and Style  

Caffeine hits: our best coffee houses

Nine options around Britain for those who care about great coffee beans, expert grinding and brilliant brewing

Lighten their darkness and save lives

The gravest challenge of all in Idodi village occurs when the sun makes its rapid descent beneath the distant mountains

Now it’s OK for us all to mention the war

My mother’s 80th birthday trip back to Germany, which she fled after the war, was an eye-opener for the whole family

Arts & Entertainment  

Sam Taylor-Wood on creating Lennon

The artist talks of her move from art to films with the daunting task of depicting the early years of a world icon

Shady lady: The truth about pop's Lady Gaga

Our writer teases some home truths out of the shamelessly loud, brash, trashy and sexually ambiguous self-publicist

Penelope having the time of her life

Since returning to Spain Miss Cruz has won an Oscar and found true love. Now she talks about her raunchy new role in Nine