Free health checks for patients in middle age

By 2012, everyone aged 40 to 74 will be entitled to screenings for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease

Energy shortfalls are a danger in ten years

The need to invest in energy has been obvious for 30 years but the Government seems to have been caught by surprise

Energetic John Prescott fears unsure future

As the words flowed around the room, it seemed fitting to discover that the former Labour deputy was talking about wind

Angela Merkel relives the day the Wall fell

The German Chancellor has personalised the festivities shifting the focus into a celebration of the East German people

Times poll - public more optimistic about economy

Populus survey shows number of voters thinking country will do well over the next year has risen from a quarter to a third

Kraft launches £9.8bn hostile bid for Cadbury

Dairy Milk maker issues a withering rebuff to the US food giant, describing its offer as 'unattractive' and 'derisory'

IN DEPTH: a sensitive task

Gordon Brown has fallen foul of the official policy that Prime Minister should write to all bereaved military families

My belt is too big, jokes Haye

The new WBA world heavyweight champion looks ahead to a bright future as he is greeted by fans on return to Britain

Radioactive waste to be put in £18bn hole

Proposals for energy projects, such as nuclear power stations and radioactive storage, will bypass council planners

Students face rise in fees and loan costs

An independent review of the funding of higher education, by Lord Browne of Madingley, will also look at student debt

Blair makes final throw of dice for presidency

The former prime minister has made a flurry of calls to continental leaders to revive his attempt to be president of Europe

Tighter security as Real IRA targets judges

Families are told to check under their cars as intelligence suggests a renewed republican campaign against the judiciary

The Snow Goose tops BBC ‘lost books’ poll

Paul Gallico's novel is to be adapted for radio after being voted the most deserving of rediscovery by Radio 4 listeners

Queen’s English Society boss’s poor spelling

Bernard Lamb, the organisation's president, learnt to spell after the embarrassment of being corrected by a foreign student

Explorer wants to settle old score with bullies

Sir Ranulph Fiennes tells how his tormentors at Eton led him to think about suicide and how he still contemplates revenge

Treatment centres ‘cherry pick’ best patients

Study suggests that private treatment centres profit at the expense of NHS hospitals by not taking on complex cases

First victory... now down to business

After triumph, 'David and Goliath' victor aims to take on the world

Plagiarism? No, all real artists are magpies

There are no hard and fast rules for this kind of stuff, but we do live in a world where “sampling” is easier and easier to do

Sightings of water voles double

The mammal, considered to be declining fastest in the UK, is being spotted more, particularly on the Kennet and Avon Canal

Poppies evoke foreign field of Afghanistan

Britons are more aware of their soldiers' sacrifices than at any time since 1945. But then, the war was plainly necessary