More news

Baby P social work chief sues for pay off

Sharon Shoesmith, sacked as Haringey's head of children's services over case of baby tortured to death, mounts legal bid

House prices fell by record 15.9% in 2008

The average UK home lost £20,000 of its value this year, and prices are set to fall by a further 15% over 2009

British tourist falls to his death during paraglide

David Mather, 28, began screaming that something was wrong to the instructor in Argentina on his first paraglide

Business news 

Gazprom - Ukraine acting 'like a barbarian'

Russia’s state-controlled gas monopoly says neighbouring country is stealing gas as row over supplies deepens

Woolworths to shut-up shop for the final time

Woolworths remaining 200 shops shut their doors for the last time today marking the end of almost 100 years of trading

Toyota factories face days of closure

The car giant's rare decision, designed to save jobs, is likely to be repeated across Japan's struggling industry

Sport News 

Defoe poised to complete Tottenham move

England striker will be paraded at White Hart Lane tonight after Portsmouth accept £15m bid

• I would not sell Defoe, says Redknapp

• Spurs close in on Defoe

Pennant offered contract by AC Milan

Window watch: Liverpool winger, who rejected a move to Real Madrid over personal terms, may find escape route to Italy

Harmison tells Moores and Pietersen to make up

England fast bowler calls for rift to be healed, but Sussex's Mark Robinson fears predecessor may fall victim to player power

Comment 

Hamas: it's not black and white

Good and bad, victim and murderer, Jew or Palestinian - we can't afford simplistic arguments

• David Aaronovitch

Memo: don't rely on the Brits in battle

Never mind our colonial past. The Armed Forces are the biggest threat to the special relationship

• Rachel Sylvester

Mrs Thatcher always agreed with Alan

Sir Alan Walters, who died on Saturday, never realised the extent of his personal influence

• Brian Griffiths

Life and Style 

The story of Anne Frank's stepsister

As a teenager, Eva Schloss survived Auschwitz-Birkenau. But it took her 40 years to be able talk about the Holocaust

We don't need no private education

As recession deepens, more parents are moving their children from private to state schools. But it need not be the disaster they fear

How to recycle your Christmas tree

Check out your council's plans for Christmas waste and have your tree pulped, cards recycled and wrapping paper reused

Arts & Entertainment 

The god of small and ordinary things

He taught and counselled Damien Hirst, yet is a noted artist in his own right. Michael Craig-Martin talks about his split identity

Take a walk on the wild side

Altered states brought on by drugs or drink have long inspired artists. Now a show at Riflemaker allows us all to be armchair trippers

Art for art's sake; money for God's sake

Art is its own reward, but it has always helped to have a generous patron on hand to help