Latest Stories
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Markets soar after US dodges financial meltdown
As the world welcomed in 2013, the USA was teetering on the brink of financial catastrophe. A last-gasp deal staved off the meltdown for now – but American politics remains in crisis.
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India demands changes after rape victim’s death
A 23-year-old student on an evening out in New Delhi was raped so brutally that she died of her injuries. Public anger has brought promises of greater safety for women in India.
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Year in review: the political dramas of 2012
Obama hung on at the White House, EU nations battled over bailouts, battles raged about press freedom, and the UK coalition was buffeted by the reaction to its austerity programme. What a year!
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Dramatic rise of UKIP shakes up politics
A radical anti-EU party is disrupting traditional three-party politics in Britain and terrifying the Conservative leadership. So what is UKIP and why has it got the establishment on the run?
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‘Tipping point’ for Obama on US gun laws
The world’s eyes remain focused on the Connecticut school shooting. Is America failing in its most basic duty – to protect its citizens? Or can the US fall out of love with guns?
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Tougher times make teens ditch gap years
After decades of growing popularity, the number of young people taking a gap year has dropped. Is the infamous year abroad an essential experience, or a waste of time?
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Year in review: the shining lights of 2012
From astronauts to hairdressers, 2012 has seen the end of some fascinating lives. We look back at some of the most inspiring human stories commemorated this year.
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Politicians red-faced after trying to be ‘cool’
David Cameron’s story about his daughter making him vote on ‘X Factor’ seemed plausible and cute – until it turned out to be demonstrably untrue. Why are politicians so keen to be ‘cool’?
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Women soldiers sue US military over right to fight
Many nations, including the UK and the US, exclude women from frontline combat. Now, a group of servicewomen is taking the Pentagon to court over the rule – but is it appropriate?
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Economic misery threatens ‘the death of France’
Businessmen are fleeing France’s new top tax rates while the economy flounders and politicians bicker. Must the government expose the fiercely protected French culture to the free market?
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Judge who praised burglar’s ‘courage’ reprimanded
‘It takes a huge amount of courage to burgle someone’s home,’ Judge Bowers told a court last month. Complaints flooded in from the public – but did the judge have a point?
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Fresh protests at creeping ‘tyranny’ in Egypt
First a decree granting the President emergency powers, now a worryingly restrictive constitution. Is Egypt sliding back into dictatorship? Or did the Arab Spring change things for good?
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Parents panic over teenagers’ online reputations
A new survey shows that nearly three quarters of parents are deeply concerned about how their children are viewed on the internet. Is “online reputation” worth worrying about in the digital age?
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Judge sends press, politics and police to stocks
Lord Justice Leveson has cast his judgement on the British press. For many leading institutions, the verdict is damning. Are the problems caused by human mistakes, or something deeper?
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Battling politicians tumble toward US recession
Just three weeks after being re-elected, Barack Obama is on the road again. Unless he persuades the American people to back his economic plan, disaster looms on New Year’s Day.