Latest Stories
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Eight marriages, two Oscars and one remarkable life
The papers may have been full of the Budget yesterday. But they were also full of a 79-year-old called Elizabeth Taylor. Why?
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The unsolved mystery of Rome’s ‘Lost Legion’
Ancient Rome's crack troops, the Ninth Legion, fought all over Europe until they disappeared mysteriously in Britain. Their story intrigues us, but is it true?
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‘Suddenly bullets were flying through the crowd’
In Libya, the battle of Benghazi is about to begin. What is the role of the war reporters in creating 'the first rough draft of history'?
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'Whites only' in deadly village of Midsomer
A long-running TV drama features only white faces. Anything else just wouldn’t be a true English village, says the producer. Harmless escapism or dangerous fantasy?
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A very public freak show grips the world
The Hollywood star Charlie Sheen has been sacked after publicly insulting his employers in a series of bizarre rants. It's gripping to watch. But should we be laughing?
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Lent is for fasting. So just like the celebrities?
Today marks the start of an ancient Christian season. Practiced in churches since the 4th century, it calls for 40 days of abstinence. But why bother?
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Freed pop star says, I deserved to go to jail
George Michael is an internationally successful recording artist. He's also a man with a drug problem. So has his time in prison done him a favour?
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Media empire takes step to world domination
Britain's biggest news company might be about to get bigger. With so much of the media in the hands of so few, should we be worried?
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Mean! Moody! Magnificent! Until you met her
Jane Russell was forgotten for sixty years, but yesterday she appeared on every front page. Why do film stars get such special treatment in death?
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The hidden persuader: advertising exposed
An iconic Piccadilly Circus advertising hoarding is up for sale, while product placement is soon to arrive on our screens. Is there any escape from the sellers?
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Be my Valentine! Maybe, but what do you mean?
It's the day for cupid cards, red roses and wild expressions of love. But though it's a single word, love has many forms. What's yours called?
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Sumo combat seeks to wrestle back its honour
It's Japan's national sport with religious roots. But match-fixing scandals have left Sumo stunned. Can the sport pick itself up off the mat?
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World’s worst autocracies named and explained
Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East are under threat, as a people's revolt in Tunisia spreads. But who are the world's worst autocrats?
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Old Masters go high-tech for virtual viewing
A new project means the world's art treasures are now online and users can see more detail than ever before. It's top technology but is it the real deal?
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Make-up! Lipstick! Mirrors! And ‘Mr Sahara’
It’s a beauty contest with a difference. The men dress up and the women judge. Poverty and bling meet in the deserts of West Africa.