Latest Stories
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Top selling video game sparks anxiety over violence
A new game in the hit ‘Call of Duty’ series has just been released. Critics love it. Fans are buying it in record numbers. But the brutal violence of the series has some people worried.
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Political guru inspires through bravery in death
Philip Gould, one of the architects of modern political practice, has succumbed to oesophageal cancer at the age of 61. His courageous response to death has been widely admired.
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Seven killed in ‘horrific’ motorway crash
Britain has suffered its worst road accident in 20 years, after a huge multi-car pile-up on the M5. The crash will reopen a heated debate on road safety, and the price of a human life.
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Cricket hero turned cheat gets prison term
Salman Butt, former captain of the Pakistani cricket team, will serve 30 months in prison for his part in a match-fixing scandal. His fall has brought shame to a once respectable sport.
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Hollywood star ‘delighted’ by secret love child
Comedy actor Hugh Grant has admitted fathering a child at the age of 51 after 'a fleeting affair'. His response to his daughter's birth reveals how attitudes have changed.
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Anglican church in crisis over protest camp
Yesterday, after an embarrassing series of U-turns, top Church of England clerics said they would let protests at St Paul's continue. Is Christianity about politics or people power?
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Syrian leader warns of Middle East ‘fault lines’
President Assad of Syria has given a defiant interview to a UK newspaper, warning western powers that intervening in his country's affairs could tear apart the entire Middle East.
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Halloween 2011 is set to break all records
The rise and rise of Halloween as a popular festival in the US and, more recently, the UK has surpassed all predictions. Is it just commerce, or something deeper?
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World looks away as Somali crisis deepens
Trapped in the grip of famine, Somalia is in desperate need of aid. Food shortages continue, and the political situation worsens, but the crisis has disappeared from global headlines.
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Dead climber’s partner reveals guilt and sorrow
Celebrated mountaineer Erhard Loretan was killed in April, when his climbing partner slipped. This week, she has spoken about her feelings of responsibility.
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Israel celebrates release of captured soldier
Gilad Shalit has been released from Hamas captivity after five years, exchanged for more than one thousand Palestinian prisoners. His parents are overjoyed – but so are terrorists.
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A curly tale: the musical life of one pig
The life of a pig, from birth to plate, is providing the sounds for an entire album this week. Is it really necessary to be brought so close to the reality of a bacon sandwich?
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Monkeys move virtual limbs using brainwaves
A new brain implant has allowed monkeys to move virtual arms and to feel physical sensations from objects inside a computer. It's a major step towards fully functioning artificial limbs.
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Beatle McCartney backs marriage (again)
Tying, untying and then retying the knot all over again has become commonplace for showbusiness stars. What's the enduring appeal of marriage, to make them do it again and again?
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Urge to be a parent fuels global baby trade
Infertile, gay and older couples are going to great lengths to become parents. Their family plans have created a growing international industry: IVF, egg and sperm donation, and surrogacy.