Libyan gaza aid ship turns back
A Libyan cargo ship carrying humanitarian supplies for the Gaza Strip turns back before reaching the strip.
Ten die in afghan suicide attack
A suicide attack kills 10 people, including two policemen, in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.
US foreclosure sales help buyers find bargain
Nigeria riot victims swamp medics
Hospitals in a Nigerian town hit by sectarian violence at the weekend are struggling to cope, say aid officials.
Romanian election neck-and-neck
With most of the vote counted, two opposition Romanian parties are running a tight race for first place in elections.
Cheap sex - the credit crunch is biting under the sheets
As the credit crunch hits, Britons may turn to sex as a cheap way to pass the time a charity survey suggests.
Lee helps australia thrash kiwis
Brett Lee takes five wickets on day four in Adelaide as Australia beat New Zealand by an innings and 62 runs to win the Test series 2-0.
Who has the better album - Take That or Britney?
Ryanair in new aer lingus offer
The budget airline Ryanair makes a fresh 748m euro ($950m; £619m) takeover offer for the Irish flag-carrier Aer Lingus.
Gianfranco Zola is confident West Ham are tough enough to survive the Carlos Tevez saga.
Portsmouth midfielder Sean Davis has admitted he is disappointed to have lost his place in the side.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has indicated he could sell Emile Heskey in January rather than risk losing him for nothing.
Man United star Wayne Rooney insists that his main priority was to defeat derby rivals City.
Brett Lee took five wickets as Australia beat New Zealand by an innings and 62 runs to claim a 2-0 series whitewash.
Oil falls over $1 after opec defers cut
SINGAPORE - Oil fell more than a dollar on Monday, toward $53 a barrel, after producer cartel OPEC decided to delay a decision on a third supply cut to its next meeting later in December as economic woes squeeze oil demand.
Gm, ford seek swedish aid for car units: report
STOCKHOLM - General Motors and Ford have approached the Swedish government about aid for their Saab and Volvo car units, the Financial Times said on Monday.
Credit card industry may cut $2 trillion of lines: analyst
(Reuters) - The U.S. credit card industry may pull back well over $2 trillion of lines over the next 18 months due to risk aversion and regulatory changes, leading to sharp declines in consumer spending, prominent banking analyst Meredith Whitney said.
Global recession rocks asia factories
BEIJING - New orders at Chinese factories tumbled in November while their U.S. retail customers used deep discounts to lure shoppers at the start of what is expected to be a difficult holiday season overshadowed by a global recession.
Asia stocks snap 6-day winning streak
HONG KONG - Asian stocks dipped on Monday to snap a six-day winning streak, with investors caught between aggressive steps by central bank to alleviate the sharp global downturn and increasingly grim economic data.
Nearly 2,500 apply to contest bangladesh election
DHAKA - Nearly 2,500 candidates have submitted nominations to contest parliamentary elections in Bangladesh on December 29, poll officials said Monday.
China mine shaft death toll rises to 18
BEIJING - Three rescuers died in a cave-in Monday while attempting to extract the bodies of 15 miners killed in an explosion at a coal mine in northeast China, Xinhua news agency said Monday.
Iraq civilian death toll up, u.s. deaths down
BAGHDAD - The number of civilians killed in Iraq rose last month after a series of Baghdad bombings, but the U.S. military death toll fell to its lowest level since the war began in 2003, data showed.
More heads roll as india anger mounts
MUMBAI - Another top Indian politician offered to resign on Monday over the Mumbai attacks, which have upset relations with nuclear-rival Pakistan and undermined the government ahead of general elections due by May.
Obama expected to name clinton and gates
CHICAGO - President-elect Barack Obama will unveil his national security team on Monday with former rival Hillary Clinton picked as secretary of state and Robert Gates staying on as defense secretary.
International press academy announces awards nominations
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Getting a jump on rival awards groups, the International Press Academy announced its nominees Sunday for its 13th annual Satellite Awards.
Lakers beat toronto for seventh consecutive win
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 112-99 Sunday to win their seventh successive game and improve to a NBA-leading 14-1 record.
Mobile phones distract drivers more than passengers
WASHINGTON - Mobile phone calls distract drivers far more than even the chattiest passenger, causing drivers to follow too closely and miss exits, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
Two fight for life after gas blast
Two people are in a critical condition in hospital after a gas explosion destroyed three flats.
Smith defends police over mp arrest
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has defended the right of police to arrest a Tory MP over alleged Home Office leaks - suggesting the case was more serious than reported.
Man fights for life after gas blast
A man is fighting for his life after a gas explosion "like an earthquake" destroyed three flats.
Couple had been battered to death
Two pensioners murdered in their home were battered to death, it has emerged.
Clinton gets top white house job
Hillary Clinton is today expected to be nominated as Barack Obamas secretary of state.
A social networking site aimed at youngsters from the age of five has raised fears paedophiles could target children online.
150 stranded whales die on coastline
At least 150 whales died after becoming stranded on an island shoreline.
Duty free alcohol limit is increased
TIS the season to be jolly and things are about to get a whole lot more so for many holidaymakers.
Driver fights for life after vandal attack
A driver was fighting for his life yesterday after being attacked by a gang of thugs he thought were vandalising his car.
Drop soft a-levels to get to uni
Students who steer clear of traditional subjects at A-level could be unwittingly damaging their chances of getting a place at a top university.
Personal grief spurs on bruni in aids campaign
She has been the glamorous face of Dior, Chanel and Versace.
Nurse arrested after her parents beaten to death
A nurse was arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday after her elderly parents were found beaten to death at the familys home.
Green arrest forces smith on defensive
Under-fire home secretary Jacqui Smith has denied using Stalinist tactics to silence her critics.
Binge-drinking will be tackled more firmly than originally planned after ministers declared self-regulation by the alcohol industry has failed.
A suspect was shot dead yesterday by armed police.
Two Britons convicted of having sex on a Dubai beach have been unable to return home.
Why did no one stop the killing?
The Mumbai massacre claimed its first political casualty yesterday amid growing anger and recriminations over why the attacks were not halted.
Hungover drivers more dangerous
Driving with a hangover is four times as dangerous as getting behind the wheel sober, a study has shown.
Operation looms for siamese twins
Doctors will decide tomorrow whether to operate this week to try to separate the newborn conjoined twins Faith and Hope Williams.
Ryanair plans new bid for aer lingus
Low-cost carrier Ryanair revived its takeover interest in Dublin-based airline Aer Lingus today.
Rbs gives homeowners six-months breathing space
Royal Bank of Scotland announced today that it would give struggling homeowners at least six months before launching repossession action.
Johnson puts brave face on england loss
Martin Johnson refused to dismiss England as a "lost cause" as the curtain was brought down on a tortuous autumn with a record 32-6 defeat by New Zealand.
Southgate happy with derby point
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate was a satisfied man despite seeing his side held at home by derby rivals Newcastle.
Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has told Arsenal their fancy football means nothing without medals.
Hull manager Phil Brown believes his side were robbed of another Barclays Premier League away win after fellow new boys Stoke levelled through a late penalty in the 1-1 result.
Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson combined to produce a scintillating performance in the final-round foursomes to capture the Omega Mission Hills World Cup for Sweden.
The Wales medical team have revealed Jamie Roberts could be fit for the opening RBS 6 Nations clash against England at the Millennium Stadium on February 14 despite a freak skull fracture.
Morris prepared for players to refuse
England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Hugh Morris insisted England will be going back to India if it is deemed safe to do so - but admitted it may not be a first-choice side.
Reds desperate to avoid slip-ups
With Steven Gerrard talking of his "hunger" for the league title and boss Rafael Benitez close to agreeing a new contract, West Ham could find this is not the time to be trying to end a 45-year wait for a win at Anfield.
Robin van Persie struck twice as Arsenal came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge and breathe fresh life into their title bid.
Honours even in pulsating derby
Goalkeeper Peter Enckelman produced a string of brilliant saves to help Cardiff claim a point after a pulsating south Wales derby against Swansea finished a 2-2 draw with both sides reduced to 10 men.
Jamie launches new advent cullumder
Jamie Cullum is giving fans £20,000-worth of early Christmas presents with an online advent calendar.
Everton striker Ayegbeni Yakubu has been ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing his Achilles.
Paddick and mallet fight for survival
Brian Paddick and Timmy Mallett have gone head-to-head to fight for jungle survival.
George Michael is set for his first festive single since Last Christmas (er.. his 1984 Wham! hit).
X-factor reject: cowell made me feel sexy
Latest X Factor reject Ruth Lorenzo has revealed her on-air flirting with Simon Cowell made her feel curvy and sexy.
Sir Elton John once gave partner David Furnish a lock of his baby hair a precious gift from the once-balding singer.
Former cruise entertainer Sean Smith, 23, is one half of pop singing duo Same Difference, alongside sister Sarah. They came third on last years The X Factor dividing the audience with their cheesy covers. New single We R One and album Pop are out now.
Delias my other lover, jokes love rat ramsay
Gordon Ramsay has laughed off further allegations about his private life by crudely joking that he has bedded Delia Smith.
Love paved way for spears breakdown
Courtney Love has claimed her meltdown after the suicide of husband Kurt Cobain laid a path for the crumbling of Britney Spears years later.
Britney: my exes caused the woes
Britney Spears has blamed her break-ups with teen sweetheart Justin Timberlake and ex-husband Kevin Federline for sending her life into a spin.
Mallett the cheat is out of the jungle
Timmy Mallet was booted off Im A Celebrity... last night much to the delight of his fellow contestants, who accused him of cheating.
Fearne: i need sex to function
Fearne Cotton cant operate without a good dose of sex after a long day behind the camera.
Christine Bleakley has performed her last tango on Strictly Come Dancing after the judges unanimously agreed it was her turn to leave.
Leading article: india and pakistan have a common extremist enemy
The slaughter in Mumbai has finally come to an end. But the political inquest into the atrocity is only beginning. Hundreds of angry Mumbai residents took to the streets yesterday to protest at the failure of the Delhi government to keep them safe. The Indian media, meanwhile, is asking pointed questions about how prepared the authorities were for such an assault.
Leading article: competent leadership badly needed
The scandal of the arrest of the Shadow immigration minister, Damian Green, continues to reverberate. Arresting MPs (not to mention raiding their offices in the House of Commons) is no small matter in a democracy. The affair must be treated with the highest seriousness by the Government. Before anything else we need an official statement detailing exactly what ministers knew before the raid went ahead. Otherwise, poisonous suspicions that the police have been used as a political tool will continue to fester.
Yasmin alibhai-brown: muslims must confront the truth about mumbai
In the immediate aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, wild speculations swirled, furious cyclones that threw up windy and wild theories, charged conspiracies and noisy condemnation. Inevitable perhaps, just human nature responding fearfully to sudden and unspeakable violence. The terrorists cleaved the body, heart and soul of this cosmopolitan, enterprising hub which draws to its bosom the richest and most wretched of the earth. What they did coldly in hotels, cafés and the Jewish centre was as atrocious as the killings in Beslan. But as the panic subsides, it is the duty of all world citizens to confront truths, however inconvenient.
John lichfield: the french learn to love shakespeare
Shakespeare ou pas Shakespeare? Telle est la question. The French are replying with a resounding "oui". The theatre scene across the Channel has become a kind of Paris-upon-Avon or Shakespeare-sur-Seine. There are, at present, more of his plays on the stage in the greater Paris area – six, to be exact – than by the most popular of classical French playwrights, Molière.
Philip hensher: showing syria our fragile side is our strength
It is right to try a variety of rapprochements between us and the Middle East, and to the political we might add cultural approaches. You never know; that might do the trick where hard diplomacy is always going to fail.
Phil woolas: you ask the questions
John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, says that your handling of immigration has been immature and unmerciful. How do you feel about being criticised by such a respected moral leader? LEWIS HARPER, Liverpool
Paddy ashdown: corruption and terrorism will flourish without global governance
There are three events which will characterise the coming age. The first is the transfer of power from the nations gathered around the Atlantic rim to those gathered around the Pacific, which will not be smooth. We are reaching the end of the period of hegemony of Western values in international affairs and we will have to start accepting new governmental concepts if we are to have a rule-based global system.
Compass faces $200m racial discrimination suit
Compass, the British catering giant, will be served with a $200m (£130m) class-action lawsuit today alleging systemic racial discrimination against black workers in the United States.
Luderin darbone: fiddle player and bandleader at the forefront of cajun music
The leader of the Hackberry Ramblers for more than six decades, Luderin Darbone was a fine fiddle player and, more importantly, one of the great innovators in Cajun music.
Lives in gritty times provide apt theme for independent british film awards
The grim saga of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and a feel-good rags to riches tale about a fictitious Indian slum kid swept the British Independent Film Awards last night.
Companies have to work for debt as investment banks toughen up
With the credit crunch straining the balance sheets of corporate Europe, some of the largest names in investment banking are turning to their debt businesses to take on advisory-only rivals in the long-standing war for corporate mandates.
Cash is king in a world of paupers
In the absence of goals or controversy, that other football staple – cash – became a talking point after this fog-bound draw between two teams still struggling to find some form of momentum this season.
Van persie double stuns chelsea
It was not so long ago that Stamford Bridge was regarded as the kind of stadium where all away teams – famous or humble – came to lie down and die. But yesterday it was the Arsenal players who took their leave bare-chested and belligerent, tossing their shirts into the crowd and generally swaggering about the place as if they owned it, which, for one afternoon, you could say that they did.
Sunderland are prepared to give Roy Keane time to prove that he can turn around the dismal run of form that has seen them lose six of their last seven matches, but it is not an unlimited period and there has to be an immediate improvement in morale within the first-team squad as much as an upturn in results.
Benitez hammers home league message
With Steven Gerrard talking of his "hunger" for the league title and Rafael Benitez close to agreeing a new contract, West Ham could find this is not the time to be trying to end a 45-year wait for a win at Anfield.
Moyes provides spur for everton to raise game
Harry Redknapp suffered his first home defeat as Tottenham manager yesterday but this was no smash-and-grab by an injury-hit Everton side who were sharper all over the pitch and are now breathing down the necks of the top six.
Celtic raise spirits as lead at the top grows
Celtic bounced back from their European disappointment with a 1-0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday which took them seven points clear of their Glasgow rivals, Rangers, who were beaten 2-1 at Hearts in their lunchtime kick-off at Tynecastle.
Portsmouth avoid milan repeat with battling win
For the second time in three days Portsmouth surrendered a two-goal advantage, but Blackburn Rovers are no Milan and so this time a Sean Davis strike with 11 minutes remaining was enough to secure victory.
Wizardry of messi has barcelona flying high
Lionel Messi scored his 13th and 14th goals of the season to send Barcelona four points clear at the top and remind everyone that soon-to-be-announced European Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo is not completely without peers.
Heart fears for conjoined twins
Doctors will decide tomorrow whether to separate the newborn conjoined twins Faith and Hope Williams this week.
The price is wrong: 2.5 per cent sale starts today
Shops will be displaying the wrong prices today after retailers failed to change all their labels and tags in time for the emergency VAT cut. Major chains said the "mammoth task" of repricing each item in their stores could not be done. Instead, consumers will find a pleasant surprise when they get to the till and find they are charged less than stated on the shelves.
£250m: cost of raking over the troubles
The cost of inquiring into deaths during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, including the huge Bloody Sunday inquiry, has reached more than a quarter of a billion pounds and is set to rise still further.
Free school: conservatives eye the swedish model
For Robin Bhula, a 17-year-old student studying natural sciences at a Swedish independent "free" school, the choice was simple. "The old system tied me," he said. "I like to study at home. I can take responsibility for my own assignments."
Of all the Brooklyn exports to the British music scene, MGMT span the most musical generations with their blend of Sixties synth-fuelled psychedelia, Bowie influences and rock. That tickets for tonight sold out in June and touts are selling them for £100 outside is testimony to their meteoric rise.
August: osage county, national theatre: lyttelton, london
Having won six Tony awards on Broadway and the Pulitzer Prize for its author, Tracy Letts, August: Osage County was asking for its comeuppance on arrival at the National Theatre.
Riders to the sea, coliseum, london
It was always going to be an intense evening, but factor in the untimely death of the man who was to have conducted, Richard Hickox, and it became a profoundly sad one.
Thomas quasthoff, wigmore hall, london
No wonder the hall is full: a recital by the German baritone Thomas Quasthoff is not to be missed.
The kindest cut: how circumcision is the secret weapon in the battle against hiv/aids
After weeks of waiting, Michael Phiri decided to take matters into his own hands. The 16-year-old from George Compound, a township outside Lusaka, was so anxious to be rid of his foreskin, and so frustrated after being turned away from the circumcision clinic at the University Teaching Hospital for the third time, that he took a bread knife and did the job himself. The resulting bloody mess had one positive outcome; it sent him straight to the top of the queue for surgery, and he got his operation performed, as an emergency, by the urology specialist Kasonde Bowa.
The perfect gift for a friend this Christmas - or yourself!