The OFT says it will talk to the banks about lowering borrowing charges over the next few weeks

The bad news for bank customers

Martin Hickman guides you through the Office of Fair Trading's decision on bank charges

Leanne Shapton?s innovative first novel is fast becoming the biggest word-of-mouth sensation of 2009

A first-timer's tale of unheralded literary success

Arifa Akbar: Leanne Shapton's first novel is fast becoming the biggest word-of-mouth sensation of 2009

The Top 10 Christmas book chart

Sponsor out of two academy deals after poor report new

Richard Garner: Biggest sponsor of Government’s academies programme was criticised for “inadequate” progress at one school

More Education News

Second soldier 'killed in friendly fire'

The British serviceman's death is the second incident being investigated in Afghanistan this week, the Ministry of Defence said today.

More Asia News

Councils feel the backlash as travel misery lingers

Authorities were accused of failing to act "sooner and more thoroughly".

Scrubby oak lauded as oldest known living organism new

Steve Connor: It has stood on its windswept hillside in southern California for at least 13,000 years

More Science News

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Heroes & villains
We pick our top 100 from the last decade
Quiz of decade
What happened to the Noughties? Try our prize news quiz

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What Facebook users obsessed about online in 2009
Best in the world
The 50 best rugby players on the planet

Dream Team
FIFA selects the best footballers of 2009
Ten years
A look back at the decade in pictures

Sports quotes
The most scandalous words of the year
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British rock and pop music on the big screen

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Vote for your favourite moments of the decade
Brick Factor
Legoland auditions its next master model builder

Don't blame us – it was the wrong kind of snow

Stranded train passengers left hoping coaches will take them to ports.

Cleric's funeral breathes life into Iran's protest movement

Clashes with security forces as huge crowds turn out to mourn religious leader who supported reform

Mancini: City lined up move two weeks ago

Manager vows to win Premier League next season and finish in top four this campaign / Cook's version of events contradicted to show Hughes was doomed a fortnight ago.

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Her health was frail, her career failing: the final days of Brittany Murphy

Concerns about the Hollywood actress's physical and mental state had been growing before her death

Christina Ricci stars in Donna Karan short as fashion film trend continues through 2010

Hollywood actress Christina Ricci stars in a new short film called Four Play, inspired by the "versatility" of Donna Karan's Eldrigde bag.

Stansted sale on ice as BAA lands appeal win over 'bias'

Court 'reluctantly' finds that competition panel may have been affected by bias

Steve Connor: Biologists run ahead in research funding race

Science Notebook: Nuclear physicists are apoplectic about proposed cuts to research budgets

Ronnie Wood cautioned for attack on ex-girlfriend

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood was cautioned today for attacking his former Russian girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova.

Online dictionary lists buzzwords of 2009

Popular slang and phrases can define a time, indicate trends and creatively extend a language. News events that captured our imagination in the year 2009 are reflected in inventive terms which are now posted on a new interactive online dictionary called Wordnik.

Independent Appeal: Processing power gets a new start in Africa

Rave reviews for the latest version of Windows were not just good for Microsoft – for people helped by Computer Aid, the consequences could be life-changing

IoS Christmas Appeal: 'I don't know why I was singled out'

ActionAid, with IoS support, helps all refugees in north-west Pakistan, but women often suffer most..

Treasure trove of new plants discovered by Kew experts

Coffee plants, yams and orchids among bumper crop of species new to science.

Brown: we must learn lessons of Copenhagen

Making it work: you don't have to be a nuclear family to have a happy Christmas

The modern (and often unorthodox) Christmas family gathering

Yes, it’s all about families - but these days that might mean a day spent with your half-siblings, a former partner, or your ex-stepdad and his new squeeze. Tim Walker meets those who manage to turn their unorthodox set-ups into festive fun

'We are determined to scrap Sats testing for 11-year-olds,' say unions

Teachers' union warned yesterday they are determined to scrap national curriculum tests for 11-year-olds and league tables.

Learn Spanish with The Independent

'I pretty much ride on my instincts': Murphy in 2008

Brittany Murphy: Actress whose versatility matched her 'jolie laide' looks

While not traditionally beautiful according to the Hollywood standards of yore, the American actress Brittany Murphy had "jolie laide" looks – big, brown eyes, a slightly disdainful mouth, a pointed chin, just-out-of-bed hair – which she used to great effect as she combined parts in ditzy comedies like Clueless and Just Married to meatier roles in the dark thrillers Girl, Interrupted and Don't Say A Word.