Brown sets out key election pledges

Cabinet ministers would get public annual contracts on delivery under a re-elected Labour government, Gordon Brown told a rally in Nottingham.

PM's watchdog dragged into politicians' jobs row

British actress Joanna Lumley stands with former Gurkha soldiers as she speaks to media in front of the Houses of Parliament after appearing at a select committee session, in May 2009

Lumley hits out at Gurkha campaign 'smears'

A letter signed by actress Joanna Lumley states that allegations that the Gurkha rights campaign had given false expectations were "untrue".

A very modern military partnership

Dolce & Gabbana celebrates 25 years of fashion

Fashion duo reflect on a fabulous career and reveal the secrets of their success.

Pretty utilitarian: The functional look needn't be hard-edged

Cut in warheads banishes legacy of the Cold War

Rupert Cornwell: First healthcare. Then Israel. Now Obama has a nuclear disarmament deal.

More Americas News

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi receives a phone call after it was announced that his coalition had won the parlimentary election on March 27

Allawi: Iraqis need to protect their country

The vote winner in Iraq's elections said he wants to restore Iraq's place in the Arab and Muslim world.

Maliki beaten into second place in Iraq poll

Israelis quit Gaza after worst clash in over a year

Incursion came after bloody clash that killed two soldiers and at least one Palestinian.

Arab League chief warns peace process may fail

Cardinal 'will not be forced to resign'

Vatican won't force resignation of the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, says spokesman.

Michael McCarthy: How could Catholics do such a thing?

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Myanmar junta chief warns against 'divisive acts'

The leader of Myanmar's military junta today warned against foreign meddling in upcoming elections and said "divisive acts" could spark anarchy and derail the transition to democracy.

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Ferguson speaks of strain he feels as he takes title charge to hostile turf at Bolton / United manager expects league to be decided on final day

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Lionel Messi: Magic in his feet

The best footballer in the world – some say the best ever – arrives on these shores next week, and the game is agog at what he might do

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Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's last play started a riot. Will her follow-up be equally controversial?

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Financial watchdog is building case against those arrested in dawn raids

Murdoch launches the debate: will we pay for news on the net?

News International reveals plan to charge £2-a-week for online access to newspapers

UK police asks internet cafes to monitor customers

Internet cafe users in London may want to watch what they download. Scotland Yard is advising administrators of public web spaces to periodically poke through their customers' files and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

'I'm not quitting' says under-fire UN climate boss

The much-criticised head of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Dr Rajenda Pachauri, gave a vigorous defence of his position last night, accepting there had been mistakes in the IPCC's work, taking responsibility for some of them, but robustly refusing to stand down.

Big Think: Why life needs death

Author and professor of biology Tyler Volk says: 'From the tiniest cells performing 'constant suicide,' to the adaptive measures behind evolution, death is what truly drives life.'

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Truancy on rise as schools crack down

Doctors: take 'bottled sunshine' pills

It is called "bottled sunshine" and we should all be taking more of it, doctors said yesterday.

Baroness Park: Diplomat and Intelligence Service officer who served in Moscow, Hanoi, Africa and Mongolia

The shade of Daphne Park would not be the least disconcerted or offended – she was a Lady of powerful opinions pungently expressed – by being dubbed "Baroness Spooks".