If these strikes work, they'll buck a decades-long trend

Britain walks out: UK braced for biggest wave of strikes since the 1980s

Andy McSmith and Nigel Morris: Hundreds of thousands of public employees set to strike, with co-ordinated day of action.

Under cover of darkness, Assad's enemies take up arms as their foe closes in

Kim Sengupta in Syria sees refugees desperately fleeing regime.

Newcastle in turmoil as livid Barton warns of mass exodus

Mark Fleming: Midfielder tweets 'I feel sick' over Nolan sale and says he will be one of three to follow captain.

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First Night: Shrek The Musical, Theatre Royal

'Shrek' is the new show that leaves rivals green with envy. First night review by Paul Taylor.

Maria Sharapova: A double life of sales and serves

Despite her extensive fashion interests, Russian glamour girl tells Paul Newman she wants nothing more than another SW19 title.

Millions strike in Greece over austerity plans

Greece, the sickest patient in the ailing eurozone, was rocked yesterday by a nationwide strike of millions of workers and hours of rioting in street protests against government austerity plans.

Independent Voices: Hacked off with free speech

With injunctions, super-injunctions, libel, the Arab Spring, Twitter privacy and Google in China all high on the public agenda, the issue of Free Speech – and its limits – has never been more pertinent.

'They tell us recycling is good for us. Garbage'

Fortnightly collections, zero waste targets, recycling panic – the battle of the bins is raging. Our relationship with rubbish means we won't be told when or how to toss, argues John Walsh

The Timeline: Blood donation

We'll always have Kiev

It’s gone from elegant Sixties supper to supermarket staple, but in the right hands, the Chicken Kiev is still king. Tim Walker discovers how to make one that’s regal, not retro

Why is there a prejudice against private universities?

Since he announced his intention to found the New College of the Humanities, AC Grayling has faced ferocious criticism from those who say it will be elitist and a threat to the principle of publicly funded higher education. Here, he defends his controversial project...

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu: Feared and outspoken politician who wielded immense power behind the scenes in South Vietnam

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu, described as "the dragon lady" or "the oriental Lucrezia Borgia", wielded a huge influence in the short history of South Vietnam.