Reality check... The election is two long years away

A leading left-wing Labour MP has been approached by Blairite plotters to run as a possible "stalking horse" to unseat Gordon Brown, it was revealed yesterday.

Bank holiday fun without petrol

Britain's annual festival of futile motoring is held tomorrow on its traditional date of the late May bank holiday.

Long summer holidays 'harm pupils' reading skills'

Long school summer holidays ought to be abolished in a radical change to the traditional academic year to stop children falling behind in class, according to a report published today.

Britain counts the cost of rise in dementia

Britain's health and social care systems are likely to be driven into meltdown by the spiralling cost of dementia, a major health report will warn this week. Experts fear that unless action is taken now to develop more effective treatments, some public services will face collapse.

Oil: A global crisis

The invasion of Iraq by Britain and the US has trebled the price of oil, according to a leading expert, costing the world a staggering $6 trillion in higher energy prices alone.

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The soap and sex scandal that could spell the end of adultery ban
Tragedy
He had it all, but Martin Kelly's charitable work made him a true hero

An indie icon?
Actress and (real) singer: Johansson's disc acclaimed
Treetop view
Tiptoe through the green canopy on Kew's leafy walkway

Nature invades
Wildlife set for the final victory along the Iron Curtain
Happy ending?
California lifts gay weddings ban, but equal rights battle goes on

Father of Nimrod victim may sue Government

Family of RAF man outraged by comment of armed forces minister after coroner calls for the aircraft to be grounded

Tsvangirai returns and calls on Mugabe to 'set the people free'

Zimbabwe's opposition leader tells the President that attacking his supporters will not stop them voting

Champion boxer tipped for victory in the fight for Kiev

In the rough-and-tumble world of Ukrainian politics, contenders don't come much tougher than Vitali Klitschko, the former world heavyweight boxing champion who hopes to become mayor of Kiev tomorrow.

Grant becomes the 'axed one'

Ruthless Roman sacks Chelsea manager three days after Champions' League final – as Rijkaard lines up to take over

£45bn schools upgrade caned by the banks

Government agency looks to change the financing of projects as massive construction programme falls foul of the credit crisis

Welsh energy drive turns the valleys green again

Wind turbines are replacing pitheads in providing Wales with power, as its valleys turn green again.

Long summer holidays 'harm pupils' reading skills'

Long school summer holidays ought to be abolished in a radical change to the traditional academic year to stop children falling behind in class, according to a report published today.

The Big Question: Is broadband narrowing the gap between town and country?

The world's oceans at risk from rising acidity

Hospitals with most MRSA deaths are revealed in study

The hospitals with record numbers of deaths linked to the superbugs MRSA and Clostridium difficile were named and shamed yesterday.

Cannes round-up: War, revolution, love, death ...and Liverpool

Cannes was long on big themes and short on levity but there were some gems, not least a hymn to home by Terence Davies

The supermodel who's larger than life

It's a prospect to strike fear into the hearts of airport staff and personal assistants everywhere: Naomi Campbell, but 30ft tall – more than twice the height of a double-decker bus.

Britain's cutting edge

Ana Ivanovic: Serb who dodged Belgrade bombs says there will be no repeat of Paris meltdown

It is almost a year now since the statuesque Serb Ana Ivanovic took an early lead over Justine Henin in the Roland Garros final, only to fall apart in embarrassingly spectacular fashion.

Sir Austin Bide: Industrialist who transformed Glaxo into a world force and then clashed with Thatcher at British Leyland

Sir Austin Bide was the man principally responsible for the transformation of Glaxo from a company best known for its baby foods into a world force in the pharmaceutical industry.

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