More news

Nissan axes 1,200 jobs in Sunderland

Carmaker cuts nearly 25 per cent of staff at the North East plant in one of the worst culls to hit the UK car industry

'Concentration camp' row threatens Pope visit

Pope Benedict's planned trip to Israel could be derailed after cardinal compared Gaza to "big concentration camp"

Watchdog exposes broadband speed rip-off

Britons are spending money on high-speed packages but receiving less than half the promised access, Ofcom reveals

Business news 

Dell blow to Ireland with plant closure

US giant axes 1,900 jobs and shuts business that accounts for 5% of Ireland's GDP, after Waterford Wedgwood goes bust

Clifford Chance to axe up to 80 London lawyers

The world's biggest law firm has begun a redundancy consultation that will affect associates across all practice areas

• Hard times hit partners in leading law firms

• Boardman: law firms right to cut partners

Sainsbury's surge defies retail gloom

British supermarket sees sales rise 4.5% over festive season, beating analysts' forecasts and trouncing rivals

Sport News  

Blackburn reject improved Santa Cruz bid

Mark Hughes, the Manchester City manager, is still hopeful that he can sign the Paraguay striker

• Hughes makes his move for Santa Cruz

• Blackburn yet to receive Santa Cruz bid

West Ham face further inquiry over Tevez

Premier League and the Football Association are to launch a fresh investigation into conduct of the London club

Southgate could defy chairman over Downing

Window watch: Middlesbrough manager could be tempted into accepting big-money bid for unsettled England midfielder

Comment 

A loose cannon all too likely to be fired

The clash between England's cricket captain and coach should never had been allowed to happen

• John Woodcock

Wealth will bloom again

Whether it is flowerbulbs or derivatives there is nothing new about irrational speculation

• Ben Macintyre

Victory by air attack? Pie in the sky

Israel imagined it could defeat Hamas though aerial bombardment. It hasn't learnt the lessons of history

• Correlli Barnett

Life and Style 

Is there a future in psychics?

Some best-loved US presidents consulted them. A moving spirit or pure hokum? A psychics' insight can be startling

How job loss can affect relationships

When a partner loses his or her job, it can break an unspoken agreement between the two of you and damage your love life

Of course Tintin's gay. Ask Snowy

His adventures have been translated into 50 languages and he is nearly 80. But how well do we know Tintin?

Arts & Entertainment 

Goofy gets to play Lady Macbeth

Anne Hathaway, rom-com queen, tells Kevin Maher what it’s like finally to tear up the scenery — and go for an Oscar

Four stars for Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle’s Hindi epic is exactly the kind of exotic, edgy thriller that the new generation of Academy voters adore

Our first turkey of 2009: one star for Bride Wars

This staggeringly unfunny bitch fest fails to utilise the talents of its cast and is an unbridled mess, says Wendy Ide