The Guardian: Main section

Spending down on cars, pensions and savings as cheaper food brands see market share grow

No one-off payments for fuel-poor as funding for greater efficiency sought from electricity firms

Health trust's decision to withhold drug under scrutiny after criticism of NHS postcode lottery

Case study An English and drama teacher on her own son's experience

Low expectations and behavioural stereotypes blamed for poor academic performance of some pupils

Leadership controversy still haunts Sir Ian Blair as report claims plans are afoot to oust him

MoD demands explanation from Surrey hotel which enforced 'no military personnel' policy

Sony's electronic book, the Reader, holds 160 titles and hopes to be a hit with travellers

Claire Armitstead takes time to adjust to reading the new ebook but recommends it for travellers

More news from around the UK

Missing man lived in care home after losing memory after sighting on TV brought family back together

Chris Huhne calls prisons 'colleges of crime' and demands policing review

Friends and admirers pay tribute to traveller killed in collision near Athens

A rallying cry for the return of the Palladian style has been made by the architect Robert Adam

From street carnivals to film festivals, the 2012 organisers reveal the games' arts programme

Cultural Olympiad with £40m budget to include Shakespeare festival and art commissions

Charles Clarke's warning of 'utter destruction' for Labour party draws low-key reaction from Downing Street

Justice ministry should retain responsibility for overall policy issues, but prisons should be locally controlled, report says

Plane brought down by freak build-up of ice that blocked fuel supply to its engines, inquiry finds

Williams accused of pandering to conservatives after reinforcing ban on gay bishops at summit

South-west and Wales expected to bear brunt of bad weather as cases of seasonal affective disorder rise

Guidelines issued after high proportion of social workers found to have formed 'inappropriate' relationships

Lower survival rates in 'spearhead' primary care trust areas than those in more affluent areas

Radio stations have reacted with outrage to a report accusing DJs, including Radio 1's Chris Moyles, of encouraging irresponsible drinking. By Owen Gibson

Financial commitment lasts well into adulthood with many also supporting grandchildren

Profile: Controversial widower of Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Khan Zardari is likely to take the top job despite mixed public opinion

Oliver Burkeman's Campaign Diary: The Republicans finally have a cult leader of their own to venerate

Differences with Obama made clear, but emphasis on working with Democrats

Democrats attack Palin's speech as lacking in substance in battle to stop her winning over women

Sarah Palin's speech draws rapturous response from Republicans despite doubts about her experience

A Paris Match photospread of Taliban fighters posing in the uniforms of dead French soldiers has sparked controversy. By Angelique Chrisafis in Paris

US challenge to Russia's 'illegitimate' invasion coincides with collapse of pro-western Ukrainian coalition

Samak Sundaravej says he will stay 'to protect democracy' despite mass protests outside his office

Pageants are big business in Venezuela, and even Chávez dares not criticise

More news from around the world

Desolation in Cuba is like Hiroshima, says Castro, as Haitians are left without access to food or drinking water

Presidents of neighbouring nations at odds over first world war 'genocide' to hold talks before World Cup qualifier

Relations between BA and Virgin Atlantic bosses stay hostile as TV appearance called into question

City fears effect of weak growth but inflation still top priority as recession looms closer

Dismal US employment figures and rumours of hedge fund failures cast a cloud of gloom over trading floors

The anonymity offered by Premier Inn is the reason for its success, says Anna Blewett

Car sales to fall by about 10% in rest of year as economic slowdown and rising fuel costs take hold

Cheap meals sales surge while Premier Inn reaps benefit of corporate travel budget cuts

Sainsbury's launches Switch and Save campaign to promote cheaper products as shoppers cut bills

Nils Pratley: Generous souls say that the Bank of England is in an difficult position. The rest of us say it is in denial

Credit squeeze means many people will have much lower retirement incomes than they expect

The media group Informa has turned down a £1.9bn offer from the private-equity groups Providence Equity, Carlyle and Blackstone. By Chris Tryhorn

More news from the business world

Spain's Telefónica has secured a position in the consolidating Chinese market with plans to invest up to €802m to increase its stake in China Netcom. By Richard Wray

Disastrous acquisition policy forces Southern Cross Healthcare head to resign

Interview: Toiling mobile network 3's chief executive Kevin Russell goes back to basics. By Richard Wray

Chief executive Robert Dudley to leave TNK-BP by end of year after apparent pressure from Kremlin

EU energy commissioner pushes for Nabucco pipeline to go through Georgia and reduce dependence on Russia

Boeing shares drop after improved pay offer declined as workers threaten large-scale walkout

Nick Fletcher: Payroll figures expected to show 75,000 jobs have been lost in the US

Simon Jenkins: Alex Salmond is about to learn that abolishing property taxes offers political jam today, but wormwood tomorrow

Hugh Muir: It emerged that 85% of our lobbyists told pollsters that Gordon doesn't stand a chance

Mark Lawson: Carol Ann Duffy's work on violence is ideal for classroom discussion. It's a poem, not a memo

Priyamvada Gopal: Britain needs a nuanced language to debate race, class and culture, away from headline-grabbing, superficial provocations

Jonathan Steele: With his tough stance on US withdrawal, Sunni militias and the Kurds Iraq's leader risks doom

Martin Kettle: McCain's running mate has fired up Republicans. Yet when the hype fades good vice-presidents don't clinch elections

From the archive, September 5 1949: The beautiful monster took the air with superb grace and extraordinary little fuss

Editorial: After five years - and 19 reports - the body says the IRA has no terrorist capabilty

Veronica Heath: Northumberland

Editorial: The end of Russia's era of energy affluence and military strength is already in sight

Today's corrections

Editorial: The Bank of England is well aware that all economic compasses are now pointing south

Letters: If they know what's out there, businesses will consider more women for board positions

Letters: If you want to change how another person behaves, you have to begin by understanding how that person sees himself and his world

Response: The Kajaki hydroelectric project has the potential to transform the south of the country, says Des Browne

Letter: The world seems to be unaware of the universal corruption in Brazil under the present government

Letters: Please don't rush to judge all the middle-class parents who send their kids to private schools by the same harsh yardstick

Letters: Instead of talk of coming cuts in interest rates, what is needed is a rise in interest rates now

Obituary: He believed in - and acted on - the principle that with power comes responsibility

Obituary: Third generation of the family firm pre-eminent among Italian car designers

Obituary: Meeting Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria changed his view of the war, and he volunteered for the Fleet Air Arm

Obituary: Actor, playwright and shell artist famous as radio's Paul Temple

Obituary: A physician and child health expert, he set up an early bone marrow donor register

Lyceum, Sheffield
Bringing cartoon characters to life is always tricky, says Alfred Hickling, but there's no shortage of energy here

Royal Albert Hall, London
The Berlin players were on top form here, with the principal oboe, horn and bassoon particularly outstanding says Andrew Clements

Bush Hall, London
He turns out to be that rarity: a showbiz escapee who has 'it' in abundance, says Caroline Sullivan

Shakespeare's Globe, London
Glyn Maxwell's take on France's reign of terror raises questions about the bloody price of revolution, writes Michael Billington

Nottingham Arena
Every gag is elevated by the gurning standup's physicality and gusto, says Brian Logan