A severed head in Iraq

ANOTHER botched execution in Iraq - Barzan Ibrahim, Saddam's half brother and former intelligence chief, had his head sliced off when he was hanged in Baghdad this morning alongside Awad Hamed al-Bandar, chief justice of Iraq's military court. A government...

Paying for council services

ACCORDING to the Tories, a horrendous increase in council tax is to be visited upon us, with proposals for rolling revaluations of our homes. Local government spokesman Eric Pickles says a house price tax will up the amount we pay for council services,...

Eat like an Egyptian

WATCHING a colleague this morning munching her way through a punnet of Egyptian strawberries, led me to the conclusion that globalisation is a wonderful thing. Until a few years ago, only the rich and famous could eat strawberries out of season - ...

Saddam's execution an obsenity

IT'S difficult to show sympathy with Saddam Hussein. He was an evil tyrrant who seemed to glory in putting thousands of his own citizens to death, and especially the Kurds. But as someone who opposes the death penalty, I found the television images...