Gordon Brown takes to the pulpit

PM will return to the scene of Mrs Thatcher's rejection of 'society' to address the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

What shall we do about knives?

People who deal with knife crime and its consequences tell The Times of their efforts to turn young people away from violence

Rare beetle turns up after 50 years

Crucifix ground beetle first discovered by Charles Darwin while at Cambridge University in the 1820s is a special find

Front garden paradises being paved for parking

As the Chelsea Flower Show opens, the Royal Horticultural Society fights to prevent the loss of even the littlest green space

Women climbers reach new summit

37 women aged from 35 to 92 will gather 3,352ft above sea level to celebrate the centenary of the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club

Julie Walters to play fighter of TV 'filth'

Mary Whitehouse, who embarked on a mission to clean up British television, will be played by Julie Walters in a new BBC drama

Thousands of jobs rely on carrier order

Joint venture between BAE and VT Group should guarantee 4,500 jobs, but these are at risk by concern over military spending

Luke Mitchell loses Jodi Jones murder appeal

Scottish teenager convicted of murdering and mutilating his girlfriend in 2003 has his appeal rejected by the Court of Appeal

Defence chiefs throw doubt on £4bn carriers

The commissioning of two aircraft carriers has been criticised for putting other military budgets under severe pressure

Dambusters' wartime daring celebrated

Lancaster bomber performs a flypast in the Peak District to mark the 65th anniversary of the famous Dambusters raid

Train death of abuse case teacher

Savraj Powar, 43, had been arrested on suspicion of child abuse but managed to flee from police and throw himself in front of a train

Father begs son’s kidnappers: let him go

One year after the abduction of five Britons working in Baghdad, the Foreign Office is criticised for failing to secure their release

Hopes dashed but no one is giving up the hunt

As the first anniversary of the kidnapping of Britons in Iraq looms, Canon Andrew White believes they are still alive and well

Husband is charged with murder of make-up artist

David Chenery-Wickens, 51, was charged with murder of his wife Diane after remains were found close to the family home

News in Brief

‘Gay church’ film | Ministers ordered to join by-election fight | Transplant drug risk | Teenagers killed victim at random

Comment: do news blackout's work?

FCO insists efforts to free hostages could be harmed if the process is conducted in the glare of publicity. Are they right?

Policeman tells of beating by Rangers fans

Manchester policeman shown in CCTV attack after Rangers defeat speaks of fans' 'unbelievable' violence

Jail campaigner found dead at daughter's grave

Pauline Campbell became a vociferous campaigner on jail conditions after her daughter Sarah died in HMP Styal in 2003