Speaking on the Today programme in advance of a major speech in which he will outline his plans for reform of the "failed" penal system, Kenneth Clarke said that it needed "a much better record of rehabilitating" offenders.

BBC: Clarke: 'Time to get back to more intelligent sentencing'

The essence of Mr Bush's programme, to advance accountability by establishing a few national standards while freeing states to experiment, is not as radical as some had hoped.

ECONOMIST: The education president (Part 2)

As the EU buys 20% of Iran's oil exports this was a significant step, although the UN says Iran continues to advance its nuclear programme.

BBC: Iran profile

Another document seen by the Times is said to be a memo from Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, naming him as the chairman of the Field for the Expansion of Deployment of Advance Technology (Fedat) - which the newspaper says is a cover for a secret nuclear weapons programme.

BBC: Ahmadinejad denies Iran nuclear bomb trigger tests