As Gordon Brown gets drawn deeper into the scandal over proxy donations to Labour, political editor Patrick Wintour considers what the Metropolitan police will be investigating.
• Subscribe free to Newsdesk, via iTunes
• or download this to your computer
• The Newsdesk podcast feed URL
Andrew Heavens reports from Khartoum, where British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons is serving a jail sentence for insulting Islam by naming a teddy bear Muhammad.
Millions of Russian public sector workers are being pressured into voting for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party in Sunday's parliamentary elections, reports Tom Parfitt from Moscow.
Science correspondent James Randerson on a new anti-ageing technique successfully tested on mice
Paul Kelso reports from South Africa on its preparations for the 2010 World Cup.
Mike Selvey reports from Kandy as England prepare for the First Test against Sri Lanka.
Ros Taylor reviews the papers, including fresh fears for the integrity of Christmas.