Just how could a rogue trader lose Societe Generale nearly five billion euros? Angelique Chrisafis talks about the boy from Brittany who thought he could conquer the markets, and Larry Elliott tells us how the big players at Davos have reacted - and what Gordon Brown told the gathering.
Rory McCarthy reports from Gaza's border with Egypt, where police are now trying to turn back the wave of blockaded Palestinians who broke through a few days ago to buy supplies.
Barack Obama looks like a shoo-in in South Carolina, but will the Florida primary on Monday finish off Rudy Giuliani's presidential bid? Suzanne Goldenberg reports.
Brian Oliver, the Observer's sports editor, is in Ghana for the African Cup of Nations. He passes on his tips for the Saturday games.
Tonight is Burns Night, and novelist Andrew O'Hagan joins us to read the Scottish poet's Address to a Haggis. No, not everyone at Newsdesk understood it either. Finally, James Randerson reports from 155 miles north of the Arctic Circle as he takes the longest ski lift in Sweden to see the Northern Lights.
Ros Taylor presents and rounds up today's papers.
