Новости за 07.12.2015

Only a more ambitious – and, ultimately, costly – government building programme will solve this

Many foreign powers and their local proxies are fighting for supremacy in Syria, but none has so far shown the strength to win

The Government's plans to close Victorian gaols in towns isn't just a chance for urban redevelopment, it's an opportunity to build prisons on a more human scale, with natural light and better facilities. It's happening across Europe, but could a new generation of nicks become the norm here? Oliver Bennett gives his verdict.

My tendonitis didn't matter anymore – I was going to do it whether my knees liked it or not

The pressure is on to "go after" Isis at whatever cost

The following letters appear in the 8th December edition of the Independent

Have you noticed, watching the news over the past decade, how the 200-year-events are starting to mount up?

It should have all the traditional aspects of cheap, shonky, slightly out-of-touch BBC music shows

The tweet reporting Corbyn's intentions was accurate – but then became inaccurate because frontbenchers went apoplectic when they read it

Private sector initiatives in place of local authority funding mean that many will be without a home this Christmas after the devastation wrought by extreme weather this weekend

The Syrian people have been ignored in the last six months by the international community, especially during the recent "peace talks" in Vienna which included no Syrian representative. Meanwhile, left-wing UK pundits scared about an Iraq War repeat ignored our revolution

Storm Desmond has ravaged parts of the UK. Here's what insurers say you should do if you need help

'The gentleman concerned boarded with excess luggage which became an issue for a number of our other customers'

A leaked document shows that EU governments are blocking meaningful action on climate change

While women are victims of sexual assault far more often than men, only 2-3 per cent of men report what happens to them

The media stories about Islam meant that I was genuinely a little nervous about moving in across the road to a mosque. What I have learned in the four years since I moved is that the ridiculousness of British culture is universal. We all love tea, are really polite and tut rather than saying something, no matter our religion

Keyboard warriors are great at spreading an idea - but if their efforts don't translate into actual activism, we still lose. Non-fundamentalist Muslims should be doing their part to push extremists out of their communities

After Marine Le Pen's victory, it's more important than ever that Britain remains within the EU. A defeat for Brexit would be a vote of confidence in the future of Europe

I spent a total of a 52 days in religious instruction classes. In that time I could have learned to code, to manage my finances, speak Mandarin and to have a healthy sex life

Plus an isochronic map of the world in 1881, showing distances in time from London

The national army of health professionals is being asked to do more and more with only a modest improvement in funding

Private legal systems cannot be tolerated if it means the subjugation of women in abusive and dangerous marriages

'It's just such a wonderful place and I'm always happy to help GOSH because they helped me'

Could publishers be nicer? Probably - but they plough through hundreds of thousands of words looking for the good ones