Police This article is more than 13 years oldUndercover police cleared 'to have sex with activists'This article is more than 13 years oldPromiscuity 'regularly used as tactic', says former officer, contradicting claims from AcpoUndercover police officers routinely adopted a tactic of "promiscuity" with the blessing of senior commanders, according to a former agent who worked in a secretive unit of the Metropolitan police for four years. The former undercover policeman claims that sexual relationships with activists were sanctioned for both men and women officers infiltrating anarchist, leftwing and environmental groups.

Inequality and development This article is more than 1 year oldWest accused of ‘climate hypocrisy’ as emissions dwarf those of poor countries This article is more than 1 year oldAverage Briton produces more carbon in two days than Congolese person does in entire year, study finds In the first two days of January, the average Briton was already responsible for more carbon dioxide emissions than someone from the Democratic Republic of the Congo would produce in an entire year, according to analysis by the Center for Global Development (CGD).

Elon MuskFrom cage fighting to rebranding Twitter: it was another controversial year for the multibillionaire Elon Musk’s favourite movie quote, according to his biographer, is Gladiator’s “Are you not entertained?” Some members of Musk’s considerable global audience were also horrified as controversial statements and management decisions grabbed the headlines yet again this year. Musk’s brother, Kimbal, told Walter Isaacson, author of the Elon Musk biography published in September, that his sibling was a “drama magnet”.

BooksObituaryAhmadou KouroumaAfrican novelist who challenged the colonial language of FranceAhmadou Kourouma, who has died aged 76, was perhaps the most remarkable African novelist writing in French. He revised French ideas about Francophone policies, which had sought to justify colonialism by attempting to convert Africans and others into respectable speakers and writers of French, a civilised procedure far removed from exploitation. Instead, Kourouma used the language as he saw fit, and said what he wanted, irrespective of its syntax and other controls.

Captain Tom Moore This article is more than 2 months oldCaptain Tom’s family lose appeal against demolition of spa complexThis article is more than 2 months oldPlanning Inspectorate says ‘Captain Tom Building’ harms Grade II-listed home where Moore’s daughter and her family live The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore have lost a planning application appeal for a spa complex in their garden and have been given three months to demolish the structure.