Telegraph

The North Pole may have been a proving ground for many much-loved species, suggests Christopher Howse

Hugo Chavez may have been scoffed at for his self-aggrandising schemes, but in the slums of Caracas the love he was shown by his poor legions was not forced. Peter Foster reports from Caracas.

A delivery boy in the US delivered a total of 85 large pizzas to one address costing $1,500 (£1,000) but received just $10 for his efforts, a tip of just 0.69 per cent.

Speaking amid impassioned scenes in Caracas, The Telegraph's Peter Foster says "love him or hate him, Chavez was a giant of Latin American politics."

Bulgaria has been used as a scapegoat by British politicians, its ambassador to London claimed, describing portrayals of his countrymen as sometimes "offensive" and "bordering on defamatory".

Some of Britain's leading writers are calling on the three party leaders to honour their promises to reform libel laws amid suggestions that the plans could be scrapped in a row over Press regulation.

A missing grammar school girl who disappeared over a week ago may have been abducted by her family and forced into an arranged marriage, police fear.

British investors were overcharged millions of dollars in taxes by Deutsche Bank, according to an alleged whistleblower, who claims he was fired after alerting his bosses to a series of bad practices.

The Telegraph's Senior Political Correspondent Christopher Hope says despite growing cross-party calls for NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson to be sacked, there is not the political will on either side of the Commons to sack him.

GPs must take efficiency lessons from Easyjet if they are to provide better care for the elderly, according to the Health Secretary, who has admitted there is no more money to improve matters.

Elliott Advisors, the activist American hedge fund that had a strategic bust-up with National Express in 2011, last night sold half its near-20pc stake in the transport group for around £110m.

The NHS boss could not have known what was happening on the ground in Mid Staffs, believes Sue Cameron

Growing evidence emerged on Wednesday night that NHS staff at a leading hospital falsified patient records to make death rates appear artificially low.

Syria now top destination for jihadists, says Hague as he announces British 'non-lethal' military aid to opposition.

Sir David Nicholson could face a private prosecution over the health service scandal which has claimed the lives of thousands of people.

Spain's conservative ruling party has launched a lawsuit against top newspaper El Pais for allegations of corruption among the party's leaders.

Egypt's forthcoming parliamentary elections were put on hold by the courts yesterday, throwing new doubt over the country's democratic transition.

The presidents of Iran and Syria became the latest leaders to hail Hugo Chavez yesterday as tributes were paid to the late "comandante".

Britain's High Commissioner to Kenya accused of having a "shadowy, suspicious" role in the country's election and of "canvassing to deny outright victory" to Uhuru Kenyatta.

The mobile telecoms giant topped the FTSE 100 today.

Britain's car industry enjoyed another strong month in February with sales of new cars growing for a twelfth month by 7.9pc as buyers took advantage of good offers.

Italy's Pier luigi Bersani vowed to break free of the country's austerity regime as he laid out plans for a centre-Left government, risking a serious clash with Germany and the European Central Bank.

The board of troubled PC maker Dell is "actively soliciting" rival bids for the company, as shareholder anger grows over founder Michael Dell's $24bn (16bn pounds) offer.

Sir Andrew Witty, the boss of Britain's biggest drugmaker, saw his total remuneration drop by almost half last year, as declining company sales in Europe affected his performance-based pay.

Plans drawn up by Brussels to cap bankers' bonuses are a "vengeful" attack on London, Boris Johnson said as he called on the Chancellor to step up his fight against the rules.

Countrywide, Britain's largest estate agent, has met with a series of fund managers ahead of an IPO expected to be valued at betweem £600m and £750m.

The distance to our neighbouring galaxy has been calculated more accurately than ever before, allowing astronomers to measure the expansion of our universe.

The naming of child sex abuse suspects is up for debate in an overhaul of how such crimes are dealt with by the authorities, Britain's top prosecutor has said. Related Stories Hundreds of dropped sex abuses to be reviewed amid prosecution overhaulHundreds of dropped sex abuse cases to be reviewed amid prosecution overhaul

Speculation mounted today that Duchess of Cambridge may have been referring to pet dog instead of revealing baby daughter. Related Stories Bookies slash odds on Duchess of Cambridge having a girl

An American soldier was sentenced to five years in jail for helping to smuggle more than $1 million (£664,000) out of Afghanistan.