20 November 2006

From the Editor…

Welcome to the New Statesman website. Whether you are a new reader or an existing one - online or via the magazine - I hope you'll enjoy the great writing, fresh ideas and provocative debate that make the New Statesman Britain's award-winning current affairs weekly

Jason Cowley, Editor, New Statesman

Cover story

Missing presumed tortured

More than 7,000 prisoners have been captured in America's war on terror. Just 700 ended up in Guantanamo Bay. Between extraordinary rendition to foreign jails and disappearance into the CIA's "black sites", what happened to the rest?

By Stephen Grey

Features

Person of the Year 2006

The New Statesman's Humanity Award

1 comment

Runners and riders in the real battle ahead

By Andrew Stephen

The Democrats are preparing to flex their muscles in Congress against George Bush. But both parties are already focusing on the next presidency. Our US editor, Andrew Stephen, points to the candidates

Divided in peace

By John Kampfner

Northern Ireland is on the verge of a historic power-sharing deal. But any pact between hardline republicans and unionists will formalise ethnic cleansing.

Time Out with Nick Cohen: Ted Honderich

By Nick Cohen

For Ted Honderich, if you don't give money to Oxfam or the Red Cross, you are killing Africans as surely as if you had deliberately stopped a food convoy reaching a refugee camp

Why aren't women at the top yet?

By Sarah Sands

After years of progress, the promotion of women to top jobs is slowing down. Why? Dr Lynda Gratton tells Sarah Sands that the time is ripe for someone to light "a fire under business"

Regulars

New Statesman Leader

Labour's lurch to the lynch and the challenge for progressives

This week's New Statesman leader examines New Labour's approach to tackling the terror threat.

Diary

I have not a gram of rock'n'roll in me

By Tom Ravenscroft

I am a potterer, a flâneur. I am brilliant at it, quite brilliant. I am encouraged in this by Hackney Council, which makes public transport so horrendous

Politics

Smoking guns in Iraq

By Martin Bright

Tony Blair gives evidence to a US inquiry into the Iraq situation, but refuses one at home.

Commons Confidential

Quiffy's offer to Fatty

By Kevin Maguire

This England

Each printed entry will receive a £5 book token
Entries on a POSTCARD, please, to This England, NS, address at www.newstatesman.com/contactus.htm

Second hand words No 3955

Set by John O'Byrne
We asked you to detail the quarrels/makings-up of famous people using literary quotations

Arts & Culture

City of illusions

By Peter Ackroyd

Since Roman times, map-makers have tried to impose order on the chaotic streets of London. Some have been broken by the task

Topsy-turvy world

By Peter Conrad

Gilbert and Sullivan blew a raspberry at Victorian society's prized institutions

Cultural explosion

By Mark Brown

Why go to the theatre during a nuclear crisis? Mark Brown found out at a South Korean festival

Theatre

It's not all Greek

By Rosie Millard

A mash-up of styles and the removal of Apollo makes for an unsatisfying tragedy
Orestes
Tricycle Theatre, London NW6

Film

Lean, mean and cold as ice

By Ryan Gilbey

Laughs are scarce, but the new James Bond is true to the spirit of the books
Casino Royale (12A)
dir: Martin Campbell

Television

Lest we forget, here's another reminder

By Andrew Billen

We're happy to remember past wars without addressing the one we're in
Kipling: a remembrance tale
BBC1

Radio

Head to head with the Axeman

By Rachel Cooke

Mark Damazer is bafflingly resistant to my sound advice

Travels

Travels: Living history

By Julia Pascal

The scars of anti-Semitism and the Soviet past are all too apparent in Lithuania and Latvia

Drink

20 years on

Nina Power

Newspeak's legacy

Television

Simon Schama

Simplistic Simon says: “Look at me, everyone!”

Theatre

Liberal guilt

Watch out for the bleeding-heart liberal

Vernon Bogdanor

Worse than Profumo

Nicky Wire

The way I see it

Vote!

Will China rule the world?