Four decades after selling his first screen rights, Elmore Leonard is big in films. By John Walsh

The Detroit Motor Show is usually treated as a fanfare for America's motoring giants. This year, however, Uncle Sam was upstaged by VW's reborn Beetle, as Gavin Green reports.

In tune with the Christmas Motown re-release of the classic Chartbuster s albums of the Sixties, Nigel Williamson takes a tour of Hitsville USA - but finds that they're hardly dancing in the streets in Detroit today.

Coleman Alexander Young, civil rights campaigner and politician: born Tuscaloosa, Alabama 24 May 1918; Mayor of Detroit 1973-93; died Detroit 29 November 1997.

The Green Bay Packers, strong favourites to retain their Super Bowl title before the season started, suffered their second defeat of the season when they lost 26-15 in Detroit.

a Good Week for humility, as Belgian weathermen apologised for getting their forecast wrong. A formal statement said: "The Royal Meteorological Institute wishes to offer its apologies to the inhabitants of the centre of the country who could not enjoy the bright spells we had forecast for 9 July."

There are people - outstanding people - doomed to be remembered less for themselves than their entanglement in history made by others. Betty Shabazz was one of these, a devoted wife and exemplary mother, an assiduous and effective campaigner for civil rights. First, last and always however, through a life overshadowed and torn asunder by the feuds of radical black America, she was the wife of Malcolm X.

Inclusion on the golden oldie format has spoiled many a record for the average listener, but with their breadth and their bounce "I Can't Help Myself", "It's the Same Old Song", "Reach Out (I'll Be There)", "Standing in the Shadows of Love", "Bernadette", "When She Was My Girl" and "Irresistible" by the Four Tops always sound fresh and vibrant and never fail to entice.

The last time the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup none of their players was born. On Saturday they beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 to complete a four-game sweep of the National Hockey League championship series and take the Stanley Cup back to Detroit for the first time since 1955.

The British Ice Hockey Association have circulated teams in next season's National Premier League, which made up last season's Premier and Northern Premier Leagues, with a detailed survey centred on the basis for the coming competition. It includes a proposed wages ceiling, encouraging British developed players and a league format, with emphasis on cross-over games between the two conferences. The findings are due to be announced at the clubs' meeting on Thursday.

The Detroit Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup final for the second time in three years, dethroning the champions, Colorado Avalanche, with a 3-1 victory on Monday in the sixth game of the Western Conference final to take the best-of-seven series 4-2. The Red Wings now go to Philadelphia on Saturday to play the Flyers in the first championship game.

Ice hockey

OK, Don Was doesn't wear shoes and thinks Ringo Starr is a great drummer. But that hasn't hindered his success with Was (Not Was) or his reputation as the world's most bankable pop producer. And then there's the film with Coppola...

RICHARD EHRLICH'S beverage REPORT