On 8 August 1974, Richard Nixon became the first US president in history to resign, following the Watergate scandal.

From his screamer-packed entries at school ("We Tories – sorry, Conservatives!") to his departure as a Tory MP in 1997, this 50-year journal is one of the oddest diaries ever published.

How an obscure parlour amusement favoured by 18th-century French and Prussian aristocrats evolved into America's national pastime is the subject at hand here. Poker's popularity has spawned any number of how-to manuals, but 'Cowboys Full' (poker parlance for a full house with three kings) is an attempt, triumphantly realised, at a definitive history.

Sometimes you truly feel sorry for Richard Nixon. Why should anyone, 15 years after his death, having suffered the greatest disgrace in American political history, continue to be bombarded with irrefutable evidence of his own sins?

The atmosphere of Frost/Nixon is so heavy with self-importance that you'd be forgiven for thinking that, in it, the very fate of Western politics hangs in the balance. Ron Howard and Peter Morgan have opened up the latter's stage play to embrace a world of ritzy hotels and stretch limos, but he has kept the quasi-documentary build-up to persuade us that what we're to witness is a duel as legendary as David and Goliath, and as enthralling as Ali versus Foreman. And the prize at stake in this momentous encounter? An apology on TV from a disgraced politician. Pardon me if I'm underwhelmed.

In a report on the events behind David Frost's interview with Richard Nixon in yesterday's Independent, we published an article, " I never agree that certain subjects are off-limits". This was bylined "by John Humphrys". We should make it clear this was not an article written by Mr Humphrys, but a report of what he had said to our interviewer. Apologies.

The cast of Frost/Nixon, including Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon and director Ron Howard, discussing the making of the film which is in cinemas from January 23rd.

Any system of democratic government has to have the provision for terminating a prime minister's or president's term of office against their wish, whether because of serious ill health, or misconduct. More controversial is how they should be removed for political reasons. In the United States removal can be done, for health reasons, under the provisions of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution or by impeachment, for other reasons, by congressional politicians of all parties. Richard Nixon would never have resigned just because he was an alcoholic or had broken the law. It required the threat of impeachment.