Ron Paul, Mitt Romney's only remaining rival for the Republican nomination in the US presidential race, said last night he would stop spending money on the 11 remaining primary elections, prompting speculation that his campaign is, effectively, over.

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1. Magimix

Magical realism without the realism

Newt Gingrich may be asked to quit and give Rick Santorum free run against centrist favourite

It takes a certain level of dedication to manage a regular face mask. For some, the idea borders on the ridiculous; lounging around slathered in inch-thick goo (presumably while painting your nails, talking on the telephone and eating pink bonbons) is just a bit 1950s starlet. Vanity never goes out of fashion, of course, but these days indulging it needs to take a shorter, snappier form.

An urgent review has been ordered at the Department of Health after it was revealed that it spent more than £100,000 in three months on "tea and biscuits".

England made it two wins from two in Sri Lanka with an impressive fourth-innings chase only marred by concerns over Ravi Bopara's fitness and Ian Bell's form.

I was in Manchester last night, on an intensely private matter. Oh, all right, I was at a football match. Anyway, I was staying at the city centre hotel where I am a regular visitor. In the relatively short time I have patronised this establishment, it has changed names – and, I assume, ownership – three times, and in its latest incarnation it went from a hotel with a short, memorable name – just four letters – to one with a cumbersome, Americanised moniker – three words, 18 letters.

China's national treasure, the giant panda, will become even more precious if one businessman succeeds in using its dung to grow organic green tea which he intends to sell for more than £125 a cup.

Monty Panesar and James Anderson shared the wickets in the absence of the injured Stuart Broad as England took control of their warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Board XI in Colombo.

Michael Stafford, better known by his stage name Maverick Sabre, is in the middle of his set when a fight breaks out.

Out of America: The torturous campaign for the Republican nomination is leaving the frontrunner battered