The international community must “up its game” to secure a lasting political settlement for Afghanistan, the Labour leader Ed Miliband has said during a secret visit to the country

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Miliband fears for Afghan future

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt addressed News Corp lobbyist Fred Michel as “daddy” and “mon ami” in text messages released by the Leveson Inquiry.

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Hunt texted ‘mon ami’ to lobbyist

Along with embattled culture secretary Jeremy Hunt.

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Tony Blair to Testify Monday

When Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan appeared before a Senate committee investigating the Colombia prostitution scandal, he cited an employee survey and said that nearly 60 percent of the agency’s workers indicated they would report unethical behavior. Read full article > >

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Not everyone is comfortable reporting unethical behavior, survey indicates

Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe. Want to know a juicy secret? Watermelon can lower your risk of heart attack. – Dawn.com MIT researchers have finally figured out how to get the last drops of ketchup from the bottle. Science! – NPR Is cleanliness next to Yelp-liness? Some of the dirtiest restaurants still rank favorably among Yelpers. – NY Times Pore over this Vietnamese coffee tutorial. – Gawker Take a picture, it'll last longer: Chefs weigh in on the pros and cons of photography in restaurants. – Eater

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Box lunch: Melon perks and unclogged ketchup bottles

Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood says he was “angry” at briefings, reportedly from Steve Hilton, suggesting huge cuts are being considered to the civil service.

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Mandarin ‘angry’ over cuts claims

Federal investigators are looking into allegations that the Secret Service deviated from normal polygraphing methods in the wake of a Cartagena prostitution scandal — including claims that polygraphy experts inside the service were uncomfortable with the deviations. Read full article > >

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Secret Service scandal: Did agency cut corners in rush to handle embarrassing incident?

The Secret Circus may soon be looking for a new ringmaster. The prostitution scandal involving a dozen Secret Service agents in Cartagena, Colombia, is spreading into a broader burlesque for the agency, furthered by a Washington Post report that tolerance of a frat-house culture has induced some employees to come up with the “Secret Circus” name. Read full article > >

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Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan sees no cause for alarm

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told a Senate committee Wednesday that the prostitution scandal in Colombia caused no security breach and steps have been taken to prevent a similar episode.

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Secret Service agents ‘reckless’

The shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has called for all state school pupils to be given lessons in public speaking and interview techniques.

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Call for school speaking lessons

Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan says she wants to electrify the Great Western railway line to Swansea, but there needs to be a business case behind the plan.

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Rail line ‘needs business case’

A US senator challenges claims the Secret Service sex scandal was an isolated incident, at the first congressional hearing into the affair.

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Secret Service scandal in hearing

Voicemails to home secretary aide were intercepted.

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NotW Former Top Editor Hacked

Four Secret Service employees have decided to fight their dismissals for engaging in inappropriate conduct in Colombia last month, a development that could unravel what has been a swift and tidy resolution to an embarrassing scandal over agents’ hiring of prostitutes. Read full article > >

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Secret Service sex scandal: Several say they didn’t break the rules

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan plans to present a strong defense of his staff at a Senate hearing Wednesday while outlining steps to prevent a reoccurrence of the agency’s prostitution scandal in April. Read full article > >

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Secret Service director plans to defend agency and outline code of conduct