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Taliban vow to fight US troop surge

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:28:26 GMT

The Taliban say they will step up the fight in Afghanistan, after the US pledges to send substantial reinforcements.

Sailor speaks of Iran 'mistake'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:49:02 GMT

Sailing into Iranian waters was a completely innocent mistake, says one of the yachtsmen freed by the Revolutionary Guard.

Woods admits letting family down

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:56:46 GMT

Golf star Tiger Woods apologises to his family for his "transgressions" amid continuing speculation about his private life following a car crash.

L'Oreal family fight over fortune

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:12:34 GMT

The daughter of Europe's richest woman asks a court to stop her giving away her money.

Australia Senate rejects climate plan

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:37:18 GMT

Australia's Senate has voted down Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's flagship policy on climate change for a second time.

Nigeria leader faces call to quit

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:35:15 GMT

An influential group of Nigerians urge the president to resign on the grounds of ill-health, but ministers reject the call.

Islamists claim Russia train bomb

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:11:16 GMT

An Islamist group uses a website to claim responsibility for a bomb that killed 26 people on a Moscow-to-St Petersburg train.

Manila replaces massacre area police

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:39:27 GMT

The Philippine government moves to replace the entire police force of a southern province where 57 people were massacred.

Men's genes 'may limit lifespan'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:42:27 GMT

Men carry a gene that allows them to grow bigger than women, but limits their lifespan, research on mice suggests.

Mellow Marilyn Monroe 'marijuana' movie shown

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:16:07 GMT

Previously unseen home movie footage emerges showing Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe allegedly smoking marijuana.

Cameroon websites present hidden danger for careless typists

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:06:03 GMT

More than one third of Cameroon websites - which end with .cm - are risky, according to a report by computer security experts.

Live - Wednesday football

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:30:12 GMT

Everton are at AEK Athens in an early Europa League kick-off, before Blackburn face Chelsea and Man City host Arsenal in the Carling Cup.

Henry faces inquiry over handball

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:44:59 GMT

France striker Thierry Henry is to be investigated by Fifa's disciplinary committee over his handball against the Republic of Ireland.

Will extra US troops end the Afghan war?

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:06:45 GMT

As Barack Obama is set to send more US soldiers to Afghanistan, the Taliban has vowed to step up the fight. Will extra troops help?

BBC World News

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:16:12 GMT

Orange gone sour

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:13:09 GMT

Ukraine's election cat-fight leaves bitter taste

'Night of the gas'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:37:19 GMT

Bhopal survivors still fighting for justice 25 years on

Latest evidence

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:05:52 GMT

How climate science has moved on since key summit decision

Bomb CSI

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:27:06 GMT

Inside the world's oldest forensic laboratory

Fire-proof future?

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:38:03 GMT

California faces up to year-round forest fires

Day in pictures

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:15:55 GMT

Eye-catching images from around the world

Fritz Henderson resigns from GM

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:17:01 GMT

Fritz Henderson is to step down as chief executive at General Motors, having only been in the post for eight months.

Google to limit free news access

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:21:14 GMT

Google will let newspaper publishers limit the number of articles people can read free through its search engine.

Germany 'faces new credit crunch'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:03:28 GMT

Germany faces another credit crunch if the banks do not start lending more, says Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle.

Web giants oppose copyright plans

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:11:02 GMT

Web firms including Facebook and Google write to Peter Mandelson, objecting to elements of the Digital Economy Bill.

Malware 'behind Windows problem'

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:46:24 GMT

Microsoft say a Windows operating problem, dubbed the 'Black Screen of Death', is not due to security updates.

Plans for smart meters published

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:53:13 GMT

Energy suppliers will be responsible for installing smart meters in all homes in the UK by 2020, under government plans.

Street actress Jones dies aged 75

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:31:42 GMT

Coronation Street actress Maggie Jones - Blanche Hunt in the soap - dies in hospital at the age of 75.

Susan Boyle sets US chart record

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:04:34 GMT

Susan Boyle tops the US charts with I Dreamed A Dream, setting a first-week sales record for a female debut album.

European space missions on cost alert

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:42:26 GMT

Europe's scientists pitching ideas for their ideal space missions are warned about the likely cost of some of their concepts.

Pandas 'chirp' to get pregnant

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:46:59 GMT

Female giant pandas make chirping sounds to inform males that they are fertile, a study reports.

Glue injections help sick babies

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:18:04 GMT

The mother of a toddler born with a rare condition has described life-saving glue injections as "amazing".

Mauritanian police chief sacked

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:05:07 GMT

Mauritania sacks its police chief days after three Spanish aid workers were kidnapped by gunmen.

Zimbabwe predicts economic upturn

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:34:18 GMT

Zimbabwe's first budget since its unity government began sharing power predicts a healthy economic future for the country.

Congress to debate Zelaya return

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:29:21 GMT

The Honduran Congress is to discuss whether deposed President Manuel Zelaya should be restored to office.

Peru human fat killings 'a lie'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:53:52 GMT

Peru's police chief suspends a top officer over a "fake" story about killers who murdered people for their fat.

Indonesia 'bans' East Timor film

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:03:23 GMT

Indonesia bans the film Balibo, which depicts the deaths of six foreign journalists in Indonesia's 1975 invasion of East Timor.

Marcos to run in Philippine poll

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:44:50 GMT

The former first lady of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, registers as a candidate for congress in next year's elections.

Nato pledges 5,000 Afghan troops

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:48:25 GMT

Nato's secretary general says members will do "substantially more" to fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

New EU regulation deal agreed

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:09:08 GMT

EU finance ministers agree plans for a new Europe-wide system of financial regulation, despite concerns from the UK.

Iran to enrich uranium 'to 20%'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:08:47 GMT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the country will enrich its uranium to higher levels, despite pressure to stop.

Jerusalem residency losses rise

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:34:25 GMT

Israel stripped a record number of Palestinians of their right to live in East Jerusalem last year, an Israeli rights group says.

Bomber targets Pakistan navy HQ

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:41:05 GMT

A suicide bomber targets the headquarters of the Pakistani navy in Islamabad, police say.

Indian air force grounds planes

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:02:30 GMT

The Indian Air Force grounds its entire fleet of Sukhoi fighters after one crashes in training.

Building societies agree merger

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:40:38 GMT

The Yorkshire and Chelsea building societies confirm plans to merge, creating a society with 2.7 million members.

Teenager convicted of fire murder

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:38:02 GMT

A teenager who killed his girlfriend by dousing her in petrol and setting her alight is found guilty of murder.

Royal harpist tells of drug abuse

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:15:46 GMT

Prince Charles' former harpist on trial for burglary charges, tells a jury she was addicted to heroin during her royal appointment.

Knox 'did not have murder motive'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:38:38 GMT

Amanda Knox did not have any motive for killing British student Meredith Kercher, her lawyer tells a court.

MPs given fresh expenses appeal

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:28:40 GMT

MPs will be allowed to appeal against repaying expenses judged to have been overclaimed, says a Commons committee.

Dog mauling victim 'lit up lives'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:34:09 GMT

The family of a four-year-old boy who was mauled to death by a family pet pay tribute to the youngster.