EU official quits in piracy row

A European Parliament rapporteur stands down in protest as a controversial anti-piracy agreement is signed by several countries.

Kader Arif, the European Parliament's rapporteur for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta), resigned over th...

Hung parliament after Congo poll

The results of last November's parliamentary elections in DR Congo are finally released and show that no party has an overall majority - President Kabila's twin sister becomes an independent MP.

With 432 of the 500 seats declared, President ...

UK financial bill to be unveiled

The Chancellor George Osborne is to reveal details about the new Financial Services Bill that will overhaul regulation of the sector.

The bill will replace the so-called Tripartite structure, introduced by the previous Labour government under Gordon B...

Car bomb kills Baghdad mourners

A suicide car bomber kills at least 32 people and injures about 60 in a Shia district of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, with a funeral procession caught in the blast.

The bomb went off in a market place as a funeral procession was passing in the city'...

Managers call for calm at Anfield

Managers of Liverpool and Manchester United have urged players and fans to act responsibly during Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield.

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Asil Nadir defence "not credible"

Tycoon Asil Nadir's defence over charges of stealing millions of pounds from his Polly Peck empire is simply not credible, the Old Bailey hears.

Nadir says before sterling was withdrawn in London, equivalent amounts in Turkish lire were placed wi...

Italian cruise firm offers payout

The Italian firm that owns the stricken cruise ship Costa Concordia reaches an agreement on compensation with several Italian consumer groups.

The Italian company that owns the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia has offered passengers 11,000 euros (...

Decapitated man "had been shot"

A man found decapitated and burnt in Stockport died from a shotgun wound to his head and another head injury, tests reveal.

A man found decapitated and burnt in Stockport died from a shotgun wound to his head and another head injury, tests have reveal...

Olympic ceremony title revealed

Danny Boyle reveals the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony will be called Isles of Wonder, in an announcement six months ahead of the Games.

London 2012's opening ceremony is to be called Isles of Wonder, organisers have revealed six months ah...

Players need to behave - Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson wants both sets of players to act responsibly during Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie between Manchester United and Liverpool at Anfield.

Sir Alex Ferguson wants all players to act responsibly during Saturday's FA Cup fou...

Greece debt talks "close to deal"

Greece could reach a deal with its creditors over the weekend, according to the EU's Economic Commissioner, Olli Rehn.

"We're very close," the European Union's Economic Commissioner, Olli Rehn, said at the World Economic Forum...

Asteroid to make near-miss fly-by

An 11m-wide asteroid will pass within 60,000km of Earth on Friday - one of the 20 closest recorded approaches to our planet, but one that poses no danger.

The asteroid, estimated to be about 11m (36ft) in diameter, was first detected on Wednesday.

More uses for "miracle material"

Graphene, often described as a "miracle material", can be used to distil alcohol, according to a new study in the Science journal.

An international team created the membrane from graphene oxide - a chemical derivative of graphene.

Sudan leaders in oil crisis talks

A summit is being held after South Sudan accused Sudan of stealing its oil exports and said it would halt production, crucial to both their economies.

When South Sudan became independent last July, Sudan lost most of its oil.

New push at UN to pressure Syria

The UN Security Council is to discuss a resolution backing an Arab League call for Preside...

"Many" killed in Baghdad attack

A bomb kills at least 26 people and injures scores in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, with a fu...

Web economy "to double by 2016"

With half the world online by 2016, the web economy in the G20 countries is set to nearly ...

Battered Indian baby "critical"

Police investigate amid outcry after a severely battered toddler is admitted to hospital i...

Chinese man indicted in S Korea

South Korea charges Chinese man with attempted arson for hurling Molotov cocktails at the ...

Philippines seeks US defence ties

The Philippines confirms that it is discussing ways to "maximise" defence ties with the US...

Attack on Pakistan military base

Attackers fire rocket-propelled grenades at the Pakistani Military Academy in Abbottabad, ...

PNG mutineers "demanding pardon"

A group of soldiers who staged a failed mutiny in Papua New Guinea are seeking a pardon, A...

"Disrespect" to Gillard condemned

Indigenous leaders in Australia condemn "disrespect" shown to PM Julia Gillard, who lost a...

The castaway who annoyed Churchill

The first ever castaway on Desert Island Discs 70 years ago was a man who not only annoyed...

Liverpool want rivalry not hatred

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre wants "rivalry not hatred" when his team play Manches...

Prisoner TV appeal prompts calls

A Crimewatch appeal for information about the whereabouts of escaped prisoner John Anslow ...

Police combat metal theft threat

Metal theft becomes one of the top priorities of British Transport Police, second only to ...

House move costs outstrip prices

The cost of moving home in Scotland has risen faster than house prices over the past decad...

Four AMs contest Plaid leadership

Nominations for the Plaid Cymru leadership close, with four Assembly Members on the ballot...

Police probe call at race group

The chair of the Welsh assembly's Public Accounts Committee says police should invest...

Family wants Pseudomonas inquiry

The parents of a baby who died in hospital from the Pseudomonas bacterium have called for ...

Memorial service for D"Oliveira

The life of Worcestershire and England cricketer Basil D'Oliveira is to be celebrated...

Man charged with village murder

Police investigating the death of a Carmarthenshire woman at her village home charge a man...

Headless murder victim identified

A man found decapitated in Stockport is identified as police continue to question two men ...

Salford votes for elected mayor

People in Salford will vote for a new city leader next May after a referendum backed propo...

BBC planning for Thompson"s exit

The BBC says it is engaged in "sensible succession planning" to replace director general M...

MoD "accelerates 3,000 job cuts"

The MoD is to speed up job losses among its civilian staff in an effort to plug a shortfal...

More men "have oral cancer virus"

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is more common among men than women, leading to ...

Carers "missing out on support"

Carers are missing out on "vital" support, a survey for cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Su...

Planting push for jubilee woods

Organisers of a project to create a series of new woods to commemorate the Queen's Di...

Twitter "can censor by country"

Twitter says it now has the technology to censor tweets on a country by country basis, as ...

BP ordered to share spill damages

BP must cover some but not all of oil rig owner Transocean's liabilities for the 2010...

Cocaine seizure at UN head office

A bag containing 16kg (35.5lb) of cocaine was seized last week at the United Nations headq...

Spain jobless passes five million

Spain's unemployment figure passed the five million mark in the last quarter of 2011,...

Blackberrys for police criticised

The National Audit Office criticises an £80m Home Office programme to equip police forces...

Babies" brains "show autism risk"

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than previously thought, says an...

Government escapes NHS rebellion

The government appears to have escaped a rebellion by the medical establishment over its c...

Olympic Village site handed over

London 2012 organisers are to take control of the Olympic Village site in a ceremony to ma...

Breast implant boss faces charges

The owner of a French breast implant maker at the centre of an international safety scare ...

Outrage at RBS boss"s bonus deal

A £963,000 bonus in shares awarded to Royal Bank of Scotland boss Stephen Hester is stron...