Mid-East indirect talks 'begin'
Indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians begin, ending months of political deadlock, officials say.

Foreign troops join Russia parade
Troops from four Nato countries take part for the first time in Russia's Red Square parade to mark victory in WWII.

Earthquake hits Indonesia's Aceh
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake hits near the site of the 2004 quake that triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Russia mine blast leaves 11 dead
At least 11 miners are killed and 84 others unaccounted for after two explosions in a coal mine in western Siberia.

Ash delays more European flights
Volcanic ash drifts across eastern France and northern Italy, bringing further disruption to European air travel.

Setback in US oil containment bid
BP says it has problems with the containment device it is trying to put over a blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Gallipoli TV casting prompts row
Chinese Australians protest over the decision to cast a Caucasian actor to play Gallipoli hero Billy Sing in a TV drama.

Lebanon claims new victory in hummus wars with Israel
Lebanon claims the latest victory in the battle with Israel over which country can make the largest serving of hummus.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Dynamic England beat South Africa
England beat South Africa by 39 runs in the Super Eight phase of the ICC World Twenty20 in Barbados.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Webber & Vettel head Spanish grid
Red Bull look set to dominate Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix after a crushing display in qualifying, with Mark Webber taking pole.

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Two systems
The short but revealing hop from Hong Kong to China

Living in fear
Maoist death threats hound Indian politicians

Hormone help
'I was bullied because of my size, but now I'm happy'

Oakless Britain
How the tree that defines us could disappear

Jihad or joke?
'Our so-called terror training was more like the A-Team'

Baghdad oasis
The club that gives a taste of Iraq in its pre-war heyday

Global shares fall on Greece debt
Shares in the US and Europe fall amid investor fears over Greek debt, as sterling slumps during the British general election count.

Ash travel disruption continues
British air passengers are facing yet more misery as a volcanic ash cloud continues to threaten European flight schedules.

Greek contagion
Why South East Europe's economies are vulnerable

Nokia sues Apple over technology
Nokia files another lawsuit against Apple claiming that the iPad 3G and iPhone infringe five of its patents.

Rule changes for net access in US
US regulators are changing the way net services are governed to fulfil promises to bring high speed internet access to all.

Ash pushes case for new sensors
Iceland's ongoing eruption is likely to press the case for new satellite instruments to monitor volcanic ash thrown into the atmosphere.

Family pay respects to Redgrave
Mourners inluding Liam Neeson and Joely Richardson pay their last respects to Lynn Redgrave at her funeral in Connecticut.

Fatboy Slim to play Belfast
DJ Fatboy Slim will fly into Northern Ireland on Saturday to perform to a concert thousands of fans in North Belfast.

Oil slick reaches wildlife refuge
Oil from a huge slick in the Gulf of Mexico is washing ashore on a chain of islands off the coast of Louisiana, officials say.

Doctors 'raise blood pressure'
The 'white-coat' effect - where blood pressure rises during a check by a doctor - is even worse in someone whose level is already high, researchers say

Meningitis C vaccine 'wears off'
Three-quarters of children vaccinated against meningitis C lose their protection by their early teens, research suggests.

Prosecutor seeks justice in Kenya
A top international prosecutor has flown into Kenya to investigate the country's post-election violence.

Nigerians lobby for deputy leader
Lobbying is underway to be Nigeria's new vice-president after Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as president.

Tea Party ousts Utah Republican
The conservative Tea Party movement in the US blocks a Republican senator from Utah in his re-election bid.

Costa Rican president sworn in
Costa Rica's first female President Laura Chinchilla is sworn in for her term of office in the capital, San Jose.

Attacks target Thailand policemen
Two Thai policemen are killed and six are injured in attacks near an encampment of opposition protesters in Bangkok.

Japan PM rebuffed over base plan
Officials from a Japanese island reject PM Yukio Hatoyama's proposal that they host US troops relocated from Okinawa.

German leader faces regional test
Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia votes in a regional poll which may affect Chancellor Merkel's national standing.

'I don't' - Italy's first divorce fair opens in Milan
Italy's first divorce fair opens in Milan as rates of divorce in the country increase.

Egypt peacekeepers killed in Darfur
Two Egyptian peacekeepers have been killed by gunmen in Sudan's conflict-torn Darfur region, officials say.

Arrests over Lebanon lynching
Lebanese police arrest two men over the lynching of an Egyptian accused of killing a local couple and their grandchildren.

Maoists call off strike in Nepal
The Maoist party in Nepal ends a general strike after six days, but continue to call on the government to stand down.

Missile strike hits NW Pakistan
Missiles fired from a suspected US drone kill at least five people in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal district.

UK soldiers in Red Square parade
British soldiers march in Moscow for the first time to mark the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Boy charged with teenager murder
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murdering a teenager in south-east London on Wednesday.

UK cyclists recover after crash
Five British female cyclists are recovering following a collision with a car while training in Belgium.

Man dies after stabbing near Tube
Police start a murder inquiry after a 19-year-old man is found stabbed near a London Tube station and dies in hospital.

Law reform urged by jailed kisser
A British woman jailed for kissing a man in public in Dubai says the country's strict laws are out of touch with its culture.

Heartbreak as Elvis impersonator abandons singing record attempt
An Elvis Presley impersonator is forced to abandon a world record singing attempt on medical advice.