Nigeria's leader breaks silence
Nigeria's president, not seen since going into hospital in Saudi Arabia in November, tells the BBC he hopes to resume his duties.

Key US gay marriage case opens
The first US federal court case to determine whether states are allowed to ban same-sex marriages opens in California.

Anne Frank helper dies aged 100
The last surviving member of the group who helped hide Anne Frank from the Nazis dies in the Netherlands, aged 100.

Dutch set to publish Iraq inquiry
A inquiry ordered by the Dutch government into the run-up to the 2003 war in Iraq is to issue its report.

UK PM Brown urges N Ireland focus
Gordon Brown urges Northern Ireland politicians to stay focused after First Minister Peter Robinson stands down for six weeks.

US concern at UAE torture verdict
The US calls on the UAE to review a court verdict clearing a member of its ruling family of torture charges.

Arctic tern's epic journey mapped
The Arctic tern's extraordinary pole-to-pole 70,000km migration is detailed by Danish and UK scientists.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Baseball star admits steroids use
Retired US baseball star Mark McGwire admits using steroids, including the season when he set his home run record in 1998.

Sarah Palin takes Fox News job
Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin has signed on as a contributor to Fox News Channel, her lawyer says.

Big bottoms, hips and thighs are good for your health, experts say
Carrying extra weight on your hips, bum and thighs is good for you and appears to protect against heart and metabolic problems, say experts.

Project seeks to create computers that mimic brain neurons
An EU project to engineer "chemical computers" that mimic the actions of neurons in the brain has begun.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Tevez hat-trick sends Man City fourth
A Carlos Tevez hat-trick launches Manchester City into the Premier League's top four following a 4-1 victory over Blackburn.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Togo's Nations Cup exit confirmed
Togo are officially disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations by the Confederation of African Football.

Send your video, pictures and story ideas
Have you got a good story? BBC News wants to hear from you.

World Cup 'risks'
Angola attack turns spotlight on South Africa tournament

Airbase angst
US-Japan ties tested over Okinawa facility

Life of exile
Cost of leaving the ultra-orthodox Jewish community

Eyeing posterity
Brazil divided on Lula's legacy as his term nears end

Cabinda conflict
The group behind the Togo football team attack

Stat defence
Can you use maths to catch airline bombers?

Airbus chief 'may cancel A400M'
The long-delayed A400M military transport aircraft finally takes to the skies, but its future path remains under a cloud.

Firms contest apartheid lawsuit
A US court hears a challenge by companies seeking to dismiss a case against them relating to apartheid-era South Africa.

UK 'close to leaving recession'
The British Chambers of Commerce say the UK economy appears on the brink of exiting recession, but that weaknesses remain.

Complaints greet Google Nexus One
Many of the first users of Google's Nexus One are filing complaints about how it works as they look for help with the phone.

Microsoft Word 'sales ban' begins
A ban on Microsoft selling certain versions of its flagship products Word and Office begins, following a patent dispute.

Free laptop scheme is rolled out
A scheme to give free laptops to pupils from poor backgrounds is being rolled out to 270,000 families in England.

Gervais plans stand-up world tour
Comedian and actor Ricky Gervais announces he will perform two more stand-up dates in London and four in the US later this year.

French director Eric Rohmer dies
Arthouse French film-maker Eric Rohmer has died at the age of 89, his producer tells the AFP news agency.

Protection status for Lundy sea
The sea around Lundy Island becomes the first marine site in England to be protected by new government powers.

Action urged on nature 'crisis'
The UN launches a Year of Biodiversity, warning that the on-going loss of species affects human well-being worldwide.

MRSA 'spread by moving patients'
MRSA is mainly spread by patients moving between hospitals, Dutch researchers say.

Angola 'arrests' over Togo attack
Angola arrests two people over a deadly attack on Togo's football team before the African Cup of Nations, state media say.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Ivory Coast 0-0 Burkina Faso
Favourites Ivory Coast are held by Burkina Faso in the second Group B game of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Six soldiers die in Afghanistan
Three Americans are among six international soldiers killed in Afghanistan in the deadliest day for two months.

Chavez warns price 'speculators'
Venezuela's President Chavez says troops will seize control of any business raising prices after the currency was devalued.

Indonesia army reforms 'failed'
Indonesian reforms have failed to dismantle the armed forces' business empire, a Human Rights Watch report says.

China announces interceptor test
China says it has successfully tested a missile interceptor, after objecting to a US missile sale to Taiwan.

Ashton seeks 'more credible' EU
The EU is in a position to play a "stronger, more credible role in the world," the EU's proposed foreign policy supremo says.

Berlusconi returns to public view
Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi returns to official duties a month after his face was injured by an attacker in Milan.

Iran's Karroubi defies 'threats'
Iranian opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi says he is defiant in the face of threats, and he and his family are "prepared for disaster".

Yemen warned against 'occupation'
An influential cleric warns Yemen not to allow "occupation" by foreign powers as it co-operates with the US in counter-terrorism.

India-Bangladesh sign agreements
India and Bangladesh sign five agreements including treaties on tackling cross-border crime and combating terrorism.

Indian soldier killed in Kashmir
An Indian soldier is killed in firing from the Pakistani side on the Line of Control (LoC), Indian officials say.

Fifth of soldiers 'unfit for war'
Almost 5,000 soldiers and officers - or one in five army personnel - are unfit for frontline combat duties, MoD figures show.

Healthy lunchboxes a rarity, study says
Only 1% of primary school pupil's packed lunches meet nutritional standards set for school meals in England, a study suggests.

Cuts 'will erode UK universities'
Leaders of the UK's most prestigious universities warn government plans to cut their funding will lead to a higher education "meltdown".

Campbell to face Iraq war inquiry
Tony Blair's former spokesman Alastair Campbell is due to give evidence to the inquiry into the Iraq war later.

Christmas sales beat expectations
Retailers enjoyed their best December growth for eight years, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said.

First jury-less trial to be heard
Four men are to appear in court in the first Crown Court criminal trial to be held without a jury in England and Wales for more than 350 years.