News
Tibetan policeman and suspect die in China gun battle
A police officer and a suspected riot leader were shot dead in a gun battle in an ethnic Tibetan part of western China, state media reported on Wednesday, in a sign that tensions remain high following a wave of unrest.
Two U.S. troops die in Iraq
Two U.S. soldiers were killed in Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, taking the American troop death toll in Iraq for April to 46.
Philippine army says seizes Islamic militant base
About 300 Philippine soldiers, backed by heavy artillery and mortar shelling, overran a base of Islamic militants deep in the hills of a remote southern island on Wednesday, a senior general said.
Democrat Obama 'outraged' by former pastor
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, trying to quell a political firestorm that has roiled his presidential campaign, strongly denounced his former pastor on Tuesday and called his racially charged comments "appalling."
Colossal squid examined by New Zealand scientists
A colossal squid caught from deep Antarctic waters was defrosted on Wednesday by New Zealand scientists keen to discover more about the little-known giant predator.
Death in childbirth a health scourge for Afghanistan
A woman haemorrhages to death as she lies screaming in agony in a spartan hut in a remote region of Afghanistan. There is no doctor or midwife to help and the hospital is several days journey away.
N. Korea seen heading towards famine
Soaring global food prices and reluctant donors are pushing North Korea back towards famine, which could see the secretive government turn even more repressive to keep control, a paper released on Wednesday said.
Free speech reform said approved by Turk parliament
Turkey's parliament approved a long-awaited revision of a law criticised by the European Union for limiting free speech in the candidate country, but writers and activists say the reform does not go far enough.
EU launches 1.5 billion project to boost drug discovery
Europe is launching a 2 billion euros (1.57 billion pounds) scheme to boost drug discovery in a bid to re-establish itself as the "pharmacy of the world" and close a growing gap with United States and Asia.
Hope08 challenges Christians to donate one million hours of kindness to UK
Hope08, the nationwide year of grassroots mission, has set the challenge to Christians to give a million hours of kindness to the UK this May bank holiday.
Prince William on secret Afghan trip
Prince William paid a secret visit to Afghanistan to meet frontline British troops, his office said on Wednesday.
Grocers face tougher rules
Supermarkets face tougher scrutiny of expansion plans and relations with their suppliers after the country's competition watchdog announced the outcome of a two-year probe into the sector on Wednesday.
Consumer mood worst since 1992
Consumer confidence in April plummeted to its lowest level since the economic slump of 1992, a survey showed on Wednesday that will make grim reading for Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the eve of local elections.
House prices suffer first annual fall in 12 yrs
House prices in Britain fell for the sixth month running in April to stand 1.0 percent lower than a year ago - the first annual fall in more than 12 years, the Nationwide building society said on Wednesday.
Guantanamo detainees to sue UK
Lawyers for former detainees are preparing to sue the government and intelligence services for alleged complicity in abuse of terrorism suspects by the United States and Pakistan.
Survey shows half EU immigrants to UK have left
One million immigrants from Eastern Europe have come to Britain since 2004 - but half of them have already gone back home, a report showed on Wednesday.