Bin Laden was 'within US grasp'
The US failure to capture Bin Laden in Afghanistan in late 2001 inflamed regional insurgency, a US Senate report says.

Honduras set to elect president
Presidential elections are due to be held in Honduras, with neither the ousted president nor interim president as candidates.

Tiger Woods delays police meeting
World number one golfer Tiger Woods delays giving an interview to police about a car accident for a second day.

Brazil nun case witness is shot
A witness in the case of an American nun who was shot and killed in the Brazilian Amazon has been shot several times.

Uruguay votes for new president
Polls are open in Uruguay for presidential elections which are pitting a former left-wing guerrilla against a conservative ex-president.

Peru apologises for African abuse
Peru apologises for the first time to its citizens of African origin for centuries of "abuse, exclusion and discrimination".

Commonwealth backs climate fund
Commonwealth leaders pledge backing for a multi-billion-dollar fund to help developing nations cope with climate change.

Colombia ministers 'snub' summit
Colombian ministers fail to attend a regional summit in an apparent snub to Venezuela as the countries' dispute deepens.

Americans killed in China plane crash
Three American crew members are killed as a cargo plane crashes on take-off at China's Shanghai airport.

Sarah Palin memoir tops US bestseller chart
Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's memoir tops the US bestseller list in its first week of release.

Obama's diplomatic dance with America's banker
It should come as no surprise that President Obama is dancing deftly around some thorny issues on his trip to China, says Matt Frei, presenter of BBC World News America.

Sniper denied victims' families a story
Matt Frei, presenter of BBC World News America, argues that the Washington sniper's refusal to explain his actions cuts across the need for a healing narrative.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Battling Del Potro reaches final
Juan Martin del Potro beats Robin Soderling in three sets and will face Nikolay Davydenko in Sunday's final at the World Tour Finals in London.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Rugby U: Scotland 6-9 Argentina
Scotland's 100% record under new coach Andy Robinson comes to an end as Argentina extend their winning run at Murrayfield to 19 years.

Gatecrashers met Obama at banquet
A couple who gatecrashed a state dinner at the White House met President Barack Obama, his office confirms.

Rich 'should help Amazon forests'
Nine nations in the Amazon region call on rich countries to provide poorer nations with the funds to preserve forests.

US man 'locks sons in car boot'
A US man appears in court in Massachusetts accused of locking his two sons in his car boot while he went shopping.

Fifties pop star Al Alberts dies
US singer Al Alberts, a former member of the hit 1950s pop group The Four Aces, dies at the age of 87.

Family shot dead at Thanksgiving
Police in the US are searching for a man after four relatives were shot dead at a Thanksgiving party in Florida.

Ex-general jailed for Colombia killings
A former Colombian general is jailed for 40 years over the killing of dozens of civilians by death squads.

Website publishes '9/11 messages'
The Wikileaks site publishes what it says are 570,000 intercepted pager messages sent during the 9/11 attacks in the US.

CIA's secret magic manual on sale
A secret CIA manual that instructed agents on the use of magic tricks during the Cold War has gone on sale.

UK hacker to appeal over extradition
Lawyers for computer hacker Gary McKinnon are to challenge the home secretary's decision not to block his extradition to the US.

Canadian tells of joy at kidnap release
Two foreign journalists kidnapped in Somalia by militants in 2008 tell the BBC of their shock and relief at being freed.

Dollar falls to a 14-year yen low
The dollar hits a 14-year low against the yen as low US interest rates make the currency less attractive to investors.

US consumer spending rebounds
US consumer spending rose by more than expected in October, raising hopes that the economic recovery is continuing.

Toyota moves to cure pedal fault
Toyota says it will change accelerator pedals on 3.8 million already recalled vehicles in the US.

Mississippi man faces sixth trial for same crime
Why one man is facing his 6th trial for the same crime

Hello Hollywood
South Asian stars find success on US silver screen

Sting's plea
Rock star urges Brazil to listen to tribal fears

Latin American energy worries
What's causing big power cuts in Latin America?

Mexico's 'giant underwater museum'
Mexico's mega sculpture park aims to protect reef

Hurricane Palin rolls into town
Sarah Palin's fanbase builds despite defeat

Too fat to pass?
A US university takes drastic steps to deal with obesity

Not so special
The changing fortunes of the US-UK relationship

Listening in
Who's spying on who and why in Latin America

Falklands scars
Abuse charges divide Argentine veterans