US jail to house Guantanamo men
President Obama orders the government to buy a prison in Illinois to take a number of inmates from Guantanamo Bay.

Intel accused of blocking rivals
Intel, the world's biggest chip maker, is being sued by US authorities, accused of anti-competitive measures.

Fifty needles found in Brazil boy
A Brazilian toddler has up to 50 sewing needles inside him, which doctors suspect were deliberately inserted.

Bernanke is 'Person of the Year'
The US Federal Reserve chairman wins the Time Magazine award for steering the US economy through its worst year since the 1930s.

Boeing Dreamliner in first flight
Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft successfully completes its first test flight in the US.

Obama 'optimistic' on healthcare
US President Barack Obama says he is cautiously optimistic a landmark healthcare bill will be passed in the Senate

US evangelist Oral Roberts dies
Renowned US evangelist Oral Roberts, who pioneered religious broadcasting, dies in California at the age of 91.

Call to probe Guatemala murders
Human rights group Amnesty International calls on Guatemala to do more to investigate the alleged killing of young people by police.

US House expands Iran sanctions
The US House of Representatives approves new sanctions against foreign firms that help Iran import oil.

Unexpected breakfast with the Obamas for White House tourists
A couple on a tour of the White House say they ended up having breakfast with the Obamas "by accident".

What the Dickens? Author's toothpick sells for thousands
An ivory and gold toothpick once owned by author Charles Dickens sells at a New York auction for more than $9,000.

Evangelical and environmental?
If the green movement is to succeed in the US, it will need backers who can straddle the divide between social conservatism and environmental activism, says Matt Frei, presenter of BBC World News America.

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.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
US drawn against Iran for Worlds
The United States are drawn in the same group as Iran for the 2010 basketball World Championship.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Bolt wins BBC Overseas award again
Usain Bolt wins the Overseas award for the second year running at the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of Year show.

Chile weightlifter has surprise baby
A Chilean weightlifter gives birth to a baby boy during a training session, without having known she was pregnant.

Europe strikes 'banana wars' deal
The EU agrees a deal to cut tariffs on banana imports from Latin America, potentially ending the world's longest trade dispute.

Move to ban loud TV adverts in US
The US House of Representatives approves a bill forcing broadcasters to limit the volume of television advertisements.

Clooney film leads Globes chase
Up In The Air, starring George Clooney, is leading the nominations at this year's Golden Globe awards.

Fidel Castro says US on offensive
Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro tells a summit of leftist regional heads that the US is plotting the overthrow of Latin American left-wing governments.

US jails Iranian over arms plot
A court in the US state of Delaware jails an Iranian man for five years for plotting to procure and smuggle arms to Iran.

Citigroup in rift with Abu Dhabi
Citigroup says the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has filed a claim against it to stop a deal to buy $7.5bn of shares.

Obama attacks 'fat cat' bankers
President Obama tells bankers to take responsibility for the crisis and to stop fighting against tighter regulation.

Cadbury and Hershey in bid talks
Cadbury and Hershey are in talks with a view to the US firm making a bid for the UK confectioner, the BBC learns.

AOL relaunches
AOL relaunches after its divorce from Time Warner

Reading while rolling Cuban cigars
Cuba continues novel tradition in its cigar factories

Why AOL Time Warner failed
Why the media tie-up of the decade didn't work

Lethal injection choice on trial
As an Ohio inmate becomes the first person in the US to die using a new lethal injection, experts ask if it will be more humane.

Camp millionaire
Making money is child's play, US youngsters learn

Ruined future?
Life 10 years after Venezuela's 'worst natural disaster'

Banana split
What the battle says about the state of world trade

Twitter quake
Scientists trawl tweets to track tremors

Broadway belle?
What the critics made of Catherine Zeta-Jones's debut

Appalachian story
Cecil Sharp - the prolific music and dance collector