Senate healthcare vote 'assured'
Democrats in the US Senate say they have now secured the votes they need to begin a full debate on healthcare reform.

Knox prosecutors seek life term
Italian prosecutors seek a life sentence for US student Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend over an alleged sexual murder.

Archbishop and Pope make progress
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope agree to seek closer relations between Catholics and Anglicans.

Sri Lanka camps 'to be opened'
Sri Lanka says people held in special camps since the end of the conflict with Tamil rebels will be allowed out for short periods.

Mumbai suspects arrested in Italy
Italian police arrest a Pakistani father and son suspected of providing logistical support for last year's Mumbai attacks.

Egypt leader enters football row
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak steps into a row with Algeria following violence over World Cup football matches.

Chavez hails 'Carlos the Jackal'
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez defends "Carlos the Jackal" and world leaders he says are wrongly considered "bad guys".

Second separated twin out of coma
The second conjoined twin separated by doctors in Australia this week wakes from an induced coma.

Fish 'at risk' in acidified ocean
Fish reared in water acidified by CO2 may become "fatally attracted" to the smell of their predators, say scientists.

Barbie dolls get naked for art's Turnip Prize
Entries for the Turnip Prize, a spoof art competition held each year in Somerset, are invited.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Scotland stun Australia with win
Scotland end a 27-year losing run against Australia as an awesome defensive performance sets up a 9-8 victory at Murrayfield.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
England 6-19 New Zealand
Jimmy Cowan scores the decisive try as New Zealand beat much-improved England at Twickenham.

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Brown meets Cumbria flood victims
Prime Minister Gordon Brown visits displaced residents in flood-hit Cumbria, as falling flood waters reveal the extent of the damage.

Canoeists spark rescue operation
Emergency services, including a helicopter, are involved in a major operation after canoeists get into difficulty on the River Dart.

Teenager 'stabbed and run over'
A 19-year-old was stabbed and then run over in an attack on his way to shops near his north London home, police reveal.

DUP in pledge over power-sharing
NI First Minister Peter Robinson admits he cannot guarantee the future of the assembly, but says the DUP will not walk away.

40,000 homes hit by power cut
Electricity has been restored to most of the 40,000 homes and businesses who were affected by a power cut in Londonderry, NIE says.

Man faces murder and arson charge
A 27-year-old man is charged with the murder of a mother and arson with intent to endanger life and property.

Hand-wringing
French angst after dubious football win over Ireland

Tough lessons
Why Obama is finding Mid-East peace a struggle

Enabling rhythms
Congo band shines despite disability and poverty

Struggle for unity
Tough going at the Anglican-Roman Catholic summit

Television queen
Is Oprah's talk show move the end of an era?

Pope art
Vatican meeting reaches out to art world

Sani Abacha son 'must pay $350m'
A Swiss court orders the seizure of $350m in assets from the son of Nigeria's ex-ruler Sani Abacha after a 10-year investigation.

US couple admit spying for Cuba
A retired US state department official and his wife have admitted spying for Cuba for nearly three decades.

China mine blast death toll rises
A gas blast at a coal mine in China kills 42 people and leaves more than 66 trapped, state media reports.

Profile: Herman van Rompuy
A profile of Belgian PM Herman van Rompuy, the European Union's first permanent president.

UN condemns Iran on human rights
A UN committee approves a resolution condemning Iran for its post-election crackdown on political opposition supporters.

US sets marker on Afghan corruption
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates says foreign aid donors must use their influence to tackle corruption in Afghanistan.

Match-fix probe targets 200 games
About 200 football ties are under investigation in what one Uefa official calls Europe's biggest match-fixing scandal.

Childhood abuse 'quickens ageing'
Physical or emotional abuse during childhood could speed up the body's ageing process, US research suggests.

Midnight record for Twilight film
The new Twilight vampire movie took a record $26.3m (£15.9m) in midnight showings at North American box offices, studio Summit Entertainment says.

Water mission returns first data
A European satellite launched to study the Earth's water cycle returns its first data, confirming its novel instrument is working well.

UK climate unit's e-mails hacked
The e-mail system of one of the world's leading climate research units has been breached by hackers.