News
Celebs and sports stars pick up honours
Celebrities, sports stars and the architect of London's Millennium Dome picked up awards in the Queen's birthday honours list, published on Saturday.
Police launch probe after teenager shot in head
Police have arrested a 19-year-old man after a teenage girl was shot in the head in Manchester on Saturday, police said.
Councils 'should help struggling homeowners'
Local councils should offer financial help to homeowners threatened by the credit crunch, an independent think-tank said on Saturday.
Police arrest 29 coal train protesters
Police have arrested 29 environmental protesters who occupied a train carrying coal to the nation's biggest coal fired power station, British Transport Police (BTP) said on Saturday.
Rooftop Heathrow protesters charged
Three protesters who staged a rooftop protest at the Houses of Parliament to demonstrate against Heathrow's expansion have been charged with trespass, police said late on Friday.
Zimbabwe bishops call for 'immediate' end to violence
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Zimbabwe has condemned widespread violence following the March 29 presidential election and appealed to political parties to "exercise restraint".
Afghans hunt for prison escapees
Afghan and foreign troops were hunting on Saturday hundreds of prisoners, including militants, who escaped the main prison in southern Kandahar city after a raid by Taliban insurgents, the government said.
Iran rules out nuclear halt after deal offer
Top EU diplomat Javier Solana handed Iran an offer by six major powers of trade and other benefits on Saturday to try to coax it into halting sensitive nuclear work, but Tehran again ruled out any such suspension.
Iowa flood evacuations rise
Overflowing rivers in Iowa and other Midwest states forced evacuations and disrupted the region's economy on Friday with fears of worse to come from fragile levees and more rain.
Northern Japan quake kills 4
A powerful earthquake rocked rural northern Japan on Saturday, killing at least four people, injuring more than 200 and sparking landslides that sliced mountains, destroyed roads and left residents cut off.
Bush still expects security pact with Iraq
U.S. President George W. Bush said on Saturday he expected to reach a long-term security pact with Iraq despite Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki saying talks were deadlocked because of sovereignty concerns.
Zimbabwe army chief brands opposition 'treacherous'
The army's commander has urged Zimbabweans to defend the country against a "treacherous opposition" that threatened its sovereignty, a state newspaper reported on Saturday.
EU troops increase patrols in Chad security alert
European Union troops in eastern Chad stepped up patrols around refugee camps on Friday and aid workers restricted movements after anti-government rebels announced an offensive.
Guinea settles army pay dispute with mass promotion
Guinea's authorities have granted promotions to all junior ranks of the army in a final settlement to end a military pay mutiny that shook the world's leading bauxite exporter last month, officials said on Saturday.
Serbia rejects UN proposal on Kosovo EU mission
Serbia on Friday rejected a proposed European Union police mission for Kosovo and accused U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of overreaching his powers in its former province.
Global newspapers, editors criticise UN council for 'using' religion
The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum have condemned what they say are the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council's repeated efforts to undermine freedom of expression in the name of protecting religious sensibilities.