bbc news

A pipe bomb is thrown through the window of a house in Poleglass on the outskirts of west Belfast.

A former Albanian intelligence chief wanted for torture and kidnapping has jumped bail and gone

A man who murdered a student by stabbing him in the neck during an attempted street robbery is

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he feels no guilt about his government's ongoing crackdown,

Formula 1 bosses announce an unchanged 2012 calendar, despite continuing doubts over the races in

China warns of "severe challenges" to its exports due to falling demand in the US and Europe and

A roadside bomb kills at least 19 civilians in Afghanistan's Helmand province, an official says - a

Critics are wowed by the Donmar Warehouse's new staging of Richard II, Michael Grandage's final

At least 41 people have died in an attack on a village in Jonglei state, notorious for ethnic

Why the obsession with visiting other 'earths'?

The US vows to fight for homosexual rights abroad by using foreign aid and diplomacy, declaring gay

Scottish government figures reveal teacher numbers fall to 51,441, but the education secretary says

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is being treated in Dubai for a heart condition, his spokesman

The inquest into the death of an East Sussex woman who died eight years after slipping into a

Disgraced former Israeli President Moshe Katsav begins a seven-year sentence for rape, following a

A probe begins into a suspected attempt to blackmail Tamara Ecclestone, daughter of Formula 1 boss

The Brazilian Senate approves changes to the country's forest code, which environmentalists say

Arsenal left-back Andre Santos is out of Saturday's Premier League game against Everton after

Britons are increasingly looking to themselves for solutions to social problems rather than the

American actor James Earl Jones tells Stephen Sackur that he can understand what goes on in

The son of a woman whose death may have been contributed to by a "significant failing" of the Welsh

Ken Clarke plays down the EU handing powers to the UK at Friday's summit, as David Cameron vows to

The UK's industrial and manufacturing output both fell at their fastest pace for six months in

The independent watchdog that oversees the criminal justice system says more needs to be done for

US scientists map the Mariana Trench - deepest part of the world's oceans - in greater detail than

Millions of Britons are likely to take out a high-interest loan in the next six months to last them

Luke Donald believes his Race To Dubai challenger Rory McIlroy matches Tiger Woods for talent.

Diners in San Diego had a lucky escape after a car ploughed right through the middle of a busy

According to R3, an organisation representing most of Britain's insolvency practitioners, more than

The French parliament backs a cross-party resolution to fight prostitution by making payment for

A 41-year-old man is arrested in connection with phone hacking and perverting the course of

Will bank bonuses be squished?

A blueprint for the future of transport around Wales is expected to be published, against a

The Advertising Standards Authority bans a poster for horror sequel Final Destination 5 for being

The retailer says a "technical issue" led to an X Factor winner's single being advertised on its

Forty four people are charged with drugs offences following raids in Greater Manchester which

Sportsday Live featuring reaction to Chelsea's win over Valencia, build up to Wednesday's Champions

Using a bone-strengthening drug could make joint replacements last longer, according to an analysis

One Palestinian militant has been killed and at least two others injured in an Israeli air strike

Tougher budget rules for the eurozone do not require changing current EU treaties, European Council

Over 40% of cancers diagnosed each year in the UK are caused by avoidable lifestyle choices like

Further job losses in local government are inevitable, warns a report by the Audit Commission and

Protesters have taken to the streets of Moscow for a second night to express their anger at

Tens of thousands of people protest across Colombia, demanding the release of many hostages held by

Animal rights activists say Japan is using funds from a tsunami recovery fund to subsidise its

Meet the man behind Matilda's headmistress Miss Trunchbull

Patient surveys are to be part of new goals to measure the quality of care received in the NHS in

There is no hard evidence that schools in England are slipping behind other countries, says an

Doing extreme endurance exercise, like training for a marathon, can damage the heart, research

Dubai is preparing for the arrival of Hollywood stars at the premiere of the fourth Mission:

70th anniversary of Japanese bombing of US base

A joke Chilean President Sebastian Pinera told at a heads of government meeting in Mexico causes

Glaciers in the French Alps have lost a quarter of their area in the past 40 years, according to

The House of Lords is being urged to learn the lessons of Downton Abbey and tackle the ban on women

Inside Germany's neo-Nazi movement

Would you trust a computer to drive your car?

The American who began making cheese in Russia

US President Barack Obama uses a speech in Kansas to sharply criticise Republican economic policies

The publication of election results in DR Congo has been delayed by 48 hours because of technical

A multimedia archive of life in the UK in the 1980s and the modern day is put on display at the

Gary Barlow performs for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in a concert held in aid of royal

Manager Andre Villas-Boas says Chelsea gave their critics a "slap in the face" by reaching the

A memorial to Ted Hughes, who died in 1998, has been unveiled at Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey

Researchers have released new sonar images from deep in the Pacific Ocean showing huge volcanoes

Russian protesters, defying a ban on rallies in Moscow after the disputed election, face off with

Why did Atos boss ban internal messages?

More than 10 billion apps have been downloaded from Google's Android Market store, says the search

Attack on a Shia Muslim shrine in Kabul

A Rolf Harris painting bought for £50 in the 1970s has been valued by the BBC's Antiques Roadshow

The qualification currently required for head teachers in England will no longer be compulsory, the

24 hours of news photos: 6 December 2011

A choir of military wives is tipped for the Christmas number one. But why are so many people shy

Document shredders have been an information security measure for governments and business for

24 hours of news photos: 5 December 2011

Part of the German city of Koblenz is evacuated

Voting a parliamentary elections

Photos from around the world

A new exhibition of portrait in Edinburgh

Public sector workers strike over pensions

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell and his ministerial colleagues are taking

China warns of "severe challenges" to its exports due to falling demand in the US and Europe and

Anglo-French electrical retailer Kesa, which owns Comet, has reported a half-year loss and said

The entire board of scandal-hit Japanese camera-maker Olympus says it intends to quit by February

Anglo-French electrical retailer Kesa, which is selling its Comet business, reports a half-year

The UK's industrial and manufacturing output both fell at their fastest pace for six months in

The development of a new engine by Staffordshire based JCB will mean more than 350 jobs at three of

Troubled outdoor clothes retailer Blacks Leisure appeals for a white knight to rescue it by buying

Millions of Britons are likely to take out a high-interest loan in the next six months to last them

India's parliament ends a two-week deadlock after the government confirms it is suspending a plan

Stagecoach sees its half-year profits fall 18% due to a loss at its East Midlands Trains franchise,

Indian PM Manmohan Singh acknowledges the concerns in the telecoms market over government policies

The Today programme's Andrew Hosken speaks to some of the millions of Britons who have taken out

Tougher budget rules for the eurozone do not require changing current EU treaties, European Council

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is due to hold talks with the French President Nicolas

Australia's economy grew by more than expected in the third quarter of 2011, driven by building and

The number of permanent job placements fell at its fastest rate in November since July 2009, says

What the row over foreign retailers tells us about Indian democracy

What would happen to the UK if Greece left the euro?

Online strategies for selling the perfect match

The American entrepreneur who set up a cheese-making business in Russia.

Why foreign property investors flock to the UK

How Chile attracts high-tech start-ups from around the world

How government subsidies are pushing up the price of kitchens

UK shop price inflation fell to its lowest level for a year in November, according to the British

US banking giant, Citigroup, says it is to cut 4,500 jobs around the world in an effort to reduce

British Airways (BA) has said it will take on fewer people next year as a result of the

The Welsh government's budget has been passed after Labour struck a deal with the Liberal

The UK government has launched a consultation on new rules which would force banks to declare

Brazil's economy did not grow at all in the three months to the end of September, official figures

Louise Cooper from BGC Partners said France's possible loss of its AAA credit rating was not really

Germany's finance minister says S&P's threat to cut the credit ratings of eurozone members is the

The 2012 Olympic Games could overshoot its £9.3bn budget unless "rigorous action" is taken to curb

Apple and five publishers are to be investigated over anti-competitive practice in the e-book

The British Business Secretary Vince Cable tells Stephen Sackur that Britain will not join the euro

A study suggests the minimum price of an acceptable Christmas for families on a low income is £182.

A panel appointed by the board of scandal-hit Olympus says the core part of management was

Preston appoint former Leeds chief Peter Ridsdale as their new chairman.

Business Secretary Vince Cable has said he is "pretty confident" the eurozone can resolve its

The subdued picture for UK house prices continues with the Halifax reporting a 0.9% monthly drop in

Shoppers are keeping a "tight rein" on their spending with sales growth in November the weakest

The latest survey from the British Retail Consortium says spending on the high street is at its

Why chocolate is proving to be recession-proof for some

HSBC is fined a record £10.5m by the City watchdog and will pay £29.3m compensation for mis-selling

Hearts players waiting for overdue wages each receive a £1,000 part-payment from the club.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgrades the long-term credit grades of a string of major banks

Three wealth managers from one of the richest US cities are unveiled as winners of a $254m (£163m)

Why is Greece so reliant on international help to pay its bills?

Italy has had large debts for many years with no one questioning its ability to pay them back,

How can countries or governments go bust?

Europe's four big dilemmas

We've all become acutely aware in recent years how easily a big bank can reach the point of

Watch: How the US went from boom to bust

Compare the fortunes of eurozone economies