News
Tributes paid to dead soldiers
Tributes were paid on Thursday to the four British soldiers who died in a roadside explosion in southern Afghanistan, taking the death toll since 2001 to 106.
Big rise in abortions among under-age girls
The number of abortions among under 14s rose by more than a fifth last year, one of the biggest increases in terminations across all age groups, the government said on Thursday.
EU gives 127 million pounds in aid for UK floods
The European Commission said on Thursday it was granting 162 million euros (127 million pounds) of aid to Britain to help cover the costs of flooding last summer.
Four peacekeepers dead in Bosnia crash
Two Spanish pilots and two German officers of the European Union's peacekeeping force were killed when their helicopter crashed in central Bosnia on Thursday, authorities said.
Ex-Bear Stearns managers charged with fraud
Two former hedge fund managers at investment bank Bear Stearns defrauded investors by concealing problems that led to the $1.4 billion (710 million pound) collapse of funds linked to subprime lending, a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday charged.
Bank's King says economy has to slow to cool inflation
The economy is slowing and has to do so to help cool inflation, Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said on Wednesday.
One billion pound new home plan to be considered
The government is set to consider a plan to free up 1 billion pounds of public money to buy new homes as it looks to stem a plunge in sales which has thrown the country's house building industry into crisis.
UK urges Zimbabwe to allow observers
Prime Minister Gordon Brown called on Zimbabwe on Thursday to admit international rights observers and the U.N. rights envoy for the country's run-off presidential election on June 27.
Self-confident children may be healthier as adults
Children who believe they have control over their lives may grow up to be healthier adults, new study findings suggest.
Conservative Anglican leaders head to Jerusalem
Around 1,000 conservative Anglicans are heading to Jerusalem on Thursday, ahead of the Global Anglican Future Conference to decide what the future holds for them within an Anglican Communion fracturing over homosexuality.
Doubts linger as Israel-Hamas truce begins
Israel and Hamas halted fighting in the Gaza Strip on Thursday but, with peace prospects dim, both sides voiced doubt over how long the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire might hold.
Mbeki meets Mugabe amid election fears
South African President Thabo Mbeki met Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and his rival on Wednesday to try to mediate an end to a violent election crisis.
US 'pro-life pharmacies' defend religious, moral objections
In 2002, Neil Noesen, a Wisconsin pharmacist and devout Roman Catholic, faced a nightmare after he was slapped with $20,000 (around £10,000) in court fines and restrictions on his license for refusing to hand a patient prescription that could be used for an abortion.
Campaigning rockers challenge Sarkozy over Africa
Campaigning rockers Bono and Bob Geldof challenged French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday to increase aid to Africa, saying France was failing to live up to commitments it made at a G8 summit in 2005.
Bank's King says economy has to slow to cool inflation
The economy is slowing and has to do so to help cool inflation, Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said on Wednesday.
Britain to miss renewable energy targets
Britain is set to miss its own renewable energy target and will also fail to meet European Union requirements unless it steps up action substantially, a parliamentary report said on Thursday.