BBC News - Home

• Diamond to be new Barclays chief
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:29:24 GMT)

Bob Diamond is to become chief executive of Barclays, while HSBC chairman Stephen Green steps down to become a government trade minister. ... Read

• Gillard to stay as Australian PM
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:31:29 GMT)

Julia Gillard is to remain as Australia's prime minister after winning the backing of two key independent MPs. ... Read

• Strike severely disrupts Tube
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:34:05 GMT)

Some services resume on the London Underground following severe disruption on the first morning of a series of 24-hour strikes. ... Read

• UK slipping down graduate league
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:09:48 GMT)

The UK is slipping behind international rivals in university places, according to figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. ... Read

• Blitz commemorated at St Paul's
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:48:25 GMT)

Pilots, firefighters, nurses and ambulance workers gather 70 years after battling through the Blitz. ... Read

• France strikes over pension plans
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:00:14 GMT)

France is braced for disruption as a strike over pension reform gets under way, with parliament also debating a ban on full face veils and a security bill. ... Read

• ME 'virus link' found in children
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:07:34 GMT)

ME, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in children could be caused by a virus, scientists say. ... Read

• Housing group 'near administration'
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:07:14 GMT)

Connaught, the property services group that specialises in social housing, is on the brink of going into administration, the BBC learns. ... Read

• Tax error letters start to arrive
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:07:01 GMT)

UK tax authorities are bracing themselves for a deluge of complaints and enquiries after sending out fresh tax calculations. ... Read

• Scam fear over electricity credit
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:01:46 GMT)

Criminals have managed to clone prepayment meter keys in order to make money by offering discounted credit to customers. ... Read

• Christchurch hit by aftershocks
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:48:38 GMT)

Violent aftershocks rattle the New Zealand city of Christchurch following the weekend's powerful earthquake that caused widespread damage. ... Read

• Most believe 'retirement is over'
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:23:12 GMT)

Seven out of 10 people believe retirement as we know it will not be possible in the future, a BBC Newsnight poll finds. ... Read

• Neighbours incensed over huge trees
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:46:31 GMT)

A dispute has broken out in a Plymouth street after a resident lets trees surrounding his property grow to 35ft. ... Read

• Inbred bumblebees 'facing extinction'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:19:38 GMT)

Some of the UK's rarest bumblebees are at risk of becoming extinct as a result of inbreeding, research suggests. ... Read

• Harrison to take on champion Haye
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:55:19 GMT)

David Haye will make the second defence of his WBA heavyweight title against fellow Brit and Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison. ... Read

• Capello insists Rooney will play
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:42:53 GMT)

England manager Fabio Capello insists striker Wayne Rooney will play in the Euro 2012 qualifier away to Switzerland on Tuesday. ... Read

• Federer cruises into last eight
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:01:45 GMT)

Roger Federer continues his smooth progress through the US Open draw with a straight-sets win over Jurgen Melzer in round four. ... Read

• Live text - County Championship
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:00:08 GMT)

Nottinghamshire target the Championship title while relegation and promotion issues are at stake as the county season builds towards a climax. ... Read

• Injured Kuyt out for four weeks
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:03:25 GMT)

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt will be out for four weeks after injuring his shoulder while on international duty with the Netherlands. ... Read

• No helmet suspect killed in crash
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:35:21 GMT)

A man suspected of being a motorbike thief who police refused to pursue because he was not wearing a helmet is killed riding a stolen bike. ... Read

• Police plea to dead baby's mother
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:11:28 GMT)

Detectives investigating the death of a newborn baby found dumped in a garden are still trying to trace the mother. ... Read

• Man jailed for hit-and-run death
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:56:39 GMT)

A teenager is jailed for eight-and-a-half years after killing a father in a hit-and-run incident in Edinburgh. ... Read

• Scots crime falls to 32-year low
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:09:16 GMT)

The number of crimes recorded in Scotland falls to its lowest level in three decades, according to the latest statistics. ... Read

• Priest to meet dissident families
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:05:29 GMT)

A priest in Londonderry who challenged dissident republicans over their violence is to meet families who claim they are being harassed by the PSNI. ... Read

• Dublin Mayor expects Queen visit
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:17:29 GMT)

The Lord Mayor of Dublin says he expects the Queen to visit the city within the next 12 months. ... Read

• NHS in Wales faces £380m cutbacks
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:39:10 GMT)

The Welsh NHS faces making £380m worth of cutbacks by April, with managers saying it is the biggest challenge they have faced in 20 years. ... Read

• £90m village by-pass opens early
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:02:12 GMT)

A £90m bypass, first suggested in the 1980s, is being opened two months ahead of schedule. ... Read

• Nigeria city fears sect attacks
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:58:22 GMT)

The army is conducting joint patrols with the police in Nigeria's northern city of Maiduguri after a wave of killings blamed on the Islamist sect, Boko Haram. ... Read

• Arrests over Swaziland protests
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:17:30 GMT)

Police in Swaziland arrest about 50 people ahead of protests against sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarchy, activists say. ... Read

• Burma leader begins China visit
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:20:22 GMT)

Burma's military leader, General Than Shwe, is starting a five-day visit to China to seek support for planned national elections later this year. ... Read

• N Korea accepts flood aid offer
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:05:25 GMT)

North Korea has asked South Korea to send rice, cement and construction equipment after devastating floods, southern officials say. ... Read

• EU's Barroso laments jobs crisis
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:27:19 GMT)

The European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, highlights unemployment as a major challenge, in his first "state of the union" speech. ... Read

• Greek PM reshuffles his cabinet
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:40:47 GMT)

Greek PM George Papandreou reshuffles his cabinet but leaves the key post of finance minister unchanged as his government battles a debt crisis. ... Read

• Guatemala mudslide search halted
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:24:35 GMT)

Teams in Guatemala have to halt the search for bodies following devasting mudslides which have killed at least 45 people. ... Read

• Mexico begins army shooting probe
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:29:17 GMT)

Mexico's defence ministry launches an inquiry after a man and his teenage son are shot dead at a military checkpoint. ... Read

• Iran stands firm on stoning case
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:38:49 GMT)

Foreign powers should stop interfering in the case of an Iranian woman whao was sentenced to death by stoning, Iran's foreign ministry says. ... Read

• Political void 'threatens Iraq'
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:42:33 GMT)

Six months after Iraq's parliamentary elections, an Iraqi minister warns that the political deadlock is damaging the security situation in the country. ... Read

• Kabul Bank investors' cash frozen
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:14:35 GMT)

Afghanistan's central bank follows its promise to back Kabul Bank by freezing the assets of leading investors. ... Read

• Petraeus warns over Koran burning
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:43:40 GMT)

The US commander in Afghanistan warns troops' lives will be at risk if a Florida church goes ahead with its plan to throw copies of the Koran into a bonfire, but the pastor behind the stunt defends it. ... Read

• Obama unveils $50bn building plan
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:15:40 GMT)

President Barack Obama announces a $50bn infrastructure plan as part of efforts to jump-start the faltering US economy. ... Read

• Travolta extortion case dismissed
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:30:31 GMT)

Charges against two people accused of trying to extort money from actor John Travolta, following the death of his son in the Bahamas, are dropped. ... Read

• School clothes boost retail sales
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:01:08 GMT)

Retail sales rose in August, partly thanks to strong sales of children's clothing ahead of the new school year, figures suggest. ... Read

• Key Asian interest rates on hold
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:12:54 GMT)

The cost of borrowing in Australia stays at 4.5% and Japan at near zero amid continuing global economic uncertainty. ... Read

• US firm buys Realtime Worlds game
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:41:38 GMT)

Part of collapsed computer games firm Realtime Worlds has been bought by an anonymous American company, administrators confirm. ... Read

• Cameron warns of challenges ahead
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:51:18 GMT)

David Cameron returns to work following paternity leave telling his cabinet "this is the time the rubber hits the road". ... Read

• AV referendum bill passes MP vote
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:55:59 GMT)

Plans to change the way MPs are elected to Parliament survive their first Commons hurdle - despite criticism from Tory MPs. ... Read

• End UK rebate - EU budget chief
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:31:10 GMT)

The EU budget commissioner says he sees no grounds for the UK to keep its budget rebate. ... Read

• UK radiotherapy 'lagging behind'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:01:50 GMT)

Too few UK cancer patients are receiving state-of-the-art radiotherapy care, experts from Cancer Research UK say. ... Read

• 'Genetic link' to breast cancer
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:30:12 GMT)

Researchers have identified a series of genetic variations which may play a role in a common breast cancer. ... Read

• Bipolar 'not linked to violence'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:00:23 GMT)

People with a mental illness are no more likely to be violent unless they abuse drugs or alcohol, a study suggests. ... Read

• First 16 'free schools' revealed
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:22:02 GMT)

The first 16 'free schools' to be set up are named by Education Secretary Michael Gove. ... Read

• Former head jailed for sex abuse
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:14:02 GMT)

A former boarding school head teacher is jailed for 21 years for sexually abusing and beating pupils. ... Read

• Student migration 'unsustainable'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:53:23 GMT)

The number of foreign students let into the UK is "unsustainable", minister Damian Green says in his first major speech on immigration. ... Read

• UK mobile firms to merge networks
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:15:02 GMT)

Customers of Orange and T-Mobile will soon be able to hop between the two mobile networks as the firms merge their networks. ... Read

• Pirate gamers face more sanctions
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:31:16 GMT)

The developers behind the hotly anticipated Halo: Reach have taken another step aimed at cracking down on pirates. ... Read

• Buzz lawsuit to cost Google $8.5m
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:19:46 GMT)

Google proposes paying $8.5m (£5.5m) to settle a class-action lawsuit brought over its Buzz social network, launched earlier this year. ... Read

• 'No climate link' to African wars
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:47:23 GMT)

A study suggests climate change is not responsible for civil wars in Africa, challenging widely held assumptions. ... Read

• Red Planet 'may not be lifeless'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:18:12 GMT)

Carbon-rich organic molecules, which serve as the building blocks of life, may be present on Mars after all, say scientists. ... Read

• Insect brains to fight MRSA
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:08:39 GMT)

Cockroach and locust brains are a rich source of antibiotics powerful enough to tackle MRSA, researchers say. ... Read

• Carey heads up Booker shortlist
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:58:50 GMT)

Australian author Peter Carey, who has already won the Man Booker prize twice, has made the shortlist for this year's prize. ... Read

• Rock anthems vanishing from chart
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:36:02 GMT)

The number of rock hits appearing in the UK singles chart drops 18% this year, according to figures from the Official Charts Company. ... Read

• Fry slams BBC 'culture of fear'
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:01:49 GMT)

Stephen Fry criticises a culture of fear at the BBC which is creating "incredibly bland" programmes ... Read

• The 60s, but not as we know it
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:35:37 GMT)

US drama Mad Men has won praise for its recreation of the 1960s, but it's not a classic depiction of the decade. ... Read

• Do our memories get better with age?
(Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:16:57 GMT)

Our ability to recall events seems to sharpen as we get older, says Lisa Jardine, but can it be trusted to paint an accurate picture? ... Read

• Eddie who?
(Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:10:21 GMT)

Comic Eddie Kadi can command vast crowds at his live shows. Why has he attracted so little mainstream attention? ... Read

• Police 'will decide on phone hacking inquiry'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:02:27 GMT)

The police and not the government should decide whether to re-open the investigation into the News of the World phone-hacking allegations, Home Secretary Theresa May has said. ... Read

• What to do if you get a tax letter
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:02:38 GMT)

Thousands of people will find out if they have been undercharged or are overpaid by the taxman. Up to six million people have been paying the wrong amount and the treasury says it cannot afford to write off the money. ... Read

• Skyscraper climb using suction cups
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:08:35 GMT)

A man has been arrested in San Francisco after climbing a skyscraper using suction cups. ... Read

• Hurricane pilot remembers Blitz
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:43:43 GMT)

Robert Hall chats to an ex-hurricane pilot who flew over London during the Blitz and a woman who's house was destroyed by German bombs. ... Read

• 'The Blitz brought everybody together'
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:13:33 GMT)

Alf Morris, who was 10 at the time of the Blitz, took BBC News back to the site of his former home in Bethnal Green to relive the events of the first night of Nazi Germany's assault on London. ... Read

• Andrea Bocelli concerts to mark 9/11
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:35:20 GMT)

Andrea Bocelli is inviting survivors of the attacks on 11 September 2001 in New York to concerts on the Amalfi coast. ... Read

• Inside UK's first Sikh temple school
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:24:48 GMT)

Khalsa Primary school is the first Sikh school in the UK to be backed and partly funded by a Gurdwara, or Sikh temple. ... Read

• Clear up begins in parts of Pakistan
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:24:23 GMT)

The BBC's Orla Guerin has returned to the Pakistan town of Nowshera, which was one of the first areas to be hit by the rising waters. ... Read

• Schoolboy: 'I found a pipe bomb'
(Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:08:52 GMT)

The suspicious object was left in the playground of St Comgall's Primary School and picked up by an eight -year-old pupil. ... Read

• In pictures
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:22:54 GMT)

The Blitz: Eight months of bombing began 70 years ago ... Read

• Music for dinner parties?
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:25:46 GMT)

What the Mercury Prize tells us about British music ... Read

• How to fix Pakistan
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:26:14 GMT)

Should Islamabad surrender some sovereignty to save the country? ... Read

• Moral support
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:46:49 GMT)

Families focus on keeping miners mentally strong ... Read

• Tax letters
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:56:41 GMT)

If a letter says you have paid the wrong amount of tax - what next? ... Read

• Cutting it
(Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:00:12 GMT)

Why is sunburn remedy being sold as cocaine? ... Read