Current Articles from BBC News

US Koran burning event 'on hold'
The US pastor who attracted worldwide condemnation for his threat to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11 says his plan is now on hold.
Connaught sale saves 2,500 jobs
About 2,500 jobs are saved after administrators KPMG agree to sell most of Connaught's failed social housing group.
Investors bet on prisoner rehab
A "payment-by-results" project to cut reoffending is being officially launched, with investors getting a return only if reoffending drops.
Minister defends using detectives
Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly defends his use of private detectives to carry out investigations of his aides and colleagues.
Microsoft executive to lead Nokia
Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia appoints Microsoft business manager Stephen Elop as its new head after a profits slump.
NI cards to be axed to save money
National Insurance cards are to be phased out as the government tries to cut the deficit, the BBC learns.
Academies 'may be risky strategy'
The government spending watchdog warns the expansion of the academies programme could risk being poor value for money.
Lucas to suggest 'MP job share'
Pairs of parliamentary candidates should be allowed to stand in general elections and share the job if elected, the Green party leader Caroline Lucas is set to say.
Boris Johnson to seek re-election
London's mayor is to announce he will stand for re-election in 2012, the BBC understands.
Speed of ageing is 'slowing down'
The cost burden of ageing populations in industrialised nations may not be as much as feared because of improved health, a study suggests.
Sir Walter Scott's 'lost poem' discovered
An unpublished poem by one of Scotland's greatest writers is to be read in public for the first time.
Telescope may spot alien oceans
The next generation of telescopes could reveal the presence of oceans on planets beyond our Solar System.
Live - Italian GP practice
First practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza gets under way at 0900 BST.
Beckham still hopeful on England
Former England captain David Beckham has not ruled out playing international football again after speaking to national manager Fabio Capello.
Nadal cruises into US Open semis
World number one Rafael Nadal reaches the US Open semi-finals for the third time with victory over fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.
England suffer dramatic Cup exit
England women are beaten on penalties in the World Cup semi-final by world and Olympic champions the Netherlands.
Redknapp eyes England manager job
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp would find the England job "hard to turn down" should he be asked to replace manager Fabio Capello.
Mother's 'pain' over son's death
The mother of a six-year-old boy speaks of her "pain" after he was found dead with his father at their Dorset home.
Two hurt in plane crash 'stable'
Two men seriously injured when their light aircraft crashed into a garden in Hampshire are reported to be in a stable condition, police reveal.
Call to merge education services
Education authorities are facing a call to merge so classrooms may be spared the worst of the cuts in public spending.
Parties unite over carriers fears
Scottish ministers and opposition politicians join forces in a bid to ensure the future of two Royal Navy aircraft carriers.
'Confusion' over abuse brothers
Confusion remains about who was responsible for allowing child sex abusers to live near their victims in Donagh, the Stormont health committee chairman says.
Families moved in security alert
About 25 homes are evacuated in Enniskillen after a suspicious object is discovered at the front door of a house.
Legionnaires' source hunt narrows
Doctors say they are narrowing down the potential source for a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in south Wales after the deaths of two people.
S4C given month to plan finances
S4C is told by the UK government it has one month to prepare its financial plan for the future, the station says.
Suicide raid hits Somalia airport
A carload of suspected Islamist suicide bombers attack Mogadishu airport, killing soldiers and civilians, officials say.
US marines recapture pirated ship
US Marines have boarded and seized a vessel hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, navy officials say.
China demands captain's release
China demands that Japan "unconditionally" frees the captain and crew of a fishing boat it seized in disputed waters as diplomatic relations sour.
China U-turn on enforced blackout
Thousands of people in China are to have their electricity restored after the reversal of an order for enforced power cuts to meet energy-saving goals.
UN urges Kosovo and Serbia talks
The UN adopts a resolution calling for direct talks between Serbia and Kosovo, in a move seen as a breakthrough in the long-running dispute.
Race-row German banker quits post
A German banker at the centre of a row over comments he made about Jews and Muslims agrees to leave his post, the Bundesbank says.
Gang strike paralyses El Salvador
Much of El Salvador's public transport grinds to a halt after street gangs force a shutdown to protest at anti-gang legislation.
Chilean MPs join hunger protest
Four Chilean congressmen join a hunger strike by indigenous Mapuche prisoners against anti-terror laws dating back to military rule.
Iran will release US woman hiker
Iran is set to release on Saturday Sarah Shourd - one of three detained US hikers held since last July and accused of espionage, officials say.
Al-Qaeda men escape Baghdad jail
Four prisoners with ties to al-Qaeda have escaped from the US-controlled section of Baghdad's Karkh prison, US officials say.
Soldiers 'kept Afghan body parts'
A group of US soldiers murdered a number of Afghan civilians and took body parts as trophies, documents released by military officials suggest.
Indian caste census due in 2011
India's first caste-based census since 1931 will take place next year, the cabinet announces.
US judge challenges army gay ban
A federal judge rules that a ban on homosexuals serving openly in the US military is unconstitutional, in the latest challenge to the law.
Obama contradicts Mexico claims
US President Barack Obama contradicts claims made by his secretary of state that Mexico is dealing with a "drugs insurgency".
China imports in surprise surge
China reported a surprise surge in imports during August, leading to a fall in its trade surplus to $20bn.
Welfare bill faces extra £4bn cut
The government is planning to reduce the annual welfare bill by a further £4bn, Chancellor George Osborne tells the BBC.
Bmibaby luggage gauges too small
Budget airline Bmibaby has been charging customers to put bags in the hold when they are small enough for the cabin, the BBC learns.
Plaid leader's 'ambition' message
Spending cuts and financial "austerity" cannot be allowed to detract from Plaid Cymru's ambition to change Wales, leader Ieuan Wyn Jones will tell his party's conference.
Clegg seeks to calm cuts anxiety
Nick Clegg has sought to calm fears over the impact of spending cuts, insisting they will be spread over four years not implemented immediately.
MPs back new phone hacking probe
MPs back calls for a fresh parliamentary investigation into phone hacking claims after criticism of News of the World journalists.
'Sponge checks' for cancer risk
Swallowing a sponge on a piece of string could help prevent a deadly form of cancer, experts claim.
'Five-minute brain scan' for kids
Scientists say they can quickly and accurately map a child's brain development using an MRI machine and a maths programme.
Prostate tests call for 'at risk'
Screening men with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer can lead to early diagnosis of prostate cancer, says a study.
Door ajar on private universities
The Universities Minister suggests an increased role for private universities as he signals graduates will have to pay more for their degrees.
Gove to change vocational courses
Education Secretary Michael Gove announces a review of vocational education in England, which he says "lost its way" under Labour.
University research focus 'wrong'
Science Minister David Willetts says the research-teaching balance in universities has 'gone wrong', after defending cuts to science research.
Apple lays App Store rules bare
Apple says that it will publish the guidelines it uses to determine which programs it sells in its App Store to appease critical developers.
Smartphone chip battle heats up
Intel is to launch its first chip with built-in graphics, while established phone chipmaker ARM releases a fast new chip.
Google unveils 'instant' searches
Google speeds up its internet search engine by launching a new product called Instant that displays results as soon as users type in queries.
Alien 'killer' shrimp found in UK
An invasive species of predatory shrimp has been found in the UK for the first time.
Dino clue to 'earliest feathers'
Palaeontologists uncover a new dinosaur with what may be the earliest evidence of feathers.
Whale rescue 'could take weeks'
Animal welfare experts say it could take weeks to free a humpback whale caught up in ropes off Shetland.
UK 'blind' to black female acts
The chair of the Mercury Prize claims that black British female artists are being ignored by the British public.
Spears denies sexual harassment
Britney Spears denies her ex-bodyguard's claims that she sexually harassed him saying she expects them to be dismissed in court.
Explosive end for EastEnders star
An explosive EastEnders storyline which will lead to the departure of Peggy Mitchell, played by Barbara Windsor, has begun.
Britain's only gay Mass
Some gay people will protest at the Pope's UK visit next week - but one London Catholic church is hosting a "gay Mass".
What became of Mercury Communications?
Its name lives on in the form of a prestigious music prize but whatever happened to Mercury Communications?
Is it bad taste to have a 'shortest man' record?
The world has a new shortest man - a 27in-tall person from Colombia. but is the title itself in poor taste?
Committee to examine MP phone-hacking claims
MPs have decided to hold a new inquiry into allegations that some of their phones were hacked by journalists at the News of the World.
Blaze engulfs San Francisco homes
Dozens of homes have been set ablaze near San Francisco International Airport, after a reported explosion.
Ben Brown boogies - it's Odd Box
Presenters dancing, lessons in how to fall over and the man who drives a dining room table. It's the week's weird and wonderful video stories in Newsbeat's Odd Box with Dominic Byrne.
Injured marine's Forest Gump run
Royal Marine Mark Ormrod is a triple amputee who is setting out to run 3,500 miles across the US.
Greek shoppers get militant over prices
Activists protesting against Greece's austerity measures are trying a new form of civil disobedience.
Versailles cartoon art controversy
An exhibition by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami at the Palace of Versailles is surprising visitors.
Iran to release US woman hiker
Iran is set to release on Saturday Sarah Shourd - one of three detained US hikers held since last July and accused of espionage, officials say.
Why Koran burning was put 'on hold'
The pastor of a small US church who planned to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11 has said his plan is now on hold.
Taiwan pole climbing celebration
Taiwan has celebrated the end of 'Ghost Month' with an unusual contest dating back at least two centuries.
Vulnerable to public sector cuts?
Find out how resilient areas of England might be
7 days quiz
Can you spot the original Peggy Mitchell from our line-up?
Bloodhound budgets
Are world land speed records indulgent or essential?
Band of brothers
First days in Afghanistan for US army recruits
Newspaper review
Koran burning row grabs headlines
Shell collectors
Dolphins in Australia develop innovative skill to flush out fish
Talk of The Town
Rebecca Hall is fast becoming one of Britain's leading actresses