The latest world headlines from BBC News
Pakistan trio hit by ICC charges
The three Pakistan cricketers accused of corruption - Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - have been charged, and provisionally suspended, by the International Cricket Council.
Alcohol drinking 'continues fall'
Alcohol consumption has fallen faster than ever, figures from the British Beer and Pub Association suggest.
School lottery 'failed in aim'
A lottery system for school places in Brighton failed to give poorer children equal access to top schools, academics say.
Compost sparks Legionnaire's fear
Gardeners are being warned about the risk of Legionnaire's disease from compost after a pensioner developed the disease after handling compost.
Middle East talks 'constructive'
Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet in Washington for the first direct peace talks in nearly two years and agree a framework for negotiations.
Bone drug linked to cancer risk
Long-term use of bone-strengthening drugs may boost the risk of oesophageal cancer, a study suggests.
PM backs Hague over aide rumours
David Cameron supports William Hague "100%" following speculation about the foreign secretary's private life, the PM's spokeswoman says.
Explosion on Gulf of Mexico rig
An explosion rips through an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the blast in April that caused a huge oil spill.
Strike 'kills Afghan civilians'
Ten election campaign workers have been killed in an air strike by Nato-led forces in Afghanistan, Afghan officials say.
Europe agrees finance watchdogs
The European Union agrees to reform financial supervision, with new agencies to oversee banks, insurers and financial markets.
Creation was Godless says Hawking
There is no place for God in theories on the creation of the Universe, Professor Stephen Hawking concludes in a new book.
New York dims the lights to save birds from collision
A growing number of New York sky-scrapers switch off their lights at night to help reduce the number of migratory birds hitting the buildings.
More than 10,000 vehicles stuck in new China jam
More than 10,000 vehicles are stuck in a 120km (75-mile) traffic jam on China's Beijing to Tibet motorway.
Live text - US Open day four
Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic are among the evening's draw on day four at the US Open, where Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki reach the third round.
Carson out of England qualifier
Goalkeeper Scott Carson is released from the England squad to face Bulgaria in the Euro 2012 qualifier on Friday because of a family bereavement.
Beckham eyes 11 September return
Former England captain David Beckham hopes to play for the LA Galaxy against Columbus Crew on 11 September.
Surgery rules Onions out of Ashes
England and Durham pace bowler Graham Onions to miss the Ashes series against Australia this winter because of a back operation.
Hatton fighting career is 'done'
Former light-welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton says he is unlikely to fight again.
Man beat wife and girl to death
A florist beat his wife and daughter to death with a rubber mallet before hanging himself amid fears he would lose his biggest customer, an inquest hears.
Man 'strangled wife and hid body'
A cheating husband murdered his wife after she found out about his infidelity within months of them getting married, a court hears.
Union members to discuss pay deal
Unison Scotland members will discuss how to respond to a move by councils to impose a pay deal on 150,000 workers.
Report finds engineering optimism
Engineering manufacturing in Scotland is showing its best performance since 2006, according to the latest figures.
DCAL cuts 'will mean job losses'
A senior civil servant at the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure says that job losses are inevitable because of the cuts it has to make
Prayers for child killed by boat
Prayers are said in Rathfriland for a six-year-old boy who has died after being struck by a speedboat in County Down on Monday.
Gillan accepts electoral findings
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan says she is minded to accept changes to the referendum question following Electoral Commission recommendations.
Suicide after killing ex-partner
A nurse found dead at her Bridgend home was unlawfully killed by her former partner, a coroner rules.
SA to resume Zimbabwe expulsions
South Africa is to start expelling Zimbabweans again, from 31 December, the government announces.
DR Congo 'genocide' file delayed
The UN postpones the release of a draft report that accuses the Rwandan army of possible genocide in DR Congo till next month.
Independent Wilkie backs Gillard
One of four key independent lawmakers endorses Australian PM Julia Gillard, leaving her just two seats short of the majority needed to form the next government.
Typhoon hits South Korean capital
Three people die as Seoul is hit by its strongest typhoon in 15 years, while storms continue to cause heavy rain and landslides in China.
EU critical of France over Roma
The European Commission criticises France over its expulsions of Roma (Gypsies) and requests more information about the crackdown.
German banker 'should be fired'
The German central bank calls on the country's president to dismiss one of its board members over comments he made about immigration and Jews.
Ecuador in migrant massacre row
Honduras accuses Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa of risking the life of a Honduran migrant who survived last month's Mexico massacre.
Chile miners given first hot meal
Chilean miners trapped underground receive their first hot meal in 26 days, as Nasa experts arrive at the mine site.
Egypt spy chief poster campaign
Posters promoting Egypt's intelligence chief appear on the streets of Cairo, amid growing speculation over who will succeed President Hosni Mubarak.
Obama hails US operation in Iraq
President Barack Obama hails the end of US combat operations in Iraq, saying the US has paid "a huge price" to "put Iraq's future in its people's hands".
Pakistan mourns as Lahore toll up
Three days of mourning begins in Pakistan after bomb attacks on a Shia Muslim procession in Lahore city kill 31 people.
Afghan bank 'to avoid collapse'
The head of Afghanistan's Central Bank tells the BBC he will not allow the country's biggest commercial bank to collapse.
US East Coast on hurricane alert
Areas along the US East Coast declare states of emergency as Hurricane Earl churns towards the region, forecast to brush land on Thursday night.
Tanker aground off north Canada
A tanker carrying 9m litres of diesel fuel runs aground in the Northwest Passage, off the coast of northern Canada.
House prices fall again in August
House prices fell for the second month in a row in August, according to the Nationwide building society.
Four power firms face sales probe
Four of the "big six" UK energy suppliers are to be investigated amid concerns of mis-selling to customers, the regulator says.
Dell pulls out of battle for 3Par
Dell withdraws its bid for 3Par after rival Hewlett-Packard raises its offer for the data storage company to $2.1bn.
Labour defends leader vote rules
Labour defends its leadership election rules amid evidence some people can cast multiple votes.
Blair memoirs 'break sale record'
Tony Blair's memoirs, based on his time as the prime minister, break sales records, booksellers say.
Brown focus on schools and Africa
Gordon Brown is to devote time to unpaid education and internet projects, his spokesman says.
Clue to egg flaws in older women
British scientists say they are closer to knowing why older women trying to fall pregnant are more likely to produce abnormal eggs.
Elderly broken hip care concerns
One in five elderly people with broken hips do not get surgery quickly enough, a survey shows.
Brain training may delay dementia
People who do puzzles and crosswords may stave off dementia longer but experience a more rapid decline once the disease sets in, a study suggests.
School meals 'help fussy eaters'
School lunches can tempt fussy eaters to try new foods, a survey carried out in England for the School Food Trust suggests.
Ellen MacArthur's global ambition
Yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur has set herself a new challenge - creating an educational foundation to promote sustainability.
Shoesmith given leave to appeal
Sharon Shoesmith is given leave to appeal over her sacking as the head of children's services at Haringey Council after the death of Baby Peter.
Memristor revolution backed by HP
A potentially revolutionary circuit component, once a laboratory curiosity, is to be mass-produced for the first time.
Global broadband divide revealed
The global disparity in access to broadband around the world and the cost of a connection is revealed by UN figures.
Samsung releases iPad competitor
Samsung has become the latest manufacturer to enter into the tablet computer market with its Galaxy Tab.
Greatest free-kick 'was no fluke'
Physicists explain one of football's most spectacular free-kicks, showing that Roberto Carlos's 1997 "impossible goal" was not a fluke.
Ants protect trees from elephants
A species of acacia tree found in Eastern Africa seems to be protected from elephant damage - by the ants that live on it.
Weather clash caused snowy winter
The collision of two major weather events can explain unusually large snowfall in the US and Northern Europe, researchers say.
Majority 'agree with arts change'
Two-thirds of people agree with the government stance on cutting arts funding and relying more on private cash, a survey suggests.
Talent contestant denied tribunal
A former Britain's Got Talent hopeful who claimed she was discriminated against at an audition fails to get her case taken to an employment tribunal.
Bob Dylan art debuts in Denmark
Some of musician Bob Dylan's artwork, never seen before by the public, is to be displayed at Denmark's National Gallery.
Propping up a prime minister
Tony Blair used alcohol as a 'prop' during his time in power but how many of us do the same?
7 questions on breakfast TV
It's goodbye to GMTV on Friday, after 17 years on ITV. How well do you remember it and all the other morning shows?
Been and Gone
Our regular column covering the passing of significant - but lesser reported - people of the past month.
The mint with a whole lot of food miles
A British discount store is buying in Polo mints from Indonesia even though the same mints are being manufactured just a mile up the road in York.
Bath tub sailor - it's Odd Box
A man sailing the sea in a bath tub, mud sculptures and an ugly fish who finds love - it's the week's weird and wonderful video stories in Newsbeat's Odd Box with Dominic Byrne.
How does Samsung's Galaxy Tab compare?
Tablet computers to rival Apple's iPad are creating a stir as one of Europe's largest technology shows, the IFA, gets under way in Berlin.
ICC chief executive on cricket charges
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended the three Pakistan players accused of being part of a betting scam.
Marriage proposal to Chile miner
The BBC's James Reynolds has been at the San Jose mine in Chile, where he spoke to the partner of one of the trapped miners.
Rare pygmy hippo makes zoo debut
A rare male pygmy hippopotamus born in a Polish zoo two weeks ago has appeared in public for the first time.
Cavers dig for three county dream
Cavers Tim Allen and Hugh St Lawrence give BBC News a glimpse of the cramped conditions as they try to connect three English counties by an underground network of tunnels.
Making money from Peruvian bird poo
An island off Peru is making money from selling bird poo to use as organic fertiliser.
More than once bitten
Why bed-bugs are on the march again
Massive Mini
How far can BMW stretch the brand before it snaps?
7 days quiz
How much is a bottle of beer under new price laws on booze?
In pictures
Hindus celebrate birth of Krishna at Janmashtami celebration
'The Stig'
Profile of man who has won the right to say he is Top Gear driver
'In the dark'
The hidden world of special advisers