Two French hostages seized in the Central African Republic in November have been freed, the French foreign minister says.

Three people connected to the US consulate in the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez have been killed, the White House says.

Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki's bloc strengthens its lead over its main rivals with partial election results now in from all 18 provinces.

A top Obama adviser criticises Israel over settlement homes in East Jerusalem, thwarting Israeli hopes of ending the row.

Wayne Rooney scores twice and Dimitar Berbatov adds a third as Manchester United beat Fulham to move two points clear at the top of the Premier League.

A US woman held in Ireland over an alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist is freed, as three others are still questioned.

Fernando Alonso wins the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix for Ferrari after early leader Sebastian Vettel suffers a spark plug failure.

Manchester United beat Fulham 3-0 in the early match before Manchester City travel to Sunderland in Sunday's Premier League action.

Ridding Falklands of its landmines, 30 years after war

An avalanche hits an unauthorised snowmobile rally in Canada, killing at least two people and triggering a search.

Bomb attacks on the Afghan city of Kandahar were a warning to US and Nato forces not to target the region, the Taliban say.

England close day three of the first Test against Bangladesh on 131-5, a lead of 434, after choosing not to enforce the follow-on.

A new bill to tighten regulation of US banks is due to be unveiled, but it may struggle to get backing in the Senate.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis attacks the planned strike by British Airways cabin crew staff, calling it "totally unjustified".

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right UMP party is heading for a defeat, exit polls from regional elections indicate.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel leads in the early stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix, ahead of Ferrari duo Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

A leading member of the Hamas militant group, Mahar Uda, is arrested in the West Bank, the Israeli army says.

Secrets of Italian artist Caravaggio in the frame

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao rejects criticism that Beijing keeps the yuan undervalued in order to boost exports.

Colombians are set to vote in legislative elections that may indicate how the May presidential election will shape up.

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters march in Bangkok to press the government to call new elections.

England close day three of the first Test against Bangladesh on 131-5, a lead of 434, having not enforced the follow-on after the hosts' 296.

Russia and the US are close to concluding a new nuclear disarmament treaty, officials in Washington and Moscow say.

South Asian women allege abuse by British in-laws

Bombed out and banned: Gaza's male hairdressers

New US movement tells politicians to smell the coffee

Panic is sparked in Georgia after a bogus TV news report said Russian tanks had invaded and the president was dead.

Successful treatment for gum disease cuts the risk of pregnant women giving birth early, say US researchers.

Thirteen people die, four of whom are beheaded, in drug-related violence at the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco.

A 3,000-year-old wooden sarcophagus stolen from Egypt more than 125 years ago is returned from the US.

Colombian police find 16kg (35lb) of cocaine inside replicas of sculptures by artist Fernando Botero being shipped to Spain.

Tens of thousands of Italians stage a protest in central Rome against the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Nicklas Bendtner's late goal takes Arsenal level with Chelsea at the top of the table via a 2-1 win at 10-man Hull.

England retain the Calcutta Cup as they fight out a 15-15 draw with Scotland, who now look certain to end with the Six Nations wooden spoon.

At least 30 people have been killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings in the Afghan city of Kandahar, officials say.

The Sri Lankan political party closest to the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels drops a demand for a separate Tamil homeland.

The rules children must obey in Berlin, Paris, Rome and NY

The Vatican denounces efforts to involve the Pope in a child abuse scandal dating back to his time as archbishop in Germany.

The Afghan president agrees to let two foreigners sit on a key election monitoring body, reversing a previous decision.

Scotland host England in the Calcutta Cup on the penultimate weekend of Six Nations rugby, after Ireland stay on course for the Triple Crown with a 27-12 win over Wales.

A Nigerian plane taking part in a simulation exercise for disaster relief operations crashes in the southern oil city of Port Harcourt.

Kazakhstan's president calls for the prosecution of anyone suspected of causing a recent flooding in which dozens died.

Arsenal take on Hull in Saturday's late Premier League game after Chelsea return to the top of the table with a thumping victory over West Ham, and there are wins for Tottenham, Wolves and Bolton.

Simon Reeve risks his health and his dignity as he investigates the world of female wrestling in Mexico.

As Barack Obama delivers his angriest performance since he was elected, Mark Mardell asks if America is becoming more divided.

England reduce Bangladesh to 154-5 at the end of day two of the first Test, still 445 runs adrift of the tourists' 599-6 declared.

Huge tented communities have been set up in Haiti and survivors of the earthquake and tremors are making the most of their new life under canvas, which, as the BBC's Christine Finn finds, could be for a long time to come.

Partial results for Iraq's elections show PM Nouri Maliki's coalition ahead in the crucial area of Baghdad, officials say.

The Chinese government boosts security in Tibet ahead of the second anniversary of violent protests against Beijing's rule.

The new mass movement against Italy's Berlusconi