BBC World News

Prince William, Kate Middleton break up

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:00:07 -0400

Prince William, Kate Middleton break up:

The couple had been under intense media pressure since they met at St Andrews University, Fife, in 2001, BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said.

The prince’s move to an army camp in Dorset, and Miss Middleton continuing her life in London, are also said to have put a strain on the relationship.

Clarence House has not commented on the split. There had been speculation about a possible engagement in recent months.

The United States is alarmed over the Japan nuclear crisis

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:41:55 -0400

The United States is alarmed over the Japan nuclear crisis

BBC is not sending text about radioactive rain

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:17:35 -0400

BBC is not sending text about radioactive rain:

A text message alleging radioactive rain in the Philippines and Hong Kong did not originate from the BBC.

2012 Olympics tickets go on sale for London Games

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:06:35 -0400

2012 Olympics tickets go on sale for London Games:

Tickets for the London 2012 Olympics have gone on sale, 500 days ahead of the event.

Some 6.6 million tickets are available from the London 2012 website over a six-week period and organisers say all applications will be treated equally.

Prices range from £20 to £2,012 and oversubscribed events will be decided by a ballot.

The ticket website initially failed to process the orders of people whose Visa card expires before August.

Japan’s crisis following the tsunami and earthquake is the...

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:24:07 -0400

Japan’s crisis following the tsunami and earthquake is the “worst since World War II.” [Read the latest • See more photos]

The area around the port city of Sendai was worst hit by the 8.9...

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 13:14:05 -0500

The area around the port city of Sendai was worst hit by the 8.9 magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami. More than 24 hours on, fires continue to rage at an industrial complex. [See more photos]

BBC News coverage of the Japan quake, tsunami

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:10:46 -0500

BBC News coverage of the Japan quake, tsunami

producermatthew: Sendai Airport is flooded after a tsunami...

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:09:53 -0500

producermatthew:

Sendai Airport is flooded after a tsunami following an earthquake in Sendai, northeastern Japan, March 11, 2011. (Reuters)

The suspected leader of the armed Basque separatist group Eta...

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:23:04 -0500

The suspected leader of the armed Basque separatist group Eta has been arrested in northwest France, according to reports.

Alejandro Arriola was one of four Eta suspects held in an operation by French police, reports delivered by Spanish national radio said. Arriola was described as the group’s new “military chief.” [Read the latest • What is Eta?]

France has become the first country to recognise the Libyan...

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:30:18 -0500

France has become the first country to recognise the Libyan rebel leadership, the National Libyan Council, as the country’s legitimate government.

It comes as NATO is set to discuss military options in the Libyan conflict including a possible no-fly zone.

There is growing concern about the bombing of rebel-held areas by the forces of Col Muammar Gaddafi. [Read the latest]

The Dalai Lama says he will begin the process of devolving...

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:06:50 -0500

The Dalai Lama says he will begin the process of devolving authority to an elected leader. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has called on China to show greater transparency, including freedom of the press and freedom of expression, in order to gain the world’s respect and trust. [Read the latest]

BBC Arabic journalists describe their detainment, assault in...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:47:53 -0500

BBC Arabic journalists describe their detainment, assault in Libya by members of Gaddafi’s army and secret police. [Read the latest]

BBC News Team Detained, Beaten By Gaddafi's Security

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:26:00 -0500

A BBC News team was detained and beaten up while attempting to reach the western city of Zawiya in Libya.

The three journalists were held for 21 hours by members of Col Muammar Gaddafi’s security forces. During their time in detention, they were beaten with fists, knees and rifles.

“I looked and I saw a plain-clothes guy with a small sub-machine gun. He put it to everyone’s neck. I saw him and he screamed at me,” journalist Chris Cobb-Smith told the BBC. “Then he walked up to me put the gun to my neck and pulled the trigger, twice, the bullets whisked past my ear. The soldiers just laughed.”

At one point, they were subject to a mock execution held by members of Libya’s army and secret police.

The journalists left Libya on Monday.

[Read the latest report at BBC News]

producermatthew: Twenty-one priests in Philadelphia have been...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:13:20 -0500

producermatthew:

Twenty-one priests in Philadelphia have been suspended over allegations of child molestation. Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia said the 21 Roman Catholic priests were put on leave while their cases were being reviewed.

37 priests were identified as suspects in a grand jury report released last month following widespread claims of child molestation. The jurors also found that a panel set up by the archdiocese of Philadelphia was established mostly in the interest of the church. [BBC News]

Photo: AP

Laurence Brewer isn’t going to let motor neurone disease...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:00:08 -0500

Laurence Brewer isn’t going to let motor neurone disease take away his voice. The Bolton man is recording several hundred words and phrases so that his 13-month-old Stan might one day be able to hear his voice should the neurological disease he’s stricken with take it for good.

[Watch the video here]

Singer Lily Allen has admitted to battling against the eating...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:30:07 -0500

Singer Lily Allen has admitted to battling against the eating disorder Bulimia, admitting she used to make herself sick after eating a meal.

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat reports the singer made the admission during a documentary on her move out of music and into fashion.

“A lot of people came up to me telling me how great I looked and I’d be on the cover of every magazine,” Allen said, admitting that her Bulimia wasn’t “something I’m proud of.”

[Read more at Newsbeat]

A landmark documentary on the Holocaust will be shown for the...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 05:00:07 -0500

A landmark documentary on the Holocaust will be shown for the first time on satellite television in Iran. The 1985 film Shoah will be dubbed into Farsi and shown on the privately-owned Pars channel Monday. The film’s airing is considered a major step in a country where leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to deny the events of the Holocaust. Satellite dishes are illegal in Iran, but the rule is usually not enforced.

Suicide Bombing Kills 25 In Pakistan

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:13:55 -0500

At least 25 people have been killed after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive during a funeral procession in Pakistan. A spokesperson for the Taliban told the BBC they were responsible for the bombing.

The funeral, held for a Pashtun tribal elder in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was being attended by many anti-Taliban militiamen, police said.

[Read the latest at BBC News]

Prince Williams heading to NZ, AUS

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:28:22 -0500

Prince Williams heading to NZ, AUS:

Prince William will tour earthquake and flood damage in New Zealand and Australia next week. The prince plans to travel to earthquake-stricken Christchurch, New Zealand and flood-hit areas of Queensland and Victoria.

Facebook is launching a new system that will allow users to...

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:19:14 -0500

Facebook is launching a new system that will allow users to report friends who they think might be contemplating suicide. The Facebook partnership with the British group Samaritans comes after several cases in which people announced on Facebook their intention to commit suicide. BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones explains how the system works.