LATEST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS - BBC NEWS

GEORGE CROSS FOR ARMY BOMB HEROES - Thu 18 Mar
Two Army bomb disposal experts have been awarded the George Cross for their gallantry in Afghanistan.

MAN GUILTY OF DOG ATTACK MURDER - Thu 18 Mar
A man is convicted of the murder of a 16-year-old boy who was mauled by dogs before being stabbed.

LAST-DITCH BID TO END BA DISPUTE - Thu 18 Mar
British Airways' boss Willie Walsh and the joint leader of the Unite union, Tony Woodley, try to avert this weekend's strike.

KIDNAPPED BOY AND FATHER HEAD HOME - Thu 18 Mar
Sahil Saeed, the boy kidnapped in Pakistan two weeks ago, has been reunited with his father and is heading home to the UK.

FACEBOOK MAY GET 'PANIC BUTTON' - Thu 18 Mar
Facebook is considering installing a "panic button" on its site to allow users to report suspected paedophiles, it confirms.

UK BORROWING LESS THAN EXPECTED - Thu 18 Mar
UK borrowing could be less than forecast this financial year after better-than-expected February figures and revised January data.

ASHCROFT TAX STATUS ROW CONTINUES - Thu 18 Mar
The Lord Ashcroft row re-opens despite documents confirming he did not have to have to be a full UK taxpayer to become a peer.

UNIVERSITIES FEEL FUNDING SQUEEZE - Thu 18 Mar
Three quarters of England's universities are facing real-term budget cuts - for the first time since Labour came to power.

EX-DETECTIVE JAILED FOR DRUG PLOT - Thu 18 Mar
A former Metropolitan Police detective is jailed for 22 years for his part in a £200m cocaine-smuggling plot.

UN BODY REJECTS BLUEFIN TUNA BAN - Thu 18 Mar
A proposal to ban the export of Atlantic bluefin tuna, which is a sushi mainstay in Japan, has been rejected by a UN wildlife meeting.

LORRY SHUNT FOOTAGE SPARKS PROBE - Thu 18 Mar
A haulage company investigates after footage emerges showing a lorry apparently pushing a car at high speed along a motorway.

HARRODS DOB-DOB-DOBBED IN AFTER SCOUTS FALL FOUL OF UNIFORM POLICY - Thu 18 Mar
A scout group say they were turned away from the Harrods store after refusing to removes their neckerchiefs and woggles.

LIVE TEXT - CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL - Thu 18 Mar
Big Buck's retains his World Hurdle crown with a tremendous performance for the Paul Nicholls-Ruby Walsh pairing.

RIERA HITS OUT AT MANAGER BENITEZ - Thu 18 Mar
Liverpool winger Albert Riera says he is considering leaving the club after being given the silent treatment by boss Rafael Benitez.

PIETERSEN WARY OF HAWK-EYE EFFECT - Thu 18 Mar
Kevin Pietersen believes the increasing use of technology in cricket will force batsmen to adjust their techniques.

CAN CHURCH OVERCOME CHILD ABUSE SCANDALS? - Thu 18 Mar
Cardinal Sean Brady, leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, apologises for not alerting police about a paedophile priest. Your views?

DUTY OF CARE - Thu 18 Mar
Challenge facing young care leavers trying to go it alone

PRICE TAG - Thu 18 Mar
How about paying $200,000 to study for a degree?

PILL POPPING - Thu 18 Mar
Why are there suddenly so many 'legal highs'

MONEY TRAIL - Thu 18 Mar
How much good does UK overseas aid do?

SWITCHED ON - Thu 18 Mar
Nigerian web first-timers long to be 'part of the world'

MARK EASTON - Thu 18 Mar
We all agree local power is good. Or do we?

ABRAMOVICH IN LIBEL CASE VICTORY - Thu 18 Mar
Chelsea's owner accepts libel damages and an apology from La Repubblica newspaper over false claims of a gambling problem.

DIVERS PULL MAN'S BODY FROM DOCKS - Thu 18 Mar
A man whose body was recovered from docks in Fife, after a stolen truck plunged into the water, is named.

GANG BULLIED £272K FROM DYING OAP - Thu 18 Mar
An estate agent is sentenced to two years for his part in a gang who preyed on a dying widow stealing her life savings.

POLICE 'TOLD OF PRIEST SEX CLAIM' - Thu 18 Mar
The Catholic Church says police were told about sex abuse claims against a priest at the centre of an alleged cover-up.

ZUMA SURVIVES NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE - Thu 18 Mar
South Africa's President Zuma survives a vote of no-confidence by MPs - the first such motion since apartheid ended.

US HEALTH BILL 'WILL CUT DEFICIT' - Thu 18 Mar
Congressional officials say the healthcare bill will cut the deficit by $138bn over 10 years, ahead of a possible vote on Sunday.

EU'S FOREIGN CHIEF IN GAZA VISIT - Thu 18 Mar
The EU's foreign policy chief visits the Gaza Strip as militants there fire a rocket into Israel, killing one person.

THAI PROTESTERS VOW TO STAY PUT - Thu 18 Mar
Thai 'red shirt' opposition demonstrators say they plan to stay in Bangkok indefinitely, albeit in smaller numbers.

MEPS HEAR TORTURE EXPORTS CLAIMS - Thu 18 Mar
Amnesty International tells MEPs European firms are exporting items used for torture, in spite of EU rules.

INDIAN CHILDREN 'SACRIFICE' PROBE - Thu 18 Mar
Five children poisoned to death in a village in India may have been sacrificed, police say.

SECONDHAND MOTOR DEALERS SHAMED - Thu 18 Mar
A damning verdict on the UK's £24bn secondhand car market is published by the fair trading watchdog.

LIB DEMS 'TO CURB SNOOPING STATE' - Thu 18 Mar
The Lib Dems would restore people's right to privacy which has been "trampled" on by Labour, Nick Clegg will say.

CONCERN OVER NUTRITION TRAINING - Thu 18 Mar
Nutrition needs to be made a more important part of the doctor training system, a leading expert says.

'ONE IN SEVEN' STUDENTS ATTACKED - Thu 18 Mar
One in seven female students has been the victim of a serious sexual or physical assault, a survey suggests.

'HOBBIT' ISLAND'S DEEPER HISTORY - Thu 18 Mar
New tool discoveries push back the date for the earliest human occupation of Flores Island, home of the famous hobbit species.

SOAP STAR 'TRIED TO END IT ALL' - Thu 18 Mar
Actor Bruce Jones, who played Les Battersby in Coronation Street, grabbed the wheel of his wife's car and threatened to crash it, a court hears.

CHOICE SCREEN GIVES BROWSER BOOST - Thu 18 Mar
Web browser Opera says its downloads in Europe have doubled since Microsoft began offering a choice.