Alistair Darling may be forced to set out future taxes rises to pay for a short-term boost to the economy, the BBC understands.

Government plans to force single parents into work are not proving universally popular, as Sarah Cambpell reports.

A Merseyside police officer suspended after his name appeared on a list of British National Party (BNP) members is to be questioned by his bosses.

The husband of Philippines President Gloria Arroyo is taken ill on a plane, forcing a diversion to Japan.

BBC News Online profiles the president of Afghanistan.

A cable-laying company that lost a contract with the Jersey Electricity Company is forced to make its workers redundant.

The 3,000 extra UN troops being sent to DR Congo must be elite soldiers from Europe, the UN's ex-peacekeeping chief says.

Ministers should rethink plans to force lone parents, disabled people and long-term jobless to seek work, an adviser says.

One person is killed and three are wounded in a shoot-out in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, security forces say.

The BBC News website looks at the background to the latest fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Commentators in newspapers around the world have called for collective action to deal with the increasing attacks on shipping by Somali pirates.

Nine people are killed in a suicide attack in Pakistan's north-western Bajaur tribal region, officials and witnesses say.

Northern Ireland shoppers have been out in force to take advantage of unseasonal price cutting on the high street but other consumers in Belfast remained cautious and prepared to wait in the hope of even bigger reductions.

A police force mistakenly sends the personal details of dozens of suspected criminals to farmers in Northumberland.

Jannie du Plessis and Danie Rossouw are named in the side to take on England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Pakistan summons the US ambassador to protest at a deadly US missile attack deep inside Pakistan territory.

A chronology of key events

A chronology of key events

India beat England by 16 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis rules in Kanpur to lead the one-day series 3-0 after bad light curtails play.

A fire breaks out at Berlin's Tegel airport, forcing the authorities to divert flights from the German capital, officials say.