A pair of Queen Victoria's bloomers that have a 50in waist are sold at an auction in Derby for £4,500.

A pair of Queen Victoria's bloomers that have a 50-inch waist are set to go on sale.

Experts confirm that Rembrandt Laughing is a self-portrait by the artist and could be worth more than £15m.

George Clooney regularly tops "gorgeous man" polls, yet his is the first name least associated with attractiveness in a new study. Might this have slowed his climb to movie stardom? Can a name really determine your fate?

A woman who died in 2006 leaves two Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces worth millions of pounds to the nation.

Radical transparency, see-hear-buy and secret bling - trend-prediction experts on what's likely to become part of our lives in 2008.

Buckingham Palace issue 60 facts to mark the diamond wedding anniversary of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

Roger Federer begins the defence of his Wimbledon title with a straight-sets win over Teimuraz Gabashvili on Centre Court.

BBC Washington correspondent Matt Frei looks at why New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg may fancy a run for the White House.

Clive Lindsay profiles Jim Leishman as Mr Dunfermline makes the honours list

Former BBC Zambia correspondent Ishbel Matheson reflects on Frederick Chiluba's time as president, after a London court found him guilty of corruption.

Zambia's ex-President Frederick Chiluba is found guilty of stealing $46m (£23m) by a UK court.

A cache of forgotten drawings by Anglesey-based wildlife artist Charles Tunnicliffe sell at auction for £14,000.

The director of an exhibition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle memorabilia compares the author's success to that of JK Rowling.

Three Irish students and an American lawyer caught up in Hurricane Katrina tell of the devastation in New Orleans.

Bill Oddie's Springwatch series, now in its third year, has outstripped even Big Brother, making its star, formerly a Goodie, into television's newest cult hero.

Police hunting the killer of Alistair Wilson are consulting a ballistics expert in Germany in their search for clues.

The handgun used to murder banker Alistair Wilson was a semi-automatic German model made about 80 years ago.

A sale of personal items belonging to John F Kennedy totals $5.5m, five times move than the original estimate.

Brisk bidding boosts the sales of items from the homes of former US President John F Kennedy.