Prachanda, the Nepalese Maoist leader who has been elected as prime minister, has a mild manner which conceals a tough interior.

A painting of a nude goes on display at a gallery where 20,000 once queued up to see it.

Formula One commentator Martin Brundle is being investigated by media watchdog Ofcom after using the term "pikeys" in a television broadcast. What is the word's origin and how offensive is it?

Sports columnist Rohit Brijnath reflects on the successful first season of the Indian Premier League, the multi-million dollar cricket tournament.

Dame Patricia Hodge answers your questions about the review of the BBC's websites.

Flying had a strange effect on the great aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh, leading him to team up with a French surgeon and embark on a quest for ever-lasting life... for a chosen few.

Two British cheerleaders claim they were prevented from performing at an Indian cricket tournament because they are black.

Police in the Indian city of Mumbai warn action against 'obscene' cheerleaders at a cricket competition.

Pictures from the Georgia course, home of the Masters

A legal case brought by a man accosted by Sacha Baron Coen in the Borat movie is dismissed by a US judge.

A painting by one of India's best-known artists, MF Husain, sells for a record $1.6m at auction in New York.

The New York office of Christie's auction house rejects calls to drop the work of Indian artist MF Husain.

The word "gay" is now the most frequently used term of abuse in schools, says a report. How did it get to be so prevalent and why do children use homophobic insults to get at each other?

Sports writer Rohit Brijnath on the aftermath of India's victorious tour of Australia.

Would you prefer to see a famous general on a plinth or a nurse? Should statues evoke British glories of the past or highlight the unseen dedication of the present day?

Pubs and bars should be forced to start selling smaller glasses of wine again, an MP says.

Pope Benedict XVI calls on the media to be more ethical and focus on the dignity of the human being.

Wine gets better with age - but now it appears people are convinced it gets better with price.

France's President Sarkozy says his relationship with a former model is "serious", even hinting at a wedding.