Home / bbc.co.uk rss archive / September-03-2007


Women 'choosier' over partners
Men look for beauty, while women go for wealth when it comes to assessing future partners, researchers say.

Australia remembers Irwin
Australians are marking the first anniversary of the death of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.

Swiss air crash verdict expected
A verdict is due in the case of eight Swiss air traffic controllers accused over a 2002 crash which killed 71.

Why rock and roll stars die young
They say rock and pop stars live life in the fast lane - and now researchers say they have proved it.

Mental health neglected worldwide
New research shows mental illness is neglected in the developing world and up to 800,000 commit suicide each year.

US rebuffs N Korea on terror list
A top US official says delisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism depends on its moves to disarm.

Pakistan blast leaves nine dead
A bomb explodes on a bus in Rawalpindi, killing at least nine, with reports of a second blast.

EU meets all its close neighbours
The EU holds a first conference for 16 southern and eastern countries - members of its Neighbourhood Policy.

First outing for faster Eurostar
Eurostar is set to make its inaugural journey from Paris to London via a new 186mph high-speed line.

Brazil pressured on cluster bombs
The Brazilian government is facing criticism from Latin American countries for its failure to abandon the production of cluster bombs.

Tories warned not to lose 'soul'
The Tories should "unveil the party's soul" rather than make "vacuous" reforms, a former deputy party leader warns.

TV deal 'fuels transfer spending'
New owners and a TV deal help English football clubs spend more than £530m on players, a survey says.

UN support for Sudan peace deal
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon travels to south Sudan, to show support for a north south peace deal.

Thai convicted of tourist murders
A court in Thailand sentences a local man to death for the murder of two Russians in Pattaya in February.

Taleban 'getting Chinese weapons'
The UK has complained to Beijing about Chinese-made weapons being used by the Taleban, the BBC learns.

Colombian army 'kills rebel head'
The Colombian defence minister announces the killing of one of the leaders of the left-wing Farc guerrilla group.

Food giant sells out of Zimbabwe
The state takes full control of one of Zimbabwe's main food processors by buying out US firm HJ Heinz.

Troops complete Basra withdrawal
The last British troops withdraw from central Basra to an airbase outside the southern Iraqi city.

Football: Ballack in long lay-off
Michael Ballack is not included in Chelsea's squad list for the Champions League group stage as he recovers from ankle surgery.

New data on Russia race attacks
A respected Russian human rights group says 38 people have been killed in racist violence this year.

Sicily businesses fight Mafia
The Sicilian Mafia faces a revolt by local businessmen who refuse to pay the protection money.

Tennis: Roddick advances
Andy Roddick reaches the US Open quarter-finals after Tomas Berdych retires during their fourth-round match.

Livestock breeds face 'meltdown'
The world risks losing many of its rare livestock breeds unless conservation steps are taken now, a study warns.

Sub-prime crisis to cost IKB $1bn
Germany's IKB Industriebank says losses from its exposure to US sub-prime mortgages will reach almost $1bn.

Nepal government condemns attacks
Government ministers in Nepal condemn explosions in the capital, Kathmandu, that left two people dead.

Panama set to begin $5bn project
Panama is set to start work on a $5bn (£2.4bn) project to widen the Panama Canal to increase its capacity.

Wilson "doing well" says director
Actor Owen Wilson is "doing well", following reports of an attempted suicide, says film-maker Wes Anderson.

No Doctor Who return until 2010
Doctor Who is to take a "gap year" in 2009, returning for a fifth series in spring 2010, the BBC reveals.

Smouldering Greece expects rain
Some forest fires still burn in southern Greece but rain from the north is expected to bring some relief.

Anger over Taiwan 'heaviest pig'
Animal activists express outrage as pigs in Taiwan are force-fed for the Pig of God contest.

US workers top productivity table
The US worker is still the world's most productive but workers in East Asia are catching up fast.

Freed US academic leaves Iran
A leading Iranian-American academic, who was jailed for three months in Iran on spying charges, leaves the country.

Bush mulls life after presidency
A new book informed by intimate interviews with the US president shows a president keenly interested in his legacy.

Football: England call up Lescott
Joleon Lescott is called up to England's squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia.

Violent protests over SA housing
Police in South Africa use rubber bullets to disperse crowds of angry township-dwellers outside Soweto.

England wait on Flintoff & Bopara
England hope both Andrew Flintoff and Ravi Bopara will be able to take part in the final two one-day matches against India this week.

Central America braced for Felix
Honduras and Belize prepare for Hurricane Felix, as it strengthens to a category five storm in the Caribbean.

Bush makes surprise visit to Iraq
US President George W Bush is in Iraq on a surprise visit, the White House has announced.

'Clearest' images taken of space
A team of astronomers from the US and the UK have obtained the clearest pictures from space ever taken.

Scientists discover height gene
Scientists have discovered the first gene that influences a person's height.

New Iran guards chief appointed
Iran's Supreme Leader unexpectedly replaces the head of the country's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

Parks 'failing Africa's wildlife'
National parks in Africa are failing to protect wildlife within their boundaries, a study suggests.

Zeppelin fans warned off touts
Led Zeppelin fans are told to be wary of agents advertising tickets for an unconfirmed reunion gig.

Leone rivals urge election calm
Sierra Leone's presidential rivals agree not to use vigilantes as they urge an end to violent clashes.

Cricket: Ponting in doubt
Australia captain Ricky Ponting's participation in the World Twenty20 is in doubt due to a "private family issue".

Sony confirms security problem
Electronics giant Sony confirms a recently discovered security flaw in its products and says it will issue a fix.

Mobiles to become digital wallets
A payment system that allows users to spend cash via their handsets is launched across the UK.

Lebanon army hunts for rebels
Lebanese forces search for remnants of a militant group a day after it was routed from a Palestinian refugee camp.

N Korea 'to come off terror list'
N Korea says the US has agreed to remove it from a list of nations supporting terrorism, following talks.

China Eastern in Singapore deal
Singapore Airlines and investment firm Temasek buy a combined 24% stake in China Eastern Airlines.

Polish president enters hospital
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski is admitted to hospital after a "deterioration in his health", his office says.

Journalist saves African migrants
At least 38 African migrants are rescued after their boat capsized when a journalist with them phoned for help.

Russia 'won't bargain on Kosovo'
Russia's foreign minister warns Moscow will stand firm on "red line" issues like missile defence and Kosovo.

Brown plays down early election
Prime Minister Gordon Brown says "now" is not the time for an election - but fails to fully rule out a snap election.

Japanese investment level drops
Capital investment levels by Japanese firms fell in the second quarter, raising worries of a wider slowdown.

Halloween film tops US box office
A new version of cult horror film Halloween tops the US box office, with ticket sales set to reach $30m (£15m).

Afghan roadside blast kills six
At least six Afghan security personnel die in a roadside blast in eastern Afghanistan, officials say.

Burma completes charter outline
Burma's leaders declare 14 years of constitutional talks complete and formally close a national assembly.