In the week when scientists create sperm in a test tube, broadcaster Amy Lamé asks if we really need men, and Michael Portillo struggles to put up much defence.
Bernard Madoff's lawyer has told the BBC that his client is "deeply sorry" for committing massive fraud.
Jaguar Land Rover, the car company which is losing an estimated £1m a day, has unveiled a new model.
Antwerp is the world centre for trade in diamonds but the recession has hit demand, leading to around 1000 job cuts in the industry.
A new play about the rise of radical Islam is about to open at the National Theatre in London. The novelist Hanif Kureishi has based it on his novel, The Black Album.
Karen Bowerman reports from Flagstaff, Arizona - a potential key site for space tourism
Thirty-five years after the legendary Rumble In The Jungle boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, an equally legendary concert held prior to the match has been turned into a new film, Soul Power.
Carmen Roberts finds out why Australia's an ideal place to gaze at the stars.
Scientists at Whipsnade Zoo are using high-speed cameras and a sensitive track to find out exactly what makes cheetahs the fastest running animals on the planet.
The situation in China's riot-torn city of Urumqi is now under control after the deployment of thousands of troops, local Communist officials have said.
Austrians are apparently not sure whether to laugh or cry at Sacha Baron Cohen's latest film, which is opening in Austria.
The UN cultural agency, Unesco, has said US troops in Iraq caused considerable damage to the ancient site of Babylon by using it as a military base after the 2003 invasion.
An earthquake in south-western China has destroyed 10,000 homes and injured more than 300 people, according to state media.
A young Spanish man has been gored to death in the traditional running of the bulls in Pamplona, northern Spain, the first to die at the controversial festival for 15 years.
The American car-maker, General Motors, has emerged from bankruptcy.
An annual survey by the consultants Mercer has branded Tokyo the most expensive city to live as an expat, thanks to the soaring value of the Yen
David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, has said a survey of 5600 British companies has shown a "marked upturn in confidence" among them.
A Scottish shipyard is to begin building one of two giant new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy, after 11 years of planning.
Zoe Kleinman tests an installed DAB car radio and one that plays digital stations on an FM car radio.
Benny Andersson, the man behind some of pop music's most enduring songs, is back with a new track which is reminiscent of his work with Swedish supergroup Abba.
Japan's second-largest retailer Aeon has reported a massive 62% drop in earnings. Operating profit dropped to $91m in its first quarter.
The former US Defence Secretary, Robert McNamara has died at the age of 93.
US President Barack Obama is attending a US-Russia summit in Moscow expected to focus on arms control issues.
Thousands of Michael Jackson fans are descending on Los Angeles to attend the singer's memorial service which is to be held on Tuesday.
A satirical puppet show is giving a group of scriptwriters and puppeteers a chance to delve into the murky world of Kenyan politics.
On the second day of his trip to Russia, President Obama has called for a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia, working in partnership with the United States.
Are UK national newspapers beacons of truth and honesty or gutter press peddling sensationalist stories and celebrity gossip? Ross Hawkins reports.
There has been anger on the streets of Paris. French Comorons marched in protest of Yemenia Airlines' poor safety record.
Illegal alcohol smugglers in Iran face jail or even death if caught, but men regularly load their mules with cases of vodka in the hope of earning some money.
A new museum has opened in Belgium to celebrate the work of illustrator Herge, and in particular his most famous creation.
Honduras's ousted President Zelaya has been forced to divert his homecoming jet to Nicaragua after it was barred from landing in Tegucigalpa.
Exit polls in Bulgaria indicate the centre-right party led by ex-Mayor of Sofia Boiko Borisov is heading for a significant victory over the ruling Socialist Party. Nick Thorpe reports.
Police and residents in the US state of South Carolina are on high alert after a string of shootings that they believe may be the work of a serial killer.
Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell has warned people without tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial to stay away from the sealed-off area, telling they they would better off watching the event at home with friends.
The Serious Fraud Office is to launch an investigation into the circumstances of the collapse of MG Rover.
Local residents in Afghanistan have started to flee areas where a US-led mission are taking back Taliban controlled territory.
A bomb blast outside a Roman Catholic cathedral in the southern Philippines has killed five people and injured at least 26 others, officials say.
Torrential rain and flash floods have caused chaos in China and Vietnam, with over 30 fatalities and thousands of people displaced.
The Organization of American States has suspended Honduras in protest at the ousting of President Manuel Zelaya. The rare decision was made at an emergency meeting of the 35-member group in Washington. Stephen Gibbs reports
Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras on Sunday, despite being threatened with arrest.