Two-time Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington retires at the age of 23 to focus on her campaign and mentoring work.

A campaign to bring Richard III's body back to York gains momentum after a skeleton found beneath a car park in Leicester is confirmed as his.

Reg Presley, frontman of British rock band The Troggs - behind hits including Wild Thing - dies aged 71, a year after being diagnosed with cancer.

A Chinese vessel locked its weapon-targeting radar on a Japanese ship near disputed islands, Tokyo says, amid mounting tensions over a territorial row.

The Scottish government outlines a possible transition to independence, in the event of a "Yes" vote in the autumn 2014 referendum.

South Africa's counter terrorism unit arrests 19 suspected Congolese rebels in northern Limpopo province, police say.

French President Francois Hollande tells the European Parliament there can be no "a la carte" attitude to the EU in an apparent swipe at the UK.

French President Francois Hollande tells the European Parliament there can be no "a la carte" attitude to the EU in an apparent swipe at the UK.

France to blame UK for EU budget fight, Gavin Hewitt says

A model based on Richard III's skull, which was found under a Leicester car park, reveals how the English king may have looked.

A facial reconstruction of how Richard III may have looked is released, after archaeologists confirmed a skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park was that of the English king.

Provides an overview of Liechtenstein, including key events and facts about this tiny European country

Oil giant BP reports a fall in full-year profits as it continued to settle charges related to the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

24 hours of news photos: 5 February

A senior MEP calls for the EU to become an 'empire' during a debate with Francois Hollande.

Six Spanish tourists have been raped by armed men at a beach resort near the Mexican city of Acapulco, local authorities say.

Presenters Davina McCall and Jonathan Ross have been visiting a Comic Relief project in Ghana to mark 25 years since the first Red Nose Day.

Was southern Spain really a refuge for Neanderthals?

Radiocarbon studies question whether a late Neanderthal population really did hang on in southern Spain long after the species died out in the rest of Europe.

A top policeman in the southern Chinese city of Lufeng is alleged to have bought almost 200 houses with fake identity papers, state media report, amid growing anger over official corruption.