PM calls for Iraq hostage release
Gordon Brown calls for the release of five British hostages in Iraq after claims one of them has taken his own life.

Cameron not rejecting tax rises
Tory leader David Cameron refuses to reveal whether he would raise taxes if he becomes prime minister.

Church 'wounded' over gay boycott
Bishops attending the Lambeth Conference hear a claim that the gay clergy row has left Anglicans a 'wounded community'.

Brown in £30m Palestinian pledge
Gordon Brown announces £30m of British support for the Palestinian Authority for development in the territories.

'Rewards for medics' excellence'
Surgeons could be rewarded with bonuses for successful operations under a plan being considered by the UK's largest hospital trust.

Russians get a new look at the last czar
The popularity of a new exhibition underscores a nationwide renewal of interest in, and even affection for, the imperial family.

No injuries reported in 4 bombings in northern Spain
A caller earlier warned about the explosives, saying he was speaking on behalf of Basque separatists.

Gordon Brown demands end to Israel settlements
Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain demanded on Sunday that Israel cease settlement construction and promised more money to jump-start the battered Palestinian economy.

Brown makes unannounced Iraq trip
Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Saturday and held talks with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.

Pope closes youth event with call for a 'new age'
Pope Benedict XVI attacked the violence and materialism of modern life in an address to a congregation of about 400,000 gathered in Sydney for World Youth Day.

Moussaoui Juror Falls Ill; Deliberations to Resume Friday
Jurors in the Zacarias Moussaoui case headed into a fourth day of deliberations Thursday but talks halted when one juror fell ill; deliberations to resume Friday

Iran Test-Fires Another 'Top Secret' Missile
Iran's state-run television says it successfully test-fired a "top secret" missile, the third in a week.

Duke Lacrosse Coach Resigns Amid Rape Flap
University cancels remainder of season after allegations that three players raped an exotic dancer at a party.

100 Homes Threatened by Weakened Dam in Northern California
About 100 homes were being evacuated Wednesday morning as a small earthen dam in Calaveras County in northern California weakened by an overnight thunderstorm threatened to break.

Video Claims to Show Insurgents Dragging Burning Body of U.S
A poor-quality video posted on the Internet Wednesday in the name of an extremist group claimed to show Iraqi insurgents dragging the burning body of a U.S. pilot on the ground after the crash of an Apache helicopter.