Almost four in five people around the world believethat access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBCWorld Service suggests.

The survey - of more than 27,000adults across 26 countries - foun... (Read More)

Stars from around the world are celebrating as the 82nd Academy Awards kick off at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

Leadingthe nominations, Avatar and The Hurt Locker go head-to-head for bestpicture, with James Camer... (Read More)

US President Barack Obama has hailed a "milestone"in the history of Iraq, as it completed its second parliamentaryelection since the 2003 invasion.

He praised the courage of voters who turned out despite bomb a... (Read More)

The killing of opposition supporters in Guinea lastyear was a crime against humanity, the International Criminal Court(ICC) has said.

The deputy prosecutor of the ICC, FatouBensouda, made the statement in Guinea afte... (Read More)

Indian writer Arundhati Roy says she is ready to bean "independent observer" if the Indian government agrees to peacetalks with Maoist insurgents.

She gave her reaction following a fresh proposal for talks ma... (Read More)

A nationwide referendum is taking place inSwitzerland on a proposal to give animals the constitutional right tobe represented in court.

Animal rights groups say appointingstate-funded animal lawyers would ens... (Read More)

Voters in Iceland have overwhelmingly rejectedproposals to pay the UK and the Netherlands in the wake of collapse ofthe Icesave bank.

With a third of results counted, 93% of voters said "No" in a referendum.

Icela... (Read More)

Energy drink firm Gatorade has ended its sponsorship of Tiger Woods.

Gatoradeis the latest major company to cut ties with the sportsman followingWoods's admission that he was unfaithful to his wife.

Th... (Read More)

Two retired Turkish generals have been charged over an alleged plot in 2003 to overthrow the government, reports say.

CetinDogan, former head of Turkey's First Army, and Engin Alan, a formerspecial forces comma... (Read More)

Brazil will not bow to pressure from the US tosupport further sanctions against Iran over its nuclear work, thecountry's foreign minister has said.

Celso Amorim told USSecretary of State Hillary Clinton t... (Read More)

More than 120 gay couples have received marriage licences in the US capital, Washington DC.

TheDistrict of Columbia became the sixth US jurisdiction to allow same-sexunions after the Supreme Court threw out a l... (Read More)

The Greek government has approved a new package oftax increases and spending cuts to save 4.8bn euros ($6.5bn; £4.4bn)and ease its budget crisis.

The measures include rises in sales taxes, a cut in holiday bon... (Read More)

Theworld number one golfer was talking publicly for the first time sincethe scandal surrounding his private life erupted in late November l... (Read More)

Toyota's global president has said he will testifyto US politicians next week about the carmaker's giant global recallprogramme.

Akio Toyoda said he was looking "forward to speaking directly with Congress and the Ame... (Read More)

The pilot of a plane which crashed into an officeblock in Austin, Texas left a note expressing his anger at federal taxauthorities, police say.

Police are linking the apparent suicide note left online to Joseph Andrew St... (Read More)