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	Wednesday, 24 December, 2008, 0:00 GMT 05:00 +05:00:Asia/Calcutta

TOP STORIES
	Iraqi MPs back foreign troop deal Iraqi MPs authorise the government to sign agreements allowing British and other non-US troops to stay on after 2008.
	Scandal probe clears Obama team Barack Obama's team had "no inappropriate discussions" with the scandal-hit Illinois governor, an internal review finds.
	Madoff investor commits suicide A French investment manager who put $1.4bn into Bernard Madoff's fraud-hit fund commits suicide, police say.
	Guinea coup plotters 'a minority' The head of Guinea's army says plotters trying to launch a coup after President Conte died do not represent most troops.
	Putin says 'cheap gas era' ending Russia's Vladimir Putin warns that the era of inexpensive natural gas is coming to an end, in a keynote speech to gas-exporting nations.

AFRICA
	Guinea coup plotters 'a minority' The head of Guinea's army says plotters trying to launch a coup after President Conte died do not represent most troops.
	France releases Rwandan official Rwandan presidential aide Rose Kabuye is allowed to leave France to return home for Christmas, one month after her arrest.
	Gays welcome Uganda arrest payout A Ugandan judge awards $7,000 to two lesbians, saying their rights were infringed when harassed by police.

AMERICAS
	Scandal probe clears Obama team Barack Obama's team had "no inappropriate discussions" with the scandal-hit Illinois governor, an internal review finds.
	Madoff investor commits suicide A French investment manager who put $1.4bn into Bernard Madoff's fraud-hit fund commits suicide, police say.
	Brazil and France sign arms deal Brazil signs a $12bn deal with France to buy 50 helicopters and five submarines, in a move aimed at helping Brazil's arms industry.

ASIA-PACIFIC
	Chinese pandas arrive in Taiwan Two giant pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, arrive in Taiwan from China as a gift from Beijing to symbolise warming ties.
	China urged to release dissident More than 150 writers and activists call on Chinese President Hu Jintao to release of a prominent rights advocate.
	NZ and Fiji each expel diplomats New Zealand and Fiji expel each other's top diplomats in a deepening row over Fiji's slow return to democracy.

EUROPE
	Putin says 'cheap gas era' ending Russia's Vladimir Putin warns that the era of inexpensive natural gas is coming to an end, in a keynote speech to gas-exporting nations.
	Madoff investor commits suicide A French investment manager who put $1.4bn into Bernard Madoff's fraud-hit fund commits suicide, police say.
	Belgian 'internet baby' sent home A Belgian baby who was allegedly "sold" to a Dutch couple is returned to Belgium, Dutch officials say.

MIDDLE EAST
	Iraqi MPs back foreign troop deal Iraqi MPs authorise the government to sign agreements allowing British and other non-US troops to stay on after 2008.
	Pope 'to visit Holy Land in May' Pope Benedict XVI is to make his first visit to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan in May, Jerusalem's Latin patriarch says.
	Saudi campaign against maid abuse A Saudi campaign against the abuse of domestic workers in the country sparks controversy.

SOUTH ASIA
	Interpol 'not given Mumbai data' Global police agency Interpol says that India has not yet shared any information on the deadly Mumbai attacks.
	Tight security as Kashmir votes There is heavy security in Indian-administered Kashmir ahead of the final round of voting in state elections.
	India win series with Mohali draw India clinch a 1-0 victory in the two-Test series against England after the second match in Mohali ends in a draw.

UK NEWS
	Activists guilty of hate campaign Four animal rights activists are guilty of a blackmail campaign against firms that supplied Huntingdon Life Sciences.
	Flu 'heading for nine-year high' The number of flu cases in England and Wales is heading for a nine-year high, figures suggest.
	Officers Club sells 118 stores Menswear retailer The Officers Club goes into administration and closes 32 of its stores, while selling the remaining 118.

UK EDUCATION
	Student allowance delays continue With the end of the year approaching, it still remains unclear how many students might still be waiting for their EMAs.
	Violence: Schools seek police aid The police were called to violent incidents in schools in England more than 7,000 times last year, the Tories say.
	Bad parents 'widen ability gap' Early gaps in ability between children from poor and rich homes is mostly due to poor quality parenting, a report says.

ENGLAND
	Activists guilty of hate campaign Four animal rights activists are guilty of a blackmail campaign against firms that supplied Huntingdon Life Sciences.
	No promise on gas supply repairs Engineers trying to restore gas supplies to 18,000 Lancashire homes say they cannot promise the work will be completed by Christmas.
	Fire at 600-year-old coaching inn Fire crews battle to save a 15th century thatched coaching inn in Devon after a blaze rips through the building.

BUSINESS
	US new home sales at 17-year-low US new home sales slow to their lowest level in 17 years, while new home prices drop by the biggest amount in eight months.
	Madoff investor commits suicide A French investment manager who put $1.4bn into Bernard Madoff's fraud-hit fund commits suicide, police say.
	Wal-Mart settles labour lawsuits The world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, says it will pay up to $640m (£427m) to settle 63 lawsuits over breaches of labour laws.

ENTERTAINMENT
	Jackson 'transplant' claim denied A spokesman for Michael Jackson denies the singer is suffering from a rare respiratory disease.
	Mockingbird director dies aged 83 Oscar-nominated director Robert Mulligan, best known for creating the classic 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, dies.
	US actors' strike vote is delayed The Screen Actors Guild postpones its vote on whether to go on strike because of divisions among its members.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
	Tangled web of spider evolution Further study of the 385m-year-old <I>Attercopus</I> spider has shown that it could not have spun webs as modern spiders do.
	Activists guilty of hate campaign Four animal rights activists are guilty of a blackmail campaign against firms that supplied Huntingdon Life Sciences.
	Pair of tombs discovered in Egypt Egyptian archaeologists say they have discovered two ancient tombs, indicating that a burial site is bigger than expected.

TECHNOLOGY
	US questions net overhaul plans Plans to create hundreds of new domain names could be stalled as the US government questions the wisdom of the scheme.
	Third subsea cable repairs begin A second ship has started repairing damage to an undersea communications cable in the Mediterranean Sea.
	New guidelines boost web access Websites look set to get more accessible as standards are drawn up to help sites cater for the needs of disabled people.

HEALTH
	Wealth gap in child critical care Children from the most deprived homes are more likely to need intensive care than their wealthier counterparts, say researchers.
	Flu 'heading for nine-year high' The number of flu cases in England and Wales is heading for a nine-year high, figures suggest.
	Blind man navigates maze Scientists discover that a blind person can navigate through a maze of obstacles unaided using the power of sense alone.

ON THIS DAY NEWS FROM THE BBC ARCHIVES
	1972: Earthquake wreaks devastation in Nicaragua Ten thousand people are feared dead after a two-hour earthquake rips through the Nicaraguan capital, Managua.
	1956: Jubilation as allied troops leave Suez The United Nations Emergency Force takes over in Egypt after British and French forces withdraw from Port Said and Port Fuad ending the Suez Crisis.
	1992: Queen's Christmas speech leaked The BBC investigates a leak which led to the Queen's Christmas speech being published in a national newspaper.

	Search BBC Sport

TOP STORIES
	Fabregas faces four-month lay-off Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is ruled out for up to four months with ruptured knee ligaments.
	England spirit pleases Pietersen England captain Kevin Pietersen praises his players for returning to India to complete the Test series after the Mumbai attacks.
	Jenner fears Aussie spin decline Shane Warne's mentor Terry Jenner tells BBC Sport Australia will have to wait before finding another match-winning spinner.
	Misun completes Celtic transfer Czech Republic Under-20 left-back Milan Misun has signed a four-year contract with Celtic after leaving FK Pribram.
	Allardyce holds Santa Cruz talks Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce says he has told striker Roque Santa Cruz he wants him to stay at the club.

FOOTBALL
	Fabregas faces four-month lay-off Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is ruled out for up to four months with ruptured knee ligaments.
	Grayson appointed Leeds manager Leeds United name Simon Grayson as their new manager - but Blackpool consider legal action over the appointment.
	Allardyce holds Santa Cruz talks Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce says he has told striker Roque Santa Cruz he wants him to stay at the club.

CRICKET
	India win series with Mohali draw India clinch a 1-0 victory in the two-Test series against England after the second match in Mohali ends in a draw.
	England spirit pleases Pietersen England captain Kevin Pietersen praises his players for returning to India to complete the Test series after the Mumbai attacks.
	Dhoni defends delayed declaration India captain Mahendra Dhoni defends his side's final day tactics in the draw against England.

TENNIS
	Keothavong leads GB Fed Cup squad British number one Anne Keothavong will lead Great Britain into their 2009 Fed Cup campaign in Estonia.
	Davenport out of Australian Open Lindsay Davenport abandons her return to the tour at the Australian Open because she is pregnant with her second child.
	Murray ready for Grand Slam glory Andy Murray says that after a successful 2008 he feels closer to breaking his Grand Slam duck.

MOTORSPORT
	Toyota commits to F1 despite loss Toyota vows to continue running its Formula One team despite forecasting an annual loss of over £1bn.
	F1 boss faces battle with teams Formula One teams representative Luca di Montezemolo says commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone should consider stepping down.
	F1 stars may have to take pay cut Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali says top Formula One teams may no longer be able to pay such large salaries to their star drivers.

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