Mobile phone giant Vodafone chooses the boss of electronics firm Philips, Gerard Kleisterlee, as its new chairman.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh says he will not extend his presidency, or appoint his son to the role, when his current term expires in 2013.

Pressure remains on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to quit immediately after a speech in which he said he would not stand for re-election in September.

BBVA, the second largest bank in Spain, reports a 9.4% rise in full-year net profit to 4.6bn euros.

At the eleventh hour Chelsea secured Spain star Fernando Torres for a staggering £50m. But why do people buy under pressure?

Heidi the opossum, the cross eyed marsupial that became a media sensation earlier this year, is set to go on a strict diet to ease her eye condition.

Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Robert Kubica are all in action on the second day of the first F1 pre-season test in Valencia.

A global rights group accuses Indian security forces of carrying out torture, religious discrimination and arbitrary arrests in a new report.

At least nine people are killed in a bomb attack near a police station in north-western Pakistan, police say.

A 15-year-old boy dies and three teenagers are injured when a car being pursued by police crashes into a wall in Norfolk.

An investigation is launched into allegations that confidential police tapes were found at a Glasgow bus station.

Wales' education minister is to unveil measures to raise standards in schools, including an annual reading assessment for each pupil.

Japan's Sumo Association calls an emergency board meeting after media allegations of match-fixing, further tarnishing the scandal-plagued sport.

The US is bracing for another onslaught of bitter winter weather as a major storm gathers in the mid-west.

Three police officers resign in Northern Ireland after testing positive for drugs including cocaine.

Queensland residents are told it is now too late to escape as Cyclone Yasi - the most dangerous storm ever predicted to hit the state - closes in.

Belfast Harbour Commissioners say that any proposal by the executive to take extra revenue from the Harbour estate is not currently possible.

President Hosni Mubarak's announcement that he will not stand for a sixth term has "divided" Egyptians, the BBC's Jon Leyne says.

Five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe says a visit to London has inspired him to come out of retirement in a bid to compete at the 2012 Olympics.

MPs and council leaders hold crisis talks at Westminster after drugs firm Pfizer announces its Kent base will shut.