Real World News

Nicolas Sarkozy investigated over France campaign funds 16 February 2016 From the section Europe Image copyright Reuters Image caption Nicolas Sarkozy was taken for questioning over spending in his 2012 re-election campaign French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under formal investigation in a probe into his campaign funding, prosecutors say. It…

Ukraine crisis: PM Yatsenyuk survives no-confidence vote 16 February 2016 From the section Europe Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Yatsenyuk addressed parliament before his government was voted unsatisfactory Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote, hours after the president asked him to step down. The pr…

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former UN head, dies at 93 16 February 2016 From the section Middle East Image copyright AFP Image caption Boutros Boutros-Ghali led the UN between 1992 and 1996 Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former secretary general of the UN, has died aged 93. He died at a Cairo hospital on Tuesday, Egypt's state news agency said, after reportedly being…

Germany train crash: Human error to blame, says prosecutor 16 February 2016 From the section Europe Image copyright EPA Image caption The trains collided head-on while travelling at about 100km/h (60mph) Human error by a train controller was to blame for a crash in Bavaria, Germany, last week that killed 11 people, prosecutors said. Dozens more were injured …

Missing Ben Nevis climbers: 'Dangerous conditions' halt search 16 February 2016 From the section Highlands & Islands Image copyright Police Scotland The search for two climbers missing on Ben Nevis has been suspended because conditions were "too dangerous". Tim Newton, 27, and Rachel Slater, 24, from Bradford, had been climbing on the mountain over the weekend. The alarm was raised when they were reported overdue from the…

Four oil producing nations agree to freeze output 16 February 2016 From the section Business Image copyright Getty Images Oil ministers from three Opec countries, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela, as well as Russia, have agreed to freeze oil output at January levels, as long as others follow suit. The announcement came after the four ministers met in Doha on Tuesday. The move is designed to support the oil price, which has…

Bangkok Erawan shrine bomb: Uighur suspects plead not guilty 16 February 2016 From the section Asia Image copyright EPA Image caption The men say they were coerced into confessing Two ethnic Uighur Chinese men have pleaded not guilty of involvement in the bombing of a shrine in Bangkok, in their first court appearance. Twenty people were killed when the bomb…

David Cameron visits Brussels for crucial EU talks 16 February 2016 From the section EU Referendum Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Prime Minister David Cameron met with French President Francois Hollande David Cameron is preparing for crucial talks in Brussels, where he hopes to gain support for his EU reform demands. The prime minister is due to …

US election 2016: George W Bush campaigns for brother Jeb 16 February 2016 From the section US Election 2016 Media captionGeorge W Bush: "A man I am proud to call my big little brother"Former President George W Bush has hit the campaign trail to boost younger brother Jeb's faltering presidential nomination bid. He met veterans and appeared at a rally in South Carolina on Monday, ahead of Saturday's primary election. George W Bush's legacy has come under fierce attack from Republican frontrunner Donald Trum…

Cuba returns to the US 'wrongly shipped' Hellfire missile 13 February 2016 From the section US & Canada Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Hellfire missile, although inert, contained sensitive technology Cuba returned to the United States an inert Hellfire missile that had been wrongly shipped to Havana in June 2014. The missile, which did n…

Extinct plant species discovered in amber 15 February 2016 From the section Science & Environment Image copyright George Poinar Image caption The flowers were remarkably well-preserved Biologists have described a new species of extinct plant, based on two fossil flowers that were trapped in chunks of amber for at least 15 million years. Strychnos electri…

Donald Tusk: 'Real' risk of break-up over EU referendum talks 15 February 2016 From the section EU Referendum Image copyright Getty Images Negotiations over the UK's EU reform demands are at a "critical moment" and the risk of break-up "is real", EU Council president Donald Tusk has said. Mr Tusk, who is overseeing the negotiation, urged European leaders to handle the situation "with care". UK PM David Cameron is seeking a de…

Mario Draghi seeks to calm fears over European banks 15 February 2016 From the section Business Image copyright STEPHANIE LECOCQ Image caption ECB president Mario Draghi said European banks were now more resilient than during the 2012 banking crisis European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi has sought to calm fears about the health of European banks after a "s…

'Lasers are offensive weapons and must be banned' - pilots' union 15 February 2016 From the section UK Media captionJim McAuslan, British Airline Pilots Association: "Make lasers an offensive weapon"Lasers should be classed as "offensive weapons" and banned in the UK, says the British Airline Pilots Association. The call comes after a New York-bound plane was forced to turn back to London Heathrow Airport after a laser beam hit the cockpit after take off, causing a "medical issue" for one of the pilots. It …

'US search' for next Ofsted head 14 February 2016 From the section Education & Family Image copyright PA Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is understood to be looking to the US for the next head of England's schools inspectorate Ofsted. It is thought several Americans are to be approached about replacing Sir Michael Wilshaw, who will stand down as chief inspector in December. The Sunday Times says a figure working in the…