Best of BBC news

Challenges ahead for new president in quake-hit Chile

Lost Boys actor Corey Haim dies at the age of 38, the Los Angeles coroner's office confirms.

The US vice-president renews criticism of Israel over an East Jerusalem building project and calls for bold steps for peace.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says it is the US, not Tehran, that is playing a "double game" in Afghanistan.

A former UK spy chief says she did not know US intelligence services were mistreating terror suspects until after she retired.

A poll released in the US reveals significant differences in the sleep habits and attitudes of Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics and Whites, as the BBC's Jane O'Brien reports.

The earthquake in Chile may cost the global insurance industry as much as $7bn (£4.7bn), Swiss Re estimates.

Actress Farrah Fawcett was not in the Oscars memorial segment because she was more known as a TV star, the Academy says.

Granny D, who walked across the US at the age of 89 in support of election campaign finance reform, dies.

Can all species live side by side in unique ecosystem?

Ban Ki-moon pays tribute to the 101 UN staff who died in the Haiti quake, as President Preval seeks US support for the economy.

A US woman from Pennsylvania faces charges of using the internet to recruit female militant fighters for deadly attacks abroad.

10 years on from the burst Nasdaq bubble

Brussels says it hopes European aerospace group EADS was not prevented from fairly bidding for a major US defence deal.

A US TV producer pleads guilty to attempting to blackmail US chat show host David Letterman over his affairs.

President Barack Obama has 'responded positively' to calls to clamp down on market speculators, says the Greek PM after talks.

The US State Department apologises for comments its spokesman made after Libya's Col Gaddafi called for a jihad against Switzerland.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz does a deal with Colony Capital to clear huge debts that meant she may have lost her library of famous pictures.

US Vice-President Joe Biden hails a "moment of real opportunity" for Middle East peace talks and stresses US support for Israel.

Greece's prime minister asks the US to crack down on speculators he blames for worsening his country's debt woes.