National / International News

Romania's prime minister has defended his country after a wave of negative reporting. Why does it have a bad public image?

Two people are arrested on suspicion of involvement in an acid attack on a woman in east London.

Voting starts on the second day of Italy's elections - seen as crucial for efforts to tackle economic problems as well as for the eurozone at large.

Today India launched seven satellites into space. It's the latest mission for India's space agency, which has its eyes on Mars at the moment.

The BBC's Shilpa Kennan in Delhi joins Marketplace Morning Report host Jeremy Hobson to discuss the breadth of India's space program and how it fits into the budget of the emerging economy.

Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) cancels all Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights until at least the end of May, in the latest blow to Boeing.

Israel's defence ministry says it has successfully tested its new long-range missile interceptor system, Arrow 3.

Poor weather in January curtailed mortgage approvals while borrowers continued to play safe on loans and overdrafts, the major banks say.

Adele wins the Oscar for best original song for Skyfall, the first Academy Award for a Bond film in 47 years.

Brave follows its success at the Baftas and Golden Globes by winning an Oscar for best animated feature film.

The nine-year-old will play the lead role in the film, which is being produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z.

American Danica Patrick secures the best ever finish for a woman in the Daytona 500 by finishing eighth.

A woman is injured and two family dogs are hurt in a blast bomb attack at a house in north Belfast.

Oakland, Calif., is issuing municipal ID cards to anyone who can prove residency. It doubles as a debit card. Supporters say it will help residents who are poor, without a bank or undocumented. Immigration control advocates say the city is abetting illegal immigration.

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A Qatari poet sentenced to life in prison for inciting the overthrow of the government and insulting Qatar's rulers has had his jail term cut.

The body behind the regeneration of Dundee's Waterfront announces that the city is to get its first five-star hotel.

The Vatican says it will investigate claims Britain's most senior Roman Catholic, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, behaved "inappropriately" towards four priests in the 1980s.

Sponsorship deals between businesses and schools will not "commercialise the classroom", a council leader says.

Curvy models strut their stuff at Sao Paulo fashion show

Comedian has shaken up Italian politics, says Gavin Hewitt

This final note today, in which Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, says about lawmakers what a lot of people here have been thinking.

Johnson went before the London Assembly today -- the city's version of a legislature -- to talk about a budget cut that's coming. Assembly members apparently had no questions for him, which brought this response from the notoriously outspoken Johnson: "Are you saying they don't have the guts to put questions to me? Great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies."

Next member of Congress we get on the show, I'm totally calling them a great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jelly. Totally.