Obama suffers blow over nominees
Tom Daschle withdraws his nomination as US health secretary, hours after another Obama nominee withdrew.

EU attacks 'Buy American' clause
The EU urges the US to cut the "Buy American" clause from its economic recovery plan amid fears of rising protectionism.

Ford monthly sales plunge by 42%
Ford's US sales plunged 42% in January, as the woes facing the country's beleaguered carmakers appear to be worsening.

Reporters track the changes
The BBC's Washington correspondents track developments in the first 100 days of Barack Obama's presidency.

Colombia's Farc release hostage
Colombian Farc rebels release a former provincial governor held hostage since 2001 in the jungle, the Red Cross says.

Venezuela marks decade of Chavez
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela tells supporters his socialist revolution is on track as he marks 10 years in office

Republican to join Obama cabinet
US President Barack Obama picks Senator Judd Gregg as commerce secretary, the second Republican in the cabinet.

US skydiver lands dead instructor
A US soldier on his first skydive lands safely despite being attached to his instructor who died during the descent.

Furry forecaster's winter verdict
Punxsutawney Phil's predictions are for six more weeks of winter.

FROM BBC SPORT >>
Steelers clinch sixth Super Bowl
Pittsburgh win an unprecedented sixth Super Bowl title with a late touchdown in a 27-23 victory over Arizona.

US hails 'special ties' with UK
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hails America's "special" ties with the UK during talks with her British counterpart, David Miliband.

Dengue fever outbreak in Bolivia
Bolivia sounds the alarm about its worst outbreak of dengue fever for 22 years, which has already killed five people and infected 7,000.

US women's badminton team in Iran
The US is sending a women's badminton team to Tehran as part of an ongoing cultural exchange programme with Iran.

Polanski court request is denied
Film director Roman Polanski's request to have a hearing over a rape charge heard outside Los Angeles is denied.

Report shows wasted Iraq spending
Waste and corruption in US attempts to reconstruct Iraq is revealed in a special inspector's report

Macy's announces 7,000 job cuts
US department store chain Macy's is cutting 7,000 jobs as it reduces costs against a backdrop of falling sales.

IOC backs Phelps over 'pot pipe'
The International Olympic Committee backs Michael Phelps, despite a photo seeming to show the US swimmer using cannabis.

Colombia Farc hostages released
Colombia's Farc rebels set free four members of the security forces they had been holding hostage in the jungle.

Synagogue attacked in Venezuela
An armed gang ransacks a synagogue in Venezuela, and demands that Jews be expelled from the country.

Harley-Davidson gains $600m boost
Motorcycle firm Harley-Davidson secures a $600m cash injection, including $300m from billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

US car loan firm GMAC in profit
US car financing firm GMAC, which has received government help, has returned to profit after more than a year of losses.

Motorola loses ground to rivals
Mobile phone giant Motorola posts a fourth-quarter loss in 2008 and slips to fifth place in the global mobile phone market.

The new face of US Republicans
Why the new face of US Republicans matters

Obama's bi-partisan hopes dashed
Obama's hopes of bi-partisan support dashed in Congress

Chile indigenous politics on the move
The Chilean teacher striving for a political first

Life outside
A new approach to prisons and parole in the US

Bolivarian decade
Rival views on Venezuela after 10 years of Chavez

Been and gone
The villain behind one of Bob Dylan's protest songs

Haunted spirits
Coming to terms with ghosts of Canada's past

Guerrilla gains?
Peru's army on alert for resurgent Shining Path