Two Somali men who pleaded guilty to piracy for a hijacking that ended in the deaths of four American sailors are sentenced to life in prison in the US.

Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam makes a defiant appearance in Tripoli, a day after rebels said they had captured him, amid fierce battles.

Nasa says it will now cost $8.7bn to launch the James Webb Space Telescope in 2018 and operate it for five years.

A BBC film crew get inside the head of the world's largest venomous animal.

Jerry Leiber, one of the men who penned classic Elvis Presley songs Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock dies in California at the age of 78.

Hurricane Irene gains strength as it skirts north coast of Dominican Republic, after blasting through Puerto Rico, and continues north-west towards the US.

At least 600 people have been killed in ethnic clashes in South Sudan's eastern state of Jonglei, the United Nations mission in the country says.

The price of gold crosses $1,900 per ounce mark for the first time on growing concerns about a slowdown in global economy.