Facebook shares are to start trading in one of the highest-profile flotations of recent years, making co-founder Mark Zuckerberg's stake worth about $20bn.

European markets suffer a nervous session with investors unsettled by a downgrade for Spanish banks and the political crisis in Greece.

A painting showing President Jacob Zuma with his genitals hanging out sparks the anger of South Africa's ANC, which says it will go to court.

The UN chief Ban Ki-moon says that Islamist militants from al-Qaeda must be behind two recent devastating suicide car bomb attacks in Syria.

Dieting in pregnancy is safe and does not carry risks for the baby, the British Medical Journal says in a review of research.

The EU Commission and European Central Bank are making contingency plans for a possible Greek exit from the euro, an EU commissioner says.

US President Barack Obama is set to announce a $3bn (£1.9bn) plan to boost food security in Africa ahead of a G-8 summit near Washington.

Lai Changxing, extradited from Canada to China to face smuggling and bribery charges, is jailed for life in China, state media says.

Japan urges businesses and households to cut electricity use by up to 15% to avoid possible blackouts.

Japan completes its first successful commercial launch of a foreign-made satellite early on Friday, marking its entry into the launch business.

A Florida neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot an unarmed black teenager had a bloody nose and a cut on his head, according to police reports.

Researchers reveal details of a promising way to make a fundamentally different kind of computer memory chip.

The first pictures are released showing inside the "world's most expensive house", owned by the Ambani family in Mumbai.

Google is facing legal action for not labelling the body of water separating Iran and neighbouring Arab Gulf states on its map service.

President Barack Obama joins a host of music industry luminaries in paying tribute to Donna Summer following the disco star's death at the age of 63.

Children from racial and ethnic minorities now account for more than half the births in the US, estimates from the latest census data say.

Officials say prisoners have taken control of a jail in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula where at least one person died in a fight between inmates on Wednesday.

The Brazilian government reaches a deal with Rio de Janeiro hotel owners to cut spiralling room prices ahead of a major UN summit in the city.

Angola's Supreme Court blocks the appointment of the election commission head, seen as a close ally of President dos Santos.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki arrives in Sudan to try to restart talks between Sudan and South Sudan after heavy fighting last month.

Relatives of Chen Guangcheng describe beatings meted out by local officials after the Chinese activist's escape from house arrest last month.

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan is banned from Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium for five years following angry exchanges with staff at an IPL cricket match.

No 10 rejects suggestions of a rift between David Cameron and Francois Hollande ahead of their first talks at the G8 summit in the US.

A Russian court jails an employee of a defence plant in the Urals for spying, in a case said to involve submarine-based nuclear missiles.

The King of Bahrain and Swaziland's King Mswati III are among controversial monarchs attending a Windsor Castle lunch hosted by The Queen.

The US has plans in place to attack Iran if other measures fail to stop it developing nuclear weapons, Washington's envoy to Israel says.

Prime Minister David Cameron defends free parenting classes in England, denying they are the policy of a "nanny state".

Thieves steal a metal plaque erected in memory of two young boys killed by IRA bombs in the Cheshire town of Warrington.

Chinese property prices continued to fall during April after the government kept policies in place to curb speculation.

The US says it will impose import tariffs of about 30% on Chinese solar companies, saying China is flooding it with subsidised products.

Our daily morning business round-up looks at the main stories in Europe and Asia.

Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers is not interested in speaking to Liverpool about their vacant managerial position.

Aston Villa are talking to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about taking over as their new manager, according to his club Molde.

Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney are fit to start for Leinster in Saturday's Heineken Cup final against Ulster.

Sweden is the frontrunner to win at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, while Engelbert Humperdinck believes the UK can triumph.

Jackie Chan confirms he will be steering away from action roles in the future.

Critics praise Danny DeVito's West End debut opposite Richard Griffiths, in a revival of Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys.

Relatives of the blind Chinese activist, Chen Guangcheng, have given detailed accounts of the torture and retribution they have allegedly suffered at the hands of Chinese authorities.

With rising crime and suicide rates, Greek comic Katerina Vrana explores the human cost of the financial crisis in her homeland.

G8 leaders are due to meet at Camp David in the US, as world stock markets fall in response to the latest downgrading of 16 banks in Spain by the ratings agency Moody's.

Nearly half of babies in Malawi are affeced by stunted growth because of malnutrition.

One of the biggest floatations ever seen on world stock markets will take place today when shares in the social networking site Facebook go on sale.

Italy has a history for creating spectacular architecture, as seen in cities like Rome and Venice, yet one town in Sicily has found itself blighted by modern building disasters.

Passengers on New York's subway system are familiar with the sight of buskers performing for the crowds, but the musicians who play underground must be scrutinised before earning a spot there.

Tens of thousands of Chilean students take to the streets to demand free education.

Watch the latest news summary from BBC World News. International news updated 24 hours a day.

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