Chuck Hagel is sworn in as the new US defence secretary, a day after the Senate approved his appointment following a bruising nomination battle.

Fashion giant DKNY apologises to a US street photographer after hundreds of his photos were used in a Bangkok shop display without permission.

A mobile app that can analyse urine for 25 medical conditions has been launched at the TED conference in Los Angeles.

Aerospace and defence group EADS reports a rise in profits and sales in 2012, boosted by a strong performance from its aircraft maker Airbus.

Beer drinkers in the US have filed a $5m (£3.3m) lawsuit accusing Anheuser-Busch of watering down its beer.

A BP executive tells a US court the oil giant was not solely responsible for the 2010 oil spill, on the second day of a trial to determine liability.

Bobby Brown. the New Edition singer and former husband of Whitney Houston, is sentenced to 55 days in prison and four years probation for drink-driving offences.

Why farmers are buying robots to milk their cows

A former New York policeman accused of plotting to cannibalise women exchanged disturbing emails with a co-conspirator in the UK, a court hears.

President Obama ramps up pressure on lawmakers over looming spending cuts, which officials cite as they release hundreds of illegal immigrants.

US beer lovers are suing Anheuser-Busch for allegedly watering down its Budweiser, Michelob and other popular American beer brands.

President Barack Obama has urged Congress to pass a bill to avert massive new spending cuts of $85bn (£56bn) which will be triggered automatically at the end of this week unless it is approved.

The US economy registers surprisingly strong consumer confidence and new home sales data, suggesting the recovery is gathering steam.

Home Depot's profits jump by a third as the US home improvements chain benefits from the housing market upturn and repairs after Storm Sandy.

An inmate at a high-security Pennsylvania prison kills a guard, the first time a federal officer has died at work in almost five years.

A teenager pleads guilty to murdering three other students and wounding two at a high school in the US state of Ohio.

US-led military forces in Afghanistan admit that an "error" led them mistakenly to claim a fall in Taliban attacks last year.

How tragic Russian toddler's death has become a political football

Jack Lew is poised to become the next US treasury secretary after being approved by the Senate's influential finance committee.

US bank JP Morgan Chase increases its planned job cuts to 19,000 by the end of next year in its mortgage and community banking businesses.