French-led troops in Mali have entered the historic city of Timbuktu, after capturing the airport from militant Islamists, a French army officer says.

Greece's finance minister is optimistic about his country coming out of recession by the end of 2013 and says chances of a euro exit are "very small".

Spanish doctor Dr Eufemiano Fuentes appears in court accused of running one of the world's largest sports doping rings.

A European court clears the Icelandic government of failing to guarantee minimum levels of compensation for UK and Dutch savers in the collapsed Icesave bank.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands announces she is abdicating, and will hand the crown to her son, Prince Willem-Alexander, on 30 April.

Anger in Mexico at release of France's Florence Cassez

The European Commission will award a total of 2bn euros for research into brain disease and into the "wonder material" graphene.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin dismisses the leader of Dagestan, who has been unable to curb an Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus republic.

A Royal Navy submarine is ruled out of involvement in the sinking of a French trawler and the deaths of its crew off Cornwall in 2004.

Guns lifted from 18th-Century British warship

Ryanair's Deputy Chief Executive, Michael Cawley, tells BBC News that the company has increased its profit forecast for the full year after a better-than-expected performance in the last three months of 2012.

As the big freeze sets in across parts of Europe, more people in Greece are choosing to burn wood at home as they can no longer afford heating oil.

Ryanair lifts its full-year profit forecast to 540m euros ($725m; £460m) after a better-than-expected performance in the last three months of 2012.

Italy's former premier Silvio Berlusconi has stoked controversy by praising Benito Mussolini on Holocaust Memorial Day - despite Il Duce's anti-Jewish laws.

Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in the French capital Paris in support of government plans to legalise marriage and adoption for same-sex couples.

BBC Inside Out investigates the rise in trafficking women through UK borders to work in the sex trade and asks if Romania can provide lessons for the UK.

Jan Leeming uncovers the true story of French Battle of Britain hero Rene Mouchotte whose wartime death was shrouded in mystery.

Greeks turn to illegal logging to stay warm

A controversial referendum on whether to build a new nuclear power plant in Bulgaria appears to have been invalidated by low turnout.

Italy's gaffe-prone former premier Silvio Berlusconi stokes controversy by praising Benito Mussolini on Holocaust Memorial Day - despite Il Duce's anti-Jewish laws.