World news / Americas

Canadian to command space station

news.bbc.co.uk - The Canadian Space Agency announces astronaut Chris Hadfield will become the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station in 2013. More... (Americas)

Tanker runs aground off N Canada

news.bbc.co.uk - A tanker carrying 9m litres of diesel fuel runs aground in the Northwest Passage, off the coast of northern Canada. More... (Americas)

'Lights out' help migratory birds

news.bbc.co.uk - A growing number of New York sky-scrapers switch off their lights at night to help reduce the number of migratory birds hitting the buildings. More... (Americas)

US accuses 11 of honey smuggling

news.bbc.co.uk - US authorities indict 11 German and Chinese executives for conspiring to illegally import $40m worth of honey from China. More... (Americas)

Tracking Hurricane Earl's progress

news.bbc.co.uk - Susan Powell takes a look at the track of the current Atlantic storms More... (Americas)

How does Samsung's Galaxy Tab compare?

news.bbc.co.uk - Tablet computers to rival Apple's iPad are creating a stir as one of Europe's largest technology shows, the IFA, gets under way in Berlin. More... (Americas)

Explosion on Gulf of Mexico rig

news.bbc.co.uk - An explosion has torn through an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the oil rig blast in April that caused a huge oil spill. More... (Americas)

Dell pulls out of battle for 3Par

news.bbc.co.uk - Dell withdraws its bid for 3Par after rival Hewlett-Packard raises its offer for the data storage company to $2.1bn. More... (Americas)

US East Coast on hurricane alert

news.bbc.co.uk - Areas along the US East Coast declare states of emergency as Hurricane Earl churns towards the region, forecast to brush land on Thursday night. More... (Americas)

HP ups the offer again for 3Par

news.bbc.co.uk - Hewlett Packard yet again increases its offer to win data storage company 3Par ahead of rival Dell computing. More... (Americas)

Burger King is sold for $3.26bn

news.bbc.co.uk - Burger King is being sold to private equity firm 3G Capital in a deal valued at $3.26bn (£2.1bn), it has been announced. More... (Americas)

'Edgy town'

news.bbc.co.uk - Canada provides backdrop for Kerouac's On The Road More... (Americas)

My dad worked for the mafia

news.bbc.co.uk - Jennifer Mascia gave World News America a first person account of her extraordinary childhood and her surprise at finding out about her father's mafia past. More... (Americas)

Obama calls for Mid-East progress

news.bbc.co.uk - President Obama urges Mid-East leaders not to let the chance of a peace deal slip away, ahead of a new round of talks. More... (Americas)

Discovery Channel gunman killed

news.bbc.co.uk - Police shoot dead a gunman who took three hostages at the Discovery Communications HQ near Washington and free his prisoners. More... (Americas)

Obama demands Mid-East progress

news.bbc.co.uk - President Obama urges Mid-East leaders not to let the chance of a peace deal slip away, ahead of a new round of talks. More... (Americas)

US Discovery hostage drama ends

news.bbc.co.uk - A gunman who took three hostages at the Discovery Communications HQ in the US is shot and his prisoners are free, police say. More... (Americas)

'Noo Yoik'

news.bbc.co.uk - Documenting New Yorkers' changing accents More... (Americas)

'We have an ongoing hostage situation'

news.bbc.co.uk - A man with a gun has taken at least one hostage inside the Discovery Communications offces in Silver Spring, near Washington DC. More... (Americas)

Hostages taken at US Discovery HQ

news.bbc.co.uk - A man with a gun takes a "small number" of hostages inside the Discovery Communications HQ in Silver Spring, near Washington DC. More... (Americas)

Apple launches MySpace challenger

news.bbc.co.uk - Apple launches a music-based social network called Ping as part of its latest upgrade to the iTunes music software. More... (Americas)

Hostage taken at US Discovery HQ

news.bbc.co.uk - A man with a gun takes a hostage inside the Discovery Communications headquarters building in Silver Spring, Maryland. More... (Americas)

Obama condemns W Bank 'slaughter'

news.bbc.co.uk - President Barack Obama condemns the "senseless slaughter" of four Israeli settlers, as he opens a new round of Mid-East diplomacy. More... (Americas)

Yemeni flight pair freed without charge

news.bbc.co.uk - Two Yemenis arrested in Amsterdam on suspicion of planning a terror attack are released, prosecutors in the Netherlands say. More... (Americas)

Lehman 'could have received help'

news.bbc.co.uk - The former head of Lehman Brothers, Dick Fuld, blames regulators for the collapse of the Wall Street investment bank. More... (Americas)

Handover marks 'new chapter' for Iraq

news.bbc.co.uk - US Vice-President Joe Biden has spoken at a ceremony marking the end of US combat operations in Iraq. More... (Americas)

Hurricane prompts US evacuations

news.bbc.co.uk - Areas on the US east coast likely to be hit by Hurricane Earl are starting to evacuate as the storm draws nearer. More... (Americas)

Michael Douglas speaks of cancer

news.bbc.co.uk - Actor Michael Douglas has given his first interview since announcing he has throat cancer. More... (Americas)

No-vacation nation

news.bbc.co.uk - Would America benefit from as much holiday as Europe? More... (Americas)

Alaska senator drops out of race

news.bbc.co.uk - Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski accepts defeat in her re-election bid, and the Republican party nomination goes to a newcomer backed by the Tea Party. More... (Americas)

Obama hails US operation in Iraq

news.bbc.co.uk - President Obama hails the end of US combat operations in Iraq, saying the US has paid a "a huge price" to "put Iraq's future in its people's hands". More... (Americas)

'New homeless'

news.bbc.co.uk - The working people paying to live in LA's shelters More... (Americas)