Ex-Pope defrocked nearly 400 priests
Nearly 400 priests were defrocked in only two years by the former Pope, Benedict XVI, over claims of sexual child abuse, the Vatican confirms. BBC News – Europe
Craig Taylor
Obama orders curbs on NSA data use
President Obama orders curbs on the use of bulk data collected by the NSA, which he says must respect privacy and civil liberties. BBC News – US & Canada
Uganda leader blocks anti-gay laws
Uganda’s president refuses to approve a bill to toughen punishments for homosexuals, saying gay people should be “rescued” not killed or imprisoned. BBC News – Africa
Hariri murder trial begins at Hague
The in-absentia trial of four men accused of murdering Lebanese ex-PM Rafik Hariri in 2005 begins at an unprecedented tribunal at The Hague. BBC News – Middle East
Home sales ‘highest for six years’
The number of UK homes sold per surveyor has more than doubled since the depth of the housing market downturn, a survey suggests. BBC News – Business
UN hears Vatican on child abuse
Vatican officials are expected to face tough questions over the sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy as they attend a UN panel in Geneva. BBC News – Europe