French doctors work to bring Schumacher out of coma

Doctors treating injured Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher are reducing his sedation to prepare to bring him out of a coma, his manager says.

This step will allow the "waking up process" to start, Sabine Kehm said in a statement.

But bringing the seven-times champion out of the coma "could take a long time", she added.

Climate change is 'killing Argentina's Magellanic penguin chicks'

Penguin chicks in Argentina are dying as a direct consequence of climate change, according to new research.

Drenching rainstorms and extreme heat are killing the young birds in significant numbers.

The study, conducted over 27 years, looked at climate impacts on the world's biggest colony of Magellanic penguins, which live on the arid Punta Tombo peninsula.

Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych defiant amid turmoil

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has insisted that he and his government are doing all they can to solve the crisis in the country.

But the political opposition continued to "inflame" the situation, he added.

The statement was issued in Ukrainian on the presidential websiteafter weeks of often-violent anti-government protests in Kiev and other cities led to a series of government concessions.

Africa’s Salvador Dali dreamscape

Standing atop the massive granite mound known as World’s View – the centrepiece of Zimbabwe’s Matopos National Park – is an unworldly experience.

Surreal, multicoloured lichen speckles the terracotta boulders in vivid hues of yellows, reds, greens and blacks: part Jackson Pollock canvas, part Salvador Dali dreamscape. The eerie silence – a stillness that is immensely serene – is almost spiritual and transcendental, looking out on a 360-degree panorama of timeless valley that

Michael Schumacher: One month on, unanswered questions remain

Exactly one month since a ski accident left him with critical head injuries, Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher remains in a medically induced coma.

There has been no official update from the French hospital where he is being treated since 6 January.

Urthecast's UK-built cameras attached to outside of space station

Two British-built Earth-observation cameras have been successfully installed on the outside of the International Space Station (ISS)

The cameras will be operated by the Canadian Urthecast company, which intends to stream high-resolution video of the planet to web users.

Russian cosmonauts completed the attachment in a six-hour spacewalk on Monday.

Texas hospital ends life support for pregnant Marlise Munoz

A brain-dead woman kept alive by a hospital in Texas because she was pregnant has been taken off life support.

A court had ruled that John Peter Smith Hospital must stop life-saving measures for Marlise Munoz by Monday.

Mrs Munoz, 33, was 14 weeks pregnant when she fell unconscious in November. It is believed she had a blood clot.

Making music videos 'helps young cancer patients cope'

Music therapy can help teenagers and young people cope better when faced with treatment for cancer, a study in Cancer journal suggests.

American researchers followed the experiences of a group of patients aged 11-24 as they produced a music video over three weeks.

They found the patients gained resilience and improved relationships with family and friends.

Egypt army 'backs Sisi as presidential candidate'

Egypt's top military body has given its approval for army chief Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to run for the presidency, state media report.

Field Marshal Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected leader, in July.

He is expected to accept the nomination from the Supreme Council for Armed Forces (Scaf) and resign from his military position within days.

Google patents ad tech linking restaurant to taxi ride

Technology giant Google has patented a way of linking online ads to free or discounted taxi rides to the advertising restaurant, shop or entertainment venue.

The transport-linked ad service could encourage consumers to respond more often to location-based special offers, experts say.

Algorithms would work out the customer's location, the best route and form of transport, Google says.

Analysts have welcomed the idea.

Space travel vital to our survival, says UK astronaut

The British astronaut who is set to go into space next year has said that learning how to live and work in space will be essential to the survival of our species.

He is due to spend six months on the International Space Station next year.

Major Peake is currently undergoing intensive training in Germany to prepare for the mission.

Syria regime 'may quit Geneva II talks'

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has threatened to walk out of peace talks in Geneva just hours after they began, state media have said.

Mr Muallem told UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi he would quit if "serious" discussions had not begun by Saturday.

The regime and the opposition have refused to meet face-to-face and are

Ukraine protests spread beyond Kiev amid crisis talks

Violent protests in Ukraine have spread beyond the capital, Kiev, ahead of a crisis meeting between President Viktor Yanukovych and three key opposition leaders.

The governor of Lviv, in the west, was forced to sign his resignation as protesters stormed his offices.

Other reports spoke of protests in at least five more western cities.

Prosthetics: Meet the man with 13 legs

When Jozef Metelka gets up in the morning, one of his first decisions is which leg he’ll be wearing that day. After losing his right leg in a motorbike accident in 2009, the keen athlete has built up a collection of 12 specialist prosthetics designed to do everything from mountain biking to snowboarding.

Metelka’s first prosthetic leg was a basic model from the UK’s National Health Service, which allowed him to stand and walk, but was “nothing special”. Then he met with specialists at Pace Rehabilitation in Cheadle, UK, and his collection began to grow. The prostheticists at Pace began designing a suite of limbs to get him up and running – and skiing, and biking, and rollerblading. Each time Metelka suggested a new sport, the team designed a corresponding leg.

Nasa Dryden: Flying planes of the imagination

Instead, the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility (which could soon be renamed after Neil Armstrong – the first man on the Moon and an ex-Dryden test pilot) , is home to a vast fleet of aircraft that range from small propeller planes to some of the most advanced aircraft in the world.

The mission of the base is to “fly what others only imagine” and over the years it has lived up to its motto.

Sea otters: Saving kelp forests and our climate

Sea otters aren’t just cute – these fuzzy marine mammals also perform an important role protecting the kelp forests which maintain our climate and prevent storm damage.

The kelp forests fringing the North Pacific coast are one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth. The fish that find refuge form the basis of an immense ocean food web and a huge fishing industry. Kelp beds buffer coastlines from storms and sequester carbon as

Dieudonne questioned after France complaint from bailiffs

Police have questioned controversial French comedian Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala after bailiffs alleged they were fired on with rubber bullets at his house.

The bailiffs had said they could not ascertain who had opened fire but a weapon was later found during a search of Dieudonne's property.

Ukraine protests: Two protesters killed in Kiev clashes

Two protesters have been killed in clashes with police in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Prosecutors confirmed they had died from bullet wounds. They are the first fatalities since protests began in November at the government's rejection of a planned treaty with the EU.

Wednesday's clashes began after police

Syria Geneva II peace talks witness bitter exchanges

Syria's government and main political opposition have traded bitter accusations on the first day of a major peace conference in Switzerland.

The opposition and US said President Bashar al-Assad had no legitimacy and must step down from power.

Syria's foreign minister had a terse

Vatican cleric Scarano charged with money-laundering

A senior Italian cleric has been charged with laundering millions through the Vatican bank, police say.

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano is already on trial and under house arrest on separate charges of plotting to smuggle 20m euros ($26m; £17m) into Italy.

The former Vatican accountant and two other people were served with arrest

Thailand imposes state of emergency over unrest

The Thai government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in the capital, Bangkok, and the surrounding provinces, from Wednesday, to cope with unrest.

The decree gives the government wide-ranging powers to deal with disorder.

Anti-government protesters have been blocking parts of the capital to try to force PM Yingluck Shinawatra to resign.

US and UN express horror at Syria torture report

The US and UN have reacted with "horror" to allegations in a new report that Syria has systematically tortured and executed about 11,000 detainees since the start of the uprising.

The US said the reports underscored the need to remove the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria conflict: Half population urgently need aid - UN

The UN secretary general says that half of Syria's population, some 9.3 million people, are in urgent need of aid.

Ban Ki-moon was speaking at a donor conference in Kuwait promoting the UN's largest ever appeal for a single issue.

Hollande ducks First Lady Valerie Trierweiler question

French President Francois Hollande has said he is experiencing a "difficult moment" in his private life, following claims of an affair with an actress.

But he refused to answer questions over the report, saying "private matters should be dealt with privately".

Mr Hollande was speaking at his first news conference since the allegations in the magazine Closer last week.

Egypt referendum: Tight security but clashes claim lives

A first day of voting has been taking place in Egypt on a new constitution that could pave the way for fresh elections.

But clashes involving supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi led to several deaths.

The new charter is to replace the constitution passed under Mr Morsi before he was forced out by the army.

Nigeria violence: Deadly bomb blast in Maiduguri

A car bomb has exploded in the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 17 people.

The Islamist group Boko Haram said it carried out the attack. A suspect has been arrested, the military says.

The bomb went off near a market, sending up a large plume of smoke. People were seen fleeing the scene covered in blood.

Pine Island Glacier's retreat 'irreversible'

Antarctica's mighty Pine Island Glacier (PIG) is now very probably in a headlong, self-sustaining retreat.

This is the conclusion of three teams that have modelled its behaviour.

Even if the region were to experience much colder conditions, the retreat would continue, the teams tell the journal Nature Climate Change.

This means PIG is set to become an even more significant contributor to global sea level rise - on the order of perhaps 3.5-10mm in the next 20 years.

Israel holds burial service for Ariel Sharon

Israel is holding the burial service of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his family ranch in the Negev desert.

Earlier, speakers at the state memorial described him as an "indomitable" man devoted to the security of his people.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "one of the greatest military commanders the Jewish people have had".

India hails polio-free 'milestone'

India is marking three years since its last reported polio case, a landmark in the global battle against the disease.

It is seen as confirmation of one of India's biggest public health successes, achieved through a massive and sustained immunisation programme.

India's health minister hailed it as a

Turkish corruption probe row deepens

Turkey has dismissed 350 police officers in the capital Ankara in the biggest shake-up since a corruption inquiry targeting government allies.

Hours later the top judiciary body said it would investigate alleged misconduct by officials overseeing the inquiry.

The sons of three cabinet ministers were among more than 50 detained in raids last month.

Spanish princess Infanta Cristina summoned over fraud

 Spanish judge has summoned the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos to appear in court over accusations of fraud and money-laundering.

The Infanta Cristina, 48, has been linked to the business affairs of her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, who is being investigated for alleged embezzlement.

The princess is now a formal suspect and should appear in court on 8 March.