Israel announces 1,600 new homes for East Jerusalem, threatening to overshadow the US vice-president's visit. Israel backs East Jerusalem build Dutch bishops order an inquiry into alleged sexual abuses of children by Catholic priests, threatening a new scandal. Dutch bishops order abuse inquiry Seven people are arrested in the Irish Republic over an alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist for depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Irish 'plot to kill cartoonist' A Nigerian Christian group accuses the army of ignoring warnings of attacks, as communal tension remains high near Jos. Nigeria 'ignored attack warnings' The US State Department apologises for comments its spokesman made after Libya's Col Gaddafi called for a holy war against Switzerland. US apology for Gaddafi comments Israel and Syria both tell a conference in Paris they want to use nuclear power to generate electricity. Israel and Syria in nuclear bids India's upper house sees a second day of uproar as it backs a bill to reserve a third of all parliamentary seats for women. Indian MPs approve women's bill A ransom was demanded for the stolen and now-recovered body of Cyprus ex-President Papadopoulos, a minister says. 'Ransom bid' in Cyprus body theft A US TV producer pleads guilty to attempting to blackmail US chat show host David Letterman over his affairs. Producer admits Letterman blackmail Two glass bottles said to contain the ghosts are bought for NZ$2,000 in an online auction in New Zealand. 'Bottled ghosts' attract New Zealand auction buyers Women can enjoy a tipple and stay slim, according to a study that shows moderate drinkers gain less weight than teetotallers. Women who drink wine in moderation stay slim, says study Arsenal take on Porto for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals and, in the Premier League, Portsmouth host Birmingham and Sunderland play Bolton. Live - Tuesday football Nicklas Bendtner silences his recent critics with a hat-trick as Arsenal see off Porto in emphatic fashion to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Arsenal 5-0 Porto (6-2) Families fight 'racist' Israeli marriage and citizenship law Separation fear Lone stand of anti-Taliban militia in Pakistan Thin red line Togo in trouble as election protests continue to rage In pictures Whales and tuna tied up in Eurotangle Earth Watch An EMF? Hard to set up and no cure for euro woes Hewitt on Europe The soldier who chucked a grenade back at the Taliban Throwing arm Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed says efforts are being made to release a UK couple held by pirates as soon as possible. Somali hope for Chandlers release The son of Rwanda's first President, Dominique Mbonyumutwa, protests at orders to exhume his father's remains. Row over exhuming Rwanda leader Brussels says it hopes European aerospace group EADS was not prevented from fairly bidding for a major US defence deal. EU concern over end of tanker bid Brazil is backed by the WTO as it slaps trade sanctions against US imports in retaliation for illegal subsidies to cotton farmers. Brazil slaps trade sanctions on US Indonesian security forces kill three alleged militants and investigate whether one is key Bali bomb suspect Dulmatin. Raids 'kill Indonesia militants' Japan confirms the existence of a secret Cold War pact allowing nuclear-armed US vessels to call at its ports. Japan confirms secret nuclear pact The Northern Ireland assembly votes in favour of a motion passing control of justice and policing from London to Belfast. NI passes key devolution move Research shows some EU countries "import" about a third of their carbon emissions from developing countries. Third of EU emissions 'imported' A former Israeli spy who played a key role in Africa, the Middle East and the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal has died. Israeli 'spymaster' dies aged 82 The voter turnout in Iraq's parliamentary election was 62%, officials say, despite attacks that killed 38 people. Iraq election voter turnout '62%' Bangladesh's government is ignoring the plight of thousands of starving Burmese refugees, a US medical charity warns. Bangladesh 'ignores' refugees US Defence Secretary Robert Gates warns of "hard fighting" ahead, in his first Afghan trip since a major offensive there. US warns of 'hard Afghan fight' Jim Muir reports on the new Kurdish party that has emerged in northern Iraq to mount a challenge in the third general election since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. New Kurdish party to challenge polls Andrew Harding reports from Harare on the uneasy mood among the white population and the MDC party as President Robert Mugabe says he's ready for another term. Bitterness and unease in Zimbabwe Joe Biden is in the region to encourage talks between the Palestinians and Israel. What can be achieved? Can US broker Middle East peace?