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David Cameron promises in/out referendum on EU
David Cameron has said the British people must "have their say" on Europe as he pledged an in/out referendum if the Conservatives win the election.
The prime minister said he wanted to renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU and then give people the "simple choice" between staying in under those new terms, or leaving the EU.
The news was welcomed by Eurosceptics who have long campaigned for a vote.
France and Germany both warned the UK could not "cherry pick" EU membership.
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Algeria crisis Hostages wife is so proud
The wife of a British man killed in the Algeria hostage crisis has spoken of being "so proud" of her husband.
Sebastian John has been named by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as being one of the victims of the siege.
His wife, Nicola John, said the Loughborough University graduate was "the most amazing person... a fantastic husband, father, son and brother".
Six UK nationals are thought to have been among 37 foreigners killed in the attack at the In Amenas gas plant.
Mrs John added: "There won't be a moment that goes by where we won't think of him.
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London Helicopter Crash Passenger had concerns about weather
A passenger due to be collected by a helicopter which crashed in central London had suggested the pilot delay taking off, it has been revealed.
Pilot Capt Pete Barnes and a pedestrian died when the helicopter hit a crane in Vauxhall on 16 January.
A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch shows the client had concerns about the weather and twice suggested take-off be delayed.
The pilot responded by saying he was already starting his engines.
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Hillary Clinton defends handling of Benghazi attack
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has angrily defended her handling of the raid on a US consulate in Libya, in back-to-back hearings on Capitol Hill.
Mrs Clinton lashed out at a senator who accused the Obama administration of misleading the public.
She took responsibility for security failures that led to the 11 September attack but said she had not seen requests for more security beforehand.
It was her last appearance at Congress as America's top diplomat.
"Nobody is more committed to getting this right," Mrs Clinton told the Senate foreign relations committee.
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Mali conflict US begins French troop airlifts
The US military has begun airlifting French soldiers and equipment to Mali to support their operation against Islamist militants.
Five US flights had already landed in the capital, Bamako, with more planned in the coming days, a spokesman said.
France began its intervention nearly two weeks ago with the aim of halting the militants' advance south.
It plans to hand command of the operation to a West African force which has some 1,000 soldiers on the ground.
An estimated 2,000 French troops are currently in Mali, with 500 more expected.
Desert fighters
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Israel coalition talks begin after election deadlock
Coalition talks have begun in Israel after near-complete general election results gave right-wing and centre-left blocs 60 seats each in parliament.
President Shimon Peres is expected to ask Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attempt to form a new government.
His Likud-Beitenu alliance lost a quarter of its seats in the Knesset but remains the largest grouping with 31.
He has offered to work with the newly-formed Yesh Atid party, which shocked observers by coming second with 19.
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Australian amateur prospector finds massive gold nugget
An amateur prospector in the Australian state of Victoria has astonished experts by unearthing a gold nugget weighing 5.5kg (177 ounces).
The unidentified man, using a handheld metal detector, found the nugget on Wednesday, lying 60cm underground near the town of Ballarat.
Its value has been estimated at more than A$300,000 ($315,000: £197,000).
Local gold experts say gold has been prospected in the area for decades, but no such discovery had been made before.
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Apartment building collapses in Alexandria
A block of flats has collapsed in the coastal Egyptian city of Alexandria, killing at least 25 people.
Others were injured as the eight-story building collapsed, reports said. The cause of the collapse is not yet clear.
The incident came a day after 19 conscripts were killed when a military train carrying new recruits derailed south of Egypt's capital, Cairo,
That accident sparked several protests accusing the government of failing to overhaul Egypt's aged public services.
Building collapses are not uncommon in Egypt because of lax building standards, analysts say.
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Two die in London when helicopter crashes into crane accident
Two people were killed and 12 were hurt when a helicopter crashed into a crane on a building in central London.
The helicopter hit the crane on top of The Tower, One St George Wharf beside the Thames at about 08:00 GMT.
Cars and two buildings caught fire after the burning wreckage fell into Wandsworth Road in South Lambeth. Eighty firefighters tackled the blaze.
The pilot, Capt Pete Barnes from charter firm Rotormotion, was killed, along with a person on the ground.
Mr Barnes, 50 and from near Reading, Berkshire, had asked to be diverted to a nearby heliport because of bad weather.
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US gun debate: Obama unveils gun control proposals
President Barack Obama has unveiled sweeping gun control proposals, setting the stage for a showdown with firearms rights advocates.
Mr Obama called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and wider background checks on gun buyers.
The Democratic president also signed 23 executive-order measures, which do not require congressional approval.
Mr Obama said gun-control reforms could not wait any longer, after last month's school massacre in Connecticut.
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