But apology is inadequate, victims say, and attacks must stop

Interpol issued a global security alert yesterday, warning countries around the world to be on their guard after a series of jail breaks believed to be linked to al-Qa'ida.

Campaigners protested in central London against the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).

On 29 May 1953, the New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and the Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit of the planet's highest mountain, described by Hillary as "a symmetrical beautiful snow cone".

Sexism is alive and well in the world of children's playthings. Katie Grant hears from the parents who are fighting back

This arresting image from the London 2012 Olympics, entitled The Golden Touch – fencing at the Olympics, shows the Men's Sabre Team Placement 5-6 match between Nicolas Limbach of Germany and Jingzhi Wang of China. The shot, taken by Russian photographer Sergei Ilnitsky, has secured him second prize in the sports category for Sports Action Stories in the 56th World Press Photo Contest.

Valentine's Day, dismissed by many as a cynical Hallmark holiday, actually stretches back to about 498AD, when it was established by Pope Gelasius in honour of the Christian martyr Saint Valentine. But the dating game has undoubtedly changed since then – and, don't be fooled: it definitely is a game.

The 87-metre high sword-wielding statue of Mother Russia dominates Volgograd's skyline, as Russians yesterday observed the 70th anniversary of the Red Army victory in the Battle of Stalingrad.

Almost halfway through the traditional month of detox seems a good time to examine the grey area of legal highs. That such things exist in the first place can be traced back to the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920, which represented Britain's first formal drug legislation. Cocaine was banned, with cannabis added to the list in 1928. LSD was prohibited in 1966, and the substance that came to be known as Ecstasy was added a few years later.

From London to Liberia, nearly a billion people are living a hand-to-mouth existence. Katie Grant reports on global hunger and finds out how these families get through the week