The patient, believed to be 49, was being treated for acute respiratory syndrome and kidney failure

Half a dozen former members of the Blackburn constituency Labour Party, who had the unwanted distinction more than 30 years ago of being the first party members expelled for belonging to the secretive Trotskyite organisation, Militant, have extracted an apology from the town’s long-serving MP, Jack Straw. Not over their expulsion: the former Foreign Secretary has no qualms about that, but in his memoir Last Man Standing, published last year, Mr Straw added a claim that the six were siphoning party funds to give to striking miners. He has now admitted, in a letter to the Lancashire Telegraph, that it cannot be true. These events happened so long ago that they predated the 1984 miners’ strike.

Terror group has confirmed it’s readiness to free US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who has been held captive since 2009

Senior spokesman for insurgent group says 'We want to build bridges of confidence'

President Hamid Karzai also suspends talks with US on its military presence in after Nato leaves in 2014

Male statues had their genitalia covered with black cloths by authorities

The President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, was in Qatar today for talks with Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in an attempt to reach a peace deal with the Taliban, as the West prepares to leave Afghanistan.

Beirut projects those fleeing violence will account for half its population in a year

Syrian opposition representatives have taken Syria's seat at an Arab League summit held in Qatar in a significant diplomatic boost for the forces fighting President Bashar Assad's regime.

Moaz al-Khatib urged to remain as head of alliance trying to form transition government

British number one was below par against Irina-Camelia Begu

John Kerry’s decision to make London the first destination for an official visit as the new US Secretary of State was seen as a matter of kudos by the British government. And today, on arrival, the former presidential candidate spoke of his determination to reaffirm the “special relationship”.

Living up to her reputation as a Wimbledon champion has not always been easy for Petra Kvitova, but there have been signs in the last fortnight that the 22-year-old Czech is recapturing the form that took her to within two victories of becoming the world No 1 at the start of last year.

American returns to the top of the rankings