Judge agrees with human rights watchdog that British National party’s rewritten criteria for joining are still racist The British National party (BNP) has been barred from taking new members after a judge ruled today that its constitution could discriminate against non-white people. Judge Paul Collins issued an injunction ordering the far-right group to comply with race equality laws, adding that “the membership list will have to be closed until then”

Animals at Shenyang Forest zoo reportedly starved to death after being fed only chicken bones Eleven rare Siberian tigers, starving and kept in small cages, have died at a cash-strapped zoo in China, heightening concerns about conditions at wildlife facilities in the country. The deaths of the tigers occurred in the past three months at the zoo based in the cold north-east. Reports said the tigers starved to death, having been fed only chicken bones

Karl Rove is proud that the US used water torture to break the will of prisoners and foil terror plots A senior adviser to former US president George Bush has said he is proud that the country used waterboarding to elicit information from terrorism suspects. Karl Rove , Bush’s chief political strategist for much of his presidency, defended the interrogation approach authorised during Bush’s tenure, saying he was “proud we used techniques that broke the will of these terrorists”

Melting sea ice in the Arctic will kill thousands of bears in coming years, the US says, and continued commercial trade must not be allowed to make the situation worse It is a familiar story in the climate change debate. The US government is at odds with the rest of the world and, despite criticism, wants other countries to change their minds and fall in line behind Uncle Sam.

Party leader accuses education officials of taking no action against teachers promoting leftwing politics The British National party (BNP) has accused local education authorities of taking no action against “leftwing teachers … promoting their own politically correct brand of politics” as it welcomed ministers’ decision not to ban BNP members from the profession

Dr Rowan Williams adds voice to growing criticism of scheme to build nearly 2,000 homes on occupied territory The archbishop of Canterbury has waded into the row over Israeli plans to build hundreds of homes on occupied territory, saying the proposals left him feeling “baffled and angry”. Rowan Williams told an audience in London that although he believed the Israeli state had a right to exist, he had yet to hear a legal defence of settlement construction

At least 39 killed and 95 wounded in suicide blasts which appeared to target Pakistani military Twin blasts rocked Lahore today, hitting a high-security military district and killing at least 39 people. Unconfirmed reports put the death toll at up to 50, while more than 95 people were injured.

British Airways cabin crew to hold two weekend walkouts in March over staff cuts, Unite says • How would the strike affect you? British Airways cabin crew will stage a series of strikes over two consecutive weekends this month, beginning with a three-day walkout on 20 March and followed by a four-day action from 27 March. The first strikes by BA cabin crew in nearly 13 years have been called by the Unite trade union after a breakdown in talks over staffing cuts.

Catholic prelate says priests and deacons should keep sermons brief and maintain eye contact to keep flock well-tended The book of Genesis says God created the heavens and Earth in less than a week. Now, Catholic clergy are being asked to follow suit and keep their sermons to under eight minutes in a recommendation issued from the Vatican. Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, says homilies should be brief to cater for people with short attention spans

Commander of new police rapid-response force among victims of explosion after gun battle in eastern Afghanistan Insurgents opened fire on a police post in eastern Afghanistan and detonated a roadside bomb as police reinforcements arrived, killing three officers. Among the dead was the commander of a new police rapid-response force created in Paktia province to deal with Taliban threats, said Azizudin Wardak, the provincial police chief. Two more members of the elite force were wounded, while another officer was injured in the gun battle near Gardez, the provincial capital, last night