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The UN and the International Red Cross say the government has reported 133 deaths with nearly 400 people missing and homes and crops destroyed.
Rescue teams have been unable to reach some of the worst-hit areas.
North Korea already has chronic food shortages and is heavily dependent on foreign aid to feed its populatio... | Aid agencies have warned that North Korea is facing a humanitarian disaster after tens of thousands of people were displaced by flooding. | 37335857 |
The alternate minister for combating unemployment, who was a professional economist, said that the combination of the closure of the banks and austerity measures being forced on the country by eurozone and IMF creditors will tip Greece back into serious recession.
She also told me that she felt the government of Alexis... | Greece's economy will contract a further 3%, Athens minister Rania Antonopoulos has told me in a BBC interview. | 33508288 |
The alarm was raised at about 09:30 BST after the 16ft (5m) vessel was seen in Aberystwyth Harbour.
The town's lifeboat was launched and police, the ambulance service, air ambulance and the coastguard were called to the scene.
The other man is said to be in a stable condition in Bronglais Hospital.
The RNLI regained co... | A man has died after he and another man were pulled from the sea when an empty speedboat was spotted circling in the water. | 37228762 |
The Motherwell boss will not be in the dugout for the games against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen following the incidents at Dundee's Dens Park on 5 November.
McGhee will incur a ban for a third match if he again breaches Scottish FA disciplinary rule 203 this season.
Two further charges against McGhee were dropped at Thursd... | Mark McGhee will serve a two-match touchline ban after admitting use of abusing and/or insulting language towards a match official and a steward. | 38250085 |
The arrest followed an incident involving armed police at Shrewsbury Close on Wednesday.
Gwent Police is investigating alleged robberies at stores at Malpas Road and Albany Street at 08:15 BST and 08:21.
Chief Supt Marc Budden said officers responded quickly to "ensure there was little risk to the local community".
The... | A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of committing two armed robberies in Newport. | 40188240 |
Students at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich claim the figures, by the acclaimed artist Sir Antony Gormley, resemble people contemplating jumping off.
The work is part of an exhibition by the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and will be on display for five years.
UEA said it "is proud" to be hosting "thou... | An art installation featuring life-size human statues on top of university buildings has been criticised. | 39600258 |
Durham fast bowler Mark Wood has won a central contract for the first time.
In addition to the 11 central contracts for 2015-16, the ECB has also awarded eight incremental contracts.
Gary Ballance, Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes, who held full central contracts for 2014-15, are among the players given incremental deals ... | England one-day and Twenty20 captain Eoin Morgan is one of 11 players to have been given a central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board. | 34334649 |
Sanford Wallace, who is known as the "Spam King", faces a maximum prison sentence of three years and a fine of $250,000 (£160,000).
Wallace tricked people into revealing their login details which he then used to access half a million accounts.
He then used those accounts to send spam to other Facebook users.
The charg... | A Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty to fraud and criminal contempt after he sent more than 27 million spam messages through Facebook. | 34061931 |
The 30 year-old scored 17 goals in 69 league appearances for the Millers in two seasons at The New York Stadium.
He has previously played for Blackburn, Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest.
The club said in a statement: "We would like to place on record our thanks to Matt for his major contribution over the past two seaso... | Rotherham striker Matt Derbyshire has left the Championship club to join Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus. | 36560823 |
The Poppies: Weeping Window installation has adorned the steps of St George's Hall since November and ends on Sunday.
A larger display of the poppies was on show at The Tower of London in 2014.
Created by artists Paul Cummins and Tom Piper, the original artwork marked 100 years since the start of World War One.
The Wee... | Thousands are expected to visit a display of ceramic poppies during the exhibit's last weekend in Liverpool. | 35279941 |
Burgess, 26, left the Premiership side on Thursday to return to Australian NRL club South Sydney Rabbitohs.
He made the decision after being part of England's poor World Cup campaign.
"The way we play rugby at Bath he would have fitted in brilliantly and taken our game, and rugby union I feel, to a new dimension," said... | Sam Burgess's early return to rugby league has left England short of a potentially international-class back-rower, says Bath coach Mike Ford. | 34758262 |
The light pink spiky stilettos are covered in real human hair, have a four inch heel and a pointy toe.
The award winning artist, Zhu Tian, who created them, hasn't said exactly which part of the body the black strands came from.
But just keep imagining it's head hair and think of someone nice, clean and good-looking.
H... | These hairy high heels have been called "creepy" and "the grossest shoes of all time" by some fashion websites. | 30562386 |
There have been reports of clashes between rival groups.
Protesters demand the government's resignation and early elections over a $1bn (£655m) bank fraud.
Last week, tens of thousands of people protested against the failure of the authorities to hold to account those responsible for the disappearance of the cash from... | Thousands of people are taking part in another large anti-corruption protest in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. | 34237078 |
The 36-page guidebook was circulated to the union's 4,000 members this season.
While it is not known whether Speed was suffering from depression, the PFA is keen to act.
And 50,000 former professionals will receive the booklet as PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor wants to "let people know there is a support system".
Th... | The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) will send a booklet on handling depression to all ex-players following Gary Speed's death. | 15961780 |
Entrants were invited to submit their ideas for the Midsteeple Quarter in the heart of the town.
The national competition hopes to develop a new architectural vision for the area and a number of empty shops nearby.
It was organised by the community-led Stove Network in collaboration with the Glasgow Institute of Archit... | A competition to find designs to help revitalise the historic centre of Dumfries has drawn to a close. | 39921713 |
John Whitbread, from Leicestershire, put the £1,800 trip to the Dominican Republic on eBay in the hope of finding a female companion.
But the two highest bidders failed to pay the winning sum.
He instead sold £10 raffle tickets and the lucky winner drawn out of a hat has agreed to jet off with him.
The "Jilted John" ra... | After being jilted three times, a man who tried to auction his ex-fiancée's honeymoon place has finally found a holiday partner. | 30973779 |
Coach Mike Hesson said team officials had lost confidence in the pair.
Batsman Ryder, 29, only recently returned to the squad after two years out, including a six-month drug ban.
If a player was to have a beer with their meal before a game, we don't have an issue with that at all. But there's a big difference between t... | New Zealand have dropped Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell from their squad for the second Test against India for going on a late-night drinking session on the eve of the first Test. | 26118114 |
The details are contained in the latest accounts of Junction One Ltd, which cover the 18 months to March 2013.
They show that the centre is now valued at £7.85m, compared to a valuation of almost £80m in 2009.
Virtually all commercial properties in Northern Ireland have seen their values fall as a result of the propert... | The Junction One shopping centre near Antrim is now worth less than 10% of what it was valued at in 2009. | 26944506 |
The university became the first in the world in 1997 to offer degree level qualifications in computer games development.
Abertay will host its biggest ever Global Game Jam event in January to launch the anniversary celebrations.
It will be the fifth time the university has hosted the event.
About 220 students, lecturer... | Abertay University in Dundee will stage a programme of celebrations to mark 20 years of running computer gaming courses. | 38506322 |
Edwards is Wrexham manager Gary Mills' first signing of the summer.
The centre-half made two first team appearances for Wrexham before leaving the Dragons during the summer of 2011.
The 25-year-old spent a season with Neath but joined New Saints in 2012 following the club's liquidation.
He has represented Wales at Unde... | Wrexham have re-signed former trainee Kai Edwards on a one-year deal after the defender was released by Welsh treble winners The New Saints. | 36261120 |
Civilians in the northern city of Saada are struggling to flee Saudi-led coalition air strikes targeting Houthi rebels, reports and aid workers say.
The UN also warned that the indiscriminate bombing of populated areas is against international law.
Air strikes have killed at least 1,400, more than half civilians, the U... | The United Nations representative in Yemen has said that the Saudi-led coalition is bombing "effectively, trapped civilians". | 32677260 |
15 January 2016 Last updated at 12:15 GMT
Watch the video to find out more about how he's feeling. | The British astronaut, Tim Peake, has described the thought of a spacewalk as "the most exhilarating feeling imaginable." | 35323776 |
The blaze broke out at the Gordon House Hotel in Kirkcudbright just after 20:00 on Thursday.
Staff, residents and customers were evacuated and there were no injuries as a result of the fire.
More than 20 firefighters spent several hours working to bring the flames under control. They left at about 04:50 after ensuring ... | Fire has caused extensive damage to a hotel in a town in the south west of Scotland. | 36051872 |
However, she said despite political differences between the administrations in Edinburgh and Holyrood it was important to avoid a "shouting match".
Powers, including DLA/PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carers Allowance, are to be transferred from Westminster.
Ms Freeman was giving an update to Holyrood's social security ... | Holyrood's social security minister, Jeane Freeman, believes there are "big challenges" ahead of bringing new welfare powers to Scotland. | 37506194 |
It says an investigation is under way.
Meanwhile, thousands of Mosul residents have fled the areas held by IS, in fear of US-led air strikes and fierce fighting by Iraqi ground troops.
Residents say IS is using civilians as human shields, hiding in houses and forcing young men to fight.
The US Central Command said the ... | The US military has acknowledged that aircraft of the coalition fighting so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq hit a location in west Mosul where dozens of civilians were reportedly killed. | 39392232 |
Adrian Coakley-Greene, 70, has named the crustacean Chelsea because it is the same colour blue as the Premier League football team.
It was caught off North Berwick in Scotland, and sent to Mr Coakley-Greene who supplies restaurants with seafood.
He wants to donate the lobster to an aquarium or return it to the sea.
Bri... | A rare blue lobster has been saved from the cooking pot after a Swansea fishmonger discovered it was a one in two million specimen. | 40999416 |
It is believed the 58-year-old may have fallen around two hours before police were called to Church Street, Tetbury, on Saturday evening.
Firefighters helped to recover her body from the property, Gloucestershire Police said.
The woman's death was not being treated as suspicious and the woman's next of kin and the coro... | A woman has died after plunging down a 15m (49ft) well in her garden. | 36295766 |
The 25-year-old centre-back had only scored six career league goals before joining the Pilgrims last July.
Asked if he could reach double figures, Bradley told BBC Radio Devon: "It's possible - I don't see why not.
"There are seven games to go, [so] maybe one more brace and a late one last game of the season - who know... | Plymouth Argyle defender Sonny Bradley says he can reach 10 league goals this season, after scoring his seventh of the campaign in their win at Doncaster. | 39407668 |
The firm has opened three shops that do not feature its distinctive branding, prompting accusations of deception.
They are Southwold Books in Suffolk, The Rye Bookshop in East Sussex and Harpenden Books in Hertfordshire.
But Waterstones' chief executive, James Daunt, told the BBC the move was justified, saying he wante... | Waterstones, the UK's leading bookshop chain, is on the defensive after going incognito at some of its newer stores. | 39101186 |
Most, if not all of that, has been limited to news reports on radio and TV.
There is a chance though that the song will make the UK's Official Chart, leaving bosses at Radio 1 with an important decision to make.
To play it or not to play it?
A Radio 1 spokesman said: "The song is not currently on our playlist and, as t... | UKIP Calypso, the political song performed in a faux Caribbean accent, has had a fair amount of airtime this past week. | 29770133 |
The "clock is ticking fast" and efforts to end the crisis in The Gambia should intensify, the lawmakers added.
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is due to visit The Gambia on Friday in a bid to broker a deal with Mr Jammeh.
His office has not yet commented on the vote by the lower chamber, the House of Representativ... | Nigerian MPs have voted to give The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh asylum if he accepts his defeat in elections and gives up power. | 38595005 |
The 23-year-old former FC Basel and Hoffenheim midfielder has joined the Royals on a free transfer after leaving Swiss top-flight side FC Thun.
Wieser played with current Reading player Danny Williams at Hoffenheim.
In 2015, Swiss state prosecutors fined Wieser for a tackle on an opponent in a Swiss league game, ruling... | Championship side Reading have signed Liechtenstein international Sandro Wieser on a three-year contract. | 37117232 |
Presiding Officer Elin Jones has called the 60-member Senedd "over-stretched".
A new report by Prof Roger Scully suggests 87 AMs - three for each of the 29 new, larger constituencies being proposed - to handle the increasing workload.
Rachel Banner, who campaigned against more assembly powers in 2011, said parties had ... | Agreement between assembly parties to boost the number of AMs is "possible", a leading academic has said. | 38143629 |
Dixons Carphone rose 1.2% after it signed a deal with Sprint that could result in it opening up to 500 stores in the US.
By midday, the FTSE 100 index was up 22.86 points at 6,631.45.
Europe saw modest gains earlier before shedding those as investors awaited the latest developments in Greece.
In London, shares in house... | (Close): The FTSE 100 closed higher with shares in Dixons Carphone boosted by news of its tie-up with US mobile firm Sprint. | 33360878 |
The world champion was 0.414 seconds quicker than Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, with the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo next.
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen continued the two-by-two in fifth and sixth places.
Hamilton has a great chance to recover some of his eight-point title-race d... | Lewis Hamilton put in a scintillating performance to take pole position for the Malaysian Grand Prix. | 37528729 |
The 24-year-old has played 27 league matches for the Whites since joining from Aldershot in the summer.
Stevenson could feature in Saturday's trip to Woking - who lie three points and three places above Southport.
He is the third player that Southport have brought in on loan this week, with Kevin Da Veiga Monteiro and ... | National League strugglers Southport have signed midfielder Jim Stevenson on loan from Dover Athletic. | 39007561 |
Saturday's visit of AFC Wimbledon was also called off amid concerns over the condition of the new turf.
"We can't get enough water onto the pitch at the moment," chief executive Mark Jewell told BBC Radio Solent.
"Exposure to quite a large police bill if the game didn't go ahead was in the back of our mind."
The Spitfi... | National League Eastleigh have cancelled pre-season fixtures against Portsmouth and Newport because of issues with their newly re-laid pitch. | 40568217 |
Scientists have been mapping the seismic pressure building up along the fault lines under the Himalayas for the past few decades.
The last major quake to hit Nepal's densely populated Kathmandu valley was in 1934. About 10,000 people were killed and there was widespread devastation.
Since then, the population of the va... | Nepal has been expecting this earthquake for a long time. | 32469112 |
A study, published in the Cancer Cell, uncovered how tumours can become resistant to commonly used drugs.
The University of Manchester team suggest drugs already in development may be able to counter this resistance to make chemotherapy more effective.
The approach has not yet been tested in people.
The team were looki... | It may be possible to "soften-up" cancers before hitting them with chemotherapy drugs, researchers suggest. | 33509814 |
"I'm the happiest mother at this point in my life," she says.
Like any other mum, she speaks with pride that Alisher "plays basketball and is starting high school in Germany".
But 40-year-old Oksana is no ordinary mum. Oksana is defying the odds in a sport renowned for the extremely young age of its competitors.
She is... | Oksana Chusovitina's son turns 16 next month. | 34665818 |
The cash offer of 145p per share valued Thorntons at around £112m, and represented a premium of around 43% on the closing price on Friday.
Thorntons saw sales and profits fall in the half year to 10 January, and issued a profit warning in December.
Ferrero is known for Nutella spread, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, Kinder ... | Thorntons shares rose more than 42% after Italian chocolate maker Ferrero International made a bid for the firm. | 33221033 |
The Jags defender is the only player outwith Celtic and Aberdeen to make the PFA's Premiership team of the year.
"It's up to [national boss] Gordon Strachan to decide but obviously I want to play for Scotland," Lindsay said.
"As a kid that's your dream and I want to do that. Whenever it comes, I'll be ready - if it com... | Partick Thistle's Liam Lindsay says he will seize the opportunity to play international football, if and when a Scotland call-up comes his way. | 39825676 |
Emergency services were called at about 03:00 after a fire broke out on the Dundee Port pilot boat Lynx which was on its way to meet an incoming vessel.
The crew extinguished the blaze, but were unable to use their boat.
The RNLI said three people were transferred to a lifeboat. One man was taken to Dundee's Ninewell H... | Three people have been rescued in thick fog from a fire on a boat in the Firth of Tay near Buddon Point. | 37142043 |
The City of London tower is expected to fetch offers in the region of £650m, the firm said.
Savills and Deloitte Real Estate have been jointly instructed to sell 30 St Mary Axe, which is the building's formal title.
The skyscraper was placed in receivership in April.
The estate agents have begun marketing the building,... | London's Gherkin skyscraper has been put up for sale, with interest expected from Chinese, other Asian, and US buyers, estate agency Savills has said. | 28539286 |
Angela Cockburn, 49, her husband David, 48, his two daughters Carley Ann, 21, and Bethany, 18, and Bethany's one-year-old daughter Lacie were killed on the A18 in Laceby near Grimsby in 2013.
The family, from Ouston, were going to a dance competition.
The Crown Prosecution Service had "considered the circumstances of t... | No charges will be brought after five members of a County Durham family died when their car crashed with a lorry. | 33538483 |
Martin Molloy's brother, Eamon, was one of the Disappeared - people who were murdered and secretly buried by republican paramilitaries during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
He was 22 years old when he was kidnapped and shot dead due to claims he was a police informer.
Martin Molloy has been speaking about his brothe... | The brother of a man who was killed by the IRA in 1975 has described how a Catholic priest prayed with the victim as a gang waited nearby to carry out the execution. | 24794617 |
Lewandowski volleyed into the top corner to open the scoring before striking from close range.
Bayern scored four goals after the interval, Lewandowski making it 3-0 before Thiago struck.
Lewandowski then completed his hat-trick, with Muller getting the sixth.
Bayern are 13 points clear at the top with eight games rema... | Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick and Thomas Muller got two as Bayern Munich crushed struggling Augsburg to close in on a fifth successive Bundesliga title. | 39458999 |
Wales play Portugal today and again on Saturday as they prepare for the Fifa Women's World Cup Qualifying campaign, which begins in the autumn.
"It has been a gradual progression, since the turn of the year we've been really happy with our form and individual and collective performances," Ludlow told BBC Wales.
"But th... | Manager Jayne Ludlow says Wales Women are in good form as they prepare for a double-header with Portugal. | 40196258 |
It means senior executives from the council and the tenant management organisation that ran the block are likely to be interviewed under caution.
A letter from the Met Police to residents said officers had "seized a huge amount of material".
At least 80 people died in the fire in North Kensington on 14 June.
Organisati... | Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire say they have "reasonable grounds" to suspect that corporate manslaughter offences may have been committed. | 40747241 |
In five years' time, median income will be 4% higher than it is now, the Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts.
The recession and tepid recovery mean that from the start of the crisis to 2021, households will suffer the worst income squeeze for 60 years, it says.
They will be £5,000 a year worse off than they might hav... | Typical household incomes in the UK will not grow for the next two years due to the "long shadow" of the financial crisis, a report suggests. | 39130490 |
Last week, the head of exam watchdog Ofqual suggested some schools were making "strategic" use of challenges to A-level and GCSE grades.
But the chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference said the "real issue is inaccurate marking".
Ofqual has said it is planning improvements to the appeal process.
Th... | Head teachers of leading independent schools have accused exam regulators of creating a "smokescreen" around soaring numbers of appeals over exam marking. | 34575008 |
It was formerly hosted by Sir Terry Wogan, Les Dawson and Lily Savage.
Walliams tweeted a photograph of former host Sir Terry, saying he had "very big shoes to fill".
The panel show, to be shown on ITV, will see six celebrities help two contestants win prizes by filling in blanked-out words in a phrase.
Britain's Got T... | David Walliams is to front a revival of quiz show Blankety Blank in a one-off Christmas special of the TV quiz show - the first full episode since 2002. | 37164247 |
Daniel Lloyd, Joseph Lister, Robert Beech and Ryan Meer, all 18, and two boys aged 14 and 15, are each charged with one count of grievous bodily harm.
Nic Cruwys, 44, from Hemel Hempstead, was attacked on March 7 following a Watford game at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The teens will appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on ... | Six teenagers accused of attacking a Watford football fan who was left in a coma will face a trial. | 34291176 |
Sian Hollands, 25, died from a pulmonary embolism at Darent Valley Hospital, Kent, in November 2015.
A coroner ruled in April her death was "due to the failures of the doctors" in examining, diagnosing and treating her.
One doctor is being investigated by the General Medical Council, but the hospital has confirmed he c... | A woman whose daughter died because of doctors' failings says medics have not had the "decency" to apologise. | 40734154 |
The 25-year-old would have been out of contract at the end of this season.
Davies starred for Wales with five tries during their run to the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals after Ospreys' Rhys Webb had been ruled out of the tournament with injury.
"Interest from elsewhere has been flattering but I always wanted to remain ... | Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies has signed a new contract with Scarlets until the end of the 2017-18 season. | 35157209 |
Hu Shigen pleaded guilty in Tianjin to "damaging national security and harming social stability", said state media.
On Tuesday, Zhai Yanmin was found guilty of subversion and handed a three-year suspended jail sentence. Two more activists also face trial.
The cases have been widely seen as an attempt to silence governm... | A Chinese activist has been jailed for more than seven years for subversion, the second person jailed in two days in a crackdown on legal activism. | 36961431 |
His mother, Margaret, who lives in Luton, flew to Kathmandu to join a search effort when he failed to reappear in November.
The 23-year-old had been on a trekking holiday.
Tests on skeletal remains found on 10 May by two Nepalese foraging in a mountainous area have been confirmed as Mr Allpress, a family spokesman said... | The remains of a man found in Nepal have been confirmed as missing backpacker Matthew Allpress. | 27542403 |
Spokesman Jonathan Todd told the BBC the Commission had been asking for more than three years for the figures.
"One can but sincerely hope" for ministers to set the record straight, he said.
But No 10 said there was "widespread and understandable concern" over people coming to the UK to access benefits.
The Commission'... | The UK government has consistently declined to provide evidence to support its claims about "benefit tourism", the European Commission has said. | 24522653 |
Some of these have been related to Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws, while others appear to have a political motive.
Pakistan is overwhelmingly Muslim but after Hindus, Christians are the second-largest minority group, representing about 1.6% of the population.
The southern metropolis of Karachi has a large Chri... | The Taliban attack at a Lahore park was the latest in an escalating number of attacks on Christians in Pakistan, explains the BBC's M Ilyas Khan. | 35910331 |
Northern Ireland's Will Grigg had given the visitors the perfect start when he netted after just five minutes.
Scotland striker Steven Fletcher scored his first goal for the Owls to draw the hosts level.
Forestieri then fired home from a tight angle in the second half to help the home side clinch all three points.
The ... | Fernando Forestieri's strike helped Sheffield Wednesday claim their second league win of the season as they overcame Wigan at Hillsborough. | 37263423 |
Lawrence Soper, 72, was arrested as he arrived at Luton Airport on Sunday on suspicion of nine offences of sexual assault allegedly committed over a period from 1972 to 1986.
Mr Soper had been detained in May under a European Arrest Warrant in Kosovo.
He is now being held in custody at a west London police station.
Mr ... | A former Catholic priest accused of historical sex offences has been returned to Britain from Kosovo after a five-year police hunt. | 37151086 |
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescued the man after he capsized off the coast at Redcar on Saturday.
The man, 35, from Middlesbrough, had bought the boat for £40.
He had set out from the South Gare but was carried by the wind and tide towards the Teesside Wind Farm.
He was spotted struggling by a memb... | A man has been hospitalised with hypothermia after going fishing in the North Sea on an inflatable kayak bought from a supermarket. | 33400561 |
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association figures showed that VW's sales fell 1.6% in March.
Its data suggests that the German giant continues to suffer from the emissions scandal and recall of millions of cars.
In the first three months of the year, Europe-wide sales rose 8.1% on the same period in 2015, to 3... | European new car sales last month rose by 5.7% to 1.74 million registrations despite another dip in sales for Volkswagen. | 36052141 |
Thirteen organisations, including the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and CBI Scotland, signed up to the letter.
They said cutting rates back to be in line with those in force in England would "level the playing field".
An ongoing Scottish government review of business rates is expected to be completed by summer 2017.
A ... | Scottish business leaders have written to the finance secretary calling for an increase in tax rates for big firms to be reversed. | 37276936 |
It is a big increase on the £4,327 paid in 2014, which prompted an outcry from campaigners who argued it had paid too little.
However, critics may also be riled by the fact that the company will receive a tax credit of £11m, which can be used to offset tax bills at a later date.
The firm said it was "proud" to have gro... | Facebook paid £4.16m in UK corporation tax last year, as it expanded its business in the UK. | 37600891 |
Cornwall Council members gave the council leader John Pollard a mandate to sign off an agreement with the government.
Cornwall would be the first county to get devolved powers as announced by the chancellor in the Budget.
The details of the deal have not been made public under instructions from ministers, said Mr Polla... | Devolution powers for Cornwall are said to be a step closer after councillors approved plans in a private meeting. | 33529019 |
George Lowe's early try put Quins ahead, but Samu Manoa's touchdown and two Stephen Myler penalties gave champions Saints a 13-8 half-time lead.
A George North score extended the visitors' lead after the break, before Jack Clifford got one back for Quins.
Kahn Fotuali'i then crossed for Saints and, despite Sam Twomey's... | Northampton went top of the Premiership with victory over Harlequins in front of a 82,000 sell-out at Twickenham. | 30592503 |
Central Hall Methodist Church in Longton, built in the mid-19th Century, will be restored as part of a scheme to renovate the town's architectural gems.
Restoring the exteriors of a further 10 buildings during 2012 will be funded by the city council and English Heritage.
Work on the church hall is expected to get under... | A church hall in Stoke-on-Trent is being refurbished as part of a wider £750,000 investment in one area of the city. | 16565759 |
An EU-Canada signing ceremony had been planned for Thursday. Its cancellation is a big setback for the EU, with Belgium's Wallonia region preventing the 28-nation EU from signing Ceta.
Belgium's federal government is holding further talks with Walloon politicians.
It took seven years to negotiate Ceta, the EU's most am... | Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has cancelled a visit to Brussels because of Belgium's deadlock over the troubled EU-Canada Ceta trade deal. | 37786636 |
15 April 2016 Last updated at 19:18 BST
The annual event has been staged at Liverpool's stadium since the tragedy in Sheffield on 15 April 1989.
The Hillsborough Family Support Group released 96 white doves at the conclusion of the service, in memory of those fans who died as a result of the disaster.
The crowd sang Wi... | The final Anfield memorial service for the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster has been held in Liverpool. | 36058961 |
Mary Grams, 84, was devastated when she lost the ring while weeding on the family farm in Alberta in 2004.
But she had kept the ring's loss a secret from all but her son for more than a decade.
On Monday, her daughter-in-law discovered the secret - and the ring - when she pulled up a lumpy carrot.
The carrot had grown ... | A Canadian woman got an extra carrot with her diamond ring when it was found in her vegetable patch 13 years after she lost it. | 40956139 |
19 April 2017 Last updated at 13:06 BST
The surprise news of a general election in June and the issue of Scotland's constitutional future was discussed at the start of the publicly-aired discussion.
The panel then moved on to local issues including business rates and the Aberdeen economy; city centre redevelopment and ... | The BBC hosts a special election hustings for the Aberdeen City Council area ahead of the local elections on 4 May. | 39643967 |
Born on 24 August 1758, as Lieutenant General he was the highest ranking British officer to fall at the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium, exactly 200 years ago.
Described by the Duke of Wellington as "a rough foul-mouthed devil, but very capable", he died defending the British left flank in a typically courageous bayonet ... | The name of Haverfordwest's Sir Thomas Picton is celebrated in schools, pubs, on the streets and even in towns around the world, but does it deserve to be? | 33110128 |
Volunteers have been working to restore the HS Trident airliner cockpit and fuselage for the past six months.
Retired airline pilot Peter Lewis, from Hatherley, who co-piloted the British-built airliner in 1973 officially unveiled the aircraft at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.
Mr Lewis said "the museum's restor... | A new exhibit has been revealed to the public at Gloucestershire's Jet Age Museum. | 34026541 |
He said a conductor had overheard a radio conversation between the Amtrak's driver and another driver, in which both said their trains had been struck.
But Amtrak driver Brandon Bostian said he could not remember what happened.
The train derailed as it hit a curve while travelling at more than twice the speed limit, ki... | The Amtrak train that derailed in Philadelphia on Tuesday may have been hit by an object shortly before the crash, a US investigator has said. | 32757113 |
Ms Sturgeon told MSPs at Holyrood that the move was an "exceptional response to an exceptional economic challenge".
She also insisted that education was the "defining mission" of the Scottish government.
Proposals to help close the attainment gap were among the 14 bills the Scottish government will introduce.
The plans... | Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled a £500m fund to help Scottish businesses as she set out her government's plans for the next year. | 37276935 |
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Despite manager Arsene Wenger being set to sign a new two-year deal, ex-England striker Lineker's views were echoed by former Gunners goalkeeper Bob Wilson.
He believes Arsenal will struggle to attract quality players without the offer of elite European football.
"How are ... | Arsenal are "a long way behind" their Premier League rivals and are likely to miss out on a Champions League place again next year, says Gary Lineker. | 40094402 |
But he warned that the so-called P5+1 (US, UN, Russia, UK, France and Germany) would not wait indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted: "We're working hard, but not rushed, to get the job done."
The pace at which sanctions are lifted is a major issue at talks in Vienna.
Pressure is... | US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that America and other major powers are not in a rush to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran. | 33457805 |
The report included footage of Wright apparently accepting money in return for allegedly helping persuade the Championship club to sign players.
He was suspended on Wednesday while the club investigated the allegations.
But the 50-year-old has now been sacked with immediate effect after a meeting with chief executive L... | Barnsley have sacked assistant boss Tommy Wright after he was named in a Daily Telegraph investigation alleging corruption in football. | 37508193 |
Froome took roughly 30 seconds to swap a back wheel shortly after Romain Bardet's AG2R La Mondiale team had put the defending champion in difficulty.
But he rallied and managed to rejoin his rivals on the category one climb with a monumental effort aided by his fellow Team Sky rider Mikel Landa, before Bauke Mollema we... | Britain's Chris Froome brilliantly recovered from a puncture to defend his slender Tour de France lead from a blistering attack on stage 15. | 40625279 |
Mohammad Nabi made 52 off 32 balls, Samiullah Shenwari 43 from 37 and Mohammad Shahzad 40 off 23 in their imposing 186-6 in Nagpur.
Zimbabwe, who are a Test nation, managed only 127 in reply as leg-spinner Rashid Khan, 17, claimed 3-11.
Afghanistan join England's group in the Super 10s, which feature the major nations ... | Afghanistan reached the second phase of the World Twenty20 for the first time with a 59-run win over Zimbabwe. | 35793424 |
After decades of uncertainty over royal succession, the birth of a male heir was seen as vital for the monarchy, at a time when its primacy in Thailand's political hierarchy was uncertain. The absolute monarchy had been overthrown in 1932, followed by an abdication in 1935, and 11 years in which the country had no sitt... | Thailand's newly-proclaimed King Vajiralongkorn - his name means "adorned with jewels or thunderbolts" - was born on 28 July 1952, the first son and second child of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who had succeeded to the throne unexpectedly six years previously. | 38126928 |
In a 61-page document, the terms for selling the Championship club have been outlined, valuing it at £37m.
The prospective new owners - Trillion Trophy Asia - promise not to sell the club for at least two years and make money available for players.
An Extraordinary General Meeting has been called for 22 July.
The next ... | Birmingham City's takeover has taken another major step forward following an announcement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on restructuring plans. | 36471236 |
PC Dave Wardell and German shepherd Finn were attacked by the boy, who cannot be named because of his age, in Stevenage in October. Finn suffered life-threatening injuries.
The 16-year-old from London was found guilty of causing PC Wardell actual bodily harm and criminal damage in relation to Finn at a trial last month... | A teenage boy who stabbed a police dog and wounded his handler has been sentenced to eight months' detention. | 40162205 |
Strikingly obvious, really. Think of your own budgeting. The chancellor, though, only lays out how he's going to raise money - generally through tax but also borrowing - and what he's going to spend it on, once a year (usually). In the past few decades this has also involved commitments to future years. Many of us, of ... | We bandy these words about: debt, deficit, duty, fiscal drag, especially at the time of the chancellor's Budget, but what do they actually mean? | 33167730 |
The move was prompted after recent thefts from flooded homes, said Cumbria Police and the county council.
Hundreds of properties were deluged during two recent storms which resulted in record rainfall.
The additional patrols are being paid for through the county's existing flood relief fund.
Jonathan Brook from homeles... | Private security staff have been drafted in to patrol flood-hit areas of Cumbria to ensure the county does not become a "soft target" for criminals. | 35325974 |
Tim Newton, 27, and Rachel Slater, 24, failed to return from an outing on the Scottish peak on 14 February.
Mr Newton's father Chris, from Leicestershire, believes the Bradford couple were caught in an avalanche.
No attempts to find the pair have been made since "hazardous weather" forced rescuers off the mountain.
The... | The father of one of two climbers missing on Ben Nevis said he is "haunted" by the thought they may have been buried alive in snow. | 35793513 |
The culprits made off with cash and drinks including champagne and spirits in the break-in at Vecchia Bologna overnight on Friday, 5 December.
It is thought more than one person was involved in the raid given the quantity of alcohol taken.
Officers have warned the alcohol may be offered for sale in the Stirling area.
T... | Police are hunting for thieves who stole "a large quantity of alcohol" from an Italian restaurant in Bridge of Allan. | 30397589 |
The Bank of Japan's news conference on Friday will be watched closely any news of further stimulus measures.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 1.13% at 16,476.84.
Shares in export-related companies fell as the yen strengthened against the dollar. A stronger yen makes Japanese goods more expensive overseas.
Ove... | Shares in Japan have fallen with investors remaining cautious as the country's central bank meets to discuss monetary policy. | 36911221 |
The motoring research group said diesel demand had been rising for decades, but UK refineries were struggling to cope.
There were 11 million diesel cars on the road last year, compared with just 1.6 million in 1994.
The RACF said that, at this rate, diesel would be four times more popular than petrol by 2030.
Yet we co... | Britain's diesel pumps could "run dry" because of a growing dependence on foreign fuel, according to the RAC Foundation. | 34262990 |
The advert, believed to be India's first gay matrimonial ad, was placed by his mother, Padma Iyer, in Mumbai's Mid-Day newspaper on Tuesday.
Mr Iyer, a prominent LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) activist, told the BBC that his mother, like "any other in the world", was worried about his wedding prospects and ... | Gay rights activist Harrish Iyer has received half a dozen proposals after his mother placed a matrimonial advertisement in an Indian newspaper. | 32810434 |
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Manley finished joint second at the Johannesburg Open in February to earn a place in the tournament at Royal Birkdale from 20-23 July.
"This is my dream job and I'm living it - it's brilliant," said the 38-year-old.
"I've been dreaming about it for years, decades. You try ... | Welshman Stuart Manley says he is "living the dream" as he prepares for his Major debut at The Open. | 40648266 |
If approved, Somerset County Council will stop 13 Saturday services and scrap eight routes.
Bus campaigner, Susan Jessop from Evercreech said: "It's going to be absolutely disastrous if they take our buses away."
The consultation was due to end on Monday but this will now run until 4 January, the council has said.
The ... | The consultation period over plans to reduce the bus subsidy to 24 routes in Somerset has been extended. | 30621605 |
Emergency admissions due to the effects of alcohol, such as liver disease, have also risen by more than 50% in nine years to 250,000 a year in England.
Rates were highest in deprived areas and in the north, and among men aged 45-64, the Nuffield Trust revealed.
The government said it had banned the lowest priced drinks... | Hospital visits for alcohol poisoning have doubled in six years, with the highest rate among females aged 15 to 19, a report has found. | 35151246 |
On Friday night, Donald Trump was asked about his national security advisor's pre-inauguration contact with a Russian ambassador and said he'd "look into" it.
"I don't know about that," he said. "I haven't seen it."
On Monday senior Trump advise Kellyanne Conway assured reporters that Mr Flynn had the president's "full... | The Michael Flynn controversy went from zero to resignation in the blink of an eye. | 38975036 |
The empty train was automatically derailed after passing a red signal outside Paddington.
Although the train has been shifted, engineers will continue to work on the site throughout the night to repair damage to the line, Network Rail said.
A damaged gantry which the train crashed into was removed earlier.
Platforms on... | A train that has been stuck on the line at Paddington since Thursday evening causing disruption has been moved, Network Rail have said. | 36566985 |
The treaty dealt with how oil and gas beneath the Timor Sea should be shared, but has been disputed ever since.
East Timor, one of Asia's poorest nations, argues the way territory has been divided was not fair.
It is now hoping for a fresh deal that gives it a larger share of revenues from natural resources.
After East... | East Timor says it wants to tear up a controversial 2006 maritime border treaty with Australia which has soured relations between the two countries. | 38551628 |
Sir Steve Redgrave and Katherine Grainger attended Marlow Rowing Club after it received the sum from the Iconic Facilities Olympic legacy fund.
The club, on the Berkshire side of the River Thames, has been fundraising for a £2.5m boathouse since a fire in 2011.
A spokesman said the money would allow the club to rebuild... | Olympic gold medallists have celebrated at a rowing club to mark its receipt of a £1m lottery grant. | 21790082 |
The Tories gained five seats for a total of 36, while Labour won six seats which was a loss of three.
UKIP lost their two seats on the council while the Liberal Democrats held on to their 13 seats.
Conservative leader Nick Rushton, who is expected to remain the council's leader, vowed to protect frontline services over... | The Conservatives have retained overall control of Leicestershire County Council in the local elections. | 39823348 |
Juergen Fitschen and Anshu Jain offered their resignations to an emergency meeting of the bank's supervisory board on Sunday, and their resignations were accepted.
The bank said John Cryan would become co-chief executive, replacing Mr Jain from 30 June.
Mr Fitschen will remain in post until the annual general meeting i... | The two co-chief executives of scandal-hit European banking giant, Deutsche Bank, have resigned. | 33039361 |
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