Spending cuts 'to hit north harder' Industrial towns in the north east of England may be least able to cope with deep cuts in public spending, BBC-commissioned research suggests. Read full story
Obama condemns Koran burning plan US President Barack Obama says a small church's plans to burn the Koran are a "recruitment bonanza" for al-Qaeda. Read full story
MPs back new phone hacking probe MPs back calls for a fresh parliamentary investigation into allegations of phone hacking by journalists at the News of the World. Read full story
Defence firm BAE cuts 1,000 jobs BAE Systems has announced it is to axe almost 1,000 jobs at five sites across England, mainly in its military division. Read full story
Chote set to head Budget office Economist and former journalist Robert Chote is to become the new head of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Read full story
Graduates 'will have to pay more' Vice chancellors have been told that raising graduate contributions is the best way to ensure future funding for higher education. Read full story
UK interest rates remain at 0.5% The Bank of England keeps UK interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.5% for the 18th consecutive month. Read full story
British hostage freed in Pakistan A British journalist held captive by militants in north-west Pakistan since March is released. Read full story
Cameron tribute to 'amazing dad' David Cameron and his family pay tribute to their late father Ian, describing him as a man who had "touched a lot of lives". Read full story
Planes nearly collide over London A business jet and a passenger plane carrying 232 people came close to a mid-air collision over London in 2009, a report reveals. Read full story
Toshack stands down as Wales boss John Toshack has stood down as Wales manager after a six-year reign, the Welsh FA have confirmed. Read full story
Minister defends cut in Welsh MPs A government minister has defended plans to reduce the number of MPs, which the opposition claims will hit Wales harder than England. Read full story
Scotland to align green energy laws with England LONDON (Reuters) - The Scottish government launched two public consultations on Wednesday aimed at bringing its small-scale green project planning and renewable rewards laws in line with those in the rest of the United Kingdom. Read full story
The greenest government ever? Only if the Treasury can be tamed | Michael Jacobs The silence from Osborne and Cable is ominous. The next few weeks are crucial to keep the low-carbon economy on trackThis would be "the greenest government ever", David Cameron declared in May - easy words in the first flush of office. The difficult thing is making them true. In the next few weeks t Read full story
Smart meters alone may not save much energy: study LONDON (Reuters) - Smart meters to boost energy efficiency in homes do not automatically achieve a significant reduction in energy demand, research showed on Wednesday. Read full story
The ethical way to dispose of your bike It's time for an upgrade. But that's no reason why your current machine, however ancient, should become landfill. So you've reached that stage of your cycling career - you've had your perhaps very elderly bike for long enough that it's time for an upgrade. But what to do with the original? Read full story
Royal Mail goes green in Hebrides Post vans try out hydrogen-fuelled deliveries in Isle of Lewis. The nation's posties have used the greenest kinds of transport for generations, relying on their feet and their distinctive fleet of red bicycles to make their rounds.Now their delivery vehicles, too, could go green. Read full story
Your Green shoots photographs We asked for your pictures of trees in leaf to mark the launch of our new nature photography project. Here is a pick of the best Read full story
How to beat the tube strike by bike Don't let the tube strike defeat you. Our tips on on how to cycle past the queuesIf you are a London commuter dreading tube strike chaos this evening and tomorrow there is an alternative to fighting your way on to overcrowded buses or a long walk. Whether you are a lapsed cyclist nervous about busy Read full story
Country diary: Peak District In Norfolk I have long grown accustomed to a very patchy distribution in our local swallows. Much of the vernacular architecture has been converted into residences or otherwise made unsuitable for these barn-dwelling creatures. The more pervasive use of insecticides in our arable county has also cut Read full story
Do we really hate foxes enough to wear them again? Fur stoles are being snapped up by lovers of vintage fashionBasil Brush beware - fox stoles, once disdained as gruesome artefacts of a crueller era, are back. Trendspotters report seeing increasing numbers on vintage lovers. And it's not just the pelts ? these are old-fashioned stoles, with little f Read full story
New facility helps reduce CO2 emissions in the east of England A European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant has lead towards the construction of a new facility in Suffolk which is committed to reducing carbon emissions and landfill waste in the east of England. Read full story
