The Ministry of Defence says it is to investigate claims that retired military officials offered to lobby MPs on behalf of arms firms.

An £82m plant research centre at the University of Cambridge beats London's Olympic Stadium to the Stirling Prize, a prestigious architecture award.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz is wounded in what appears to be accidental shooting in the capital, Nouakchott, officials say.

Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill is hosting a summit looking at ways to tackle the problem of human trafficking in the country.

The Scottish government insists it achieved what it set out to do in negotiations over an independence referendum.

Growers from across the UK hope to impress Northamptonshire's giant vegetable expert at a country show in Peterborough.

Fifteen people have now been killed and nearly 200 others have fallen ill in an outbreak of fungal meningitis in 13 US states, say health officials.

Ministers should be more careful about whom they appoint as special advisers or they may end up in situations worthy of The Thick of It, MPs say.