News : British Broadcasting Corporation

A tonne of volcanic ash is flown from Iceland to Luton airport in readiness for a "unique experiment" to test an aircraft early warning system.

The former boss of scandal-hit Enron, Jeffrey Skilling, is set to have up to 10 years taken off his prison sentence.

A new generation of anti-venom vaccines based on synthetic proteins could save thousands of lives a year, say Brazilian scientists.

Five years since quake brought disaster on immense scale

The great dinosaur stampede that never was?

How studying droppings has led to the patter of tiny rhino hooves

Electric car maker Tesla Motors drives into profit for the first time in its 10-year history, reporting a profit of $15m (£9.65m).

Mars rover will return to a compelling story

Two North American companies, Talisman Energy and Marathon, have quit fracking for shale gas in Poland, after disappointing drilling results.

Microsoft names Amy Hood as its new chief financial officer, the first woman to hold the post at the technology giant.

The market for low-cost smartphones in India

The EU and China are shaping up for their biggest trade battle yet, in a row over solar panel production and pricing.

Daily deals firm Groupon reports first-quarter results ahead of market expectations, with revenues up 7.5% and its net loss narrowing to $3.24m (£2.1m).

Manchester United's shares have fallen in New York amid concerns about the impact of Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.

Prof Stephen Hawking has pulled out of a high-profile Israeli conference, in support of an academic boycott of the country.

Amanda Goodall, senior lecturer in management at Cass Business school, told the BBC that Sir Alex Ferguson succeeded because of his background as a footballer and his understanding of the business.

Manchester United shares fall in New York amid concerns over the impact Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement will have.

Japanese researchers unveil two robots that tell users if their breath stinks or if their feet reek, highlighting advances in electronic nose tech.

Firms in Sweden have sold about 200 tonnes of Baltic salmon in Europe despite an EU ban targeting toxic chemicals in fish.

The European Commission is on the verge of a trade war with China over the import of solar panels.

ExxonMobil and Statoil agree to invest $4bn to jointly develop an oil field in the Gulf of Mexico thought to contain six billion barrels of oil and gas.

The government has announced new laws to make it easier to claim a refund for digital content.

German industrial output sees a surprise rise in March, reviving hopes about the strength of Europe's biggest economy.

Changes to the state pension and clearer rights for consumers are among the government's plans featured in the Queen's Speech.

Sir Alex Ferguson's role in Man Utd success