Real World News

Google 'paid Apple $1bn in 2014 to keep search on iPhone' 22 January 2016 From the section Technology Image caption Google is the default search engine on iOS devices Google paid tech rival Apple $1bn in 2014 to keep its search function the default option on iOS devices, Bloomberg reports. A transcript of court proceedings from a copyright lawsuit against Google allegedly contains reference to a deal be…

US snowstorm: Millions prepare for huge blizzard 22 January 2016 From the section US & Canada Media captionAmerica's east coast braces for blizzardA huge blizzard bearing down on the US east coast is expected to dump near-record levels of snow on Washington and the Mid-Atlantic region. More than 50 million people have been warned of a "potentially paralysing storm" late on Friday that will bring 24ins (60cm) of snow within hours. There are warnings the blizzard could cause power outages and will bring r…

Migrant crisis: EU at grave risk, warns France PM Valls 22 January 2016 From the section Europe Media captionLyse Doucet spoke to the French Prime Minister Manuel VallsFrench Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned that Europe's migration crisis is putting the EU at grave risk. Mr Valls told the BBC Europe could not take all the refugees fleeing what he called terrible wars in Iraq or Syria. "Otherwise," he said, "our societies will be totally destabilised." More than a million migrants, mostly refugees, a…

Myanmar releases political prisoners and one New Zealander 22 January 2016 From the section Asia Image copyright AP Image caption Many of the prisoners are being released from the notorious Insein jail in Yangon Myanmar is releasing more than 100 prisoners, including some jailed for political offences, say officials. The move comes just over a week before th…

David Cameron to discuss EU reform with Czech leaders 22 January 2016 From the section EU Referendum Image copyright EPA Image caption David Cameron has said he is ready to be "patient" for the EU reforms he seeks The prime minister is to meet Czech leaders in Prague as part of his ongoing efforts to secure EU reforms. David Cameron will hold talks with the …

President Putin 'probably' approved Litvinenko murder 21 January 2016 From the section UK Media captionThe BBC's Richard Galpin examines the key findings of the inquiryThe murder of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 was "probably" approved by President Vladimir Putin, a public inquiry has concluded. Mr Litvinenko died aged 43 in London days after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210, which he is believed to have drunk in a cup of tea. Chairman Sir Robert Owen said it was likely Mr Putin si…

E.On cuts standard gas price by 5.1% 20 January 2016 From the section Business E.On has announced a 5.1% reduction in its standard gas price for residential customers. The company said the cut was the price equivalent of £32 off the average annual bill. It is the first of the big six energy firms to announce a price cut this year. E.On also says it has Britain's cheapest energy tariff, with the launch of a one-year fixed dual fuel product with an average price of £783.…

President Putin 'probably' approved Litvinenko murder 21 January 2016 From the section UK Media captionThe BBC's Richard Galpin examines the key findings of the inquiryThe murder of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 in the UK was "probably" approved by President Vladimir Putin, a public inquiry finds. Mr Putin is likely to have signed off the poisoning of Mr Litvinenko with polonium-210 in part due to personal "antagonism" between the pair, it said. Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina welcomed the report…

Ancient 'massacre' unearthed near Lake Turkana, Kenya 21 January 2016 From the section Africa Image copyright AFP/Nature/Marta Mirazon Lahr Image caption The dead included male and female adults, as well as children Archaeologists say they have unearthed the earliest evidence of human warfare to be scientifically dated, at a site in northern Kenya. The 10,00…

Brazil Zika outbreak: More babies born with birth defects 21 January 2016 From the section Latin America & Caribbean Image copyright AP Image caption A 10-year-old Brazilian boy holds his two-month-old brother, who was born with microcephaly New figures from Brazil show a further rise in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads to mothers inf…

Cologne attacks: Migrant men banned from German swimming pool 15 January 2016 From the section Europe Image copyright EPA Image caption The behaviour of men from a nearby asylum seekers' shelter apparently caused women to leave A German town has banned male asylum seekers from a public swimming pool after women complained of harassment. A government official…

Donald Trump presidential bid gets Sarah Palin backing 20 January 2016 From the section US & Canada Image copyright AP/AFP Image caption Ms Palin is the highest-profile backer of Mr Trump yet Donald Trump's Republican presidential bid has received the backing of Sarah Palin, the populist ex-governor of Alaska who was the Republican vice-presidential candi…

UK jobless rate at 10-year low but wage growth slows 20 January 2016 From the section Business Image copyright Getty Images The UK unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest rate in more than a decade but wage growth has slowed. The rate hit 5.1% in the three months to November - its lowest rate since the three months to October 2005, according to the Office for National Statistics. The number of people out of work fell by 99…

Iraq's oldest Christian monastery destroyed by Islamic State 20 January 2016 From the section Middle East Image copyright AP Image caption St Elijah's Monastery, or Deir Mar Elia, was believed to have been built in the late 6th Century Satellite images confirm that the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq has been destroyed by the jihadist group Islamic State (…

Pakistan Charsadda: Deadly assault on university 20 January 2016 From the section Asia Media captionThe BBC's Shahzeb Jillani: "The gun battle was intense. Blasts were heard"An attack by suspected Taliban militants on a university in north-west Pakistan has killed at least 19 people and injured 50. Nearly three hours after the attack began, an army official said firing had stopped but troops were searching Bacha Khan University campus in Charsadda. The army said four attackers had been killed as the Taliban…