BBC World Service

Prince William and his future bride, Kate Middleton will sit down with royal advisers to begin planning their wedding next year. But many Brits are already wondering how much it's going to cost and whether it's appropriate in a time of austerity.

Tony Hayward, former Chief Executive of BP, has been speaking to the BBC about the details of BP's actions during the Gulf oil spill.

Despite a torrid history, Britain and France agree to sign a treaty to share their military costs.

During the recession, businesses tightened their wallets, and business travel fell dramatically, hitting the airline industry.

Thousands of New Zealanders have taken to the streets to demand that two films in the "Hobbit" franchise continue filming in New Zealand.

Many European governments, including the U.K., have been looking to reduce public spending. That would include many government job losses, but a report today warns about a knock-on effect in the private sector that would see up to half-a-million jobs being lost.

Water is expected to become an increasingly scarce commodity over the next couple of decades. And industries which rely heavily on water are starting to look for ways of adapting their businesses accordingly. Now, one beer company has come up with the idea of a floating brewery.

The threat of a BlackBerry ban in the United Arab Emirates has been hanging over the smartphone's maker since the summer. The UAE government said it had security concerns because the Blackberry couldn't be cracked. But it's now agreed a deal with Blackberry maker RIM.

As labor strikes are being staged across Europe, the European Commission is announcing plans to stop European countries from overspending. Governments that borrow too much money will be hit with fines.

Rising world food prices will be the topic of an emergency U.N. meeting in Rome. The aim is to find a way to restore stability in the food markets and avoid riots like those that occurred two years ago.