The extreme tension on the Korean peninsula is being discussed in an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. The meeting was organised at the request of Russia. South Korea insists that whether permitting, it will go ahead with a military exercise this week on an island near the disputed maritime border with North Korea. The North has spoken of potential disaster if the artillery drill takes place. Our Washington correspondent is Jane O'Brien.

All sides are publicly calling for a strongly-worded resolution, calling on restraint on both sides with a view to them being able to resolve this peacefully and diplomatically. However, there are divisions within the camp. Russia and China are also saying that the South should cancel its exercise, while the United States and South Korea say no, they should go ahead because every country has a right to carry out military exercises to improve its self-defence.

Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, near London, have unveiled their top 10 discoveries of the year, including a tree standing 40m tall in the rainforests of Cameroon in West Africa. Other finds include a wild aubergine from Kenya and tropical mistletoe in Mozambique.

The football manager Alex Ferguson has become the longest-serving boss of Manchester United, surpassing the record set after the Second World War by the legendary Matt Busby. Sir Alex has now been at the helm at Old Trafford for just over 24 years, winning 26 major trophies, including the English Premier League 11 times.