Three MPs and a peer tell a court they are not guilty of charges of false accounting in relation to their expenses claims.

Plans for a new high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham are announced by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.

A man with learning difficulties dies outside his Greater Manchester home after suffering years of abuse from youths.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw meets the mother of murdered toddler James Bulger to discuss the return to prison of one of her son's killers.

Chancellor Alistair Darling warns people not to expect a "giveaway" when he unveils the government's Budget later this month.

Sebastian Pinera is sworn in as president of quake-hit Chile, as a 7.2-magnitude aftershock strikes the centre of the country.

First results from Iraq's election show PM Nouri Maliki's grouping leading in two southern provinces, officials say.

The Foreign Office says a five-year-old boy from Oldham kidnapped in Pakistan has not been released.

The prime minister attends a service to rededicate the Basra Memorial Wall following its relocation to Staffordshire.

A businessman is jailed for masterminding a scam which saw tens of millions of battery hen eggs sold as free-range or organic.

Pink Floyd tracks may be removed from digital music services like iTunes after a High Court ruling.

Mexican Carlos Slim overtakes Bill Gates as the world's richest man, according to the Forbes "rich list", with a fortune of $53.5bn.

Blue Peter dog Mabel, one of the show's longest-serving pets, is to retire after 14 years, it is announced.

Sir Alex Ferguson challenges Wayne Rooney to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's 42-goal season for Manchester United.

Reigning champions Germany end England's hopes of reaching the World Cup final with a 4-1 victory in their last-four clash.

England will make a last-minute call on the fitness of Stuart Broad for the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.

Police are failing to record and tackle anti-social behaviour, according to a review. How can they improve?

Find out how thousands of schoolchildren across the UK have been reporting the news

Profile of Colleen LaRose, charged with terror offences

Are we really ready to let go of the education balloons?

'Open carry' activists do weekly shop with a gun

Keeping up with the theatrical Joneses

Can neuroscience help us solve conflicts?

The dawning age of the agricultural automatons

Musician Pete Doherty is banned from driving after admitting allowing his manager to use his car without insurance.

The UK government's proposals for a high-speed rail link must include Scotland, the Scottish government says.

A man is jailed for murdering his ex-girlfriend but his barrister claims she would still be alive if her 999 call had been handled differently.

Two men are found guilty of murdering a County Tyrone supermarket manager because he was gay almost two years ago.

Hundreds of Nigerian women protest over last week's violence near Jos, where women and children were massacred.

US Vice-President Joe Biden says Middle East peace talks must resume, despite a row over Israeli settlement plans.

Hamas releases a British journalist it had held for a month in Gaza, saying at a news conference that it suspects him of being a spy.

Burma's leaders formally annul the National League for Democracy's 1990 election win, as more details of new poll laws emerge.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych secures a coalition in parliament and one of his loyalists is confirmed as PM.

Afghanistan does not want other countries' "proxy wars" fought on its soil, President Hamid Karzai says in Islamabad.

About 24,000 clients of HSBC's private banking operation in Switzerland had personal details stolen, the bank admits.

The government has said the security services face "difficult choices" amid fears of impending spending cuts.