Three MPs and a peer plead not guilty in court to 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 64-year-old man is found dead outside his home in Greater Manchester after police receive reports of youths causing trouble.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw meets with the mother of murdered toddler James Bulger to discuss the return to prison of one of his killers.

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

UK forces are to hand security powers in the Afghan district of Musa Qala to US troops, the defence secretary says.

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

Police forces in England and Wales are being criticised for failing to deal adequately with anti-social behaviour.

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

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

EMI may be forced to stop selling individual Pink Floyd tracks on digital services like iTunes after a High Court ruling went against the record label.

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.