The recent cold snap has become a distant memory for parts of England as temperatures reached more than 18C.

MPs have officially agreed a 5.2% increase in benefits as part of a package of changes to pensions and social security benefits.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has signed a deal to publish her first novel for adults.

Almost 1,000 people have been jailed for an average of more than a year following last summer's riots.

The body of a young man has been found at the house where double murder suspect Stephen Farrow was arrested.

Local authorities are facing the threat of industrial action after announcing that 1.6 million council workers are to have their pay frozen for the third year in a row.

Charlotte Church has settled her phone hacking damages action against News of the World publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) just days before it was to go to trial.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has called for the Health Bill to be withdrawn - just three days after meeting the Prime Minister to discuss the controversial reforms.

The number of weight loss operations has risen 12% while hospital admissions for obesity have also jumped.

The Government is to legislate to ensure that potential adoptions are not blocked purely because the would-be parents are not the same race as the child, Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced.

Net migration to Britain remained steady at 250,000 in the year to last June, official figures showed.

An MEP has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud the European Parliament.