Local councils have instructed bailiffs to collect an "excessive" 1.8m debts for them in the last year, according to the Money Advice Trust.

Lawyers representing David Miranda, who was detained at Heathrow airport under anti-terrorism legislation, begin judicial review proceedings.

A British risk consultant, Peter Humphrey, is formally arrested by Chinese authorities during an ongoing probe into pharmaceutical firms.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is to be put under house arrest following a court order to release him in a corruption case, officials say.

A jacket once owned by Beatle John Lennon is set to be sold at a Derbyshire auction house.

Three inmates are to be charged with taking a prison officer hostage at a maximum security jail near York.

Zimbabwe's long-time leader Robert Mugabe is sworn in again as president, with rival Morgan Tsvangirai boycotting the ceremony over fraud claims.

The scale of the water leaks at Fukushima is much worse than officials have acknowledged to date, say experts.