UK consumer confidence hit a nine-month high in March, the Nationwide Building Society says, but is still well below its long-term average.

HM Revenue and Customs will expect high earners to quiz their partners to find out if they claim child benefit.

The independent police watchdog is calling for new powers to force officers to attend interviews if they witness a fatal shooting by a colleague.

One in four pupils at independent schools in the UK is from a minority ethnic background and 5% are from overseas, Independent Schools Council data suggests.

The UK returns to recession, after a sharp fall in construction leads to the economy shrinking by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012.

Rupert Murdoch will face questions about phone hacking and claims of illegal payments by his UK journalists when he appears for a second day at the Leveson Inquiry later.

A BBC World Service poll finds has found a growing number of people believe economic benefits and burdens are not fairly shared.

US prosecutors charge two Taiwanese nationals with attempting to export US military technology - for the alleged benefit of the Chinese government.