Britain's prison population reached a record high today as officials said they were developing contingency plans to manage the unprecedented situation caused by hundreds of people being jailed over the riots.

Former British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith told TV viewers she had been “disgraced” by her expenses scandal and blamed her own “wrong” judgment.

BRITISH home secretary Jacqui Smith became the first cabinet casualty of the MPs’ expenses scandal, after it was revealed she told Prime Minister Gordon Brown within days of revelations about her finances that she wanted to quit the Government in a reshuffle.

Three more people in the UK have been diagnosed with swine flu, the British Department of Health (DH) said today.

British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was back at her desk today after the latest damaging disclosures about her parliamentary expenses.

Car accessory retailer Halfords tonight announced plans to shed around 250 jobs due to the impact of the economic downturn.

The vast majority of holidaymakers hit by the collapse of Britain’s third largest tour operator will be flown back on their original departure date, the aviation regulator said today.

UK chain Halfords credited its revamped Apollo and Carrera bicycle ranges and improved camping equipment lines for another strong sales performance today.

CURIOSITY nearly killed the cat after a kitten climbed into a washing machine that was then switched on, it emerged today.

Hollywood star Deborah Kerr is devastated after learning her younger brother Edmund Trimmer was killed in an apparent road-rage attack.

Steph Smith, 28, became the first person to be evicted from the Big Brother house tonight in the dramatic finale of the TV reality show.