Unemployment dropped in the three months to May despite a return to recession. Jobless numbers fell to 2.58 million, a drop of 65,000, taking the headline unemployment rate down to 8.1 per cent. Those in work also rose by 181,000 during the period, reaching 29.35 million. MORE

Cheese mogul held over mafia links

A mozzarella mogul was arrested yesterday after being accused of adulterating his product. Giuseppe Mandara is accused of hoax or fraud and mafia association. Police say there is evidence to suggest his company may be controlled by the Casalesi clan of the Camorra.

Poor grades for bank's transactions

The Vatican passed a key European financial transparency test yesterday in a step to shrug off its reputation for secrecy. But it received poor grades for the effectiveness of its new financial watchdog agency and the ability of its bank to make sure its transactions are clean. MORE

Cure for HIV within reach, says pioneer

A scientist who shared a Nobel prize for the discovery of HIV will say today that a cure for the infection should be a realistic goal. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi will cite the case of an American whose bone marrow transplant has apparently cured his infection. MORE

Driver killed after M-way breakdown

A female motorist, believed to be in her 60s has died after her car was rammed by a sports car, yesterday, after it had broken down in the middle of the M40 motorway between junctions two and three.

Lib Dems push for 'standby' Trident

The Liberal Democrats are said to back a plan to put Britain's nuclear weapons system on "standby", with the ability to reactivate them at short notice. The option is part of a review of the £25bn Trident replacement programme by the Ministry of Defence, although a "menu of options" is expected. It is likely to feature in the Lib Dem manifesto at the 2015 general election. MORE

Minibus hits mine, killing 14 passengers

A minibus carrying Shia Muslims hit an anti-tank landmine in north-western Pakistan yesterday, killing 14 of them in what police described as the country's latest sectarian attack. Eight members of one family, including three women and three children, died in the attack near Kohat city.

Crash pilots' bodies are recovered

The remains of two RAF pilots, Flight Lieutenant Adam Sanders, 27, and Squadron Leader Samuel Bailey, 26, have been recovered from the site of a Tornado jet crash over the Moray Firth two weeks ago, the MoD said yesterday.

Man killed couple then hid in the bed

Attila Ban, who stabbed two colleagues to death out of sexual jealousy, then hid in the base of the bed in the murder room for two days while police cleared away their bodies, is facing life in jail after being found guilty of the crime. MORE

Neanderthals were 'stay-at-home tailors'

Archaeologists at the University of Cambridge say that skeletal research has indicated that Neanderthal man may have favoured doing "intense or repetitive" actions such as domestic chores like scraping animal hides, possibly to make clothes, over hunting and gathering, debunking previous thought.

Dumping iron at sea 'can help the planet'

Dumping iron in the seas can help transfer carbon from the atmosphere and bury it on the ocean floor for centuries, helping to fight climate change, according to a new study. However, the experts failed to answer questions about possible damage to marine life.

Car plunges 40ft down lift shaft

A car has plunged at least four floors down a lift shaft in New York as a parking attendant tried to move the vehicle. The large 4x4 fell about 40ft (12m) at the Manhattan garage when the lift platform failed to move into position on the fifth floor. At least one person was pulled from the upturned vehicle and taken to hospital.

Scientists question claims of top brands

Many sports drinks, protein shakes and expensive trainers designed to boost performance do no such thing, according to scientists from the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine. Their study suggested claims made by some of sport's leading brands had "a striking lack of evidence" to back them up.

Morgan holds talks over film on Hefner

The Queen screenwriter Peter Morgan is in talks to make a film about Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. Mr Morgan is also the man behind Frost/Nixon. Mr Hefner, 86, below, who launched his adult magazine in 1953 and is famed for his colourful private life, confirmed on Twitter that he had held "a good meeting" with Mr Morgan.