France also pushing for fiscal compact relaxation to help struggling eurozone members

Managers at the troubled UK Border Agency – which has faced fierce criticism over recent chaotic scenes at Heathrow airport – have received bonuses of up to £10,000.

Bath salts have fulfilled a variety of useful purposes over the years. The Ancient Greeks, for example, used them to mimic sea water's supposedly healing properties. More recently, they have served, when employed as a gift, as a succinct, socially acceptable way of expressing utter indifference to another human being.

Sony Music Entertainment is among several suitors that are seeking to acquire the live music business of HMV, the embattled entertainment retailer, for about £65m.

George Osborne has defended his plan to lift Sunday trading restrictions this summer as angry union bosses prepared for urgent talks with ministers about the surprise move.

The former head of the border force, who resigned after angry clashes with Theresa May, reached an out-of-court settlement with the Home Office yesterday. Under the terms of the agreement, neither side admitted any liability or wrongdoing and details of the pay-off were not disclosed.

It is more than five years since John Reid arrived at the Home Office and denounced the Immigration Service as "not fit for purpose". Three Home Secretaries and one change of Government later, it seems to be business as usual. John Vine paints a familiar picture of poor internal communications, lax record-keeping and an apparent disregard for keeping ministers in the loop.

Border security checks have been suspended regularly and applied inconsistently since at least 2007, Home Secretary Theresa May said today.

Passport checks have been relaxed too often in recent years because of "highly troubling" mistakes by executives at the UK Border Agency, MPs warned.

With many citizens of the world working hard, perhaps a little too hard, it’s fair to say that some recuperation is much needed and much deserved. The rising popularity of spa breaks as an affordable luxury has seen a huge increase in the number of facilities offering treatments and beauty services. But with so much choice, where is the best place to take your ultimate spa holiday?

Wherever you go this year, make sure you get the best from your holiday. Chris Leadbeater has dozens of ideas

Rangers have revealed they are "willing to explore the possibility" of introducing a safe-standing section at Ibrox.

Scotland's top-flight clubs have been given the green light to pilot safe standing schemes in their stadiums but Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster stressed it does not signal the return to the old-style terracing.

Darren Fletcher is unlucky – about one in 10,000 people develop ulcerative colitis each year. It is a chronic condition causing inflammation of the bowel with symptoms, typically, of abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea and a frequent need to go to the toilet.