
They are set to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Danielle McLaughlin, 28, from County Donegal, was found dead in a field in India, in March 2017.
For some Gen Zs, meeting online through shared hobbies is an alternative to the tyranny of the swipe.
The woman’s demand follows MI5’s admission it gave false evidence in her human rights case.
Boys born in the UK in 2023 can expect to live on average to 86.7 years, and girls to 90, experts suggest.
Couples of all ages renew their vows in a special Valentine's Day ceremony at Coventry Cathedral.
Parents should be able to use vouchers, the regulator says, but restrictions on discounts should remain.
A BBC investigation found the now chancellor was subject to an expenses complaint when working at HBOS.
The Pope has had bronchitis symptoms for several days leading to other officials reading his speeches.
Snow, ice and freezing rain are forecast for parts of the UK this weekend
Tickets for Beyoncé's latest UK dates go on general sale on Friday, with prices reaching up to £950.
The PM reaffirms the UK supports Ukraine's "irreversible path" to joining NATO in a call with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Many world leaders, including Ukraine's President Zelensky, are finding the world is more uncertain under new US leadership.
Trump and Putin want to make a deal. But Ukrainians question how life after a ceasefire will work.
There has been no increase in radiation levels at the plant, Ukraine's president says.
The BBC's Frank Gardner says Nato's unity is badly dented with decisions over Ukraine set to be discussed in Munich.
As part of the BBC's special report, Clive Myrie meets the people at the Royal Free Hospital relying on the NHS for care.
How much attention did you pay to what has been going on in the world over the past seven days?
The BBC has established the Chancellor left the Bank of England nine months earlier than she states in her LinkedIn profile.
BBC News has learnt that there was an expenses investigation into Rachel Reeves, and two other senior managers, when she worked at HBOS.
January's wildfires have exacerbated the decline of Hollywood's once booming film and television industry.
US President Donald Trump’s new agency is tasked with slashing costs - but faces opposition.
A bodybuilder and steroid user warns against taking the muscle-building drug.
Police arrested her for "criminal damage" as the bun did not regain its shape and could not be sold.
Help to fix unsuitable insulation under government schemes only applies to work done since 2022.
The surprise inclusion of VAT to calculate tariffs prompts questions over the impact on British businesses.
Dell Simancas captures the moment his son, Adrián, is swallowed and spat out by a humpback whale.
Police said there was a collision between a four-seater cycle and a car in the town of Martinborough.
The water company says the cap on what it can charge customers for the next five years is too low.
They say the US should re-evaluate its cyber-security partnership with the UK unless the "dangerous" request is withdrawn.
With Tottenham struggling on the pitch and chairman Daniel Levy facing criticism from fans, BBC Sport looks at how the club is run and what the future might hold.
Arne Slot says "emotions" got the better of him as the Liverpool head coach waits to learn his punishment after his red card in Wednesday's Merseyside derby.
A potential squeeze on scholarships could put pressure on England's rugby talent pipelines and make scouts look more widely for talent.
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji will undergo surgery on a thigh injury on Saturday and is expected to be absent for up to 10 weeks.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce says he is considering retirement from the NFL, but is yet to decide on his future.
Top stories, breaking news, live reporting, and follow news topics that match your interests
Adam, Chris, Caitríona and James wrap up the week.
A study suggests that less than half of Generation Z are proud to be British.
Police have launched an investigation following the late-night blaze on Thursday.
The city council estimates there are up to 680 vehicles being lived in across the city.
Christopher Monro is charged with murder after the discovery of the body earlier this week.
Sound World believes music education in schools is essential for young people to develop life skills.
A look at what stories are trending across the west of England on 14 February 2025.
Thousands of people are waiting for final payouts after being infected by contaminated blood products.
Alla Orekhovska says she inherited her passion for floristry from her grandmother.
They were celebrating their wedding when they received the emails to say they were both successful.
Residents of a modern housing development have been given one year to find new homes before their current ones are demolished due to serious faults found with its construction
Guy Buckland sends helmetcam footage of his experiences of careless road users to police.
A teenage boy has been arrested following an assault in Bristol.
Some large developments could see the city expanding into the surrounding countryside.
Police say a murder inquiry was launched after the body of a man in his 70s was found.
The much-loved carnival will not return in full this year but will host a series of events instead.
Evan, aged six, is walking the equivalent of the distance from his house to the Windsor attraction.
A look at what stories are trending across the West of England on 13 February 2025
Football fans are the first to see a film highlighting the five main causes of death on the roads.
The shocking story of two innocent teenagers murdered in a case of mistaken identity.
Steven Craig re-enacted a torture scene from the film Reservoir Dogs burning his partner.
How a house party turned into a murder scene - the fatal stabbing of Mikey Roynon.
Linda Razzell was murdered by her husband in 2002 - will he now reveal where her body is?
Kidnapped and murdered while on a gap year in France. Is it finally time for justice?
The musical comes to the Hippodrome in March and April.
The shopping centre is going to be revamped.
Some stylists in Bristol say hard water may have caused some people's hair to fall out.
Ten installations will be dotted around the city for just over a week.
A memorial service has taken place in Bristol for the civil rights activist.
Full-back Max Malins will rejoin Saracens from Bristol Bears at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Bristol Rovers owner Hussain AlSaeed says he is "confident" in their redevelopment plans to the Memorial Stadium.
Lando Norris says he needs to get his "elbows out" but also be "smart" in his battles with rival Max Verstappen on track this year.
Bristol City forward Anis Mehmeti believes his "all-round game" can still improve after he scored twice in the win against Stoke.
Bristol City centre-back Luke McNally has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Bristol Bears centre Ilona Maher is getting "better and better", says head coach Dave Ward before their final game of the regular Premiership Women's Rugby season.
The pick of the stats ahead of Cardiff City's home game against Bristol City
Bristol City forward Anis Mehmeti believes his "all-round game" can still improve after he scored twice in the win against Stoke.
Bristol City centre-back Luke McNally has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
A look at some of the key fixtures across the EFL this weekend.
Bristol Rovers owner Hussain AlSaeed says he is "confident" in their redevelopment plans to the Memorial Stadium.
Four Women's Championship teams will take part in a pilot scheme to allow fans to drink alcohol in the stands.
Full-back Max Malins will rejoin Saracens from Bristol Bears at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Harlequins are boosted by the return of captain Jade Konkel for the visit of Bristol Bears to The Stoop.
Bristol Bears centre Ilona Maher is getting "better and better", says head coach Dave Ward before their final game of the regular Premiership Women's Rugby season.
Championship sides Doncaster Knights and Bedford Blues both pull off surprises in the Premiership Rugby Cup with wins over Sale and Bristol.
1. How to regain your focus. Regaining focus can be tough, especially when distractions, fatigue, or lack of motivation get in the way. Whether you are struggling to concentrate at work, while studying, or on personal projects, sharpening your focus can make a huge difference in productivity and mental clarity. Here are some practical ways to regain your focus and get back on track. READ MORE 2. Bank cuts interest rates and slashes growth forecast. The Bank of England has halved its growth forecast for this year as it cut interest rates to the lowest level for more than 18 months. The economy is now expected to grow by 0.75% in 2025, the Bank said, down from its previous estimate of 1.5%. The government has made growing the economy one of its key aims. The Prime Minister said he was "not satisfied with growth" and the downgraded forecast "just spurs us on". The new forecast came as the Bank cut interest rates to 4.5% from 4.75%. Inflation - the rate at which prices rise - is now expected to rise to 3.7% and take until the end of 2027 to fall back to its 2% target. BBC 3. UK in zero hours contract epidemic. More than 720,000 UK workers have been on zero-hours contracts with the same employer for over a year, with 130,000 in the same position for more than a decade, new analysis from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reveals. These workers earn £10.68 an hour – a third less than the median hourly rate of £15.69. The TUC called it an "insecure work epidemic", warning that zero-hour contracts trap people in financial hardship and weaken the economy. The organisation's polling found that only one in seven such workers are happy not to have regular working hours. The Guardian 4. People feel best in the morning. People feel the best about themselves and their lives in the morning and worst around midnight, according to research. Scientists analysed 1m responses by 50,000 people over two years to questions about their feelings, as part of a Covid-19 study. They found that people felt better about their happiness and life satisfaction on Mondays and Fridays, and less so on Sundays. People felt more depressed, anxious and lonely in the winter, while mental health was reportedly best in summer. While no cause was determined in the study, scientists say the body clock may be involved. BMJ 5. Ofsted to replace one-word school ratings. Ofsted has announced plans to overhaul its school rating system in England, moving away from single-word judgments like “inadequate” or “outstanding.” Instead, schools would receive a detailed “report card,” assessing them across at least eight categories, each graded on a five-point scale, with “exemplary” as the highest rating. The proposed changes are now open for public consultation. What do you think of Ofsted’s proposed school rating changes? Please share your views in our latest poll. VOTE HERE |
6. Welfare system faces urgent reform. If there’s one area of the British state in desperate need of reform, it’s the welfare system. Recent statistics reveal that 3.3 million working-age people in Britain are receiving incapacity benefits, 700,000 more than four years ago. Of these, 2.5 million are claiming the highest level of benefits, which don’t require them to seek employment up from 1.85 million in 2018. The total cost of all health-related benefits is estimated at nearly £65bn, with projections to reach £100bn by the decade’s end. This is simply unsustainable The government has vowed to take bold steps to get a grip on the benefits bill with a green paper on the issue expected in the spring. The Times 7. AI powered solution to potholes. Scientists have created a groundbreaking self-healing asphalt that could help address the UK’s pothole problem. An international research team used AI to analyze why asphalt becomes prone to cracking. Using these insights, they developed a method to reverse the process. Their solution involves embedding tiny plant spores filled with recycled cooking oil into the asphalt. As traffic causes micro-cracks to form, the spores release the oil, sealing the cracks and preventing oxidation. This stops the bitumen in the asphalt from becoming brittle, reducing the likelihood of larger cracks developing. BBC 8. Electric car demand reaches new high. Battery EVs (BEVs) accounted for 21% of almost 140,000 new car registrations in January, the highest-ever share for the month and a year-on-year increase of 41.6%. It establishes BEVs as the second-largest sector of the new car market, behind only petrol, which contracted by 15% to make up just over 50% of registrations. In an overall market that shrank by 2.5%, diesel registrations declined to just over 6% of registrations. Hybrid electric made up 13% of the market, and plug-in hybrids 9%, underlining the consumer shift towards full or partial electric powertrains. Sky News 9. No better grades from phone bans. Bans on smartphones in schools do not lead to better academic grades or child wellbeing, a study has found. While researchers found a link between extended phone and social media use and lower grades, poor sleep, lack of exercise and disruptive behaviour, there was no difference between pupils of schools that banned smartphones and those that didn't. The study, published in the Lancet's Regional Health Europe journal, looked at 1,227 pupils at 30 schools in the UK, and found that school phone bans did not reduce the amount of time children spent using them. The Guardian 10. The bottom line. More than one million people in the UK missed the deadline for filing self-assessment tax returns on 31 January, according to HM Revenue and Customs. Penalties for filing late include an initial £100 fine. More than 31,000 finished their self-assessment in the final hour before the deadline period. HMRC |
6. Royal Mail should cut second-class delivery days. Royal Mail is set to be allowed to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays and to stop Saturday deliveries under proposals to shake up postal service rules announced by the industry regulator. Ofcom said cutting the deliveries to every other weekday with a price cap on second-class stamps, while maintaining first-class letters six days a week, would still meet the public’s needs. Its provisional recommendations also included cutting delivery targets for first-class mail from 93% to 90% arriving the next day, and for second-class mail from 98.5% to 95% within three days. Ofcom’s consultation on the proposed changes will run until 10 April, and it expects to publish its decision in the summer. London Evening Standard 7. Exercise may reduce risk of dementia. A study suggests that staying active can help prevent dementia by preserving brain volume in areas linked to thinking and memory. It found that lifelong exercise reduced cognitive decline, even in those with early Alzheimer’s markers like amyloid build-up. Researchers analysed data from 468 people in their 70s from the Insight 46 study, which tracked individuals born in 1946. They looked at physical activity levels - walking, swimming, and sports - over three decades, and found that those who exercised regularly had better cognitive function at 70. The effects were particularly strong in women. The Times 8. Surge in gender dysphoria diagnosis. The number of under-18s with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria has risen 50-fold in England over ten years, a study of GP records has found. Based on data from 20% of GP practices, researchers at the University of York estimate the prevalence of such diagnoses increased from one in 60,000 in 2011 (equating to 192 people nationwide) to about one in 1,200 in 2021 (10,291). Among 17-to 18-year-olds, it was one in 238 by 2021. From 2015, there was a sharp rise in the number of children registered female being diagnosed with the condition; by 2021, they outnumbered those recorded male by about two to one. The Telegraph 9. Heat-related deaths could rise 50%. Temperature-related deaths in Europe could increase by 50% by 2100 because of changing temperatures, research has found. Between 8,000 and 80,000 more people could die a year, depending on how much temperatures change. The biggest increase will be in southern Europe because of heat waves, followed by central Europe. A slight drop in deaths was projected for northern Europe. The number of people who will die in Europe because of high temperatures is projected to outnumber those saved from milder cold weather. The Guardian 10. The bottom line. 58% of British millennials support the return of the death penalty; 27% are against, according to a More in Common poll taken after the sentencing of the Southport killer. Among all British adults, 55% support capital punishment, up from 50% in the autumn. In a separate poll by Craft, 52% of UK Gen-Zers (aged 13 to 27) agreed that the country would be a better place if a strong leader was in charge who does not have to bother with Parliament and elections. Daily Mail |
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