Politics

Who is in charge? The prime minister’s authority is in question again

[ad_1] Laura KuenssbergPresenter, Sunday with Laura KuenssbergBBCWho is in charge? You might think the answer should be obvious."This government should be walking on water, there should be nothing it can't do," a Whitehall insider suggests, given the rows and rows and rows - and yes, rows - of Labour MPs who line up behind the prime minister every Wednesday.But, by booting out a small band of backbenchers this week, Sir
Science/Nature

Unique ice, 1.5m years old, to be melted to unlock mystery

[ad_1] Georgina RannardClimate and science correspondent, British Antarctic Survey, CambridgePNRA/IPEVThe end of the ice cores are a 1.5 million year or even older time capsuleAn ice core that may be older than 1.5 million years has arrived in the UK where scientists will melt it to unlock vital information about Earth's climate.The glassy cylinder is the planet's oldest ice and was drilled from deep inside the Antarctic ice sheet.Frozen inside
Health

Babies from three people’s DNA prevents hereditary disease

[ad_1] James GallagherHealth and science correspondentWatch the moment DNA from a mum and dad is injected into the egg of another woman - the critical step in the creation of a baby made from three peopleEight babies have been born in the UK using genetic material from three people to prevent devastating and often fatal conditions, doctors say.The method, pioneered by UK scientists, combines the egg and sperm from a
Health

Why are measles cases rising in the UK and who can get the MMR vaccine?

[ad_1] Getty ImagesA young child has died at Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital after contracting measles, raising concerns about the spread of the disease.Cases have been rising in the UK and around the world, with more than 500 reported since January in England alone.The increase is being blamed on the poor uptake of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. What is measles and what are the symptoms?Measles is a highly
Technology

How will age verification for porn work and what about your data?

[ad_1] Graham FraserTechnology ReporterGetty ImagesThe way people in the UK access websites with pornographic material is about to undergo a significant change.The Online Safety Act says sites must make it harder for under-18s to see explicit material - and Pornhub and other major adult websites have confirmed they will introduce advanced age checks by 25 July.Media regulator Ofcom estimates 14 million people watch online pornography - and concerns have been
Science/Nature

Palm House set for major renovation

[ad_1] Rebecca MorelleScience Editor andAlison FrancisSenior Science JournalistWatch: BBC goes behind the scenes at Kew Gardens ahead of major Palm House renovationIt's a makeover on a massive scale - it involves moving 1,300 plants, replacing 16,000 panes of glass and cleaning up hundreds of tonnes of iron.This is the ambitious £50m plan to renovate the world-famous Palm House, which sits at the heart of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.The hot
Science/Nature

The Sycamore Gap case has shed light on a deeper issue with trees

[ad_1] Helen BriggsEnvironment correspondentBBCJames Canton spent two years sitting beneath an 800-year-old oak tree near his home in Essex, watching acorns fatten and butterflies land on the massive knurled grey trunk. Sometimes he sat in the branches too.Canton, a lecturer at the University of Essex, recalls how it helped him feel a "sense of connection". "We're happier sat in an oak tree ten foot from the ground, watching blue tits
Health

Fiona Phillips’ husband, Martin Frizell, on her Alzheimer’s diagnosis

[ad_1] The husband of TV presenter Fiona Phillips says they have become socially isolated since her Alzheimer's diagnosis.Phillips, who hosted ITV's GMTV breakfast programme, announced in 2023 that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's the previous year, at the age of 61.In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Martin Frizell, a former editor of ITV's This Morning show, said: "You become almost invisible."He added: "We still have some close friends.
Health

Vaccine roll outs cut deaths and infections by 60% says study

[ad_1] Dominic HughesGlobal Health CorrespondentGetty ImagesThe study examines the impact of emergency vaccine roll-outs for five major infectious diseases, including EbolaEmergency vaccination programmes – rolled out in response to outbreaks of five major diseases – are believed to have reduced deaths by around 60% over a period of 23 years, according to a new study. A similar number of infections are also thought to have been prevented.Researchers believe that vaccinations