UK

Solar farms in the UK only account for 0.1% of land – that’s less than that of golf courses. But, as the government aims to meet its clean energy targets, more agricultural land is being lost to solar panels. On this episode of ClimateCast, Tom Heap visits farmer Andrew Dakin, whose family have farmed the

Energy bills are projected to fall by an average of 15% – equivalent to £293 in annual savings – as a mild winter meant high gas storage levels. A closely watched forecast by Cornwall Insight indicates energy bills from April to June will drop to £1,635 a year for the typical user. By comparison, average

Votes are being counted in the Kingswood and Wellingborough by-elections, where Labour will be looking to capitalise on the UK entering a recession to inflict a double defeat on Rishi Sunak. The Tories are defending traditionally safe seats in South Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire, following the departures of Chris Skidmore and Peter Bone, respectively. But the

Some children receive $100 bills and designer jewellery under their pillows as the tooth fairy has become more generous worldwide.  The US national average for a tooth fairy gift has risen from under $2 in 2001 to more than $6 in 2023, according to polling by Delta Dental, but some parents have revealed to The

Hundreds of drivers are said to have been wrongly fined after a fake 50mph sign was placed in a 40mph speed zone – but the Metropolitan Police has said the fines are still “within the law”. The sign was erected on the A20 in Sidcup, southeast London. Transport for London reduced the speed limit on

Australia’s parliament has passed a motion calling for the return of Julian Assange to Australia ahead of an appeal hearing in his extradition case at the High Court in London. The country’s prime minister Anthony Albanese, who was one of 86 MPs to vote in favour against 42 who opposed, said he hoped the case

Police investigating an alleged rape by four boys in a Morrisons car park have now said there are two suspected victims. Officers were called to the Newbold area of Rochdale on 10 February and four boys – aged between 12 and 14 – were arrested. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) originally said there was one suspected

Police are keeping “an open mind” whether the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy in Bristol by two masked individuals is linked to other recent attacks in the city. The killing of the 16-year-old, who has not been named, happened in the St Philips area on Wednesday evening and the attackers fled on bicycles, Avon

Some forms of exercise are just as good as therapy and even better than anti-depressants at treating depression, according to a new study. Walking, jogging, yoga and strength training appeared to be more effective than other types of exercise, according to a major new analysis prompting academics to say they should be a “core treatment”

The moment a missing baby girl was found dead among rubbish stuffed inside a Lidl carrier bag has been shown during the trial of wealthy aristocrat Constance Marten. The 36-year-old and her partner Mark Gordon’s dead child was discovered among several items in the bag including a Budweiser beer can, Coke cans, several pages of

Polls have opened for two crunch by-elections taking place today in Kingswood and Wellingborough. Voters in the constituencies will have until 10pm to decide who they want to be their MP following the departures of Chris Skidmore and Peter Bone. The Kingswood by-election was triggered after Mr Skidmore, a former Tory minister, quit parliament in

The High Court has dismissed a University of Bristol appeal over a ruling that it contributed to the death of a disabled student who took her own life. Physics student Natasha Abrahart, who suffered severe social anxiety, died in April 2018 on the day she was due to give an oral presentation to students in

A police officer who paid a “welfare visit” to a violent offender the day before he launched a terrorist attack has described how he was unaware the man had a knife for the attack in his flat. Khairi Saadallah was acting “shiftily” and positioned himself between the officers and a Morrisons supermarket bag containing the

Police are warning homes could be left without gas as metal is allegedly being stolen from a gas pipe. The pipe, which provides gas to the town of Port Talbot and the nearby Neath Valley, is “vital” to ensure homes can be heated, police say. Officers say damage to the pipeline “must be avoided at

The rate of inflation has remained at 4%, despite forecasters predicting a rise, official figures show. The consumer price index measure of inflation stood at 4% in January, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Money latest: Inflation rate holds – as surprise US data leads to market sell-off It’s the same as in December

A hospital has apologised to more than 100 women after their eggs and embryos were likely damaged during the freezing process. Guy’s Hospital in London contacted the 136 women after discovering its NHS-operated clinic may have inadvertently used some bottles of a faulty freezing solution in September and October 2022. The clinic said it did

A police officer who was shot dead while responding to an armed robbery nearly 20 years ago was gunned down at almost point-blank range, her murder trial has been told. PC Sharon Beshenivsky was killed on 18 November 2005 as she and her colleague PC Teresa Milburn responded to a report of a robbery at

The widow of a British soldier killed in a road accident while serving in Cyprus has demanded that the US serviceman involved faces prosecution. Colour Sergeant Anthony Oxley, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, died after his motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car at RAF Akrotiri in June 2016. His widow

The King is back in London for what is expected to be further treatment for his cancer diagnosis. The monarch and Queen Camilla took a helicopter from their private home in Sandringham to Buckingham Palace, then were driven to Clarence House nearby. The palace announced last week that the 75-year-old was diagnosed with an unspecified

The police watchdog has started an investigation into the Nottinghamshire force over its previous contact with Valdo Calocane before he killed three people last year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) probe is also looking into complaints by the victims’ families that there were “flaws” in the handling of the murder investigation and “missed