Author: BBC

Jack FenwickPolitical correspondentFamily handoutHilary’s son Ben died from a heroin overdose in 2018, but his death was never included on official opioid death statisticsMore than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths have been missed off official statistics in England and Wales, raising concerns about the impact on the government’s approach to tackling addiction.Research from King’s College London, shared exclusively with BBC News, found that there were 39,232 opioid-related deaths between 2011 and 2022, more than 50% higher than previously known.The error has been blamed on the government’s official statistics body not having access to correct data and it is understood ministers…

Inflation in the year to August remained at 3.8%, according to official figures, after food costs continued to rise.The pace of price rises matched the inflation rate in July but as some costs such as airfares eased, food was more expensive with cheese, fish and vegetable prices all rising. Food price inflation has risen for five months in a row as economists said supermarkets were passing on government increases in the minimum wage and National Insurance Contributions (NIC) to shoppers through higher prices.Overall inflation remains above the Bank of England’s 2% target and expectations are growing that its rate-setting committee…

Zoe KleinmanTechnology editorGetty ImagesMicrosoft says its new $30bn (£22bn) investment in the UK’s AI sector – its largest outside of the US – should significantly boost Britain’s economy in the next few years.The package forms a major part of a £31bn agreement dubbed the “Tech Prosperity Deal”, signed between the UK government and several US tech giants as part of Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK. The deal will see Google, Nvidia and others invest in British-based infrastructure to support AI tech, largely in the form of data centres. Microsoft will also now be involved in the creation…

Psychologist and gaming expert Nick Ballou has five ways how gaming can boost your mental health and wellbeing.

Pritti MistryBusiness reporter andKevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentGetty ImagesPeople drawing their new state pension from April are likely to see a rise of more than £500 a year, latest wages data suggests.Under the “triple lock” policy, the state pension goes up each year by either 2.5%, inflation, or average earnings growth – whichever is the highest figure.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed total pay including bonuses for the three months to July was 4.7%, which is likely to be the figure used for the annual increase. Almost 13 million people currently receive the state pension.The latest wage figures from…

Jessica RawnsleyBBC News andLily JamaliBBC North America Technology CorrespondentReutersWashington has reached a “framework” deal with China on TikTok’s US operations, paving the way for American ownership, as the world’s two biggest economies negotiate a trade deal. The framework was set in talks in Madrid, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday, adding that President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping would “complete” the deal on Friday.Trump said on Truth Social that the talks had “gone very well”. China confirmed a framework agreement but said no deal would be made at the expense of their firms’ interests.A Wednesday deadline…

Fourteen NHS trusts are to have their maternity services examined over what has been described as “failures in the system”, the government has said.The inquiries are part of a rapid review of maternity care in England that was announced in June.Health Secretary Wes Streeting said bereaved families had shown “extraordinary courage” in coming forward with issues dating back more than 15 years.Some of the families have severely criticised the review and Streeting’s handling of it, describing the investigation as “not fit for purpose”.The NHS trusts that will be examined are:Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Bradford Teaching HospitalsUniversity Hospitals of Leicester Leeds Teaching…

US and Chinese officials are holding a second day of trade talks in Spain on Monday as the deadline looms for the Chinese owner of TikTok to find a buyer or face a ban in America.The negotiations, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are the latest attempt to end a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.Top level trade delegations from Beijing and Washington last met in July, when they struck a deal to extend their tariffs truce by another 90 days until 10 November.After initially calling for TikTok to be banned…

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a warning about what it calls the “worrying trend” of students hacking their own school and college IT systems for fun or as part of dares.It has told teachers that they are failing to understand and recognise what it calls the “insider threat” pupils pose. It says more the majority of so-called “insider” cyber attacks and data breaches in education settings – meaning they have been carried out by someone with access to internal systems – originate with students.”What starts out as a dare, a challenge, a bit of fun in a school…

Ruth CleggHealth and wellbeing reporterGeorge HollandGeorge is currently in a “bulking” stage, but will then enter a “cut” phase where calories are reducedRipped. Shredded. Jacked. Swole. Which are you?Gym jargon such as this, which refers to the size and definition of muscles, has long been heard exchanged between pumped men in gym locker rooms – and now among teenagers too.TikTok videos show boys as young as 13 and 14 in school toilets, flexing veiny biceps which bulge out of their school uniforms.The quest for brick-like abs has become serious business – even if you’re still only in Year 8 -…