Author: BBC

Liv McMahonTechnology reporterGetty ImagesGerman car making giant Volkswagen (VW) has introduced a subscription for UK customers wanting to increase the power of some of its electric cars.Those who buy an eligible car in its ID.3 range can choose to pay extra if they want to unlock the full power of the engine inside the vehicle.VW says the “optional power upgrade” will cost £16.50 per month or £165 annually – or people can choose to pay £649 for a lifetime subscription. The firm said it was “offering customers choice” with the feature.Auto Express, who first reported the story, said a lifetime…

Sarah Spooner suffered such severe hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme pregnancy sickness, that she felt she had no choice but to have an abortion.

Hayley CoyleBBC News, YorkshireJodie SmithChris Martin rocked up to the Puzzle Hall Inn in Calderdale for an unannounced set last night Children in their pyjamas and their parents lined up outside a small community pub in West Yorkshire last night after hearing that Chris Martin was performing an impromptu gig. The Coldplay star showed up to the Puzzle Hall Inn in Calderdale for an hour-long set before chatting and taking pictures with fans and even giving out tickets to his Hull show on Monday. One man said he woke up his two teenage daughters to tell them Martin was “down…

Shares in Intel jumped by more than 7% on Thursday, following reports that the Trump administration is in talks to take a stake in the chipmaker.The reported deal would support the technology firm’s plans to build a manufacturing hub in Ohio, according to Bloomberg, which said the size of the potential stake is not clear.White House spokesman Kush Desai said “discussion about hypothetical deals should be regarded as speculation unless officially announced by the administration.”The article comes days after a meeting between Intel boss Lip-Bu Tan and US President Donald Trump, who had earlier accused Mr Tan of being “highly…

Zoe Kleinman & Krystina ShvedaTechnology editor & BBC reporter•@zskGetty ImagesData centres, like this one Google is building in Hertfordshire, are becoming a more familiar sight across the UKThe number of data centres in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth, according to figures shared with BBC News. Data centres are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services from movie streaming to online banking – there are currently an estimated 477 of them in the UK.Construction researchers Barbour ABI have analysed planning documents and say that number is set to jump by almost 100,…

Joe McFadden and Josh ElginGetty ImagesThe government is partnering with TikTok influencers to warn people about the risks of travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures.There’s growing concern over the rise in Britons seeking overseas treatments such as hair implants and dental work, often lured by lower costs and shorter waiting times.Medical content creators will urge viewers to talk to a UK doctor first, take out travel insurance and avoid package holidays that include procedures.The move is part of a wider government campaign to curb so-called medical tourism, as well as tighten regulations for cosmetic practitioners in England.When it comes to cosmetic…

BBC/Shine TVJohn Torode, left, and Gregg Wallace have presented MasterChef since 2005A second MasterChef contestant has been edited out of this year’s scandal-hit series, BBC News can reveal.A spokesperson for the show’s production company, Banijay, said: “One other contributor decided that given recent events they would like not to be included. We have of course accepted their wishes and edited them out of the show.”Another contestant, Sarah Shafi, was also removed from the series after asking for it not to be broadcast, following a report which upheld claims against hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode.The BBC decided to still show…

Half-full or half-empty? These latest UK gross domestic product (GDP) figures bring alive the classic metaphor about what exactly is in the glass.The reality is that growth of 0.3% in the spring quarter between April and June is a slowing from the start of the year’s 0.7% expansion.Yet at the same time, the news is positive because the economy had been expected to almost stop growing entirely, based on volatile monthly figures that had already been released. The data for June was much better, which is encouraging, while the bad figure for April – initially showing a 0.3% fall -…

Jane ChambersBusiness reporterReporting fromEl Alto, BoliviaGetty ImagesHigher food and fuel prices have led to street protests across Bolivia this yearAs Bolivians prepare to vote in a general election, the country’s deep economic woes are the central issue. Whoever becomes the nation’s next president faces a very difficult job to try to sort out the mess.El Alto is Bolivia’s second-largest city, home to 1.2 million people. And, at an elevation of 4,150m (13,615ft), it is the world’s highest city with a population of more than 100,000.It’s full of narrow streets with vendors trying to sell you everything from oranges to knock-off…

Kris HollandBBC News, East of EnglandGetty ImagesWomen across the East of England are now able to self-refer to their local maternity servicesThousands of expectant mothers in the East of England have taken up a new NHS service and more are being encouraged to take part.Women across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and elsewhere have been using the service, where they can refer themselves directly to their local maternity services – without the need to first see a GP – by completing an online form.Wendy Matthews, NHS England’s chief midwife for the region, said the referral system was a “leap forward in…