Author: BBC

The number of flu patients in hospital has hit a record high in England for this time of year with NHS leaders warning the country is facing an unprecedented flu season.NHS figures show there were an average of 1,700 patients in hospital with flu last week – that is more than 50% higher than the same time last year – and early indications from this week are that hospitalisations have continued climbing sharply since.It comes as the flu season hit a month earlier than normal this year, with experts warning there appears to be a more severe strain of the…

David SilverbergTechnology Reporter, TorontoSow GoodWith the right process chewy sweets can be turned crunchyWhen Savannah Louise West first tasted freeze-dried gummies, she was intrigued. “I think the crunch is so satisfying, and I find it interesting to experience a candy I’m familiar with that has an entirely new texture,” says the Toronto resident.Ms West is describing one of the main features of this spin-off candy that independent and major confectionary manufacturers have been releasing onto shelves, both online and offline, for the past three years.It’s been largely a US phenomena, hence we’ll use the US term candy, but for our…

The rapid growth of “energy-hungry” data centres is delaying new homes in London, just as its housing crisis is “at its worst”, a new report has warned.Data centres are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services, such as streaming and artificial intelligence.However, they require masses of electricity from the National Grid to keep running.According to the report from the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee, some new housing developments in west London were temporarily delayed after the electricity grid reached full capacity.The committee’s chair James Small-Edwards said energy capacity had become a “real constraint” on housing…

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is launching an independent review into rising demand for mental health, ADHD, and autism services in England. It will look at both whether there is evidence of over-diagnosis and what gaps in support exist.The government said it was already investing in expanding services, but there are long waits for therapy in many areas.NHS figures show rates of mental health problems and ADHD have increased significantly over the past two decades.Streeting has previously suggested mental health conditions are being “overdiagnosed”, and the government has argued that increased pressure on the system has led to long waits for…

Household energy bills will rise to help fund a £28bn investment in the UK’s energy network.Energy regulator Ofgem has approved the funding in its five-year plan on improving electricity and gas grids. The money will go towards maintaining gas networks and strengthening the electricity transmission network.The work is estimated to add £108 to energy bills by 2031.But Ofgem said people would end up saving about £80 more than they otherwise would, as the investment will help lower the reliance on imported gas and make wholesale energy cheaper, leading to a net energy bill rise of about £30.Companies that run energy…

Ofcom has fined a porn company £1m for failing to put in place sufficiently robust age checks – the biggest penalty it has imposed so far under the Online Safety Act.The Act makes it a legal requirement for websites that host pornographic material to put in place what the regulator determines to be “highly effective age assurance” to prevent children from being able to easily access explicit content.Ofcom said AVS Group Ltd, which runs 18 adult websites, had failed to do this, so was being fined £1m, plus £50,000 for failing to respond to information requests.AVS must now implement highly…

A higher proportion of people in England are now contacting their GP surgery online than by phone, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).Data covering three weeks from mid-September suggest just over 43% of people went online to contact their GP – an increase of a percentage point from the previous month – compared with 41% percent on the phone.It comes after all NHS practices were required by the government to provide web bookings from October. The government says more than eight million people used online consultation services in October, up by a fifth from the…

Airbus has confirmed an unspecified number of its aircraft will undergo inspections after a “supplier quality issue” with metal panels used on some A320 planes was identified.The problem, which the firm said impacts a “limited number” of planes, comes days after thousands of the same model were grounded for an urgent software update.On Tuesday, the European manufacturer said it was taking a “conservative approach” by checking all planes that could be affected, even though not all are expected to need repairs.As many as 600 A320s – a model widely used by airlines – will need to be checked, though not…

Natalie ShermanBusiness reporterWatch: President Trump announces “Trump accounts” for American childrenTech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, have announced plans to donate $250 to 25 million children across the US. The $6.25bn (£4.72bn) gift will bolster Trump-branded investment accounts, which were authorised by Congress as part of its tax and spending bill earlier this year with the aim of encouraging families save for their children’s retirement.As part of that scheme, babies born between 2025 and 2028 are also eligible to receive $1,000 from the government.The Dells said their gift, which targets children age 10 and under, was intended to…

Andy GiddingsWest MidlandsFamily photoSharon Price said she wanted to avoid the need for surgeryA woman who successfully underwent a newly-approved form of cancer treatment has said it allowed her to avoid the need for surgery.The method, known as Papillon, uses low energy X-rays to treat rectal cancer patients and it has recently been recommended for use by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).Sharon Price, an NHS worker from Newcastle-under-Lyme, was diagnosed with rectal cancer at the age of 45 and said: “I was faced with the possibility of surgery, which would mean that I’d have to live…