Author: BBC

Fergus WalshMedical EditorGettyA major prostate cancer screening trial aimed at finding the best way to detect the disease has been launched in the UK. The first letters have been sent out from GPs inviting men to join the study, the biggest of its kind in decades.The £42 million Transform trial is funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.Hashim Ahmed, trial chief investigator, said: “Transform is truly game-changing… the start of recruitment today marks a pivotal step towards getting the results men urgently need to make prostate cancer diagnosis safe and more effective so…

Kevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentGetty ImagesMillions of households will see a slight rise in energy prices at the height of winter, after regulator Ofgem outlined its next price cap.The 0.2% increase from the current cap will take effect at the start of January, and affect those on variable tariffs in England, Wales and Scotland.The rise was a surprise after forecasters suggested the cap may fall at the start of the year. Government policy is primarily behind the shift.Gas and electricity bills remain relatively high, and the sudden drop in temperature has brought the costs to the forefront of people’s minds.”While…

America’s Major League Baseball (MLB) has signed a slew of deals with broadcast and streaming giants to show select games for the next three seasons.Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service, will air special baseball events that draw millions of viewers each year. These include the league’s opening night exclusive and its Home Run Derby, where players compete to hit the most home runs.Media companies ESPN and NBCUniversal also have acquired rights to other MLB-related programmes.The three-year agreements will help the league expand its reach, said Baseball Commissioner Robert D Manfred Jr.Starting with the 2026 season, the new deal will grant…

BBCIt was the most momentous event in UK history since World War Two. As a new virus took hold, millions of us were told to stay at home and billions of pounds were spent propping up the country’s economy.The Covid inquiry will publish its second set of findings on Thursday, looking in detail at the huge political choices made at the time – including how lockdowns were introduced, the closure of businesses and schools, and bringing in previously unthinkable social restrictions. “Did the government serve the people well, or did it fail them?” asked the lead counsel at the start…

Danielle KayeBusiness reporterReutersChief executive Jensen Huang said sales for some of Nvidia’s AI components were “off the charts”Chip giant Nvidia has reported stronger-than-expected revenues, easing investor concerns about heavy artificial intelligence (AI) spending that have unsettled markets.The company said revenue for the three months to October jumped 62% to $57bn, driven by demand for its chips used in AI data centres. Sales from that division rose 66% to more than $51bn.Fourth-quarter sales forecasts in the range of $65bn also topped estimates, sending shares in Nvidia about 4% higher in after-hours trading.”There’s been a lot of talk about an AI bubble.…

Shiona McCallumSenior Tech Reporter Getty ImagesChildren will no longer be able to chat to adult strangers on Roblox – one of the world’s most popular gaming platforms – as part of an expansion of its safety measures.Mandatory age checks will be introduced for accounts using chat features, starting in December for Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, then the rest of the globe from January.Roblox has faced criticism for allowing youngsters to access inappropriate content and communicate with adults, and is being sued over child safety concerns in several US states.The launch also comes just ahead of Australia’s social media…

Marie-Louise ConnollyHealth correspondent, BBC News NIDr Jilly O’Hagan says patients are facing traumatic waits for diagnosis and treatmentA County Antrim GP has said she is “hugely concerned” for women who need breast cancer treatment in Northern Ireland after three patients in her surgery received late cancer diagnoses.The patients are among 32 women in the Notting Hill Medical Practice, based in the Northern Trust, who were red-flagged within a five-month period this year.The three women, who have asked for their identities to be protected, had to wait more than eight weeks to be seen by a consultant, while nine others are…

Lucy HookerBusiness reporterGetty ImagesThe UK inflation rate fell to 3.6% in the year to October, but food prices rose again following a dip in September.Prices are rising at their slowest pace for four months, helped by smaller rises in household energy costs and lower hotel costs, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.Economists had expected a slightly bigger fall from September’s 3.8% to 3.5%.The latest inflation report comes just a week ahead of the government’s much-anticipated Budget.”I’m determined to do more to bring prices down,” said Chancellor Rachel Reeves, after the latest data was released.”I recognise that inflation and the…

Faisal Islam,economics editor and Rachel Clun,business reporterGetty ImagesPeople should not “blindly trust” everything AI tools tell them, the boss of Google’s parent company Alphabet has told the BBC.In an exclusive interview, chief executive Sundar Pichai said that AI models are “prone to errors” and urged people to use them alongside other tools.Mr Pichai said it highlighted the importance of having a rich information ecosystem, rather than solely relying on AI technology.”This is why people also use Google search, and we have other products that are more grounded in providing accurate information.”While AI tools were helpful “if you want to creatively…

Some 380 hospice beds out of around 2,000 lie empty in England because of financial pressures, say bosses.Hospice UK has told BBC News this is up from 300 a year ago and illustrates the severe challenges facing the sector.Beds are left empty to save money – since staffing and caring is costly – and so are unavailable to patients.Hospices are run by charities, raising between two-thirds and three-quarters of their income from donations and private fund raising. They depend on the rest from the NHS, and managers say this funding has not kept pace with costs, such as employer national…