Author: BBC

Elliot BallBBC News, West MidlandsPA MediaMick Ralphs (right) has died at the age of 81 – he had been a member of Mott the Hoople with vocalist Ian Hunter (left)Guitarist and songwriter Mick Ralphs, best known for his time with Mott The Hoople, has died at the age of 81, according to the band’s official website. A statement said: “Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”The Hereford-born musician was a key member of the band, which formed in 1969. He left four years later, and moved on to Bad Company.A statement from that band said…

Airlines have been cancelling or rerouting flights to and from the Middle East amid the conflict between Israel and Iran.Qatar’s Hamad International Airport airport, a critical hub in the region, temporarily halted operations on Monday before reopening.Flights were temporarily paused at Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as passengers were told to expect further delays and cancellations.More than a dozen airlines cancelled flights to parts of the region after tension mounted in recent days.On Monday, Qatar briefly closed its airspace before Iran fired missiles at a US military base in the country, in what it said was retaliation…

Zoe Kleinman & Liv McMahonTechnology editor & technology reporterGetty ImagesGoogle may have to make changes in the UK to give consumers more choice over who they use for online search services, the competition watchdog has said. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the US technology giant under a new law which means the regulator can demand changes at a firm if it is found to hold too much power in a particular market.Google accounts for more than 90% of searches in the UK and 200,000 businesses use the company’s search advertising to reach customers.Its parent company, Alphabet, said…

Content warning: Video contains discussion of suicide.UFC star Paddy Pimblett speaks with BBC Sport’s Sam Harris about dealing with mental health issues, and his supportive friendship with now-retired fighter Molly McCann.Visit www.bbc.co.uk/actionline for more information and help with issues raised in this video.READ MORE: Aspinall upgraded to undisputed UFC champion as Jones retires

Danny FullbrookCulture reporterClaudio Giovannini/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockThe painting will be returned to the exhibition when it is restoredA 18th-century oil painting has allegedly been damaged after a museum visitor tripped while taking a selfie.Florence’s Uffizi Gallery said a tourist fell backwards while trying to “make a meme in front” of a portrait of Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, by Anton Domenico Gabbiani.The museum explained the damage could be repaired quickly but director Simone Verde warned restrictions on visitor behaviour could be imposed in the future.He said in a statement: “The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take…

Lowering energy costs for thousands of businesses by exempting them from some green energy levies will form a central part of the government’s new 10-year industrial strategy.The plan, which may slash energy bills by up to 25% for more than 7,000 UK businesses, is set to be unveiled on Monday alongside other measures hoped to boost growth.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the industrial strategy “a turning point for Britain’s economy” by supporting key industries where there is potential for growth.Acting shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie criticised the plans, saying the UK needed “a serious approach to energy policy” that…

Ione WellsSouth America correspondentGeorgina RannardScience correspondentNSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin ObservatoryThe first image revealed by the Vera Rubin telescope shows the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae in stunning detailA powerful new telescope in Chile has released its first images, showing off its unprecedented ability to peer into the dark depths of the universe.In one picture, vast colourful gas and dust clouds swirl in a star-forming region 9,000 light years from Earth. The Vera C Rubin observatory, home to the world’s most powerful digital camera, promises to transform our understanding of the universe.If a ninth planet exists in our solar system, scientists say…

Smitha MundasadHealth reporterGetty ImagesWeight loss injections like Mounjaro and Wegovy are available in specialist weight loss clinicsPrescriptions for Mounjaro jabs, to help people lose weight, will be available at GP surgeries in England from today – but only for those who meet very strict criteria.NHS England says while the long-term plan is for the jabs to be more widely available, a staggered approach is needed to reach those most at need, manage GPs’ workload and NHS resources.The weekly injection makes you feel full so you eat less, and can help people lose 20% of their body weight.GPs say they don’t…

Craig RussellCraig Russell says the NHS saved his life when they removed his tumour and rebuilt the back of his skullA Welsh actor has said there was “a very real chance” he would not see his latest film finished after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour following filming.Craig Russell, who grew up in Cwmtwrch in the Swansea Valley, said in hindsight he realised he experienced symptoms of the tumour while the thriller, Protein, was in production.”A couple of weird things happened, I was walking into stuff, I was getting lost in our own house,” he recalled.The film, which tells…

Helen Drew & Olivia DemetriadesBBC News, LondonGetty ImagesThe average cost of an attended funeral in London in 2024 was £5,449The average cost of an attended funeral in London is the most expensive compared with anywhere else in the UK, according to a report.Financial services company SunLife found that the average funeral cost in 2024 was £4,285. In London, it was £5,449 – a 5.4% increase from the year before and 58% higher than in the least expensive region, Northern Ireland.Concerns have been raised about funeral poverty, with charity Quaker Social Action saying the financial stress can “rob people of their…