Latest News
See updates in chronological order
Tributes to 'proud grandfather' and other Coventry death notices
Local funeral notices in Coventry list recent deaths and upcoming services, including a man described as a 'proud grandfather' who died on 10 February 2026; notices also remain online via the newspaper and funeral-notices.co.uk as lasting tributes.
Children in care denied school places, Lincolnshire home warns
A BBC investigation found some children in care have been out of mainstream school for months or years while homes struggle to secure places; the Children's Homes Association reports many providers face difficulty finding placements and the Department for Education says a new law will extend councils' powers to include academies.
GPs get £3,000 bonus to maximise weight loss drug prescriptions
NHS England will pay a one-off £3,000 incentive under the GP contract to practices that prescribe the maximum number of eligible patients the weight‑loss drug Mounjaro; current access is limited to people with a BMI over 40 plus certain health conditions and will be widened to BMI over 35 next year.
Prue Leith says testosterone gel has helped her sex life
Prue Leith told Saga Magazine she has added testosterone gel to oestrogen patches and progesterone pills and said it has improved her libido; she also said she intends to continue hormone replacement therapy and has stepped back from judging The Great British Bake Off.
Cancer survivors may be less likely to develop dementia, research shows
Researchers report that a protein called cystatin C, released by cancer cells and described in a study published in Cell, reduced amyloid plaques and improved memory in mice; the findings come from animal experiments and human relevance is not yet established.
Fiji's rising HIV cases are affecting babies and children.
Officials and UN agencies report a rapid rise in HIV in Fiji, with more than 1,200 diagnoses in the first half of 2025 and about one baby diagnosed each week through mother-to-child transmission.
Womb transplant: 'Miracle' baby born after UK's first deceased-donor procedure
A baby named Hugo was born after the UK's first womb transplant using a deceased donor, and the operation took place as part of a clinical trial led by transplant surgeons to evaluate the procedure.
Hugo is the first UK baby born after a womb transplant from a deceased donor.
Hugo Powell is the first child in the UK born to a mother who received a womb from a deceased donor; he was delivered in December at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital and his mother, Grace Bell, was born with MRKH.
Baby first in UK to be born to a mother with a womb from a deceased donor
A baby boy, Hugo Powell, is the first child in the UK born to a mother who received a womb transplant from a deceased donor; he was delivered by C-section in December at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital.
UK steps up support for Ukraine four years after Russia's full-scale invasion
The UK announced additional military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, including a 70-person multinational headquarters backed by £200 million and a separate £30 million fund for societal resilience and justice efforts.
Maxi Shield, beloved Australian drag queen, dies aged 51
Maxi Shield, a well-known Sydney drag performer and season one contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, has died at 51 after a throat cancer diagnosis.
Lily Collins to play Audrey Hepburn in film about Breakfast at Tiffany's
Lily Collins has been cast to play Audrey Hepburn in a new film about the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's, adapted from Sam Wasson's book with a screenplay by Alena Smith; no director or further casting has been announced.
Bondi Beach attack: royal commission into antisemitism begins public hearings
Australia's royal commission into antisemitism has opened public hearings after the Bondi Beach attack, which was reported to have killed 15 people and injured 40; an interim report is expected by the end of April and a full report by the first anniversary of the attack.
Boong wins Bafta for film from Manipur
Lakshmipriya Devi’s Manipuri-language debut Boong won the Bafta for Best Children’s & Family Film, the first Indian film to win that category, and Devi used her acceptance speech to call for peace for Manipur.
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under star Maxi Shield has died
Maxi Shield (real name Kristopher Elliot), who appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, died on Saturday, February 21 after a period of chemotherapy; a close friend confirmed the death in a Facebook statement.
Australia begins inquiry into antisemitism after Bondi attack
A government-backed Royal Commission opens to examine antisemitism after a December Bondi Beach attack that killed 15, and will be led by retired judge Virginia Bell with a report expected by December.
Man charged with murder of 13-week-old baby in Ramsgate
Tyla Wharmby, 24, has been charged with murder and causing grievous bodily harm over the death of a 13-week-old baby in Ramsgate and was remanded to appear at Medway Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
Queen tells Gisele Pelicot her memoir left her speechless
Queen Camilla told French survivor Gisele Pelicot she was left speechless by Pelicot's new memoir, which the Queen said she read in two days; the meeting took place at Clarence House during Pelicot's UK book visit.
Gisèle Pelicot on chemical submission and her ex-husband
Gisèle Pelicot has published a memoir and publicly waived her anonymity after a 2024 trial that convicted her former husband and dozens of men in drug-assisted sexual assaults; the case has prompted wider debate in France about consent and 'chemical submission'.
Banned Ukrainian skeleton racer vows to return with 'helmet of memory'
Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Milano Cortina Olympics for wearing a helmet bearing the faces of 24 Ukrainians killed in the war; he is back in Kyiv, says he will appeal to a court outside IOC control and aims to compete again in 2030.
Make a Difference Awards 2026 opens nominations for local heroes
The BBC has launched the 2026 Make a Difference Awards and opened nominations, with entries closing at 17:00 GMT on 31 March and winners to be announced at events in September.
Gisele Pelicot says her partner asked a painful question during the trial
Gisele Pelicot describes in a new memoir how her partner, Jean‑Loup, supported her while she read documents from the mass trial she waived anonymity to face; authorities have said police found thousands of images and videos after her ex‑husband's 2020 arrest.
Lindsey Vonn says doctor saved her leg after Olympic crash
Lindsey Vonn said she developed compartment syndrome after her February 8 Olympic crash and credited Dr Tom Hackett with a fasciotomy that she says saved her leg; she is out of hospital and will begin rehabilitation.
SEND changes in England receive a mixed response from parents
Parents welcomed that reforms should avoid major disruption for children in special schools, but many said they fear children with the most complex needs may not get the support they need.
Valdo Calocane watched shooting videos online, inquiry hears
The inquiry heard that Valdo Calocane had viewed online videos of shootings and material about law and police powers; he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and is serving a hospital order.
Children's home manager, 93, convicted of historic abuse
A 93-year-old former manager, Malcolm Phillips, was convicted in a trial of the facts of multiple historic sexual offences at Skircoat Lodge Care Home and his former deputy, Linda Brunning, was also found guilty. Sentencing is scheduled for April.
New £33m unit will be built at Rhyl's Royal Alexandra Hospital.
A new £33m healthcare unit at Rhyl's Royal Alexandra Hospital will include a minor injuries service, expanded radiology and a 14-bed reablement unit, and is due to be completed next year.
Team GB at the 2026 Winter Olympics achieves three golds in five-medal haul
Team GB won three gold medals and five medals overall at Milan-Cortina 2026, and 53 athletes plus two reserves represented Britain across 11 disciplines.
Canada prepares aid package for Cuba amid fuel shortages.
Canada says it is preparing an aid plan for Cuba but has not released details; Foreign Minister Anita Anand declined to provide more information. Cuba is experiencing acute fuel shortages after oil shipments from Venezuela and Mexico were halted, and some airlines have canceled flights.
Labour's Send revolution may face legal and political tests
Bridget Phillipson has unveiled a 10-year SEND reform plan with new funding commitments and major changes to EHCPs; a public consultation has begun and reviews of individual EHCPs are due to start in September 2029.
