3 hours ago Catherine Lystand Laura Goodwin ,BBC Scotland Scotland has become the first part of the UK to test newborn babies for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The rare genetic condition causes progressive muscle weakness and, without treatment, can limit life expectancy to just two years. The condition was recently …

Most offenders in England and Wales who would have faced up to a year in jail are likely to receive no more than a suspended sentence from Monday, under one of the most significant changes to jail terms in decades. Under the reform, courts must stop handing out such short …

6 hours ago Evan DavisPresenter on Radio 4’s PM I know that not everybody is interested in the precise form of plumbing by which they heat their home, but it's a topic I've become obsessed with. That's partly because I have a French husband and we bought a very old, …

The government has narrowed the list of potential sites that could be developed as part of its scheme to deliver a wave of "new towns" in England. The housing department has named seven areas that will be taken forward for further consultation, with the final locations to be confirmed later …

The Prince of Wales is "keen to build a strong and meaningful bond" with the Church of England, a royal aide has said, ahead of the future monarch attending the new Archbishop of Canterbury's official installation this week. The aide said Prince William's "commitment to the Church of England is …

7 hours ago Tom Bennettand James Waterhouse ,reporting from Jerusalem Extremist Jewish settlers have carried out a spate of attacks on Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, setting fire to homes, vehicles and agricultural fields. The violence began after a teenage settler - 18-year-old Yehuda Sherman - was killed …

Socialists and allies held on to power France's big four cities - Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Lille - on a local election night that offered hopes for mainstream parties in next year's presidential elections. The new aspirants of the far-left and far-right also made gains – notably in Nice for …

Grisly or just country life? The mole photos dividing social media 6 hours ago Jo LonsdaleNorth East and Cumbria Warning - this story contains images some readers may find distressing For decades, mole catchers in the countryside have hung their carcasses on fences to be counted for payment and as …

Great Britain claimed three gold medals in a sensational 28 minutes to make history and achieve the team's best haul at a World Athletics Indoor Championships. Georgia Hunter Bell stormed to her first global 1500m title to begin Sunday evening's medal rush, before pole vaulter Molly Caudery secured her return …

The Earth's climate is further out of balance than at any time in recorded history, the UN's weather agency has warned. The World Meteorological Organization says that our planet is gaining much more heat energy than it can release, driven by emissions of warming gases such as carbon dioxide. This …