3 hours ago Aleks Phillips HMS Dragon has begun its journey to the eastern Mediterranean to join the UK's defensive operations in the region. The Type 45 destroyer left its dock in Portsmouth on Tuesday afternoon, having only recently come out of maintenance. It will be the UK's first and …

6 hours ago Georgina RannardScience reporter Hedgehogs may be communicating with more than just snuffles, grunts and snorts, according to scientists who have discovered the animal's hearing range. The creatures hear sounds at a much higher frequency than humans, meaning they could be signalling to each other with noises that …

The government's inquiry into grooming gangs "must look specifically at London as part of its local investigations", according to a group of MPs. In a letter seen by the BBC, eight Conservative MPs and three London Assembly members are demanding "urgent action" from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Mayor of …

British wildlife will replace historical characters on the next series of Bank of England banknotes - and the public will get their say on which animals and birds will appear. Images of wildlife would be difficult to counterfeit, while also allowing for a celebration of nature across the country, the …

Dozens of hereditary peers are set to lose their seats in the House of Lords, after the passage of a bill that will end a parliamentary role dating back hundreds of years. Peers passed the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill after ministers offered a compromise to end a long-running …

The Duchess of Sussex will headline a women-only weekend retreat in Sydney, Australia in April this year, with tickets starting at A$2,699 ($1,900; £1,400) per person. The three-day event will be during Meghan and the Duke of Sussex's visit to Australia next month, seven years after their first visit in …

6 hours ago Jim Connolly When Louise Burns noticed that her dog Bow was breathing oddly in October 2023, she took the Boston terrier straight to the vet. Louise recalls being told that Bow's airway was swollen - Bow was given a tracheostomy and then a further operation to help …

Some travel disruption is likely in the next few days as strenghtening winds develop across the United Kingdom. On Wednesday a Met Office yellow warning is in force for gusts up to 80mph (130km/h) expected across northern and western Scotland. But, it will turn more widely windy for most of …

Jeffrey Epstein had two key aides - why do they still control his money and secrets? 6 hours ago Chi Chi Izundu , Olivia Daviesand Will Dahlgreen ,BBC News Investigations When the FBI raided Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion in July 2019, on the day he was arrested for child …

Sir Nick Clegg, the former Liberal Democrat leader, has said the current university tuition fee system is a "mess". Pressed on his time in government when - while deputy prime minister - higher tuition fees were introduced, Sir Nick said he would take any criticism of his role "on the …