More than two dozen new areas in northern England and the Midlands could face fracking after new licences were awarded for oil and gas exploration.

There was one winner of last night’s lotto jackpot of just under €6m.

A freak mudslide and flood hit one town as the rest of the country enjoyed summery sunshine.

A report published eight years ago about the future of our maternity services recommended that the midlands hospital at the centre of four controversial baby deaths be brought within the governance of the Coombe — but this was not acted upon at the time.