You might be forgiven for glancing at this year's GCSE results and thinking not much has changed. And sure, if you're just looking at the pass rate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, that would be more or less correct. But, when you dig into the detail, you find a more complicated picture, where some existing issues have become even more stark. You'll see the grades of students resitting their English and maths GCSEs in England are dragging down the overall results in those subjects - all part of a system the government itself says is demoralising and needs fixing. You'll see that boys' and girls' grades are looking more similar - though that's more to do with girls slipping than boys improving.

Results for A-levels, T-levels, BTecs and other vocational qualifications are out. And this year, they've come at a time when all eyes are on what teenagers decide to do next. Universities are keen to get them through the door. As they grapple with their finances, they know that every filled seat in a lecture hall comes with tuition fee funding. The new prime minister, meanwhile, wants to carve out clear routes into technical jobs that can rival the well-established path of A-levels and a university degree.

A meningitis B (MenB) vaccination programme targeting young people and university students in Northern Ireland will roll out from 31 July, NI's chief medical officer has said. It follows an outbreak in England earlier this year, in which two people - a university student and a sixth-form pupil - died. The two-dose vaccine will be offered to those deemed most at risk from the infection, including Year 14 students and under-25s starting university or a Higher Education institution for the first time this autumn. MenB is a bacterial infection that can cause serious, life-threatening illness including inflammation of the lining of the brain and blood poisoning (sepsis). It is spread by close contact such as kissing, sharing vapes or drinks, or living in close quarters - like student accommodation - with a person who has the disease.

Follow this section to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Follow this tag to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW?

Researchers at the University of Cambridge are using satellite data and AI in an effort to slow the decline in Britain's hedgehog population. Using an AI tool called Tessera, which analyses detailed images of the UK gathered from space, experts can precisely determine locations of hedgehog habitats - and where these are disappearing. The resulting maps capture landscapes in minute detail, including down to individual hedgerows, while AI can accurately predict hedgehog-friendly places obscured by cloud cover. Those behind the project hope it will help to shed light not just on where hedgehogs live across the UK, but barriers preventing them from finding food and mates. The researchers say Tessera's outputs can be used to track the impact of new housing developments and other environmental changes on landscapes that could affect hedgehogs over time.

The UK's tax body is reviewing its decisions to strip child benefit from about 23,500 claimants after it used travel data to conclude they had left the country permanently. Normally the benefit runs out after eight weeks living outside the UK, but many people affected complained that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had stopped their money after they went on holiday for just a short time. The move came after MPs on the Treasury Select Committee demanded answers from the tax authority. HMRC has apologised for any errors and says anyone who thinks their benefits have been stopped incorrectly should contact them. In September, the government began a crackdown on child benefit fraud which it believes could save £350m over five years.

While filming a documentary in Northern Ireland, a team of scientists discovered a new fungus that appears to manipulate spiders' behavior–and turn them into "zombies." The fungus named Gibellula attenboroughii is described in a study published January 24 in the journal Fungal Systematics and Evolution. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The shaded orbweaver or orb-weaving cave spider (Metellina merianae) appears to serve as the fungus' primary host.

Hunter has since campaigned for a change in the law that would see the creation of deepfake images to be made a criminal offence in Northern Ireland. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, the assembly member for East Londonderry said while the Police Service of Northern Ireland was "very sympathetic", it was unable to take the matter further due to the "lack of appropriate laws here and also a lack of investment in cybercrime technology". "What's very sad is that we're now almost three years on from what happened to me and, right now, the same thing could happen again – to any woman, to any child, to any man," said Hunter. "There's a real sinister use of this technology and if someone does it to you, you want to know who has that level of anger or angst or resentment towards you that they would make something such as this."

Third of NI adults visit porn sites, Ofcom finds Getty ImagesA new Ofcom report finds over 430,000 adults in Northern Ireland visited "pornographic content services" online in May 2024 Adults in Northern Ireland are more likely to look at pornography online than those in any other part of the UK. That is according to new research published by the communications regulator Ofcom. It said that more than 430,000 adults in Northern Ireland visited "pornographic content services" online in May 2024 - more than one third of the adult population. That was higher than the proportion of adults viewing similar content in Wales, Scotland and England. The figures come from Ofcom's Online Nation report for 2024, which looks into the UK's digital habits.

Northern Ireland's rising prison population means an extra 75 Prison Service staff will have to be recruited at a cost of 3.5m, Justice Minister Naomi Long has announced. A disused cell block at Maghaberry is also being prepared for re-opening as part of contingency planning. The jail currently has 1,245 inmates – almost half of them are on remand, meaning they have not been convicted or sentenced. Mrs Long said the situation is challenging.PA MediaJustice minister Naomi Long says there has been a steep rise in prisoner numbers in recent years Northern Ireland has three prison sites: Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank Wood, which houses women prisoners and young offenders. Over the last three years, inmate numbers across the sites have increased by 500 to 1,900.