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The UK has achieved its greenest year ever in terms of how the nation's electricity is generated, National Grid figures reveal. The rise of renewable energy helped break 13 clean energy records in 2017. In June, for the first time, wind, nuclear and solar power generated more UK power than gas and coal combined. Britain has halved carbon emissions in the electricity sector since 2012 to provide the fourth cleanest power system in Europe and seventh worldwide . In April, the UK had its first 24-hour period without using any coal power since the Industrial Revolution. The government is  committed to phasing out unabated coal by 2025  as part of efforts to cut the UK's greenhouse gas emissions in line with legal obligations. Separate findings from power research group MyGridGB show that renewable energy sources provided more power than coal for 90% of 2017, figures up to 12 December show. British wind farms produced more electricity than coal plants on more than 75% of da

Damian Green , one of Theresa May's closest allies, has been sacked from the cabinet after an inquiry found he had breached the ministerial code. He was "asked to quit" after he was found to have made "inaccurate and misleading" statements over what he knew about claims pornography was found on his office computer in 2008. He also apologised for making writer Kate Maltby feel uncomfortable in 2015. L aura Kuenssberg said the PM "had little choice but to ask him to go". The BBC's political editor said the departure of a close friend left Mrs May a "lonelier figure". Mr Green, 61, who as first secretary of state was effectively the PM's deputy, is the third cabinet minister to resign in the space of two months - Sir Michael Fallon and Priti Patel both quit in November.   Media caption Theresa May "will miss his advice, will miss his support" - Laura Kuenssberg on Damian Green sacking In her written respon

      Media caption The children's aunt Claire Pearson shared her memories of them The aunt of four children who died in a house fire in Salford says the family is trying to cope with their grief but "nothing will ever break us". Demi Pearson, 15, and siblings Brandon, eight, and Lacie, seven, died in the blaze in Walkden on Monday. Lia, three, died in hospital on Wednesday. Claire Pearson said: "What's happened is tragic but it won't separate this family. We are all very close." Her sister and the children's mother, Michelle, 35, is in hospital in a coma. Two men and a woman appeared in court earlier charged with murdering the siblings. They were remanded in custody until 9 March for a plea and trial preparation hearing. Ms Pearson says her sister is "an amazing woman" and the house on Jackson Street "was like a youth club with the amount of kids" who would visit. "She was such a mother to everybo

The UK's most senior military officer has warned of a new threat posed by Russia to communications and internet cables that run under the sea. Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, the chief of the defence staff, said Britain and Nato needed to prioritise protecting the lines of communication. He said it would "immediately and potentially catastrophically " hit the economy if they were cut or disrupted. The cables criss-cross the seabed, connecting up countries and continents. According to a recent report for the Policy Exchange think tank, the world's submarine network comprises an estimated 213 independent cable systems and 545,018 miles (877,121 km) of fibre. But it said a lack of formal state ownership meant cables do not have strong protection in international law. Despite that, an estimated 97% of global communications and $10 trillion in daily financial transactions are transmitted by cables under the ocean. Image caption There is more than 545,018 miles