_{Read in 5m 40s ∙ Listening to Lily Allen}

The winning pictures from this year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) have been announced - and they’re well worth a scroll through. BWPA celebrates British natural history through a variety of categories including “animal portraits”, “botanical Britain” and “urban wildlife”. The overall winner, selected from more than 13,000 entries, was Charlie Page’s image of a red fox in Lee Valley Park, London.

💰 Budget break-down

Jeremy Hunt will today deliver his first spring budget since becoming chancellor, as he aims to boost economic growth amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

What’s the context of the budget?
As the UK economy is predicted to narrowly avoid a recession this year, today’s budget is expected to focus on reigniting the economy and encouraging more people into work.

At the same time, the government must contend with rocketing inflation and ongoing industrial action. Today will see the biggest day of strikes this winter, with teachers, junior doctors, London Underground drivers and civil servants staging a mass walkout to coincide with Hunt’s budget. All eyes are now on whether the chancellor will use his budget speech to offer details of some sort of pay settlement to stop the strikes.

What can we expect from the budget?
The government confirmed this morning that it is cancelling a planned £500 hike in average energy bills which was due to come into force next month. This means annual bills for the average household will stay at around £2,500 until June.

Hunt is also expected to announce a £4bn expansion of free childcare. The plan would provide an extra 30 hours a week to parents of one- and two-year olds, and increase funding for the existing programme of free childcare for three-year-olds. This is part of a wider drive to encourage people back into work and boost growth. There have also been reports that the UK state pension age could rise to 68 sooner than expected.

What else might we see?
Hunt is expected to announce 12 new investment zones to “supercharge” research and development in industries including AI and pharmaceuticals. £63m is also being made available to help struggling swimming pools cope with rising energy bills and invest in moving towards renewable energy forms. And an £8.6m funding boost for Edinburgh’s festivals is also expected to be announced by Hunt today.

🥗 The benefits of balance

A Mediterranean diet - which is rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats - could lower the risk of dementia by almost a quarter, according to a new study.

What does the research say?
UK researchers analysed the medical and lifestyle records of more than 60,000 Britons. Over the course of nearly a decade, there were 882 cases of dementia. But those who followed a strict Mediterranean diet had a 23% lower risk of developing the condition, compared with those who ate differently.

Researchers say the study could pave the way for new preventative treatments and public health strategies, if further research confirms their findings.

Are there any caveats?
Yes - the analysis was done mainly on people with European ancestry. Susan Mitchell, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, labelled the research “intriguing”, but said that further studies are needed to include people from black, Asian and minority-ethnic backgrounds.

What other factors might be at play?
Experts have stressed that the findings don’t take into account other variables, such as the fact that people who eat a Mediterranean diet may already be more likely to have a generally healthy lifestyle and be fitter overall. Plus, the study doesn’t account for the social aspect of eating, which is considered a core feature of the Mediterranean diet and may also have a protective effect against dementia by increasing interactions with people.

So, what should we take away from all this?
While Mitchell has pointed out that there are “no sure-fire ways” to prevent dementia, there’s a wealth of evidence to suggest that a healthy lifestyle isbeneficial. “A diet rich in fruit and vegetables, along with plenty of exercise and not smoking, all contribute to good heart health, which in turn helps to protect our brain from diseases that lead to dementia”, she said.

🩺 Cough medicine concerns: Some cough medicines are being removed from UK pharmacy shelves as a precaution, due to potential safety risks. The recall notice applies to 20 popular dry cough remedies, all of which contain the cough suppressant pholcodine.

👏 Harassment payout: A woman whose company failed to protect her after she was sexually harassed at her Christmas party has been awarded nearly £19,000 by an employment tribunal.

🇨🇳 China crackdown: The UK Foreign Office rejected a record 1,104 scientists and postgraduate students on national security grounds in 2022, amid a crackdown on research collaborations with China.

💻 Flexibility facts: Over a third of employees would resign if they were told to return to the office full-time, with demand for remote working roles particularly strong among women, according to new research by LinkedIn.

👑 Queen meets King: Queen guitarist Brian May was knighted by King Charles for his service to music and charity at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

Trivia answer: C) Taylor Swift’s Midnights - which The Guardian awarded five stars and described as “cool, collected and mature” - was the best-selling vinyl album of 2022.