The world’s most prized pepper?
Andia/Getty Images Kampot pepper has made a comeback after the Khmer Rouge lost power (Credit: Andia/Getty Images) Only by the late ‘90s, long after the Khmer Rouge lost power, did local farmers – many with generations’ of peppercorn farming running through their veins – return to their roots. A recent re-emergence of a flowering vine […]
India’s X alternative to shut down services
Millions of social media users in India are stranded after homegrown microblogging platform Koo, which had branded itself as an alternative to X, announced it was shutting services. The platform’s founders said a shortage of funding along with high costs for technology had led to the decision. Launched in 2020, Koo offered messaging in more […]
Harry Potter star to pay £1.8m after losing tax battle
Former Harry Potter star Rupert Grint has been ordered to pay £1.8m in tax after losing a legal battle with HM Revenue & Customs. Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the films, was originally told to pay the sum in 2019 after an HMRC investigation disputed one of his tax returns. Lawyers for the 36-year-old […]
Young will pick up climate change bill, advisers warn
Getty Images Transport pollution is rising Young people will be left to pick up the bill for climate change because politicians are dodging the issue, a UK report warns. The government must act faster to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from road traffic, homes and farming, the Committee on Climate Change says. Without action, the […]
BME label insulting, says ex-minister Priti Patel
PA Former cabinet minister Priti Patel says she has warned Conservative colleagues not to “label me as BME”. She told BBC Radio Kent she found the commonly used abbreviation for Black and Minority Ethnic “patronising” and “insulting”. The former international development secretary and leading Brexiteer did not rule out a bid for the Conservative leadership […]
Japan’s formula for life satisfaction
JGalione/Getty Images Japan has a huge number of craftsmen, reflecting the immense value placed on devoting your life to a single purpose (Credit: JGalione/Getty Images) The term ikigai is a succinct way to describe what gets you up in the morning – be it work, family or a well-loved hobby – much like a prosaic […]
Did JFK’s assassination help The Beatles break the US?
Getty Images By the time The Beatles visited the US, they were already huge stars in the UK In Beatles ’64, the new documentary which charts the impact of the band’s first US tour and how it catapulted them to global superstardom, Paul McCartney makes a suggestion as to why they achieved so much so […]
Pig farmers fear for industry over soaring costs
BBC A County Tyrone pig farmer has warned he is one of many considering leaving the industry, if costs don’t come down significantly before winter. Roger Johnston is used to fluctuating prices, but said this year is different. “This past three, four months, we’ve probably made record losses,” he said. Mr Johnston said on top […]
a simple guide to three polls on 20 July
Reuters Voters go to the polls on Thursday 20 July in three by-elections which will provide a major test of Rishi Sunak’s authority. The prime minister faces the possibility of losing three Conservative seats after their previous MPs left the political stage. A poor performance by the Tories would raise new questions about Mr Sunak’s […]
The millionaires’ club with too few women
Booking.com Gillian Tans is chief executive of Booking.com Amid the ongoing fallout from widespread sexual assault and harassment allegations and the #MeToo campaign, gender equality is high on the Davos agenda this year, but the elite annual gathering still has its own issues to solve. Gillian Tans is softly spoken and unassuming. The 47-year-old isn’t […]