How fans are supporting their favourite idols
AFP It’s thought that global fans of Korean popular culture number some 89 million in 113 countries If you walk through Piccadilly Circus station, you might just see the seven members of K-pop band BTS smiling at you on one of the station’s billboards. Fans of the group (often referred to as ARMY) pooled their […]
Former teachers get honorary degree at Brunel University
Jan Ball Ian and Jan Ball said it was a “very special day” when they received their honorary degrees A couple who met and married at a teacher training college in the 1970s have returned to their former alma mater to have their qualifications “upgraded” in an honorary degree ceremony. Jan and Ian Ball, who […]
NHS Covid-19 app pings rise by over 70,000 to new record
Christopher Furlong The number of self-isolation alerts sent by the NHS Covid-19 app in England and Wales has risen to a new record of 689,313 in the week up to 21 July. The figures represent an increase of over 70,000 compared with the previous week. But the rate of increase was lower than the previous […]
SNP MP Ian Blackford brands Boris Johnson ‘racist’ at PMQs
Ian Blackford was asked by the Speaker to withdraw claims of racism about Boris Johnson The SNP’s leader at Westminster leader has branded Boris Johnson a “racist” who is unfit to lead the country. Speaking during prime minister’s questions, Ian Blackford highlighted previous comments Mr Johnson had made about Muslims, Africans and Scots. He refused […]
Testimony in rugby sexism report ‘harrowing’
Catherine Ivill A damning report into the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) shows the body allowed a culture that brought the game into disrepute, a senior Welsh politician has said. A review has that found sexism, misogyny, racism and homophobia was not properly challenged in the WRU. Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru’s culture spokesperson, said it was […]
Why one study is tracking homeless people around Sutton
PA Media Rough sleepers were tracked in Sutton A study which tracked the movements of homeless people over six months in south London has become the first of its kind to be carried out in the UK. Eight men and one woman were paid £10 a week to partake in the British Academy-funded research, which […]
Ivinghoe villagers on when Ariana Grande came to town
Wicked: Village gets Oz makeover for Ariana Grande film As dramatic as local gossip can be, the idea of Ariana Grande filming a Hollywood blockbuster in Ivinghoe proved a step too far for many villagers. Yet it was impossible for the naysayers to deny reality when Munchkinland began to emerge in the Buckinghamshire countryside in […]
Unilever to cut plastic use to appeal to Gen Z
Unilever boss, Alan Jope, says his firm is cutting back on plastic to stay relevant Unilever, which owns brands such as Surf and PG Tips, says it plans to halve the amount of new plastic it uses in a bid to appeal to younger shoppers. The firm is responsible for producing 700,000 tonnes of new […]
Truss courts Johnson loyalists as Sunak faces jibes
Reuters It wasn’t quite as big a crowd as you get on a Saturday afternoon, but it was a big one nonetheless. The first Conservative leadership hustings for party members took place at Elland Road in Leeds last night. About 1,500 party members turned up to hear from Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss and put […]
‘Partition pain like an heirloom to carry’
Getty Images The partition of British India led to the creation of two independent nations – India and Pakistan When Sagar Ghelani and Fiyza Awan think about 75 years of independence for India and Pakistan, what springs to mind is to remember the sacrifices. “It’s about remembering those people and then reflecting about how we […]