Why you are probably sitting down for too long
Getty Images Sitting down for prolonged periods can have a profound effect on our health (Credit: Getty Images) In the office, on transport, at home…Sitting down is ingrained in most peoples’ days. But, due in part to vascular dysfunction, staying sedentary for too long can increase the risk of serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease […]
Lava, letters and a loch: Photos of the week
A selection of striking news photographs taken around the world this week. ANTON BRINK/EPA-EFE Lava flows across one of the roads near Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland. The Icelandic Meteorological Office said a new fissure erupted in the area on 21 November, spewing hot lava into the air. Lia Toby/Getty Images Actor Jeff Goldblum […]
Police raids over horse meat for export investigation
Getty Images Gardaí (Irish police) investigating suspected horse meat fraud have searched premises across five counties in the Republic of Ireland. They said farms, houses and a commercial building were raided. It is part of an investigation into suspected “tampering with identification passports and microchips of horses presented for slaughter”. RTÉ has reported that detectives […]
Politburo boy band? An alternative take on China’s new leaders
BBC Surprise, surprise: Chairman Xi is still in charge China has unveiled its new generation of leaders. With President Xi Jinping cementing his already solid grip on power, the news was not lost on politically-aware online commentators in China and elsewhere, who gave it a somewhat different spin. Chinese users reading the tea leaves “This […]
India police arrest parents of woman found dead in a suitcase
ANI The woman’s body was found wrapped in plastic and stuffed in a red suitcase Police in India have arrested the parents of a young woman for allegedly murdering her and dumping her body near an expressway. The woman’s body was found wrapped in plastic and stuffed in a red suitcase on Friday near Mathura […]
French Open 2017: Jelena Ostapenko shocks Caroline Wozniacki
With pregnant Serena Williams missing and a number of notable early exits, a first-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion will be crowned in Paris. Wozniacki, 26, boasted the best pedigree of the eight players left in the draw, and was tipped by some observers to win her first major title. The Dane ended the year […]
The extinct Olympic sport that was the ‘dullest’ of all time
Dave Parrington (Credit: Dave Parrington) In the plunge for distance, any form of exertion was strictly forbidden. William Dickey teeters on the edge of the diving block, contemplating the placid waters of the lake below. He’s a future swimming champion – an elite sportsperson and member of the New York Athletic Club. Only, he doesn’t […]
Tourist boom threatens ancient forests
Xiqing Wang/ BBC Sinkholes in China’s Guangxi province have become a tourist attraction The couple stands on the edge of the sheer limestone cliff. More than 100 metres (328ft) beneath them is a lost world of ancient forests, plants and animals. All they can see is leafy tree tops and hear is the echoes of […]
Scottish retailers report positive start to year
Getty Images Scottish retailers have enjoyed a positive start to the year, according to a regular survey. The SRC-KPMG retail sales monitor found total sales rose year-on-year by 1.3% in January. Adjusted for deflation, the increase was 1.7%. Food sales were particularly strong, rising by 2.7%, with Hogmanay and Burns Night celebrations falling within the […]
New leader should be a woman, says Leanne Wood
Former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood would like to see a woman as the party’s new head The next leader of Plaid Cymru should be a woman, according to the party’s former leader Leanne Wood. Plaid Cymru is looking for a new leader after Adam Price stepped down following Nerys Evans’ report which said there […]