The books that could flourish in this pandemic era
Getty Images (Credit: Getty Images) After wars and recessions past, everything from historical fiction to crime novels have boomed. But what reads might help us cope with today’s uncertain times, asks Heloise Wood. In 1944, a debut novel was published in the US that went on to become the country’s bestselling fiction book of the […]
Kim Jong Un wants Trump back, elite defector tells BBC
‘Kim Jong Un will even kill all 25 million North Koreans to ensure his survival’ Donald Trump returning to the White House would be “a once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity” for North Korea, according to a man in a unique position to know. Ri Il Kyu is the highest-ranking official known to have defected from North Korea since […]
Sweets industry stands firm against sugar backlash
BBC The fair is the same size as 15 Wembley Stadium football pitches The world’s biggest trade fair for sweets is a Willy Wonka-esque display of tempting indulgences, but how is the industry adapting to a growing backlash against sugar? Suddenly the nougat-covered pretzel I had for breakfast doesn’t seem like such a good idea. […]
PM’s burka comments gave impression of insensitivity
PA wire The prime minister ordered a report in 2019 into how the party handles discrimination allegations. It found anti-Muslim views were seen at local association and individual level. But claims of “institutional racism” were not borne out by evidence of the way complaints were handled. However, there is “clear evidence” the Conservative party’s complaints […]
Iconic Purple Rain shirt sells for $26k
Getty Images For decades, Prince thrilled with his eclectic songs and unique style. As many of his outfits – including his iconic ruffled Purple Rain shirt – go up for auction, Katya Foreman assesses his wardrobe. There is a funky homage to New Age spiritualism on the cover of Art Official Age, the 2014 album […]
Cotswold District Council installs solar panels in net zero bid
A council has installed solar panels at one of its offices as part of a bid to reach net zero emissions. Panels fitted to Cotswold District Council’s Trinity Road base in Cirencester are expected to save the authority about £42,000 per year. The council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since installed a […]
Call for higher animal welfare standards for Parma ham pigs
Tawintaew Animal welfare campaigners want all crates banned from pig farming Animal welfare campaigners say it is time supermarkets stopped selling premium ham produced by EU farmers still using methods banned in the UK. Compassion in World Farming said most Parma ham on UK shelves is farmed using crates that confine pregnant sows. Called “sow […]
Inside Israel’s combat zone in southern Lebanon
BBC Israeli army vehicles had already pounded the dirt road into dust where we crossed into Lebanon, breaking through a hole in the fence that marks the ceasefire line drawn between the two countries a generation ago. The ceasefire itself is already in tatters. Israel’s ground invasion along this border last week was launched, it […]
The great women artists that history forgot
Rockoxhuis Museums and galleries around the world are unearthing the work of great female artists who have been neglected or marginalised, writes Cath Pound. “Why have there been no great women artists?” the feminist art historian Linda Nochlin famously asked in her landmark 1971 essay. The point was of course that there had been, but […]
Harrogate Station Gateway travel scheme images revealed
North Yorkshire Council Two lanes of Station Parade in Harrogate will continue to be open to traffic as part of the revised plan New images have been released of a revised scheme to make Harrogate’s railway and bus stations more accessible. The £11.2m Station Gateway scheme aimed to encourage walking and cycling in the town, […]