Egyptians offered loans to buy books as inflation soars
Reuters Egyptians are used to paying for costly items such as cars or washing machines in instalments, but rocketing inflation means they can now buy books this way. “A book has become a luxury item here in Egypt. It’s not a basic commodity like food and people are saving on luxuries,” says Mohammed El-Baaly of […]
Indian-American voters excited by Harris but see appeal of Trump
BBC Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code and the first Indian-American woman to run for US Congress in 2010, at the All That Glitters Diwali Ball. On a recent October evening on New York City’s Upper East Side, hundreds of influential Indian Americans ranging from Bollywood actors to tech CEOs, dressed in bedazzled outfits […]
NHS Dumfries & Galloway hackers unlikely to be convicted
BBC Global hackers who attacked a Scottish health board are unlikely to end up in court but could face sanctions and the dismantling of their criminal network, police said. Earlier this year, a group called INC Ransom stole 3TB (terabytes) of data from NHS Dumfries and Galloway, including confidential information on patients and staff. The […]
Jennifer Lawrence and Malala on their film about the Afghan women fighting back
Getty Images Malala Yousafzai and Jennifer Lawrence tell the BBC about their new documentary Bread & Roses, which highlights the stories and voices of Afghan women resisting the Taliban. It’s being called “gender apartheid” by the UN. In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan. A generation of women who had new opportunities to work, […]
Agri-food sector at ‘game-changing moment’ in Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector “does not have a positive story to tell right now”, according to the review The agri-food sector in Northern Ireland is at “a game-changing moment”, according to an Independent Strategic Review. Sir Peter Kendall, who led the review, found “in terms of its environmental credentials” the sector “does not have […]
Hall for Cornwall in the running for national award
A Cornish theatre is up for a national award that recognises venues for being welcoming to audiences, creatives, and local communities. Hall for Cornwall in Truro joins the Octagon Theatre Bolton and London’s Polka Theatre in the running for the 2024 UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award. To be nominated, members of the UK Theatre Association […]
Love it or hate it?
AF archive/Alamy Stock Photo (Credit: AF archive/Alamy Stock Photo) Some critics were outraged when the 1994 blockbuster made our list of the 100 Greatest American Films. As the film is screened at MoMA, two journalists debate its merits. Why I love Forrest Gump Ben Svetkey is a senior editor at The Hollywood Reporter Movies are […]
The ‘flying rivers’ causing devastating floods in India
Getty Images Floods are common in India and South Asia at this time of the year Heavy rains and floods have affected several parts of India in recent weeks, killing scores of people and displacing thousands of others. Floods are not uncommon in the country – or South Asia – at this time of the […]
The transgender bus driver in 1970s Belfast
Wilma Creith; the transgender bus driver in 1970s Belfast Wilma Creith is believed to have been one of the first people from Northern Ireland to have undergone gender reassignment surgery back in 1980. At the age of 47, she made the life-changing journey from Belfast to Leeds but died just three days later. An inquest […]
Ukraine uses US long-range missiles for first time, says Russia
Russia says Ukraine has fired US-supplied long-range missiles into the country, a day after Washington gave its permission for such attacks. Ukraine used the Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) in a strike on Russia’s Bryansk region this morning, the ministry of defence in Moscow said. Five missiles were shot down and one damaged, with its […]