Austria’s chancellor to quit as coalition talks collapse
Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer says he will resign in the coming days, both as chancellor and party leader, after talks about forming a coalition government collapsed. The chancellor said his party – the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) – and the Social Democrats had failed to agree on key issues. The liberal Neos, another party involved […]
Author Terry Deary on being ‘a fish out of water’
PA Media Terry Deary (right) and illustrator Martin Brown launched the Horrible Histories books in 1993 Author Terry Deary has a pretty good idea of why his Horrible Histories series is so popular. “The problem with non-fiction books is they’re written by experts who wouldn’t know a child if it jumped up and bit them […]
NHS App upgrade to give patients more choice over treatment
BBC Plans for an upgraded NHS App to allow more patients in England to book treatments and appointments will be part of a package of measures unveiled by the government on Monday. The changes will allow patients who need non-emergency elective treatment to choose from a range of providers, including those in the private sector. […]
Rolling Stones drop Brown Sugar from US tour set list
Getty Images Ronnie Wood, Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards recently resumed their tour without late drummer Charlie Watts The Rolling Stones have dropped Brown Sugar, one of their biggest hits, from their US tour. It follows unease with the depictions of black women and references to slavery in the song, which reached number one […]
Dudley Grand Prix cycling an ‘exciting opportunity’
BBC The Dudley Grand Prix circuit race event will be held on 14 July An elite level British Cycling event set to take place in Dudley provides a “really exciting” opportunity for the borough, the council leader says. Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said the authority was “thrilled” by The Dudley Grand Prix. The […]
Wes Streeting defends timescale for social care reform
Getty Images Wes Streeting has defended the timescale for reforming adult social care in England, with proposals on its long-term funding unlikely to be delivered before 2028. The health and social care secretary is promising “to finally grasp the nettle on social care reform”, but said on Friday the process “would take time”. The independent […]
Comedian Vir Das causes a stir with ‘two Indias’ monologue
Getty Images Comedian and actor Vir Das defended his routine, saying “please do not be fooled by edited snippets” A monologue by one of India’s top comedians has outraged some in the country, prompting complaints to police and criticism from fellow performers. During his show in the US, Vir Das described a country of two […]
Cybertruck explosion at Trump hotel leaves questions
Watch: What we know about the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas US law enforcement is looking for clues to unravel the mystery behind the Tesla vehicle that exploded outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas earlier this week, giving seven people minor injuries. The man who rented the Cybertruck – then drove it to the […]
Britain’s ‘oldest’ barrister Noel Philo still loves his job at 90
Noel Philo Noel Philo turned 90 on Christmas Day and says he is still enjoying his job at Lincoln Crown Court A man thought to be Britain’s oldest practising criminal barrister says he has no intention of retiring any time soon. Noel Philo, who was called to the bar in 1975 and works at Lincoln […]
Pigs in blankets and fizz help boost Lidl Christmas sales
Lidl had its most successful Christmas trading period on record, the supermarket chain said, boosted by a rise of a third in party food sales. Revenue rose almost 7% to more than £1bn over the four weeks to Christmas Eve as customers bought 16 million pigs in blankets and a turkey every second. Sales were […]