The drink that costs more than gold
Theodora Sutcliffe Features correspondent Kevin Zen/Getty In China, drinking tea is considered an art form (Credit: Kevin Zen/Getty) China’s ancient bushes of Da Hong Pao produce one of the most expensive teas in the world, astonishingly costing more than 30 times its weight in gold. In 2002, a wealthy purchaser paid 180,000 yuan – almost […]
Inside the Shawshank prison
Karen Gardiner Features correspondent Ghosts in the cellblock? (Mansfield and Richland County CVB) The cavernous old Ohio State Reformatory is eerie enough to give you chills – even if you don’t hear the clanking of cell doors and prisoners’ cries. Stand in front of the Ohio State Reformatory today and you might have a hard […]
The dish worth a 15-hour flight
David Farley Features correspondent Kidsada Manchinda/Alamy The dish is an ensemble of boiled chicken, rice, chilli sauce and chicken soup (Credit: Kidsada Manchinda/Alamy) Born out of frugality, Hainanese chicken rice – one of Singapore’s national dishes – may seem simple. But it’s the kind of dish you’d cross continents to eat. Hainanese chicken rice is […]
Is this the world’s greatest rice?
David Farley Features correspondent Anson Mills A soft texture makes middlins a nice substitute for grits (Credit: Anson Mills) In Charleston, South Carolina, rice doesn’t take a backseat to other ingredients – it’s a homegrown rock star. Rice is an overlooked culinary component, often viewed as a necessary, but not particularly flavourful, staple to a […]
Aberdeenshire ‘mad cow disease’ farmer speaks of devastation
BBC The isolated case involves Boghead Farm in Lumsden The farmer of the herd found with BSE in Aberdeenshire has spoken of his devastation. Movement restrictions at Boghead Farm in Lumsden were introduced after so-called mad cow disease was found in one cow. Speaking through NFU Scotland, Thomas Jackson said: “This has been a very […]
Live updates: RFK Jr defends vaccine stance as protesters disrupt confirmation hearing
Applause for Kennedy as he doubles down on mission to make America healthy againpublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 16:55 GMT Rachel LookerReporting from Capitol Hill Kennedy just received some of the loudest applause he’s received throughout this hearing – so far. “President Trump has asked me to end the chronic disease epidemic and make […]
How the stocking staple got its name
Nestlé Smarties have appeared in many novelty guises over the years, including Christmas-themed boxes It’s been 80 years since the humble chocolate bean was given a snappy new name. But the Smarties we know and love started out as the butt of an unsavoury joke dreamed up by mischievous confectioners. If you opened your stocking […]
The unsavoury row over ‘forced’ restaurant tips in India
Geeta Pandey BBC News, Delhi Getty Images On Thursday, as the Indian government meets representatives of restaurants to sort out the contentious issue of the service charge that customers have to pay most times when they eat out, the BBC explains the unsavoury tussle over tips. A couple of months back, Nicole Ruth Ellis visited […]
Thirty killed in crush at India’s Kumbh Mela festival
Vikas Pandey and Samira Hussain BBC News, Prayagraj Zoya Mateen BBC News, Delhi Getty Images The crush has people anxiously waiting at lost and found centres at the Kumbh Mela At least 30 people have been killed in a crush at the world’s largest religious gathering, the Hindu festival Kumbh Mela in northern India, officials […]
Boris Johnson vows to block indyref2
The Scotsman The Scotsman features a picture of Prime Minister Boris Johnson enjoying a “wee dram” on his first campaign visit to Scotland. The paper leads with his pledge to reject a request for a second independence referendum, even if the SNP win a Holyrood majority in 2021. Scottish Sun The Scottish Sun features the […]