Sinn Féin votes help unionist into Irish senate
First unionist to be elected by the Senate County Armagh farmer Ian Marshall has made a little bit of political history by becoming the first unionist elected by the Seanad (Irish senate). While there have been other unionist senators, he is the first elected by members of both the senate and Dáil. His achievement has […]
Scottish retailers see sales fall by 3.4% in April
Getty Images Retailers struggled on Scotland’s high streets in April as non-food sales slid to their worst monthly performance in six years. The SRC-KPMG retail sales monitor found total sales fell year-on-year by 3.4%. Non-food sales declined by 5.5% – the worst performance since April 2012 – while food sales were down by 0.8%. Experts […]
Seven proven ways to help the planet in 2025
Getty Images Slowing down climate change is an immense task, but small individual actions can add up to help reduce emissions. But it can sometimes feel overwhelming to know where to start. Which steps can actually make a meaningful difference? We have rounded up some of the most impactful actions you can take to live […]
What can we learn about sleep from the land of the polar night
Getty Images In the far north of Earth, the Sun will not rise for several weeks at a time during the height of winter, which can create sleep problems for some people (Credit: Getty Images) The 24-hour darkness during the winter near the Poles can disrupt sleep – this is how the people who live […]
Multi-use sports pitches to replace Oasis Leisure Centre sports hall
Seven Capital Seven Capital is proposing a “brand-new unmistakable entrance” Formal plans for the refurbishment of a derelict leisure centre have been published, which includes the removal of the sports hall. The Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon closed in October 2020 after its operator GLL claimed it was unviable. Prior to that it had been a popular […]
Fate of orcas left uncertain after zoo shuts
AFP An orca leaping out of the water while performing at Marineland Antibes on 2 January The fate of two killer whales is uncertain following the closure of a marine zoo in France on Sunday. Campaigners and the zoo’s managers have been locked in disagreement about what should happen to the orca whales with the […]
US winter storm: US winter storm: Severe weather could bring heaviest snow, blizzards and coldest temperatures in over a decade
Severe winter storm puts much of US on high alertpublished at 12:28 Greenwich Mean Time 12:28 GMT Matt SpiveyLive page editor Welcome to our live coverage, the US is bracing for a severe winter storm that could bring the heaviest snowfall and coldest temperatures since 2011 as 30 states have been put under weather alerts. […]
How a Caribbean island is shying away from concrete
Wa Samaki Ecosystems This small house is made from grass, wood and clay (Credit: Wa Samaki Ecosystems) On the island of Trinidad, houses are being built using upcycled materials to make them more climate resilient. When Erle Rahaman-Noronha decided to try his hand at farming in 1997, the land he settled on in Freeport, like […]
Ukraine launches new offensive in Russia’s Kursk region
Ukraine has launched a fresh offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, the Russian Defence Ministry says. In a statement, the military said efforts to destroy the Ukrainian attack groups are ongoing. Officials in Ukraine have also suggested an operation is under way. Ukraine first launched its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August last year, seizing […]
China’s young workers – overqualified and in low-paying jobs
BBC/Rachel Yu Sun Zhan, 25, graduated in finance. He now works as a hotpot waiter in Nanjing, in eastern China China is now a country where a high-school handyman has a master’s degree in physics; a cleaner is qualified in environmental planning; a delivery driver studied philosophy, and a PhD graduate from the prestigious Tsinghua […]