Strictly judge Ballas among Ilkley Literature Festival stars
Amanda Benson/BBC Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas will head to Ilkley in October to take part in the literature festival Strictly Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas, author Katie Atkinson and comedian Julian Clary are among some of the big names confirmed for this year’s Ilkley Literature Festival. The annual event is due to take place over […]
Former Art Deco cinema in Luton to be reinvigorated with art
A former cinema with an Art Deco façade could be transformed by artists as part of efforts to brighten up “drab and neglected” parts of a town. The derelict ABC cinema, formerly the Savoy in George Street, Luton, has stood empty for almost a quarter of a century. Luton Borough Council is looking for artists […]
Blackouts in Ukraine as Russia targets power grid
A “massive” Russian missile and drone attack has targeted power infrastructure across Ukraine, the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. It is the largest such assault since early September, with reports of multiple explosions across the country, according to authorities and local media. “Peaceful cities, sleeping civilians” and “critical infrastructure” were targeted, Ukraine’s foreign minister […]
Pubs and restaurants must shut in NI at 11pm
‘We would prefer that everyone works with us’ Pubs, hotel bars and restaurants will have to shut at 23:00 in Northern Ireland under new rules for the hospitality sector. They will come into force from midnight on Wednesday. Stormont ministers gave details of the decision in the assembly on Tuesday. No alcohol or food will […]
Huntingdon museum tells macabre story of Oliver Cromwell’s head
The Cromwell Museum Cromwell’s unexpected military ability elevated him to the top ranks of the Parliamentarian leadership during the Civil Wars The macabre tale of Oliver Cromwell’s head is a story “so strange that you couldn’t possibly make it up”. It is the subject of an exhibition at the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, which is […]
Romania profile – Timeline – BBC News
1821 – Russia oversees the administration of Moldavia and Wallachia. Phanariot rule ends, and native Romanian rulers steadily gain influence. 1834 – Moldavia and Wallachia adopt a unified basic constitution, the Reglamentul Organic, which provides for their eventual unification. 1856 – Russian control over Moldavia and Wallachia ends with Moscow’s defeat in the Crimean War. […]
Rap Game UK competition losses are lessons, says Essex contestant
Zizou “I had to compose myself in front of [the mentors], it’s definitely surreal,” says Only Zizou A rapper said taking part in a competition that gave him more than a month to solely focus on music has been an “opportunity not afforded to many”. Only Zizou has been a contestant on the BBC show […]
Xi says he will work with Trump in last meeting with Biden
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has pledged to work with incoming President Donald Trump in his final meeting with current US leader Joe Biden. The two met on Saturday on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Peru where they acknowledged “ups and downs” in relations over Biden’s four years in office. […]
China megaport paves way into Latin America as wary US looks on
Reuters Peru’s new megaport is Chinese-built As the world waits to see how the return of Donald Trump will reshape relations between Washington and Beijing, China has just taken decisive action to entrench its position in Latin America. Trump won the US presidential election on a platform that promised tariffs as high as 60% on […]
Tyson vs Paul fans ‘disappointed’ at Netflix problems
Getty Images Fans hoping to watch Mike Tyson take on Jake Paul have expressed their anger and disappointment after some reported Netflix crashed repeatedly throughout the fight. It was the streaming giant’s first foray into live boxing and was free for subscribers, but a number of viewers took to social media to complain about tech […]