Why do people enjoy taking part in chilli-eating contests?
Getty Images A contestant takes part in a chilli pepper-eating competition in China For some people putting chillies in a meal can ruin it completely, while for others they’re necessary for food to be as tasty as can be. But there’s also a third category of people who seek out the hottest chillies around – […]
How airline seats became key tech products
Chris Baraniuk It’s estimated that one third of the world’s airline seats are made in Northern Ireland In a warehouse building in a quiet town in Northern Ireland, a robot arm is opening and closing an airplane meal table over and over again. It has been programmed to carry out this mundane task no fewer […]
Ashmolean Museum pays £4.5m to keep renaissance painting in UK
PA Media The work had been in a private British collection for more than 200 years A museum has raised almost £4.5m to save a rare Italian renaissance painting. The Ashmolean Museum, which is part of the University of Oxford, paid £4.48m for the 1420s crucifixion painting by artist Fra Angelico. The work had been […]
Trump victory a blow to climate action, experts say
Donald Trump’s return to the White House will have a hugely negative effect on climate change action in the short-term but the longer term impact is less certain, experts say. With world leaders meeting next week for the latest UN climate talks, COP29, the Trump victory will be seen as a huge roadblock to progress […]
Venezuela’s military to escort Iranian tankers bringing petrol
EPA Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino thanked the Iranian people for their solidarity The Venezuelan military will escort Iranian tankers delivering much-needed petrol to the country to prevent any attempt by the US to stop them. Five vessels are on the high seas and are due to arrive in the coming days. Venezuela’s defence minister […]
Energy bills could be cut using water from abandoned Welsh coal mines
BBC Mine water at the former Six Bells colliery in Abertillery is pumped 40m [131ft] to the surface where it is cleaned and treated Energy bills could be cut by low carbon heat schemes which use water from abandoned Welsh coal mines. One in five properties in Wales lies above an area which has the […]
Plans to limit holiday sickness claims
Getty Images There has been a spike in fake sickness claims by UK holidaymakers, industry bodies say Efforts to crack down on UK tourists making fake claims for holiday sickness are being stepped up by the government. It is proposing rules that would limit payouts by travel companies, which it hopes will deter bogus claims. […]
What Trump’s win means for Ukraine, Middle East and China
Reuters Donald Trump’s return to the White House is set to reshape US foreign policy, promising potentially radical shifts on multiple fronts as war and uncertainty grip parts of the world. During his campaign, Trump made broad policy pledges, often lacking specific details, based on principles of non-interventionism and trade protectionism – or as he […]
Plan to hit 18-week NHS wait target ‘set to fail’
Getty Images The government’s plan to tackle the hospital backlog in England will fail without a fundamental reform in how services work, health leaders say. Labour aims to increase the number of appointments and operations done each week by 40,000, to help hit the 18-week waiting time target. But NHS Confederation research found that would […]
BBC chairman Samir Shah calls for end to ‘really odd’ 10-year royal charter cycle
Reuters Samir Shah said there’s “an almost perpetual government review over the BBC” The system of renewing the BBC’s royal charter every 10 years is “really odd” and should be scrapped, the broadcaster’s chair has said. The charter, drawn up by the government, sets out the terms and purposes of the BBC’s existence and normally […]