-
Biden approves new border wall in political U-turn
By Kathryn Armstrong BBC News US President Joe Biden’s administration is to build a section of border wall in southern Texas in an effort to stop rising levels of immigration. Around 20 miles (32km) will be build in Starr County along its border with Mexico, where officials report high numbers of crossings. Mr Biden in…
-
More than 100 missing in India fatal flash floods
Flash flooding has hit parts of northeastern India killing more than a dozen people. More than 100 are still missing including 22 soldiers. Heavy rain over Lhonak lake in the state of Sikkim triggered a significant increase in water levels at the Teesta river, it was made worse when a nearby dam released more water…
-
Can Xue: The Chinese author who could win a Nobel prize
By Yvette Tan BBC News, Singapore She’s a Chinese author that few in China are familiar with, but that could soon change if she walks away with this year’s Nobel prize in literature. It was one of the most turbulent periods of the 20th century – one that Can Xue is well familiar with. One…
-
Sikkim: Race against time to save 102 missing in India floods
By Meryl Sebastian BBC News India Indian authorities are racing against time to rescue people after flash floods in the northeastern state of Sikkim left 102 missing, including 22 army personnel. The state government said 14 people also died after a cloudburst over a lake triggered massive floods. Officials added that over 3,000 tourists were…
-
Why a certificate to own a car in Singapore now costs $106,000
By Mariko Oi Business reporter The cost of a certificate to own a family car in Singapore has jumped to a fresh record high of S$146,002 ($106,619; £87,684). The city-state introduced the 10-year certificate of entitlement (COE) system in 1990 as an anti-congestion measure. Prospective car owners in Singapore must have a COE in order…
-
Ukraine war: US gives 1.1 million rounds of ammunition seized from Iran to Kyiv
By Christy Cooney BBC News The US has sent roughly 1.1 million bullets seized from Iran last year to Ukraine, its military has said. The US Central Command (Centcom), which oversees operations in the Middle East, says the rounds were confiscated from a ship bound for Yemen in December. Ukraine’s Western allies recently warned that…
-
AI: Voice cloning tech emerges in Sudan civil war
By Jack Goodman and Mohanad Hashim Global Disinformation Team A campaign using artificial intelligence to impersonate Omar al-Bashir, the former leader of Sudan, has received hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok, adding online confusion to a country torn apart by civil war. An anonymous account has been posting what it says are “leaked recordings”…
-
These people took DNA tests. The results changed their lives.
What happens if your genome hides a secret about your ethnic identity? Jenny Kleeman, presenter of The Gift, meets a few people who made surprising discoveries to find out. Kara Rubinstein Deyerin bought her father an at-home DNA test for Christmas in 2017 because she wanted to find out where exactly her ancestors came from…
-
Stage that once hosted William Shakespeare found, claims Norfolk theatre
By Colin Paterson Entertainment correspondent in King’s Lynn, Norfolk A theatre in Norfolk believes it has discovered a stage on which William Shakespeare would have performed. St George’s Guildhall in King’s Lynn is the oldest working theatre in the UK, dating back to 1445. During recent renovations, floorboards were found under the existing auditorium, and…
-
The oil-soaked bird photo that shocked the world
On 20 April 2010, the oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded. A photograph of an oil-soaked pelican came to epitomise the environmental disaster and helped galvanise the clean-up. On 20 April 2010, the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon exploded after a surge of natural gas blasted through its concrete core, spilling 795 million litres (210 million gallons)…