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Ukraine war: Russia and Iran invited back to Nobel Prize banquet
By George Wright BBC News Russia and Belarus have been invited back to Stockholm’s Nobel Prize banquet after being left out last year because of the Ukraine war, the Nobel Foundation says. Iran has also been invited back to the event in Sweden’s capital after not being allowed to attend last year. The foundation said…
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Why John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is the ultimate spy novel
As it turns 60, Adam Scovell celebrates the gritty power of this tale of a disillusioned British agent who’s the opposite of James Bond, which was rooted in Le Carré’s own experiences in espionage. Espionage has a split personality in British culture. On the one hand, it’s seen as a glamorous, adventurous spectacle, a vision…
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The firms hoping to cut down on wasted cosmetics
By Maddy Savage BBC News, Stockholm Many of us buy makeup, hair and skincare products that we never end up finishing, because they don’t suit us, or work as we’d hoped. But could changing the way we produce and shop for cosmetics reduce the number of partly-used items lingering in bathrooms around the world? It’s…
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‘Marcus Aurelius’ statue seized from Cleveland museum in looting probe
By Max Matza BBC News Authorities have seized an allegedly looted headless statue, believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, from a museum in Cleveland, Ohio. The bronze art was taken earlier this month by New York investigators who are probing claims that it was looted in the 1960s from Bubon, southern Turkey. The 76-inch…
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Aikido: A Japanese martial art practiced by millions
Emphasising self-defence rather than victory, Japan’s youngest martial art brings both new and veteran practitioners from across the globe to Tanabe, the town where it was born. Two men stood opposite each other holding wooden sticks shaped like a katana, the legendary Japanese sword, at arm’s length. The tips of the sticks crossed each other…
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Asia Cup 2023: The undying charm of an India-Pakistan cricket match
By Suresh Menon Sports writer Cricket’s World Cup and Asia Cup seem to exist merely to allow India and Pakistan to play each other. They don’t meet in either country, and there is always a huge television audience. Tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have always impacted their cricketing ties. The two sides have…
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Covid fraudster used pandemic rescue funds to buy alpaca farm
By Max Matza BBC News A pizzeria owner from the Boston area has been convicted of using pandemic relief funds to buy an alpaca farm in Vermont and fund his radio programme. Dana McIntyre, 59, was sentenced to two years for fraudulently accepting more than $660,000 (£520,000) in federal aid meant for struggling business owners.…
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Doctor clears Mitch McConnell after health scare
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. By Nadine Yousif BBC News Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is “medically clear” to work, says a doctor, a day after the lawmaker suddenly appeared unable to speak for the second time this summer. Brian Monahan, the…
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Whaling to resume in Iceland but under strict rules
By Paul Kirby BBC News Iceland’s government has lifted a summer suspension on whaling, allowing hunting to resume under a series of tight new regulations. Only one company, Hvalur, still hunts whales off Iceland and the whaling season has only weeks to run. But opponents are furious about the change of heart. Fisheries and Foods…
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Javad Rouhi: Iranian protester dies in jail after avoiding death sentence
Nadeem Shad BBC News An Iranian man has died in jail after his death sentence for taking part in anti-government protests was overturned by Iran’s supreme court. Javad Rouhi was arrested last year during protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was held for allegedly wearing “improper” hijab. Officials say Mr…