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Chess grandmaster Hans Niemann denies using vibrating sex toy to cheat
By Thomas Mackintosh BBC News An American grandmaster who was part of a row which rattled the world of chess has denied using a vibrating sex toy to cheat. In September 2022 Hans Niemann sat down to play Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in chess’s Sinquefield Cup St Louis, Missouri. Niemann won, but was accused by…
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David McCallum obituary: TV favourite from NCIS and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
For a certain generation, David McCallum will always be Illya Kuryakin, the mysterious Russian agent in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The role turned the actor into a global sex symbol, his public appearances besieged by screaming teenage girls. He cut his teeth in 1950s British cinema and also found wider fame in the The Great…
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Nagorno-Karabakh: Fuel depot blast kills 20 as refugee count doubles
By Thomas Mackintosh BBC News An explosion at a fuel depot in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh has killed 20 people and injured hundreds more, local Armenian authorities say. Nearly 300 people were admitted to hospitals, with dozens of them “still in critical condition”. It comes as the Armenian government said 13,350 refugees crossed into the country from…
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Evergrande shares slide as mainland unit misses debt payment
By Peter Hoskins & Nick Marsh BBC News Shares in China’s Evergrande have slumped as the crisis at the embattled property developer has deepened. Its mainland unit Hengda Real Estate has defaulted on 4 billion yuan (£449m; $547m) of debt, it revealed on Monday. Beijing-based news outlet Caixin has also reported that several current and…
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Adam Britton: British croc expert admits sexually abusing dogs
By Tiffanie Turnbull BBC News, Sydney A renowned British crocodile expert has admitted to 60 charges, relating to bestiality and child abuse material. An Australian court heard Adam Britton filmed himself torturing dozens of dogs until almost all died. He would then post videos of the incidents online, where he also accessed child abuse material.…
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Russia seeks to rejoin UN human rights council
By James Landale Diplomatic correspondent Russia is seeking to rejoin the United Nations human rights council in an election that will be seen as a key test of its international standing. It was expelled from the UN’s pre-eminent human rights body last April after its forces invaded Ukraine. But now Russian diplomats are seeking to…
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Humans of New York’s Brandon Stanton wades into India copyright row
By Meryl Sebastian BBC News A row has broken out after the founder of popular photo blog Humans of New York criticised a similar Indian platform’s take on copyright. Humans of Bombay, which follows the same format as Brandon Stanton’s New York blog, started in Mumbai in 2014. It recently filed a suit against People…
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Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom to square off in November debate
By Sam Cabral BBC News, Washington Fox News has announced that it will host a debate between two prominent US governors – one a Republican, the other a Democrat – this November. The first-of-its-kind event will see Florida Governor Ron DeSantis take on California Governor Gavin Newsom. The 90-minute debate will take place in Georgia…
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Third arrest made in New York fentanyl nursery child death
By Max Matza BBC News Police have arrested a man accused of helping to distribute drugs found in a New York nursery where a one-year-old died after being exposed to fentanyl. Renny Antonio Parra Paredes, 38, is the third person arrested following the death of Nicholas Dominici this month. Large quantities of narcotics were found…
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Idris Elba: Actors in video games like Phantom Liberty is ‘sign of the times’
By Guy Lambert Entertainment Reporter The actor Idris Elba is no stranger to the world of video games, but says he has a new-found appreciation for the art form following his latest role. Elba stars as Solomon Reed in the latest spy-thriller adventure expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty. Asked if he sees video games…