Author: BBC

Weather worsens in Philippines as Super Typhoon Man-yi gets closerA potentially catastrophic super typhoon has made landfall in the Philippines – the sixth typhoon to hit the country in a month. Man-Yi, known locally as Pepito, touched down at 21:40 local time (13:40 GMT) with maximum sustained wind speeds of 195 km/h (121mph) along the coast of the eastern Catanduanes island, the state forecaster said.It has warned of a “life-threatening storm surge”, heavy rains and severe winds, and hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated ahead of the storm’s arrival, At least 160 people are known to have died…

Luxury Media ZambiaA grandmother in rural Zambia has become an style icon and internet sensation – after agreeing to play dress-up and swapping outfits with her fashionista granddaughter.Margret Chola, who is in her mid-80s, is known to the world as “Legendary Glamma” – and adored by 225,000 Instagram followers for her striking and playful fashion photographs.”I feel different, I feel new and alive in these clothes, in a way that I’ve never felt before,” Ms Chola tells the BBC. “I feel like I can conquer the world!”The fortnightly Granny Series was created in 2023 by her granddaughter Diana Kaumba, a…

‘Say a prayer for me’ – Davina McCall on brain tumourDavina McCall is recovering from surgery she underwent to remove a rare brain tumour, her partner has said.The TV presenter, 57, earlier posted a video on Instagram to say she had been diagnosed with a type of benign tumour called a colloid cyst.In an update on Friday evening, Michael Douglas said McCall was “out of surgery” and recovering in hospital – and thanked well-wishers “for all the love”. He added that McCall was “utterly exhausted”.A benign tumour is not cancerous, but such cysts tend to grow slowly, according to the…

PA MediaProtesters from Greenpeace and Uplift gathered outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh at the start of the caseHow much oil – and how much profit – remain beneath the waters that buffet the British Isles?Going by the number of lawyers packed into the Court of Session in Edinburgh this week, it must be a decent amount.Seven advocates squeezed into the front row of courtroom number one where environmental campaigners are challenging the government’s approval of the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields.Behind them, a further three rows were also packed with lawyers, tapping on laptops and scribbling in notebooks. Such…

Getty ImagesElon Musk has stepped up his ongoing feud with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI with a revived lawsuit against the firm, adding Microsoft as a defendant.Mr Musk, a co-founder of the artificial intelligence (AI) company, accused it and the tech giant of operating a monopoly in an amended legal complaint on Thursday.It follows previous lawsuits accusing the firm of breaching the principles he agreed to when he helped found it in 2015.Microsoft declined to comment on the lawsuit.An OpenAI spokesperson said Mr Musk’s refreshed complaint was “baseless”.”Elon’s third attempt in less than a year to reframe his claims is even more baseless…

The Chief of Staff to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being investigated by police over allegations of altering documents relating to the 7 October Hamas attack to portray his boss in a more favourable light.Tzachi Braverman, one of Netanyahu’s closest advisors, was questioned by the Israeli police Lahav 433 major crimes unit for over five hours on Thursday, according to reports in Israeli media.Detectives have confirmed an investigation is under way.The accusation is focused around two telephone calls that Netanyahu received as the Hamas cross border raid was unfolding on 7 October 2023.Braverman is suspected of having altered the…

BBCMcGuinness ended his ride at the BBC’s studios in GlasgowBBC Radio 2 presenter Paddy McGuinness has crossed the finish line to complete his epic Children In Need cycling challenge, after riding 300 miles from Wales to Scotland on a Raleigh Chopper bike.The former Top Gear and Question of Sport host, 51, has raised more than £7.5m on his five-day journey on a customised 1970s children’s bike called Patch.”What a sight, what a feeling!” he said, as he finished his journey at BBC Scotland’s HQ in Glasgow just before 10:30 GMT on Friday.This year’s televised Children in Need appeal starts at…

Clare SmyrellClare Smyrell says it feels “petty” to ban special offers on formulaThe high price of baby formula makes parents feel “punished” for not breastfeeding, mums and dads have told the BBC.The cost of baby milk has surged in recent years, while retailers in the UK are not allowed to advertise or offer discounts on infant formula because it might discourage breastfeeding.Parenting site Mumsnet says this rule has raised the price of formula rather than breastfeeding rates, while the competition watchdog has recommended the ban on price promotions be overturned.Clare Smyrell, who was not able to breastfeed due to medical…

Getty ImagesThe UK’s economy barely grew between July and September, with uncertainty about the Budget being blamed for the weak growth.The economy grew by just 0.1% over the three-month period, and shrank during September itself.Labour made boosting economic growth its top priority when it came into power but Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was “not satisfied” with these latest figures which cover the first three months of the new government. However, many businesses have criticised tax rises in the Budget which they say will hit employment and push up prices.Major companies, including Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s, have hinted they…

A hacker has been sentenced to five years in a US prison for laundering the proceeds of one of the biggest ever cryptocurrency thefts.Ilya Lichtenstein pleaded guilty last year in the case involving the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange being hacked in 2016 and the theft of almost 120,000 bitcoin.He laundered the stolen cryptocurrency with the help of his wife Heather Morgan, who used the alias Razzlekhan to promote her hip hop music.At the time of the theft, the bitcoin was worth around $70m (£55.3m), but had risen in value to more than $4.5bn by the time they were arrested. At today’s…