Author: BBC

First Dates star Fred Sirieix has joined the line-up of presenters for the BBC’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics.The French chef and TV personality shot to fame as the Maître d’ in the Channel 4 dating series following its launch in 2013.Since then, he has fronted an ITV series with Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo and competed on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!The BBC said he would be part of the studio line-up commentating on and analysing games. He will join Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Hazel Irvine, Isa Guha, Jeanette Kwakye, JJ Chalmers, and Mark Chapman…

The president came into his debate with Donald Trump with a low bar to clear, and he struggled, writes Anthony Zurcher. Source link

1 hour agoBy Noor Nanji, @NoorNanji, Culture reporter at GlastonburyBBCFestival-goers Pritesh and Sahar outside Glastonbury’s new South Asian spaceI love festivals. I’ve been going to them since I was 16 years old, and made my Glastonbury debut in my early 20s.But this year, as I headed to Worthy Farm, I knew there was something different – and exciting – afoot.On Thursday night, South Asian artists took over the furthest corner of the festival, launching the first of four days of music, beats and DJs.The new space, a first for Glastonbury, is being hailed as a “huge step forward” in improving the representation of…

A selection of the week’s best photos from across the African continent:Leon Neal/Getty ImagesWith Glastonbury underway, a member of the Democratic Republic of Congo band Fulu Miziki, prepares the set for his band’s performance on the Greenpeace stage on Thursday.Cem Ozdel/Getty ImagesTwo women go head-to-head at the 2nd African Beach Wrestling Championships held in Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday.Quila Fernandes/AFPOn the same day in Cape Verde, people participate in the São João Baptista pilgrimage undeterred by the warm sun.Queila Fernandes/AFP….they walk to the beat of the drums along the 23km (14 mile)- route…. Queila Fernandes/AFP…as well as dance to it!Matthew Lewis/Getty…

4 hours agoBy Mark Palmer, BBC NewsGetty ImagesThe company had been planning to shut down one of the blast furnaces by the end of June and the second by SeptemberWorkers at Tata Steel have been told that the company is taking steps to potentially cease operations at the plant by 7 July because of a strike by the trade union Unite.The company had originally been planning to shut down one of the blast furnaces by the end of June and the second one by September.But Port Talbot workers have been told that because of the strike from 8 July, the company can…

1 hour agoBy Mark Savage, Music CorrespondentGetty ImagesDua Lipa last played Glastonbury in 2017, before the release of her breakout single New RulesAfter two days of build-up, Glastonbury Festival kicks into gear on Friday with the first full day of music on the main stages.Squeeze open the Pyramid Stage at midday, with other acts on the line-up including Idles, Jamie xx, LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Fontaines DC and Anne-Marie.Pop star Dua Lipa is the opening night headliner, playing disco-pop anthems like New Rules, Don’t Start Now, One Kiss, Levitating and Houdini.“I’ve got to figure out a way to make 150,000 people feel…

Oklahoma’s top education official has ordered schools in the state to begin incorporating the Bible into lessons, in the latest US cultural flashpoint over religion in the classroom.A directive sent by Republican state Superintendent Ryan Walters said the rule was compulsory, requiring “immediate and strict compliance”.The rule will apply to lessons for all public school students aged from around 11-18.It comes a week after Louisiana’s governor signed a law directing all public schools in that state to display the Ten Commandments.In a statement on Thursday, Mr Walters described the Bible as “an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone”.”Without basic knowledge of…

Slow economic growth and three major economic shocks have meant households’ disposable incomes have grown very slowly since 2010, according to a think tank report.Typical household incomes went up by just £140 a year, new analysis from the Resolution Foundation showed.That is a total rise over the 14 year period of just 7% – or an average of half a percent a year – in the amount people had left over to spend after paying tax.By contrast, disposable incomes rose 38% over the 14 years up to 2010, the poverty-focused think tank wrote.However, poorer households had seen stronger income growth…

1 hour agoBy Sean McManus, Technology reporterDavid Heinemeier HanssonDavid Heinemeier Hansson saved his firm serious money by leaving the cloudThis year, software firm 37signals will see a profit boost of more than $1m (£790,000) from leaving the cloud.“To be able to get that with such relatively modest changes to our business is astounding,” says co-owner and chief technology officer, David Heinemeier Hansson.The US company has millions of users for its online project management and productivity software, including Basecamp and Hey.Like many companies it outsourced data storage and computing to a third party firm, a so-called cloud services provider.They own huge data centres,…

Indian author Arundhati Roy has said that she is “delighted” to have been awarded this year’s PEN Pinter Prize.Set up in memory of playwright Harold Pinter, the award is for writers of “outstanding literary merit” who take an “unflinching” look at the world.The announcement comes weeks after officials in India approved action against Roy under anti-terror laws for comments she made 14 years ago. Roy is a Booker Prize-winning author and has written about human rights issues in India as well as war and capitalism globally. English PEN chair Ruth Borthwick praised Roy for telling “urgent stories of injustice with…