Author: BBC

Pria Rai and Andrew RogersBBC NewsbeatWill FahyAbaka’s novel Where Geezers Call Home has won the New Writers’ PrizeWhen Abaka Debrah thinks about the future, he has one big mission in mind.”I want to write for the next generation of young black boys,” he says.His new novel Where Geezers Call Home is partly inspired by the UK riots last year, while also drawing on his own experiences of moving to the UK from Ghana aged two.The book has just won the New Writers’ Prize on Stormzy’s #Merky Books label, with the story catching the attention of the judges, including the rapper…

Lucy HookerBBC Business reporterDylan CaulkinDylan Caulkin would like the government to provide more help for young people like himOn Wednesday the chancellor will give an update on her plans for the economy.The government has promised to boost growth, which should mean higher pay and more jobs, but so far the economy has been sluggish.Rachel Reeves will share the latest official forecasts and explain how she intends to tackle the big challenges facing her when she delivers her Spring Statement.Those challenges are also being felt on the ground, in people’s everyday lives.People have contacted the BBC through our Your Voice, Your…

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has reported annual revenue for 2024 that has leapfrogged rival Tesla.The Shenzhen-based firm says revenue rose by 29% to come in at 777 billion yuan ($107bn; £83bn), boosted by sales of its hybrid vehicles. This topped the $97.7bn reported by Elon Musk’s Tesla.BYD has also just launched a lower-priced car to rival Tesla’s Model 3, which has long been the top selling electric vehicle (EV) in China.It comes as Tesla faces a backlash around the world over Musk’s ties to US President Donald Trump, while Chinese carmakers have been hit with tariffs in Western countries.BYD…

Michelle RobertsDigital health editor, BBC NewsGetty ImagesOropouche virus, spread by biting midges and some mosquitoes, is on the listThe UK has a new watch list of 24 infectious diseases that could pose the greatest future threat to public health. Some are viruses with global pandemic potential – like Covid – while others are illnesses that have no existing treatments or could cause significant harm. Avian, or bird, flu is on the list, as well as mosquito-spread illnesses that may become common with rising temperatures from climate change, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The aim is to steer…

French actor Gérard Depardieu has appeared in court at the start of a trial on charges of sexual assault.Depardieu, 76, is accused of sexually abusing two women during a film shoot in 2021. Prosecutors say he made explicit sexual remarks to, and then aggressively “groped”, two members of the production team. If convicted, Depardieu could face five years in jail and a fine of up to €75,000 (£63,000; $81,0000). This is the first case against Depardieu to come to trial, although in total about 20 women have accused him of improper behaviour. He is the highest-profile figure to face accusations…

Disney’s live-action version of the classic fairy tale Snow White has topped the North American box office chart despite a slew of underwhelming reviews.The movie has taken an estimated $87.3m (£67.5m) globally during its opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. Almost half of that figure came from North America.But that is below expectations for a film which reportedly cost more than $270m.The reworking of the 1937 feature length animation had seemed like a surefire hit before running into a series of controversies ahead of its release.The revamp of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs became a flashpoint for social…

Popular DNA testing firm 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy protection, and announced that its co-founder and CEO, Anne Wojcicki, has resigned with immediate effect.The company will now attempt to sell itself under the supervision of a court. 23andMe said in a press release that it plans to continue operating throughout the sale process and that there “are no changes to the way the company stores, manages, or protects customer data.” On Friday, the Attorney General in 23andMe’s home state of California issued a consumer alert advising customers to delete their data from the site given the company’s “reported financial distress.”23andMe’s…

Michael BuchananSocial Affairs CorrespondentBBCBy the entrance to Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness sits a sculpture of a moon with 11 stars. It is a memorial to the mother and babies who died unnecessarily due to poor care at the hospital between 2004 and 2013.Inscribed underneath is a short verse: “Forever in our hearts; Forever held in the love that brought you here; Our star in the night sky, spring blossom, summer rose, falling leaf, winter frost; Forever in our hearts.”When the memorial was unveiled in 2019, Aaron Cummins who is chief executive at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust,…

Lucy Woodham & George HemmatiBBC NewsBBCIn an old gun barrel factory in Sheffield’s industrial heartland, hundreds of people are raving under the fluorescent lights of Hope Works club for one of the last times before it closes. One young woman has dressed all in black to signify the loss of her “favourite place”.”This is a landmark of Sheffield,” says one reveller. “It’s the reason a lot of people come to university here,” adds another.Its owner Liam O’Shea believes that nightlife venues like this are “the vital underbelly of everything”. “It’s where people find themselves,” he says. “It’s where people find…

Hollie Cole and Tom SymondsBBC NewsPA MediaEnergy Secretary Ed Miliband has ordered an urgent investigation into the power outage caused by a substation fire that shut Heathrow Airport on Friday.The investigation, led by the National Energy System Operator (NESO), would build a “clear picture” of the incident and UK’s energy resilience more broadly to prevent it “from ever happening again”, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said.”We are determined to properly understand what happened and what lessons need to be learned,” Miliband said.The fire at the North Hyde substation in west London that supplies power to the airport…