Author: BBC

A small-scale farmer in northern Malawi, Emily Nkhana used to discard over-ripe bananas or just let them rot, but she has now found a profitable use for them – banana wine. Extreme heat was causing bananas to ripen too quickly, resulting in heavy losses for Ms Nkhana and many other farmers who live in Karonga […]

Self-medicating gorillas may hold clues to future drug discovery, according to scientists. Researchers in Gabon studied tropical plants eaten by wild gorillas – and used also by local human healers – identifying four with medicinal effects. Laboratory studies revealed the plants were high in antioxidants and antimicrobials. One showed promise in fighting superbugs. Great apes […]

Property listing website Rightmove has rejected a takeover approach from a rival Australian site backed by Rupert Murdoch. The £5.6bn offer from REA Group, which is majority-owned by Mr Murdoch’s News Corporation, was described by Rightmove’s board as “wholly opportunistic”. In a statement on Wednesday, they said REA Group had “fundamentally undervalued Rightmove and its […]

Dozens of people have been arrested after clashing with police at an anti-war demonstration in Melbourne. Police said they were “appalled” by the actions of some demonstrators targeting a military hardware sales show in Australia’s second largest city, accusing them of pelting officers with rocks, manure and bottles filled with acid. By contrast, protestors said […]

Midwife Siro Devi is clinging to Monica Thatte, sobbing. Monica, in her late 20s, has returned to her birthplace – the Indian town where Siro has delivered hundreds of babies. But this is no straightforward reunion. There is a painful history behind Siro’s tears. Shortly before Monica was born, Siro and several Indian midwives like […]

President Joe Biden has hinted at Washington lifting restrictions on Ukraine using US long-range missiles against Russia. If granted, it would fulfil repeated requests by Ukraine to loosen the limits on US-supplied weapons, which officials have said has left them fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion with their hands tied. Russia is yet to comment, but […]

Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris for president moments after the end of Tuesday night’s presidential debate against Donald Trump. The pop star made her announcement in an Instagram post signed as “Childless Cat Lady” – a reference to comments by Trump’s running mate JD Vance. Her post, breaking her silence on the 2024 vote, explained: […]

India had a lone shining moment at the 2012 London Paralympics when Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda won a silver medal in the men’s high jump. The country hadn’t won any medal at the 2008 edition in Beijing, so it felt special to millions of Indians. But Nagarajegowda’s win also sparked discussions on whether a lone medal […]

The suspect accused of opening fire on motorists along a major highway in south-eastern Kentucky sent a text message vowing to “kill a lot of people” shortly before the shooting, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reports. Authorities on Tuesday continued to search for the suspect, Joseph A Couch, 32, who was still on the […]

At least 82 people have now died in Vietnam as a super typhoon which hit on Saturday continues to bring heavy rainfall, landslides and flooding. Thousands of people were seen stranded on rooftops in some northern provinces, while others posted desperate pleas for help on social media on Tuesday. Typhoon Yagi – Vietnam’s most powerful […]