BIZARRE: 40 | Mind Blowing Facts

Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa review: a picturesque paradise in Cognac

As a drink, cognac needs no introduction. As a destination, however, it hasn’t made quite such a name for itself. The small town, about an hour-and-a-half drive north of Bordeaux, sits in a prime location on the Charente river. It is picturesque, has a rich history, and is surrounded by…

The Week · May 10, 2023

Baby born using three people’s DNA

A baby has been born using three people’s DNA for the first time in the UK, said the fertility regulator. Most of the baby’s DNA comes from their two parents and around 0.1% from a third, donor woman. To prevent inherited disease, doctors created a “three-parent baby” by using a…

The Week · May 10, 2023

Rise of the Nimby party: the Tory house-building dilemma

Critics have hit out at Rishi Sunak’s decision to abandon house-building targets, citing it as a significant factor in his party’s poor showing in last week’s local elections.

The Week · May 9, 2023

Recipe of the week: sausage, lentil and apple bake by Rosie Reynolds

This is a great all-year-round dish, says Rosie Reynolds: the apples and cider make it beautiful and warming for autumn and winter, but it’s bright enough for spring and summer – when it’s best served with a hearty green salad containing plenty of fennel and more apple. Even if you…

The Week · May 9, 2023

Trip of the week: fascinating, beautiful Taiwan

You’ll encounter few other Westerners on holiday in Taiwan – it receives only 3,000 British tourists each year, for instance – and yet it is among the most beautiful, fascinating and friendly places you could hope to visit, says Janice Turner in The Times. An island one-seventh the size of…

The Week · May 9, 2023

Man caught after driving without licence for 50 years

A pensioner’s luck has “finally run out” as his car was stopped and it was discovered he’d been driving without a licence for 50 years, reported Metro. When officers from the Derbyshire Police road policing unit pulled a car over for several offences, they discovered the 69-year-old driver had never…

The Week · May 9, 2023

Party like it’s 1997: can Tories stop a Labour landslide?

Labour’s strong showing in the local elections has led some to suggest the party could be on track for a 1997-style landslide victory at the next general election.

The Week · May 5, 2023

Harry Belafonte: singer who helped organise the March on Washington

Harry Belafonte, who has died aged 96, was not the first black entertainer to “transcend racial boundaries” in the US, said The New York Times. 

The Week · May 5, 2023

Quiz of The Week: 29 April - 5 May

Journalists worldwide have been on a royal bonanza this week in the run-up to the crowning of King Charles III. 

The Week · May 5, 2023

Coronation countdown: a ‘tightrope’ for the royal family

Rehearsals were underway this week for Saturday’s coronation of Charles III and his wife Camilla. 

The Week · May 5, 2023