- Friday, 22 August 2025
BBC
Moon soil used to grow plants for first time
Scientists have grown plants in lunar soil for the first time, an important step towards making long-term stays on the moon possible. Researchers used small samples of dust collected during the 1969-1972 Apollo missions to grow a type of cress.
England to host 2025 women's World Cup
England has been confirmed as hosts of the 2025 women's World Cup. The World Rugby Council also unanimously approved Australia as hosts for the men's World Cup in 2027 and the women's in 2029.
Millions hit hard as cooking gas prices soar in India
By April 2022 - when the price of a cylinder was at 950 rupees - this had risen to 11% of the household monthly expense. Even this number, Mr Mani says, is likely to be an underestimate as it assumes that incomes have remained constant.
United States passes one million Covid deaths
The US has passed more than one million Covid-related deaths, says the White House. President Joe Biden said the country was marking "a tragic milestone" and each death was "an irreplaceable loss".
Apple loses position as most valuable firm amid tech sell-off
Apple has lost its position as the world's most valuable company amid a broad sell-off of technology stocks. Saudi Arabian oil and gas producer Aramco has reclaimed the top spot from the iPhone maker for the first time in almost two years.
'Critical mass' of polluters setting carbon targets
The number of big polluters setting targets to cut CO2 emissions has reached a "critical mass", an UN-backed report has said. But firms in Asia, Africa and Latin America are lagging behind Europe, the US and Japan, the Science-Based Targets Initiative said.
Rapper Young Thug arrested for gang-related charges
US rapper Young Thug has been arrested on charges including participating in criminal street gang activity, police records say. The 30-year-old - whose real name is Jeffrey Lamar Williams - has been arrested as part of a larger grand jury indictment which names 28 members and associates of his record label YSL.
'Fifty-fifty chance' global warming tops 1.5C soon
The likelihood of crossing a key global warming threshold has risen significantly, according to a new analysis. UK Met Office researchers say that there's now around a fifty-fifty chance that the world will warm by more than 1.5C over the next five years.
Sri Lanka leaders' homes torched in night of unrest
Angry mobs in Sri Lanka have burned down several homes belonging to the ruling Rajapaksas and MPs after they were attacked by government supporters. The violence capped a day of unrest that saw PM Mahinda Rajapaksa quit amid mass protests at his government's handling of the economic crisis.
Sri Lankan PM resigns amid economic crisis
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has resigned amid mass protests at the government's handling of the economic crisis, officials say.
'Exceptionally dangerous' conditions for US wildfire
"Historic" and "extreme" weather conditions could fan a wildfire in New Mexico which is already the second biggest ever seen in the US state.
Mine e-waste, not the Earth, say scientists
The recycling of e-waste must urgently be ramped up because mining the Earth for precious metals to make new gadgets is unsustainable, scientists say.
Taliban to force Afghan women to wear face veil
Afghan women will have to wear the Islamic face veil for the first time in decades under a decree passed by the country's ruling Taliban militants. Any woman who refuses to comply and ignores official warnings to male members of her family could see a male guardian jailed for three days.
Election results 2022: Boris Johnson admits Tories faced tough night in local elections
The BBC projects Labour would take 35% of votes and the Tories 30%, had all parts of Britain gone to the polls.
India's poor bear the brunt of blistering heatwaves
The heatwave that has struck India this year has been particularly severe, but experts say it is not an isolated incident - they say it is a harbinger of the type of events that might become more common in the future as temperatures rise.
