Mythical country: the fantasy writer tells us about her new novel

BBC Two and BBC iPlayer Late November TBC More than a quarter of the world’s countries are former British colonies. The British Empire was one of the greatest powers the world has ever known, and its

Reins in hands, three young sisters ride the coils of an enormous blue snake. Waving a rattle and smiling happily, the fourth, a baby, is held around her plump middle by its tail. Passers-by dive out

IF YOU STROLL ACROSS THE GREEN SWATHE OF the Maidan in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) – past the monumental marble Victoria Memorial built to honour that Empress of India – and keep heading south, the ci

The railway has been shaped by its people -from the early pioneers, through waves of immigration and women in wartime, to today’s diverse leaders. TONY STREETER reports

A once-neglected patch of land in Duddingston, Edinburgh has been transformed into a welcoming green space by volunteers. Jock Tamson’s Gairden – named in honour of Duddingston’s Rev John Thomson, ins