News about Iain Banks

In a ground-breaking attempt to take over their local pub, villagers are using Scotland's volatile land reform laws. Since being closed in 2017, Albert Hotel in North Queensferry, which stands in the shadow of the Forth Bridge, has been neglected and boarded up. Now residents of Fife's 200-year-old listed building are hoping to breathe life into it by using the law to pressure the owner to sell it to them. If their bid receives the support of the Scottish Government, it would be the first time a neighborhood has been able to pressure a compulsory purchase order for a house. If their application goes well, they hope it will result in similar community reclamations of run-down houses.

There's no doubt about it: Ncuti Gatwa is having a rough time. 2023 has been a big year for the Rwandan–Scottish actor, with the last season of his breakout hit show "Sex Education" blitzing the airwaves right after he appeared alongside A-listers as one of the Kens in "Barbie." Now, he's on his way to leading-man status, with a forthcoming stint as one of Britain's most popular characters. Despite the fact that his onscreen career is just getting off, he appears in a handful of popular TV shows and movies. Here's a look at where you can find him so far, as well as where he'll be seen next. The Roman Empire in Britain is chronicled in this historical parody by the beloved "Horrible Histories" team, although with some comedic historical liberties. Gatwa portrays Timidius, a minor Roman figure.