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Malala Yousafzai offers Stephen Fry a tour of Oxford University

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai showcased her witty side during a recent Twitter exchange with British actor and author Stephen Fry.

Appreciating her Malala Fund's association with Apple to aid underprivileged girls’ education, Fry said she was an inspiration. But there's something he wasn't happy with, and it was her choice of university, said Fry.


"Had the honour of meeting @Malala at a @gatesfoundation event in New York last year," Fry tweeted, adding: "What an inspiration. Shame about her choice of university, but every diamond has one small flaw - it only emphasises its quality."

Fry is an alumnus of University of Cambridge, considered Oxford's arch-rival.

Malala tweeted back with a cheeky reply, offering to give Fry a tour of Oxford so he could see what he missed. "No one is perfect but I'd be happy to give you a tour of Oxford so you can see what you've missed," she wrote, to which he replied saying he would do the same for her at Cambridge.

"Haha! Ouch! And I'd be happy to do the same for you at Cambridge!" the actor wrote.

Malala is currently pursuing Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.

In 2014, Malala, who was almost killed by Taliban soldiers for encouraging girls’ education in Pakistan, became the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She is also the youngest person to be named a U.N. Messenger of Peace.

“If you want to see your future bright, you have to start working now [and] not wait for anyone else,” she said at the acceptance ceremony.

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  • 299,100 households experienced acute homelessness in 2024, up 21 per cent since 2022.
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  • Councils spent £732 m on unsuitable emergency accommodation in 2023/24.


Almost 300,000 families and individuals across England are now experiencing the worst forms of homelessness, including rough sleeping, unsuitable temporary accommodation and living in tents, according to new research from Crisis.

The landmark study, led by Heriot-Watt University, shows that 299,100 households in England experienced acute homelessness in 2024. This represents a 21 per cent increase since 2022, when there were 246,900 households, and a 45 per cent increase since 2012.

More than 15,000 people slept rough last year, while the number of households in unsuitable temporary accommodation rose from 19,200 in 2020 to 46,700 in 2024. An additional 18,600 households are living in unconventional accommodation such as cars, sheds and tents.

A national survey found 70 per cent of councils have seen increased numbers approaching them for homelessness assistance in the last year. Local authorities in London and Northern England reported the biggest increase.

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