Javid inquiry into gender treatment for children
Health secretary compares political fears over trans issue to silence during Rotherham scandal
newVulnerable children are wrongly being given gender hormone treatment by the NHS, Sajid Javid believes, as he prepares to launch an urgent inquiry. The health secretary thinks the system is “failing children” and is planning an overhaul of how health service staff deal with under-18s who question...Vulnerable children are wrongly being given gender hormone treatment by the NHS, Sajid Javid believes, as he prepares to launch an urgent inquiry. The health secretary thinks the system is “failing children” and is planning an overhaul of how health service staff deal with under-18s who question...Vulnerable children are wrongly being given gender hormone treatment by the NHS, Sajid Javid believes, as he prepares to launch...
Hospitals face bottleneck as care homes run short of staff
An exodus of social care staff to better-paid jobs in supermarkets, retail and hospitality is fuelling the worst NHS crisis since records began. Leading doctors told The Times that the “frightening” situation in A&Es; was now worse than during the Covid peak but said the solution was to “give money to social care — not us”. Social care...An exodus of social care staff to better-paid jobs in supermarkets, retail and hospitality is fuelling the worst NHS crisis since records began. Leading doctors told The Times that the “frightening” situation in A&Es; was now worse than during the Covid peak but said the solution was to “give money to social care — not us”. Social care...An exodus of social care staff to better-paid jobs in supermarkets, retail and hospitality is fuelling the worst NHS crisis...
WAR in ukraine
Britain could send tanks to Poland in deal to help Ukraine
Britain is planning to send tanks to Poland in a significant escalation of its military support so that Ukraine can then be supplied by the Polish government with Soviet-era T-72 tanks. Boris Johnson revealed during a press conference in India that the UK was considering “backfilling” its Polish ally so that Warsaw...Britain is planning to send tanks to Poland in a significant escalation of its military support...Britain is planning to send tanks to Poland in a significant escalation of its military support...
interview
Oh gosh, Lady Grantham!
WAR IN UKRAINE
Mass graves in Mariupol could hold 9,000 bodies
war in ukraine
Russian submarines launch cruise missiles from Black Sea
CATHERINE PHILP | Ukraine diary
Snatching moments of light amid the darkest of days
Richard Spencer | Dispatch
Shelling adds to pain of villagers with family across front line
War in ukraine
Russian oil embargo could tank world economy, US warns
war in ukraine
Russian policeman prosecuted for questioning war in private conversation
A Moscow policeman is facing up to ten years in jail for “publicly” discrediting Russia’s army on the basis of...A Moscow policeman is facing up to ten years in jail for “publicly” discrediting Russia’s army on...A Moscow policeman is facing up to ten years in jail for “publicly” discrediting Russia’s army on...
war in ukraine | analysis
Putin’s ability to shock is his best weapon
Ukraine is fighting a long-delayed war for independence. Divided, pushed around by the Kremlin’s gas princelings...Ukraine is fighting a long-delayed war for independence. Divided, pushed around by the Kremlin’s...Ukraine is fighting a long-delayed war for independence. Divided, pushed around by the Kremlin’s...
FIRST PERSON
Confessions of a vicar: sex in the porch, thieves in the pews
It was a bright spring Sunday, about a year into my first posting. That morning we would be christening the new baby of a lovely young couple in the congregation, and I arrived at church an hour before the service was due to begin to prepare. As I...It was a bright spring Sunday, about a year into my first posting. That morning we would be...It was a bright spring Sunday, about a year into my first posting. That morning we would be...
cycling
Kenny reveals she suffered miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy
Laura Kenny, Great Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy in...Laura Kenny, Great Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has revealed that she had an...Laura Kenny, Great Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has revealed that she had an...
‘Scrap GCSEs and give teenagers freedom to flourish’
Sir Michael Wilshaw has a fearsome reputation. As a headteacher he transformed failing schools and likened himself to...Sir Michael Wilshaw has a fearsome reputation. As a headteacher he transformed failing schools...Sir Michael Wilshaw has a fearsome reputation. As a headteacher he transformed failing schools...
We have hope, say Madeleine’s parents as man named suspect
Madeleine McCann’s parents said today they had “not given up hope” that their daughter was still alive as they...Madeleine McCann’s parents said today they had “not given up hope” that their daughter was still...Madeleine McCann’s parents said today they had “not given up hope” that their daughter was still...
video
Mars rover captures stunning video of solar eclipse
Nasa’s Perseverance rover has shot striking video from the surface of Mars of one of the planet’s moons eclipsing the...Nasa’s Perseverance rover has shot striking video from the surface of Mars of one of the planet’s...Nasa’s Perseverance rover has shot striking video from the surface of Mars of one of the planet’s...
Landowner felled 20 acres of protected trees for fuel
A landowner chopped down 20 acres of protected woodland to sell for firewood in a case called “one of the worst offences of its kind”. Jeff Lane, 71, was convicted of illegal felling in the Gower, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in south Wales.A landowner chopped down 20 acres of protected woodland to sell for firewood in a case called...A landowner chopped down 20 acres of protected woodland to sell for firewood in a case called...
WAR IN UKRAINE
Russia-Ukraine war: latest maps, pictures and video
war in ukraine
River becomes defence against Russian advance in Donbas
War in Ukraine
Russians ‘told to kill prisoners’
war in ukraine
German chancellor ‘denied Kyiv most weapons it wanted’
war in ukraine | comment
Never again? Germany’s timid leaders are failing to learn from history
WAR IN UKRAINE
Norman Foster offers to reconstruct shattered Kharkiv
War in Ukraine
Crimea commander decries failures
WAR IN UKRAINE
Biden challenged by nuclear arms chief
video
war in ukraine
America promises $800m in aid for Donbas defence
Buyers struggling after homes for sale fall by a third
The number of homes for sale is down by a third compared with what was available before the pandemic. Demand for...The number of homes for sale is down by a third compared with what was available before the...The number of homes for sale is down by a third compared with what was available before the...
Boy beaten to death by mother, partner and teenager
A five-year-old boy who had been on the child protection register was beaten to death by his mother, stepfather and a...A five-year-old boy who had been on the child protection register was beaten to death by his...A five-year-old boy who had been on the child protection register was beaten to death by his...
First night | Theatre
Punchdrunk’s Burnt City: The fall of Troy has never been so neon — or bewildering
★★☆☆☆
Imagine you are wandering round a huge, sparsely populated nightclub for three hours. If the in-crowd are to be believed, there is a wonderful party going on somewhere, but for some reason you never manage to find it, even though you...★★☆☆☆
Imagine you are wandering round a huge, sparsely populated nightclub for three hours. If...★★☆☆☆
Imagine you are wandering round a huge, sparsely populated nightclub for three hours. If...
Political sketch
Sermons of sanctitude at sinful abominations
THE TIMES DIARY
Beep is a lack of Will power
The singer Will Young has written a self-help book that is described as being about the “tricky business of...The singer Will Young has written a self-help book that is described as being about the “tricky...The singer Will Young has written a self-help book that is described as being about the “tricky...
Red Box | Michelle Donelan
Britain is listening to the wrong Blair about universities
‘We need to hear more from Blair” is not a phrase that comes easily to a Conservative minister, nor, frankly, to the...‘We need to hear more from Blair” is not a phrase that comes easily to a Conservative minister...‘We need to hear more from Blair” is not a phrase that comes easily to a Conservative minister...
france election
Fear and loathing on campaign trail as race for France ends
President Macron pledged to make climate change his “foremost objective” on Friday but for Jeanne-Marie Thiroux, a supporter of Marine Le Pen, there are other priorities in France’s presidential election. “The main issue for me? The cost of living,” said Thiroux, 65. “My gas bill usually comes to about €2,400 a year. This year it’s going to be about €3,400 and I just...President Macron pledged to make climate change his “foremost objective” on Friday but for...President Macron pledged to make climate change his “foremost objective” on Friday but for...
Marcos family on the brink of return to power in Philippines
For half a lifetime, they have been an international joke, an emblem of the crudity, cruelty and sheer bad taste of a...For half a lifetime, they have been an international joke, an emblem of the crudity, cruelty and sheer bad taste of a certain kind of Cold War era dictatorship. However the Marcos family, the extended family of the ex-dictator of the Philippines, are back, and on the verge of regaining power. Thirty-six years...For half a lifetime, they have been an international joke, an emblem of the crudity, cruelty and sheer bad taste of a certain...
video
High alert: parachute panic leads to Capitol evacuation
A parachuting display at the Washington Nationals baseball game briefly sparked panic in the US capital, with Congress evacuated as police scrambled to respond to a “probable threat” from a suspicious aircraft. As spectators on a balmy spring...A parachuting display at the Washington Nationals baseball game briefly sparked panic in the US...A parachuting display at the Washington Nationals baseball game briefly sparked panic in the US...
B&M boss to step down after 17 years
The boss of B&M; is to step down after more than 17 years in charge of the discount retailer during which he transformed it into a FTSE 100-listed giant worth more than £5 billion. Simon Arora, 52, is to retire as chief executive of B&M; European Value Retail in 12 months, giving the...The boss of B&M; is to step down after more than 17 years in charge of the discount retailer during which he transformed it into a FTSE 100-listed giant worth more than £5 billion. Simon Arora, 52, is to retire as chief executive of B&M; European Value Retail in 12 months, giving the...The boss of B&M; is to step down after more than 17 years in charge of the discount retailer during which he transformed it...
EU warned that ban on Russian energy risks recession
A European Union ban on Russian oil and gas imports would tip the continent into a recession led by its major economies, analysts and economists have warned. As EU governments debate a ban on Russian oil, estimates show that a total energy stoppage would further turbo-charge inflation and lead to sharp recessions in Italy and Germany, the...A European Union ban on Russian oil and gas imports would tip the continent into a recession led by its major economies, analysts and economists have warned. As EU governments debate a ban on Russian oil, estimates show that a total energy stoppage would further turbo-charge inflation and lead to sharp recessions in Italy and Germany, the...A European Union ban on Russian oil and gas imports would tip the continent into a recession led by its major economies...
France seeks arrest of Ghosn over €15m payments
France has issued an international arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn, the disgraced former boss of Renault-Nissan, over allegations that he used an Omani car dealer to siphon off millions of euros for a yacht and other personal expenses. The order springs from an investigation in Nanterre in western Paris that has...France has issued an international arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn, the disgraced former boss of...France has issued an international arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn, the disgraced former boss of...
comment
Coming up soon: the latest fat-cat fight over outrageous executive pay
It is a while since we had a decent punch-up over executive pay. The last politician to enter the ring was Sir Vince...It is a while since we had a decent punch-up over executive pay. The last politician to enter the...It is a while since we had a decent punch-up over executive pay. The last politician to enter the...
market report
Citadel reinforces its position in Asos with light on the horizon
A hedge fund founded and controlled by an American billionaire has increased its stake in Asos, the online fashion...A hedge fund founded and controlled by an American billionaire has increased its stake in Asos...A hedge fund founded and controlled by an American billionaire has increased its stake in Asos...
Gorillas, investors and the elephant in the room
For a rapid grocery start-up that boasts its ten-minute deliveries are “faster than you”, it’s something of a surprise that the founder of Gorillas is running late. Then again, Kagan Sumer is in the thick of an investor roadshow, cramming in an...For a rapid grocery start-up that boasts its ten-minute deliveries are “faster than you”, it’s...For a rapid grocery start-up that boasts its ten-minute deliveries are “faster than you”, it’s...
BUSINESS COMMENTARY
Hut Group beauty in eye of a beholder
That’s shed connoisseurs for you. They look for value in just about anything, even some ramshackle thing three...That’s shed connoisseurs for you. They look for value in just about anything, even some...That’s shed connoisseurs for you. They look for value in just about anything, even some...
Billionaire Ackman cancels Netflix
Bill Ackman, a top Netflix shareholder, has sold his stake in the world’s largest streaming service, citing the high...Bill Ackman, a top Netflix shareholder, has sold his stake in the world’s largest streaming...Bill Ackman, a top Netflix shareholder, has sold his stake in the world’s largest streaming...
Obamas set to walk away from Spotify podcast deal
Barack and Michelle Obama are said to be walking away from their exclusive podcast deal with Spotify, setting the stage for a bidding war among rival platforms to land one of the sector’s star partnerships. Higher Ground, the media company founded...Barack and Michelle Obama are said to be walking away from their exclusive podcast deal with...Barack and Michelle Obama are said to be walking away from their exclusive podcast deal with...
comment
Who needs an office when you can rent a desk in a burger bar, or a hotel?
As someone who has worked from home for the past six years, I have developed what I consider to be a useful antenna...As someone who has worked from home for the past six years, I have developed what I consider to...As someone who has worked from home for the past six years, I have developed what I consider to...
tempus
Challenges rain down on big miners
Anglo American and Antofagasta, two of the world’s leading mining companies, were the worst performers in the FTSE...Anglo American and Antofagasta, two of the world’s leading mining companies, were the worst...Anglo American and Antofagasta, two of the world’s leading mining companies, were the worst...
sustainability
A sustainable business to the tips of its fingers
Football | Paul Hirst
‘He wasn’t the biggest or best but he was always captain’ – making of a United manager
On Wednesday afternoon in Haaksbergen, the only sound you could hear was being generated by the cyclists pedalling past the church or by the group of pensioners who were soaking up the sun outside Grand Café Centraal with half a Grolsch in hand. Life rarely gets out of second gear in this picturesque town in the Eastern Netherlands, which is ten kilometres from the...On Wednesday afternoon in Haaksbergen, the only sound you could hear was being generated by the...On Wednesday afternoon in Haaksbergen, the only sound you could hear was being generated by the...
premier league
It’s over for Pogba at United, says Rangnick
updatedRalf Rangnick has warned the incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag that his club need “open heart surgery”...Ralf Rangnick has warned the incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag that his club need “open heart surgery” after their catastrophic fall from the top of the English game. In a wide-ranging press conference, his first since the announcement of Ten Hag’s appointment, United’s interim manager gave an honest...Ralf Rangnick has warned the incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag that his club need “open heart surgery” after...
football | Tony Cascarino
Do not be surprised if midfielder shines elsewhere
henry winter | stuart webber interview
‘If we lose I’m upset, but my life isn’t about appeasing Norwich fans’
gallagher premiership
Gloucester fall behind in play-off race after Fricker try saves Bristol
Bristol Bears 29 Gloucester 28
newGloucester’s tilt at the play-offs suffered another setback as 14-man Bristol Bears, propelled by their effervescent scrum half Andy Uren and a late double by Toby Fricker, edged a gloriously chaotic West Country encounter. Gloucester’s recent poor run on the road continued as they lost their fourth away league match on the spin, while a derby victory will go some way...Gloucester’s tilt at the play-offs suffered another setback as 14-man Bristol Bears, propelled by...Gloucester’s tilt at the play-offs suffered another setback as 14-man Bristol Bears, propelled by...
rugby union
‘I’d be naive if I wasn’t expecting England to call us about Steve’
Leicester Tigers would love nothing more than for the RFU to offer the England head coach job to Andy Farrell or Rob...Leicester Tigers would love nothing more than for the RFU to offer the England head coach job to Andy Farrell or Rob Baxter or Mark McCall — anyone but Steve Borthwick. Andrea Pinchen, the Leicester chief executive, jokes that she may have to programme Borthwick’s phone to block all calls from Twickenham. But the...Leicester Tigers would love nothing more than for the RFU to offer the England head coach job to Andy Farrell or Rob Baxter or...
cycling
Kenny reveals she suffered miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy
Laura Kenny, Great Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy in...Laura Kenny, Great Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has revealed that she had an...Laura Kenny, Great Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has revealed that she had an...
SPORT NOTEBOOK | Martyn Ziegler
FA board to discuss McCormick ‘conflict of interest’
The Football Association’s board is expected to discuss the issue of conflicts of interest next week following...The Football Association’s board is expected to discuss the issue of conflicts of interest next...The Football Association’s board is expected to discuss the issue of conflicts of interest next...
cricket
Imperious Buttler scores third century of IPL season
Jos Buttler scored his third century of this season’s IPL as his remarkable run of form continued at the top of the order. Buttler blitzed 116 off 65 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Capitals, with nine sixes and nine fours, as Rajasthan scored 222 for two in the first innings. Until last year Buttler had scored fewer T20 centuries (zero) than Alastair Cook (one).Jos Buttler scored his third century of this season’s IPL as his remarkable run of form continued...Jos Buttler scored his third century of this season’s IPL as his remarkable run of form continued...
FOOTBALL | BILL EDGAR
Norwich’s hat-trick hell, Chelsea’s strange split and Newcastle’s lucky charm
MATCH IN FOCUS
Norwich City v Newcastle United
Kick-off: Saturday, 3pm
TV: Highlights, BBC One, 10.20pm Radio:...MATCH IN FOCUS
Norwich City v Newcastle United
Kick-off: Saturday, 3pm
TV: Highlights, BBC One, 10.20pm Radio: talkSPORT 2
Referee: C Kavanagh
Newcastle United have shot up the Premier League table by collecting as many as 28 points over the past 13 games, the first time they have enjoyed such a run in the...MATCH IN FOCUS
Norwich City v Newcastle United
Kick-off: Saturday, 3pm
TV: Highlights, BBC One, 10.20pm Radio: talkSPORT 2
...
Premier League
Ten Hag gets £120m budget to save broken United
FOOTBALL | HENRY WINTER
The whole club is so rotten – it’s not just a coaching job
Football | Tony Cascarino
Shift deadwood, rediscover swagger and sign proven players: Ten Hag’s in-tray
Football | Tom Williams
Record-equalling league title cannot hide everything that is wrong with PSG
premier league
Defenders step forward to boost Burnley survival hopes
Rugby Union | Stuart Barnes
Why the modern game needs black cards
There has been a blizzard of red cards in the past few weeks of European action. We’ve reached the stage where I...There has been a blizzard of red cards in the past few weeks of European action. We’ve reached...There has been a blizzard of red cards in the past few weeks of European action. We’ve reached...
Matt Dickinson
Sporting fact makes good fiction – there’s no shortage of legends, icons and anti-heroes
‘They say the best referee is one you don’t really see, but everyone notices you, Uri, you’re hard to miss. ...‘They say the best referee is one you don’t really see, but everyone notices you, Uri,...‘They say the best referee is one you don’t really see, but everyone notices you, Uri,...
County Championship
Impressions and imaginary crystal balls – Bumble returns to the mic
Football | Constantin Eckner
Tuchel is starting to lapse into his old bad habits – he must hold his nerve
the slice | stuart fraser
Criticism of Murray for accepting Madrid wild card is misdirected
Boxing
Boxing’s long love affair with mobsters must come to an end
The man who used to run boxing was a murderous sociopath dubbed “The Uncle”. He bought fighters, fixed bouts and was alleged to have orchestrated the fall of mob informer Abe “Kid Twist” Reles from the sixth-floor window of New York’s Half Moon...The man who used to run boxing was a murderous sociopath dubbed “The Uncle”. He bought fighters...The man who used to run boxing was a murderous sociopath dubbed “The Uncle”. He bought fighters...
rugby union
Simmonds doubtful for summer Australia tour
tennis
Russia ban is complete discrimination, says anti-war Rublev
A top Russian player believes that the decision by Wimbledon to ban all competitors from his nation at this summer’s...A top Russian player believes that the decision by Wimbledon to ban all competitors from his...A top Russian player believes that the decision by Wimbledon to ban all competitors from his...
snooker
‘Why the hell can’t I wear Ukraine flag on my waistcoat?’
Jack Lisowski has criticised snooker chiefs after being told that he is not allowed to show support for war-ravaged...Jack Lisowski has criticised snooker chiefs after being told that he is not allowed to show...Jack Lisowski has criticised snooker chiefs after being told that he is not allowed to show...
The Game Daily | Gary Jacob
‘Moore inspired me to score’ – 50 years on from West Ham’s history-making black trio
It is little more than a week before West Ham United’s biggest match in decades but some fans recently gathered a stone’s throw from the club’s London Stadium to reflect on a significant meeting of a different kind. Nearly 5,000 miles away and eight hours behind, Ade Coker tuned in via video link to reminisce about the 50th anniversary of West Ham becoming the first...It is little more than a week before West Ham United’s biggest match in decades but some fans...It is little more than a week before West Ham United’s biggest match in decades but some fans...
racing
Rob Wright’s racing tips
Saturday tips Racecards BET OF THE DAY Letmelivemylife (3.20 Leicester) This gelding won on his seasonal reappearance...Saturday tips Racecards BET OF THE DAY Letmelivemylife (3.20 Leicester) This gelding won on his seasonal reappearance last year and, having moved to the yard of the excellent Kevin Philippart de Foy, he can stage a repeat. Letmelivemylife failed to win in five subsequent start but he had valid excuses on most of...Saturday tips Racecards BET OF THE DAY Letmelivemylife (3.20 Leicester) This gelding won on his seasonal reappearance last year...
CAITLIN MORAN'S CELEBRITY WATCH
This week on Whose Fine Is It Anyway?
The latest episode of Parliamentary Chaos Improv asks what the Archbishop of Canterbury knows about morality
us
Washington DC from £189 one-way — what’s the catch?
Icelandic airline Play is the latest to try to crack the low-cost transatlantic market. Cathy Adams boards the inaugural flight and asks: can it succeed?
BOOKS | FICTION
A seasick riff on Normal People? A dark and strange millennial novel
There is a certain flat, cynical, disaffected prose style that most readers of contemporary fiction will be familiar...There is a certain flat, cynical, disaffected prose style that most readers of contemporary...There is a certain flat, cynical, disaffected prose style that most readers of contemporary...
BOOKS | MUSIC
Fats, Bing and Vera: what we listened to before the rock’n’roll revolution
“Extraordinary,” says a character in Noël Coward’s Private Lives, “how potent cheap music is.” It’s certainly...“Extraordinary,” says a character in Noël Coward’s Private Lives, “how potent cheap music...“Extraordinary,” says a character in Noël Coward’s Private Lives, “how potent cheap music...
FILM REVIEW
Happening — an unflinching account of abortion in 1960s France
★★★★☆
A performance of astonishing isolation and intimacy from Anamaria Vartolomei anchors this inevitably harrowing but elegantly told French abortion drama. The winner of the top prize at the Venice Film Festival last year, it’s set in 1963...★★★★☆
A performance of astonishing isolation and intimacy from Anamaria Vartolomei anchors...★★★★☆
A performance of astonishing isolation and intimacy from Anamaria Vartolomei anchors...
FOOD
Hot stuff: I make the world’s best butter chicken. Fact
If we were to believe all the “best in the world” claims that restaurants and takeaways use to peddle their menus, I’d have had the world’s best hot chocolate in Staffordshire, the world’s No 1 pain au chocolat in St Pancras, not Paris, and the...If we were to believe all the “best in the world” claims that restaurants and takeaways use to...If we were to believe all the “best in the world” claims that restaurants and takeaways use to...
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on TV and radio tonight
first night | theatre
Marys Seacole — an ambitious tribute to the pioneering nurse of Crimea
★★★☆☆
Is this just your regular informative bioplay? It scarcely seems possible from Jackie Sibblies Drury, the American playwright who mixed the playful with the pointed to Pulitzer prizewinning effect in her previous play, Fairview, a...★★★☆☆
Is this just your regular informative bioplay? It scarcely seems possible from...★★★☆☆
Is this just your regular informative bioplay? It scarcely seems possible from...
music reviews
The best new music to listen to this week
FIRST NIGHT | VISUAL ART
Our Place in Space — the ‘Festival of Brexit’ comes good with an ingenious cosmic journey
★★★★☆
It’s a surprisingly long journey to the end of the solar system. Mercury whizzes by in seconds. Venus, Earth and Mars come soon after. Even Jupiter is just a bit of a walk away. But after we reach the fifth planet in Oliver Jeffers’s model...★★★★☆
It’s a surprisingly long journey to the end of the solar system. Mercury whizzes by in...★★★★☆
It’s a surprisingly long journey to the end of the solar system. Mercury whizzes by in...
first night | theatre
Henry VI: Rebellion/Wars of the Roses — Shakespeare staged with bloody purpose
FIRST NIGHT | DANCE
Kaash — Akram Khan’s exhilarating journey through destruction and creation
MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
1 The Tyneside conurbation is centred around which city? 2 Proverbially, you should have a long spoon to sup with whom?1 The Tyneside conurbation is centred around which city? 2 Proverbially, you should have a long...1 The Tyneside conurbation is centred around which city? 2 Proverbially, you should have a long...
obituary
Sir Gordon Downey
First parliamentary commissioner for standards, who investigated the ‘cash for questions’ affair and became Neil Hamilton’s nemesis
obituary
Letizia Battaglia
Photojournalist who fearlessly captured the mafia’s campaign of terror in her native Sicily
obituary
Con Cluskey
Clean-cut lead singer of the Bachelors who had five Top Ten singles in 1964 and came close to outselling the Beatles
obituary
Freddy Rincón
Footballer who scored one of Colombia’s most cherished goals but escaped from the drug cartels that ran the game in his country
obituary
Shirley Spork
Trailblazing golfer and coach who drew crowds at St Andrews and taught celebrities such as Kirk Douglas and Dean Martin
weather eye
How does the smell of rain reach us?
from the archive
The wireless voice
court circular
April 21, 2022
Windsor Castle
21st April, 2022
Today is the Ninety-Sixth Anniversary of the Birthday of The Queen. ...Windsor Castle
21st April, 2022
Today is the Ninety-Sixth Anniversary of the Birthday of The...Windsor Castle
21st April, 2022
Today is the Ninety-Sixth Anniversary of the Birthday of The...
announcements
Births, marriages and deaths
JESUS came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples and...JESUS came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted...JESUS came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted...
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Includes competitions, quizzes and more
move
Why UK house prices keep rising
Who is fanning the flames of the overheated property market and where are the hottest places to buy?
hot topics
How selling my house turned into a nightmare
One reader managed to sell her home on the tenth attempt. Now she’s stuck in rental accommodation, trying to find a place to buy
MOVE
To B&B or not to B&B?
As the number of bed and breakfasts going up for sale surges, here are the perks and downsides of converting one into a family home
OVERSEAS
Where to buy property in Madrid, Spain
Live la buena vida in the Spanish capital of Madrid, with its fabulous fiestas, culture and greenery
Moving Stories
‘Forget working from home — we turned a house into a clinic’
A physiotherapist describes how she bought and converted a home into business premises due to a shortage of suitable commercial property
LOCATION LOWDOWN
Everything you need to know about moving to Canada Water
Where?
Canada Water. Sorry, where?
A former docklands on the Rotherhithe peninsula in southeast London. It takes...Where?
Canada Water. Sorry, where?
A former docklands on the Rotherhithe peninsula in...Where?
Canada Water. Sorry, where?
A former docklands on the Rotherhithe peninsula in...
ask the expert
Can landlords threaten legal action for a breach of ‘house rules’?
Q I own a flat in a block with “house rules” set out in a booklet circulated to the flats. The landlords have...Q I own a flat in a block with “house rules” set out in a booklet circulated to the flats. The...Q I own a flat in a block with “house rules” set out in a booklet circulated to the flats. The...
INTERIORS
The best sideboards to buy now
The sideboard was traditionally found in the dining room. It traditionally stored the “best” crockery, linen and napkin rings; items saved to impress visitors on anniversaries, birthdays and wakes. As our lives have become more casual, is there a...The sideboard was traditionally found in the dining room. It traditionally stored the “best”...The sideboard was traditionally found in the dining room. It traditionally stored the “best”...
SNP lied over Frank’s Law cash, Kopel’s widow claims
A widow who campaigned for the extension of free personal care to under-65s has accused SNP ministers of lying to her after it emerged that money for the policy is not guaranteed. Amanda Kopel’s husband Frank Kopel, the former Dundee United player, had dementia diagnosed at the age of 59 and had...A widow who campaigned for the extension of free personal care to under-65s has accused SNP ministers of lying to her after it emerged that money for the policy is not guaranteed. Amanda Kopel’s husband Frank Kopel, the former Dundee United player, had dementia diagnosed at the age of 59 and had...A widow who campaigned for the extension of free personal care to under-65s has accused SNP ministers of lying to her after it...
Sturgeon backs councils over lap-dancing club bans
Nicola Sturgeon has signalled support for councils that vote to ban lap-dancing clubs, insisting that the “dignity and treatment of women” must be respected. The first minister defended the right of councils to shut down adult entertainment venues weeks after Edinburgh became the first to do so, but added that the voices of sex workers...Nicola Sturgeon has signalled support for councils that vote to ban lap-dancing clubs, insisting that the “dignity and treatment of women” must be respected. The first minister defended the right of councils to shut down adult entertainment venues weeks after Edinburgh became the first to do so, but added that the voices of sex workers...Nicola Sturgeon has signalled support for councils that vote to ban lap-dancing clubs, insisting that the “dignity and...
Scottish gangster sentenced to life over murder of Dutch crime writer
A member of an organised crime gang who helped arrange the murder of a Dutch crime writer has been jailed for at least 25 years. Christopher Hughes, 33, was with the blogger Martin Kok, 49, when Kok was shot and killed outside the Boccaccio Club in Laren, in the Netherlands, on December 8, 2016. During his trial at...A member of an organised crime gang who helped arrange the murder of a Dutch crime writer has...A member of an organised crime gang who helped arrange the murder of a Dutch crime writer has...
Ross will defy orders to back PM over partygate
Douglas Ross will defy an order to be in Westminster tomorrow to block an investigation into claims that Boris...Douglas Ross will defy an order to be in Westminster tomorrow to block an investigation into...Douglas Ross will defy an order to be in Westminster tomorrow to block an investigation into...
Ministers accused of ignoring teacher fears
A head teacher at a leading private school has accused Scottish ministers of “following their own dogmatic...A head teacher at a leading private school has accused Scottish ministers of “following their own...A head teacher at a leading private school has accused Scottish ministers of “following their own...
MOVE
This modern country house in Fife has towering ambition and is for sale for offers over £1.95 million
‘At first, we came up with a layout that was very modern and slick — jazzier, more James Bond-y,” explains James Clark of the process he and his architect Ian Grant went through in the late 1990s towards coming up with an ambitious home palatable...‘At first, we came up with a layout that was very modern and slick — jazzier, more James Bond-y,”...‘At first, we came up with a layout that was very modern and slick — jazzier, more James Bond-y,”...
Sir Anton Muscatelli | Comment
Breaking the shackles of underperformance
David Black | Comment
Name-calling won’t bring Putin to the negotiating table
Football
Gerrard: I now wish I’d played in Glasgow
Steven Gerrard has suggested that he should have joined Celtic or Rangers instead of moving to the United States near the end of his playing career. The former Liverpool and England captain, who joined LA Galaxy in 2015, hinted yesterday that a move to Glasgow might have been a better option before he retired at the age of 36 in 2016. Gerrard went on to spend more than...Steven Gerrard has suggested that he should have joined Celtic or Rangers instead of moving to...Steven Gerrard has suggested that he should have joined Celtic or Rangers instead of moving to...
football
Rejuvenated Leipzig wary of Kent threat
Peter Gulacsi, the RB Leipzig goalkeeper, came through the Liverpool system a few years ahead of Ryan Kent and has...Peter Gulacsi, the RB Leipzig goalkeeper, came through the Liverpool system a few years ahead of Ryan Kent and has followed his career with interest. Gulacsi last night pinpointed Kent as the danger man for the Europa League semi-final. Rangers travel to Germany next week for the first leg in Saxony on Thursday. But...Peter Gulacsi, the RB Leipzig goalkeeper, came through the Liverpool system a few years ahead of Ryan Kent and has followed his...
United Arab Emirates freezes Kinahan gang assets
The United Arab Emirates has frozen the assets of the Kinahan cartel after US authorities last week offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrests of its Dublin-born leadership. Daniel Kinahan, the leader of the criminal enterprise, Christopher Kinahan, his father and the founder of the organisation, and Christopher Jr have all lived in Dubai for a...The United Arab Emirates has frozen the assets of the Kinahan cartel after US authorities last...The United Arab Emirates has frozen the assets of the Kinahan cartel after US authorities last...
Ireland imports more gas to meet energy needs
Ireland’s dependency on natural gas increased last year by the second highest margin in the EU, according to new data.Ireland’s dependency on natural gas increased last year by the second highest margin in the EU, according to new data. Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, found that 71 per cent of Ireland’s natural gas came from imports from the UK — up seven percentage points from 2020. The remainder is...Ireland’s dependency on natural gas increased last year by the second highest margin in the EU, according to new data. Eurostat...
COMMENT
Art isn’t replaceable in the way another commodity lost in transit might be
Earlier this year two of Ireland’s foremost artists, Dorothy Cross and Eilis O’Connell, posted on social media about artworks of theirs that have gone missing. Within a fortnight O’Connell had an update: Lotus, a 2006 bronze sculpture of a...Earlier this year two of Ireland’s foremost artists, Dorothy Cross and Eilis O’Connell, posted on...Earlier this year two of Ireland’s foremost artists, Dorothy Cross and Eilis O’Connell, posted on...
Comment
Putin could nuke Ukraine and get away with it
Lionel Shriver
It’s not hard to see why a 70-year-old autocrat might try out his weapons, confident that there would be no reply in kind
newgiles coren
What would the Queen do without Harry?
janice turner
A smacking ban is all virtue and no bite
newMATT CHORLEY
Exclusive: a first look at The Secret Diary of Matt Hancock, Aged 43¾
Carol Midgley | notebook
Maybe it’s true that ageing’s all in the mind
newBen Macintyre
The real story behind Bridgerton’s black star
newWEEKEND ESSAY
History is buried as French youth embrace extremes
newNATURE NOTEBOOK
Approach a beast’s lair like a thief in the night
newA scent of wild garlic fills the woods. The bluebells are in flower. It’s an hour before sunset and I’m just in time...A scent of wild garlic fills the woods. The bluebells are in flower. It’s an hour before sunset...A scent of wild garlic fills the woods. The bluebells are in flower. It’s an hour before sunset...
rose wild | feedback
Paying tribute to the dead isn’t an easy undertaking
newCommenting on last week’s obituary of the poet Robert Bly, Ian Charles asked why, given that Bly died in November...Commenting on last week’s obituary of the poet Robert Bly, Ian Charles asked why, given that Bly...Commenting on last week’s obituary of the poet Robert Bly, Ian Charles asked why, given that Bly...
Leading Articles
The French Choice
The stakes in Sunday’s election could hardly be higher for France, Europe and the world. A victory for Marine Le Pen would be a gift for President Putin
Crisis in Care
Shortages of staff and resources in social care are intensifying pressures on the NHS
Total Rubbish
Online shoppers need better protection from fake review
letters to the editor
Easing the pressures on NHS general practice
Sir, After 20 years of working as a GP I have witnessed many system changes but nothing compares to the paradigm shift caused by Covid (“Doctors’ Dilemma”, leading article, Apr 20; letter, Apr 21). To protect vulnerable patients we set...Sir, After 20 years of working as a GP I have witnessed many system changes but nothing compares...Sir, After 20 years of working as a GP I have witnessed many system changes but nothing compares...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Government publishes monthly retail sales figures, including store prices, average spend, internet sales, quantity, and seasonally and non-seasonally adjusted figures; Moody’s ratings agency releases its review of the economy; bet365 Gold Cup Meeting begins at Sandown Park, Surrey; Cambridge Literary Festival takes place at various venues; Stephen Lawrence Day.
US: Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group take place in Washington DC; New York International Auto Show.
On this day
In 1823 the London fruit seller Robert John Tyers applied for a patent for his Volito roller skates, an “apparatus to be attached to boots . . . for the purpose of traveling or pleasure”; in 1969 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the first man to sail single-handed around the world non-stop. After 312 days at sea he arrived back in Falmouth, Cornwall, winning the inaugural Sunday Times Golden Globe. The eight other competitors failed to finish; in 1970 the first Earth Day was held in the US to promote protection of the environment. In 1990 the campaign went global; in 1994 Richard Nixon, the former US president, died in New York, US, aged 81. The Watergate scandal led to his 1974 resignation in the face of almost-certain impeachment; in 2004 the last coal mine in France, near Creutzwald on the German border, closed. Now, nuclear power provides about 75 per cent of the country’s energy.
Nature notes
Dog’s mercury is carpeting the woodland floor. Its toothed, spear-shaped leaves grow on sturdy stems 20 to 50cm high. The flowers resemble upright, spiky catkins; people can’t seem to agree whether they’re green or yellow. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, and are pollinated by the wind which finds its way through the still-leafless spring woods. But the plant’s favoured method of propagation is via its thick rhizomes. These lateral-growing stems spread out under the woodland floor like tentacles. Far more common in Britain than Ireland, dog’s mercury is an indicator of ancient woodland. It smells foul, and the stink warns grazing mammals that it is poisonous.
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Teresa Dent, chief executive, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, 63; Carol Drinkwater, actress, All Creatures Great and Small (1978-85), and author, 74; Amber Heard, actress, The Danish Girl (2015), Aquaman (2018), 36; Kaká (Ricardo dos Santos Leite), footballer, Brazil (2002-16), 40; Peter Frampton, rock singer and guitarist, Breaking All The Rules (1981), 72; Lloyd Honeyghan, boxer, former welterweight champion, 62; Lord (Greville) Howard of Rising, vice-president, Fields in Trust (formerly, National Playing Fields Association) (2004-13), 81; Ronald Hynd, choreographer, 91; Lord (Archy) Kirkwood of Kirkhope, Liberal Democrat politician, 76; Issey Miyake, fashion designer, 84; Eve Muirhead, Scottish curler, world champion (2013), Olympic gold medallist (2022, Beijing), 32; Jack Nicholson, actor, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), As Good as it Gets (1997), Terms of Endearment (1983), 85; Andrew Noble, UK ambassador to Romania, 62; Ken Palmer, Somerset and England (1965) cricketer, and umpire, 85; Jancis Robinson, wine writer, 72; Louis Smith, gymnast, two-time Olympic silver medallist (2012, 2016), 33; Francis Spufford, writer, Golden Hill (2016), 58; Lord (Nicholas) Stern of Brentford, economist, IG Patel professor of economics and government, London School of Economics, 76; Jonathan Trott, cricketer, Warwickshire (2003-18) and England (2007-15), 41; Donald Tusk, president of the European Council (2014-19), prime minister of Poland (2007-14), 65; Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls and head of civil justice, 67; John Waters, film director, Hairspray (1988), 76.