exclusive
In 1979 the art historian was outed as one of the Cambridge spies recruited by Stalin. Shocking new evidence suggests he may also have passed deadly secrets to the Nazis
newinterview
The end of her picture-perfect marriage shocked Canada. What does a former first lady do next? Reinvent herself as a wellness and relationship guru, obviously
newvideo
On my last night in the Hebrides I waded into the bitter-cold sea. The sky was a glistening celestial tapestry, more light than darkness, and around me only the absence of stars gave away the vast profiles of mountains. Two weeks away from the...On my last night in the Hebrides I waded into the bitter-cold sea. The sky was a glistening...On my last night in the Hebrides I waded into the bitter-cold sea. The sky was a glistening...
interview | Susannah Constantine
The announcement last summer caused “panic” in the BBC newsroom and left staff shouting as they tried to make sense...The announcement last summer caused “panic” in the BBC newsroom and left staff shouting as they...The announcement last summer caused “panic” in the BBC newsroom and left staff shouting as they...
Romilly Blitz had been at University College London for just a fortnight when she found herself outside her student...Romilly Blitz had been at University College London for just a fortnight when she found herself...Romilly Blitz had been at University College London for just a fortnight when she found herself...
MY WEEK
“And tomorrow,” I tell the team, “I’m going to Warsaw, to announce a major increase in our support for Ukraine.”...“And tomorrow,” I tell the team, “I’m going to Warsaw, to announce a major increase in our...“And tomorrow,” I tell the team, “I’m going to Warsaw, to announce a major increase in our...
THE TIMES DIARY
If you inherit a title, wear it lightly. The My Time Capsule podcast tells a tale of the actor Tim Bentinck, who is...If you inherit a title, wear it lightly. The My Time Capsule podcast tells a tale of the actor...If you inherit a title, wear it lightly. The My Time Capsule podcast tells a tale of the actor...
The Moncloa Palace, headquarters of Spain’s government and the prime minister’s official residence, is equipped with its own hospital and, it is said, an underground bunker should the leadership require shelter in an emergency. Thus far it has not been needed. But never before has this red-brick...The Moncloa Palace, headquarters of Spain’s government and the prime minister’s official residence, is equipped with its own hospital and, it is said, an underground bunker should the leadership require shelter in an emergency. Thus far it has not been needed. But never before has this red-brick...The Moncloa Palace, headquarters of Spain’s government and the prime minister’s official residence, is equipped with its own...
mark galeotti
Chechnya was the making of Vladimir Putin. With a blend of brutality and calculation he turned the tiny territory in the north Caucasus from Russia’s most rebellious region into, seemingly, its most loyal — and in the process defined himself as a leader who could restore order to his country after a desperate decade following the collapse...Chechnya was the making of Vladimir Putin. With a blend of brutality and calculation he turned the tiny territory in the north Caucasus from Russia’s most rebellious region into, seemingly, its most loyal — and in the process defined himself as a leader who could restore order to his country after a desperate decade following the collapse...Chechnya was the making of Vladimir Putin. With a blend of brutality and calculation he turned the tiny territory in the north...
Hamas has released a video showing two Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza since the October 7 attacks. The undated footage shows Keith Siegel, 64, an American citizen, and Omri Miran, 47, who have both spent seven months in captivity in Gaza after being kidnapped by the terror group. The proof of life video is...Hamas has released a video showing two Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza since the October 7...Hamas has released a video showing two Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza since the October 7...
dispatch from phoenix
After a medical career that began before the Roe v Wade judgment in 1973 and that was given new purpose by the assault on abortion in Arizona, Barbara Zipkin is still treating patients at the Camelback Family Planning clinic in the northern...After a medical career that began before the Roe v Wade judgment in 1973 and that was given new...After a medical career that began before the Roe v Wade judgment in 1973 and that was given new...
berlin confidential
In front of the cameras, the finalists in the French version of Strictly Come Dancing have smiled, applauded each...In front of the cameras, the finalists in the French version of Strictly Come Dancing have smiled...In front of the cameras, the finalists in the French version of Strictly Come Dancing have smiled...
Researchers at a Chinese university with strong military links claim to have invented a revolutionary laser...Researchers at a Chinese university with strong military links claim to have invented a...Researchers at a Chinese university with strong military links claim to have invented a...
White House staff have taken steps to improve the perception of President Biden’s stiff gait by accompanying him on...White House staff have taken steps to improve the perception of President Biden’s stiff gait by...White House staff have taken steps to improve the perception of President Biden’s stiff gait by...
gerard baker
‘There were very fine people on both sides.” When he can remember, or at least when he is capable of reading the...‘There were very fine people on both sides.” When he can remember, or at least when he is capable...‘There were very fine people on both sides.” When he can remember, or at least when he is capable...
Union leaders have conceded for the first time that they will accept an end to six-day-a-week letter deliveries, clearing the way for Royal Mail to enact historic cuts to postal services. The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents 110,000 postal workers and brought services to a...Union leaders have conceded for the first time that they will accept an end to six-day-a-week letter deliveries, clearing the way for Royal Mail to enact historic cuts to postal services. The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents 110,000 postal workers and brought services to a...Union leaders have conceded for the first time that they will accept an end to six-day-a-week letter deliveries, clearing the...
Specialist US lenders famed for risky bets on WeWork and Hollywood studio MGM are snapping up debt in Thames Water — in a bet that losses in the utility’s restructuring will be less severe than feared. Reports last week stated that Elliott Management was buying up the debt — but it has emerged that several other big names are piling in.Specialist US lenders famed for risky bets on WeWork and Hollywood studio MGM are snapping up debt in Thames Water — in a bet that losses in the utility’s restructuring will be less severe than feared. Reports last week stated that Elliott Management was buying up the debt — but it has emerged that several other big names are piling in.Specialist US lenders famed for risky bets on WeWork and Hollywood studio MGM are snapping up debt in Thames Water — in a bet...
As the Andes unfurl along the spine of Peru, rolling south towards Chile, the mountainside is suddenly broken open by a huge gash. This giant sandy pit, with steep walls patrolled by yellow trucks, is the Quellaveco copper mine, owned by London-based Anglo American. Quellaveco is one of the world’s most bountiful...As the Andes unfurl along the spine of Peru, rolling south towards Chile, the mountainside is...As the Andes unfurl along the spine of Peru, rolling south towards Chile, the mountainside is...
comment
Last month, in what already seems like the distant past, I interviewed Duncan Wanblad. My final question before...Last month, in what already seems like the distant past, I interviewed Duncan Wanblad. My final...Last month, in what already seems like the distant past, I interviewed Duncan Wanblad. My final...
david smith
The weather has taken time to get the message, but spring appears to have sprung for the economy, both here and...The weather has taken time to get the message, but spring appears to have sprung for the economy...The weather has taken time to get the message, but spring appears to have sprung for the economy...
interview
When a chief executive opens an interview by describing how her crib as a baby was the galley sink of a yacht in the West Indies, you know you’re not in for an ordinary interview. Or, for that matter, when she says her seaplane pilot father had a...When a chief executive opens an interview by describing how her crib as a baby was the galley...When a chief executive opens an interview by describing how her crib as a baby was the galley...
Sir Dickson Poon has committed to lend another £32.5 million to Harvey Nichols as the long-term owner of the struggling department store chain strives to steer it away from financial difficulty. Accounts filed at Companies House last week reveal that Poon, 67, lent Harvey Nichols £25.5 million, and committed to lend a further £7 million, after the retailer’s year-end...Sir Dickson Poon has committed to lend another £32.5 million to Harvey Nichols as the long-term...Sir Dickson Poon has committed to lend another £32.5 million to Harvey Nichols as the long-term...
The US hedge fund behind Travelodge is in talks to buy £40 million of hotels from their landlords as it gears up for...The US hedge fund behind Travelodge is in talks to buy £40 million of hotels from their landlords as it gears up for a fresh tilt at a sale. GoldenTree Asset Management has created a structure that increases its options to cash out of the budget hotel chain. The moves follow its £210 million purchase of 66 hotels...The US hedge fund behind Travelodge is in talks to buy £40 million of hotels from their landlords as it gears up for a fresh...
irwin stelzer
At the beginning of this month, Federal Reserve Board chairman Jay Powell was wondering aloud how many cuts in the...At the beginning of this month, Federal Reserve Board chairman Jay Powell was wondering aloud how...At the beginning of this month, Federal Reserve Board chairman Jay Powell was wondering aloud how...
Lucy Tobin
Centrica has enjoyed a spell in the sun. The surge in wholesale energy prices after Russia invaded Ukraine wounded a...Centrica has enjoyed a spell in the sun. The surge in wholesale energy prices after Russia...Centrica has enjoyed a spell in the sun. The surge in wholesale energy prices after Russia...
how i made it
When Graham Corfield received a call from a man with a thick Stoke accent claiming to be a pilot from Air Libya — and wanting to buy a staircase for an aeroplane — he initially shrugged it off as a hoax. The call got more bizarre by the minute...When Graham Corfield received a call from a man with a thick Stoke accent claiming to be a pilot...When Graham Corfield received a call from a man with a thick Stoke accent claiming to be a pilot...
premier league
West Ham United 2 Liverpool 2
updatedThis was a fine game, a classic Premier League rollercoaster where in the space of 34 minutes there were five projected results. Draw, West Ham United win, draw, Liverpool win, draw. But it won’t be remembered for that. Sometimes — especially in this visual age — a few seconds’ theatre can define the football agenda. And this was all about what happened in the 79th...This was a fine game, a classic Premier League rollercoaster where in the space of 34 minutes...This was a fine game, a classic Premier League rollercoaster where in the space of 34 minutes...
premier league
Antony, the Brazilian winger whose miserable season has reflected so many of the problems to beset Manchester United...Antony, the Brazilian winger whose miserable season has reflected so many of the problems to beset Manchester United and their manager Erik ten Hag, scored his first league goal in over 12 months, only for his side to drop yet more points in disappointing fashion. VAR spotted that André Onana had punched Zeki...Antony, the Brazilian winger whose miserable season has reflected so many of the problems to beset Manchester United and their...
David Walsh | tommy freeman interview
martin samuel
It looks as though we are watching Mohamed Salah’s final season in English football, and many seem fine with that.It looks as though we are watching Mohamed Salah’s final season in English football, and many...It looks as though we are watching Mohamed Salah’s final season in English football, and many...
premier league
And so it ends, a brief and often tortuous return to the Premier League for Sheffield United. As has been the case...And so it ends, a brief and often tortuous return to the Premier League for Sheffield United. As...And so it ends, a brief and often tortuous return to the Premier League for Sheffield United. As...
Six Nations
There may be some people among the ranks of sports fans who are still uncomfortable at the sight of women playing such a ferocious game, but here they were probably silenced for good. This staggering match, which ended with England as the worthy Grand Slam champions, had all the bite and thunder that you could possibly imagine. There was a near-brutality in some of the...There may be some people among the ranks of sports fans who are still uncomfortable at the sight...There may be some people among the ranks of sports fans who are still uncomfortable at the sight...
kelly holmes interview
Twenty years ago Dame Kelly Holmes stood at the front of an open-top bus as it made its way from Hildenborough to...Twenty years ago Dame Kelly Holmes stood at the front of an open-top bus as it made its way from Hildenborough to Tonbridge with her gold medals glinting in the sun. That short route had already encompassed so much childhood trauma for one of the country’s greatest Olympians, long before the harrowing cycle of...Twenty years ago Dame Kelly Holmes stood at the front of an open-top bus as it made its way from Hildenborough to Tonbridge...
gallagher premiership
james Gheerbrant
Ten and a half months after Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager, his team beat Manchester United 1-0 on a damp...Ten and a half months after Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager, his team beat Manchester...Ten and a half months after Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager, his team beat Manchester...
Alex Lowe
It was 30 years ago on Wednesday that England defeated the United States 38-23 at the home of Edinburgh Academicals...It was 30 years ago on Wednesday that England defeated the United States 38-23 at the home of...It was 30 years ago on Wednesday that England defeated the United States 38-23 at the home of...
Charlotte Duncker
sky bet championship
GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP
notebook | martyn Ziegler
owen slot
‘The feeling of being superhuman is a fleeting one.” Those are the words of Ronnie O’Sullivan who is as well...‘The feeling of being superhuman is a fleeting one.” Those are the words of Ronnie O’Sullivan who...‘The feeling of being superhuman is a fleeting one.” Those are the words of Ronnie O’Sullivan who...
tom allnutt
Even if doubts still linger over Arsenal’s stomach for the title fight, Martin Odegaard is showing he can deliver...Even if doubts still linger over Arsenal’s stomach for the title fight, Martin Odegaard is...Even if doubts still linger over Arsenal’s stomach for the title fight, Martin Odegaard is...
max malins interview
tailender | patrick Kidd
deep dive
Arsenal are in contention to become Premier League champions for the first time since 2003-04, a season when they clinched the title with a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Mikel Arteta’s team can take another stride towards...Arsenal are in contention to become Premier League champions for the first time since 2003-04, a...Arsenal are in contention to become Premier League champions for the first time since 2003-04, a...
Some companies are refusing to cover a range of treatments, leaving disgruntled pet owners picking up ever increasing bills, reports Ali Hussain
When Nakul Puri’s two labradors, Floss and Ben, had a reaction to a vaccination in 2020, he assumed that his insurer would foot the bill. Puri, 57, was paying £60 a month for insurance but was left with £1,500 to pay when Direct Line refused his claim. Puri, a semi-retired accountant from...When Nakul Puri’s two labradors, Floss and Ben, had a reaction to a vaccination in 2020, he assumed that his insurer would foot the bill. Puri, 57, was paying £60 a month for insurance but was left with £1,500 to pay when Direct Line refused his claim. Puri, a semi-retired accountant from...When Nakul Puri’s two labradors, Floss and Ben, had a reaction to a vaccination in 2020, he assumed that his insurer would foot...
When Douglas Ellison moved to America he was worried about what would happen to the £700,000 pension he had in the UK. He had built up his pot working in London for 20 years for multinational firms such as JP Morgan and ING. A few years after his move, a financial adviser told him about a new type of pension from the British government...When Douglas Ellison moved to America he was worried about what would happen to the £700,000 pension he had in the UK. He had built up his pot working in London for 20 years for multinational firms such as JP Morgan and ING. A few years after his move, a financial adviser told him about a new type of pension from the British government...When Douglas Ellison moved to America he was worried about what would happen to the £700,000 pension he had in the UK. He had...
johanna noble
I’m a dog person so it might seem rather odd that I got a cat last year. But my kids were pestering me for a pet and I reckoned that a feline friend would be a bit easier to look after. We picked up Gus from a rescue centre in southwest London in September. We never got to find out much about why he ended up there...I’m a dog person so it might seem rather odd that I got a cat last year. But my kids were...I’m a dog person so it might seem rather odd that I got a cat last year. But my kids were...
fame and fortune
JILL INSLEY | QUESTION OF MONEY
My daughter and I listed six Taylor Swift tickets on Viagogo’s website in July after buying them early before general release. We were trying to raise money for my daughter’s first car. They sold within a couple of days. The news then came out...My daughter and I listed six Taylor Swift tickets on Viagogo’s website in July after buying them...My daughter and I listed six Taylor Swift tickets on Viagogo’s website in July after buying them...
first person
Johann Hari took Ozempic. Then he talked to scientists about its possible impact on the brain
first person
Can you make a relationship work when you’re on opposite sides of the political divide? Yes, so long as you don’t mention Brexit
interview
He’s best known for self-portraits made using his own blood. The former YBA and ex-addict may now be taking his inspiration from the plant collections at Kew, but the results are just as extraordinary
first person
Every year 25,000 British women meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder after giving birth. Hannah Barnes investigates what’s going so badly wrong
caitlin moran
‘I never discuss my dreams. Other people’s are worthy of Dalì; mine are more Woman & Home’
Ever since the cabaret singer Edith Piaf first sang her valedictory hymn, Non, je ne regrette rien, in 1960, the song has been one of France’s unofficial anthems; a declaration for living life with no regrets. I wonder if Piaf would have sung...Ever since the cabaret singer Edith Piaf first sang her valedictory hymn, Non, je ne regrette...Ever since the cabaret singer Edith Piaf first sang her valedictory hymn, Non, je ne regrette...
As the museum celebrates its 200th anniversary, artists, writers and royals share the work of art that means the most to them
interview
The actor is returning to the role of a broken bobby in The Responder
HUGO RIFKIND
You will have forgotten this improbable tale of a doctor trapped on a flight within a month
book of the week
This account of Britain’s Brexit negotiations reveals just how passive and useless Theresa May was as prime minister
It became a running joke among his friends that for every milestone birthday Raymond Briggs would receive a lifesize effigy of himself, the more bad taste the better. For his 50th he was given a papier-mâché Briggs in a (full-size) coffin as part...It became a running joke among his friends that for every milestone birthday Raymond Briggs would...It became a running joke among his friends that for every milestone birthday Raymond Briggs would...
Review | HISTORy
REVIEW | FICTION
review | Thrillers
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
VIEWING GUIDE
Also this weekend: Dopesick, Abba: 50 Years of Pop and more
For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Viewing guide, by James Jackson
Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd
Sky Arts/Now, 9pm
You might wonder how many times the story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd can be told. Yet even seen-it-all Floydians will find this feature-length film unmissable, with its personal insights...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Viewing guide, by James...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Viewing guide, by James...
my culture fix
My favourite book
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. It was published in 1759...My favourite book
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. It was published in 1759 and is more postmodern than anything people will say is postmodern now. It uses every form of literary communication available to Sterne at the time. It has certainly inspired my writing. If nothing...My favourite book
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. It was published in 1759 and is...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
first night review
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Every year comes one book that steamrollers the competition and becomes the one to watch in prize season. This year it’s Percival Everett’s James, which has received wall-to-wall raves, including from our chief literary critic, who reckons it will be “the book that seals [Everett’s] legacy” and “has the potential to become a classic text”. Which is doubly apt...Every year comes one book that steamrollers the competition and becomes the one to watch in prize...Every year comes one book that steamrollers the competition and becomes the one to watch in prize...
Strung-out mothers of the world, rejoice, for Claire Kilroy’s brilliant black comedy of the toddler years, Soldier...Strung-out mothers of the world, rejoice, for Claire Kilroy’s brilliant black comedy of the toddler years, Soldier Sailor, has made this year’s Women’s Prize shortlist. We’ve been yodelling on about this book, The Times’ novel of 2023, for a while so it’s fantastic to see it get more recognition. This...Strung-out mothers of the world, rejoice, for Claire Kilroy’s brilliant black comedy of the toddler years, Soldier Sailor...
tELEVISION | STREAMING GUIDE
Television
TELEVISION
Television
MINDGAMES
MINDGAMES
MINDGAMES
MUSIC REVIEWS
interview | Susannah Constantine
Susannah Constantine talks about her latest health scare, enjoying the empty nest and the truth about Princess Margaret
first person
As experts warn the devices could lead to eating disorders, Emily Sargent asks if the health craze has gone too far, and Peta Bee explains the facts
first person
After six miscarriages in three years, author Tom de Freston reflects on trying again and again, and the strain it put on his marriage
England has the highest rates of childhood drinking. Perhaps parents should look at their own consumption, says Tanith Carey
first person
People now believe ‘midlife’ lasts until your mid-seventies — it doesn’t stop there, says Elaine Kingett, 74
Move over, jamon iberico. Mortadella, a soft-pink, wafer-thin-cut salume jewelled with white pearls of fat, is taking...Move over, jamon iberico. Mortadella, a soft-pink, wafer-thin-cut salume jewelled with white...Move over, jamon iberico. Mortadella, a soft-pink, wafer-thin-cut salume jewelled with white...
sex counsel
Q. I’m in my late forties, I divorced last year and haven’t slept with anyone other than my ex-wife for over 20 years....Q. I’m in my late forties, I divorced last year and haven’t slept with anyone other than my...Q. I’m in my late forties, I divorced last year and haven’t slept with anyone other than my...
first person
Jane Mulkerrins swapped her usual high-end holidays for 2024’s answer to glamping
The choice is huge and the quality has never been better. Our critic picks her top bargains
These beauties work in just about any space or style, smell great and can go in now. Here’s what to buy
It isn’t a fast grower, but this shrub’s elegance and fragrance make it well worth the effort, when nothing much else is in bloom
video
Seasickness, sinking and budgie smugglers haven’t deterred our cruise editor from sailing on hundreds of ships. But one special journey really stands out
maldives
Justine Picardie once fell in love with Huvafen Fushi with her family — but could she enjoy this honeymoon paradise alone?
This popular region of southern France has wonderful lodgings, from B&Bs in cosy converted farmhouses to your own grandiose châteaux. These are 25 of the best options
video
Three remote bothies near Oban are the setting for an extraordinary fine-dining experience — and a rural adventure
travel doctor
Plus: the best spots to see the total solar eclipse and how to explore the Scottish Borders without a car
video
Cruise
Longer than the Shard and the Eiffel Tower are tall, Icon of the Seas is the largest ship afloat. But with 7,600 passengers, does it all feel too much? Cathy Adams gets onboard to find out. Plus read more about Royal Caribbean’s other...Longer than the Shard and the Eiffel Tower are tall, Icon of the Seas is the largest ship afloat...Longer than the Shard and the Eiffel Tower are tall, Icon of the Seas is the largest ship afloat...
WEATHER EYE
FROM THE ARCHIVE
IT IS written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath...IT IS written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath...IT IS written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath...
St James’s Palace
26th April, 2024
The Duchess of Edinburgh this afternoon attended the Women in Scotland Luncheon...St James’s Palace
26th April, 2024
The Duchess of Edinburgh this afternoon attended the Women...St James’s Palace
26th April, 2024
The Duchess of Edinburgh this afternoon attended the Women...
MindGames
1 What is the title of the politician who heads the Home Office? 2 Something described as “muriform” resembles which rodent? 3 In an 1836 painting by Richard Redgrave, which Swift title character is being Exhibited to the Brobdingnag Farmer?1 What is the title of the politician who heads the Home Office? 2 Something described as...1 What is the title of the politician who heads the Home Office? 2 Something described as...
Marriages and engagements
Helen Bates, 58, an executive assistant, and Phil Dolphin, 60, a retired finance director, were married on October 14, 2023, at Hampden House, in Great Hampden, Buckinghamshire Helen and Phil refer to part one and part two of their relationship. In part one, they dated for five and a half years, and then did not see one another for 25 years. In part two, they reunited...Helen Bates, 58, an executive assistant, and Phil Dolphin, 60, a retired finance director, were...Helen Bates, 58, an executive assistant, and Phil Dolphin, 60, a retired finance director, were...
Births
Julia Teresa Marie Scott was born at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Kent on March 30, 2024, to Kim, 31, and Duncan Scott,...Julia Teresa Marie Scott was born at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Kent on March 30, 2024, to Kim, 31, and Duncan Scott, 33 Julia was born a week early, on what would have been her great-grandparents’ 65th wedding anniversary — March 30. “When I realised she would be born on that date,” says Kim, “I wanted to find a...Julia Teresa Marie Scott was born at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Kent on March 30, 2024, to Kim, 31, and Duncan Scott, 33 Julia...
Alex Salmond reveals his terms for backing beleaguered first minister
exclusiveAlex Salmond today tells Humza Yousaf that to continue as Scottish first minister he must agree an electoral pact which would see the SNP step aside in some Holyrood seats. Yousaf is facing a no-confidence motion next week and support is on a knife-edge. It could come down to a single vote — that...Alex Salmond today tells Humza Yousaf that to continue as Scottish first minister he must agree an electoral pact which would see the SNP step aside in some Holyrood seats. Yousaf is facing a no-confidence motion next week and support is on a knife-edge. It could come down to a single vote — that...Alex Salmond today tells Humza Yousaf that to continue as Scottish first minister he must agree an electoral pact which would...
Fergus Mutch
My dear father — a constant source of support for 35 years — remarked on Friday that I’ve only myself to blame for how this week’s events have unfolded for the SNP. At first I was rather puzzled by the accusation. But he was right. It was all my fault. As the SNP candidate for Aberdeenshire West in May 2021, I waited nervously for the...My dear father — a constant source of support for 35 years — remarked on Friday that I’ve only myself to blame for how this week’s events have unfolded for the SNP. At first I was rather puzzled by the accusation. But he was right. It was all my fault. As the SNP candidate for Aberdeenshire West in May 2021, I waited nervously for the...My dear father — a constant source of support for 35 years — remarked on Friday that I’ve only myself to blame for how this...
EDUCATION
Education, as a wise man once said, is a knowledge not of facts but of values, and at one of Scotland’s most exclusive schools, perhaps unexpectedly, the value of kindness has been moved to the core of the curriculum. Fettes Prep in Edinburgh, which readies seven to thirteen-year-olds for Fettes College, the...Education, as a wise man once said, is a knowledge not of facts but of values, and at one of...Education, as a wise man once said, is a knowledge not of facts but of values, and at one of...
Football
Philippe Clement expects skipper James Tavernier and Connor Goldson to be at Rangers next season. Former Ibrox boss...Philippe Clement expects skipper James Tavernier and Connor Goldson to be at Rangers next season.Philippe Clement expects skipper James Tavernier and Connor Goldson to be at Rangers next season.
More than 45 years have passed since she was murdered, but friends and colleagues returned to the university where Dr...More than 45 years have passed since she was murdered, but friends and colleagues returned to the...More than 45 years have passed since she was murdered, but friends and colleagues returned to the...
It was once the largest whaling centre in the world, where brave men would endure great hardship in their work dedicated to the annihilation of the largest animals the world has ever seen. Now the whaling stations of South Georgia are just a...It was once the largest whaling centre in the world, where brave men would endure great hardship...It was once the largest whaling centre in the world, where brave men would endure great hardship...
LEADING ARTICLE
SCOTTISH BUSINESS DIGEST
Rugby Union
PHOTOGRAPHY
Made entirely from industry scraps, upcycled textiles, vintage cloth and broken jewellery, the clothes in a new exhibition in Edinburgh are reinventing the “make-do and mend” ethos of previous generations. In Vengefully Changed Allegiance at the...Made entirely from industry scraps, upcycled textiles, vintage cloth and broken jewellery, the...Made entirely from industry scraps, upcycled textiles, vintage cloth and broken jewellery, the...
Max Kendix lives the birdwatcher’s dream at a keeper’s cottage by the North Sea — and finds a beautiful landscape of huge skies and neolithic wonders with barely another soul in sight
gabriella bennett
Everywhere I went, I heard the most difficult stories, and yet people still offered me gifts. Their generosity floored me
Gillian Bowditch hops aboard a new river cruise of the Danube and makes some spectacular memories
review
Chitra Ramaswamy finds a family-run Punjabi caff that feels and tastes like home, and the biull will make you smile
Planning a road trip? Peter Irvine picks his favourite routes, from the Duke’s Pass to the Ardnamurchan peninsula
interview
Born in Arbroath, Doug Johnstone has written 16 novels and is also the drummer in the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a...Born in Arbroath, Doug Johnstone has written 16 novels and is also the drummer in the Fun Lovin’...Born in Arbroath, Doug Johnstone has written 16 novels and is also the drummer in the Fun Lovin’...
Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll update the list...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll...
Comment
Mind your outrage at this use of language
Matthew Parris
The fury unleashed by a clumsy phrase is essentially performative and ignores what is often justifiably being expressed
jenni russell
We’re wasting the over-50s — give them jobs
giles coren
Want to get into Venice? Take my exam first
ANN TRENEMAN | NOTEBOOK
Unlike Joan Bakewell, I’m happy to be called old
MATT CHORLEY
All aboard the Starmer Express, where left-wing baggage will be destroyed
WEEKEND ESSAY
Britain’s looking left but voters really just want to be reassured
AN Wilson
Proms are majestic despite the flag-wavers
Mick Hodgkin | feedback
Crossword solvers spy a secret agent behind the clues
The Times Crossword tries to steer clear of topicality, unlike some competitors. But sometimes, like a stopped clock...The Times Crossword tries to steer clear of topicality, unlike some competitors. But sometimes...The Times Crossword tries to steer clear of topicality, unlike some competitors. But sometimes...
John Lewis-Stempel | Nature Notebook
Honey-sweet flowers light the way for nightwalkers
I went out nightwalking yesterday, and although there was moonlight on the lane it was unneeded. Along both verges...I went out nightwalking yesterday, and although there was moonlight on the lane it was unneeded.I went out nightwalking yesterday, and although there was moonlight on the lane it was unneeded.
Leading Articles
Carrot Not Stick
Boosting demand for electric cars will not be achieved by official diktat
Lessons in Conspiracy
Illegal schools continue to teach extremism due to loopholes that must be closed
Welcome Back
The King’s resumption of public duties is heartwarming news
letters to the editor
Holyrood turmoil and pressure on Yousaf
Sir, The miscalculation by the first minister, Humza Yousaf, in ditching the coalition with the Greens would be breathtaking if it were not so unsurprising (“Yousaf on verge of quitting after sacking Greens”, news; leading article, Apr 26).Sir, The miscalculation by the first minister, Humza Yousaf, in ditching the coalition with the...Sir, The miscalculation by the first minister, Humza Yousaf, in ditching the coalition with the...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
Today
World: South Africa’s Freedom Day, marking the date in 1994 of the country’s first non-racial elections; European Immunisation Week begins.
Tomorrow
US: White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
On this day
Today
In 1848 slavery was abolished by decree in the French colonies. Le Code Noir (The Black Code), a colonial ordinance of 1685 dealing with slaves, had been in force for 163 years; in 1941 German troops marched into Athens, and raised a swastika flag on the Acropolis. On the night of May 30, 1941 two teenage students tore down the flag; in 1956 the first ministerial TV broadcast was made by Sir Anthony Eden, on the subject of British-Soviet relations, after the UK visit of the Soviet leaders Bulganin and Khrushchev; in 1972 Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister and president of Ghana, died aged 62. After independence was declared from the UK in 1957 (Gold Coast since 1821) he led an authoritarian regime and in 1964 created a one-party state. He was deposed in 1966. In 1945, after failing to complete his studies in the UK, he co-organised the Pan-African Congress in Manchester where a strategy for replacing colonialism with African socialism was formed.
Tomorrow
In 1944, 639 US servicemen taking part in a D-Day training exercise, Exercise Tiger, at Slapton Sands, Devon, died during an attack by German fast-attack boats; in 1947 Thor Heyerdahl and five crewmates set sail from Peru on the Kon-Tiki raft to prove that Peruvians could have colonised Polynesia. They arrived after 101 days at sea, covering 4,300 miles; in 1994 Aldrich Ames, a former CIA agent, was jailed for life for selling secrets to Russia. Ames was known to the KGB by his code name of Kolokol (The Bell). His actions are thought to have led to the deaths of at least ten US agents in the former Soviet Union; in 2021 India’s official Covid-19-related death toll exceeded 200,000, with more coronavirus cases reported in the previous seven days than any other country.
Nature notes
A bird is singing in the dying ash tree. All around, the fogbound hectares of winter wheat are silent, yet here on this small island of ash trees, blackthorn and maples, the blackbird is in full song. Perched on a dead bough, it presents a stark sight, like a rag caught on a gallows. But the sound is as golden as the bird’s beak. Some birdsong has a volcanic urgency: skylarks gush, thrushes spate, terns scream. But the blackbird’s music is always relaxed, serene, richly melodious, and full of trills and turns. Never hurried, these consummate songsters give each phrase full value and often break off at the end of a particular tune, like a human singer. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays
Today
Anouk Aimée, actress, La Dolce Vita (1960), 92; Dame Darcey Bussell, a principal ballerina, Royal Ballet (1989-2006), and former judge, Strictly Come Dancing, 55; Lady (Philippa) Dannatt, lord-lieutenant of Norfolk, 70; Peregrine Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, 80; Jenna Coleman, actress, Doctor Who (2012-15), Victoria (2016-19), 38; Russell T Davies, TV producer and screenwriter, Queer as Folk (1999-2000), It’s a Sin (2021), 61; General Sir Jack Deverell, commander-in-chief, Allied Forces North (2001-04), 79; The Rt Rev Lord (Robin) Eames, OM, Archbishop of Armagh and primate of all Ireland (1986-2006), 88; Sheena Easton, singer, For Your Eyes Only (1981), 65; Michael Fish, weather forecaster, 80; Bridget Kendall, master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, BBC diplomatic correspondent (1998-2016), 68; Milena Mondini de Focatiis, chief executive, Admiral, 47; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, 57; Regé-Jean Page, actor, Bridgerton (2020), 36; Antonio Patriota, ambassador of Brazil to the UK, 70; Peter Schofield, permanent secretary, Department for Work and Pensions, 55; Andrew Selous, Conservative MP for South West Bedfordshire, 62; Sir Nicholas Serota, chairman, Arts Council England, director, Tate (1988-2017), 78.
Tomorrow
Anita Anand, broadcaster, Any Answers? (BBC Radio 4), and author, The Patient Assassin (2020), 52; James Baker, White House chief of staff to presidents Reagan and George HW Bush, 94; Mike Brearley, cricketer, England (1976-81), 82; Prof Tim Congdon, economist, founder and chairman, Institute of International Monetary Research, University of Buckingham, 73; Penélope Cruz, actress, Volver (2006), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), 50; The Rev Nicky Gumbel, developer of the Alpha course, an introduction to the Christian faith, 69; Lord (Ajay) Kakkar, chairman, UK Biobank, 60; Susanne Klatten, billionaire heiress, BMW Group shareholder on the board of directors, 62; Lauren Laverne, DJ and presenter (BBC Radio 6 Music) and host of Desert Island Discs, 46; Nicola LeFanu, composer, 77; Prof Sir Jim McDonald, engineer, president, Royal Academy of Engineering, principal and vice-chancellor, University of Strathclyde, 67; Sir Tim Martin, founder and chairman of Wetherspoons, 69; Sir Ian Rankin, novelist, the Inspector Rebus novels, In a House of Lies (2018), 64; Steve Rider, sports presenter, 74; The Very Rev Prof Jane Shaw, principal, Harris Manchester College, Oxford, 61; Lady Helen Taylor, first cousin once removed to Elizabeth II, 60; Sir Bradley Wiggins, cyclist, winner of the 2012 Tour de France, five-time Olympic gold medallist, 44.