In the News
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Sturgeon is unfit to lead Scotland, Salmond tells inquiry
Alex Salmond launched a public attack on Nicola Sturgeon today, claiming that the current SNP leadership is unfit to lead the country to independence. The former first minister described a collective failure of leadership in the civil service, the prosecuting authority and the Scottish government...Alex Salmond launched a public attack on Nicola Sturgeon today, claiming that the current SNP leadership is unfit to lead the country to independence. The former first minister described a collective failure of leadership in the civil service, the prosecuting authority and the Scottish government...Alex Salmond launched a public attack on Nicola Sturgeon today, claiming that the current SNP leadership is unfit to lead the...
Read the full storyI would have the Oxford vaccine, says Macron
President Macron has said he would take the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in comments widely seen as an attempt to overcome French hostility towards the Anglo-Swedish jab. Macron made the remarks after claims that he had contributed to the poor image of the vaccine in France when he claimed last month that it was “quasi-ineffective” for those...President Macron has said he would take the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in comments widely seen as an attempt to overcome French hostility towards the Anglo-Swedish jab. Macron made the remarks after claims that he had contributed to the poor image of the vaccine in France when he claimed last month that it was “quasi-ineffective” for those...President Macron has said he would take the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in comments widely seen as an attempt to overcome French...
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coronavirus
How life will change — and stay the same — after June 21
The crocuses of hope, Boris Johnson explained, are poking through the frost. We have a route to freedom, a plan to exit lockdown. Come June 21, assuming everything remains on target, restrictions in England will be largely at an end. But will the country be truly back to normal, or to a new normal? And if the...The crocuses of hope, Boris Johnson explained, are poking through the frost. We have a route to...The crocuses of hope, Boris Johnson explained, are poking through the frost. We have a route to...
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David Harewood interview
‘Systemic racism is damaging the health of millions. Why can’t the government see that?’
video
Iraqi interpreters ask Britain for sanctuary after death threats
Eight Iraqi interpreters who helped British forces fighting Islamic State are now in fear of their lives after being threatened by Iranian-backed militias. Seven are in hiding because they believe their identities have been exposed to...Eight Iraqi interpreters who helped British forces fighting Islamic State are now in fear of...Eight Iraqi interpreters who helped British forces fighting Islamic State are now in fear of...
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CORONAVIRUS
Have the vaccine to protect others, Queen urges
PERCEPTIONS QUIZ
How much do you really know about Covid-19?
CORONAVIRUS
Minister defends ‘no jab, no job’ in care homes
Care homes have an “obvious rationale” for demanding that staff are vaccinated, a cabinet minister has said, as...Care homes have an “obvious rationale” for demanding that staff are vaccinated, a cabinet...Care homes have an “obvious rationale” for demanding that staff are vaccinated, a cabinet...
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CORONAVIRUS
First travellers released from Covid quarantine
Passengers who were among the first to leave Britain’s hotel quarantine regime said they felt like prisoners while...Passengers who were among the first to leave Britain’s hotel quarantine regime said they felt...Passengers who were among the first to leave Britain’s hotel quarantine regime said they felt...
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Raymond Blanc's Covid
‘I was four weeks in hospital. Now I feel lucky to taste life again’
Luxury Australia
Find peace and serenity in chic New South Wales waterside lodges
Jessica Brown Findlay
From Downton Abbey to the dark side — what Lady Sybil did next
Sunak stealth tax grab?
How the budget next week could hit your payday income
RED BOX | PATRICK MAGUIRE
SNP still flying high despite Salmond row
FASHION
M&S gets in the mood for a sociable summertime
Now we are set for the end of the lockdown — and the start of socialising, to some extent — the timing of Marks & Spencer’s latest fashion collection couldn’t be better. The limited edition range, which was launched yesterday, comprises...Now we are set for the end of the lockdown — and the start of socialising, to some extent — the...Now we are set for the end of the lockdown — and the start of socialising, to some extent — the...
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Gove owes us an apology, says boss of Kids Company
Michael Gove was “disingenuous” in his dealings with the troubled charity Kids Company and should apologise to the children who were failed when it collapsed, its founder has claimed. Camilla Batmanghelidjh criticised Gove...Michael Gove was “disingenuous” in his dealings with the troubled charity Kids Company and should apologise to the children who were failed when it collapsed, its founder has claimed. Camilla Batmanghelidjh criticised Gove...Michael Gove was “disingenuous” in his dealings with the troubled charity Kids Company and should apologise to the...
Read the full storyPM to lead new committee on Union
Boris Johnson will lead a new cabinet committee on the Union after a month of tumult in the government’s efforts to combat Scottish nationalism. Downing Street said that the prime minister would chair regular meetings of a...Boris Johnson will lead a new cabinet committee on the Union after a month of tumult in the government’s efforts to combat Scottish nationalism. Downing Street said that the prime minister would chair regular meetings of a...Boris Johnson will lead a new cabinet committee on the Union after a month of tumult in the government’s efforts to...
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POLITICAL SKETCH
Gavin’s carpet of clichés takes a lot of beating
THE TIMES DIARY
Peers go back to Play School
Colours of Japan to bloom in grey towns
Circles of blossoming trees will be planted in towns and cities across the country under plans to create an equivalent of Japan’s hanami: enjoying the transient beauty of flowers. The first three circles of cherry, plum, hawthorn and crab...Circles of blossoming trees will be planted in towns and cities across the country under plans to...Circles of blossoming trees will be planted in towns and cities across the country under plans to...
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CLEAN AIR FOR ALL
Charges threaten drive for new clean air zones
Amazon may be forced to recycle electrical products
Amazon and other online retailers will be forced to fund collection of old electronic equipment from homes and ensure...Amazon and other online retailers will be forced to fund collection of old electronic equipment...Amazon and other online retailers will be forced to fund collection of old electronic equipment...
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MPs to hold inquiry on smart motorways
The government may have to consider reforms to smart motorways because public confidence in them has been dented by a...The government may have to consider reforms to smart motorways because public confidence in them...The government may have to consider reforms to smart motorways because public confidence in them...
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WORLD AT FIVE
What now for El Chapo and his sprawling drug empire?
When a young woman arrived at the Alexandria adult detention centre in Virginia on Monday evening, staff at the jail knew little about her beyond her name. Then her face began to appear on television and their phones began to ring. The US Department of Justice had announced her arrest just as she was being detained, in time for the evening news. It was Emma Coronel...When a young woman arrived at the Alexandria adult detention centre in Virginia on Monday evening...When a young woman arrived at the Alexandria adult detention centre in Virginia on Monday evening...
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Hundreds of girls missing after gunmen raid Nigerian school
Hundreds of girls are missing after armed militants raided a boarding school in Nigeria, the second mass kidnapping...Hundreds of girls are missing after armed militants raided a boarding school in Nigeria, the second mass kidnapping of its kind in little more than a week. Security forces are hunting the 317 teenagers who were spirited away in vehicles and forced to march on foot with their kidnappers in the country’s northwest...Hundreds of girls are missing after armed militants raided a boarding school in Nigeria, the second mass kidnapping of its kind...
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Navalny bound for prison camp after vanishing from cell
Alexei Navalny’s allies expressed concerns for his safety yesterday after the Kremlin critic vanished from prison in...Alexei Navalny’s allies expressed concerns for his safety yesterday after the Kremlin critic...Alexei Navalny’s allies expressed concerns for his safety yesterday after the Kremlin critic...
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Hermès staff who sold fake Birkin bags get jail terms
A former employee of Hermès has been sentenced to six years in prison and 23 accomplices have been convicted of...A former employee of Hermès has been sentenced to six years in prison and 23 accomplices have...A former employee of Hermès has been sentenced to six years in prison and 23 accomplices have...
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Armenian PM calls on supporters to defeat coup
Armenia’s prime minister has accused the army of staging a coup after its commander called for the government’s resignation in light of the disastrous war against Azerbaijan. Nikol Pashinyan, a former journalist who became...Armenia’s prime minister has accused the army of staging a coup after its commander called for the government’s resignation in light of the disastrous war against Azerbaijan. Nikol Pashinyan, a former journalist who became...Armenia’s prime minister has accused the army of staging a coup after its commander called for the government’s...
Read the full storyCrossfire may have killed ambassador
The Italian ambassador killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have been shot in crossfire when soldiers cornered the armed men who snatched him, the resuts of a post-mortem examination suggest. Luca Attanasio was...The Italian ambassador killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have been shot in crossfire when soldiers cornered the armed men who snatched him, the resuts of a post-mortem examination suggest. Luca Attanasio was...The Italian ambassador killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have been shot in crossfire when soldiers...
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Buyers fight to swipe a piece of digital art
The auction commenced at 10am yesterday for a single piece of digital art: a work without a frame or the texture of brush strokes or the smell of canvas, that could be displayed on a TV, tablet or phone. Christie’s billed it as the “first ever...The auction commenced at 10am yesterday for a single piece of digital art: a work without a frame...The auction commenced at 10am yesterday for a single piece of digital art: a work without a frame...
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Higher bond yields prompt worldwide equities sell-off
London’s leading index suffered its worst sell-off since October as rising concerns about inflation spilled over from bond markets. Higher yields have prompted a worldwide equities sell-off in recent days despite attempts by leading policymakers to reduce market fears over rising inflation.London’s leading index suffered its worst sell-off since October as rising concerns about inflation spilled over from bond markets. Higher yields have prompted a worldwide equities sell-off in recent days despite attempts by leading policymakers to reduce market fears over rising inflation.London’s leading index suffered its worst sell-off since October as rising concerns about inflation spilled over from bond...
Read the full storyLove of creature comforts boosts Pets at Home
A surge in people taking on an animal companion during the pandemic has prompted Pets at Home to issue its fourth upgrade to profit guidance in the past year as demand for its pet accessories and food continues. The company said that its performance over the past eight weeks had been above its own expectations, despite the challenges of...A surge in people taking on an animal companion during the pandemic has prompted Pets at Home to issue its fourth upgrade to profit guidance in the past year as demand for its pet accessories and food continues. The company said that its performance over the past eight weeks had been above its own expectations, despite the challenges of...A surge in people taking on an animal companion during the pandemic has prompted Pets at Home to issue its fourth upgrade to...
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Canada Pension Fund chief quits after vaccine trip to UAE
The British boss of Canada’s largest pension fund has resigned after outrage at his decision to travel to the United Arab Emirates to receive a private Covid-19 vaccination. Mark Machin’s departure from Canada Pension Plan Investments was announced today, less than 24 hours after his trip was revealed. CPP...The British boss of Canada’s largest pension fund has resigned after outrage at his decision to...The British boss of Canada’s largest pension fund has resigned after outrage at his decision to...
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UK needs a fintech taskforce to protect £11bn industry, says report
The government has been urged to establish a high-profile taskforce to lead innovation in financial technology as...The government has been urged to establish a high-profile taskforce to lead innovation in...The government has been urged to establish a high-profile taskforce to lead innovation in...
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IAG plummets to record €7.4bn loss
The owner of British Airways plunged to a €7.4 billion loss in 2020 and admitted that it had no idea how 2021 would...The owner of British Airways plunged to a €7.4 billion loss in 2020 and admitted that it had no...The owner of British Airways plunged to a €7.4 billion loss in 2020 and admitted that it had no...
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business commentary
Centrica chief faces burning issues
Centrica ought to be a business school case study in value destruction on an epic scale. About seven eighths of its...Centrica ought to be a business school case study in value destruction on an epic scale. About...Centrica ought to be a business school case study in value destruction on an epic scale. About...
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comment
The best WFH reward? A promise that we’ll be back in the office soon
Google has been known to offer its employees free meals at work, free doctors on site and help with “the upkeep on...Google has been known to offer its employees free meals at work, free doctors on site and help...Google has been known to offer its employees free meals at work, free doctors on site and help...
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comment
A central bank digital currency can be a safer, stabler cousin of bitcoin
Bitcoin is the star of the digital currency show, despite serious doubts that it can ever function as a widely...Bitcoin is the star of the digital currency show, despite serious doubts that it can ever...Bitcoin is the star of the digital currency show, despite serious doubts that it can ever...
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Delayed dividend is back on the table at St James’s Place
St James’s Place will pay the final dividend that it withheld for 2019 after deciding that it did not need the cash...St James’s Place will pay the final dividend that it withheld for 2019 after deciding that it did...St James’s Place will pay the final dividend that it withheld for 2019 after deciding that it did...
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Business sees light at end of lockdown
Business confidence has risen to its highest level since the start of the pandemic amid optimism about Britain’s...Business confidence has risen to its highest level since the start of the pandemic amid optimism...Business confidence has risen to its highest level since the start of the pandemic amid optimism...
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Twitter aims to double revenues
Twitter has pledged to “at least double” its total revenues by 2023 (Callum Jones writes). The social network, which...Twitter has pledged to “at least double” its total revenues by 2023 (Callum Jones writes). The...Twitter has pledged to “at least double” its total revenues by 2023 (Callum Jones writes). The...
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Football | James Gheerbrant
Mesut Özil - the genius that the game left behind
The pitch where Mesut Özil grew up playing football, in the industrial Ruhr Valley city of Gelsenkirchen, is known as the Affenkäfig, or the monkey cage. It has a dusty, gravel floor, and overhead, wire mesh and thin metal girders criss-cross. It’s the kind of place that encourages dreams of escape. Özil realised his, and then some: he broke into the Schalke first team...The pitch where Mesut Özil grew up playing football, in the industrial Ruhr Valley city of...The pitch where Mesut Özil grew up playing football, in the industrial Ruhr Valley city of...
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Rugby Union | Sam Warburton
It will take only a few minutes to see if Wales pack are up to physical task
Since I retired in 2018 the game has changed a lot, but the fundamentals remain. And that is especially the case when...Since I retired in 2018 the game has changed a lot, but the fundamentals remain. And that is especially the case when you are playing against England. I used to feel that I was getting incredibly boring in pre-match press conferences against them because I was always asked how we could beat them and I would always...Since I retired in 2018 the game has changed a lot, but the fundamentals remain. And that is especially the case when you are...
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Alyson Rudd | David Martindale interview
How Martindale rose from prison to a cup final as Livingston manager
Henry Winter | Harrison Reed interview
‘My role is to do the dirty work for the team’
Weekend Preview | Bill Edgar
Leicester gatecrashing ‘big six’ and Bamford’s big chances
MATCH IN FOCUS
Leicester City v Arsenal
Kick-off Sunday, midday
TV Live, BT Sport 1
Radio talkSPORT
...MATCH IN FOCUS
Leicester City v Arsenal
Kick-off Sunday, midday
TV Live, BT Sport 1
...MATCH IN FOCUS
Leicester City v Arsenal
Kick-off Sunday, midday
TV Live, BT Sport 1
...
sport notebook | martyn ziegler
United strike deal with Chinese TV platform that cannot pay its debts
Manchester United have announced a deal for a Chinese-owned pay TV platform to carry MUTV in sub-Saharan Africa, with...Manchester United have announced a deal for a Chinese-owned pay TV platform to carry MUTV in...Manchester United have announced a deal for a Chinese-owned pay TV platform to carry MUTV in...
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Premier League
Darlow ‘angered’ at being dropped by Bruce
Cricket | Monty Panesar
Bess could be key to turning England’s fortunes around
THE SLICE | STUART FRASER
The grand-slam winner who retired eight years ago with unbearable pain
Add to the list of successful tennis comebacks the story of Filip Polasek. Almost eight years after retiring at the age of 28 because of a nerve issue in his back and loose discs in his spine, he can now be referred to as Slovakia’s first male...Add to the list of successful tennis comebacks the story of Filip Polasek. Almost eight years...Add to the list of successful tennis comebacks the story of Filip Polasek. Almost eight years...
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Football | Mary Earps interview
‘United can be one of the best teams in the world – that has to be the aim’
Six Nations | Owen Slot
Jones’s reliance on same old faces is huge gamble
For much of the past two weeks, since England’s somewhat ho-hum victory over Italy, social and traditional media have...For much of the past two weeks, since England’s somewhat ho-hum victory over Italy, social and...For much of the past two weeks, since England’s somewhat ho-hum victory over Italy, social and...
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Rowing | Matt Dickinson
How virtual workouts led by Pinsent and his fellow Olympians could spark rowing revival
It is pre-breakfast, another day in lockdown, and the spirits might easily be flagging, except I have Sir Matthew...It is pre-breakfast, another day in lockdown, and the spirits might easily be flagging, except I...It is pre-breakfast, another day in lockdown, and the spirits might easily be flagging, except I...
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Europa League | James Gheerbrant
Saka saves Arsenal’s season
six nations
Jones: Beware Welsh wind-up
Eddie Jones expects the Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones to try to target his players with off-the-ball provocation — as...Eddie Jones expects the Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones to try to target his players with...Eddie Jones expects the Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones to try to target his players with...
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Cricket | Mike atherton
Rub your eyes in wonder at crazy captivating Test
“The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly...“The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the...“The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the...
Read the full storyEuropa League | Henry Winter
Henderson makes case to Solskjaer
Manchester United 0 Real Sociedad 0 (United win 4-0 on aggregate)
This was not a game that will occupy much time or space in the memory but it did provide another reminder of the remarkable work done in Manchester United’s academy. Six youth products were involved here, and there was even one in the opposition, Adnan Januzaj, who joined United as a 16-year-old from Anderlecht. Dean Henderson and Mason Greenwood started, while Brandon...This was not a game that will occupy much time or space in the memory but it did provide another...This was not a game that will occupy much time or space in the memory but it did provide another...
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Europa League
Rodgers ‘spring curse’ strikes again
The Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers may be wondering what he needs to do to progress past the round of 32 in...The Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers may be wondering what he needs to do to progress past the round of 32 in the Europa League, his fifth such failure in five appearances, but he can have no complaints as his side exited after a limp display against a spirited Slavia Prague. The Czech newspaper Sport...The Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers may be wondering what he needs to do to progress past the round of 32 in the Europa...
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Caitlin Moran: eight lessons of the great British lockdown
Sex is a distant memory, we developed a serious biscuit habit and we still haven’t mastered French...
television
Toss the salad, scramble the eggs: Frasier is coming back
The 1990s sitcom that made Kelsey Grammer a star is being rebooted. Can it still make us laugh?
television
Six of the best episodes of Frasier
Interview
Jessica Brown Findlay: from Downton Abbey to the dark side — what Lady Sybil did next
The actress talks about anorexia, getting married in a pandemic and her new horror film
TELEVISION
The Downton effect: where are they now?
From 3D animations and voicing robots to playing serial killers and Eurovision singers, here’s what the Dowager Countess and co did next
A LIFE IN THE DAY
Maro Itoje on life in the Six Nations training camp
BODY & SOUL
Raymond Blanc: ‘I was four weeks in hospital. Now I feel lucky to taste life again’
My aim in life has always been to touch excellence, which requires complete engagement and single-minded-ness, so...My aim in life has always been to touch excellence, which requires complete engagement and...My aim in life has always been to touch excellence, which requires complete engagement and...
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The arts column
Deploy culture and spectacle to bring people back to the high street
I live right by what until last March was one of the cheeriest high streets in London, bustling with shops selling...I live right by what until last March was one of the cheeriest high streets in London, bustling...I live right by what until last March was one of the cheeriest high streets in London, bustling...
Read the full storyINTERIORS
Q: Does your dog deserve its own sofa? A: Yes!
Dogs don’t need home schooling, they eat the same meal daily, they require no laundry service. The less we wash, the more they worship us. No wonder dog ownership is on the rise — London alone saw an 84 per cent increase in 2020 — and the pooches...Dogs don’t need home schooling, they eat the same meal daily, they require no laundry service.Dogs don’t need home schooling, they eat the same meal daily, they require no laundry service.
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FIRST NIGHT | THEATRE
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice — muddled and short on magic
★★☆☆☆
This is so tantalising. There’s an awful lot of potential in Richard Hough and Ben Morales Frost’s...★★☆☆☆
This is so tantalising. There’s an awful lot of potential in Richard Hough and Ben...★★☆☆☆
This is so tantalising. There’s an awful lot of potential in Richard Hough and Ben...
Caitlin Moran’s Celebrity Watch: the odds are stacked against the Queen in this ‘battle royale’
Troubled times over at ITV, where the primetime literal “shiny-floor show” Dancing on Ice has had to be suspended...Troubled times over at ITV, where the primetime literal “shiny-floor show” Dancing on Ice has had...Troubled times over at ITV, where the primetime literal “shiny-floor show” Dancing on Ice has had...
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FILM REVIEW
Cherry — on a wilder ride with Tom Holland
TRAVEL
Australia’s most luxurious river lodges
A pair of majestic black-and-white pelicans swoop low across the sky as a fishing boat gently meanders towards the oyster lines. Cicadas chatter in the bushland. Birds sing overhead. I’ve escaped Sydney into another world of sparkling blues...A pair of majestic black-and-white pelicans swoop low across the sky as a fishing boat gently...A pair of majestic black-and-white pelicans swoop low across the sky as a fishing boat gently...
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FOOD
Batch cooking: how to make it work
I remember 20 or so years ago there was a craze for batch cooking. All these pop-up kitchens were opening and...I remember 20 or so years ago there was a craze for batch cooking. All these pop-up kitchens were...I remember 20 or so years ago there was a craze for batch cooking. All these pop-up kitchens were...
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MILAN FASHION WEEK
Prada long johns strut their stuff on the digital catwalk
This first all-digital Milan Fashion Week may be missing some of its biggest names — most notably Gucci — but Prada...This first all-digital Milan Fashion Week may be missing some of its biggest names — most notably...This first all-digital Milan Fashion Week may be missing some of its biggest names — most notably...
Read the full storyreport
Cyberwarfare: are you ready for the next global crisis?
For the past year, I have been sheltering from the pandemic in a cabin in the woods in California, watching as the American death toll climbed higher than any other country. Witnessing this has been equal parts tragic and maddening, but I know...For the past year, I have been sheltering from the pandemic in a cabin in the woods in California...For the past year, I have been sheltering from the pandemic in a cabin in the woods in California...
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CLASSIC FILM OF THE WEEK
The Conversation — it’s anything but purifying
★★★★★
This was the sorbet that Francis Ford Coppola made to cleanse his palate in between the first two Godfather...★★★★★
This was the sorbet that Francis Ford Coppola made to cleanse his palate in between...★★★★★
This was the sorbet that Francis Ford Coppola made to cleanse his palate in between...
BOOKS
Rereading: The Hopkins Manuscript by RC Sherriff — a glorious comic novel about the end of the world
“When the Royal Society of Abyssinia discovered The Hopkins Manuscript two years ago in the ruins of Notting Hill it...“When the Royal Society of Abyssinia discovered The Hopkins Manuscript two years ago in the ruins...“When the Royal Society of Abyssinia discovered The Hopkins Manuscript two years ago in the ruins...
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STAYING IN
The best live arts to stream this week
Dance: The Sleeping Beauty
The Royal Ballet’s signature work is a nod to history, a fine re-creation of the historic 1946 production that reopened the Royal Opera House after the Second World War exactly 75 years ago. Petipa’s glorious...Dance: The Sleeping Beauty
The Royal Ballet’s signature work is a nod to history, a...Dance: The Sleeping Beauty
The Royal Ballet’s signature work is a nod to history, a...
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on TV and radio tonight
MUSIC REVIEWS
The best new music: Alice Cooper and Julien Baker
MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
obituary
Sir Robert Cohan
Influential choreographer and teacher credited with coining the term ‘contemporary dance’
Robert Cohan was dancing in Martha Graham’s 1954 London season, her first in the British capital, when he met Robin Howard, a wealthy balletomane who had lost both legs in the war. Howard, a grandson of the former prime minister Stanley Baldwin, was bowled over by Graham’s expressive style of choreography — a style with which she had already transformed the modern dance...Robert Cohan was dancing in Martha Graham’s 1954 London season, her first in the British capital...Robert Cohan was dancing in Martha Graham’s 1954 London season, her first in the British capital...
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OBITUARY
Ronald Pickup
At school in Chester in the mid-Fifties Ronald Pickup arched his back, contorted his young body and gave a perfect...At school in Chester in the mid-Fifties Ronald Pickup arched his back, contorted his young body and gave a perfect nasal replication of Laurence Olivier’s Richard III. Most of the football-obsessed boys were more interested in Stanley Matthews, but gave him a rapturous reception. Something clicked. “I got a lot...At school in Chester in the mid-Fifties Ronald Pickup arched his back, contorted his young body and gave a perfect nasal...
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obituary
Professor David Buckingham
weather eye
Folklore has a warning about balmy February
obituary
Fanne Foxe
At 2am on October 9, 1974, a national park patrol in Washington DC pulled over a Lincoln Continental near the...At 2am on October 9, 1974, a national park patrol in Washington DC pulled over a Lincoln...At 2am on October 9, 1974, a national park patrol in Washington DC pulled over a Lincoln...
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from the archive
Aunts for all. New idea in business
From The Times: February 26, 1921
About a month ago a little business was started under the title “Universal Aunts”...From The Times: February 26, 1921
About a month ago a little business was started under the...From The Times: February 26, 1921
About a month ago a little business was started under the...
MOVE
Spring into action: a guide to buying and selling now
Boris Johnson’s roadmap left one crucial thing out — the housing market jam. Carol Lewis has advice for movers
OVERSEAS
Where to buy property in Mallorca
Brexit and Covid are no match for 300 days of sunshine a year and rural bliss (with fast broadband)
INTERIORS
Bardot meets Del Boy
Swan taps. Brown upholstery. Lino floors. 18 pets. Welcome to Whinnie Williams’s Margate home — a temple to ‘so bad it’s good’ style
HOT TOPICS
Could turning shops into homes save our high streets?
Converting retail to residential may give life to our town centres
INTERVIEW
Shades of Prue: the Bake Off judge on creating her kaleidoscopic new house
From her bracelet bar to her lemon yellow kitchen island... you may need your sunglasses
Hospital admissions plummet as vaccines take effect
Hospital admissions for coronavirus are falling twice as fast as they did during the first wave as vaccines protect a growing number of people from serious illness. There were 924 people in hospital yesterday, a decline of 43 from Wednesday and less than half the peak of 2,053 on January 22.Hospital admissions for coronavirus are falling twice as fast as they did during the first wave as vaccines protect a growing number of people from serious illness. There were 924 people in hospital yesterday, a decline of 43 from Wednesday and less than half the peak of 2,053 on January 22.Hospital admissions for coronavirus are falling twice as fast as they did during the first wave as vaccines protect a growing...
Read the full storyBishops told to prepare for papal visit
Every time that papal feet have touched down on Scottish soil in the past, tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of people have turned out to attend Mass celebrated by the Pope. If Francis comes to Glasgow this year his audience will probably be confined to world leaders attending the COP26 climate change conference, but the impact could...Every time that papal feet have touched down on Scottish soil in the past, tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of people have turned out to attend Mass celebrated by the Pope. If Francis comes to Glasgow this year his audience will probably be confined to world leaders attending the COP26 climate change conference, but the impact could...Every time that papal feet have touched down on Scottish soil in the past, tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of people...
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alex salmond inquiry
First minister reported for comments on verdict
Nicola Sturgeon has been reported for a breach of the ministerial code after she “egregiously questioned” the verdict of the jury that acquitted Alex Salmond of 13 counts of sexual assault. In a letter to Leslie Evans, the permanent secretary to the Scottish government, Jim Sillars, 83, the former deputy leader of...Nicola Sturgeon has been reported for a breach of the ministerial code after she “egregiously...Nicola Sturgeon has been reported for a breach of the ministerial code after she “egregiously...
Read the full storyalex salmond inquiry
Salmond’s testimony could end any hopes of second referendum
CORONAVIRUS
Adviser dismisses Sturgeon’s attempt to blame tourists
An adviser to Nicola Sturgeon has challenged the first minister’s claim that coronavirus was “reseeded” into Scotland from other parts of the UK and claimed her “elimination” strategy was unattainable. The first minister has...An adviser to Nicola Sturgeon has challenged the first minister’s claim that coronavirus was “reseeded” into Scotland from other parts of the UK and claimed her “elimination” strategy was unattainable. The first minister has...An adviser to Nicola Sturgeon has challenged the first minister’s claim that coronavirus was “reseeded” into Scotland...
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Salmond row hitting popularity of party
The Salmond inquiry and the long lockdown have dented voter confidence in the SNP and its ambitions for independence, a new poll shows. A majority of Scottish voters backed Scottish independence for the 22nd survey in a row but...The Salmond inquiry and the long lockdown have dented voter confidence in the SNP and its ambitions for independence, a new poll shows. A majority of Scottish voters backed Scottish independence for the 22nd survey in a row but...The Salmond inquiry and the long lockdown have dented voter confidence in the SNP and its ambitions for independence...
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alex salmond inquiry
Six months in prison for naming Salmond accusers
obituary
Aidan Sprot
Bob Downes | Comment
Cybercrime is new pandemic coming to a screen near you
Shortly after midnight on Christmas Eve, at the end of a long and difficult year when organisations faced the...Shortly after midnight on Christmas Eve, at the end of a long and difficult year when...Shortly after midnight on Christmas Eve, at the end of a long and difficult year when...
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business
Mackie’s finds sweet spot despite virus
An ice cream and chocolate maker has increased its turnover and profit, despite disruption caused by the coronavirus.An ice cream and chocolate maker has increased its turnover and profit, despite disruption caused...An ice cream and chocolate maker has increased its turnover and profit, despite disruption caused...
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Morelos steps up as Rangers power through
After a dizzying, cavalier tie, which would have required capital letters if the result was on Grandstand’s famous old vidiprinter, Rangers are into the last 16 of the Europa League. The privileged few inside Ibrox could be seen turning to each other to double check, was it really 5-2? Was it really 9-5 on aggregate? Yes, and yes again. The unthinkable happened and a...After a dizzying, cavalier tie, which would have required capital letters if the result was on...After a dizzying, cavalier tie, which would have required capital letters if the result was on...
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football
It’s sweet 16 as Rangers book place
The Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said his team had earned the right to be excited about today’s Europa League last...The Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said his team had earned the right to be excited about today’s Europa League last 16 draw but warned they would be “punching well above our weight” if they land a glamorous tie against Manchester United, Tottenham or Arsenal. Gerrard described his front three as unplayable after a...The Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said his team had earned the right to be excited about today’s Europa League last 16 draw...
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No festivals or concerts this summer, says organiser
There is no chance festivals and large concerts will take place this summer in Ireland, the head of Bodytonic has said. Trevor O’Shea, The Beatyard festival organiser, said it is not realistic to expect events can take place in the next three to six months as the government has not provided clarity about easing restrictions this summer. He said organisers need a number...There is no chance festivals and large concerts will take place this summer in Ireland, the head...There is no chance festivals and large concerts will take place this summer in Ireland, the head...
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Coronavirus
Quarantine laws labelled ‘half-hearted’ and ‘unfit for purpose’
The government’s mandatory quarantine legislation has been criticised by opposition parties as “half-hearted” and...The government’s mandatory quarantine legislation has been criticised by opposition parties as “half-hearted” and “unfit for purpose”. A number of parties have called for tougher laws to restrict the movements of international travellers arriving into Ireland. The opposition has made calls for mandatory quarantine...The government’s mandatory quarantine legislation has been criticised by opposition parties as “half-hearted” and “unfit for...
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1,000 flats and a hotel to be built in Dublin
Planning permission has been granted for a large mixed-use development of 1,137 residential units and a hotel in south Dublin. Dublin city council has approved the plan by The O’Flynn group to build 12 apartment blocks ranging...Planning permission has been granted for a large mixed-use development of 1,137 residential units and a hotel in south Dublin. Dublin city council has approved the plan by The O’Flynn group to build 12 apartment blocks ranging...Planning permission has been granted for a large mixed-use development of 1,137 residential units and a hotel in...
Read the full storyShooting of 17-year-old believed to be drug-related
Gardaí investigating the attempted murder of a 17-year-old teenager in Dublin on Wednesday night believe it was drugs-related. The youth was shot multiple times as he got into a taxi on Eugene Street at 10.55pm. He was rushed...Gardaí investigating the attempted murder of a 17-year-old teenager in Dublin on Wednesday night believe it was drugs-related. The youth was shot multiple times as he got into a taxi on Eugene Street at 10.55pm. He was rushed...Gardaí investigating the attempted murder of a 17-year-old teenager in Dublin on Wednesday night believe it was...
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Comment
Morrr-nenn! If you see anything furry, shoot it
Giles Coren
To blend in with country folk, dress like Tintin, wedge the farmers’ gates open and burn your plastic in a rusty oil drum
BEN MACINTYRE
We’ve been arguing over exams for 150 years
MATT CHORLEY
Still at No 1 (but not at No 10) it’s Rishi, the Daft Punk of politics
ann treneman
It’s nice, for a change, not to be the object of pity
Calvin Robinson
Children shouldn’t be allowed to rewrite history
WEEKEND ESSAY
Facebook fights for its future with a war on two fronts
Here is one way to make Mark Zuckerberg even richer: break up Facebook. That, at least, is one reading from history. Just over a century ago America’s biggest company, Standard Oil, was dismantled after falling foul of antitrust laws. The...Here is one way to make Mark Zuckerberg even richer: break up Facebook. That, at least, is one...Here is one way to make Mark Zuckerberg even richer: break up Facebook. That, at least, is one...
Read the full storyED CONWAY
To avoid Brexit bumps, the devil’s in the detail
GERARD BAKER
This is the age when cultural rebellion died
Hannah Lucinda Smith
Thatcher wouldn’t have wanted a statue in Grantham
If Grantham, the town where Margaret Thatcher was born and raised, doesn’t care too much for its famous daughter...If Grantham, the town where Margaret Thatcher was born and raised, doesn’t care too much for its...If Grantham, the town where Margaret Thatcher was born and raised, doesn’t care too much for its...
Read the full storyjames forsyth
When will we all be sent back to the office?
Rishi Sunak will deliver a budget on Wednesday for a future that has never been less predictable. No one knows how...Rishi Sunak will deliver a budget on Wednesday for a future that has never been less predictable.Rishi Sunak will deliver a budget on Wednesday for a future that has never been less predictable.
Read the full storyLeading Articles
No New Taxes
Rishi Sunak doesn’t need to raise corporation tax in next week’s budget. Instead he should set out a credible vision for the post-pandemic, post-Brexit economy
Line in the Sand
President Biden’s release of the Khashoggi report sends a signal to Saudi Arabia
Flower Power
Importing the Japanese custom of fully appreciating blooms is a florescent idea
letters to the editor
Risk of grade inflation in school assessments
Sir, Assessment without standardisation is not examining, it is simply an expression of teachers’ and pupils’ hopes (“Schools told to work out their own exam grades”, Feb 25). Likewise, building “voluntary” mini-tests from question banks is not an...Sir, Assessment without standardisation is not examining, it is simply an expression of teachers’...Sir, Assessment without standardisation is not examining, it is simply an expression of teachers’...
Read the full storyRED BOX | Will Holloway
Ministers must invest beyond London, Oxford and Cambridge for real innovation
RED BOX | Baroness Helic
China and Russia are stealing a march on the West in vaccine diplomacy
RED BOX | Darren Jones
Chancellor should seek long-term solutions to fire up business recovery
RED BOX | Damien Moore
After lockdown, we owe young people better mental health care
RED BOX | john kampfner
Human rights abroad should be non-negotiable for western powers
Two speeches separated by two days illuminate how far apart the world is on human rights. On Wednesday, the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, challenged the prime minister to follow the Canadians in boycotting the forthcoming Winter Olympics...Two speeches separated by two days illuminate how far apart the world is on human rights. On...Two speeches separated by two days illuminate how far apart the world is on human rights. On...
Read the full storyDaily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Supreme Court ruling on Shamima Begum citizenship appeal; the public accounts committee reports on flood protection; Deliveroo workers hear Court of Appeal judgment on right to join trade unions; full-year results for International Airlines Group, parent company of British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling.
US: President Biden is due to visit Texas to discuss the recent storm and relief efforts; American Film Institute awards are held virtually.
On this day
In 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from exile on the island of Elba, on the French brig Inconstant. On March 20 he returned to Paris, starting his Hundred Days campaign; in 1821 the poet John Keats was buried in the Protestant cemetery in Rome. He requested these words on his headstone: Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water; in 1924 Adolf Hitler appeared in court, charged with treason for leading the Beer Hall Putsch, a failed takeover of the government of Bavaria. On December 20, 1924, he obtained a pardon and early release from a five-year sentence; in 1935 Robert Watson-Watt and Arnold Wilkins demonstrated radar, utilising radio waves from a BBC transmitter at Daventry. A Handley Page Heyford bomber was tracked for up to eight miles.
Nature notes
The hare was large. It had golden brown fur and long ears tipped with black. The animal remained crouching in the grass for a moment then bolted over the field. Britain’s fastest mammal, hares can touch 48mph when sprinting. With no burrow to run to, their survival is largely reliant on this speed. When pursued by a predator, usually a fox, hares can jink and run in elaborate zig-zag patterns to evade capture. Usually solitary and nocturnal, at this time of year they change their behaviour. The urge to breed brings hares out into the open daylight. The famous sight of boxing hares is usually a female fighting off a male.
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Paul Ackford, journalist, England rugby union player (1988-91), 63; Corinne Bailey Rae, singer-songwriter, The Heart Speaks in Whispers (2016), 42; David Beasley, executive director, UN World Food Programme, 64; Steve Bell, political cartoonist, 70; Michael Bolton, singer, How am I Supposed to Live Without You? (1989), 68; Lt-Gen Doug Chalmers, DSO, deputy chief of Defence Staff (military strategy and operations), 55; Helen Clark, prime minister of New Zealand (1999-2008), 71; Baroness (Lynda) Clark of Calton, senator of the College of Justice in Scotland (2006-18), advocate-general for Scotland (1999-2006), 72; David Edgar, playwright, Albert Speer (2000), 73; Recep Erdogan, president of Turkey, 67; Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive, National Council for Voluntary Organisations (1994-2019), 66; Pen Hadow, polar guide and explorer, 59; Mark Harper, Conservative MP for the Forest of Dean, chairman of the Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, chief whip (2015-16), 51; Tristia Harrison, chief executive, Talktalk, and chairwoman, Crisis charity for homeless people, 48; Christopher Hope, writer, Shooting Angels (2011), 77; Michel Houellebecq, film-maker, poet and author, Atomised (1998), 65; Rt Rev John Inge, bishop of Worcester and lord high almoner to the Queen, 66; Dame Emma Kirkby, soprano, 72; Tim Leunig, economist, economic adviser to the chancellor at HM Treasury, 50; Paul Levy, food writer and broadcaster, 80; Sébastien Loeb, rally driver, nine-time world champion, 47; Max Martin, songwriter and record producer for the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and NSYNC, 50; Florent Menegaux, chief executive, Michelin Group, 59; Fiona Mozley, author, Elmet (2017, Booker prize shortlist), 33; Matt Prior, cricketer, England (2007-14), 39; Tony Selby, actor, Get Some In! (1975-78), 83; Sandie Shaw, singer, Puppet on a String (1967), 74; Shane Williams, rugby union player, Wales (2000-11), 44.