In the News
Javid calls for 2% tax rise to fund social care
Cabinet split over national insurance increase
updatedSajid Javid, the health secretary, has pushed for a 2 per cent increase in national insurance amid a cabinet split over funding for the NHS and social care, The Times has been told. The government is preparing to announce as soon as next week its plan to raise the tax for an overhaul of social...Sajid Javid, the health secretary, has pushed for a 2 per cent increase in national insurance amid a cabinet split over funding for the NHS and social care, The Times has been told. The government is preparing to announce as soon as next week its plan to raise the tax for an overhaul of social...Sajid Javid, the health secretary, has pushed for a 2 per cent increase in national insurance amid a cabinet split over funding...
Read the full storyAFGHANISTAN
Afghan refugees to be taught about British values and culture
Afghan refugees will be taught about British values, culture and civic duties under plans for a new integration scheme, The Times has learnt. Ministers want to emulate Italy, France and Germany, where newcomers are given hundreds of hours of language lessons, civic training classes and culture passes for museums and galleries. All new...Afghan refugees will be taught about British values, culture and civic duties under plans for a new integration scheme, The Times has learnt. Ministers want to emulate Italy, France and Germany, where newcomers are given hundreds of hours of language lessons, civic training classes and culture passes for museums and galleries. All new...Afghan refugees will be taught about British values, culture and civic duties under plans for a new integration scheme, The...
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video
Terrorist on watch list shot dead after stabbing spree in New Zealand
updatedAn Islamic State-inspired terrorist being tailed by police has been shot dead in New Zealand after stabbing six people in a supermarket, leaving at least three fighting for their lives. The attack was carried out by a Sri Lankan citizen who was under constant monitoring by police and security agencies because of his...An Islamic State-inspired terrorist being tailed by police has been shot dead in New Zealand...An Islamic State-inspired terrorist being tailed by police has been shot dead in New Zealand...
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video
afghanistan
Johnson insists the risk of rapid collapse was clear
Afghanistan analysis
Pakistan’s glee at Taliban takeover may be shortlived
afghanistan
Banking system a disaster, says envoy
Statue battle ‘is only about looking woke’
A charity has been accused of committing itself to an expensive legal battle “just to show how woke they are” as it tries to remove a statue of the founder of Guy’s hospital. Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation, which owns the statue of Thomas Guy...A charity has been accused of committing itself to an expensive legal battle “just to show how...A charity has been accused of committing itself to an expensive legal battle “just to show how...
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Rushdie to serialise next book online
Many classic novels reached the public for the first time in instalments. Now one of this era’s most famous authors...Many classic novels reached the public for the first time in instalments. Now one of this era’s...Many classic novels reached the public for the first time in instalments. Now one of this era’s...
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The Times Diary
Blethyn runs into trouble
At 75, the actress Brenda Blethyn does her own stunts for the ITV police drama Vera, although they carry certain...At 75, the actress Brenda Blethyn does her own stunts for the ITV police drama Vera...At 75, the actress Brenda Blethyn does her own stunts for the ITV police drama Vera...
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French sent Merlin on a magical mystery tour
Medieval manuscript fragments that tell the story of Merlin the magician have been identified as some of the earliest surviving texts telling his part in Arthurian legend. The previously unknown 13th-century version of a story in which Merlin...Medieval manuscript fragments that tell the story of Merlin the magician have been identified as...Medieval manuscript fragments that tell the story of Merlin the magician have been identified as...
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Patel seeks clampdown on laughing gas as party drug
Recreational use of laughing gas could be criminalised as a result of the home secretary’s order yesterday for an independent review. Priti Patel asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to provide options for cracking...Recreational use of laughing gas could be criminalised as a result of the home secretary’s order yesterday for an independent review. Priti Patel asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to provide options for cracking...Recreational use of laughing gas could be criminalised as a result of the home secretary’s order yesterday for an...
Read the full storyDriver killed friend after drinks at shoot
A shooting party guest has been jailed after killing a friend in a car crash while drunk on port and high on cocaine. Jake Melhuish, 22, was driving with Trevor Coates, a 23-year-old father-to-be, as his passenger when his car...A shooting party guest has been jailed after killing a friend in a car crash while drunk on port and high on cocaine. Jake Melhuish, 22, was driving with Trevor Coates, a 23-year-old father-to-be, as his passenger when his car...A shooting party guest has been jailed after killing a friend in a car crash while drunk on port and high on cocaine.
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Photography
News in pictures
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Beijing blames US ‘strategic errors’ for superpower tension
The visiting US climate envoy John Kerry was berated by China yesterday and told that America had made “a major strategic misjudgment” in its dealings with the country. Hopes for co-operation on climate change measures were “unrealistic” and could not be divorced from the deteriorating...The visiting US climate envoy John Kerry was berated by China yesterday and told that America had made “a major strategic misjudgment” in its dealings with the country. Hopes for co-operation on climate change measures were “unrealistic” and could not be divorced from the deteriorating...The visiting US climate envoy John Kerry was berated by China yesterday and told that America had made “a major strategic...
Read the full storySuga to step down as Japan’s prime minister
newJapan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, announced that he will step down at the end of the month, throwing open the competition to be his successor as the country struggles with the pandemic. Suga’s decision not to stand for re-election as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party was unexpected, but it comes after months of declining...Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, announced that he will step down at the end of the month, throwing open the competition to be his successor as the country struggles with the pandemic. Suga’s decision not to stand for re-election as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party was unexpected, but it comes after months of declining...Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, announced that he will step down at the end of the month, throwing open the competition...
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Tail end of Hurricane Ida kills at least 45 in catastrophic flooding
The remains of Hurricane Ida created a deadly emergency in New York and the northeastern United States yesterday, drowning people in their homes, trapping commuters in cars and Subway trains, and deluging city streets. At least 45 people were killed, including a two-year-old and his parents who were engulfed as...The remains of Hurricane Ida created a deadly emergency in New York and the northeastern United...The remains of Hurricane Ida created a deadly emergency in New York and the northeastern United...
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Rivals take on Trudeau as prime minister slips in polls
newJustin Trudeau’s rivals rounded on the embattled Canadian prime minister for triggering an “unnecessary” snap pandemic election in the campaign’s feisty first debate last night. Trudeau is facing a bruising re-election battle...Justin Trudeau’s rivals rounded on the embattled Canadian prime minister for triggering an “unnecessary” snap pandemic election in the campaign’s feisty first debate last night. Trudeau is facing a bruising re-election battle...Justin Trudeau’s rivals rounded on the embattled Canadian prime minister for triggering an “unnecessary” snap...
Read the full storySoaring bills force poor to turn off power
Spain’s Socialist-led government faces a growing crisis after months of rising electricity bills that have led to popular discontent at some of the highest rates in Europe. The cost of electricity has reached historic peaks...Spain’s Socialist-led government faces a growing crisis after months of rising electricity bills that have led to popular discontent at some of the highest rates in Europe. The cost of electricity has reached historic peaks...Spain’s Socialist-led government faces a growing crisis after months of rising electricity bills that have led to...
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Statue of Confederate general will be torn down
The largest remaining monument to the pro-slavery Confederacy will be taken down in Richmond, Virginia’s Supreme Court has ruled. The enormous statue of the Confederate general Robert E Lee, which has towered over Monument Avenue in the state’s...The largest remaining monument to the pro-slavery Confederacy will be taken down in Richmond...The largest remaining monument to the pro-slavery Confederacy will be taken down in Richmond...
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Military drones company illegally bought by China, say Italian police
An Italy-based defence manufacturer that supplies the Italian special forces with high-tech drones has been raided by police amid suspicions that it was illegally purchased by China. Alpi Aviation, based in Pordenone in...An Italy-based defence manufacturer that supplies the Italian special forces with high-tech drones has been raided by police amid suspicions that it was illegally purchased by China. Alpi Aviation, based in Pordenone in...An Italy-based defence manufacturer that supplies the Italian special forces with high-tech drones has been raided by...
Read the full storyGreens accused of leaving the lights on
The German Green Party has emerged as the unlikely culprit in a mystery surrounding street lights that blazed in broad daylight as well as at night for five days in Gross Berssen, a village of 680 people in the northwest of the...The German Green Party has emerged as the unlikely culprit in a mystery surrounding street lights that blazed in broad daylight as well as at night for five days in Gross Berssen, a village of 680 people in the northwest of the...The German Green Party has emerged as the unlikely culprit in a mystery surrounding street lights that blazed in...
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€110m European gems feared lost after heist
Six men believed to be members of one of Germany’s most notorious criminal gangs have been charged with committing the country’s biggest jewellery heist by stealing more than €100 million of treasures from a Dresden museum. The men, aged between...Six men believed to be members of one of Germany’s most notorious criminal gangs have been...Six men believed to be members of one of Germany’s most notorious criminal gangs have been...
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1 in 10 ‘pay later’ shoppers chased by debt collectors
One in ten shoppers opting for “buy now, pay later” services are being chased by debt collectors amid surging demand for this form of credit, according to a Citizens Advice report. Regulators urgently need to crack down on the offerings and ensure that there are clearer warnings to online shoppers who are entering a formal credit agreement and could be pursued for the...One in ten shoppers opting for “buy now, pay later” services are being chased by debt collectors...One in ten shoppers opting for “buy now, pay later” services are being chased by debt collectors...
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Profit alert as slowdown hits financial betting boom
More than £300 million was wiped off the stock market value of one of Britain’s biggest financial betting companies...More than £300 million was wiped off the stock market value of one of Britain’s biggest financial betting companies yesterday after it issued a profit warning caused by a slowdown in trading. CMC Markets said that its annual net revenues would be sharply lower than it had forecast little more than a month ago...More than £300 million was wiped off the stock market value of one of Britain’s biggest financial betting companies yesterday...
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business commentary
Melrose chief hopes to say ‘told you so’
Britain’s got a bid frenzy going: Morrisons, Meggitt, St Modwen, even companies without an “m” in their name. But one...Britain’s got a bid frenzy going: Morrisons, Meggitt, St Modwen, even companies without an “m” in...Britain’s got a bid frenzy going: Morrisons, Meggitt, St Modwen, even companies without an “m” in...
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comment
Don’t get rich: you would never know what else you might have achieved
Great wealth causes as many problems as it solves. It comes with paranoia and fear: fear that you will be targeted by...Great wealth causes as many problems as it solves. It comes with paranoia and fear: fear that you...Great wealth causes as many problems as it solves. It comes with paranoia and fear: fear that you...
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tempus
ITV battles with an imperfect picture
ITV has been given another reprieve: the broadcaster has managed to cling on to its place in the FTSE 100 in the...ITV has been given another reprieve: the broadcaster has managed to cling on to its place in the...ITV has been given another reprieve: the broadcaster has managed to cling on to its place in the...
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morning briefing
US markets hit highs in anticipation of good news on jobs
newGood morning. US stock markets hit record highs before the release of today’s closely watched US jobs report.Good morning. US stock markets hit record highs before the release of today’s closely watched US...Good morning. US stock markets hit record highs before the release of today’s closely watched US...
Read the full storyFootasylum deal falls foul of the regulator once again
JD Sports could be forced to sell Footasylum only two years after acquiring the retailer after the competition regulator ruled for a second time that the takeover could mean a worse deal for shoppers. The Competition and Markets Authority has...JD Sports could be forced to sell Footasylum only two years after acquiring the retailer after...JD Sports could be forced to sell Footasylum only two years after acquiring the retailer after...
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Johnnie Walker stars on its own stage in Edinburgh
There was little doubt as to which of Diageo’s many brands Ivan Menezes was going to be talking about. Even his navy blue tie featured a repeating golden print of the “walking man” logo featured on bottles of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky...There was little doubt as to which of Diageo’s many brands Ivan Menezes was going to be...There was little doubt as to which of Diageo’s many brands Ivan Menezes was going to be...
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Football | Henry Winter
Ruthless England show their class in hostile arena
Hungary 0 England 4
England took a knee and then stood up to the Hungarian racists. Raheem Sterling and all Gareth Southgate’s hugely impressive players refused to be cowed by the monkey chants and gestures, missiles and a flare directed their way here at the Puskas Arena in Budapest last night. And this is why...England took a knee and then stood up to the Hungarian racists. Raheem Sterling and all Gareth Southgate’s hugely impressive players refused to be cowed by the monkey chants and gestures, missiles and a flare directed their way here at the Puskas Arena in Budapest last night. And this is why...England took a knee and then stood up to the Hungarian racists. Raheem Sterling and all Gareth Southgate’s hugely impressive...
Read the full storyFootball
England stars subjected to ‘completely unacceptable’ racist abuse
The Football Association last night called on Fifa to investigate the ugly scenes that sparked claims of racism during England’s 4-0 World Cup qualifying win against Hungary at a hostile Puskas Arena. Pitchside broadcasters reported that Hungarian fans wearing black T-shirts had directed monkey chants at Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham...The Football Association last night called on Fifa to investigate the ugly scenes that sparked claims of racism during England’s 4-0 World Cup qualifying win against Hungary at a hostile Puskas Arena. Pitchside broadcasters reported that Hungarian fans wearing black T-shirts had directed monkey chants at Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham...The Football Association last night called on Fifa to investigate the ugly scenes that sparked claims of racism during...
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US Open
Raducanu turns tables on Zhang to show why the hype is justified
On the British Overseas Territory that is Court 10 at Flushing Meadows, Emma Raducanu further staked her claim as one of this country’s most exciting young sporting prospects. Not only did the 18-year-old seal her place in the third round of the US Open but once again she showcased the fearless attacking brand of...On the British Overseas Territory that is Court 10 at Flushing Meadows, Emma Raducanu further...On the British Overseas Territory that is Court 10 at Flushing Meadows, Emma Raducanu further...
Read the full storyCricket | Mike Atherton
Root falls late on to boost India but England just about edge opening day
Cricket | Simon Wilde
It was not quite Botham in 1986, but Woakes returned in style
Tennis | The Slice
Rowdy fans the main impediment to Djokovic’s serene bid for calendar grand slam
newIn a week when toilet breaks and rainstorms have dominated the US Open agenda, Novak Djokovic’s historic attempt to...In a week when toilet breaks and rainstorms have dominated the US Open agenda, Novak Djokovic’s...In a week when toilet breaks and rainstorms have dominated the US Open agenda, Novak Djokovic’s...
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football | Matt Dickinson
Barcelona’s demise serves as warning to City and Chelsea
The best football book of 2021 begins as a tribute and ends as an elegy. It is a celebration of one of the greatest...The best football book of 2021 begins as a tribute and ends as an elegy. It is a celebration of...The best football book of 2021 begins as a tribute and ends as an elegy. It is a celebration of...
Read the full storyCricket | Steve James
Even with Lady Luck, Kohli still searching for defining innings
Joe Root walked away with his hands behind his head in obvious frustration. Virat Kohli was on 25 at the time. He had just fiddled at Chris Woakes outside off stump and missed. It was starting to appear as if this was going to be Kohli’s day and...Joe Root walked away with his hands behind his head in obvious frustration. Virat Kohli was on 25...Joe Root walked away with his hands behind his head in obvious frustration. Virat Kohli was on 25...
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Football | Paul Joyce
Grealish proved his worth – but he must not rest on his laurels
cycling | david walsh
Once cycling’s hottest prospect, Bernal is getting left behind
RUGBY UNION | STUART BARNES
Iconic and inspirational Itoje must replace Farrell as England captain
As promised a fortnight ago, the subject of this column is captaincy. Marcus Smith was the previous subject. Sort...As promised a fortnight ago, the subject of this column is captaincy. Marcus Smith was the...As promised a fortnight ago, the subject of this column is captaincy. Marcus Smith was the...
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The Game Daily | Paul Hirst
No Kane or Ronaldo leaves door open for City’s teenage ‘wrecking ball’
Having access to matches last season was a huge privilege, but the match-day experience was largely soulless: no fans...Having access to matches last season was a huge privilege, but the match-day experience was...Having access to matches last season was a huge privilege, but the match-day experience was...
Read the full storyNFL
From email plea to $258m star – how patient planning paid off for Allen
In late 2014, someone at the University of Wyoming opened an email, clicked on the link to a video and liked what they saw. Had they not, you might never have heard of Josh Allen, the man who signed a six-year, $258 million contract with the...In late 2014, someone at the University of Wyoming opened an email, clicked on the link to a...In late 2014, someone at the University of Wyoming opened an email, clicked on the link to a...
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formula one
Verstappen: Russell’s arrival will make it more difficult for Hamilton
Max Verstappen has warned Lewis Hamilton that the arrival of George Russell will make it “very difficult” for the world champion at Mercedes next season. The Silver Arrows are yet to confirm who will partner Hamilton next year, though it is known that a decision has been made and that Russell, the Williams driver, will get the promotion. The 23-year-old is highly...Max Verstappen has warned Lewis Hamilton that the arrival of George Russell will make it “very...Max Verstappen has warned Lewis Hamilton that the arrival of George Russell will make it “very...
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formula one | rebecca clancy
Hamilton is losing his wingman – but Russell is too smart to rock the boat
When George Russell stepped in to fill the gap left by a Covid-hit Lewis Hamilton at last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix...When George Russell stepped in to fill the gap left by a Covid-hit Lewis Hamilton at last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix, he comprehensively outperformed Valtteri Bottas. It was the first clear sign that he may replace the Finn at Mercedes in 2022, a move that is expected to be announced imminently. There was a...When George Russell stepped in to fill the gap left by a Covid-hit Lewis Hamilton at last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix, he...
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PARALYMPICS
Team-mate clears way for Storey to become GB’s greatest
Dame Sarah Storey has become Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian by winning the C4-5 road race in a British one-two with Crystal Lane-Wright, who had told Storey to take the gold medal for herself in the final lap. Storey won all three...Dame Sarah Storey has become Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian by winning the C4-5 road...Dame Sarah Storey has become Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian by winning the C4-5 road...
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Racing
Rob Wright’s racing tips
Racing
Team TalkSPORT take Racing League crown
There was a dead heat and big-priced winners, but the main result that mattered was an inaugural William Hill Racing League crown for Team TalkSPORT after a thrilling final meeting at Newcastle. The team of the trainers James Fanshawe, Ed Dunlop...There was a dead heat and big-priced winners, but the main result that mattered was an inaugural...There was a dead heat and big-priced winners, but the main result that mattered was an inaugural...
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Here we gö again! Abba are back
Forty years after their last album, the band is back with new songs and a hi-tech show in London
CAITLIN MORAN'S CELEBRITY WATCH
Back to school in Gucci? It will look like Jackson Pollock’s easel by lunchtime
Privileged parents are upping the school uniform stakes
ALBUM REVIEW
Manic Street Preachers: The Ultra Vivid Lament — the urban warriors hit the dancefloor
Agit-prop goes pop as the Manics take on retro-cheese. It actually works
THE ARTS COLUMN
Theatreland is more open-minded than Tom Stoppard thinks
INTERVIEW
Being Boris: behind the (rubber) mask
Inside a workshop in west London, Donald Trump is in mid-wag of his finger, looking as if he’s about to make his...Inside a workshop in west London, Donald Trump is in mid-wag of his finger, looking as if he’s...Inside a workshop in west London, Donald Trump is in mid-wag of his finger, looking as if he’s...
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BOOKS | CURRENT AFFAIRS
Max Hastings on the US, Afghanistan and 20 years of lying
On September 8, 2003, Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, drafted a secret memo. “I have no visibility into...On September 8, 2003, Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, drafted a secret memo. “I have...On September 8, 2003, Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, drafted a secret memo. “I have...
Read the full storyfilm review
Annette — surreal sparks fly in an anti-La La Land
★★★★☆
Kudos to the Cannes Film Festival for picking Annette as its opening movie this year. What more fitting sign of our unsettling times than a tragicomic musical-cum-celebrity satire written by Sparks, the eccentric American art-pop duo...★★★★☆
Kudos to the Cannes Film Festival for picking Annette as its opening movie this year.★★★★☆
Kudos to the Cannes Film Festival for picking Annette as its opening movie this year.
film review
Misha and the Wolves — a forensic exposé of memory and truth
★★★★☆
Imagine a childhood Holocaust survival tale but with an animal-friendly Disney spin, like The Diary of...★★★★☆
Imagine a childhood Holocaust survival tale but with an animal-friendly Disney spin...★★★★☆
Imagine a childhood Holocaust survival tale but with an animal-friendly Disney spin...
PODCASTS
British Scandal: The Profumo Affair — a postwar primer with silly jokes
British Scandal: The Profumo Affair
★★★★☆ Great Wives
★★★★☆ At the beginning of this year I enjoyed — with some...British Scandal: The Profumo Affair
★★★★☆ Great Wives
★★★★☆ At the beginning of this year I...British Scandal: The Profumo Affair
★★★★☆ Great Wives
★★★★☆ At the beginning of this year I...
film review
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — an ineffective slab of branded meta-myth
★★☆☆☆
That didn’t last long. Barely a month after the Marvel Cinematic Universe redefined its own formula by giving us a joyously raw, mostly Avenger-free, lean, mean smack-’em-up thriller in Black Widow, we’re back to business as usual with...★★☆☆☆
That didn’t last long. Barely a month after the Marvel Cinematic Universe redefined its...★★☆☆☆
That didn’t last long. Barely a month after the Marvel Cinematic Universe redefined its...
film review
Here Today — flat rom-com drifts into tedium
TRAVEL
Tuscany’s secret island
The Italian island of Giglio will for ever be known as the place where Captain Schettino steered the Costa Concordia on to a rock while flirting with a Moldovan dancer, killing 32 people and landing himself a 16-year prison sentence. Today there...The Italian island of Giglio will for ever be known as the place where Captain Schettino steered...The Italian island of Giglio will for ever be known as the place where Captain Schettino steered...
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FIRST NIGHT | PROMS
Monteverdi Choir — John Eliot Gardiner triumphs in his 60th Prom
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on TV and radio tonight
For full TV listings for the week, see thetimes.co.uk/tvplanner Viewing guide, by James Jackson
Grantchester
ITV,...For full TV listings for the week, see thetimes.co.uk/tvplanner Viewing guide, by James...For full TV listings for the week, see thetimes.co.uk/tvplanner Viewing guide, by James...
ALBUM REVIEW
Ruby Hughes: Songs for New Life and Love — every word she sings is felt deeply
Ruby Hughes
Songs for New Life and Love
★★★★☆ Francesca Dego
Mozart
★★★★☆ Vocal recitals of every sort constantly...Ruby Hughes
Songs for New Life and Love
★★★★☆ Francesca Dego
Mozart
★★★★☆ Vocal recitals of...Ruby Hughes
Songs for New Life and Love
★★★★☆ Francesca Dego
Mozart
★★★★☆ Vocal recitals of...
classic film of the week
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) — a blissful slice of Americana
★★★★☆
This is the definitive time-capsule movie, from a truly ancient era when Johnny Depp was an aspiring and uncontroversial actor with a penchant for indie cinema, and when a relatively unknown Leonardo DiCaprio could snag an Oscar nomination for playing a neurodivergent (aka mentally impaired) character without getting cancelled. Look past the surface...★★★★☆
This is the definitive time-capsule movie, from a truly ancient era when Johnny Depp was...★★★★☆
This is the definitive time-capsule movie, from a truly ancient era when Johnny Depp was...
music reviews
The best new music to listen to this week
Here are some of the best new albums and tracks our critics have heard over the past week. We’ll update the list...Here are some of the best new albums and tracks our critics have heard over the past week. We’ll update the list regularly, so make sure you save this page. Feel free to join in the conversation in the comments section at the end with your own recommendations of what you’re listening to at the moment. Lady...Here are some of the best new albums and tracks our critics have heard over the past week. We’ll update the list regularly, so...
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MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
MINDGAMES
Word Watch
video
arts
Are you shaken or stirred by the new James Bond trailer?
It’s the big day. No, the new Bond film, No Time to Die, isn’t out until September 30. So delayed has it been by Covid, however, that the “final trailer” has got its own global fanfare. They might as well have subtitled it: “Almost there!It’s the big day. No, the new Bond film, No Time to Die, isn’t out until September 30. So ...It’s the big day. No, the new Bond film, No Time to Die, isn’t out until September 30. So ...
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OBITUARY
Mikis Theodorakis
Marxist firebrand and composer best known for Zorba the Greek who became a folk hero after imprisonment by the infamous ‘colonels’
OBITUARY
Dame Margaret Seward
Pioneering dentist who blazed a trail in her profession and helped to end the use of general anaesthetic in dental surgeries
OBITUARY
Derek Williams
Writer and documentary maker known for his adventurous spirit and his films exposing the impact of industrialisation
obituary
Piers Plowright
Radio producer whose documentaries rendered the lives of ordinary people surprising and compelling
WEATHER EYE
Summer was not so much of a let down
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Births, marriages and deaths
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Round about Mount Everest
COURT CIRCULAR
September 2, 2021
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LIVING ROOM SPECIAL
Fall for the new autumn look
Top trends to give your living room a seasonal makeover
IMPROVE
I left Big Pharma for an organic Shropshire smallholding
Who needs the supermarket? Fed up with the 9-5 and pubbing, one woman left for the land, finding love and a passion for growing her own
move
The top 23 towns to live in the UK
From Alcester to Wadebridge (via Market Harborough), these places offer the best of both worlds — rural, but not remote
WISH YOU LIVED HERE
Golf, cycling and Michelin-starred dining: welcome to the posh costa
Both sleek new-builds and stone houses abound in the Costa Brava
GARDENING
The ten grow-your-own commandments
Make compost, take pictures of seed packets and get to know your garden... top tips to get flourishing fruit and veg
LIVING ROOM SPECIAL
Green with envy: statement chairs for autumn
LIVING ROOM SPECIAL
Big, bold and squishy: the cosiest rugs, cushions and throws
LIVING ROOM SPECIAL
The best home tech to buy now
HOME OF THE WEEK
Lay your head where A-listers have snoozed in this London townhouse
This is not the first time that David Carter’s London home has appeared in print. The dandy interior designer turned his Queen Anne house, near Stepney Green Tube station, into an opulent palace which has been one of the busiest photoshoot locations in the city. “At least three days a week we had scantily clad lingerie models, film stars and photographers coming into...This is not the first time that David Carter’s London home has appeared in print. The dandy...This is not the first time that David Carter’s London home has appeared in print. The dandy...
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LOCATION LOWDOWN
Everything you need to know before you move to Cambridge
Where?
It’s the county town of Cambridgeshire, in East Anglia, about 60 miles north of London. It’s an...Where?
It’s the county town of Cambridgeshire, in East Anglia, about 60 miles north of London. It’s an academic powerhouse turned global technology hub (although we question whether anyone seriously refers to the surrounding area as Silicon Fen) and is also the dukedom held by Wills and Kate since their wedding...Where?
It’s the county town of Cambridgeshire, in East Anglia, about 60 miles north of London. It’s an academic...
Nightclub bosses left in dark over ‘rushed’ vaccine passports
Nightclub bosses say the vaccine passport plan has been “very much been rushed without any real amount of detail behind it” after Scottish ministers failed to explain how it will work three weeks before it is likely to come into force. Coronavirus vaccine passports are set to be brought in as a...Nightclub bosses say the vaccine passport plan has been “very much been rushed without any real amount of detail behind it” after Scottish ministers failed to explain how it will work three weeks before it is likely to come into force. Coronavirus vaccine passports are set to be brought in as a...Nightclub bosses say the vaccine passport plan has been “very much been rushed without any real amount of detail behind it”...
Read the full storyCoronavirus
Get people back to office, business urges Sturgeon
Business leaders have told Nicola Sturgeon to give a “clear message that it’s safe to go back to work” as part of efforts to revive the Scottish economy. CBI Scotland has set “concrete policy recommendations” for the first minister, who is due to announce her programme for government next week. Tracy Black, the director of CBI Scotland...Business leaders have told Nicola Sturgeon to give a “clear message that it’s safe to go back to work” as part of efforts to revive the Scottish economy. CBI Scotland has set “concrete policy recommendations” for the first minister, who is due to announce her programme for government next week. Tracy Black, the director of CBI Scotland...Business leaders have told Nicola Sturgeon to give a “clear message that it’s safe to go back to work” as part of efforts to...
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Coalition moves to simplify trans self-identification
Contentious plans to allow trans people to self-identify their gender will be brought forward by the SNP-Green coalition, despite questions about the quality of an official consultation. Shona Robison, the social justice secretary, confirmed that work had resumed on a bill that aims “to improve and simplify...Contentious plans to allow trans people to self-identify their gender will be brought forward by...Contentious plans to allow trans people to self-identify their gender will be brought forward by...
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Tory sorry for anti-English jibe at ‘deeply offended’ first minister
A Conservative MSP has apologised after accusing Nicola Sturgeon of driving anti-English sentiment in Scotland. The first minister made a complaint to Holyrood’s presiding officer, which is thought to be the first time that she...A Conservative MSP has apologised after accusing Nicola Sturgeon of driving anti-English sentiment in Scotland. The first minister made a complaint to Holyrood’s presiding officer, which is thought to be the first time that she...A Conservative MSP has apologised after accusing Nicola Sturgeon of driving anti-English sentiment in Scotland. The...
Read the full storyMonk crushed my hand in vice as punishment, claims ex-pupil
A former pupil at a residential school he described as being “like Gordonstoun but run by Nazis” has told how a staff member used a vice to crush his hand, which later became gangrenous. The former HGV driver said that the...A former pupil at a residential school he described as being “like Gordonstoun but run by Nazis” has told how a staff member used a vice to crush his hand, which later became gangrenous. The former HGV driver said that the...A former pupil at a residential school he described as being “like Gordonstoun but run by Nazis” has told how a staff...
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Art collection comes home after £68m overhaul
An art collection amassed by a shipping magnate is to go back on display to the public in March after a £68.2 million museum renovation (Daniel Harkins writes). The Burrell Collection in Pollok Country Park in Glasgow was sent on a world tour in...An art collection amassed by a shipping magnate is to go back on display to the public in March...An art collection amassed by a shipping magnate is to go back on display to the public in March...
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Thunderer
Vaccine certificates would be a passport to more freedom
One of the ways Nicola Sturgeon intends to stem the tide of the Covid-19 surge in Scotland is the introduction of...One of the ways Nicola Sturgeon intends to stem the tide of the Covid-19 surge in Scotland is the...One of the ways Nicola Sturgeon intends to stem the tide of the Covid-19 surge in Scotland is the...
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Leading article
Nuclear Options
For decades opposition to Trident has been central to the SNP’s identity. In campaign after campaign the party has...For decades opposition to Trident has been central to the SNP’s identity. In campaign after...For decades opposition to Trident has been central to the SNP’s identity. In campaign after...
Read the full storyfootball
Cracks are appearing in Clarke’s building work
In the build-up to Euro 2020, Scotland’s players and management said that the objective was to change the nation’s mentality: rather than simply be happy with qualification for a major championship, they had to reach the next round. And they had to make a habit of it. Just a few weeks later, the bravado has been blunted. With the exception of their draw with England at...In the build-up to Euro 2020, Scotland’s players and management said that the objective was to...In the build-up to Euro 2020, Scotland’s players and management said that the objective was to...
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football | michael grant
Moldova must be beaten well or it’s goodnight Vienna
There is a difference between the next step and the next level. Scotland face Moldova tomorrow in a World Cup...There is a difference between the next step and the next level. Scotland face Moldova tomorrow in a World Cup qualifier which will surely deliver three points. Beating the team ranked 175th in the world ought to be relatively straightforward. The greater challenge for Steve Clarke and his team is how to cope and...There is a difference between the next step and the next level. Scotland face Moldova tomorrow in a World Cup qualifier which...
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Opposition parties pan €20bn plan to eradicate homelessness
The multibillion-euro plan to tackle Ireland’s housing crisis shows a “lack of ambition” and relies too heavily on the private sector, opposition parties have said. The government said that its long-awaited Housing for All plan, published yesterday, would deliver more than 300,000 new homes and eradicate homelessness over the next decade. It guarantees more than €20...The multibillion-euro plan to tackle Ireland’s housing crisis shows a “lack of ambition” and...The multibillion-euro plan to tackle Ireland’s housing crisis shows a “lack of ambition” and...
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Coveney denies misleading committee over Zappone appointment
Simon Coveney has asked to reappear before an Oireachtas committee as soon as possible to clarify remarks he made...Simon Coveney has asked to reappear before an Oireachtas committee as soon as possible to clarify remarks he made about the controversy surrounding Katherine Zappone’s abandoned appointment to a UN role. The foreign affairs minister yesterday said that his phone was hacked last year and EU foreign ministers were...Simon Coveney has asked to reappear before an Oireachtas committee as soon as possible to clarify remarks he made about the...
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coronavirus
Vaccine mixing allowed after first AstraZeneca jab
The HSE is allowing vaccine mixing for people who received one dose of AstraZeneca and want to get Pfizer or Moderna...The HSE is allowing vaccine mixing for people who received one dose of AstraZeneca and want to...The HSE is allowing vaccine mixing for people who received one dose of AstraZeneca and want to...
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Sex offender handed 10 more years in prison
A convicted sex offender who attempted to rape a woman during a late-night attack in public has had ten years added...A convicted sex offender who attempted to rape a woman during a late-night attack in public has...A convicted sex offender who attempted to rape a woman during a late-night attack in public has...
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Comment
Crisis shows Foreign Office needs a reboot
James Forsyth
Beyond the Afghan blame game, Tory MPs are concerned that Dominic Raab’s department has an outdated world view
Justin Webb
Texas abortion law will cleave America again
Emma Duncan
Central bankers are politicians in disguise
Ann Treneman | Notebook
Spread some Japanese joy, it’s the new flower power
Ian Birrell
Behind the panda logo is a charity that has lost its way
video
ANIMATED CARTOON
Morten Morland on Biden’s Afghanistan speech
Read the full storyLeading Articles
Back to School
It is vital that every pupil gets a full academic year of teaching and a chance to make up lost ground. Vaccinating them would help
China’s Challenge
The western democracies need a renewed commitment to contain Beijing
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
Abba’s first new music in almost 40 years will be in high demand
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
British foreign policy in America’s absence
Sir, Further to Nathalie Loiseau’s Thunderer (“Britain and the EU must forge strong foreign policy bond”, Sep 2), it is France that determines the EU’s foreign policy. There cannot now be a call for a new and strong EU-UK partnership on...Sir, Further to Nathalie Loiseau’s Thunderer (“Britain and the EU must forge strong...Sir, Further to Nathalie Loiseau’s Thunderer (“Britain and the EU must forge strong...
Read the full storyDaily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, is expected to continue visits to the region around Afghanistan with a stop in Pakistan; the British-Irish Association conference takes place; Blackpool Illuminations switch-on; Barclays FA Women’s Super League season starts; the Dundee Flower & Food Festival starts; National Doodle Day, where celebrities and members of the public are encouraged to produce a doodle that is sold on eBay to raise funds for Epilepsy Action.
World: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) holds its world congress with President Macron of France attending the opening ceremony; the annual Russian Eastern Economic Forum takes place, attended by President Putin of Russia and other invited leaders; Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, speaks at the online Institute of Directors global conference; talks are due to resume in Mexico City between representatives from the Nicolas Maduro-led Venezuela government and the Unitary Platform of Venezuela.
On this day
In 1651, at the Battle of Worcester, a Royalist army under King Charles II was defeated by Commonwealth forces under Oliver Cromwell. The king escaped into exile in France; in 1658 Oliver Cromwell died, aged 59, from complications linked to a form of malaria and kidney stone disease. He appointed his son, Richard, as his successor as lord protector of the commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland; in 1752 Britain and its colonies replaced the Julian calendar (which had an inbuilt error) with the Gregorian, so that September 3 became September 14; in 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed, by which Britain recognised the independence of the United States of America; in 1939 Britain and France declared war on Germany, after prime minister Neville Chamberlain announced that an 11.15 GMT deadline had passed for the withdrawal of German troops from Poland after their blitzkrieg offensive of September 1; in 1976 Nasa’s Viking II spacecraft touched down on Mars; in 2017 North Korea declared a “perfect success” in testing a hydrogen bomb, the nation’s sixth nuclear test, which caused a 6.3-magnitude tremor.
Nature notes
Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it doesn’t seem to harm the southern hawker dragonfly. The easiest way to identify this large insect is not so much by its vivid greens and blues, but by its inveterate inquisitiveness. Hawking along a woodland edge or through a garden, if a southern hawker happens to spot a human being it doesn’t vamoose like most dragonflies, but heads straight for them. Often it will hover directly in front of you for a few seconds as though demanding your credentials. Being eyeballed by such a large, colourful insect is a strange experience. Southern hawkers are on the wing, deep into autumn.
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Geoff Arnold, cricketer, England (1967-75), 77; Sarah Bradford (Viscountess Bangor), historian and author best known for her royal biographies, 83; Caryl Churchill, playwright, Love and Information (2012), 83; Pauline Collins, actress, Shirley Valentine (1989), 81; Fearne Cotton, TV and radio presenter, 40; Kiran Desai, author, The Inheritance of Loss (2006, Man Booker prizewinner), 50; Mario Draghi, prime minister of Italy, president, European Central Bank (2011-19), 74; Frank Duffy, architect, founder (1974), DEGW architectural practice, and president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (1993-95), 81; Lord (Euan) Geddes, deputy speaker, House of Lords, 84; Nick Gibb, Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, minister for school standards, 61; Malcolm Gladwell, author, The Tipping Point (2000), and journalist, 58; Prof Peter Goddard, mathematical physicist, master, St John’s College, Cambridge (1994-2004), 76; Al Jardine, singer, the Beach Boys, Help Me, Rhonda (1965), 79; Ranil Jayawardena, Conservative MP for North East Hampshire, international trade minister, 35; Rachel Johnson, journalist and author, Rake’s Progress: My Political Midlife Crisis (2020), editor of The Lady (2009-12), 56; Steve Jones, guitarist, the Sex Pistols and Iggy Pop, 66; Dawid Malan, cricketer, England and Yorkshire County Cricket Club, 34; Michael More-Molyneux, lord-lieutenant of Surrey, 70; Matthew Offord, Conservative MP for Hendon, 52; Rob Page, footballer, caretaker-manager of the Wales national football team, 47; Irene Papas, actress, Zorba the Greek (1964), 95; Josie Rourke, theatre and film, Mary Queen of Scots (2018), director, artistic director, Donmar Warehouse (2012-19), 45; Charlie Sheen, actor, Wall Street (1987), 56; Gareth Southgate, footballer, England (1995-2004), and manager of the England team, 51; Dick Strawbridge, presenter, Escape to the Chateau, 62; Shaun White, US snowboarder, three-time Olympic gold medallist (2006, 2010, 2018), 35.