The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
Critics warn that the plan will put ‘ideological conformity’ above academic excellence
Universities that fail to champion diversity face cuts to their research budgets under a funding plan that critics warn will put “ideological conformity” above academic excellence. Under proposals to reform how £2 billion a year of taxpayer funding is allocated for academic research, universities...Universities that fail to champion diversity face cuts to their research budgets under a funding plan that critics warn will put “ideological conformity” above academic excellence. Under proposals to reform how £2 billion a year of taxpayer funding is allocated for academic research, universities...Universities that fail to champion diversity face cuts to their research budgets under a funding plan that critics warn will...
IN DEPTH
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will try something new. The prime minister will attempt to get on the front foot over immigration, taking the fight to Reform and Nigel Farage directly. Labour will publish a series of videos showing the “journey” of an illegal immigrant, from detention in early morning raids to transfer from bleak immigration...On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will try something new. The prime minister will attempt to get on the front foot over immigration, taking the fight to Reform and Nigel Farage directly. Labour will publish a series of videos showing the “journey” of an illegal immigrant, from detention in early morning raids to transfer from bleak immigration...On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will try something new. The prime minister will attempt to get on the front foot over immigration...
The village of Kanaiya is a slice of rural peace 20 miles from the pandemonium of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Paddy fields stretch towards the hills while a muddy river chugs past. In the middle of the village, among the low cement houses, is a sprawling estate, enclosed by a wall with an entrance gate marked...The village of Kanaiya is a slice of rural peace 20 miles from the pandemonium of Dhaka, the...The village of Kanaiya is a slice of rural peace 20 miles from the pandemonium of Dhaka, the...
david charter | analysis
A “ghostly woman” painted by Pablo Picasso during his bohemian younger years in Paris has emerged from under the paint of one of the pivotal portraits of his early career. The portrait of the unknown woman has been found by the Courtauld Gallery...A “ghostly woman” painted by Pablo Picasso during his bohemian younger years in Paris has emerged...A “ghostly woman” painted by Pablo Picasso during his bohemian younger years in Paris has emerged...
caitlin moran | columnist of the year
FIRST PERSON
For a while the drugs did work: the daily 10g pellets of citalopram increasing serotonin levels in my brain, those...For a while the drugs did work: the daily 10g pellets of citalopram increasing serotonin levels...For a while the drugs did work: the daily 10g pellets of citalopram increasing serotonin levels...
MY WEEK
Yesterday I announced tariffs on Mexico and China. The Mexicans call first. “I understand you perfectly!” I say to...Yesterday I announced tariffs on Mexico and China. The Mexicans call first. “I understand you...Yesterday I announced tariffs on Mexico and China. The Mexicans call first. “I understand you...
A government assessment found the changes will limit the ability of popular schools to expand. Ministers say they are needed to protect other schools
Officials feared £20bn project on Anglesey would lead to departure of Welsh speakers
A meeting between the foreign secretary and Caricom is planned for April despite David Lammy previously ruling out financial compensation
The prime minister thinks ceding the islands to Mauritius will create a ‘buffer zone’ around the US naval base on Diego Garcia
Four out of five special forces veterans have completed a 700-mile trek through the Arabian desert, nearly a month after setting out in the footsteps of TE Lawrence. The Britons, all aged 40 or older, arrived on camelback into the Jordanian port...Four out of five special forces veterans have completed a 700-mile trek through the Arabian...Four out of five special forces veterans have completed a 700-mile trek through the Arabian...
The uproar surrounding the University of Buckingham took a further twist on Friday when the vice-chancellor’s estranged wife claimed that she had been arrested. Cynthia Tooley, 42, whose allegations about the conduct of...The uproar surrounding the University of Buckingham took a further twist on Friday when the vice-chancellor’s estranged wife claimed that she had been arrested. Cynthia Tooley, 42, whose allegations about the conduct of...The uproar surrounding the University of Buckingham took a further twist on Friday when the vice-chancellor’s...
Three Britons could face the death penalty after they allegedly smuggled nearly £300,000 worth of cocaine into Bali, Indonesia. Lisa Stocker, 39, and Jon Collyer, 37, were arrested alongside a third British national, identified...Three Britons could face the death penalty after they allegedly smuggled nearly £300,000 worth of cocaine into Bali, Indonesia. Lisa Stocker, 39, and Jon Collyer, 37, were arrested alongside a third British national, identified...Three Britons could face the death penalty after they allegedly smuggled nearly £300,000 worth of cocaine into Bali...
Given they greet complete strangers with the phrase, “Alright, my luvver?”, perhaps it’s not too far-fetched to believe that Bristolians are the most romantic people in the UK. A survey this week found those in the heart of the West Country show...Given they greet complete strangers with the phrase, “Alright, my luvver?”, perhaps it’s not too...Given they greet complete strangers with the phrase, “Alright, my luvver?”, perhaps it’s not too...
QUIZ OF THE WEEK
Jackson Pollock, one of the giants of 20th century art, may have put hidden images in his paintings, including one of a famous Hollywood actress, but do you know which one? Elsewhere, new technology has given scholars a first glimpse of a scorched...Jackson Pollock, one of the giants of 20th century art, may have put hidden images in his...Jackson Pollock, one of the giants of 20th century art, may have put hidden images in his...
With an estimated net worth of around £400 million, the Clooneys could happily afford to eschew work for the rest of...With an estimated net worth of around £400 million, the Clooneys could happily afford to eschew...With an estimated net worth of around £400 million, the Clooneys could happily afford to eschew...
the times diary
More bad news for Prince Andrew as his portrait no longer swings outside the Duke of York pub in Fitzrovia. Ten years...More bad news for Prince Andrew as his portrait no longer swings outside the Duke of York pub in...More bad news for Prince Andrew as his portrait no longer swings outside the Duke of York pub in...
video
US president issues executive order two days after hosting Israeli PM wanted by the court for alleged war crimes in Gaza
The UK has joined 78 countries in issuing a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after President Trump authorised sanctions against the tribunal’s “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel”. Trump’s sanctions threatened to “increase...The UK has joined 78 countries in issuing a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after President Trump authorised sanctions against the tribunal’s “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel”. Trump’s sanctions threatened to “increase...The UK has joined 78 countries in issuing a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after President...
President Trump’s proposal for the mass relocation of Palestinians has offered Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to renege on Gaza ceasefire terms and could jeopardise the future release of hostages, a former senior peace negotiator has warned. Gilead Sher, a veteran mediator who led talks with the Palestinians during the Oslo accords...President Trump’s proposal for the mass relocation of Palestinians has offered Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to renege on Gaza ceasefire terms and could jeopardise the future release of hostages, a former senior peace negotiator has warned. Gilead Sher, a veteran mediator who led talks with the Palestinians during the Oslo accords...President Trump’s proposal for the mass relocation of Palestinians has offered Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to renege...
Greece has declared a state of emergency on Santorini after undersea tremors have shaken the popular tourist destination for nearly a week. More than 10,000 residents and seasonal workers have fled the island, with near-constant earthquakes being recorded since last weekend between Santorini and the islands of...Greece has declared a state of emergency on Santorini after undersea tremors have shaken the...Greece has declared a state of emergency on Santorini after undersea tremors have shaken the...
Maxim Tucker in Sumy
video
in depth
When Mosul’s inhabitants began trickling back to the Iraqi city after a US-led coalition wrested it from the Islamic State, they found an uninhabitable wasteland. About 140,000 homes were destroyed in the battle, along with the historic al-Nuri...When Mosul’s inhabitants began trickling back to the Iraqi city after a US-led coalition wrested...When Mosul’s inhabitants began trickling back to the Iraqi city after a US-led coalition wrested...
INTERVIEW
On March 2, John Whitfield will walk the red carpet at the Oscars. The next day, he’ll resume the fight to reverse...On March 2, John Whitfield will walk the red carpet at the Oscars. The next day, he’ll resume the...On March 2, John Whitfield will walk the red carpet at the Oscars. The next day, he’ll resume the...
interview
Kelly Stonelake used to idolise Mark Zuckerberg. Now she fears him. She was one of the earliest employees at Facebook...Kelly Stonelake used to idolise Mark Zuckerberg. Now she fears him. She was one of the earliest...Kelly Stonelake used to idolise Mark Zuckerberg. Now she fears him. She was one of the earliest...
The guide prodded the snowy ground with a metal pole, checking for fresh cracks in Greenland’s gigantic ice sheet. When he discovered one, which happened every 20 metres or so, he made a line in the snow to be carefully stepped over. As global...The guide prodded the snowy ground with a metal pole, checking for fresh cracks in Greenland’s...The guide prodded the snowy ground with a metal pole, checking for fresh cracks in Greenland’s...
About 60,000 government employees accepted a redundancy deal in drive to dismantle the federal bureaucracy
Judge puts on hold redundancy scheme affecting more than 2m federal workers
video
President decries religious ‘persecution’ under Joe Biden and announces plans for a White House ‘faith office’
Washington escalates its crackdown on the country before the summit in Johannesburg
The US president plans ‘to eradicate anti-Christian bias’ in government and is creating a White House Faith Office
To live in Australia means accepting that the neighbours are not always friendly — this includes the spiders that kill, kangaroos that maim and snakes that poison. When David Stein, a western Sydney resident, spotted a couple of snakes in his...To live in Australia means accepting that the neighbours are not always friendly — this includes...To live in Australia means accepting that the neighbours are not always friendly — this includes...
Sale of US life assurance business to Japan’s Meiji Yasuda is António Simões’ biggest transaction since taking over as chief executive a year ago
Legal & General has pledged to hand more than £5 billion back to shareholders after selling its US life assurance business to Meiji Yasuda as part of a new alliance with the giant Japanese mutual insurer. António Simões, L&G chief executive, hailed the deal as transformational for the FTSE...Legal & General has pledged to hand more than £5 billion back to shareholders after selling its US life assurance business to Meiji Yasuda as part of a new alliance with the giant Japanese mutual insurer. António Simões, L&G chief executive, hailed the deal as transformational for the FTSE...Legal & General has pledged to hand more than £5 billion back to shareholders after selling its US life assurance business to...
The Financial Ombudsman Service has pushed ahead with a crackdown on claims management companies, a day after the sudden exit of its boss amid a rift over the policy. Claims firms, which pursue complaints against businesses on behalf of consumers, can at present submit cases to the ombudsman for free but, under plans confirmed on Friday...The Financial Ombudsman Service has pushed ahead with a crackdown on claims management companies, a day after the sudden exit of its boss amid a rift over the policy. Claims firms, which pursue complaints against businesses on behalf of consumers, can at present submit cases to the ombudsman for free but, under plans confirmed on Friday...The Financial Ombudsman Service has pushed ahead with a crackdown on claims management companies, a day after the sudden exit...
Big American technology companies plan to spend more than $300 billion on artificial intelligence infrastructure this year as they double down on bets that this will be transformative for businesses. Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta have all announced increased spending to secure the computing power needed to...Big American technology companies plan to spend more than $300 billion on artificial intelligence...Big American technology companies plan to spend more than $300 billion on artificial intelligence...
The ousted chairman of the competition regulator has hit back at the government, issuing a staunch defence of his...The ousted chairman of the competition regulator has hit back at the government, issuing a...The ousted chairman of the competition regulator has hit back at the government, issuing a...
comment
Like the mountaineer that arrives on a Himalayan summit, world leaders are propelled to great heights by teams of...Like the mountaineer that arrives on a Himalayan summit, world leaders are propelled to great...Like the mountaineer that arrives on a Himalayan summit, world leaders are propelled to great...
lunch with the times
Payroll was affected by wildfires and cold snaps
Jobs growth in the US economy slowed more than expected at the start of the year but upward revisions at the end of 2024 could result in no interest rate cuts in the world’s largest economy this year. Monthly US payroll growth figures for January —the first month of Donald Trump’s second presidential term — slowed from 307,000 to 143,000, lower than the 170,000 forecast...Jobs growth in the US economy slowed more than expected at the start of the year but upward...Jobs growth in the US economy slowed more than expected at the start of the year but upward...
interview
Kelly Stonelake used to idolise Mark Zuckerberg. Now she fears him. She was one of the earliest employees at Facebook...Kelly Stonelake used to idolise Mark Zuckerberg. Now she fears him. She was one of the earliest employees at Facebook and rose to become a senior executive but left last year after 15 years of service, after working on the marketing of some of Meta’s most important products. This week Stonelake, 37, filed a lawsuit...Kelly Stonelake used to idolise Mark Zuckerberg. Now she fears him. She was one of the earliest employees at Facebook and rose...
Barclays is expected to kick off what is likely to be an eventful earnings season for Britain’s biggest banks with a...Barclays is expected to kick off what is likely to be an eventful earnings season for Britain’s...Barclays is expected to kick off what is likely to be an eventful earnings season for Britain’s...
The upmarket wallpaper and fabrics family business of George Osborne, the former chancellor, has fallen into the red...The upmarket wallpaper and fabrics family business of George Osborne, the former chancellor, has...The upmarket wallpaper and fabrics family business of George Osborne, the former chancellor, has...
skills
A Department for Education study finds that most businesses are struggling to find suitably qualified recruits, with the biggest gaps for entry level positions
Apprenticeships
The number of people starting advanced placements surges before the government forces employers to spend more on lower-level apprenticeships
Banking
More than 6,000 branches have closed since 2015. New machines will allow customers to deposit and withdraw coinage
Expert tips
Don’t underestimate the benefits that flow from good, trained managers. I’d be asking, do we have the right people in the right roles?
recruitment
It’s the “invisible career” underpinning every organisation in the UK, yet the recent Post Office Horizon scandal has seen governance emerge from the shadows, moving from nebulous backroom function to a high-profile marker of integrity and success. Handling risk through creating good governance frameworks has become a priority for all organisational leaders, meaning...It’s the “invisible career” underpinning every organisation in the UK, yet the recent Post Office...It’s the “invisible career” underpinning every organisation in the UK, yet the recent Post Office...
recruitment | SIX FROM THE BEST
Carolyn Dailey spent more than 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN...Carolyn Dailey spent more than 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN, Warner Bros and Time Inc. Now as a bestselling author and founder of the international community Creative Entrepreneurs, she is championing bringing creativity and business closer together to unlock...Carolyn Dailey spent more than 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN, Warner Bros...
six nations | alex lowe
Six years on from French rugby’s nadir, they aim for a grand slam backed by a thriving club game and with the magisterial Dupont pulling the stings
The headline emblazoned across the front page of Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper, screamed: “Waterloo”. This was February 11, 2019. France had just suffered their heaviest defeat by England since 1911, an eighth loss in nine Tests that prompted an angry reaction from the players. The...The headline emblazoned across the front page of Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper, screamed: “Waterloo”. This was February 11, 2019. France had just suffered their heaviest defeat by England since 1911, an eighth loss in nine Tests that prompted an angry reaction from the players. The...The headline emblazoned across the front page of Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper, screamed: “Waterloo”. This was...
FA Cup
In another world, Alejandro Garnacho would have spent Friday night watching Manchester United from the comfort of his living room in his plush new house in one of the leafy villages near Chelsea’s training ground in Surrey. Chelsea’s interest in the Argentina winger fizzled out towards the end of the winter transfer window, which was good...In another world, Alejandro Garnacho would have spent Friday night watching Manchester United from the comfort of his living room in his plush new house in one of the leafy villages near Chelsea’s training ground in Surrey. Chelsea’s interest in the Argentina winger fizzled out towards the end of the winter transfer window, which was good...In another world, Alejandro Garnacho would have spent Friday night watching Manchester United from the comfort of his living...
six nations | john westerby
The opportunities for Fin Smith to show what difference he could make to the England team have been brief. Since making his debut against Italy in Rome last year, all six of his caps have been won from the bench. Only once has he been on the field for more than 20 minutes, at home to Japan in November, when he was...The opportunities for Fin Smith to show what difference he could make to the England team have...The opportunities for Fin Smith to show what difference he could make to the England team have...
OWEN SLOT
We are, we rugby people, attempting to fathom what happened to Welsh rugby, to understand why Wales are now underdogs this weekend in Italy, to know why such heavy odds point to a Welsh wooden spoon. But if you stop off at Mynydd-y-Garreg, your...We are, we rugby people, attempting to fathom what happened to Welsh rugby, to understand why...We are, we rugby people, attempting to fathom what happened to Welsh rugby, to understand why...
Owen Slot
At 6.20pm on Thursday, just when they started to let the crowds into the SSE Arena in Belfast, a vast horde dressed...At 6.20pm on Thursday, just when they started to let the crowds into the SSE Arena in Belfast, a...At 6.20pm on Thursday, just when they started to let the crowds into the SSE Arena in Belfast, a...
SAM WARBURTON
Experience is overrated. Or rather the number of caps an international team possess is overrated. It was a subject...Experience is overrated. Or rather the number of caps an international team possess is overrated.Experience is overrated. Or rather the number of caps an international team possess is overrated.
Scottish Cup
In the hotel reception they heard banging and ecstatic shouts from the bedroom upstairs. It was a dark February evening in the little town of Forres on the Moray coast, and a man can lose his inhibitions when passion takes hold. When the action...In the hotel reception they heard banging and ecstatic shouts from the bedroom upstairs. It was a...In the hotel reception they heard banging and ecstatic shouts from the bedroom upstairs. It was a...
SIX NATIONS | peter o’reilly
STUART BARNES
England have got to stop deluding themselves. After the Ireland defeat I was warming up with a coffee in the media...England have got to stop deluding themselves. After the Ireland defeat I was warming up with a...England have got to stop deluding themselves. After the Ireland defeat I was warming up with a...
Six Nations
Gregor Townsend backed Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland to inject pace and dynamism into Scotland’s play...Gregor Townsend backed Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland to inject pace and dynamism...Gregor Townsend backed Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland to inject pace and dynamism...
Notebook | Martyn Ziegler
Super Bowl
For all of Tom Brady’s unmatched achievements in the NFL, he never won three Super Bowls in a row. In fact, only one player in history has managed that. Ken Norton Jr is the answer to that fiendishly difficult pub quiz question. The former...For all of Tom Brady’s unmatched achievements in the NFL, he never won three Super Bowls in a row.For all of Tom Brady’s unmatched achievements in the NFL, he never won three Super Bowls in a row.
Racecards BET OF THE DAY
Mirabad (3.35 Newbury) This gelding had an operation to help with this breathing before...Racecards BET OF THE DAY
Mirabad (3.35 Newbury) This gelding had an operation to help with this breathing before the start of the season and continued his progress with a career-best effort when winning at Cheltenham last time. He seemed much happier when allowed to bowl along in front there and, given his...Racecards BET OF THE DAY
Mirabad (3.35 Newbury) This gelding had an operation to help with this breathing before the start...
ANALYSIS
Dozens of deals were reduced this week and the Bank of England base rate decision should mean that more good news is to come
HOlly Mead
After Nvidia’s plunge last week you could do worse that take a look at the slow but steady gains available closer to home
You can still top up national insurance going back to 2006, but do it soon, says Lucy Andrews
Financial firms are leaving high streets in their droves, but what does that do to the towns they abandon?
the big question
First-time buyers are about to lose some of their tax perk, but could they gain from an incentive to help second steppers move up the ladder?
your money matters
Lucy Andrews helps a phone customer solve her contract conundrum and manages to ‘re-energise’ a church in Brighton
Virgin Media has charged me £723 and threatened me with debt collectors for cancelling my broadband, even though I was out of contract. I bought a 12 month package in October 2022 for £30 a month. After the contract ended the cost went up to £50 a month. I cancelled in September last year to go travelling, but a month later, Virgin Media sent me a £723.29 bill for...Virgin Media has charged me £723 and threatened me with debt collectors for cancelling my...Virgin Media has charged me £723 and threatened me with debt collectors for cancelling my...
ask the experts
I was given a settlement from work of about £50,000. Thankfully I have already found another job so don’t require it...I was given a settlement from work of about £50,000. Thankfully I have already found another job so don’t require it all to live on. What’s the best way for the money to “make money” — is it just Isas and Premium Bonds? My wife is American and so limited in the types of savings she can have. Can we have a...I was given a settlement from work of about £50,000. Thankfully I have already found another job so don’t require it all to...
interview
Now 57, the man who won Wimbledon at 17 tells Jane Mulkerrins what he learnt from losing it all
first person
When Elizabeth Day was suddenly on her own once more, fast approaching 40, she was faced with a dating scene that had changed for the worse
First Person
Research has suggested that some hallucinogenics could be as effective as antidepressants. Could tripping stop Harriet Walker feeling so stressed?
The King’s foibles? Prince Andrew’s tantrums? Meghan’s demands? No one knows the Firm better than the courtiers and servants in the royal bubble
caitlin moran | columnist of the year
Low rents, stable politics, strong economy, fun — I had the good times that Gen Z will never enjoy
Giles Coren
I am not sure I dare tell you about Pinna. You hate it when things are expensive, especially when they are in Mayfair.I am not sure I dare tell you about Pinna. You hate it when things are expensive, especially when...I am not sure I dare tell you about Pinna. You hate it when things are expensive, especially when...
beta male
Over the past few weeks, I’d noticed a deterioration in my hearing. This had happened once before, after a long...Over the past few weeks, I’d noticed a deterioration in my hearing. This had happened once before...Over the past few weeks, I’d noticed a deterioration in my hearing. This had happened once before...
The remote archipelago of Islas Secas is so wild, it feels a natural place to ditch your kit
After a $250 million refurbishment, the Bahamian hangout of Sixties jet-setters is lovelier than ever
The sumptuous home on Anguilla that’s a sought-after spot for superstars to unwind. By Louise France
Plus: holidays by land and sea and the most seductive travel perfumes
As the Dutch capital celebrates its 750th birthday, Rick Jordan selects the best new luxury hotels and restaurants in the Dutch capital
The world still has its secret places, among them Lencois Maranhenses, on the remote coastline of Maranhao state in northeastern Brazil. Lencois (“sheets” in Portuguese) refers to a vast extension of white-sand dunes where for a few months a year...The world still has its secret places, among them Lencois Maranhenses, on the remote coastline of...The world still has its secret places, among them Lencois Maranhenses, on the remote coastline of...
interview
As Mike White’s luxury hotel thriller moves to Thailand, its stars talk about how fiction and reality blurred on set
Tom Peck on tv
A shocking tale of a boyband bitterness and their manager, the former X Factor judge. Plus, a provocative Channel 4 documentary and Amandaland
The Roman historian who wrote The Lives of the Caesars would have been fascinated by the 47th US president. The Rest is History’s Tom Holland imagines how he would profile the Potus
INTERVIEW
The Irish rock group on famous parents, their new album Open Wide and struggling to break through
INTERVIEW | Fraser Nelson
The former Supreme Court judge talks about lockdown and why Britain should withdraw from the European Convention of Human Rights
REVIEW | PARENTING
My culture fix
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. I keep returning to it and often feel compelled to talk to people...The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. I keep returning to it and often feel compelled...The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. I keep returning to it and often feel compelled...
Will Hodgkinson
She has sold more than 50 million records, written a hit musical (Kinky Boots) and survived...Will Hodgkinson
She has sold more than 50 million records, written a hit musical (Kinky Boots)...Will Hodgkinson
She has sold more than 50 million records, written a hit musical (Kinky Boots)...
In the long and glorious history of TV detectives there have been some great double acts. Hercule Poirot tended to operate inside that big head of his — his sidekick (when he had one) being the disappointingly dim-witted Hastings — so he doesn’t make our top ten. Nor does Jane Marple, Agatha Christie’s other great sleuth, who tended to knit her forehead and concentrate...In the long and glorious history of TV detectives there have been some great double acts. Hercule...In the long and glorious history of TV detectives there have been some great double acts. Hercule...
VIEWING GUIDE
For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Live Six Nations
ITV1, 1.30pm/4.15pm
It’s a sign...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Live Six Nations
ITV1, 1.30pm/4.15pm
It’s a sign of how far the Wales rugby team have fallen that many are seeing their trip to Rome as an underdog mission (ITV1, kick-off 2.15pm) — there was a time when a match against Italy was an exercise in...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Live Six Nations
ITV1, 1.30pm/4.15pm
It’s a sign of how far...
review | history
review | fiction
review | health
REVIEW | FICTION
How the publishing world loves debut novels. They offer a clean slate, a new voice, a different way of seeing things.How the publishing world loves debut novels. They offer a clean slate, a new voice, a different...How the publishing world loves debut novels. They offer a clean slate, a new voice, a different...
rereADING
There are certain novels that are best left read and never revisited. Lawrence Durrell’s The Alexandria Quartet...There are certain novels that are best left read and never revisited. Lawrence Durrell’s The...There are certain novels that are best left read and never revisited. Lawrence Durrell’s The...
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
FIRST NIGHT review
This Handel co-production is heading to Covent Garden in the summer. On its Paris premiere it hit a nerve
Paris has had first look at a new Handel co-production heading for the Royal Opera this summer, and it’s fair to say that the show — or at least the last half-hour of it — has hit a nerve. The cheers just about outgunned the boos in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées as Oliver Mears — the Royal Opera’s director, who staged it — took his bow on the first night. I’m not...Paris has had first look at a new Handel co-production heading for the Royal Opera this summer...Paris has had first look at a new Handel co-production heading for the Royal Opera this summer...
review
Dan Snaith belongs, with Four Tet and Floating Points, to a generation of boffin producers, highly educated...Dan Snaith belongs, with Four Tet and Floating Points, to a generation of boffin producers, highly educated scientists who bring their expertise to bear on dance music. The London-based Canadian, aka Caribou, has a PhD in mathematics from Imperial College London for work on overconvergent Siegel modular symbols, and...Dan Snaith belongs, with Four Tet and Floating Points, to a generation of boffin producers, highly educated scientists who...
review
Amid an ever bleaker scene for music in Wales — Cardiff University has plans to axe its music department, St David’s...Amid an ever bleaker scene for music in Wales — Cardiff University has plans to axe its music...Amid an ever bleaker scene for music in Wales — Cardiff University has plans to axe its music...
review
If you sometimes worry that the machines will one day rise up and take over, then the Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth...If you sometimes worry that the machines will one day rise up and take over, then the Austrian...If you sometimes worry that the machines will one day rise up and take over, then the Austrian...
FIRST PERSON
Simon Mills, 61, is taking the same SSRI that Thomas Kingston was struggling with before he died. He describes his experience
Who should take them? What are the side-effects? When — and how — should you stop?
Married at First Sight relationship expert Paul C Brunson has been with his own wife for 33 years. He talks to Anna Maxted
JANE MACQUITTY
From supermarket rosé to high-end champagne, our expert picks the top bottles
Jamie Oliver’s anchovy and broccoli pasta or Ravinder Bhogal’s dal with a toastie? Clare Finney discovers what the foodies make at home
JOE SWIFT
As I write this I’m looking out at a particularly grey and gloomy February day. Knowing that February provides on...As I write this I’m looking out at a particularly grey and gloomy February day. Knowing that...As I write this I’m looking out at a particularly grey and gloomy February day. Knowing that...
The countryside mini-break is a rite of passage for couples. A key stepping stone in the early days of a relationship...The countryside mini-break is a rite of passage for couples. A key stepping stone in the early...The countryside mini-break is a rite of passage for couples. A key stepping stone in the early...
These globetrotting, country-counting travellers have spent years seeing the world. Here’s where they recommend — and where they think you should avoid
An entrepreneurial couple have bought struggling Woolsery businesses and opened charming self-catering houses in a bid to make tourism the solution, not the problem
The new Corinthia is a triumphant renovation of one of the Belgian capital’s most splendid early-20th-century buildings, with standout restaurants to boot
travel doctor
Plus: Where to stay for a visit to Pompeii with children, the best cruise options for Norway’s fjords and the stress-free way to get to Puerto Rico
Whether you’re seeking springtime sunshine or a UK adventure these are the great value breaks to snap up this week
From setting up a brightly coloured umbrella for the day on a buzzy, golden Mediterranean strand to hiking out to...From setting up a brightly coloured umbrella for the day on a buzzy, golden Mediterranean strand...From setting up a brightly coloured umbrella for the day on a buzzy, golden Mediterranean strand...
What did the Messapians, Romans, Byzantines and Normans ever do for us, eh? Well, it turns out in Lecce, in the heel...What did the Messapians, Romans, Byzantines and Normans ever do for us, eh? Well, it turns out in...What did the Messapians, Romans, Byzantines and Normans ever do for us, eh? Well, it turns out in...
OBITUARY
Her programme changed the landscape of political debate on British TV, but she frequently clashed with the show’s presenter Robin Day
OBITUARY
Dogged environmental activist and thorn in Thatcher’s side who helped to prevent decades of mining in Antarctica
OBITUARY
Old-school literary giant who founded his own company, discovered William Boyd and believed in good syntax and long lunches, but not emails and mobiles
OBITUARY
Spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims and owner of the racehorse Shergar
video
The Times has been publishing life stories of the great and the good (and the not so good) for more than 170 years. Now the obituary is also becoming a podcast, explains Anna Temkin
MindGames
Twenty questions to get you thinking
1 Mahatma Gandhi said that the “central fact of Hinduism” is protection of which domestic animals? 2 Rheinhessen is which country’s largest wine-growing region? 3 Which annual book prize was called “posh bingo” by Julian Barnes? 4 Belmond’s Royal Scotsman train departs from and arrives at which Edinburgh station? 5 Buffalo Bill brought his Wild West Show to Britain for...1 Mahatma Gandhi said that the “central fact of Hinduism” is protection of which domestic animals?1 Mahatma Gandhi said that the “central fact of Hinduism” is protection of which domestic animals?
7th February, 2025
The King, Royal Founding President, The King’s Foundation, and The Queen this evening attended...7th February, 2025
The King, Royal Founding President, The King’s Foundation, and The Queen this evening attended a United Kingdom-Italy Dinner held by the Ambassador from the Italian Republic (His Excellency Mr Inigo Lambertini) in Gloucestershire to celebrate the Slow Food and Slow Fashion Movement. The King...7th February, 2025
The King, Royal Founding President, The King’s Foundation, and The Queen this evening attended a...
Adriana Samengo-Turner and Gianluca Greenaway
Adriana Samengo-Turner, 32, a dog trainer and behaviourist, and Gianluca Greenaway, 32, founder and chief executive of GMT Biogas, a renewable energy company, were married on August 24, 2024, at Adriana’s family home near Clare in Suffolk Adriana and Gianluca embraced the rain when it poured for 40 minutes during their outdoor wedding ceremony. It was in keeping with...Adriana Samengo-Turner, 32, a dog trainer and behaviourist, and Gianluca Greenaway, 32, founder...Adriana Samengo-Turner, 32, a dog trainer and behaviourist, and Gianluca Greenaway, 32, founder...
James Thomas MacCarthy-Morrogh was born on December 2, 2024, at University Hospital Lewisham in south London to Lucy...James Thomas MacCarthy-Morrogh was born on December 2, 2024, at University Hospital Lewisham in south London to Lucy Daley, 38, and Nick MacCarthy-Morrogh, 41 James’s older brother, Finn, who is three, is so proud of his younger brother that he has started referring to James as “my baby”. He’s kind and caring with him.James Thomas MacCarthy-Morrogh was born on December 2, 2024, at University Hospital Lewisham in south London to Lucy Daley, 38,...
Fewer than half of the SNP MPs ousted at the general election are in full-time work six months after they left Westminster. In July the SNP suffered a dramatic loss of seats from the UK parliament, dropping from 48 seats to nine, signalling a seismic shift in Scottish politics with the Labour...Fewer than half of the SNP MPs ousted at the general election are in full-time work six months after they left Westminster. In July the SNP suffered a dramatic loss of seats from the UK parliament, dropping from 48 seats to nine, signalling a seismic shift in Scottish politics with the Labour...Fewer than half of the SNP MPs ousted at the general election are in full-time work six months after they left Westminster. In...
A long-delayed CalMac ferry which launched last month six-and-a-half years later than planned is to be out of action for a week to undergo repairs. The Glen Sannox was known to have a problem with its anchor system which would require a remedy sooner rather than later. That was identified during sea trials last year, with the anchor...A long-delayed CalMac ferry which launched last month six-and-a-half years later than planned is to be out of action for a week to undergo repairs. The Glen Sannox was known to have a problem with its anchor system which would require a remedy sooner rather than later. That was identified during sea trials last year, with the anchor...A long-delayed CalMac ferry which launched last month six-and-a-half years later than planned is to be out of action for a week...
At the very end of 1695, in the dark, dying years of the last sovereign Scottish state, a young maid was locked up in Selkirk’s Tolbooth. Bessie Scott had been accused of murdering her baby. Scotland’s government of the day, its privy council, was desperate to try her in court. Officials wanted to make an example of...At the very end of 1695, in the dark, dying years of the last sovereign Scottish state, a young...At the very end of 1695, in the dark, dying years of the last sovereign Scottish state, a young...
Lynx and other large carnivores will not be legally released in Scotland, the first minister has said. John Swinney...Lynx and other large carnivores will not be legally released in Scotland, the first minister has...Lynx and other large carnivores will not be legally released in Scotland, the first minister has...
scottish business digest
Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland. 1. Scotland is...Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.
PHOTOGRAPHY
The heartbeats of 60 Aberdonians, a 50-metre multisensory walkway and works by the Scottish artists Council Baby and Johanna Basford are among the attractions at Spectra, Scotland’s Festival of Light. Now in its 11th year, the free event features...The heartbeats of 60 Aberdonians, a 50-metre multisensory walkway and works by the Scottish...The heartbeats of 60 Aberdonians, a 50-metre multisensory walkway and works by the Scottish...
Six NAtions
If Ireland rack up an 11th consecutive victory over Scotland this weekend, it would equal the longest winning streak...If Ireland rack up an 11th consecutive victory over Scotland this weekend, it would equal the...If Ireland rack up an 11th consecutive victory over Scotland this weekend, it would equal the...
NATASHA RADMEHR | NOTEBOOK
A friend sent me a video the other day of a pregnant influencer chatting about a dilemma she will face when her baby...A friend sent me a video the other day of a pregnant influencer chatting about a dilemma she will...A friend sent me a video the other day of a pregnant influencer chatting about a dilemma she will...
Clue: it’s a one-hour ferry from Oban, has fewer people than sheep, and the beaches look like they belong in the Caribbean, says Jeremy Lazell
The youngest MP in 350 years on her move into comedy and how nobody in power knows what they’re doing
review
Chitra Ramaswamy visits a Lebanese-Syrian eatery that lights up the city with its generosity
gabriella bennett
Refusing to be self-sufficient is the closest I’ve come to real happiness
Peter Irvine picks his favourite urban escapes
The Times’s Alba restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy has eaten at almost every table in Glasgow, from a kebab shop...The Times’s Alba restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy has eaten at almost every table in Glasgow...The Times’s Alba restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy has eaten at almost every table in Glasgow...
The Times’s Alba restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy has eaten all over Edinburgh, from Marchmont noodle bars to Auld...The Times’s Alba restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy has eaten all over Edinburgh, from Marchmont...The Times’s Alba restaurant critic Chitra Ramaswamy has eaten all over Edinburgh, from Marchmont...
Emerging in the Iron Age some 2,300 years ago, brochs were large drystone roundhouses unique to Scotland. About 570 sites have so far been identified, from Galloway to Shetland, but the intriguing Edin’s Hall is one of only a handful found outside...Emerging in the Iron Age some 2,300 years ago, brochs were large drystone roundhouses unique to...Emerging in the Iron Age some 2,300 years ago, brochs were large drystone roundhouses unique to...
Comment
Badenoch’s rope-a-dope is panicking Tories
Fraser Nelson
Conservative leader is using Muhammad Ali’s ploy that won in the jungle — she may soon need to come out swinging
Giles Coren
We’re not passengers — there aren’t any trains
JANICE TURNER
Sports edict makes Trump a feminist hero
Lara Spirit
Why No 10 is looking to Kentucky in search of centre-left success
notebook | ann treneman
There was a time when pigs really could fly
WEEKEND ESSAY | David Goodhart
Immigration is out of control: this ten-year plan could fix it
Dominic Sandbrook
Pollock and Putin, peas in a culture war pod
Rob Nash | FEEDBACK
We don’t asterisk many of those naughty words
A new underpants advert prompted us to look into whether David Beckham had “still got it”. In doing so we referred...A new underpants advert prompted us to look into whether David Beckham had “still got it”. In...A new underpants advert prompted us to look into whether David Beckham had “still got it”. In...
melissa harrison | nature notebook
Barns prove man and owl can live in harmony
It’s a treat I don’t allow myself very often: to pass by what I call “the owl barn” and peek into its open side door.It’s a treat I don’t allow myself very often: to pass by what I call “the owl barn” and peek into...It’s a treat I don’t allow myself very often: to pass by what I call “the owl barn” and peek into...
Leading Articles
Taking the Mickey
With the economy flatlining and tax rises out of the question, Rachel Reeves must resort to cuts in spending to balance her books. She should not shrink from doing so
Skewed Reasoning
There are serious concerns about the committee scrutinising the assisted dying bill
Last Hurrah?
Abstemious habits may be driving the drunken stag do into extinction
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Surrendering the Chagos Islands to Mauritius
Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, I am perplexed by suggestions that the UK may be under some obligation under international law to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. First, as even the Foreign Office recognises, the opinion of the...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, I am perplexed by suggestions that the UK may be under some...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, I am perplexed by suggestions that the UK may be under some...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: England take on France in the Six Nations at Twickenham; Association of Labour Councillors holds annual conference; the British heavyweight Derek Chisora competes in his last fight, against Otto Wallin at Co-op Live in Manchester.
Canada: The Invictus Games for wounded servicemen and women begin in Vancouver and Whistler.
Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia disconnect all electricity-grid connections to Russia and Belarus.
On this day
Saturday
In 1759 Benjamin Lay, an Essex-born Quaker who became an anti-slavery activist in the US, died aged 77. Benjamin Franklin, the US president (1785-88), was a regular visitor to Lay’s cave, where Lay lived on a vegetarian diet and refused to wear clothes made by slave labour. Lay wrote one of the earliest books against slavery (All Slave-Keepers That Keep the Innocent in Bondage, Apostates). At 4ft tall, Lay referred to himself as “Little Benjamin”; in 1960 Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect known for his work on Tate Modern, Battersea Power Station, the New Bodleian Library and Liverpool Cathedral, died aged 79. He also designed the British red telephone box, inspired by the 1815 tomb for Sir John Soane’s wife; in 1965 the health minister Kenneth Robinson announced a ban on cigarette advertising on British television. The ban came into effect on August 1, 1965; in 1983 an armed gang took Shergar, the 1981 Epsom Derby winner, from his stables in Co Kildare. Despite a £2 million ransom demand, Shergar was not seen again.
Sunday
In 1450 Agnès Sorel, considered the first officially recognised royal mistress of a French king, died aged 28. After giving birth to the last of her four daughters fathered by Charles VII, she and the child died. Her cousin, Antoinette de Maignelais, then took her place as royal mistress; in 1916 two German seaplanes dropped bombs on Broadstairs and Ramsgate in Kent. Three people were injured; in 1918 the cargo ship SS Express, a lifeline to Orkney, collided with the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Grenville, just north of Scapa Flow — with the loss of 13 lives. In August 2023 the wreck was found ten miles southeast of the island of Copinsay, with much of its cargo undisturbed; in 1995 the first full performance of Riverdance took place, at the Point Theatre, Dublin, starring Michael Flatley. The show originated as an interval performance act at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.
Nature notes
Water starwort lives in places of slow water. It thrives in ponds, canals, ditches and becks in depths of up to 60cm. The leaves that float on the surface are unremarkable enough; often just 2mm wide, they’re easy to miss. But the leaves that remain under water are a different kettle of fish all together. Sometimes growing well over a centimetre wide, they look like stars. When seen in clear water, this plant can be especially eye-catching. Water starwort deploys a range of dispersal strategies. The wind-pollinated seeds can float but also hitch a ride on the pelts of water voles, otters and ducks. Water starwort also spreads clonally. If part of the plant breaks off, it can re-root. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays
Saturday
Decca Aitkenhead, chief interviewer, The Sunday Times, 54; Malorie Blackman, author, Noughts & Crosses (2001), children’s laureate (2013-15), 63; Prof Dame Averil Cameron, historian, warden, Keble College, Oxford (1994-2010), 85; Rachel Cusk, novelist, Second Place (2021), 58; John Grisham, author, Camino Ghosts (2024), 70; Lucy Heller, chief executive, the Ark children’s charity, 66; Daniel Levy, businessman, chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, 63; Hugh Milroy, chief executive, Veterans Aid, 69; Sarah Montague (Lady Brooke), presenter, The World at One, Today (2002-18), BBC Radio 4, 59; Rear-Admiral Robert Pedre, commander, UK Strike Force, Royal Navy, 50; Sir David Pepper, chairman, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (2014-19), director, GCHQ (2003-08), 77; Alessia Russo, footballer, Arsenal and England women, 26; Richard Sharp, banker, chairman of the BBC (2021-23), 69; Dame Victoria Sharp, president, King’s Bench Division, 69; Jodie Stimpson, triathlete, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist (2014), 36; John Williams, honorary KBE, composer who wrote the scores for Jaws, Star Wars and Harry Potter, 93; Trinny Woodall, fashion adviser, broadcaster and businesswoman, 61.
Sunday
Sir Jeremy Baker, lord justice of appeal, vice-president of the King’s Bench Division, 67; Prof Sir Ian Boyd, marine and polar scientist, president, Royal Society of Biology, 68; General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, chief of the General Staff (2018-22), 61; JM Coetzee, writer, Disgrace (1999), 85; Rhodri Talfan Davies, BBC director of nations, 54; Sir John Elvidge, chairman, Edinburgh Airport, Carnegie UK Trust (2017-22), 74; Mia Farrow, actress, Rosemary’s Baby (1968), 80; Bernard Gallacher, golfer, 76; Tom Hiddleston, actor, the Avengers film series, 44; Ciarán Hinds, actor, Belfast (2021), 72; Holly Johnson, singer, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Relax (1983), 65; Michael B Jordan, actor, the Black Panther film series, 38; Sandy Lyle, golfer, 67; Erin O’Connor, model, 47; Sir Hayden Phillips, chairman, National Theatre (2004-10), 82; Sir David Ramsden, deputy governor (markets and banking), Bank of England, 61; Gerhard Richter, painter, 93; Gina Rinehart, businesswoman, executive chairwoman of Hancock Prospecting, 71; Amanda Roocroft, soprano, 59; Dame Janet Suzman, actress and director, 86; Amber Valletta, supermodel and actress, 51; Alice Walker, author, The Color Purple (1982), 81; Stephen Welton, chairman, British Business Bank, former founder chief executive and chairman, Business Growth Fund, 64.