In the News
Don’t start vaccine war, Britain tells EU leaders
AstraZeneca vaccine safe and highly effective, US study shows
updatedA cabinet minister has suggested that EU leaders should be more “grown up” as Britain urged Brussels to step back from a full-scale vaccine war. It comes as a trial in the US, Peru and Chile concludes that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective. Ben Wallace, the defence secretary...A cabinet minister has suggested that EU leaders should be more “grown up” as Britain urged Brussels to step back from a full-scale vaccine war. It comes as a trial in the US, Peru and Chile concludes that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective. Ben Wallace, the defence secretary...A cabinet minister has suggested that EU leaders should be more “grown up” as Britain urged Brussels to step back from a...
Read the full storyDNA tests will reveal patients’ hidden danger of heart disease
The NHS is moving towards an era of “personalised medicine” with the first trial of a technology that surveys DNA to calculate patients’ risk of disease. The technique could ultimately be used by GPs to identify hundreds of thousands of people whose genes make them more vulnerable to strokes and heart attacks but who are at present...The NHS is moving towards an era of “personalised medicine” with the first trial of a technology that surveys DNA to calculate patients’ risk of disease. The technique could ultimately be used by GPs to identify hundreds of thousands of people whose genes make them more vulnerable to strokes and heart attacks but who are at present...The NHS is moving towards an era of “personalised medicine” with the first trial of a technology that surveys DNA to calculate...
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Defence cuts will encourage attack by Russia, says ex‑forces chief
Troop cuts announced today will encourage an attack from Russia and leave Britain unable to retake the Falklands, a former defence chief has warned. After weeks of speculation, Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, has confirmed that his reforms will involve a reduction in the overall number of armed forces personnel.Troop cuts announced today will encourage an attack from Russia and leave Britain unable to...Troop cuts announced today will encourage an attack from Russia and leave Britain unable to...
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Surgeon sues for £2.7m over ‘lovely biscuits’ row
A senior consultant accused of sexually assaulting a nurse by commenting on her “lovely biscuits” is suing one of...A senior consultant accused of sexually assaulting a nurse by commenting on her “lovely biscuits”...A senior consultant accused of sexually assaulting a nurse by commenting on her “lovely biscuits”...
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RED BOX | PATRICK MAGUIRE
Sturgeon’s make-or-break week as Cameron keeps schtum
new1. Sturgeon takes a hit ahead of crunch week
The Salmond affair has pushed cliché to its limit but today really is...1. Sturgeon takes a hit ahead of crunch week
The Salmond affair has pushed cliché to its limit...1. Sturgeon takes a hit ahead of crunch week
The Salmond affair has pushed cliché to its limit...
TIMES EARTH
Carbon target bill to top £20,000 a home
times earth
Studios plot path to greener future
A night of TV may not save the world but it is less harmful than it used to be. TV and film productions are cutting their carbon emissions as part of an industry-wide initiative under which rival studios and broadcasters have united to reduce...A night of TV may not save the world but it is less harmful than it used to be. TV and film...A night of TV may not save the world but it is less harmful than it used to be. TV and film...
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Call for law to protect civil servants who leak official secrets
Civil servants should have legal protection to leak official secrets that are in the public interest, two former...Civil servants should have legal protection to leak official secrets that are in the public...Civil servants should have legal protection to leak official secrets that are in the public...
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Whitehall set to run ‘corrupt’ Liverpool council
Ministers are poised to take over the running of Liverpool in response to widespread allegations of corruption...Ministers are poised to take over the running of Liverpool in response to widespread allegations...Ministers are poised to take over the running of Liverpool in response to widespread allegations...
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Hitchhiker’s guide to a new adventure
The question of what happened when the soldier, mathematician and historian crossed the solar system will remain unanswered. Although the answer could, of course, be 42. The late Douglas Adams’s plans for a television series imagining Earth’s...The question of what happened when the soldier, mathematician and historian crossed the solar...The question of what happened when the soldier, mathematician and historian crossed the solar...
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video
Young walrus swims thousands of miles to Wales
They are normally found in the Arctic where they use their tusks to make breathing holes in the ice but a young...They are normally found in the Arctic where they use their tusks to make breathing holes in the...They are normally found in the Arctic where they use their tusks to make breathing holes in the...
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Worldwide viewers dive in to see peregrine falcons online
Livestreams of peregrine falcons nesting in Britain are attracting a global fanbase, with enthusiasts logging on in...Livestreams of peregrine falcons nesting in Britain are attracting a global fanbase, with...Livestreams of peregrine falcons nesting in Britain are attracting a global fanbase, with...
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News in pictures
For more pictures from The Times follow us on InstagramFor more pictures from The Times follow us on InstagramFor more pictures from The Times follow us on Instagram
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US will host migrants in hotels to cope with surge
The US government has said that migrant families will stay at hotels and could be flown around the country for processing as it scrambles to cope with a surge in arrivals at its southern border. Last month 100,000 people were arrested at the border, of which about a fifth were families and nearly...The US government has said that migrant families will stay at hotels and could be flown around the country for processing as it scrambles to cope with a surge in arrivals at its southern border. Last month 100,000 people were arrested at the border, of which about a fifth were families and nearly...The US government has said that migrant families will stay at hotels and could be flown around the country for processing as it...
Read the full storyStop using our friendship to win votes, Emirates tells Netanyahu
Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been publicly rebuked by his new allies in the United Arab Emirates for using their relationship for electioneering. The UAE is also said to have postponed a summit between the two nations and the United States as a protest against what they regarded as his undiplomatic behaviour. While...Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been publicly rebuked by his new allies in the United Arab Emirates for using their relationship for electioneering. The UAE is also said to have postponed a summit between the two nations and the United States as a protest against what they regarded as his undiplomatic behaviour. While...Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been publicly rebuked by his new allies in the United Arab Emirates for using...
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Dismay as Turkey pulls out of accord to protect women
newEurope and the US have denounced Ankara for pulling out of an international accord to protect women with the US president calling it “disheartening”. Turkey, where killings of women have surged in recent years, signed the Istanbul Convention, a Council of Europe agreement to prevent, prosecute and eliminate domestic...Europe and the US have denounced Ankara for pulling out of an international accord to protect...Europe and the US have denounced Ankara for pulling out of an international accord to protect...
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from our correspondent
Night harvest that produces a dessert wine fit for Napoleon
Corruption scandal claims Merkel ally
A procurement scandal embroiling Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union has claimed a new victim as her alliance...A procurement scandal embroiling Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union has claimed a new...A procurement scandal embroiling Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union has claimed a new...
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Target of murdered journalist charged
A former government official in Malta has been charged with money laundering and fraud, five years after the murdered...A former government official in Malta has been charged with money laundering and fraud, five...A former government official in Malta has been charged with money laundering and fraud, five...
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Britain down to its last coal power station
Britain will have only one power station still burning coal by the end of next year under plans by EDF to close its West Burton A plant. The French energy giant is expected to confirm this week that it will shut the Nottinghamshire power station by September 2022 at the latest after more than half a century of operations. Unions have been informed before a formal...Britain will have only one power station still burning coal by the end of next year under plans...Britain will have only one power station still burning coal by the end of next year under plans...
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Credit Suisse under fire for marketing Greensill funds as low risk
Credit Suisse marketed $10 billion of supply chain funds backed by the bankrupt Greensill Capital as its safest...Credit Suisse marketed $10 billion of supply chain funds backed by the bankrupt Greensill Capital as its safest possible investment class, raising questions about the due diligence that the wealth manager undertook. More than a thousand professional investors, from high net worth individuals to corporates, are now...Credit Suisse marketed $10 billion of supply chain funds backed by the bankrupt Greensill Capital as its safest possible...
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morning briefing
Float puts £8.8bn price tag on Deliveroo
newGood morning: The takeaway delivery company Deliveroo is to list its shares at between £3.90 and £4.60 per share...Good morning: The takeaway delivery company Deliveroo is to list its shares at between £3.90 and...Good morning: The takeaway delivery company Deliveroo is to list its shares at between £3.90 and...
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comment
If we want stability and growth, we need to take devolution much more seriously
If you have only just recovered from the mixture of tedium and trauma associated with the UK’s exit from the European...If you have only just recovered from the mixture of tedium and trauma associated with the UK’s...If you have only just recovered from the mixture of tedium and trauma associated with the UK’s...
Read the full storyworking life
Seaweed farming creates a climate for coastal revival
As a young man Wave Crookes did what men in Scarborough have done for generations: he fished for haddock and cod. His first outing in a trawler was at the age of eight and many followed in school holidays. After leaving school he became a...As a young man Wave Crookes did what men in Scarborough have done for generations: he fished for...As a young man Wave Crookes did what men in Scarborough have done for generations: he fished for...
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Volcano insurance will fund rescues
A charity is insuring against volcanoes erupting near towns and cities as a way to finance emergency aid. The Danish Red Cross is spending $150,000 a year in an arrangement that will pay out an instant $3 million if any of ten volcanoes produce a...A charity is insuring against volcanoes erupting near towns and cities as a way to finance...A charity is insuring against volcanoes erupting near towns and cities as a way to finance...
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comment
Fintech is not a sound foundation on which to build jobs and prosperity
Rishi Sunak has been crystal clear that his current No 1 priority is job creation. It is with this objective in mind...Rishi Sunak has been crystal clear that his current No 1 priority is job creation. It is with...Rishi Sunak has been crystal clear that his current No 1 priority is job creation. It is with...
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need to know
Your three-minute digest
1 Adapting homes to meet the UK’s climate targets will be far more expensive than the government has claimed and...1 Adapting homes to meet the UK’s climate targets will be far more expensive than the government...1 Adapting homes to meet the UK’s climate targets will be far more expensive than the government...
Read the full storyCastore tees up Masters champion
The British premium sportswear brand Castore is taking a swing at the US by signing the professional golfer Patrick Reed as its latest ambassador to propel it towards £100 million of sales and a future stock market listing. The brand was set up in...The British premium sportswear brand Castore is taking a swing at the US by signing the...The British premium sportswear brand Castore is taking a swing at the US by signing the...
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six nations
Jones deal has break clause as his England future hangs in the balance
The Rugby Football Union will decide whether to trigger a break clause in Eddie Jones’s contract when it launches a review into England’s dismal Six Nations campaign. Jones, the head coach, admitted that it was “unacceptable” for England to finish fifth, after losing to Scotland, Wales and...The Rugby Football Union will decide whether to trigger a break clause in Eddie Jones’s contract when it launches a review into England’s dismal Six Nations campaign. Jones, the head coach, admitted that it was “unacceptable” for England to finish fifth, after losing to Scotland, Wales and...The Rugby Football Union will decide whether to trigger a break clause in Eddie Jones’s contract when it launches a review into...
Read the full storysix nations | Alex Lowe
Familiar defensive failings and creaky scrum – where it went wrong for England
newLineout defence
For the second game running, England’s defence was exposed from a first-phase strike move launched by a long lineout throw over the top. France pieced together a beautiful attack with Damien Penaud scoring in the corner. Laurent Labit, their attack coach, subsequently revealed that France had spotted weaknesses in...Lineout defence
For the second game running, England’s defence was exposed from a first-phase strike move launched by a long lineout throw over the top. France pieced together a beautiful attack with Damien Penaud scoring in the corner. Laurent Labit, their attack coach, subsequently revealed that France had spotted weaknesses in...Lineout defence
For the second game running, England’s defence was exposed from a first-phase strike move launched by a...
rugby union | sam warburton
Rees-Zammit can start for Lions with Owens as captain of Test side
It was a crazy night in Paris, and it would be naive to rely solely on the weekend’s games when trying to select a British & Irish Lions Test team to face South Africa this summer, but I do think there were some significant moments that will have made Warren Gatland sit up and take notice. Take the try that...It was a crazy night in Paris, and it would be naive to rely solely on the weekend’s games when...It was a crazy night in Paris, and it would be naive to rely solely on the weekend’s games when...
Read the full storyfa cup | henry winter
Casual Solskjaer falls into Rodgers’ traps
six nations | Owen Slot
Boom or bust Jones is no longer right man to lead England
It was early April last year when it was announced that Eddie Jones had signed a contract extension with England, the...It was early April last year when it was announced that Eddie Jones had signed a contract...It was early April last year when it was announced that Eddie Jones had signed a contract...
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six nations | stuart barnes
Jones is the Donald Trump of rugby – his out-of-control ego show has England in terminal decline
I don’t know much about the side effects of rat poison, despite Eddie Jones’s erratic claim last week that the rugby...I don’t know much about the side effects of rat poison, despite Eddie Jones’s erratic claim last...I don’t know much about the side effects of rat poison, despite Eddie Jones’s erratic claim last...
Read the full storycricket | mike atherton
England left with questions to answer
India stamped themselves as strong favourites for the World T20 in October, having beaten England comfortably in the end, during a revealing five-match T20 series. Whereas England played the same team in all but one match, when Mark Wood was injured, India were on a fact-finding mission, and they discovered some helpful answers ahead of a tournament during which they...India stamped themselves as strong favourites for the World T20 in October, having beaten England...India stamped themselves as strong favourites for the World T20 in October, having beaten England...
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Cricket
Silverwood: Archer needs break to get elbow fit for big year
Jofra Archer will need to be assessed by medics on his return to the UK after it was confirmed by England that he...Jofra Archer will need to be assessed by medics on his return to the UK after it was confirmed by England that he would miss the three one-day internationals against India and at least some of the Indian Premier League due to his elbow injury. That injury saw him miss both the second and fourth Test matches against...Jofra Archer will need to be assessed by medics on his return to the UK after it was confirmed by England that he would miss...
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premier league
Spurs pull back from precipice
The Journeyman | Gregor Robertson
Cowleys eye play-off push with Portsmouth
football
‘Watershed’ £24m TV deal for Women’s Super League
Women’s football has struck a groundbreaking £24 million deal with Sky Sports and the BBC that is set to make the Women’s Super League the most-watched women’s sport league in the world. The three-year agreement is the first time that the WSL rights have been sold separately to the men’s game. The Times understands that the deal is worth in the region of £8 million per...Women’s football has struck a groundbreaking £24 million deal with Sky Sports and the BBC that is...Women’s football has struck a groundbreaking £24 million deal with Sky Sports and the BBC that is...
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football | Molly Hudson
Chance for Hayes and Chelsea to prove their quality in Europe
If the previous rounds were a tasty appetiser, this week signals the main course of the women’s Champions League.If the previous rounds were a tasty appetiser, this week signals the main course of the women’s Champions League. Just eight clubs are left and almost all could realistically argue they are in it to win it. The remaining English continent are in separate halves of the draw and Chelsea will have been much the happier...If the previous rounds were a tasty appetiser, this week signals the main course of the women’s Champions League. Just eight...
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six nations | Steve James
Wales play waiting game after Paris pain
Six Nations | Alasdair Reid
Townsend may ring changes for Paris match
football| ian hawkey
Portugal squad to defend Euros far stronger than the one that won it
They were already the underdogs, their star-studded opponents were at home, and, much as they had earned respect for...They were already the underdogs, their star-studded opponents were at home, and, much as they had...They were already the underdogs, their star-studded opponents were at home, and, much as they had...
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premier league | tony cascarino
Weekend talking points: Europa League football would destroy West Ham
Some English teams can handle the Europa League. Clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United who have deep squads, with...Some English teams can handle the Europa League. Clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United who...Some English teams can handle the Europa League. Clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United who...
Read the full storyFootball | Bill Edgar
Game in numbers: Bill Edgar on Manchester City’s cup feast and the second-tier famine
Cup kings City
Manchester City have hit 99 cup goals since Crystal Palace last scored one (in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League). Those goals have come since March 2019 — Palace are the first top-flight side not to have scored in...Cup kings City
Manchester City have hit 99 cup goals since Crystal Palace last scored one (in...Cup kings City
Manchester City have hit 99 cup goals since Crystal Palace last scored one (in...
premier league
Mourinho: Shame spurred players
Premier League
Arteta: Game will give me a few nightmares
premier league
Unflinching Dias is the player of the year
There seemed an obvious flaw in Carlo Ancelotti’s master plan to unsettle Manchester City which, as he even outlined in the match-day programme, would be chiefly based on mustering a threat from set pieces. It was not that Everton were denied so...There seemed an obvious flaw in Carlo Ancelotti’s master plan to unsettle Manchester City which...There seemed an obvious flaw in Carlo Ancelotti’s master plan to unsettle Manchester City which...
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Premier League
‘We want to be Champions League on and off the field’
Premier League
Bruce safe despite fury of supporters’ groups
rugby union
TMO (The Monday Overview): Muir and McConnochie profit in Watson’s absence
Five wins in their last six and suddenly Bath are just eight points shy of the top four. Inspired by their sevens import wings, Will Muir and Ruaridh McConnochie, they thrashed Worcester 47-22 at The Rec on Saturday following a ruthless first-half...Five wins in their last six and suddenly Bath are just eight points shy of the top four. Inspired...Five wins in their last six and suddenly Bath are just eight points shy of the top four. Inspired...
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Why 1.4 million people want Emily Morse’s sex advice
Stuck at home, people have turned to the sex adviser for tips on one of the few activities still allowed. It beats cooking masterclasses, she explains
ENVIRONMENT
The best eco-aware TV and films to watch now
Times critics pick environmental works that have made a difference
Matt Baker on the call that summoned him back to the family farm
When his mother was trampled by a sheep, the Countryfile presenter (and former One Show star) returned to his roots, he explains
ASK PROFESSOR TANYA BYRON
I’m 91 and my family visit out of duty. How can I be more fun for them?
LIFE
A fraternal rift? I haven’t spoken to my brother in years
Talks between William and Harry have not been ‘productive’. At least they talked, says one writer
A LIFE IN THE DAY
Orlando Bloom on life with Katy Perry and their new baby, Daisy
KEVIN MAHER
What do you mean, my use of capital letters is too AGGRESSIVE???
What????? What’s wrong with extra question marks???? A lot, it transpires, according to a judge in a recent...What????? What’s wrong with extra question marks???? A lot, it transpires, according to a judge...What????? What’s wrong with extra question marks???? A lot, it transpires, according to a judge...
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The lowdown: Aidan Turner as Leonardo da Vinci
Poldark fans, prepare yourselves.
Why? It’s back? No, but its star dish is.
What, the Cornish pasty? No! Aidan Turner!
...Poldark fans, prepare yourselves.
Why? It’s back? No, but its star dish is.
What, the Cornish...Poldark fans, prepare yourselves.
Why? It’s back? No, but its star dish is.
What, the Cornish...
TELEVISION
Midsomer Murders — death by honeybee, now that’s a sticky end
Midsomer Murders
ITV
★★★☆☆ While some of you were earnestly poring over Line of Duty’s fiendish maze of acronyms and misdirections on BBC1 last night the rest of us (let’s call ourselves the fun kids) were frolicking in the English sun with...Midsomer Murders
ITV
★★★☆☆ While some of you were earnestly poring over Line of Duty’s...Midsomer Murders
ITV
★★★☆☆ While some of you were earnestly poring over Line of Duty’s...
FIRST NIGHT | CONCERT
London Contemporary Orchestra / Ames — full marks for performance, zero for context
FIRST NIGHT | THEATRE
Assembly — this global warming experiment left me cold
FIRST NIGHT | OPERA
L’Heure espagnole — Ravel meets Fleabag in Kensington
FIRST NIGHT | CONCERT
Hallé/Elder — poised Beethoven from Isata Kanneh-Mason
★★★★☆
A Serenade ushered in this concert with warmth and ease. True, Strauss’s Serenade for 13 wind instruments isn’t the top flight of his output — he later dismissed it as “nothing more than the respectable work of a music student” — but it has...★★★★☆
A Serenade ushered in this concert with warmth and ease. True, Strauss’s Serenade for...★★★★☆
A Serenade ushered in this concert with warmth and ease. True, Strauss’s Serenade for...
FAME AND FORTUNE
‘I had some Banksys. My art collection was probably worth £50k’
STAYING IN
The best live arts to stream this week
Dance: The Dream
Frederick Ashton’s delightful 1964 creation for the Royal Ballet is a poetic one-act distillation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It features some of Ashton’s most luminous classical writing and some of his...Dance: The Dream
Frederick Ashton’s delightful 1964 creation for the Royal Ballet is a...Dance: The Dream
Frederick Ashton’s delightful 1964 creation for the Royal Ballet is a...
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on TV and radio tonight
STAYING IN
What to watch on Netflix, BBC, Sky and Amazon now
This list is geared towards the best box sets and streamed programmes recently available for you to watch on demand...This list is geared towards the best box sets and streamed programmes recently available for you...This list is geared towards the best box sets and streamed programmes recently available for you...
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MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
1 In the US, which Scottish chef has hosted the Fox TV shows Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and MasterChef? 2...1 In the US, which Scottish chef has hosted the Fox TV shows Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen...1 In the US, which Scottish chef has hosted the Fox TV shows Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen...
Read the full storyOBITUARY
Peter Lorimer
Scottish footballer who was renowned for having the hardest shot in game and helped Leeds United become the best team in the land
He was a goalkeeper’s nightmare. The keeper might see, in the distance, the ball being slipped to Peter Lorimer as he lurked some way outside the penalty area. He might also see desperate defenders rushing forwards, sensing the danger, to try to close Lorimer down. Yet it was often too late. By then the player variously nicknamed Lorimer the Lash, Hot Shot and...He was a goalkeeper’s nightmare. The keeper might see, in the distance, the ball being slipped to...He was a goalkeeper’s nightmare. The keeper might see, in the distance, the ball being slipped to...
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obituary
Elsa Peretti
The chapels beneath Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini are crammed, floor to ceiling, with the bones of...The chapels beneath Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini are crammed, floor to ceiling, with the bones of Capuchin friars. For the young Elsa Peretti, the skeletal remains were irresistible. No trip to the church in central Rome was complete unless she picked up an illicit souvenir, much to the chagrin of her...The chapels beneath Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini are crammed, floor to ceiling, with the bones of Capuchin friars.
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obituary
John Theocharis
from the archive
Rush to the Continent for Easter
obituary
Lionel Fry
For three years prior to his assassination, the French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat spent most of his time in the...For three years prior to his assassination, the French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat spent most...For three years prior to his assassination, the French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat spent most...
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law report
Wording on sexual offences policy not unlawful
Court of Appeal
Published March 22, 2021
Regina (End Violence Against Women Coalition) v Director of...Court of Appeal
Published March 22, 2021
Regina (End Violence Against Women Coalition) v...Court of Appeal
Published March 22, 2021
Regina (End Violence Against Women Coalition) v...
weather eye
Train line ran into trouble during surprise spring blizzard
A disused railway line between Exeter and Okehampton will reopen for passenger services for the first time in 50 years, since the route was closed in the Beeching cuts. It was part of the Dartmoor railway line built in the 1860s that originally...A disused railway line between Exeter and Okehampton will reopen for passenger services for the...A disused railway line between Exeter and Okehampton will reopen for passenger services for the...
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Allies rally around Sturgeon before pivotal Salmond verdict
A report likely to determine Nicola Sturgeon’s fate as first minister is expected to be published today as allies reject claims that Alex Salmond’s “impropriety” towards women was an open secret when he was first minister. James Hamilton QC, a former director of public prosecutions in Ireland...A report likely to determine Nicola Sturgeon’s fate as first minister is expected to be published today as allies reject claims that Alex Salmond’s “impropriety” towards women was an open secret when he was first minister. James Hamilton QC, a former director of public prosecutions in Ireland...A report likely to determine Nicola Sturgeon’s fate as first minister is expected to be published today as allies reject claims...
Read the full storyFirst minister ignored party bullies, says former MSP
A former SNP MSP claims that she was sidelined by Nicola Sturgeon for speaking out against male bullying in the party more than 20 years ago. Dorothy-Grace Elder resigned from the party in 2002 after making claims of “stupid, arrogant and bullying behaviour” within the SNP and a series of spats with the party leadership. Writing in The...A former SNP MSP claims that she was sidelined by Nicola Sturgeon for speaking out against male bullying in the party more than 20 years ago. Dorothy-Grace Elder resigned from the party in 2002 after making claims of “stupid, arrogant and bullying behaviour” within the SNP and a series of spats with the party leadership. Writing in The...A former SNP MSP claims that she was sidelined by Nicola Sturgeon for speaking out against male bullying in the party more than...
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Henry McLeish: Change election rules to stop SNP dynasty
Henry McLeish has called for Holyrood elections to be reformed to liberate Scotland from the SNP’s “one-party nation”, which he says is too tightly controlled by Nicola Sturgeon. The former Labour first minister, who helped to draft Scotland’s election rules in 1998, said the two-ballot constituency and regional...Henry McLeish has called for Holyrood elections to be reformed to liberate Scotland from the...Henry McLeish has called for Holyrood elections to be reformed to liberate Scotland from the...
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CORONAVIRUS
Hospital puts shielders at greater risk, study finds
Vulnerable people in Scotland who had to shield were six times more likely to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 if they had to attend hospital, researchers have said. Their study discovered that visiting hospital and living with...Vulnerable people in Scotland who had to shield were six times more likely to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 if they had to attend hospital, researchers have said. Their study discovered that visiting hospital and living with...Vulnerable people in Scotland who had to shield were six times more likely to fall seriously ill with Covid-19 if...
Read the full storyFiona Rintoul
Westminster does not understand our country any more
To grasp how much our precious, precious Union means to the Westminster government, watch Dominic Raab squirm under questioning by Lady Hermon in 2019 about whether he had read the Belfast agreement at the Commons Northern...To grasp how much our precious, precious Union means to the Westminster government, watch Dominic Raab squirm under questioning by Lady Hermon in 2019 about whether he had read the Belfast agreement at the Commons Northern...To grasp how much our precious, precious Union means to the Westminster government, watch Dominic Raab squirm under...
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MAGNUS LINKLATER
We must learn from this year of lost schooling
MELANIE REID | NOTEBOOK
The rest of the West has barely had a shot
business
Game duo set up investment arm
Football
Rangers stay unbeaten after deadlock in civilised derby
This had the feel of what Old Firm games might be like if they were drained of their poison and rabid intensity. When the teams were warming up Scott Brown walked purposefully through the centre circle into Rangers’ half and approached Glen Kamara to give him a high five and a little squeeze, a small and human act carrying symbolic importance as an act of solidarity...This had the feel of what Old Firm games might be like if they were drained of their poison and...This had the feel of what Old Firm games might be like if they were drained of their poison and...
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six nations
Scots prepare for real test after rout of feeble Italy
There is a lot to be said for blowing away cobwebs and confidence issues with an easy win against lightweight...There is a lot to be said for blowing away cobwebs and confidence issues with an easy win against lightweight opponents, but this was taking things to extremes. You could hardly fault Scotland for the clinical, record-setting manner of this demolition of Italy, but as a preparation for what they will face in Paris...There is a lot to be said for blowing away cobwebs and confidence issues with an easy win against lightweight opponents, but...
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Football
Gerrard hails Celtic ‘class’
football | Graham Spiers
Captain’s gesture sets the tone for a show of togetherness
The fallout remains from the disgusting, dispiriting events of Ibrox last Thursday evening. Scottish football is...The fallout remains from the disgusting, dispiriting events of Ibrox last Thursday evening.The fallout remains from the disgusting, dispiriting events of Ibrox last Thursday evening.
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Rugby Union
Warriors made to pay for woeful second half
Glasgow suffered defeat in a game that could have settled their hopes of a Heienen Champions Cup place next season...Glasgow suffered defeat in a game that could have settled their hopes of a Heienen Champions Cup...Glasgow suffered defeat in a game that could have settled their hopes of a Heienen Champions Cup...
Read the full storyCORONAVIRUS
Women and elderly ‘face biggest mental strain’
HSE fears psychological toll
A “significant number” of mental health problems will emerge as a result of the pandemic, with women and the elderly most at risk, a new report has found. Increased screen time, excessive online gaming, less exercise and “excessive exposure to media coverage” are some of the triggers for poor mental health arising from the pandemic, according to a HSE report. “While...A “significant number” of mental health problems will emerge as a result of the pandemic, with...A “significant number” of mental health problems will emerge as a result of the pandemic, with...
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Dr Kieran Harkin
To beat Covid there’s one thing we must spread: knowledge
Just over a year ago the pandemic reached Ireland. Since then 4,587 of our citizens have died of the illness and we...Just over a year ago the pandemic reached Ireland. Since then 4,587 of our citizens have died of the illness and we have collectively suffered great social and economic costs. Yet we in Ireland are the lucky ones. We have a vaccination programme up and running, and close to half a million people have received their...Just over a year ago the pandemic reached Ireland. Since then 4,587 of our citizens have died of the illness and we have...
Read the full storyRoadworks challenged over threat to endangered mussels
Legal action will be taken against Galway county council if it continues with a Connemara road upgrade that could destroy the habitat for endangered freshwater pearl mussel, an environmental group has warned. Friends of the...Legal action will be taken against Galway county council if it continues with a Connemara road upgrade that could destroy the habitat for endangered freshwater pearl mussel, an environmental group has warned. Friends of the...Legal action will be taken against Galway county council if it continues with a Connemara road upgrade that could...
Read the full storyCORONAVIRUS
Prison inspections cancelled for rest of the year
The inspection of prisons has been suspended for this year due to Covid-19 but smaller “thematic reviews” will take place instead, the justice minister has confirmed. The Inspector of Prisons is legally obliged to carry out...The inspection of prisons has been suspended for this year due to Covid-19 but smaller “thematic reviews” will take place instead, the justice minister has confirmed. The Inspector of Prisons is legally obliged to carry out...The inspection of prisons has been suspended for this year due to Covid-19 but smaller “thematic reviews” will take...
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Keeper to save Ireland squad from strain of social media
Stephen Kenny has enlisted the services of a former international goalkeeper to help his players cope mentally with the perils of social media. David Forde, who played 24 times for Ireland between 2011 and 2016, established the wellness business...Stephen Kenny has enlisted the services of a former international goalkeeper to help his players...Stephen Kenny has enlisted the services of a former international goalkeeper to help his players...
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Comment
Student puritans play into the Tories’ hands
Trevor Phillips
Labour will slip further into irrelevancy if it is seen to be aligned with a childish brand of anti-British identity politics
Libby Purves
Exodus to countryside can’t be built on cars
Emma Duncan
It’s time for companies to park the Covid excuse
Alex Massie
A diminished Sturgeon is all Johnson needs
Tanya Byron
Our weak tech laws have made children easy prey for abuse
Leading Articles
Brussels Spouts
Threats by EU leaders to block vaccine exports and seize factories are reckless and short-sighted. Governments should be working together to boost global production
War and Peace
Ten years after the civil war erupted, Syria is in ruins and limbo
Raptor Attention
Livestreams of peregrine falcons are drawing global audiences
Readers' poll
Should hereditary peers lose the right to vote in the House of Lords?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Everard’s death and male attitudes to women
Sir, I found Matthew Parris’s article quite disheartening (“Men share the pain over Everard’s death”, Comment, Mar 20). Women know that not all men harass, abuse and attack us but a number of men do, I suspect rather more than he would like to admit.Sir, I found Matthew Parris’s article quite disheartening (“Men share the pain over Everard’s...Sir, I found Matthew Parris’s article quite disheartening (“Men share the pain over Everard’s...
Read the full storyred box | Nicole Jacobs
A chance for ministers to do more to help domestic abuse victims
red box | James Heappey
Britain’s armed forces must be ready to fight cyberwars
red box | James Johnson
Why a Brexit by-election won’t work for the Tories
red box | Marie van der Zyl
MPs must do the right thing for Uighurs
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Ministry of Defence publishes its Defence Command Paper, a five-year plan for the armed forces; Guernsey removes nearly all Covid-19 restrictions, with the full reopening of pubs, restaurants and shops without need for social distancing.
Belgium: Fifth anniversary of Belgium’s deadliest terror attacks, when three Islamic State suicide bombers killed 35 people and injured more than 300 at Brussels Airport and a metro station.
Kosovo: Parliament meets for the first time following elections on February 14.
Italy: Amazon workers begin a 24-strike over working conditions at the e-commerce giant.
On this day
In 1933 the Dachau concentration camp near Munich, a former First World War munitions factory, opened. Its first detainees were mostly communists and socialists; in 1945 the Arab League was founded in Cairo at a meeting attended by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan and Yemen; in 1979 Sir Richard Sykes, the UK ambassador to the Netherlands, was shot dead outside his Dutch residence with Karel Straub, his footman. The two gunmen were later revealed as IRA members; in 1993 the first Intel Pentium computer microprocessor, able to perform 100 million instructions a second, was released; in 2018 Gareth Bale became Wales’ top scorer by hitting a hat-trick past China in a 6-0 victory. The match saw Bale’s goal total reach 29, beating the previous record holder Ian Rush.
Nature notes
Goosegrass is one of the first annual weeds to really get going in spring, aided by the fact that it is frost-hardy and unbothered by floods or waterlogged soil. Also known as cleavers, sticklejack or catchweed for the way its hairy stems, leaves and burrs cleave to any passing clothes or fur, its stems also stick to themselves and resist flattening, and so were once dried and used to stuff mattresses. Along with nettles and docks, goosegrass is an indicator of excess soil nutrients, and today it can often be found rioting along the margins of fields where fertiliser has been applied, out-competing more delicate wildflowers that would otherwise grow there.
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Arron Banks, co-founder of the Leave.EU campaign, 55; George Benson, guitarist and songwriter, Breezin’ (1976), 78; May Britt, actress, The Young Lions (1958), The Hunters (1958), 87; Lord (Des) Browne of Ladyton, secretary of state for defence (2006-08), 69; Baroness (Deborah) Bull, vice-president and vice-principal (London), King’s College London, principal dancer, Royal Ballet (1992-2001), 58; Robert Halfon, Conservative MP for Harlow, chairman, Commons education select committee, apprenticeships and skills minister (2016-17), deputy chairman of the Conservative Party (2015-16), 52; Major-General Buster Howes, chief executive, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, head of British defence staff, Washington (2012-15), 61; Ray Huggins, academy sergeant-major, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (1970-80), now a Chelsea Pensioner, 93; David Jones, Conservative MP for Clwyd West, Brexit minister (2016-17), secretary of state for Wales (2012-14), 69; Yayoi Kusama, contemporary artist, 92; Beverley Knight, soul singer, Shoulda Woulda Coulda (2002), 48; Stephen Lambert, TV producer, The Secret Millionaire, Gogglebox, 62; Lord (Andrew) Lloyd-Webber, composer, Evita (1978), 73; Matthew Modine, actor, Full Metal Jacket (1987), 62; Baroness (Helena) Morrissey, chairwoman-designate, AJ Bell, founder of the 30% Club, which campaigns for more women in top jobs, 55; Alan Opie, baritone, 76; James Patterson, author, Along Came a Spider (1993), 74; Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, chief of the air staff (2013-16), 63; Max Richter, pianist and composer, Sleep (2015), 55; Mick Schumacher, racing driver for the Haas Formula One team, 22; William Shatner, actor, Star Trek (1966-94), 90; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist, West Side Story (1958), and composer, 91; Lord (Leslie) Turnberg, president, the Royal College of Physicians (1992-97), 87; Roger Whittaker, singer, Durham Town (The Leavin’) (1969), 85; Reese Witherspoon, actress, Walk the Line (2005), Big Little Lies (2017-19), 45.