Independent review calls for above-inflation boost
newMillions of public sector workers including teachers and nurses should be given above-inflation pay rises, ministers have been told in a move that will put significant pressure on public finances and could lead to clashes with unions. The Times has been told that independent pay review bodies...Millions of public sector workers including teachers and nurses should be given above-inflation pay rises, ministers have been told in a move that will put significant pressure on public finances and could lead to clashes with unions. The Times has been told that independent pay review bodies...Millions of public sector workers including teachers and nurses should be given above-inflation pay rises, ministers have been...
in depth
In the ornately manicured Italian gardens of Blenheim Palace on Thursday afternoon there were two people of interest to the gathered European leaders. The first, as he is at every summit, was the Ukrainian leader President Zelensky. The second was the summit’s host and newly minted prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer. “When you watch these...In the ornately manicured Italian gardens of Blenheim Palace on Thursday afternoon there were two people of interest to the gathered European leaders. The first, as he is at every summit, was the Ukrainian leader President Zelensky. The second was the summit’s host and newly minted prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer. “When you watch these...In the ornately manicured Italian gardens of Blenheim Palace on Thursday afternoon there were two people of interest to the...
As the red-brick streets of Harehills in Leeds sweltered under the hottest day of the year so far, residents gathered around the charred carcass of a bus. Less than 24 hours earlier the street had been lit up by flames from the vehicle, after it was set on fire by protesters in a night of chaos which saw police cars...As the red-brick streets of Harehills in Leeds sweltered under the hottest day of the year so far...As the red-brick streets of Harehills in Leeds sweltered under the hottest day of the year so far...
it outage | explainer
President Biden’s family members are said to have held discussions about if and how he could withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, as Democrats say he faces a crucial weekend window to make a decision. Biden’s inner circle has gamed out a “carefully calculated” plan for ending the campaign that is on the president’s terms and “worthy” of his political legacy...President Biden’s family members are said to have held discussions about if and how he could...President Biden’s family members are said to have held discussions about if and how he could...
President Biden said he was looking forward to getting “back on the campaign trail” as he sought to dampen reports of...President Biden said he was looking forward to getting “back on the campaign trail” as he sought to dampen reports of his imminent exit from the presidential race. The president, who is isolating with Covid-19 at his Delaware beach house, released a statement on Friday saying he would be out speaking to voters next...President Biden said he was looking forward to getting “back on the campaign trail” as he sought to dampen reports of his...
fame and fortune
The 400m runner Iwan Thomas was born in the London borough of Bromley to Welsh parents. As a boy he was a BMX...The 400m runner Iwan Thomas was born in the London borough of Bromley to Welsh parents. As a boy...The 400m runner Iwan Thomas was born in the London borough of Bromley to Welsh parents. As a boy...
More than 400 people have died at the hands of Dr Ellen Wiebe. Many were elderly, others were terminally sick and out...More than 400 people have died at the hands of Dr Ellen Wiebe. Many were elderly, others were...More than 400 people have died at the hands of Dr Ellen Wiebe. Many were elderly, others were...
Security checks are under way at a luxury eco-resort in Samoa, which is expected to host the King and Queen during their visit in October. During the King’s Speech at the opening of parliament on Wednesday, Charles said: “The Queen and I look...Security checks are under way at a luxury eco-resort in Samoa, which is expected to host the King...Security checks are under way at a luxury eco-resort in Samoa, which is expected to host the King...
Starmer hopes to use the EPC summit to build a consensus around a common European approach to migration
Olympic relays may not begin until next week, but the starting pistol has already been fired on fashion’s latest athletic look. And those who follow trends at a competitive level have placed their bets on retro running shorts. Skimpy, lightweight...Olympic relays may not begin until next week, but the starting pistol has already been fired on...Olympic relays may not begin until next week, but the starting pistol has already been fired on...
dispatch
When they returned home after the war, the farmers in Bolan had little chance to enjoy their country’s new-found peace. Despite the silence of the guns, the war still reached out to kill them. Some died in the yards of their family compounds, shredded by the bombs beneath their feet; others were...When they returned home after the war, the farmers in Bolan had little chance to enjoy their country’s new-found peace. Despite the silence of the guns, the war still reached out to kill them. Some died in the yards of their family compounds, shredded by the bombs beneath their feet; others were...When they returned home after the war, the farmers in Bolan had little chance to enjoy their country’s new-found peace. Despite...
video
Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and must end, the United Nation’s top court has ruled in a landmark judgment. The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel has abused its status as the occupying power in the West Bank and East Jerusalem with policies amounting to permanent annexation, including the...Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and must end, the United Nation’s top court has ruled in a landmark judgment. The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel has abused its status as the occupying power in the West Bank and East Jerusalem with policies amounting to permanent annexation, including the...Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and must end, the United Nation’s top court has ruled in a...
dispatch
Near one end of McKinley Street in Middletown, Ohio, there is a small grey-blue house with a porch where an old lady with the personality of a firecracker used to shout orders at her grandchildren playing in the park across the road. “Oh my God I was scared of her,” said Ann Everett, who used to play in the park too.Near one end of McKinley Street in Middletown, Ohio, there is a small grey-blue house with a...Near one end of McKinley Street in Middletown, Ohio, there is a small grey-blue house with a...
A long way from Ohio and Washington DC, near the waters of the Bay of Bengal in south India, lives the last tenuous...A long way from Ohio and Washington DC, near the waters of the Bay of Bengal in south India...A long way from Ohio and Washington DC, near the waters of the Bay of Bengal in south India...
Germany’s culture minister has been accused of sacrilege for suggesting that the annual Bayreuth Festival, a place of...Germany’s culture minister has been accused of sacrilege for suggesting that the annual Bayreuth...Germany’s culture minister has been accused of sacrilege for suggesting that the annual Bayreuth...
video
A court in Russia has found the American reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage in a case that his colleagues and the US government have denounced as fabricated. He was sentenced to 16 years in jail, with judge Andrei Mineyev saying the...A court in Russia has found the American reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage in a case...A court in Russia has found the American reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage in a case...
video
Donald Trump spoke at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as he formally accepted the party’s nomination for president. He recounted the attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally last Saturday and outlined his priorities...Donald Trump spoke at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as he formally...Donald Trump spoke at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as he formally...
The struggling Belfast-based shipbuilder Harland & Wolff has overhauled its board, fast-tracked emergency talks with its main lender and appointed Rothschild as an adviser after the government rejected a £200 million loan guarantee. Amid mounting concern over the future of the company and its...The struggling Belfast-based shipbuilder Harland & Wolff has overhauled its board, fast-tracked emergency talks with its main lender and appointed Rothschild as an adviser after the government rejected a £200 million loan guarantee. Amid mounting concern over the future of the company and its...The struggling Belfast-based shipbuilder Harland & Wolff has overhauled its board, fast-tracked emergency talks with its main...
China has singled out three European producers for its anti-dumping investigation into European Union pork imports. It comes as part of an inquiry widely seen as a tit-for-tat exchange over the EU’s own anti-dumping measures against imports of Chinese electric vehicles. China is the world’s biggest consumer of pork products and imported...China has singled out three European producers for its anti-dumping investigation into European Union pork imports. It comes as part of an inquiry widely seen as a tit-for-tat exchange over the EU’s own anti-dumping measures against imports of Chinese electric vehicles. China is the world’s biggest consumer of pork products and imported...China has singled out three European producers for its anti-dumping investigation into European Union pork imports. It comes as...
Wowcher has agreed to refund £4 million to customers and has promised to abandon some of its high-pressure marketing techniques after moves by the consumer watchdog against “sneaky sales tactics” by some companies. The online deals platform has given undertakings to the Competition and Markets Authority to stop...Wowcher has agreed to refund £4 million to customers and has promised to abandon some of its...Wowcher has agreed to refund £4 million to customers and has promised to abandon some of its...
lunch with the times
market report
The City and the London stock market could not escape the shockwaves from a global technology outage that paralysed...The City and the London stock market could not escape the shockwaves from a global technology...The City and the London stock market could not escape the shockwaves from a global technology...
dominic o’connell
There was nothing quite as cringeworthy as the Conservatives’ desire to stick “Great British” in front of every new...There was nothing quite as cringeworthy as the Conservatives’ desire to stick “Great British” in...There was nothing quite as cringeworthy as the Conservatives’ desire to stick “Great British” in...
It is 7.30am on Fifth Avenue and a vast Starbucks occupying a corner of the Empire State Building in New York is attracting a trickle of commuters and tourists. Vlad, 37, who works for a technology company, has been waiting several minutes for a...It is 7.30am on Fifth Avenue and a vast Starbucks occupying a corner of the Empire State Building...It is 7.30am on Fifth Avenue and a vast Starbucks occupying a corner of the Empire State Building...
HARRY WALLOP
Sir Jack Petchey, the businessman and investor who died in June aged 98, received, quite rightly, a full-page...Sir Jack Petchey, the businessman and investor who died in June aged 98, received, quite rightly...Sir Jack Petchey, the businessman and investor who died in June aged 98, received, quite rightly...
business commentary
Three conclusions can be gleaned from the latest official pay and employment statistics. The first is that while the...Three conclusions can be gleaned from the latest official pay and employment statistics. The...Three conclusions can be gleaned from the latest official pay and employment statistics. The...
tempus
Rotork is among the most widely respected names in British industry. The engineering business, founded in 1957 and...Rotork is among the most widely respected names in British industry. The engineering business...Rotork is among the most widely respected names in British industry. The engineering business...
Banks and other financial services firms have been ordered to improve their treatment of politically sensitive...Banks and other financial services firms have been ordered to improve their treatment of...Banks and other financial services firms have been ordered to improve their treatment of...
RECRUITMENT
The new Labour government has pledged to recruit 6,500 expert teachers in “key subjects to set children up for life, work and the future”, promising £350 million in funding to achieve the aim. While shortages of physics, computing and languages teachers have been well documented, it is religious education that is facing the biggest skills gap. Despite RE being...The new Labour government has pledged to recruit 6,500 expert teachers in “key subjects to set...The new Labour government has pledged to recruit 6,500 expert teachers in “key subjects to set...
six from the best
As Deutsche Bank learning and development manager, Andy Ward focuses on technology and engineering training. However...As Deutsche Bank learning and development manager, Andy Ward focuses on technology and engineering training. However, following lived experience of mental ill health, he set about transforming how mental health is supported and is now a non-executive director at MHFA England and the founding chairman of the...As Deutsche Bank learning and development manager, Andy Ward focuses on technology and engineering training. However, following...
the open | Rick Broadbent
Down by the railroad tracks, with the Glasgow-Ayr service providing an unusual refrain to the Open, Shane Lowry had temporarily lost his cool or, as he put it, “I lost my train of thought.” He said that was not a joke, but was then asked if he was a good front-runner. “I wouldn’t say I’m a good runner,” he quipped. Anyone who could retain their sense of humour on a day...Down by the railroad tracks, with the Glasgow-Ayr service providing an unusual refrain to the...Down by the railroad tracks, with the Glasgow-Ayr service providing an unusual refrain to the...
Mike Atherton
For the previous dozen years at home, England captains had been fortunate to call upon one and usually two of the...For the previous dozen years at home, England captains had been fortunate to call upon one and usually two of the greatest seam and swing bowlers produced by this country. Not since 2012, when James Anderson and Stuart Broad were rested at Edgbaston against their wishes, had England taken the field at home without...For the previous dozen years at home, England captains had been fortunate to call upon one and usually two of the greatest seam...
sam warburton
What is more difficult at the moment, winning in New Zealand or winning in South Africa? That was a question posed to...What is more difficult at the moment, winning in New Zealand or winning in South Africa? That was...What is more difficult at the moment, winning in New Zealand or winning in South Africa? That was...
STEVE JAMES
It was one of those excruciating post mortems after a day’s play where we — the Glamorgan county team, that is — were...It was one of those excruciating post mortems after a day’s play where we — the Glamorgan county...It was one of those excruciating post mortems after a day’s play where we — the Glamorgan county...
stephen jones
England are the champions. They dominated every important phase of play at Cape Town Stadium and in the World Under-20 Championship final the finishing score was grossly unbalanced in the last seconds by a lonely and yet vintage French try, the...England are the champions. They dominated every important phase of play at Cape Town Stadium and...England are the champions. They dominated every important phase of play at Cape Town Stadium and...
olympics | OWEN SLOT
martyn ziegler | sport notebook
the tailender | patrick kidd
Eight hundredths of a second is not very long. Faster than the blink of an eye or the time it takes me to say yes to...Eight hundredths of a second is not very long. Faster than the blink of an eye or the time it...Eight hundredths of a second is not very long. Faster than the blink of an eye or the time it...
West Ham United are keen on signing N’Golo Kanté if the France midfielder decides to leave Saudi Arabia and return to...West Ham United are keen on signing N’Golo Kanté if the France midfielder decides to leave Saudi...West Ham United are keen on signing N’Golo Kanté if the France midfielder decides to leave Saudi...
olympics
Welcome to The Times’s daily guide to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. As athletes from all over the world travel to the French capital to compete in more than 300 events, we take you through the best of the action, with Team GB hoping for a strong showing. With your lunch There is men’s football action two days before the opening ceremony at 2pm. Spain begin their...Welcome to The Times’s daily guide to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. As athletes from all over...Welcome to The Times’s daily guide to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. As athletes from all over...
olympics
For the world’s best time-trial cyclists waiting on the Olympic starting ramp on the Esplanade des Invalides next...For the world’s best time-trial cyclists waiting on the Olympic starting ramp on the Esplanade des Invalides next Saturday, the flat 32.4km journey ahead of them is a potential road to gold and glory. Some have ambitions for a medal; for a few of the 35 contenders, only the Olympic title will be good enough. For one...For the world’s best time-trial cyclists waiting on the Olympic starting ramp on the Esplanade des Invalides next Saturday, the...
The superhero studio had been all-conquering at the box office for 15 years until its recent string of duds. Now cinema must reinvent itself without its spandex saviours
The queen of sad ballads has announced she is stepping off the treadmill after her Munich and Las Vegas mega-residencies
HUGO RIFKIND
Anthony Hopkins’s real rival in Those About to Die is a spectacular ancient Rome brought to life by special effects
first person
It’s time to stop blaming women for not having children before the age of 35 and address the obstacles to parenthood instead, says Kat Brown
COMMENT
The writer of Slave Play was criticised by Rishi Sunak for scheduling performances for black audiences
Recipes
One evening two years ago, the food writer Claire Thomson was in the kitchen of her Bristol home, when her then nine-year-old daughter told her something that would throw most parents in a meat-eating household into a frenzy. She was becoming a vegetarian. She loved animals too much to eat meat. It’s a conversation many parents dread. If you’re in charge of the cooking...One evening two years ago, the food writer Claire Thomson was in the kitchen of her Bristol home...One evening two years ago, the food writer Claire Thomson was in the kitchen of her Bristol home...
jane macquitty
Where in the world, apart from northern Portugal’s Minho, can you find a crisp, dry, characterful, lower alcohol...Where in the world, apart from northern Portugal’s Minho, can you find a crisp, dry, characterful, lower alcohol, aromatic, spritzy white like vinho verde, made from a host of indigenous grapes? The answer is nowhere: the damp, green Minho’s thrilling, sparky vinho verde (literally “green wine”) is unique. The good...Where in the world, apart from northern Portugal’s Minho, can you find a crisp, dry, characterful, lower alcohol, aromatic...
REVIEW | HEALTH
video
review
Natalie Portman is the elegantly dishevelled lead in this crime drama based on a novel by Laura Lippman
review
The Normal People star performs mini miracles in a richly satisfying disaster movie
video
review
In this deft debut inspired by the director’s grandmother, a 93-year-old widow takes on a gang of Los Angeles phone scammers
video
FILM REVIEW
This poignant documentary tells the inside story of the band’s reunion for the biggest gig of their lives
video
Review
Zar Amir Ebrahimi is stunning as an abused wife fleeing an abusive husband
“We are heliophiles,” says the Australian jeweller Lucy Folk, referring to her family’s obsession with the sun. “We wake with the sunrise and eat breakfast on our verandah with the sounds of the birds and the lizards. We invite the outside in, opening all the doors and shutters and letting the breeze from the lake flow through the house.” Unsurprisingly, Folk, 40...“We are heliophiles,” says the Australian jeweller Lucy Folk, referring to her family’s obsession...“We are heliophiles,” says the Australian jeweller Lucy Folk, referring to her family’s obsession...
COMMENT
Squirming in the hard-backed guest chair of an academic’s office with wall-to-ceiling bookshelves I try my best to...Squirming in the hard-backed guest chair of an academic’s office with wall-to-ceiling bookshelves I try my best to remember what happened in the eighth chapter of Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond’s bestselling book on the 13,000-year history of human societies. I’m at the interview that might win me a place...Squirming in the hard-backed guest chair of an academic’s office with wall-to-ceiling bookshelves I try my best to remember...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Revived at the Dorfman in the National Theatre, Katori Hall’s Pulitzer-winning drama about men and cooking tackles weighty themes
FIRST NIGHT Review
After a triumphant Follies, the actor and director Dominic Cooke reunite in this tonic for turbulent times
FIRST NIGHT review
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
What’s it like to be a middle-aged street dancer? We find out in this hugely entertaining show
first night review
As sparks and fireballs strafed the screens and Megan Thee Stallion rose from the O2 stage dissing deadbeat exes at a million raps a minute, this hot girl summer promised to get veritably volcanic. Or at least the Hot Girl Summer Tour, the first headline outing from the fem-rap icon, supporting last month’s third album, Megan. Lacking a swim-up nail bar and mojitos...As sparks and fireballs strafed the screens and Megan Thee Stallion rose from the O2 stage...As sparks and fireballs strafed the screens and Megan Thee Stallion rose from the O2 stage...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
The Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour’s agile new play Echo — co-produced by the London International Festival...The Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour’s agile new play Echo — co-produced by the London International Festival of Theatre — is performed by a different actor, who has never seen the script, each night at the Royal Court in London (the big names coming up include Emilia Clarke, Toby Jones and Meera Syal). But...The Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour’s agile new play Echo — co-produced by the London International Festival of Theatre...
Viewing GUide
fame and fortune
MindGames
1 Epsilon, omicron and upsilon are letters in which alphabet? 2 The makers of the 1981 Italian film The Last Shark...1 Epsilon, omicron and upsilon are letters in which alphabet? 2 The makers of the 1981 Italian...1 Epsilon, omicron and upsilon are letters in which alphabet? 2 The makers of the 1981 Italian...
For the first time in 150 years, the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco is granting guests access to its collection
Why sharing a duvet is like trying to wear the same pair of pyjamas — amusing for about ten minutes but not the route to long-term happiness
The alternative to a grouse shooting weekend is no less enjoyable
From the Hermès AirTag keyring to the Anya Hindmarch washbag plus a handy wireless charger, we’ve got your packing list sorted
Ellie Fennell reports on how the motorsport championship is following in the footsteps of Formula One for fun, glamour and technological advances
video
If you are going to learn how to cook, you may as well learn from the best — and you can’t get better than the Waterside Inn in Bray. Established by the brothers Michel and Albert Roux in 1972 and for the past 22 years under the control of...If you are going to learn how to cook, you may as well learn from the best — and you can’t get...If you are going to learn how to cook, you may as well learn from the best — and you can’t get...
BEST BEACHES 2024
Forget the car and pricey parking. These lovely spots around the country have lashings of charm and great fish suppers — and they’re all an easy walk from a station
A Microsoft IT software issue is causing delays and cancellations of flights and train services. Here’s what you need to know if you’re travelling today
With over 1,000 miles of coastline and 1,244 islands, this is a country that tempts at every turn. Here are the most stylish places to stay
Our writer has the secret to solving the ultimate pre-holiday conundrum — what to take with you and what comforts to leave behind
video
A multi-million pound investment has opened the castle’s medieval tunnels for the first time. We have a sneak peek, staying in its cottages that offer a visit without the crowds
When the tide goes out on the River Thames, pebbled and occasionally even sandy beaches are revealed along its banks.When the tide goes out on the River Thames, pebbled and occasionally even sandy beaches are...When the tide goes out on the River Thames, pebbled and occasionally even sandy beaches are...
Wild swimming might seem particularly in vogue right now, but taking a sea dip has been a popular pastime since...Wild swimming might seem particularly in vogue right now, but taking a sea dip has been a popular...Wild swimming might seem particularly in vogue right now, but taking a sea dip has been a popular...
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
PRAISE the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds...PRAISE the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for...PRAISE the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for...
Buckingham Palace
18th July, 2024 The King this afternoon held a Reception for European Leaders attending the...Buckingham Palace
18th July, 2024 The King this afternoon held a Reception for European...Buckingham Palace
18th July, 2024 The King this afternoon held a Reception for European...
Listed homes are worth 50 per cent more than unlisted ones, but buyers should be aware of the extra costs involved
INTERVIEW
The architect and interior designer on her new London show home, collaborating with female artists and why she doesn’t want to be complacent
We lift the lid on how pianos are taking centre stage in our living rooms, whether you enjoy a good singalong in town or in the country
The new government’s plans include far-reaching consequences for renters, leasehold and planning. Here is what it all means for you
Scottish schoolchildren risk being denied the chance to study maths, Gaelic or business as severe teacher shortages put limits on timetable choices, according to a government report into the state of education. Too many pupils are not experiencing the full range of subjects and experiences they...Scottish schoolchildren risk being denied the chance to study maths, Gaelic or business as severe teacher shortages put limits on timetable choices, according to a government report into the state of education. Too many pupils are not experiencing the full range of subjects and experiences they...Scottish schoolchildren risk being denied the chance to study maths, Gaelic or business as severe teacher shortages put limits...
A former senior Conservative cabinet minister has named Nicola Sturgeon’s ex-chief of staff as the person responsible for leaking a sensitive Scottish government report into sexual harassment allegations against Alex Salmond. Sir David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, used parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons to accuse Liz...A former senior Conservative cabinet minister has named Nicola Sturgeon’s ex-chief of staff as the person responsible for leaking a sensitive Scottish government report into sexual harassment allegations against Alex Salmond. Sir David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, used parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons to accuse Liz...A former senior Conservative cabinet minister has named Nicola Sturgeon’s ex-chief of staff as the person responsible for...
Lesley Christie is having her lunch break on a bench emblazoned with the phrase “I love Clarkston” when I tell her that the council, East Renfrewshire, has been named the best in Scotland. Her facial expression changes, suggesting her love of the local authority may not be strong. “It’s a nice place to live,” she says.Lesley Christie is having her lunch break on a bench emblazoned with the phrase “I love...Lesley Christie is having her lunch break on a bench emblazoned with the phrase “I love...
Joanne Lumsden Lowe and her husband Richard’s marvellously renovated and expanded five-bedroom home in the pretty Highlands gateway town of Callander bears traces of two decades spent living all over the world. In moving to Drummond Lodge three...Joanne Lumsden Lowe and her husband Richard’s marvellously renovated and expanded five-bedroom...Joanne Lumsden Lowe and her husband Richard’s marvellously renovated and expanded five-bedroom...
A baby died earlier this year after contracting whooping cough in Scotland, amid a spike in cases of the illness.A baby died earlier this year after contracting whooping cough in Scotland, amid a spike in cases...A baby died earlier this year after contracting whooping cough in Scotland, amid a spike in cases...
Plans to open a tennis and sports centre to build a lasting legacy for Sir Andy Murray have taken a big step forward...Plans to open a tennis and sports centre to build a lasting legacy for Sir Andy Murray have taken...Plans to open a tennis and sports centre to build a lasting legacy for Sir Andy Murray have taken...
St Andrews may draw the crowds but Crail, just ten miles down the coast, has cinematic beauty, great independent shops and wonderful walks. David McCann and his family check it out
It has just gone 8am and the hushed air around the coast is broken only by the clinking of three creel boats, rocking on the Firth of Forth. My daughter’s pockets are heaving with treasures collected from a shale beach, while my wife dips her toes into the chilly North Sea swash. The Isle of May protrudes on the horizon like a blue whale surfacing for air, while the...It has just gone 8am and the hushed air around the coast is broken only by the clinking of three...It has just gone 8am and the hushed air around the coast is broken only by the clinking of three...
Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll update the list...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll update the list regularly, so make sure you save this page. And please let us know your personal favourites in the comments section below. We’re always looking for new places to eat and drink. We’ve spotted a real feelgood...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll update the list regularly, so...
James Bundy
My first vote was cast in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. As a young Scot, I voted to keep Scotland as...My first vote was cast in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. As a young Scot, I voted to...My first vote was cast in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. As a young Scot, I voted to...
SCOTTISH BUSINESS DIGEST
Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland. 1. The number of...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.
Edinburgh Festival
The Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui is one of Africa’s most important artists and was one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world last year. He describes his latest exhibition, Scottish Mission Book Depot Keta, which is part...The Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui is one of Africa’s most important artists and was one of Time...The Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui is one of Africa’s most important artists and was one of Time...
Comment
Every decision on defence is going to hurt
Max Hastings
In the era of Trump, Keir Starmer’s government faces four huge security challenges — and only tough choices
newjanice turner
Teen voters could kick Labour in the ballot box
newgiles coren
I’ll give treatonomics a Swift swerve, thanks
Ann Treneman | Notebook
Adventures in Tin Town reveal past is long gone
newMatt Chorley
Truss dooms herself as the golden gift to Labour that keeps on giving
weekend Essay
Putin is already at war with Nato – and it’ll soon get worse
Dominic Sandbrook
No wonder circus is finally coming home
ROse Wild | Feedback
This word for wonky comes with a warning
newThere’s a term of abuse that has started appearing in our pages with increasing frequency. We’ve used it recently to...There’s a term of abuse that has started appearing in our pages with increasing frequency. We’ve...There’s a term of abuse that has started appearing in our pages with increasing frequency. We’ve...
John Lewis-Stempel | Nature Notebook
The pale red flower that knows when rain is near
Charles II drolly described the English summer as “three fine days and a thunderstorm”. If you have no great faith in...Charles II drolly described the English summer as “three fine days and a thunderstorm”. If you...Charles II drolly described the English summer as “three fine days and a thunderstorm”. If you...
Leading Articles
Big State Britain
Though Labour has abandoned utopian plans for socialist transformation, the new government still places unreasonable faith in interventions
Show Trial
The conviction of the journalist Evan Gershkovich makes a mockery of justice
Just Stop Offending
Arrogant environmental activists deserve the harsh sentences they received
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Arguments for and against keeping the Lords
Sir, Abolishing the Lords (“How Labour hopes to fix past failures”, Jul 18) would be counterproductive when an appropriate “revising chamber” has a valuable role to play. But as Tom Peck reminds us (Political Sketch, Jul 18), the House of...Sir, Abolishing the Lords (“How Labour hopes to fix past failures”, Jul 18) would...Sir, Abolishing the Lords (“How Labour hopes to fix past failures”, Jul 18) would...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The Welsh parliament rises for summer recess; Royal International Air Tattoo begins at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, until Sunday; BBC Proms eight-week music festival begins at the Royal Albert Hall in London; Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival in Dorset begins, until Sunday, commemorating six farm workers who were tried and deported to Australia for signing an illegal oath in 1834.
On this day
In 1553 Lady Jane Grey, great-granddaughter of Henry VII, was deposed, nine days after agreeing to be queen of England. On February 12, 1554, the teenager was beheaded, on the orders of her cousin, Mary I; in 1877 the first Wimbledon tennis final was played, with the match lasting 48 minutes; in 1919 the yellow jersey first appeared in the Tour de France cycle race, and was worn by Eugène Christophe, who led the general classification until the day before the finish; in 1929 the BBC Children’s Hour radio programme Toytown was first broadcast and its stories repeated until 1963; in 1996 Muhammad Ali, the Olympic gold medallist and former heavyweight boxing champion, lit the flame to open the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia (obituary, June 6, 2016).
Nature notes
When the sun came out, the brimming Liverpool dock was seen to be full of water weed. It was spiked water-milfoil and in the bright light the submerged feathery fronds shone an emerald green. Like all native aquatic weeds, the presence of spiked water-milfoil is not only highly attractive, but reassuring: it fosters biodiversity and helps reduce pollution. Rooted on the bed of slow moving water such as canals, lakes, sluggish rivers, ditches, ponds and even docks, the plant can grow up to 3m long. Its tiny red flowers grow on the small spikes that lift a few centimetres above the surface. The water in this particular Liverpool dock is slightly salty. Spiked water-milfoil can survive in such brackish environments. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Benedict Cumberbatch, actor, The Imitation Game (2014), Sherlock (2010-17), 48; Cyrille Bolloré, chairman and chief executive, Bolloré Group (conglomerate), 39; Dame Evelyn Glennie, percussionist and jewellery designer, 59; Angela Griffin, actress, Coronation Street (1992-98, 2019), Waterloo Road (2006-10, since 2022), 48; Stephen Hill, chairman, Alzheimer’s Society (2016-23), 64; Dame Carole Jordan, astronomer, emeritus professor of physics, University of Oxford, 83; Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv (capital of Ukraine), former world heavyweight boxing champion, 53; Lord (Herbert) Laming, chairman of committees, House of Lords (2015-16), 88; David Lammy, foreign secretary, Labour MP for Tottenham, 52; Bernie Leadon, musician, founding member of the Eagles, Witchy Woman (1972), 77; Sir Brian May, guitarist, Queen, We Will Rock You (1977), and astrophysicist, 77; Ilie Nastase, Romanian tennis player, former world No 1, 78; Prof Sir Nilesh Samani, cardiologist, medical director, British Heart Foundation (2016-23), 68; Howard Schultz, founder, Starbucks (coffeehouse chain), 71; Helen Skelton, television presenter, Blue Peter (2008-13) and Countryfile, 41; Ed Smith, cricketer, England national selector (2018-21) and writer, 47; Alexander Stafford, Conservative MP for Rother Valley (2019-May 2024), Conservative Party vice-chairman (2022-23), 37; Lord (Dennis) Stevenson of Coddenham, chairman, HBOS (2001-09, now part of Lloyds Banking Group), 79; Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (2014-23), 54; Mark Wigglesworth, conductor, music director, English National Opera (2015-16), 60; Mary-Kay Wilmers, editor, London Review of Books (1992-2021, now consulting editor), 86.