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COMMENT | SNAP ELECTION
Theresa May’s strategy makes sense — but election won’t solve much
SNAP ELECTION
In full: Theresa May’s statement
SNAP ELECTION
Markets face biggest drop since Brexit vote
newThe pound jumped to its highest level since December today after Theresa May announced a snap general election. Sterling’s sharp rise dragged down the FTSE 100, the benchmark index of London’s biggest listed companies, which was facing its biggest...The pound jumped to its highest level since December today after Theresa May announced a snap...The pound jumped to its highest level since December today after Theresa May announced a snap...
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Hundreds sue over agonising vaginal mesh implants
Hundreds of women are suing the NHS and the makers of vaginal implants which have left some unable to walk or have sex.Hundreds of women are suing the NHS and the makers of vaginal implants which have left some...Hundreds of women are suing the NHS and the makers of vaginal implants which have left some...
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The Times Diary
A force to be reckoned with
The trailer for the new Star Wars film has just been released. At a fans’ convention on Sunday, Mark Hamill, who...The trailer for the new Star Wars film has just been released. At a fans’ convention on Sunday...The trailer for the new Star Wars film has just been released. At a fans’ convention on Sunday...
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TURKEY AND THE EU
This is the end of democracy, cry protesters as nation splits in two
TURKEY AND THE EU
Fast-track scheme will send home 2,000 from UK each year
turkey and the eu | ANALYSIS
Turks turn towards old lands of the Ottomans
TURKEY AND THE Eu
Next on the president’s agenda
TURKEY AND THE EU
Plea for ‘barista visas’ to keep coffee shops running
VIDEO
Life’s a gas for the lazy giant shipworm
When scientists found the giant shipworm after 250 years of searching, they may for a fleeting instant have wished...When scientists found the giant shipworm after 250 years of searching, they may for a fleeting...When scientists found the giant shipworm after 250 years of searching, they may for a fleeting...
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Police hunt for man seen with missing teenager
Police have released a CCTV image of a man seen with a missing 14-year-old girl in Manchester. Alicia Moran was last...Police have released a CCTV image of a man seen with a missing 14-year-old girl in Manchester.Police have released a CCTV image of a man seen with a missing 14-year-old girl in Manchester.
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Billions in inheritance will skip a generation
Parents in their 40s and 50s are to forgo most of an inherited “wealth mountain” of more than £400 billion and pass it straight on to their children, a study suggests. The “sandwich generation” of 45 to 64-year-olds are more...Parents in their 40s and 50s are to forgo most of an inherited “wealth mountain” of more than £400 billion and pass it straight on to their children, a study suggests. The “sandwich generation” of 45 to 64-year-olds are more...Parents in their 40s and 50s are to forgo most of an inherited “wealth mountain” of more than £400 billion and pass...
Read the full storyVIDEO
Couple told to leave overbooked flight
A British couple were ordered off an overbooked Easyjet flight to Italy without being offered compensation a day after a passenger was dragged from his seat on a United Airlines flight. The two passengers, who have been named...A British couple were ordered off an overbooked Easyjet flight to Italy without being offered compensation a day after a passenger was dragged from his seat on a United Airlines flight. The two passengers, who have been named...A British couple were ordered off an overbooked Easyjet flight to Italy without being offered compensation a day...
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River patrols aim to hook eel smugglers
Extra patrols are being deployed on the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire in an attempt to halt the black...Extra patrols are being deployed on the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire in an...Extra patrols are being deployed on the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire in an...
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Foie gras fury as French told to cull birds
Foie gras producers in France have been ordered to clear their farms of ducks and geese in a bid to curtail an...Foie gras producers in France have been ordered to clear their farms of ducks and geese in a bid...Foie gras producers in France have been ordered to clear their farms of ducks and geese in a bid...
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Drug for alcoholics could treat common tumours
A drug used to stop alcoholics craving a drink could be used to treat a wide range of cancers, scientists believe. The medicine, which causes instant hangovers, has shown early promise against tumours of the pancreas, breast...A drug used to stop alcoholics craving a drink could be used to treat a wide range of cancers, scientists believe. The medicine, which causes instant hangovers, has shown early promise against tumours of the pancreas, breast...A drug used to stop alcoholics craving a drink could be used to treat a wide range of cancers, scientists believe.
Read the full storyCybercrime hits 42% of big business
One in five British businesses has been hacked by cybercriminals in the past year, research has suggested. Larger companies, defined as those with at least 100 staff, are more susceptible to cyberattacks, according to a survey...One in five British businesses has been hacked by cybercriminals in the past year, research has suggested. Larger companies, defined as those with at least 100 staff, are more susceptible to cyberattacks, according to a survey...One in five British businesses has been hacked by cybercriminals in the past year, research has suggested. Larger...
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RED BOX | COMMENT
It is time to make the internet giants meet their responsibility
red box | comment
We must accept that university education isn’t for everyone
GALLERY
War children face starvation in swamp refuge
Brutal civil conflict has pushed South Sudan to the brink of famine
When the villagers started running, Nyalian started running too. She shouted to her children to get out and follow her into the bush as the soldiers began tearing through the huts, firing their guns and setting fire to the thatch. Tabaum, 18, her eldest son, was shot as he tried to hide in the long grass. Tabam, five, and Nial, two, drowned hours later as the people...When the villagers started running, Nyalian started running too. She shouted to her children to...When the villagers started running, Nyalian started running too. She shouted to her children to...
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Analysis
After just six years, dreams of the world’s youngest nation are dying
After Priti Patel, the British international development secretary, declared a genocide in South Sudan during a visit...After Priti Patel, the British international development secretary, declared a genocide in South Sudan during a visit to refugee camps in neighbouring Uganda last week, her undiplomatic language worried other government officials. “There are massacres taking place, people’s throats are being slit . . . villages are...After Priti Patel, the British international development secretary, declared a genocide in South Sudan during a visit to...
Read the full storyUS prefers diplomacy to attacking North Korea
The United States pulled back from the threat of a pre-emptive attack on North Korea today when the vice-president, Mike Pence, assured Japan that President Trump wants to use peaceful means to persuade Kim Jong-un to give up...The United States pulled back from the threat of a pre-emptive attack on North Korea today when the vice-president, Mike Pence, assured Japan that President Trump wants to use peaceful means to persuade Kim Jong-un to give up...The United States pulled back from the threat of a pre-emptive attack on North Korea today when the vice-president...
Read the full storyHalf a million civilians flee fighting in Mosul
Nearly half a million civilians have fled Mosul since the start of the campaign to free the city from Islamic State, new figures show, as the battle becomes bogged down in street-to-street fighting. The Iraqi army has advanced...Nearly half a million civilians have fled Mosul since the start of the campaign to free the city from Islamic State, new figures show, as the battle becomes bogged down in street-to-street fighting. The Iraqi army has advanced...Nearly half a million civilians have fled Mosul since the start of the campaign to free the city from Islamic State...
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Robert Crampton
I like to sunbathe nude, but I don’t live by the Tate
Body & soul
Eating lunch at your desk every day? It’s time to stop
EUROPE ELECTIONS 2017
Macron plays age card as polls give rivals hope
Emmanuel Macron enchanted a packed Paris rock arena yesterday with a lyrical vision of the happy nation that he aims to create as the youngest president of France. Six days before the first round vote, the 39-year-old independent rallied close to...Emmanuel Macron enchanted a packed Paris rock arena yesterday with a lyrical vision of the happy...Emmanuel Macron enchanted a packed Paris rock arena yesterday with a lyrical vision of the happy...
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Action film races into Hollywood records
The eighth instalment of an action film franchise that defied Hollywood tradition has scored the biggest box office...The eighth instalment of an action film franchise that defied Hollywood tradition has scored the...The eighth instalment of an action film franchise that defied Hollywood tradition has scored the...
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news in brief
Five killed in Lidl depot plane crash
Lisbon Five people were killed when a Swiss-registered light aircraft crashed into a Lidl warehouse in Lisbon, Portugal.Lisbon Five people were killed when a Swiss-registered light aircraft crashed into a Lidl...Lisbon Five people were killed when a Swiss-registered light aircraft crashed into a Lidl...
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Russia unveils its giant new Arctic base
Russia has built the biggest manmade structure in the high Arctic to house a military base as part of its attempt to claim swathes of the polar region rich in oil. The Kremlin published the first detailed pictures yesterday of its new Arctic...Russia has built the biggest manmade structure in the high Arctic to house a military base as...Russia has built the biggest manmade structure in the high Arctic to house a military base as...
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Small banks take fight against RBS to Europe
Royal Bank of Scotland’s gambit to sidestep having to sell its Williams & Glyn business is under threat as smaller lenders mount a challenge, arguing that it does not go far enough to address competition concerns. Challenger banks are preparing to write to the European Commission objecting to...Royal Bank of Scotland’s gambit to sidestep having to sell its Williams & Glyn business is under threat as smaller lenders mount a challenge, arguing that it does not go far enough to address competition concerns. Challenger banks are preparing to write to the European Commission objecting to...Royal Bank of Scotland’s gambit to sidestep having to sell its Williams & Glyn business is under threat as smaller lenders...
Read the full storyHigh-cost consumer credit is FCA’s priority
The City watchdog has pledged a further crackdown on high-cost credit as officials make dealing with the financial problems of vulnerable borrowers one of their main priorities for the coming year. The Financial Conduct Authority said this morning that it would launch a series of investigations within the coming months to root out bad...The City watchdog has pledged a further crackdown on high-cost credit as officials make dealing with the financial problems of vulnerable borrowers one of their main priorities for the coming year. The Financial Conduct Authority said this morning that it would launch a series of investigations within the coming months to root out bad...The City watchdog has pledged a further crackdown on high-cost credit as officials make dealing with the financial problems of...
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Weetabix eaten up by American group
Weetabix is to be sold to the American consumer group Post Holdings in a £1.4 billion deal that marks the latest in a string of foreign takeovers in the wake of the Brexit vote. The former family owned breakfast cereal business, now owned by Bright Food of China, is said to have attracted a host of bidders after it...Weetabix is to be sold to the American consumer group Post Holdings in a £1.4 billion deal that...Weetabix is to be sold to the American consumer group Post Holdings in a £1.4 billion deal that...
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Market update
FTSE 100 falls as May calls election
London’s blue-chip index was on course for its biggest daily fall since January this morning as Theresa May called a...London’s blue-chip index was on course for its biggest daily fall since January this morning as...London’s blue-chip index was on course for its biggest daily fall since January this morning as...
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comment
An extreme politician heading for power and the Élysée Palace? Pfft!
H &M on Boulevard Haussmann was so thronged with shoppers that they were queueing to get into the changing rooms.H &M on Boulevard Haussmann was so thronged with shoppers that they were queueing to get into...H &M on Boulevard Haussmann was so thronged with shoppers that they were queueing to get into...
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MORNING BRIEFING
FCA targets high-cost credit
British winemakers foresee a vintage year
The rapid growth of the UK wine industry looks set to continue, with wine makers on track to plant one million vines this year. The new vines, covering an estimated 625 acres, will yield another two million bottles of mainly sparkling wine, worth...The rapid growth of the UK wine industry looks set to continue, with wine makers on track to...The rapid growth of the UK wine industry looks set to continue, with wine makers on track to...
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Houses ready to rise from factory floor
They could be the solution to the government’s commitment to building 300,000 homes a year: wooden houses, constructed off-site and put up in half the time of a conventional brick construction. But there’s a problem: the...They could be the solution to the government’s commitment to building 300,000 homes a year: wooden houses, constructed off-site and put up in half the time of a conventional brick construction. But there’s a problem: the...They could be the solution to the government’s commitment to building 300,000 homes a year: wooden houses...
Read the full storyBig landlords offer secure tenancies
Institutional landlords have promised to offer three-year tenancy agreements after pressure from the government to make renting more family friendly. The British Property Federation, the trade association for residential and...Institutional landlords have promised to offer three-year tenancy agreements after pressure from the government to make renting more family friendly. The British Property Federation, the trade association for residential and...Institutional landlords have promised to offer three-year tenancy agreements after pressure from the government to...
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business commentary
Braced for future, come what may
Football League
Redknapp will be paid for Birmingham rescue mission
Harry Redknapp had his sanity questioned by his wife, Sandra, after agreeing to take on the task of saving Birmingham City from relegation from the Sky Bet Championship. The 70-year-old has been appointed by the beleaguered Second City club for just three games, returning as a manager for the...Harry Redknapp had his sanity questioned by his wife, Sandra, after agreeing to take on the task of saving Birmingham City from relegation from the Sky Bet Championship. The 70-year-old has been appointed by the beleaguered Second City club for just three games, returning as a manager for the...Harry Redknapp had his sanity questioned by his wife, Sandra, after agreeing to take on the task of saving Birmingham City from...
Read the full storyrugby union
Ford snubbed over Lions place
George Ford, the England fly half, is set to be excluded from the British & Irish Lions squad announced tomorrow, with Jonathan Joseph and Joe Launchbury also expected to be surprise omissions. Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach, and his coaching team will gather for their final selection meeting near Twickenham this afternoon to make...George Ford, the England fly half, is set to be excluded from the British & Irish Lions squad announced tomorrow, with Jonathan Joseph and Joe Launchbury also expected to be surprise omissions. Warren Gatland, the Lions head coach, and his coaching team will gather for their final selection meeting near Twickenham this afternoon to make...George Ford, the England fly half, is set to be excluded from the British & Irish Lions squad announced tomorrow, with...
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tony cascarino
Brighton’s Mr Nice Guy is facing tough decisions now
Chris Hughton returned to the top flight yesterday with Brighton & Hove Albion, but it was not that long ago that he went for an interview at Brentford doubting that he had any chance of getting the job. I bumped into my former Ireland team-mate on a flight back from Dublin. He had not long left Tottenham...Chris Hughton returned to the top flight yesterday with Brighton & Hove Albion, but it was...Chris Hughton returned to the top flight yesterday with Brighton & Hove Albion, but it was...
Read the full storyvideo highlights
Sublime Sánchez helps paper over the cracks
Champions League
Leicester must be more forceful - Shakespeare
henry winter
Today’s young players sadly lack Gerrard’s pursuit of perfection
Those seeking enlightenment on what moulds elite players should examine Steven Gerrard’s face when he next appears on...Those seeking enlightenment on what moulds elite players should examine Steven Gerrard’s face...Those seeking enlightenment on what moulds elite players should examine Steven Gerrard’s face...
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Alyson Rudd
Kanté proves again that he is the key that unlocks a title bid
Amid all the talk of fairy tales and magic and wonder when Leicester City won the Premier League title, the hard...Amid all the talk of fairy tales and magic and wonder when Leicester City won the Premier League...Amid all the talk of fairy tales and magic and wonder when Leicester City won the Premier League...
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Henry Winter
Brighton seal promotion to end 34 years of hurt
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Wigan Athletic 1
Sky Bet Championship
Hughton: I know Brighton’s history and what the fans are feeling
Sky bet championship
Liam Rosenior’s verdict on his Brighton team-mates
Sky Bet Championship
Huddersfield let lead slip after Newcastle’s defeat
Sky Bet Championship
Zola walks out on lowly Birmingham
VIDEO SPECIAL
Weekend review: Mourinho’s masterclass, Moreno’s miss, Long’s ignominy
And then the gap was down to four. Chelsea still have one hand on the Premier League title but after a second defeat in four matches, their grip is not as tight as it was. Tottenham Hotspur’s seventh consecutive league victory has set nerves...And then the gap was down to four. Chelsea still have one hand on the Premier League title but...And then the gap was down to four. Chelsea still have one hand on the Premier League title but...
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Premier League
Lampard hails ‘legendary’ Terry
Premier League
We have to win every game for top-four spot, says Wenger
Premier League
Already brilliant, Lukaku’s best is yet to come
owen slot
Lions kickers have edge over latest All Blacks superstar
The greatest performance from a No 10 that I have witnessed was this time nearly 12 years ago when Dan Carter triumphed over the British & Irish Lions in the second Test in Wellington. Two tries, nine goalkicks, 33 points; he was controlled...The greatest performance from a No 10 that I have witnessed was this time nearly 12 years ago...The greatest performance from a No 10 that I have witnessed was this time nearly 12 years ago...
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sKy bet league one
United show no sentiment to Bradford
sky bet league two
South coast pair secure promotion
County cricket
Coad progress an unexpected bonus for Gale
Giles Smith
Rocket’s threat brightens dull bank holiday
According to Jason Mohammad, there was “no better way to spend your Easter Monday” than by watching the Betfred World...According to Jason Mohammad, there was “no better way to spend your Easter Monday” than by...According to Jason Mohammad, there was “no better way to spend your Easter Monday” than by...
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Cricket
Unbeaten Jennings takes chance to impress
An unbeaten century by Keaton Jennings could not prevent Durham sliding to a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of...An unbeaten century by Keaton Jennings could not prevent Durham sliding to a nine-wicket defeat...An unbeaten century by Keaton Jennings could not prevent Durham sliding to a nine-wicket defeat...
Read the full storyRugby Union
Tries of the week: Owen Slot picks the best of the Premiership
1. Billy Twelvetrees (GLOUCESTER v Sale): Gloucester scored some delicious tries in this game, their full back Tom Marshall looking really sharp and scoring a brace himself. It is his break that triggers this try too. Marshall finds Ben Vellacott...1. Billy Twelvetrees (GLOUCESTER v Sale): Gloucester scored some delicious tries in this game...1. Billy Twelvetrees (GLOUCESTER v Sale): Gloucester scored some delicious tries in this game...
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county cricket
Champions hold on for draw
Racing
Thunderer’s racing tips
OBITUARY
Christopher Morahan
Passionate director known for The Jewel in the Crown
Christopher Morahan was a hard taskmaster, exacting and plain-speaking. It was said that he never settled to a production until he had fired somebody. Only two actors are known to have challenged his authority: Anthony Hopkins and Michael Bryant. Both subsequently received honours for their services to the arts. Yet actors were prepared to work in the lion’s den because...Christopher Morahan was a hard taskmaster, exacting and plain-speaking. It was said that he never...Christopher Morahan was a hard taskmaster, exacting and plain-speaking. It was said that he never...
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OBITUARY
David Arben
The guards came at 6.30am; 105 inmates of Budzyn labour camp were rounded up. “We were marched outside the camp into...The guards came at 6.30am; 105 inmates of Budzyn labour camp were rounded up. “We were marched outside the camp into the woods,” recalled David Arben. “There was a grave ready for us and a firing squad.” Shots rang out. One by one the prisoners toppled forward. Another statistic. Another war crime. Suddenly the camp...The guards came at 6.30am; 105 inmates of Budzyn labour camp were rounded up. “We were marched outside the camp into the...
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OBITUARY
Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo
OBITUARY
Aileen Hernandez
OBITUARIES
Lives remembered
APRIL 18, 1917
Blighty. On the way home
WEATHER EYE
How mobile phones can be used to map rainfall
It’s one of the frustrations of using a mobile phone — when it’s pouring with rain your signal becomes weak. That’s because raindrops scatter and absorb the microwave signals that pass between mobile phone towers. The heavier the downpour, the...It’s one of the frustrations of using a mobile phone — when it’s pouring with rain your signal...It’s one of the frustrations of using a mobile phone — when it’s pouring with rain your signal...
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Guns and dangerous liaisons — confessions of a female bodyguard
The Duchess of Cambridge, David Cameron and Tony Blair all have one, but what are the lives of women protection officers really like?
Spoon carving: it’s the new hipster trend
They’ve done craft beer — now cool urbanites are in to woodwork
body & soul
Are you a sad desk luncher?
Eating your lunch in the office again? It’s time for you to stop — for the sake of your health
What I learnt at barista school
If a barista shortage causes Britain’s coffee shops to grind to a halt, Phil Robinson is ready to step in
the wednesday column
Robert Crampton: I like to sunbathe nude, but I don’t live by the Tate
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on tonight and when
THE LOWDOWN
Bare butt denim
first night review
Television: Broadchurch, ITV
★★★★☆
For 50 of the last ever 60 minutes of ITV’s morally serious whodunnit Broadchurch, there was barely a shaft of sunlight. Even the police interrogation room was painted midnight blue. As the detectives Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and...★★★★☆
For 50 of the last ever 60 minutes of ITV’s morally serious whodunnit Broadchurch, there...★★★★☆
For 50 of the last ever 60 minutes of ITV’s morally serious whodunnit Broadchurch, there...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Pop: Ed Sheeran at SSE Hydro, Glasgow
The night belonged more to the crowd than the star, as Sheeran’s fans embraced the opportunity for a joyous sing-song
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Theatre: The Plague at the Arcola, E8
First Night Review
Concert: Dvorák Requiem at the Barbican, EC2
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Dance: The Legend of Mulan at Royal Festival Hall, SE1
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Pop: Dua Lipa at O2 Empire, W12
arts
Thanks to virtual reality all your world is the stage
It has been a long time since going to the theatre just meant entering a building with seats, a stage and a curtain to watch a drama with a beginning, a middle and an end. For those for whom the play is not necessarily the thing, there are...It has been a long time since going to the theatre just meant entering a building with seats, a...It has been a long time since going to the theatre just meant entering a building with seats, a...
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MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
THE TIMES FILM SHOW
The Sense of an Ending and Fast & Furious 8
Watch our critics discuss the big new releases. This week, Kate Muir and Ed Potton give their verdicts on The Sense of an Ending and Fast & Furious 8 See the Times+ website for details of our year-round offer of 2-for-1 Odeon cinema ticketsWatch our critics discuss the big new releases. This week, Kate Muir and Ed Potton give their...Watch our critics discuss the big new releases. This week, Kate Muir and Ed Potton give their...
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Burma murder suspect ‘out and about in Glasgow’
A murder suspect at the centre of an international manhunt is living freely in Glasgow, it was claimed last night. Harris Binotti is accused of beating a colleague to death in Burma and his whereabouts have been unknown to police since November. Mr Binotti, a 26-year-old teacher, fled his home in Rangoon after Gary Ferguson, 47, from Northern Ireland, was found dead in...A murder suspect at the centre of an international manhunt is living freely in Glasgow, it was...A murder suspect at the centre of an international manhunt is living freely in Glasgow, it was...
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May faces questions over blocked Blair prosecution
Theresa May faces questions over whether she approved moves to block the prosecution of Tony Blair for entering the...Theresa May faces questions over whether she approved moves to block the prosecution of Tony Blair for entering the Iraq war. Jeremy Wright, the attorney-general, has intervened in a case being brought against the former prime minister, it was confirmed yesterday. A spokeswoman for the government’s most senior law...Theresa May faces questions over whether she approved moves to block the prosecution of Tony Blair for entering the Iraq war.
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City’s subway could be extended to east and north
Glasgow’s underground system could be expanded for the first time in more than 120 years. The SNP has pledged to...Glasgow’s underground system could be expanded for the first time in more than 120 years. The SNP...Glasgow’s underground system could be expanded for the first time in more than 120 years. The SNP...
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Call to give councils full control of local taxation
Councils should be handed full control over local taxation, including the ability to scrap levies and introduce new...Councils should be handed full control over local taxation, including the ability to scrap levies...Councils should be handed full control over local taxation, including the ability to scrap levies...
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Grey squirrel culls ‘driven by bloodlust and showing off’
Animal rights groups have hit out after gory images of squirrel culls were posted online. Hunters have been shooting grey squirrels, then putting images of their bloodied corpses on social media and encouraging others to do the same. Those...Animal rights groups have hit out after gory images of squirrel culls were posted online. Hunters...Animal rights groups have hit out after gory images of squirrel culls were posted online. Hunters...
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Comment
Difficult questions cannot be put off for ever
Last week John Swinney, the education secretary and deputy first minister, released an education “mini-manifesto” of such stunning banality it left you wondering if claims that Mr Swinney is the most capable member of the...Last week John Swinney, the education secretary and deputy first minister, released an education “mini-manifesto” of such stunning banality it left you wondering if claims that Mr Swinney is the most capable member of the...Last week John Swinney, the education secretary and deputy first minister, released an education “mini-manifesto” of...
Read the full storySturgeon attacks Tories for ‘rape clause complicity’
The Scottish Conservatives’ “complicity” in the “utterly immoral policies” of the UK government has been laid bare by Ruth Davidson’s response to the so-called rape clause, the first minister has said. Nicola Sturgeon used her...The Scottish Conservatives’ “complicity” in the “utterly immoral policies” of the UK government has been laid bare by Ruth Davidson’s response to the so-called rape clause, the first minister has said. Nicola Sturgeon used her...The Scottish Conservatives’ “complicity” in the “utterly immoral policies” of the UK government has been laid bare by...
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Gardaí reviews ‘ignored for four years’
Gardaí have left the government in the dark about whether any recommended policing reforms have been implemented since 2013, according to the tánaiste. Frances Fitzgerald admitted that there had been no update on the recommendations of three major garda inspectorate reports, including one on penalty points, because of “work pressure” on the force. The tánaiste was...Gardaí have left the government in the dark about whether any recommended policing reforms have...Gardaí have left the government in the dark about whether any recommended policing reforms have...
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More towns lose permanent gardaí
A growing number of towns and villages with garda stations no longer have a dedicated garda, with eight stations...A growing number of towns and villages with garda stations no longer have a dedicated garda, with eight stations losing their last permanent officer last year. Official figures obtained under freedom of information legislation show that 7 per cent of the more than 560 stations in the country have no full-time gardaí...A growing number of towns and villages with garda stations no longer have a dedicated garda, with eight stations losing their...
Read the full storyThird of new teachers will quit within decade
Nearly one third of new secondary school teachers believe that they do not have a long-term future in the job, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland has claimed. The TUI, which represents more than 16,000 teachers, said an internal...Nearly one third of new secondary school teachers believe that they do not have a long-term future in the job, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland has claimed. The TUI, which represents more than 16,000 teachers, said an internal...Nearly one third of new secondary school teachers believe that they do not have a long-term future in the job, the...
Read the full storyÓglaigh na hÉireann set to call a ceasefire
One of Northern Ireland’s two dissident terrorist groups may be about to call a permanent ceasefire. The political wing of Óglaigh na hÉireann, which was responsible for dozens of punishment shootings and attacks on security...One of Northern Ireland’s two dissident terrorist groups may be about to call a permanent ceasefire. The political wing of Óglaigh na hÉireann, which was responsible for dozens of punishment shootings and attacks on security...One of Northern Ireland’s two dissident terrorist groups may be about to call a permanent ceasefire. The political...
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Ireland proves it will always love to dance
Taking a girl on an Irish set-dancing date just to get a kiss is the length to which one young man went yesterday. As well as the object of his affection, Oscar Wilson, 18, was joined by hundreds of people who lined the River Liffey, outside...Taking a girl on an Irish set-dancing date just to get a kiss is the length to which one young...Taking a girl on an Irish set-dancing date just to get a kiss is the length to which one young...
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Racing
Power completes extraordinary spring
On December 29 Our Duke ended Robbie Power’s four-year wait for a grade one victory. How appropriate, then, that it was him powering clear in yesterday’s Boylesports Irish Grand National to round off an implausibly successful spring for the jockey. Fitting, too, that Our Duke is trained by Jessica Harrington, the marvellous septuagenarian who saddled Sizing John to land...On December 29 Our Duke ended Robbie Power’s four-year wait for a grade one victory. How...On December 29 Our Duke ended Robbie Power’s four-year wait for a grade one victory. How...
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Golf commentary
Meticulous Dunne suffers at hands of Lady Luck
Devoted competitors in individual sports tend to have a loner’s disposition. It does not mean they are anti-social by...Devoted competitors in individual sports tend to have a loner’s disposition. It does not mean they are anti-social by nature. It’s rather that they prefer to be self-reliant. Many have testified over the years that they gravitated towards track and field, for example, because it gave them sole control of their destiny.Devoted competitors in individual sports tend to have a loner’s disposition. It does not mean they are anti-social by nature.
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Gaelic football commentary
New grade risks being an afterthought
Hurling
Fitzgerald must learn from his past mistakes
Shortly after Davy Fitzgerald resigned as Clare manager last September, he presented a review of the season which was...Shortly after Davy Fitzgerald resigned as Clare manager last September, he presented a review of...Shortly after Davy Fitzgerald resigned as Clare manager last September, he presented a review of...
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Rugby union
Erasmus: Saracens one of the world’s best teams
Rassie Erasmus has spent much of the season talking down Munster’s European Champions Cup title hopes, so it was only...Rassie Erasmus has spent much of the season talking down Munster’s European Champions Cup title...Rassie Erasmus has spent much of the season talking down Munster’s European Champions Cup title...
Read the full storyFOOTBALL
Change is inevitable but we should cherish our old stadiums
There were some fine pieces in last week’s newspapers to mark the 30th anniversary of Milltown, the former home of Shamrock Rovers, being sold. It’s right to remember these old grounds. Anybody who has ever supported a football team will...There were some fine pieces in last week’s newspapers to mark the 30th anniversary of Milltown...There were some fine pieces in last week’s newspapers to mark the 30th anniversary of Milltown...
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Comment
High-flyers can give new purpose to prisons
Rachel Sylvester
Recruiting top graduates to work in jails will improve a maligned service and lift inmates’ chances of rehabilitation
melanie phillips
Let’s hope the new Smiley doesn’t betray us
Hugo rifkind
Mix of politics and faith is best when messy
Alexandra Frean
This swotty mum envied her laid-back sons
Robert Colvile
Ofsted is failing, so give parents access to data on schools
First night review
Theatre: The Plague at the Arcola, E8
Coffee crisis
Phil Robinson trains as a barista. How hard can it be?
Robert Crampton
I like to sunbathe nude, but I don’t live by the Tate
Body & soul
Eating lunch at your desk every day? It’s time to stop
Leading Articles
A New Cold War
The Putin regime’s behaviour violates international norms. The US and its allies should commit to containing Russian aggression while working closely with China
Lack of Labour
The government needs to work out how to attract foreign workers after Brexit
Defending Dialect
The British Library’s historic recordings of vernacular speech need preserving
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Diesel scrappage plan and reducing pollution
Read the full storySir, A scrappage scheme for diesel cars and an extra charge for driving diesel cars into large cities will not offer long-term solutions (report, Apr 17). Neither approach reduces the endemic toxic effects of taxis, buses and refrigerated HGVs in...
Sir, A scrappage scheme for diesel cars and an extra charge for driving diesel cars into large...
Sir, A scrappage scheme for diesel cars and an extra charge for driving diesel cars into large...
Correspondence
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Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Theresa May chairs the weekly cabinet meeting, the first for two weeks as MPs return to Westminster after the Easter recess. Peers return from their Easter break next Monday; the strike ballot for London Bridge and Waterloo railway station staff closes; some schools return after the Easter holiday. Others return next Monday having broken up a week later; commuter routes are expected to return to near-normal levels of congestion; the National Union of Teachers annual conference concludes; Leicester host Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg match. Leicester must overturn a one-goal deficit if they are to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time. Real Madrid face Bayern Munich at home.
Japan: Mike Pence, the US vice-president, visits Tokyo as part of his four-country visit to the Asia-Pacific region.
On this day
In 1593 Shakespeare’s first published work, the poem Venus and Adonis, was entered into the Stationers’ Register; in 1775, at the start of the American War of Independence, Paul Revere, the American patriot, rode from Charlestown to Lexington to give warning of the arrival of British troops; in 1874 Dr Livingstone was buried in Westminster Abbey; in 1906 San Francisco was struck by an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, causing an estimated 3,000 deaths; in 1980 Rhodesia gained internationally recognised independence as Zimbabwe; in 1983 a car loaded with explosives was driven into the American embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people.
Nature notes
Whimbrels nest only in the north of Scotland, but now is a good time to look out for them since they are heading up the whole of Britain on their way there, or farther to Iceland. They are like curlews, with their long, curved-down beaks, but are slightly smaller. Whimbrels have distinctive head markings that curlews lack, namely two broad dark stripes on the crown, with a pale strip between them. They are lighter on the wing than the curlew, but both have white rumps that are conspicuous when they fly. They travel via the coast, but come into seaside fields to feed, as well as on to the beach. One of their most attractive features is their call, which is a rapid string of whistling notes — almost always precisely seven in number. There are many ancient legends about mysterious “seven whistlers”, which are thought to be damned souls flying about at night, foretelling disaster. Whimbrels, with their call, may be at the source of the legend.
Derwent May
Birthdays today
Michael Beloff, president, Trinity College, Oxford (1996-2006), 75; Sir Clive Booth, chairman, Big Lottery Fund (2004-10), 74; Samantha Cameron, business executive and fashion designer, 46; Carolyn Davidson, diplomat, UK ambassador to Honduras (non-resident), 53; Baroness (Frances) D’Souza, lord speaker, House of Lords (2011-16), 73; Nick Farr-Jones, rugby union player, Australia (1984-93), 55; Prof Niall Ferguson, historian and economist, author, Civilization: the West and the Rest (2011), 53; America Ferrera, actress, Ugly Betty (2006-10), 33; Roger Graef, writer and film-maker, Police (1982), 81; Michael D Higgins, president of Ireland, 76; Sir Peter Hordern, Conservative MP (1964-97), 88; Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, model and actress, 30; Philip Jackson, sculptor, the Bomber Command Memorial (2012), 73; Judith Judd, pro vice-chancellor, University of Essex, editor, Times Educational Supplement (2005-07), 68; Jane Leeves, actress, Frasier (1993-2004), 56; Hayley Mills, actress, Pollyanna (1960); 71; Rick Moranis, actor, Ghostbusters (1984), 64; Frank Mulholland, QC, senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, lord advocate for Scotland (2011-16), 58; Mark Porter, consultant anaesthetist, chairman, British Medical Association council, 55; Graham Rowntree, rugby union player, England (1995-2006), 46; Sir Teddy Taylor, Conservative MP (1964-2005), shadow secretary of state for Scotland (1977-79), 80; David Tennant, actor, Doctor Who (2005-10, 2013), Broadchurch (2013-17), 46; James Woods, actor, Once Upon a Time in America (1984), 70; Edgar Wright, film director, Shaun of the Dead (2004), 43.