Subscribe and receive a free gardening kit worth up to £258
Get a free gardening kit with your subscription to selected print and digital packs
Trump in the White House
Stay well informed on the new President, for £1 per week for 8 weeks
Subscribe to quality journalism, wherever and whenever
Access the stories behind the headlines, for £1 per week for 8 weeks
May shakes up 11-plus
Established grammar schools must offer lower pass marks to poorer pupils
All existing grammar schools will be forced to offer lower 11-plus pass marks to poorer children or embrace similar radical moves to end the middle-class stranglehold. Reforms to be announced next month will compel grammars to increase their intake of children from deprived backgrounds in an...All existing grammar schools will be forced to offer lower 11-plus pass marks to poorer children or embrace similar radical moves to end the middle-class stranglehold. Reforms to be announced next month will compel grammars to increase their intake of children from deprived backgrounds in an...All existing grammar schools will be forced to offer lower 11-plus pass marks to poorer children or embrace similar radical...
Read the full storyCorbyn says second Scottish independence vote ‘absolutely fine’
Jeremy Corbyn has said it is “absolutely fine” for Scotland to hold a second referendum on independence, adding that Labour would fight to keep the UK together. Mr Corbyn said that he would not vote against a bill in Westminster to hand the Scots a new vote, with a spokesman later suggesting that to do so would be to hand the SNP “exactly...Jeremy Corbyn has said it is “absolutely fine” for Scotland to hold a second referendum on independence, adding that Labour would fight to keep the UK together. Mr Corbyn said that he would not vote against a bill in Westminster to hand the Scots a new vote, with a spokesman later suggesting that to do so would be to hand the SNP “exactly...Jeremy Corbyn has said it is “absolutely fine” for Scotland to hold a second referendum on independence, adding that Labour...
Read the full story
Grieving children show their thanks
In the family home that the generosity of the public has allowed them to keep, the Bennet siblings are like any other. “You wanted to be a physiotherapist last year,” Hannah, 18, tells Oliver, 13, after he updates his career plan to becoming a writer. “You know that box set I bought you last year? How many have you...In the family home that the generosity of the public has allowed them to keep, the Bennet...In the family home that the generosity of the public has allowed them to keep, the Bennet...
Read the full story
Sheeran album divides and rules Top Ten
Once, having just one single in the top ten might have seemed like an achievement, but the bar was moved rather...Once, having just one single in the top ten might have seemed like an achievement, but the bar...Once, having just one single in the top ten might have seemed like an achievement, but the bar...
Read the full story
The Times Diary
Dench drives busman dotty
Dame Judi Dench has been annoying bus drivers. On Tuesday, the 82-year-old actress unveiled a new bus stop at the...Dame Judi Dench has been annoying bus drivers. On Tuesday, the 82-year-old actress unveiled a new...Dame Judi Dench has been annoying bus drivers. On Tuesday, the 82-year-old actress unveiled a new...
Read the full storySeven nuns caught on camera at Seven Sisters station
It was a photo opportunity that made several commuters perform double takes yesterday: the divine sight of seven nuns waiting for the next service at Seven Sisters Tube station. Ben Patey, 33, captured a widely-shared snap of the women from Ware...It was a photo opportunity that made several commuters perform double takes yesterday: the divine...It was a photo opportunity that made several commuters perform double takes yesterday: the divine...
Read the full story
PM stands firm behind national insurance rise
Theresa May is “fully committed” to increasing national insurance for the self-employed, Downing Street has said after Tory rebels demanded tapering to ensure that the lowest paid suffered the least. In a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, the prime minister put the brakes on the tax rise for 1.6 million self-employed workers, saying that legislation to increase...Theresa May is “fully committed” to increasing national insurance for the self-employed, Downing...Theresa May is “fully committed” to increasing national insurance for the self-employed, Downing...
Read the full story
Hammond accused of taxing bereaved families by stealth
Philip Hammond has been accused of levying a “backdoor tax on bereaved families” after the small print in this week’s...Philip Hammond has been accused of levying a “backdoor tax on bereaved families” after the small print in this week’s budget showed that he will net £1.5 billion from raised probate fees over the next five years. At present, families pay a flat rate of £215 for permission to distribute someone’s assets after they...Philip Hammond has been accused of levying a “backdoor tax on bereaved families” after the small print in this week’s budget...
Read the full story
Saturday Interview
‘Our toxic air crisis makes me so angry . . . I am going to save lives’
In the days before I meet Sadiq Khan I talk to a number of Labour-supporting, Corbyn-despairing voters, all of whom perk up at mention of the Labour mayor of London. “He’s the glimmer of hope,” says one. Mr Khan, like Boris Johnson when he was...In the days before I meet Sadiq Khan I talk to a number of Labour-supporting, Corbyn-despairing...In the days before I meet Sadiq Khan I talk to a number of Labour-supporting, Corbyn-despairing...
Read the full story
Big potatoes help runners smash records
Eating the equivalent of three bananas or a big potato per hour during a race could help runners to reach the finish...Eating the equivalent of three bananas or a big potato per hour during a race could help runners...Eating the equivalent of three bananas or a big potato per hour during a race could help runners...
Read the full story
Law firm offered half-price salad in Women’s Day deal
A law firm caused outrage on International Women’s Day with a special lunch offer in its canteen: half-priced salads...A law firm caused outrage on International Women’s Day with a special lunch offer in its canteen...A law firm caused outrage on International Women’s Day with a special lunch offer in its canteen...
Read the full story
Sex, suicide and religious zeal provoke revolt against powerful island church
The view from the low pebble-dashed house, south across the dark green waters of the Minch towards the mountains, could hardly be more life-affirming. Yet here, at the manse near Point, the suicide of a prominent churchman threatens to change the...The view from the low pebble-dashed house, south across the dark green waters of the Minch...The view from the low pebble-dashed house, south across the dark green waters of the Minch...
Read the full story
Picasso loses lustre as Chinese art rises
Hang on to your Warhols, mind your Picassos and the less said about your Twomblys, the better. Artists whose names were once the equivalent of a triple-A rated investment have been downgraded by an influential art market report after a sudden drop...Hang on to your Warhols, mind your Picassos and the less said about your Twomblys, the better.Hang on to your Warhols, mind your Picassos and the less said about your Twomblys, the better.
Read the full story
Child abuse inquiry may demand access to royal archives
Britain’s largest public inquiry could seek access to the royal archives after hearing evidence that they hold material relevant to investigations into child abuse cover-ups. The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse...Britain’s largest public inquiry could seek access to the royal archives after hearing evidence that they hold material relevant to investigations into child abuse cover-ups. The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse...Britain’s largest public inquiry could seek access to the royal archives after hearing evidence that they hold...
Read the full storyStanding dizziness linked to dementia
Middle-aged people who feel dizzy when they stand up are 40 per cent more likely to have dementia later in life, US researchers have found. The sudden drops in blood pressure that cause light-headedness may be gradually...Middle-aged people who feel dizzy when they stand up are 40 per cent more likely to have dementia later in life, US researchers have found. The sudden drops in blood pressure that cause light-headedness may be gradually...Middle-aged people who feel dizzy when they stand up are 40 per cent more likely to have dementia later in life, US...
Read the full story
Bell foundry’s fate is causing a ding-dong
An attempt to preserve the site of Britain’s oldest manufacturing company has run into furious opposition from the family that has run the business for four generations. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which can trace its history back to 1570 and...An attempt to preserve the site of Britain’s oldest manufacturing company has run into furious...An attempt to preserve the site of Britain’s oldest manufacturing company has run into furious...
Read the full story
Erdogan calls the Dutch ‘Nazis’ after rallies blocked
Recep Erdogan compared a second European government to Nazis today as tensions rose over a series of rallies across the continent held in support of Turkish president. Mr Erdogan called the Dutch government “the vestiges of the Nazis” after his foreign minister was refused entry into the Netherlands to campaign in Rotterdam. His comments came a week after he compared...Recep Erdogan compared a second European government to Nazis today as tensions rose over a series...Recep Erdogan compared a second European government to Nazis today as tensions rose over a series...
Read the full story
Islam becomes lightning rod for Dutch fear and loathing
By all international measures of happiness and prosperity, the Dutch should be a contented nation — but anger and...By all international measures of happiness and prosperity, the Dutch should be a contented nation — but anger and anxiety are the dominant emotions as an election that could determine Europe’s future comes to a head. When Geert Wilders, the far-right leader who has set the tone of the campaign and led opinion polls...By all international measures of happiness and prosperity, the Dutch should be a contented nation — but anger and anxiety are...
Read the full story
Judge delays legal challenge to Trump’s new travel ban
A legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban has hit a hurdle after a US judge sent lawyers back...A legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban has hit a hurdle after a US...A legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban has hit a hurdle after a US...
Read the full story
Germany’s far right vows to ban the burka
Banning the burkha and deporting failed asylum seekers immediately will be the main policies of the Alternative for...Banning the burkha and deporting failed asylum seekers immediately will be the main policies of...Banning the burkha and deporting failed asylum seekers immediately will be the main policies of...
Read the full storynews in brief
Intruder arrested at White House
The White House was placed on high security alert on Friday night after an intruder trespassed onto the grounds. A man carrying a backpack broke through security on the east side of the executive residence just before midnight, making his way towards the south portico entrance before he was arrested and taken into custody. The complex was placed under “orange” alert...The White House was placed on high security alert on Friday night after an intruder trespassed...The White House was placed on high security alert on Friday night after an intruder trespassed...
Read the full story
Trump sends in 50 judges to speed up deportations
President Trump will deploy 50 judges to immigration detention facilities across the United States in an effort to...President Trump will deploy 50 judges to immigration detention facilities across the United States in an effort to speed up deportations. There are hints that his hardline rhetoric may already have led to a decline in the number of people crossing the southern US border. About 840 people a day were caught or stopped...President Trump will deploy 50 judges to immigration detention facilities across the United States in an effort to speed up...
Read the full storyI’ll be back — Arnie wants role in Senate
Arnold Schwarzenegger is being touted as a candidate for the US Senate as he embraces a new role as an antagonist of Donald Trump. The actor, 69, has been linked to a possible bid to become a senator for California in next...Arnold Schwarzenegger is being touted as a candidate for the US Senate as he embraces a new role as an antagonist of Donald Trump. The actor, 69, has been linked to a possible bid to become a senator for California in next...Arnold Schwarzenegger is being touted as a candidate for the US Senate as he embraces a new role as an antagonist of...
Read the full storyJudge who told woman to keep her legs together quits
A judge who asked a woman in a rape trial why she couldn’t “just keep her knees together” has resigned from the Federal Court of Canada after a judicial watchdog recommended that he be sacked. Robin Camp, 64, had fought hard...A judge who asked a woman in a rape trial why she couldn’t “just keep her knees together” has resigned from the Federal Court of Canada after a judicial watchdog recommended that he be sacked. Robin Camp, 64, had fought hard...A judge who asked a woman in a rape trial why she couldn’t “just keep her knees together” has resigned from the...
Read the full story
Seven killed as helicopter hits TV tower
All seven people aboard a helicopter died when it crashed into a television tower in Istanbul in heavy fog yesterday...All seven people aboard a helicopter died when it crashed into a television tower in Istanbul in...All seven people aboard a helicopter died when it crashed into a television tower in Istanbul in...
Read the full story
No French, no job for builders
Construction companies awarded public sector contracts face penalties if they employ workers who do not speak French...Construction companies awarded public sector contracts face penalties if they employ workers who...Construction companies awarded public sector contracts face penalties if they employ workers who...
Read the full storySeoul in turmoil as president fired and election deadline announced
President Park of South Korea was removed from office yesterday, leading to riots in which three people died. The Constitutional Court unanimously ordered that Ms Park be expelled from office over a corruption scandal, triggering political tumult at a time of increasing tension with North Korea. She was impeached by the National Assembly in December. With her...President Park of South Korea was removed from office yesterday, leading to riots in which three...President Park of South Korea was removed from office yesterday, leading to riots in which three...
Read the full story
ANALYSIS
Change will bring new approach to North
The ejection from office of President Park is a humiliation for northeast Asia’s first elected female leader and a...The ejection from office of President Park is a humiliation for northeast Asia’s first elected female leader and a devastating defeat for the conservatives that have led South Korea for the past decade. Whoever replaces her is likely to be a left-wing progressive, a shift that will have profound implications for...The ejection from office of President Park is a humiliation for northeast Asia’s first elected female leader and a devastating...
Read the full story
Here’s one of me with all those tourists
When the quokkas moved into the only settlement on the Australian island of Rottnest they started behaving much like any newcomers to a big city: they ate bad food, had more sex and drank more than they should — and then took selfies. So popular...When the quokkas moved into the only settlement on the Australian island of Rottnest they started...When the quokkas moved into the only settlement on the Australian island of Rottnest they started...
Read the full story
US jobs surge clears the way for Fed to raise rates
American employers added 235,000 new jobs in February, the first full month of Donald Trump’s presidency, blasting through economists’ expectations and paving the way for the US Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next Wednesday. The unemployment rate, which is calculated from a different survey, fell from 4.8 per cent to 4.7 per cent, the US Department of Labor said.American employers added 235,000 new jobs in February, the first full month of Donald Trump’s...American employers added 235,000 new jobs in February, the first full month of Donald Trump’s...
Read the full story
Oil find lights up Repsol
The Spanish energy giant Repsol has struck oil in Alaska, in what it said was the biggest conventional oil discovery...The Spanish energy giant Repsol has struck oil in Alaska, in what it said was the biggest conventional oil discovery onshore in America in 30 years. The group said that two wells it had drilled over the winter had identified potential resources of up to 1.2 billion barrels of light oil. The “Horseshoe” wells are on...The Spanish energy giant Repsol has struck oil in Alaska, in what it said was the biggest conventional oil discovery onshore in...
Read the full storyBT spin-off deal breaks Openreach deadlock
BT has clinched a deal to spin off its Openreach broadband division into a legally separate company, ending a two-year deadlock with Ofcom, the industry regulator. The telecoms group said it had agreed to a string of conditions...
BT has clinched a deal to spin off its Openreach broadband division into a legally separate company, ending a two-year deadlock with Ofcom, the industry regulator. The telecoms group said it had agreed to a string of conditions...
BT has clinched a deal to spin off its Openreach broadband division into a legally separate company, ending a...
Untangling of crossed lines benefits every investor
As Gavin Patterson set out details of the agreement yesterday at BT’s headquarters, he looked tired but relieved. “Shareholders will be pleased with the outcome,” he smiled, as BT’s share price bubbled 5 per cent higher. “It...As Gavin Patterson set out details of the agreement yesterday at BT’s headquarters, he looked tired but relieved. “Shareholders will be pleased with the outcome,” he smiled, as BT’s share price bubbled 5 per cent higher. “It...As Gavin Patterson set out details of the agreement yesterday at BT’s headquarters, he looked tired but relieved.
Read the full story
business commentary
When breaking up is too hard to do
Army of self-employed is taxing for Britain
They are a teeming army of creative, versatile, self-reliant risk-takers and the backbone of the British economy. Alternatively, they are opportunistic tax dodgers, functionaries who masquerade as entrepreneurs to qualify for perks unavailable to...They are a teeming army of creative, versatile, self-reliant risk-takers and the backbone of the...They are a teeming army of creative, versatile, self-reliant risk-takers and the backbone of the...
Read the full story
Tempus
Cause for cautious optimism
It is very early days. It is difficult to generalise across a range of quite different businesses. The companies...It is very early days. It is difficult to generalise across a range of quite different businesses.It is very early days. It is difficult to generalise across a range of quite different businesses.
Read the full story
comment
Budget shambles shows why politicians should be careful about what they promise
Buried in the small print of Wednesday’s budget was a striking revelation. Britain’s tax burden, according to the...Buried in the small print of Wednesday’s budget was a striking revelation. Britain’s tax burden...Buried in the small print of Wednesday’s budget was a striking revelation. Britain’s tax burden...
Read the full story
SIX NATIONS
England humiliate Scotland to retain Six Nations crown
England 61 Scotland 21
England are the champions and this was just wonderful. We have demanded that they stop prattling on about improving performance and set every store by victory. They have now won 18 on the trot, a world record they hold jointly with New Zealand and which may well be theirs alone after the climax...England are the champions and this was just wonderful. We have demanded that they stop prattling on about improving performance and set every store by victory. They have now won 18 on the trot, a world record they hold jointly with New Zealand and which may well be theirs alone after the climax...England are the champions and this was just wonderful. We have demanded that they stop prattling on about improving performance...
Read the full storySIX NATIONS
France end poor away run with convincing win in Italy
Continental Europe has been drifting away from this RBS Six Nations Championship — rugby’s version of Brexit from the four home unions perhaps without the political problems — but what started as a battle of the also-rans in Rome ended with France clinching, with a mere three minutes remaining, the bonus-point try which thrusts them at...Continental Europe has been drifting away from this RBS Six Nations Championship — rugby’s version of Brexit from the four home unions perhaps without the political problems — but what started as a battle of the also-rans in Rome ended with France clinching, with a mere three minutes remaining, the bonus-point try which thrusts them at...Continental Europe has been drifting away from this RBS Six Nations Championship — rugby’s version of Brexit from the four home...
Read the full story
FA CUP
Arsenal stroll past exhausted Lincoln City
newThe contrasts on the sidelines were as compelling as on the pitch. Wenger, white hair, dart suit, strained features, sat hunched beside Steve Bould. The Cowleys? You wanted GPS stats for them. The Emirates’ technical areas are huge but not big enough for the pair. Pacing, pointing, shuttling back and forward to...The contrasts on the sidelines were as compelling as on the pitch. Wenger, white hair, dart suit...The contrasts on the sidelines were as compelling as on the pitch. Wenger, white hair, dart suit...
Read the full story
PREMIER LEAGUE
King reigns supreme for Bournemouth
PREMIER LEAGUE
Everton dominate disappointing West Brom
PREMIER LEAGUE
Niasse scores twice to revitalise Hull
Henry Winter
Former Spurs ’keeper out to thwart Kane and silence old club
Millwall’s goalkeeper, Jordan Archer, walks into White Hart Lane this weekend and takes a trip down memory lane. Archer spent six years with Spurs. He got club-suited and booted, travelling as far afield as Tromso, Dnipro and Lisbon. He sat on the...Millwall’s goalkeeper, Jordan Archer, walks into White Hart Lane this weekend and takes a trip...Millwall’s goalkeeper, Jordan Archer, walks into White Hart Lane this weekend and takes a trip...
Read the full story
My sporting body
“We’ve all had a ridiculous number of people trying to get a seat for the Emirates”
It’s a big day for all of us going to the Emirates Stadium today, but especially for me, as I’m a lifelong Arsenal fan.It’s a big day for all of us going to the Emirates Stadium today, but especially for me, as I’m a...It’s a big day for all of us going to the Emirates Stadium today, but especially for me, as I’m a...
Read the full story
cycling
Varnish to sue British Cycling
Jess Varnish called last night for the entire board of British Cycling to resign over accusations of a cover-up of...Jess Varnish called last night for the entire board of British Cycling to resign over accusations...Jess Varnish called last night for the entire board of British Cycling to resign over accusations...
Read the full story
Matt Rhead interview
Tony Cascarino takes a trip to meet Lincoln’s big man
oliver kay
Brand Pogba thriving off pitch while £89m signing struggles on it
An agent tells a story of what happened last year when he held talks with several leading clubs about the possibility...An agent tells a story of what happened last year when he held talks with several leading clubs...An agent tells a story of what happened last year when he held talks with several leading clubs...
Read the full story
Matt Hughes
Squad were left stunned by Ranieri’s butter fingers
Claudio Ranieri’s obsession with his players’ diet at Leicester City this season reached such extremes that after one...Claudio Ranieri’s obsession with his players’ diet at Leicester City this season reached such...Claudio Ranieri’s obsession with his players’ diet at Leicester City this season reached such...
Read the full storyracing
Mike Atherton on getting a top horse ready for Cheltenham
Shakespeare country. If, on a beautiful summer’s day, the Bard had ever found his way to the highest point of Lodge Hill stables, looking north to Warwickshire or south to Worcestershire and the Cotswolds beyond, he would have found the right words.Shakespeare country. If, on a beautiful summer’s day, the Bard had ever found his way to the...Shakespeare country. If, on a beautiful summer’s day, the Bard had ever found his way to the...
Read the full story
premier league
We have really good keepers, insists Klopp
premier league
Payet ‘bored’ by West Ham’s negative tactics
premier league
Pulis hints at fresh Terry approach in summer
championship
Knockaert fuels hopes of promotion
Fabrizio Ravanelli interview
‘If only the me of 1997 could be playing now for Middlesbrough’
giles smith
‘We’re crying out for a top scrapper like Mad Mitch’
“Challenge accepted. A meeting in a stadium at a set time, on each side 20 people . . .”
Igor Lebedev, Russian...“Challenge accepted. A meeting in a stadium at a set time, on each side 20 people . . .”
Igor...“Challenge accepted. A meeting in a stadium at a set time, on each side 20 people . . .”
Igor...
Rick broadbent
Winners and losers: Emery falls wrong side of sport’s fine line
All the world’s a stage (even if on a Sunday League pitch in southern Russia) and all the men and women merely...All the world’s a stage (even if on a Sunday League pitch in southern Russia) and all the men and...All the world’s a stage (even if on a Sunday League pitch in southern Russia) and all the men and...
Read the full storyCricket
‘Watching your mate turn into a millionaire is weird’
David Snoad is a window cleaner from the sleepy Suffolk market town of Brandon. He is also the man who discovered Tymal Mills, cricket’s feel-good story of the year. Just two years ago, the man thought to be the fastest bowler in English cricket...David Snoad is a window cleaner from the sleepy Suffolk market town of Brandon. He is also the...David Snoad is a window cleaner from the sleepy Suffolk market town of Brandon. He is also the...
Read the full story
video
Goal of the month: watch Hazard’s stunner against Arsenal
Eden Hazard says that the goal he scored against Arsenal last month was one of the best of his Chelsea career. The Chelsea forward won the Premier League goal of the month award for February after his virtuoso strike at Stamford Bridge helped the...Eden Hazard says that the goal he scored against Arsenal last month was one of the best of his...Eden Hazard says that the goal he scored against Arsenal last month was one of the best of his...
Read the full story
rugby league
Daring Tigers prove a breed apart
six nations
North rides to the rescue for Wales
Wales 22 Ireland 9
So there will not be a title showdown in Dublin next weekend after all, as Ireland’s hopes of winning the RBS Six Nations Championship were convincingly ended by Wales last night. As a result, an England victory over Scotland at Twickenham today will be enough to earn Eddie Jones’s side the title, but, to the gleeful hordes streaming out into the Cardiff night, this was...So there will not be a title showdown in Dublin next weekend after all, as Ireland’s hopes of...So there will not be a title showdown in Dublin next weekend after all, as Ireland’s hopes of...
Read the full story
Ben Kay
From whipping boys to fifth-best team in the world
Scotland last won at Twickenham in March 1983, the same month as compact discs went on sale in the United Kingdom. So...Scotland last won at Twickenham in March 1983, the same month as compact discs went on sale in...Scotland last won at Twickenham in March 1983, the same month as compact discs went on sale in...
Read the full story
scott hastings
Thinking outside the box is key to ending 34-year wait
With a triple crown and Calcutta Cup to play for, this is the best chance Scotland have had in years of beating...With a triple crown and Calcutta Cup to play for, this is the best chance Scotland have had in...With a triple crown and Calcutta Cup to play for, this is the best chance Scotland have had in...
Read the full story
Billy Vunipola interview
‘I’ve been buying my mates tequila so I could watch them get drunk’
six nations
Haskell feared being forgotten by Jones
Obituary
Paula Fox
Paula Fox, a tall, self-possessed woman with an easy smile, published her first novel at the relatively mature age of 43. She did not start to think of herself as a proper novelist, however, until the second of her six adult novels was published. That was Desperate Characters in 1970. Like most of her fiction (she also wrote more than 20 books for teenagers) it had an...Paula Fox, a tall, self-possessed woman with an easy smile, published her first novel at the...Paula Fox, a tall, self-possessed woman with an easy smile, published her first novel at the...
Read the full story
obituary
Paul Chouteau
Paul Chouteau was one of the last survivors of the Free French forces who stormed ashore before British commandos on...Paul Chouteau was one of the last survivors of the Free French forces who stormed ashore before British commandos on Sword Beach, Normandy, on D-Day. Of the 177 Frenchmen who waded from landing craft under intense German defensive fire that day — known to the French as Jour J — only four remain alive. Like Chouteau...Paul Chouteau was one of the last survivors of the Free French forces who stormed ashore before British commandos on Sword...
Read the full story
obituary
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
MARRIAGES AND ENGAGEMENTS
Soft furnishings sorted for Delhi design duo
MindGames
The Times Saturday Quiz
march 11, 1917
Food disorders in Petrograd
Court Circular
March 10
Animal life
Making the leap from wuss to equus
animal life
First we had Jaws, now we have jellies
ANIMAL LIFE
Saving ancient woodlands is no picnic for forester apprentices
When you are a female apprentice forester outnumbered by boys at two to eighteen, the one thing to avoid is becoming...When you are a female apprentice forester outnumbered by boys at two to eighteen, the one thing...When you are a female apprentice forester outnumbered by boys at two to eighteen, the one thing...
Read the full story
animal life
Vet’s opinion
Spring brings lighter days and warmer weather, but also brings ticks — blood-sucking parasites. They latch on to...Spring brings lighter days and warmer weather, but also brings ticks — blood-sucking parasites.Spring brings lighter days and warmer weather, but also brings ticks — blood-sucking parasites.
Read the full storyfaith
Hinduism prepares to become more visible in Britain
On June 14, 1970 Yogiji Maharaj prophesied to his incredulous followers that a vast traditional Hindu temple would rise up in London. To imagine the first stone mandir outside India since Ankor Wat in Cambodia in the 12th century, and in a British capital at the time broiled by racism, stretched the faith of even the guru’s most devoted followers. On August 20, 1995...On June 14, 1970 Yogiji Maharaj prophesied to his incredulous followers that a vast traditional...On June 14, 1970 Yogiji Maharaj prophesied to his incredulous followers that a vast traditional...
Read the full story
credo
Michael Freedland: Jewish hospital that ministered to both body and soul
It was the ultimate act of faith — the determination of a dying man to tell a story that seemed to sum up a devotion...It was the ultimate act of faith — the determination of a dying man to tell a story that seemed to sum up a devotion to his religion as well as describing an essential part of his people’s history. He did it at the end of last year by gaining a PhD from the University of Southampton — at the age of 74. Sadly Howard...It was the ultimate act of faith — the determination of a dying man to tell a story that seemed to sum up a devotion to his...
Read the full storyweather eye
Gold prospects in California
California has suffered months of storms in the wettest October to February in 122 years of weather records. That deluge set off floods, landslides, gouged out hillsides, uprooted trees and came close to wrecking a large dam, yet there may be one...California has suffered months of storms in the wettest October to February in 122 years of...California has suffered months of storms in the wettest October to February in 122 years of...
Read the full story
Dance
An American in Paris is heading our way
Robert Fairchild on stepping into Gene Kelly’s shoes
We all love to dream as children, but how often do those dreams come true as spectacularly, as magically, as unbelievably, as they did for Robert Fairchild? Growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, his childhood was enlivened by fantasies of being Gene Kelly, the ultimate Hollywood song-and-dance man. Yet never did Fairchild, the star of the new London stage production of An...We all love to dream as children, but how often do those dreams come true as spectacularly, as...We all love to dream as children, but how often do those dreams come true as spectacularly, as...
Read the full story
visual art
The visions that haunted Paula Rego
The artist Paula Rego was in her eighties when her son, the writer and director Nick Willing, realised that she was...The artist Paula Rego was in her eighties when her son, the writer and director Nick Willing, realised that she was beginning to tell him stories that he had never heard before. “In the past she had always been rather secret,” he says. Perhaps because secrets have an implicit power. “As soon as they are out, you...The artist Paula Rego was in her eighties when her son, the writer and director Nick Willing, realised that she was beginning...
Read the full story
BOOK OF THE WEEK
How the Hell Did This Happen? The US Election of 2016 by PJ O’Rourke
HL Mencken wrote that “democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it — good and hard”. What they got in America was a man who, according to PJ O’Rourke, has a haircut that makes Kim Jong-un laugh.HL Mencken wrote that “democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and...HL Mencken wrote that “democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and...
Read the full story
NONFICTION REVIEW
The Spider Network by David Enrich
Pay attention and you’ll understand the Libor rate rigging scandal — perhaps the biggest heist in history, says Daniel Finkelstein
nonfiction review
Martin Luther: Catholic Dissident by Peter Stanford
nonfiction review
Ludo and the Power of the Book by Richard Ingrams
nonfiction review
Nabokov’s Favourite Word is Mauve by Ben Blatt
Nonfiction review
Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe by Kapka Kassabova
nonfiction review
The Crash Detectives by Christine Negroni
Air crashes are the shipwrecks of our times. They inspire fear and fascination. From the disappearance of Amelia Earhart in 1937 to the unexplained loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014, they breed legend and conspiracy theories. The...Air crashes are the shipwrecks of our times. They inspire fear and fascination. From the...Air crashes are the shipwrecks of our times. They inspire fear and fascination. From the...
Read the full story
fiction review
Larchfield by Polly Clark
WH Auden’s time as an eccentric young teacher is brought to life in an impressive debut novel, says Daisy Dunn
fiction review
A Natural by Ross Raisin
CHILDREN’S BOOK
Every Hidden Thing by Kenneth Oppel
Classic read
The Crofter and the Laird by John McPhee
Historical fiction round-up: Roman scandals, Cornish crimes
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Falling Creatures by Katherine Stansfield
It is 1844 in a Cornwall that bears little resemblance to the clotted cream and surfing clichés. This is a place of unforgiving moor and dangerous marshes that swallow the...BOOK OF THE MONTH
Falling Creatures by Katherine Stansfield
It is 1844 in a Cornwall that...BOOK OF THE MONTH
Falling Creatures by Katherine Stansfield
It is 1844 in a Cornwall that...
BODY & SOUL
Which carbs are really making you fat?
Why does the same diet work for some people and not for others? A groundbreaking new book claims that everyone has their own unique response to specific carbohydrates
BODY & SOUL
Why grown-ups need a proper bedtime
It’s not how many hours you get that counts, say experts, but what time you fall asleep
BODY & SOUL
How to talk to your teenager about drugs
No parent can avoid ‘the drugs talk’, but what is the best way to tackle it without scaring your kids? We ask the experts
BODY & SOUL
So, who’s in charge — you or your dog?
Graeme Hall, one of the UK’s top dog trainers, on how to bring your pet to heel
INTERVIEW
Douglas Booth: ‘Maggie Smith was the best teacher ever’
Actor Douglas Booth left school at 16 and was a teen star by 17. Here he reveals all about his A-list friends
food & drink
Impress your guests: five easy dinner party recipes
Ten-hour porchetta with borlotti and pea salsa
Serves 10 or more
Ingredients
For the pork
3.5kg boneless pork shoulder
1 tsp salt
1½ tbsp fennel seeds, toasted
1 tsp chilli flakes, toasted
1 whole head of garlic, cloves crushed
Large bunch...Ten-hour porchetta with borlotti and pea salsa
Serves 10 or more
Ingredients
For the pork
...Ten-hour porchetta with borlotti and pea salsa
Serves 10 or more
Ingredients
For the pork
...
budget travel special
Great city breaks on the cheap
Stay in Florence, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Brussels, Lisbon or Athens with our guide to hotels for less than £100 and the best bargain eats
BUDGET TRAVEL SPECIAL
Ski (and save) in Slovenia
The slopes are lovely and quiet, the food is tasty and the prices are rock bottom
BUDGET TRAVEL SPECIAL
Caribbean chic on a shoestring
You don’t have to be an A-lister to enjoy Anguilla’s gorgeous beaches and tasty cuisine
THE COOL HOTEL GUIDE
Boringdon Hall, Plympton, Devon
History meets mod cons in this grand castellated manor on a hill
THE TIMES SPA GUIDE
Brighton Harbour Hotel, East Sussex
There’s a big buzz around this chic hotel’s new spa. Here’s our verdict
travel tips
Bed down . . . in a Bristol crane
Travel Doctor
We want to visit the Grand Canyon
BUDGET
Why Isas are set to be the new stars
As many as 2.3 million savers and entrepreneurs will be hit by a cut in the tax-free dividend allowance announced in the budget. The concession, which was introduced only this tax year, is to be reduced from £5,000 to £2,000 from April 2018. Its withdrawal will enhance the appeal of individual savings accounts (Isas), which offer tax-free income and growth. The flow of...As many as 2.3 million savers and entrepreneurs will be hit by a cut in the tax-free dividend...As many as 2.3 million savers and entrepreneurs will be hit by a cut in the tax-free dividend...
Read the full story
BUDGET
The main measures
The prime minister may have intervened to stall proposed changes to national insurance for the self-employed, but...The prime minister may have intervened to stall proposed changes to national insurance for the self-employed, but there are plenty of changes that are definitely going ahead. Here’s what they mean for you. National insurance
MPs will vote in the autumn on the proposed class 4 national insurance increases from 9...The prime minister may have intervened to stall proposed changes to national insurance for the self-employed, but there are...
budget
Your say on the chancellor’s plans
‘The £80,000 amount I will owe is ridiculous’
Anna Temkin
Amy Wootton is a 23-year-old architecture student at...‘The £80,000 amount I will owe is ridiculous’
Anna Temkin
Amy Wootton is a...‘The £80,000 amount I will owe is ridiculous’
Anna Temkin
Amy Wootton is a...
BUDGET
Beware the new tax on estates
Bereaved families face sharp increases in probate fees from May under a new system that will charge up to £20,000...Bereaved families face sharp increases in probate fees from May under a new system that will...Bereaved families face sharp increases in probate fees from May under a new system that will...
Read the full storySerious money
Trump versus Tokyo: the Isa dilemma
When you’re deciding where to invest your share Isa money, it’s difficult to avoid the developed world’s two biggest stock markets: the US and Japan. However, investors in the two countries have had rather different experiences over the past eight...When you’re deciding where to invest your share Isa money, it’s difficult to avoid the developed...When you’re deciding where to invest your share Isa money, it’s difficult to avoid the developed...
Read the full story
COLLECTING
A watch can be a timeless investment
TROUBLESHOOTER
‘I paid £3,400 too much for water’
INVESTMENT
After the merger, what’s in and out
Two big players in the UK fund industry this week announced that they would merge their businesses to form an investment powerhouse with a market capitalisation of £11 billion. Standard Life and Aberdeen have not yet decided on the name of the...Two big players in the UK fund industry this week announced that they would merge their...Two big players in the UK fund industry this week announced that they would merge their...
Read the full story
investment
Share of the week: Schroders
CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Travel claims grind to a halt
Jargon buster
In the news: The Ogden rate
Much was blamed on the Ogden rate this week: it has dented profits at insurance providers Admiral, Aviva and Direct...Much was blamed on the Ogden rate this week: it has dented profits at insurance providers Admiral...Much was blamed on the Ogden rate this week: it has dented profits at insurance providers Admiral...
Read the full story
INVESTMENT
The week in the markets
Corporate deals were in the spotlight this week as UK markets opened to the surprise news that two of Scotland’s...Corporate deals were in the spotlight this week as UK markets opened to the surprise news that...Corporate deals were in the spotlight this week as UK markets opened to the surprise news that...
Read the full storyPortfolio therapy
‘Is now a good time to get a mortgage?’
Kevin Jefferies, 39, from Rubery in Birmingham, works for a software company that provides services to the motor trade. He and his wife, Selina, rent a two-bedroom house for £595 a month, but want to become homeowners. The couple, who have a...Kevin Jefferies, 39, from Rubery in Birmingham, works for a software company that provides...Kevin Jefferies, 39, from Rubery in Birmingham, works for a software company that provides...
Read the full story
Poor literacy hits health
Scotland’s chief medical officer has warned that campaigns to reverse the country’s poor health record are failing because people in deprived areas do not have the literacy skills to understand them. Catherine Calderwood said that healthcare professionals who relied on traditional methods such as leaflets to get their messages across often failed to communicate with...Scotland’s chief medical officer has warned that campaigns to reverse the country’s poor health...Scotland’s chief medical officer has warned that campaigns to reverse the country’s poor health...
Read the full story
Foreign teachers to be fast-tracked to rescue struggling rural schools
Foreign teachers are to be fast-tracked into Scottish classrooms under plans to tackle a recruitment crisis. The...Foreign teachers are to be fast-tracked into Scottish classrooms under plans to tackle a recruitment crisis. The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) has announced proposals to make it far easier for some teachers trained outside of the EU, as well as in the rest of the UK, to win approval to work in the...Foreign teachers are to be fast-tracked into Scottish classrooms under plans to tackle a recruitment crisis. The General...
Read the full story
Reforms ‘will raise pressure’ on staff and pupils
Reforms designed to cut the workload of teachers will have the opposite effect and ramp up pressure on school staff...Reforms designed to cut the workload of teachers will have the opposite effect and ramp up...Reforms designed to cut the workload of teachers will have the opposite effect and ramp up...
Read the full story
American pilot seven times over alcohol limit is jailed
An American airline pilot who was seven times the alcohol limit for flying as he prepared to co-pilot a flight from...An American airline pilot who was seven times the alcohol limit for flying as he prepared to...An American airline pilot who was seven times the alcohol limit for flying as he prepared to...
Read the full storyOpera takes Benedetti on tour to US
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is embarking on its first trip to the United States for 35 years next week. The RSNO, with its music director Peter Oundjian and Nicola Benedetti, the violinist, will perform in Florida with stops in Fort...The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is embarking on its first trip to the United States for 35...The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is embarking on its first trip to the United States for 35...
Read the full story
Fans say farewell to Tommy Gemmell
Football figures were among hundreds of mourners who paid their respects yesterday at the funeral of former Celtic player Tommy Gemmell. The Lisbon Lion, who won 18 Scotland caps, was remembered as a hero and the “life and soul...Football figures were among hundreds of mourners who paid their respects yesterday at the funeral of former Celtic player Tommy Gemmell. The Lisbon Lion, who won 18 Scotland caps, was remembered as a hero and the “life and soul...Football figures were among hundreds of mourners who paid their respects yesterday at the funeral of former Celtic...
Read the full storyLeading article
Class Dismissed
At what point does a shortage of teachers become a crisis? For years now, many local authorities have struggled to fill teaching places. In 2013, Aberdeenshire council sent staff to Canada and Ireland in an attempt to recruit...At what point does a shortage of teachers become a crisis? For years now, many local authorities have struggled to fill teaching places. In 2013, Aberdeenshire council sent staff to Canada and Ireland in an attempt to recruit...At what point does a shortage of teachers become a crisis? For years now, many local authorities have struggled to...
Read the full story
Obituary
Ronnie Leask
Vulnerable Magdalene women denied €1m
Nineteen of the most vulnerable Magdalene laundry survivors are being denied more than €1 million of compensation because legislation supporting women with intellectual disabilities has not been enacted. The group includes nine women who spent more than a decade in the institutions and are...Nineteen of the most vulnerable Magdalene laundry survivors are being denied more than €1 million of compensation because legislation supporting women with intellectual disabilities has not been enacted. The group includes nine women who spent more than a decade in the institutions and are...Nineteen of the most vulnerable Magdalene laundry survivors are being denied more than €1 million of compensation because...
Read the full storyMay still cagey on Brexit details, says Kenny
Enda Kenny said that Theresa May did not provide clarity on what relationship the UK will have with the customs union after Brexit at a meeting on Thursday. The taoiseach and the British prime minister held talks spoke at a summit of European leaders in Brussels, which is expected to be the last formal meeting before Theresa May triggers...Enda Kenny said that Theresa May did not provide clarity on what relationship the UK will have with the customs union after Brexit at a meeting on Thursday. The taoiseach and the British prime minister held talks spoke at a summit of European leaders in Brussels, which is expected to be the last formal meeting before Theresa May triggers...Enda Kenny said that Theresa May did not provide clarity on what relationship the UK will have with the customs union after...
Read the full story
Do not spare baby home nuns, says Halligan
Members of religious groups who have committed crimes against mother and baby home residents should not be protected from prosecution. John Halligan, junior minister for training and skills, said that old age should not dimish accountability, referring to any surviving Bon Secours nuns who worked at the home in Tuam...Members of religious groups who have committed crimes against mother and baby home residents...Members of religious groups who have committed crimes against mother and baby home residents...
Read the full story
Taxi driver cleared of biting man’s thumb
A taxi driver accused of biting off part of a passenger’s thumb after the man made fun of his name has been acquitted by a jury. Lookman Kareem told the jury he has no idea how the passenger lost part of his thumb and said he...A taxi driver accused of biting off part of a passenger’s thumb after the man made fun of his name has been acquitted by a jury. Lookman Kareem told the jury he has no idea how the passenger lost part of his thumb and said he...A taxi driver accused of biting off part of a passenger’s thumb after the man made fun of his name has been acquitted...
Read the full storyGrandmother jailed for credit card fraud
A British grandmother has been jailed for a year for her role in a gang of fraudsters who travelled to Ireland on weekends to buy high-value items using fake credit cards. Police arrested Michelle Butterworth, 56, who admitted...A British grandmother has been jailed for a year for her role in a gang of fraudsters who travelled to Ireland on weekends to buy high-value items using fake credit cards. Police arrested Michelle Butterworth, 56, who admitted...A British grandmother has been jailed for a year for her role in a gang of fraudsters who travelled to Ireland on...
Read the full story
Leading article
Time to Pay
Gin school offers students a taste of success
You’d worry about our drinking. Come the next crisis, elaborate gin and tonics will surely run the risk of joining SSIAs and kitchen extensions in the gallery of things that prove we can’t manage money. There’s a gin boom in Ireland for sure.You’d worry about our drinking. Come the next crisis, elaborate gin and tonics will surely run...You’d worry about our drinking. Come the next crisis, elaborate gin and tonics will surely run...
Read the full story
Six Nations
Schmidt: We can restore pride against England
Joe Schmidt rejected suggestions Ireland have regressed since their historic November wins over New Zealand and Australia, despite seeing their Six Nations hopes end after their heaviest defeat to Wales in 24 years. Rob Howley’s under-pressure...Joe Schmidt rejected suggestions Ireland have regressed since their historic November wins over...Joe Schmidt rejected suggestions Ireland have regressed since their historic November wins over...
Read the full story
Six Nations
Brave Wales rise to the occasion for Howley
Rugby on TV
RTE: Polite, stilted — and just plain boring
“Inform and entertain.” That was one reason Ian Hislop gave for Private Eye, the magazine he edits, posting...“Inform and entertain.” That was one reason Ian Hislop gave for Private Eye, the magazine...“Inform and entertain.” That was one reason Ian Hislop gave for Private Eye, the magazine...
Read the full story
GAA
GAA: What to look out for this weekend
Kilkenny’s goalscoring difficulties In the 56th minute of last week’s Cork-Kilkenny game, Mark Coleman missed the...Kilkenny’s goalscoring difficulties In the 56th minute of last week’s Cork-Kilkenny game, Mark...Kilkenny’s goalscoring difficulties In the 56th minute of last week’s Cork-Kilkenny game, Mark...
Read the full storyLUXX TREND
Little or large: how do you like yours?
Unlike Goldilocks, who was on a quest to make everything “just right”, the fashion crowd has long abandoned any such pretence of moderation. After all, we are living through extreme times right now, and as politicians have ceded the centre ground, so too have designers and trendsetters. That’s why this season’s bags have either proportions that are similar to a small...Unlike Goldilocks, who was on a quest to make everything “just right”, the fashion crowd has long...Unlike Goldilocks, who was on a quest to make everything “just right”, the fashion crowd has long...
Read the full story
FIRST WORD
Welcome to LUXX
Chris Stephens, the curator who worked with David Hockney on his brilliant new retrospective at Tate Britain...Chris Stephens, the curator who worked with David Hockney on his brilliant new retrospective at Tate Britain, recently described Hockney’s work as about “engaging with the pleasures of being alive”. Engaging with the pleasures of being alive seems to be something we should all be focusing on right now, and it’s...Chris Stephens, the curator who worked with David Hockney on his brilliant new retrospective at Tate Britain, recently...
Read the full story
Luxx collectors
Road Raj
“Asking which of my cars is most precious to me is just as painful as asking which of my daughters I love most,” says Dr Ravi Prakash, flicking a fleck of dust off his polished black E-type Jaguar. “It’s impossible. All of them are beautiful and...“Asking which of my cars is most precious to me is just as painful as asking which of my...“Asking which of my cars is most precious to me is just as painful as asking which of my...
Read the full story
Luxx Hotels
Why we’re liking Lisbon
luxx motoring
Electric dreams
luxx at work
Designer tools of the trade: Deyan Sudjic
In his glass office in the sleek new Design Museum in Kensington, Deyan Sudjic OBE is sitting at a desk that’s a...In his glass office in the sleek new Design Museum in Kensington, Deyan Sudjic OBE is sitting at...In his glass office in the sleek new Design Museum in Kensington, Deyan Sudjic OBE is sitting at...
Read the full story
LUXX CRAFT
Specs in the city
You’d need pretty good eyesight to spot a pair of Cutler and Gross frames from a distance. There is no visible logo —...You’d need pretty good eyesight to spot a pair of Cutler and Gross frames from a distance. There...You’d need pretty good eyesight to spot a pair of Cutler and Gross frames from a distance. There...
Read the full storyLuxx travel
A little place of your own
As we sail along in a smart 19-metre yacht through a remote group of islands northwest of the Maldivian capital, Malé, the boat captain turns to us with a grin. “You see that sandbank out in the ocean? That’s yours — for a starlit dinner or a picnic.As we sail along in a smart 19-metre yacht through a remote group of islands northwest of the...As we sail along in a smart 19-metre yacht through a remote group of islands northwest of the...
Read the full story
Luxx Property
Tara Bernerd: lady of the manors
luxx design
Flash trash
A wastepaper basket is probably not something that you lose much sleep over, and neither is it likely to be at the...A wastepaper basket is probably not something that you lose much sleep over, and neither is it...A wastepaper basket is probably not something that you lose much sleep over, and neither is it...
Read the full story
LUXX TIMEPIECES
My all-time classics
Time redux: A well-buried memory surfaced recently, reminding me that in my formative years I had been an official...Time redux: A well-buried memory surfaced recently, reminding me that in my formative years I had...Time redux: A well-buried memory surfaced recently, reminding me that in my formative years I had...
Read the full story
LUXX YACHTS
Sails of the century
Luxx Jewellery
Diamond life
LUXX STYLE
It’s all about comfort luxe
luxx fashion
Catching the breeze
LUXX off duty
Antonia Romeo: model diplomat
Life for Antonia Romeo tends to happen at a frenetic pace. In July 2016 she began her posting as the first female British consul general in New York, as well as the director-general of economic and commercial affairs in the US. It was a role that...Life for Antonia Romeo tends to happen at a frenetic pace. In July 2016 she began her posting as...Life for Antonia Romeo tends to happen at a frenetic pace. In July 2016 she began her posting as...
Read the full story
Luxx Travel
App, up and away
LUXX LOVES
Special brew
Few people take tea more seriously than Madame Yu Hui Tseng. As the only woman out of ten Gongfu tea masters, she...Few people take tea more seriously than Madame Yu Hui Tseng. As the only woman out of ten Gongfu...Few people take tea more seriously than Madame Yu Hui Tseng. As the only woman out of ten Gongfu...
Read the full story
EDITORS’ luxx list
What we want
ST Dupont lighter
It may seem odd to crave an old-school lighter 75 years after it was created, especially as I...ST Dupont lighter
It may seem odd to crave an old-school lighter 75 years after it was...ST Dupont lighter
It may seem odd to crave an old-school lighter 75 years after it was...
Luxx interiors
A modern maison
When the British interior designer Kate Hume and her Dutch husband, Frans van der Heijden, decided to relocate from New York to Europe 25 years ago (she had been working as a consultant and a stylist for Bergdorf Goodman, he as a successful...When the British interior designer Kate Hume and her Dutch husband, Frans van der Heijden...When the British interior designer Kate Hume and her Dutch husband, Frans van der Heijden...
Read the full story
luxx gardens
The sweet, sweet smell of home
LUXX grooming
Searching in vain
luxx FOOD & drink
The Cellarati
LUXX FOOD & DRINK
Expensive tastes
LUXX FASHION
Bright & beautiful
It shouldn’t be a surprise, and yet somehow it is. Zawe Ashton isn’t Vod. The London-born actress is not, it turns out, the edgy, drug-guzzling party-going university student she plays in the TV comedy series Fresh Meat, which earned her a...It shouldn’t be a surprise, and yet somehow it is. Zawe Ashton isn’t Vod. The London-born actress...It shouldn’t be a surprise, and yet somehow it is. Zawe Ashton isn’t Vod. The London-born actress...
Read the full story
luxx innovators
Lipstick legend
Leonard Lauder, billionaire philanthropist and celebrated art collector, still has a sharp eye for the business of beauty at the age of 83
LUXX beauty
Where the beautiful people are pampered
DAN DAVIES
Bricks and mortification
LUXX BEAUTY
Comment
When it’s right to break political promises
Matthew Parris
Philip Hammond was justified in ripping up the Tory pledge on national insurance but foolish to think we wouldn’t notice
Giles Coren
Every shopping basket is full of terrible secrets
Janice Turner
Working for yourself is hardly a dream job
Ben Macintyre
The truth about Trump’s enemy within
Oliver Moody
As robots take our jobs the arts will matter more
Matt Chorley
Be nice to our EU friends, we need them to pour the drinks
Daniel Finkelstein
There’s one way to stop my life going to the dogs
Nature notebook
Bohemian wanderers with a taste for the booze
Animated cartoon
Philip Hammond’s first budget
Red Box Quiz: budget special
Do you have an eye for figures, or budget deficit disorder?
Leading Articles
Educating Everyone
Ministers are trying to get more disadvantaged children into existinggrammar schools. This is a good idea, but expanding selection is not
Not There Yet
BT’s legal separation from Openreach is no more than a first step
Quokka Quandary
These marsupials may be cute, but our infatuation is not in their best interests
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Theresa May and the call for an early election
Sir, Iain Martin (“An early election will help May deliver Brexit”, Comment, Mar 9) seems to dislike the Fixed-term Parliaments Act but suggests that it can be circumvented. The act strengthened our democracy by removing from the incumbent prime...Sir, Iain Martin (“An early election will help May deliver Brexit”, Comment, Mar 9) seems to...Sir, Iain Martin (“An early election will help May deliver Brexit”, Comment, Mar 9) seems to...
Read the full storyDaily Universal Register
Briefing
Today
UK: The England and Scotland rugby union teams contest the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham in London; the spring conference of the Welsh Liberal Democrats opens.
Tomorrow
UK: The Crufts 2017 Best in Show award will be presented on the final day of the dog show competition, held in Birmingham, to one of the seven group winners.
On this day
In 1702 the Daily Courant, England’s first daily national newspaper, was published from premises near Fleet Street.
In 1851 Verdi’s Rigoletto was given its premiere in Venice.
In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev was elected general secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee.
Nature notes
A blue flower that spreads in the woods before the bluebells come out is ground ivy. It has nothing to do with the ivy that grows on walls, but is a small aromatic plant that belongs to the mint family. Its flowers, which may be more violet than blue, and are sometimes pink or white, have a hood and a three-lobed lip, and grow up the stem among bright green leaves with purplish undersides. There are often carpets of them to be seen, since they spread easily, putting out runners above the ground that root themselves. An old name alluding to this is runaway jack. They also grow in ones and twos on roadside banks. Before hops were used in the 16th century, ground ivy was the common bitter flavouring for beer, and was well known to countrymen for that reason — hence another rural name, alehoof. It feeds early bees with its nectar. It also attracts brimstone butterflies, whose yellow wings look very pretty against the blue flowers.
Derwent May
Birthdays this weekend
Today
Prof Martin Jim Aitken, co-inventor of thermoluminescence dating, 95; Charles Anson, press secretary to the Queen (1990-97), 73; Jake Arnott, novelist, The Long Firm (1999), 56; John Barrowman, entertainer and actor, Torchwood (2006-11), 50; Earl Bathurst, 56; Peter Bennett-Jones, TV producer and agent, chairman, Save the Children (UK), Comic Relief (1998-2013), 62; Dr Stephen Deuchar, director, the Art Fund, Tate Britain (1998-2009), 60; Didier Drogba, footballer, Chelsea (2014-15), 39; Robert Glenister, actor, Hustle (2004-12), 57; Alex Gregory, rower, two-time Olympic gold medallist (2012, 2016), 33; Sally Groves, creative director, Schott Music (2005-14), 68; Tom James, British rower, Olympic gold medallist (2008, 2012), 33; Alex Kingston, actress, ER (1997-2009), 54; Lord (Nigel) Lawson of Blaby, chancellor of the exchequer (1983-89), 85; Bobby McFerrin, singer-songwriter, Don’t Worry, Be Happy (1988), 67; Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of News Corp and 21st Century Fox, 86; Jeremy Penn, chief executive, Baltic Exchange (2004-16), 58; Lord Pentland (Paul Cullen), a senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, chairman, Scottish Law Commission, 60; Sir Malcolm Pill, Lord Justice of Appeal (1995-2013), 79; Robert Thomson, chief executive, News Corp, 56; Alan Yentob, creative director, BBC (2004-15), 70.
Tomorrow
Sir Antony Acland, ambassador to Washington (1986-91), 87; Baroness (Virginia) Bottomley of Nettlestone, Conservative MP (1984-2005), health secretary (1992-95), 69; Karen Bradley, Conservative MP for Staffordshire Moorlands, culture, media and sport secretary, 47; Baroness (Peta) Buscombe, chairwoman, Press Complaints Commission (2009-11), 63; Ed Clancy, cyclist, three-time Olympic gold medallist (2008, 2012, 2016), 32; Pete Doherty, singer-songwriter, the Libertines and Babyshambles, 38; Willie Duggan, rugby player, Ireland (1975-84), 67; Ruth Hunt, chief executive, Stonewall, 37; Marlon Jackson, musician, the Jackson 5, 60; Sir Anish Kapoor, sculptor, Turner prizewinner (1991), 63; Mary Lee Woods, mathematician and computer programmer, mother of World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, 93; Lesley Manville, actress, Secrets & Lies (1996), 61; David Mellor, Conservative MP (1979-97), national heritage secretary (1992), 68; Liza Minnelli, actress, Cabaret (1972), 71; Sir Nicholas Montagu, chairman, Financial Ombudsman Service, 73; Mitt Romney, 2012 US Republican presidential candidate, 70; James Taylor, singer-songwriter, Fire and Rain (1970), 69; DR Thorpe, historian and biographer, Supermac: The Life of Harold Macmillan (2010), 74.
The Red Box podcast Budget special
Alistair Darling and Matt Ridley join Matt Chorley to pick through the details