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In the News
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Fraud victims misled and mocked as police fail to investigate
Call handlers working for the police insult victims of fraud and have been trained to mislead them into thinking their cases will be investigated when most are never looked at again. An undercover Times reporter was among staff who were banned from telling victims that the overwhelming majority of their cases are dismissed, either by low-wage employees at an outsourced...Call handlers working for the police insult victims of fraud and have been trained to mislead...Call handlers working for the police insult victims of fraud and have been trained to mislead...
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action fraud investigation
Staff sneer at ‘moron’ callers and nap on the job
It is a Friday afternoon and staff working for the police are taking crime reports from victims of fraud. Some of the...It is a Friday afternoon and staff working for the police are taking crime reports from victims of fraud. Some of the callers are inconsolable, having lost their life savings to scammers and cold callers. Others are panicking after discovering that their bank accounts have been hacked into and emptied, or that a...It is a Friday afternoon and staff working for the police are taking crime reports from victims of fraud. Some of the callers...
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action fraud investigation | case studies
‘I lost £18,000 but police did nothing’
action fraud investigation
Have you reported a crime to Action Fraud?
The wedding bell tolls for page boys
Harry and Meghan had four. William and Kate had two. For generations no royal wedding has been complete without at least one page boy. The rest of society has declined to follow suit. The proportion of couples deciding to have page boys is only...Harry and Meghan had four. William and Kate had two. For generations no royal wedding has been...Harry and Meghan had four. William and Kate had two. For generations no royal wedding has been...
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Police ‘should be investigated’ over VIP sex case warrants
Scotland Yard officers should face a criminal investigation into how search warrants were obtained in the Operation Midland inquiry into allegations of a VIP paedophile ring, a cabinet minister said yesterday. Ben Wallace, the...Scotland Yard officers should face a criminal investigation into how search warrants were obtained in the Operation Midland inquiry into allegations of a VIP paedophile ring, a cabinet minister said yesterday. Ben Wallace, the...Scotland Yard officers should face a criminal investigation into how search warrants were obtained in the Operation...
Read the full storyMinister rejects amnesty for veterans of Troubles
The defence secretary yesterday rejected the idea of an amnesty for parties involved in the Troubles in Northern Ireland, arguing it could let terrorists “off the hook”. Ben Wallace said veterans should be given “the very best...The defence secretary yesterday rejected the idea of an amnesty for parties involved in the Troubles in Northern Ireland, arguing it could let terrorists “off the hook”. Ben Wallace said veterans should be given “the very best...The defence secretary yesterday rejected the idea of an amnesty for parties involved in the Troubles in Northern...
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Leonardo’s change of mind revealed
Leonardo da Vinci was even more perplexed about how to portray the infant Christ than was previously thought. The National Gallery’s examination of its version of The Virgin of the Rocks has revealed a hitherto unknown underdrawing, suggesting...Leonardo da Vinci was even more perplexed about how to portray the infant Christ than was...Leonardo da Vinci was even more perplexed about how to portray the infant Christ than was...
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Bananageddon! Fungus could wipe out global crop
The first sign was a slight yellowing of banana leaves. Then came the wilting. Colombia’s banana farmers suspected...The first sign was a slight yellowing of banana leaves. Then came the wilting. Colombia’s banana...The first sign was a slight yellowing of banana leaves. Then came the wilting. Colombia’s banana...
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The Times Diary
For you, David, the war is over
David Gower is being retired and is rather hurt. Sky Sports has not renewed his contract but he is comforted that...David Gower is being retired and is rather hurt. Sky Sports has not renewed his contract but he...David Gower is being retired and is rather hurt. Sky Sports has not renewed his contract but he...
Read the full storyHigh winds, heavy seas and no toilet as Greta heads for New York
Many teenagers dream of taking a trip to New York but might be less keen if they had to spend two weeks getting there in a boat with no toilet being battered by rough seas. Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist who...Many teenagers dream of taking a trip to New York but might be less keen if they had to spend two...Many teenagers dream of taking a trip to New York but might be less keen if they had to spend two...
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NHS wins £8m from drug company that forced up pill’s cost
A drug company is to pay £8 million to the NHS to settle allegations that it illegally sought to protect its monopoly over the supply of a life-saving medicine that rose in price from 5p to £1 a tablet. Aspen Pharmacare was...A drug company is to pay £8 million to the NHS to settle allegations that it illegally sought to protect its monopoly over the supply of a life-saving medicine that rose in price from 5p to £1 a tablet. Aspen Pharmacare was...A drug company is to pay £8 million to the NHS to settle allegations that it illegally sought to protect its monopoly...
Read the full storySex offenders shun rehab to play bowls and watch television
Sex offenders are playing indoor bowls and walking football before being released without being challenged over their crimes or the risks they pose to the public, a watchdog report has said. Inmates aged over 65 who deny their...Sex offenders are playing indoor bowls and walking football before being released without being challenged over their crimes or the risks they pose to the public, a watchdog report has said. Inmates aged over 65 who deny their...Sex offenders are playing indoor bowls and walking football before being released without being challenged over their...
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News in pictures
For more pictures from The Times, follow us on InstagramFor more pictures from The Times, follow us on InstagramFor more pictures from The Times, follow us on Instagram
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Clearing can be a smooth route to the course you want
It’s easier than ever before to find — or switch — your place on a university course
clearing
How to go through Clearing
Whether you’ve missed your grades or had a change of heart, there are still plenty of places available
Adjustment
What to do if your A levels are better expected
If you have stronger grades, why not take another look at what’s on offer with Adjustment?
budgeting
How to manage money at university — don’t blow it all in one go
Our guide on how to manage your finances at university
accomodation
How to find a room of your own
From halls to co-ops, students have their pick of places to live while they study
health & wellbeing
Time to take charge of your health
eating well
Find confidence in the kitchen
survival guide
Freshers week: come out of your comfort zone
open days
Open days are for the parents too
leaving home
Taking time out to save the world
Gone are the days when the most important thing to do on your gap year was gain a skill to impress on your CV —...Gone are the days when the most important thing to do on your gap year was gain a skill to...Gone are the days when the most important thing to do on your gap year was gain a skill to...
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fashion
Source your style sustainably
Down with Topshop, up with Depop. If you are one of this year’s contingent of freshers packing for university, you...Down with Topshop, up with Depop. If you are one of this year’s contingent of freshers packing...Down with Topshop, up with Depop. If you are one of this year’s contingent of freshers packing...
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We can hit Hong Kong in ten minutes, says Beijing
Protesters in Hong Kong were forced to rethink their tactics yesterday after a court injunction prevented them from occupying the international airport for a third day running and Beijing threatened military intervention. Flights resumed in and out of the airport after the two-day stand-off between protesters and riot police ended in violent clashes on Tuesday, with the...Protesters in Hong Kong were forced to rethink their tactics yesterday after a court injunction...Protesters in Hong Kong were forced to rethink their tactics yesterday after a court injunction...
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HONG KONG PROTESTS
Pilots sacked for backing Hong Kong demonstrators
Cathay Pacific fired two of its pilots today after the airline, which is part-owned by Beijing, sought to please...Cathay Pacific fired two of its pilots today after the airline, which is part-owned by Beijing, sought to please China by taking a hard line on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Liu Chung-yi was dismissed after he was charged with rioting in a demonstration on the former British colony last month. A second pilot...Cathay Pacific fired two of its pilots today after the airline, which is part-owned by Beijing, sought to please China by...
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Rejuvenated Macrons ready to face the world
President Macron will emerge from his Mediterranean retreat today for a Second World War ceremony after a three-week break that has enabled his wife, Brigitte, to recover from what is claimed to have been cosmetic surgery. The...President Macron will emerge from his Mediterranean retreat today for a Second World War ceremony after a three-week break that has enabled his wife, Brigitte, to recover from what is claimed to have been cosmetic surgery. The...President Macron will emerge from his Mediterranean retreat today for a Second World War ceremony after a three-week...
Read the full storyLourdes pilgrims stage miraculous comeback
Ever since the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, an illiterate French teenager, in a grotto in Lourdes in 1858, the site has been the setting for miracles. The latest miracle, according to the local media...Ever since the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, an illiterate French teenager, in a grotto in Lourdes in 1858, the site has been the setting for miracles. The latest miracle, according to the local media...Ever since the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, an illiterate French teenager, in a grotto in...
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Novices banned from Everest after 11 climbers die in one year
Nepal is to introduce tough restrictions for first-time climbers on Mount Everest, barring those without experience at high altitude as it seeks to avoid a repeat of this year’s chaotic and deadly spring season. Under new regulations unveiled...Nepal is to introduce tough restrictions for first-time climbers on Mount Everest, barring those...Nepal is to introduce tough restrictions for first-time climbers on Mount Everest, barring those...
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Activist’s torture ‘a warning’ over protests in Zimbabwe
The abduction and beating of a prominent anti-government campaigner in Zimbabwe has raised the threat of a state crackdown against rolling demonstrations which begin tomorrow. Protests against living conditions are planned in...The abduction and beating of a prominent anti-government campaigner in Zimbabwe has raised the threat of a state crackdown against rolling demonstrations which begin tomorrow. Protests against living conditions are planned in...The abduction and beating of a prominent anti-government campaigner in Zimbabwe has raised the threat of a state...
Read the full storySaudi activist refuses to deny torture in jail
A female activist imprisoned in Saudi Arabia has turned down a release deal that would have required her to deny allegations that she has been tortured. The family of Loujain al-Hathloul, 30, who was arrested in the United...A female activist imprisoned in Saudi Arabia has turned down a release deal that would have required her to deny allegations that she has been tortured. The family of Loujain al-Hathloul, 30, who was arrested in the United...A female activist imprisoned in Saudi Arabia has turned down a release deal that would have required her to deny...
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news in brief
Row as bridge bosses arrive for memorial
Pleas to honour Graf Spee captain who defied Hitler
The “pocket battleship” Admiral Graf Spee limped into port in Uruguay, heavily damaged in the battle of the River Plate and facing the prospect of a fearsome pack of enemy vessels waiting to pounce if it returned to sea. Its commander, Captain...The “pocket battleship” Admiral Graf Spee limped into port in Uruguay, heavily damaged in the...The “pocket battleship” Admiral Graf Spee limped into port in Uruguay, heavily damaged in the...
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Markets hit by fears of new crash
America’s Dow Jones industrial average index shed more than 800 points last night after a key bond market metric started flashing red for the first time since the financial crisis, heightening fears that the global economy could be heading for recession. Shares were sold heavily on Wall Street...America’s Dow Jones industrial average index shed more than 800 points last night after a key bond market metric started flashing red for the first time since the financial crisis, heightening fears that the global economy could be heading for recession. Shares were sold heavily on Wall Street...America’s Dow Jones industrial average index shed more than 800 points last night after a key bond market metric started...
Read the full storyWework losses mount before float
One of the world’s largest co-working providers has revealed huge losses as it prepares for what it hopes will be a blockbuster stock market flotation. We Company, the parent of Wework, the flexible office provider, has published its prospectus for potential investors before its initial public offering, planned for next month. The company...One of the world’s largest co-working providers has revealed huge losses as it prepares for what it hopes will be a blockbuster stock market flotation. We Company, the parent of Wework, the flexible office provider, has published its prospectus for potential investors before its initial public offering, planned for next month. The company...One of the world’s largest co-working providers has revealed huge losses as it prepares for what it hopes will be a blockbuster...
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Taxman shows businesses ‘no-deal leniency’ over digital levy
About 120,000 businesses that missed a tax deadline will escape a fine after HM Revenue & Customs said that it would show leniency before a possible no-deal Brexit. The tax authority could have issued cumulative fines running into tens of millions of pounds after one in four companies failed to comply with new...About 120,000 businesses that missed a tax deadline will escape a fine after HM Revenue &...;About 120,000 businesses that missed a tax deadline will escape a fine after HM Revenue &...;
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Ashley in race against time as auditor quits
Sports Direct is racing to find a new auditor before its shareholder meeting in less than four weeks’ time — and could face intervention from the government if it fails. The retailer said yesterday that Grant Thornton, its...Sports Direct is racing to find a new auditor before its shareholder meeting in less than four weeks’ time — and could face intervention from the government if it fails. The retailer said yesterday that Grant Thornton, its...Sports Direct is racing to find a new auditor before its shareholder meeting in less than four weeks’ time — and...
Read the full storyLookers faces up to 40% fall in profit
The recession in the car showroom has badly punctured profits at one of Britain’s leading motor dealers. Lookers yesterday reported a 40 per cent crash in half-year profits to £25 million, despite a near-3 per cent rise in...The recession in the car showroom has badly punctured profits at one of Britain’s leading motor dealers. Lookers yesterday reported a 40 per cent crash in half-year profits to £25 million, despite a near-3 per cent rise in...The recession in the car showroom has badly punctured profits at one of Britain’s leading motor dealers. Lookers...
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Business Commentary
Shapps risks looking a fool on rail bid
On its bike: Prudential confirms move east
Prudential will complete its planned break-up by the end of this year, demerging its British division, severing its centuries-old relationship with the Bank of England and submitting to regulation by a supervisory body in protest-rocked Hong Kong.Prudential will complete its planned break-up by the end of this year, demerging its British...Prudential will complete its planned break-up by the end of this year, demerging its British...
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Comment
Is there any economics behind Johnson’s ‘perk up and carry on’ strategy?
It’s time to get with the perk . . . I mean programme. Boris Johnson’s government might not even have a budget under...It’s time to get with the perk . . . I mean programme. Boris Johnson’s government might not even...It’s time to get with the perk . . . I mean programme. Boris Johnson’s government might not even...
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Subsidy hits headwind
Plans for the next wave of offshore wind farms have been thrown into confusion after it emerged that the government’s...Plans for the next wave of offshore wind farms have been thrown into confusion after it emerged...Plans for the next wave of offshore wind farms have been thrown into confusion after it emerged...
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Football | Henry Winter
Adrián adds name to list of Liverpool’s Istanbul heroes
Liverpool and Istanbul and penalties. This is a familiar story, a beloved one for Liverpool, who won the Uefa Super Cup in a shoot-out, just as they had done in the 2005 Champions League., Different stadium, same story. Roberto Firmino was first to take responsibility for Liverpool, stepping up and effortlessly sending Kepa Arrizabalaga the wrong way. Jorginho ignored...Liverpool and Istanbul and penalties. This is a familiar story, a beloved one for Liverpool, who...Liverpool and Istanbul and penalties. This is a familiar story, a beloved one for Liverpool, who...
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the ashes | mike atherton
Leach, not Denly, should make way if England opt to play Curran
Although the rain teased him, there was no need ultimately for Joe Root to name his team on a washed-out opening day...Although the rain teased him, there was no need ultimately for Joe Root to name his team on a washed-out opening day at Lord’s. There was enough activity at one point to discern what he was thinking and, reading the runes, it appeared likely that Sam Curran was the likeliest to be left out, meaning two changes from...Although the rain teased him, there was no need ultimately for Joe Root to name his team on a washed-out opening day at Lord’s.
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The Ashes | Gideon Haigh
Players make the most of respite in gruelling schedule
Football | Paul Joyce
Pulisic shows spark that first caught eye of Klopp
Football | Tony Cascarino
Super Cup talking points: Kanté is star man
N’Golo Kanté’s energy is extraordinary but he offers so much more than fitness. It’s the way he darts around the...N’Golo Kanté’s energy is extraordinary but he offers so much more than fitness. It’s the way he...N’Golo Kanté’s energy is extraordinary but he offers so much more than fitness. It’s the way he...
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Rugby union | Owen Slot
England must prove fracas was a blip
The fallout from the dispute between Mike Brown and Ben Te’o continued yesterday when it was reported that the...The fallout from the dispute between Mike Brown and Ben Te’o continued yesterday when it was...The fallout from the dispute between Mike Brown and Ben Te’o continued yesterday when it was...
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The Game Daily | Paul Hirst
Defensive driving and social media classes – how to protect a footballer
A car spins and accelerates towards two stationary vehicles, knocking them both out of the way, glass flying on to the tarmac as the clatter of gunfire fills the air. All the ingredients of a Hollywood car chase, but it is not. This is what is...A car spins and accelerates towards two stationary vehicles, knocking them both out of the way...A car spins and accelerates towards two stationary vehicles, knocking them both out of the way...
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Rugby union | In-depth
England’s World Cup squad dissected
Rugby union
Onus on Marler as England cut corners
One of the many tricks up his sleeve, that were revealed when Eddie Jones announced the England World Cup squad, was...One of the many tricks up his sleeve, that were revealed when Eddie Jones announced the England...One of the many tricks up his sleeve, that were revealed when Eddie Jones announced the England...
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Cricket
ECB to review rules on transgender cricketers
English cricket is to review its policy on transgender players ahead of the new professional women’s league, which...English cricket is to review its policy on transgender players ahead of the new professional...English cricket is to review its policy on transgender players ahead of the new professional...
Read the full storyFOotball
Adrián 6, Pedro 9: how Liverpool and Chelsea rated in the Super Cup
Liverpool 4-3-3 Adrián, 32, Spanish
Made two fine saves but rashly conceded the penalty in extra time 6 Joe Gomez, 22, English
Got sucked in for Chelsea’s first goal despite a tireless display 6 Joël Matip, 28, Cameroonian
Allowed Pedro to rattle...Liverpool 4-3-3 Adrián, 32, Spanish
Made two fine saves but rashly conceded the penalty in extra...Liverpool 4-3-3 Adrián, 32, Spanish
Made two fine saves but rashly conceded the penalty in extra...
Premier League
Chelsea breaches ‘worse’ than City’s
Football | Michael Grant
European failure seems to matter less than ‘nine’
Presumably those Celtic fans who feel this season is “only about getting the nine” could live with CFR Cluj ransacking Parkhead and sending another Champions League campaign up in smoke. Most of the 50,000 crowd were not so sanguine, at least not...Presumably those Celtic fans who feel this season is “only about getting the nine” could live...Presumably those Celtic fans who feel this season is “only about getting the nine” could live...
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Tennis | Stuart Fraser
Tantrums, tears and injuries: Serena’s shot at history under threat
f1 weekly | rebecca clancy
W Series has provided a lifeline for female drivers in motor racing
Six months ago, Alice Powell was cleaning out vomit from a urinal as part of her job working for her dad as a labourer.Six months ago, Alice Powell was cleaning out vomit from a urinal as part of her job working for...Six months ago, Alice Powell was cleaning out vomit from a urinal as part of her job working for...
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CRICKET | THE SCORER
The Scorer: T20 Blast dissected
“Oh, Glammy Glammy,” supporters of the Welsh county love to sing. Unfortunately in the Vitality Blast this year, it...“Oh, Glammy Glammy,” supporters of the Welsh county love to sing. Unfortunately in the Vitality...“Oh, Glammy Glammy,” supporters of the Welsh county love to sing. Unfortunately in the Vitality...
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Sport photography
Times Sport Unseen: the best of our photographers’ pictures this week
Marc says: I am loathe to publish anything which shows the Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones suffering misfortune, especially from the game on Sunday where he won a record-breaking 131st cap, but here can only look despairingly over his shoulder as an...Marc says: I am loathe to publish anything which shows the Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones suffering...Marc says: I am loathe to publish anything which shows the Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones suffering...
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obituary
Nuon Chea
Unrepentant Khmer Rouge deputy known as ‘Brother Number Two’ who took charge of the mass purges of Cambodians in the 1970s
Known as “Brother Number Two”, Nuon Chea was Pol Pot’s right-hand man in the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia that killed up to three million of its own people. While Pol Pot is regarded as the driving force behind the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror between 1975 and 1979, Nuon Chea is viewed by historians as his fanatical deputy who ensured that the group’s...Known as “Brother Number Two”, Nuon Chea was Pol Pot’s right-hand man in the genocidal Khmer...Known as “Brother Number Two”, Nuon Chea was Pol Pot’s right-hand man in the genocidal Khmer...
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obituary
Sir Patrick Sheehy
As an experienced public-company chairman, Patrick Sheehy was bemused to be on the Celtic Football Club board that...As an experienced public-company chairman, Patrick Sheehy was bemused to be on the Celtic Football Club board that was told by a disgruntled shareholder: “You lot couldn’t spot the Pope in the directors’ box at Ibrox” — referring to the home ground of Rangers, Celtic’s Protestant rivals. It was easily the most...As an experienced public-company chairman, Patrick Sheehy was bemused to be on the Celtic Football Club board that was told by...
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THE TABLE
Meet the zero‑waste pin‑up who wants us to throw less away
When his acting career crashed, Max La Manna decided to save the planet instead. He wants your help
I won Miss England — then it was back to work as a doctor
Bhasha Mukherjee is a junior doctor who speaks five languages. She is also the new Miss England. That’s not a contradiction, she explains
England to Chile — and I won’t be flying
Film-maker and adventurer James Levelle is off on a 7,000-mile trip — cycling, hiking and paddling. He tells Hilary Rose why
arts
Renovating the Palace of Westminster: a gothic horror story
The multibillion-pound refurbishment of the Houses of Parliament is shaping up to be the most expensive yet. Jonathan Morrison takes a tour
THE THURSDAY COLUMN
Deborah Ross: Tourists, read my guide to the worst experiences in the UK
FIRST NIGHT | EDINBURGH CIRCUS
Rouge — harmless and inclusive titillation
★★★☆☆
Situated on the grassy expanse known as the Meadows, Circus Hub caters to all ages. As the day unfolds there is a gradual switch from child-friendly shows to slices of late-night adult entertainment such as this slick and saucy Australian production. Confidently delivered by a cast of six, Rouge is a tasty conflation of circus, cabaret and burlesque, with a bit...★★★☆☆
Situated on the grassy expanse known as the Meadows, Circus Hub caters to all ages. As...★★★☆☆
Situated on the grassy expanse known as the Meadows, Circus Hub caters to all ages. As...
FIRST NIGHT | EDINBURGH THEATRE
Crocodile Fever — family revenge horror with plenty of bite
★★★★☆
The setting is a Catholic farmhouse in south Armagh. It’s the height of the Troubles and we are watching a...★★★★☆
The setting is a Catholic farmhouse in south Armagh. It’s the height of the Troubles and we are watching a young woman, in an outfit that is beyond frumpy, cleaning the stove with a toothbrush. The kitchen is pink and perfect. You just know it’s going to be a mess soon. Alannah Devlin is the one...★★★★☆
The setting is a Catholic farmhouse in south Armagh. It’s the height of the Troubles and we are watching a young woman...
FIRST NIGHT | EDINBURGH THEATRE
F. Off — a chewy, compelling production
FIRST NIGHT | EDINBURGH COMEDY
Jayde Adams — a caustic yet warm and wonderful hour
First night | Edinburgh theatre
Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster — a hip and haunting beatbox adventure
★★★★☆ This show is an experiment in re-animation, and Mary Shelley, who no one could call risk-adverse, would approve.★★★★☆ This show is an experiment in re-animation, and Mary Shelley, who no one could call...★★★★☆ This show is an experiment in re-animation, and Mary Shelley, who no one could call...
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First night | Edinburgh concert
Dunedin Consort/ Hakkinen/ Esfahani — venue shrouds star performers
★★★☆☆ Tucked away in a side-street off Edinburgh’s Cowgate sits Scotland’s oldest purpose-built music venue. Opened...★★★☆☆ Tucked away in a side-street off Edinburgh’s Cowgate sits Scotland’s oldest purpose-built...★★★☆☆ Tucked away in a side-street off Edinburgh’s Cowgate sits Scotland’s oldest purpose-built...
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PICK OF THE YEAR
The best books of 2019
Viewing guide
What’s on TV tonight
video
THE TIMES FILM SHOW
Blinded by the Light — great tunes, shame about the other bits
Nationalists would win vote without Labour, says Dugdale
Scotland would vote for independence if a second referendum became a straight battle between the SNP and Conservatives, the former Scottish Labour leader has predicted. Labour was the senior partner in the Better Together campaign against Scottish independence, but Kezia Dugdale said that if her...Scotland would vote for independence if a second referendum became a straight battle between the SNP and Conservatives, the former Scottish Labour leader has predicted. Labour was the senior partner in the Better Together campaign against Scottish independence, but Kezia Dugdale said that if her...Scotland would vote for independence if a second referendum became a straight battle between the SNP and Conservatives, the...
Read the full storyLife expectancy slips because of toll from drugs and heart disease
Heart disease and rising drugs deaths have dragged Scotland’s life expectancy down for the first time in more than a century. Scotland already had the lowest life expectancy in western Europe but it has dipped by a few months to 77 for men and 81 for women, according to the National Records of Scotland. The gap between rich and poor has...Heart disease and rising drugs deaths have dragged Scotland’s life expectancy down for the first time in more than a century. Scotland already had the lowest life expectancy in western Europe but it has dipped by a few months to 77 for men and 81 for women, according to the National Records of Scotland. The gap between rich and poor has...Heart disease and rising drugs deaths have dragged Scotland’s life expectancy down for the first time in more than a century.
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clean air for all
Four drivers in five years fined for idling engines
Only four motorists have been penalised for idling their engines in Scotland in the past five years despite growing concerns about the effects of vehicle pollution. Councils were granted extra powers in 2003 to stop motorists from running their engines unnecessarily but only Glasgow has used them — and on average...Only four motorists have been penalised for idling their engines in Scotland in the past five...Only four motorists have been penalised for idling their engines in Scotland in the past five...
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Knifeman misses sentencing
A knifeman who wounded two tourists is facing a life sentence. Peter Cameron repeatedly stabbed the women unprovoked...A knifeman who wounded two tourists is facing a life sentence. Peter Cameron repeatedly stabbed...A knifeman who wounded two tourists is facing a life sentence. Peter Cameron repeatedly stabbed...
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Health service will stay free for Europeans
Free NHS treatment will continue for citizens of EU states living in Scotland in the event of a no-deal Brexit...Free NHS treatment will continue for citizens of EU states living in Scotland in the event of a...Free NHS treatment will continue for citizens of EU states living in Scotland in the event of a...
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leading article
Healthy, Wealthy And Wise
It is a statistic that is hard to ignore: life expectancy in Scotland has ceased to grow. While other countries continue to show people living longer, with improved medical care and healthier lifestyles, Scotland remains...It is a statistic that is hard to ignore: life expectancy in Scotland has ceased to grow. While other countries continue to show people living longer, with improved medical care and healthier lifestyles, Scotland remains...It is a statistic that is hard to ignore: life expectancy in Scotland has ceased to grow. While other...
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Extra Easyjet aircraft lands 50 jobs at Glasgow airport
Easyjet is opening new routes and creating dozens of jobs by basing an additional aircraft at Glasgow airport. The Airbus A320 will take the fleet to five when it arrives in March next year. The first new service is a...Easyjet is opening new routes and creating dozens of jobs by basing an additional aircraft at Glasgow airport. The Airbus A320 will take the fleet to five when it arrives in March next year. The first new service is a...Easyjet is opening new routes and creating dozens of jobs by basing an additional aircraft at Glasgow airport. The...
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FOOTBALL | EUROPA LEAGUE
Celtic’s exit is our warning, says Gerrard
Steven Gerrard, the Rangers manager, has warned his players that they could suffer the same fate as Celtic if they fail to treat Mydtjylland with the utmost respect at Ibrox tonight. Already 4-2 up from the first leg in Denmark last Thursday, Rangers are fully expected to secure the aggregate victory that would put them in the Europa League play-off round, but their...Steven Gerrard, the Rangers manager, has warned his players that they could suffer the same fate...Steven Gerrard, the Rangers manager, has warned his players that they could suffer the same fate...
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RUGBY UNION
Two rookies set for Scotland debuts
Gregor Townsend, the Scotland head coach, is set to hand international debuts to the Northampton centre Rory...Gregor Townsend, the Scotland head coach, is set to hand international debuts to the Northampton centre Rory Hutchinson and Glasgow lock Scott Cummings after naming the uncapped pair on the bench for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash with France in Nice. Hutchinson, 23, and Cummings, 22, were peripheral figures at...Gregor Townsend, the Scotland head coach, is set to hand international debuts to the Northampton centre Rory Hutchinson and...
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FOOTBALL | EUROPA LEAGUE
Gerrard: Jack’s big heart ‘sets him apart’
FOOTBALL | EUROPA LEAGUE
Cosgrove out of Aberdeen’s must-win tie
RUGBY UNION
Taylor fits the bill for Townsend
Cut in home upgrade fund ‘a slap in the face’
The cut in funding for retrofitting homes to make them more energy efficient is a “slap in the face” for people trying to be more environmentally conscious, an MEP has said. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) confirmed yesterday that grants available under a three-year “deep retrofit” pilot programme would only be given to projects which have already...The cut in funding for retrofitting homes to make them more energy efficient is a “slap in the...The cut in funding for retrofitting homes to make them more energy efficient is a “slap in the...
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Cause of girl’s death in jungle still unknown
A post-mortem examination on the body of a teenager found in Malaysia will continue today as mystery continues to...A post-mortem examination on the body of a teenager found in Malaysia will continue today as mystery continues to surround her death. Nóra Quoirin, 15, disappeared on August 4 and her body was discovered on Tuesday beside a small stream about 2.5 kilometres from the jungle resort of Dusun, where she had been on...A post-mortem examination on the body of a teenager found in Malaysia will continue today as mystery continues to surround her...
Read the full storyNo-deal Brexit unconstitutional, campaigner tells court
A Northern Irish victims’ campaigner is mounting a legal challenge in an attempt to prevent Boris Johnson from suspending the British parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit. Raymond McCord issued proceedings at the High...A Northern Irish victims’ campaigner is mounting a legal challenge in an attempt to prevent Boris Johnson from suspending the British parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit. Raymond McCord issued proceedings at the High...A Northern Irish victims’ campaigner is mounting a legal challenge in an attempt to prevent Boris Johnson from...
Read the full storyFacebook investigated over use of private recordings
Ireland’s data protection watchdog is investigating Facebook for providing private audio recordings of its users to outside contractors. Facebook had been paying the contractors to transcribe clips of audio from its users on...Ireland’s data protection watchdog is investigating Facebook for providing private audio recordings of its users to outside contractors. Facebook had been paying the contractors to transcribe clips of audio from its users on...Ireland’s data protection watchdog is investigating Facebook for providing private audio recordings of its users to...
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Good Friday agreement trumps deal with UK, says Pelosi
There is “no chance” of a trade deal between the US and the UK passing in Congress if Brexit undermines the Good Friday agreement, Nancy Pelosi has said. The US Speaker said that the “seamless border” in Ireland must be protected. Ms Pelosi, the...There is “no chance” of a trade deal between the US and the UK passing in Congress if Brexit...There is “no chance” of a trade deal between the US and the UK passing in Congress if Brexit...
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Comment
We can’t drop our guard against dictators
David Aaronovitch
With the idea of strongman leadership back in fashion, it’s wise to explore the many roads that can lead to despotism
JAMES MARRIOTT
Millennials have been scarred by free speech
JUSTIN WEBB
Tweeter-in-Chief is not the real America
JANICE TURNER
Please spare us the ‘stop no-deal’ sister act
John Bache
Recruiting police is pointless without more magistrates
The Red Box podcast
Beyond the Fringe III: on free speech, Twitter trolls and being better
Leading Articles
Placebo Policing
The police destroy public confidence when they fail to take seriously victims of the modern scourge of financial fraud
Clearing Up Clearing
Scrapping the predicted grades system is tempting but complicated
Something Old, Something New
Children should stay in the picture at the Great British Wedding
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
National unity and Hammond’s no-deal alert
Sir, Daniel Finkelstein dismisses a government of national unity without proper exploration of its virtues, or consideration of the alternatives available, as the Brexit crisis deepens (“A national unity government will never fly”, Comment, Aug 14).Sir, Daniel Finkelstein dismisses a government of national unity without proper exploration of...Sir, Daniel Finkelstein dismisses a government of national unity without proper exploration of...
Read the full storyReaders’ poll
Would the break-up of the United Kingdom be a bad thing?
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Results are published for A level, AS level and Extended Project for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Gibraltar: The Gibraltar government holds a hearing on the detained Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 at the end of its detention period.
India: Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, delivers a speech to mark the anniversary of India’s independence from British rule in 1947.
On this day
In 1939 MGM’s musical film version of The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, premiered in Hollywood, California. The film went on to win three Academy Awards; in 1969 the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair (Woodstock) was held at Bethel in upstate New York, attracting about 400,000 people, and has since become synonymous with the counterculture movement of the 1960s; in 1979 the Vietnam war film Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, opened in the US. The Oscar-winning film stars Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne and Dennis Hopper; in 1989 PW Botha resigned his party’s leadership and the presidency of South Africa to be replaced by FW de Klerk, who helped to engineer the end of the apartheid system.
Nature notes
Besides the large hawker dragonflies, some small red dragonflies are also widespread now. These are the common and the ruddy darter, which are about half the size of the hawkers and flit about more lightly. They are easily seen when they sit, as they often do, on warm dry paths, flying up when you approach and settling again a few feet farther on. They also sit on twigs on waterside bushes, from which they fly out to catch small insects or to pursue the yellowish females. They drive away other males. The two species are fairly easy to distinguish because they often become tame enough to let you bend down and inspect them. The common darter is orange-red and has yellow and black legs. The ruddy darter is usually a deeper, richer red and has black legs. It also has a noticeably pinched “waist”.
Derwent May
Birthdays today
Ben Affleck, actor, Justice League (2017), and film-maker, Argo (2012), 47; Lord (Neil) Brailsford, senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 65; Neil Constable, chief executive, Shakespeare’s Globe, 54; Jim Dale, actor, the Carry On series of films (1963-69, 1992), and singer-songwriter, 84; Richard Deacon, abstract sculptor, Turner prizewinner (1987), 70; Prof Andrew Gamble, political scientist and author, Can the Welfare State Survive? (2016), 72; John Gilhooly, artistic and executive director, Wigmore Hall, and chairman, Royal Philharmonic Society, 46; Jenny Hanley, actress, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), and presenter, Magpie (1974-80), 72; Simon Hart, Conservative MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, parliamentary secretary (Cabinet Office), 56; Natasha Henstridge, actress, Species (1995), 45; Jennifer Lawrence, actress, The Hunger Games film series (2012-15), 29; Simon Peckham, chief executive, investment company Melrose, 57; Grzegorz Nowak, conductor, permanent associate conductor, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 68; James O’Donnell, organist and master of the choristers, Westminster Abbey, 58; Sir Oliver Popplewell, High Court judge (1983-99), conducted the judicial inquiry into the Bradford football ground fire, 92; Sir Tony Robinson, actor, Blackadder (1983-89), and presenter, Time Team (1994-2014), 73; The Princess Royal, 69; Jack Russell, cricketer, England (1987-98), 56; Sir Michael Rutter, child psychiatrist, 86; John Samuels, QC, president, Prisoners’ Education Trust, 79; Very Rev Nicola Sullivan, dean of Southwell, 61; Sir Robert Syms, Conservative MP for Poole, 63; Carol and Sir Mark Thatcher, Bt, 66; Lord (William) Waldegrave of North Hill, Conservative MP (1979-97), 73; Jimmy Webb, singer-songwriter, By the Time I Get to Phoenix (1966), 73.