In the News
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UK builds up nuclear arsenal to counter cyber threat
Military to reverse decades of disarmament
updatedBritain could use nuclear weapons against a state that threatens to inflict a devastating cyber or biological attack against its population, according to a key government review. The UK has changed the terms of how it could use or threaten to use nuclear weapons and warned that states are...Britain could use nuclear weapons against a state that threatens to inflict a devastating cyber or biological attack against its population, according to a key government review. The UK has changed the terms of how it could use or threaten to use nuclear weapons and warned that states are...Britain could use nuclear weapons against a state that threatens to inflict a devastating cyber or biological attack against...
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‘Global Britain’ must tread a fine line between superpowers
The integrated review’s notable delicacy in describing the dynamics of Britain’s relationship with China reflects the complex challenge the country poses. China may be “the biggest state-based threat” to Britain’s economic security, the review warned, but, poised to become the world’s largest economy by the end of the decade, it is an...The integrated review’s notable delicacy in describing the dynamics of Britain’s relationship with China reflects the complex challenge the country poses. China may be “the biggest state-based threat” to Britain’s economic security, the review warned, but, poised to become the world’s largest economy by the end of the decade, it is an...The integrated review’s notable delicacy in describing the dynamics of Britain’s relationship with China reflects the complex...
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CORONAVIRUS
Stopping AstraZeneca jabs risks ‘disaster’ for EU
Pauses in the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine across Europe will be a “disaster” for uptake in the EU, a UK government adviser has said. British and European regulators rushed to the defence of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after a series of EU countries stopped using it yesterday over unconfirmed links to...Pauses in the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine across Europe will be a “disaster” for uptake in the...Pauses in the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine across Europe will be a “disaster” for uptake in the...
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SARAH EVERARD
Protests will be allowed from March 29
BORIS JOHNSON | COMMENT
The Oxford vaccine shows why we and the world need Britain to be global
Starmer faces red wall test as harassment claim MP quits
newThe Labour MP for Hartlepool has quit the Commons, setting up a key test of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership in a “red...The Labour MP for Hartlepool has quit the Commons, setting up a key test of Sir Keir Starmer’s...The Labour MP for Hartlepool has quit the Commons, setting up a key test of Sir Keir Starmer’s...
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Elton John accuses Vatican of hypocrisy over gay unions
Sir Elton John has accused the Vatican of hypocrisy after it banned priests from blessing same-sex unions while...Sir Elton John has accused the Vatican of hypocrisy after it banned priests from blessing...Sir Elton John has accused the Vatican of hypocrisy after it banned priests from blessing...
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Sarah Everard
Met officer faces murder trial in October
video
SARAH EVERARD
Plain-clothes police will patrol bars and clubs to protect women
video
SARAH EVERARD
Patel: I know the fear of hearing footsteps behind on the street
Home secretary warns against vigils as 78,000 answer survey on male violence
Political Sketch
A change of tone and Priti gives ’em the slip
CORONAVIRUS
Hopes grow of holidays in the Algarve by May
Coronavirus
App could be your passport to the sun
Coronavirus
Supplier of unusable PPE made £17m
coronavirus
Lockdown delay is killing people, Macron told
Leading doctors accused President Macron of costing lives by ignoring their calls for a new national lockdown. Epidemiologists said delaying a third lockdown would result in “catastrophe” and poured scorn on claims by Macron’s...Leading doctors accused President Macron of costing lives by ignoring their calls for a new national lockdown. Epidemiologists said delaying a third lockdown would result in “catastrophe” and poured scorn on claims by Macron’s...Leading doctors accused President Macron of costing lives by ignoring their calls for a new national lockdown.
Read the full storycoronavirus
UAE reports need for a third dose
Some people who have received the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine in the United Arab Emirates have had to be given a third dose to boost their response, according to local health authorities. Doctors said that the antibody response...Some people who have received the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine in the United Arab Emirates have had to be given a third dose to boost their response, according to local health authorities. Doctors said that the antibody response...Some people who have received the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine in the United Arab Emirates have had to be given a third...
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Strip club wants a new role as theatre
Britain’s most famous strip club, which brought nudes to the British stage and inspired a host of showbusiness careers, is hoping to recapture its glory days with celebrity backing. The Windmill appeared to have fallen into terminal decline when...Britain’s most famous strip club, which brought nudes to the British stage and inspired a host of...Britain’s most famous strip club, which brought nudes to the British stage and inspired a host of...
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Oscar nominations 2021
British women lead Oscars charge
OSCARS ANALYSIS
Get snug — this list is a comfort blanket for Hollywood
Hollywood just gave itself a warm hug of reassurance with a nominations list that was dominated by the Tinseltown...Hollywood just gave itself a warm hug of reassurance with a nominations list that was dominated...Hollywood just gave itself a warm hug of reassurance with a nominations list that was dominated...
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THE TIMES DIARY
Civil servant’s career of note
The chapter headings in What Does Jeremy Think?, Suzanne Heywood’s biography of her husband, the late...The chapter headings in What Does Jeremy Think?, Suzanne Heywood’s biography of her husband...The chapter headings in What Does Jeremy Think?, Suzanne Heywood’s biography of her husband...
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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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Biden under attack over migrant crisis at border
President Biden has come under attack from Republicans over a growing crisis at America’s southern border, where thousands of unaccompanied migrant children are being held in cramped facilities. On Monday Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, toured a processing centre in El Paso, Texas...President Biden has come under attack from Republicans over a growing crisis at America’s southern border, where thousands of unaccompanied migrant children are being held in cramped facilities. On Monday Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, toured a processing centre in El Paso, Texas...President Biden has come under attack from Republicans over a growing crisis at America’s southern border, where thousands of...
Read the full storyHong Kong election faces delay amid moves to crush dissent
An election in Hong Kong may have to be postponed again so that legislation mandated by Beijing is in place to ensure only “patriots” can stand. Carrie Lam, the territory’s pro-Beijing chief executive, said it would be “quite difficult” for her government to amend rules in time for the already delayed parliamentary poll on September 5. The...An election in Hong Kong may have to be postponed again so that legislation mandated by Beijing is in place to ensure only “patriots” can stand. Carrie Lam, the territory’s pro-Beijing chief executive, said it would be “quite difficult” for her government to amend rules in time for the already delayed parliamentary poll on September 5. The...An election in Hong Kong may have to be postponed again so that legislation mandated by Beijing is in place to ensure only...
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Trump says media ‘always against me’ after paper corrects misquote
The Washington Post has corrected a report from early January alleging that Donald Trump told Georgia’s elections investigator to “find the fraud,” sparking a vitriolic response from supporters of the former president. “Two months after publication of this story, the Georgia secretary of state released an audio...The Washington Post has corrected a report from early January alleging that Donald Trump told...The Washington Post has corrected a report from early January alleging that Donald Trump told...
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Don’t cause a stink, North Korea warns Biden
The sister of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has warned the United States not to “spread the smell of...The sister of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has warned the United States not to “spread...The sister of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has warned the United States not to “spread...
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Biden vows another $2trn to revive US
President Biden is promising $2 trillion in fresh spending on America’s ailing infrastructure with plans that will...President Biden is promising $2 trillion in fresh spending on America’s ailing infrastructure...President Biden is promising $2 trillion in fresh spending on America’s ailing infrastructure...
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Mother ‘fakes videos to frame daughter’s cheerleader rivals’
The mother of a spurned cheerleader is accused of manufacturing images that showed other girls in the team drinking...The mother of a spurned cheerleader is accused of manufacturing images that showed other girls in...The mother of a spurned cheerleader is accused of manufacturing images that showed other girls in...
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Signs of human sacrifice unearthed in ancient cave
The discovery in a cave in southern Spain of the severed skull of a young woman who had a hole gouged out of her head...The discovery in a cave in southern Spain of the severed skull of a young woman who had a hole...The discovery in a cave in southern Spain of the severed skull of a young woman who had a hole...
Read the full storyNatWest faces criminal prosecution over money laundering
Regulators have launched a criminal prosecution of NatWest, alleging that the bank accepted £264 million of cash deposits from a single corporate client without doing the proper anti-money-laundering checks. It is the first criminal prosecution of a bank for money-laundering offences in Britain...Regulators have launched a criminal prosecution of NatWest, alleging that the bank accepted £264 million of cash deposits from a single corporate client without doing the proper anti-money-laundering checks. It is the first criminal prosecution of a bank for money-laundering offences in Britain...Regulators have launched a criminal prosecution of NatWest, alleging that the bank accepted £264 million of cash deposits from...
Read the full storyAstraZeneca rides wave of US support
An enlarged US supply deal for a Covid-19 antibody treatment and an upgrade from analysts has helped to prompt a rally in AstraZeneca’s shares, despite uncertainty over the temporary pauses to its vaccine in parts of Europe. The Anglo-Swedish company was the biggest riser on the FTSE 100 today, gaining 244p, or 3.5 per cent, to £72.22...An enlarged US supply deal for a Covid-19 antibody treatment and an upgrade from analysts has helped to prompt a rally in AstraZeneca’s shares, despite uncertainty over the temporary pauses to its vaccine in parts of Europe. The Anglo-Swedish company was the biggest riser on the FTSE 100 today, gaining 244p, or 3.5 per cent, to £72.22...An enlarged US supply deal for a Covid-19 antibody treatment and an upgrade from analysts has helped to prompt a rally in...
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Greggs stays cheerful despite first full-year loss
Shop closures during the pandemic have knocked Greggs to the first loss as a public company but it has said that its growth opportunities are “as good if not better” than a year ago. The bakery chain, which is known for its sausage rolls and steak bakes, recorded a £13.7 million loss for the year to January 2...Shop closures during the pandemic have knocked Greggs to the first loss as a public company but...Shop closures during the pandemic have knocked Greggs to the first loss as a public company but...
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Business commentary
Provident boss is playing hardball
At least it’s not a baseball bat. Still, there’s no mistaking the message: agree to some cut-price compo or we’ll...At least it’s not a baseball bat. Still, there’s no mistaking the message: agree to some...At least it’s not a baseball bat. Still, there’s no mistaking the message: agree to some...
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Comment
Protesters have now learnt how to win without calling the boss a pig
AGM stunts don’t get much more dramatic than the theatrics at the 2018 shareholders meeting of Total, the French oil...AGM stunts don’t get much more dramatic than the theatrics at the 2018 shareholders meeting of...AGM stunts don’t get much more dramatic than the theatrics at the 2018 shareholders meeting of...
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Cannes no-show leaves Ascential with £167m loss
The owner of the Cannes Lions advertising festival has reported steep losses after it was forced to axe the event last summer. Revenues at Ascential, the business information provider formerly known as Emap, fell 31 per cent to £264 million last...The owner of the Cannes Lions advertising festival has reported steep losses after it was forced...The owner of the Cannes Lions advertising festival has reported steep losses after it was forced...
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Irish brothers earn their stripes after fundraising nets $95bn price tag
A payments business founded by two Irish brothers has secured a $95 billion price tag in a new fundraising, making it the most valuable privately owned company outside China. Stripe earnt the distinction as part of a $600...A payments business founded by two Irish brothers has secured a $95 billion price tag in a new fundraising, making it the most valuable privately owned company outside China. Stripe earnt the distinction as part of a $600...A payments business founded by two Irish brothers has secured a $95 billion price tag in a new fundraising, making it...
Read the full storyClash of cultures blamed as Danone boss gets the sack
The executive chairman of Danone, the French food giant, has been sacked in what Parisian commentators have described as a victory for “brutal” Anglo-Saxon investors. Emmanuel Faber, 57, was dismissed after a revolt by activist...The executive chairman of Danone, the French food giant, has been sacked in what Parisian commentators have described as a victory for “brutal” Anglo-Saxon investors. Emmanuel Faber, 57, was dismissed after a revolt by activist...The executive chairman of Danone, the French food giant, has been sacked in what Parisian commentators have described...
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morning briefing
FCA charges NatWest with money-laundering offences
Football
PFA set to appoint former Swiss player as new chief executive
exclusiveMaheta Molango, a former Swiss player who spent time in England’s lower leagues, is set to be unveiled as the surprise choice to succeed Gordon Taylor as the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association. The selection of Molango, 38, follows a lengthy process for the...Maheta Molango, a former Swiss player who spent time in England’s lower leagues, is set to be unveiled as the surprise choice to succeed Gordon Taylor as the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association. The selection of Molango, 38, follows a lengthy process for the...Maheta Molango, a former Swiss player who spent time in England’s lower leagues, is set to be unveiled as the surprise choice...
Read the full storyThe Game Daily | Matt Dickinson
Stones resurgence means it is time for Southgate to ditch wing-back system
The return of John Stones to his best form — and, next week, surely to the England team after an absence of almost 500 days — is above all a happy story of one player’s resurgent confidence and the most mature displays of his career. Given that there were times when it seemed that Stones had slipped not just below all Manchester City’s...The return of John Stones to his best form — and, next week, surely to the England team after an absence of almost 500 days — is above all a happy story of one player’s resurgent confidence and the most mature displays of his career. Given that there were times when it seemed that Stones had slipped not just below all Manchester City’s...The return of John Stones to his best form — and, next week, surely to the England team after an absence of almost 500 days —...
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Sailing
New Zealand on verge of America’s Cup victory after seizing upon Italian error
With its fourth race win in succession, Emirates Team New Zealand (TNZ) is now just one win away from retaining the America’s Cup after a thriller in race nine as the home team pounced on a mistake by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. Throughout this classic series, we have been waiting for the race officer to move the...With its fourth race win in succession, Emirates Team New Zealand (TNZ) is now just one win away...With its fourth race win in succession, Emirates Team New Zealand (TNZ) is now just one win away...
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Racing | Brough Scott
Cheltenham must take chance to shine on the biggest stage
football | henry winter
Axing of Aubameyang shows that Arteta won’t accept culture of second best
After Sunday’s deserved victory over Tottenham Hotspur, some Arsenal fans celebrated the possibility of another...After Sunday’s deserved victory over Tottenham Hotspur, some Arsenal fans celebrated...After Sunday’s deserved victory over Tottenham Hotspur, some Arsenal fans celebrated...
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Six Nations | Owen Slot
Farrell’s Ireland in desperate need of a clearer identity
As it is England v Ireland this week, it once again brings us Farrell v Farrell. It is also, therefore, likely to...As it is England v Ireland this week, it once again brings us Farrell v Farrell. It is also...As it is England v Ireland this week, it once again brings us Farrell v Farrell. It is also...
Read the full storyFootball | Paul Hirst
Zinchenko breaks Pep’s golden rule
The first time that Oleksandr Zinchenko appeared at a pre-match Champions League press conference he was left out of the team the next day, and one wondered yesterday whether the same would happen again after his latest appearance in front of the cameras. Zinchenko broke one of Pep Guardiola’s golden rules when he previewed tonight’s Champions League round-of-16 second...The first time that Oleksandr Zinchenko appeared at a pre-match Champions League press conference...The first time that Oleksandr Zinchenko appeared at a pre-match Champions League press conference...
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Champions League | James Gheerbrant
Pick a strongest XI, then rest it – why City must follow Bayern blueprint to win treble
With every passing week, the Premier League title race looks more like a foregone conclusion. Manchester City only...With every passing week, the Premier League title race looks more like a foregone conclusion. Manchester City only need 14 points from their last eight matches. The predictive algorithm of the data website FiveThirtyEight gives City a greater than 99 per cent chance of winning the title. They have the league sewn up.With every passing week, the Premier League title race looks more like a foregone conclusion. Manchester City only need 14...
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Racing | Rick Broadbent
Martin hopes Bear Ghylls can silence big guns
Racing | Stuart Barnes
I’ll miss poetry of the animals in the flesh
Racing | Francesca Cumani
No famous roar, but plenty of storylines to set pulses racing
Rugby Union
Youngs leaps to top of Lions list
Ben Youngs has spent more than a third of his life playing international rugby. The kid thrown onto the wing in a 15-15 draw with Scotland at Murrayfield in 2010 now has 108 Test caps for England and is closing in on British & Irish Lions selection for a third time. The 31-year-old demonstrated against France and Antoine Dupont on Saturday that he is still capable...Ben Youngs has spent more than a third of his life playing international rugby. The kid thrown...Ben Youngs has spent more than a third of his life playing international rugby. The kid thrown...
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Six Nations
Ringrose and Ryan to miss England match
Ireland’s hopes of beating England in Dublin have suffered a double blow with the news that two of their leading...Ireland’s hopes of beating England in Dublin have suffered a double blow with the news that two of their leading lights, James Ryan and Garry Ringrose, will be unavailable for their final Six Nations game at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. Ringrose, 26, the outside centre, has started all four games in the tournament...Ireland’s hopes of beating England in Dublin have suffered a double blow with the news that two of their leading lights, James...
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Sports Photography
Times Sport Unseen: Taking a great photo? Depends on your perspective
Marc writes One moment, two views. Bradley and I have embarked on another theme for our Unseen gallery this week. By using remotely fired cameras — placed in the stands of Premier League grounds and also by the side of the pitch at Twickenham when...Marc writes One moment, two views. Bradley and I have embarked on another theme for our Unseen...Marc writes One moment, two views. Bradley and I have embarked on another theme for our Unseen...
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FORMULA ONE
Is this the end of Mercedes dominance?
INTERVIEW
Micheál Richardson: How my dad Liam Neeson and I made a film about grief
The actor was 14 when his mother, Natasha Richardson, died. He explains how he and his dad shed a layer of loss by creating Made in Italy
HEALTH
Get your body game fit again
Outdoor sport is resuming. Make sure you’re flexible enough for it with these experts’ top tips
HEALTH
Warning! Don’t miss the signs of a heart problem
New research shows how often cardiac conditions go undiagnosed among female patients. They needn’t — here are risk factors to watch
Quentin Letts: Trust me, banning things never works. Bans bomb!
In the final extract from his new book, Quentin Letts and his dog, Flip, let rip at the mania for bosssing us around
ROBERT CRAMPTON
In my brutal 1970s comp we all suffered — but the girls had it worse
When, about 25 years ago, I regularly used to play five-a-side football, at one game this new guy, a friend of a...When, about 25 years ago, I regularly used to play five-a-side football, at one game this new guy...When, about 25 years ago, I regularly used to play five-a-side football, at one game this new guy...
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SARAH JOSSEL | BEAUTY
I own more than 40 make‑up brushes — do I need that many?
A make-up brush clear-out is by far my least favourite chore. I have more than 40 and when it comes to the cull I...A make-up brush clear-out is by far my least favourite chore. I have more than 40 and when it...A make-up brush clear-out is by far my least favourite chore. I have more than 40 and when it...
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The Strokes
Frontman Julian Casablancas: ‘We needed a new beginning’
Jacob Collier
‘Music is a bit like a flower. You can just look at it, or think about it’
FILM REVIEW
Zack Snyder’s Justice League — an extraordinary cinematic landmark
★★★★☆
Holy movie miracle, Batman! The nerds got it right. After a three-year online campaign by comic book enthusiasts who demanded that the 2017 blockbuster dud Justice League be reassembled by its original director Zack Snyder (he was replaced...★★★★☆
Holy movie miracle, Batman! The nerds got it right. After a three-year online campaign...★★★★☆
Holy movie miracle, Batman! The nerds got it right. After a three-year online campaign...
FIRST NIGHT | THEATRE
The Band Plays On — the music shines in this tribute to Sheffield
FIRST NIGHT | THEATRE
The Picture of Dorian Gray — fails to drag Wilde into the 21st century
BOOKS
The best science fiction for March — from outer space to the West Country
Neural technology has webbed the human world together, but England’s West Country stands apart. The region is now a...Neural technology has webbed the human world together, but England’s West Country stands apart.Neural technology has webbed the human world together, but England’s West Country stands apart.
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BOOKS
Are these the best books written by women in the past year?
If you’re looking for a prize guide to the best new fiction, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is often a better bet...If you’re looking for a prize guide to the best new fiction, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is...If you’re looking for a prize guide to the best new fiction, the Women’s Prize for Fiction is...
Read the full storyInterview
Why everyone’s in a spin about Emerald Fennell
The germ of the idea for Promising Young Woman first lodged itself in Emerald Fennell’s mind six or seven years ago, at a dinner party she and her housemates were throwing for some old college friends in London. Everyone was sitting around the...The germ of the idea for Promising Young Woman first lodged itself in Emerald Fennell’s mind six...The germ of the idea for Promising Young Woman first lodged itself in Emerald Fennell’s mind six...
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Bafta-nominated Rocks
The movie that finally puts girls of colour front and centre
Rocks review
A coming-of-age story that bristles with giddy energy
Bafta comment
More women among the nominations, but were they chosen with a pin?
MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on TV and radio tonight
For full TV listings for the week, see thetimes.co.uk/tvplanner Viewing guide, by Ben Dowell Bear & Jonny...For full TV listings for the week, see thetimes.co.uk/tvplanner Viewing guide, by Ben Dowell Bear...For full TV listings for the week, see thetimes.co.uk/tvplanner Viewing guide, by Ben Dowell Bear...
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STAYING IN
The best live arts to stream this week
Theatre: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
When director Benedict Andrews’ updated version of the Tennessee Williams drama about...Theatre: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
When director Benedict Andrews’ updated version of the...Theatre: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
When director Benedict Andrews’ updated version of the...
INTERVIEW
Kate Garraway on her husband’s Covid battle: ‘I don’t know if he’ll have any kind of life again’
The last time I saw Kate Garraway she had just returned in triumph from the I’m a Celebrity jungle. It was a cold, overcast January Sunday in suburban north London, the kind of day that should have been forgettable. My family sat with hers around...The last time I saw Kate Garraway she had just returned in triumph from the I’m a Celebrity jungle.The last time I saw Kate Garraway she had just returned in triumph from the I’m a Celebrity jungle.
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ASK PROFESSOR TANYA BYRON
My daughter’s attitude to relationships has led to her brother calling her a ‘bunny boiler’
FOOD
Vegetarian Indian recipes for a Holi feast
Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the arrival of spring, a new beginning at the end of cold wintertime. It’s a festival of love and laughter, traditionally marked by crowds getting together to throw bright powders at each other. I have such...Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the arrival of spring, a new beginning at the end of...Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the arrival of spring, a new beginning at the end of...
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obituary
Sir Leslie Fielding
Ebullient if otherworldly diplomat turned university vice-chancellor who took on the Marxist hegemony on his campus
obituary
Olivier Dassault
French businessman and MP who aspired to take over his family’s conglomerate but had a strained relationship with his father
obituary
Patricia Drennan
One of the few female cartoonists in the Seventies whose wide-ranging work appeared in publications from Punch to The Lady
obituary
Sinclair Hood
Austere archaeologist who ran the British School in Athens and was thought a spy
obituary
Marvin Hagler
American boxer whose Wembley triumph against Alan Minter in 1980 was marred by racial tension
from the archive
Dublin street battle
announcements
Births, marriages and deaths
court circular
March 15, 2021
More atomic weapons stockpiled to fortify ‘against nuclear blackmail’
Britain will stockpile more atomic weapons on the Clyde to fortify “the ultimate insurance policy against nuclear blackmail” from countries such as Iran. Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said Britain’s current arsenal of 180 warheads is not enough to provide a “minimum credible deterrent” to nuclear attack. Britain will lift the cap on the number of Trident nuclear...Britain will stockpile more atomic weapons on the Clyde to fortify “the ultimate insurance policy...Britain will stockpile more atomic weapons on the Clyde to fortify “the ultimate insurance policy...
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Sturgeon knew about Grady before sex claims were made
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that she was aware of “concerns” about the SNP chief whip Patrick Grady before a formal...Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that she was aware of “concerns” about the SNP chief whip Patrick Grady before a formal sexual harassment complaint was made about him. The Glasgow North MP stood aside from his Westminster role after claims that he groped two male researchers at an SNP Christmas party in 2016. Further...Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that she was aware of “concerns” about the SNP chief whip Patrick Grady before a formal sexual...
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Swinney denies school news took heat off inquiry
John Swinney has denied a union leader’s claim that he sent pupils back to school early to concoct a “good news...John Swinney has denied a union leader’s claim that he sent pupils back to school early to...John Swinney has denied a union leader’s claim that he sent pupils back to school early to...
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Handwritten Burns song to fetch thousands
A previously unknown copy of a song, handwritten by Robert Burns, has been found more than 200 years after it was...A previously unknown copy of a song, handwritten by Robert Burns, has been found more than 200...A previously unknown copy of a song, handwritten by Robert Burns, has been found more than 200...
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obituary
Tony Short
Tony Short, a young intelligence officer on national service during the Malayan emergency, was investigating the Batang Kali massacre of December 1948 in which 24 Chinese settlers were shot dead by British soldiers. A battle-hardened Scots Guard...Tony Short, a young intelligence officer on national service during the Malayan emergency, was...Tony Short, a young intelligence officer on national service during the Malayan emergency, was...
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business
Omega test deal revealed
A contract secured by Omega Diagnostics to make coronavirus tests could be worth up to £374 million. Details on the group’s agreement to provide manufacturing capacity for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) were...A contract secured by Omega Diagnostics to make coronavirus tests could be worth up to £374 million. Details on the group’s agreement to provide manufacturing capacity for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) were...A contract secured by Omega Diagnostics to make coronavirus tests could be worth up to £374 million. Details on the...
Read the full storyalex massie | comment
Less Eeyore, more Tigger on lifting lockdown
Elections always concentrate the mind but this year’s Holyrood poll does so to an unusual extent. The Scottish government is determined it should proceed as though it were a normal election in a normal time. For that to happen...Elections always concentrate the mind but this year’s Holyrood poll does so to an unusual extent. The Scottish government is determined it should proceed as though it were a normal election in a normal time. For that to happen...Elections always concentrate the mind but this year’s Holyrood poll does so to an unusual extent. The Scottish...
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leading article
Over a Barrel
football
Rodgers: Celtic should show some class
Brendan Rodgers, the former Celtic manager, believes that they should give Rangers a guard of honour prior to kick-off in Sunday’s Old Firm game. The Northern Irishman, now in charge of Leicester City, says it would show class and humility if they were to applaud the newly-crowned champions onto the pitch at Celtic Park, despite the fierce rivalry between the clubs.Brendan Rodgers, the former Celtic manager, believes that they should give Rangers a guard of...Brendan Rodgers, the former Celtic manager, believes that they should give Rangers a guard of...
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football
Brown plea to Old Firm fans
Scott Brown has added his voice to those pleading with supporters to stay away from this Sunday’s Old Firm game. The...Scott Brown has added his voice to those pleading with supporters to stay away from this Sunday’s Old Firm game. The Celtic captain yesterday joined interim manager John Kennedy to meet with the national clinical director Jason Leitch, who outlined the current state of the pandemic in Scotland. Celtic and Rangers...Scott Brown has added his voice to those pleading with supporters to stay away from this Sunday’s Old Firm game. The Celtic...
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Football
Austria agree on Hampden
six nations
Questions pile up for Townsend
six nations
Jones makes himself centre of attention
Ireland right to suspend jab, experts claim
Ireland was right to suspend the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine despite a lack of evidence showing that it had serious side effects, vaccine specialists have said. Germany, Denmark, Bulgaria, Iceland, Thailand and the Netherlands have all temporarily suspended their use of the jab, after concerns were raised in Norway about blood clots. Gerald Barry, an...Ireland was right to suspend the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine despite a lack of evidence...Ireland was right to suspend the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine despite a lack of evidence...
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Varadkar must resign, says Sinn Féin as gardaí launch criminal investigation
Sinn Féin has put more pressure on the government by calling on Leo Varadkar to resign or be sacked after a garda...Sinn Féin has put more pressure on the government by calling on Leo Varadkar to resign or be sacked after a garda inquiry into his leaking of a confidential document was upgraded to a criminal investigation. Fine Gael defended its leader, with Peter Burke saying the party would not be “lectured” by anyone in Sinn...Sinn Féin has put more pressure on the government by calling on Leo Varadkar to resign or be sacked after a garda inquiry into...
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Curse of the first timer winners
On the Sky Sports coverage they still sometimes refer to Shane Lowry as “The Champion Golfer,” 18 months after he was...On the Sky Sports coverage they still sometimes refer to Shane Lowry as “The Champion Golfer,” 18...On the Sky Sports coverage they still sometimes refer to Shane Lowry as “The Champion Golfer,” 18...
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Locals fear pollution from planned waste water treatment plant
Irish Water has defended its location of a new waste water treatment in a Connemara village amid local fears it will...Irish Water has defended its location of a new waste water treatment in a Connemara village amid...Irish Water has defended its location of a new waste water treatment in a Connemara village amid...
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Comment
Women need tougher laws to make them safe
Rachel Sylvester
The government’s bills on crime and domestic abuse don’t come close to assuaging fears that are a fact of everyday life
HUGO RIFKIND
How should men behave in age of #MeToo?
MELANIE PHILLIPS
In Israel we can taste post-Covid freedom
GILES COREN
Ishiguro and the Pointless guy wrestle for No 1
Jawad Iqbal
Digital art is latest way to part fools from their money
Leading Articles
Deadly Delay
Even as the vaccine programme brings the pandemic under control, signs of a new health crisis are emerging — not least in the backlog of untreated cancer sufferers
Green Spring
Germany’s eco-warriors move closer to power in the post-Merkel era
Last Lap
Sexual entertainment venues convey a damaging message in modern Britain
letters to the editor
Cressida Dick and the policing of the vigil
Sir, In the light of the High Court’s welcome finding that the right to free expression requires restrictions on street protests to be proportionate even in this time of Covid, the Met’s behaviour at the Clapham vigil was ill-judged and odious.Sir, In the light of the High Court’s welcome finding that the right to free expression requires...Sir, In the light of the High Court’s welcome finding that the right to free expression requires...
Read the full storyReaders’ poll
Is the UK a racist country?
RED BOX | Chris Hopkins
Boris Johnson’s vaccine bounce could hand him victory in May
RED BOX | Anneliese Dodds
Government and business must demand more of each other
RED BOX | ROBERT COURTS
The RAF can help to deliver zero-emission transatlantic flight
RED BOX | Louise Edwards
Parties and campaigners are failing voters online
RED BOX | John Glen
It’s up to the City to help create a truly inclusive capitalism
The past year’s public health crisis has provoked an extraordinary economic intervention by the government. Only the most diehard of free market advocates have decried the approach. But as the vaccine roll-out accelerates and normal life resumes...The past year’s public health crisis has provoked an extraordinary economic intervention by the...The past year’s public health crisis has provoked an extraordinary economic intervention by the...
Read the full storyDaily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The Ministry of Defence publishes its review of defence and foreign policy, with the review expected to detail the UK’s post-Brexit role in geopolitics and the cyber and military capabilities it needs; Northern Ireland’s coronavirus lockdown measures are reviewed; Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, launches a review of childhood, inspired by the ambition of the Beveridge report, to identify barriers preventing children from reaching their potential; Cheltenham Festival begins with Champion Day, with races held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.
On this day
In 1926 the first liquid-fuelled rocket was launched by US physicist Robert Goddard. It reached an altitude of 41ft in two seconds. In 1920 The New York Times had denounced his theories as folly; on the day after Apollo 11 set off for the moon in 1969 it printed a correction. As a child Goddard (1882-1945) had “imagined how wonderful it would be to make some device which had even the possibility of ascending to Mars”; in 1953 Marshal Josip Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia, arrived in London for a five-day state visit, the first by a leader of a communist country to a western country; in 1978 223,000 tonnes of oil were spilt after the Amoco Cadiz ran aground off Brittany; in 1999 all 20 members of the European Commission resigned after a scathing report into fraud and cronyism accused them of losing control of the 19,000-strong administration in Brussels.
Nature notes
A “blackthorn winter” is, according to legend, a cold snap in early spring that reliably coincides with the first white blossom in the hedgerows, and so it was this year: a week of mild weather, a “false spring”, late in February tempted the blackthorns in some parts of the country to produce flower buds and just as they began to open the mercury fell again. The wood of the blackthorn is extremely hard and its sharp thorns long and tough enough to pierce tractor tyres, making properly maintained blackthorn hedges reliably stock-proof. Dense blackthorn thickets are hugely valuable as impenetrable habitats for low-nesting birds such as red-listed nightingales and turtle doves.
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Sonita Alleyne, broadcaster, master, Jesus College, Cambridge, 54; Matthew Bannister, presenter, Last Word, BBC Radio 4 (since 2006), 64; Teresa Berganza, mezzo-soprano, 86; Alan Bookbinder, master of Downing College, Cambridge, head of religion and ethics BBC TV (2001-06), 65; Mark Carney, governor, Bank of England (2013-20), 56; Sir Michael Dixon, principal, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, director of the Natural History Museum (2004-20), 65; Anneliese Dodds, Labour (Co-op) MP for Oxford East, shadow chancellor of the Exchequer, 43; Jenny Eclair, comedian and writer, 61; Lloyd Embley, editor-in-chief, Reach (Daily Mirror, Daily Express), 55; Jerome Flynn, actor, Game of Thrones (2011-19), 58; George Ford, rugby union player, Leicester Tigers and England, 28; Rt Rev Peter Forster, bishop of Chester (1996-2019), 71; David Frith, cricket writer and historian, founding editor (1979-96), Wisden Cricket Monthly, 84; Jonathan Guinness, Lord Moyne, 91; Alice Hoffman, author, Practical Magic (1995), 69; Sophie Hunter, theatre and opera director, 43; Sir Anthony Kenny, philosopher, president, British Academy (1989-93), 90; Peter Moore, chief executive, Liverpool Football Club (2017-20), 66; Jimmy Nail, actor, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983-2004), 67; Sir Roger Norrington, chief conductor, Zurich Chamber Orchestra (2011-16), 87; Sir Ian Powell, chairman, Capita and Police Now, 65; Lewis Shand Smith, chairman, Business Banking Resolution Service, chief executive and chief ombudsman, Ombudsman Services (2009-18), 69; Lady (Anne) Smith, a senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, president, Scottish Tribunals (2014-20), 66; Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of Nato, prime minister of Norway (2000-01, 2005-13), 62; Dominic Tweddle, archaeologist, director-general, National Museum of the Royal Navy, 67; Toby van der Meer, chief executive, Hastings Insurance Group, 44.