The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
Hospital staff rallied around victims of the Magdeberg Christmas market attack, with 120 nurses and more than 20 doctors voluntarily putting in shifts on Friday night to treat those injured. Klinikum Magdeburg, the hospital in Olvenstedt where 70...Hospital staff rallied around victims of the Magdeberg Christmas market attack, with 120 nurses...Hospital staff rallied around victims of the Magdeberg Christmas market attack, with 120 nurses...
photography special
After the betrayals and bereavements of the past few years, the royal family might have hoped they would be able to glide serenely through 2024. But it wasn’t going to be like that. First the House of Windsor had to deal with surgery leading to a...After the betrayals and bereavements of the past few years, the royal family might have hoped...After the betrayals and bereavements of the past few years, the royal family might have hoped...
interview
Jack O’Connell has a reputation for playing hellraisers. From his teenage portrait of a sexy, drug-addled hedonist in...Jack O’Connell has a reputation for playing hellraisers. From his teenage portrait of a sexy...Jack O’Connell has a reputation for playing hellraisers. From his teenage portrait of a sexy...
OUR week
Nigel Farage Let me finish! I’ve just landed in Miami. And I’ve had Nick Candy set up this group for people we really...Nigel Farage Let me finish! I’ve just landed in Miami. And I’ve had Nick Candy set up this group...Nigel Farage Let me finish! I’ve just landed in Miami. And I’ve had Nick Candy set up this group...
video
TIMES MEETS
Join The Times crime correspondent David Woode as he sits down with Colman Domingo, an Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated actor, to discuss the themes around his film ,Sing Sing (2023). The film follows a group of inmates in the...Join The Times crime correspondent David Woode as he sits down with Colman Domingo, an Oscar and...Join The Times crime correspondent David Woode as he sits down with Colman Domingo, an Oscar and...
PM uses first honours list to bolster party’s strength in upper chamber
British government in the final stages of renegotiating with Mauritius
Small councils that will be replaced in local government overhaul might not pass on debt to newly formed successors
video
A video of the incident shows councillors calling each other a ‘dictator’ and a ‘Nazi’ during a heated discussion on housing plans
The drones use technology so sophisticated that the authorities have been unable to track them, capture them or identify those responsible
Two Cobra meetings have been held in secret after unidentified drones were flown over military bases, involving technology so sophisticated the authorities have been unable to track them or identify those responsible. Military officials have not ruled out the involvement of a hostile state but have expressed alarm that it has so far proved impossible to find the pilots...Two Cobra meetings have been held in secret after unidentified drones were flown over military...Two Cobra meetings have been held in secret after unidentified drones were flown over military...
After he took up the so-called sport of kings, Sylvester Stallone likened competing in a polo match to “trying to...After he took up the so-called sport of kings, Sylvester Stallone likened competing in a polo match to “trying to play golf during an earthquake”. Now a pastime already known for its royal players, inordinately wealthy patrons and frenetic pace may become even quicker — thanks to the creation of the world’s first...After he took up the so-called sport of kings, Sylvester Stallone likened competing in a polo match to “trying to play golf...
interview
Each day 13-year-old Martha Mills was deteriorating in front of her parents’ eyes, with bleeding, rashes, fitting...Each day 13-year-old Martha Mills was deteriorating in front of her parents’ eyes, with bleeding...Each day 13-year-old Martha Mills was deteriorating in front of her parents’ eyes, with bleeding...
The King joked that he was “still alive” as he gave high fives during a final engagement before Christmas. Charles...The King joked that he was “still alive” as he gave high fives during a final engagement before...The King joked that he was “still alive” as he gave high fives during a final engagement before...
Olga will never forget the moment Russian soldiers opened fire on her car, or the agonised look on her 13-year-old...Olga will never forget the moment Russian soldiers opened fire on her car, or the agonised look...Olga will never forget the moment Russian soldiers opened fire on her car, or the agonised look...
THE TIMES DIARY
We seem set for a mild Christmas, but five years ago Hell froze over. I learnt this from Edward Brooke-Hitching’s...We seem set for a mild Christmas, but five years ago Hell froze over. I learnt this from Edward...We seem set for a mild Christmas, but five years ago Hell froze over. I learnt this from Edward...
Maxim Tucker | in depth
The assassination of a top Russian general in Moscow is part of a campaign to track and kill Kremlin war criminals wherever they are in the world
With cuts and bruises on his face that suggested his confession had been made under duress, Akhmad Kurbanov, a 29-year-old Uzbek, explained how he came to plant a bomb in the heart of Moscow that killed the highest-ranking general targeted by the Ukrainian secret service. According to Russia’s...With cuts and bruises on his face that suggested his confession had been made under duress, Akhmad Kurbanov, a 29-year-old Uzbek, explained how he came to plant a bomb in the heart of Moscow that killed the highest-ranking general targeted by the Ukrainian secret service. According to Russia’s...With cuts and bruises on his face that suggested his confession had been made under duress, Akhmad Kurbanov, a 29-year-old...
Elon Musk has stirred up the German election campaign by endorsing the radical right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying that it is the only party that could “save” the country. The world’s richest man, a sponsor and ally of Donald Trump, has already flirted with the populist right in a number of other countries, including Britain...Elon Musk has stirred up the German election campaign by endorsing the radical right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying that it is the only party that could “save” the country. The world’s richest man, a sponsor and ally of Donald Trump, has already flirted with the populist right in a number of other countries, including Britain...Elon Musk has stirred up the German election campaign by endorsing the radical right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying...
President Macron has been accused of making racist, sexist and homophobic comments by the respected French newspaper Le Monde. The report on Friday prompted a furious denial from the Élysée, but the paper said that it stood by its story. It said Macron told Aurélien Rousseau, his former health minister, last year...President Macron has been accused of making racist, sexist and homophobic comments by the...President Macron has been accused of making racist, sexist and homophobic comments by the...
ANALYSIS
Donald Trump is determined to do things differently this time. The president-elect spent much of his first term between 2017 and 2021 battling against the people he had appointed to senior roles. He came to believe that many of them thought it was...Donald Trump is determined to do things differently this time. The president-elect spent much of...Donald Trump is determined to do things differently this time. The president-elect spent much of...
GEORGE GRYLLS | DISPATCH
Gabrielle Weiniger | in depth
will pavia in ohio
tom kington in florence
The chance to soar above the rooftops of Florence starts at an anonymous doorway in the Uffizi Gallery, which leads to a labyrinth of passageways and then a corridor lined with porthole-like windows that stretches off into the distance. Built...The chance to soar above the rooftops of Florence starts at an anonymous doorway in the Uffizi...The chance to soar above the rooftops of Florence starts at an anonymous doorway in the Uffizi...
The fierce debate over the role of religion in American children’s education is about to get even fiercer: satanists are preparing to enter the fray. Rising sums of public money are being channelled to religious establishments across the country...The fierce debate over the role of religion in American children’s education is about to get even...The fierce debate over the role of religion in American children’s education is about to get even...
Drug company’s market value falls by $100 billion as trial of a new weight-loss jab misses expectations
Disappointing late-stage trial results for a next-generation obesity drug developed by Novo Nordisk wiped about $100 billion off the Danish drug company’s market value in the biggest one-day sell-off for a US-traded company. The lower-than-expected weight loss from its drug candidate CagriSema...Disappointing late-stage trial results for a next-generation obesity drug developed by Novo Nordisk wiped about $100 billion off the Danish drug company’s market value in the biggest one-day sell-off for a US-traded company. The lower-than-expected weight loss from its drug candidate CagriSema...Disappointing late-stage trial results for a next-generation obesity drug developed by Novo Nordisk wiped about $100 billion...
The Serious Fraud Office has charged five men, including the former boss of a City law firm, with offences including fraud, forgery and the destruction of documents. Pragnesh Modhwadia, the chief executive and director of Axiom Ince, which went bust amid allegations of a £64 million fraud, was charged alongside co-director Shyam Mistry and...The Serious Fraud Office has charged five men, including the former boss of a City law firm, with offences including fraud, forgery and the destruction of documents. Pragnesh Modhwadia, the chief executive and director of Axiom Ince, which went bust amid allegations of a £64 million fraud, was charged alongside co-director Shyam Mistry and...The Serious Fraud Office has charged five men, including the former boss of a City law firm, with offences including fraud...
The FTSE 100 recorded its worst week in more than a year after downbeat economic news prompted investors to ditch UK stocks. The index of the UK’s largest listed companies fell by 2.6 per cent last week, its biggest five-day fall since October 2023. The yield on the 30-year UK government bond briefly hit its highest...The FTSE 100 recorded its worst week in more than a year after downbeat economic news prompted...The FTSE 100 recorded its worst week in more than a year after downbeat economic news prompted...
ian king
It would be tempting to define the past decade as having been dominated by the pandemic, wars in Ukraine and the...It would be tempting to define the past decade as having been dominated by the pandemic, wars in...It would be tempting to define the past decade as having been dominated by the pandemic, wars in...
Robby Starbuck is a capitalist at war with corporate America. From his farm in Tennessee, the 35-year-old activist is...Robby Starbuck is a capitalist at war with corporate America. From his farm in Tennessee, the...Robby Starbuck is a capitalist at war with corporate America. From his farm in Tennessee, the...
in depth
Built in extreme cold in the 1970s and 1980s, the 2,600 mile-plus Baikal-Amur mainline railway pierces through eastern Siberia to the Sea of Japan. It is one of countless pieces of technology fashioned during the US-Soviet space race to have...Built in extreme cold in the 1970s and 1980s, the 2,600 mile-plus Baikal-Amur mainline railway...Built in extreme cold in the 1970s and 1980s, the 2,600 mile-plus Baikal-Amur mainline railway...
lunch with the times
Paul Bal is the man you want to go to lunch with the week before Christmas. Like Santa, he turns up at Bleeding Heart Bistro, a buzzy French restaurant next to Hatton Garden in London, with a sackful of goodies: Christmas cards, rolls of wrapping...Paul Bal is the man you want to go to lunch with the week before Christmas. Like Santa, he turns...Paul Bal is the man you want to go to lunch with the week before Christmas. Like Santa, he turns...
marketing
Matt Cairns, founder of Lancashire-based Eleven Sports Media, has built relationships with sports clubs that give small businesses pitch-side branding
Sustainability
Hospitality
Craig Bunting co-founded the Bear cafés in his hometown of Uttoxeter and quickly learnt people must relate to the product while still enjoying something new
Sustainability
RECRUITMENT
With a 33% growth in the past year, the demand for corporate investigators is soaring. Here’s how to get into the industry
Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows, but the new breed of corporate investigator is one of the UK’s fastest-growing professional careers. The incoming 2025 introduction of the new “failure to prevent fraud” offence — which will hold large firms to account if they profit from fraud committed by their employees...Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows...Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows...
SIX FROM THE BEST
It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer...It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer Beaverbrooks, began her career on the shopfloor at its Trafford Centre store in Manchester 26 years ago and is the first female, non-family member to lead the chain. Here, she shares her pearls of...It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer...
tom kershaw
The maverick Tyson Fury that once dressed as Batman for a press conference and tirelessly taunted Oleksandr Usyk in the build-up to their first bout in May has been replaced by a terse malevolence this week in Riyadh. Intensely focused and dangerously combustible, it has been hard to decipher if...The maverick Tyson Fury that once dressed as Batman for a press conference and tirelessly taunted Oleksandr Usyk in the build-up to their first bout in May has been replaced by a terse malevolence this week in Riyadh. Intensely focused and dangerously combustible, it has been hard to decipher if...The maverick Tyson Fury that once dressed as Batman for a press conference and tirelessly taunted Oleksandr Usyk in the...
Owen Slot
In the annual race to slag off the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year programme, I didn’t get out of the blocks this time. The programme had me early, tear in the eye, with Chris Hoy and his address about the Olympics. Oh my, Chris, only two months since you announced that your cancer was terminal. The best piece of theatre was yet to...In the annual race to slag off the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year programme, I didn’t get out of the blocks this time. The programme had me early, tear in the eye, with Chris Hoy and his address about the Olympics. Oh my, Chris, only two months since you announced that your cancer was terminal. The best piece of theatre was yet to...In the annual race to slag off the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year programme, I didn’t get out of the blocks this time.
paul joyce
Liverpool have become accustomed to sliding-doors moments. Way back in 1998, their manager at the time, Gérard Houllier, was asked to check on the progress of Stephen Wright in one academy game but found himself seduced by the performance of Steven Gerrard instead — and the rest was history. Mario Balotelli would...Liverpool have become accustomed to sliding-doors moments. Way back in 1998, their manager at the...Liverpool have become accustomed to sliding-doors moments. Way back in 1998, their manager at the...
rick broadbent
john westerby
Some players have a natural flair for getting under the skin of their opponents and Henry Pollock has his own...Some players have a natural flair for getting under the skin of their opponents and Henry Pollock...Some players have a natural flair for getting under the skin of their opponents and Henry Pollock...
Tony Cascarino
Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United reinforced that there is so much...Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United reinforced...Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United reinforced...
George Eastham, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died at 88, his former club Stoke City said. The midfielder and inside forward Eastham played for Newcastle United, Arsenal and Stoke City in the top flight in a professional career spanning two decades, and earned 19 international caps. He was part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s victorious squad in 1966 but...George Eastham, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died at 88, his former...George Eastham, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died at 88, his former...
Ange Postecoglou has said he finds some of the criticism towards him “offensive” and vowed to carry on ignoring Jamie...Ange Postecoglou has said he finds some of the criticism towards him “offensive” and vowed to carry on ignoring Jamie Carragher after the former Liverpool defender urged the Tottenham Hotspur players to go against their head coach’s instructions. Postecoglou’s side came through a chaotic Carabao Cup quarter-final...Ange Postecoglou has said he finds some of the criticism towards him “offensive” and vowed to carry on ignoring Jamie Carragher...
charlotte duncker
This time around, Vítor Pereira did not need an unprecedented 20-minute Sky Sports News telephone interview to land him a Premier League job. Nearly two years after the bizarre televised moment — the Portuguese manager attempted to sell himself to...This time around, Vítor Pereira did not need an unprecedented 20-minute Sky Sports News telephone...This time around, Vítor Pereira did not need an unprecedented 20-minute Sky Sports News telephone...
Notebook | Martyn Ziegler
The Chelsea captain Enzo Fernández and his fellow Argentina players appear to have escaped disciplinary action for a...The Chelsea captain Enzo Fernández and his fellow Argentina players appear to have escaped...The Chelsea captain Enzo Fernández and his fellow Argentina players appear to have escaped...
peter rutzler
The Premier League’s coaching newcomers are making light work of off-field challenges this season. At Old Trafford...The Premier League’s coaching newcomers are making light work of off-field challenges this season.The Premier League’s coaching newcomers are making light work of off-field challenges this season.
gallagher Premiership | will kelleher
Tailender | Patrick Kidd
Carl Frampton
If Tyson Fury can win on Saturday, he will be right up there with Lennox Lewis as Britain’s best heavyweight, but...If Tyson Fury can win on Saturday, he will be right up there with Lennox Lewis as Britain’s best...If Tyson Fury can win on Saturday, he will be right up there with Lennox Lewis as Britain’s best...
2024 in review
The financial district in Riyadh is a mixture of towering skyscrapers and scorched-earth building sites. In a country...The financial district in Riyadh is a mixture of towering skyscrapers and scorched-earth building...The financial district in Riyadh is a mixture of towering skyscrapers and scorched-earth building...
Holly Mead
Here’s how I would persuade more people to put their money in the market
There are solid returns to be had from investing in many liquid assets, writes Holly Thomas
In a rush? Here’s how to avoid being ripped off
the big question
YOUR MONEY MATTERS
The Times consumer champion helps a reader solve an identity problem and wins a £1,271 refund from Easyjet
You helped me last year when I had an issue with Vodafone after it mixed me up with another customer with a similar name. I have just discovered that the problem has now resurfaced, with this person’s details and financial agreements appearing on my credit file again, damaging my rating. My record now shows her address in Yorkshire, which is 200 miles from where I live...You helped me last year when I had an issue with Vodafone after it mixed me up with another...You helped me last year when I had an issue with Vodafone after it mixed me up with another...
ASK THE EXPERTS
Q. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, a few of my friends at the golf club have been waxing lyrical about their...Q. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, a few of my friends at the golf club have been waxing lyrical about their premier bank accounts. Much of the conversation is around black cards and access to airport lounges, which sounds like marketing nonsense and of no interest to me. But I am interested in some of the...Q. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, a few of my friends at the golf club have been waxing lyrical about their premier...
in depth
With the King’s cancer treatment set to continue into next year, Kate Mansey talks to those in the know about an eventful 2024
photography special
The life of senior royals follows a well-defined path, but few would have anticipated the turbulence the family would encounter along the way in 2024
what I’ve learnt
The Bad Sisters star on how the death of her Harry Potter co-star left a void
caitlin moran | columnist of the year
Including my family, my friends, the dog, dark brown hair dye … and Jeremy Clarkson
interview
Ten years ago Jack O’Connell was as well known for his wild lifestyle and womanising as his acting. Now he’s put that all behind him
first person
As this paper’s fashion editor, this year I have been surrounded by people who are suddenly quite a lot thinner. In celebrity, influencer and rich-person circles, Ozempic is ubiquitous. It’s obvious in people who are literally half the size they...As this paper’s fashion editor, this year I have been surrounded by people who are suddenly quite...As this paper’s fashion editor, this year I have been surrounded by people who are suddenly quite...
I am going to be brutally honest here. I get to test virtually every product launched and I dismiss most of them as...I am going to be brutally honest here. I get to test virtually every product launched and I...I am going to be brutally honest here. I get to test virtually every product launched and I...
Giles Coren
And now, at last, it’s what you’ve all been waiting for… The Jamie Oliver Christmas Special! With only four days left...And now, at last, it’s what you’ve all been waiting for… The Jamie Oliver Christmas Special! With...And now, at last, it’s what you’ve all been waiting for… The Jamie Oliver Christmas Special! With...
Tony Turnbull’s eight easiest dishes for the morning of the big day
The key to a successful Christmas Day, I always think, is not to overdo it, so with that in mind I like to merge breakfast and lunch into a mid-morning brunch. You want something simple (there’s going to be plenty of kitchen action later on), but which feels special enough to set the tone for the celebrations. So here are eight suggestions to get your day started, glass...The key to a successful Christmas Day, I always think, is not to overdo it, so with that in mind...The key to a successful Christmas Day, I always think, is not to overdo it, so with that in mind...
Beta male
One domestic winter ritual I dread is when we fasten our two duvets together to make one big one. We’ve got a thin...One domestic winter ritual I dread is when we fasten our two duvets together to make one big one. We’ve got a thin duvet and a thicker duvet. The thin one by itself is for summer. The thicker one by itself is for spring and autumn. The thin one and the thicker one fixed together is for now. Fitting a clean duvet...One domestic winter ritual I dread is when we fasten our two duvets together to make one big one. We’ve got a thin duvet and a...
Songwriters and musicians including Brenda Lee, Roy Wood and Andrew Ridgeley recall how they made their festive hits
interview
The showrunner with a reputation for grumpiness took his leave from the Time Lord in 2017, but now he is back with a Christmas special full of “optimistic nonsense”
Tom Peck
Tom Peck asks why Christmas television is turning into a long celebration of retail — Martin Lewis even uses a spreadsheet to play scrabble
interview
The show’s creator Heidi Thomas talks about the Christmas special and how her religion informs her writing
Review | BIOGRAPHY
A new biography makes the case for the Inspector Clouseau star’s comic genius but overlooks his tyrannical behaviour at home and on set
Christmas has always been a bumper time for television but with an abundance of choices, countless streaming platforms, and more festive specials than ever, selecting the perfect holiday viewing can feel overwhelming. To help you navigate the festive schedules, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to the season’s best offerings—whether you’re after gripping dramas, hidden...Christmas has always been a bumper time for television but with an abundance of choices...Christmas has always been a bumper time for television but with an abundance of choices...
The TV Christmas special is, as the name suggests, a very special thing. It’s the chance to take our favourite...The TV Christmas special is, as the name suggests, a very special thing. It’s the chance to take our favourite characters and put them in silly hats, lace them with booze and explore character traits and stories that may not have been seen before. It’s also, for many shows, the opportunity to end chapters and start...The TV Christmas special is, as the name suggests, a very special thing. It’s the chance to take our favourite characters and...
video
REVIEW
From a virtual-reality Batman to a new Zelda and Indiana Jones, here are our ten finest picks
Video games were wonderfully weird in 2024. We broke the rules of poker in the psychedelic Balatro; gamers teamed up to film each other doing scary stuff in a bid to go viral in the spooky Content Warning; and we puzzled our way through a labyrinthine woodland in the bizarre Animal Well. Blockbusters didn’t fall short either. Call of Duty had a tremendous return to...Video games were wonderfully weird in 2024. We broke the rules of poker in the psychedelic...Video games were wonderfully weird in 2024. We broke the rules of poker in the psychedelic...
Our critics travel up and down the country reviewing the latest theatre, musicals and dance, so have the inside track...Our critics travel up and down the country reviewing the latest theatre, musicals and dance, so have the inside track. Here is our guide to the best productions and where to watch them — ordered by when they end. Feel free to get involved in the comments and share your own recommendations. Curve, Leicester
...Our critics travel up and down the country reviewing the latest theatre, musicals and dance, so have the inside track. Here...
review
All history podcasts have to be measured against The Rest Is History. To listen to anyone else attempt to...All history podcasts have to be measured against The Rest Is History. To listen to anyone...All history podcasts have to be measured against The Rest Is History. To listen to anyone...
Debra Craine
It may be almost 30 years old, but Matthew Bourne’s gender-bending 1995 staging is still going...Debra Craine
It may be almost 30 years old, but Matthew Bourne’s gender-bending 1995 staging...Debra Craine
It may be almost 30 years old, but Matthew Bourne’s gender-bending 1995 staging...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
It’s been quite the year for Swan Lake in London. From the lovingly traditional stagings by the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, to a less loving version by visiting Georgians, an acrobatic one from China and Matthew Bourne’s...It’s been quite the year for Swan Lake in London. From the lovingly traditional stagings by the...It’s been quite the year for Swan Lake in London. From the lovingly traditional stagings by the...
CHRISTMAS VIEWING GUIDE
VIEWING GUIDE
CHRISTMAS VIEWING GUIDE
TELEVISION
Timing the big lunch, handling tricky relatives, curing a hangover … tips from Kirstie Allsopp, Julia Samuel and more
Not everyone wants more ‘stuff’ says Fleur Britten. Consider memberships, courses and home-made presents (that cost next to nothing) instead
INTERVIEW
The TV presenter, 61, talks about motoring, middle age and the perils of running a pub
As research shows that wine can be good for your heart, Peta Bee looks at other ways festive indulgence can boost health
FIRST PERSON
David Roberts lost his son Finny just before his third birthday. He describes how he and his wife, Lizi, are managing life after loss
Why not escape the house over the holidays and visit one of these beautiful National Trust properties?
Winter can be a quieter time of year for gardens, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some fabulous plants and trees to see. At this time of year, as the trees become bare, you are more likely to spot wildlife — and, with a little luck, less likely to spot any crowds. From landscaped gardens planted with colourful cyclamen, brightly-coloured berries, perfumed winter...Winter can be a quieter time of year for gardens, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some...Winter can be a quieter time of year for gardens, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some...
A damp veil hung over Gower as we made our way out of Rhossili, passing the church built in 1200 by Anglo-Norman...A damp veil hung over Gower as we made our way out of Rhossili, passing the church built in 1200 by Anglo-Norman settlers. As the village faded behind us, the downs rose ahead, copper with winter bracken, a path of bright grass vanishing into cloud. We made our way up, the climb sappingly steep at times, boots...A damp veil hung over Gower as we made our way out of Rhossili, passing the church built in 1200 by Anglo-Norman settlers. As...
Less travelled than its neighbours Costa Rica and Colombia, Panama’s popularity is on the up, with surf hotels, beach bars and hideaways in the hilly coffee region
This remote part of Canada is one of the best places in the world to spot the animals, as our writer discovered on an adventure that also allows you to spot beluga whales
Discover the best-value places to stay in Mallorca, from romantic rural fincas to lively seafront resorts
Chase the northern lights, go husky-sledging, or — deep breath — take a traditional ice dip for an unforgettable Arctic experience. Our expert shares his top picks
travel doctor
Plus: what to do when your flight is cancelled or overbooked, how to fly safely with a nut allergy, a group getaway and an easy-access classical music tour in Europe
Driving in Luxembourg requires serious concentration. Sandwiched between Belgium, Germany and northeastern France...Driving in Luxembourg requires serious concentration. Sandwiched between Belgium, Germany and...Driving in Luxembourg requires serious concentration. Sandwiched between Belgium, Germany and...
Big changes are afoot in the Cornish surf town of Newquay. In the east the eye-catching district of Nansledan is...Big changes are afoot in the Cornish surf town of Newquay. In the east the eye-catching district...Big changes are afoot in the Cornish surf town of Newquay. In the east the eye-catching district...
OBITUARY
Distinguished judge who quashed the convictions of the Birmingham Six and led the Gulf War syndrome inquiry
OBITUARY
Performer and writer who starred in the bestselling educational sex video The Lovers’ Guide
OBITUARY
Military leader who masterminded the use of banned weapons in Ukraine and was killed by a bomb hidden in an electric scooter
video
The Times has been publishing life stories of the great and the good (and the not so good) for more than 170 years. Now the obituary is also becoming a podcast, explains Anna Temkin
michael coren
My Jewish parents’ attitude to the festival was that it was more British than Christian
Weather eye
BUT while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph...BUT while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream...BUT while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream...
Sandringham, Norfolk
20th December, 2024
The King and Queen this morning visited Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest...Sandringham, Norfolk
20th December, 2024
The King and Queen this morning visited Waltham...Sandringham, Norfolk
20th December, 2024
The King and Queen this morning visited Waltham...
MindGames
1 Which Italian fascist dictator was stripped of his honorary knighthood in 1940? 2 Each rotation of Earth on its axis takes how many hours, roughly? 3 The “Medway Towns” are located in which English county? 4 Who illustrated the original edition...1 Which Italian fascist dictator was stripped of his honorary knighthood in 1940? 2 Each rotation...1 Which Italian fascist dictator was stripped of his honorary knighthood in 1940? 2 Each rotation...
Lesley Kollikho and Tyron Redmond
Passengers warned to check their travel arrangements as staff turn down overtime after pay increases
Christmas travellers face travel headaches this weekend as ScotRail struggles to convince drivers to accept overtime on their days off. The nationalised train operator has signalled that it expects cancellations on Saturday and Sunday — as a recruitment push and wage rises fail to solve its staff...Christmas travellers face travel headaches this weekend as ScotRail struggles to convince drivers to accept overtime on their days off. The nationalised train operator has signalled that it expects cancellations on Saturday and Sunday — as a recruitment push and wage rises fail to solve its staff...Christmas travellers face travel headaches this weekend as ScotRail struggles to convince drivers to accept overtime on their...
A mother has alleged that unisex toilet policies enabled a boy to covertly film female students at a secondary school after her “traumatised” daughter discovered a hidden camera. The incident has led to a 15-year-old boy being charged by police, prompting a fresh debate over the safety and privacy of unisex toilets in schools. The discovery...A mother has alleged that unisex toilet policies enabled a boy to covertly film female students at a secondary school after her “traumatised” daughter discovered a hidden camera. The incident has led to a 15-year-old boy being charged by police, prompting a fresh debate over the safety and privacy of unisex toilets in schools. The discovery...A mother has alleged that unisex toilet policies enabled a boy to covertly film female students at a secondary school after her...
When thieves raided an early years nursery in Carntyne, Glasgow, staff told the children that the Grinch was to blame. To ease the children’s fear after witnessing extensive damage in the aftermath of the theft, Annefrances McGrath, nursery operations director, devised a cunning Christmas ruse to dress up her...When thieves raided an early years nursery in Carntyne, Glasgow, staff told the children that the...When thieves raided an early years nursery in Carntyne, Glasgow, staff told the children that the...
Dominic Hill knew he had to rebuild the theatre from the day he first walked through the doors in 2011. The Citizens Theatre in the heart of the Gorbals, Glasgow, may be one of the most celebrated in Scotland, its cast-list of great actors and...Dominic Hill knew he had to rebuild the theatre from the day he first walked through the doors in...Dominic Hill knew he had to rebuild the theatre from the day he first walked through the doors in...
PHOTOGRAPHY
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning this week, forecasting strong winds and heavy rains across several parts of Scotland. But while many were deterred from going outside for fear of being blown away, a small few took the gusty days as an opportunity. Kite surfers headed into the waters to take advantage of the winds and frequent waves at South Beach, Troon.The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning this week, forecasting strong winds and heavy...The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning this week, forecasting strong winds and heavy...
The 1872 Cup
I’m struggling to see past Glasgow in both legs of this season’s 1872 Cup, but my fervent wish is that we witness a...I’m struggling to see past Glasgow in both legs of this season’s 1872 Cup, but my fervent wish is that we witness a showcase of the very best of Scottish rugby over the next seven days. While the Warriors are much further along their journey of growth and so must be considered heavy favourites, both teams are packed...I’m struggling to see past Glasgow in both legs of this season’s 1872 Cup, but my fervent wish is that we witness a showcase of...
interview
The owner of Dundee’s third most successful burger van on why he’d apologise to Lulu and how he talked Annie Lennox down from a fight, via his creator, Neil Forsyth
travel | Best of Alba
The new W hotel was famous before it even opened. But what is Edinburgh’s most talked building really like on the inside?
OUTSIDE | Best of Alba
A circular trip around the largest natural loch in the Borders with historical and literary interest
food
The Radhuni, an award-winning British-Bangladeshi restaurant, is part of a precious and undervalued national heritage
The holiday let where your neighbours are works by Grayson Perry, Charles Jencks and Tracey Emin
The retail behemoths don’t need your cash this Christmas, but plenty of Scottish businesses do. Whether you’re on the hunt for thoughtful stocking fillers or you have a big-ticket gift to buy, this selection of products from Scotland-based brands...The retail behemoths don’t need your cash this Christmas, but plenty of Scottish businesses do.The retail behemoths don’t need your cash this Christmas, but plenty of Scottish businesses do.
Comment
Raise a glass to our amazing creative industry
Max Hastings
Britain’s film, TV, theatre, music and book sectors are shining lights in a bleak year but they are facing huge challenges
Janice turner
Pelicot horrors are waking world up to porn
Robert Crampton
If 70 is the new 60, I’m positively youthful
Lara Spirit
How Labour plans to send fewer people to jail yet still sound tough about crime
Ann Treneman
Forget the shops, I’m off down the graveyard
Weekend Essay | AN Wilson
What does one do with a problem like Andrew?
Dominic Sandbrook
Exiled tyrants offer role models for Assad
Rob Nash | Feedback
Some words are always ‘ick’; others we learn to accept
We all have our verbal bugbears, our “ick” words, the phrases that make our teeth itch and our hands twitch. One of...We all have our verbal bugbears, our “ick” words, the phrases that make our teeth itch and our...We all have our verbal bugbears, our “ick” words, the phrases that make our teeth itch and our...
Miriam Darlington | Nature Notebook
Woodland scents bring comfort to winter’s chill
We walk deep into a tucked-away meander of the Cotswolds, into a valley named Slad — from the Saxon word “slaed”...We walk deep into a tucked-away meander of the Cotswolds, into a valley named Slad — from the...We walk deep into a tucked-away meander of the Cotswolds, into a valley named Slad — from the...
Leading Articles
Darkening Horizon
It is now clear that Rachel Reeves’s budget inflicted a severe blow to business confidence and the prospects for economic growth. Worse may follow
Fat Chance
Anti-obesity drugs appear remarkably effective and should be readily available
Frosty Conversation
Seasonal chit-chat has become the latest battleground for intergenerational strife
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Paying the price for water firms’ failures
Write to [email protected] Sir, We are told that rises in water bills are now needed to fund new reservoirs and water transfer schemes (reports and leading article, Dec 20). However, these schemes are pointless without accompanying...Write to [email protected] Sir, We are told that rises in water bills are now needed to fund...Write to [email protected] Sir, We are told that rises in water bills are now needed to fund...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
Finland: The prime minister Petteri Orpo hosts the North-South Summit in Saariselka, Lapland, a two-day gathering of leaders from northern and southern Europe to discuss issues facing Europe. The Greek, Italian and Swedish prime ministers are invited, as well as Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
Kuwait: Narendra Modi begins a two-day visit, the first by an Indian prime minister to the country in 43 years, at the invitation of the Emir.
World: The winter solstice is celebrated in the northern hemisphere.
On this day
Today
In 1620 settlers (known as the Pilgrim Fathers from 1820) landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, having set sail from England on the Mayflower on September 16. Descendants of the original passengers included the US presidents John Adams, James Garfield and Zachary Taylor; in 1914 the Keystone Film Company’s silent film Tillie’s Punctured Romance was released, the first feature-length comedy. The stage star Marie Dressler was joined by Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand; in 1963 the villainous Daleks made a first appearance on Doctor Who in The Dead Planet, the second serial of the science fiction TV show. A glimpse of a “sink plunger” in an alien world was followed up in the second episode by a fuller view of a Dalek; in 1968 the Apollo 8 mission launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. On Christmas Eve, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders entered lunar orbit, with Anders taking the Earthrise image.
Tomorrow
In 1808 Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony and Fourth Piano Concerto were premiered at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, in a four-hour concert; in 1882 Edward H Johnson, who worked for Thomas Edison’s Illumination Company, was the first person to put (80) decorative lights around a Christmas tree, at his home in New York City; in 1939 Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues, died, aged 53. Noted for her “moaning” style of singing, her songs include Bo-Weavil Blues and Moonshine Blues. The 2020 film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom centres on a 1927 recording session, and deals with racism and her bisexuality; in 2022 the final report by the House committee investigating the January 6, 2020, US Capitol riot concluded that Donald Trump, who had lost the presidency to Joe Biden, oversaw a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the result of the election and subvert American democracy. “The central cause of January 6th was one man, former president Donald Trump, whom many others followed,” the committee said. “None of the events of January 6th would have happened without him.”
Nature notes
An unusual tourist was seen visiting York Minster recently. Unlike the usual sightseers, this particular day tripper was exploring the architectural grandeur from the outside — at a height of about 200ft. It was a black redstart. First spotted on the central tower, the bird explored the many vertiginous plinths and ledges. Was it merely a day tripper or was it seeking nesting habitat? Only 50 pairs of black redstarts breed in Britain, but they mostly favour urban sites: railway stations, power stations, disused factories and warehouses. Could this cathedral be home to a black redstart pair next spring? The local peregrine falcons, who also call the minster home, might have a say in the matter.
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays
Today
Jo Bamford, founder and executive chairman, Ryze (hydrogen investment fund), and director, JCB, 47; Trevor Bayliss, cricketer, England cricket coach (2015-19), 62; Mariann Bienz (Lady Pelham), molecular biologist, 71; Julie Delpy, actress, Before Sunset (2005), and film-maker, 55; Gloria De Piero, Labour MP for Ashfield (2010-19), and broadcaster, 52; Jane Fonda, actress, Nine to Five (1980), 87; Samuel L Jackson, actor, Pulp Fiction (1994), 76; Emmanuel Macron, president of France, 47; Charles Michel, president of the European Council (2019-Nov 2024), 49; Steven Mnuchin, US secretary of the Treasury (2017-21), 62; Sir Nicholas Penny, art historian, director, National Gallery (2008-15), 75; William Ruto, president of Kenya, 58; Wafic Said, financier, founder (1996), Said Business School, University of Oxford, 85; Sir András Schiff, concert pianist and conductor, 71; Kiefer Sutherland, actor, 24 (2001-10, 2014), 58; Kate Swann, chairwoman, Moonpig (greeting cards), 60; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor, 80; Jo Whitfield, chief executive, Matalan (2023-Oct 2024), Co-op Food (2017-22), 56; Sir Robert Worcester, pollster, founder of Mori (1969), 91; Linda Yaccarino, chief executive, X Corp (the social media platform X), 61.
Tomorrow
Ed Anderson, lord-lieutenant of West Yorkshire, chairman, National Savings and Investments (2017-24), 74; Dame Mary Archer, scientist, chancellor, University of Buckingham, chairwoman, Science Museum Group (2015-23), 80; James Burke, historian, TV producer and the BBC’s main reporter on the 1969 moon landings, 88; Sir Roger Carr, chairman, English National Ballet (2018-23), BAE Systems (2014-23), 78; Rt Rev Stephen Conway, bishop of Lincoln, 67; Jack Draper, tennis player, UK ranking No 1 and world ranking No 15, 23; Noel Edmonds, TV presenter, Deal or No Deal (2005-16), and DJ, 76; Percival Everett, writer, Telephone (2020, Pulitzer prize finalist), 68; Ralph Fiennes, actor, The English Patient (1996), Conclave (2024), 62; Dame Rebecca Harris, Tory MP for Castle Point, Essex, opposition chief whip, 57; Lord (Irvine) Laidlaw, businessman, chairman, Laidlaw Foundation, 82; Tony Laithwaite, wine retailer, founder of Bordeaux Direct (now Laithwaite’s Wine) and chairman, Direct Wines, 79; Harriet Mathews (Lady Frost), director-general (Africa, the Americas and Overseas Territories), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, 51; Heather Melville, banker, chancellor of the University of York, 62; Prof M Stanley Whittingham, co-recipient, Nobel prize for chemistry (2019; for the development of lithium-ion batteries), 83.