The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
We’ll cut red tape, PM tells business leaders
newSir Keir Starmer has told cabinet ministers that they must try to build the economy with every decision as he rewrites government rules to “hardwire” growth into Whitehall. The prime minister will require “every single” part of government to assess the impact of policies on growth before he will...Sir Keir Starmer has told cabinet ministers that they must try to build the economy with every decision as he rewrites government rules to “hardwire” growth into Whitehall. The prime minister will require “every single” part of government to assess the impact of policies on growth before he will...Sir Keir Starmer has told cabinet ministers that they must try to build the economy with every decision as he rewrites...
The OpenAI boss has promised better artificial intelligence models after the emergence of the cut-price Chinese rival DeepSeek wiped billions off the value of technology stocks and raised doubts about America’s dominance in AI. Sam Altman called DeepSeek’s AI an “impressive model” and said it was “invigorating to have a new competitor” but...The OpenAI boss has promised better artificial intelligence models after the emergence of the cut-price Chinese rival DeepSeek wiped billions off the value of technology stocks and raised doubts about America’s dominance in AI. Sam Altman called DeepSeek’s AI an “impressive model” and said it was “invigorating to have a new competitor” but...The OpenAI boss has promised better artificial intelligence models after the emergence of the cut-price Chinese rival DeepSeek...
A prime candidate for hosting alien life has been discovered in close proximity to the Earth, orbiting in the habitable zone of a star similar to our sun. The planet, known as HD 20794d, is 20 light years from our solar system, making it a near neighbour in a galaxy that is 105,000 light years across. It has ignited...A prime candidate for hosting alien life has been discovered in close proximity to the Earth...A prime candidate for hosting alien life has been discovered in close proximity to the Earth...
what i’ve learnt
first person
I turned 30 last year, and like many other clichéd millennials vowed to enter my fourth decade drinking a little less...I turned 30 last year, and like many other clichéd millennials vowed to enter my fourth decade...I turned 30 last year, and like many other clichéd millennials vowed to enter my fourth decade...
Coleen Rooney does hers in the shower, Jennifer Lopez in her garden, Arnold Schwarzenegger at the gym, with such...Coleen Rooney does hers in the shower, Jennifer Lopez in her garden, Arnold Schwarzenegger at the...Coleen Rooney does hers in the shower, Jennifer Lopez in her garden, Arnold Schwarzenegger at the...
Charles heard survivors’ harrowing testimonies on the 80th anniversary of camp’s liberation
A light to honour the dead, a pilgrimage from a King and a warning from the few remaining voices of the worst genocide in human history: it could happen again. King Charles III became the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz when he walked in the footsteps of 1.1 million men, women and children who were transported to the Nazi concentration and extermination camp...A light to honour the dead, a pilgrimage from a King and a warning from the few remaining voices...A light to honour the dead, a pilgrimage from a King and a warning from the few remaining voices...
Even a prince and princess were privileged to be in such company. As the heir to the throne and his wife entered...Even a prince and princess were privileged to be in such company. As the heir to the throne and his wife entered London’s Guildhall for the British commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day, the crowd stood for the royalty — but William and Kate deferred to the survivors who were seated before them. “It has been a...Even a prince and princess were privileged to be in such company. As the heir to the throne and his wife entered London’s...
The chancellor will unveil new measures on Wednesday with promises of a ‘brighter future ahead’
Brexiteers have lashed out at the idea but the Tory architect of the UK’s trade deal with the bloc is understood to be dismissive of their claims
Eight of the 20 most indebted local authorities have requested government permission to increase bills by up to 25% with more likely to follow
The Manx government believes that maintaining the triple lock is becoming unaffordable — and it may not be long before the UK government follows suit
crime and justice commission
The tail end of January may seem the least glamorous time of the year, but that’s not the case for members of the 1 per cent. Actually, better make that the 0.1 per cent. They are the only ones who can afford the price tags at the couture shows in...The tail end of January may seem the least glamorous time of the year, but that’s not the case...The tail end of January may seem the least glamorous time of the year, but that’s not the case...
Activists have been accused of disrespecting Holocaust Memorial Day after they put forward a petition calling for...Activists have been accused of disrespecting Holocaust Memorial Day after they put forward a...Activists have been accused of disrespecting Holocaust Memorial Day after they put forward a...
THE TIMES DIARY
The Scottish actor Brian Cox began his career sweeping the stage at his local theatre in Dundee as a teenager. The...The Scottish actor Brian Cox began his career sweeping the stage at his local theatre in Dundee...The Scottish actor Brian Cox began his career sweeping the stage at his local theatre in Dundee...
‘Invented’ pronouns will be forbidden in a drive to end diversity policies at the Pentagon
updatedPresident Trump has signed an executive order banning the use of “invented” pronouns in the US military to rid it of what he called “transgender ideology”. In his order, Trump claimed “many mental and physical health conditions are incompatible with active duty” and that the US armed forces “have...President Trump has signed an executive order banning the use of “invented” pronouns in the US military to rid it of what he called “transgender ideology”. In his order, Trump claimed “many mental and physical health conditions are incompatible with active duty” and that the US armed forces “have...President Trump has signed an executive order banning the use of “invented” pronouns in the US military to rid it of what he...
A January 6 Capitol rioter pardoned by President Trump was shot dead by police on Sunday after resisting arrest. Matthew Huttle was pulled over in his car by Jasper county officers at about 4.15pm on state road 14, 120 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Huttle, 42, had been released from prison in July after serving a six-month sentence and...A January 6 Capitol rioter pardoned by President Trump was shot dead by police on Sunday after resisting arrest. Matthew Huttle was pulled over in his car by Jasper county officers at about 4.15pm on state road 14, 120 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Huttle, 42, had been released from prison in July after serving a six-month sentence and...A January 6 Capitol rioter pardoned by President Trump was shot dead by police on Sunday after resisting arrest. Matthew Huttle...
Thousands of displaced residents of Gaza flocked north through unmanned roadblocks towards their homes on Monday, as a new stage of the ceasefire came into effect. Israeli forces’ withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor had been delayed when the release of Arbel Yehoud, a civilian hostage, did not occur as expected.Thousands of displaced residents of Gaza flocked north through unmanned roadblocks towards their...Thousands of displaced residents of Gaza flocked north through unmanned roadblocks towards their...
JANE FLANAGAn
As Rwandan-backed rebels seize some of the continent’s most valuable mines, experts fear DR Congo’s perpetual chaos will spread beyond its borders
The source of misery for the people of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo lies in the vast natural treasures beneath their feet. Diamonds are found there, gold too, but the most coveted riches are the lesser known ones: coltan, wolfram, cassiterite, and a dizzying array of other metal salts. These minerals, crucial in the production of laptops and smartphones...The source of misery for the people of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo lies in the vast...The source of misery for the people of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo lies in the vast...
Rebels backed by Rwanda are patrolling the streets of the largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of...Rebels backed by Rwanda are patrolling the streets of the largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo after what the Congolese government said was a “declaration of war” by its neighbour. The apparent capture of Goma by the M23 militia and the exchange of fire by soldiers over the border marked a...Rebels backed by Rwanda are patrolling the streets of the largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo after...
The image of a young Vietnamese girl, fleeing burnt and naked from an incendiary attack on her village outside Saigon on June 8, 1972, has become one of the defining photographs of the horrors of war. Now, more than half a century later, the...The image of a young Vietnamese girl, fleeing burnt and naked from an incendiary attack on her...The image of a young Vietnamese girl, fleeing burnt and naked from an incendiary attack on her...
Tech boss calls the cut-price Chinese rival an ‘impressive model’ as Donald Trump says its success is a ‘wake-up’ call for American industry
newThe OpenAI boss has promised better artificial intelligence models after the emergence of the cut-price Chinese rival DeepSeek wiped billions off the value of technology stocks and raised doubts about America’s dominance in AI. Sam Altman called DeepSeek’s AI an “impressive model” and said it was...The OpenAI boss has promised better artificial intelligence models after the emergence of the cut-price Chinese rival DeepSeek wiped billions off the value of technology stocks and raised doubts about America’s dominance in AI. Sam Altman called DeepSeek’s AI an “impressive model” and said it was...The OpenAI boss has promised better artificial intelligence models after the emergence of the cut-price Chinese rival DeepSeek...
The UK economy will expand by less than 1 per cent this year, forcing the Bank of England to cut interest rates as many as five times, according to a US investment bank. In a research note to clients on Monday, analysts at Morgan Stanley lowered their forecast for GDP growth in 2025 to just 0.9 per cent from 1.4 per cent. The downgrade is...The UK economy will expand by less than 1 per cent this year, forcing the Bank of England to cut interest rates as many as five times, according to a US investment bank. In a research note to clients on Monday, analysts at Morgan Stanley lowered their forecast for GDP growth in 2025 to just 0.9 per cent from 1.4 per cent. The downgrade is...The UK economy will expand by less than 1 per cent this year, forcing the Bank of England to cut interest rates as many as five...
Stock picker Terry Smith’s £2 billion vehicle, Smithson Investment Trust, has been targeted by Saba Capital, the activist New York hedge fund making waves with its siege of seven UK investment trusts. Filings by Saba-managed Saba Capital Income and Opportunities Fund II reveal it had bought total return swaps giving...Stock picker Terry Smith’s £2 billion vehicle, Smithson Investment Trust, has been targeted by...Stock picker Terry Smith’s £2 billion vehicle, Smithson Investment Trust, has been targeted by...
alistair osborne
So, that’s what they mean by the speed of AI. Rewind a week and the tech titans were swanning about at Donald Trump’s...So, that’s what they mean by the speed of AI. Rewind a week and the tech titans were swanning...So, that’s what they mean by the speed of AI. Rewind a week and the tech titans were swanning...
mehreen khan
In 2018 the future chancellor Rachel Reeves set out a blueprint for an economy for “everyday” people which warned of...In 2018 the future chancellor Rachel Reeves set out a blueprint for an economy for “everyday”...In 2018 the future chancellor Rachel Reeves set out a blueprint for an economy for “everyday”...
We look at how its app differs from rivals and what it means for the sector
updatedThe Chinese start-up DeepSeek has unsettled markets and Silicon Valley after it launched a free, open-source artificial intelligence model to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We look at the company, how its model differs from rivals and what it means for the sector. DeepSeek-R1 is a large language model, which is AI software similar to the technology that underpins...The Chinese start-up DeepSeek has unsettled markets and Silicon Valley after it launched a free...The Chinese start-up DeepSeek has unsettled markets and Silicon Valley after it launched a free...
More than $700 billion was wiped from the value of the world’s largest technology companies on Monday after the...More than $700 billion was wiped from the value of the world’s largest technology companies on Monday after the emergence of a cut-price Chinese rival to ChatGPT raised doubts over whether America can sustain its lead in artificial intelligence. California-based Nvidia, whose share price has been turbocharged by...More than $700 billion was wiped from the value of the world’s largest technology companies on Monday after the emergence of a...
karen ward
Economic data increasingly shows that the autumn budget has dented business confidence, and the economy is slowing.Economic data increasingly shows that the autumn budget has dented business confidence, and the...Economic data increasingly shows that the autumn budget has dented business confidence, and the...
tempus
The Mercantile Investment Trust is one of the City’s oldest investment companies, having launched in 1884. Today the...The Mercantile Investment Trust is one of the City’s oldest investment companies, having launched...The Mercantile Investment Trust is one of the City’s oldest investment companies, having launched...
Artificial intelligence
how i made it
Millie Kendall, founder of Brandstand and boss of the British Beauty Council, couldn’t cut it in hair but she made it in make-up with Ruby & Millie
recruitment
Compared with the US and China, Britain’s space sector may seem small, but it is a powerhouse of innovation
Not since the 1960s space race has there been such an intense focus on reaching for the stars. Global investment in the space tech sector has leapt by 25 per cent over the past 12 months with Seraphim Space, the London-based venture capitalist, reporting record numbers of companies closing funding rounds. While the previous space race focused on political grandstanding...Not since the 1960s space race has there been such an intense focus on reaching for the stars.Not since the 1960s space race has there been such an intense focus on reaching for the stars.
RECRUITMENT | SIX FROM THE BEST
As the government seeks affordable ways to fix the NHS, medtech is being touted a possible solution. As co-founder of...As the government seeks affordable ways to fix the NHS, medtech is being touted a possible solution. As co-founder of Consultant Connect, which turbocharges communication between GPs, paramedics and hospital specialists, Jonathan Patrick is at the forefront of the sector’s change. Here, he gives his advice on...As the government seeks affordable ways to fix the NHS, medtech is being touted a possible solution. As co-founder of...
courtney lawes
Courtney Lawes says new skipper should give tub-thumping duties to others against Ireland, so his own articulate words carry most resonance
Maro Itoje is England’s gentleman captain. It is pretty unusual in the rugby environment to find players who do not swear. Pre-match team talks are always peppered with industrial language. In his famous Franglais hype speech to La Rochelle before the 2023 Top 14 semi-final, Ronan O’Gara was...Maro Itoje is England’s gentleman captain. It is pretty unusual in the rugby environment to find players who do not swear. Pre-match team talks are always peppered with industrial language. In his famous Franglais hype speech to La Rochelle before the 2023 Top 14 semi-final, Ronan O’Gara was...Maro Itoje is England’s gentleman captain. It is pretty unusual in the rugby environment to find players who do not swear.
David Coote has said he took cocaine to deal with the stress of being forced to hide his sexuality and the pressures of refereeing. The 42-year-old, who was sacked by the PGMOL after a series of videos was leaked to The Sun showing him abusing the former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, taking cocaine and discussing booking a Leeds United...David Coote has said he took cocaine to deal with the stress of being forced to hide his sexuality and the pressures of refereeing. The 42-year-old, who was sacked by the PGMOL after a series of videos was leaked to The Sun showing him abusing the former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, taking cocaine and discussing booking a Leeds United...David Coote has said he took cocaine to deal with the stress of being forced to hide his sexuality and the pressures of...
Tom allnutt
If Tottenham Hotspur were a PowerPoint presentation to be shown to a wealthy investor, every slide would go down a storm. State-of-the-art training ground, tick, and one of the plushest stadiums in Europe, tick. An inner-London location, absolutely, housing a club with a rich football history, sure, and a modern...If Tottenham Hotspur were a PowerPoint presentation to be shown to a wealthy investor, every...If Tottenham Hotspur were a PowerPoint presentation to be shown to a wealthy investor, every...
interview | owen slot
John Westerby
The Six Nations begins with a tricky selection call for Fabien Galthié, although sympathy from his fellow coaches will be in short supply, given the resources at his disposal. One of France’s outstanding players in the autumn — during which they...The Six Nations begins with a tricky selection call for Fabien Galthié, although sympathy from...The Six Nations begins with a tricky selection call for Fabien Galthié, although sympathy from...
The investigation into the death threats made against Premier League referee Michael Oliver and his family has been...The investigation into the death threats made against Premier League referee Michael Oliver and...The investigation into the death threats made against Premier League referee Michael Oliver and...
PETER WALTON
A few weeks ago I went to watch Northampton Saints against Stade Français in Paris. I sat in an area that was packed...A few weeks ago I went to watch Northampton Saints against Stade Français in Paris. I sat in an...A few weeks ago I went to watch Northampton Saints against Stade Français in Paris. I sat in an...
video
will kelleher
As I step out of the Sale Sharks dressing rooms at their training base in Carrington I immediately feel awkwardly out of my depth having requested a kicking masterclass from George Ford. The players are drifting away from the pitch on a crisp...As I step out of the Sale Sharks dressing rooms at their training base in Carrington I...As I step out of the Sale Sharks dressing rooms at their training base in Carrington I...
Times Sport Unseen
Our photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher concentrated on football this week, taking themselves across the country to capture the true colour of the beautiful game; men and women, top flight and non-League. Marc writes Embarking on a...Our photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher concentrated on football this week, taking...Our photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher concentrated on football this week, taking...
Emma Raducanu has been knocked out in the first round of the Singapore Open by the world No101 in a three-hour...Emma Raducanu has been knocked out in the first round of the Singapore Open by the world No101 in...Emma Raducanu has been knocked out in the first round of the Singapore Open by the world No101 in...
Racecards BET OF THE DAY Thistle Ask (2.55 Newcastle) This lightly-raced gelding missed last season and had an...Racecards BET OF THE DAY Thistle Ask (2.55 Newcastle) This lightly-raced gelding missed last...Racecards BET OF THE DAY Thistle Ask (2.55 Newcastle) This lightly-raced gelding missed last...
interview
Two-dozen clubs. Ten divisions. Three countries. Happy, harrowing, hideous and hilarious experiences. Few have a more worldly view of English football than Leroy Lita. Born in Zaire, the 40-year-old forward now plays for Barwell in the seventh tier.Two-dozen clubs. Ten divisions. Three countries. Happy, harrowing, hideous and hilarious...Two-dozen clubs. Ten divisions. Three countries. Happy, harrowing, hideous and hilarious...
Six volunteers agreed to travel part of the perilous journey to the UK from Syria and Somalia. Did it change their opinions, asks Damian Whitworth
first person
More young people are giving up alcohol. I get it, writes Olivia Petter — but how am I meant to meet a partner? Plus: Ceci Browning on why she’s embraced her accidental sobriety
Does rising mental health awareness make well people think they require treatment, asks Helen Rumbelow
They’re great for your overall health but should you rise to the challenge of doing 100 a day?
what i’ve learnt
Given the proliferation of coffee shops on every high street and the extraordinary number of households that have a...Given the proliferation of coffee shops on every high street and the extraordinary number of...Given the proliferation of coffee shops on every high street and the extraordinary number of...
Dr Mark Porter
The HPV/cervical cancer vaccine is one of the great medical breakthroughs of the past 20 years, and is now included...The HPV/cervical cancer vaccine is one of the great medical breakthroughs of the past 20 years...The HPV/cervical cancer vaccine is one of the great medical breakthroughs of the past 20 years...
my culture fix
The actress on walking out of the Twilight Zone film, appearing in the sitcom Friends and giving up on Tolstoy
I saw Obsession [the 1976 thriller directed by Brian De Palma] when I was 11. Geneviève Bujold is in it. She was so stunning and there was a big twist at the end — I was so excited by it. I thought, God, this woman can be so smart and beautiful at the same time and can dupe everybody. I love this group from New Orleans called the Subdudes. I like really obscure music.I saw Obsession [the 1976 thriller directed by Brian De Palma] when I was 11. Geneviève Bujold is...I saw Obsession [the 1976 thriller directed by Brian De Palma] when I was 11. Geneviève Bujold is...
review
★★★★★
It is impossible to say which moment among the 90 harrowing minutes of The Last Musician of Auschwitz...★★★★★
It is impossible to say which moment among the 90 harrowing minutes of The Last Musician of Auschwitz (BBC2) packed the most overwhelming gut punch. Certainly among them was the story of Ilse Weber, the poet and songwriter who accompanied her young son into the gas chamber: a fellow inmate told her to...★★★★★
It is impossible to say which moment among the 90 harrowing minutes of The Last Musician of Auschwitz (BBC2) packed...
The nominees for the 2025 Oscars were recently announced, with Emilia Pérez leading the pack with 13 nominations...The nominees for the 2025 Oscars were recently announced, with Emilia Pérez leading the pack with...The nominees for the 2025 Oscars were recently announced, with Emilia Pérez leading the pack with...
review
When it comes to shooting in a video game, I’m no elite sniper. Paint a bright red target on a barn door and I’ll hit...When it comes to shooting in a video game, I’m no elite sniper. Paint a bright red target on a...When it comes to shooting in a video game, I’m no elite sniper. Paint a bright red target on a...
REVIEW | fiction
‘Spying is writing,” a character observes in David McCloskey’s intriguing, slow-burning spy thriller The Seventh Floor. They mean that, unlike in films, espionage is largely office work. The reverse is also true, of course. Writing is...‘Spying is writing,” a character observes in David McCloskey’s intriguing, slow-burning spy...‘Spying is writing,” a character observes in David McCloskey’s intriguing, slow-burning spy...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
your money matters
I am a 90-year-old British citizen, but I live in Atlanta in the US. My husband died four years ago and in May I was due to fly to the UK to visit my family. I paid $4,667 for a return business-class ticket with British Airways. But the evening...I am a 90-year-old British citizen, but I live in Atlanta in the US. My husband died four years...I am a 90-year-old British citizen, but I live in Atlanta in the US. My husband died four years...
MindGames
gabriella bennett
If it wasn’t for the slanting winter light I wouldn’t have noticed. Standing in the kitchen one morning, waiting for...If it wasn’t for the slanting winter light I wouldn’t have noticed. Standing in the kitchen one...If it wasn’t for the slanting winter light I wouldn’t have noticed. Standing in the kitchen one...
Beyoncé, still the reigning queen of American commercial music, may have been nominated for 11 awards, but the 2025 Grammys is all about this year’s crop of young female pop stars. Britain’s own Charli XCX has finally broken through after years on...Beyoncé, still the reigning queen of American commercial music, may have been nominated for 11...Beyoncé, still the reigning queen of American commercial music, may have been nominated for 11...
Television
television
TELEVISION
TELEVISION
A swanky chess set is now a must-have accessory for every well-appointed urban pad, says Peter Howarth
It’s the Chinese new year and that means that luxury horologists are showing off with some serpentine special editions
Hidden deep in forests, atop outcrops and overlooking the sea, these mirrored retreats are windows to the natural world. Jonathan Morrison checks in
anna murphy
In 120 homes across Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, more than a million metres of tweed is handwoven for fashion labels such as Dior. Anna Murphy visited the island HQ of the queen of Scottish fabrics
The release of A Real Pain, a film that raises questions about Holocaust tourism, prompted our writer to trace her own personal loss at the concentration camp
Add some adventure to your winter with a weekend on two wheels — with a lovely place to recover afterwards
A cruise to colourful Okinawa with its beautiful beaches, intriguing markets and matcha ice cream makes for a fun mother-daughter bonding trip — and it’s affordable too
Raise a glass to Reims: France’s most fun destination for fizz-lovers, complete with compelling history and showstopper cathedrals
We’ve crunched the numbers to help you get the biggest bang for your holiday buck, from all-inclusive deals in Turkey to incredibly priced villas in France
Milan is Italy’s answer to London — a vibrant but hard-nosed place that can be overwhelming at first. Finding...Milan is Italy’s answer to London — a vibrant but hard-nosed place that can be overwhelming at...Milan is Italy’s answer to London — a vibrant but hard-nosed place that can be overwhelming at...
I visit dozens of country house hotels every year, from trendy ones in Cornwall to staid lodges in the Highlands.I visit dozens of country house hotels every year, from trendy ones in Cornwall to staid lodges...I visit dozens of country house hotels every year, from trendy ones in Cornwall to staid lodges...
OBITUARY
Gentle operator with an eye for historical detail and a CV that included Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia
OBITUARY
Daily Mail foreign editor behind the airlift of 100 orphans out of Vietnam, who went on to become an acclaimed writer
OBITUARY
Miner who played a prominent role fighting the Thatcher government’s plans for mass pit closures
OBITUARY
Fun curator and expert on Sèvres porcelain who turned down Lucian Freud’s offer to paint her portrait
Weather eye
Buckingham Palace
27th January, 2025 The King this morning departed from Royal Air Force Marham for Poland and...Buckingham Palace
27th January, 2025 The King this morning departed from Royal Air Force...Buckingham Palace
27th January, 2025 The King this morning departed from Royal Air Force...
BUT no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept...BUT no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.BUT no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
First minister insisted that health service was robust, but nurses have spoken out about the difficulties they face delivering care
A new plan to overhaul Scotland’s NHS by cutting waiting times and improving access to GPs has been criticised for recycling old pledges and painting a false picture of the health service. John Swinney, the first minister, promised 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in hospitals and more...A new plan to overhaul Scotland’s NHS by cutting waiting times and improving access to GPs has been criticised for recycling old pledges and painting a false picture of the health service. John Swinney, the first minister, promised 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in hospitals and more...A new plan to overhaul Scotland’s NHS by cutting waiting times and improving access to GPs has been criticised for recycling...
The first minister’s speech about the NHS was trailed with promises — John Swinney would deliver a “plan to reduce the immediate pressures on the NHS” and set a clear vision for the future, the Scottish government announced on Monday. “People across Scotland will have better access to NHS treatment,” the press release vowed. But afterwards...The first minister’s speech about the NHS was trailed with promises — John Swinney would deliver a “plan to reduce the immediate pressures on the NHS” and set a clear vision for the future, the Scottish government announced on Monday. “People across Scotland will have better access to NHS treatment,” the press release vowed. But afterwards...The first minister’s speech about the NHS was trailed with promises — John Swinney would deliver a “plan to reduce the...
MAGNUS LINKLATER
‘I cannot think of a country that would remain as defiant, as resilient and as united in the face of invasion as Ukraine,” mused the Indian diplomat. “Maybe your Scotland?” OK — it was late, and a few vodka shots had been taken. We were in a nightclub in Kyiv and watching the clock for the midnight curfew. But it...‘I cannot think of a country that would remain as defiant, as resilient and as united in the face...‘I cannot think of a country that would remain as defiant, as resilient and as united in the face...
A female church youth group leader has been placed on the sex offenders register after she was found to have behaved...A female church youth group leader has been placed on the sex offenders register after she was...A female church youth group leader has been placed on the sex offenders register after she was...
Council tax payers across Scotland are facing the prospect of large hikes in their bill while the local authority...Council tax payers across Scotland are facing the prospect of large hikes in their bill while the...Council tax payers across Scotland are facing the prospect of large hikes in their bill while the...
Motherwell “very reluctantly” accepted the resignation of their manager Stuart Kettlewell after “personal abuse” from a section of fans forced his family away from matches. The Lanarkshire club sit fifth in the Premiership but some fans had turned...Motherwell “very reluctantly” accepted the resignation of their manager Stuart Kettlewell after...Motherwell “very reluctantly” accepted the resignation of their manager Stuart Kettlewell after...
gabriella bennett
interview | owen slot
scottish business digest
Artists are being offered a financial lifeline with money left by an internet entrepreneur who died suddenly after a decade spent building a creative hub around his estate in the Scottish Borders. Hugo Burge was a travel business executive...Artists are being offered a financial lifeline with money left by an internet entrepreneur who...Artists are being offered a financial lifeline with money left by an internet entrepreneur who...
Celtic have secured Jota on a five-and-a-half-year contract after the Portuguese winger swapped places with Kyogo Furuhashi. The 25-year-old has completed his move from Rennes 18 months after leaving Celtic in a reported £25million move to Saudi...Celtic have secured Jota on a five-and-a-half-year contract after the Portuguese winger swapped...Celtic have secured Jota on a five-and-a-half-year contract after the Portuguese winger swapped...
Comment
Trump’s Ukraine plan will expose our weakness
William Hague
It will take American hard power to enforce peace — but at some point, the president will demand help from his allies
Melanie Phillips
UK’s Brexit freedoms have been squandered
james marriott
We all benefit when youthful genius blooms
giles coren | notebook
Voting’s such a hassle… of course Gen Z like dictators
tom winsor
Our independent regulators must be kept politics-free
Leading Articles
Indefensible
Labour is betraying the country by failing to urgently raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP
Irish Stew
The posturing of Michael D Higgins, Ireland’s president, tarnished the memory of the Auschwitz dead
Grab a Slice
James Howells’ mistaken disposal of 8,000 bitcoin is a lesson for HM Treasury
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Trump’s call for a bigger UK defence budget
Write to [email protected] Sir, The possibility of not raising defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP before the next election is a grave risk to our national security (“Starmer to defy Trump over cash for defence”, Jan 27). Worse still...Write to [email protected] Sir, The possibility of not raising defence spending to 2.5 per...Write to [email protected] Sir, The possibility of not raising defence spending to 2.5 per...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Office for National Statistics publishes projections for the potential future population size of the UK and its constituent countries; assisted dying bill committee meeting; Reform UK fundraiser, Mayfair.
On this day
In 1813 Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice was published by Thomas Egerton, for a payment of £110 for the copyright. The book had been turned down for publication in 1797; In 1939 WB Yeats, the Irish poet, dramatist and writer, died aged 73. His epitaph – Cast a cold Eye / On Life, on Death. / Horseman, pass by! – is from his poem Under Ben Bulben. Yeats was awarded the Nobel prize in literature in 1923, “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation”; in 1985 the trial began of Clive Ponting, a civil servant charged with leaking information about the sinking of the Argentinian warship General Belgrano during the Falklands conflict. He was acquitted by a jury; in 1998 the crew of the Breitling Orbiter 2 balloon took off from Switzerland. Their attempt to fly nonstop around the world in record time failed because China refused to allow them into its airspace.
Nature notes
In winter — especially if snow covers the ground for any length of time — you may see bark freshly nibbled from the bases of trees. Grey squirrels eat bark, but usually from higher on the tree; deer focus mainly on the trunks and branches as far up as they can reach. But in winter, when food is scarce, rabbits will eat bark from low down — especially if it is thin, tender and easy to chew, like that of young beeches or fruit trees. Though this can kill a tree if the damage is severe, no animal can fairly be blamed for trying to survive winter. Clearing snow, which allows rabbits access to the grass, can be effective. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Alan Alda, director, scriptwriter, actor, M*A*S*H (1972-83), 89; Amy Coney Barrett, member of the US Supreme Court, 53; Roy Clarke, comedy writer, creator of Last of the Summer Wine, Keeping Up Appearances and Open All Hours, 95; Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, heptathlete, Olympic gold medallist (2012), 39; Sir António Horta-Osório, chairman, Credit Suisse (2021-22), 61; Philip Jansen, chairman, WPP (advertising group), chief executive, BT Group (2019-24), 58; Lord (Bill) Jordan, president, the AEEU trade union (1986-95), 89; Keith Ludeman, chairman, London Luton Airport, HS1 Ltd (rail line operator), 75; Dame Malvina Major, opera singer, 82; Catherine Mallyon, chairwoman, Birmingham Hippodrome, 63; Alison Noble, professor of biomedical engineering, University of Oxford, 60; Nick Price, golfer, the Open champion (1994), 68; Nick Raynsford, Labour MP (1986-87, 1992-2015) and former minister, 80; Mark Regan, rugby union player, England (1995-2008), 53; Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France (2007-12), 70; Dame Melinda Simmons, UK ambassador to Ukraine (2019-23), 59; Frank Skinner, comedian, radio and TV presenter, 68; Carlos Slim, Mexican businessman, ranked the richest person in the world (2010-13), 85; Dick Taylor, bassist in the early line-up of the Rolling Stones, and founding member of the Pretty Things, 82; Prof William Wisden, chair in molecular neuroscience, Imperial College London, and founding member, UK Dementia Research Institute, 61; Elijah Wood, actor, The Lord of the Rings film series (2001-03), 44; Robert Wyatt, jazz, folk and rock musician, founder, Soft Machine, 80.