video
The Israeli army issued a large-scale evacuation order for parts of northern Gaza as well as the remainder of eastern Rafah, raising concerns of a widening offensive on two fronts. Some soldiers who were preparing to enter Rafah will instead be sent further north to Jabalia, where the army has...The Israeli army issued a large-scale evacuation order for parts of northern Gaza as well as the remainder of eastern Rafah, raising concerns of a widening offensive on two fronts. Some soldiers who were preparing to enter Rafah will instead be sent further north to Jabalia, where the army has...The Israeli army issued a large-scale evacuation order for parts of northern Gaza as well as the remainder of eastern Rafah...
charlotte ivers dispatch
On Thursday night, outside the imposing grey security walls that surround the neon pink Eurovision fan zone in Malmo, a nervous human wall of police officers stood braced, surveillance drone and police helicopter buzzing overhead. Facing them was a rowdy offshoot of an earlier, officially sanctioned, anti-Israel protest, attended by more...On Thursday night, outside the imposing grey security walls that surround the neon pink Eurovision fan zone in Malmo, a nervous human wall of police officers stood braced, surveillance drone and police helicopter buzzing overhead. Facing them was a rowdy offshoot of an earlier, officially sanctioned, anti-Israel protest, attended by more...On Thursday night, outside the imposing grey security walls that surround the neon pink Eurovision fan zone in Malmo, a nervous...
A spectacular show of northern lights across the UK on Friday night was unlike anything seen in the last 40 years, a physicist has said. The aurora was visible as far south as London and Essex, while sightings were also reported in Ireland, Europe, the US, and in parts of the southern hemisphere. Chris Scott, a...A spectacular show of northern lights across the UK on Friday night was unlike anything seen in...A spectacular show of northern lights across the UK on Friday night was unlike anything seen in...
interview
There’s a lovely smell in here,” says an eight-year-old boy as he walks up the Downing Street staircase. The kiddos...There’s a lovely smell in here,” says an eight-year-old boy as he walks up the Downing Street...There’s a lovely smell in here,” says an eight-year-old boy as he walks up the Downing Street...
health
When it comes to health and fitness, men and women have vulnerabilities — and strengths — that set them apart.When it comes to health and fitness, men and women have vulnerabilities — and strengths — that...When it comes to health and fitness, men and women have vulnerabilities — and strengths — that...
IN GRAPHICS
Labour’s lead in a raft of polls is so big that even if Reform’s supporters voted Conservative, Starmer would still win a general election
At 4am on Monday, I met five Oxford students under orange streetlights in the pre-dawn darkness. We walked silently...At 4am on Monday, I met five Oxford students under orange streetlights in the pre-dawn darkness.At 4am on Monday, I met five Oxford students under orange streetlights in the pre-dawn darkness.
The mastermind behind an armed robbery in which a police officer was shot dead has been told that his “violent...The mastermind behind an armed robbery in which a police officer was shot dead has been told that...The mastermind behind an armed robbery in which a police officer was shot dead has been told that...
in depth
After spending more than £1,000 over the past 15 months with GenderGP, an unregulated private clinic, Theo was already feeling less like a patient and more like “a cash cow”. The 20-year-old student, whose name we have changed, is transitioning...After spending more than £1,000 over the past 15 months with GenderGP, an unregulated private...After spending more than £1,000 over the past 15 months with GenderGP, an unregulated private...
Obesity can increase the risk of more than 30 different types of cancer, according to a study revealing how unhealthy...Obesity can increase the risk of more than 30 different types of cancer, according to a study...Obesity can increase the risk of more than 30 different types of cancer, according to a study...
A woman driver who was pulled over by a fake policeman with a baseball bat and handcuffs in his car has told a court...A woman driver who was pulled over by a fake policeman with a baseball bat and handcuffs in his...A woman driver who was pulled over by a fake policeman with a baseball bat and handcuffs in his...
Photography
Janette Beckman’s exhibition — Rebels: An Ode to Subversives, Revolutionaries and Provocateurs — opens at Foam museum in Amsterdam on May 10 until September 8 and will be part of Amsterdam Art Week, from May 29 to June 1. The exhibition is the...Janette Beckman’s exhibition — Rebels: An Ode to Subversives, Revolutionaries and Provocateurs —...Janette Beckman’s exhibition — Rebels: An Ode to Subversives, Revolutionaries and Provocateurs —...
My Week
We’ve just won a glorious victory in the local elections! But we mustn’t be complacent. “Totally,” says Emily...We’ve just won a glorious victory in the local elections! But we mustn’t be complacent.We’ve just won a glorious victory in the local elections! But we mustn’t be complacent.
The Times diary
The late Eric Anderson’s influence on modern politics ran deep. As a teacher at Gordonstoun and Fettes, head at Eton...The late Eric Anderson’s influence on modern politics ran deep. As a teacher at Gordonstoun and...The late Eric Anderson’s influence on modern politics ran deep. As a teacher at Gordonstoun and...
Israel is likely to have breached international humanitarian law with American weapons during its military campaign in Gaza, a US government report has concluded. However, the long-awaited US State Department report added that Israel’s forces did not act in a way that would prevent Washington...Israel is likely to have breached international humanitarian law with American weapons during its military campaign in Gaza, a US government report has concluded. However, the long-awaited US State Department report added that Israel’s forces did not act in a way that would prevent Washington...Israel is likely to have breached international humanitarian law with American weapons during its military campaign in Gaza, a...
analysis
President Xi finished his European tour on Friday with pledges of co-operation with the “renegade” EU state, Hungary. Xi promised investment in the country’s rail infrastructure, saying that Hungary’s relationship with China had reached a level of “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era” — the type of flowery...President Xi finished his European tour on Friday with pledges of co-operation with the “renegade” EU state, Hungary. Xi promised investment in the country’s rail infrastructure, saying that Hungary’s relationship with China had reached a level of “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era” — the type of flowery...President Xi finished his European tour on Friday with pledges of co-operation with the “renegade” EU state, Hungary. Xi...
Since before Xi Jinping became president in 2013, western alarm over the rise of China has expressed itself in a baffling array of partnerships, pacts and acronyms. It began with the Arc of Freedom and Prosperity, a short-lived Japanese effort to unite China-wary democracies from Asia to Europe. Then came something...Since before Xi Jinping became president in 2013, western alarm over the rise of China has...Since before Xi Jinping became president in 2013, western alarm over the rise of China has...
A Florida man has described what it was like to fall into a shark pit in the Bahamas and live to tell the tale. Marlin Deere Wakeman, 24, was working on a boat at the Flying Fish Marina on Long Island when he slipped and fell into a “den” of...A Florida man has described what it was like to fall into a shark pit in the Bahamas and live to...A Florida man has described what it was like to fall into a shark pit in the Bahamas and live to...
video
The Pope has renewed his plea to Europeans to have more children, warning that the demographic winter was making the...The Pope has renewed his plea to Europeans to have more children, warning that the demographic...The Pope has renewed his plea to Europeans to have more children, warning that the demographic...
An American woman is set to be extradited to Northern Ireland to face fraud charges. Marianne “Mair” Smyth, 54, has...An American woman is set to be extradited to Northern Ireland to face fraud charges. Marianne...An American woman is set to be extradited to Northern Ireland to face fraud charges. Marianne...
PHOTOGRAPHY
The book Fabulous Faces of Classic Hollywood, by Robert Dance and Simon Crocker, presents some of the greatest portraits taken by eminent photographers during the film industry’s golden years of 1920 to 1960. Little-seen negatives, long buried...The book Fabulous Faces of Classic Hollywood, by Robert Dance and Simon Crocker, presents some...The book Fabulous Faces of Classic Hollywood, by Robert Dance and Simon Crocker, presents some...
DOMINIC SANDBROOK
Trump may be suffering the confessions of a porn star but US political impropriety goes back to the founding fathers
IN maps and CHARTS
Turnout vital in Biden-Trump rematch
GDP expanded by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year
The UK economy went “gangbusters” at the start of 2024, growing at the fastest pace in two years and exiting a short recession, the Office for National Statistics said. Rishi Sunak said the economy had “turned a corner” after output rose by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter, better than forecasts...The UK economy went “gangbusters” at the start of 2024, growing at the fastest pace in two years and exiting a short recession, the Office for National Statistics said. Rishi Sunak said the economy had “turned a corner” after output rose by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter, better than forecasts...The UK economy went “gangbusters” at the start of 2024, growing at the fastest pace in two years and exiting a short recession...
British Airways has created 1,700 jobs as it gears up for a summer boom allowing its parent company IAG to match last year’s operating profit bonanza of €3.5 billion. BA has been putting on 7 per cent more capacity and the hires have been to staff the cabins as well as bringing in technology workers to get the airline’s digital offering up...British Airways has created 1,700 jobs as it gears up for a summer boom allowing its parent company IAG to match last year’s operating profit bonanza of €3.5 billion. BA has been putting on 7 per cent more capacity and the hires have been to staff the cabins as well as bringing in technology workers to get the airline’s digital offering up...British Airways has created 1,700 jobs as it gears up for a summer boom allowing its parent company IAG to match last year’s...
Fast-fashion chain Shein is accelerating its plans for a record-breaking £53 billion float in London. The Chinese-founded online retailer is reported to have picked London for a listing, after turning away from New York amid tensions between China and the US. Shein, which is based in Singapore, is planning to...Fast-fashion chain Shein is accelerating its plans for a record-breaking £53 billion float in...Fast-fashion chain Shein is accelerating its plans for a record-breaking £53 billion float in...
market report
Investor confidence in Trainline has been somewhat derailed in recent weeks after Labour said it would renationalise...Investor confidence in Trainline has been somewhat derailed in recent weeks after Labour said it...Investor confidence in Trainline has been somewhat derailed in recent weeks after Labour said it...
Comment
Markets often move in mysterious ways. Last year many fund managers became convinced that Japan’s currency, which had...Markets often move in mysterious ways. Last year many fund managers became convinced that Japan’s...Markets often move in mysterious ways. Last year many fund managers became convinced that Japan’s...
The Manifesto
Rami Baitiéh paces through Morrisons’ shop in Stratford, east London, pointing out to employees things that irritate him. Punnets full of squashed raspberries, customers shivering because the air conditioning is too cold, staff handing out the wrong shopping baskets at the entrance, food label design errors, the list goes on. “We need to pay attention because no one is...Rami Baitiéh paces through Morrisons’ shop in Stratford, east London, pointing out to employees...Rami Baitiéh paces through Morrisons’ shop in Stratford, east London, pointing out to employees...
need to know
1 The UK economy went “gangbusters” at the start of 2024, growing at its fastest rate in two years and exiting a...1 The UK economy went “gangbusters” at the start of 2024, growing at its fastest rate in two years and exiting a short recession, the Office for National Statistics said. Rishi Sunak said the economy had “turned a corner” after output rose by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter, better than the 0.4 per cent expected...1 The UK economy went “gangbusters” at the start of 2024, growing at its fastest rate in two years and exiting a short...
recruitment
About six in ten UK staff undergo some form of training at work each year, ranging from mandatory certification and compliance courses to upskilling for a new role, and experts estimate that the UK training market is worth approximately £7 billion. Training and skills development is proved to increase the human capital in the national labour force, narrowing skills gaps...About six in ten UK staff undergo some form of training at work each year, ranging from mandatory...About six in ten UK staff undergo some form of training at work each year, ranging from mandatory...
SIX FROM THE BEST
Guy Singh-Watson is founder of Riverford, an organic vegetable box company which grew from humble beginnings to...Guy Singh-Watson is founder of Riverford, an organic vegetable box company which grew from humble beginnings to 70,000 deliveries a week. The activist recently launched the #GetFairAboutFarming campaign calling for supermarkets to adopt better business practices to safeguard the future of British fruit and veg farmers.Guy Singh-Watson is founder of Riverford, an organic vegetable box company which grew from humble beginnings to 70,000...
James Anderson will retire from international duty after the first Test of the summer at Lord’s – but looks set to stay on with the team as a bowling consultant. Anderson, 41, confirmed on Saturday morning that he would call time on his Test career, after talks with Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, who flew from New Zealand two weeks ago for a conversation with...James Anderson will retire from international duty after the first Test of the summer at Lord’s –...James Anderson will retire from international duty after the first Test of the summer at Lord’s –...
Premier League
Comment
Referendums leave us at the mercy of the mob
Matthew Parris
As Catalonia and Quebec show, the ‘will of the people’ is a shifting, nebulous concept that shouldn’t be decided so crudely
JANICE TURNER
The Greens have lost their ‘nice’ tag for good
giles coren
This life on automatic is driving us to ruin
Hilary Rose | notebook
The voodoo magic cure for rosé and white jeans
MATT CHORLEY
Yes of course we’re heading for a hung parliament — there’s just one problem…
WEEKEND ESSAY
The kingmaker in Labour who’s ensuring Keir is no heir to Blair
DOMINIC SANDBROOK
With sex, presidents have a stormy past
Rose Wild | feedback
Wild boars are scary but not an existential threat
Gordon Abington of Angmering, West Sussex, has a suggestion. He says he has lost count of how many times we’ve been...Gordon Abington of Angmering, West Sussex, has a suggestion. He says he has lost count of how...Gordon Abington of Angmering, West Sussex, has a suggestion. He says he has lost count of how...
JIM DIXON | NATURE NOTEBOOK
Brooks and birdsong in Leonardo’s footsteps
The Valdarno, or valley of the river Arno, combines geology, nature and art like no other European valley I know. It...The Valdarno, or valley of the river Arno, combines geology, nature and art like no other...The Valdarno, or valley of the river Arno, combines geology, nature and art like no other...
Leading Articles
Cool and Calculating
The Chinese leader’s flattery of Serbia and Hungary this week may have massaged egos. But he views the world with a cold eye
Back to School
A stubbornly high rate of truancy is a threat to the wellbeing of children and society
Facing the Music
Eden Golan’s courage in standing up to mob intimidation is admirable
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
PM’s zero tolerance for campus antisemitism
Sir, The prime minister is right: we must have zero tolerance for antisemitism (“Rishi Sunak: Hateful antisemitism has no place in universities”, May 8). Yet dismissing the urge to protest over the Gaza war as just an expression of “the very...Sir, The prime minister is right: we must have zero tolerance for antisemitism (“Rishi...Sir, The prime minister is right: we must have zero tolerance for antisemitism (“Rishi...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
Saturday
UK: The human rights group Liberty holds its annual conference.
Sweden: The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Malmo.
Sunday
UK: The Baftas at the Royal Festival Hall in London; Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
On this day
Saturday
In 1949 Siam officially changed its name to Prathet Thai, or Thailand. The country had been known as Siam until June 1939, when it was changed to Thailand; it was then renamed Siam between 1945 and May 11 1949, before Thailand was adopted; in 1960 Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi SS officer who organised the “final solution of the Jewish question”, was seized by Israeli secret agents in Argentina. On May 31, 1962 he was hanged near Tel Aviv; in 1998 the first euro coin was minted in France, when Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the economy minister, activated the mint printing press; in 2000 Aastha Arora was named as India’s billionth citizen. She was born at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi, one of an estimated 42,000 children born that day in India.
Sunday
In 1820 Florence Nightingale, the English nursing pioneer of the Crimean War, was born. On February 8, 1855, The Times reported: “She is a ‘ministering angel’ without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor every poor fellow’s face softens with gratitude at the sight of her”; in 1994 the Labour Party leader John Smith died after a heart attack, aged 55. Deputy leader Margaret Beckett stood in until an election when Smith was succeeded by Tony Blair, who became prime minister after Labour’s landslide win in 1997; in 1999 the newly elected Scottish parliament met for the first time since the 1707 Act of Union, ahead of its official opening by Queen Elizabeth II on July 1 when it assumed its full set of powers; in 2017 a ransomware cyberattack hit nearly 100 countries, including in the UK, where NHS computer systems were taken offline after hackers demanded money to unfreeze devices.
Nature notes
By UK standards, southern wood ants are huge. Queens can be 12mm long and workers 10mm. This large size led to them being known as horse ants. Often forming teeming colonies of up to half a million individuals, southern wood ant nests are gargantuan mounds of soil, leaves, twigs and conifer needles. Set in sunlit, woodland clearings, some nests are a few metres wide and over a metre high. The species has developed a useful arsenal against attacks from green woodpeckers and badgers. First, their huge mandibles deliver a nasty bite; second, they can spray formic acid into the eyes of assailants; third, they live in such vast numbers that they overcome predators by sheer dint of crawling numbers. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays
Saturday
Eva Schloss, Holocaust survivor and author, co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, and writer, Eva’s Story: A Holocaust Survivor’s Tale by the Stepsister of Anne Frank, 95; Bill Ackman, hedge fund manager, founder and chief executive officer, Pershing Square Capital Management, 58; Lady Rachel Billington, writer, Clouds of Love and War (2020), 82; Donald Bren, businessman, chairman and owner of the Irvine Company (US property company), 92; Sir Julian Flaux, chancellor of the High Court, lord justice of appeal (2016-21), 69; John Griffith-Jones, chairman, StepChange Debt Charity (2019-Apr 2024), 70; Valerie Grove, journalist and author, A Voyage Round John Mortimer (2007), 78; Dr Robert Jarvik, scientist who developed the first permanent artificial heart, 78; Lord (Narendra) Patel, obstetrician, chancellor, University of Dundee (2006-17), 86; Jeremy Paxman, journalist and broadcaster, University Challenge (1994-2023), Newsnight (1989-2014), 74; Clare Pelham, chief executive, Epilepsy Society, 65; Prof Christopher Perrins, ornithologist, The New Encyclopedia of Birds (2003), warden of the swans in the Royal Household, 89; Valentino, fashion designer, 92; Dame Judith Weir, composer, master of the King’s Music, 70.
Sunday
Neil Astley, editor, Bloodaxe Books, and author, The End of My Tether (2002), 71; Sir Dominic Cadbury, chairman, the Wellcome Trust (2000-06), Cadbury Schweppes (1993-2000), 84; Dr Michael Dixon, head of the Royal Medical Household and personal doctor to the King, chairman, College of Medicine, NHS Alliance (1998-2015), 72; Sir Terry Farrell, architect, 86; Natalia Galibarenko, head of the mission of Ukraine to Nato, UK (2015-20), 46; Sir Christopher Greenwood, international lawyer, master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, International Court of Justice judge (2009-18), 69; Brian Kay, broadcaster, BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4, conductor, 80; Daniel Libeskind, architect, the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester (2002), 78; Dame Jenni Murray, presenter, Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4 (1987-2020), 74; Lord (Chris) Patten of Barnes, chancellor of the University of Oxford, chairman, BBC Trust (2011-14), governor of Hong Kong (1992-97), 80; Dame Rosalind Savill, director, the Wallace Collection (1992-2011), now curator emerita, 73; Dr Miriam Stoppard (Lady Hogg), writer, Bonding with Your Bump (2008), and broadcaster, 87; Rishi Sunak, prime minister, Conservative MP for Richmond (Yorks), 44; Sir Nicholas Underhill, lord justice of appeal, vice-president of the Court of Appeal civil division, 72.