The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
video
Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has said the operation in Rafah will go ahead and that a ceasefire proposal agreed to by Hamas does not meet Israel’s demands. Hamas had earlier announced that it accepted the terms of a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political...Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has said the operation in Rafah will go ahead and that a ceasefire proposal agreed to by Hamas does not meet Israel’s demands. Hamas had earlier announced that it accepted the terms of a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political...Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has said the operation in Rafah will go ahead and that a ceasefire proposal...
Rishi Sunak has vowed to prove to voters that he is improving their living standards as the Tories and Labour battle to frame a crucial week for the economy. The prime minister insisted that the next general election was not a foregone conclusion and “the situation is closer than many people are saying”, as he sought to move on from heavy...Rishi Sunak has vowed to prove to voters that he is improving their living standards as the Tories and Labour battle to frame a crucial week for the economy. The prime minister insisted that the next general election was not a foregone conclusion and “the situation is closer than many people are saying”, as he sought to move on from heavy...Rishi Sunak has vowed to prove to voters that he is improving their living standards as the Tories and Labour battle to frame...
China is suspected of hacking the Ministry of Defence in an apparent attempt to target military personnel. MPs will be told on Tuesday that a defence computer system containing personal details of military personnel has been compromised. Ministers are not expected to name the perpetrator of the attack but it is...China is suspected of hacking the Ministry of Defence in an apparent attempt to target military...China is suspected of hacking the Ministry of Defence in an apparent attempt to target military...
Don’t tell me about your sleep score. I have no interest in your 5k time. I’m utterly indifferent to your resting...Don’t tell me about your sleep score. I have no interest in your 5k time. I’m utterly indifferent...Don’t tell me about your sleep score. I have no interest in your 5k time. I’m utterly indifferent...
premier league
In soft spring drizzle, in the dying embers of the season, one of these clubs reached new heights of promise and the...In soft spring drizzle, in the dying embers of the season, one of these clubs reached new...In soft spring drizzle, in the dying embers of the season, one of these clubs reached new...
How did it take so many years for the Post Office scandal and problems with the Horizon IT system to blow open? Postmasters have long claimed this question has a simple answer — a concerted cover-up that took place over several years from the...How did it take so many years for the Post Office scandal and problems with the Horizon IT system...How did it take so many years for the Post Office scandal and problems with the Horizon IT system...
The founder of CoppaFeel!, the breast cancer awareness charity, has died at the age of 38 after living with the...The founder of CoppaFeel!, the breast cancer awareness charity, has died at the age of 38 after...The founder of CoppaFeel!, the breast cancer awareness charity, has died at the age of 38 after...
Meta’s oversight board is laying off up to a quarter of its full-time staff, raising questions about the future of a...Meta’s oversight board is laying off up to a quarter of its full-time staff, raising questions...Meta’s oversight board is laying off up to a quarter of its full-time staff, raising questions...
An organisation that presented itself as a leading authority for tackling Covid loan fraud was in truth a council office in Essex with no right to claim it had policing powers, The Times can reveal. The National Investigation Service (Natis) was...An organisation that presented itself as a leading authority for tackling Covid loan fraud was in...An organisation that presented itself as a leading authority for tackling Covid loan fraud was in...
Opening up the oceans for deep-sea mining is one of the “stupidest ideas” imaginable, according to an eminent marine...Opening up the oceans for deep-sea mining is one of the “stupidest ideas” imaginable, according...Opening up the oceans for deep-sea mining is one of the “stupidest ideas” imaginable, according...
the times diary
The long-serving Tory MP Tim Loughton is downing tools and picking up his trowel. He is doing what experts call “the...The long-serving Tory MP Tim Loughton is downing tools and picking up his trowel. He is doing...The long-serving Tory MP Tim Loughton is downing tools and picking up his trowel. He is doing...
When President Putin struts through the Kremlin’s gilded doors at his glittering inauguration ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday, he will be met by loyal members of the political and religious elite who portray him as the living embodiment of Russia. Not since Joseph Stalin, the Soviet tyrant, has a...When President Putin struts through the Kremlin’s gilded doors at his glittering inauguration ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday, he will be met by loyal members of the political and religious elite who portray him as the living embodiment of Russia. Not since Joseph Stalin, the Soviet tyrant, has a...When President Putin struts through the Kremlin’s gilded doors at his glittering inauguration ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday, he...
The automated phone call those living and sheltering in Rafah were dreading finally came on Monday morning. It was the recorded voice of an Arabic-speaking Israeli military spokesperson telling them to “advance towards the expanded humanitarian area” of al-Mawasi, a small, sandy strip of land that the IDF has encouraged civilians to inhabit...The automated phone call those living and sheltering in Rafah were dreading finally came on Monday morning. It was the recorded voice of an Arabic-speaking Israeli military spokesperson telling them to “advance towards the expanded humanitarian area” of al-Mawasi, a small, sandy strip of land that the IDF has encouraged civilians to inhabit...The automated phone call those living and sheltering in Rafah were dreading finally came on Monday morning. It was the recorded...
Boeing is set to launch its Starliner capsule carrying two astronauts on a high-stakes mission to the International Space Station. Stacked on an Atlas V rocket that is due to lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 10.34pm Eastern Standard Time on Monday (3.34am British Summer Time on Tuesday), the reusable...Boeing is set to launch its Starliner capsule carrying two astronauts on a high-stakes mission to...Boeing is set to launch its Starliner capsule carrying two astronauts on a high-stakes mission to...
The three tourists impressed the local Mexican surfers with their easy-going vibe and friendly attitude. “They were cool,” said Antonio Otanez, president of the region’s surf association. He did not surf with them on April 27, he said, but several...The three tourists impressed the local Mexican surfers with their easy-going vibe and friendly...The three tourists impressed the local Mexican surfers with their easy-going vibe and friendly...
One of the leading contenders to be Donald Trump’s running-mate has suggested that President Biden’s unruly pet dog...One of the leading contenders to be Donald Trump’s running-mate has suggested that President...One of the leading contenders to be Donald Trump’s running-mate has suggested that President...
The giant croissant created last year by Philippe Conticini, a renowned French pastry chef, has proved a notable...The giant croissant created last year by Philippe Conticini, a renowned French pastry chef, has...The giant croissant created last year by Philippe Conticini, a renowned French pastry chef, has...
A “lost Caravaggio” that was to be sold at auction with a reserve price of €1,500 is to go on show at the Prado museum in Madrid. The sale of the Ecce Homo was blocked in 2021 by the Spanish government after experts said it was likely to be by the...A “lost Caravaggio” that was to be sold at auction with a reserve price of €1,500 is to go on...A “lost Caravaggio” that was to be sold at auction with a reserve price of €1,500 is to go on...
IN maps and CHARTS
Donald Trump hosted a lavish fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago home on Saturday that doubled as an audition for those...Donald Trump hosted a lavish fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago home on Saturday that doubled as an...Donald Trump hosted a lavish fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago home on Saturday that doubled as an...
Analysis
Joe Biden has another age problem — growing numbers of young voters are telling pollsters they back Donald Trump. The...Joe Biden has another age problem — growing numbers of young voters are telling pollsters they...Joe Biden has another age problem — growing numbers of young voters are telling pollsters they...
Wayve backed by SoftBank, Nvidia and Microsoft
Wayve, a British driverless car company, has raised over a billion dollars from three of the world’s most influential tech companies to commercialise its products. Led by investor SoftBank, with contributions from Nvidia and Microsoft, the funds will help develop the start-up’s artificial...Wayve, a British driverless car company, has raised over a billion dollars from three of the world’s most influential tech companies to commercialise its products. Led by investor SoftBank, with contributions from Nvidia and Microsoft, the funds will help develop the start-up’s artificial...Wayve, a British driverless car company, has raised over a billion dollars from three of the world’s most influential tech...
Cambridge University has launched a new approach to capitalising on the research of its academics as it seeks to become the “world leader in creating science-backed businesses”. Diarmuid O’Brien, who heads the university’s efforts to commercialise the innovation that emerges from academia, said it aims to double the number of start-ups it...Cambridge University has launched a new approach to capitalising on the research of its academics as it seeks to become the “world leader in creating science-backed businesses”. Diarmuid O’Brien, who heads the university’s efforts to commercialise the innovation that emerges from academia, said it aims to double the number of start-ups it...Cambridge University has launched a new approach to capitalising on the research of its academics as it seeks to become the...
Britain’s largest producer of poultry has suffered a second year of losses after being hit by the rapid rise in interest rates and wrong-footed by inflation in its pension scheme. The poultry empire of Ranjit Singh Boparan, known as the “Chicken King”, was £23.1 million in the red last year, its latest set of...Britain’s largest producer of poultry has suffered a second year of losses after being hit by the...Britain’s largest producer of poultry has suffered a second year of losses after being hit by the...
comment
How do you get companies to “do the right thing”? Argue that it is in their own financial interests, is an...How do you get companies to “do the right thing”? Argue that it is in their own financial...How do you get companies to “do the right thing”? Argue that it is in their own financial...
comment
Almost a year ago, as London Tech Week completed, I penned an article in The Times on how the AI revolution was a...Almost a year ago, as London Tech Week completed, I penned an article in The Times on how the AI...Almost a year ago, as London Tech Week completed, I penned an article in The Times on how the AI...
In the early hours of Monday morning last week in New York, currency traders watching the collapsing value of the Japanese yen noticed an unexpected jump in the beleaguered exchange rate. After hitting a three-decade low of ¥160 to the dollar on...In the early hours of Monday morning last week in New York, currency traders watching the...In the early hours of Monday morning last week in New York, currency traders watching the...
A food market provider has started trialling a delivery service in an attempt to “revive” a financial district and rival the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Mercato Metropolitano, which runs sites in London hosting dozens of independent food...A food market provider has started trialling a delivery service in an attempt to “revive” a...A food market provider has started trialling a delivery service in an attempt to “revive” a...
Savills has become the latest estate agency to reverse its previously negative predictions for the property market this year, claiming it has growing confidence on the path of mortgage rates. The FTSE 250 company predicted the...Savills has become the latest estate agency to reverse its previously negative predictions for the property market this year, claiming it has growing confidence on the path of mortgage rates. The FTSE 250 company predicted the...Savills has become the latest estate agency to reverse its previously negative predictions for the property market...
THE WEEK AHEAD
The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold for a ninth consecutive month on Thursday amid splits between policymakers on when to cut borrowing costs. Financial markets and economists expect a majority of the...The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold for a ninth consecutive month on Thursday amid splits between policymakers on when to cut borrowing costs. Financial markets and economists expect a majority of the...The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold for a ninth consecutive month on Thursday amid splits...
need to know
Leadership
recruitment
Offering a 92 per cent success rate and economic savings of more than £6 billion a year, mediation is the “quiet revolution” aiding British business and the family courts. Succinctly summed up by those in the sector as “mediation avoids litigation”, the confidential process involves an independent mediator appointed to help parties to talk through their problems...Offering a 92 per cent success rate and economic savings of more than £6 billion a year...Offering a 92 per cent success rate and economic savings of more than £6 billion a year...
RECRUITMENT | six from the best
Best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Dragons’ Den, the serial entrepreneur and investor...Best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Dragons’ Den, the serial entrepreneur and investor Sarah Willingham is now founder and chief executive of the UK’s leading premium cocktail bar group Nightcap. Willingham, is renowned for her eclectic career combining savvy start-ups with hands-on...Best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Dragons’ Den, the serial entrepreneur and investor Sarah...
premier league
Crystal Palace 4 Man United 0
In soft spring drizzle, in the dying embers of the season, one of these clubs reached new heights of promise and the other seemed to arrive at a point of no return. There have been suggestions that Erik ten Hag may yet be given a chance to lead Manchester United into a third season, in part because of a lack of obvious alternatives, but this defeat, pallid and...In soft spring drizzle, in the dying embers of the season, one of these clubs reached new...In soft spring drizzle, in the dying embers of the season, one of these clubs reached new...
Bayern Munich have contacted representatives of Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, as they look to replace...Bayern Munich have contacted representatives of Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, as they look to replace Thomas Tuchel. The German side have been frustrated in their search for a new manager after Ralf Rangnick, the Austria national team coach, became the latest to turn them down. Bayern have also been...Bayern Munich have contacted representatives of Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, as they look to replace Thomas...
gary jacob
As unhappy an ending as it is for David Moyes, he will look back on his time at West Ham United as one of the best periods in his managerial career and in the club’s history. His second spell in charge, lasting 4½ years, will finish when his...As unhappy an ending as it is for David Moyes, he will look back on his time at West Ham United...As unhappy an ending as it is for David Moyes, he will look back on his time at West Ham United...
Will Kelleher
As the dust settles on an epic pair of Champions Cup semi-finals and Northampton Saints and Harlequins try to...As the dust settles on an epic pair of Champions Cup semi-finals and Northampton Saints and...As the dust settles on an epic pair of Champions Cup semi-finals and Northampton Saints and...
The US PGA Championship will not come with an “asterisk” after Talor Gooch, the outspoken 2023 LIV Golf champion...The US PGA Championship will not come with an “asterisk” after Talor Gooch, the outspoken 2023...The US PGA Championship will not come with an “asterisk” after Talor Gooch, the outspoken 2023...
Martin samuel
A chap called Roger Elvin was my first year German teacher, so I’ve always had a soft spot for Ipswich Town. We’re talking 1975-76. Ipswich were on the rise with Sir Bobby Robson in charge, and Mr Elvin made the trip from our corner of east London to Portman Road religiously. Ipswich had finished third and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup the previous season, now...A chap called Roger Elvin was my first year German teacher, so I’ve always had a soft spot for...A chap called Roger Elvin was my first year German teacher, so I’ve always had a soft spot for...
Premier League
A Premier League referee wore a camera for the first time during a match on Monday night, with the footage due to be...A Premier League referee wore a camera for the first time during a match on Monday night, with the footage due to be released later this year. Jarred Gillett, an Australian official who is one of the Premier League’s elite referees, wore a head-mounted device called a “RefCam” for the game between Crystal Palace and...A Premier League referee wore a camera for the first time during a match on Monday night, with the footage due to be released...
game in numbers
mike atherton
On a day when English professional cricketers registered their concerns about a congested fixture list and the...On a day when English professional cricketers registered their concerns about a congested fixture...On a day when English professional cricketers registered their concerns about a congested fixture...
Racecards This mare ran a cracker when fourth of 16 to Pretending in a much better race at Cheltenham last time and...Racecards This mare ran a cracker when fourth of 16 to Pretending in a much better race at...Racecards This mare ran a cracker when fourth of 16 to Pretending in a much better race at...
Of all the measures of health, VO₂ max may be the best, says longevity expert Peter Attia. What the hell is that, and can I future-proof myself, asks Phil Hilton
Your food choices could shrink your grey matter, warns a new study. Its author explains why, writes Peta Bee
FIRST PERSON
The tennis film Challengers has made the sport hotter than ever, but nothing beats a big-hitting partner, says Simon Mills
It’s a breath of fresh air to watch something fun about gay women who are too often sad and serious on screen
Robert Crampton
video
review
This is a spoiler-free review Doctor Who: Space Babies
★★★☆☆ Doctor Who: The Devil’s Chord
★★★★☆ One of the things that makes Doctor Who so special and beloved by its fans is the constant sense of possibility. And there is no bigger fan than...This is a spoiler-free review Doctor Who: Space Babies
★★★☆☆ Doctor Who: The Devil’s Chord
...This is a spoiler-free review Doctor Who: Space Babies
★★★☆☆ Doctor Who: The Devil’s Chord
...
Troubleshooter
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
First night review
review
Spacey Unmasked
Channel 4 If Channel 4 hoped to get a reaction from Kevin Spacey with its documentary Spacey Unmasked it certainly succeeded. Three days before it was broadcast a furious and at times tearful Spacey came out fighting, saying he...Spacey Unmasked
Channel 4 If Channel 4 hoped to get a reaction from Kevin Spacey with...Spacey Unmasked
Channel 4 If Channel 4 hoped to get a reaction from Kevin Spacey with...
MINDGAMES
1 Usually caused by anxiety or panic, hyperventilation is rapid or deep what? 2 In 1987, Sylvester McCoy took over from Colin Baker in which TV role? 3 The 1961 album First Time! The Count Meets the Duke is named after which two bandleaders? 4 In a Shakespeare play, which woman says: “screw your courage to the sticking place,/ And we’ll not fail.”? 5 In Arthur...1 Usually caused by anxiety or panic, hyperventilation is rapid or deep what? 2 In 1987...1 Usually caused by anxiety or panic, hyperventilation is rapid or deep what? 2 In 1987...
video
The 12cilindri is a rare homage to past glories — in design as well as engine — without sacrificing speed. David Green reports
video
julia Samuel
The psychotherapist addresses your dilemmas
olympics
With its long tradition of jewellery savoir-faire, the house of Chaumet brings historical sparkle to the medals at this year’s games
video
Hannah Evans gets trained at Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
In the rapidly modernising Middle Eastern city, laid-back luxury reigns supreme
You’ve got to work a little harder to get to Granada than some other Andalusian spots but the flamenco, tapas and Alhambra make a weekend getaway worth the effort
The song contest has a fitting home in the laid-back Swedish city with waterside charm and a buzzy nightlife, says one resident. Here’s what to do while you’re there
Mariella Frostrup
Mariella Frostrup and family visited the little Ionian island of Paxos a decade ago. Now an A-list favourite, would it still have all of its simple barefoot appeal?
video
Line dancing, high-tech theatres and magic tricks are all part of the formula for retro fun in a thoroughly modern and spoiling setting on this new launch
In 2020 the British hellraiser Pete Doherty and Katia de Vidas, his now wife, retreated to Étretat from Margate
Kathy Lette | Travel Troubleshooter
Q. I’m happily married and planning a fun short break to Las Vegas with a very close friend to celebrate our...Q. I’m happily married and planning a fun short break to Las Vegas with a very close friend...Q. I’m happily married and planning a fun short break to Las Vegas with a very close friend...
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
“What’s keeping you?” hisses my friend, hovering by the exit. “I was just admiring the general splendour,” I tell him...“What’s keeping you?” hisses my friend, hovering by the exit. “I was just admiring the general...“What’s keeping you?” hisses my friend, hovering by the exit. “I was just admiring the general...
video
Our writer hikes to the top of Morocco’s extraordinary Mount Toubkal a century after a group of French climbers made the first ascent. He’s not ashamed to say that the mountain almost broke him. This is his story. Become a subscriber and,...Our writer hikes to the top of Morocco’s extraordinary Mount Toubkal a century after a group of...Our writer hikes to the top of Morocco’s extraordinary Mount Toubkal a century after a group of...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
video
John Swinney has admitted to being part of the problem behind political polarisation in Scotland as he prepares to become the next first minister. The former deputy first minister on Monday became the SNP leader after no challengers stood against him. In his acceptance speech in Glasgow, Swinney...John Swinney has admitted to being part of the problem behind political polarisation in Scotland as he prepares to become the next first minister. The former deputy first minister on Monday became the SNP leader after no challengers stood against him. In his acceptance speech in Glasgow, Swinney...John Swinney has admitted to being part of the problem behind political polarisation in Scotland as he prepares to become the...
Officers who suffered hearing loss during Bonfire Night violence are preparing legal action after Police Scotland failed to give them adequate equipment. Fireworks and petrol bombs were launched at officers in Edinburgh in what the force said was unprecedented violence on November 5. At least eight officers were declared injured at the time...Officers who suffered hearing loss during Bonfire Night violence are preparing legal action after Police Scotland failed to give them adequate equipment. Fireworks and petrol bombs were launched at officers in Edinburgh in what the force said was unprecedented violence on November 5. At least eight officers were declared injured at the time...Officers who suffered hearing loss during Bonfire Night violence are preparing legal action after Police Scotland failed to...
Magnus Linklater
Michael Corleone, in The Godfather: Part II, speaks in those hushed and threatening tones much favoured by the mafia: “My father taught me many things in this room.” He says (or rather Al Pacino speaks the lines), “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Actually, that excellent advice was first coined...Michael Corleone, in The Godfather: Part II, speaks in those hushed and threatening tones...Michael Corleone, in The Godfather: Part II, speaks in those hushed and threatening tones...
A Nazi death squad commander who evaded prosecution after being permitted to start a new life in Scotland was linked...A Nazi death squad commander who evaded prosecution after being permitted to start a new life in...A Nazi death squad commander who evaded prosecution after being permitted to start a new life in...
Nicola Sturgeon’s warning of a “pushback” against women’s rights has been met with derision by her feminist opponents.Nicola Sturgeon’s warning of a “pushback” against women’s rights has been met with derision by...Nicola Sturgeon’s warning of a “pushback” against women’s rights has been met with derision by...
Football
For David Larter, long-distance football commuting is a labour of glove. He met his now wife Hilary in a motorway McDonalds on his way home to York after helping out at a pre-season session with Berwick Rangers back in 2004. Since last summer...For David Larter, long-distance football commuting is a labour of glove. He met his now wife...For David Larter, long-distance football commuting is a labour of glove. He met his now wife...
A judge has appealed to city leaders in Glasgow to continue to fund a groundbreaking scheme credited with...A judge has appealed to city leaders in Glasgow to continue to fund a groundbreaking scheme...A judge has appealed to city leaders in Glasgow to continue to fund a groundbreaking scheme...
Consumer spending remains “fitful and fragile” as Scottish retail sales dropped by 4 per cent, according to new...Consumer spending remains “fitful and fragile” as Scottish retail sales dropped by 4 per cent...Consumer spending remains “fitful and fragile” as Scottish retail sales dropped by 4 per cent...
Comment
All Sunak can do now is prove he has a plan
William Hague
Poor local election results shouldn’t mean despair or short-term fixes but a strong and coherent vision for a changing world
hugo rifkind
Sadiq Khan’s secret weapon is his dullness
melanie phillips
Protect pedestrians from these deadly cyclists
giles coren | notebook
Why vote when your children can do it for you?
Claire Horton
Remembering war dead now falls to the next generation
georgia heneage | notebook
Sometimes a broken hand dryer is the final straw
A woman from Scarborough was recently told by NHS hospital staff that, according to their records, she had been dead for four months. She replied, quite fairly, “I’m not, I’m still talking to you” and later told a journalist that “it was very hard...A woman from Scarborough was recently told by NHS hospital staff that, according to their records...A woman from Scarborough was recently told by NHS hospital staff that, according to their records...
Leading Articles
Hollow Victory
As Vladimir Putin begins his fifth term as president, his political legacy is one of escalating damage. His ambitions to expand Russia’s reach must be checked
Schoolboy Errors
The government’s efforts to tackle pandemic-era fraud do not inspire confidence
Force of Nature
The modern zoo has a valuable role in fostering connections with the natural world
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Sunak and the fear of a Labour-lead coalition
Sir, Matthew Parris again hits the nail on the head (“Future for Conservatives lies in Streetism”, May 4). To win a UK election, a party must attract a broad swathe of the electorate, this by necessity means collecting votes in the centre...Sir, Matthew Parris again hits the nail on the head (“Future for Conservatives lies in Streetism...Sir, Matthew Parris again hits the nail on the head (“Future for Conservatives lies in Streetism...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Meeting in Anglesey of Islands Forum, created to level up island communities around the UK, and chaired by Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary; the Office for National Statistics publishes data on the average daily time spent by adults on activities including paid work, unpaid household work, unpaid care, travel and entertainment; Maria Caulfield, a health minister, appears before a House of Commons health and social care committee evidence session in Westminster as part of its inquiry into men’s health.
International: The UN security council meets in New York to receive a briefing followed by consultations on Sudan and South Sudan.
On this day
In 1824 Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Choral) had its premiere at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna, the composer’s first on-stage appearance in 12 years. Beethoven, who suffered from deafness, shared the stage with Michael Umlauf, who officially directed the performance. Caroline Unger, who sang the contralto, needed to turn Beethoven around at the end of the performance to face the audience so that he could take in five standing ovations; in 1940 Leo Amery attacked the prime minister Neville Chamberlain’s government in the House of Commons, paraphrasing Oliver Cromwell: “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!” The Norway debate speech was influential in the downfall of the Chamberlain government on May 10, 1940; in 1999 Gordon Brown, during his tenure as chancellor, announced his decision to sell more than half of the UK’s gold reserves, leaving Britain with the lowest bullion holdings of any leading country. The announcement prompted a fall in the price of gold; in 2010 the complete Neanderthal genome had been sequenced, reported the National Human Genome Research Institute. Up to 2 per cent of the DNA in the genome of present-day humans outside of Africa originated in Neanderthals or their ancestors. In 2020 a study revealed that a lower Neanderthal heritage was carried in some populations in Africa, from migratory returns.
Nature notes
Even among birds that mate for life, such as house sparrows and swans, pair bonding is crucial: not least as a way to bring each other into breeding condition after winter, when reproductive hormone levels are low. Usually, male birds come into condition first in spring, triggered by increasing day length and food availability; then, gifts of food and nesting materials stimulate the release of hormones that prompt the female to become ready to mate. Paired birds may preen one another (known as allopreening) and greet one another with calls or displays; some species, such as great crested grebes, have elaborate courtship displays that continue long after the birds have mated, helping the bond to persist while they share parental care. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Matthew Barnes, chief executive, Tesco (UK), Aldi UK & Ireland (2015-18), 51; Baroness (Sue) Black of Strome, anatomist and forensic anthropologist, 63; Peter Carey, writer, two-time Booker prizewinner, Oscar and Lucinda (1988), 81; Lord (Lawrence) Collins of Mapesbury, justice of the Supreme Court (2009-11), 83; Lord (Ara) Darzi of Denham OM, surgeon, Paul Hamlyn chair and director, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, health minister (2007-09), 64; Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), entrepreneur and YouTube personality, 26; Mark Dowie, chief executive, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, 63; Anne Dudley, composer, The Full Monty (1997), and pop musician, Art of Noise, 68; Robin Hanbury-Tenison, explorer, co-founder (1969) and president, Survival International, 88; Anya Hindmarch, fashion designer, 56; Sir Tim Hitchens, diplomat, president, Wolfson College, Oxford, 62; Sir Nicholas Hytner, co-founder, the Bridge theatre, London, artistic director, National Theatre (2003-15), 68; Bill Kreutzmann, drummer, the Grateful Dead, 78; Christy Moore, folk singer and songwriter, 79; Sir Tony O’Reilly, chief executive, Independent News & Media (2004-09), and rugby union player, Ireland (1955-1970), 88; Richard O’Sullivan, actor, Man About the House (1973-76), 80; Thomas Piketty, economist, A Brief History of Equality (2022), 53; Adam Price, Danish chef and screenwriter, Borgen (2010-13, 2022), 57; Dame Anne Marie Rafferty, professor of nursing policy, Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, King’s College London, president, Royal College of Nursing (2019-21), 66; Michael Rosen, writer and poet, children’s laureate (2007-09), 78; Lord (Clive) Solely, Labour MP (1979-2005), 85; Liam Tancock, swimmer, three-time world backstroke champion and four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, 39; Dame Philippa Whipple, lady justice of appeal, 58.