The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
Officials fear threat of deportation outweighs incentives not to abscond
The Home Office has admitted it is unable to locate thousands of migrants it intends to deport to Rwanda as it prepares to detain the first individuals this week. A document quietly slipped out by the department states that more than 5,700 migrants had been identified for removal. However, only...The Home Office has admitted it is unable to locate thousands of migrants it intends to deport to Rwanda as it prepares to detain the first individuals this week. A document quietly slipped out by the department states that more than 5,700 migrants had been identified for removal. However, only...The Home Office has admitted it is unable to locate thousands of migrants it intends to deport to Rwanda as it prepares to...
The SNP is facing a bitter leadership contest after Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a move that could bolster Sir Keir Starmer’s hopes of entering No 10. Yousaf quit just four days after tearing up a power-sharing agreement with the Greens, admitting that he had underestimated the fury it would provoke. His party now...The SNP is facing a bitter leadership contest after Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a move that could bolster Sir Keir Starmer’s hopes of entering No 10. Yousaf quit just four days after tearing up a power-sharing agreement with the Greens, admitting that he had underestimated the fury it would provoke. His party now...The SNP is facing a bitter leadership contest after Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a move that could...
Drama has been plentiful in the 13 months that Humza Yousaf led the SNP. Almost as soon as he took the post he was told that the party had been without auditors for months and was struggling to file its accounts. In the period where he would have been expected to set the agenda, he was overshadowed by a blue tent...Drama has been plentiful in the 13 months that Humza Yousaf led the SNP. Almost as soon as he...Drama has been plentiful in the 13 months that Humza Yousaf led the SNP. Almost as soon as he...
what i’ve learnt
Author Sir Salman Rushdie, 76, was born in India and moved to England aged 13. He has written 14 novels and won the...Author Sir Salman Rushdie, 76, was born in India and moved to England aged 13. He has written 14...Author Sir Salman Rushdie, 76, was born in India and moved to England aged 13. He has written 14...
first person
If you’ve been waging a one-man campaign against the tyranny of tipping culture, valiantly braving the frosty stares...If you’ve been waging a one-man campaign against the tyranny of tipping culture, valiantly...If you’ve been waging a one-man campaign against the tyranny of tipping culture, valiantly...
A papyrus scroll that was buried under metres of volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago may have revealed how Plato, one of the fathers of western thought, spent his final hours. The Greek philosopher, who was the founder...A papyrus scroll that was buried under metres of volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly...A papyrus scroll that was buried under metres of volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly...
Royal Mail will temporarily waive £5 penalties levied on people who collect post with counterfeit stamps as it...Royal Mail will temporarily waive £5 penalties levied on people who collect post with counterfeit...Royal Mail will temporarily waive £5 penalties levied on people who collect post with counterfeit...
the times diary
Ed Balls has a dressing-room superstition before presenting Good Morning Britain. The former shadow chancellor...Ed Balls has a dressing-room superstition before presenting Good Morning Britain. The...Ed Balls has a dressing-room superstition before presenting Good Morning Britain. The...
PHOTOGRAPHY
In Cienfuegos, Cuba, the former champion José Álamo Utria’s community boxing gym takes the poorest children and puts them into the ring — and some make it to the top. Documenting their journey in a series of photographs and in his own words is...In Cienfuegos, Cuba, the former champion José Álamo Utria’s community boxing gym takes the...In Cienfuegos, Cuba, the former champion José Álamo Utria’s community boxing gym takes the...
video
Hamas is standing in the way of a “very generous” ceasefire agreement with Israel in which kidnapped hostages could be released in return for a 40-day truce in the Gaza Strip, according to Britain’s foreign secretary. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, Lord Cameron of Chipping...Hamas is standing in the way of a “very generous” ceasefire agreement with Israel in which kidnapped hostages could be released in return for a 40-day truce in the Gaza Strip, according to Britain’s foreign secretary. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, Lord Cameron of Chipping...Hamas is standing in the way of a “very generous” ceasefire agreement with Israel in which kidnapped hostages could be released...
The US has said it opposes the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza after reports the court was poised to issue arrest warrants against Binyamin Netanyahu and other officials. Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is understood to have asked President Biden to block the inquiry. The court...The US has said it opposes the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza after reports the court was poised to issue arrest warrants against Binyamin Netanyahu and other officials. Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is understood to have asked President Biden to block the inquiry. The court...The US has said it opposes the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza after...
Gérard Depardieu is to stand trial in October on charges of sexually assaulting two women, prosecutors said after he spent a day in police custody under questioning. The 75-year-old French film star is to be prosecuted for groping two women during the filming of The Green Shutters, a 2022 film directed by Jean...Gérard Depardieu is to stand trial in October on charges of sexually assaulting two women...Gérard Depardieu is to stand trial in October on charges of sexually assaulting two women...
A mosquito species that spreads malaria has returned to southern Italy, more than 50 years after the country was...A mosquito species that spreads malaria has returned to southern Italy, more than 50 years after...A mosquito species that spreads malaria has returned to southern Italy, more than 50 years after...
The comedian Jerry Seinfeld has claimed that the “extreme left” and political correctness have blunted television...The comedian Jerry Seinfeld has claimed that the “extreme left” and political correctness have...The comedian Jerry Seinfeld has claimed that the “extreme left” and political correctness have...
dispatch from phoenix
One of Donald Trump’s top vice-presidential prospects has defended killing a family dog she “hated”. In a forthcoming...One of Donald Trump’s top vice-presidential prospects has defended killing a family dog she “hated”.One of Donald Trump’s top vice-presidential prospects has defended killing a family dog she “hated”.
White House staff have taken steps to improve the perception of President Biden’s stiff gait by accompanying him on...White House staff have taken steps to improve the perception of President Biden’s stiff gait by...White House staff have taken steps to improve the perception of President Biden’s stiff gait by...
Investors seek to unwind £1.2bn refinancing of the family’s debts
The Barclay family are on course to lose control of the last pillar of their corporate empire as their Gulf-based backers plot a sale of Very Group. The Abu Dhabi investment firm that launched an unsuccessful attempt to buy the Barclays’ media assets last year is drawing up plans for an auction...The Barclay family are on course to lose control of the last pillar of their corporate empire as their Gulf-based backers plot a sale of Very Group. The Abu Dhabi investment firm that launched an unsuccessful attempt to buy the Barclays’ media assets last year is drawing up plans for an auction...The Barclay family are on course to lose control of the last pillar of their corporate empire as their Gulf-based backers plot...
Frasers Group has bought parts of MatchesFashion out of administration in a deal that does not include its £80 million of stock or its 250 remaining employees. The retail group controlled by Mike Ashley, 59, the Sports Direct founder, said it had purchased the brand and intellectual property rights of the collapsed luxury retailer for an...Frasers Group has bought parts of MatchesFashion out of administration in a deal that does not include its £80 million of stock or its 250 remaining employees. The retail group controlled by Mike Ashley, 59, the Sports Direct founder, said it had purchased the brand and intellectual property rights of the collapsed luxury retailer for an...Frasers Group has bought parts of MatchesFashion out of administration in a deal that does not include its £80 million of stock...
Humza Yousaf’s successor as the first minister of Scotland should prioritise the economy, reduce taxes and target greater inward investment, business groups have said. They also have called for stability, with a requirement for the vacuum created by Yousaf’s resignation to be filled as quickly as possible. In...Humza Yousaf’s successor as the first minister of Scotland should prioritise the economy, reduce...Humza Yousaf’s successor as the first minister of Scotland should prioritise the economy, reduce...
Business Commentary
Sometimes you can’t keep a good story down. Take Darktrace selling up to Thoma Bravo for £4.3 billion cash. Here...Sometimes you can’t keep a good story down. Take Darktrace selling up to Thoma Bravo for £4.3...Sometimes you can’t keep a good story down. Take Darktrace selling up to Thoma Bravo for £4.3...
comment
On a Friday afternoon in an oak-panelled room overlooking the Bank of England’s courtyard, Ben Bernanke, the...On a Friday afternoon in an oak-panelled room overlooking the Bank of England’s courtyard, Ben...On a Friday afternoon in an oak-panelled room overlooking the Bank of England’s courtyard, Ben...
Supermarket Income Reit is making its first foray overseas after agreeing to buy a portfolio of Carrefour supermarkets in France. The real estate investment trust has snapped up 17 “strong-performing omnichannel” supermarkets...Supermarket Income Reit is making its first foray overseas after agreeing to buy a portfolio of Carrefour supermarkets in France. The real estate investment trust has snapped up 17 “strong-performing omnichannel” supermarkets...Supermarket Income Reit is making its first foray overseas after agreeing to buy a portfolio of Carrefour...
A shareholder in Elementis has written to the company’s chairman calling on him to replace Paul Waterman as its chief executive and accusing the leadership team of demonstrating a “continued failure of judgment”. Gatemore...A shareholder in Elementis has written to the company’s chairman calling on him to replace Paul Waterman as its chief executive and accusing the leadership team of demonstrating a “continued failure of judgment”. Gatemore...A shareholder in Elementis has written to the company’s chairman calling on him to replace Paul Waterman as its chief...
Royal Mail will temporarily waive £5 penalties levied on people who collect post with counterfeit stamps as it introduces measures to tackle the problem. In response to concerns about a rise in fake stamps after a switch to a barcode-based system...Royal Mail will temporarily waive £5 penalties levied on people who collect post with counterfeit...Royal Mail will temporarily waive £5 penalties levied on people who collect post with counterfeit...
MARKET REPORT
need to know
International trade
recruitment
From Terence Conran’s interiors and Tom Dixon’s furniture to Vivienne Westwood’s fashion and Peter Saville’s album covers, Britain has a proud history of producing outstanding designers. Yet this legacy could be under threat. Entries to the design and technology GCSE have plummeted by 68 per cent over the past decade, a decline that has not been offset by increases in...From Terence Conran’s interiors and Tom Dixon’s furniture to Vivienne Westwood’s fashion and...From Terence Conran’s interiors and Tom Dixon’s furniture to Vivienne Westwood’s fashion and...
recruitment
As chief executive of Speakers for Schools, the social mobility charity, Nick Brook focuses on empowering...As chief executive of Speakers for Schools, the social mobility charity, Nick Brook focuses on empowering state-educated students to reach their potential, irrespective of background or circumstance. With a career spanning 30 years of education leadership, here he shares the lessons he has learnt from classroom to...As chief executive of Speakers for Schools, the social mobility charity, Nick Brook focuses on empowering state-educated...
Forward facing ban after incident in Spanish bar
Billy Vunipola is facing the end of his rugby career in England after being arrested in Mallorca on a Saracens bonding trip, having been stunned by a Taser. Vunipola, the 31-year-old England and Saracens No 8, has paid a fine of €240 (about £205) after pleading guilty to resisting the law and wounding at an express trial in Palma. He had been arrested on suspicion of...Billy Vunipola is facing the end of his rugby career in England after being arrested in Mallorca...Billy Vunipola is facing the end of his rugby career in England after being arrested in Mallorca...
john westerby
When Billy Vunipola was good, he really was very, very good. Good enough to be the transformative presence that...When Billy Vunipola was good, he really was very, very good. Good enough to be the transformative presence that powered England to the record-equalling run of 18 consecutive victories that defined the start of Eddie Jones’s tenure as head coach. As a dynamic ball-carrying No 8 at the peak of his powers, irresistible...When Billy Vunipola was good, he really was very, very good. Good enough to be the transformative presence that powered England...
premier league
There are seven games left that will decide the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have three to go, while Manchester City have a crucial game in hand that could take them to a fourth consecutive success. We asked Times writers who cover the clubs involved to assess the chances of them taking points off the title rivals… Bournemouth (home)
...There are seven games left that will decide the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have...There are seven games left that will decide the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have...
rugby union
The RFU has bought greater control over England players as part of a new club-country deal worth £33million a year to...The RFU has bought greater control over England players as part of a new club-country deal worth £33million a year to the Gallagher Premiership clubs. The Times understands that executives have finally settled on the terms of the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) after a “two-year odyssey” of negotiations. The...The RFU has bought greater control over England players as part of a new club-country deal worth £33million a year to the...
The Rafael Nadal farewell presentation that Madrid Open organisers have had on standby since last Thursday will have to wait for at least another 24 hours after the Spanish great survived the toughest physical test of his comeback yet to reach the...The Rafael Nadal farewell presentation that Madrid Open organisers have had on standby since last...The Rafael Nadal farewell presentation that Madrid Open organisers have had on standby since last...
martin samuel
They had no choice. That is what needs to be understood. There is a lot of retrofitting around Liverpool’s season now.They had no choice. That is what needs to be understood. There is a lot of retrofitting around...They had no choice. That is what needs to be understood. There is a lot of retrofitting around...
The football agent Saif Rubie has been cleared of sending a threatening email to Chelsea’s former transfer chief...The football agent Saif Rubie has been cleared of sending a threatening email to Chelsea’s former...The football agent Saif Rubie has been cleared of sending a threatening email to Chelsea’s former...
elgan alderman
When Owen Slot devoted a column to Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketballer who has since become the No1 Draft pick by Indiana Fever and been on Saturday Night Live, there were Times readers who wondered why a London newspaper was bothering with American ideas. While many Britons are not interested in transatlantic sports, they are certainly interested in...When Owen Slot devoted a column to Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketballer who has...When Owen Slot devoted a column to Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketballer who has...
Falling activity levels among people in poorer social groups are being targeted by Sport England in a new drive to...Falling activity levels among people in poorer social groups are being targeted by Sport England in a new drive to direct funds to those most in need. Sport England’s latest figures show 72.7 per cent of people in the most affluent groups are active — and the numbers taking part in sport and exercise have increased...Falling activity levels among people in poorer social groups are being targeted by Sport England in a new drive to direct funds...
ian hawkey
In the summer of 2017, a big, noisy club in a leading European league sought a head coach to answer a complex problem.In the summer of 2017, a big, noisy club in a leading European league sought a head coach to...In the summer of 2017, a big, noisy club in a leading European league sought a head coach to...
A brother to the top-class sprinter, Highfield Princess, he showed that he stays this seven-furlong trip when scoring...A brother to the top-class sprinter, Highfield Princess, he showed that he stays this...A brother to the top-class sprinter, Highfield Princess, he showed that he stays this...
interview
The Diddly Squat farmers are back. We put our wellies on to meet the odd couple of the Cotswolds
what i’ve learnt
The author of The Satanic Verses on the stabbing attack that cost him an eye
new
hilary rose
She has been honoured as one of Hollywood’s lifetime achievers. The secret? Family
new
An expert on the apex predator tells Damian Whitworth how big a threat they really are
new
my culture fix
first person
If you’ve been waging a one-man campaign against the tyranny of tipping culture, valiantly braving the frosty stares...If you’ve been waging a one-man campaign against the tyranny of tipping culture, valiantly...If you’ve been waging a one-man campaign against the tyranny of tipping culture, valiantly...
interview
There’s a line in Personal Best — the exuberant memoir of the former Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts — that I have to read...There’s a line in Personal Best — the exuberant memoir of the former Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts —...There’s a line in Personal Best — the exuberant memoir of the former Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts —...
This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Every fortnight we round up the latest news from the beauty world — whether that’s the latest treatments to try, the new ingredients to look out for, or a game-changing product. Sounds...This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Every fortnight we round up the...This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Every fortnight we round up the...
The lowdown
Ken is on the press circuit again.
Who? I mean Ryan Gosling. King of Kenergy.
Oh yes. Got you. I’ve loved him since...Ken is on the press circuit again.
Who? I mean Ryan Gosling. King of Kenergy.
Oh yes. Got you.Ken is on the press circuit again.
Who? I mean Ryan Gosling. King of Kenergy.
Oh yes. Got you.
Q&A
Eye discomfort, including burning and stinging, can be caused by dryness or irritation. These symptoms can be acute...Eye discomfort, including burning and stinging, can be caused by dryness or irritation. These...Eye discomfort, including burning and stinging, can be caused by dryness or irritation. These...
FIRST NIGHT review
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
first night review
Viewing GUide
tELEVISION | STREAMING GUIDE
Television
Television
MindGames
1 Which 1989 event is also known in China as the “June Fourth Incident”? 2 During the 1990s tech explosion, which US city’s Flatiron district transformed into “Silicon Alley”? 3 In 1865, the Salvation Army began on the streets of which city? 4 Which 1811 novel by Jane Austen grew from a sketch entitled Elinor and Marianne? 5 The Stafford and Lovell rebellion (1486)...1 Which 1989 event is also known in China as the “June Fourth Incident”? 2 During the 1990s tech...1 Which 1989 event is also known in China as the “June Fourth Incident”? 2 During the 1990s tech...
Christa D’Souza tries Exion, the latest face tightening treatment
conversations
Dainty faces and orange details are just two of the new trends showcased at Geneva’s Watches and Wonders event
How the passion of a local sake master has transformed a little-known town into a gourmet destination
video
Whether it’s the sound of a Mason Pearson brush gliding through hair or a Hermès Kelly bag clipping shut
video
The French chef Cédric Grolet is the man behind what are considered to be some of London’s finest pastries. You can find them at the Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge or, if you don’t fancy waiting in a queue that often snakes down the street, you...The French chef Cédric Grolet is the man behind what are considered to be some of London’s finest...The French chef Cédric Grolet is the man behind what are considered to be some of London’s finest...
video
Skip the Med for the cooler Belgium Riviera and base yourself in royal favourite Ostend which offers art, serious seafood and super sunsets
Ships by night aren’t all cocktails and casinos — from camping in Antarctica to illuminated Venice, these incredible cruise experiences only happen once the sun sets
video
Would you go analogue on holiday, relying on paper maps, taking the advice of strangers and making dice-based decisions for a fortnight? Our writer did — here’s what happened
video
The DJ has presided over the Balearic club scene for 40 years. As the island’s season kicks off, he gives us an insider’s lowdown on its best known hotels
Travel advice
Walkouts by Border Force officials are set to disrupt operations at Europe’s busiest airport – although the refuellers’ strike has been called off. Here’s what you need to know
kathy lette | travel troubleshooter
Q. My in-laws are from a wealthy French family — salad-eating, Agnès B-wearing types who have villa holidays...Q. My in-laws are from a wealthy French family — salad-eating, Agnès B-wearing types who have...Q. My in-laws are from a wealthy French family — salad-eating, Agnès B-wearing types who have...
A wish-list landmark. An international exhibition. Maybe a sceney restaurant launch. City breaks so often start with...A wish-list landmark. An international exhibition. Maybe a sceney restaurant launch. City breaks...A wish-list landmark. An international exhibition. Maybe a sceney restaurant launch. City breaks...
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
video
Paris is one of the most alluring cities to visit, whether you’re into food, art, culture or history. And there’s a hotel for every mood and budget. Our Paris expert Hannah Meltzer visits five of her favourites and explains why they’re perfect for...Paris is one of the most alluring cities to visit, whether you’re into food, art, culture or...Paris is one of the most alluring cities to visit, whether you’re into food, art, culture or...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
Labour could become Scotland’s largest party and win a huge majority at Westminster
The SNP is facing a bitter leadership contest after Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a move that could bolster Sir Keir Starmer’s hopes of entering No 10. Yousaf quit just four days after tearing up a power-sharing agreement with the Greens, admitting that he had...The SNP is facing a bitter leadership contest after Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a move that could bolster Sir Keir Starmer’s hopes of entering No 10. Yousaf quit just four days after tearing up a power-sharing agreement with the Greens, admitting that he had...The SNP is facing a bitter leadership contest after Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a move that could...
Humza Yousaf broke down in tears as he announced his resignation as first minister of Scotland, admitting that politics is a “brutal business” and saying that it had taken a toll on both him and his family. Yousaf stood down just four days after tearing up the powersharing agreement the SNP had with the Scottish Greens. The collapse of that...Humza Yousaf broke down in tears as he announced his resignation as first minister of Scotland, admitting that politics is a “brutal business” and saying that it had taken a toll on both him and his family. Yousaf stood down just four days after tearing up the powersharing agreement the SNP had with the Scottish Greens. The collapse of that...Humza Yousaf broke down in tears as he announced his resignation as first minister of Scotland, admitting that politics is a...
magnus linklater
This is a key moment, not just for the SNP and its leadership, but for the future course of devolution. The resignation of Humza Yousaf poses a challenge to the nation as well as his party. How it plays out will tell us much about the quality of the politicians elected to Holyrood and whether they are capable of...This is a key moment, not just for the SNP and its leadership, but for the future course of...This is a key moment, not just for the SNP and its leadership, but for the future course of...
For more than 150 years Greyfriars Bobby, the loyal terrier who sat by his master’s grave, has captured the hearts of...For more than 150 years Greyfriars Bobby, the loyal terrier who sat by his master’s grave, has...For more than 150 years Greyfriars Bobby, the loyal terrier who sat by his master’s grave, has...
OBITUARY
CJ Sansom was in his late forties when an inheritance enabled him to give up his job as a solicitor for a year to...CJ Sansom was in his late forties when an inheritance enabled him to give up his job as a...CJ Sansom was in his late forties when an inheritance enabled him to give up his job as a...
Comment
Turkey and Senegal prove democracy is alive
William Hague
In this bumper election year voters are benefiting when there is a spread of choices, something lacking in the US or UK
hugo rifkind
Fall of Yousaf exposes green pledges as hot air
joanna williams
MeToo movement hasn’t served women well
Ian Birrell
People with learning disabilities need ministers’ support
giles coren | notebook
Caitlyn’s dad can teach us all how to handle grief
Leading Articles
Humza the Brief
The downfall of Scotland’s first minister is the result of the Scottish National Party’s inexorable drift into political absurdity. Holyrood needs a more serious government
End Game
Dealing with the last Hamas holdout in Gaza confronts Israel with a dilemma
Moment in Time
Science has unlocked a carbonised papyrus telling of Plato’s final hours
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
First minister’s resignation and future of SNP
newSir, Humza Yousaf’s resignation is more than just a display of (quite remarkable) political ineptitude. Yousaf was a likeable lightweight, blown like a leaf in the wind. Unlike Nicola Sturgeon, he could not conceal from his party the reality that...Sir, Humza Yousaf’s resignation is more than just a display of (quite remarkable) political...Sir, Humza Yousaf’s resignation is more than just a display of (quite remarkable) political...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs releases national statistics on the concentrations of major air pollutants; Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, the foreign secretary, attends an international relations and defence committee session at the House of Commons; the Office for National Statistics publishes its quarterly estimate of government deficit and debt.
US: Nominations for the Tony Awards for Broadway theatre are announced.
On this day
In 1006 astronomers observed a celestial object brighter than Venus, visible during daytime for weeks. It was identified as supernova remnant SN 1006 by Nasa; in 1665 the diarist Samuel Pepys wrote about the plague in London: “Great fears of the Sickenesses here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are already shut up. God preserve us all.” The Great Plague took the lives of an estimated 100,000 people in the city; in 1859 Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities was published, running in weekly instalments until November 26, 1859; in 1945 Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party, died by suicide, aged 56, by gunshot after swallowing a cyanide pill in his bunker in Berlin. Eva Braun, his wife of one day, took her own life by cyanide poisoning, aged 33; in 1994 Roland Ratzenberger, the Austrian Formula One racing driver, was killed in an accident during qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix. The next day three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna was killed in an accident during the actual race.
Nature notes
Many gardeners will be familiar with the gorgeous iridescence of the rose chafer, or perhaps the rosemary beetle, the little mint leaf beetle or simply bluebottles as they buzz annoyingly around the house. Some researchers believe iridescence is a way of evading being eaten: a study that trained quail to catch dots on a screen found that if the dots shifted colour — ie performed like iridescence, which changes with the angle of the light — it took the birds more pecks to hit each one. As for birds themselves, the structures that cause iridescence in feathers also increase strength and resistance to microbes: the flashy appearance could be a side-effect that later became useful in communicating fitness and attracting a mate. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
John Boyne, novelist,The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2006), 53; Prof Sir Michael Brady, information engineer and oncological imager, 79; Jonathan Brownlee, triathlete, six-time world champion, Olympic gold medallist (2020, mixed team relay), 34; Dame Jane Campion DNZM, film-maker, The Piano (1993), The Power of the Dog (2021), 70; James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, defence procurement minister, 50; Andrew Carwood, director of music, St Paul’s Cathedral, 59; Colonel Tim Collins, former British Army officer, served in both Gulf wars and leader of Special Forces operations, 64; Sir Geoffrey Cox KC, Conservative MP for Torridge and West Devon, attorney-general (2018-20), 64; Lord (Kim) Darroch of Kew, UK ambassador to the US (2016-19), prime minister’s national security adviser (2012-15), 70; Rev Paul Fiddes, professor of systematic theology, University of Oxford, 77; Gal Gadot, actress, Wonder Woman (2017) Death on the Nile (2022), 39; António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, UN high commissioner for refugees (2005-15), prime minister of Portugal (1995-2002), 75; Stephen Harper, prime minister of Canada (2006-15), 65; Tony Harrison, poet, The Gaze of the Gorgon (1992), 87; Lord (David) Kitchin, justice of the Supreme Court (2018-23), 69; Sir Brian Langstaff, chairman, public inquiry into the infected blood scandal of the 1970s and 1980s, High Court judge (2005-18), 76; John McAdam, chairman, ConvaTec Group (medical device company), 76; Richard Pengelly, chief executive officer, Education Authority, Northern Ireland, 57; Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, 78; Sarah Tynan, opera singer, 48.