The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
PM wants shift to community diagnostic centres that open 12 hours a day, seven days a week
Sir Keir Starmer has said he will “drag care out of the hospital and into the community” as he attempts to fulfil his promise to cut waiting lists. Writing in The Times, the prime minister says that the NHS “exhibits all the symptoms of chronic illness” and needs “radical changes” to improve.Sir Keir Starmer has said he will “drag care out of the hospital and into the community” as he attempts to fulfil his promise to cut waiting lists. Writing in The Times, the prime minister says that the NHS “exhibits all the symptoms of chronic illness” and needs “radical changes” to improve.Sir Keir Starmer has said he will “drag care out of the hospital and into the community” as he attempts to fulfil his promise...
KEIR STARMER
At new year it is traditional to make choices. Resolutions to be the best that we can be. In 1948, the Labour government made a choice that has come to represent this country at its very best. Healthcare free at the point of use. Treatment according to need, not ability to pay. Young and old. Rich and poor. Treated equally by the new...At new year it is traditional to make choices. Resolutions to be the best that we can be. In 1948, the Labour government made a choice that has come to represent this country at its very best. Healthcare free at the point of use. Treatment according to need, not ability to pay. Young and old. Rich and poor. Treated equally by the new...At new year it is traditional to make choices. Resolutions to be the best that we can be. In 1948, the Labour government made a...
video
anthony loyd in sudan
The tortured man was buried in haste, the scrape of shovels, the thump of picks, a prayer for the dead. His wrapped body was lowered into the ground, a hole barely deep enough to be any more than a shallow grave, while all around men toiled to open the earth in readiness for more. A little after the recitation of...The tortured man was buried in haste, the scrape of shovels, the thump of picks, a prayer for the...The tortured man was buried in haste, the scrape of shovels, the thump of picks, a prayer for the...
video
Travel disruption on road and rail is set to continue as weather warnings for snow, ice and rain as well as flood alerts remain in place across much of the country. Manchester Airport briefly closed both its runways on Monday morning because of...Travel disruption on road and rail is set to continue as weather warnings for snow, ice and rain...Travel disruption on road and rail is set to continue as weather warnings for snow, ice and rain...
‘So … is that a sex thing?” asks the delivery man, eyeing the punitive-looking device throbbing ominously about my...‘So … is that a sex thing?” asks the delivery man, eyeing the punitive-looking device throbbing...‘So … is that a sex thing?” asks the delivery man, eyeing the punitive-looking device throbbing...
The happy new year started with a sad old ending. After eight, fraught years, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finally...The happy new year started with a sad old ending. After eight, fraught years, Angelina Jolie and...The happy new year started with a sad old ending. After eight, fraught years, Angelina Jolie and...
Residents of seaside towns forced to put barbed wire on windowsills to deter flocks of aggressive seagulls have drawn up a strategy to protect tourists. North Yorkshire council has advised traders to put rubbish in seagull-proof bags and warned...Residents of seaside towns forced to put barbed wire on windowsills to deter flocks of aggressive...Residents of seaside towns forced to put barbed wire on windowsills to deter flocks of aggressive...
Few drinks have a history as varied as absinthe. For centuries it has been connected with art, literature and rebellion. Ernest Hemingway created “Death in the Afternoon”, a cocktail blending absinthe and champagne, and Vincent Van Gogh’s Still...Few drinks have a history as varied as absinthe. For centuries it has been connected with art...Few drinks have a history as varied as absinthe. For centuries it has been connected with art...
the pupil’s view
Marvel has been accused of censorship after players of its new video game were unable to chat about topics that are...Marvel has been accused of censorship after players of its new video game were unable to chat...Marvel has been accused of censorship after players of its new video game were unable to chat...
A London-based cousin of the Azerbaijani president has appeared in court in Greece after police raided an allegedly...A London-based cousin of the Azerbaijani president has appeared in court in Greece after police...A London-based cousin of the Azerbaijani president has appeared in court in Greece after police...
The white-tailed eagle was persecuted to extinction in the British Isles by gamekeepers, farmers and collectors over several centuries, culminating in the last known wild bird being shot dead in 1918. But now the nation’s largest bird of prey...The white-tailed eagle was persecuted to extinction in the British Isles by gamekeepers, farmers...The white-tailed eagle was persecuted to extinction in the British Isles by gamekeepers, farmers...
The spectre of Muammar Gaddafi will descend on a Paris courtroom on Monday when Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial on charges of receiving millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator to help repair his image after the Lockerbie bombing and other attacks. The case, in which two former cabinet...The spectre of Muammar Gaddafi will descend on a Paris courtroom on Monday when Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial on charges of receiving millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator to help repair his image after the Lockerbie bombing and other attacks. The case, in which two former cabinet...The spectre of Muammar Gaddafi will descend on a Paris courtroom on Monday when Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial on charges of...
Austria’s radical, hard-right nationalists will begin talks on Monday on forming a new coalition government with the alpine country’s conservatives, the Austrian president has announced. Alexander Van der Bellen, 80, a former Green Party member elected as an independent Austrian president in 2016, has opened the door to talks with the...Austria’s radical, hard-right nationalists will begin talks on Monday on forming a new coalition government with the alpine country’s conservatives, the Austrian president has announced. Alexander Van der Bellen, 80, a former Green Party member elected as an independent Austrian president in 2016, has opened the door to talks with the...Austria’s radical, hard-right nationalists will begin talks on Monday on forming a new coalition government with the alpine...
In a video captured on a mobile phone, a middle-aged woman pleads with a bearded man to see her children one last time. He steps aside and motions to a gunman, who forces her on to her knees and shoots her in the back of the head. A crowd of gunmen yell: “God is great.” In a second video, the same man reads out a...In a video captured on a mobile phone, a middle-aged woman pleads with a bearded man to see her...In a video captured on a mobile phone, a middle-aged woman pleads with a bearded man to see her...
Motorists wishing to enter the busiest districts of Manhattan will now pay up to $9 in tolls as New York’s...Motorists wishing to enter the busiest districts of Manhattan will now pay up to $9 in tolls as...Motorists wishing to enter the busiest districts of Manhattan will now pay up to $9 in tolls as...
A Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist has resigned from the Washington Post after it refused to publish her satirical...A Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist has resigned from the Washington Post after it refused to...A Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist has resigned from the Washington Post after it refused to...
Ukrainian leader appeals to incoming US president to broker peace talks with Russia
newPresident Zelensky of Ukraine has said that a “strong” Donald Trump could broker peace talks with Russia and end the war in Ukraine, as the US president-elect prepares to return to the White House. In a three-hour interview in Kyiv with the American podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelensky issued an appeal to the incoming president, admitting that the Ukrainian people “count on...President Zelensky of Ukraine has said that a “strong” Donald Trump could broker peace talks with...President Zelensky of Ukraine has said that a “strong” Donald Trump could broker peace talks with...
The Ukrainian armed forces launched a surprise counteroffensive in Russia’s western region of Kursk early on Sunday...The Ukrainian armed forces launched a surprise counteroffensive in Russia’s western region of Kursk early on Sunday, according to officials from both countries. “Kursk, good news, Russia gets what it deserves,” Andriy Yermak, President Zelensky’s chief of staff, wrote on Telegram as news of the offensive broke.The Ukrainian armed forces launched a surprise counteroffensive in Russia’s western region of Kursk early on Sunday, according...
‘Worrying reverberations of the budget’ are clear to see, says British Chambers of Commerce
Rachel Reeves’s £40 billion of tax rises have pushed business confidence down to the lowest level since the aftermath of Liz Truss’s mini-budget, researchers have found. In the final three months of last year, 49 per cent of the 4,808 companies surveyed by the British Chambers of Commerce said...Rachel Reeves’s £40 billion of tax rises have pushed business confidence down to the lowest level since the aftermath of Liz Truss’s mini-budget, researchers have found. In the final three months of last year, 49 per cent of the 4,808 companies surveyed by the British Chambers of Commerce said...Rachel Reeves’s £40 billion of tax rises have pushed business confidence down to the lowest level since the aftermath of Liz...
The competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the billionaire technology tycoons, is set to intensify after Amazon signalled it could start a satellite-based high-speed broadband service in the UK as early as this year. The move by Amazon, which was disclosed in filings by the American tech company with Ofcom, Britain’s communications...The competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the billionaire technology tycoons, is set to intensify after Amazon signalled it could start a satellite-based high-speed broadband service in the UK as early as this year. The move by Amazon, which was disclosed in filings by the American tech company with Ofcom, Britain’s communications...The competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the billionaire technology tycoons, is set to intensify after Amazon...
Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of Britain’s electricity for the first time ever, according to analysis of the annual energy mix. Wind generation rose to a 30 per cent share last year from 29 per cent in 2023, displacing gas-fired plants as the primary source...Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of...Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of...
PAUL JOHNSON
Having seen so many commissions on social care come and go, and so many policy proposals announced and then dropped...Having seen so many commissions on social care come and go, and so many policy proposals...Having seen so many commissions on social care come and go, and so many policy proposals...
GERARD LYONS
Britain, with one of the world’s largest service sector economies and the second biggest financial centre, has much...Britain, with one of the world’s largest service sector economies and the second biggest...Britain, with one of the world’s largest service sector economies and the second biggest...
business planning
We lay out some of the key changes that business owners will have to confront in 2025, as well as a few that can be ignored — for now at least
SIR MARTIN SORRELL
Sir Martin Sorrell gives his take on how the global economy, AI and advertising will fare this year
INnovation
In the last of a seven-part series, we meet bosses who have signed up with top business schools to learn the ropes of the new technology
professional services
In the sixth of our seven-part series, we meet Jeff Lange, boss of the financial advisory firm TFAS, which has used AI tools to speed up its processes
RECRUITMENT
With a 33% growth in the past year, the demand for corporate investigators is soaring. Here’s how to get into the industry
Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows, but the new breed of corporate investigator is one of the UK’s fastest-growing professional careers. The incoming 2025 introduction of the new “failure to prevent fraud” offence — which will hold large firms to account if they profit from fraud committed by their employees...Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows...Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows...
SIX FROM THE BEST
It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer...It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer Beaverbrooks, began her career on the shopfloor at its Trafford Centre store in Manchester 26 years ago and is the first female, non-family member to lead the chain. Here, she shares her pearls of...It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer...
martin samuel
Unlike in their fluke City win, Amorim’s side played well at Anfield – but they appear worryingly uncertain that they can maintain this intensity
The season before the Premier League began, Manchester United were in pursuit of Leeds United for the last First Division title. On Wednesday, April 22, they travelled to Upton Park. There were three games of the season remaining, but West Ham United were as good as down. They had won a single league game since beating Oldham Athletic on February 1 and had lost ten of...The season before the Premier League began, Manchester United were in pursuit of Leeds United for...The season before the Premier League began, Manchester United were in pursuit of Leeds United for...
premier league
The Manchester United fans behind Alisson’s goal were all thinking the same thing as Joshua Zirkzee rolled the ball...The Manchester United fans behind Alisson’s goal were all thinking the same thing as Joshua Zirkzee rolled the ball across the area and into the path of the unmarked Harry Maguire, with 30 seconds of added time to go. They were all waiting to see Maguire swing his hefty right boot through the ball and send it...The Manchester United fans behind Alisson’s goal were all thinking the same thing as Joshua Zirkzee rolled the ball across the...
Mike Atherton
The beauty of a five-Test series, each match played over five days, is that you cannot quibble over the outcome.The beauty of a five-Test series, each match played over five days, is that you cannot quibble...The beauty of a five-Test series, each match played over five days, is that you cannot quibble...
Stuart Fraser
For a player who had contested only one match in the preceding two years and three months, Nick Kyrgios’s return to...For a player who had contested only one match in the preceding two years and three months, Nick...For a player who had contested only one match in the preceding two years and three months, Nick...
A record crowd turned up at Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher’s debut for Bristol Bears Women, but rugby’s social media superstar had minimal on-field impact during a 19-minute cameo in a 40-17 defeat by Gloucester-Hartpury. Bristol moved the fixture...A record crowd turned up at Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher’s debut for Bristol Bears Women, but...A record crowd turned up at Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher’s debut for Bristol Bears Women, but...
gallagher premiership
Rúben Amorim said Manchester United’s tailspin will only be permanently solved when they show the mentality that...Rúben Amorim said Manchester United’s tailspin will only be permanently solved when they show the...Rúben Amorim said Manchester United’s tailspin will only be permanently solved when they show the...
tony cascarino
I went to Selhurst Park thinking about how Enzo Maresca played down expectations at Chelsea. In the past two weeks...I went to Selhurst Park thinking about how Enzo Maresca played down expectations at Chelsea. In...I went to Selhurst Park thinking about how Enzo Maresca played down expectations at Chelsea. In...
The odd ways that health and wellbeing specialists relieve their stress
kevin maher
Two films seal their status as frontrunners for rest of awards season
updated
The creators of the Pulsetto claim it can reset your mental wellbeing. Hannah Betts tests it, while Phil Hilton tries a new device for anxiety
interview
She was the ‘unseen’ CEO who revolutionised how we shop. Now Edwina Dunn has nine million followers
INTERVIEW
I was 11 years old when my dad began work on the world’s largest floating gallery. This 24,500-tonne exhibition space was the flagship of the Brittany Ferries fleet, MV Bretagne, and following its launch in 1989, the ship carried more than 15...
I was 11 years old when my dad began work on the world’s largest floating gallery. This...
I was 11 years old when my dad began work on the world’s largest floating gallery. This...
ask professor tanya byron
ask the experts
rEview
A couple’s life is turned upside down when they make a shocking discovery about their son in this ITV1 drama
“Theo, Theo!” screamed James Norton’s Pete as the yellow mackintosh of his son floated in the cold Cornish sea. But before you think that the bracing new year offering Playing Nice (ITV1) had gone down the classic TV drama road marked, in the words of one former BBC executive I know, “dead kids”, there were other even more anxiety-inducing surprises in store. We...“Theo, Theo!” screamed James Norton’s Pete as the yellow mackintosh of his son floated in...“Theo, Theo!” screamed James Norton’s Pete as the yellow mackintosh of his son floated in...
In Playing Nice (Sunday, ITV1) James Norton plays a father faced with an impossible choice when he discovers his baby...In Playing Nice (Sunday, ITV1) James Norton plays a father faced with an impossible choice when he discovers his baby was accidentally swapped at birth: should he keep the child he has raised or reclaim his biological son? But this intense drama, co-starring Niamh Algar and set against the dramatic Cornish coastline...In Playing Nice (Sunday, ITV1) James Norton plays a father faced with an impossible choice when he discovers his baby was...
first night review
first night review
MindGames
1 I Loves The ‘Diff is a cult brand that celebrates which Welsh city? 2 Which religious leader wears the Fisherman’s...1 I Loves The ‘Diff is a cult brand that celebrates which Welsh city? 2 Which religious leader...1 I Loves The ‘Diff is a cult brand that celebrates which Welsh city? 2 Which religious leader...
Viewing GUide
TELEVISION
first person
The sex guru Nicole Daedone is on trial for alleged abuse at her ‘orgasmic meditation’ retreats. Today a woman who says she was groomed to be second in command tells her story
interview
From selling 40 million records to dealing with drug addiction and financial wipeout, the Blondie singer has seen it all
sathnam sanghera
As the boy with the topknot immortalised in the title of his bestselling memoir, Sathnam Sanghera’s hair was an expression of religious devotion. But even this experience could not prepare him for his fiancée’s obsession
Golden Balls has doubled his profits with a little help from mattresses, pants and Lionel Messi. He’s a bigger brand than ever, yet still no knighthood…
interview
Back with a new solo album, the Spandau Ballet singer talks fame divorce, guilt and fallouts
Jeremy Langmead delights in his glossy new locks, courtesy of a transplant and some daily pills and potions
Simon de Burton reports on the growing vogue for analogue cameras, the best ones to buy and where to get your old-school snaps developed
In a super-chalet in Megève the French design house Liaigre has created a gloriously minimalist space — around a diva of a staircase
Whether you are already an Ironman — or planning to become one in 2025 — these are the gadgets that will get you across the line
Montreal’s cobbled streets, bagel joints and lively bars are the ideal introduction to the characterful province of Quebec
comment
Good news for package holiday fans, bad news for frequent flyers: the shake-up of BA’s executive club points scheme is a mixed bag, says Cathy Adams
Amongst its historic houses and A-list haunts, Claire Irvin finds her favourite version of Palm Springs at its sexiest hotel — the hip Villa Royale
Three of Manhattan’s grandes dames are unveiling splashy reopenings that lean into the city’s 1920s heritage. Here’s where to stay this year
If you’re planning a midsummer holiday, we’ve got some ideas for you — from the beaches of Turkey and Fiji to adventures in Alaska and Rwanda
What’s your idea of the perfect Greek holiday? Do you see yourself dining alfresco, perhaps at a table shaded by the...What’s your idea of the perfect Greek holiday? Do you see yourself dining alfresco, perhaps at a...What’s your idea of the perfect Greek holiday? Do you see yourself dining alfresco, perhaps at a...
video
On my first trip to the American South as a student in 1990 I fainted in the heat. I recall lying prone on the...On my first trip to the American South as a student in 1990 I fainted in the heat. I recall lying...On my first trip to the American South as a student in 1990 I fainted in the heat. I recall lying...
OBITUARY
Thinker outside the box who discovered two James Joyce collections and was romantically involved with the dancer Wayne Sleep and a friend of David Hockney
OBITUARY
He was appointed to the boards of top US companies and did a stint as a White House adviser
OBITUARY
Tall, trim and gentlemanly boss who turned a village bakery into a global superbrand
video
The Times has been publishing life stories of the great and the good (and the not so good) for more than 170 years. Now the obituary is also becoming a podcast, explains Anna Temkin
AND the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is...AND the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them...AND the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them...
Sandringham, Norfolk
5th January, 2025
Divine Service was held in Sandringham Parish Church this morning. The Bishop...Sandringham, Norfolk
5th January, 2025
Divine Service was held in Sandringham Parish Church...Sandringham, Norfolk
5th January, 2025
Divine Service was held in Sandringham Parish Church...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
More than a million Scottish citizens are still being monitored by cameras made by a company linked to the Chinese government years after they were branded a security risk in UK. At least 22 councils continue to use Hikvision devices on some sites. Nine local authorities, with a combined...More than a million Scottish citizens are still being monitored by cameras made by a company linked to the Chinese government years after they were branded a security risk in UK. At least 22 councils continue to use Hikvision devices on some sites. Nine local authorities, with a combined...More than a million Scottish citizens are still being monitored by cameras made by a company linked to the Chinese government...
A former SNP researcher has criticised a charity for giving a job to the party’s ex-chief whip who sexually harassed him as a teenager.
Scotland’s International Development Alliance (Sida), which is funded by the Scottish government, has taken on Patrick Grady as head of policy and communications. In 2021 Grady stepped away from the chief...A former SNP researcher has criticised a charity for giving a job to the party’s ex-chief whip who sexually harassed him as a teenager.
Scotland’s International Development Alliance (Sida), which is funded by the Scottish government, has taken on Patrick Grady as head of policy and communications. In 2021 Grady stepped away from the chief...A former SNP researcher has criticised a charity for giving a job to the party’s ex-chief whip who sexually harassed him as a...
iain macwhirter
I know the following is not a very cheerful message for the new year, and I apologise for inflicting this downer on you, but I’m afraid we can’t just ignore a grim reality. As Scotland’s temperature plummets to -11C, cold weather — aka the silent killer — will be dispatching many older people to an early grave.I know the following is not a very cheerful message for the new year, and I apologise for...I know the following is not a very cheerful message for the new year, and I apologise for...
natasha radmehr | notebook
A furious Brendan Rodgers laid into a section of the Celtic support for the tetchiness they showed in the early part...A furious Brendan Rodgers laid into a section of the Celtic support for the tetchiness they...A furious Brendan Rodgers laid into a section of the Celtic support for the tetchiness they...
Rugby coaches who “get smashed every weekend” are driving teenage players to alcohol abuse, say youth workers, who...Rugby coaches who “get smashed every weekend” are driving teenage players to alcohol abuse, say...Rugby coaches who “get smashed every weekend” are driving teenage players to alcohol abuse, say...
magnus linklater
Scottish Premiership | Michael Grant
In a year which is only five days old Rangers have already been on an emotional rollercoaster and learned absolutely...In a year which is only five days old Rangers have already been on an emotional rollercoaster and...In a year which is only five days old Rangers have already been on an emotional rollercoaster and...
interview
On the date of his 60th birthday, an occasion when other men graciously accept a carriage clock and shuffle off to...On the date of his 60th birthday, an occasion when other men graciously accept a carriage clock...On the date of his 60th birthday, an occasion when other men graciously accept a carriage clock...
Comment
Electoral tinkering is a gift to the populists
Alex Massie
The left’s proposed reforms such as a lower voting age are self-serving and will fuel distrust of the political mainstream
Libby Purves
ADHD diagnoses risk ignoring our potential
Tomiwa Owolade
The key to happiness in life is social fitness
Juliet Samuel
How we got from starch staples to dragon fruit
Emma Thompson
Justin Welby’s successor needs to halve the ‘upstairs church’
Leading Articles
Frontline Care
Labour’s plans to relieve the long-term NHS crisis and make it fit for purpose include sensible ideas that should be implemented immediately
Blatant Opportunism
Naked greed in Mauritius should kill off the Chagos Islands deal
None too Pleased
Pope Francis has called on nuns to abandon their sour-faced habits and smile more
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Complexities of reforming the health service
Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The government’s efforts to speed up waiting times for routine treatments are to be applauded (news, Jan 4). Here in East Sussex, as long ago as the 1980s, community hospitals in the smaller towns were...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The government’s efforts to speed up waiting times for...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The government’s efforts to speed up waiting times for...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The House of Commons, the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, and the House of Lords return from Christmas recess; Sir Keir Starmer is due to unveil plans to cut NHS waiting lists.
China: Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, begins a tour of African countries, with Namibia, Congo (Brazzaville), Chad and Nigeria on his agenda.
US: President Biden visits New Orleans following the terrorist attack on January 1; the UN security council meets for a newly added session on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
World: Epiphany Christian festival.
On this day
In 1838 Samuel Morse gave the first public demonstration of his telegraph, in Morristown, New Jersey. In 1933 singing telegrams were introduced. Western Union delivered its final telegram in 2006; in 1929 Alexander I established a royal dictatorship over the kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. On October 3, 1929, he changed the name of the country to Yugoslavia. He was assassinated in 1934; in 1959 Mildred and Richard Loving were convicted in Virginia of violating the Racial Integrity Act 1924, forbidding interracial marriage. They had legally married in Washington DC, but more than 20 states did not recognise such marriages. The landmark US Supreme Court Loving v Virginia (1967) case ruled in the couple’s favour; in 1992 the US government called for a moratorium on the use of silicone gel-filled breast implants over safety fears.
Nature notes
Our grandparents would have been incredulous to see a collared dove on our shores, yet now this pretty bird is common in many parts of the United Kingdom. Able to breed year-round, the population has expanded from just four in Norfolk in 1955 to more than 800,000 pairs today. There has been a recent decline in some areas, possibly linked to trichomonosis, a disease that can spread via dirty bird feeders and has had a devastating effect on finches. Collared doves are smaller and more elegant than wood pigeons, with pinky-grey plumage and a black band around their necks. And where collared doves repeat “Coo-COO-coo” ad infinitum, woodies have a lower, five-note song sometimes rendered — a little oddly — as: “My toe bleeds, Betty”. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Lee Anderson, Reform UK MP for Ashfield, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party (2023-24), 58; Malcolm Appleby, silversmith and metal engraver, 79; Rowan Atkinson, actor, the Blackadder, Mr Bean and Johnny English TV and film series, 70; Hugo Broch, the last living German Luftwaffe ace of the Second World War (Eastern and Baltic fronts), 103; Feryal Clark, Labour MP for Enfield North, minister for AI and digital government, 46; Angus Deayton, presenter, Have I Got News for You (1990-2002), and actor, Waterloo Road (2013-15), 69; Kapil Dev, cricketer, India (1978-94) and coach (1999-2000), 66; Michael Foale, British-born astrophysicist and former Nasa astronaut, 68; Ian Lavery, Labour MP for Blyth and Ashington, chairman of the Labour Party (2017-20), president, National Union of Mineworkers (2002-10), 62; Nigella Lawson, TV presenter and cookery writer, Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes and Stories (2020), 65; Lord (Ian) McColl of Dulwich, surgeon, chairman, medical charity Mercy Ships UK (2001-15), 92; AR Rahman, composer, Slumdog Millionaire (2008), 58; Eddie Redmayne, actor, The Theory of Everything (2014), The Day of the Jackal (2024), 43; Elizabeth Strout, novelist, Olive Kitteridge (2008), 69; Trudie Styler, actress and producer, Filth (2013), 71; Eric Trump, businessman, vice-president of the Trump Organization, the second son of Donald Trump, 41; Alex Turner, musician, Arctic Monkeys, AM (2013), 39; Most Rev Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury (since 2013, and whose official duties will now be delegated to the Archbishop of York), 69; Sir Clive Woodward, director of sport, Team GB (2006-12), rugby union player and coach of England (1997-2004), including World Cup final win in 2003, 69.