The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
All rented homes ‘must be rated C or above’
newLandlords will be banned from renting out their properties unless they meet minimum energy efficiency standards, Ed Miliband will tell the Labour Party conference. The energy secretary, speaking on Monday, will promise that “every rented home reaches decent standards of energy efficiency” by 2030...Landlords will be banned from renting out their properties unless they meet minimum energy efficiency standards, Ed Miliband will tell the Labour Party conference. The energy secretary, speaking on Monday, will promise that “every rented home reaches decent standards of energy efficiency” by 2030...Landlords will be banned from renting out their properties unless they meet minimum energy efficiency standards, Ed Miliband...
Labour’s first party conference in government for almost 15 years is under way with Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, addressing delegates in Liverpool. After weeks of dire warnings, the chancellor has tried to strike a more upbeat note in a piece for The Times saying she has “never been more optimistic about our country’s fortunes”. Reeves...Labour’s first party conference in government for almost 15 years is under way with Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, addressing delegates in Liverpool. After weeks of dire warnings, the chancellor has tried to strike a more upbeat note in a piece for The Times saying she has “never been more optimistic about our country’s fortunes”. Reeves...Labour’s first party conference in government for almost 15 years is under way with Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, addressing...
At 2am the dodgems were in full swing. Actors, politicians, media executives and television personalities had all gathered for the 2022 summer party of the Labour donor Waheed Alli. As usual, their host didn’t disappoint. Live music played, karaoke was underway and some partygoers were cooling off in the outdoor...At 2am the dodgems were in full swing. Actors, politicians, media executives and television...At 2am the dodgems were in full swing. Actors, politicians, media executives and television...
FIRST PERSON
One of the UK’s largest train operators has issued a stark reminder to passengers that its onboard wi-fi does not...One of the UK’s largest train operators has issued a stark reminder to passengers that its...One of the UK’s largest train operators has issued a stark reminder to passengers that its...
Martin Samuel
Eight minutes into stoppage time but, still, it really wasn’t Arsenal who dropped two points yesterday. It is not...Eight minutes into stoppage time but, still, it really wasn’t Arsenal who dropped two points...Eight minutes into stoppage time but, still, it really wasn’t Arsenal who dropped two points...
The chancellor says she has never felt more optimistic, but admits tough choices are still required
The deputy prime minister is accused of failing to declare a trip to New York paid for by Lord Alli
tom peck | political sketch
Systems developed for Ukraine will ensure the Royal Navy is fit for service
At a swish office in the heart of Soho, tech experts armed with Apple MacBooks and Lego for coffee breaks are changing the way countries conduct war. By crunching huge amounts of data, the US tech giant Palantir has become renowned for helping Ukrainian commanders to identify and efficiently eliminate Russian targets on the battlefield. But it is Palantir’s...At a swish office in the heart of Soho, tech experts armed with Apple MacBooks and Lego for...At a swish office in the heart of Soho, tech experts armed with Apple MacBooks and Lego for...
Dozens of British troops are understood to be inside Lebanon as part of a sensitive mission training and advising the...Dozens of British troops are understood to be inside Lebanon as part of a sensitive mission training and advising the country’s armed forces, raising the prospect of them being caught up in a wider conflict. UK defence sources said there had been no changes to the scale of the programme in recent days despite the...Dozens of British troops are understood to be inside Lebanon as part of a sensitive mission training and advising the country’s...
The Princess of Wales has been photographed in public for the first time since completing cancer treatment, marking her return to the spotlight with a trip to church in Scotland. Kate, 42, was seen alongside the Prince of Wales, the King and Queen...The Princess of Wales has been photographed in public for the first time since completing cancer...The Princess of Wales has been photographed in public for the first time since completing cancer...
Jeremy Paxman lamented about the University Challenge final: “Why on earth are there no women left in this stage of...Jeremy Paxman lamented about the University Challenge final: “Why on earth are there no women...Jeremy Paxman lamented about the University Challenge final: “Why on earth are there no women...
Councils will be urged to be lenient on “middle-class fly tippers” after residents were fined for leaving items...Councils will be urged to be lenient on “middle-class fly tippers” after residents were fined for...Councils will be urged to be lenient on “middle-class fly tippers” after residents were fined for...
Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, won a reprieve last night after his ruling Social Democratic Party narrowly beat the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in his home state of Brandenburg, according to exit polls. Polls put the Social Democratic Party (SPD) on 30.9 per cent, less than two...Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, won a reprieve last night after his ruling Social Democratic Party narrowly beat the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in his home state of Brandenburg, according to exit polls. Polls put the Social Democratic Party (SPD) on 30.9 per cent, less than two...Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, won a reprieve last night after his ruling Social Democratic Party narrowly beat the...
As he stood alone in his tiny punishment cell in Siberia, serving the longest sentence handed down to a Russian political prisoner since Stalin’s purges, Vladimir Kara-Murza was certain that he would never see his wife and three children again. A long-time opposition activist, Kara-Murza was arrested outside his home in Moscow in April 2022.As he stood alone in his tiny punishment cell in Siberia, serving the longest sentence handed down to a Russian political prisoner since Stalin’s purges, Vladimir Kara-Murza was certain that he would never see his wife and three children again. A long-time opposition activist, Kara-Murza was arrested outside his home in Moscow in April 2022.As he stood alone in his tiny punishment cell in Siberia, serving the longest sentence handed down to a Russian political...
Sri Lanka has elected its most left-leaning president in history, rejecting legacy candidates in the first elections since mass protests ejected Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid an economic meltdown in 2022. Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the contest after a historic second round of counting, knocking out the incumbent, Ranil...Sri Lanka has elected its most left-leaning president in history, rejecting legacy candidates in...Sri Lanka has elected its most left-leaning president in history, rejecting legacy candidates in...
from our correspondent
From his house in Tangier, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar on the Vieille Montagne, Patrick Thursfield saw the last days of the Moroccan city’s old British community. He greeted guests wearing a kaftan and with potent gin and tonics served by his assistant, Ahmed. The author of a prizewinning translation of Count Miklos Banffy’s epic Transylvanian Trilogy, he was...From his house in Tangier, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar on the Vieille Montagne, Patrick...From his house in Tangier, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar on the Vieille Montagne, Patrick...
When Alex Berger first mooted the idea of an espionage series a couple of decades ago, French cultural barons looked...When Alex Berger first mooted the idea of an espionage series a couple of decades ago, French cultural barons looked askance at him. “A television series was considered a minor art form in France at that time,” said the Franco-American producer. Yet The Bureau, about the undercover agents of the DGSE, the...When Alex Berger first mooted the idea of an espionage series a couple of decades ago, French cultural barons looked askance at...
A judge has seized money and assets worth almost €75 million from the heirs of Italy’s most powerful industrial dynasty for alleged tax fraud, opening a new chapter in an inheritance dispute that has split the Agnelli family in two. A seizure...A judge has seized money and assets worth almost €75 million from the heirs of Italy’s most...A judge has seized money and assets worth almost €75 million from the heirs of Italy’s most...
Spending on house purchases tops £350bn
The housing market is now bigger than its average size before the pandemic as first-time buyers return to the market, with further expansion predicted as interest rates ease and as people trade up. According to research by Savills, the estate agency, total spending on house purchases broke...The housing market is now bigger than its average size before the pandemic as first-time buyers return to the market, with further expansion predicted as interest rates ease and as people trade up. According to research by Savills, the estate agency, total spending on house purchases broke...The housing market is now bigger than its average size before the pandemic as first-time buyers return to the market, with...
The pace of economic growth in the UK faltered slightly in September because of “jangling nerves” over the Budget next month, according to the first estimate of a closely watched barometer of British businesses. The UK PMI “flash” composite output index slipped back to 52.9 in September from 53.8 recorded in August and was lower than the...The pace of economic growth in the UK faltered slightly in September because of “jangling nerves” over the Budget next month, according to the first estimate of a closely watched barometer of British businesses. The UK PMI “flash” composite output index slipped back to 52.9 in September from 53.8 recorded in August and was lower than the...The pace of economic growth in the UK faltered slightly in September because of “jangling nerves” over the Budget next month...
The finance operation at McLaren Racing is being streamlined as the team seeks improvements both on and off the Formula One motor racing track. The team recently launched a review of its treasury management and savings made will be put back into its cars as this year’s grand prix world championship comes to a head.The finance operation at McLaren Racing is being streamlined as the team seeks improvements both...The finance operation at McLaren Racing is being streamlined as the team seeks improvements both...
Rachel Reeves | comment
Eighty days ago, I walked out of 11 Downing Street for the first time as chancellor of the exchequer vowing to lead...Eighty days ago, I walked out of 11 Downing Street for the first time as chancellor of the...Eighty days ago, I walked out of 11 Downing Street for the first time as chancellor of the...
SIMON FRENCH | comment
What is the most efficient way to grow the economy and improve living standards? It’s a question that often triggers...What is the most efficient way to grow the economy and improve living standards? It’s a question...What is the most efficient way to grow the economy and improve living standards? It’s a question...
Britain’s open-ended fund management industry is growing increasingly passive and at a faster rate than the global average, figures suggest. Just under 30 per cent of open-ended funds domiciled in the UK follow the performance of the stock market...Britain’s open-ended fund management industry is growing increasingly passive and at a faster...Britain’s open-ended fund management industry is growing increasingly passive and at a faster...
THE week ahead
family Businesses
Alex Wright | Comment
Alex Wright, co-founder of Dash Water, on why you should ignore the noise and double down on your vision
Expert Tips
SIX FROM THE BEST
Six tips from a social historian and adviser on inclusion, ethics and anti-racism
National inclusion week begins on Monday and as a social historian, author and adviser on inclusion, ethics and anti-racism, Nick Basannavar is at the forefront of global debate. Running his own consultancy, he works with leaders in corporates, charities and governments. Here he shares his simple advice for greater inclusion at work. 1 Stop talking. Just because you’re...National inclusion week begins on Monday and as a social historian, author and adviser on...National inclusion week begins on Monday and as a social historian, author and adviser on...
RECRUITMENT
No organisation would hire an unqualified pilot, surgeon or engineer, so why hire unqualified managers? Despite about...No organisation would hire an unqualified pilot, surgeon or engineer, so why hire unqualified managers? Despite about 8.4 million people working as managers from a UK working population of 33 million, 82 per cent are “accidental managers” who do not have any formal training when promoted into their role. The result?No organisation would hire an unqualified pilot, surgeon or engineer, so why hire unqualified managers? Despite about 8.4...
Martin Samuel
Eight minutes into stoppage time but, still, it really wasn’t Arsenal who dropped two points yesterday. It is not often we get to say this, but what was Pep Guardiola thinking? What was he thinking by keeping Jack Grealish out of the game for so long? What was he thinking allowing Rúben Dias and...Eight minutes into stoppage time but, still, it really wasn’t Arsenal who dropped two points yesterday. It is not often we get to say this, but what was Pep Guardiola thinking? What was he thinking by keeping Jack Grealish out of the game for so long? What was he thinking allowing Rúben Dias and...Eight minutes into stoppage time but, still, it really wasn’t Arsenal who dropped two points yesterday. It is not often we get...
ian hawkey
The more the Champions League expands, the more its landscape narrows. Not least of the oddities about club football’s most prestigious club competition in its new format, launched last week to a mixture of yawns and yawning gaps in scorelines, is that none of the 189 fixtures in the bloated schedule will be played anywhere east of Belgrade.The more the Champions League expands, the more its landscape narrows. Not least of the oddities about club football’s most prestigious club competition in its new format, launched last week to a mixture of yawns and yawning gaps in scorelines, is that none of the 189 fixtures in the bloated schedule will be played anywhere east of Belgrade.The more the Champions League expands, the more its landscape narrows. Not least of the oddities about club football’s most...
eric ramsay interview
Eric Ramsay was in New York with his wife, Sioned, this month when he saw a Wrexham flag outside a bar. The club’s rise to the top of Sky Bet League One, funded by the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and documented in a Disney+ series, has brought the United States to Wales. Ramsay has done the reverse...Eric Ramsay was in New York with his wife, Sioned, this month when he saw a Wrexham flag outside...Eric Ramsay was in New York with his wife, Sioned, this month when he saw a Wrexham flag outside...
Singapore Grand Prix
BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
BILL EDGAR
When Erling Haaland scored nine goals in his first five league games for Manchester City this newspaper ran a piece on what records he might break, leading some to claim that such an analysis was premature. But the Norwegian was no flash in the...When Erling Haaland scored nine goals in his first five league games for Manchester City this...When Erling Haaland scored nine goals in his first five league games for Manchester City this...
Rick broadbent
To ask where it all went wrong for Anthony Joshua invites comparison with the fabled bellboy who asked the same...To ask where it all went wrong for Anthony Joshua invites comparison with the fabled bellboy who...To ask where it all went wrong for Anthony Joshua invites comparison with the fabled bellboy who...
Joshua v Dubois | Tom Kershaw
Long after the final bell had tolled on Anthony Joshua’s faculties, a spare ring announcer was ordered up onto the...Long after the final bell had tolled on Anthony Joshua’s faculties, a spare ring announcer was...Long after the final bell had tolled on Anthony Joshua’s faculties, a spare ring announcer was...
singapore grand prix | molly hudson
gallagher premiership
Hamzah Khalique-Loonat
Paul Joyce
When Trent Alexander-Arnold was discussing his objectives for the season with Arne Slot, he outlined one vision in...When Trent Alexander-Arnold was discussing his objectives for the season with Arne Slot, he...When Trent Alexander-Arnold was discussing his objectives for the season with Arne Slot, he...
tony cascarino
I was surprised Eddie Nketiah was subbed off when he was, in the 67th minute, just as he was beginning to look...I was surprised Eddie Nketiah was subbed off when he was, in the 67th minute, just as he was...I was surprised Eddie Nketiah was subbed off when he was, in the 67th minute, just as he was...
brough scott
City Of Troy is a wonder. Not for his performance in demolishing four inferior opponents on Southwell’s tapeta surface on Friday in preparation for his tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic in California in six weeks’ time, but for his demeanour...City Of Troy is a wonder. Not for his performance in demolishing four inferior opponents on...City Of Troy is a wonder. Not for his performance in demolishing four inferior opponents on...
interview
Twenty years after the chef got Turkey Twizzlers off canteen menus, he explains why he’s now fighting for pupils (with his son Buddy). By Rosamund Dean
Interview
The historian on why she won’t get into a feminist debate online and how she has toned down her ‘shouty woman’ delivery
interview
Simon Boas’s observations as he was dying moved millions. Two months after his death his wife, Aurelie, tells Helen Rumbelow how she’s coping
FIRST PERSON
Northern has stopped commuters from using dating apps. Unfair, says Olivia Petter
Ask PROFESSOR TANYA BYRON
Q. My sister is suffering from depression and also has extremely painful arthritis. She is being treated by her...Q. My sister is suffering from depression and also has extremely painful arthritis. She is being...Q. My sister is suffering from depression and also has extremely painful arthritis. She is being...
FIRST PERSON
The iPhone can survive some wear and tear but there is a moment when you know there is no going back. It is called...The iPhone can survive some wear and tear but there is a moment when you know there is no going...The iPhone can survive some wear and tear but there is a moment when you know there is no going...
first night REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Ask the experts
Q. My mother-in-law lives with us. When the government stopped paying her pension into her Post Office card account,...Q. My mother-in-law lives with us. When the government stopped paying her pension into her Post...Q. My mother-in-law lives with us. When the government stopped paying her pension into her Post...
review
Rachel Johnson may have failed her tasks on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins (Channel 4), but she is leading the field...Rachel Johnson may have failed her tasks on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins (Channel 4), but she is...Rachel Johnson may have failed her tasks on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins (Channel 4), but she is...
Viewing GUide
television
TELEVISION
Television
Television
MindGames
Twenty questions to get you thinking
1 “Rabbit and pork” is Cockney rhyming slang for which word? 2 Which period of history covering the 15th and 16th centuries is known in Italy as “Rinascimento”? 3 The War in the Vendée (1793-96) was a counter-revolutionary uprising in which country? 4 Which princess is between Prince George and Prince Louis in the line of succession? 5 In 2022, Haitham Al Ghais of...1 “Rabbit and pork” is Cockney rhyming slang for which word? 2 Which period of history covering...1 “Rabbit and pork” is Cockney rhyming slang for which word? 2 Which period of history covering...
interview
I’m in a cottage on a farm with the brother of the Princess of Wales and his eyes are filling with tears. He has a...I’m in a cottage on a farm with the brother of the Princess of Wales and his eyes are filling...I’m in a cottage on a farm with the brother of the Princess of Wales and his eyes are filling...
Interview
‘There’s just this most extraordinary feeling you get having someone you trust hold you close and dancing.” Toyah...‘There’s just this most extraordinary feeling you get having someone you trust hold you close and...‘There’s just this most extraordinary feeling you get having someone you trust hold you close and...
The record-breaking team from Imperial College London present the ultimate 30 questions. How many — if any — can you get right?
good university guide 2025
Ranked No 1 by the Sunday Times, the London School of Economics and Political Science champions free speech, with graduates that go on to change the world
From using tracking apps and WhatsApp groups to decorating student halls, meet the parents finding it hard to let go
LSE knocks Oxbridge out of the top spots and is named our University of the Year
After rent is covered, there are the must-haves and nice-to-haves to consider. Here’s how to budget
What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a fun question to answer when you are a toddler — superhero, ballerina, astronaut — but as a teenager the question starts to come with baggage: thoughts of career prospects and intellectual fulfilment...What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a fun question to answer when you are a toddler —...What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a fun question to answer when you are a toddler —...
A makeover of a Provençal farmhouse with a Clarins spa and Michelin-star chef has created a new hotspot in Mougins, says Lisa Grainger
Rural retreats with state of-the-art pampering facilities for the ultimate relaxing escape
This British luxury SUV reboot has a lambswool carpet, clock cabinet and after dark light show. By David Green
Seawater spa or swim-up bar? However you like your dips, we’ve found the cruise ships that have pools well worth getting onboard with
Norway’s Vesteralen archipelago, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, has spectacular landscapes, whales and lovely hamlets that most tourists miss
Radiotherapy and surgery had left Anna Crane at a low point, mentally and physically. This walking holiday in the Balearics proved the perfect balm
It’s still warm enough for dips in the pools and strolls along quieter beaches in the Costa del Sol well into October — plus long lunches on sunbaked terraces
chris haslam
Chris Haslam, our chief travel writer, has the inside track on making rail journeys magical
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
video
Think you know which type of getaway you’re most suited to? Put your theory to the test with seven quick questions that will map your holiday wishes against a range of trips and whittle it down to one perfect fit. • Mostly As: A cruise is on the...Think you know which type of getaway you’re most suited to? Put your theory to the test with...Think you know which type of getaway you’re most suited to? Put your theory to the test with...
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
weather eye
law report
Supreme Court
Published on September 23, 2024
Lipton and another v BA Cityflyer Ltd
Before Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord...Supreme Court
Published on September 23, 2024
Lipton and another v BA Cityflyer Ltd
Before...Supreme Court
Published on September 23, 2024
Lipton and another v BA Cityflyer Ltd
Before...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
Anas Sarwar and Ian Murray are VIP guests of Salmon Scotland at Liverpool match
Scottish Labour’s two most senior politicians were treated to free hospitality at a Liverpool FC match as the Westminster freebies scandal spread to Holyrood. Anas Sarwar, the party leader north of the border, and Ian Murray, the Scottish secretary, were guests of Salmon Scotland as Liverpool...Scottish Labour’s two most senior politicians were treated to free hospitality at a Liverpool FC match as the Westminster freebies scandal spread to Holyrood. Anas Sarwar, the party leader north of the border, and Ian Murray, the Scottish secretary, were guests of Salmon Scotland as Liverpool...Scottish Labour’s two most senior politicians were treated to free hospitality at a Liverpool FC match as the Westminster...
analysis
In October 2016 Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links was fêted as a hero at the Conservative Party conference as she introduced Theresa May for her keynote speech. She had just propelled the Tories into second place at Holyrood and was being openly talked about as a future prime minister while she warmed up for the inhabitant of Downing Street...In October 2016 Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links was fêted as a hero at the Conservative Party conference as she introduced Theresa May for her keynote speech. She had just propelled the Tories into second place at Holyrood and was being openly talked about as a future prime minister while she warmed up for the inhabitant of Downing Street...In October 2016 Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links was fêted as a hero at the Conservative Party conference as she introduced...
iain macwhirter
Say what you like about John Swinney, and many of us have, but you simply cannot imagine him spending £2,000 on glasses. Boots is more his style. His suits may look a little funereal, but I doubt if he’s spent £20,000 on them in the past 20 years. I could be wrong of course. There may be media moguls funnelling cash...Say what you like about John Swinney, and many of us have, but you simply cannot imagine him...Say what you like about John Swinney, and many of us have, but you simply cannot imagine him...
Graeme Souness has revealed that he underwent an emergency heart operation after falling ill this month. The former...Graeme Souness has revealed that he underwent an emergency heart operation after falling ill this...Graeme Souness has revealed that he underwent an emergency heart operation after falling ill this...
Forcing private schools to pay VAT will unfairly benefit England over Scotland, an independent schools organisation...Forcing private schools to pay VAT will unfairly benefit England over Scotland, an independent...Forcing private schools to pay VAT will unfairly benefit England over Scotland, an independent...
PREMIER SPORTS CUP
There was always going to be an element of ‘“after the Lord Mayor’s show” to this game. But coming hard on the heels of that memorable midweek Champions League dismantling of Slovan Bratislava, for so long this was nothing like the procession which many Celtic fans would still have expected. Twice the three-in-a-row champions and Premiership pacesetters trailed their...There was always going to be an element of ‘“after the Lord Mayor’s show” to this game. But...There was always going to be an element of ‘“after the Lord Mayor’s show” to this game. But...
UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP | mark palmer
The Scottish sides’ record stands at played two, lost two after the opening weekend of the new URC season, their...The Scottish sides’ record stands at played two, lost two after the opening weekend of the new URC season, their combined margin of defeat a meagre three points. It could have been so different at Hive Stadium and the Kingspan, but the common factor in Edinburgh and Glasgow’s losses were their own shortcomings. The...The Scottish sides’ record stands at played two, lost two after the opening weekend of the new URC season, their combined...
Comment
Seeds of doubt over Sue Gray sown in Stormont
Will Lloyd
Starmer’s chief of staff got a reputation for putting noses out of joint during her spell in Northern Ireland’s civil service
EDWARD LUCAS
Empty threats won’t deter Russian mischief
LIBBY PURVES
Al Fayed shows how my generation got it wrong
emma duncan | notebook
Shame on the minority of Brits who ruin it for all
Charles Lewington
Classical music can boost life skills — make it open to all
Leading Articles
Conspiracy of Silence
In the wake of shocking sexual assault and rape allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed, there are questions to answer for his associates and the authorities
Charging the Earth
Inflated electricity prices at chargers will hamper the uptake of electric vehicles
(Table) Football’s Coming Home
Tunbridge Wells hosted a significant international sporting event on Sunday: the Subbuteo World Cup
letters to the times
Public charging barrier to the EV transition
Sir, Your article, “Electric cars hit by huge charging fees” (Sep 21), correctly highlights the need for affordable charging to encourage electric vehicle adoption but overlooks why public charging is more expensive, as well as possible routes to...Sir, Your article, “Electric cars hit by huge charging fees” (Sep 21), correctly highlights the...Sir, Your article, “Electric cars hit by huge charging fees” (Sep 21), correctly highlights the...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Organ Donation Week begins, an NHS campaign to raise awareness, until Sunday.
US: G7 foreign ministers hold a meeting on the margins of the UN Summit of the Future in New York; President Biden hosts a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, at the White House; Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, participates in a fireside chat with Nadia Calviño, president of the European Investment Bank, about financing for global health.
Peru: The International Whaling Commission holds its annual meeting in Lima.
On this day
In 1122 the Investiture Controversy, a bitter dispute between the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor over the limitations of each other’s authority, officially ended with the Concordat of Worms separating temporal and spiritual powers; in 1889 Nintendo was founded as a playing-card company by Fusajiro Yamauchi. Nintendo has been translated as “Leave luck to Heaven”; in 1951 King George VI, a heavy smoker, had a cancerous left lung removed in an operating theatre set up at Buckingham Palace. He died on February 6, 1952, aged 56; in 1974 the world’s first Ceefax teletext service began on BBC television, the start of interactive TV services.
Nature notes
The Himalayan variety is not the only invasive non-native balsam that likes to make itself at home in damp ditches, shady places and the banks of rivers and streams. Low-growing and far less showy, small balsam spreads easily and can often be found growing alongside orange balsam, also known as jewelweed or spotted touch-me-not. Both produce their small, lipped flowers in August and come September cast their seeds, which, if touched, they can fire for quite some distance (hence the name). If some land on the surface of nearby water they will float away and colonise new areas. All the balsams are related to the bright busy lizzies (Impatiens) beloved by gardeners keen on pots and hanging baskets. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Lady (Cherie) Blair, pictured, barrister, recorder (1999-2015), 70; Baroness (Floella) Benjamin OM, DBE, children’s campaigner, vice-president, Barnardo’s, TV presenter, Playschool (1976-88), and actress, Run, Fatboy, Run (2007), 75; Henry Blofeld, cricket commentator, Test Match Special (1972-2017), 85; Eric Bogle, singer-songwriter, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda (1971), 80; Alistair Campbell, cricketer, Zimbabwe (1992-2002), 52; Frank Cottrell-Boyce, screenwriter and novelist, 24 Hour Party People (2002), 65; William Legge, Earl of Dartmouth, deputy chairman of Ukip (2016-18) and MEP for South West Region (2009-19), 75; General Sir James Everard, Nato deputy supreme allied commander Europe (2017-20), 62; Lord (Nicholas) Hamblen, justice of the Supreme Court, 67; Julio Iglesias, singer, Begin the Beguine (1981), 81; Sir Richard Lambert, chairman, British Museum (2014-21), editor, Financial Times (1991-2001), director-general of the CBI (2006-11), 80; Yorgos Lanthimos, film-maker, Poor Things (2023), 51; Lord (Edward) Llewellyn of Steep, UK ambassador to Italy and San Marino, France (2016-21), chief of staff to the prime minister (2010-16), 59; Katie Mitchell, theatre director, associate director, including the National Theatre, RSC and Royal Court Theatre, 60; Dame Karen Pierce, diplomat, UK ambassador to the US, 65; Ellie Roebuck, footballer, FC Barcelona Femení and England, member of the Euro 2022-winning England squad, 25; Finn Russell, rugby union player, Bath and Scotland, 32; Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan (2022-23), 73; Bruce Springsteen, singer-songwriter, Born in the USA (1984), 75; Nicholas Witchell, BBC royal and diplomatic correspondent (1998-Mar 2024), 71; Mark Woodforde, tennis player, six-time Wimbledon men’s doubles champion (between 1993 and 2000), 59.