The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
Critics warn that the plan will put ‘ideological conformity’ above academic excellence
newUniversities that fail to champion diversity face cuts to their research budgets under a funding plan that critics warn will put “ideological conformity” above academic excellence. Under proposals to reform how £2 billion a year of taxpayer funding is allocated for academic research, universities...Universities that fail to champion diversity face cuts to their research budgets under a funding plan that critics warn will put “ideological conformity” above academic excellence. Under proposals to reform how £2 billion a year of taxpayer funding is allocated for academic research, universities...Universities that fail to champion diversity face cuts to their research budgets under a funding plan that critics warn will...
IN DEPTH
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will try something new. The prime minister will attempt to get on the front foot over immigration, taking the fight to Reform and Nigel Farage directly. Labour will publish a series of videos showing the “journey” of an illegal immigrant, from detention in early morning raids to transfer from bleak immigration...On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will try something new. The prime minister will attempt to get on the front foot over immigration, taking the fight to Reform and Nigel Farage directly. Labour will publish a series of videos showing the “journey” of an illegal immigrant, from detention in early morning raids to transfer from bleak immigration...On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will try something new. The prime minister will attempt to get on the front foot over immigration...
A year after Buckingham Palace announced that the King had cancer, the royal family appears to be back up to a level of official engagements not seen since 2023. It is understood that Charles, 76, is advising aides to fill any gaps in his diary with more engagements. The King is still undergoing treatment, but those...A year after Buckingham Palace announced that the King had cancer, the royal family appears to be...A year after Buckingham Palace announced that the King had cancer, the royal family appears to be...
Electric cars have more accidents than petrol or diesel vehicles, according to insurance data. Owners of electric vehicles are 56 per cent more likely to make a claim on their policy than owners of petrol cars, figures from the insurance group Howden show. Last year, one in every 12 people who owned an electric car made a claim, compared with about one in every 20 with...Electric cars have more accidents than petrol or diesel vehicles, according to insurance data.Electric cars have more accidents than petrol or diesel vehicles, according to insurance data.
Given they greet complete strangers with the phrase, “Alright, my luvver?”, perhaps it’s not too far-fetched to...Given they greet complete strangers with the phrase, “Alright, my luvver?”, perhaps it’s not too far-fetched to believe that Bristolians are the most romantic people in the UK. A survey this week found those in the heart of the West Country show their other halves more love than any city in the country, with 40 per...Given they greet complete strangers with the phrase, “Alright, my luvver?”, perhaps it’s not too far-fetched to believe that...
interview
It’s a snowy January morning in Munich and I’m on a sofa in Boris Becker’s dressing room, watching the Australian...It’s a snowy January morning in Munich and I’m on a sofa in Boris Becker’s dressing room...It’s a snowy January morning in Munich and I’m on a sofa in Boris Becker’s dressing room...
Richard Balfour-Lynn’s transition from failed property tycoon to humbled yet successful Kent winemaker has a pleasing...Richard Balfour-Lynn’s transition from failed property tycoon to humbled yet successful Kent...Richard Balfour-Lynn’s transition from failed property tycoon to humbled yet successful Kent...
The 1977 clash between Richard Nixon and Sir David Frost was a dramatic postscript to the scandal that brought down the former US president. In a series of television interviews, later revisited by the film Frost/Nixon, the British chat show...The 1977 clash between Richard Nixon and Sir David Frost was a dramatic postscript to the scandal...The 1977 clash between Richard Nixon and Sir David Frost was a dramatic postscript to the scandal...
Despite the local authority’s dire financial straits, members insisted the increase was vital to allow them to ‘stand and serve’
Reform UK leader says Lord Hermer has been part of ‘the betrayal of our national interest’
A government assessment found the changes will limit the ability of popular schools to expand. Ministers say they are needed to protect other schools
Energy secretary says he will ‘abide by collective responsibility’ but that plans must meet ‘strict environmental standards’
Inflation warning as growth forecast is halved, raising spectre of stagflation and reduced living standards
Four out of five special forces veterans have completed a 700-mile trek through the Arabian desert, nearly a month after setting out in the footsteps of TE Lawrence. The Britons, all aged 40 or older, arrived on camelback into the Jordanian port...Four out of five special forces veterans have completed a 700-mile trek through the Arabian...Four out of five special forces veterans have completed a 700-mile trek through the Arabian...
Two years ago Tim Flach, a leading wildlife photographer, received a phone call out of the blue that would change his working life. An academic researching AI called to tell Flach, 66, that he was one of the most “scraped” artists in the world.Two years ago Tim Flach, a leading wildlife photographer, received a phone call out of the blue...Two years ago Tim Flach, a leading wildlife photographer, received a phone call out of the blue...
Researchers have described the “goosebumps” moment they discovered fundamental similarities between human speech and...Researchers have described the “goosebumps” moment they discovered fundamental similarities...Researchers have described the “goosebumps” moment they discovered fundamental similarities...
THE TIMES DIARY
The National Poo Museum in Sandown — slogan: “Have you been?” — is closing after nine years in order to become a...The National Poo Museum in Sandown — slogan: “Have you been?” — is closing after nine years in...The National Poo Museum in Sandown — slogan: “Have you been?” — is closing after nine years in...
video
US president issues executive order two days after hosting Israeli PM wanted by the court for alleged war crimes in Gaza
The UK has joined 78 countries in issuing a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after President Trump authorised sanctions against the tribunal’s “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel”. Trump’s sanctions threatened to “increase...The UK has joined 78 countries in issuing a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after President Trump authorised sanctions against the tribunal’s “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel”. Trump’s sanctions threatened to “increase...The UK has joined 78 countries in issuing a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after President...
President Trump’s proposal for the mass relocation of Palestinians has offered Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to renege on Gaza ceasefire terms and could jeopardise the future release of hostages, a former senior peace negotiator has warned. Gilead Sher, a veteran mediator who led talks with the Palestinians during the Oslo accords...President Trump’s proposal for the mass relocation of Palestinians has offered Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to renege on Gaza ceasefire terms and could jeopardise the future release of hostages, a former senior peace negotiator has warned. Gilead Sher, a veteran mediator who led talks with the Palestinians during the Oslo accords...President Trump’s proposal for the mass relocation of Palestinians has offered Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to renege...
Last weekend Mexico was on tenterhooks: time was ticking until President Trump’s tariffs would send his country’s biggest trade partner into recession. When the reprieve came on Monday morning, President Sheinbaum only had to ask a press conference, with a wry smile, “You already saw the tweet?”, before applause...Last weekend Mexico was on tenterhooks: time was ticking until President Trump’s tariffs would...Last weekend Mexico was on tenterhooks: time was ticking until President Trump’s tariffs would...
Maxim Tucker in Sumy
The guide prodded the snowy ground with a metal pole, checking for fresh cracks in Greenland’s gigantic ice sheet. When he discovered one, which happened every 20 metres or so, he made a line in the snow to be carefully stepped over. As global...The guide prodded the snowy ground with a metal pole, checking for fresh cracks in Greenland’s...The guide prodded the snowy ground with a metal pole, checking for fresh cracks in Greenland’s...
Immediately after the kiss that Luis Rubiales forced on Jenni Hermoso, the former Spanish football boss called his...Immediately after the kiss that Luis Rubiales forced on Jenni Hermoso, the former Spanish...Immediately after the kiss that Luis Rubiales forced on Jenni Hermoso, the former Spanish...
To live in Australia means accepting that the neighbours are not always friendly — this includes the spiders that...To live in Australia means accepting that the neighbours are not always friendly — this includes...To live in Australia means accepting that the neighbours are not always friendly — this includes...
video
in depth
When Mosul’s inhabitants began trickling back to the Iraqi city after a US-led coalition wrested it from the Islamic State, they found an uninhabitable wasteland. About 140,000 homes were destroyed in the battle, along with the historic al-Nuri...When Mosul’s inhabitants began trickling back to the Iraqi city after a US-led coalition wrested...When Mosul’s inhabitants began trickling back to the Iraqi city after a US-led coalition wrested...
video
President decries religious ‘persecution’ under Joe Biden and announces plans for a White House ‘faith office’
Judge puts on hold redundancy scheme affecting more than 2m federal workers
Washington escalates its crackdown on the country before the summit in Johannesburg
The US president plans ‘to eradicate anti-Christian bias’ in government and is creating a White House Faith Office
The US president has criticised the practice of hosting foreign dignitaries in ‘old, rotten tents’ on the lawn
The United Nations has warned that the risk of regional conflict in central Africa “has never been higher”, as a rebel group backed by troops and weapons from Rwanda closed in on a second key city in eastern Congo. The M23 group and its Rwandan...The United Nations has warned that the risk of regional conflict in central Africa “has never...The United Nations has warned that the risk of regional conflict in central Africa “has never...
It was in the spring 1934 edition of Scientific American that Nikola Tesla first wrote about the groundbreaking possibility of harnessing the earth’s electrostatic field for energy. In the pages of the same esteemed magazine, Albert Einstein would...It was in the spring 1934 edition of Scientific American that Nikola Tesla first wrote about the...It was in the spring 1934 edition of Scientific American that Nikola Tesla first wrote about the...
Sale of US life assurance business to Japan’s Meiji Yasuda is António Simões’ biggest transaction since taking over as chief executive a year ago
Legal & General has pledged to hand more than £5 billion back to shareholders after selling its US life assurance business to Meiji Yasuda as part of a new alliance with the giant Japanese mutual insurer. António Simões, L&G chief executive, hailed the deal as transformational for the FTSE...Legal & General has pledged to hand more than £5 billion back to shareholders after selling its US life assurance business to Meiji Yasuda as part of a new alliance with the giant Japanese mutual insurer. António Simões, L&G chief executive, hailed the deal as transformational for the FTSE...Legal & General has pledged to hand more than £5 billion back to shareholders after selling its US life assurance business to...
The Financial Ombudsman Service has pushed ahead with a crackdown on claims management companies, a day after the sudden exit of its boss amid a rift over the policy. Claims firms, which pursue complaints against businesses on behalf of consumers, can at present submit cases to the ombudsman for free but, under plans confirmed on Friday...The Financial Ombudsman Service has pushed ahead with a crackdown on claims management companies, a day after the sudden exit of its boss amid a rift over the policy. Claims firms, which pursue complaints against businesses on behalf of consumers, can at present submit cases to the ombudsman for free but, under plans confirmed on Friday...The Financial Ombudsman Service has pushed ahead with a crackdown on claims management companies, a day after the sudden exit...
Big American technology companies plan to spend more than $300 billion on artificial intelligence infrastructure this year as they double down on bets that this will be transformative for businesses. Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta have all announced increased spending to secure the computing power needed to...Big American technology companies plan to spend more than $300 billion on artificial intelligence...Big American technology companies plan to spend more than $300 billion on artificial intelligence...
The ousted chairman of the competition regulator has hit back at the government, issuing a staunch defence of his...The ousted chairman of the competition regulator has hit back at the government, issuing a...The ousted chairman of the competition regulator has hit back at the government, issuing a...
comment
Like the mountaineer that arrives on a Himalayan summit, world leaders are propelled to great heights by teams of...Like the mountaineer that arrives on a Himalayan summit, world leaders are propelled to great...Like the mountaineer that arrives on a Himalayan summit, world leaders are propelled to great...
lunch with the times
Nikhil Rathi has chosen a vegan restaurant for our lunch. The boss of the Financial Conduct Authority is vegetarian and has been recommended to try Mallow in London’s financial district, Canary Wharf. “I was brought up in a vegetarian household,”...Nikhil Rathi has chosen a vegan restaurant for our lunch. The boss of the Financial Conduct...Nikhil Rathi has chosen a vegan restaurant for our lunch. The boss of the Financial Conduct...
Barclays is expected to kick off what is likely to be an eventful earnings season for Britain’s biggest banks with a...Barclays is expected to kick off what is likely to be an eventful earnings season for Britain’s...Barclays is expected to kick off what is likely to be an eventful earnings season for Britain’s...
The upmarket wallpaper and fabrics family business of George Osborne, the former chancellor, has fallen into the red...The upmarket wallpaper and fabrics family business of George Osborne, the former chancellor, has...The upmarket wallpaper and fabrics family business of George Osborne, the former chancellor, has...
skills
A Department for Education study finds that most businesses are struggling to find suitably qualified recruits, with the biggest gaps for entry level positions
Apprenticeships
The number of people starting advanced placements surges before the government forces employers to spend more on lower-level apprenticeships
Banking
More than 6,000 branches have closed since 2015. New machines will allow customers to deposit and withdraw coinage
Expert tips
Don’t underestimate the benefits that flow from good, trained managers. I’d be asking, do we have the right people in the right roles?
recruitment
It’s the “invisible career” underpinning every organisation in the UK, yet the recent Post Office Horizon scandal has seen governance emerge from the shadows, moving from nebulous backroom function to a high-profile marker of integrity and success. Handling risk through creating good governance frameworks has become a priority for all organisational leaders, meaning...It’s the “invisible career” underpinning every organisation in the UK, yet the recent Post Office...It’s the “invisible career” underpinning every organisation in the UK, yet the recent Post Office...
recruitment | SIX FROM THE BEST
Carolyn Dailey spent more than 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN...Carolyn Dailey spent more than 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN, Warner Bros and Time Inc. Now as a bestselling author and founder of the international community Creative Entrepreneurs, she is championing bringing creativity and business closer together to unlock...Carolyn Dailey spent more than 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN, Warner Bros...
FA Cup
Man United 2 Leicester City 1
newIn another world, Alejandro Garnacho would have spent Friday night watching Manchester United from the comfort of his living room in his plush new house in one of the leafy Surrey villages near Chelsea’s training ground. Chelsea’s interest in the Argentina winger fizzled out towards the end of the transfer window, which came as a relief to Ruben Amorim and the United...In another world, Alejandro Garnacho would have spent Friday night watching Manchester United...In another world, Alejandro Garnacho would have spent Friday night watching Manchester United...
six nations | alex lowe
The headline emblazoned across the front page of Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper, screamed: “Waterloo”.The headline emblazoned across the front page of Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper, screamed: “Waterloo”. This was February 11, 2019. France had just suffered their heaviest defeat by England since 1911, an eighth loss in nine Tests that prompted an angry reaction from the players. The familiar smell of...The headline emblazoned across the front page of Midi Olympique, the French rugby newspaper, screamed: “Waterloo”. This was...
six nations | john westerby
interview
It should have come as no surprise but Bryson DeChambeau, once derided as a bulked-up mix of brawn and brain waves, was playing the long game all along. And so after winning the US Open with a bunker shot to survive the sands of time and being...It should have come as no surprise but Bryson DeChambeau, once derided as a bulked-up mix of...It should have come as no surprise but Bryson DeChambeau, once derided as a bulked-up mix of...
MARTYN ZIEGLER
Manchester City’s attempt to prevent the Premier League making amendments to the APT rules in November ended in clear...Manchester City’s attempt to prevent the Premier League making amendments to the APT rules in...Manchester City’s attempt to prevent the Premier League making amendments to the APT rules in...
SAM WARBURTON
Experience is overrated. Or rather the number of caps an international team possess is overrated. It was a subject...Experience is overrated. Or rather the number of caps an international team possess is overrated.Experience is overrated. Or rather the number of caps an international team possess is overrated.
gregor robertson
Backed by Tom Brady and a $9bn hedge fund, the club with revolutionary stadium plans aim to be at similar level to Newcastle, their FA Cup opponents, very soon
newThe big news in Birmingham this week? How about Tom Wagner’s proposal to build a tunnel under the city, linking New Street station with a new £3billion sports campus that, if the Birmingham City chairman has his way, will have a 60,000-seat stadium as its centrepiece by the end of the decade. “I’m the crazy American talking about this,” Wagner admitted at a West...The big news in Birmingham this week? How about Tom Wagner’s proposal to build a tunnel under the...The big news in Birmingham this week? How about Tom Wagner’s proposal to build a tunnel under the...
Gabriel Martinelli could be out for more than a month after he suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-0 defeat by...Gabriel Martinelli could be out for more than a month after he suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-0 defeat by Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg on Wednesday. The 23-year-old winger went off before half-time holding his thigh, leaving Arsenal without three attacking players as they try...Gabriel Martinelli could be out for more than a month after he suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-0 defeat by Newcastle...
OWEN SLOT
Mynydd-y-Garreg has a beautiful location, a mown pitch and an active bar with TV – but its team hasn’t played in nearly a decade
We are, we rugby people, attempting to fathom what happened to Welsh rugby, to understand why Wales are now underdogs this weekend in Italy, to know why such heavy odds point to a Welsh wooden spoon. But if you stop off at Mynydd-y-Garreg, your heart will yearn as it all becomes achingly clear. Mynydd-y-Garreg translates from the Welsh as “mountain of stone”. We are ten...We are, we rugby people, attempting to fathom what happened to Welsh rugby, to understand why...We are, we rugby people, attempting to fathom what happened to Welsh rugby, to understand why...
Steve James
The text message from a former Wales international who was out in Paris duly arrived late last Friday evening after...The text message from a former Wales international who was out in Paris duly arrived late last Friday evening after Wales’s 43-0 drubbing. “No one is surprised, upset or angry,” he said. “It is just expected, it is so sad.” Another former international observed that it had been the best performance he had ever seen...The text message from a former Wales international who was out in Paris duly arrived late last Friday evening after Wales’s...
the tailender
Since it was established a century ago, the interval entertainment is when many Americans start watching — with Kendrick Lamar and SZA the stars set to perform this year
I don’t know if Donald Trump is a huge admirer of Kendrick Lamar and SZA — he’s more a Village People fan — but they are the half-time entertainment at Sunday’s Super Bowl. Trump will be the first sitting US president to attend the NFL jamboree, though Ronald Reagan performed the coin toss by video from the White House before Super Bowl XIX in 1985. He was unable to be...I don’t know if Donald Trump is a huge admirer of Kendrick Lamar and SZA — he’s more a Village...I don’t know if Donald Trump is a huge admirer of Kendrick Lamar and SZA — he’s more a Village...
For a man who might just be London’s expert on Philly cheesesteaks, JP Teti still looks in remarkably good shape.For a man who might just be London’s expert on Philly cheesesteaks, JP Teti still looks in remarkably good shape. Whether he’ll look quite so chipper come Monday morning depends on the result of the night before, as his Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. While the game may be...For a man who might just be London’s expert on Philly cheesesteaks, JP Teti still looks in remarkably good shape. Whether he’ll...
Notebook | Martyn Ziegler
SIX NATIONS | alex lowe
SIX NATIONS | peter o’reilly
Dan Sheehan had a suitable companion alongside him when he stepped back into the Test arena last Saturday, 50 minutes into Ireland’s tussle with England. He and Jack Conan are a double act in more ways than one. The two Leinstermen had both just...Dan Sheehan had a suitable companion alongside him when he stepped back into the Test arena last...Dan Sheehan had a suitable companion alongside him when he stepped back into the Test arena last...
james gheerbrant
Perhaps it was Marcus Rashford’s misfortune to become something more monumental than a footballer. Once you get...Perhaps it was Marcus Rashford’s misfortune to become something more monumental than a footballer.Perhaps it was Marcus Rashford’s misfortune to become something more monumental than a footballer.
STUART BARNES
England have got to stop deluding themselves. After the Ireland defeat I was warming up with a coffee in the media...England have got to stop deluding themselves. After the Ireland defeat I was warming up with a...England have got to stop deluding themselves. After the Ireland defeat I was warming up with a...
carabao cup | paul joyce
For all that Arne Slot exudes a certain calmness on the touchline, he is clearly impatient for success. Eyes may be on bigger, more prestigious prizes over the coming months, but the chance to restock the Anfield trophy cabinet at the earliest...For all that Arne Slot exudes a certain calmness on the touchline, he is clearly impatient for...For all that Arne Slot exudes a certain calmness on the touchline, he is clearly impatient for...
interview
The music industry pioneer Kanya King has stage 4 bowel cancer and in December was given six months to live. But she has no intention of admitting defeat
Viewership plummeted from 28 million for EastEnders’ 1987 New Year’s Day episode to just 4.2 million in 2025. What happened?
Tom Peck on tv
A shocking tale of a boyband bitterness and their manager, the former X Factor judge. Plus, a provocative Channel 4 documentary and Amandaland
interview
Now 57, the man who won Wimbledon at 17 tells Jane Mulkerrins what he learnt from losing it all
interview
As Mike White’s luxury hotel thriller moves to Thailand, its stars talk about how fiction and reality blurred on set
gift guide 2025
While I’m not a huge fan of a heart-shaped jewel for Valentine’s, I’ll make an exception if the heart is puffy (think...While I’m not a huge fan of a heart-shaped jewel for Valentine’s, I’ll make an exception if the...While I’m not a huge fan of a heart-shaped jewel for Valentine’s, I’ll make an exception if the...
FIRST PERSON
Throughout my life, men have stopped me at parties, in bars and in clubs and whispered in my ear: “Has anyone ever...Throughout my life, men have stopped me at parties, in bars and in clubs and whispered in my ear...Throughout my life, men have stopped me at parties, in bars and in clubs and whispered in my ear...
Is it possible to be as fit in your forties and onwards as you were in your thirties? Perhaps even fitter? Yes it is, say fitness experts: there are plenty of people in their forties and even fifties who are in better shape than they were decades...Is it possible to be as fit in your forties and onwards as you were in your thirties? Perhaps...Is it possible to be as fit in your forties and onwards as you were in your thirties? Perhaps...
JANE MACQUITTY
review
“I’m sick of the two waves of laughter,” Stewart Lee chides as his gag-heavy material proves multilayered enough to both tickle and puzzle his crowd. “Tighten it up.” I bet he says that to all the audiences. No, really, I do. What remains most...“I’m sick of the two waves of laughter,” Stewart Lee chides as his gag-heavy material proves...“I’m sick of the two waves of laughter,” Stewart Lee chides as his gag-heavy material proves...
richard morrison
review
The crisis for music in Wales is ever bleaker, but Welsh National Opera’s Mozart revival is full of fresh energy
REVIEW
The dancers of Motionhouse embody drive and anxiety as they slide, climb, swing, flip and leap upon each other and the set
review
The London-based Canadian has a PhD in maths from Imperial College and appears to have calculated the formula for the perfect live electronic show
review
This Handel co-production is heading to Covent Garden in the summer. On its Paris premiere it hit a nerve
review
The Radio 3 called this percussion concerto ‘really fun to listen to’. Even with Colin Currie performing, we found it gruelling and unrewarding
Here is a selection of stories from the music world, plus the best new songs. Stuck in a rut with your playlists and not sure what to try next? Each week, our critics listen to recently released singles and pick their favourites. Make sure to...Here is a selection of stories from the music world, plus the best new songs. Stuck in a rut with...Here is a selection of stories from the music world, plus the best new songs. Stuck in a rut with...
REVIEW | FICTION
Harry WALLOP
Zoom fatigue has become as common a workplace malady as repetitive strain injury. An increasing number of doctors and...Zoom fatigue has become as common a workplace malady as repetitive strain injury. An increasing...Zoom fatigue has become as common a workplace malady as repetitive strain injury. An increasing...
review
If The Vanishings on Channel 5 feels familiar to you that could be because it is. Last year it was shown on Acorn TV...If The Vanishings on Channel 5 feels familiar to you that could be because it is. Last year it...If The Vanishings on Channel 5 feels familiar to you that could be because it is. Last year it...
video
review
This gripping account of the 1972 massacre at the Munich Olympics focuses on the TV coverage of the atrocity
video
review
The actress plays a lethal assassin in another hackneyed John Wick knock-off
video
review
The adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s bestselling comic book has moments of pathos amid the poo gags
video
REVIEW
This film about toxic masculinity was supposed to star Paul Mescal and be shot in the north of England. The Irish setting doesn’t make sense
video
review
Bernard MacMahon’s authorised film is sonically impressive, but where are the tales of tension and excess?
Our experts pick the best films on TV, to stream, rent and buy
updatedThere’s never been a better time to be an armchair cinema fan, with more ways to watch movies across TV channels, streaming services and digital downloads than ever before. But sometimes there can be too much choice, and that’s why our experts have hand-picked the very best films to watch over the coming week. We update this list weekly with the best films available...There’s never been a better time to be an armchair cinema fan, with more ways to watch movies...There’s never been a better time to be an armchair cinema fan, with more ways to watch movies...
video
classic film
★★★★★
It’s up there with The Matrix as the quintessential movie of the modern era, a film that obsesses over...★★★★★
It’s up there with The Matrix as the quintessential movie of the modern era, a film that obsesses over the nature of reality and memory — and of technology’s ability to supplant the self. The story of mismatched paramours (played by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet) trapped in a stormy codependent love spiral...★★★★★
It’s up there with The Matrix as the quintessential movie of the modern era, a film that obsesses over the nature...
fame and fortune
review | history
review
For a band who first came to national attention with a song called You Love Us when nobody did, whose charismatic...For a band who first came to national attention with a song called You Love Us when nobody did...For a band who first came to national attention with a song called You Love Us when nobody did...
review | health
Professor David Sackett, who founded the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, warned his...Professor David Sackett, who founded the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of...Professor David Sackett, who founded the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of...
review
Why does the world’s richest man want to become a civil servant? It’s a good question, which Matt Frei addressed in Can Elon Musk Rule the World? (Channel 4), a well-crafted, peppy documentary that opened with footage of Musk bouncing around and...Why does the world’s richest man want to become a civil servant? It’s a good question, which Matt...Why does the world’s richest man want to become a civil servant? It’s a good question, which Matt...
MindGames
1 Which Fiat supermini shares its name with the Italian for “one”? 2 Which painting in the Louvre is set to be moved...1 Which Fiat supermini shares its name with the Italian for “one”? 2 Which painting in the Louvre...1 Which Fiat supermini shares its name with the Italian for “one”? 2 Which painting in the Louvre...
The big houses showed off their new collections, which were full of natural wonders, from a brushed gold bamboo leaves to diamond sea urchins
Meet the hotelier who transformed her family’s traditional Mykonos hotel into an elegant modern escape
Indulge in lustrous silk sets and cosy cashmere two-pieces from our favourite designer nightwear brands
Described by its makers as a ‘bit of a rogue’, the Vanquish is so fast it’s scary
She went from model to soil activist over the course of one illuminating lunch. Now she is trying to persuade the big fashion houses to join her cause
Andrew Eames bunked up on Europe’s latest sleeper service, as it departed this week — but would he reach his destination? Plus, eight more night trains to know about
Romeo Gigli has designed outfits for everyone from Nicole Kidman to Bianca Jagger. His latest project? An excitingly avant-garde hotel
Whatever you want from your trip, the Spanish coastline has the perfect playa. From wild yellow stretches of sand to sheltered pebble coves, our expert picks her go-tos
After the Line of Duty actress got married last year she and her new husband dreamed not of the sunkissed Maldives, but of snowmobiling, husky-driving and ice swims
Everything you need to know about the earthquake as the Greek government declares a state of emergency, including latest Foreign Office advice and what your insurance covers
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and a new Bridget Jones film landing on the same day, rom-com love is...With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and a new Bridget Jones film landing on the same day...With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and a new Bridget Jones film landing on the same day...
Part of the eternal appeal of Mallorca — aside from its secluded beaches, invigorating mountaintop villages, serious...Part of the eternal appeal of Mallorca — aside from its secluded beaches, invigorating...Part of the eternal appeal of Mallorca — aside from its secluded beaches, invigorating...
OBITUARY
Old-school literary giant who founded his own company, discovered William Boyd and believed in good syntax and long lunches, but not emails and mobiles
OBITUARY
Dogged environmental activist and thorn in Thatcher’s side who helped to prevent decades of mining in Antarctica
OBITUARY
High-powered Delhi hostess and founder of several progressive and charitable enterprises who once had lunch with a young Elvis Presley
OBITUARY
Former dockworker turned character actor whose granite stare was used to good effect in cult gangster movies
JESUS stood up and commanded the wind, “Be quiet!” and he said to the waves, “Be still!” The wind died down, and...JESUS stood up and commanded the wind, “Be quiet!” and he said to the waves, “Be still!” The wind...JESUS stood up and commanded the wind, “Be quiet!” and he said to the waves, “Be still!” The wind...
Buckingham Palace
6th February, 2025 Her Excellency Mrs Ximena Fuentes Torrijo was received in audience by The...Buckingham Palace
6th February, 2025 Her Excellency Mrs Ximena Fuentes Torrijo was received...Buckingham Palace
6th February, 2025 Her Excellency Mrs Ximena Fuentes Torrijo was received...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
The chancellor Rachel Reeves is prioritising construction targets over conservation. We look at what this means for the builders — and the bats
Using prefab panels, this architect created a light-filled home for his family. Now he wants to start a housebuilding revolution
As families have fewer children, homeowners are swapping beds for baths
Plastic and nonstick coatings can degrade over time, increasing the risk of contamination. Swap your utensils for these alternatives
HOUSE HISTORIES
While rumours about Paddington’s creator living in Holland Street do not bear out, this townhouse’s literary past is not total fiction
Gone are the days when dedicating a corner of a boot room to a treasured pet was enough for super-rich pet owners — well-heeled whippets and chichi chow chows now expect the full-on princess treatment. The 62-floor Bentley Residences Miami, on...Gone are the days when dedicating a corner of a boot room to a treasured pet was enough for...Gone are the days when dedicating a corner of a boot room to a treasured pet was enough for...
Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were found dead at their home in the countryside. Police are considering a link to his work tackling money laundering
updatedA British former financial investigator who helped tackle organised crime and terrorism was found dead alongside his wife at their retirement home in rural France. Andrew and Dawn Searle, who were both grandparents, were discovered on Thursday in the hamlet of Les Pesquiès, near...A British former financial investigator who helped tackle organised crime and terrorism was found dead alongside his wife at their retirement home in rural France. Andrew and Dawn Searle, who were both grandparents, were discovered on Thursday in the hamlet of Les Pesquiès, near...A British former financial investigator who helped tackle organised crime and terrorism was found dead alongside his wife at...
A long-delayed CalMac ferry which launched last month six-and-a-half years later than planned is to be out of action for a week to undergo repairs. The Glen Sannox was known to have a problem with its anchor system which would require a remedy sooner rather than later. That was identified during sea trials last year, with the anchor...A long-delayed CalMac ferry which launched last month six-and-a-half years later than planned is to be out of action for a week to undergo repairs. The Glen Sannox was known to have a problem with its anchor system which would require a remedy sooner rather than later. That was identified during sea trials last year, with the anchor...A long-delayed CalMac ferry which launched last month six-and-a-half years later than planned is to be out of action for a week...
A transgender doctor at the centre of a landmark employment tribunal has said she has been afraid to leave her home because of a hostile “social media circus” around the case. Beth Upton said her life had become “miserable” since the case was brought against her and her employer, NHS Fife, by a nurse, Sandie Peggie...A transgender doctor at the centre of a landmark employment tribunal has said she has been afraid...A transgender doctor at the centre of a landmark employment tribunal has said she has been afraid...
Six Nations
Gregor Townsend backed Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland to inject pace and dynamism into Scotland’s play after promoting the Glasgow Warriors trio to the starting XV for the clash with Ireland on Saturday. Jordan, below — who enjoyed an outstanding introduction to Test rugby last November — replaces his Warriors team-mate, the more direct Stafford McDowall...Gregor Townsend backed Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland to inject pace and dynamism...Gregor Townsend backed Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland to inject pace and dynamism...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers welcomed a decision that their fans can attend the Bayern Munich tie in Germany but...Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers welcomed a decision that their fans can attend the Bayern Munich tie in Germany but underlined that a Uefa ban was still hanging over the club and those who had previously let off fireworks and smoke bombs would probably not listen to his warnings to stop. Fans feared they would be...Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers welcomed a decision that their fans can attend the Bayern Munich tie in Germany but underlined...
scottish business digest
Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland. 1. Scotland is...Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.
Holyrood sketch
I am afraid to report there was a crime committed at first minister’s questions this week. Russell Findlay was the...I am afraid to report there was a crime committed at first minister’s questions this week.I am afraid to report there was a crime committed at first minister’s questions this week.
A leading conservation group has been urged to cut ties with a Scottish gathering of more than a thousand “furries” who dress up as cartoon animals. Saving Wildcats, a partnership between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and...A leading conservation group has been urged to cut ties with a Scottish gathering of more than a...A leading conservation group has been urged to cut ties with a Scottish gathering of more than a...
Plus, Spirit of Speyside whisky festival tickets are on sale now
updatedHere are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll update the list regularly, so make sure you save this page. And please let us know your personal favourites in the comments section below. We’re always looking for new places to eat and drink. Don’t know hogweed from hedge garlic? Then get yourself along to Fort William next...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll...
‘Where is the best place you’ve ever been?” If I had a pound for every time I’ve been asked this over 30 years as a...‘Where is the best place you’ve ever been?” If I had a pound for every time I’ve been asked this over 30 years as a travel writer, I’d be penning this over piña coladas from my yacht in the Maldives. Madagascar often gets my vote (lemurs, vibe), Nepal is also there (mountains, people), but forever poking its head...‘Where is the best place you’ve ever been?” If I had a pound for every time I’ve been asked this over 30 years as a travel...
Comment
Badenoch’s rope-a-dope is panicking Tories
Fraser Nelson
Conservative leader is using Muhammad Ali’s ploy that won in the jungle — she may soon need to come out swinging
newGiles Coren
We’re not passengers — there aren’t any trains
JANICE TURNER
Sports edict makes Trump a feminist hero
newLara Spirit
Why No 10 is looking to Kentucky in search of centre-left success
notebook | ann treneman
There was a time when pigs really could fly
newWEEKEND ESSAY | David Goodhart
Immigration is out of control: this ten-year plan could fix it
Dominic Sandbrook
Pollock and Putin, peas in a culture war pod
Rob Nash | FEEDBACK
We don’t asterisk many of those naughty words
newA new underpants advert prompted us to look into whether David Beckham had “still got it”. In doing so we referred...A new underpants advert prompted us to look into whether David Beckham had “still got it”. In...A new underpants advert prompted us to look into whether David Beckham had “still got it”. In...
melissa harrison | nature notebook
Barns prove man and owl can live in harmony
It’s a treat I don’t allow myself very often: to pass by what I call “the owl barn” and peek into its open side door.It’s a treat I don’t allow myself very often: to pass by what I call “the owl barn” and peek into...It’s a treat I don’t allow myself very often: to pass by what I call “the owl barn” and peek into...
MARTIN SAMUEL | NOTEBOOK
Real growth, beaches and sun … what’s not to like?
The young lady at the counter for the Rottnest Island ferry was from Preston: a 34 people-per-football-pitch-sized parcel of land, as calculated by ChatGPT. At the restaurant in Cottesloe, our waitress came from Scunthorpe. Just 10.74 people per...The young lady at the counter for the Rottnest Island ferry was from Preston: a 34...The young lady at the counter for the Rottnest Island ferry was from Preston: a 34...
Leading Articles
Taking the Mickey
With the economy flatlining and tax rises out of the question, Rachel Reeves must resort to cuts in spending to balance her books. She should not shrink from doing so
Skewed Reasoning
There are serious concerns about the committee scrutinising the assisted dying bill
Last Hurrah?
Abstemious habits may be driving the drunken stag do into extinction
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
How the US and the world can rebuild Gaza
Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, President Trump wants to create a Levantine Riviera (“Trump plan to ‘take over’ Gaza provokes international outcry”, Feb 6). All land in Hong Kong is held as leasehold. When the government “sells”...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, President Trump wants to create a Levantine Riviera (“...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, President Trump wants to create a Levantine Riviera (“...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The public accounts committee publishes a report from its inquiry on carbon capture, use and storage; Halifax publishes its monthly data on house prices.
Canada: The Canada-US economic summit takes place in Toronto.
US: The Critics’ Choice Awards are held in Santa Monica, California, to honour cinematic and televised/streaming achievement.
On this day
In 1820 Louis-Benoit Zamor, a slave from Bengal (of African descent) given to the Countess du Barry (the last maîtresse-en-titre of King Louis XV of France) died in his late fifties. The French courtesan took a liking to Zamor and provided him with an education. During the French Revolution he became an informant, leading to her execution by guillotine on December 8, 1793. After fleeing France, he returned in 1815 after the fall of Napoleon, became a tutor, but died in poverty; in 1971 Swiss men voted in favour of women being allowed to vote in federal elections and to stand for parliament. Swiss Women Against Voting Rights had been among groups campaigning against reform; in 1990 the Soviet Communist Party voted to abandon one-party rule in favour of a presidential system of government; in 2005 Ellen MacArthur arrived at Lizard Point, Cornwall, completing her solo sail around the world in a record 71 days, 14 hrs, 18 min, and 33 sec, beating the previous record by 33 hours; in 2020 Dr Li Wenliang, censured by the Chinese authorities for trying to warn others about a Sars-like virus, died after contracting the disease (Covid-19) at Wuhan’s central hospital, aged 33. (Obituary, February 8, 2020). On his deathbed he said: “A healthy society should not have only one voice.”
Nature notes
Water starwort lives in places of slow water. It thrives in ponds, canals, ditches and becks in depths of up to 60cm. The leaves that float on the surface are unremarkable enough; often just 2mm wide, they’re easy to miss. But the leaves that remain under water are a different kettle of fish all together. Sometimes growing well over a centimetre wide, they look like stars. When seen in clear water, this plant can be especially eye-catching. Water starwort deploys a range of dispersal strategies. The wind-pollinated seeds can float but also hitch a ride on the pelts of water voles, otters and ducks. Water starwort also spreads clonally. If part of the plant breaks off, it can re-root. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Garth Brooks, country musician, 63; Stuart Burrows, tenor, best known for singing Mozartian opera, 92; Nicholas Collon, conductor, founder and principal conductor, Aurora Orchestra, 42; Steph Cook, pentathlete, Olympic gold medallist (2000), 53; Kevin Crossley-Holland, poet and children’s fiction writer, the Arthurian trilogy (2000-03), 84; Prof Martin Daunton, economic historian, master, Trinity Hall, Cambridge (2004-14), 76; Sir Gerald Davies, rugby union player, Wales (1966-78), president, Welsh Rugby Union (2019-23), 80; Karen Joy Fowler, novelist, Booth (2022), 75; Pierre Gasly, racing driver, Formula One team Alpine, 29; Sir Donald Insall, conservation architect, 99; Eddie Izzard, entertainer, writer and fundraising marathon runner, 63; Cliff Jones, footballer, Tottenham Hotspur (1958-68) and Wales (1954-69), 90; Ashton Kutcher, actor, Two and A Half Men (2011-15), 47; Terry Marsh, boxer, an undefeated world champion in the light-welterweight division, 67; Ray Mears, explorer, bushcraft expert, broadcaster, Wild China with Ray Mears (2021), 61; Kristin Otto, swimmer, six-time Olympic gold medallist (1988), 59; Brian Patten, Liverpudlian poet, co-author of The Mersey Sound (1967), 79; David Pipe, racehorse trainer, 52; Matt Ridley, Viscount Ridley, author, Birds, Sex and Beauty: The extraordinary implications of Charles Darwin’s Strangest Idea (2025), and Times columnist, 67; Chris Rock, comedian and actor, 60; James Spader, actor, The Blacklist (2013-23), 65; Laura Sugar, athlete, two-time Paralympic gold medallist (2020, 2024, KL3 paracanoeing), 34; Crispin Truman, chief executive, The Rayne Foundation (charity), Campaign to Protect Rural England (2017-22), 61; Pippa Wilson, sailor, Olympic gold medallist (2008), 39; Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management, BMW Group (BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce), 61.