The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage Accessibility LinksThe ups and downs of Downing StreetKnow the scoreFrom fashion to foodNewsIn the NewsCommentWorldBusinessSportRegisterPuzzlesSpecialTimes2LawScotlandIreland
It’s what you can’t see in Cuba that really mattersMy father died of Alzheimer’s. If I get it, I’ll try to kill myselfShe lectures in economic history. So why does she strip?World’s scouts are flocking to watch England teenagers
Accessibility Links
Skip to content

Thursday March 28 2019
SubscribeLog in
The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage

The ups and downs of Downing Street
Get a broader perspective of the political landscape with 30 days’ complimentary digital access.
Start your free trial today.
Start your free trial
Know the score
Follow every game and every goal with unlimited digital access for 30 days.
Start your free trial today.
Start your free trial
From fashion to food
Get inspiration and discover the latest trends with 30 days’ unlimited digital access.
Start your free trial
News
In the News

David Aaronovitch
It’s what you can’t see in Cuba that really matters

Nicci Gerard
My father died of Alzheimer’s. If I get it, I’ll try to kill myself

Naked protester
She lectures in economic history. So why does she strip?

Talent spotting
World’s scouts are flocking to watch England teenagers
May vows to quit
PM will go if her deal is passed
Theresa May offered last night to quit to get her EU divorce deal over the line as Brexit looked set to claim a second Conservative prime minister in three years. In a highly charged address, Mrs May told Tory MPs that she accepted they wanted new leadership to negotiate Britain’s future relationship with the bloc. She did not name a departure date but No 10 said later...Theresa May offered last night to quit to get her EU divorce deal over the line as Brexit looked...Theresa May offered last night to quit to get her EU divorce deal over the line as Brexit looked...
Read the full story


Political Sketch
Breathless inquirers, but the wind had gone from this waxen leader
Having signalled her departure, Theresa May left the foetid committee room at 5.41pm. She was drummed out by a thrum...Having signalled her departure, Theresa May left the foetid committee room at 5.41pm. She was drummed out by a thrum of Tory MPs’ hands on desks. West Aberdeenshire’s young Andrew Bowie, one of her parliamentary aides, was at hand to hold her elbow down some steps. He silently steered her away, a gaggle of wordless...Having signalled her departure, Theresa May left the foetid committee room at 5.41pm. She was drummed out by a thrum of Tory...
Read the full story

brexit
MPs take control but end up in yet another deadlock

SECRET DIARY OF AN MP
They howl and scream abuse at us but we are just doing our job

COMMENT | DANIEL FINKELSTEIN
Meaningless mantra set the agenda . . . and sealed the PM’s fate

BREXIT
Runners and riders for the top job
Teenage psychosis linked to air pollution in cities
Teenagers living on polluted roads are about 40 per cent more likely to be psychotic, the first study of its kind finds. Air pollution goes a long way to explaining why adolescents in cities are twice as likely to suffer...Teenagers living on polluted roads are about 40 per cent more likely to be psychotic, the first study of its kind finds. Air pollution goes a long way to explaining why adolescents in cities are twice as likely to suffer...Teenagers living on polluted roads are about 40 per cent more likely to be psychotic, the first study of its kind finds.
Read the full story
Gangs use money transfer firms to export dirty cash
Drug gangs are using poorly regulated money transfer businesses to funnel crate-loads of dirty cash out of the country, Scotland Yard has warned. Paper trails after vast cash seizures in complex drug cases often lead back to...Drug gangs are using poorly regulated money transfer businesses to funnel crate-loads of dirty cash out of the country, Scotland Yard has warned. Paper trails after vast cash seizures in complex drug cases often lead back to...Drug gangs are using poorly regulated money transfer businesses to funnel crate-loads of dirty cash out of the...
Read the full story

Superwoman who never feels pain

British jet ski fugitive caught after running out of fuel
video
ANTHONY LOYD IN BAGHUZ
Caliphate reduced to broken prams and bloody blankets
For those in a rush to die fighting, it was Plan B: dozens of suicide belts lay clustered among the gobbits of gore, twisted vehicles and burnt tents, the spent bullet casings and shrapnel, all that was left of the caliphate. Such was the ferocity...For those in a rush to die fighting, it was Plan B: dozens of suicide belts lay clustered among...For those in a rush to die fighting, it was Plan B: dozens of suicide belts lay clustered among...
Read the full story

The Red Box podcast at Brexit Tamed, Live
Unpicking Europe’s history - and how it led to Brexit

Brexit
Fresh faces and old foes prepare for marathon leadership contest

Brexit
Voice cracking, she finally got the party on her side

BREXIT | ANALYSIS
How the indicative votes played out

brexit
Leave campaign chief in tirade at ‘narcissist-delusional’ Brexiteers

brexit
Speaker lays down law on May’s deal

brexit
Corbyn’s assurances fail to stop exodus from front bench

BREXIT
Back the Britons who want to remain, Tusk tells MEPs

Brexit
Fit for office? Corbyn prepares ‘with 7k runs’

BREXIT
Labour expels McDonnell ally over antisemitic claims

How did we get here?
From the referendum to indicative votes: the long and winding road to Brexit
British couple force neighbours to destroy £49m French chateau
A vast faux-Tuscan palazzo on the French Riviera must be demolished after a British couple sued their neighbour for building it without permission. The appeal court in Aix-en-Provence told Patrick Diter, a property developer, to reduce his estate...A vast faux-Tuscan palazzo on the French Riviera must be demolished after a British couple sued...A vast faux-Tuscan palazzo on the French Riviera must be demolished after a British couple sued...
Read the full story

Council taxes to rise by 5% but service cuts ‘still needed’
The average council tax bill in England is to rise by almost 5 per cent, the second-largest increase in ten years. Figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government showed the levy on a...The average council tax bill in England is to rise by almost 5 per cent, the second-largest increase in ten years. Figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government showed the levy on a...The average council tax bill in England is to rise by almost 5 per cent, the second-largest increase in ten years.
Read the full story
Pledge to help homeowners trapped by onerous leases
More than 40 property developers and freeholders have signed a government-backed pledge to help homeowners stuck with “toxic leases” that make properties almost impossible to sell. The signatories have committed to change...More than 40 property developers and freeholders have signed a government-backed pledge to help homeowners stuck with “toxic leases” that make properties almost impossible to sell. The signatories have committed to change...More than 40 property developers and freeholders have signed a government-backed pledge to help homeowners stuck with...
Read the full story

Keyless car thefts drive record insurance payouts

Hunter shot dead on Scottish estate

Bankruptcy expert wanted as universities rack up debts

Woman shoved into path of bus after row in store

Half-bottle of wine a night ‘as bad as three cigarettes’

Alexa creator wants to give it robot body

video
Homeowner carves out small piece of history

New Fat Ladies: Diet book breaks sales records

Botticelli Madonna dismissed as a copy is identified as the real thing
A painting thought to have been an imitation Botticelli has been identified as a genuine masterpiece from the...A painting thought to have been an imitation Botticelli has been identified as a genuine...A painting thought to have been an imitation Botticelli has been identified as a genuine...
Read the full story

The Times Diary
Chewed up and spat out
I’ve been enjoying Women of Westminster, a new book by the Labour MP Rachel Reeves on her predecessors. One of...I’ve been enjoying Women of Westminster, a new book by the Labour MP Rachel Reeves on...I’ve been enjoying Women of Westminster, a new book by the Labour MP Rachel Reeves on...
Read the full story

Thieves tunnel into jeweller in £500,000 raid

Suspect ‘had special copy of Mein Kampf’

Spitfire pilot lost in action over Italy is finally laid to rest

Nationalise drug research to fight superbugs, urges expert
Canadian discovery is biggest ever T. rex
When Robert Gebhardt, a Canadian teacher, found the bone of a Tyrannosaurus rex in the rock of an ancient riverbed the museum crew he was assisting celebrated with a bottle of whisky and named the brute Scotty. That remnant, found in 1991, has now...When Robert Gebhardt, a Canadian teacher, found the bone of a Tyrannosaurus rex in the rock of an...When Robert Gebhardt, a Canadian teacher, found the bone of a Tyrannosaurus rex in the rock of an...
Read the full story


RED BOX | THANDIE NEWTON
Cyclone Idai devastated my mother’s native Zimbabwe but for women and girls the worst is yet to come

RED BOX | STEPHAN SHAKESPEARE
Who should Tories choose to win them the next election?

RED BOX | ALISTAIR CARMICHAEL
The party system of broad churches has ceased to function

RED BOX | ESTHER WEBBER
Theresa May’s deal may not be dead, but it’s killing us
World
WORLD AT FIVE | Migrant trail to the US
When a gang says you have two hours to leave, you go
Romeo and Carolina were given three days to get out of their home and leave Honduras altogether.They fled before one night had even passed, grabbing their eight-month-old daughter, Charlotte Juana, and a few possessions before boarding a bus to the Guatemalan border. Six days earlier the teenage couple had found the body of Romeo’s mother, Juana, dumped by the river on...Romeo and Carolina were given three days to get out of their home and leave Honduras...Romeo and Carolina were given three days to get out of their home and leave Honduras...
Read the full story


Take your troops out of Venezuela, Trump tells Russia
President Trump has called on Russia to “get out” of Venezuela after it deployed troops and equipment in the...President Trump has called on Russia to “get out” of Venezuela after it deployed troops and equipment in the crisis-torn country. American officials said the Russian team that arrived in Caracas at the weekend included cybersecurity personnel and special forces. The 100 officers, one official said, came to Venezuela...President Trump has called on Russia to “get out” of Venezuela after it deployed troops and equipment in the crisis-torn country.
Read the full story
Interpol chief is accused of taking bribes
China’s Communist Party has accused a former head of Interpol of using state assets to support a lavish lifestyle and of abusing his position to get his wife a job. Meng Hongwei, 65, vanished in September during a visit home...China’s Communist Party has accused a former head of Interpol of using state assets to support a lavish lifestyle and of abusing his position to get his wife a job. Meng Hongwei, 65, vanished in September during a visit home...China’s Communist Party has accused a former head of Interpol of using state assets to support a lavish lifestyle and...
Read the full story
Ramaphosa’s son paid by ‘corrupt’ firm
The son of South Africa’s president has admitted that his company received about two million rand (£100,000) from Bosasa, a company shrouded in corruption allegations. The admission by Andile Ramaphosa comes just six weeks...The son of South Africa’s president has admitted that his company received about two million rand (£100,000) from Bosasa, a company shrouded in corruption allegations. The admission by Andile Ramaphosa comes just six weeks...The son of South Africa’s president has admitted that his company received about two million rand (£100,000) from...
Read the full story

Migrants hijack the cargo ship that rescued them

China’s thirst for Siberian water ruled illegal by court

Ex-French spy linked to Congo assassination plot is murdered

Model’s sex education videos shock prim Poles

Pompeii ferris wheel plan unveiled

White supremacists have no place in Austria, says Kurz
Put men on the moon in five years or you’re fired, Pence warns Nasa
Mike Pence has taken Nasa by surprise by declaring his intention to get American astronauts on the moon by 2024 “by any means necessary” — four years sooner than previous targets. Speaking at the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama...Mike Pence has taken Nasa by surprise by declaring his intention to get American astronauts on...Mike Pence has taken Nasa by surprise by declaring his intention to get American astronauts on...
Read the full story

India joins ‘space superpowers’ after anti-satellite test
India has successfully carried out its first anti-satellite weapon test, with the prime minister declaring the country a space superpower weeks before the general election. Narendra Modi revealed in an address to the nation...India has successfully carried out its first anti-satellite weapon test, with the prime minister declaring the country a space superpower weeks before the general election. Narendra Modi revealed in an address to the nation...India has successfully carried out its first anti-satellite weapon test, with the prime minister declaring the...
Read the full story
China-owned Grindr ‘is a security risk’
The Chinese owners of Grindr, the online gay dating app, are trying to sell the company after the US government said that it posed a security risk. Grindr, which claims to be the world’s largest social networking app for LGBT...The Chinese owners of Grindr, the online gay dating app, are trying to sell the company after the US government said that it posed a security risk. Grindr, which claims to be the world’s largest social networking app for LGBT...The Chinese owners of Grindr, the online gay dating app, are trying to sell the company after the US government said...
Read the full story

Boeing kept quiet about software fix

NEWS IN BRIEF
Low engine oil caused Norway cruise mayday
Business
Car output crashes to six-year low
Car production in Britain has sunk to a six-year low after a 15 per cent fall in the number of vehicles rolling off assembly lines last month. Production has now declined for nine months running and was down 17 per cent year-on-year in the first two months of 2019, according to figures from the...Car production in Britain has sunk to a six-year low after a 15 per cent fall in the number of vehicles rolling off assembly lines last month. Production has now declined for nine months running and was down 17 per cent year-on-year in the first two months of 2019, according to figures from the...Car production in Britain has sunk to a six-year low after a 15 per cent fall in the number of vehicles rolling off assembly...
Read the full story
Barclays’ head of investment ousted in top team shake-up
The boss of Barclays has taken charge of its investment banking division in an overhaul that has led to the unexpected departure of one of its senior executives after little more than two years. Tim Throsby, who was the head of the investment bank and joined Barclays in January 2017, has left immediately as part of a wider shake-up. The...The boss of Barclays has taken charge of its investment banking division in an overhaul that has led to the unexpected departure of one of its senior executives after little more than two years. Tim Throsby, who was the head of the investment bank and joined Barclays in January 2017, has left immediately as part of a wider shake-up. The...The boss of Barclays has taken charge of its investment banking division in an overhaul that has led to the unexpected...
Read the full story

Germany sells Bunds at negative yield for first time since 2016
Investors are paying to lend money to the German government for the first time in three years, as bund yields fall deep into negative territory amid fears about global growth and predictions that the European Central Bank will keep money cheap for longer. The German finance ministry yesterday raised €2.4 billion...Investors are paying to lend money to the German government for the first time in three years, as...Investors are paying to lend money to the German government for the first time in three years, as...
Read the full story
Shortage of baristas is grounds for concern


Ashley ponders 5p-a-share offer for ailing Debenhams

Lloyd’s gets burnt by a second year of disasters

Germans set in train Arriva disposal

Trust bets £100m on Brexit breakthrough
Scrutiny of Co-op Bank fell short on disastrous Britannia deal, report says
Banking supervisors failed to subject the Co-operative Bank to sufficient challenge and did not pay enough attention to the risks when they approved its merger with Britannia Building Society, the independent report into the...Banking supervisors failed to subject the Co-operative Bank to sufficient challenge and did not pay enough attention to the risks when they approved its merger with Britannia Building Society, the independent report into the...Banking supervisors failed to subject the Co-operative Bank to sufficient challenge and did not pay enough attention...
Read the full story
Investigate FCA over failed investment firm, ex-minister urges
A former City minister has put more pressure on the financial regulator over possible failings in its handling of an investment firm that collapsed owing £237 million to more than 11,500 savers. Lord Myners, who served in...A former City minister has put more pressure on the financial regulator over possible failings in its handling of an investment firm that collapsed owing £237 million to more than 11,500 savers. Lord Myners, who served in...A former City minister has put more pressure on the financial regulator over possible failings in its handling of an...
Read the full story

business commentary
Debenhams offer not worth buying

Comment
Britain is being left on the outside looking in at vital EU-China talks
Retail sales are stuck in reverse, CBI warns
Retail sales have fallen at their sharpest rate in almost a year and a half, according to the CBI. The employers group’s monthly distributive trades survey showed that a net balance of -18 per cent of retailers had reported rising sales in the...Retail sales have fallen at their sharpest rate in almost a year and a half, according to the CBI.Retail sales have fallen at their sharpest rate in almost a year and a half, according to the CBI.
Read the full story


Hewlett Packard ‘tried to turn No 10 against Lynch’

Goals’ future pitched into doubt by game-changing tax liabilities

Future sale on horizon for ‘healthy’ TSB

Betting boss promises to resist future share sales

Eurozone damaged by trade tensions, says Draghi

Tit-for-tat tariffs put squeeze on Chinese profits

Comment
Apple’s biggest problem is persuading core customers to pay for its new services
In the heyday of the Hollywood studio system in the 1940s and 1950s, money and power derived from a single source...In the heyday of the Hollywood studio system in the 1940s and 1950s, money and power derived from...In the heyday of the Hollywood studio system in the 1940s and 1950s, money and power derived from...
Read the full story

city people
Is blue whale swimming against the tide?
An email arrives from Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, promoting his fledgling Blue Whale Capital...An email arrives from Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, promoting his...An email arrives from Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, promoting his...
Read the full story
Imperial feels heat on e-cigarettes
Regulatory scrutiny of e-cigarettes in the United States and pressure on tobacco sales generally have cast a cloud over trading at Imperial Brands. City analysts yesterday questioned whether the London-listed tobacco group would hit its full-year...Regulatory scrutiny of e-cigarettes in the United States and pressure on tobacco sales generally...Regulatory scrutiny of e-cigarettes in the United States and pressure on tobacco sales generally...
Read the full story


Accrol accounts since float to be examined by City watchdog

Takeover offer for troubled landlord
Bellway in favour of crackdown on builders
Regulator recommends healthy boost to successor’s budget
Tempus
Uber’s woes are set to give rival a lift
Beauty is in the eye of the buyer
market report
The mood music behind Gocompare grows louder
Need to know
Your three-minute digest
Sport
Football | Alyson Rudd
Talented but too expensive – what world’s scouts think of our teenagers
As Morgan Gibbs-White, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, calmly delivered a no-look reverse-pass down the line, a clutch of scouts issued a collective sigh of resignation. This was all too classy, too expensive. It was like sitting next to a group of men who thought that they would visit the jumble sale, only to find themselves facing a designer catwalk. When...As Morgan Gibbs-White, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, calmly delivered a no-look...As Morgan Gibbs-White, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, calmly delivered a no-look...
Read the full story


Football | James Gheerbrant
Foden is the youngster England need to succeed more than any other
The teenagers are coming. Jadon Sancho, the Borussia Dortmund winger, has already won his fourth cap and supplied his...The teenagers are coming. Jadon Sancho, the Borussia Dortmund winger, has already won his fourth cap and supplied his second assist in England’s win against the Czech Republic. Callum Hudson-Odoi, of Chelsea, made his debut against the Czechs, then a first start of rich promise against Montenegro. Arguably no...The teenagers are coming. Jadon Sancho, the Borussia Dortmund winger, has already won his fourth cap and supplied his second...
Read the full story

rugby union | Danny Care interview
‘I know how to win games for England’

premier league | paul joyce
Tackled, fouled, found out? Recharged Salah will be vital to title race

Cricket | Mike Atherton
Dozy batsmen give Mankad a bad name
Although history has not been kind to his name, Vinoo Mankad was one of India’s finest cricketers. He scored his...Although history has not been kind to his name, Vinoo Mankad was one of India’s finest cricketers.Although history has not been kind to his name, Vinoo Mankad was one of India’s finest cricketers.
Read the full story

Football | gregor robertson
Players welcome £300 boot voucher but the PFA must do more
It was, by all accounts, a fairly terse and unremarkable annual meeting yesterday, during which delegates from...It was, by all accounts, a fairly terse and unremarkable annual meeting yesterday, during which...It was, by all accounts, a fairly terse and unremarkable annual meeting yesterday, during which...
Read the full story

The Game podcast
Rory Smith discusses the future of football with Gabriele Marcotti

Premier League
Premier League clubs bid to stop teenage stars leaving

Football
Taylor to stand down as PFA chief executive – and rival must leave too

football
I want to play in the NFL, reveals Kane

Women’s Champions League
Stoppage-time goal puts Chelsea into semi-finals
Tennis
Defeated Djokovic ‘too distracted’
The message over the PA system in the Hard Rock Stadium’s media centre came just seconds after the world’s best player had suffered a shock defeat in the last 16 of the Miami Open on Tuesday night. “Novak Djokovic is on his way to the main...The message over the PA system in the Hard Rock Stadium’s media centre came just seconds after...The message over the PA system in the Hard Rock Stadium’s media centre came just seconds after...
Read the full story


The Ruck podcast
Abject Leicester Tigers now look in real danger

the game daily | bill edgar
Guardiola’s system helping youthful England develop new attacking style

F1 Weekly | Rebecca Clancy
Without clarity over F1’s proposed rule changes, how can fans get on board?

the scrum weekly | john westerby
Farrell a symbol of coach’s failure to evolve this England team
When Saracens take the field for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors this weekend...When Saracens take the field for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Glasgow...When Saracens take the field for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Glasgow...
Read the full story

Comment
There is no evidence of a crusade to obliterate women’s sport
I’m writing this knowing that most of the people reading it will disagree, knowing that the responses will likely be...I’m writing this knowing that most of the people reading it will disagree, knowing that the...I’m writing this knowing that most of the people reading it will disagree, knowing that the...
Read the full story
Racing | Grand National
Ultimate guide to the Grand National: will Tiger Roll defend his crown?
The history of the race
It is unclear when the first Grand National was staged. Some people regard 1836 as the first running of the race. It was won by The Duke, who was ridden by Martin Becher, who Becher’s Brook is named after. However, that...The history of the race
It is unclear when the first Grand National was staged. Some people...The history of the race
It is unclear when the first Grand National was staged. Some people...
Read the full story


Football quiz
Can you identify the Premier League stadium?

Football | The Game podcast
‘United still need director of football despite Solskjaer’s success’

rugby union
McCall: Farrell learning as a captain – he can be a great leader

Sports photography
Times Sport Unseen: our award-winning photographers’ exclusive pictures

racing
Champion tipster of the year Rob Wright’s racing tips
Football | In Depth
The Game Dissected: Southampton, Burnley or Cardiff – who will be relegated?
While international football has been taking place, Premier League managers have been preparing for the final weeks of the season (and hoping none of their players get injured). Three men who will have been hard at work are Neil Warnock, the...While international football has been taking place, Premier League managers have been preparing...While international football has been taking place, Premier League managers have been preparing...
Read the full story

Mike Atherton
Who wins in conflict between sport and entertainment?

Mike Atherton
David Moli
The footballer turned artist whose work hangs on Sterling’s walls

David Moli
David Aaronovitch
Spurs’ new stadium is better than the Emirates

David Aaronovitch
Register
obituary
Ranking Roger
Singer for multiracial ska band the Beat whose songs condemned Thatcher’s Britain and encouraged its disaffected youth to ‘skank’
Singing with the 1980s ska band the Beat, Ranking Roger made no secret of his desire to “destroy Conservatism”. “There was high unemployment, the women at Greenham Common were protesting, the miners were striking and we feared the start of World War Three,” he recalled. “That went through my head the whole time.” The result was the single Stand Down Margaret on which...Singing with the 1980s ska band the Beat, Ranking Roger made no secret of his desire to “destroy...Singing with the 1980s ska band the Beat, Ranking Roger made no secret of his desire to “destroy...
Read the full story


obituary
Barbara Low
As a protégée of Dorothy Hodgkin at Oxford in the 1940s, Barbara Low helped the chemist to use x-ray crystallography...As a protégée of Dorothy Hodgkin at Oxford in the 1940s, Barbara Low helped the chemist to use x-ray crystallography to identify the structure of penicillin, a vital step in the development of antibiotics. Not that this guaranteed her respect in the male-dominated scientific world as she later pursued a...As a protégée of Dorothy Hodgkin at Oxford in the 1940s, Barbara Low helped the chemist to use x-ray crystallography to...
Read the full story

obituary
Peter Hughes

March 28, 1919
Poland’s German minority

court circular
March 27
Buckingham Palace
27th March, 2019
Her Excellency Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam was received in audience by The Queen today...Buckingham Palace
27th March, 2019
Her Excellency Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam was received in audience...Buckingham Palace
27th March, 2019
Her Excellency Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam was received in audience...
Read the full story

law report
No general duty to inspect let premises
Court of Appeal
Published March 28, 2019
Rogerson v Bolsover District Council
Before Lady Justice Nicola Davies...Court of Appeal
Published March 28, 2019
Rogerson v Bolsover District Council
Before Lady...Court of Appeal
Published March 28, 2019
Rogerson v Bolsover District Council
Before Lady...
Read the full story

Readers’ lives
Celebrate the life of a friend or relative in a new service in paid‑for tributes
weather eye
Strange storms are brewing in the south
The southern hemisphere has been struck by some unusual storms recently. Cyclone Idai devastated large parts of southeast Africa two weeks ago, with catastrophic flooding affecting millions of people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, and killing...The southern hemisphere has been struck by some unusual storms recently. Cyclone Idai devastated...The southern hemisphere has been struck by some unusual storms recently. Cyclone Idai devastated...
Read the full story

Puzzles
Times Concise No 7924
Play now
Times Quick Cryptic No 1318
Play now
Times Cryptic No 27310
Play now
Concise Quintagram No 335
Play now
Cryptic Quintagram No 335
Play now
Sudoku No 10595 Fiendish
Play now
Sudoku No 10594 Mild
Play now
Sudoku No 10596 Super fiendish
Play now
Killer Sudoku No 6505 Gentle
Play now
Killer Sudoku No 6506 Tough
Play now
Brain Trainer No 2839
Play now
Cell Blocks No 3491
Play now
Codeword No 3608
Play now
Futoshiki No 3399
Play now
Kakuro No 2358
Play now
KenKen No 4600
Play now
Lexica No 4718
Play now
Lexica No 4717
Play now
Polygon
Play now
Set Square No 2361
Play now
Suko No 2509
Play now
Bridge
Play now
Chess
Play now
Special

Get more from our crosswords
An archive of 18,000 puzzles, leaderboards, forums and exclusive competitions, free with your subscription
Times2

Why do I take my clothes off? Let me tell you
She’s the feminist economic historian at Cambridge known for lecturing naked. Why does she do it, asks Andrew Billen

THE TABLE
‘Whether it’s Rita Ora or a body boarder, the pizza has to be the same’
The celebs at Soho Farmhouse lapped up 23-year-old Tom Honey’s slices, but he built his brand on Devon’s beaches at 15

the table
Mother’s Day breakfast — make it special

My father died of Alzheimer’s. If it happens to me I’ll try to kill myself
Author Nicci Gerrard became a dementia campaigner after her father’s death. Now she’s written a book confronting our biggest fear

The best medical memoirs: a prescription for success
A few of the best recent books by doctors, nurses, surgeons and patients

arts
How the Ripper’s victims got their voices back

architecture
Qatar’s national museum is the most extraordinary building of the decade

FILM REVIEW
Dumbo

THE THURSDAY COLUMN
Deborah Ross: At a time of national humiliation, it’s still great to be British

Ethical investing
How to be green and make money

What’s the point of Boys with Plants? Who cares?

MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz

dinner tonight
Lindsey Bareham’s poached sausages with fennel and tomatoes

the lowdown
The Queen’s lipstick
first night: dance
Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Opera House
★★★★☆
The trend at the Royal Ballet is for long runs of the most popular full-length ballets, and Romeo and Juliet is certainly fitting the bill. With almost two dozen performances at Covent Garden between now and the middle of June, the company...★★★★☆
The trend at the Royal Ballet is for long runs of the most popular full-length ballets...★★★★☆
The trend at the Royal Ballet is for long runs of the most popular full-length ballets...
Read the full story


first night: theatre
Fiddler on the Roof at the Playhouse Theatre, WC2

FIRST NIGHT: THEATRE
Skellig at Nottingham Playhouse

FIRST NIGHT: THEATRE
The Phlebotomist at the Hampstead Theatre, NW3
★★★☆☆
This new play by Ella Road is a peek into a future in which everyone has a genetic survival rating on a scale...★★★☆☆
This new play by Ella Road is a peek into a future in which everyone has a genetic...★★★☆☆
This new play by Ella Road is a peek into a future in which everyone has a genetic...
Read the full story

First night: Theatre
Wolfie at Theatre503, SW11
★★★★☆
Wild, raw, full of fury and wonder, this debut play by Ross Willis is a ragged thing of ferocious...★★★★☆
Wild, raw, full of fury and wonder, this debut play by Ross Willis is a ragged thing...★★★★☆
Wild, raw, full of fury and wonder, this debut play by Ross Willis is a ragged thing...
Read the full story

What’s on TV
Click here for our interactive listings

TV review: MotherFatherSon; Mums Make Porn

What’s on TV tonight

ARTS
Star‑studded line‑up for the Edinburgh International Festival

THE TIMES FILM SHOW
Us
Law

‘People could lose their house with one click’
The government’s drive towards digital courts has left lawyers concerned over the quality of some services and access to justice

How to fight the counterfeiters
The steps firms need to take around the world to protect their intellectual property

Stephen Parkinson | Rod Fletcher
Deferred prosecution agreements are not the cosy deals they seem

Lord Anderson of Ipswich, QC
EU law does not force us to join its elections

law diary
May’s might

Paul McFarlane
New laws are needed to improve the diversity of our workplaces

Colm Nugent
Unqualified, unregulated legal advisers must be stopped

Crispin Passmore
Clamping down on McKenzie friends would be disastrous for the poor

Queen’s Counsel
Scotland
Passengers face another two years of misery, says ScotRail
Train passengers face another two years of problems, Abellio ScotRail’s chief executive has admitted. Alex Hynes said that the company must do more to regain the trust of customers as he was questioned about late-running and cancelled services. After the introduction of a new timetable in...Train passengers face another two years of problems, Abellio ScotRail’s chief executive has admitted. Alex Hynes said that the company must do more to regain the trust of customers as he was questioned about late-running and cancelled services. After the introduction of a new timetable in...Train passengers face another two years of problems, Abellio ScotRail’s chief executive has admitted. Alex Hynes said that the...
Read the full story
Dugdale lawyer says blogger exposed himself to criticism
A blogger who is suing the former Scottish Labour leader for defamation is a “master of calumny” armed with a “quiver of poisoned arrows” who should not complain when one is fired back, a court has been told. Roddy Dunlop, QC, representing Kezia Dugdale, said that Stuart Campbell did not like the Lothian MSP and had been “extremely rude”...A blogger who is suing the former Scottish Labour leader for defamation is a “master of calumny” armed with a “quiver of poisoned arrows” who should not complain when one is fired back, a court has been told. Roddy Dunlop, QC, representing Kezia Dugdale, said that Stuart Campbell did not like the Lothian MSP and had been “extremely rude”...A blogger who is suing the former Scottish Labour leader for defamation is a “master of calumny” armed with a “quiver of...
Read the full story

Half of businesses have no plan for trade after Brexit
More than half of Scottish businesses still do not have contingency plans for Brexit, according to research. A white paper taking in responses from more than 270 business leaders found that small and medium companies were less prepared than larger counterparts. Among the main concerns for companies were being able...More than half of Scottish businesses still do not have contingency plans for Brexit, according...More than half of Scottish businesses still do not have contingency plans for Brexit, according...
Read the full story
Honour for Hollywood screenwriter who offended her home village

Heart patients who died had mould infections
Six people who underwent heart surgery at an Edinburgh hospital contracted infections related to mould, the Scottish health secretary said. Jeane Freeman told MSPs that three different types of mould infection had been...Six people who underwent heart surgery at an Edinburgh hospital contracted infections related to mould, the Scottish health secretary said. Jeane Freeman told MSPs that three different types of mould infection had been...Six people who underwent heart surgery at an Edinburgh hospital contracted infections related to mould, the Scottish...
Read the full story
Job equality ‘worth £15bn to economy’
Closing the gender pay gap and increasing the female employment rate would give a £15 billion boost to Scotland’s economy, an analysis suggests. Britain was rated the second-best performing country in the G7 for gender equality...Closing the gender pay gap and increasing the female employment rate would give a £15 billion boost to Scotland’s economy, an analysis suggests. Britain was rated the second-best performing country in the G7 for gender equality...Closing the gender pay gap and increasing the female employment rate would give a £15 billion boost to Scotland’s...
Read the full story

MPs rap tennis chiefs in Murray legacy row

Ferry company opposes state subsidies for rivals
Festival finds perfect pitch for stars
One of the world’s leading orchestras will perform under floodlights at the home of Hearts FC as part of an Edinburgh Festival billing that aims to bring the arts to a wider audience. Gustavo Dudamel will lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic at...One of the world’s leading orchestras will perform under floodlights at the home of Hearts FC as...One of the world’s leading orchestras will perform under floodlights at the home of Hearts FC as...
Read the full story


‘Terrorist threat’ to police from parking space levy

Officers say their trousers are not much cop

Town’s ‘stolen’ sign boards taken by council

Rangers pair pursue damages
Police officer faces jail for stalking lover
A married police officer who wove an elaborate fantasy world to dupe his secret lover into thinking her life was in danger is facing a jail sentence. Scott Gorrie, 43, attended a domestic incident at Victoria Ramsay’s home...A married police officer who wove an elaborate fantasy world to dupe his secret lover into thinking her life was in danger is facing a jail sentence. Scott Gorrie, 43, attended a domestic incident at Victoria Ramsay’s home...A married police officer who wove an elaborate fantasy world to dupe his secret lover into thinking her life was in...
Read the full story
In brief
Islanders’ airfield tussle
Crofters face a legal battle over grazing livestock at Stornoway Airport in the Outer Hebrides. The Scottish Land Court ruled last month that villagers in nearby Melbost and Branahuie legally control the tiny airfield site. But...Crofters face a legal battle over grazing livestock at Stornoway Airport in the Outer Hebrides. The Scottish Land Court ruled last month that villagers in nearby Melbost and Branahuie legally control the tiny airfield site. But...Crofters face a legal battle over grazing livestock at Stornoway Airport in the Outer Hebrides. The Scottish Land...
Read the full story

Comment
Let’s protect girls from fake promises of a slimline future

Business
Business leads way as research spending hits record £2.5bn
Rugby union | alasdair reid
A rather grubby victory for the SRU
Anyone who turned up at last Friday’s special meeting of the SRU hoping for an antidote to Brexit fatigue would surely have left disappointed, for the business of deciding on a home for the “club” sides of Scotland’s Super 6 franchises featured similar levels of arrogance, verbosity and Machiavellian manoeuvrings to those that have charted Britain’s ham-fisted efforts...Anyone who turned up at last Friday’s special meeting of the SRU hoping for an antidote to Brexit...Anyone who turned up at last Friday’s special meeting of the SRU hoping for an antidote to Brexit...
Read the full story


Rugby union
Scannell is determined to recapture glory days
If Heineken Champions Cup matches were decided solely on the basis of competitive pedigree then there would not be...If Heineken Champions Cup matches were decided solely on the basis of competitive pedigree then there would not be much reason for Edinburgh to emerge from their dressing room to take on Munster at BT Murrayfield on Saturday. Over the past two decades Edinburgh have reached the knockout stages of Europe’s elite...If Heineken Champions Cup matches were decided solely on the basis of competitive pedigree then there would not be much reason...
Read the full story

Football
Strachan puts the blame on ‘selfish’ clubs

Football
Returning Griffiths ‘will not be rushed’

Football
Brown’s last-gasp winner sealed it for Celtic - Miller

Football
Jackson’s Panenka miss proves costly
Ireland
Our Brexit focus has not changed, says Coveney
The identity of the next British prime minister will not change Ireland’s approach to Brexit, Simon Coveney has said. The tánaiste and foreign affairs minister was asked last night for his reaction to Theresa May’s announcement that she would step down from office before the next phase of Brexit...The identity of the next British prime minister will not change Ireland’s approach to Brexit, Simon Coveney has said. The tánaiste and foreign affairs minister was asked last night for his reaction to Theresa May’s announcement that she would step down from office before the next phase of Brexit...The identity of the next British prime minister will not change Ireland’s approach to Brexit, Simon Coveney has said. The...
Read the full story
Murphy defends housing policy as homelessness hits 10,000
Eoghan Murphy defended the government’s housing policy yesterday despite the number of homeless people exceeding 10,000 for the first time. The housing minister described the figure as “hugely disappointing” but claimed the government’s plan was working as other data showed that more homes were being built and rents were falling. Opposition...Eoghan Murphy defended the government’s housing policy yesterday despite the number of homeless people exceeding 10,000 for the first time. The housing minister described the figure as “hugely disappointing” but claimed the government’s plan was working as other data showed that more homes were being built and rents were falling. Opposition...Eoghan Murphy defended the government’s housing policy yesterday despite the number of homeless people exceeding 10,000 for the...
Read the full story

An Post plea to offer state services ‘or risk closures’
Hundreds more post offices will close by 2021 if they are not allowed to be used for state services, the chief executive of An Post has warned. In a letter to the government, seen by The Times, David McRedmond said he was frustrated by a “complete lack of progress” in allowing post offices to provide services...Hundreds more post offices will close by 2021 if they are not allowed to be used for state...Hundreds more post offices will close by 2021 if they are not allowed to be used for state...
Read the full story
Laura’s HPV campaign is saving lives, funeral told


DJ ‘was killed by blunt object and put in farm tank’

Prostitution law unites activists in dismay

Growing suburbs ‘left out’ of light-rail links

Arts funding has favoured middle class too long, warns state body
TDs won’t promise watchdog legal protection on FitzPatrick
The state’s corporate watchdog was told to get its “own legal advice” after it offered the Oireachtas business committee a lengthy document explaining the collapse of Seán FitzPatrick’s trial. The Office of the Director of...The state’s corporate watchdog was told to get its “own legal advice” after it offered the Oireachtas business committee a lengthy document explaining the collapse of Seán FitzPatrick’s trial. The Office of the Director of...The state’s corporate watchdog was told to get its “own legal advice” after it offered the Oireachtas business...
Read the full story
Parties clash on big carbon tax rise over fears of cost to public
A stand-off between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has threatened to derail a proposal to quadruple carbon tax. The recommendation to increase the levy from €20 a tonne to €80 a tonne by 2030 will remain in the Oireachtas climate...A stand-off between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has threatened to derail a proposal to quadruple carbon tax. The recommendation to increase the levy from €20 a tonne to €80 a tonne by 2030 will remain in the Oireachtas climate...A stand-off between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has threatened to derail a proposal to quadruple carbon tax. The...
Read the full story

Talks to revive Stormont scheduled for summer

Unions call for more council power and elected mayors

Delaney FAI report must be released, TDs insist

Pressure on sex assault units to be eased with €500,000 boost

Settlement talks begin in €410m Quinn family case

Drivers leave it late to switch licence
Man guilty of raping boys in ‘republican safe house’
An alleged IRA member has been found guilty of raping two teenage boys at a “republican safe house” two decades ago. The 45-year-old man had denied charges of sexually assaulting and raping the boys in Co Louth in the early...An alleged IRA member has been found guilty of raping two teenage boys at a “republican safe house” two decades ago. The 45-year-old man had denied charges of sexually assaulting and raping the boys in Co Louth in the early...An alleged IRA member has been found guilty of raping two teenage boys at a “republican safe house” two decades ago.
Read the full story
Broadband plan has cost public €25m before bid is agreed
The government has spent more than €25 million developing the National Broadband Plan, officials have confirmed. The scheme aims to provide high-speed internet connections to more than 500,000 homes and businesses across the...The government has spent more than €25 million developing the National Broadband Plan, officials have confirmed. The scheme aims to provide high-speed internet connections to more than 500,000 homes and businesses across the...The government has spent more than €25 million developing the National Broadband Plan, officials have confirmed. The...
Read the full story

Rental zones cap prices as market cools

political sketch
Tempus, fudge it: Varadkar kicks clock down the road
Nature Notes
Cherry laurel blooms put native plants in the shade
Cherry laurel is in bloom, holding up slim torches of creamy flower in the midst of large, shiny, leathery leaves. In the past, this native of eastern Europe and southwest Asia was planted extensively on estates for game cover and beautification.Cherry laurel is in bloom, holding up slim torches of creamy flower in the midst of large, shiny...Cherry laurel is in bloom, holding up slim torches of creamy flower in the midst of large, shiny...
Read the full story

Comment
Lord deliver us from Fleabag’s fantasy priest
God is what you’ve got left when you’re done with sex; everybody knows that. That trajectory is interrupted only by children — otherwise it’s pretty much straight out of bed and into the Bible, and also the priests. Or priest.God is what you’ve got left when you’re done with sex; everybody knows that. That trajectory is interrupted only by children — otherwise it’s pretty much straight out of bed and into the Bible, and also the priests. Or priest.God is what you’ve got left when you’re done with sex; everybody knows that. That trajectory is interrupted only by...
Read the full story
leading article
Rotten Idea
Will Dáil Éireann listen to the advice and warnings of experts in the national interest, or will it continue down a populist route with damaging consequences for the banking system and potentially the economy? That is the key...Will Dáil Éireann listen to the advice and warnings of experts in the national interest, or will it continue down a populist route with damaging consequences for the banking system and potentially the economy? That is the key...Will Dáil Éireann listen to the advice and warnings of experts in the national interest, or will it continue down a...
Read the full story

COMMENT
New film shows Ahern’s apology for abuse was hollow

comment
Football chief’s salary leaves me at a loss

business
Failures led Datalex to profit alert

Business
Telecoms tycoon boosts power play with hotel purchase
business
Big names are shamed over climate secrecy
Business
Mortgages up in February, but lending figures flat
business
Beef farmers ‘face Brexit slaughter’
Business
Angels deliver €3.2m heart treatment boost
Business
Retired ESB workers call for pensions to be raised
Business
Homebuyer demand ‘has 18-month backlog’

football
FAI board in talks about Delaney role

FOOTBALL | GARRY DOYLE
Win gives Ireland fans hope – and they will take it

football
Harsh words turned to sweet music for Denmark

Football
It will take more than tennis balls to derail revitalised Randolph

GAA
‘Playing too well? That is just stupid’

GAA | MICHAEL FOLEY
Changing league’s calendar would be flipping good idea

gaa
Barron: Limerick’s success an inspiration for Waterford

Rugby union
I can’t miss out again, says Conan

Rugby union
Ulster coach insists they will not rely on Leinster alumni
function injectComponentScript (url) var componentScript = document.createElement('script');document.body.appendChild(componentScript);componentScript.src = url;function injectComponentScripts () window.addEventListener('load', function()var script = document.createElement('script');script.type = 'text/javascript';script.async = true;script.setAttribute('data-client-id', 'RDIahNZoVKTOFZr');script.src = 'https://d1xfq2052q7thw.cloudfront.net/1.7.461.js';var o = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; o.parentNode.insertBefore(script, o););
Comment
The sinister side of Cuba Charles didn’t see
David Aaronovitch
A royal visit endorses the idea that, post-Castro, the country is ‘opening up’ but it’s still a repressive communist state
JENNI RUSSELL
Why clever people make stupid mistakes
GERARD BAKER
Democrats risk self‑harming over Trump
JANICE TURNER
As politics gets messier, politicians get smarter
Andrew Ellson
Council parking penalties are highway robbery
Leading Articles
Self Sacrifice
Theresa May was right to say she will quit before the next stage of Brexit. The country needs a dynamic leader who can bring Britain together again
Right Direction
The vote to toughen the application of copyright law online is welcome
Superwoman
A rare condition that prevents feeling pain may help in finding new treatments
Readers’ poll
Should the UK revoke Article 50?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Brexit indicative votes and the national interest
Sir, Any future Brexit public inquiry would have many grave issues to deal with. In the foreground, as Rachel Sylvester observes (“May’s party-first policy will catch up with her”, Mar 26, and letters, Mar 27), are matters such as the civil...Sir, Any future Brexit public inquiry would have many grave issues to deal with. In the...Sir, Any future Brexit public inquiry would have many grave issues to deal with. In the...
Read the full story
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, launches his party’s new energy and environmental policy; the Bafta TV award nominations are announced; the Duchess of Cambridge visits the Scout Association at Gilwell Park, London; David Liddington, the Cabinet Office minister, addresses the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference in London.
US: President Trump holds a rally in Michigan; the Major League Baseball season begins.
On this day
In 1854 Britain and France declared war on Russia, signalling the start of the Crimean War; in 1925 the Oxford boat sank in the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race; in 1930 Constantinople changed its name to Istanbul; in 1939 Franco’s Nationalist forces entered Madrid after a siege lasting almost three years; in 1959 China dissolved the government of Tibet; in 1979 the failure of the cooling system of No 2 nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania caused America’s worst radiation scare.
Nature notes
Most of the wild ducks that visit us come here for a long winter, and some of them — including goldeneyes, wigeons and pintails — are still here, although about to leave. A few pairs of these species will stay here and nest. However, there is one duck that comes here just for the summer. This is the garganey, which has been arriving in small numbers on marshes and pools across the country. It is a small duck, not much larger than a teal. The drake has a very noticeable white stripe above each eye, and handsome, drooping black-and-white feathers on the back. The brown female is more like a female mallard. One can sometimes come across their nest, lined with down and with nine or ten creamy-buff eggs in it, in a rushy ditch. The drake may draw attention to his presence by the soft crackling and burping sounds he makes.
Derwent May
Birthdays today
Lord (John) Alderdice, psychiatrist and convenor, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party, House of Lords (2010-14), 64; Rosemary Ashe, soprano, The Phantom of the Opera (1986), 66; Simon Bazalgette, chief executive, the Jockey Club, 57; Marc Bolland, chief executive, Marks & Spencer (2010-16), 60; Orla Brady, actress, Mistresses (2008-10), Collateral (2018), 58; Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines, 74; Sir Patrick Elias, lord justice of Appeal (2009-17), 72; Sir Richard Eyre, film director, Notes on a Scandal (2006), and theatre director, The Pajama Game (2013), 76; Martin Ferris, Sinn Féin TD for Kerry, 67; Nick Frost, comedian and actor, Shaun of the Dead (2004), 47; Jane Furniss, chief executive, Independent Police Complaints Commission (2006-13), 65; Lady Gaga, singer, The Fame (2008), and actress, A Star Is Born (2018), 33; Bevis Hillier, author, The Wit and Wisdom of GK Chesterton (2010), 79; Nasser Hussain, cricketer, England (1990-2004), and broadcaster, Sky Sports, 51; Lord (Peter) Hennessy of Nympsfield, writer and historian, 72; Lord (Neil) Kinnock, leader of the Labour Party (1983-92), 77; Fabrice Leggeri, executive director of Frontex, 51; Diane Lees, director-general, Imperial War Museums, 55; Nell McCafferty, journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner, 75; Scott Mills, radio DJ, Radio 1, 45; Martin Neary, organist and master of the choristers, Westminster Abbey (1988-98), 79; Mike Newell, film director, Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), 77; Prof Sir Tim O’Shea, principal and vice-chancellor, University of Edinburgh (2002-18), 70; Sir Michael Parkinson, broadcaster, Parkinson (1971-1982, 1998-2007), 84; Prof Sir Michael Rawlins, chairman, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, UK Biobank, emeritus professor, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 78; Sir Richard Stilgoe, lyricist, Starlight Express (1984), 76; Julia Stiles, actress, the Jason Bourne film series (2002-16), 38; Mario Vargas Llosa, politician and writer, The Time of the Hero (1963; original title: La ciudad y los perros), Nobel prize in literature (2010), 83; Vince Vaughn, actor, Wedding Crashers (2005), 49; Baroness (Sayeeda) Warsi, co-chairwoman, Conservative Party (2010-12), 48; Philip Walton, golfer, 57; Stan Wawrinka, tennis player, former world No 3, 34; Lauren Weisberger, novelist, The Devil Wears Prada (2003), 42; Dianne Wiest, actress, Bullets over Broadway (1994), 71.