The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
The prime minister will set out plans to ensure that community diagnostic centres are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week
Sir Keir Starmer has said he will “drag care out of the hospital and into the community” as he attempts to fulfil his promise to cut waiting lists. Writing in The Times, the prime minister says that the NHS “exhibits all the symptoms of chronic illness” and needs “radical changes” to improve.Sir Keir Starmer has said he will “drag care out of the hospital and into the community” as he attempts to fulfil his promise to cut waiting lists. Writing in The Times, the prime minister says that the NHS “exhibits all the symptoms of chronic illness” and needs “radical changes” to improve.Sir Keir Starmer has said he will “drag care out of the hospital and into the community” as he attempts to fulfil his promise...
KEIR STARMER
At new year it is traditional to make choices. Resolutions to be the best that we can be. In 1948, the Labour government made a choice that has come to represent this country at its very best. Healthcare free at the point of use. Treatment according to need, not ability to pay. Young and old. Rich and poor. Treated equally by the new...At new year it is traditional to make choices. Resolutions to be the best that we can be. In 1948, the Labour government made a choice that has come to represent this country at its very best. Healthcare free at the point of use. Treatment according to need, not ability to pay. Young and old. Rich and poor. Treated equally by the new...At new year it is traditional to make choices. Resolutions to be the best that we can be. In 1948, the Labour government made a...
Elon Musk has said that Nigel Farage should be replaced as the leader of Reform UK because he “doesn’t have what it takes” in a dramatic collapse of their relationship. The leader of Reform UK met Musk at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in December and they discussed a sizeable donation to Farage’s party.Elon Musk has said that Nigel Farage should be replaced as the leader of Reform UK because he...Elon Musk has said that Nigel Farage should be replaced as the leader of Reform UK because he...
video
Travel disruption on road and rail is set to continue on Monday as weather warnings for snow, ice and rain as well as flood alerts remain in place across much of the country. The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for snow in southern...Travel disruption on road and rail is set to continue on Monday as weather warnings for snow, ice...Travel disruption on road and rail is set to continue on Monday as weather warnings for snow, ice...
‘So … is that a sex thing?” asks the delivery man, eyeing the punitive-looking device throbbing ominously about my...‘So … is that a sex thing?” asks the delivery man, eyeing the punitive-looking device throbbing...‘So … is that a sex thing?” asks the delivery man, eyeing the punitive-looking device throbbing...
The happy new year started with a sad old ending. After eight, fraught years, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finally...The happy new year started with a sad old ending. After eight, fraught years, Angelina Jolie and...The happy new year started with a sad old ending. After eight, fraught years, Angelina Jolie and...
Residents of seaside towns forced to put barbed wire on windowsills to deter flocks of aggressive seagulls have drawn up a strategy to protect tourists. North Yorkshire council has advised traders to put rubbish in seagull-proof bags and warned...Residents of seaside towns forced to put barbed wire on windowsills to deter flocks of aggressive...Residents of seaside towns forced to put barbed wire on windowsills to deter flocks of aggressive...
Few drinks have a history as varied as absinthe. For centuries it has been connected with art, literature and rebellion. Ernest Hemingway created “Death in the Afternoon”, a cocktail blending absinthe and champagne, and Vincent Van Gogh’s Still...Few drinks have a history as varied as absinthe. For centuries it has been connected with art...Few drinks have a history as varied as absinthe. For centuries it has been connected with art...
the pupil’s view
Marvel has been accused of censorship after players of its new video game were unable to chat about topics that are...Marvel has been accused of censorship after players of its new video game were unable to chat...Marvel has been accused of censorship after players of its new video game were unable to chat...
A London-based cousin of the Azerbaijani president has appeared in court in Greece after police raided an allegedly...A London-based cousin of the Azerbaijani president has appeared in court in Greece after police...A London-based cousin of the Azerbaijani president has appeared in court in Greece after police...
The white-tailed eagle was persecuted to extinction in the British Isles by gamekeepers, farmers and collectors over several centuries, culminating in the last known wild bird being shot dead in 1918. But now the nation’s largest bird of prey...The white-tailed eagle was persecuted to extinction in the British Isles by gamekeepers, farmers...The white-tailed eagle was persecuted to extinction in the British Isles by gamekeepers, farmers...
The spectre of Muammar Gaddafi will descend on a Paris courtroom on Monday when Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial on charges of receiving millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator to help repair his image after the Lockerbie bombing and other attacks. The case, in which two former cabinet...The spectre of Muammar Gaddafi will descend on a Paris courtroom on Monday when Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial on charges of receiving millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator to help repair his image after the Lockerbie bombing and other attacks. The case, in which two former cabinet...The spectre of Muammar Gaddafi will descend on a Paris courtroom on Monday when Nicolas Sarkozy stands trial on charges of...
Austria’s radical, hard-right nationalists will begin talks on Monday on forming a new coalition government with the alpine country’s conservatives, the Austrian president has announced. Alexander Van der Bellen, 80, a former Green Party member elected as an independent Austrian president in 2016, has opened the door to talks with the...Austria’s radical, hard-right nationalists will begin talks on Monday on forming a new coalition government with the alpine country’s conservatives, the Austrian president has announced. Alexander Van der Bellen, 80, a former Green Party member elected as an independent Austrian president in 2016, has opened the door to talks with the...Austria’s radical, hard-right nationalists will begin talks on Monday on forming a new coalition government with the alpine...
In a video captured on a mobile phone, a middle-aged woman pleads with a bearded man to see her children one last time. He steps aside and motions to a gunman, who forces her on to her knees and shoots her in the back of the head. A crowd of gunmen yell: “God is great.” In a second video, the same man reads out a...In a video captured on a mobile phone, a middle-aged woman pleads with a bearded man to see her...In a video captured on a mobile phone, a middle-aged woman pleads with a bearded man to see her...
The man who killed 14 people in New Orleans on New Year’s Day visited the city twice in the months before the massacre, recording video on Meta smart glasses, investigators have revealed. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, used the glasses to scope out the...The man who killed 14 people in New Orleans on New Year’s Day visited the city twice in the...The man who killed 14 people in New Orleans on New Year’s Day visited the city twice in the...
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has made a surprise visit to meet Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home just weeks before his inauguration as US president. The hastily arranged meeting between Italy’s right-wing prime minister and the...Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has made a surprise visit to meet Donald Trump at his...Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has made a surprise visit to meet Donald Trump at his...
‘Worrying reverberations of the budget’ are clear to see, says British Chambers of Commerce
Rachel Reeves’s £40 billion of tax rises have pushed business confidence down to the lowest level since the aftermath of Liz Truss’s mini-budget, researchers have found. In the final three months of last year, 49 per cent of the 4,808 companies surveyed by the British Chambers of Commerce said...Rachel Reeves’s £40 billion of tax rises have pushed business confidence down to the lowest level since the aftermath of Liz Truss’s mini-budget, researchers have found. In the final three months of last year, 49 per cent of the 4,808 companies surveyed by the British Chambers of Commerce said...Rachel Reeves’s £40 billion of tax rises have pushed business confidence down to the lowest level since the aftermath of Liz...
The competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the billionaire technology tycoons, is set to intensify after Amazon signalled it could start a satellite-based high-speed broadband service in the UK as early as this year. The move by Amazon, which was disclosed in filings by the American tech company with Ofcom, Britain’s communications...The competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the billionaire technology tycoons, is set to intensify after Amazon signalled it could start a satellite-based high-speed broadband service in the UK as early as this year. The move by Amazon, which was disclosed in filings by the American tech company with Ofcom, Britain’s communications...The competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the billionaire technology tycoons, is set to intensify after Amazon...
Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of Britain’s electricity for the first time ever, according to analysis of the annual energy mix. Wind generation rose to a 30 per cent share last year from 29 per cent in 2023, displacing gas-fired plants as the primary source...Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of...Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of...
PAUL JOHNSON
Having seen so many commissions on social care come and go, and so many policy proposals announced and then dropped...Having seen so many commissions on social care come and go, and so many policy proposals...Having seen so many commissions on social care come and go, and so many policy proposals...
GERARD LYONS
Britain, with one of the world’s largest service sector economies and the second biggest financial centre, has much...Britain, with one of the world’s largest service sector economies and the second biggest...Britain, with one of the world’s largest service sector economies and the second biggest...
Aspen Insurance to stick with New York as its preferred venue
The British stock market has been dealt another blow after a leading Lloyd’s of London insurance company revived plans for a multibillion-pound listing in the United States instead of the UK. It emerged just over a year ago that Aspen Insurance was considering a float in New York, only for it to shelve plans for a listing last spring amid weak market sentiment. However...The British stock market has been dealt another blow after a leading Lloyd’s of London insurance...The British stock market has been dealt another blow after a leading Lloyd’s of London insurance...
British businesses will need additional financial support this year amid disruption in supply chains and rising costs...British businesses will need additional financial support this year amid disruption in supply chains and rising costs, BDO has said. In a survey by the accountancy group, 32 per cent of mid-sized businesses expected they would need further financial support, including bank loans and government grants, to help to...British businesses will need additional financial support this year amid disruption in supply chains and rising costs, BDO has...
business planning
We lay out some of the key changes that business owners will have to confront in 2025, as well as a few that can be ignored — for now at least
new
SIR MARTIN SORRELL
Sir Martin Sorrell gives his take on how the global economy, AI and advertising will fare this year
new
INnovation
In the last of a seven-part series, we meet bosses who have signed up with top business schools to learn the ropes of the new technology
new
professional services
In the sixth of our seven-part series, we meet Jeff Lange, boss of the financial advisory firm TFAS, which has used AI tools to speed up its processes
RECRUITMENT
With a 33% growth in the past year, the demand for corporate investigators is soaring. Here’s how to get into the industry
Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows, but the new breed of corporate investigator is one of the UK’s fastest-growing professional careers. The incoming 2025 introduction of the new “failure to prevent fraud” offence — which will hold large firms to account if they profit from fraud committed by their employees...Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows...Saying you’re employed as an “investigator” conjures up images of sleuths lurking in the shadows...
SIX FROM THE BEST
It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer...It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer Beaverbrooks, began her career on the shopfloor at its Trafford Centre store in Manchester 26 years ago and is the first female, non-family member to lead the chain. Here, she shares her pearls of...It’s the busiest week of the year for jewellery sales. Anna Blackburn, managing director of the family-owned retailer...
premier league
Liverpool 2 Man United 2
The Manchester United fans behind Alisson’s goal were all thinking the same thing as Joshua Zirkzee rolled the ball across the area and into the path of the unmarked Harry Maguire, with 30 seconds of added time to go. They were all waiting to see Maguire swing his hefty right boot through the ball and send it rocketing into Alisson’s net. Limbs would fly and that noise...The Manchester United fans behind Alisson’s goal were all thinking the same thing as Joshua...The Manchester United fans behind Alisson’s goal were all thinking the same thing as Joshua...
paul joyce
On the corner of Sybil Road, a couple of streets down from Anfield’s Main Stand, two Liverpool supporters stood ankle...On the corner of Sybil Road, a couple of streets down from Anfield’s Main Stand, two Liverpool supporters stood ankle deep in the slush, videoing a mural on the wall with their camera phones. There are images of Jordan Henderson hoisting aloft the Premier League trophy on that same stretch, together with the faces...On the corner of Sybil Road, a couple of streets down from Anfield’s Main Stand, two Liverpool supporters stood ankle deep in...
MATTHEW SYED
What a night. What a thrilling, compulsive, buoyant night. To see a 17-year-old working-class lad win the world title...What a night. What a thrilling, compulsive, buoyant night. To see a 17-year-old working-class lad...What a night. What a thrilling, compulsive, buoyant night. To see a 17-year-old working-class lad...
Mike Atherton
The beauty of a five-Test series, each match played over five days, is that you cannot quibble over the outcome.The beauty of a five-Test series, each match played over five days, is that you cannot quibble...The beauty of a five-Test series, each match played over five days, is that you cannot quibble...
There was something new and interesting about Ange Postecoglou when he breezed into England. “I was taught that you grow up and you respect the officials,” he said. “I have never, and I will never, talk to referees about the game. Premier League...There was something new and interesting about Ange Postecoglou when he breezed into England. “I...There was something new and interesting about Ange Postecoglou when he breezed into England. “I...
tony cascarino
I went to Selhurst Park thinking about how Enzo Maresca played down expectations at Chelsea. In the past two weeks...I went to Selhurst Park thinking about how Enzo Maresca played down expectations at Chelsea. In...I went to Selhurst Park thinking about how Enzo Maresca played down expectations at Chelsea. In...
stuart barnes
Television match officials were introduced into professional rugby to help the referee. The players get faster and...Television match officials were introduced into professional rugby to help the referee. The...Television match officials were introduced into professional rugby to help the referee. The...
Most-followed player in rugby debuts for Bristol in defeat by Gloucester Hartpury in Women’s Premiership, and crowd of over 9,000 shows impact she is already having
A record crowd turned up at Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher’s debut for Bristol Bears Women, but rugby’s social media superstar had minimal on-field impact during a 19-minute cameo in a 40-17 defeat by Gloucester-Hartpury. Bristol moved the fixture from Shaftesbury Park, a ground with a 250-seat stand, because of demand to see the biggest signing in Premiership Women’s...A record crowd turned up at Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher’s debut for Bristol Bears Women, but...A record crowd turned up at Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher’s debut for Bristol Bears Women, but...
gallagher premiership
If Steve Borthwick waited until the final whistle before heading home — and why would anyone have left this game...If Steve Borthwick waited until the final whistle before heading home — and why would anyone have left this game early, such was the rollicking drama from first minute to last? — the England coach would have been granted a window into Fin Smith’s character three weeks before the start of the Six Nations. The...If Steve Borthwick waited until the final whistle before heading home — and why would anyone have left this game early, such...
The odd ways that health and wellbeing specialists relieve their stress
The creators of the Pulsetto claim it can reset your mental wellbeing. Hannah Betts tests it, while Phil Hilton tries a new device for anxiety
interview
She was the ‘unseen’ CEO who revolutionised how we shop. Now Edwina Dunn has nine million followers
She’s the woman who dictated a decade’s worth — OK, several decades’ worth — of hair trends. Now lean in and I’ll...She’s the woman who dictated a decade’s worth — OK, several decades’ worth — of hair trends. Now...She’s the woman who dictated a decade’s worth — OK, several decades’ worth — of hair trends. Now...
ask professor tanya byron
Q. I am overweight and always have been, and my weight has long been my main preoccupation. I get to this time of the...Q. I am overweight and always have been, and my weight has long been my main preoccupation. I get...Q. I am overweight and always have been, and my weight has long been my main preoccupation. I get...
In Playing Nice (Sunday, ITV1) James Norton plays a father faced with an impossible choice when he discovers his baby was accidentally swapped at birth: should he keep the child he has raised or reclaim his biological son? But this intense drama...In Playing Nice (Sunday, ITV1) James Norton plays a father faced with an impossible choice when...In Playing Nice (Sunday, ITV1) James Norton plays a father faced with an impossible choice when...
ask the experts
first night review
first night review
MindGames
1 I Loves The ‘Diff is a cult brand that celebrates which Welsh city? 2 Which religious leader wears the Fisherman’s...1 I Loves The ‘Diff is a cult brand that celebrates which Welsh city? 2 Which religious leader...1 I Loves The ‘Diff is a cult brand that celebrates which Welsh city? 2 Which religious leader...
Viewing GUide
TELEVISION
first person
The sex guru Nicole Daedone is on trial for alleged abuse at her ‘orgasmic meditation’ retreats. Today a woman who says she was groomed to be second in command tells her story
interview
From selling 40 million records to dealing with drug addiction and financial wipeout, the Blondie singer has seen it all
sathnam sanghera
As the boy with the topknot immortalised in the title of his bestselling memoir, Sathnam Sanghera’s hair was an expression of religious devotion. But even this experience could not prepare him for his fiancée’s obsession
Golden Balls has doubled his profits with a little help from mattresses, pants and Lionel Messi. He’s a bigger brand than ever, yet still no knighthood…
interview
Back with a new solo album, the Spandau Ballet singer talks fame divorce, guilt and fallouts
Jeremy Langmead delights in his glossy new locks, courtesy of a transplant and some daily pills and potions
Simon de Burton reports on the growing vogue for analogue cameras, the best ones to buy and where to get your old-school snaps developed
In a super-chalet in Megève the French design house Liaigre has created a gloriously minimalist space — around a diva of a staircase
Whether you are already an Ironman — or planning to become one in 2025 — these are the gadgets that will get you across the line
Montreal’s cobbled streets, bagel joints and lively bars are the ideal introduction to the characterful province of Quebec
comment
Good news for package holiday fans, bad news for frequent flyers: the shake-up of BA’s executive club points scheme is a mixed bag, says Cathy Adams
Amongst its historic houses and A-list haunts, Claire Irvin finds her favourite version of Palm Springs at its sexiest hotel — the hip Villa Royale
Three of Manhattan’s grandes dames are unveiling splashy reopenings that lean into the city’s 1920s heritage. Here’s where to stay this year
If you’re planning a midsummer holiday, we’ve got some ideas for you — from the beaches of Turkey and Fiji to adventures in Alaska and Rwanda
What’s your idea of the perfect Greek holiday? Do you see yourself dining alfresco, perhaps at a table shaded by the...What’s your idea of the perfect Greek holiday? Do you see yourself dining alfresco, perhaps at a...What’s your idea of the perfect Greek holiday? Do you see yourself dining alfresco, perhaps at a...
video
On my first trip to the American South as a student in 1990 I fainted in the heat. I recall lying prone on the...On my first trip to the American South as a student in 1990 I fainted in the heat. I recall lying...On my first trip to the American South as a student in 1990 I fainted in the heat. I recall lying...
OBITUARY
Thinker outside the box who discovered two James Joyce collections and was romantically involved with the dancer Wayne Sleep and a friend of David Hockney
OBITUARY
He was appointed to the boards of top US companies and did a stint as a White House adviser
OBITUARY
Tall, trim and gentlemanly boss who turned a village bakery into a global superbrand
video
The Times has been publishing life stories of the great and the good (and the not so good) for more than 170 years. Now the obituary is also becoming a podcast, explains Anna Temkin
AND the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is...AND the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them...AND the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them...
Sandringham, Norfolk
5th January, 2025
Divine Service was held in Sandringham Parish Church this morning. The Bishop...Sandringham, Norfolk
5th January, 2025
Divine Service was held in Sandringham Parish Church...Sandringham, Norfolk
5th January, 2025
Divine Service was held in Sandringham Parish Church...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
More than a million Scottish citizens are still being monitored by cameras made by a company linked to the Chinese government years after they were branded a security risk in UK. At least 22 councils continue to use Hikvision devices on some sites. Nine local authorities, with a combined...More than a million Scottish citizens are still being monitored by cameras made by a company linked to the Chinese government years after they were branded a security risk in UK. At least 22 councils continue to use Hikvision devices on some sites. Nine local authorities, with a combined...More than a million Scottish citizens are still being monitored by cameras made by a company linked to the Chinese government...
A former SNP researcher has criticised a charity for giving a job to the party’s ex-chief whip who sexually harassed him as a teenager.
Scotland’s International Development Alliance (Sida), which is funded by the Scottish government, has taken on Patrick Grady as head of policy and communications. In 2021 Grady stepped away from the chief...A former SNP researcher has criticised a charity for giving a job to the party’s ex-chief whip who sexually harassed him as a teenager.
Scotland’s International Development Alliance (Sida), which is funded by the Scottish government, has taken on Patrick Grady as head of policy and communications. In 2021 Grady stepped away from the chief...A former SNP researcher has criticised a charity for giving a job to the party’s ex-chief whip who sexually harassed him as a...
iain macwhirter
I know the following is not a very cheerful message for the new year, and I apologise for inflicting this downer on you, but I’m afraid we can’t just ignore a grim reality. As Scotland’s temperature plummets to -11C, cold weather — aka the silent killer — will be dispatching many older people to an early grave.I know the following is not a very cheerful message for the new year, and I apologise for...I know the following is not a very cheerful message for the new year, and I apologise for...
natasha radmehr | notebook
A furious Brendan Rodgers laid into a section of the Celtic support for the tetchiness they showed in the early part...A furious Brendan Rodgers laid into a section of the Celtic support for the tetchiness they...A furious Brendan Rodgers laid into a section of the Celtic support for the tetchiness they...
Rugby coaches who “get smashed every weekend” are driving teenage players to alcohol abuse, say youth workers, who...Rugby coaches who “get smashed every weekend” are driving teenage players to alcohol abuse, say...Rugby coaches who “get smashed every weekend” are driving teenage players to alcohol abuse, say...
magnus linklater
Scottish Premiership | Michael Grant
In a year which is only five days old Rangers have already been on an emotional rollercoaster and learned absolutely...In a year which is only five days old Rangers have already been on an emotional rollercoaster and...In a year which is only five days old Rangers have already been on an emotional rollercoaster and...
interview
On the date of his 60th birthday, an occasion when other men graciously accept a carriage clock and shuffle off to...On the date of his 60th birthday, an occasion when other men graciously accept a carriage clock...On the date of his 60th birthday, an occasion when other men graciously accept a carriage clock...
Comment
Electoral tinkering is a gift to the populists
Alex Massie
The left’s proposed reforms such as a lower voting age are self-serving and will fuel distrust of the political mainstream
Libby Purves
ADHD diagnoses risk ignoring our potential
Tomiwa Owolade
The key to happiness in life is social fitness
Juliet Samuel
How we got from starch staples to dragon fruit
Emma Thompson
Justin Welby’s successor needs to halve the ‘upstairs church’
newLeading Articles
Frontline Care
Labour’s plans to relieve the long-term NHS crisis and make it fit for purpose include sensible ideas that should be implemented immediately
Blatant Opportunism
Naked greed in Mauritius should kill off the Chagos Islands deal
None too Pleased
Pope Francis has called on nuns to abandon their sour-faced habits and smile more
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Complexities of reforming the health service
Write to [email protected] Sir, The government’s efforts to speed up waiting times for routine treatments are to be applauded (news, Jan 4). Here in East Sussex, as long ago as the 1980s, community hospitals in the smaller towns were...Write to [email protected] Sir, The government’s efforts to speed up waiting times for...Write to [email protected] Sir, The government’s efforts to speed up waiting times for...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The House of Commons, the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, and the House of Lords return from Christmas recess; Sir Keir Starmer is due to unveil plans to cut NHS waiting lists.
China: Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, begins a tour of African countries, with Namibia, Congo (Brazzaville), Chad and Nigeria on his agenda.
US: President Biden visits New Orleans following the terrorist attack on January 1; the UN security council meets for a newly added session on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
World: Epiphany Christian festival.
On this day
In 1838 Samuel Morse gave the first public demonstration of his telegraph, in Morristown, New Jersey. In 1933 singing telegrams were introduced. Western Union delivered its final telegram in 2006; in 1929 Alexander I established a royal dictatorship over the kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. On October 3, 1929, he changed the name of the country to Yugoslavia. He was assassinated in 1934; in 1959 Mildred and Richard Loving were convicted in Virginia of violating the Racial Integrity Act 1924, forbidding interracial marriage. They had legally married in Washington DC, but more than 20 states did not recognise such marriages. The landmark US Supreme Court Loving v Virginia (1967) case ruled in the couple’s favour; in 1992 the US government called for a moratorium on the use of silicone gel-filled breast implants over safety fears.
Nature notes
Our grandparents would have been incredulous to see a collared dove on our shores, yet now this pretty bird is common in many parts of the United Kingdom. Able to breed year-round, the population has expanded from just four in Norfolk in 1955 to more than 800,000 pairs today. There has been a recent decline in some areas, possibly linked to trichomonosis, a disease that can spread via dirty bird feeders and has had a devastating effect on finches. Collared doves are smaller and more elegant than wood pigeons, with pinky-grey plumage and a black band around their necks. And where collared doves repeat “Coo-COO-coo” ad infinitum, woodies have a lower, five-note song sometimes rendered — a little oddly — as: “My toe bleeds, Betty”. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Lee Anderson, Reform UK MP for Ashfield, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party (2023-24), 58; Malcolm Appleby, silversmith and metal engraver, 79; Rowan Atkinson, actor, the Blackadder, Mr Bean and Johnny English TV and film series, 70; Hugo Broch, the last living German Luftwaffe ace of the Second World War (Eastern and Baltic fronts), 103; Feryal Clark, Labour MP for Enfield North, minister for AI and digital government, 46; Angus Deayton, presenter, Have I Got News for You (1990-2002), and actor, Waterloo Road (2013-15), 69; Kapil Dev, cricketer, India (1978-94) and coach (1999-2000), 66; Michael Foale, British-born astrophysicist and former Nasa astronaut, 68; Ian Lavery, Labour MP for Blyth and Ashington, chairman of the Labour Party (2017-20), president, National Union of Mineworkers (2002-10), 62; Nigella Lawson, TV presenter and cookery writer, Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes and Stories (2020), 65; Lord (Ian) McColl of Dulwich, surgeon, chairman, medical charity Mercy Ships UK (2001-15), 92; AR Rahman, composer, Slumdog Millionaire (2008), 58; Eddie Redmayne, actor, The Theory of Everything (2014), The Day of the Jackal (2024), 43; Elizabeth Strout, novelist, Olive Kitteridge (2008), 69; Trudie Styler, actress and producer, Filth (2013), 71; Eric Trump, businessman, vice-president of the Trump Organization, the second son of Donald Trump, 41; Alex Turner, musician, Arctic Monkeys, AM (2013), 39; Most Rev Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury (since 2013, and whose official duties will now be delegated to the Archbishop of York), 69; Sir Clive Woodward, director of sport, Team GB (2006-12), rugby union player and coach of England (1997-2004), including World Cup final win in 2003, 69.