Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that pensioners will be able to afford the loss of winter fuel payments as he shrugs off the threat of rebellion from dozens of Labour MPs. As the prime minister vows to press ahead with scrapping the winter fuel allowance for most pensioners, Labour whips are...Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that pensioners will be able to afford the loss of winter fuel payments as he shrugs off the threat of rebellion from dozens of Labour MPs. As the prime minister vows to press ahead with scrapping the winter fuel allowance for most pensioners, Labour whips are...Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that pensioners will be able to afford the loss of winter fuel payments as he shrugs off the...
The law enforcement agency at the forefront of Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to “smash the gangs” is in crisis, it can be revealed, losing more officers than it recruits and suffering an unprecedented brain drain. The National Crime Agency is “on its knees”, a new report warns, putting at risk its ability to take on people smugglers and other...The law enforcement agency at the forefront of Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to “smash the gangs” is in crisis, it can be revealed, losing more officers than it recruits and suffering an unprecedented brain drain. The National Crime Agency is “on its knees”, a new report warns, putting at risk its ability to take on people smugglers and other...The law enforcement agency at the forefront of Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to “smash the gangs” is in crisis, it can be revealed...
The head of a private school association representing hundreds of schools says he does not disagree with the concept of VAT on fees but the timing is “unempathetic cant”. Dominic Norrish, the chief executive of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS), has written to Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, and...The head of a private school association representing hundreds of schools says he does not...The head of a private school association representing hundreds of schools says he does not...
BEN MACINTYRE | EXTract
You’re so vain, you probably think this article is about you. Although actually, if Carly Simon were writing her...You’re so vain, you probably think this article is about you. Although actually, if Carly Simon...You’re so vain, you probably think this article is about you. Although actually, if Carly Simon...
us open
Whatever your thoughts on the outcome of Jannik Sinner’s controversial anti-doping case, the way in which the world...Whatever your thoughts on the outcome of Jannik Sinner’s controversial anti-doping case, the way...Whatever your thoughts on the outcome of Jannik Sinner’s controversial anti-doping case, the way...
Tom Peck | political sketch
I’m not imagining it am I? Sir Keir Starmer wasn’t this grey when the exit poll dropped at 10pm on July 4? The prime minister is not necessarily the world’s most captivating interviewee and thus I tend to find it is around about the three-minute mark when the mind first starts to wander, and the eyes start to creep northwards, to take in the swooping contours of the...I’m not imagining it am I? Sir Keir Starmer wasn’t this grey when the exit poll dropped at 10pm...I’m not imagining it am I? Sir Keir Starmer wasn’t this grey when the exit poll dropped at 10pm...
A political divide has opened up over the England manager’s refusal to sing the national anthem, with Conservatives...A political divide has opened up over the England manager’s refusal to sing the national anthem, with Conservatives saying it is a matter of patriotism while Labour insists it is a personal choice. Lee Carsley, the interim manager, did not sing God Save the King before his first game in charge against the Republic...A political divide has opened up over the England manager’s refusal to sing the national anthem, with Conservatives saying it...
Tom Tugendhat has said that the Conservatives cannot lower migration by “just shouting at foreigners from the White...Tom Tugendhat has said that the Conservatives cannot lower migration by “just shouting at...Tom Tugendhat has said that the Conservatives cannot lower migration by “just shouting at...
profile
When it comes to climate activists, most people will know the name Greta Thunberg. But few outside of environmental...When it comes to climate activists, most people will know the name Greta Thunberg. But few...When it comes to climate activists, most people will know the name Greta Thunberg. But few...
Getting married on a beach with the sand between your toes is the dream for many lovers of the seaside. They may soon be their able to go one step further and exchange vows in the sea itself, as one of Britain’s finest tidal pools seeks to become...Getting married on a beach with the sand between your toes is the dream for many lovers of the...Getting married on a beach with the sand between your toes is the dream for many lovers of the...
The King and Queen attended a church service near Balmoral on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of the death of...The King and Queen attended a church service near Balmoral on Sunday to mark the second...The King and Queen attended a church service near Balmoral on Sunday to mark the second...
The southern cassowary is often called the world’s most dangerous bird. Now, the rare and elusive animal, native to...The southern cassowary is often called the world’s most dangerous bird. Now, the rare and elusive...The southern cassowary is often called the world’s most dangerous bird. Now, the rare and elusive...
Listening on headphones in public places and sharing films and music are set to be overhauled by a new Bluetooth technology. Auracast will allow more than one person to connect to a device with their wireless headphones, ending the frustration of...Listening on headphones in public places and sharing films and music are set to be overhauled by...Listening on headphones in public places and sharing films and music are set to be overhauled by...
A plan by Georgia’s government to outlaw its political opponents after next month’s elections will drag the Black Sea state back to its Soviet-era past and boost Russian influence over the country, an opposition leader has said. Tina Bokuchava, head of the United National Movement (UNM), warned...A plan by Georgia’s government to outlaw its political opponents after next month’s elections will drag the Black Sea state back to its Soviet-era past and boost Russian influence over the country, an opposition leader has said. Tina Bokuchava, head of the United National Movement (UNM), warned...A plan by Georgia’s government to outlaw its political opponents after next month’s elections will drag the Black Sea state...
Three Israelis have been shot dead at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, in what is being described as a terrorist attack. It was the first attack of its kind along the border with Jordan since the Hamas attack on Israel last October. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) reported that a lorry driver...Three Israelis have been shot dead at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, in what is being described as a terrorist attack. It was the first attack of its kind along the border with Jordan since the Hamas attack on Israel last October. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) reported that a lorry driver...Three Israelis have been shot dead at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, in what is...
video
The surge in support for Kamala Harris has faded, a new poll suggests, leaving Donald Trump ahead in the run-up to what may be the only televised debate between the candidates, scheduled for Tuesday night. For the first time in a month Trump is narrowly ahead, with 48 to 47 per cent support nationwide among those...The surge in support for Kamala Harris has faded, a new poll suggests, leaving Donald Trump ahead...The surge in support for Kamala Harris has faded, a new poll suggests, leaving Donald Trump ahead...
In an ugly concrete courthouse in Avignon, a short walk from the splendour of the 14th-century Palace of the Popes, a legal case is under way that seems straight out of a horror film. Dominique Pélicot, 71, a white-haired grandfather, stands...In an ugly concrete courthouse in Avignon, a short walk from the splendour of the 14th-century...In an ugly concrete courthouse in Avignon, a short walk from the splendour of the 14th-century...
The Venezuelan opposition leader widely seen as the rightful winner of the country’s disputed presidential election...The Venezuelan opposition leader widely seen as the rightful winner of the country’s disputed...The Venezuelan opposition leader widely seen as the rightful winner of the country’s disputed...
Aggressive wolves could soon be shot in the Netherlands in a challenge to European Union rules after a dog was...Aggressive wolves could soon be shot in the Netherlands in a challenge to European Union rules...Aggressive wolves could soon be shot in the Netherlands in a challenge to European Union rules...
Decision over accelerated ‘quantitative tightening’ could release fiscal headroom for the chancellor before the budget
The Bank of England could ramp up the speed of its bond sales this month in a significant move for the chancellor’s spending plans before the budget on October 30. The Bank’s monetary policy committee will decide the pace of its “quantitative tightening” programme this month for the next 12 months, as it shrinks its balance sheet by selling gilts back to financial...The Bank of England could ramp up the speed of its bond sales this month in a significant move...The Bank of England could ramp up the speed of its bond sales this month in a significant move...
The 1990s were a time of outrage. Riots were sparked by Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax. John Major’s subsequent...The 1990s were a time of outrage. Riots were sparked by Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax. John Major’s subsequent Conservative government was mired in sleaze. Then with the dawn of New Labour, the laddish antics of the Gallagher brothers riding the wave of Britpop success swept across Britain, drawing the ire of parents...The 1990s were a time of outrage. Riots were sparked by Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax. John Major’s subsequent Conservative...
Tax evasion by small businesses is costing billions of pounds every year, the public spending watchdog has warned. Small companies can “easily exploit weaknesses in government systems”, according to a new report on tax evasion...Tax evasion by small businesses is costing billions of pounds every year, the public spending watchdog has warned. Small companies can “easily exploit weaknesses in government systems”, according to a new report on tax evasion...Tax evasion by small businesses is costing billions of pounds every year, the public spending watchdog has warned.
Britain’s third largest supermarket chain has launched one of the biggest workplace saving schemes in the UK for its 150,000 retail workers. Asda has partnered with Wagestream, the financial benefits company, to offer its...Britain’s third largest supermarket chain has launched one of the biggest workplace saving schemes in the UK for its 150,000 retail workers. Asda has partnered with Wagestream, the financial benefits company, to offer its...Britain’s third largest supermarket chain has launched one of the biggest workplace saving schemes in the UK for its...
recruitment
The nation’s athletes have been going for gold, clocking up an impressive medal haul at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Next week it is the turn of the nation’s trainees and apprentices to do the same at the global WorldSkills competition in Lyon. Held every two years, WorldSkills is the world’s largest international skills contest. Known as the “Skills Olympics”...The nation’s athletes have been going for gold, clocking up an impressive medal haul at the Paris...The nation’s athletes have been going for gold, clocking up an impressive medal haul at the Paris...
recruitment | six from the best
If your children are heading back to primary school this week, it’s likely they’ll be using material from Twinkl.If your children are heading back to primary school this week, it’s likely they’ll be using material from Twinkl. Founded in 2010 by the Oxford alumni and former lawyer Jonathan Seaton, it is a global education resource provider available in 200 countries. Here Seaton shares his lessons on building a business. 1 Be...If your children are heading back to primary school this week, it’s likely they’ll be using material from Twinkl. Founded in...
Third Test | mike atherton
Sri Lanka need 125 runs to win with nine wickets in hand
It’s end of term time. Holidays looming, everyone distracted, quality of work declining. At least that is what it has felt like watching England this week, who gave away a commanding position in the first innings with some slapdash batting, and who, with a slender lead and the top order dismissed...It’s end of term time. Holidays looming, everyone distracted, quality of work declining. At least that is what it has felt like watching England this week, who gave away a commanding position in the first innings with some slapdash batting, and who, with a slender lead and the top order dismissed...It’s end of term time. Holidays looming, everyone distracted, quality of work declining. At least that is what it has felt like...
Third Test | Steve james
Harry Brook had it coming, some might say. He was dismissed in this second innings by a fine delivery from the left-armer Vishwa Fernando, the ball arcing in late, beating Brook’s ambitious drive and thudding into his front pad. It is the ball every left-arm swing bowler craves, one that always excites umpires with twitchy fingers, and...Harry Brook had it coming, some might say. He was dismissed in this second innings by a fine delivery from the left-armer Vishwa Fernando, the ball arcing in late, beating Brook’s ambitious drive and thudding into his front pad. It is the ball every left-arm swing bowler craves, one that always excites umpires with twitchy fingers, and...Harry Brook had it coming, some might say. He was dismissed in this second innings by a fine delivery from the left-armer...
jonathan northcroft
Just like Lee Carsley’s, Gareth Southgate’s England reign also began with a 2-0 win. But that was at home to Malta, there were boos, and the headline in one paper was “Gareth Grates”. Carsley is starting from a much higher base than his predecessor, given Southgate took over an England traumatised by Euro 2016 and...Just like Lee Carsley’s, Gareth Southgate’s England reign also began with a 2-0 win. But that was...Just like Lee Carsley’s, Gareth Southgate’s England reign also began with a 2-0 win. But that was...
Nations League | Michael Grant
STUART BARNES
Saturday, November 12, 2022. This date may one day be regarded as the beginning of the end for the Wallabies as a...Saturday, November 12, 2022. This date may one day be regarded as the beginning of the end for...Saturday, November 12, 2022. This date may one day be regarded as the beginning of the end for...
alex lowe
Up in the president’s suite of the Stade Pierre-Fabre on Saturday night, the Castres captain Mathieu Babillot was...Up in the president’s suite of the Stade Pierre-Fabre on Saturday night, the Castres captain...Up in the president’s suite of the Stade Pierre-Fabre on Saturday night, the Castres captain...
ian hawkey
There may really be a little magic in the frame of the goal now known, officially, as the Luis Suárez Goal. It’s the one in front of the Colombes end of the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, named, as of this weekend, after Uruguay’s greatest...There may really be a little magic in the frame of the goal now known, officially, as the Luis...There may really be a little magic in the frame of the goal now known, officially, as the Luis...
simon wilde
One of the earliest occasions Moeen Ali was seen around a full England tour was when the Test squad trained at St...One of the earliest occasions Moeen Ali was seen around a full England tour was when the Test...One of the earliest occasions Moeen Ali was seen around a full England tour was when the Test...
The next few days on home soil look very different for Great Britain’s two standout performers at the US Open. As the...The next few days on home soil look very different for Great Britain’s two standout performers at...The next few days on home soil look very different for Great Britain’s two standout performers at...
ALYSON RUDD | Ilmari Niskanen interview
BEN MACINTYRE | EXTract
On May 5, 1980, live TV captured the dramatic moment when the SAS began their rescue attempt. Yet what happened inside the building was even more breathtaking, Ben Macintyre reveals in his explosive new book
Weddings that feature in the magazine don’t always result in a happy-ever-after, it turns out
Sarah Davies is one of Britain’s leading experts on the personality disorder. Maybe that’s unsurprising given her experience growing up
Ask PROFESSOR TANYA BYRON
London Design Festival is back. The annual extravaganza of largely free — yes, free! —installations, workshops and...London Design Festival is back. The annual extravaganza of largely free — yes, free!London Design Festival is back. The annual extravaganza of largely free — yes, free!
How much of an impact can singing in a choir have on your life? Who are choirs for and what should they perform? How...How much of an impact can singing in a choir have on your life? Who are choirs for and what...How much of an impact can singing in a choir have on your life? Who are choirs for and what...
PROMS 2024
Will it be a vintage season at the BBC Proms? It’s David Pickard’s last hurrah as director of the festival, and the concerts are also spread out over Great Britain like never before, with important events scheduled in Bristol and Gateshead as well...Will it be a vintage season at the BBC Proms? It’s David Pickard’s last hurrah as director of the...Will it be a vintage season at the BBC Proms? It’s David Pickard’s last hurrah as director of the...
first night review
FIRST NIGHT Review
InteraCtive
Turn off the A3 at Wisley in Surrey, just past the M25, and you will quickly find yourself a world away from the hustle of the capital. To the north of the road sit the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society — 240 acres of arboreal, manicured...Turn off the A3 at Wisley in Surrey, just past the M25, and you will quickly find yourself a...Turn off the A3 at Wisley in Surrey, just past the M25, and you will quickly find yourself a...
MindGames
1 Which condiment derives its name from the French vin aigre (“sour wine”)? 2 The Robin Hood Way is a 105-mile route...1 Which condiment derives its name from the French vin aigre (“sour wine”)? 2 The Robin Hood Way...1 Which condiment derives its name from the French vin aigre (“sour wine”)? 2 The Robin Hood Way...
Viewing GUide
TELEVISION
tELEVISION | STREAMING GUIDE
Television
Television
television
Interview
She’s seen off the Tories, now the Countdown genius turned political firebrand is determined not to give Keir Starmer an easy ride. She tells Julia Llewellyn Smith about Botox, abuse and being sacked by the BBC
EXCLUSIVE interview
The star opens up about fame, being pigeonholed as a Hollywood pretty boy — and eating late-night ice cream to play a bloated Henry VIII
BEST PLACES TO LIVE
You may not have heard of these communities — and that’s part of their charm. Tim Palmer visits the friendliest and prettiest under-the-radar spots to move to
INTERVIEW
From working with London’s hippest designer to Hollywood’s most in-demand directors, the 68-year-old actress is hotter than ever
video
Area 51 isn’t the only weird thing in the Nevada desert, as our writer discovered when he drove the Extraterrestrial Highway to see if the truth really is out there
interview
The jeweller and Crayola have teamed up for a colourful jewellery collection
Anna Murphy on why Harvey Nichols was her wonderwall
In the packed Japanese city, the greatest luxury is a park — or, as Lisa Grainger discovers, a penthouse with a pool overlooking a park
The picturesque two-Michelin-star Voro at Cap Vermell offers a tantalising combination of skill, invention and local tradition
video
Beaches, baroque palaces, tasty tapas and boutique hotels await in one of western Europe’s oldest cities – and it’s sunny through to November
As the new school term starts, Katie Bowman investigates whether combining her daughter’s curriculum with a family trip will score an A+ or a fail
video
Area 51 isn’t the only weird thing in the Nevada desert, as our writer discovered when he drove the Extraterrestrial Highway to see if the truth really is out there
Private stretches of sand, thalassotherapy treatments, great golf courses and an atmospheric medina await in Hammamet
video
Hoe Grange, with its hot tubs and rural trails to suit all, has won awards for its accessibility. Ben Aitken and best mate Anthony went to see why
Something I love about Phuket (along with the international airport, which means you can fly in from the UK and be on...Something I love about Phuket (along with the international airport, which means you can fly in...Something I love about Phuket (along with the international airport, which means you can fly in...
comment
It was only after the guns fell silent that we began counting the cost. Dynamic pricing had more than doubled the...It was only after the guns fell silent that we began counting the cost. Dynamic pricing had more...It was only after the guns fell silent that we began counting the cost. Dynamic pricing had more...
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
video
Once-in-a-lifetime adventures can be equal parts exhilarating and expensive. One way to cut costs is to tick off lots of incredible experiences in a single trip — with a cruise. We’ve found the sailings that show off the best of what the world has...Once-in-a-lifetime adventures can be equal parts exhilarating and expensive. One way to cut costs...Once-in-a-lifetime adventures can be equal parts exhilarating and expensive. One way to cut costs...
Obituary
Scottish defender who transformed the club’s fortunes as captain in the 1960s and was known as ‘the colossus’ for his size and power
video
The Times has been publishing life stories of the great and the good (and the not so good) for more than 170 years. Now the obituary is also becoming a podcast, explains Anna Temkin
Weather eye
DAVID sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from...DAVID sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all...DAVID sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all...
7th September, 2024 The King, Patron, the Braemar Royal Highland Society, and The Queen this afternoon attended the...7th September, 2024 The King, Patron, the Braemar Royal Highland Society, and The Queen this...7th September, 2024 The King, Patron, the Braemar Royal Highland Society, and The Queen this...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
A shorter working week for more than 8,000 Scottish government staff will come into effect this autumn despite £500 million of budget cuts across the public sector. Civil service employees will work eight hours less every month from October as part of a pay rise package even though Shona Robison...A shorter working week for more than 8,000 Scottish government staff will come into effect this autumn despite £500 million of budget cuts across the public sector. Civil service employees will work eight hours less every month from October as part of a pay rise package even though Shona Robison...A shorter working week for more than 8,000 Scottish government staff will come into effect this autumn despite £500 million of...
Scottish government ministers have racked up more than 120 overseas trips in just over two years to more than 30 different destinations despite foreign affairs being reserved to Westminster. After Covid travel restrictions were lifted in May 2021 only Nicola Sturgeon, then first minister, initially travelled overseas. She attended the...Scottish government ministers have racked up more than 120 overseas trips in just over two years to more than 30 different destinations despite foreign affairs being reserved to Westminster. After Covid travel restrictions were lifted in May 2021 only Nicola Sturgeon, then first minister, initially travelled overseas. She attended the...Scottish government ministers have racked up more than 120 overseas trips in just over two years to more than 30 different...
iain macwhirter
Alex Salmond is reported as saying that Scotland is “worse in every respect” since the 2014 referendum. Well, he should know since he was one of the architects of that SNP administration. But while the past decade hasn’t been a stunning success, governance-wise, it seems a bit extreme to say that absolutely nothing...Alex Salmond is reported as saying that Scotland is “worse in every respect” since the 2014...Alex Salmond is reported as saying that Scotland is “worse in every respect” since the 2014...
Nations League | Michael Grant
Having made an almighty mess of travelling to Portugal, Scotland almost pulled off a result which would have taken them home by walking on water. A team which had barely shown a pulse recently dug deep and came within a few minutes of denying Portugal in Lisbon. They flirted with the sensation of a win when Scott McTominay gave them an early lead, then Angus Gunn made...Having made an almighty mess of travelling to Portugal, Scotland almost pulled off a result which...Having made an almighty mess of travelling to Portugal, Scotland almost pulled off a result which...
Uefa Nations League | Mark Palmer
Nothing like as bad as many had feared — perhaps even expected. But this still goes down as an opportunity missed for...Nothing like as bad as many had feared — perhaps even expected. But this still goes down as an opportunity missed for Scotland, who gave so much to the contest in the first half before falling out of it for decisive spells of the second. By that time, Steve Clarke’s men were having to contend with one Cristiano...Nothing like as bad as many had feared — perhaps even expected. But this still goes down as an opportunity missed for Scotland...
Lady Saltoun, the spry, cheerful hands-on chief who linked her clan through IT, was the only female holder of a...Lady Saltoun, the spry, cheerful hands-on chief who linked her clan through IT, was the only...Lady Saltoun, the spry, cheerful hands-on chief who linked her clan through IT, was the only...
CAROLINE BROWN
The summer holidays are now well and truly over and our schools have returned. The Cass Review, published in April...The summer holidays are now well and truly over and our schools have returned. The Cass Review...The summer holidays are now well and truly over and our schools have returned. The Cass Review...
Mark palmer
Franco Smith is always a man with a plan. The Glasgow Warriors head coach is also in possession of a large, shiny United Rugby Championship trophy, which rather suggests there might be merit in his way of doing things. Indeed, that title success...Franco Smith is always a man with a plan. The Glasgow Warriors head coach is also in possession...Franco Smith is always a man with a plan. The Glasgow Warriors head coach is also in possession...
Comment
Keir, we can’t thrive if all you offer is misery
Jenni Russell
The PM’s doom-laden warnings will become self-fulfilling — he must champion the hope and change people voted for
libby purves
There’s an obvious way to stem the boats
edward lucas
With all these MPs, Davey needs a big idea
helen rumbelow | notebook
We humans deserve a first-class death too
deborah meaden
Volunteering holds the key to tackling workplace sickness
Peter Lilley
Kemi Badenoch, the engineer who could fix Britain
I first met Kemi Badenoch — Kemi Adegoke as she then was — nearly two decades ago, when I was setting up a policy commission for David Cameron. It comprised past and future luminaries ranging from Bob Geldof and an American assistant secretary of...I first met Kemi Badenoch — Kemi Adegoke as she then was — nearly two decades ago, when I was...I first met Kemi Badenoch — Kemi Adegoke as she then was — nearly two decades ago, when I was...
Leading Articles
Hard Lessons
Britain’s universities face a financial squeeze. Putting them on a secure footing will require imagination, bravery and a willingness to tell difficult truths
Rogue Regime
Repression by the country’s socialist rulers is intensifying and must be thwarted
Food for Thought
Crisps, in moderation, enhance an aperitif and meet an enduring demand
letters to the editor
Confronting the Taliban over women’s rights
Sir, Janice Turner is correct about the need to confront the Taliban’s gender apartheid (Sep 7), but boycotting Afghanistan’s men’s cricket team is not the right approach. Cricket in Afghanistan grew from the despair of the refugee camps of...Sir, Janice Turner is correct about the need to confront the Taliban’s gender apartheid (Sep 7)...Sir, Janice Turner is correct about the need to confront the Taliban’s gender apartheid (Sep 7)...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits the UK to take part in the US-UK Strategic Dialogue; The King’s Accession Gun Salute by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park, London; Second ballot of Conservative Party leadership contest.
On this day
In 1904, the 22-year-old James Joyce moved into the Martello Tower, which would become the setting of the opening scene of Ulysses, in Sandycove, outside Dublin, with his friend Oliver St John Gogarty; in 1906 Ota Benga, a teenage pygmy sold by slave traders in Congo Free State in 1904, was exhibited in the primate house at a US zoo, and released 20 days later after protests. On March 20, 1916 he committed suicide, in Lynchburg, Virginia; in 1921 the model and silent film actress Virginia Rappe died aged 30 in controversial circumstances after attending a party on September 5. Her death led to three sensational trials (and the eventual acquittal) of the 136kg actor Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle for manslaughter and rape. Arbuckle was on a $1 million-a-year contract, but the scandal left his film career in tatters; in 1948 the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was proclaimed in 1948, with Kim Il-sung declared as premier.
Nature notes
Common lizards give birth to live young in July or August, and the young lizards can be seen basking in sunny spots until temperatures drop in October and it is time for them to hibernate. Just a few centimetres long and darker in colour than the brown or sandy adults, they are often mistaken for newts, but they move much faster, flicking away into the undergrowth when they sense approaching feet, or when a shadow falls across them. If you see one disappear out of the corner of your eye — or hear it rustle in the dry vegetation at the edge of a path — it is worth waiting a while, as they usually creep back out to occupy the same sunbathing spot. Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Mike Ashley, founder and former chief executive (2018-22) of Frasers Group (retailer), owner of Newcastle United FC (2007-21), 60; Lord (Bill) Bradshaw, Liberal Democrat politician, 88; Michael Bublé, singer, To Be Loved (2013), 49; Angela Cartwright, actress, The Sound of Music (1965), 72; Patrick Collison, entrepreneur, co-founder and chief executive of Stripe (technology company), 36; Bruno Fernandes, footballer, Manchester United and Portugal, 30; Hugh Grant, actor, Notting Hill (1999), 64; Natasha Kaplinsky, newsreader and TV presenter, president and chairwoman of the British Board of Film Classification, 52; Duncan Kenworthy, film producer, Love Actually (2003), 75; Sir David Klenerman, biophysical chemist, professor of biophysical chemistry, department of chemistry, University of Cambridge, 65; Peter Kyle, science, innovation and technology secretary, Labour MP for Hove & Portslade, 54; Prof Richard Penty, engineer, master of Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge (2013-23), 60; John Preston, journalist and author, A Very English Scandal (2016), Fall: The Mystery of Robert Maxwell (2021), 71; Reuven Rivlin, president of Israel (2014-21), 85; Adam Sandler, actor, Happy Gilmore (1996), 58; Julia Sawalha, actress, Absolutely Fabulous (1992-2012), 56; Richard Sharp, rugby union player, England (1960-67), 86; Prof Sir Adrian Smith, mathematician, president, The Royal Society, director and chief executive, The Alan Turing Institute (2018-23), vice-chancellor, University of London (2012-18), 78; Prof Sir Ralf Speth, chief executive, Jaguar Land Rover (2010-20), 69; Dave Stewart, singer and producer, Eurythmics, 72; Dr Shirley Summerskill, Labour MP (1964-83), Home Office minister (1974-79), 93; Alisher Usmanov, businessman, Uzbek-Russian oligarch, 71; Goran Visnjic, actor, ER (1994-2008), 52; Sir Keith Willett, professor of orthopaedic trauma surgery, University of Oxford, 67; Michelle Williams, actress, The Fabelmans (2022), 44.