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More than 1,000 jobs at one of the country’s largest vehicle plants have been put at risk after Vauxhall became the latest company to scale back its UK production. Ministers have been forced into talks with manufacturers amid fears that electric vehicle (EV) targets will hit carmakers with...More than 1,000 jobs at one of the country’s largest vehicle plants have been put at risk after Vauxhall became the latest company to scale back its UK production. Ministers have been forced into talks with manufacturers amid fears that electric vehicle (EV) targets will hit carmakers with...More than 1,000 jobs at one of the country’s largest vehicle plants have been put at risk after Vauxhall became the latest...
video
Israel has agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the country’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon but vowed to strike back if the Iran-backed militants broke the terms. After weeks of negotiations by France and the US, Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said he would recommend the deal to end the fighting for up to 60 days, starting...Israel has agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the country’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon but vowed to strike back if the Iran-backed militants broke the terms. After weeks of negotiations by France and the US, Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said he would recommend the deal to end the fighting for up to 60 days, starting...Israel has agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the country’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon but vowed to strike back if the...
IN DEPTH
Sickness benefits will be reformed to encourage people back to work, ministers promised despite protests from disability rights campaigners. Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, said that “our entire employment and benefits system is simply not geared up” to cope with a rise in long-term sickness and said...Sickness benefits will be reformed to encourage people back to work, ministers promised despite...Sickness benefits will be reformed to encourage people back to work, ministers promised despite...
It started with a kiss. Felix was walking a fellow student back to her room after a boozy night out at the end of his...It started with a kiss. Felix was walking a fellow student back to her room after a boozy night...It started with a kiss. Felix was walking a fellow student back to her room after a boozy night...
first person
I didn’t know any solo mothers nine years ago when I made the biggest decision of my life, to try to become pregnant...I didn’t know any solo mothers nine years ago when I made the biggest decision of my life, to try...I didn’t know any solo mothers nine years ago when I made the biggest decision of my life, to try...
One in twelve of England’s designated swimming spots fail to meet water quality standards, the highest level since government monitoring began in 2015, according to new figures. The Environment Agency’s latest report on 450 popular bathing spots...One in twelve of England’s designated swimming spots fail to meet water quality standards, the...One in twelve of England’s designated swimming spots fail to meet water quality standards, the...
ARCHIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
Smithfield Market is set to close after the planned relocation to a modern, suburban site was put on hold by the City of London Corporation. The market opened at its current site in 1868 and meat had been traded in the area since the 12th century.Smithfield Market is set to close after the planned relocation to a modern, suburban site was put...Smithfield Market is set to close after the planned relocation to a modern, suburban site was put...
A British ticket-holder has won a £177 million Euromillions jackpot, becoming the third biggest National Lottery...A British ticket-holder has won a £177 million Euromillions jackpot, becoming the third biggest...A British ticket-holder has won a £177 million Euromillions jackpot, becoming the third biggest...
THE TIMES DIARY
Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day of the Jackal, was once the only western journalist allowed in East...Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day of the Jackal, was once the only western...Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day of the Jackal, was once the only western...
Russia’s army has made its biggest monthly advance in Ukraine since the early days of its full-scale invasion, analysts have said, with its troops entering a key frontline town in the Donetsk region. The gains came as Russia vowed a fresh response to new Ukrainian strikes on its territory with...Russia’s army has made its biggest monthly advance in Ukraine since the early days of its full-scale invasion, analysts have said, with its troops entering a key frontline town in the Donetsk region. The gains came as Russia vowed a fresh response to new Ukrainian strikes on its territory with...Russia’s army has made its biggest monthly advance in Ukraine since the early days of its full-scale invasion, analysts have...
The president of Mexico has warned of possible retaliation after Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on imports unless the country halts the flow of illegal migrants and drugs into the US. In a striking escalation of trade tensions, the US president-elect vowed to impose steep tariffs on America’s top three trading partners...The president of Mexico has warned of possible retaliation after Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on imports unless the country halts the flow of illegal migrants and drugs into the US. In a striking escalation of trade tensions, the US president-elect vowed to impose steep tariffs on America’s top three trading partners...The president of Mexico has warned of possible retaliation after Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on imports...
Sir Keir Starmer has promised a response after Russia expelled a British diplomat on what the prime minister called “baseless” espionage charges amid soaring tensions over the war in Ukraine. The expulsion came shortly before Russia said it was barring entry to more than a dozen British politicians including Angela...Sir Keir Starmer has promised a response after Russia expelled a British diplomat on what the...Sir Keir Starmer has promised a response after Russia expelled a British diplomat on what the...
Four Basque terrorists have admitted the attempted murder of two journalists and their toddler son, decades after a booby-trap bomb failed to explode as the family left their home. Explosives were hidden inside a flowerpot and wired to the front...Four Basque terrorists have admitted the attempted murder of two journalists and their toddler...Four Basque terrorists have admitted the attempted murder of two journalists and their toddler...
Science fiction portrays man’s colonisation of space as a vision of almost magical modernity, in which humans...Science fiction portrays man’s colonisation of space as a vision of almost magical modernity, in...Science fiction portrays man’s colonisation of space as a vision of almost magical modernity, in...
An expert on genocide has left the United Nations amid claims that her contract was not renewed because she refused...An expert on genocide has left the United Nations amid claims that her contract was not renewed...An expert on genocide has left the United Nations amid claims that her contract was not renewed...
Nasa scientists conducting an aerial survey of Greenland’s ice sheets have captured new images of a Cold War subterranean military base. Built in 1959, Camp Century was a two-mile network of tunnels that the American defence department said was a...Nasa scientists conducting an aerial survey of Greenland’s ice sheets have captured new images of...Nasa scientists conducting an aerial survey of Greenland’s ice sheets have captured new images of...
He was once the red princelings’ princeling, the son and grandson of celebrated Communist Party leaders whose party...He was once the red princelings’ princeling, the son and grandson of celebrated Communist Party...He was once the red princelings’ princeling, the son and grandson of celebrated Communist Party...
Retired supreme court judges have lodged a criminal complaint for five alleged offences of tax fraud in the supreme...Retired supreme court judges have lodged a criminal complaint for five alleged offences of tax...Retired supreme court judges have lodged a criminal complaint for five alleged offences of tax...
In 1997 an archaeologist poking around in a long-dormant volcano crater a few miles west of Koblenz in western Germany found a substantial chunk of a human-like cranium. Judging by its “enormous thickness”, he decided, it could hardly be Homo...In 1997 an archaeologist poking around in a long-dormant volcano crater a few miles west of...In 1997 an archaeologist poking around in a long-dormant volcano crater a few miles west of...
The London branch of Macquarie Bank has been fined £13 million after a trader in its London branch went rogue and created more than 400 “fictitious’ commodities trades. The Financial Conduct Authority said that between June 2020 and February 2022, Travis Klein, of the bank’s London metals and...The London branch of Macquarie Bank has been fined £13 million after a trader in its London branch went rogue and created more than 400 “fictitious’ commodities trades. The Financial Conduct Authority said that between June 2020 and February 2022, Travis Klein, of the bank’s London metals and...The London branch of Macquarie Bank has been fined £13 million after a trader in its London branch went rogue and created more...
The UK’s missing worker problem has been overstated by unreliable labour market statistics, the chief economist of the Bank of England has said. Huw Pill, a member of the Bank’s monetary policy committee, said the central bank’s internal assessment of the labour market chimed with new research showing higher employment and a lower rate of...The UK’s missing worker problem has been overstated by unreliable labour market statistics, the chief economist of the Bank of England has said. Huw Pill, a member of the Bank’s monetary policy committee, said the central bank’s internal assessment of the labour market chimed with new research showing higher employment and a lower rate of...The UK’s missing worker problem has been overstated by unreliable labour market statistics, the chief economist of the Bank of...
Walmart has said it will no longer consider race and gender policies when granting supplier contracts after facing pressure from a conservative activist. The world’s biggest retailer is rowing back on a series of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives after critics said they were harmful to different...Walmart has said it will no longer consider race and gender policies when granting supplier...Walmart has said it will no longer consider race and gender policies when granting supplier...
ALISTAIR OSBORNE | BUSINESS COMMENTARY
Revving up for a $20 billion float one moment, bust 12 months later — or at least limping into Chapter 11 bankruptcy...Revving up for a $20 billion float one moment, bust 12 months later — or at least limping into...Revving up for a $20 billion float one moment, bust 12 months later — or at least limping into...
tempus
The investment trust industry has gone into overdrive this year, with new records for mergers, takeovers and buybacks.The investment trust industry has gone into overdrive this year, with new records for mergers...The investment trust industry has gone into overdrive this year, with new records for mergers...
Retailers and restaurants are paying ever higher rents to base themselves in Covent Garden, part of London’s West End, as its landlord Shaftesbury Capital nears full occupancy. Ian Hawksworth, Shaftesbury’s chief executive, said London’s theatre...Retailers and restaurants are paying ever higher rents to base themselves in Covent Garden, part...Retailers and restaurants are paying ever higher rents to base themselves in Covent Garden, part...
John Lewis has geared up for the busy Christmas period with help of the tallest autonomous robots in western Europe as part of its new warehouse operations. At ten metres in height, the retailer’s 60 Hai robots speed up the process of picking...John Lewis has geared up for the busy Christmas period with help of the tallest autonomous robots...John Lewis has geared up for the busy Christmas period with help of the tallest autonomous robots...
The returning boss of Asda told staff that turning around the embattled supermarket chain would not be easy, in his first message to the workforce since making a surprise comeback at the grocer. Allan Leighton, 71, was...The returning boss of Asda told staff that turning around the embattled supermarket chain would not be easy, in his first message to the workforce since making a surprise comeback at the grocer. Allan Leighton, 71, was...The returning boss of Asda told staff that turning around the embattled supermarket chain would not be easy, in his...
Londonmetric is to spend hundreds of millions of pounds buying more warehouses next year, but it will continue to avoid shops and offices. Andrew Jones, chief executive of the FTSE 100 landlord, has in recent years pivoted...Londonmetric is to spend hundreds of millions of pounds buying more warehouses next year, but it will continue to avoid shops and offices. Andrew Jones, chief executive of the FTSE 100 landlord, has in recent years pivoted...Londonmetric is to spend hundreds of millions of pounds buying more warehouses next year, but it will continue to...
female founders
Poppy Gustafsson has urged investors to create a more “inclusive economic landscape”
What i learnt
The co-founders of Swingers on the risks of taking their mini-golf concept to the US and beyond
Expert Tips
how i made it
She has founded successful firms such as FitFlop and Beauty Pie, but Marcia Kilgore still recalls the singer turning up at her spa 30 years ago
RECRUITMENT
A career path once meant working for the same firm for 40 years, then proudly collecting a carriage clock and hefty pension on retirement. Those days are long gone and Gen Zs entering the workforce now expect to have six different careers across their working lives. But what of the generations stuck between the Baby Boomers and upcoming “freelance first” Gen Alphas? For...A career path once meant working for the same firm for 40 years, then proudly collecting a...A career path once meant working for the same firm for 40 years, then proudly collecting a...
recruitment | SIX FROM THE BEST
As a student, Peter Jelkeby started working in Ikea’s Gothenburg store before climbing the company’s ranks. With 35...As a student, Peter Jelkeby started working in Ikea’s Gothenburg store before climbing the company’s ranks. With 35 years’ experience in the retail industry, he is now the firm’s UK & Ireland chief executive. Less complicated than a flatpack manual, here are his tips to build your career. 1 Stay humble and have big...As a student, Peter Jelkeby started working in Ikea’s Gothenburg store before climbing the company’s ranks. With 35 years’...
champions league | paul hirst
Man City 3 Feyenoord 3
“What is going on?” a befuddled elderly Manchester City supporter said as she talked to a steward on her way up the steps after the final whistle. Good question. How can this City squad, full of skilful, experienced winners, suddenly switch from the sublime to the ridiculous against a team that is third in the Eredivisie? How can a team that had Feyenoord by the throat...“What is going on?” a befuddled elderly Manchester City supporter said as she talked to a steward...“What is going on?” a befuddled elderly Manchester City supporter said as she talked to a steward...
Gareth Southgate has said that he will consider roles outside football as he continues his search for the next...Gareth Southgate has said that he will consider roles outside football as he continues his search for the next challenge after standing down as England manager. The 54-year-old is still enjoying a well-earned break after guiding the men’s national team to two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final...Gareth Southgate has said that he will consider roles outside football as he continues his search for the next challenge after...
Martin Samuel
Modern football is a world of data analytics, number-crunching, rows of intense young men in tracksuits, peering at...Modern football is a world of data analytics, number-crunching, rows of intense young men in...Modern football is a world of data analytics, number-crunching, rows of intense young men in...
MIKE ATHERTON
It is a homecoming, of sorts. About three miles north of Hagley Park, the venue for the first Test, lies Bourne...It is a homecoming, of sorts. About three miles north of Hagley Park, the venue for the first...It is a homecoming, of sorts. About three miles north of Hagley Park, the venue for the first...
champions league
This was the perfect night for Arsenal, who are gathering speed again after that period of autumn drift. For 45 minutes, they were untouchable here in Lisbon, delivering a masterclass in slick, clever, counterattacking football and making Europe’s...This was the perfect night for Arsenal, who are gathering speed again after that period of autumn...This was the perfect night for Arsenal, who are gathering speed again after that period of autumn...
Champions League | Paul Joyce
Arne Slot’s tenure to date has all been about stepping out of Jürgen Klopp’s shadow and overseeing a seamless...Arne Slot’s tenure to date has all been about stepping out of Jürgen Klopp’s shadow and...Arne Slot’s tenure to date has all been about stepping out of Jürgen Klopp’s shadow and...
Mohamed Salah’s contract rumpus with Liverpool is bringing the best out of him, according to Arne Slot, who insisted...Mohamed Salah’s contract rumpus with Liverpool is bringing the best out of him, according to Arne...Mohamed Salah’s contract rumpus with Liverpool is bringing the best out of him, according to Arne...
Champions League | Ian Hawkey
Real Madrid dutifully boarded and disembarked from their flight to a Uefa-endorsed event on Tuesday. Given their belligerent posture towards European football’s governing body, that almost counts as a rapprochement. Less than a month ago, they...Real Madrid dutifully boarded and disembarked from their flight to a Uefa-endorsed event on Tuesday.Real Madrid dutifully boarded and disembarked from their flight to a Uefa-endorsed event on Tuesday.
europa league | martyn ziegler
STUART FRASER
Let’s briefly put aside the drugs case, which we will come to later, and acknowledge that Jannik Sinner’s 2024 on the court was one of the great seasons in tennis history. The 23-year-old from Italy began the year by winning his first grand-slam...Let’s briefly put aside the drugs case, which we will come to later, and acknowledge that Jannik...Let’s briefly put aside the drugs case, which we will come to later, and acknowledge that Jannik...
county championship
Times sport unseen
Alan Crowhurst’s brilliant black and white images do more than hark back to glorious early days of sports photography (Brough Scott writes). They remind us scribblers that, however golden the opening words, readers will always clock the picture...Alan Crowhurst’s brilliant black and white images do more than hark back to glorious early days...Alan Crowhurst’s brilliant black and white images do more than hark back to glorious early days...
The tragic death of ‘cancelled’ Oxford student Alexander Rogers made headlines this month. But undergraduates at some universities are not surprised
The modern way to look chic is with a party suit, says Anna Murphy. I’ll be wearing one
first person
The number of single women having fertility treatment has more than tripled in a decade. It was the best thing I ever did, says Genevieve Roberts. And Liv Thorne gives her advice
Hilary Rose
The film set was built in a field and knocked down afterwards. Get over it
first person
Sarah Gillespie on what it’s like to suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder — and why NHS waiting lists forced her to Lithuania for treatment
review
Ah Bake Off, that warm dollop of sugary comfort in a fast-changing, occasionally terrifying world, please do not...Ah Bake Off, that warm dollop of sugary comfort in a fast-changing, occasionally terrifying...Ah Bake Off, that warm dollop of sugary comfort in a fast-changing, occasionally terrifying...
COMMENT
For all the attention lavished on naked tennis and nostalgic nonsense in Jilly Cooper’s Rivals on Disney+, most...For all the attention lavished on naked tennis and nostalgic nonsense in Jilly Cooper’s Rivals on...For all the attention lavished on naked tennis and nostalgic nonsense in Jilly Cooper’s Rivals on...
A LIFE IN THE DAY
video
review
If pre-teen toilet trips were the metric by which all family blockbusters were judged, this Disney sequel to the beloved 2016 smash Moana would be a bathroom-busting flop. The number of kiddies who were led out of my screening mid-movie may have...If pre-teen toilet trips were the metric by which all family blockbusters were judged, this...If pre-teen toilet trips were the metric by which all family blockbusters were judged, this...
MindGames
Comment
Last week, the housing minister Matthew Pennycook announced a series of reforms that sound the death knell for the...Last week, the housing minister Matthew Pennycook announced a series of reforms that sound the...Last week, the housing minister Matthew Pennycook announced a series of reforms that sound the...
Television
TELEVISION
TELEVISION
TELEVISION
TELEVISION
Television
TELEVISION
The ‘old money aesthetic’ is all over social media and its poster girl is CBK, a fashion legend whose quietly luxurious style can be seen on the runways and on Pinterest. By Chiara Brown
Impress even the most knowledgeable devotee with these decadent classics
Why take over a restaurant for a party when you can book a whole corner of the Bamford estate, asks Chiara Brown
Forget the wheel, says author and economist David McWilliams, money is the invention that has most shaped our psyche and our history
Few people are better qualified to teach resilience than Maria Sharapova. Alice B-B has a smashing four-day lesson with the tennis queen
Swap gloomy grey days for island life with our pick of the pads that provide a piece of paradise (without the crowds)
You’ll find street eats and gourmet treats at these indoor, market-style social spots around the country — plus here’s where to stay nearby
Forget Berlin, a historic centre in northern France beats the crowds — and it’s a train or ferry ride away
In Ardnamurchan on the west coast, a pair of Scandi-Hebridean-style cabins provide a cosy base for outdoor adventuring. But beware — you might just love it too much
Hiking in the world’s tallest peaks may be easier than you think and the rewards are life-affirming — here’s everything you need to know to plan a trip
Travel Editor’s Take
Letting loose on holiday with friends and free shots is a rite of passage. That this had fatal consequences in Laos...Letting loose on holiday with friends and free shots is a rite of passage. That this had fatal...Letting loose on holiday with friends and free shots is a rite of passage. That this had fatal...
To mark the 20th anniversary of her winning the 800m and 1,500m golds at the Athens Olympics, Dame Kelly Holmes has...To mark the 20th anniversary of her winning the 800m and 1,500m golds at the Athens Olympics,...To mark the 20th anniversary of her winning the 800m and 1,500m golds at the Athens Olympics,...
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
video
It might be blisteringly cold here in the Northern hemisphere, but over on the other side of the world another long, hot summer is about to start. Our winter is the best time to visit Australia, a continent that has everything you could want from...It might be blisteringly cold here in the Northern hemisphere, but over on the other side of the...It might be blisteringly cold here in the Northern hemisphere, but over on the other side of the...
Obituary
Australian-born Briton who later failed to halt the decline of the Midland Bank
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
THEN he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing...THEN he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto...THEN he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
MSP behind proposed Scottish legislation wants integration with end-of-life care
Hospices could provide assisted dying services to “alleviate suffering and uphold dignity” under proposals put forward by the politician spearheading an attempt to change the law in Scotland. Liam McArthur, a Liberal Democrat MSP, has introduced a member’s bill to Holyrood that aims to give...Hospices could provide assisted dying services to “alleviate suffering and uphold dignity” under proposals put forward by the politician spearheading an attempt to change the law in Scotland. Liam McArthur, a Liberal Democrat MSP, has introduced a member’s bill to Holyrood that aims to give...Hospices could provide assisted dying services to “alleviate suffering and uphold dignity” under proposals put forward by the...
Rent for a private two-bed property in and around Scotland’s capital has more than doubled since 2010, new figures have shown. Statistics released on Tuesday by the Scottish government show the price for a two-bedroom home — the most popular size — increased by 104 per cent in the Lothian area, which includes Edinburgh. The average rent in...Rent for a private two-bed property in and around Scotland’s capital has more than doubled since 2010, new figures have shown. Statistics released on Tuesday by the Scottish government show the price for a two-bedroom home — the most popular size — increased by 104 per cent in the Lothian area, which includes Edinburgh. The average rent in...Rent for a private two-bed property in and around Scotland’s capital has more than doubled since 2010, new figures have shown.
kenny farquharson
What is the nature of the relationship between Scottish Labour and UK Labour? How exactly does it work? I defy any Labour politician to give a convincing answer to this simple question. For an illustration of the dysfunction at play here consider the position taken by Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labour, on the...What is the nature of the relationship between Scottish Labour and UK Labour? How exactly does it...What is the nature of the relationship between Scottish Labour and UK Labour? How exactly does it...
The real stars of Glasgow’s shopping scene are its independent retailers, scattered across the city from Strathbungo to Saltmarket and the West End. Whether looking for homegrown ceramics, fragrances or accessories, these are the best places to...The real stars of Glasgow’s shopping scene are its independent retailers, scattered across the...The real stars of Glasgow’s shopping scene are its independent retailers, scattered across the...
scottish business digest
The block grant from Westminster to Holyrood still accounts for most of the money available to the Scottish government in its budget, despite significantly increased tax-raising powers being devolved in recent years. Key to this is the...The block grant from Westminster to Holyrood still accounts for most of the money available to...The block grant from Westminster to Holyrood still accounts for most of the money available to...
Comment
Band Aid’s critics are just feeding cynicism
Daniel Finkelstein
The charge of ‘white saviour complex’ against the charity single is designed to make people feel guilty about giving
alice thomson
Labour must work harder on its jobs promise
roger boyes
Trump can hurt China more in Latin America
matthew parris | notebook
Shabana Mahmood sets example by declaring her faith
gideon falter
Stop appeasing hatred of Jews — it’s a danger to everyone
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Starmer’s plan to beat long-term sickness
Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The prime minister is right to identify the challenge the country faces with supporting people with long-term sickness into the workplace (“Britain isn’t working, admits Starmer in jobs push”, Nov 26).Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The prime minister is right to identify the challenge the...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The prime minister is right to identify the challenge the...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Office for National Statistics reports on domestic abuse in England and Wales; Champions League: Liverpool v Real Madrid.
US: Gross domestic product figures estimate for third quarter.
On this day
In 1095 Pope Urban II called upon Christians in Europe to reclaim the Holy Land from the Muslims, saying “Deus vult!” (God wills it!) — leading to the first of the Crusades; in 1852 Ada Lovelace (Countess of Lovelace), regarded as the world’s first computer programmer, died aged 36. She was buried next to her father, the poet Lord Byron. Lovelace was the key interpreter of Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine; in 1961 the first RAF transport aircraft landed in Somalia with emergency aid for the flood-stricken country; in 2005 the world’s first partial face transplant was performed on a French woman who had been disfigured in a dog attack. She received a new nose, lips and chin from a donor.
Nature notes
Just as we are putting up our seasonal decorations, nature is taking down one of hers. Since early autumn huge wreaths of black bryony’s shining red berries have been hung on the hedges, but as winter bites this fruit is fast shrivelling into grey, wrinkled gobbets. Despite their glossy colour (think glacé cherries) these berries are poisonous to humans: they contain calcium oxalate crystals, the substance that can cause kidney stones. Birds seem to largely avoid the fruit too. It’s likely that the plant acts as its own seed disperser. In one year, its vines can travel several metres through the hedges before fruiting. Once the fruit has withered, the seeds will drop. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
The Rev Ijeoma Ajibade, chief of staff and strategy, Lambeth Palace, 59; John Alderton, actor, Please Sir! (1968-72), 84; Conrad Anker, climber, discovered George Mallory’s body on Everest in 1999, 62; Hywel Ball, UK chairman and UK&I managing partner, EY, 62; Steve Bannon, chief strategist to Donald Trump (2017), 71; Kathryn Bigelow, film director, Zero Dark Thirty (2012), 73; Michael Binyon, Times leader writer and former diplomatic editor and foreign correspondent, 80; Manolo Blahnik, shoe designer, 82; Samantha Bond, actress, The Marlow Murder Club (2024), 63; Dame Colette Bowe, external member, Bank of England’s financial policy committee, chairwoman, Banking Standards Board (2014-19), 78; Charlie Burchill, guitarist and co-founder of Simple Minds, 65; Gavyn Davies, economist, co-founder and executive chairman, Fulcrum Asset Management, chairman, BBC (2001-04), 74; Bendor Grosvenor, art historian, specialist in Old Masters, 47; Edward Hall, theatre and film director, Blithe Spirit (2020), and founder, Propeller Theatre Company, 58; Damian Hinds, Conservative MP for East Hampshire, 55; Kim Howells, Labour MP (1989-2010), foreign and Commonwealth affairs minister (2005-08), 78; Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, US ambassador to Australia, author of Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F Kennedy (2012), 67; Sir Stephen Lamport, diplomat, private secretary to the Prince of Wales (1996-2002), 73; Lashana Lynch, actress, The Day of the Jackal (2024), 37; John McCarthy, journalist and author, longest-held UK hostage in Lebanon (1986-91), 68; Dame Louise Makin, chairwoman, Halma (technology company), 64; Baroness (Ann) Mallalieu KC, president, Countryside Alliance, 79; Viktoria Mullova, violinist, 65; Lieutenant General Sir George Norton, commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies, 62; Ian Ritchie, chairman, Premiership Rugby (2018-20), 71; Arthur Smith, comedian, 70.