The ups and downs of Downing Street

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Britain and EU will ‘rip each other apart’ on trade

France gets tough before Brexit talks

France has warned that talks between Britain and the EU over a future trade deal will turn nasty. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, said that the negotiators were likely to rip each other apart, with the two sides expected to fight particularly hard over fishing rights. David...France has warned that talks between Britain and the EU over a future trade deal will turn nasty. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, said that the negotiators were likely to rip each other apart, with the two sides expected to fight particularly hard over fishing rights. David...France has warned that talks between Britain and the EU over a future trade deal will turn nasty. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the...

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Stop this BBC vendetta, Tory MPs tell No 10

Conservative MPs accused Downing Street of cultural vandalism and pursuing a vendetta against the BBC after it was reported that No 10 wanted to strip out most of its TV and radio stations. Last night ministers insisted that no decisions had been made about the corporation’s funding after sources told The Sunday Times that the government...Conservative MPs accused Downing Street of cultural vandalism and pursuing a vendetta against the BBC after it was reported that No 10 wanted to strip out most of its TV and radio stations. Last night ministers insisted that no decisions had been made about the corporation’s funding after sources told The Sunday Times that the government...Conservative MPs accused Downing Street of cultural vandalism and pursuing a vendetta against the BBC after it was reported...

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Love Island star told police that she would kill herself

The former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack had told the police that she would kill herself after she was arrested for attacking her boyfriend. On Saturday her father, Ian, called the emergency services to her flat in east London after she had taken her life. Her death is the fourth suicide associated with...The former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack had told the police that she would kill herself...The former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack had told the police that she would kill herself...

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How Sunak can give his budget a boost

If the new chancellor wants to make his mark he should start by sorting out the skills shortage and offer workers an incentive

Paris sex scandal is ‘a conspiracy to damage Macron’

President Macron was forced to nominate his health minister as an emergency candidate to run Paris last night after his party was thrown into turmoil by a sex scandal that his allies claim is a plot to undermine him. Agnès Buzyn, 57, will fly the flag for La République en Marche, the president’s...President Macron was forced to nominate his health minister as an emergency candidate to run Paris last night after his party was thrown into turmoil by a sex scandal that his allies claim is a plot to undermine him. Agnès Buzyn, 57, will fly the flag for La République en Marche, the president’s...President Macron was forced to nominate his health minister as an emergency candidate to run Paris last night after his party...

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Rival Democrats take aim at Bloomberg bandwagon

Democratic rivals have turned their fire on Michael Bloomberg as they attempt to quash the billionaire’s momentum in the race for the White House. Mr Bloomberg, 78, has profited from the chaotic opening to the nominating contest, during which moderates have failed to coalesce around one candidate. He has surged in national polls and...Democratic rivals have turned their fire on Michael Bloomberg as they attempt to quash the billionaire’s momentum in the race for the White House. Mr Bloomberg, 78, has profited from the chaotic opening to the nominating contest, during which moderates have failed to coalesce around one candidate. He has surged in national polls and...Democratic rivals have turned their fire on Michael Bloomberg as they attempt to quash the billionaire’s momentum in the race...

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Daniel Günther values Angela Merkel’s legacy but has said he will not enter the race to succeed her as chancellor

Follow Merkel’s example, would-be successors warned

Angela Merkel’s divided conservative party must stick to the centre ground staked out by the chancellor if it is to revive its electoral fortunes, one of its power-brokers has told The Times. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has been riddled with infighting since its leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer...Angela Merkel’s divided conservative party must stick to the centre ground staked out by the...Angela Merkel’s divided conservative party must stick to the centre ground staked out by the...

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Shell agrees China deal to bolster green power

Royal Dutch Shell has thrown its weight behind a Chinese-backed energy storage venture building what is claimed to be Europe’s largest battery in Wiltshire. The Anglo-Dutch energy group will use a 100-megawatt battery near the village of Minety to provide back-up electricity to the National Grid...Royal Dutch Shell has thrown its weight behind a Chinese-backed energy storage venture building what is claimed to be Europe’s largest battery in Wiltshire. The Anglo-Dutch energy group will use a 100-megawatt battery near the village of Minety to provide back-up electricity to the National Grid...Royal Dutch Shell has thrown its weight behind a Chinese-backed energy storage venture building what is claimed to be Europe’s...

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Ports ‘can’t cope with spread of coronavirus’

Officials at British ports lack enough resources to handle an escalation in the coronavirus crisis and operators have not been given enough guidance to prepare, industry leaders have warned. Ministers are facing calls to provide health authorities at key sites with urgent help. As ports brace for a rise in local cases, the British...Officials at British ports lack enough resources to handle an escalation in the coronavirus crisis and operators have not been given enough guidance to prepare, industry leaders have warned. Ministers are facing calls to provide health authorities at key sites with urgent help. As ports brace for a rise in local cases, the British...Officials at British ports lack enough resources to handle an escalation in the coronavirus crisis and operators have not been...

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The HS2 high-speed rail line, which Boris Johnson, second left, has given the go-ahead, has reportedly attracted interest from the Chinese state railway company

Your three-minute digest

1 Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has played down suggestions that the Chinese state railway company could be called in to rescue the troubled HS2 high-speed rail line. China’s state railway company told HS2 Ltd that it could build the line in only five years and for less money, according to a letter seen...1 Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has played down suggestions that the Chinese state...1 Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has played down suggestions that the Chinese state...

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More spending means more taxes, now matter what the budget holds

It’s sometimes surprising what you can find on gov.uk, the official government website. There’s an article there...It’s sometimes surprising what you can find on gov.uk, the official government website. There’s...It’s sometimes surprising what you can find on gov.uk, the official government website. There’s...

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National infrastructure is too important to be left to the government

If you were designing a system to commission and manage national infrastructure projects, it wouldn’t look much like...If you were designing a system to commission and manage national infrastructure projects, it...If you were designing a system to commission and manage national infrastructure projects, it...

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Guardiola will stay and fight despite ban

Pep Guardiola has informed the Manchester City board and his players that he intends to carry on as manager despite the club’s two-year ban from the Champions League. City were left stunned on Friday evening when Uefa told them they would be suspended from European competition for two years from...Pep Guardiola has informed the Manchester City board and his players that he intends to carry on as manager despite the club’s two-year ban from the Champions League. City were left stunned on Friday evening when Uefa told them they would be suspended from European competition for two years from...Pep Guardiola has informed the Manchester City board and his players that he intends to carry on as manager despite the club’s...

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It is shameless owners who should be banned, not City

Reading about the fallout from Manchester City’s two-year European ban, I have found myself becoming a little irked by the language. I read about “the club denying the allegations of wrongdoing”, of “the club issuing a strongly worded response to Uefa”, of “the club stating they have done nothing wrong”. I hope this doesn’t come across as a...Reading about the fallout from Manchester City’s two-year European ban, I have found myself becoming a little irked by the language. I read about “the club denying the allegations of wrongdoing”, of “the club issuing a strongly worded response to Uefa”, of “the club stating they have done nothing wrong”. I hope this doesn’t come across as a...Reading about the fallout from Manchester City’s two-year European ban, I have found myself becoming a little irked by the...

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Championship talent production line under threat

Rugby players are a sometimes impressive and extraordinarily resilient breed. At least that was the look of many of them on Saturday at Ealing Trailfinders versus Bedford Blues, not because they were playing in the backdraft of Storm Dennis, but because half of them knew they were out of a job. Last Tuesday morning...Rugby players are a sometimes impressive and extraordinarily resilient breed. At least that was...Rugby players are a sometimes impressive and extraordinarily resilient breed. At least that was...

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The form Reekie showed in her 1500m win hints at medal-winning potential at Tokyo Olympics

Discomforting BBC broadcasting reflects athletics at a low point

If UK Athletics can emerge from its latest crisis with a new television rights deal with the BBC, one can only hope...If UK Athletics can emerge from its latest crisis with a new television rights deal with the BBC...If UK Athletics can emerge from its latest crisis with a new television rights deal with the BBC...

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Charm offensive fails as Lambert loses his lustre

The wind swirled, the rain poured and the skies above Portman Road were sullen and grey. Storm Dennis, though, has...The wind swirled, the rain poured and the skies above Portman Road were sullen and grey. Storm...The wind swirled, the rain poured and the skies above Portman Road were sullen and grey. Storm...

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Caroline Flack

Presenter of Love Island who dated Prince Harry

Donald West with his colleague Betty Humphrey at the Society for Psychical Research in the 1940s

Professor Donald West

Psychiatrist whose work contributed to the decriminalisation of homosexuality and who wrote a vivid memoir

Rhoda and Rhona Wurtele in 1945. They often won skiing contests in the 1940s

Rhona Wurtele

One of Canada’s ‘flying twins’ who was a pioneer of women’s skiing but broke an ankle competing in the 1948 Winter Olympics

Ebbers in 1995. He drove himself to jail

Bernie Ebbers

Basketball coach turned billionaire telephone boss who offered to buy BT before being jailed for falsifying company accounts

Jack Dean fought hard for the staff of Pearl & Dean during takeovers

Jack Dean

Co-founder of Pearl & Dean, whose clients’ advertisements have entertained generations of cinemagoers

Top, from left: Gina Haspel, the CIA director, and President Trump; the Duchess of Sussex and Beyoncé. Bottom, from left: Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh; Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston

Look don’t touch? What is (and what isn’t) appropriate now

Goldsmiths University’s new online test aims to find out how much physical contact we deem acceptable. It’s a bit of a touchy subject, finds Helen Rumbelow

Bradley Cooper and Leonardo DiCaprio at the 2014 Golden Globes

To hug or not to hug? Take our quiz

Are you a Bradley Cooper, a Beyoncé or a Donald Trump?

Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz with her son Simon

I knew my prenatal test was wrong

A scientist was told that her baby might have birth defects. She didn’t accept it

Paapa Essiedu: Actors “can affect people as literally as a doctor”

Paapa Essiedu: the student prince who learnt to rule the stage

The actor made headlines as the RSC’s Hamlet. He talks to Dominic Maxwell about his bold new theatre and TV roles

Climate conference terrorism fear after civil service blunder

A civil service blunder has made the forthcoming climate change conference in Scotland vulnerable to a terrorist attack, security experts have said. Plans of the venue hosting the UN’s 26th Conference of the Parties (Cop26) were published online by mistake. It is feared that the error has...A civil service blunder has made the forthcoming climate change conference in Scotland vulnerable to a terrorist attack, security experts have said. Plans of the venue hosting the UN’s 26th Conference of the Parties (Cop26) were published online by mistake. It is feared that the error has...A civil service blunder has made the forthcoming climate change conference in Scotland vulnerable to a terrorist attack...

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Family of woman who died at Dignitas want law change

A Scottish woman suffering from motor neurone disease has ended her life at a clinic in Switzerland. The family of the unnamed woman, who was a grandmother, said that her doctors, their employers and other relatives were kept in the dark about the plan for fear that those assisting her would be reported to the police. The woman had been...A Scottish woman suffering from motor neurone disease has ended her life at a clinic in Switzerland. The family of the unnamed woman, who was a grandmother, said that her doctors, their employers and other relatives were kept in the dark about the plan for fear that those assisting her would be reported to the police. The woman had been...A Scottish woman suffering from motor neurone disease has ended her life at a clinic in Switzerland. The family of the unnamed...

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Non-native plants including Ligularia capture lots of water and tolerate wet conditions

Plant garden to prevent flooding, say botanists

Homeowners in Scotland should build gardens instead of drives to help stop flooding, an expert from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has said. Research has shown that the equivalent of 15 football pitches of green land is lost in Edinburgh every year as small areas such as private gardens are covered or built on.Homeowners in Scotland should build gardens instead of drives to help stop flooding, an expert...Homeowners in Scotland should build gardens instead of drives to help stop flooding, an expert...

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‘Grand coalition’ plays into left’s hands, warns Ahern

A grand coalition between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would give Ireland’s political left everything it has always wanted, Bertie Ahern has said. He made comments as it emerged the parties were holding talks to go into power together alongside the Green Party, in an arrangement that could include a...A grand coalition between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would give Ireland’s political left everything it has always wanted, Bertie Ahern has said. He made comments as it emerged the parties were holding talks to go into power together alongside the Green Party, in an arrangement that could include a...A grand coalition between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would give Ireland’s political left everything it has always wanted, Bertie...

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20,000 still waiting for Irish citizenship

More than 20,000 people are waiting to be granted Irish citizenship after a shock High Court ruling last year brought the system to a halt. Last year the court ruled that anyone applying to become a citizen could not have spent a single day outside the state in the year before their application. The Department of Justice paused all...More than 20,000 people are waiting to be granted Irish citizenship after a shock High Court ruling last year brought the system to a halt. Last year the court ruled that anyone applying to become a citizen could not have spent a single day outside the state in the year before their application. The Department of Justice paused all...More than 20,000 people are waiting to be granted Irish citizenship after a shock High Court ruling last year brought the...

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There were two incidents of signals being passed without authority in the early months of 2019

Inquiry ordered after train drivers fail tostop at signals

A “deep dive” into breaches of rail safety was ordered by the head of Irish Rail after a number of trains failed to stop at signals, The Times has learnt. A series of “disappointing safety trends” were raised at company board meetings, according to minutes released under freedom of information laws. Jim Meade, the...A “deep dive” into breaches of rail safety was ordered by the head of Irish Rail after a number...A “deep dive” into breaches of rail safety was ordered by the head of Irish Rail after a number...

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Enough, Whitmore tells trolls after Flack’s death

Laura Whitmore broke down as she remembered her “vivacious and loving” friend Caroline Flack on her Sunday morning radio show. The Irish broadcaster, who had known the presenter for ten years and replaced her as host on the present series of Love...Laura Whitmore broke down as she remembered her “vivacious and loving” friend Caroline Flack on...Laura Whitmore broke down as she remembered her “vivacious and loving” friend Caroline Flack on...

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