Category
Sport
William and Kate to attend Wimbledon men’s final
William and Kate to attend Wimbledon men’s final
Football clubs should help cover £70m policing bill, says Met Police chief
Football clubs should help cover £70m policing bill, says Met Police chief
England under-21s edge Germany in extra-time thriller to retain Euro title
England under-21s edge Germany in extra-time thriller to retain Euro title
Knight Club: where chess meets culture for London’s youth
Knight Club: where chess meets culture for London’s youth
£32 million boost for safer roads and cycle lanes in North East and Yorkshire
£32 million boost for safer roads and cycle lanes in North East and Yorkshire
Wales 'confident' about hosting Euro 2028 opening ceremony
Wales 'confident' about hosting Euro 2028 opening ceremony
Team GB wins European gymnastics gold in Leipzig
Team GB wins European gymnastics gold in Leipzig
Chelsea's Champions League ambitions
Chelsea's Champions League ambitions
University of Brighton to launch UK’s largest indoor cricket academy
University of Brighton to launch UK’s largest indoor cricket academy
Chelsea close In on top-five finish as Newcastle hold Brighton
Chelsea close In on top-five finish as Newcastle hold Brighton
Education
-
Historic East London school to close after over 460 years
A primary school in East London, founded in 1563 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, is set to close its doors due to a sharp decline in student numbers.Read More... -
UK introduces eVisas for Pakistani students and workers
Starting today (15 July), most Pakistani students and workers travelling to the UK will no longer require a physical visa sticker in their passports. The UK government is transitioning to a newRead More... -
Plan to add foreign soldiers' names to Oxford WW1 memorial approved
An Oxford college has received permission to add the names of foreign soldiers to its World War One memorial honoring former students.Read More... -
Westminster primary schools set to merge amid falling pupil numbers
Five primary schools in Westminster will be merged into two due to declining student numbers and financial pressures.Read More... -
New scholarship to highlight Jewish medical contributions in Wales
A new academic opportunity is being launched to uncover the rich history of Jewish healthcare professionals in Wales, from the 18th century to the present day.Read More... -
Dundee University to receive additional £40m to tackle financial crisis
The University of Dundee is set to receive an extra £40 million in government funding as it grapples with a significant financial crisis, including a £35 million deficit and the loss of aroundRead More... -
Oxford University tops UK rankings in 10 subjects
The University of Oxford has once again cemented its status as a global academic leader, being named the best in the UK for 10 subjects in the newly released 2026 Complete University GuideRead More... -
Scotland to host UK’s most powerful supercomputer with £750 million investment
Scotland is set to become home to the UK’s most advanced supercomputer, thanks to a £750 million investment confirmed by the Chancellor during the latest Spending Review.Read More... -
UK secondary schools invited to join ‘Taskmaster Club 100’
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has teamed up with Taskmaster Education to launch Taskmaster Club 100—an exciting new initiative offering UK secondary schools a chance to boostRead More... -
School faces backlash over prom ticket policy
A secondary school in Houghton-le-Spring is under fire from parents over what they call a "cruel" system of allocating prom tickets, which has left some students excluded fromRead More...
Our poll
World News
-
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña makes historic visit to the United Kingdom
This week, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña made an official visit to the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two countries.Read More... -
French Prime Minister proposes elimination of two public holidays to support economic recovery
In a bold move aimed at strengthening the national economy and addressing France’s financial challenges, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou announced on Tuesday a proposal to eliminate twoRead More... -
World’s largest fund to support vulnerable children and families launched
A new £500 million government fund — the largest of its kind globally — has been announced to support vulnerable children and families across the UK.Read More... -
£250 million export boost for British pharmaceutical firms in Vietnam
A major trade breakthrough has unlocked up to £250 million in export opportunities for British pharmaceutical companies in Vietnam, following changes to local regulations that will make itRead More...
Culture
-
French town pulls Rock-en-Seine festival funding over Kneecap booking
The municipality of Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris, has withdrawn its €40,000 subsidy for the Rock-en-Seine music festival following the announcement that Irish rap group Kneecap is part ofRead More... -
Man arrested in connection with theft of £150,000 violin
A man has been arrested as part of an investigation into the theft of a valuable 18th-century violin, worth over £150,000, stolen from a north London pub.Read More... -
Ai-Da robot unveils AI-painted portrait of King Charles III at Geneva reception
The UK Mission to the WTO and United Nations in Geneva hosted a distinctive reception this week, featuring Ai-Da — the world’s first ultra-realistic humanoid robot artist.Read More... -
Anglican communion considers scaling back Archbishop of Canterbury’s global role to prevent schism
The Anglican Communion is weighing reforms that would reduce the Archbishop of Canterbury’s central leadership role in a bid to hold together its 85 million members amid deepeningRead More... -
Black Sabbath farewell gig raises £140 million for charity, says director
Black Sabbath's final concert has raised a staggering £140 million for charity, according to Tom Morello, the event’s musical director and guitarist for Rage Against The Machine.Read More... -
Bayeux Tapestry to return to the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years
The Bayeux Tapestry, one of the most iconic pieces of medieval art, is set to be displayed in the UK for the first time since its creation over 900 years ago, the Department for Culture, MediaRead More... -
Hundreds of new homes proposed for Blenheim Palace estate
Plans to build 500 new homes on the Blenheim Palace estate have been submitted to Cherwell District Council. The development would be located east of Park View in Woodstock, Oxfordshire,Read More... -
The best moments from Oasis’ triumphant return in Cardiff
Oasis made a thunderous comeback in Cardiff, opening their reunion show with Hello and a heartfelt “it’s good to be back,” marking their first performance together in 16 years.Read More... -
Royal Academy of Music to launch new campus in East London
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) has unveiled plans to open a new campus at London City Island in east London, promising "endless possibilities" for students and staff.Read More... -
Anna Wintour steps down as US Vogue editor-in-chief after 37 years
Dame Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue, a position she has held for an unprecedented 37 years.Read More... -
£35m George Street revamp gets council backing despite funding doubts
Plans to transform Edinburgh’s George Street have been approved by city councillors, with construction expected to begin in August 2027—if the money can be secured.Read More... -
Police seek help after £150,000 violin stolen from North London pub
Police are appealing for information after a rare 18th-century violin, valued at over £150,000, was stolen from a pub in north London.Read More...
British Queen celebrates
Most Read
- Teen held after US woman killed in London stabbings
- Heave-ho Harry! Prince prepares to join the walking wounded in ice trek to North Pole
- Football: Farhad Moshiri adamant Everton deal above board
- "Master of English Style". Interview with Designer Lydia Dart
- Letter to the Financial Times from Lord Mayor Alderman Michael Bear
Sport
Bernard Tomic admitted Tuesday he had lost all motivation for tennis and couldn't care less if he won or lost as every single Australian crashed out of Wimbledon men's first round.
The talented Tomic was once mooted as a rising star of the sport but says he has hit a mental block, facing another decade drifting around the tour earning money but with little chance of breaking the big four's stranglehold on the major prizes.
"Holding a trophy or doing well, it doesn't satisfy me anymore. It's not there," the 24-year-old said after being dumped out by Germany's Mischa Zverev, as all seven Australian men flopped at the first hurdle.
"I wasn't mentally and physically there with my mental state to perform. I felt a little bit bored.
"I couldn't care less if I make a fourth-round US Open or I lose first round. To me, everything is the same. I'm going to play another 10 years, and I know after my career I won't have to work again.
With Serena Williams preparing for the birth of her first child and Maria Sharapova sidelined by a thigh injury, the race to be crowned Wimbledon champion is the most wide-open in a generation.
Having stepped away from the court as she waits to become a mother in September, Williams, who won Wimbledon in 2015 and 2016, has created a power vacuum at the top that Sharapova was expected to fill when the Russian returned from her doping suspension.
Instead, Sharapova lasted just three tournaments before a muscle injury in Rome forced the five-time major winner to withdraw from the Wimbledon qualifying tournament.
In the absence of American great Williams, who has 23 Grand Slam titles on her CV, and the headline-grabbing Sharapova, women's tennis has an undeniable lack of star power heading into Wimbledon, which gets underway on Monday.
But the flip-side is the opportunity for the sport's less heralded names to seize the spotlight, as Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko showed with her unexpected breakthrough triumph at the French Open.
It was 1977: The Sex Pistols' 'God Save the Queen' was banned, Elvis Presley died and Luke Skywalker faced down a black-clad inter-galactic megalomaniac with breathing difficulties who was later revealed to be his father.
It was also the last time a British woman won Wimbledon... or any Grand Slam title for that matter.
Little could Virginia Wade, resplendent in her modest white dress, homely pink cardigan and energised only by occasional sips of barley water, know that 40 years on, members of the British royal family would have had their hands on the Venus Rosewater Dish more times than a homegrown player.
However, there is hope that 2017 might end the long wait for a British women's champion as this year's Wimbledon, stripped of the likes of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, looks the most open in years.
Andy Murray suffered an injury scare ahead of Wimbledon as the world number one pulled out of an exhibition match at the Hurlingham Club due to a sore hip on Tuesday.
Murray had scheduled two matches at the Aspall Tennis Classic event following his shock first round exit against Australian world number 90 Jordan Thompson at Queen's Club last week.
The 30-year-old Scot had been due to face Lucas Pouille, but his management announced on Tuesday that he would not take to the court because his hip was "a bit sore".
Fiction:
Russian football hooligans are getting ready to attack and kill Europeans if authorities order them to. We talked to one of the leaders of so-called football firms (Zenit, St.Petersburg) and here is what he told us on conditions of anonymity.
Russia's large hooligan "firms" would be happy to take part and arrange brawls with foreign fans, but there are three catches at this point. First off, it does not go about mass scuffles in central streets, because attacking drunk football fans is not a very honorable thing to do, plus it may lead to certain consequences with the participation of the police. Even if such scuffles may occur, they would most likely take place somewhere far from city centers, on city outskirts, where journalists, police officers and passers by are thin on the ground.
Secondly, this is not likely to happen anyway, because it is a duty for police officers to exclude such possibilities, let alone the fact that consequences are not going to be pleasant for those who may want to organize such attacks. Representatives of a special department for struggle against extremism have already talked to the leaders of large fan groups and warned them about possible reactions to any brawl that may erupt. In addition, state-run media have launched a large-scale campaign, the purpose of which is to prevent possible conflicts. Russia's Kremlin-controlled First Channel has recently aired a prime time talk show that discussed a possibility to introduce a special law that would entail criminal responsibility for any orchestrated brawls, even if they leave no victims and no complains. Criminal cases have already been filed against members of largest fan groups into incidents of mass clashes during the recent Russia Football Championship.
Thirdly, if clashes do occur, it is not only the police that may cause serious problems to hooligans. They will be barred from entering football stadiums, official fan organizations will be deprived of their financial support, and fans will loose and opportunity to conduct dialogue with official football organizations. In a nutshell, just a group of people may cause huge damage to tens of thousands of fans and culprits will become outsiders at once.
Truth:
Authorities are incapable of protecting foreign nationals from so-called scally people. If fans are organized it means that they are technically manageable, and domestic crimes are beyond the control of the authorities. Russia is one of the leaders on the number of domestic crimes, including beatings and killings with the use of improvised means. This is largely due to the low level of culture of those living in the country side and their addiction to alcohol.
St. Petersburg is no exception at this point. Authorities of the city will deploy many police units in the city and you will be protected from attacks. Yet, an opportunity to be attacked rises on the outskirts of the city, in such places as Kupchino, Rybatskoye, Prospekt Veteranov, Pionerskaya and the like. Therefore, our advice is not to go outside the center of the city and stick to basic tourist itineraries. Try to avoid using the services of unofficial taxi cab drivers.
We strongly recommend not to visit other neighboring towns during your stay in the city too as the number of police units in those areas is going to be minimized. Nearly all police units from cities of Pskov, Novgorod and Vyborg will be redeployed to St. Petersburg.
Fiction: Stay away from natives from the Caucasus
The game that always ‘stops two nations’ comes again to a third when title-holders India face Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final at London’s Oval ground on Sunday.
And the question millions of cricket fans around the world, possibly even a billion, are all asking is ‘which Pakistan will turn up?’
Will it be the team of their opening group match at Edgbaston on June 4, a 124-run thrashing by arch-rivals India, where their inept bowling and batting were outdone only by woeful fielding in what Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur labelled a "shambolic" display?
Or will it be the slick, skilled side who hammered England by eight wickets in the semi-finals, with Hasan Ali, the competition’s leading wicket-taker, spearheading a brilliant bowling effort as the previously unbeaten tournament hosts were dismissed for just 211 before the likes of Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman helped knock off the runs in dashing style?
Arthur is confident the India "aberration" is now behind Pakistan, who’ve also lost all three of their previous knockout matches at International Cricket Council tournaments against their fiercest foes.
"What we’ve produced after that doesn’t come as any surprise, because that’s how we trained, and that’s what we worked at," Arthur told reporters at The Oval on Saturday.
"It was very disappointing to see that go wrong in the Indian game...That was an aberration. We’re now moving forward."
Never far from the headlines, Diego Costa will look to bring a turbulent season to a doubly triumphant conclusion when Chelsea tackle Arsenal in Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
The quarrelsome Spain international looked to be on the brink of leaving Chelsea for the Chinese Super League in January, but stayed put and contributed 20 goals to their Premier League title success.
Saturday’s game is nevertheless widely expected to be his last in Chelsea’s colours and knowing Costa, he will not go quietly.
“Costa is an animal,” says former Manchester United captain Gary Neville.
“When he’s not scoring, he’s contributing. To play with a single striker, if he leaves it’s a huge void to fill.
“To replace that personality, that fight. How many balls has he headed out of his own box this season? How many times has he chased things down?”
Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal can still salvage their turbulent season by defying the odds to snatch a Champions League place on the final day.
Wenger’s side kept alive their faint hopes of qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition as Alexis Sanchez’s double clinched a 2-0 win over relegated Sunderland on Tuesday.
The Gunners’ sixth victory in their last seven games leaves them in fifth place, one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool and three adrift of third-placed Manchester City.
For Arsenal to avoid missing out on the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, they must beat Everton at home on Sunday, while hoping for a slip from either Liverpool or City.
If Liverpool beat relegated Middlesbrough and City avoid defeat at Watford, then Arsenal are consigned to the Europa League, but Wenger hasn’t given up yet.
“We want to get in there, let’s give ourselves every chance,” he said. “If you have only a one percent chance you still have to give everything.
“I think we have a good chance. If we win we know the most we will be behind is one point, so let’s see what happens.”
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte dismissed persistent rumours linking him with a move to Inter Milan as his side prepared for a match at West Bromwich Albion on Friday that could give the Blues the Premier League title.
Victory at The Hawthorns will see Chelsea crowned champions in former Italy manager Conte's first season in charge of the London club and leave them halfway to a domestic 'Double' ahead of their FA Cup final against capital rivals Arsenal.
Chelsea are seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, another London club, and need just three points from their final three league games this season to be sure of lifting the Premier League trophy.
Yet despite Conte's excellent start at Stamford Bridge, there has been continued speculation he could return to his native Italy.
He has been linked with a move to Inter ever since the Italian giants sacked Stefano Pioli earlier this season.
"I have two years (remaining under) contract with Chelsea," Conte said Thursday. "It's logical when you start the work in a new club the will is to continue to work, to try to improve your work in many years. For sure, this is my will.
"In this moment for me or for my players, the most important thing is to be focused on the moment."
He added: "Now the most important thing is to reach our target. The most important thing is to write the history of the club. It's important now, don't lose the concentration, be focused.
"My players are totally focused on the moment. We mustn't forget that we must take three points to reach this target."
Chelsea announced they had appointed Conte on a three-year contract in April 2016 and he took up his post at Stamford Bridge in July after managing Italy at Euro 2016.
The 47-year-old Conte is now on the verge of winning his fourth domestic title after capturing three successive Serie A crowns with Juventus before moving on to the Italy job.
He is widely credited with reviving Chelsea after the then champions suffered a dramatic slump in form during the 2015/16 that led the Blues, owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, to sack Jose Mourinho, now the manager of Manchester United.
Chelsea eventually recovered to finish tenth as 5,000/1 pre-season outsiders Leicester City completed a remarkable title triumph.
- 'Problems' -
"This could be another big, big step for me," Conte said. "In my career I enjoy to have this type of big challenge. I need to have this type of situation where you arrive and you have to work a lot and also to transform the situation in the right way.
"At the start of the season it wasn't easy. We faced a lot of problems and we had to solve a lot of problems.
"When you finish 10th in the league it means that the problem is not only one, but there are a lot of problems. The problem is not only one person.
"I have to say thanks to my players because it's not easy to adapt to a new method, new philosophy and also to work very hard, to change totally your work, if you compare the work this season to the past."
Chelsea beat Middlesbrough on Monday to move seven points clear after Tottenham suffered a major slip-up in losing to West Ham on Friday.
Even if West Brom deny Chelsea victory on Friday, it will likely merely delay the inevitable given the Blues remaining league games are at home to mid-table Watford on Monday and against relegated Sunderland on May 21.
"It's not important where you win, it's important to win," said Conte. "Then you will have the time to celebrate the win where you want.
"Tomorrow's game is the most important game for us. It's a final.
"I like to repeat: this is a good season. We want to become a great season." afp
Manchester City improved their prospects of Champions League qualification with a 5-0 demolition of Crystal Palace, while Swansea City's 1-0 win over Everton pushed Hull City into the Premier League relegation zone on Saturday.
Frustrated by damaging draws in their previous two games, City got back on track and climbed to third in the table after a stylish display inspired by David Silva's return from injury at Eastlands.
Silva, out for a fortnight after suffering a blow to his knee during the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Arsenal, opened the scoring after two minutes.
Vincent Kompany doubled City's lead in the 49th minute before Kevin De Bruyne's long-range strike made it three 10 minutes later.
Raheem Sterling's cool finish in the 82nd minute was followed by Nicolas Otamendi's diving header in stoppage time as City leapfrogged Liverpool on goal difference.