CATEGORIES

Why rugby must learn to cherish outliers Argentina

The story goes that the sobriquet by which the Argentine national rugby team has become commonly known came about as a case of mistaken identity. The tale told is of a South African journalist watching a touring side in the 1960s and seeking a snappy name to assist him at second mention.

Trump touts friendship with Putin in Zelensky meeting

Donald Trump boasted of a \"very good relationship\" with both Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin yesterday as he hosted the Ukrainian leader for a meeting at his New York City skyscraper.

Police fail many victims of stalking, watchdog reports

Police are trivialising stalking and letting victims down, watchdogs have warned, as figures show one in five women are targeted.

Sycamore Gap tree saplings to branch out across Britain

Its destruction triggered outcry and sadness across the nation but now, 12 months on from the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, saplings of it are to be planted across the UK. Custodians of the much-photographed and visited sycamore say they hope the venture, which comes exactly a year after the tree was chopped down, will create a new chapter of hope in its legacy.

Cyclist killed man, 78, after row about pavement riding

A cyclist was bravely chased down by members of the public after he launched a fatal single-punch attack on an older man in a row about riding on the pavement.

Britain's youngest knife killers handed life terms

Two boys thought to be Britain's youngest knife killers who stabbed a stranger to death in a \"horrific and shocking\" machete murder have each been handed life sentences.

Road and rail hit by flooding as 60mph winds predicted

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for winds of more than 60mph this weekend as parts of England slowly recover from the impact of torrential rain and flooding.

Van Gogh painting 'souped' hours after protesters jailed

Just Stop Oil activists have thrown soup over two Vincent van Gogh paintings just hours after their fellow protesters were sentenced to prison time for doing the same.

A master of prose that is both rich and terribly cheap

Boris Johnson has written a memoir - and there is no doubt, writes Robert McCrum, that the former PM's account of his political career will be 'self-centred to an astounding degree'

Johnson mulled military raid on Dutch warehouse

Former prime minister Boris Johnson considered launching \"aquatic raid\" on a warehouse in the Netherlands to retrieve

Veering right is an error the Tories can't afford to make

When the Conservatives begin their annual conference tomorrow, it might be tempting for them to savour the woes engulfing Keir Starmer's government so early in its life. Labour's freebies will certainly provide plenty of ammunition - and jokes at Starmer's expense.

Is the Tory conference even worth paying attention to?

Dazed, confused, but with more than a hint of defiance (foolish or otherwise), the Conservatives meet for their party conference in Birmingham with some important business to transact.

Reeves to soften proposed crackdown on non-doms

Moves by the chancellor to soften a proposed crackdown on people living in the UK with non-dom status have been backed by academics and tax experts, who say the changes are \"sensible and pragmatic\".

Unpredictable and wickedly acerbic actor with few peers

The trouble with Maggie Smith is that she's watchable in everything and worked like a trouper from the age of 17. A twotime Oscar winner (as well as the proud owner of a Tony for Lettice and Lovage), she left few stones unturned, which makes it hard to do justice to her talent and range. Those who saw her on stage rave about her versatility, but she was just as unpredictable in films and on TV.

Oscar-winning star of stage.and screen Smith dies at 89

The celebrated actor Maggie Smith, who won two Oscars and seven Baftas, has died aged 89.

Netanyahu warns Iran there is no place Israel can't reach

Belligerent leader addresses UN as Hezbollah's HQ targeted

Europe look divided ahead of brutal Ryder Cup contest

A split between LIV Golf and the PGA and DP world tours threatens the places of key players Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in Luke Donald’s team

Liverpool teach West Ham tough Carabao Cup lesson

Last season, Jurgen Klopp described Diogo Jota as the best finisher at Anfield.

ENIGMA VARIATIONS

David Mitchell plays a puzzle expert plunged into a police procedural in Ludwig’, a cosy BBC comedy-drama content to amble down some well-trodden paths

'I don't get why I'm meant to be afraid of trans people'

Will Ferrell and Harper Steele have made a film about how their friendship evolved after Harper came out as trans at 61. Adam White meets them and their director Josh Greenbaum

Medical sexism is putting women's lives in danger

A new report has shone a light on how heart disease is being underdiagnosed, undertreated and underrepresented’ in the NHS. But the rot doesn’t stop there

"There is no time to think there is no time for trauma'

It’s nearly a year since a festival filled with people dancing became the site of a bloody massacre. Nicole Lampert talks to survivors about the loved ones who were taken from them

China economist vanishes after privately criticising Xi

A prominent Chinese economist has reportedly disappeared from the public eye after he criticised the country’s president in a private group chat. Zhu Hengpeng is the latest figure to vanish after finding fault with the communist government.

Zelensky tells UN he has only plan that will end war

Volodymyr Zelensky urged world leaders to stand with Ukraine in the war against Russia as he presented his victory plan” to the UN General Assembly yesterday.

Russia lowers threshold for the use of nuclear weapons

In a new warning to the West, president Vladimir Putin yesterday said that any nation’s conventional attack on Russia that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country.

I watched terrified Britons flee Lebanon in 2006 - I fear it will happen again

Huddled on the dock, stooped from injury and fear, the wounded and the vulnerable waited patiently to be rescued.

Israeli troops gear up for a ground invasion of Lebanon

Starmer tells Britons to leave as Biden warns of all-out war’

Mother awarded £10m for child left disabled by NHS

A mother has won a 12-year battle for compensation against an NHS hospital after successfully claiming that her child suffered brain damage as a result of botched surgery

BA wrongly turns away two passengers over passports

Four hours after British Airways staff at London Gatwick airport incorrectly prevented a passenger from boarding her flight to Florida, they wrongly turned away another traveller, who was heading for a golfing break in Spain.

Man who threatened Ulez workers is spared jail term

Aman who shared a Facebook post encouraging people to damage Ulez cameras and sent a threatening email to a company involved in the traffic scheme’s rollout across London has been spared jail.