Ukraine’s large civilian reserve army is getting ready to repel a Russian invasion
Col Shcherbyna, who oversees territorial defence in Kyiv, said he expected the forces in the city to reach 4,000. Ukraine’s army has 251,000 troops and 900,000 people…
El Salvador government accused of falsely claiming to crack down on gangs while giving backhanders
In a statement, Washington accused the pair of striking the clandestine deal with the violent criminals, in furtive meetings in El Salvador’s high security jails, to ensure…
Olaf Scholz heads to Poland as he seeks to cast himself as a global statesman
“The government works together for our country, and we will also act together on questions of foreign policy or European policy,” Mr Scholz told German television pointedly…
Naughty not nice: Italian church apologises after bishop tells children Father Christmas doesn’t exist
A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily publicly apologised to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Father Christmas doesn’t exist. In a Facebook…
Valerie Pecresse vows not to bend to ‘wokeism’ during first rally as Right-wing presidential candidate
She instantly landed blows against Mr Macron who, she said, “performs zigzags day and night” and has “burned the coffers” of the state with his over-generous recovery…
New opioids – ten times the strength of fentanyl – create battleground for US medics
Nitazenes were created over half a century ago as pain medication but they were never approved for use in the US. One called protonitazene is about three…
Death toll may exceed 100 as tornadoes rip through US, destroying factories and nursing homes
Bob Blankenship, mayor of Monette, said the town was in a “daze,” adding: “We practiced and practiced, but it’s totally different when the reality is here.” An…
11 brilliant US and Caribbean hotels to book for 2022
Fingers crossed, but things are looking positive for transatlantic holidays next year. North America is back on the travel map after first Canada, then the United States,…
20 wonderfully wintry holidays to embrace the thrill of the cold
Take nothing away from the hot magic of the tropics, the waves and perfume of a palm-fringed beach, but for me, the strongest holiday enchantment is ice-cold….
An expert guide to West Side Story’s New York City
Consequently, it should be no surprise that the new West Side Story (with Rachel Zegler as Maria, Ansel Elgort as Tony) was not filmed in the area….
Claudia Roden: ‘Morocco taught me to be free and joyful’
The courtyard was where they did their cooking: each family set up their brazier in a different corner. I ate so well. The white-magic man’s wife made fish…
Ruthless mafioso or the most generous man in showbiz: who is the real Simon Cowell?
‘Simon was a single man with a past who’d lived a full and colourful life, so he turned to Max for protection and advice,’ says one person…
Robot artists, group-think and a £52m JPEG: the year the art world went mad
Of course, the art world’s decadence has long amused outsiders, and, despite the generally sombre mood generated by the pandemic, 2021, in this respect, didn’t disappoint. A…
The 100 best cultural events of 2021
What began as a difficult year for the arts – with theatres, cinemas, and concert-halls all closed due to Covid restrictions – nevertheless brought plenty to enjoy,…
Christmas 2021 TV guide: the best shows, films and specials to watch this festive season
Jules Verne’s evergreen adventure story has attracted numerous adaptations. Partly, this is due to the winning simplicity of the plot: a bored Victorian gentleman-adventurer undertakes a bet…
JMW Turner painting thought to be a fraud for over a century… is in fact a Turner
A JMW Turner painting thought to be a fraud for over a century has been re-attributed to the artist after new research revealed he bought back the…
National Trust backlash after it closes thriving independent cafe for its own
Customers have vented their frustration at the NT’s decision, with more than 7,500 already signing a petition against the closure of Brownlow Cafe Louise Denholm, regular visitor…
What’s on TV tonight: Reel Stories: Sting, Strictly, and more
Portrait Artist of the Year 2021Sky Arts, 8pm & 9pmIt has been a competition overbrimming with talent this year, proof if any were needed that the art…
Shed that traps cows’ methane and burns it on site given go-ahead
A cattle shed that collects methane from cows and uses their waste to grow fruit and vegetables has been given government backing in the fight to reduce…
Engage with views you do not agree with, university students told amid Durham free speech row
Following the event, Prof Luckhurst apologised for describing the students’ walk out as “pathetic”. But his apology was not enough to quell the anger of students, and…
Police appeal for information after children’s hospital worker vanishes on bus home
Camberwell and Peckham MP, Harriet Harman, has also appealed to the public for help in locating the missing NHS worker. She distributed posters near Ms Srncova’s home…
Dancers fear for their careers after manager quits amid trans row
A group of dancers have claimed their careers have been put at risk by a leading choreographer who resigned following a transphobia row. Rosie Kay claimed last…
Cinderella, Richmond Theatre, review: Anton Du Beke happily rolls with the chaos in his panto debut
With its camp badinage, heroes and heroines, glittery sparkle and hissable villains – dependably waspish Craig Revel Horwood being the prime example – Strictly Come Dancing resembles…
Trouble in Mind, National’s Dorfman Theatre, review: a timely – yet uneven – satire of racism in theatre
In the turbulent aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that subsequently erupted, multiple sectors of society have had to take…
We’re heading for a future where all pop music will be scrubbed of human imperfection
This is a global problem but all eyes are on Britain, where the #BrokenRecord campaign started by Tom Gray (a member of Merseyside indie rockers Gomez) has…