Labour will never scent victory if it keeps up its toxic class war on hunting
In a normal year, 250 hunts meet on Boxing Day in town squares, on village greens and at rural pubs from one end of the country to…
We’re betraying our Armed Forces’ sacrifices
Even during military operations that catch the media spotlight – such as the deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq – at Christmas time too few people think of…
The Queen’s comforting message gives us faith in our future
This year’s Christmas address by the Queen reminded its audience that for all its pomp and ceremony, the monarchy is a very human institution. Its members feel…
It would be heartwarmingly apt if the ‘star’ of Bethlehem were a comet
The beginning of the Christian Era is said to have been marked by an extraordinary celestial event – the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem. The Christmas…
‘My neighbour stalked me for two years’
As I left my client’s office, I froze. My neighbour, Tim*, was standing on the other side of the street, staring at me, for the second time…
Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee: ‘Life is unrecognisable since turning 40’
After growing up in Essex, Mee caught the broadcasting bug during a work experience stint at a local newsroom while studying at Manchester University. She began as…
The best luxury bath products, according to our beauty director
For that instant ‘ahh’ moment that is so needed following Christmas festivities, look no further than your bathtub. I plan my baths with real precision, layering products…
Meet the beauty execs who went from big business to sustainable start-ups
I was a part-time make-up artist for Mac through university, and when I graduated in 2007, social media was in its infancy. As a graduate I could…
How to master casual-luxe this Twixmas
As I type, yet another email has landed alerting me to skyrocketing sales of loungewear in the wake of the spread of the new coronavirus variant. I…
How to look stylish in a tracksuit and embrace the elasticated waist
Level 1 Dabble in this trend by treating your feet to a fresh pair of Allbirds shoes, made from natural materials such as merino wool and eucalyptus…
Suicide bomber kills at least five at east Congo restaurant on Christmas Day
Gen Sylvain said that insurgents from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group aligned with Islamic State, had activated a “sleeper cell” in Beni to target citizens,…
Chinese scientists create ‘world first’ AI prosecutor that will decide people’s fate
China has already been trying to incorporate technologies such as AI and big data to transform the way its legal system works. In 2017, authorities launched the…
Desmond Tutu was a visionary activist who cut through to all, revolutionary or ruler, poor or powerful
When Mandela and his fellow anti-apartheid leaders were two decades into their imprisonment on Robben Island, Arch came to increasing prominence as an opponent of racist tyranny,…
Taliban forbids long-distance trips for Afghan women without male escort
The Taliban’s interpretation of the hijab – which can range from a hair covering to a face veil or full-body covering – is unclear, and most Afghan women already wear…
Saudi suffers first civilian losses in Yemen conflict in years after Houthi rocket hits shop
Saudi Arabia has launched a “large-scale” offensive on Yemen after a Houthi missile attack killed two civilians in the south of the kingdom over the weekend in…
DNA found preserved on sunken slave ship could help descendants track ancestors
Theodore Arthur, 78, whose great grandfather Polee Allen was one of the slaves on board voiced some reservations. “It is new to me, I only just heard…
Israel unveils $300m plan to double settlers in occupied Golan
Israel on Sunday announced a multi-million dollar plan to double the number of Jewish settlers in the Golan Heights, in a move to entrench their control of…
Minaret Jam, one of Afghanistan’s greatest architectural treasures, in danger of collapsing after floods and neglect
A remote 800-year-old minaret which is one of Afghanistan’s greatest archaeological treasures is in danger of falling down because of flood damage. The Minaret of Jam stands…
‘A prophet and priest, a man of words and action’: The world pays tribute to Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu “was a prophet and priest, a man of words and action,” said the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, as he led tributes…
Travel tales of Twixmas past, and what to book this year
Drinks with the neighbours – a younger farming family – were, thus, a relief. And then, just short of midnight, it was time to go. And, oh…
Rasputin: the truth behind the legend of the ‘mad monk’
Robert K Massie, in his groundbreaking biography Nicholas and Alexandra, suggested that Rasputin was simply a calming presence: “Weaving his tales, filling a darkened room with his…
Speed Racer: the ‘dangerous’ film that became a Technicolour nightmare
Nobody has taken Speed Racer and its failure more to heart than the Wachowskis themselves. This may explain why, this week, Lana Wachowski returns to the duo’s…
Conman, gambler and showman Michael Todd – the mad genius behind 1956’s Around the World in 80 Days
The idea for an adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days had occurred to another of cinema’s great visionaries, Orson Welles, but a 1946 stage version…
What’s on TV tonight and this week: A Very British Scandal, Around the World in 80 Days and more
Disney+The latest offspring of the Star Wars franchise gives new life to a character whose massive popularity with fans has far outweighed the sum of his relatively…
Boxing Day hunts to ride as normal as councils waste money on ‘politically motivated’ bans
Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “Thankfully, in more cases than not, councillors have rejected these pointless motions, but others have seen it as…