3 hours ago ‘She would have been in awe of him’: how Laurence Olivier gave Margaret Thatcher private seduction lessons

New drama, When Maggie Met Larry, reveals exactly how the world’s most famous actor coached the fledgling Iron LadyIn 1972, a nervous Margaret Thatcher went to Laurence Olivier’s London home for a lesson on presentational skills. The most famous actor of the 20th century told the then education secretary to put a book on her head and walk around to improve her deportment. He also advised her to take long confident strides, and to use her eyes to seduce and flirt.The future prime minister went on to visit Olivier’s house for a further five lessons, details of which are revealed in a new Radio 4 play, When Maggie Met Larry. Starring Derek Jacobi, who joined Olivier’s fledgling National Theatre when only 24, and Frances Barber as Thatcher, the drama tells of the previously unknown advice on style and voice offered to the Tory politician. Continue reading...

Politics

26 hours ago Mouthwatering air fryer recipes by JAMIE OLIVER. These meals are all quick and healthy

He's Britain's most popular TV chef - now let Jamie Oliver be the first to show you how versatile your air fryer can be. These recipes are from the chef's new book, Easy Air Fryer.

Society

24 hours ago Greta Gerwig’s Narnia adaptation lands historic deal ahead of Netflix release

Director’s forthcoming adaptation of C.S. Lewis book series will be released in 2026

Economics

1 hour ago Bulldozers kill man in tent in Atlanta clearing homeless camp near MLK’s church

The city was clearing the area around the Ebenezer Baptist church before the MLK Day celebration on MondayCity workers in Atlanta have killed a man living in a tent while clearing a homeless encampment with construction equipment near Martin Luther King’s famous Georgia church.The death of Cornelius Taylor on Thursday afternoon resulted from an effort to reduce the visibility of people without shelter near the city’s historic Ebenezer Baptist church as an accommodation for crowds expected in the area to celebrate King this weekend and on Monday, the federal holiday dedicated to the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. Taylor’s death has infuriated homelessness advocates and prompted a round of soul searching among city leaders. Continue reading...

Events

11 hours ago AP Photos: Japanese bathe in icy water at a Tokyo shrine to purify their souls

Dozens of people soaked and splashed themselves in painfully icy cold water in a pool at a Tokyo shrine, adhering to Japanese tradition to purify the soul and pray for good health in the new year

Culture

3 hours ago The best new books coming in 2025 — from Irvine Welsh to Florence Knapp

Irvine Welsh, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Philippe Sands and Naomi Watts are some of the big-name authors with books out this year. But it’s not just well known writers. There’s a legion of brilliant new titles, from thrilling fiction to deep-thinking psychoanalysis and even a book by the woman who made her name as the world’s most famous intimacy co-ordinator. So let’s take a look at the biggest, most exciting releases due out over the next few months — buckle up for the new year ahead in books.

Politics

38 hours ago UK weather maps reveal '10cm per hour' snow and torrential rain TWIN THREAT will batter Brits

Brits are facing both heavy snow and torrential rain later this month as shocking new weather maps show a huge storm is set to bring 10cm per hour of the white stuff

Society

3 hours ago Keon West: ‘You can’t tell that racism is or isn’t happening because you know a Black person who earns a lot of money’

The author and academic on mistaking feelings for facts, the importance of education and why Kemi Badenoch will do nothing to help ethnic minoritiesRead an extract from The Science of Racism by Keon WestKeon West is professor of social psychology at the University of London. He was born in Trinidad, grew up in Jamaica, and studied in the US and France before coming to the UK as a Rhodes scholar in 2006 to do a doctorate at Oxford University.Why do you think we need a book about the science of racism? What I find frustrating, shocking and worrying is that as a society, when we talk about racism we express feelings about it and emotions and opinions, but our conversations aren’t based on facts – or science. Not only that, we make the mistake of misinterpreting our feelings as if they were facts. This leads nowhere: one person will say: “Well, I don’t see any racism, so racism is over.” And another person will say: “Well, someone didn’t hire me for a job, so racism is alive and well.” ...

Events

11 hours ago Read the book then book the trip: Five top authors reveal the novels and memoirs that inspired them to make a special journey

From Japan to Lake Geneva, five top authors reveal the titles that inspired them to make a special journey

Culture

3 hours ago Are we a racist society? The majority of us say no – but science begs to differ

Although greater awareness of prejudice would suggest we are less bigoted than ever, empirical evidence indicates notQ&A with Keon West, author of The Science of RacismDo we still have a problem with racism? If you ask the average person even the most basic question about it – “Does racism still exist?” – half the population will say it doesn’t. According to a recent Guardian poll of British adults, more than half thought ethnic minorities faced less or the same discrimination as White people in most areas of life, such as the news, TV or films, the workplace, access to finance and jobs, and access to university or good schooling. Results in the US are similar. A 2021 Gallup poll revealed that slightly more than half of the White American population believe “racism against Black [people is] widespread in the US”. In the meantime, according to the same poll, slightly less than half of the White American population believe “racism against Whites [is] widespread in the US”. An earl...

Politics

8 hours ago Suicides, new tactics and propaganda iPads: details from captured North Koreans expose new foe in Ukraine

Discovery of two injured servicemen sent from Pyongyang and disguised as Russian fighters blows apart myth that Zelenskyy’s fight is solely with MoscowThe news was sensational. It travelled quickly among Ukrainian soldiers fighting in Russia’s Kursk region. “I heard from a friend of a friend,” one officer, Vitalii Ovcharenko, recalled. “This was half an hour after it happened. My friend said: ‘We’ve got a North Korean prisoner! He’s in shock but OK.’ I said: ‘Wow.’” Ovcharenko added: “Everyone wanted a selfie. They wrapped him in a blanket and gave him tea.”Last week’s capture of two North Korean servicemen was an extraordinary moment in Russia’s bloody war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has taken elaborate steps to conceal the presence of 12,000 elite troops sent in autumn by Pyongyang to Russia. At camps in the Far East they were given Russian equipment: uniforms, rifles and fake military documents. Continue reading...

Events

31 hours ago East Kilbride schoolgirl wins chance to have character published in children's book

Eyes of Devilla author Len Rayne visited Our Lady of Lourdes Primary as part of the school’s celebration of Book Week Scotland.

Culture

4 hours ago Dunelm's 'fast heating' electric blanket that costs from '1p per hour' cut by 30%

The home retailer's bestselling electric blanket has shoppers saying it will keep you "snug all night long" - all for as little as 1p per hour.

Politics

8 hours ago Sting's tantric sex truth revealed: Star reveals what really happens during 7 hour sessions with wife Trudie Styler

Their tantric sex life has been a hot topic for decades, after famously claiming to bed each other for hours on end back in the nineties.

Events

5 hours ago Never have stale crisps again nine invaluable things I’ve learned from TikTok

As the platform bows out in the US, here is my carefully curated list of the best things it’s taught meChinese rival app Xiaohongshu is overwhelmed by ‘TikTok refugees’ in USThe average TikTok user spends almost one hour each day on the app. However, the screen time of American users is about to be rapidly reduced, as the app is set to be banned in the USA.On Friday the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal against a law that would see the social media platform banned over national security concerns. TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance had challenged the law, arguing that it violates free speech protections for more than 170 million users in the US. However, in an unanimous vote the ruling was upheld meaning the app must now find an approved buyer for an American version by Sunday or be blocked.The outgoing US President Joe Biden has said he will not be enforcing the ban, instead leaving it up to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. While there are rumours the ban ...

Politics

13 hours ago Blind date: ‘Awkward moments? When she said I looked like her ex. And again when she said I looked like another ex’

Clemmie, 27, a television writer, meets Joe, 28, a civil servantWhat were you hoping for? A Hollywood romance story to tell the grandkids. Also, that he wouldn’t judge me for ordering pizza (I’d studied the restaurant menu in advance). Continue reading...

Events

6 hours ago Prince Harry had 'genuine hope' about the Royal family after his bombshell tell

The Duke, who released his tell-all book in January 2023, reportedly told a guest at an event later that year he had not heard from any of his royal relatives since its publication.

Politics

31 hours ago Digested week: Steve Bannon’s bitter attack on Musk briefly lifts the spirits | Emma Brockes

Plus: Timothée Chalamet charms on a Lime bike, Rick Stein’s 1970s prices and Starbucks’ bathroom requirementsHi, from the house of norovirus! One child down, one still standing, no community spread as far as we know, although every hour I check myself over and ask: is that nausea I’m feeling, or have I eaten too many walnuts (again)? Continue reading...

Events

35 hours ago Mystery as Brit, 53, is found dead in water at a Costa Blanca holiday hotspot port

The man's body was found by Civil Guard divers at the marina in Calpe north of Benidorm after the alarm was raised just over an hour earlier

Events

10 hours ago Emma Raducanu's Australian Open dream is over in brutal fashion after being outclassed by rampant No2 seed Iga Swiatek

Emma Raducanu suffered her heaviest defeat at a Grand Slam as she was crushed by No2 seed Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open, shipping 11 games in a row to lose in little over an hour.

Politics

35 hours ago Mystery as body of dead Brit, 53, is found floating in the water at a Costa Blanca port

Civil Guard divers recovered the 53-year-old's body yesterday morning at the marina in Calpe north of Benidorm after the alarm was raised just over an hour earlier.

Events

11 hours ago Monday lunch with a difference: TOM PARKER BOWLES is dazzled by the menu at a sunny Kenyan

Monday lunch with a difference: Tom is dazzled by the menu at a sunny Kenyan-island restaurant

Politics

37 hours ago Elianne Andam's dad in moving tribute to tragic teen as killer found guilty of murder

Elianne Andam's father Michael Andam described his daughter as a "bright, kind and loving soul" with hopes and dreams for the future before she was "cruelly taken away".

Events

12 hours ago My extreme day trip itinerary for Paris including viral cafe with a two hour queue

Pressed for time in Paris? Even with just a day and a half, you can experience the magic of the City of Light. From iconic landmarks to culinary delights, this guide will help you make the most of your whirlwind adventure.

Politics

43 hours ago Find out what prank Grady Hendrix would pull on his rescuers if he was ever trapped on a desert island...

This week, Grady Hendrix answers our burning questions, what is he reading, what book would he take to a desert island, what gave him the reading bug, what left him cold?

Events

17 hours ago Seaside café famous for its huge sandwiches brings back breakfast menu that made it a must

They will be relaunching their iconic roast menu on Sunday, January 19 and their breakfast menu on Monday, January 20

Politics

43 hours ago 'My book of the year': The best Contemporary fiction of January: So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne, The Book of George by Kate Greathead, A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay

Sara Lawrence reviews the best contemporary fiction out now.

Events

18 hours ago Sources deny rumours Meghan Markle's team held discussions over book detailing potential divorce with Prince Harry

Talks of another prospective project for Meghan in the form of a book began circulating a few years ago, Vanity Fair claimed in its bombshell new article.

Politics

21 hours ago UK snow: Weather maps show exact date 12 HOUR Arctic blast will bring '5cm per hour'

Advanced weather modelling maps show exactly when a 12-hour Arctic storm could bring more snow to the UK - it comes amid warnings from the Met Office over a blast of cold air from Europe

Politics

30 hours ago Gary Usher's country pub an hour from Manchester crowned one of the UK's best

The pub has been named in the Top 100 Gastropubs for 2025

Politics

30 hours ago What channel is Celtic vs Kilmarnock? Live stream, TV, ref, VAR and Scottish Cup team news

Holders Celtic will aim to book their place in the fifth round draw by overcoming Killie at Parkhead

Politics

33 hours ago Hisham Matar: ‘I learned English by listening to Jane Austen audiobooks’

The British-Libyan author on Hemingway’s craft, finding comfort in Joseph Conrad, and spending six months drowning in AustenMy earliest reading memoryFrom as far back as I can remember, before I could read, I was read to mostly from the same book, The Arabian Nights, feeling the reverberations of Shahrazad’s sentences against my mother’s lap, and suspecting that it must be so: that to tell a story is to postpone death, that after she asks her would-be murderer, “Do I have your permission to tell a story?”, the world is made a little less certain.The book that changed me as a teenagerWhen I was 13 I read Badr Shakir al-Sayyab’s Rain Song. I can’t claim to have understood it, but those poems ripped open a veil. The experience of being overrun by language, of being caught in the wake of lines that were just beyond reach, showed me how literature can be both the translation of an experience and also its manifestation. Continue reading...

Politics

43 hours ago A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater: A bacon sandwich is good for your health

In his new book Nigel Slater dwells on the small joys and moments of deliciousness that pepper is everyday.

Politics