In the News
Barnier tells EU to step back from vaccine war
Brussels U-turn over jabs crossing Northern Irish border
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has told The Times that he wants Brussels to step back from a deepening row with Britain over the shortage of vaccines in Europe. His intervention came as Brussels was forced to backtrack last night over a highly contentious plan to partially...Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has told The Times that he wants Brussels to step back from a deepening row with Britain over the shortage of vaccines in Europe. His intervention came as Brussels was forced to backtrack last night over a highly contentious plan to partially...Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has told The Times that he wants Brussels to step back from a deepening row...
Read the full storycoronavirus
Roll-out grinds to halt as shortages hit Europe
Vaccination plans across the European Union are unravelling as Brussels begins negotiations to acquire the latest jab to be backed by promising clinical trial results. The bloc’s failure to secure an advance order from Novavax, which appears to prevent 89 per cent of infections, has become emblematic of the sense of disarray in...Vaccination plans across the European Union are unravelling as Brussels begins negotiations to acquire the latest jab to be backed by promising clinical trial results. The bloc’s failure to secure an advance order from Novavax, which appears to prevent 89 per cent of infections, has become emblematic of the sense of disarray in...Vaccination plans across the European Union are unravelling as Brussels begins negotiations to acquire the latest jab to be...
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Vetting will target China academics ‘likely to spy’
Thousands of Chinese academics and researchers could be blocked from entering Britain amid concerns about the theft of intellectual property, The Times has learnt. Universities have been told that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will introduce security vetting for overseas academics and researchers...Thousands of Chinese academics and researchers could be blocked from entering Britain amid...Thousands of Chinese academics and researchers could be blocked from entering Britain amid...
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saturday interview
Brexit was au revoir not goodbye, says Frenchman who fought for Brussels
POLITICS | IN DEPTH
Cabinet faces firmer hand after a week of divisive leaks
christmas charity appeal
Christmas appeal beats £3m target
coronavirus | IN DEPTH
Maths with daughter plus NHS job equals one very tired mother
coronavirus
Biden urges Congress to back virus cash package
The White House put pressure on Republicans and Democrats in Congress yesterday to bury their differences over...The White House put pressure on Republicans and Democrats in Congress yesterday to bury their...The White House put pressure on Republicans and Democrats in Congress yesterday to bury their...
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Beauty will be in the eye of the council
Local communities will be given the power to set design standards for all new developments under plans to improve the...Local communities will be given the power to set design standards for all new developments under...Local communities will be given the power to set design standards for all new developments under...
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Grounded? You can still join the jet set
The style set might not have jetted off to the couture shows this week as usual but their latest must-have has an airborne slant. Their new muse is a pilot — and her coat. Aviator jackets, pioneered by Amelia Earhart and later made desirable by...The style set might not have jetted off to the couture shows this week as usual but their latest...The style set might not have jetted off to the couture shows this week as usual but their latest...
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THE TAX LIST 2021
The UK’s 50 biggest taxpayers
THE TAX LIST 2021
Who isn’t on the Tax List — and why
THE TAX LIST 2021
Why women are happier to pay their dues
PHOTOGRAPHY
This month in the Times photographic archive: January 2021
Traditional new year’s eve celebrations were cancelled across the UK because of coronavirus restrictions, with a surprise fireworks display and a 21-gun salute ushering in the new year instead as the nation watched from the sofa. So accustomed...Traditional new year’s eve celebrations were cancelled across the UK because of coronavirus...Traditional new year’s eve celebrations were cancelled across the UK because of coronavirus...
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the times diary
Actor keeps a clean sheet
The actor Simon Williams has written for The Oldie about his experience of sex scenes and how long it takes to film a...The actor Simon Williams has written for The Oldie about his experience of sex scenes and how...The actor Simon Williams has written for The Oldie about his experience of sex scenes and how...
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My Week: Boris Johnson*
Monday
“It’s the stupidest thing,” I’m telling Michael Gove, “in the world. Leaving a union with your biggest...Monday
“It’s the stupidest thing,” I’m telling Michael Gove, “in the world. Leaving a union...Monday
“It’s the stupidest thing,” I’m telling Michael Gove, “in the world. Leaving a union...
News in pictures
For more pictures from The Times follow us on InstagramFor more pictures from The Times follow us on InstagramFor more pictures from The Times follow us on Instagram
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world at five
Taliban ‘purge’ threatens peace process in Afghanistan
As the assassins wrenched open the car doors, the Supreme Court judge in the back seat pulled her handbag to her chest. It was not enough to save her. Bullet after bullet lanced through the bag, hitting Kadria Yasini at least five times. Beside her, her fellow judge Zakia Herawi was shot in her face, neck, and chest. The killers leapt on a motorbike and sped away...As the assassins wrenched open the car doors, the Supreme Court judge in the back seat pulled her...As the assassins wrenched open the car doors, the Supreme Court judge in the back seat pulled her...
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‘Al-Qaeda will rise up once again’ if foreign troops leave Afghanistan
President Biden has been told that the deal with the Taliban to end America’s military involvement in the war in...President Biden has been told that the deal with the Taliban to end America’s military involvement in the war in Afghanistan is “fundamentally flawed” and could open the way to a grim future for the Afghan people. Mr Biden has promised to review the deal signed by the Trump administration in Qatar a year ago, and...President Biden has been told that the deal with the Taliban to end America’s military involvement in the war in Afghanistan is...
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Hongkongers prepare to give up city they love and become British
On the face of it, no one could be more attached to Hong Kong than Bunty Kwok. She was born and grew up in the city...On the face of it, no one could be more attached to Hong Kong than Bunty Kwok. She was born and...On the face of it, no one could be more attached to Hong Kong than Bunty Kwok. She was born and...
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China executes banker who stashed 3 tonnes of cash
China has executed a former leading banker weeks after he was sentenced for taking more than $200 million in bribes...China has executed a former leading banker weeks after he was sentenced for taking more than $200...China has executed a former leading banker weeks after he was sentenced for taking more than $200...
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How chess prodigy was used as Franco’s pawn
A Spanish chess prodigy was used as a propaganda tool by the dictator General Franco and then abandoned when he was older and no longer served the regime’s purpose, a new book claims. The life of Arturo Pomar, who first played against a world...A Spanish chess prodigy was used as a propaganda tool by the dictator General Franco and then...A Spanish chess prodigy was used as a propaganda tool by the dictator General Franco and then...
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Apartheid assassin on state payroll
An apartheid-era assassin known as “Prime Evil” has been paid, guarded and housed by the South African government...An apartheid-era assassin known as “Prime Evil” has been paid, guarded and housed by the South...An apartheid-era assassin known as “Prime Evil” has been paid, guarded and housed by the South...
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us confidential
A superhero for our times, Plastic Bagman cleans up Brooklyn
Behind our flat on the Upper East Side, in the space between the backs of the tenement buildings, a white plastic bag...Behind our flat on the Upper East Side, in the space between the backs of the tenement buildings...Behind our flat on the Upper East Side, in the space between the backs of the tenement buildings...
Read the full storySands of time reveal treasures left behind from fury of Vesuvius
A long lost beach at the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum is to be excavated, allowing visitors once again to stroll across the sand where hundreds of people tried in vain to escape the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Archaeologists expect to find...A long lost beach at the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum is to be excavated, allowing visitors...A long lost beach at the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum is to be excavated, allowing visitors...
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Day traders’ army raises stakes
The speculative fever sweeping parts of the financial markets showed no sign of abating yesterday as a one-word tweak to Elon Musk’s Twitter account was enough to send the price of bitcoin surging by 16 per cent in half an hour. Shares in Gamestop, the struggling computer game retailer at the...The speculative fever sweeping parts of the financial markets showed no sign of abating yesterday as a one-word tweak to Elon Musk’s Twitter account was enough to send the price of bitcoin surging by 16 per cent in half an hour. Shares in Gamestop, the struggling computer game retailer at the...The speculative fever sweeping parts of the financial markets showed no sign of abating yesterday as a one-word tweak to Elon...
Read the full storyDr Martens fills plenty of boots with £3.7bn float
Dr Martens stomped on to the London stock market yesterday with a £3.7 billion debut that valued the business at ten times more than the amount its private equity owners paid seven years ago, enriching staff and boosting hopes for listings that are waiting to follow. The British bootmaker, worn by punks and pop stars as an...Dr Martens stomped on to the London stock market yesterday with a £3.7 billion debut that valued the business at ten times more than the amount its private equity owners paid seven years ago, enriching staff and boosting hopes for listings that are waiting to follow. The British bootmaker, worn by punks and pop stars as an...Dr Martens stomped on to the London stock market yesterday with a £3.7 billion debut that valued the business at ten times more...
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Private equity bidder eyes Marston’s
Marston’s, the pubs operator which recently called on the government for more Covid relief, has received a takeover approach from an American private equity group. Platinum Equity, based in Los Angeles, has made a non-binding proposal about a possible cash offer. It has until February 26 to make a formal offer under...Marston’s, the pubs operator which recently called on the government for more Covid relief, has...Marston’s, the pubs operator which recently called on the government for more Covid relief, has...
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business commentary
Rebel spirit laced with red flags
Suited and booted. Don’t forget where your Dr Martens float cash is going: to the private equity “carry” kings of...Suited and booted. Don’t forget where your Dr Martens float cash is going: to the private equity...Suited and booted. Don’t forget where your Dr Martens float cash is going: to the private equity...
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comment
Sunak’s small shift on public debt could have very big consequences
Sometimes it is the small things that are most revealing, the little acts of kindness on the street or tiny acts of...Sometimes it is the small things that are most revealing, the little acts of kindness on the...Sometimes it is the small things that are most revealing, the little acts of kindness on the...
Read the full storyWatchdog bares teeth at novice traders
America’s chief securities regulator stepped up the pressure on firms and individuals caught up in the Gamestop trading frenzy and warned against the dangers of illegal “manipulative trading activity.” As shares in Gamestop and other hotly traded...America’s chief securities regulator stepped up the pressure on firms and individuals caught up...America’s chief securities regulator stepped up the pressure on firms and individuals caught up...
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Blackberry executives cash in shares
A trio of Blackberry executives including its finance director sold shares in the early days of a buying frenzy that triggered a sharp rise in its stock. They sold about $1.7 million in shares as they started to rally earlier...A trio of Blackberry executives including its finance director sold shares in the early days of a buying frenzy that triggered a sharp rise in its stock. They sold about $1.7 million in shares as they started to rally earlier...A trio of Blackberry executives including its finance director sold shares in the early days of a buying frenzy that...
Read the full storyMusk puts a rocket under bitcoin price
The price of bitcoin rose by as much as 20 per cent at one point yesterday after Elon Musk added #Bitcoin to his Twitter biography. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency pared some of the gains and was trading at $34,415.28 last...The price of bitcoin rose by as much as 20 per cent at one point yesterday after Elon Musk added #Bitcoin to his Twitter biography. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency pared some of the gains and was trading at $34,415.28 last...The price of bitcoin rose by as much as 20 per cent at one point yesterday after Elon Musk added #Bitcoin to his...
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Need to know
Your three-minute digest
Bosses make capital gains as Sunak’s tax rises loom
As a new generation of amateur share traders pile into stocks and threaten a revolution on Wall Street, company bosses on this side of the Atlantic have been selling out. Directors in UK-listed companies have sold hundreds of millions of pounds’...As a new generation of amateur share traders pile into stocks and threaten a revolution on Wall...As a new generation of amateur share traders pile into stocks and threaten a revolution on Wall...
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the manifesto
Do the right thing to fix inequality and that way we’ll all be the richer
Half an hour into our conversation the retail entrepreneur Julian Richer pauses. “I don’t want to be over-alarmist,” he says, having just raised the prospect of civil war. Alarm over mounting inequality has prompted him to consider its consequences.Half an hour into our conversation the retail entrepreneur Julian Richer pauses. “I don’t want to...Half an hour into our conversation the retail entrepreneur Julian Richer pauses. “I don’t want to...
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FOOTBALL | KYLE WALKER INTERVIEW
‘I’m not City’s best player but try beating me over 40 yards’
Kyle Walker has found a quiet quarter upstairs at his Cheshire home, taking a break from the demanding challenge of home schooling his children. “It’s carnage down there,” the Manchester City and England defender says, laughing over Zoom on Thursday afternoon. “The questions are really hard.Kyle Walker has found a quiet quarter upstairs at his Cheshire home, taking a break from the demanding challenge of home schooling his children. “It’s carnage down there,” the Manchester City and England defender says, laughing over Zoom on Thursday afternoon. “The questions are really hard.Kyle Walker has found a quiet quarter upstairs at his Cheshire home, taking a break from the demanding challenge of home...
Read the full storyPaula Radcliffe interview
‘Finding out Isla had cancer and watching her go through it was the hardest thing’
When Paula Radcliffe’s 14-year-old daughter told her mother she could not swim under water for as long as she used to be able to, Radcliffe said it must be because she was less fit due to the pandemic limiting exercise and sport. It had nothing to do with Covid. Isla had a rare form of cancer. A tumour was growing on one of her ovaries.When Paula Radcliffe’s 14-year-old daughter told her mother she could not swim under water for as long as she used to be able to, Radcliffe said it must be because she was less fit due to the pandemic limiting exercise and sport. It had nothing to do with Covid. Isla had a rare form of cancer. A tumour was growing on one of her ovaries.When Paula Radcliffe’s 14-year-old daughter told her mother she could not swim under water for as long as she used to be able...
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football | Nuno Espírito Santo interview
Snakes, sharks and salt: the world of Nuno
On Molineux’s doorstep, yards from the statue of the great Billy Wright, lies the Good Shepherd Ministry, which helps the homeless and the hungry of the city of Wolverhampton. The numbers of the needy rise as the pandemic tightens its merciless grip. “We feel the sadness of people, we see how they struggle,” Nuno...On Molineux’s doorstep, yards from the statue of the great Billy Wright, lies the Good Shepherd...On Molineux’s doorstep, yards from the statue of the great Billy Wright, lies the Good Shepherd...
Read the full storyRugby Union | Matt Dickinson
Tabloids, turmoil and dressing-room division — where it all went wrong for ‘genius’ Cipriani
FOOTBALL | JAMES GHEERBRANT
Forget punditry, Lampard belongs with rising stars on training pitch
For a while there it was almost possible to believe that Chelsea sacking Frank Lampard was not an inevitability.For a while there it was almost possible to believe that Chelsea sacking Frank Lampard was not an...For a while there it was almost possible to believe that Chelsea sacking Frank Lampard was not an...
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football | paul hirst
Why United cannot drop Cavani
After Wednesday’s shock home defeat by Sheffield United, these are the four things that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must do...After Wednesday’s shock home defeat by Sheffield United, these are the four things that Ole...After Wednesday’s shock home defeat by Sheffield United, these are the four things that Ole...
Read the full storyFootball | tony cascarino
Odegaard dribbles like Salah and plays at a higher tempo than Özil
General ability
People shouldn’t assume that just because Martin Odegaard has not established himself in the Real Madrid team that he lacks the talent to make it to the top. No youngster has really become a mainstay in that club’s starting line-up in recent years, Zinédine Zidane putting his trust in experience rather than the likes of the Norwegian, who joined Real...General ability
People shouldn’t assume that just because Martin Odegaard has not...General ability
People shouldn’t assume that just because Martin Odegaard has not...
Cricket
Root laughing his way into 100-club
Graham Thorpe believes that having a sense of humour has played a major part in Joe Root reaching 100 Test appearances.Graham Thorpe believes that having a sense of humour has played a major part in Joe Root reaching 100 Test appearances. Hard work and desire play their part, the former England batsman said, but the mentality to deal with the ups and down of form are needed to last so long at the highest level. Root will receive his...Graham Thorpe believes that having a sense of humour has played a major part in Joe Root reaching 100 Test appearances. Hard...
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half-term report | James Gheerbrant
Greater margin for error in season like no other
With empty stadiums from the very beginning, and an unprecedented schedule, the 2020-21 Premier League season was...With empty stadiums from the very beginning, and an unprecedented schedule, the 2020-21 Premier...With empty stadiums from the very beginning, and an unprecedented schedule, the 2020-21 Premier...
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Sport Notebook | Martyn Ziegler
Leeds and 49ers chief now hoping to take cricket across the pond
Leeds United’s new vice-chairman Paraag Marathe must be an accomplished juggler, for as well as his positions at the...Leeds United’s new vice-chairman Paraag Marathe must be an accomplished juggler, for as well as...Leeds United’s new vice-chairman Paraag Marathe must be an accomplished juggler, for as well as...
Read the full storyGallagher Premiership
Bristol tighten grip on top spot in ‘best’ display of Lam’s reign
Pat Lam hailed his side’s first-half five-try mauling of Bath as the finest 40 minutes of attacking rugby of his tenure at Bristol Bears so far. The Bears defeated their closest West Country rivals by the largest margin in their league history...Pat Lam hailed his side’s first-half five-try mauling of Bath as the finest 40 minutes of...Pat Lam hailed his side’s first-half five-try mauling of Bath as the finest 40 minutes of...
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Bill Edgar's weekend preview
Premier League preview: comeback kings and Fulham’s dazzling dribbler
Football | Paul Joyce
Can ‘best 17-year-old in England’ break through at Liverpool?
nfl | nat coombs
Gone is the Super Bowl circus – and that’s no bad thing
The NFL has navigated the challenges of Covid-19 fluently, and at times innovatively, this season. It began with the Draft in April last year, which reimagined an event that is typically loved and loathed in equal measure for its pomp and bombast.The NFL has navigated the challenges of Covid-19 fluently, and at times innovatively, this season.The NFL has navigated the challenges of Covid-19 fluently, and at times innovatively, this season.
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Bobsleigh | James Dasaolu interview
Dasaolu looking to do Olympic double: the 100m and bobsleigh
sailing
American boat shadow of its old self
The American Magic challenge for the 36th America’s Cup, representing the proud history in this competition of the New York Yacht Club, is on the ropes after two thrashings by Luna Rossa in the first races of the Prada Cup semi-final. After the American boat Patriot spectacularly capsized two weeks ago and then nearly sank, it was always going to be hard for the team...The American Magic challenge for the 36th America’s Cup, representing the proud history in this...The American Magic challenge for the 36th America’s Cup, representing the proud history in this...
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sailing
Sporting hero of the week: Jérémie Beyou
When the ninth edition of the round-the-world Vendée Globe yacht race began in November, Jérémie Beyou was the hotly...When the ninth edition of the round-the-world Vendée Globe yacht race began in November, Jérémie Beyou was the hotly tipped pre-race favourite. With the experience of winning the Volvo Ocean Race in 2018 and the Solitaire du Figaro on three occasions, the Frenchman was backed by many to win the solo non-stop race...When the ninth edition of the round-the-world Vendée Globe yacht race began in November, Jérémie Beyou was the hotly tipped...
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Sky Bet Championship
Reading unbeaten in six as promotion push gathers steam
THE TAILENDER | PATRICK KIDD
Glover adept at turning tide of expectation
If it were anyone else, I would call the plan to compete at the Olympics at 34 after four years away from her sport...If it were anyone else, I would call the plan to compete at the Olympics at 34 after four years...If it were anyone else, I would call the plan to compete at the Olympics at 34 after four years...
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Stuart Fraser | The Slice
What to expect from Australian Open warm-up events
After photos of balls being hit against mattresses and complaints on social media about rogue mice, the Australian...After photos of balls being hit against mattresses and complaints on social media about rogue...After photos of balls being hit against mattresses and complaints on social media about rogue...
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Football | Molly Hudson
Chelsea are a model of patience and shrewd recruitment – the women, that is
Sports photography
Times Sport Unseen: Sunday League football, then and now
racing
Rob Wright’s racing tips
obituary
Prince Khalid Abdullah
Retiring Saudi racehorse owner who enjoyed his greatest success with the thoroughbred Frankel
credo | Dr Krish Kandiah
‘Hong Kong-rush’ gives church a chance to atone
Weather Eye
Groundwater could heat our homes
MindGames
The Times Saturday Quiz
from the archive
Horse versus tractor
From The Times, January 30, 1921: Many farmers are still unconvinced that the land tractor is better adapted to their...From The Times, January 30, 1921: Many farmers are still unconvinced that the land tractor is...From The Times, January 30, 1921: Many farmers are still unconvinced that the land tractor is...
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court circular
January 29, 2021
Windsor Castle
29th January, 2021
By command of The Queen, Mr Alistair Harrison (Marshal of the Diplomatic...Windsor Castle
29th January, 2021
By command of The Queen, Mr Alistair Harrison (Marshal of...Windsor Castle
29th January, 2021
By command of The Queen, Mr Alistair Harrison (Marshal of...
marriages and engagements
Primary school friends go the distance
Remembering loved ones
Diane Blake, 74: Popular nurse, publisher and socialite in 1960s London
Remembering loved ones
Celia Jean Liggins, 92: Cricket-watching Tory chairwoman and stalwart of the community
readers’ lives
How to feature a tribute
Is this a new dotcom bubble?
A new breed of traders flock to the market as experts fear prices are at a peak
Thousands of novice investors have ploughed into stocks and shares just as investment experts debate whether a market bubble is set to burst. About 400,000 new investors have signed up to investment platforms in the past year, and they are more likely to be furloughed than established traders...Thousands of novice investors have ploughed into stocks and shares just as investment experts debate whether a market bubble is set to burst. About 400,000 new investors have signed up to investment platforms in the past year, and they are more likely to be furloughed than established traders...Thousands of novice investors have ploughed into stocks and shares just as investment experts debate whether a market bubble is...
Read the full storyACTIVIST INVESTOR
Why you cannot expect 106% returns every year
Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust was the best performing stock in the FTSE 100 last year, rising 106 per cent. And, as anyone who has been a long-term investor in the technology fund knows, that is not just a flash in the pan. Over any period in the past five years the fund, run by Baillie Gifford and managed by James Anderson, has been...Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust was the best performing stock in the FTSE 100 last year, rising 106 per cent. And, as anyone who has been a long-term investor in the technology fund knows, that is not just a flash in the pan. Over any period in the past five years the fund, run by Baillie Gifford and managed by James Anderson, has been...Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust was the best performing stock in the FTSE 100 last year, rising 106 per cent. And, as anyone...
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COMMENT | JAMES CONEY
This isn’t investing, it’s just gambling . . .
The billions pumped into global economies by central banks in the past decade has made it seem very easy to be an investment genius. As cash has flooded the markets, equities have shot up. You could just pick a fashionable company (don’t worry about the business fundamentals, just choose anything in tech: Tesla...The billions pumped into global economies by central banks in the past decade has made it seem...The billions pumped into global economies by central banks in the past decade has made it seem...
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TROUBLESHOOTER
I switched, but Plusnet still kept on charging me
I have used Plusnet’s broadband service since April 2019, but last year I decided to switch to Sky. I looked up how...I have used Plusnet’s broadband service since April 2019, but last year I decided to switch to Sky.I have used Plusnet’s broadband service since April 2019, but last year I decided to switch to Sky.
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HOME ECONOMICS
I laughed at my friend for having a pension. He’s laughing now
We all make financial mistakes when we are young. For some it is gambling, or getting into debt, or not learning to...We all make financial mistakes when we are young. For some it is gambling, or getting into debt...We all make financial mistakes when we are young. For some it is gambling, or getting into debt...
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Interview
Cicely Tyson: racism, Hollywood, Miles Davis and me
In her last UK interview before her death aged 96 on Thursday, the actress talked about growing up in Harlem and life with a jazz legend
The lockdown jokers cheering us up online
Kieran Hodgson, Flora Anderson and Will Hislop have kept us laughing with their sketches. Now, they’re being offered TV and film deals
What’s true and false in The Dig, the new film about Sutton Hoo
An archaeologist looks at what really happened during the 1939 dig in Suffolk
Book of the week
Fall: The Mystery of Robert Maxwell by John Preston — the crook who made the establishment look foolish
This biography charts the heady highs and scandalous lows of Robert Maxwell’s life
HUGO RIFKIND ON TV
The Great Escapists — the good bits of Top Gear but just with Richard Hammond
Plus, Katie Price: Harvey and Me, Resident Alien and DeLorean: Back from the Future reviewed
BIOGRAPHY
Princess Mary by Elisabeth Basford — a ‘prim wax doll’ who did her duty
The unflagging princess set the template for the royal family’s enthusiasm for good works
FIRST NIGHT | Opera
The Turn of the Screw — poignancy and spookiness in an empty auditorium
★★★★☆
Opera Glassworks were days from opening their new production of Britten’s ghost story when theatres closed...★★★★☆
Opera Glassworks were days from opening their new production of Britten’s ghost story...★★★★☆
Opera Glassworks were days from opening their new production of Britten’s ghost story...
FIRST NIGHT | FILM
Coda — Emilia Jones is a revelation in this crowd-pleasing tearjerker
★★★★☆
The Sundance Film Festival, known for nurturing iconic hard hitters such as Reservoir Dogs and The Blair...★★★★☆
The Sundance Film Festival, known for nurturing iconic hard hitters such as Reservoir...★★★★☆
The Sundance Film Festival, known for nurturing iconic hard hitters such as Reservoir...
Interview
My culture fix: Nick Kent
My favourite author
James Joyce is the best, but Joseph Conrad is my favourite. I return to Conrad’s stories frequently for pleasure and inspiration, less so with Joyce. The book I’m reading
The Collected Stories of Chester Himes. Himes wrote...My favourite author
James Joyce is the best, but Joseph Conrad is my favourite. I return...My favourite author
James Joyce is the best, but Joseph Conrad is my favourite. I return...
PAPERBACKS
Our pick of the latest paperbacks
A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry
This book is the sequel to Sebastian Barry’s bestselling and acclaimed novel ...A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry
This book is the sequel to Sebastian Barry’s bestselling...A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry
This book is the sequel to Sebastian Barry’s bestselling...
Immersive books to get lost in
Getting really lost in a novel is one of the greatest pleasures of reading: the afternoons spent in one position on...Getting really lost in a novel is one of the greatest pleasures of reading: the afternoons spent...Getting really lost in a novel is one of the greatest pleasures of reading: the afternoons spent...
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CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK
Murder on the Safari Star by MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman — a high-speed train journey worth catching
Viewing guide
What’s on TV and radio this weekend
STAYING IN
What to watch on Netflix, BBC, Sky and Amazon now
updatedThis list is geared towards the best box sets recently available for you to stream, and we’ll update it regularly, so make sure you save this page. Feel free to join in the conversation in the comment section at the end with your own recommendations.This list is geared towards the best box sets recently available for you to stream, and we’ll...This list is geared towards the best box sets recently available for you to stream, and we’ll...
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LOCKDOWN HEALTH
A year of life online: What it’s done to your brain
Scientists say that 11 months of working and socialising online has changed the way our brains function
RELATIONSHIPS
I married a conman. I lost £150,000 — and my dignity
When she married her second husband, our writer thought she had found her soul mate. But 12 years later, she realised she had been tricked out of her savings
INTERVIEW
Levison Wood: ‘Women get this a lot more than blokes, so it was a learning curve’
The explorer talks to Julia Llewellyn Smith about how he coped with having a stalker
LOCKDOWN HEALTH
Sore back, shoulder pain, extra pounds: here’s what you can do
Long days at laptops have taken a physical toll. Here are the best solutions
FOOD
Marmalade for beginners: have you made it yet?
I won’t say, “Move over, sourdough,” because once toasted it will, after all, provide the perfect accompaniment, but in the first month of the latest lockdown marmalade-making has proved to be the culinary displacement activity of choice.I won’t say, “Move over, sourdough,” because once toasted it will, after all, provide the perfect...I won’t say, “Move over, sourdough,” because once toasted it will, after all, provide the perfect...
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OUTSIDE
Groovy! Pampas grass is back
OUTSIDE
A good walk: Gowbarrow Fell, Ullswater and Aira Force, Cumbria
A beautiful day was promised over the Eastern Fells of the Lake District, with light easterly winds and plenty of...A beautiful day was promised over the Eastern Fells of the Lake District, with light easterly...A beautiful day was promised over the Eastern Fells of the Lake District, with light easterly...
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OUTSIDE
Flowering shrubs that thrive in late winter
I always find January the toughest month and with everything that’s going on (or not going on) in the world, this...I always find January the toughest month and with everything that’s going on (or not going on) in...I always find January the toughest month and with everything that’s going on (or not going on) in...
Read the full storyAFTER LOCKDOWN
The 30 coolest huts and treehouses in the UK
A bonkers lochside bothy in Stirlingshire, a tucked-away Scandi treehouse in Gloucestershire and a swish shepherd’s hut in Yorkshire
*All prices for stays from April onwards When only a floating cabin with its own rowing boat will do, this solar-powered two-storey escape bobs on its own private lake just back from the mudflats and marshes of the Blackwater estuary, near Heybridge. The larch-and-pine cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows in the bedrooms and lounge, and a wraparound balcony with a dining...*All prices for stays from April onwards When only a floating cabin with its own rowing boat will...*All prices for stays from April onwards When only a floating cabin with its own rowing boat will...
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ASIA-PACIFIC
Quarantine hotels: ‘Someone was fined £2,600 for going into the corridor for eight seconds’
I spent an entire month last year confined to my 41 sq m flat in Hong Kong, my every move monitored via an electronic...I spent an entire month last year confined to my 41 sq m flat in Hong Kong, my every move monitored via an electronic bracelet attached to my wrist. If I’d stepped outside my front door, even to put the bin out, I could have been fined up to HK$25,000 (£2,500) and sentenced to up to six months in prison. While...I spent an entire month last year confined to my 41 sq m flat in Hong Kong, my every move monitored via an electronic bracelet...
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LOCKDOWN IDEAS
Explore the world with the sites the travel experts love
50 travel TV series
The best shows to transport you around the world
Postcard from Svalbard
What it's like living in one of the northernmost inhabited regions
Travel in 2021
Everything you need to know to holiday smarter after lockdown
The final chapter?
How two historic bookshops in Paris and London are coping
Medical chief who broke Covid rules gets NHS job
The chief medical officer who quit after breaking lockdown rules has been given a senior role in NHS Scotland. Catherine Calderwood was appointed national clinical director of the new centre for sustainable delivery at the Golden Jubilee hospital in Clydebank. The role commands a salary of...The chief medical officer who quit after breaking lockdown rules has been given a senior role in NHS Scotland. Catherine Calderwood was appointed national clinical director of the new centre for sustainable delivery at the Golden Jubilee hospital in Clydebank. The role commands a salary of...The chief medical officer who quit after breaking lockdown rules has been given a senior role in NHS Scotland. Catherine...
Read the full storytimes investigation
Revealed: hidden scale of the cladding crisis
The true scale of Scotland’s cladding crisis has been revealed after a Times investigation discovered thousands of flat-owners whose properties have been rendered worthless by fire safety breaches similar to those in the Grenfell disaster. Residents were not informed of evidence that their homes are wrapped in highly flammable materials...The true scale of Scotland’s cladding crisis has been revealed after a Times investigation discovered thousands of flat-owners whose properties have been rendered worthless by fire safety breaches similar to those in the Grenfell disaster. Residents were not informed of evidence that their homes are wrapped in highly flammable materials...The true scale of Scotland’s cladding crisis has been revealed after a Times investigation discovered thousands of flat-owners...
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Times investigation
How many flats in Scotland have dangerous cladding?
The true number of buildings that require remedial work is unknown. According to the Scottish government’s High Rise Inventory, 38 tower blocks are clad in a range of combustible substances, which fall under the umbrella term aluminium composite materials (ACM). It isn’t just cladding that’s the problem but a range...The true number of buildings that require remedial work is unknown. According to the Scottish...The true number of buildings that require remedial work is unknown. According to the Scottish...
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Man admits killing mother weeks after she called police
A man with a mental disorder has admitted stabbing his mother to death weeks after she alerted police to his...A man with a mental disorder has admitted stabbing his mother to death weeks after she alerted...A man with a mental disorder has admitted stabbing his mother to death weeks after she alerted...
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First night | concert
The Conundrum — a mesmerising illustration of piping
★★★★☆
The spirit of a Pitlochry bin man permeated this celebration of piping. Gordon Duncan left us tragically far...★★★★☆
The spirit of a Pitlochry bin man permeated this celebration of piping. Gordon Duncan...★★★★☆
The spirit of a Pitlochry bin man permeated this celebration of piping. Gordon Duncan...
SATURDAY INTERVIEW
Anas Sarwar: I grew up with threats and hate mail
Football
Lawwell exit is devastating, says Brown
The Celtic captain Scott Brown said he was devastated by Peter Lawwell’s decision to step down as the club’s chief executive at the end of the season. Over a 17-year reign at Parkhead Lawwell became the most important figure in the day-to-day running of Celtic and a major influence within the SFA and the SPFL. The club yesterday announced that he is to retire and be...The Celtic captain Scott Brown said he was devastated by Peter Lawwell’s decision to step down as...The Celtic captain Scott Brown said he was devastated by Peter Lawwell’s decision to step down as...
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Football
Grand puppeteer steps off the big stage
In the spiel of his valedictory address Peter Lawwell spoke soberly about Celtic’s reputation being built on the...In the spiel of his valedictory address Peter Lawwell spoke soberly about Celtic’s reputation being built on the three pillars of on-field success, sound business management, and a sincere charitable ethos. But when he was in his pomp Lawwell had a glint in his eye and a sense of mischief. He revelled in the...In the spiel of his valedictory address Peter Lawwell spoke soberly about Celtic’s reputation being built on the three pillars...
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Football | Leeann Dempster INTERVIEW
‘The target is to grow this club — and eventually reach the top tier’
football | graham spiers
Lawwell’s waygoing is totally distorted by Celtic’s diabolical season 2020-21
What a way for Peter Lawwell to bow out: sidling out of a rear door while being booted up the backside by Celtic fans...What a way for Peter Lawwell to bow out: sidling out of a rear door while being booted up the...What a way for Peter Lawwell to bow out: sidling out of a rear door while being booted up the...
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Football
Balancing act for Aberdeen as Cosgrove set to leave for £2m
Derek McInnes has warned the Aberdeen board that they risk going backwards by selling key players and failing to...Derek McInnes has warned the Aberdeen board that they risk going backwards by selling key players...Derek McInnes has warned the Aberdeen board that they risk going backwards by selling key players...
Read the full storycoronavirus
Vaccine decision on over-65s within days
The Irish medicine regulator will decide in the coming days if the Astrazeneca vaccine can be used on over-65s, the health minister said, after it emerged that Ireland would receive 300,000 fewer doses than expected. The vaccine was approved for use in Europe yesterday for everyone over the age of 18, despite concerns from the German regulator that it could not be...The Irish medicine regulator will decide in the coming days if the Astrazeneca vaccine can be...The Irish medicine regulator will decide in the coming days if the Astrazeneca vaccine can be...
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coronavirus
St Patrick’s Day flights promoted by Covid-critic professor
A UCD professor has co-founded a travel agency to help members travel freely during the pandemic and hopes to...A UCD professor has co-founded a travel agency to help members travel freely during the pandemic and hopes to organise trips to Ireland for St Patrick’s Day. Professor Dolores Cahill, an outspoken critic of Covid-19 restrictions, said Freedom Airway & Freedom Travel Alliance (Fafta) would offer advice to...A UCD professor has co-founded a travel agency to help members travel freely during the pandemic and hopes to organise trips to...
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television
Comics should clean up acts
books | Fiction
A seat at the family table
culture vulture
Watch out, Garth Brooks: nobody holds a grudge like the Irish
If social media is anything to go by, coverage of the recent inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris proved one...If social media is anything to go by, coverage of the recent inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala...If social media is anything to go by, coverage of the recent inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala...
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On The Bottle
Chunky winter warmers with a little extra oomph are all white with me
A doctor advised me recently to eat more fibre, particularly salads. I smiled and nodded but mentally I was rolling...A doctor advised me recently to eat more fibre, particularly salads. I smiled and nodded but...A doctor advised me recently to eat more fibre, particularly salads. I smiled and nodded but...
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Comment
Don’t wreck England just to foil Sturgeon
Matthew Parris
Panicking Unionists pushing for a federation of four nations risk awakening English anger and Balkanising a nation
giles coren
Your fat brain can’t wait for a Bridgerton binge
janice turner
This year can be a British voyage of discovery
matt chorley
The tweed and sideburns strain of Covidiot is by far the deadliest
carol midgley
Nothing’s as shaming as screaming at a mouse
WEEKEND ESSAY
What inspired a band of women warriors to help defeat Isis?
For four months the women fought furiously, day and night, to oust the Islamic State militia from the town of Kobani in northern Syria. The Isis troops dug in with tanks, artillery and Humvees. The all-female Kurdish Women’s Defence Units had no...For four months the women fought furiously, day and night, to oust the Islamic State militia from...For four months the women fought furiously, day and night, to oust the Islamic State militia from...
Read the full storyBEN MACINTYRE
Who was the bling king of Sutton Hoo?
Nature Notebook
The season’s colours are heron grey and lion gold
rose wild | feedback
We’re all going nowhere but still using a road map
Letting off steam about use of language is a handy therapy for our times. You don’t have to go out of doors to do it...Letting off steam about use of language is a handy therapy for our times. You don’t have to go...Letting off steam about use of language is a handy therapy for our times. You don’t have to go...
Read the full storyJames Forsyth
Covid has taught us not to rely on other nations
For years, Tories have been deeply suspicious of the very idea of an industrial strategy. Sajid Javid once said the...For years, Tories have been deeply suspicious of the very idea of an industrial strategy. Sajid...For years, Tories have been deeply suspicious of the very idea of an industrial strategy. Sajid...
Read the full storyLeading Articles
Vaccine Wars
The European Union’s latest escalation in its battle against Britain is ill judged and risks undermining the global fight against the virus
Market Mayhem
Despite speculative fever this week, volatile share prices can help the wider economy
Home Beauty
A justified push for beautiful buildings cannot become another nimby’s veto
letters to the editor
English nationalism and love for the Union
Sir, Despite it being replete with error, Louis de Bernières’ provocative letter (Jan 29) serves to illustrate the angry face of English nationalism, the growing ethnic hostility to the “parasitic” Scots, which it reflects, and the profound impact...Sir, Despite it being replete with error, Louis de Bernières’ provocative letter (Jan 29) serves...Sir, Despite it being replete with error, Louis de Bernières’ provocative letter (Jan 29) serves...
Read the full storyDaily Universal Register
Briefing
Today
UK: British Gas engineers continue a four-day strike over what the GMB union says are attempts by Centrica to “fire and rehire” workers; there are yellow weather warnings for ice in northern England and Scotland, heavy rain in the southwest and snow in southern England, Wales and the West Midlands.
Brazil: Copa Libertadores football final between Palmeiras and Santos at the Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (8pm GMT).
Italy: Venice Carnival 2021 begins virtually, running until February 16.
Tomorrow
UK: Hong Kong British National Overseas passport holders and their immediate dependants will be able to apply for a visa to live, study and work in the UK from today using a smartphone app; HMRC midnight deadline for submission of annual online Self Assessment Tax Returns; BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Final 2021 held online as part of the annual Celtic Connections festival.
Russia: Supporters of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny are expected to stage protests across the country.
On this day
Today
In 1607 at least 2,000 people were reported to have died when about 200 square miles of the Bristol channel flooded, possibly the result of a tsunami; in 1661 Oliver Cromwell, who died in 1658, was taken from his grave and “executed”, on the anniversary of the execution of the monarch he deposed. His head was displayed on a pole until about 1685; in 1933 Adolf Hitler, the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party, became chancellor of Germany; in 1968 North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces launched the Tet Offensive against South Vietnam; in 1992 the Irish prime minister Charles Haughey announced he would resign after being accused of involvement in tapping two hostile journalists’ telephones.
Tomorrow
In 1606 Guy Fawkes died instantly after breaking his neck when he jumped from the ladder of the gallows. Over two days Gunpowder Plot conspirators were hanged, drawn and quartered, at Westminster Yard, London; in 1858 the SS Great Eastern, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was launched at Millwall, London. The 4,000-passenger iron sailing steamship was able to travel around the world without refueling; in 1983 the wearing of seatbelts by drivers and front-seat passengers in Britain became compulsory; in 2020 the first cases of the Covid-19 in the UK were confirmed, after two Chinese nationals from the same family staying at a hotel in York fell ill.
Nature notes
A sharp frost had turned the birch tree white. Usually black and brittle, the rimed branches and twigs were like a frozen fountain. There are two native birch species in the UK: the silver birch (Betula pendula), and the downy birch (Betula pubescens). Which one was this? Spring and summer are the best times to differentiate between these similar species, since the leaves of the downy birch grow from hairy stalks. But in winter the general shape of the tree provides a useful clue. The downy birch is more upright in stature, while the silver birch has a more pendulous, “weeping” shape. A frozen fountain suggests a silver birch.
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays
Today
Peter Agre, scientist, Nobel prize for chemistry (2003), 72; Christian Bale, actor, Batman film trilogy, American Hustle (2013), 47; Lord (John) Bird, founder (1991), The Big Issue, 75; Dick Cheney, US vice-president (2001-09), 80; Phil Collins, rock musician, Another Day in Paradise (1989), 70; Olivia Colman, actress, The Favourite (2018; Oscar 2019), 47; Lord (Raymond) Doherty, senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 63; Gerald Finley, baritone, 61; Jemima Goldsmith, journalist and campaigner, 47; Gene Hackman, actor, The French Connection (1971), 91; James Heappey, Conservative MP for Wells, minister for the armed forces, 40; Dame Anne Johnson, epidemiologist, 67; Eddie Jones, head coach of the England national rugby union team, 61; King of Jordan, 59; Ben Maher, showjumper, Olympic gold medallist (2012), 38; Mitch Murray, songwriter, Gerry and the Pacemakers, How Do You Do It? (1963), 81; Vanessa Redgrave, actress, Camelot (1967), 84; Rev Canon Roger Royle, Anglican priest, broadcaster and writer, 82; King of Spain, 53; Boris Spassky, chess grandmaster, world chess champion (1969-72), 84; Mitchell Starc, cricketer, Australia, 31; Sharon Watson, chief executive and principal, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, 54.
Tomorrow
Sir Eric Ash, electrical engineer, emeritus professor, University College London, 93; Daniela Bianchi, actress, From Russia with Love (1963), 79; Princess Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands (1980-2013), 83; Sir George Benjamin, classical composer, Ringed by the Flat Horizon (1980), 61; Evelyn Bourke, chief executive, Bupa Group private healthcare company (2016-20), 56; Deborah Bronnert, UK ambassador to Russia, 54; Lloyd Cole, singer-songwriter, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, 60; Portia de Rossi, actress, Ally McBeal (1998-2002), 48; Imtiaz Dharker, poet, Over the Moon (2014), chancellor, Newcastle University, 67; Minnie Driver, actress, Good Will Hunting (1997), 51; Philip Glass, composer, Einstein on the Beach (opera), film score for The Hours (2002), 84; Baroness (Brenda) Hale of Richmond, president of the Supreme Court (2017-20), 76; Beverley Jullien, chief executive, Mothers’ Union, 63; John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), singer-songwriter, the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd, 65; Phil Manzanera, guitarist, Roxy Music, and producer, 70; Most Rev Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales (2003-17), 74; Sophie Muller, music video director, 59; Marcus Mumford, singer, Mumford & Sons, I Will Wait (2012), 34; Kenzaburo Oe, writer, Nobel prizewinner (1994), 86; Justin Timberlake, singer-songwriter, Mirrors (2013), 40; Kerry Washington, actress, Django Unchained (2012), 44.