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Tuesday
Thursday
The public has kept its side of the lockdown bargain. Now it’s the government’s turn
From our UK edition
Over the past week, the country has started to spring back to life. Trains and buses are no longer running empty. Bars and restaurants have put out signs proclaiming they are fully booked. Pubs are using school playgrounds as beer gardens and filling every seat. In Soho, people danced in the streets when someone walked
Letters: The true cost of the green dream
From our UK edition
Zero possibility Sir: Katy Balls is right to conclude that the government is ‘not being upfront’ on the bill for net zero and who will pay (‘The green games’, 17 April). As the Covid pandemic has revealed, expectations need managing, and without an urgent agreement on a consistent set of policy guidelines which embrace fairness,
Portrait of the week: Covid pills, Chauvin’s conviction and a red card for the Super League
From our UK edition
Home Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, announced the hunt was on for two effective pills to treat Covid, to be ready (after clinical trials) by the autumn. He had cancelled a visit to India, which has seen an increase in Covid deaths, with Delhi put into lockdown. Scarcely was his trip off than India was
Who gave Abba ‘nul points’ in 1974?
From our UK edition
Falling from grace Six Premier League football clubs had announced their intention to join a European Super League, from which it would be impossible to be relegated, before changing their minds. When were they last relegated from anything? — Manchester United were relegated from the top tier of English football in 1974, and promoted back
2500: 50 x 50 – solution
From our UK edition
The solution grid includes the letter L fifty times (L x 50 = 2500). Coincidentally, Doc and his wife, Jean, celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary on 3 April, the publication date of the issue. First prize Elizabeth Duff, London NW5 Runners-up Jonathan Jones, Oxford; Nicholas Grogan, Purley, Surrey
Thursday
The enduring power of the monarchy
From our UK edition
Fourteen prime ministers; 18 general elections; seven changes of government. Even in a stable country like Britain it is remarkable how much political water has flowed under the bridge in the 69 years since the late Duke of Edinburgh became consort to Elizabeth II. Britain has gone from a country of outside lavatories to one
Portrait of the week: Duke of Edinburgh dies, Covid retreats and questions for Cameron
From our UK edition
Home The Duke of Edinburgh, who was married to the Queen for 73 years, died at Windsor Castle, aged 99. The Queen was said to feel ‘a huge void’. Union flags flew at half mast; gun salutes were fired. For a day the BBC cancelled television schedules and broadcast the same programmes on all its
Letters: There’s nothing libertarian about vaccine passports
From our UK edition
Taking liberties Sir: I feel that Matthew Parris is absolutely wrong about liberty (‘The libertarian case for vaccine passports’, 10 April). True liberty is that each individual has the possibility to live their life how they desire (within the law), taking full responsibility for any and all the risks they incur. I am not responsible
How often does it snow in April?
From our UK edition
D of E awards A few of the late Duke of Edinburgh’s lesser-known titles and honours: — Royal Chief of the Order of Logohu (Papua New Guinea); Grand Commander of the Order of Maritime Merit of the San Francisco Port Authority; Grand Cross in Brilliants of the Order of the Sun of Peru; Grand Cross of the
2499: Entitled trio – solution
From our UK edition
The theme was C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 38A (of Scotland), 43A and 22D were all called ‘The Lion’ (see Brewer’s entry for lion); 11A, 41A and 9D are all witches; 12A, 34A and 6D are wardrobes. First prize Heather Weeks, Hove, East SussexRunners-up Michael Debenham, Shrewsbury; John Nutkins, London TW8
Monday
Exclusive Sherry masterclass
From our UK edition
Thursday
Joe Biden has dropped ‘vaccine passports’. Will Boris?
From our UK edition
‘The government would love to put issues such as these beyond the bounds of debate by creating an air of national emergency.’ So this magazine declared on 27 November 2004 in response to Tony Blair’s proposal for national identity cards, which had just been announced in the Queen’s speech. Our editor then, Boris Johnson, argued
Letters: The inconsistencies of Mormonism
From our UK edition
A leap of faith Sir: I live not far from the ‘London Temple’ of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most summers, the local streets are trodden by American Mormon missionaries, polite teenagers who occasionally approach to ask if we know Jesus Christ. Some years ago, I read the book on which the
Portrait of the week: Vaccine passports, Northern Ireland riots and a cocaine-smuggling kayaker
From our UK edition
Home The government sketched a scheme for a coronavirus passport, or ‘Covid status certification’, to be tried out at the FA Cup Final on 15 May. It would record vaccination, a recent negative test or natural immunity after recovering from Covid and might admit the bearer to public places, such as pubs or soup kitchens.
How likely is a false positive from a Covid test?
From our UK edition
Positive thinking The government wants us to test ourselves for Covid-19 twice a week, using lateral flow kits which will be freely distributed. What is the risk of being ordered to self-isolate as a result of a false negative? — While the NHS claims that these tests produce false positives in 0.1% or fewer cases,
2498: Cross-country – solution
From our UK edition
The unclued lights consist of the names of two countries overlapping by two or three letters: eg 25D ‘JAPANAMA’ gives ‘Japan’ and ‘Panama’. First prize Robin Simpson, Shincliffe, Durham Runners-up Kim Conchie, Falmouth, Cornwall; Mike Corballis, Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand
Monday
Full text: First Roadmap Review
From our UK edition
Introduction 1. The Government’s overriding goal is to protect the lives and livelihoods of citizens across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. The COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 (the roadmap) set out how the Government would continue to protect and support citizens across the UK and provided a roadmap out of the restrictions in place
Thursday
The false narrative of white vs BAME
From our UK edition
Almost 20 years ago, Michael Howard spoke about the ‘British dream’: that immigrant families like his could come to this country and find every door open for their children. The same was true for Priti Patel’s parents, both refugees from Idi Amin’s Uganda. Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, has spoken movingly about his father, who
Which football teams are the biggest losers?
From our UK edition
Mounting losses The England football team beat San Marino 5-0, taking to 56 the number of competitive games that the micro-nation has gone without a victory since 1990. Has any other football team exceeded this record?— In English league football, the record number of games without a win is 36, held jointly by Derby County