[!WARNING] 翻译质量评估未完全通过 (Quality Audit Failed) 发现以下潜在质量问题: - missing numeric tokens from source: 12..........................................20, 12...............................34 - Missing proper nouns in translation: Abbott Elementary, Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, Abraham Verghese, Abu Dhabi, Across Europe, Acting Deputy Chief Con, Adam White
New Scientist The Loki, Adam Yates, Advanced Telecom Services, Africa Centres
- translated output contains large residual English-looking blocks
星期五 2026年7月24日
第 4,889 号
theipaper.com
图书 – 度假阅读:顶级历史小说 P43 I 最佳商业街健身房 P34 I 谜题 P27 I 电视指南 P26
独家报道
无其他收入的退休人员 将免税
I M P A R T I A L N E W S + I N T E L L I G E N T D E B A T E (公正新闻 + 理性辩论)
» 新任财政大臣约翰·希利承诺,仅靠国家养老金生活的退休人员将无需缴纳所得税,这对 820,000 名退休人员来说是个好消息 » 由于“三重锁”机制带来的增长,从明年起,国家养老金将首次被纳入英国税收范围 » 财政部告知《i报》,希利将不对仅依赖国家养老金的人群征收所得税 » 税收起征点自 2021 年起一直冻结,这意味着随着工资上涨,数百万人缴纳的税款在增加
电池板将于 8月27日起 在英国合法化
» 这种能够降低 能源账单的设备 无需屋顶
P4 P37
P6
环境 英国部分地区 在经历纪录性 热浪后 宣布干旱
访谈 珍妮丝·温豪斯 艾米是她从未 渴望的成功的 牺牲品
体育 吉姆·拉特克利夫、 曼联以及 针对季票持有者的 战争
P5
P54
星期五
七月
今日金句
即使你在正确的道路上, 如果你只是坐在那里, 你还是会被车撞到
威尔·罗杰斯 (WILL ROGERS)
生日
珍妮弗·洛佩兹,歌手/演员,57岁; 琳达·卡特(见下图),演员,75岁;宾迪·欧文,环保主义者,28岁;朱莉娅·布拉德伯里,主持人,56岁;马丁·基翁,前足球运动员,60岁;丹尼·戴尔,演员,49岁
纪念日 1911年7月24日,星期一 美国探险家海勒姆·宾厄姆在当地人的指引下,抵达了位于秘鲁的被遗弃的印加古城马丘比丘。他的探险向全球观众介绍了这座非凡的山城,激发了考古研究以及对印加文明的痴迷。
填字游戏.............17 电视与广播...........26 谜题.....................27 文化.....................37 金融.......................44 天气...................49
矩阵
伯纳姆会见 各首脑
安迪·伯纳姆在格拉斯哥会见了威尔士和苏格兰的首脑。苏格兰的约翰·斯温尼表示,首相将就进一步权力下放的可能性进行“接触”,而伦·阿普·伊奥沃斯则对“新篇章”表示希望。唐宁街 10 号表示,关于苏格兰独立第二次公投的问题是“禁区”。
持刀杀人数 降至三十年低点
英格兰和威尔士警方每年记录的涉及刀具或锐利工具的凶杀案数量已降至 35 年来的最低水平。在 2025-26 年,警方共记录了 176 起持刀凶杀案,低于此前 12 个月的 204 起。这是自 1990-91 年记录 175 起以来的最低数字。
美国提供帮助以结束 乌克兰战争
美国表示准备在帮助结束乌克兰战争中发挥“建设性作用”。国务卿马可·鲁比奥在菲律宾的一次峰会上表示,他与俄罗斯外交部长谢尔盖·拉夫罗夫进行了“坦率的交谈”。鲁比奥表示,总统唐纳德·特朗普准备为结束战争提供便利。
克莱格对 社交媒体禁令持怀疑态度
前 Meta (原Facebook) 高管尼克·克莱格爵士表示,禁止 16 岁以下青少年使用社交媒体意味着“让科技公司逃脱责任”。英国 16 岁以下青少年可能会在明年春天起被禁止使用社交媒体——这一举措受到了儿童安全活动人士的欢迎。克莱格表示,他同情禁令的意图,但补充道: “奇怪的是,你几乎是在让科技公司逃脱责任。 “从他们的角度来看,他们会想,‘好吧,那么我们就不必费心去做所有那些困难的……工程工作来确定每个人到底多少岁,以及他们如何使用与成人不同的应用程序’,等等。”
报纸支持回收。 2024 年英国报纸的 再生纸含量为 37.2%。
南肖波特杀手 现已入住布罗德摩尔医院
在被认定无法在贝尔马什监狱被安全管理后,Axel Rudakubana 已从贝尔马什监狱转移至布罗德摩尔医院。他因 2024 年在南肖波特谋杀 Elsie Dot Stancombe、Bebe King 和 Alice da Silva Aguiar 三名女孩而被判终身监禁。在布罗德摩尔医院,相关人员被视为病人而非囚犯。
急需物品
为了应对热浪、假期和接待客人的最后时刻采购,促使近三分之一的英国人(31%)支付快速配送费用。在线零售商 Joybuy 的研究发现,急需订购的最受欢迎必需品包括风扇、防晒霜和泳装。在酷暑中,英国人决定为以下物品支付更快的配送费:
衣物或鞋类
食品或饮料
3 风扇 4 防晒霜/SPF(见下文)
烧烤用品
旅行适配器
儿童夏季用品
便携式空调设备
© 由 Harmsworth Media 出版,伦敦 Derry Street 9 号,W8 5HY。在英格兰和威尔士注册号 00084121。由 Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Broxbourne);Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Knowsley);KP Services (Jersey) Ltd;Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Eurocentral), Lanarkshire;Irish Times (Citywest, Dublin), Ireland 印刷。往期刊物可从 Historic Newspapers 获取,邮箱:info@historic-newspapers.com 2026 年 7 月 24 日星期五。在邮政局注册为报纸。
唐尔森失去 爵士勋衔
被 the DUP 前领导人、名声扫地的 Jeffrey Donaldson 失去了他的爵士勋衔。Donaldson 在 6 月于纽里皇冠法院被判定犯有历史性儿童性虐待罪。这位正等待判刑的前拉根山谷议员在有人要求撤销其勋衔后,决定放弃爵士勋衔并交出枢密院成员资格。
英雄浩兰将朗读 “睡前故事”
汤姆·浩兰成为最新一位为 CBeebies 朗读“睡前故事”的超级英雄。这位“蜘蛛侠”演员将于今晚 6 时 50 分朗读由 Julia Donaldson 和 Axel Scheffler 创作的《超级蠕虫》(Superworm)。在他之前,克里斯·埃文斯(美国队长)、杰森· Momoa(海王)以及饰演贝恩的汤姆·哈迪都曾出演该系列节目。
绿洲乐队 Live ’25 电影 在威尼斯首映
Steven Knight 拍摄的绿洲乐队纪录片将在第 83 届威尼斯国际电影节全球首映。《Don’t Look Back in Anger》记录了 Noel 和 Liam Gallagher 开展 Live ’25 巡演的过程。电影节于 9 月 2 日至 12 日举行,该片预计于 9 月 9 日全球发行。
以库克船长 命名渡轮
新西兰将一艘连接其主岛的新渡轮命名为詹姆斯·库克船长。 这位英国皇家海军探险家是帝国主义的一个极具争议的象征,他在 1770 年代后期绘制了这些岛屿的地图。 “一个严肃的国家不会为了迎合当今‘抱怨政治’的最新时尚而破坏自己的记忆,”外交部长温斯顿·彼得斯在谈到“库克号”的命名时表示。“那些抽泣的‘觉醒派’们会气得跳脚。” 据毛利传统,另一艘新渡轮将命名为 Kupe,以第一位到达新西兰的波利尼西亚航海家命名。这些渡轮预计将于 2029 年交付。
预计将迎来 彩粉蝶之夏
环保人士表示,英国正处于十年一遇的“彩粉蝶之夏”,届时大量迁徙蝴蝶将在这里到来并繁衍。 野生动物慈善机构 Butterfly Conservation 正敦促公众将彩粉蝶(右图)纳入其年度“大蝴蝶计数”(bigbutterfly count.org) 的统计中。 该机构表示,今年彩粉蝶的数量有望成为记录以来第三高的年份,仅次于 1996 年和 2009 年。
新闻 观点 电视 星期五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
时空穿越小说 获犯罪小说奖
Elly Griffiths 撰写的《The Frozen People》讲述了一名在时空穿越冷案小组工作的侦探的故事,该书被评为“Theakston Old Peculier 年度犯罪小说”。这部新系列的开篇之作讲述了调查员 Ali Dawson 前往维多利亚时代的伦敦,探索那些会对 21 世纪产生影响的谋杀案。
BBC 揭晓“重要”肖像画
一幅“极其重要”的肖像画在 BBC 的《真伪之争?》(Fake Or Fortune?) 节目中被揭晓。在昨晚的一集中,一幅包裹在睡袋里的画作被确认为 18 世纪苏格兰艺术家 Katherine Read 的作品,并被验证为欧洲女性艺术家创作的最早的一幅以印度人为模特且被记录的绘画。
特温选择 Styles 而非出席 Swift 的婚礼
莎妮娅·特温 (Shania Twain) 拒绝了泰勒·斯威夫特 (Taylor Swift) 婚礼的邀请,以便在温布利球场与哈里·斯泰尔斯 (Harry Styles) 一同演出。这位加拿大歌手在 Styles 为期 12 晚的伦敦驻场演出期间担任开场嘉宾,演出时间为 6 月 12 日至 7 月 4 日。“下次见到她时,我当然会向她表示热烈祝贺,”她说道。
尚未上映的故事海报揭晓
在 Ti West 改编的《圣诞颂歌》(A Christmas Carol) 的首次亮相中,约翰尼·德普 (Johnny Depp) 变身为埃比尼泽·斯克鲁奇 (Ebenezer Scrooge)。海报展示了德普在由 West 执导的《埃比尼泽》(Ebenezer) 中饰演的主角,West 以拍摄恐怖片而闻名,海报配文为:“你熟悉的名字,你不熟悉的故事。” 该片预计将于 11 月上映。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 3
环境记者来信
Lucie Heath
i@theipaper.com
政府宣布将在超市提供 £400 的插电式太阳能电池板,这引发了巨大的关注。这种轻量化电池板为人们降低能源账单并初步尝试可再生能源提供了一种相对廉价且简便的方式。 在过去的几个月里,部长们一直在努力通过必要的安全法规,以便这些电池板能在英国销售。目前已确认,家庭用户将能从下个月底开始获得这项技术。 然而,目前还不清楚哪些商店会进货。Lidl、B&Q、Asda 和 Screwfix 都在表达关注的名单之列,但尚未确认具体何时上架——现在看来可能在几周内。 部长们将插电式太阳能宣传为租房者和公寓住户的完美解决方案,因为这些人通常无法安装传统的太阳能电池板。 政府从德国吸取了灵感,在那里插电式太阳能已经普及。今年早些时候,我与气候部长 Katie White 一同前往柏林,看到这座城市的许多阳台上都安装了这种电池板。 但德国与英国之间存在差异,这可能会妨碍该技术在这里普及,尤其是英格兰严苛的租赁持有法 (leasehold laws),这往往导致公寓业主在未经漫长且昂贵的程序之前无法对其房产进行改装。 政府已经为一场德式太阳能革命奠定了基础,但真正的考验在于家庭用户是否能够实际安装它们。
新闻
母女在海中丧生
作者:Sam Hall, Sam Russell 和 Stanley Murphy-Johns
一名 teenage girl 和她的母亲在试图营救一名在埃塞克斯 (Essex) 海滩涨潮时“陷入困境”的 7 岁家庭成员时不幸丧生。 15 岁的 Samiha Rahman 和她 41 岁的母亲 Shally Rahman 周三下午在 West Mersea 海滩游玩,随后在水中陷入困境。这对来自伦敦的母女被认为是在试图帮助一名 7 岁的男孩,目前该男孩在医院处于危殆状态。 Shally Rahman 的姐夫/妹夫 Matiur Rahman 表示,当时他家约 10 名成员在水边玩耍,随后“突然来了一波巨浪”。 他说道:“我们都感到非常难过。 “我的整个家庭——我们……”
[[IMG_XXXX]] 周三事件后 Mersea 岛上的紧急救援服务 SWNS
低成本插拔式 太阳能电池板可 用于家庭
作者:Will Hazell 和 Kyriakos Petrakos
法律修订后,从下个月底起, 英国住宅即可安装插拔式 太阳能电池板。 从 27 August 起,家庭将 首次获准使用这些设备, 该设备可为家庭节省 £100 的能源账单。 目前尚不清楚这些电池板 何时会在该国商店上架, 但人们希望在几周内即可实现。 Lidl、B&Q、Currys、Asda、 Screwfix 和 Wickes 等零售商 均表示有兴趣销售此类产品。 插拔式太阳能是指可放置在 阳台和室外空间的低成本 电池板。 与安装成本高且复杂的传统 电池板不同,它们直接插入 电源插座,即可为家庭提供 免费的太阳能电力并降低能源 账单。 该技术的零售价预计约为 £400,每年可为典型家庭 减少 £70 至 £110 的账单, 这意味着设备大约在四年内 即可回收成本。 在英国的安全法规下,插拔式 太阳能此前一直是非法的, 但今年 3 月,时任能源大臣 Ed Miliband 宣布他打算在 今年夏天修改法律。 能源安全与净零部门 (DESNZ) 的部长们现已悄然发布了一项 法定文书(一种次级立法), 旨在更新现有法规。
插拔式太阳能电池板在德国 等国家已经非常流行
无话可说。我们无法相信 从我哥哥那里听到的消息。 我们非常震惊。” 首席督察 Al Pitcher 表示: “我和我的团队将慰问昨天 去世的女性和女孩的朋友及 家人。” “我们现在可以确认,她们是 来自伦敦的母女,在这一 难以想象的时刻,我们正为 其家人提供支持。” “自昨天以来,我们一直在 努力查明导致此次事件的 具体情况。” 警方表示,家属要求保持隐私。
《i报》此前披露,官员们 正按计划在 8 月底前批准 这些设备,且它们可能在 约一个月后进入商店货架。
这些新规定(最早由科技博 文 Engadget 发现)将于 27 August 生效,这意味着插拔式 太阳能从该日期起将合法化。 这一消息受到了制造商和 零售商的欢迎,他们一直渴望 该技术在夏天结束前获得批准, 以便在天气依然温暖时推出 其产品。 插拔式太阳能制造商 EcoFlow 的英国传播负责人 Lorna Wallace-Smith 告诉《i报》: “插拔式太阳能的合法化标志 着英国消费者和家庭可再生 能源未来的一个重要里程碑。” 虽然许多主要零售商表示计划 销售插拔式太阳能,但尚不 清楚它们是否能在合法化日期 前上架,还是会有短暂的延迟。 Currys 新类别总监 Michelle Gorringe-Smith 表示: “我们欢迎政府的这一公告, 这标志着实现插拔式太阳能 产品安全推广的下一步。” Morrisons 的一名发言人表示: “在政府立法允许此类产品 在家庭中使用后,Morrisons 将继续与政府和供应商就 推出具有竞争力的定价产品 的可能性进行沟通。” DESNZ 的一名发言人表示: “我们预计插拔式太阳能电池 板将在今年夏天上市,让数 百万家庭有机会降低能源 账单。” “这些易于安装的电池板在 整个欧洲已经广泛使用,在 支持我们追求清洁电力的同 时,能为许多家庭节省大量 资金。”
在经历夏季热浪和山火后 英国首次宣布干旱
作者:Sally Guyoncourt
在连续的热浪、广泛的山火以及河流流量减少之后,北威尔士和塞文河上游地区已宣布进入干旱状态。 在创纪录的天气条件下,这是英国今年夏天首个宣布干旱状态的地区。 威尔士自然资源局(NRW)昨日确认了该状态,称这一决定是在持续的高温干燥天气之后做出的;如果本月底前没有显著降雨,7月将成为威尔士近 190 年来最干燥的7月。 NRW可持续水资源与自然经理Rhian Thomas表示: “我们今年夏天经历的长时间高温干燥天气,现在正对威尔士部分地区的环境产生严重影响。” 受影响地区包括北格温内斯、安格尔西岛、南格温内斯、迪河(威尔士)、克劳德和塞文河上游,而威尔士西南部的各地区已从“正常”状态转为“长期干燥天气”状态。 英格兰许多地区也处于“长期干燥天气”状态,因为全国仅接收到7月平均降雨量的 3%,南部和东部共有 23 百万客户面临软管禁令。
法国山火迫使 10,000人撤离家园
作者:Stephane Mahe
在勒盖-卡佩费雷 (LEGE-CAP FERRET)
一场快速蔓延的山火迫使法国大西洋海岸附近 10,000 多名居民及露营者撤离家园,此时极端高温和日益严重的干旱正助长整个欧洲的火势。 科学家警告称,气候变化正在加剧该大陆的用水短缺。 本季度,欧洲经历了三次热浪,加剧了干旱,使供水紧张,并导致植被极度干燥——并造成数千人死亡。 在这个全球变暖最快的大陆上,今年山火烧毁的土地面积已经超过了过去二十年的年平均水平。 昨夜,由于一场迅速蔓延的山火席卷了波尔多市以西 2,000 公顷的土地,法国西南部 10,000 多人被紧急疏散。截至昨日,未报告有人受伤。 在西班牙,当局仍在努力扑灭已燃烧数日的火灾;而在意大利,一名 59 岁的消防员在西西里岛圣卡塔尔多附近与一场大型山火搏斗时因病去世。 昨日,在西班牙中部,随着当局监控包括瓜达拉哈拉、托莱多、雷阿尔城和阿尔巴塞特在内的活跃火点,消防员、应急人员和军队单位被部署到现场。 今年到目前为止,西班牙全国已有 100,000 多公顷土地被焚毁。 5月和6月下旬的热浪期间,欧洲和英国记录了超过 10,000 例超额死亡。路透社 (REUTERS)
新闻 观点 电视 星期五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
苏格兰环境保护署昨日宣布,“全国大部分地区的水资源短缺程度正在增加,包括法夫、贝里克郡沿海、特威德河下游和顿河下游在内的几个地区正接近严重缺水状态”。 山火在英国各地肆虐,从大曼彻斯特的鸽石水库一直延伸到威尔士的康威山和苏格兰的凯恩戈姆国家公园。 由于预计今天和周末气温将再次升高,英国卫生安全局昨日发布了新的高温健康警报。 从今天上午9点到周日上午9点,英格兰中地、东部、伦敦、东南部和西南部将实施黄色高温健康警报。 气象局气象学家Alex Deakin表示:“在接下来的几天里,将有大量干燥天气,许多地方会出现晴天,尤其是在南部地区。”
Deakin表示,明天晚上将有少量降雨,因为一个从西北方向袭来的天气前线将“滑过英格兰和威尔士”,带来一些夜间降雨,并使周日感觉“凉爽一些”。
星期五 2026年7月24日 5
天体主义者抨击 休闲中心 “歧视”
作者:Nathan Pynn
天体主义者在一座休闲中心禁止他们裸泳后,指责该中心存在“歧视”行为。 诺丁汉太阳俱乐部(Northampton Sun Club)近 200 名成员被告知,他们不能再在这个位于中部的城镇的蒙特浴场(Mounts Baths)进行长期开展的每月浸泳时脱掉衣服。 该天体主义团体在上个月聚会的前两天收到了休闲中心新经理的一封电子邮件。 邮件称,天体主义者违反了中心的泳装政策,且中心无法“达成”该团体游泳和桑拿环节所需的“人员配置协议”。 天体主义俱乐部的财务主管 David Farnsworth(51 岁)表示:“这是歧视,因为管理层单纯不喜欢我们所做的事情。” “几十年来,我们一直举行这些每月一次的天体游泳活动,从未出现过问题,现在我们有 190 多名成员对此感到非常失望。” 在全英经营 230 多个休闲中心的 Everyone Active 公司坚持该禁令。 一名发言人表示:“我们一直无法达成所需的人员配置协议。” “我们理解这与之前的提供情况有所不同,对于参与者来说可能会令人失望。” “如果未来情况发生变化,我们将重新审查该立场并通知客户。”
裸体主义者称该俱乐部运行数十年未出事故
新闻
仅依赖国家养老金的退休人员
独家报道 作者:Will Hazell 和 Grace Gausden
《i报》披露,数十万仅依赖国家养老金的退休人员将无需缴纳所得税。 安迪·伯纳姆和财政大臣 约翰·希利 承诺将遵守 Rachel Reeves 的承诺,保护较贫困的养老金领取者免于缴纳所得税,即使国家养老金在“三重锁”机制下上涨。
目前,国家养老金每年为 £12,547.60,比 £12,570 的个人税收免税额(即在缴税前可获得的收入金额)低 £22.40。 由于“三重锁”机制——即养老金按通货膨胀率、工资增长率或 2.5% 三者中的最高者增长——国家养老金将从 4 月起超过个人免税额,从而首次成为应纳税项目。 税收起征点自 2021 年起一直处于冻结状态,这意味着随着工资上涨,数百万人的税负增加。 专家此前估计,到 2027-28 年,约 820,000 名退休人员仅凭国家养老金就将欠缴所得税。 伯纳姆曾批评冻结税收起征点的做法,且就在上周末还暗示他将提高起征点。但在周一就职后,他坚称“没有承诺”,且有关税收的决定将在预算案中做出。 首相已经承诺将遵守工党竞选宣言,该宣言称在本届议会期间将不更改“三重锁”机制。 财政部官员表示,即使提高税收起征点,仅以国家养老金为唯一收入的养老金领取者也将免缴所得税。根据慈善机构 Independent Age 去年的一份报告,有超过一百万名养老金领取者仅依赖于
伯纳姆表示,对权力下放的抵制已经结束
作者:Will Meakin-Durrant
首相在首次前往新设立的“北唐宁街 10 号”(No 10 North)开会前表示,白厅对权力下放的抵制已“永久结束”。
预计安迪·伯纳姆在担任首相期间,每周将有一天在曼彻斯特的该地点办公。
他将主持国家经济委员会的会议,这是一个在 2008 年首次成立以应对经济挑战的内阁委员会。
政府表示,该小组的参会人员将根据“北唐宁街 10 号”的会议议程而有所不同,可能包括商业领袖和贸易工会。
“北唐宁街 10 号”位于曼彻斯特阿尔伯特广场附近的赫伦大厦(Heron House),该建筑同时也是政府通信总部(GCHQ)曼彻斯特及西北区的枢纽所在地。
【...】其收入来源为国家养老金。
财政部发言人表示:“任何仅领取全额新国家养老金或基本国家养老金且无任何增额的人员都无需缴纳所得税,我们承诺在本届议会期间维持这一政策。”
“通过维持‘三重锁’(triple lock)机制,12 million 养老金领取者的收入今年将增加最多 £470,并且他们将继续受益于七国集团(G7)中最高的个人免税额。”
在去年 11 月的预算案中,时任财政大臣里夫斯承诺,“仅领取基本或【...】”
[[IMG_XXXX]] 前财政大臣瑞秋·里夫斯在去年的预算案中做出了这一承诺
新国家养老金水平为 £12,547,比 £12,570 的个人税收免税额低 £22.40。
虽然苏格兰和威尔士的所得税部分实现了权力下放,但个人免税额保持不变,且由英国政府设定。国家养老金在所有本土国家中均相同,不涉及权力下放。
“ 40 年来,权力与资源一直被吸向中心,太多的社区感到被遗忘,未能获得应有的关注和投资,”伯纳姆说道。
“‘北唐宁街 10 号’将通过将更多权力下放到全国每个邮政编码区域来改变这一点。”
“它将成为让英国变得更好的‘作战室’——我们将利用这个地方把权力从威斯敏斯特移出,交到地方人员手中,以便他们能够扭转局面。”
“白厅抵制权力下放的日子已经永久结束了。”
预计伯纳姆在首次“北唐宁街 10 号”会议前,将与来自商业代表组织的领导人进行交谈,包括小型企业联合会(Federation of Small Business)和英国工业联合会(Confederation of British Industry)。
首相面临着
新国家养老金领取者将无需通过 简单的评估(simple assessment) 缴纳少额税款,该政策将于 2027 年 4 月起实施”。 在简单评估流程下,英国税务海关总署(HM Revenue and Customs) 通过计算并在年底发出税收催缴单来收取少额税款。 财政部表示,关于如何将仅依赖国家养老金的人员排除在简单评估之外的工作已经在进行中,具体细节将在“适当时候”公布。去年 11 月的预算案承诺将在 2026 年对此进行阐述。 目前尚不清楚具体机制是什么,养老金专家告诉《i报》,这可能会增加系统的复杂性并引发关于公平性的担忧。 Quilter 的退休金专家亚当·科尔(Adam Cole)表示:“虽然免除国家养老金收入的税收听起来很简单,但在实践中,它可能会给系统带来显著的复杂性。” AJ Bell 的高级养老金与储蓄专家查琳·杨(Charlene Young)表示,那些领取“旧”国家养老金的人(即在 2016 年 4 月 6 日之前达到国家养老金领取年龄的人)所获得的金额明显低于新养老金领取者。 因此,他们无论如何都不需要为养老金缴税,也就无法获得税收豁免。但这些人中的许多人拥有私人储蓄,这使得他们的总收入与仅领取国家养老金的新养老金领取者相当——导致他们不公平地需要缴纳税款。 她还表示,目前没有迹象表明该豁免政策将产生多少成本。她补充道:“结合该政策将产生的额外复杂性,以及它将排除大量养老金领取者这一事实,很难看出这项政策如何能通过公平性或简单性的测试。”
No 10 North 将设在曼彻斯特阿尔伯特广场的 Heron House
关于他对北部的关注是否会分散对其他地区的注意力的问题。 昨天,他在埃塞克斯郡的哈洛(Harlow)发表讲话时表示:“No 10 North 的全部目的就是将更多权力赋予该国每一个邮编区域,包括哈洛的邮编区域。” “我们如何将权力从白厅(Whitehall)和西敏寺(Westminster)移交给地方层级的人们,以便他们能够发挥作用并改变局面?”
天然气价格飙升 可能抵消首相 能源账单增值税减免
独家报道 作者:Cahal Milmo
首席记者
专家警告称,受伊朗战争推动的天然气价格飙升,将抵消安迪·伯纳姆本周承诺取消电费账单增值税(VAT)而为家庭带来的任何节省。
本周早些时候,伯纳姆将一项将家庭电费账单增值税从 5% 降低至零的承诺,置于一项旨在为选民提供即时且切实的生活成本帮助的竞选活动之中心。
根据财政部的数据,该减税措施将于 10 月生效,但目前仅资助至明年 4 月;如果成为永久政策,每年将为家庭节省 £45。
专家表示,国际天然气市场的波动意味着,由于国内能源账单可能上涨,这项节省将被抵消。
在华盛顿和德黑兰之间爆发新冲突后,过去一个月内欧洲的天然气批发价格飙升了近 50%。
仅在本周,英国天然气批发价格就上涨了 3%,达到每 therm 151 便士——这意味着目前的价格已高于伊朗战争爆发之初 3 月份达到的峰值。
能源市场智库 Cornwall Insights 表示,当监管机构 Ofgem 在下个月底公布 10 月的能源价格上限时,消费者现在面临账单上涨 2% 的情况。
该智库补充道,增值税减免带来的节省“很可能被上涨的批发成本所抵消”。
独立经济学家、经济事务研究所 (Institute of Economic Affairs) 研究员 Julian Jessop 强调,如果没有增值税减免,能源账单将会更高。
他补充道:“账单上涨这一事实将损害信心——包括对新政府的信心。”
绝大多数英国家庭(约 85%)使用天然气和电力的混合方式来为家中供电和供暖。即使电价下降,如果天然气成本因冲突而显著上升,房主在总账单方面仍然脆弱。
Ofgem 的价格上限用于计算平均家庭的年度能源账单,目前为 £1,862,这意味着家庭在 10 月份将面临约 £37 的年度上涨。
根据财政研究所 (Institute for Fiscal Studies) 的数据,增值税减免预计将于明年 4 月结束,这意味着在其目前的 7 个月有效期内,其价值仅约为 £25。
前财政部高级官员 Rupert Harrison 表示,天然气批发价格的任何持续上涨都将体现在国内账单的跳升中。
他告诉 BBC:“如果你考虑本周关于家庭燃料增值税的公告,即每年为平均账单减轻约 £45,那么目前的这些价格变动已经使其效果被抵消了。因此,这将产生连锁反应。”
天然气价格的波动源于欧洲和亚洲对天然气发电以驱动空调设备的 demand 增加,以及对入冬前欧洲天然气库存水平的日益担忧。
Ofgem 规定的平均家庭年度能源账单上限金额
新闻 (NEWS) 2-35 评论 (OPINION) 18-22 电视 (TV) 26-31 周五 (FRIDAY) 37-43 理财 (MONEY) 44-46 体育 (SPORT) 50-56
伯纳姆为削减酒吧、俱乐部和音乐场所的税率进行辩护
作者:Helen Corbett, Sophie Wingate, David Lynch, 和 Will Meakin-Durrant
作者:Helen Corbett
安迪·伯纳姆为仅削减部分款待业场所的营业率(business rates)进行了辩护。
从明年4月起,英格兰全境的酒吧、俱乐部和现场音乐场所的营业率将降低 20 百分比。
博彩店和电子烟店的营业率减免额度将被大幅削减,以筹集每年 £100 的资金,用于资助款待业部分领域的折扣。
此外,政府还计划打击未能缴纳增值税(VAT)的在线公司,以资助这一举措。伯纳姆表示,削减酒吧的税率是表明“援军即将到来”的“第一步”。
他表示,造成“社会危害”的企业,如电子烟店和博彩店,将支付更多费用,以资助那些能产生“真正益处”的企业(如酒吧)的税率减免。
“高街上的成人游戏中心通常会对社区造成真正的伤害,”伯纳姆在昨天表示。
“他们显然将支付更高的税率,从而使政府能够削减酒吧以及其他能够将人们聚集在一起、并为高街和社区带来更广泛益处的场所的营业率。”
该折扣是在1月份宣布的 15 百分比税率削减之上的叠加优惠,将适用于大约 32,000 家款待业企业。
预计一家典型的酒吧每年可节省约 £1,100,但规模最大的现场音乐场所将无法享受此优惠。
伯纳姆被问及为何不采取进一步措施,引入涵盖范围更广的减税政策,其中将包括
巴德诺克对首相关注加沙表示担忧
保守党党魁凯米·巴德诺克(Kemi Badenoch)表示,她担心在安迪·伯纳姆(Andy Burnham)的领导下,英国与以色列之间会出现裂痕。
新任首相已为工党最初对以色列在加沙战争的反应道歉,并表示工党必须“做得更好”。
新任国防大臣韦斯·斯特里廷(Wes Streeting)本周表示,以色列未能达到英国所期望的标准。
保守党党魁巴德诺克说:“我认为,这又是一次政府、首相、国防大臣甚至外交大臣优先级错误的情况。”
巴德诺克补充道:“这种过度关注以色列和巴勒斯坦局势的行为,是因为他们的后座议员在关心这些。”
巴德诺克表示,在她担任贸易大臣期间,她参加的安全简报显示了英国与以色列关系的重要性。
这位保守党党魁(插图)表示:“今天有英国公民能够幸存,是因为以色列向我们提供的情报。”
“我非常担心缺乏合作,因为这个政府想要讨好其后座议员。”
伯纳姆在本月早些时候的一段视频消息中,试图平息工党内部关于加沙战争的紧张局势。
他表示,英国在批评加沙已发生情况时应当“清晰明确”,同时也谴责哈马斯在 2023 年 10 月 7 日发动的袭击以及随后在英国发生的反犹主义暴力行为。
本周早些时候,斯特里廷表示,以色列未能达到英国给自己设定的标准,他认为该标准也应适用于以色列。
在今年早些时候公开的给彼得·曼德尔森(Peter Mandelson)的私信中,斯特里廷表示英国应当承认巴勒斯坦为一个国家。
最终在基尔·斯塔默爵士(Sir Keir Starmer)任内,英国承认了巴勒斯坦。
电子烟店等企业造成“社会危害”,伯纳姆称
其他企业如咖啡馆和餐厅。
他说:“今天是第一步,但这是一个重要的步骤。我在梅克菲尔德(Makerfield)补选时做出了这个承诺,因为我们正在失去酒吧。酒吧需要知道援军即将到来。”
“你知道,对我来说这就是我们的遗产。这是工人阶级的文化。一旦酒吧消失,它们就再也回不来了。”
保守党企业事务影子大臣安德鲁·格里菲斯(Andrew Griffith)表示:“虽然任何对英国承受压力的企业的支持都是受欢迎的,但一次又一次地,这个政府在这一政策的细节和资金方面都显得不足。”
“因此,我们必须在能够提供支持时发出信号。这就是为什么我提前宣布这一消息。这将大幅削减酒吧和其他场所支付的商业税。”
他补充道:“对于许多陷入困境的场所来说,这可能会产生决定性的影响,因此迅速确认它是正确的。”
“许多美好的事情发生在将社区聚集在一起之时,而当这些地方消失时,它们就再也回不来了,我们不能承受进一步的损失。”
自周一入主唐宁街以来,伯纳姆公布了从电费单中取消增值税(VAT)以及在全英范围内恢复 2 英镑(£2)单程巴士票价上限的计划。
财政大臣约翰·希利(John Healey)誓言支持那些“感到压力巨大”的企业,并表示他“对企业成本的关注程度与对生活成本的关注程度一样”。
昨天在伦敦市中心会见商业领袖时,希利说:“我对英国企业传达的信息很简单:对英国企业、对英国创新者、对英国投资者:作为你们的财政大臣,我将支持你们,我将在金融服务、技术、零售、工业以及经济的所有领域支持你们。”
希利说,与家庭一样,公司也感到“缺乏喘息空间”。
10 号唐宁街表示,政府将在预算案中提出更广泛的商业税制度进一步改革方案,包括小企业税收减免。
在全英范围内,将受到税率削减影响的餐饮服务业企业数量
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 7
新闻
海格在内阁高级官员 人选挑选中拥有“自由裁量权”
作者:Caroline Wheeler, Kitty Donaldson 和 Richard Vaughan
《i报》获悉,路易丝·海格 (Louise Haigh) 在为安迪·伯纳姆 (Andy Burnham) 的新内阁挑选和面试高级职位候选人方面发挥了关键作用。
据政府消息人士透露,海格——自芭芭拉·卡斯尔 (Barbara Castle) 以来首位担任国务第一秘书的女性——被委以重任,负责构建新任首相的高级团队,这一极不寻常的举动凸显了她的影响力。
海格在 2024 年辞去交通大臣一职,此前有消息披露她在十年前曾承认一项欺诈罪名。目前,她已成为最具权力的……
[[IMG_4851]] 路易丝·海格(左)和安妮莉丝·米德格利 (Anneliese Midgley) 深得安迪·伯纳姆的信任 GETTY
雷纳未能说明市政住房数量
作者:理查德·沃恩 (Richard Vaughan)
首席政治记者
在首相承诺社会住房将迎来繁荣之后,安迪·伯纳姆的政府将建造多少栋市政住房,安杰拉·雷纳在昨日拒绝确认。
在就职前的一次演讲中,伯纳姆誓言要“监管战后以来规模最大的市政住房建设规划”。
但在伯纳姆领导下重新担任住房部长的雷纳拒绝透露究竟将交付多少栋市政住房。
她承认,交付数量将无法达到 50 年代每年 200,000 栋的水平,她在接受 BBC 采访时表示:“我今天不会给你们一个准确的数字,因为这在很大程度上取决于诸如[开发商的义务]之类的事情。这取决于你们从哪里开始启动。”
“但我们已经通过‘购买权’(right-to-buy)回执开始了启动。我们将兑现我们的承诺,但我也承认,战后时期与我们今天所处的现状之间存在着巨大的鸿沟。”
这标志着伯纳姆在进入唐宁街 10 号之前的承诺被严重削弱。
住房部长还无法为政府何时实现伯纳姆关于在全国范围内结束露宿街头的核心承诺设定截止日期。
在周一担任英国领导人的首次演讲中,首相表示,他的政府将致力于“在最早的机会最终结束整个英国的长期露宿街头现象”。
雷纳表示,伯纳姆的雄心是建立一个“与地方当局合作的通用方案,以结束露宿街头”。
但当被追问实现该承诺的截止日期是在下次议会之前,还是在 5 年或 10 年内时,她拒绝给出时间表。
伯纳姆宣布,作为他在政府中的“第一项指示”,
[[IMG_XXXX]] 雷纳表示,建设规模将无法达到战后交付的水平
在协助引导其领导竞选以来,她在伯纳姆政府中一直扮演着重要角色。
作为首相的亲密政治盟友,她被广泛认为是其最信任的顾问之一。
另一位关键人物是安内莉丝·米德格利 (Anneliese Midgley),她在伯纳姆进入唐宁街后被任命为首席党鞭。
据内部人士称,米德格利被委任监督政府初级职位的部长筛选,而海格则专注于内阁的人选任命。
海格在过去几周内在其议员办公室里对潜在的内阁部长进行了一系列面试,并极大地影响了最终的任命决定——尽管所有职位都必须经由伯纳姆同意。
这种不寻常的安排应该是为了让伯纳姆——他已经离开议会 10 年,且与许多现任国会议员缺乏工作关系——能够在就职首日完成任命。
海格的盟友坚称,是由首相挑选团队,且所有人都听其调度。《i报》已联系唐宁街 10 号寻求评论。
另一名消息人士称,海格在梅克菲尔德 (Makerfield) 补选竞选期间就开始着手筛选伯纳姆的内阁人选,并在威根附近的 Stubshaw Cross 俱乐部“听取潜在部长的职位申请”。
一名工党内部人士表示,他们被告知海格在米德格利的的支持下协助筛选内阁任命,并补充道:“这其实并不令人惊讶,不是吗?”
“他不在议会,詹姆斯·普内尔 (James Purnell) 也不在,”这里指的是伯纳姆的幕僚长及前工党内阁部长。
据了解,普内尔对任命的影响力更大。
海格在 2025 年辞去交通部长的职务,此前她承认在一次 2013 年的事件中,她就一部被报告丢失的工作手机涉嫌虚假陈述欺诈而认罪。海格表示,该事件是一个真正的错误,她在法律建议下接受了认罪。
ment给伯纳姆在唐宁街的幕后团队。另一名工党消息人士将这一安排描述为“令人震惊”,并声称海格拥有“自由裁量权”。
海格与米德格利一起,还敦促伯纳姆不要任命埃德
£340m 的资金用于解决露宿街头问题,此外还包括此前在基尔·斯塔默爵士担任首相期间,根据《国家终结无家可归计划》宣布的 £3.6bn 资金。
No 10 将这笔资金描述为投资的第一阶段,“在一个更广泛的五年计划中,将为数千名面临最严重且长期无家可归的人提供住房和支持”,进一步的步骤将在秋季前出台。
雷诺 also 为其在去年辞去政府职务后接受的一笔近 £17,000 的遣散费进行了辩护,随后她又作为伯纳姆的住房大臣回归内阁。
昨日《i报》报道称,尽管雷诺被重新任命,但她仍被排除在首相的亲信圈子之外。
据消息人士透露,米利班德被任命为财政大臣。
据了解,他们与米利班德在净零政策上的方案存在分歧,并且希望与工会建立更紧密的联系。
此次洗牌引发了……
议税请愿诉求
在超过 100,000 人签署请愿书,要求对两项税收进行独立审查后,安迪·伯纳姆面临着取消议会税(council tax)和印花税的压力。
首相此前曾表示,他“早已被说服”支持用土地价值税取代现有制度,但自进入 No 10 以来尚未确认其立场。
该请愿由活动团体“公平份额”(Fairer Share)组织,签署人数已超过 100,000 人,且每个议会选区均有支持记录。
达到这一门槛意味着该请愿现在将由议会的请愿委员会审议。
大多数达到这一阶段的请愿将在下议院进行辩论,由一名部长代表政府做出回应,这意味着伯纳姆在就任头几个月内,可能会在财产税问题上迎来他的首次议会考验。
指责安迪·伯纳姆打破了他自己关于结束工党派系内斗的承诺。 此次变动的规模引发了斯塔默盟友的强烈批评,其中一人将其描述为一场“报复性洗牌”。
伯纳姆多年来一直批评当前的制度。 作为大曼彻斯特市市长,他将市政税(council tax)描述为“高度累退的”,并且在 2010 年的工党党魁竞选期间,他称印花税为“对年轻人抱负的征税”。 Fairer Share 创始人 Andrew Dixon 表示,伯纳姆现在拥有“机会——以及责任——去修复”市政税制度。 约克中心区工党国会议员 Rachael Maskell 表示,请愿书表明选民已经向威斯敏斯特“发出了明确信号”,且住房税现在需要进行“彻底的审查,随后进行真正的改革”。 在 Fairer Share 提出的模型下,市政税和印花税将被废除,取而代之的是一项低于物业价值 0.5% 的单一年度费用,且租客将不再承担责任。 Eleanor Langford
伦敦警方局长称 伦敦“极其安全”
作者:Erik Olsson
萨迪克·汗爵士表示,像布鲁塞尔和巴塞罗那这样的竞争城市正在传播将伦敦描绘成危险之地的网络内容。 这位伦敦市长表示,像中国和俄罗斯这样的敌对国家也在放大社交媒体帖子,将这座首都刻画为“无法无天”。 昨天公布的警方统计数据显示,在截至 6 月的 12 个月内,伦敦的社区犯罪(包括盗窃、抢劫和入室盗窃)下降了 14%,减少了超过 35,000 起案件。 英格兰和威尔士境内涉及刀具或锐利器具的谋杀案人数也下降至 35 年来的最低水平。 汗表示,关于伦敦的负面故事得到了 MAGA(让美国再次伟大)影响者以及布鲁塞尔和巴塞罗那等竞争城市的推波助澜。 他表示:“发生了两件事:你看到全球各地,从越南到斯里兰卡,出现了机器人农场,人们在那里大量制造关于伦敦的负面内容。为什么?因为这能让他们赚钱。” “其次,你看到了国家行为体,无论是俄罗斯还是中国。我们看到美国受 MAGA 影响的行为体在传播虚假信息、误导性信息和谎言。” 伦敦警察厅局长马克·罗利爵士表示:“外界存在文化战争,坦率地说,我们经常被邀请加入其中一方,而我们礼貌地拒绝了。” “我们不畏强权,不徇私情,继续履行职责。听着,外界存在俄罗斯和伊朗等敌对国家,他们试图破坏其他国家的稳定。” “他们正在放大其中的部分内容。此外,还有一些竞争城市想要削弱伦敦,但伦敦是非常安全的。” 昨天公布的数据显示,伦敦的扒窃案下降了 23% (23,311 起)。
今年伦敦 扒窃案 下降的比例 23%
新闻 观点 电视 星期五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
伯纳姆暂停 所有 6,000 名罪犯的 提前释放
作者:George Lithgow 及 Sophie Wingate
安迪·伯纳姆表示,他将对囚犯提前释放的计划“按下暂停键”。 大约 6,000 名罪犯原定根据新的《量刑法案》获释,该法案定于 9 月生效。 伯纳姆表示:“确保公众安全将永远是我的首要任务。” “我正与新任司法大臣密切合作,并已指示我的团队暂停原定于 9 月开始的变更。” “在我们进行紧急审查并尽一切努力将公众风险降至最低之前,任何囚犯都不得根据此政策获释。” “如果需要做出调整,我们将毫不犹豫地执行。” 此前,警察安德鲁·哈珀 (Andrew Harper) 的家人批评了两名杀害他的凶手被考虑提前释放的事实。 他的遗孀利西·哈珀 (Lissie Harper) 将该方案描述为“令人震惊”。 哈珀在 2019 年 8 月于伯克希尔郡萨尔汉斯特德 (Sulhamstead, Berkshire) 处置一起四轮摩托车盗窃案时受致命伤,当时他 28 岁。 导致哈珀死亡的车辆司机亨利·朗 (Henry Long) 被判处 16 年监禁,他并不符合该方案的资格。 但提前释放方案在杰西·科尔 (Jessie Cole) 和阿尔伯特·鲍尔斯 (Albert Bowers) 的考虑之列,两人当时是车内乘客,并在 2020 年的审判后因过失致死被判处 13 年监禁。 这两名男子原本可能在服刑一半(而非三分之二)后就有资格获释。 哈珀的母亲黛比·阿德拉姆 (Debbie Adlam) 告诉 BBC Radio 4 的《今日》(Today) 节目:“这感觉就像是对安德鲁的又一次辜负,真的。” “你知道,当你看到他被杀害的恐怖方式,我们必须承受这一切,我们必须意识到,我们仍然要继续生活。” 周三,哈珀的遗孀利西表示:“在我看来,我们竟然已经到了将提前释放囚犯视为可接受的程度,这简直令人震惊。” “我们谈论正义、问责制以及支持受害者,但像这样的决定却在做相反的事情。”
[[IMG_XXXX]] 利西·哈珀及其丈夫安德鲁,后者于 2019 年被杀
家人计划为 威德科姆举行 公开纪念活动
作者:Ted Hennessey
其家人表示,今年晚些时候将为安·威德科姆 (Ann Widdecombe) 举行公开纪念活动。 这位 78 岁的 Reform UK 发言人及前保守党大臣于 7 月 9 日在德文郡达特穆尔 (Dartmoor, Devon) 的海托 (Haytor) 住所内被发现死亡。 来自南约克郡罗瑟勒姆 (Rotherham, South Yorkshire) 的 28 岁男子约书亚·克里 (Joshua Kerry) 周二出庭,被指控谋杀她。 在的一份声明中,威德科姆的家人表示:“我们了解到公众对安·威德科姆葬礼有浓厚兴趣。” “未来几周将为家人和密友举行私人仪式,该仪式的邀请函已经发出。” “今年晚些时候将举行一次更公开的纪念活动,
周五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 9
[[IMG_XXXX]] 威德科姆被发现死亡后,警方于 7 月 10 日启动谋杀调查
具体细节将在适当时候公布。虽然我们非常感谢广泛的哀悼表达,但家人请求此次初步仪式仅限于与安最亲近的人参加。” 威德科姆于 1987, 年首次当选为肯特郡的保守党国会议员,90 年代曾任监狱大臣,后来成为英国脱欧党的欧洲议会议员。 在去世时,她是 Reform UK 的移民与司法事务发言人。 她在政治之外也通过参加《舞动奇迹》(Strictly Come Dancing) 和《名人老大哥》(Celebrity Big Brother) 赢得了名声。
新闻
首相“没有计划”将泰晤士水务公司国有化
独家报道 作者:Caroline Wheeler, Connie Dimsdale 和 Richard Vaughan
《i报》可以披露,在水务公司的投资者向政府提供了一项旨在抵御国有化的方案后,安迪·伯纳姆本周将不会宣布正式接管泰晤士水务公司(Thames Water)。
此前有广泛报道称,在承诺加强对英国公共事业的“公共控制”后,新任首相计划最快在本周将英国最大的水务公司置于某种形式的特别管理之下。甚至有说法称,他将宣布对英格兰水业进行激进改革,将所有权从股东转移给客户——据了解,安迪·伯纳姆对这一想法很感兴趣。
然而,《i报》获悉,本周没有发布该公告的计划,一名来自 10 消息人士“断然”否认此前存在此类计划。
这与本周早些时候多名白厅消息人士的说法相反,他们暗示相关计划已被推迟。一名消息人士表示:“我认为他们现在对于如何处理泰晤士水务公司还在犹豫不决。”
据了解,环境、食品和农村事务部(Defra)的官员已示意,目前没有将该水务公司置于特别管理制度(SAR)的紧迫计划。
此前有报道称,这家陷入困境的水务公司将于本周进入 SAR——这一过程将允许英国最大的水务公司在政府监督下继续运营,直到决定其长期未来。
但周二,泰晤士水务公司的主要投资者向政府提供了一项“黄金股”方案以避免国有化,这将赋予部长们更大的监督权和控制权。这包括赋予部长们否决合并等重大决定的权力。
伦敦与谷水财团(London & Valley Water consortium)——持有该公司 £17 债务的债权人团体——表示,它已意识到安迪·伯纳姆希望看到“水务公司创建更强的地方公共控制和参与,以加强问责制”的愿望。
安迪·伯纳姆在上周五作为工党领袖的首次正式演讲中,承诺将加强对国家公共事业的“公共控制”。
这家水务公司为伦敦及英格兰南部部分地区的 16 million 名客户提供服务,但因在允许基础设施腐烂并将数十亿升原污水排入泰晤士河的同时,积累了接近 £20 的债务而面临严厉批评。
对猫来说 很酷
猞猁 Ursa(左), 它从乌克兰被救援, 以及渔猫 Boson, 上周在小猫救援中心 探索它们的新环境。 该中心是肯特郡 阿什福德附近 Smarden 大猫避难所新开设的 两家设施之一。 GARETH FULLER/PA
近期几乎所有 污水泄漏 “可能均为非法”
作者:Steve Robson
根据一项新分析,过去两年中部分水务公司几乎所有的污水泄漏都应被视为非法。
根据环境署(EA)公布的数据,2024 年在英格兰的河流、湖泊和海洋中倾倒污水的时长超过 3.6 million 小时,2025 年为 1.8 million 小时。
监管机构表示,通过雨水溢流管排放污水应仅发生在潮湿条件下,例如强降雨或风暴。
但活动家 Peter Hammond 进行的研究表明,绝大多数泄漏情况并非如此。
他发现,平均而言,87 per
百分之多少的溢流发生在降雨量低于 25mm 时,因此属于非法行为。 其中最严重的违规者包括约克郡水务公司(Yorkshire Water),其 2024 和 2025 年在 25mm 以下降雨量时的溢流比例为 93%,以及泰晤士水务公司(Thames Water),2024 年为 84%,2025 年为 96%。 哈蒙德(Hammond)还考虑到某些地区的湿度高于其他地区,因此可以采用更高或更低的违规降雨量阈值。 例如,在西北部地区,他在计算联合事业公司(United Utilities)的污水溢流时,采用了 30mm 或 35mm 的降雨量阈值。 对于在最干旱地区之一运营的安格利亚水务公司(Anglian Water),他使用 15mm 和 20mm 的较低降雨量阈值分析了数据。 哈蒙德发现,无论阈值如何,至少 80% 的污水溢流都可以被归类为非法。 环境署(Environment Agency)
对使用 25mm 阈值来评估全国雨水溢流口合规性的观点持有异议。 该数值是专门为起诉南方水务公司(Southern Water)而制定的,但环境署表示,该数值并非被用作“常规”标准。 一名环境署发言人表示: “雨水溢流口必须仅在降雨和积雪融化时运行——任何除此之外的情况均属违规,我们将始终采取行动。然而,为了满足寻求刑事定罪所需的严格法律要求,我们必须考虑广泛的因素,包括具体场地的许可证条件以及总降雨量。” “英格兰的每个雨水溢流口都设有监测机制,因此劣质表现无处隐藏。这些监测正支持着 £10.2bn 的雨水溢流口升级投资,并且我们正在通过在许可证中增加溢流限制来加强对雨水溢流口的监管。” “在过去的 12 个月里,我们完成了 10,000 次以上的水务公司资产检查;自 2015 年以来,我们已对水务和污水处理公司提起 69 起诉讼,确保追回超过 £153m 的罚款。” 南方水务公司的前任负责人周三被起诉,涉嫌企图操纵水质检测以规避数百万英镑的罚金。 马修·赖特(Matthew Wright)与另外三人一同被指控共谋欺骗环境署和水务监管机构 Ofwat,通过操纵水处理厂的自我监测体制来规避环境检查失败。 英格兰大约有 14,500 个雨水溢流口。每个溢流口都有自己的许可证,根据该地区的降雨量设定可以使用污水排放的条件。
降雨量低于 25mm 时发生且可被归类为非法的溢流比例
NHS 血液丑闻受害者仍在等待刑事调查
独家报道 作者:Caroline Wheeler
政治编辑
受污染血液丑闻的受害者必须等待更长时间,才能决定是否启动刑事调查——尽管 安迪·伯纳姆 承诺将交付正义。 这次延迟发生在 伯纳姆 就任首相仅几天之后,引发了人们对其何时才能让受害者获得他长期承诺的正义的新疑问。 伯纳姆 承诺将支持受影响者,直到他们获得正义,并此前将该丑闻描述为“工业规模的刑事掩盖”。 尽管这是 NHS 历史上最严重的治疗灾难,但警方尚未启动刑事调查。
在萨默塞特的假期
环保人士透露,一只在英国罕见的黑冠夜鹭在萨默塞特郡被发现。 这种体型小且适应力强的鸟类广泛分布于非洲、亚洲、美洲和欧洲,在萨默塞特郡的国家信托(National Trust)Holnicote 庄园的摄像头中被拍到。 英国首次确认的夜鹭繁殖记录是在 2017 年于萨默塞特郡记录的,但它在英国仍是罕见的访客。 顾名思义,这种鹭类主要在夜间活动,因此难以发现。 PAL HERMANSEN/ NATIONAL TRUST/PA
安全 去年火车延误造成 £1.3bn 损失 被 MI5 窃听的记者获得赔偿金
作者:Harry Goodwin
去年,英国人因火车延误浪费了近 42 million 小时。 根据《电讯报》(Telegraph)的分析,去年英国火车运行的 1.8 billion 次个人行程中,有超过三分之一受到了干扰。 在截至 5 月 30 日的一年里,全国 7.8 million 趟火车中有三分之一迟到,另有 300,000 趟被全部或部分取消。 这种干扰相当于浪费了乘客近 42 million 小时的时间,给经济造成了 £1.3bn 的损失。 在 2023 年 3 月至 2024 年 3 月期间,有 140 只以上的天鹅闯入铁轨,因此威塞克斯(Wessex)铁路区域的 Network Rail 工作人员接受了处理闯入天鹅的培训。 不过,鹿是闯入火车轨道最常见的动物类型。
新闻 观点 TV 星期五 理财 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
【健康】 (接前文)……两年前一项公共调查的毁灭性结论。 “受污染血液调查”发现,在接受 NHS 提供的血液及血液制品后,导致 30,000 多人感染包括艾滋病(HIV)和丙型肝炎在内的致命疾病的丑闻“在很大程度上是可以避免的”。 其中最令人震惊的发现之一是,儿童在未获得知情同意的情况下被故意用于医学研究。 这其中包括位于汉普郡奥尔顿(Alton)的 Lord Mayor Treloar 学院的学生,在那里有 80 多名儿童在接受受污染的血液制品后死亡。 国家警察首长委员会(NPCC)最初的关注点是 Treloar 学院的“具体事件”,但现在决定扩大审查范围,这引发了活动人士的担忧,即关于是否启动刑事调查的最终决定可能仍需数年时间。 在《i报》看到的一封写给受害者的信中,领导 NPCC 审查的代理副警长罗伯特·格里芬(Robert Griffin)表示,警员们已经花费两年时间研究调查报告的早期章节,包括 Treloar 学院的事件,希望这足以判定是否可以起诉。 “遗憾的是,事实并非如此,”格里芬写道,并确认审查现在将扩大到涵盖调查结果的每一个章节——他承认这一决定将“不可避免地延长时间线”。 格里芬阐述了警方为何无法做出决定的原因,他告诉受害者,“公共调查收集和考量证据的方式与适用于刑事调查的证据标准和要求有显著不同”。 近几周,包括 Gary Webster、Steve Nicholls 和 Steve Warwick 在内的受害者(他们都曾就读于 Treloar 学院并在那里接受血液制品后感染了致命疾病)已向汉普郡警方报案。
在调查最终报告发表两周年的纪念日,以及在他就任首相前几周接受《i报》采访时,伯纳姆(Burnham)表示,他将“在每一步”陪伴受害者,并补充道:“无论我处于什么位置,我对他们的支持将是绝对的。”
作者:Jess Glass
一名原 BBC 记者因通讯数据被 MI5 非法获取,被法庭判处获得 £20,000 的赔偿金。 安全局此前承认,在获取数据时侵犯了目前就职于 RTÉ 的 Vincent Kearney 的权利。 北爱尔兰警察局(PSNI)和伦敦警察厅在 Kearney 向调查权力法庭(IPT)提起的诉讼过程中也做出了让步。 在昨天的一项判决中,IPT 判定 PSNI 向 Kearney 支付 £10,000 赔偿金,并对 MI5 做出同样的判决,认为两者的“行为没有区别的理由”。 Kearney 在 2006 年至 2019 年期间担任 BBC 北爱尔兰内政记者,他对该判决表示欢迎。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 11
处方量在12个月内 增长25%
作者:Storm Newton
数据显示,过去一年中,用于治疗注意力缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)的药物处方量增长了四分之一。
接受药物治疗的人数整体也增加了近三分之一,其中成年患者的处方量在12个月内增长了40%。
由NHS商业服务局(NHSBSA)发布的最新年度“心理健康药物使用情况”数据显示,2025/26年度共开出了427万份中枢神经系统兴奋剂或ADHD药物处方。
这一数字比前12个月的3.38百万份增加了25%。
共有427,000名患者被开具药物处方,高于2024/25年度的326,000名,增长了31%。
这份于3月发布的报告称,对相关症状的诊断“越来越多地被用于获取支持”。
报告强调,年轻人中“日益增加的痛苦”似乎是服务需求增长的因素之一,并指出“痛苦的医疗化”可能导致诊断成为“获取支持的主要途径”,即便其他应对方式可能更为合适。
社会
“大幅下降”
作者:Aine Fox
分析显示,近年来年轻人的生活满意度大幅下降。
智库公共政策研究所(IPPR)表示,如今生活在英格兰的16至24岁人群中,感到生活满意的人数不足一半,低于2010年时的近三分之二。
该机构表示,其研究表明“在英格兰长大比十年前压力更大,更孤立,且更缺乏乐趣”。
对一项英国住户纵向调查数据的分析发现,虽然2010年英格兰该年龄段人群中有62%的人报告对生活满意,但如今这一比例已下降至44%。
IPPR表示,在英格兰最贫困地区的年轻人中,生活满意度仅略高于三分之一(34.7%),低于之前的55.9%。
近期引起关注的16至24岁人群的一个主要问题是青年失业。
一份于5月发布的关于所谓“Neets”(指16至24岁之间既没有就业,也没有接受教育或培训的人群)的政府中期报告警告称,“整个系统的失效”导致每七个人中就有一人处于这种状态。
新闻
外交
阻止对阿萨德进行 空袭是“错误决定”
当安迪·伯纳姆本周任命埃德·米利班德为外交大臣时,人们立即想到了历史上唯一一次由议会投票阻止首相发动军事行动的时刻。2013年,当米利班德在下议院击败大卫·卡梅伦时,这位前工党党魁阻止了英国加入美国和法国的行列,对巴沙尔·阿萨德在叙利亚的政权发动潜在的空袭,当时该独裁者的军队正使用化学武器袭击反政府武装控制的城镇。当时,四分之三的英国公众支持米利班德的立场。在让犹豫不决的美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马重新考虑方面,他也起到了重要作用。最终,奥巴马没有下令美国战机起飞。叙利亚内战又拖延了11年,造成数十万人丧生。这个破碎的国家成为了伊斯兰国(Isis)的温床,导致英国本土发生了多次致命的恐怖袭击。
目前无法得知,如果米利班德当时支持卡梅伦,情况是否会有所不同。但分析人士质疑,这位新任外交大臣在现在类似的局面中会如何行动——以及他将如何应对好战的唐纳德·特朗普。罗伯特·福特(Robert Ford)在2013年担任美国驻叙利亚大使。他当时强烈支持空袭,以强迫阿萨德与反对派谈判和平协议,并在奥巴马警告使用化学武器是“红线”之后维护美国的全球权威。福特在新英格兰接受《i报》采访时认为,米利班德和其他人在13年前做出了一个“糟糕的决定”。如果他那时不想让英国打击阿萨德的残暴政权,“那么他什么时候才愿意使用武力?”然而,福特承认今天世界已大不相同。英国外交消息人士暗示,当基尔·斯塔默爵士决定今年不加入特朗普攻击伊朗的行列时,米利班德在内阁中可能发挥了重要作用——福特认为这是明智的。他打破了终身习惯的外交措辞,说道:“唐纳德·特朗普根本不知道他自己在干什么,英国的谨慎是非常有必要的。”
如何应对特朗普 福特(插图)警告称,本周在菲律宾与美国国务卿马可·鲁比奥会面的米利班德,在管理跨大西洋联盟方面面临着巨大挑战。 “噢我的天,我们怎么才能在这种情况中再撑两年半?”福特说道。他于2014年从外交服务部门退休,现为华盛顿中东研究所的高级研究员。 “白宫本身和国务院都由那些相信美国是唯一超级大国的人领导,[认为]它可以单方面随心所欲,而不管其他国家死活。” 他将特朗普的思维总结为:“如果英国人和欧洲人不想跟我们一起走,那就去他妈的。” 那么米利班德希望如何管理这种局面?英国唯一可行的策略是“限制损害”。 福特建议米利班德应遵循斯塔默谨慎的领导,他说:“首要建议是:不要公开挑战,因为这只会让他们觉得你在考验他们,而他们总会做出过激的反应。任何分歧都必须礼貌地、在闭门会议中以非常外交的方式处理。” 他引用了一句古老的格言:“外交官就是这样一个能告诉你‘去死吧’,却能让你期待这次旅程的人。”
新任外交大臣埃德·米利班德在马尼拉的东盟会议上
自案件起诉以来,他一直“没有动摇”,并且他“寻求让那些继续诽谤他或将其描绘成错误形象的人承担责任,包括 BBC”。
此前,一名法官在周二于迈阿密举行的该案首次法庭听证会上裁定,总统必须提交 BBC 所寻求的财务记录。
Enjoliqué Lett 法官批准了 BBC 法律团队的一项动议,强制要求公开由 唐纳德·特朗普 不可撤销信托基金(Donald J Trump Revocable Trust)持有的财务记录。
BBC 团队正在寻求证据,以核实总统关于因《全景》(Panorama)节目剪辑而遭受经济损失的主张。
总统采取法律行动之前,BBC 已就《全景》节目的剪辑向美国总统发表了道歉,承认该节目“造成了误导,使人认为特朗普总统直接呼吁采取暴力行动”。
但 BBC 的律师“强烈反对存在诽谤索赔的基础”。BBC 已被请求就此发表评论。
米利班德是否改变了历史进程? 当以下情况发生时,要求国际社会在叙利亚采取行动的呼吁变得更加紧迫:
[[IMG_XXXX]] 白宫和国务院由相信美国是唯一超级大国的人领导
阿萨德的部队在 21 August 2013, 使用沙林毒气攻击反对派,导致数百人死亡。此次使用化学武器随后得到了联合国的确认,联合国将其定为战争罪行。米利班德反对对叙利亚进行打击的决定至今仍充满争议。当阿萨德政权最终在 2024 年崩溃时,现任国防大臣 Wes Streeting 似乎批评了英国在数年前未能采取行动,但米利班德依然坚决。他表示:“在伊拉克发生过数百名英国士兵死亡、数千人受伤的事情之后,如果没有一个明确的计划,我们不能派遣英国军队。”他认为,当特朗普在 2017 年和 2018 年对叙利亚发动袭击时,这“并没有导致阿萨德的终结”,而且他不认为这个独裁者在 2013 年也会下台。福特(Ford)并不认同,认为未能采取行动意味着“阿萨德知道美国人不会对他动手”,从而降低了他同意达成和平协议的动力。然而,福特解释说,英国议会否决军事行动只是“增加奥巴马谨慎感的几件事”之一。美国原本打算在一天内攻击少数目标,但奥巴马担心如果阿萨德再次使用化学武器,将需要进行一场更长久的战争。福特说:“我记得他的话。他说:‘你们回头会来跟我说我们需要第二次打击,一次更强力的打击……我们会不断升级,然后谁能控制局面?不是我们——而是阿萨德。’”他承认这是一个合理的观点,且“没有完美的解决方案”。他回忆道:“英国的决定让每个人都感到惊讶,包括奥巴马。”因此,总统觉得他必须在国会发起自己的投票。这个决定让福特感到“震惊”,因为白宫获得支持的可能性很小。当俄罗斯随后提出一项让阿萨德放弃化学武器的协议时,奥巴马将其视为“必要的遮羞布”,在取消投票并放弃军事计划的同时挽回颜面。福特认为奥巴马对叙利亚的处理是一个“巨大的失败”,并在几个月后辞职。他仍然希望美国能做更多努力来阻止这场最终估计造成 650,000 人死亡的战争。
前BBC负责人可能被强制 在美国诽谤案中出庭作证
作者:Sally Guyoncourt
据透露,前BBC总局局长蒂姆·戴维 (Tim Davie) 可能被强制在唐纳德·特朗普针对BBC发起的 100 亿美元 ($10bn)(75 亿英镑 £7.5bn)诽谤案中出庭作证。
戴维(插图)于去年 11 月辞职,此前有报道披露,在 2021 年 1 月 6 日美国国会山骚乱当天,美国总统演说的不同片段被剪辑在一起,用于《全景》(Panorama) 节目的一集。
总统的法律团队声称,由此产生的片段暗示特朗普在敦促支持者进行骚乱,因此起诉BBC诽谤。
目前,与该诉讼有关的消息人士告诉《电讯报》(The Telegraph),特朗普的法律团队已准备好前往伦敦,作为案件的一部分对戴维进行录取证词 (depose)。
据报道,他们表示法律团队将与BBC的法律顾问协商以“协调该证词录取;无论是在美国还是英国进行,对我们来说都并不重要”,并补充道,“总统的决心已经”
特朗普要求利雅得 使以色列关系正常化
作者:Isabella Bengoechea
作者:Isabella Bengoechea
唐纳德·特朗普在他与沙特阿拉伯的核协议进程中投下了一枚巨大的阻碍,他表示,该王国必须首先使与以色列的关系正常化——这是一个极低可能性的前景。
美国总统表示,关于该王国民用核计划的协议取决于沙特阿拉伯签署《亚伯拉罕协议》。
特朗普在 Truth Social 的一条帖子中表示,该核协议将不允许浓缩铀,且仅限于“非军事用途,例如伊朗和阿联酋(以及其他国家)已经拥有的那种”。
他补充道:“美国并不反对民用(非浓缩)核设施。”
沙特阿拉伯长期以来一直在推动达成此类协议,但防扩散专家表示担忧,认为该协议缺乏防止铀浓缩至武器级水平的护栏,并可能在该地区引发军备竞赛。
虽然浓缩并不必然导致核武器的产生,但它打开了武器化的门。
关于沙特阿拉伯必须加入《亚伯拉罕协议》的建议,对于利雅得来说将是一个令人担忧的进展。
2020 年的协议使以色列与包括阿联酋和巴林在内的一些中东国家之间的关系正常化。
沙特阿拉伯的实际领导人、王储穆罕默德·本·萨勒曼 (Mohammed bin Salman)(插图,与特朗普在一起)已明确表示,与以色列的关系正常化将取决于是否建立一条通往巴勒斯坦国的清晰路径——而以色列总理本雅明·内塔尼亚胡 (Benjamin Netanyahu) 已将其拒绝,认为这是不可接受的安全风险。
沙特驻华盛顿大使馆未对特朗普关于该协议要求其加入协议的断言发表评论。
周三宣布的协议预计将持续 30 年,并让美国公司在该计划中占据主导地位。
然而,该协议仍需提交国会审核。
新闻 评论 电视 周五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
美国将升级对伊朗的袭击 胡塞武装攻击油轮
副世界编辑
唐纳德·特朗普表示,在伊朗的胡塞武装盟友袭击红海两艘油轮后,他正考虑重启在伊朗的大规模作战行动。此次袭击标志着战争范围扩大至第二个关键咽喉要道,这一情况此前一直令人担忧。
英国外交部宣布,在美伊停火协议崩溃后的第12个空袭之夜,英国已将其留在伊朗的剩余外交人员撤离。
胡塞武装的袭击导致全球原油价格自五月以来首次飙升至每桶 $100 以上,这一令人不安的里程碑再次引发了对全球通胀冲击的恐惧。
特朗普在昨天宣布:“我正在考虑一次大规模袭击。规模将比以往任何时候都大。我即将做出决定。我们已经准备就绪。”
总统补充道:“他们还没有感受到足够的痛苦。”
他没有给出最后期限,但表示他将伊朗对其胡塞代理人的袭击负责,并威胁称,如果也门武装分子再次袭击船只,将对双方采取“重大军事惩罚”。
据伊朗 IRIB 新闻社引用的一名该组织发言人的话,胡塞武装表示,在两艘沙特油轮 Encelia 号和 Layla 号违反海军封锁后,他们在红海对这两艘船进行了导弹和无人机袭击。
沙特阿拉伯新闻社报道称,一艘在红海的油轮在遇袭后起火,而英国海运贸易行动中心表示,收到一份关于在沙特城市 al-Shuqaiq 西南 70 海里处发生一起事件的报告。
周二,胡塞武装宣布对通过曼德海峡(Bab el-Mandeb Strait)的与沙特相关的航运实施封锁,该海峡位于也门和厄立特里亚之间,并且
英国在皇家空军基地受到威胁后表示“准备进行自我防御”
作者:Jane Merrick
政策编辑
在伊朗政权对一个用于美国空袭的英国皇家空军(RAF)基地发出直接威胁后,英国表示其“准备 24/7 全天候进行自我防御”。 在被用作美国轰炸机在本周早些时候攻击伊朗的发射地后,德黑然将格洛斯特郡的费尔福德皇家空军基地(RAF Fairford)称为“合法目标”。 伊斯兰革命卫队还指责英国王室是“我们地区人民不幸的主要原因”。 针对这一威胁,一名政府发言人表示:“我们的武装部队已准备好保护英国免受任何形式的攻击,无论是在我们的领土上还是来自海外。英国准备 24/7 全天候进行自我防御。” “这包括通过皇家海军、英国陆军和皇家空军资产采用分层空防和导弹防御方法,这些资产配备了一系列先进能力,并与我们的北约盟友密切合作。” “英国对此次冲突的态度保持不变——我们致力于保护我们的人民、利益和盟友,按照国际法行事,且不被卷入更广泛的冲突之中。”
[[IMG_XXXX]] “Layla”号是红海受袭的油轮之一 PETER HEIDEN/REUTERS
连接着红海与亚丁湾。此前,沙特阿拉伯对也门实施封锁,且近期其萨那机场遭到袭击。 全球约 12% 的贸易(包括全球四分之一的集装箱流量)经过曼德海峡(见插图)。 根据船舶追踪数据,自胡塞武装本周宣布封锁以来,至少有 7 艘船只更改了航线,以避免通过曼德海峡。 在霍尔木兹海峡航运遭到攻击之后,此次袭击可能意味着第二个关键海上走廊的关闭,并可能导致全球能源价格螺旋式上升。
在华盛顿,共和党领导的众议院通过了一项旨在要求唐纳德·特朗普停止针对伊朗军事行动的立法,这在象征意义上是对特朗普的谴责。 然而,该立法缺乏法律强制力。
德黑然称美国使用的费尔福德皇家空军基地为“合法目标”
自 3 月以来,美国一直利用皇家空军基地针对伊朗开展“防御性”行动。 据了解,首相安迪·伯纳姆在周一就任后,被告知上周做出的一项决定,即延长现有协议,允许美国使用英国基地用于该地区的集体自卫,包括美国为削弱那些被用于攻击霍尔木兹海峡船只的导弹阵地及能力而采取的防御行动。 一名政府发言人表示:“英国始终采取预防措施,以确保其人员的安全与保障。” 国防投资计划设定了在英国本土及海外基地的防空和导弹防御上支出 £790 的计划,以及超过 £2 的资金用于提供进一步的防空和反无人机能力,并升级皇家空军的“台风”战斗机机队。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 13
损害特朗普的共和党在 11 月中期选举中的局面。 美国军方在夜间发起了新一轮空袭,旨在“进一步削弱伊朗威胁在区域海域航行的平民海员和商船的能力”。 德黑兰方面通过向邻近的阿拉伯国家约旦和科威特(两国均设有美国基地)发射导弹以进行报复。 外交部昨日表示,由于安全局势,已暂时撤离在伊朗的人员。在 2 月份美国和以色列行动开始前,外交部也采取了类似措施。 美国中央司令部在昨日宣布最新一轮袭击结束时表示,美军打击了包括海上能力、导弹和无人机存储设施、海岸监视站点以及防空资产在内的军事目标。 美国国务卿马可·鲁比奥昨日表示,在伊朗准备承诺达成和平协议之前,其付出的代价将“每晚增加”。
新闻 评论 电视 星期五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56 新闻
3 4
警方为未能阻止犹太会堂阴谋道歉
作者:Pat Hurst 和 Kim Pilling
一名警方负责人就未能抓住潜在机会揭发针对曼彻斯特一家犹太会堂袭击阴谋一事表达了歉意。
去年 10 月 2 日,吉哈德·阿尔-沙米(Jihad al-Shamie)在希顿公园希伯来会众犹太会堂(Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue)实施恐怖袭击时被警方枪击身亡,此次袭击造成 2 人死亡。
警方此前已经没收了他的手机,其中包含其极端主义心态和恐怖主义痴迷的细节,但在他发起袭击之前并未分析其内容。
在沙米的友人及同谋穆罕默德·巴希尔(Mohammad Bashir)被判入狱后,相关细节随之披露,警方随后发表了道歉。
沙米曾于 2025 年 2 月 13 日因涉嫌违反不骚扰令被逮捕,并于 2025 年 9 月 21 日因涉
即你的 龙虾
艺术家菲利普·科尔伯特(Philip Colbert)在萨里郡沃金(Woking)的 Lightbox 画廊举办其首个英国博物馆展览——《龙虾城的失落花园》(The Lost Gardens of Lobsteropolis)。
这位出生于苏格兰的艺术家最著名的作品是他的龙虾角色,在该展览中,这个角色充当了引导人们穿越不断变化的文化景观的指南。
大规模的绘画和沉浸式环境将艺术史、流行文化和数字化生活的意象,以幽默感和绚烂的色彩结合在一起。
展览将于明天开幕,并一直持续到 11 月 1 日。
BEN BIRCHALL/PA
香港难民面临被英国驱逐
作者:Harry Goodwin
一名香港主要反对党的前领导人被告知他将被驱逐出英国。 吴智协(Wu Chi-wai)在根据该地区中国实施的国家安全法被判以“颠覆罪”服刑四年后,于今年早些时候在香港出狱。 他是“香港 47”人之一——这些反对派人士在 2020 年不顾法律限制组织了“预选”。 吴智协抵达希思罗机场,寻求根据英国
[[IMG_XXXX]] 吴智协在香港因“颠覆罪”被监禁四年
Mohammad Bashir,31 岁, 昨日被判 终身监禁, 最低 刑期 17 年
国家海外计划(National Overseas scheme)寻求庇护,该计划加快了数万名香港难民的庇护申请速度。人们在抵达英国后即可根据该计划申请庇护,而无需在海外等待。 但据《泰晤士报》报道,吴智协在边境管制时被拘留并没收了护照。他被告知将在七天内被驱逐回香港。 内政部表示已知晓此案。据了解,吴智协的文书工作中存在“行政问题”。
恐怖分子囚犯 英国监狱关押人数创纪录
数据显示,英国监狱中关押的恐怖分子人数创下纪录。 截至 3 月底,有 273 名恐怖分子被囚禁,这是自 2010 年(126 人)开始记录以来的最高人数。 该人数同比增长 3%,并超过了 2025 年底记录的峰值(267 人)。 内政部数据显示,58%(159 人)持有伊斯兰极端主义
1 2
观点,29%(80 人)持有极右翼信仰。 另有 34 人(12%)被归类为持有“其他”意识形态——该类别包括左翼极端分子、爱尔兰异见极端分子、国内极端分子以及尚未确定具体意识形态的恐怖分子。 未提供每个类别具体人数的细分数据。
No 4889
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 15
纵向
法官说:“我认为你依然非常危险。你没有给出任何理由证明你的态度确实发生了改变。” 在宣判后,出生于曼彻斯特且持有巴基斯坦护照的 Bashir 在离开被告席时,向法庭上方公众席的家人微笑。
强奸嫌疑。在 Bashir 被判刑后,大曼彻斯特警察局局长 Sir Stephen Watson 表示:“遗憾的是,我可以确认,由于在 2025 年 10 月 2 日袭击发生前未对 Shamie 的设备进行检查,因此未意识到其中存储信息的关键性。” 他补充道:“想到这可能会增加去年 10 月恐怖事件中所有受影响者的痛苦,我感到很失望。为此,我深表歉意。” Bashir 昨日被判终身监禁,最低刑期 17 年。 曼彻斯特刑事法院获悉,去年 8 月 14 日,他曾开车搭载 Shamie 进行 10 小时的往返行程,在斯温顿(Swindon)什里夫纳姆(Shrivenham)的英国国防学院进行敌对侦察。 上个月,来自曼彻斯特奇瑟姆山(Cheetham Hill)的 Bashir 对准备恐怖袭击的指控认罪。 检察官表示,没有证据表明被告参与了希顿公园(Heaton Park)事件,但针对国防设施的计划攻击在性质上与之相似,且本会导致多人死亡。 在对 Bashir 宣判时,Cheema-Grubb 法官告诉他,到去年 8 月,他已成为一名“坚定的圣战分子”,并与 Shamie “同样参与”策划针对英国军事目标的袭击,“在这种袭击中,你和他都预期会杀人且被杀”。 法官驳回了他关于不再持有极端观点且对其行为感到后悔的主张。
酒吧延迟打烊导致暴力事件上升
作者:Clara Margotin
一名警界负责人表示,今年世界杯期间允许酒吧延长营业时间的决定,导致暴力事件数量增加。
国家警察 chiefs 委员会(National Police Chiefs’ Council)足球事务负责人、首席警司 Mark Roberts 表示,政府采取的部分许可方案在赛事期间“加剧了”暴力行为。
来自英国足球警务部门(UK Football Policing Unit)的统计数据显示,在今年的世界杯期间,英格兰和威尔士各地的警力记录了 2,322 起与足球相关的事件。
这一数字比 Euro 2024, 期间的 1,302 起增加了 78%,且除了 2020 年欧洲杯之外,超过了所有可比赛事的统计数据。
在持牌场所(包括酒吧)发生的事件占今年赛事期间记录的所有事件的 43%。
Across(横向)
3 关于新软垫座椅的说法 (7)
5/6 修道院会面商讨财务考量 (5,7)
1 公司代理人某种程度上相关 (7)
2 可能主张妻子卧床休息 (6)
新闻 观点 电视 周五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56 新闻
历史
已随时间流逝而消失
作者:Stephen Beech
研究表明,过去所使用的语言数量远多于今日。
科学家表示,在 1,000 到 3,000 年前,全球使用了数万种语言,人类经历了语言多样性的“黄金时代”。
发表在《科学》(Science)杂志上的研究结果显示,在欧洲殖民扩张之前很久,一种持续至今的长期衰减就已经开始了。
研究团队估计,在大约 12,000 年前的全新世(Holocene)初期,使用了 4,500 到 6,200 种语言——少于如今使用的约 7,500 种口语和手语。
随着人口增长,语言多样性也随之增加。模型显示,在 1,000 到 3,000 年前,可能存在数万种语言。
语言多样性的下降似乎始于大型国家和帝国的扩张,这远早于现代欧洲殖民主义。
如今所使用的语言仅代表了过去语言多样性中一个“狭小且在历史上存在偏见”的样本。
一个由美国、德国和西班牙研究人员组成的团队
隐喻填字游戏 (CRYPTIC CROSSWORD) 第 4825 号 作者:ECCLES
横向 1 Help us with nothing to be fair (2-2) 3 Sit back after English airman captures German in a flap (10) 10 Short feel, entertaining partner, is unprofessional (7) 11 Gastropod found in American sausage, reportedly (7) 12 Melting ice cap close to Finnish social gathering (7) 13 Plastic factory covers island (6) 15 Mark Field ‘visiting’ Truss and unloading: I’m outraged! (5) 16 Dash to capture crippled flotillas, essentially, in battle (2,7) 18 Male wearing fancy leotard’s an artist (3,6) 21 Hence, Greek character is found in Olympic city (5) 23 Donated large and small hammers (6) 25 Tries to collect quantity of food (not peppers, initially) for reptiles (7)
在解隐喻填字游戏时卡住了吗?欲获取今日答案,请致电 0905 789 3580。 通话费用为每分钟 80 便士,另加您的网络接入费。如果您在拨打该号码时遇到问题,请拨打我们的帮助热线 0333 202 3390。
重建了过去 12,000 年全球语言多样性的 可能轨迹。 圣安东尼奥德克萨斯大学的 Marcus Hamilton 教授 解释说,在约 6,000 年前文字出现 之前,关于语言数量的直接证据几乎 完全缺失,并且直到最近仍然 处于碎片化状态。 来自德国马克斯·普朗克 演化人类学研究所的 Russell Gray 教授 表示:“在农业出现 之前的世界,语言 可能并非异常丰富。 当时的语言数量 很可能比现在少。 随后,语言多样性 随着人类人口的增加 在数千年中共同增长。” 耶鲁大学的 Claire Bowern 教授 表示:“最令人意外的 结果是多样性峰值 出现的时间如此之近。 语言多样性最丰富的时期 可能发生在国家扩张和 早期帝国的时代。”
全球范围内 使用或签署的 语言的大约 数量, 已从数万种 下降
语言学家普遍认为, 尼加拉瓜手语是世界上 最年轻的完整自然语言。 它出现在 20 世纪 70 年代末和 80 年代初的马那瓜学校中。
27 Sloth starts to investigate new environs, requiring trees in abundance (7) 28 Military leader from Iron Age rejected separately (7) 29 Gauge fight to restrict colonial worker beginning to expostulate for India (5,5) 30 Source of misery is wailing female (she is wasted) (4)
纵向 1 Truss charged unit for holiday (10) 2 Well-prepared speech about a new King Charles? (7) 4 Old paper, The Guardian, welcomes Charlie the King (9) 5 Seize file with ‘Government’ on the front (5) 6 Music producer trapped in Mondeo car in accident (7) 7 Turkey and large cat walk over (7) 8 She wrote about Adrian M getting fat (4) 9 In tax haven, Truss embraces competition? On the contrary (6)
Stig 起诉 BBC,称事故将其“生命置于险境”
作者:Harry Goodwin
《Top Gear》节目的 Stig 指控 BBC 在导致 Freddie Flintoff 重伤的事故中将其生命置于险境。 Flintoff(插图),48 岁,在 2022 年 12 月的事故后被送往医院,面部和肋骨受伤。 Paul Rees 在 2019 年至 2022 年期间担任 Stig,在事故中坐在 Flintoff 身边。
14 低速,以防伙伴在挣扎 (6,4) 17 橙色汽车不知为何暗示过度自信 (9) 19 当前用于支撑面部和舌头的治疗 (7) 20 帮凶对“B: Good”的回应?(7) 21 救援在挥舞手臂的 Truss (6) 22 结论被忽略的研究包含缺陷,导致疾病 (7) 24 相信电台上的歌手很多 (5) 26 与前景竞争 (4)
昨日纵横字谜解答
M A K E I T S N A P P Y M A I N W C H A R C A D E S A N T W E R P R H S H H O N L S C O T S O N I O N D O M E H T R L M A H A I K U T W I T C H E R S A N F A N U R I C E F I E L D S T A I R R I G E T E I M P E R I O U S A N G E L E I O I E N R E R E E B O K S R E E F E R S N S T V T E S S T A T E S P E R S O N
Morgan Super 3。Rees 正在起诉该广播公司的商业部门,就人身伤害索赔最高 £150,000。 他告诉《太阳报》:“我真的觉得我们可能会死,因为我们没有任何保护措施。” BBC 影业的一位发言人表示:“我们对此主张持有异议,并正在进行抗辩。由于目前案件已提交法院,进一步评论是不恰当的。” 事故发生后,BBC 表示《Top Gear》在可预见的未来将“休整”。 BBC 与 Flintoff 达成了 £9m 的经济赔偿协议。
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
10 11
12 13
15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25
27 28
29 30
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 17
获颁学位
贝尔法斯特女王大学在宠物毕业典礼上,向包括 Tilly Ward(左,与主人 Eimear Marie 在一起)、Luna King 和侏儒山羊 Greta 在内的动物授予了荣誉,以此庆祝动物在支持学生主人的过程中所扮演的角色。 学位包括授予 Tilly 的法律与“爪”政学 (Law and Pawlitics) 荣誉学士学位,以及授予 Luna 的法医科学 (Furensic Science) 理学学士学位。
人们没有意识到 我所说的 将会实现
伊隆·马斯克 特斯拉 CEO 兼 SpaceX 创始人,谈论公众对他对未来预测的反应
@theipaper
facebook.com/theipaper
请在所有通信中附上联系地址
北海 钻探
开采石油
《泰晤士报》 英国在应对气候变化方面有许多值得自豪的地方,在过去 30 年里碳排放量减少了一半。但过度依赖能源进口是有害的。在石油和天然气方面采取新立场,是 安迪·伯纳姆 可以采取的最快速的促增长措施之一。 (社论)
《先驱报》 我们似乎相当疯狂,因为只有疯子才会在房子起火时加大燃气量。更疯狂的是,增加石油和天然气钻探并不会降低价格。而这正是亲钻探派的核心论点。 (Neil Mackay)
随着 70 年代的推进,带有妆容和发胶的华丽摇滚 (glam rock) 的吸引力失去了一些阴郁的光彩——取而代之的感觉更加流行。 只需询问那些穿着白色西装的人,他们演唱的乡村摇滚民谣《Baby I Know》曾登上英国排行榜第 10 位。歌手是 Tony Thorpe,他在 80 岁时去世。 Thorpe 1945 年出生于伦敦,从小就开始学习吉他和鼓,成为一名吉他手,最著名的身份是 70 年代团体 The Rubettes 的成员。 Thorpe 在 11 岁开始练习吉他和鼓,五年后转为职业选手。 The Rubettes 成立于 1974 年,随后在华丽摇滚运动末期出现,以在舞台上穿着标志性的白色西装和布帽而闻名。 他们的首支单曲《Sugar Baby Love》,
i@theipaper.com
囚犯 容量
意义 究竟 是什么?
UnHerd 安德鲁·哈珀杀手被释放一事揭示了英国破碎的司法系统。这与其说是主张更严厉的判刑,不如说是一个论点:公众被灌输了关于判刑意义的虚构说法——而这种虚构在审视之下便土崩瓦解。 (David Matthews)
The Conversation 英格兰和威尔士监禁的人数很高,但重新犯罪率依然居高不下。公共账目委员会警告称,一个被寻找足够囚禁空间所占据的系统,已几乎没有能力进行可能降低犯罪率的康复治疗。 (Zoe Stephenson)
托尼·索普 (TONY THORPE) 音乐家
他们首次在《Top Of The Pops》节目中共同演出的那首曲子,在 1974 年 5 月的英国单曲榜上占据 1 位长达四周,同时在美国排行榜上达到了第 37 位。 他们其他最著名的单曲包括《Tonight》、《Juke Box Jive》和《I Can Do It》。 索普从 1974 年到 1979 年在乐队中演出,成员还包括艾伦·威廉姆斯、约翰·理查森、皮特·阿内森、米克·克拉克和比尔·赫德。 然而,据报道由于创作分歧,他随后离开了乐队。 Rubettes 乐队后来用鲍勃·本汉取代了他,但后者不久后也离开,乐队于 1980 年解散,不过两年后又重新组建。 在整个职业生涯中,索普还与 Vibratones 乐队以及考文垂剧院管弦乐团合作,为西拉·布莱克等艺人伴奏,
国内外评论
伦敦人的 安全
犯罪温床的 说法不实
The Guardian 网络上的虚假信息可能会让潜在的游客犹豫,但真实的伦敦并不是你在被扭曲的社交媒体推送中看到的黑暗反乌托邦。 伦敦多元、充满活力且繁荣,是世界上最安全的超级城市之一。这就是事实。 (萨迪克·汗)
Conservative Home 抢手机或破坏公共空间的涂鸦,才是我们日常生活中真正遇到的犯罪行为。这塑造了我们的社区感。这就是为什么对许多人来说,我们觉得社会的基石已经不在原位。 (Marc Goldfinger)
印度 政治
倾听其 愤怒的青年
Financial Times 与其用警棍和拘留来应对年轻人的沮丧,这个世界上最大的民主国家更好的做法是用对话和改革来回应。印度的青年不仅是一个主要的选民群体——他们更是该国最大的资产。 (社论)
The Hindu 一个诞生于网络讽刺的运动能够聚集数百万数字追随者,并吸引数千人走上街头,这充分说明了政府自身的记录,而该记录已成为一系列委屈的根源。 (社论)
吉米·塔布克、哈里·塞科姆爵士以及罗伊·卡斯尔。 离开乐队后,他还发布了自己的音乐,在布莱克本学院讲授相关课题,并在 2014 年出版了回忆录《新娘的睡衣》(A Bride’s Nightie)。 一份宣布此消息的声明写道:“我们非常悲痛地正式宣布安东尼·约翰·索普逝世。” “他是克莱的父亲,是希尔的丈夫,是许多人的朋友,也是无数无论老少的音乐家的导师。” “他近期健康状况的恶化,并未削弱他敏锐的才智和犀利的幽默感。” “对于所有认识他或听过他音乐的人来说,他将在生活中留下一个无法填补的空缺。” “我们的爱与思念交给他的儿子克莱顿。上帝保佑,Tone x。” 他的前队友艾伦·威廉姆斯在 Facebook 上撰文悼念:
欧文·威尔什 (IRVINE WELSH) 音乐剧
去看这部剧
《每日电讯报》(Daily Telegraph) 遗憾的是,这部音乐剧是一团糟。部分原因在于它过度受原版电影的影响,同时又试图展示药物使用对更广泛社区的影响(毕竟我们生活在更加严苛的审查时代)。最终,就像《Trainspotting》中那些最阴暗的角色一样,你会怀疑这一切的意义何在。选择生活。选择一份工作。选择一个家庭。选择去对面街道的剧院看《歌剧魅影》吧。 (Ben Lawrence)
《镜报》(The Mirror) 是的,看到如此多阴郁且冗长的吸毒场景,并配以关于“食欲大增”(munchies) 的轻快歌曲,可能会让人感到不适,但它依然具有冲击力。 (Shelley Spadoni)
“如今终于得以安息。亲爱的托尼,我们的路径虽有交汇但极其短暂,期间孕育了美妙的音乐和经常令人捧腹的难忘时刻。” 托尼将他的宗教信仰描述为“基督徒;非宗派,且不是那种认为其他所有人都是‘错误’的人!” 除了他的吉他和家人(包括他的妻子雪莉)之外,他最心爱的物品是一本《哈姆雷特》。
出生于 1945 年 7 月 20 日 逝世于 2026 年 7 月 22 日 露西·肯宁汉 (Lucy Kenningham)
《庞贝》 电视剧
无心之幽默
《独立报》(The Independent) 上帝保佑他,但这位《夜视经理》的主演无法克制地显得极其不酷。当他在为国家地理频道主持一部关于庞贝的历史节目时——其中他用双手的魔力停止并回溯时间,以及其他一些令人尴尬的行为——这简直是如此地无心幽默,以至于我得强忍住不让自己尖叫出来。 (Adam White)
《新科学家》(New Scientist) 饰演洛基的演员汤姆·希德勒斯特 (Tom Hiddleston) 成为了这部关于这座罗马城市的三集纪录短剧中一个出人意料的主持人。虽然偶尔有点傻气,但它也具有娱乐性和启发性。 (Josh Bell)
首相不想激怒养老金领取者——但谁来买单?
D
安迪·伯纳姆 (Andy Burnham) 在Makerfield竞选议员期间,与前矿工讨论矿工养老金计划 CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY
安迪·伯纳姆本周声称他的政府是“对第一印象的第二次机会”,这话有道理吗? 这位新任首相想通过这句话暗示,他不会重蹈基尔·斯塔默 (Keir Starmer) 和瑞秋·里夫斯 (Rachel Reeves) 的覆辙,后者在没有正当理由的情况下耗尽了如此之多的政治资本。但是,虽然他不会犯完全相同的错误,但他最终可能会陷入与前任非常相似的境地。 伯纳姆就职初期的许多事情并不完全合理,尤其是那波密集的政策和支出公告。 这些关于能源账单、巴士票价和酒吧商业税的措施中有一个共同的主题,即首相想要运营一个“生活成本政府”。他说他的部长们必须展示将如何为所有政策支付资金——但他自己却在前后矛盾,因为他并未明确目前已经发布的公告将如何筹资。 现在,财政部已明确,伯纳姆将履行里夫斯的承诺,即仅领取国家养老金的退休人员将免于纳税。由于“三倍锁”(triple lock) 机制,养老金将在明年被纳入纳税范围。但伯纳姆和他的财政大臣约翰·希利 (John Healey) 将确保任何仅拥有国家养老金的人无需纳税,具体的评估方案计划于今年晚些时候公布。 从政治上讲,这是合理的。考虑到里夫斯因为宣布将冬季燃料补贴仅限于领取养老金信用额的人而陷入困境,如果一个工党首相上台就早早与养老金领取者起冲突,那将是非常勇敢或者可能是非常愚蠢的。 但这目前才合理,而这正是伯纳姆所做所言的另一个共同主题。完全不合理的是,他计划如何为这一切支付资金。
新闻 观点 电视 周五 财务 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
且不论部分养老金领取者是否能够避免缴纳所得税:那么“三重锁”机制本身给广大纳税人带来的更广泛负担又如何?此外还有安迪·伯纳姆旨在终结露宿街头的计划,以及他希望在社会护理改革上“投入相当多的政治资本”(更不用说巨额资金)的愿望,还有将能源账单的增值税降至零,以及在政府于秋季举行实际财政活动之前,他可能兴起宣布的任何其他事项?
首相致力于执行同样的财政规则,而正是这些规则让里夫斯感到被迫做出那些困难且在政治上令人难以接受的
超级富豪 有一种令人恼火的 全球流动倾向 用以逃避账单
决定。他正确地避开了她的悲观语言,因为那种语言让这些决定看起来比实际情况更糟糕,并让选民对前方还有多少更艰难的选择感到极其痛苦。但在税收与支出问题上,他无法避开同样的抉择。
这意味着在某个时间点,安迪·伯纳姆必须像每任首相在想要宣布人们渴望的好事时那样,向纳税人开诚布公。
这不仅仅体现在社会护理方面——除非你有家人在该系统中,否则你可能会错误地认为护理在就诊时像 NHS 那样是免费的,因此当政治家建议你必须通过一般税收或其他机制投入更多资金来资助该行业时,你会感到非常愤怒。这体现在方方面面。必须有某种资金来支持这些措施。而这种资金就来自于增税。
即便转向那个名为“向超级富豪征收更多税”的魔幻金钱树,情况也不像加里·内克尔等人物所暗示的那样简单,因为那些讨厌的超级富豪有一种极其恼人的全球流动倾向,并且雇佣了大量律师和会计师来帮他们逃避巨额账单。
因此,负担最终落在更广泛的纳税大众身上,他们不仅在与生活成本作斗争,还要面对每月从工资单中蒸发到财政部(Exchequer)的资金数额。
受到财政拖累(fiscal drag)威胁的不仅仅是养老金领取者:劳动者同样如此。虽然安迪·伯纳姆不想与养老金领取者发生激烈的争执,但由于长期影响,他可能会发现自己最终也面临着更广泛公众的愤恨。这意味着他争取良好第一印象的第二次机会将被浪费,因为他最终将陷入与他承诺要为其提供“断路器”(circuit breaker)的人们完全相同的困境。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 19
观点
推文、电子邮件 及信函请发送至: The Editor, The i Paper, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY
@theipaper
另外 周一,在 一分钟 Wijuko 玩法:将 1 – 9 依次填入 网格中,并符合 相邻方格之间的求和结果
7 4
13 13
facebook.com/theipaper
所有往来信件请附上联系地址
达蒙在我看来 并不像希腊人
克里斯托弗·诺兰在回应 埃隆·马斯克关于《奥德赛》 (特别是选角一名黑人女性 饰演特洛伊的海伦)的 指责时,表现得非常出色。 马斯克抱怨的依据似乎是 历史不准确。 我想请教本周像我一样 看过这部电影的任何人: 马特·达蒙在您看来 有多像希腊人?在相关的 方面,片尾音乐中使用的 萨克斯管(发明于 1848 年) 同样不准确,但问题是…… 埃隆,这是一部娱乐产业的 电影,而不是纪录片! 不过,也许这是埃隆 担任电影和戏剧评论员 新职业的开始;如果是这样, 如果他执意关注历史 准确性,他将会非常忙碌! 詹姆斯·库克森 (JAMES COOKSON) 德文郡,克雷迪顿 (CREDITON, DEVON)
可怜王室成员 生活艰辛
是的,您的记者关于 成为王室成员的所有 论述都是正确的(《您的观点》,7月 23 日), 但坦白说,谁想在绝大多数 时间里处于聚光灯下, 而且知道媒体总是在 盯着你,等待你可能不慎 犯下的任何过错。 反正绝对不是我。 王室成员拥有的任何优势, 绝对是因为他们对我们 国家的奉献而赢得的。 能拥有他们,我们非常幸运。 伊丽莎白·维尔 (ELIZABETH VEALE) 肯特郡,迪尔 (DEAL, KENT)
国有化 意味着由我们买单
水务私有化并未奏效—— 至少对消费者而言如此。 但在我们所有人欢庆之前
“我差点淹死了” 团队建设活动的 独特地狱
i@theipaper.com
在重新国有化时, 难道我们不该回顾 它在80年代末被 私有化的原因吗? 那时私有化并非为了 让对冲基金致富, 而是为了避免基础设施 更新(管道和水库)的 巨额成本落在纳税人 身上。如果水务重新 回归公有,那么由 纳税人承担的成本 也将随之而至。 理查德·斯基普 (RICHARD SKIPP) 布里斯托尔
核桃峡谷, 近乎空无一物
凯特·利斯特 (Kate Lister) 的文章(《过去属于每一个人——但富人在将其据为己有》,《i报》,7月 23 日)让我感到同样程度的着迷与愤怒。几年前,在一次前往美国峡谷地带的旅行中,我们访问了近乎具有神圣感的核桃峡谷。狭窄的悬崖边小径通向岩凿洞穴,那里曾是古代美洲原住民部落的家园。入口处的守护者带着明显的悲伤解释道:“这里没什么可看的。当这个峡谷被发现时,他们铺设了铁路线,这样富人和那些毫无顾忌的人就能过来,抢走他们能找到的所有遗迹。” 现在,当这里空无一物时,广告牌上贴着的指令——“除了足迹什么都不要留下,除了照片什么都不要带走”——似乎显得有些多余。 鲍勃·鲍威尔 (BOB POWELL) 斯托克顿-昂-蒂斯, 达勒姆郡
光纤? 做梦吧
我记得保守党政府曾承诺让英国的每一个角落都能使用全光纤互联网,我想其中应该包括我居住的利扎德半岛。因此,两年前,当一名代表 Wildanet 的承包商来到我们的小巷,将一根
一名读者质疑饰演奥德修斯的马特·达蒙是否真的看起来像希腊人
光纤电缆安装在 Open Reach 的电线杆上时,我们感到非常高兴。我立即联系了 BT 和 Wildanet,想询问我们何时能接通。 两年前,BT 说接通不是由他们负责,而 Wildanet 则说他们目前没有接通计划。六周前,我再次联系这两家供应商进行投诉,但他们依然没有任何接通计划。 所以,名义上我们有覆盖,但没有连接。我的邻居们正慢慢转向埃隆·马斯克及其 Starlink 服务,因为我们“保证”的下载速度是 7mbs(并非印刷错误)。 我们被误导了吗?如果你处于乡村环境,就得付出代价。 迈克尔·斯莱特 (MICHAEL SLATER) 马纳坎, 康沃尔
为什么英国 建不成铁路?
任何关于英国现在是欧洲“穷光蛋”的暗示,不出所料地被政客们否认了。如果英国如他们所坚持的那样是一个相对繁荣的国家,为什么我们在资助公共部门项目(最显著的是 HS2)时如此艰难,而我们的欧洲大陆邻国——以法国为首,德国、西班牙和意大利紧随其后——已经修建了数百英里的高铁线路,且其政府似乎并未对不断攀升的成本、漫长的延迟以及随之而来的项目放弃而苦恼? 艾伦·邦廷 (ALAN BUNTING)
英国养老金 处于最低之列
作为一名 83 岁的退休工程师,我已经缴纳了
更多评论请见 theipaper.com
我们的承诺
我们非常严肃地对待维护高编辑标准的责任,并感谢读者指出任何错误。《i报》遵守独立新闻标准组织 (Ipso) 的行为准则。如果您希望投诉我们的编辑报道,特别是与
政府养老金计划 56 年。 我每周领取 £251 英镑——这是欧洲和加拿大最低的领取率之一。因此,需要“三重锁”机制才能让我维持生计。 你们总说这负担不起。 我缴纳市政税、电视执照费和税款。如果我是个政客或类似身份,我能拿到金灿灿的养老金,但我不是。 所以请给我留点面子,停止说我是社会的负担。请对我宽容一点,让我能昂首挺胸地生活。 迈克尔·托罗德 (MICHAEL TORODE)
前首相服务 获表彰
感谢凯西·普莱斯 (Kathy Price) 和莫伊拉·洛克 (Moira Locke)(您的
若有不准确或侵犯之处,请致信编辑: The Editor, The i Paper, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, 或 发送电子邮件至 reader@theipaper.com。您也可以直接联系 Ipso,地址为 10 Eastcheap, London, EC3M 1AJ, 电话 0300 123 2220, 或发送电子邮件至 inquiries@ipso.co.uk。
斯蒂芬·巴特莱特 (Steven Bartlett)
世界的
斯卡根 (Skagen) 充满艺术气息的丹麦 海滨小镇
(见 22 July 的观点栏)关于您对基尔·斯塔默 (Keir Starmer) 的辩护,他是一位正直的人且是兢兢业业的公职人员。他可能不具备带领政党前进所需的政治敏锐度和狡黠,也没有前任首相们那种公关操纵和表演技巧,但请不要忘记他的成就;他将工党从自身的问题中拯救了出来,摆脱了多年的派系斗争、内讧以及无法当选的局面。他不仅在极短的时间内使其具备了竞争力,为选民提供了一个能够替代我记忆中(而我已经 80 岁了!)最糟糕政府的可信方案,而且实际上带领该党取得了压倒性胜利。当他必须离职变得明确时,他将国家和政党置于个人私心之上,体面且尊严地离开了。 安妮塔·伍利特 (ANITA WOOLLETT) 利兹
富人不 需要我们的帮助
我认为自己是一个有同情心的人,但当我读到有关政府应该为那些“资本富足但收入不一定很高”的人减轻税收要求的建议时,我承认我感到有些愤怒。为什么?利用这些资本财富来补贴收入有很多种方法。不这样做是一种选择。这通常是出于希望将未经劳动所得且未纳税的房产增值最大化地传承给后代的欲望。 哈罗德·卢考克 (HAROLD LUCOCK)
技术
Kelner
什么时候 everything 变成了 “amazing”? 前几天,一名销售助手告诉我,输入我的 PIN 码是 “amazing” 的。 一名飞行员同样评论说,系好安全带是 “amazing” 的。在我看来,这似乎是任何 40 岁以下人士通用的形容词。但是,当你发现某些真正让你惊叹不已、真正令你震惊的事情时,该怎么说?“Amazing” 已经不再能传达那种感觉了。 因此,我不太确定该如何描述在世界上最拥堵的城市之一中,坐在一辆没有司机的车里四处行驶那种震撼人心的感觉。尽管我们的世界已经通过技术发生了变革,但我记不起有任何一个时刻,我会停下来思考自己刚刚见证了未来。但是,上周在洛杉矶的一辆 Waymo 无驾驶出租车的后座上,我经历了一次如此令人敬畏的体验。 我想,这就是未来,而且更重要的是,它行之有效。这辆由全电动驱动的 Waymo 汽车(一辆配备了雷达的捷豹)提供了穿越洛杉矶市中心安全、顺畅的旅程。而且比 Uber 便宜(而且不需要给小费)。一旦你习惯了由一个“幽灵”接送的想法,这便是一种非常愉快的旅行方式。 独立研究发现,Waymo 车辆的单车事故比人类驾驶员少 85%。 Waymo 隶属于科技巨头 Alphabet(Google 的所有者)。它于 2020 年在亚利桑那州凤凰城开始向公众提供服务,目前 Waymo 已在美国的 10 个主要城市运营。该公司目前每周提供约 50 万次行程,目标是在年底前达到每周 100 万次。而且他们很快就会来到这里。
新闻 (NEWS) 观点 (OPINION) 电视 (TV) 周五 (FRIDAY) 理财 (MONEY) 体育 (SPORT) 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
Alphabet 旗下的 Waymo 目前每周运营 50 万次行程
Waymo 经常在夜色的掩护下,在伦敦街道上进行自动驾驶车辆测试。根据最新的传闻,今年晚些时候,伦敦部分地区的付费乘客将可以使用该服务。 政府已准备好修改法规,以允许无驾驶出租车在城市中运营。这就把我们带到了一个非常显著的问题上。这是另一个减少人类参与的技术发展,因此,坦诚的反对意见并非关于安全,而是关于社会成本。不仅伦敦 100,000 名持证出租车和小型出租车司机的工作面临风险,而且我们的交互对象将是一个机器人,而不是一个有故事可讲的人。这是公共交通历史上的“珍妮纺织机”时刻吗?
周五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 21
并非关于安全... 而是关于社会成本
那些花费四年时间学习路况知识的人,有理由担心一个属于自动驾驶汽车的未来,而该汽车对伦敦街道的经验仅是在一台笔记本电脑上建立的。 但我们正处于一场新工业革命的阵痛之中,这场革命将使我们的道路更安全,给乘客提供更多保障。此外,进步总是伴随着颠覆。此时值得记住的是,曾经黑车司机也让马夫失去了工作。 前进的方向是这样一辆车:它在没有驾驶员的情况下,可靠地在伦敦穿行,且不存在路怒症的可能性。我在洛杉矶行程中注意到的不是驾驶员的缺失,而是焦虑的消失。用一个更好的词来说,这是一次 amazing 的体验。
政经 (POLITICS)
政经 (POLITICS)
Lawson
@theipaper
facebook.com/theipaper
请在所有通信函件中包含联系地址
在新的领导层带领下,工党似乎打算第二次尝试削减每年 £334bn 的福利账单成本。但在贸然行动之前,它应该吸取教训,了解为什么上次尝试时,议会工党党内如此多人认为这一立场简直令人厌恶,并阻挠了这一举措。 问题不在于战术上的担忧
i@theipaper.com
关于如何安抚党内左翼。关键在于让政策、框架、意图和目的达到正确状态。如果首相 安迪·伯纳姆 (Andy Burnham) 和工作与养老金大臣帕特·麦克法登 (Pat McFadden) 能解决后者,那么前者自然会水到渠成。那么,这该如何实现?
首先,不要从旨在节省最多资金的财政部心态出发。削减开支会导致更多的困苦,而不是增加就业,因此从长远来看毫无节省。不要为了在试图讨好右翼报纸的徒劳尝试中显得强硬而这样做。
相反,应从人开始。一个良好的社会和繁荣的生活是什么样子的?人们通常希望创造并做出贡献。极少数人会滥用任何系统。但你不能基于行为最差的人来构建一个更好的世界。
其次,要了解福利账单螺旋式上升的原因。 原因是薪资不足的岗位、过于昂贵的住房、严重匮乏的护理、缺乏训练与教育,以及人们所需的健康支持。
我们生活在一个病态的社会中。社会契约已经破裂:没有什么安全感;没有人认为子女的生活会比自己好;社交媒体污染年轻人的心灵;气候变化正处于不可避免的混乱之始。
我们的经济和文化正将人们逼疯。然而,作为一个国家、一个社会或一个民主政体,我们并不承担这一责任——我们将责任推给个人,并提出了不可能的要求,要求他们改掉习性,服用药物,接受咨询,并在一个没有集体基础的世界中独立地寻找立足之地。
任何创可贴都无法……
信任 —— 但他 无法获得
1973年,在经历大规模罢工、停电和失业潮之后,由皇家宪法委员会调查的 49% 的受访者认为,英国的治理体系需要“相当多”或“极大”的改进。英国社会态度(BSA —— 现称如此)团队刚刚再次提出了这个问题。如今,这一数字已达到 83%,为有记录以来的最高水平。
这一统计数据揭示了人们对当代英国权力运作方式的广泛幻灭感。这正是安迪·伯纳姆就任首相后做出的第一个承诺背后的原因。“我们做得还不够好,我们需要做得更好,”他说。他所面临的挑战规模就体现在 83 这个数字中。
自 80 年代中期以来,该调查提出的另一个问题是,人们是否信任任何党派的英国政府能将国家的需求置于自身政党的利益之上。
回溯到 1986 年,只有 38% 的人认为政府“几乎总是”或“大多数时候”会这样做。最新数据揭示,如今仅有 9% 的英国人持有相同看法,这是有记录以来的最低比例。约 45% 的选民认为,政府“几乎绝不会”将国家利益置于政党之上。
政治家们应当对此感到深切震惊。然而,在理解政治信任崩塌的过程中,还有另一个关键因素。伯纳姆在赢得梅克菲尔德(Makerfield)选区后的首次重大演讲中承诺将解决这个问题。
他使用的词是“能动性”(agency)。你是否同意这样一种说法:“像我这样的人,对于政府做什么没有任何发言权?”BSA 自 1996 年起一直在询问这个问题,近期该比例达到了 26%,是 20 年前的两倍。调查表明,改革英国党(Reform UK)的支持者比任何其他党派都更强烈地感受到这种能动性的缺失。
去中心化和权力下放处于伯纳姆计划的核心,但许多前任首相此前都穿过这种“权力归于人民”的 T 恤。数据表明,对政治阶层的怀疑已演变为蔑视。“这就是我们的挑战,”伯纳姆在 No 10 外表示,“让政治发挥作用。”他或许应该反思 83 这个数字。
马克·伊斯顿(Mark Easton)是 NatCen 的高级研究员,该机构是英国社会态度调查的所在地。
以掩盖国家深层的社会衰退。 第三,因为这个问题如此复杂,我们必须确保政府作为一个整体地运作。关于人们应领取何种福利的计算应该是最后才做出的决定。 首先从人们需要的支持和机会入手。然后确保他们获得能够维持生活的收入。各部门需要相互倾听并协作。 第四,不要将此视为一项技术性工作。最清楚如何处理减少福利开支之原因与对策的人,正是那些靠微薄补贴艰难生存的人。在流程开始时就与他们沟通。 最后,要使其正确运行将需要很长时间。因此,这对伯纳姆来说,是实践其新政治、为新的福利协议建立跨党派支持的一个绝佳议题。 当伯纳姆谈到“地方先于政党”、“局部高于中心”、“长期高于短期”时,他已经在描述正确的方法了。瑞典人使用一个不是关于救助而是关于希望的口号:“保障民众方敢于尝试”(secure people dare)。现在是我们政府敢于尝试的时候了。
新任首相可能试图削减的 当前年度福利开支
尼尔·劳森(Neal Lawson)是隶属于工党的 Compass 组织主席
新闻 观点 电视 星期五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56 新闻
许多公众人物会美化并掩饰自己的措辞——但这从未是艾米·温豪斯(Amy Winehouse)的风格。这位音乐家说话直率且机智,极其坦诚。同样的坚韧在她的母亲,珍妮丝·温豪斯(Janis Winehouse)身上也可见一斑。
这位 72 岁的女性在昨天正好是其独女因酒精中毒去世 15 周年之日。她患有多发性硬化症(MS)并伴有记忆力减退的问题,但依然精神矍铄且言辞犀利。
“她是自身成功的牺牲品,”珍妮丝在接受《i报》的一次罕见采访中说道。 “她并不渴望名利,但名利就那样追随她。然后她会说,‘谁?我吗?’”
在谈到女儿与药物及酒精成瘾的斗争时,她认为许多人误解了成瘾的运作机制。“一旦你成瘾,就是成瘾了,”她反思道。“唯一的主宰就是成瘾。人们说,‘噢,不,你只要停止做这做那就行了’。他们不明白。你无法停止,因为你的身体在说:我需要它。”
当我问她认为是什么导致了艾米那众所周知的成瘾问题时,她指出是由于缺乏自信。 “她实际上很紧张,”珍妮丝反思道。“她没有信心。因此才依赖酒精。我认为很多很多酒精成瘾者都是如此。酒精能带走痛苦。而这正是成瘾最可怕的地方。”
珍妮丝是在一个庆祝“艾米之所”(Amy’s Place)成立 10 周年的活动上发表讲话的。这是一个位于东伦敦哈克尼(Hackney)的康复之家,旨在纪念艾米,为与药物和酒精成瘾作斗争的女性提供帮助。
令人震惊的是,“艾米之所”是英国仅有的几个专门面向女性的康复中心之一。该服务与英国最大的住房协会 Clarion Housing Group 合作运营,面向 18-30 岁的年轻女性。
“艾米之所”提供广泛的治疗和实用服务以支持女性,包括心理咨询、艺术治疗、瑜伽、声音疗法和钢琴课程。该服务一次最多可容纳 16 名女性,居民最长可入住两年,且每位女性都被分配一名康复支持工作者。
这里有 8 套单人公寓和 4 套共享公寓。珍妮丝说,如果艾米还活着,一定会非常喜欢这项服务。她同时也是艾米·温豪斯基金会的联合创始人。
在过去的几年里,珍妮丝是如何应对悲痛的?“我只是在继续前行,因为我一直如此。我继续生活,积极生活,”她说。 她说,这是她女儿继承自她的特质。“她太像我了。”
她的母亲说,名声没有改变艾米,她也从未对金钱感兴趣。“我记得有一次采访,她对采访者说:‘你踩到那位女士的脚了’,因为她就是那样的人。她会直接指出来:‘你在这样做’。”
在我们交谈时,人们在周围闲聊,吃着熏三文鱼奶油奶酪卷和红丝绒蛋糕。花园里聚集着“艾米之所”的前任和现任居民。室内,墙上挂着艾米的装裱照片。这里最近经过翻修,既有酒店的奢华,又有家庭之家的温馨。
珍妮丝·温豪斯(Jane Winehouse)——艾米的继母,现与艾米的父亲米奇·温豪斯(Mitch Winehouse)结婚——告诉我,艾米如果看到“艾米之所”一定会深受震撼。
“她会很喜欢这里的女性,”这位 61 岁的女性告诉我。“这非常符合她的本色。这里的每个人都如此真实。”
她没有信心。因此才依赖酒精。我认为很多成瘾者都是如此
“要来到这里,要真正地参与到康复中,你必须面对现实。” 珍妮解释说,当艾米开始挣扎时,家里对成瘾几乎一无所知。“当艾米开始出现问题时,我们对此完全不了解,”她说。“我们家里没有成瘾的经历。米奇和珍妮丝几乎不喝酒。这对我们来说非常陌生。” 在谈到媒体对艾米的无情追逐时,从艾米两岁起就认识她的珍妮认为,自那时起,整体情况已经有所改善。 “狗仔队早中晚一直停在她的门外。那是一个非常、非常不同的时代。谢天谢地,我认为,或者说我肯定希望,我们已经告别了那个阶段。”
[[IMG_XXXX]] 艾米·温豪斯(左)和珍妮丝·温豪斯(右):珍妮丝认为人们误解了成瘾的运作方式 ALTITUDE FILMS; MAYA OPPENHEIM
2011年7月23日下午,急救人员在伦敦北部卡姆登的公寓里发现了艾米。她当时年仅27岁。 “我想作为家人,我们只是不想用余生在痛苦中度过,你懂的,”艾米·温豪斯基金会的导演兼共同创始人珍妮说道。“我们希望从如此悲剧的事情中,创造出一些真正积极的东西。” 珍妮说,当他们请“艾米之地”(Amy’s Place)的女性回顾在这里的经历时,她们经常谈到自己感到的安全感。 “始终如一,她们说的第一件事就是感到安全——其中有些人还是人生中第一次感到安全”。来到“艾米之地”的女性背景各异。“有些人的过去非常、非常痛苦。另一些人来自温馨的家庭,但她们内心深处总觉得无法融入。她们自卑。低自尊是一个真实且反复出现的主题。”
星期五 2026年7月24日 23
斯特拉·尼德姆在“艾米之地”已经住了大约一年半。“我当时处于死亡边缘,”这位21岁的女性回忆起搬到这里之前的情况。“我出入医院一段时间了。我患有败血症。我的器官在衰竭。我被列入了康复治疗的紧急床位名单。” 由于氯胺酮成瘾,她的身体健康状况大幅恶化。她解释说,她每天服用7-9克这种药物。 但从那时起,斯特拉的生活发生了巨大的变化。大约一个月前,她庆祝了戒瘾两周年的纪念日,身体健康已完全康复。她现在在一家药物和酒精服务机构担任支持工作者。 “我认为成瘾是对自我的一种不适感。我认为这正是问题的核心所在,”她说。 她在“艾米之地”从其他女性那里获得的支持显然具有改变人生的力量。 “我们就像姐妹一样,”在卡姆登长大且是温豪斯忠实粉丝的斯特拉说。“我可以在深夜给任何一个女孩打电话,我知道会有人在我身边。” “艾米之地”的经理瑞秋·芬林森解释说,与大多数类似服务机构不同,他们不会将复吸药物或饮酒的住院者赶出去。 这位55岁的女性认为,成瘾女性承受着极高的社会污名。她强调建立女性专属服务的重要性,因为她解释说,许多住院女性曾遭受过性暴力或家庭虐待。 看到这些女性从到达时感到绝望,到后来渐渐绽放并变成“她们命中注定要成为的那个女性”,这真是令人难以置信。
首位英国人接受 视力丧失疾病治疗
作者:Storm Newton
一名 11 岁的女孩成为了英国首位接受创新基因疗法治疗一种会导致儿童失明罕见疾病的患者。
该疗法在全世界范围内仅在另一人身上实施过,其过程是将健康的基因副本直接注射到眼睛中。
来自伦敦的 Catherine L’Estrange 希望这次治疗能让她继续从事她最喜欢的爱好之一——阅读书籍。
根据为其治疗的外科医生的说法,如果疗法有效,她的视力将趋于稳定,甚至可能有所改善。
Catherine 在婴儿时期被诊断出患有巴德-比德尔综合征 (Bardet-Biedl syndrome, BBS)。
这种病是由 20 种不同基因之一的突变引起的,在英国约每 100,000 场分娩中会出现一名病例,导致患者在青少年后期或 20 岁出头时失明。
除了视力丧失,BBS 还会导致肾脏问题,
11 岁的 Catherine L’Estrange 与她的哥哥在一起;她喜欢阅读
学习障碍和肥胖,患者有时还会多出手指或脚趾。
这项由生物技术公司 MeiraGTx 开发的基因疗法在 3 月于 St Helier 医院通过一项耗时一小时的手术实施在 Catherine 身上。
外科医生移除了她眼内的玻璃体,并将健康的基因副本注入视网膜(眼睛后部对光敏感的组织层)。在 BBS 患者体内,视网膜中的小细胞会死亡,从而导致失明。
Epsom 和 St Helier 大学医院 NHS 信托基金的顾问眼科外科医生 Neruban Kumaran 表示:“通过提供健康的基因副本,有助于挽救这些细胞,希望能够稳定或改善视力。”
Catherine 说:“如果这次治疗有效,它将帮助我继续看到周围的事物,最重要的是,我能够继续阅读书籍,这是我最喜欢做的事情之一。”
她的父亲 Timothy L’Estrange 牧师表示,大多数 BBS 儿童直到上小学才被确诊。
“我们的方针是尽可能培养她的独立性和韧性,为不可避免的视力丧失做好准备……
“我们曾被告知,可能的基因疗法还需要很多很多年才能实现,很可能在 Catherine 完全失去视力之后才会出现——因此,当我们得知这种治疗方案现已可用时,我们非常高兴。”
“零食拼盘”可 助力达成 每日五份 果蔬目标
作者:Jane Kirby
健康专家表示,在夏季野餐时享用“零食拼盘”(picky bits)也可以计入人们的“每日五份”果蔬目标。
据英国心脏基金会 (BHF) 称,鹰嘴豆泥、法拉费 (falafel)(见插图)和希腊酸奶黄瓜酱 (tzatziki) 等深受喜爱的食物都能帮助人们达成每日健康目标。
世界卫生组织的建议是,人们每天应至少食用 400 克水果和蔬菜,以降低患心脏病、中风和某些癌症的风险。
BHF 表示,包含鹰嘴豆、豆类和番茄等食物的零食拼盘经常被忽视,但它们确实算在内。
例如,四颗晒干的番茄就构成“每日五份”目标中的一份,并且可以轻松添加到沙拉、意面和库斯库斯 (couscous) 中。三满汤匙的鹰嘴豆泥算作五份中的一份,因为它是用鹰嘴豆制成的。
然而,豆类和鹰嘴豆在目标中只能计算一次,因为它们提供的维生素和矿物质范围与水果和蔬菜不同。
但如果将鹰嘴豆泥与每人 80 克的切片蔬菜(如胡萝卜、黄瓜或萝卜)搭配,则可增加另一份额。
希腊酸奶黄瓜酱是用黄瓜制成的,同样计入一份;如果搭配黄瓜条、青椒条或胡萝卜条一起食用,营养效果会进一步增强。
一个装有三满汤匙豆类(如毛豆、白芸豆或奶油豆)的零食杯也可以计入“每日五份”。
由鹰嘴豆制成的法拉费同样可以计入一份豆类和脉类,而采用烘烤而非油炸的方式使其更健康。
BHF 表示,自制萨尔萨酱 (salsa),包括番茄、辣椒、洋葱、牛油果和甜玉米等成分,也计入“每日五份”目标。
不过,专家敦促人们检查商店购买的萨尔萨酱标签,因为这类产品蔬菜含量较低,而盐分或糖分可能较高。
此外,大约 30 颗橄榄构成一份水果和蔬菜,但 BHF 警告说橄榄可能含盐量较高。
建议人们单次食用量少于 30 颗,但可以将它们与其它新鲜蔬菜搭配以组成一份额。
抹香鲸垂直睡眠—— 依靠气泡的力量维持稳定
作者:Nick Forbes
科学家发现,抹香鲸在睡眠时能够通过释放气体气泡来调节浮力,从而在水中保持垂直悬浮状态。 自然主义者在 2008 年首次记录了这种“标志性”的休息行为,抹香鲸是已知唯一以头部向上的垂直姿势休息的鲸类物种。 据认为,保持在海平面下方稍浅的位置可以缓冲海面波浪的影响,帮助它们更好地睡眠。 然而,直到现在,它们在睡眠时如何维持该位置一直不清楚。 在的一项研究中,圣安德鲁斯大学和法国纳沙泰尔大学的科学家发现,这些鲸鱼会释放气体气泡,他们表示这有助于维持中性浮力。 圣安德鲁斯大学海洋哺乳动物研究单位的 Patrick Miller 教授表示,挑战在于调节鲸鱼体内的天然浮力,这种浮力源自它们体内的气体。
鲸鱼由于头部含有蜡质油而缓慢旋转至头部向上
他表示:“[释放空气] 将降低动物的正浮力,从而减缓其向海面上升的速度。” 他补充说,当鲸鱼潜入休息深度时,它们是头部向下的,但由于它们头部含有蜡质油(比身体其他部分轻),它们会“缓慢旋转”。 他说道:“最初,动物在旋转到这个垂直位置后,仍然在缓慢向海面移动。 “每次它们释放一个气泡,分析就能显示出这如何减缓了向海面的上升,帮助动物停留在海平面正下方。” 由于它们需要浮出水面呼吸,每次“休息潜水”大约持续 20 分钟,动物通常会连续进行多次休息潜水。 研究团队通过在挪威海岸附近的抹香鲸身上放置小型标签来收集数据。标签捕捉到了清晰的气泡声,而运动数据则被用于创建一个基于组织密度、阻力和气体体积的模拟实验。
图灵的著作为其天才特质 增添了大胆之风
作者:Stephen Beech
根据对这位 Enigma 密码破译者撰写的一篇短篇小说的分析,艾伦·图灵是一个“有趣、俏皮”的人,热爱性爱与文学。 这位“现代计算之父”创作的这段大胆故事撕碎了他作为“孤僻数学家”的形象,揭示了一个克服创伤并“挑衅地接纳其同性恋身份”的爱玩的人。 这部名为《普赖斯的浮标》(Pryce’s Buoy)的未发表作品——是一篇六页的手写短篇小说片段,由剑桥大学国王学院的档案管理员保管——现已首次被转录并完整研究。 剑桥大学文学教授 Sarah Dillon 表示,她的研究结果发表在《英语研究评论》(The Review of English Studies)上,任何接受电影《模仿游戏》(由本尼迪克特·康伯巴奇饰演图灵)中形象的人都会感到惊讶。 图灵 1912 年出生于伦敦,是一位才华横溢的数学家,曾就读于剑桥大学和普林斯顿大学。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 25
1939 年,他开始在布莱切利园(Bletchley Park)担任全职工作,在那里进行破译纳粹密码的秘密工作。 在第二次世界大战期间,图灵在破译德国 Enigma 机的加密代码中发挥了关键作用。 他在 1953 年因同性恋行为被逮捕(当时这在英国是违法的),并被判定犯有严重猥亵罪。 图灵随后被吊销了安全许可,并被禁止继续从事政府工作。 1954 年 6 月,图灵被发现死在家中,死因为氰化物中毒,死因研讯裁定其为自杀。 Dillon 说:“我们提炼出的图灵版本是一个二维的刻板印象。 “他被视为社交能力匮乏,完全关注逻辑和数字。 “而他的短篇小说揭示了一个截然不同的人:爱玩、风趣、俏皮、有文学修养,并且非常喜欢性爱。”
精选
6.00 Breakfast (S)。9.30 Animal Park (S)。10.15 The Moment Of Proof (R) (S)。10.45 Expert Witness (S)。11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S)。12.15 Bargain Hunt (S)。1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S)。1.35 BBC Regional News; Weather (S)。1.45 BBC News At One; Weather (S)。2.00 The Hairdresser Mysteries (S)。2.45 Rick Stein’s Australia (S)。3.15 Escape To The Country (R) (S)。3.45 The Bidding Room (S)。4.30 The Travelling Auctioneers (R) (S)。5.15 Pointless (R) (S)。
6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S)。 6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S)。
7.00 Hunting The Giant Bluefin Tuna: Our Lives (S)。 7.30 The Travelling Auctioneers (R) (S)。
8.00 Granite Harbour 新剧集 (S)。
9.00 Would I Lie To You? 嘉宾为 Nabil Abdulrashid 和 Francesca Mills (R) (S)。 9.30 Ann Droid (S)。
10.00 BBC News At Ten (S)。 10.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S)。 10.45 Austin (S)。
11.10 Austin Austin 面临一次家庭干预 (S)。 11.40 电影:La La Land (达米恩·查泽莱 2016) 音乐剧 (S)。
1.45 BBC News (S)。
今日精选 《花岗岩港》(Granite Harbour) 晚上 8pm, BBC One 当然,舍得兰(Shetland)并不是唯一以苏格兰为背景的警匪剧。除了邓迪(《痕迹》/Traces)、格拉斯哥(《安妮卡》/Annika)和爱丁堡(风格时尚的《雷巴斯》/Rebus 重拍版,预计今年晚些时候回归),我们还有阿伯丁。这部全新的三集剧集让穿着考究的戴维斯·林多警佐(Sgt Davis Lindo)和拉拉·“巴特”·巴特利特总警长(DCI Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett)(罗马里奥·辛普森和汉娜·唐纳森饰,两人见左图)重新聚首,这对性格迥异的侦探将调查一名在乡村庄园扎营的吉普赛人社区中年轻女性的离奇死亡案。在熟悉的配角中,包括埃莉·哈丁顿(《母亲国》/Motherland)以及饰演林多和巴特利特上司的约翰·戈登·辛克莱。
6.30 动物公园 Animal Park (R) (S)。 7.15 竞拍室 The Bidding Room (R) (S)。 8.00 手语区:马库斯·韦林 纯粹普罗旺斯 Sign Zone: Marcus Wareing Simply Provence (R) (S)。 9.00 BBC新闻 (S)。 12.30 政治思考 与尼克·罗宾逊 Political Thinking With Nick Robinson (S)。 1.00 理查德·奥斯曼的游戏之屋 Richard Osman’s House Of Games (R) (S)。 1.30 终点线 The Finish Line (R) (S)。 2.15 闪电 Lightning (R) (S)。 2.45 农民乡村对决 The Farmers’ Country Showdown (R) (S)。 3.15 汤姆·克里奇的款待秘境 The Hidden World Of Hospitality With Tom Kerridge (R) (S)。 4.15 野性巴西 Wild Brazil (R) (S)。 5.15 把它卖了!Flog It! (R) (S)。
6.00 理查德·奥斯曼的游戏之屋 Richard Osman’s House Of Games (R) (S)。 6.30 仅此一事 Just One Thing (R) (S)。
7.00 苏格兰湖泊大巡游 Grand Tours Of Scotland’s Lochs (R) (S)。 7.30 山毛榉园 Garden Beechgrove Garden (S)。
8.00 园艺世界 Gardeners’ World 团队将探索首届 RHS 桑德灵汉花展 (S)。
9.00 《贝尔若》Bergerac 新剧集。这部剧对原剧进行了现代重构,由达米安·莫洛尼主演 (S)。 9.45 《贝尔若》Bergerac (S)。
10.30 新闻之夜 Newsnight (S)。
11.05 电影:《珍妮特星球》FILM: Janet Planet (安妮·贝克 2023) 首播。一部成长题材剧集,由佐伊·齐格勒主演 (S)。
12.50 手语区:我的公寓里有个 gangster – 全景节目 Sign Zone: There’s A Gangster In My Flat – Panorama (R) (S)。 1.20 手语区:娜塔莉·卡西迪:共同关怀 Sign Zone: Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together (R) (S)。 1.50 手语区:斯塔默:哪里出了问题 Sign Zone: Starmer: What Went Wrong (R) (S)。 2.15 这是 BBC Two (S)。
6.00 英国早安 Good Morning Britain (S)。 10.00 早上好 This Morning (S)。 1.30 ITV新闻;天气 (S)。 1.55 ITV地区新闻;天气 (S)。 2.00 迪金森的真货 Deal Dickinson’s Real Deal (R) (S)。 3.00 成交或不成交 Deal Or No Deal (R) (S)。 3.59 ITV地区天气 (S)。 4.00 触发点 Tipping Point (R) (S)。 5.00 追击 The Chase (R) (S)。
6.00 ITV地区新闻;天气 (S)。 6.30 ITV新闻;天气 (S)。
7.30 阿比·克兰西:名人豪宅 Abbey Clancy: Celebrity Homes 阿比走访了 Lorna Luxe 和 Jo Wood 的住宅 (S)。
8.00 《艾默代尔》Emmerdale 黎明对比利与盖比的约会感到不满 (S)。 8.30 《街道冠冕》Coronation Street (S)。
9.00 《阿曼达·诺克斯的扭曲故事》The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox 媒体的报道将阿曼达刻画成了一个怪物 (S)。
10.05 《阿曼达·诺克斯的扭曲故事》The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox 密尼尼的案件出现了变数 (S)。
11.05 ITV新闻 (S)。 11.40 ITV地区新闻 (S)。 11.55 走进朗海姆:英国首家豪华酒店 Inside The Langham: Britain’s First Grand Hotel (R)。
12.20 电视购物 Shop On TV 3.00 谁都不是傻瓜 Nobody’s Fool (R) (S)。 3.50 寻亲 Long Lost Family (R) (S)。 4.45 与ITV一起放松 Unwind With ITV (S)。
=== 逍遥音乐会上的前卫摇滚 晚上 7pm, BBC Four 前卫摇滚一直向古典乐看齐,因此将其纳入今年的逍遥音乐会(Proms)是非常合理的。音乐会包括 Genesis、Emerson Lake & Palmer、Mike Oldfield、Yes、Jethro Tull、Moody Blues(《白色缎面之夜》/Nights In White Satin)等乐队音乐的新管弦乐编曲,并由 Guy Garvey、Gruff Rhys 和 Jane Weaver 演出。主持人 Stuart Maconie 还在节目中为这一经常被嘲笑的音乐流派辩护。
=== 超级富豪的医美秘密 晚上 8pm, Channel 4 更多令人瞠目结舌——或者在这个案例中,是令人下颌紧绷——的故事来自
6.25 干杯 Cheers (R) (S)。 6.50 干杯 Cheers (R) (S)。 7.20 干杯 Cheers (R) (S)。 7.45 瑞蒙一家 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S)。 8.10 瑞蒙一家 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S)。 8.40 瑞蒙一家 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S)。 9.10 弗雷泽 Frasier (R) (S)。 9.40 弗雷泽 Frasier (R) (S)。 10.10 弗雷泽 Frasier (R) (S)。 10.40 弗雷泽 Frasier (R) (S)。 11.10 美国淘拍客 American Pickers (R) (S)。 12.05 第四频道新闻摘要 Channel 4 News Summary (S)。 12.10 汽车救援 Car S.O.S (R) (S)。 1.10 豪宅赠送 The Great House Giveaway (R) (S)。 2.10 倒计时 Countdown (S)。 3.00 阳光下的居所 A Place In The Sun (R) (S)。 4.00 惊险逃生 Narrow Escapes (R) (S)。 5.00 城堡DIY Chateau DIY (R) (S)。
6.00 四人同床 Four In A Bed B&B经营者们有一些投诉要提出 (R) (S)。 6.30 来我家吃饭 Come Dine With Me (R) (S)。
7.00 第四频道新闻 Channel 4 News (S)。
8.00 超富群体的手术秘密 (Surgery Secrets Of The Super Rich) 菲比 (Phoebe) 接受了一次午休时间的隆胸手术 (S)。
9.00 名人 Gogglebox 近期剧集中的精彩瞬间。本系列最后一集 (S)。
10.00 大肥综评 (Big Fat Quiz): 精彩片段 节目中令人震惊、惊喜且充满丑闻的时刻 (S)。
11.05 莎拉·米利坎:局外人 (Sarah Millican: Outsider) 在布莱顿穹顶 (Brighton Dome) 录制的片段 (R) (S)。
12.05 电影:《礼貌社会》(Polite Society) (Nida Manzoor 2023) (S)。 1.55 拉姆齐的厨房噩梦:美国篇 (Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA) (R) (S)。 2.45 英国最昂贵的房屋 (Britain’s Most Expensive Houses) (R) (S)。 3.40 来我家吃饭 (Come Dine With Me) (R) (S)。
探讨美容手术的最前沿,首先是商业主管兼马拉松跑者菲比 (Phoebe),她正在接受一项名为“午休隆胸”的乳房增大手术,因为该手术仅需 90 分钟即可完成。与此同时,奢侈品牌经理齐亚德 (Ziad) 正致力于去除眼袋,而艺术交易商罗克萨娜 (Roxana) 则通过一项价值 £7,000 的手术来治疗衰老的手部,该手术涉及使用她自身的脂肪来填充皮肤体积。
=== 鲍里斯·约翰逊:进入乌克兰的杀戮区 9pm, 5 约翰逊担任首相期间较为令人称道的方面之一,是他对乌克兰与俄罗斯战争期间给予的全速且坚定的支持。在这部纪录片中,
6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 杰里米·万恩 (Jeremy Vine) (S)。 11.30 Storm & Alexis (S)。 12.45 5 频道午间新闻 (S)。 12.50 马特·奥尔赖特 (Matt Allwright) (S)。 2.20 电影:《致命合租》(Fatal Flatshare) (Christine Conradt 2023) 惊悚片,卡米拉·塞纳 (Camila Senna) 主演 (S)。 4.00 城堡 (Castle) (R) (S)。 4.55 自然之爱 (Love Nature) (R) (S)。 5.00 5 频道新闻,丹·沃克 (Dan Walker) 主播 (S)。
6.00 泽西岛与根西岛 (Jersey And Guernsey) (R) (S)。 6.55 5 频道新闻快讯 (S)。
7.00 2026年环法自行车赛 (Tour De France 2026) 第 19 赛段的精彩回顾 (S)。 7.55 5 频道新闻快讯 (S)。
8.00 迈克尔·帕林在委内瑞拉 (Michael Palin In Venezuela) 迈克尔访问了加勒比海的一群珊瑚岛 (R) (S)。
9.00 鲍里斯·约翰逊:进入乌克兰的杀戮区 (S)。
10.30 2026年英联邦运动会 (Commonwealth Games 2026) 格拉斯哥开赛首日精彩集锦 (S)。
11.30 皮尔斯·摩根:无审查 (Piers Morgan: Uncensored) 由皮尔斯·摩根主持的新闻与辩论节目 (S)。
1.00 游轮电视:与 LoveitBookit 同行 (R) (S)。 2.00 汽车扣押警察 (Car Pound Cops) (R) (S)。 3.45 朋友 (Friends) (R) (S)。 4.35 与尼克·诺尔斯共赴奇妙铁路之旅 (Amazing Railway Adventures With Nick Knowles) (R) (S)。
机器人琳达一如既往地笨拙,她在《安·德罗伊德》(Ann Droid) 中导致慈善商店陷入混乱 9.30pm, BBC One
7.00 逍遥音乐会上的前卫摇滚 (Prog Rock At The Proms) 管弦乐规模演绎的经典曲目 (S)。
9.00 TOTP: 2000 杰米·塞克斯顿 (Jamie Theakston) 主持流行榜单节目 (S)。 9.30 TOTP: 1982 (S)。
10.00 TOTP: 1986 (S)。 10.30 BBC 前卫摇滚 (Prog Rock At The BBC) 包括 Yes 乐队和 Genesis 乐队的演出 (S)。
11.30 Genesis:《旧灰色哨笛测试》(Old Grey Whistle Test) 安妮·耐丁格尔 (Annie Nightingale) 介绍一场 1980 年的 Genesis 音乐会 (S)。
12.10 杰斯罗·图尔:生动艺术 (Jethro Tull: The Lively Arts) (S)。 1.10 视听音乐会:超级电手 (Supertramp) (S)。 1.40 TOTP2: Genesis (S)。 2.25 TOTP: 2000 (S)。 2.55 TOTP: 1982 (S)。 3.25 TOTP: 1986 (S)。 3.55 结束
他前往乌克兰前线,深入杀戮区的中心,以了解在弗拉基米尔·普京全面入侵四年后发生了什么。在俄罗斯无人机攻击的持续威胁下,约翰逊寻找那些每天生活在死亡威胁下的乌克兰士兵,与受伤士兵交谈,并听取关于征兵现实的情况。
=== 第 11 站 (Station Eleven) 9pm, Sky Atlantic 这部关于一种摧毁文明的类流感病毒的、屡获殊荣的后末日迷你剧在 2021, 12 月首次播出时,我们自己真实的疫情仍在颠覆我们的生活。该剧设定在双重时间线之上(病毒袭击后立即发生的时间线,以及 20 年
盖伊·加维表演前卫摇滚致敬曲 7pm, BBC Four
菲比接受高速手术 8pm, Channel 4
6.55 电影:《地球停转之日》(The Day The Earth Stood Still) (Scott Derrickson 2008) 科幻片,基努·里维斯 (Keanu Reeves) 主演 (S)。
9.00 电影:《绝代双骄》(Quadrophenia) (Franc Roddam 1979) 摩德族与摇滚族戏剧,菲尔·丹尼尔斯 (Phil Daniels) 主演 (S)。
11.25 电影:《天鹅绒金矿》(Velvet Goldmine) (Todd Haynes 1998) 华丽摇滚戏剧,克里斯蒂安·贝尔 (Christian Bale) 主演 (S)。
1.50 电影:《蓝色房间的亮片》(Sequin In A Blue Room) (Samuel Van Grinsven 2021) 澳大利亚戏剧,康纳·利奇 (Conor Leach) 主演 (S)。 3.35 结束
6.00 Backyard Builds (S)。6.25 Deal Or No Deal (S)。7.30 Dress To Impress (S)。8.30 Olivia And Alex: Parenthood (S)。9.30 The Only Way Is Essex (S)。10.30 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City (S)。11.20 The Real Housewives Of Orange County (S)。12.15 Dinner Date (S)。1.15 Supermarket Sweep (S)。2.15 The Floor USA (S)。3.10 The Only Way Is Essex (S)。4.10 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City (S)。5.00 The Real Housewives Of Orange County (S)。
6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase 由 Alex Jones, Tyler West 和 Ricky Wilson 主持 (S)。
7.00 The Floor USA 新剧集。Rob Lowe 主持这款快节奏游戏节目的美国版本 (S)。
8.00 The 1% Club 由 Lee Mack 主持的问答节目 (S)。
9.00 Love Island 基于关系的真人秀节目 (S)。
10.05 Love Island: The Debrief 由 Shakira Khan 带来的每日反应 (S)。 10.35 Family Guy (S)。
11.05 Family Guy Brian 领导一场反对新超级市场的抗议活动 (S)。 11.35 American Dad! (S)。
12.05 American Dad! (S)。 12.35 Bob’s Burgers (S)。 1.05 Bob’s Burgers (S)。 1.30 Deal Or No Deal (S)。 2.20 Unwind With ITV (S)。 3.00 Teleshopping
旅途寻找者 (Journey Finder) 多米诺骨牌 (Dominoes)
玩法 所有 28 块从 0-0 到 6-6 的多米诺骨牌都已在网格中放置了一次。你能推断出每块骨牌放置的位置吗?
B
6 5 3 2 4 4 3 3
2
1 4 6 4 0 6 6 0
5 5 4 5 5 6 5 1
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 1
6 4 3 6 1 2 2 1
3 0 5 3 3 0 4 3
2 2 5 1 1 2 6 2
二进制 (Binary)
玩法 完成网格,使每行和每列包含五个 0 和五个 1。在任何行或列中,相同的数字不能在超过两个连续方格中出现。在完成的谜题中,每行必须与任何其他行具有不同的 0 和 1 序列,每列 likewise。
1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 1
链结 (Chain Link)
玩法 在每行、每列以及由链条连接的每组方格中放置数字 1-6。
5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
数字六边形 (Number Hexagon)
玩法 每个六边形被分为六个三角形。这六个三角形的和始终为 25。在每个空白三角形中放置一个 1-9 的数字以完成谜题:在一个六边形内不能重复数字。
8 2 9
3 1 6 8
4 7 1
每日问答 (Daily Quiz)
虚构的爱尔兰无赖 Jock O’Keeffe (Chris Walley) 和 Conor MacSweeney (Alex Murphy) 更为人熟知的名称是什么?
据说哪一张 1955 年的弗兰克·辛纳特拉 (Frank Sinatra) 专辑受到了他与艾娃·加德纳 (Ava Gardner) 分手的启发?
哪位英国间谍转叛徒获得了由鲁德亚德·基普林 (Rudyard Kipling) 创作的虚构少年间谍的绰号?
玩法 按照 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 等顺序在数字之间移动,从灰色的 1 开始,以灰色的 4 结束。每一步你可以向任何方向(包括对角线)移动一个方格。你必须形成一条连续的路径,且每个方格恰好访问一次。
1 1 2 3 4 3
2 4 3 1 4 2
3 2 1 2 3 1
4 1 4 3 2 4
3 4 2 2 1 3
2 1 4 3 1 4
9 4
8
轨迹绘制 (Making Tracks)
玩法 外部的数字表示 A 和 B 之间的轨迹通过每行和每列的方格数量。轨迹要么直接穿过方格,要么在其中直角转弯。
A 3
路径寻找者 (Pathfinder)
玩法 从一个字母移动到相邻字母,你能创建一条连续的路径,且每个方格仅访问一次,并拼出网格右侧列出的所有单词吗?从阴影方格开始。
S P I I N S N O E F
E Y T A F O N C R F
A D T R A L A N D I
R O O M E T T T R A
M A I T R I R T I E
K R B I H N A N S L
H R E I N N O C R C
E T S S F T N E U O
A R O F R N D M B H
L T H Y I E C O A T
战舰 (Battleships)
玩法 在网格中定位下方列出的每艘船的位置。边缘的数字告诉你谜题每行和每列中的船段数量。船的所有方向都被水包围,包括对角线。
1 2 4 1 1 2 1 5 2 1
3 5 6 2 2 3 3 1
4-页 抽页 抽页
Clear Combat Consonant Differ Earmark Falter Fortress Friend Healthy Hour Inhibit Innocent Moody Spit Train Transit
食谱
黑米沙拉配焦烤蔬菜和布拉塔奶酪
分量:4 人份
380克 黑米 (nero) 150克 布拉塔奶酪 (burrata) 2 个 辣椒 1 个 茄子 250克 圣女果 1 个 青柠 欧芹和罗勒用于装饰 橄榄油、盐和胡椒
首先,将蔬菜在烧烤炉或明火上焦烤至表面出现焦黑感(或者,用烤箱 250°C/230°C 风扇模式/煤气 9 档烘烤至软烂并焦黑)。准备好后,将蔬菜放入密封容器或密封袋中焖蒸,以使表皮松脱并完成熟制。冷却后,小心地将辣椒和茄子的皮剥掉,将其大致切成小方块。圣女果需要采用不同的处理方法,因为它们在火上仅需几秒钟即可轻微焦烤。它们不需要焖蒸,否则会变得软烂。只需尽力剥掉皮并对半切开即可。在一个干净的碗中,将蔬菜混合物加入青柠汁和青柠皮屑、适量的盐和胡椒、3 汤匙特级初榨橄榄油以及少许切碎的欧芹进行调味。充分混合并放在一旁备用。按照包装说明将黑米煮熟,但要保持一点嚼劲(al dente 质感)。煮好后,沥干水分,使其自然冷却至室温。现在,只需加入少许油、盐和少量青柠汁调味。 开始摆盘,将米饭铺在盘底,在上面加几勺风味浓郁的蔬菜混合物。最后,放上一块奶油般的布拉塔奶酪,撒上盐、胡椒并淋上橄榄油,在享用前用罗勒叶装饰。
食谱来源自 Riso Gallo, risogallo.co.uk
审讯者
全英最佳栅格填字游戏 每周六更新
玩法:填充白色方格,使每一行或每一列单元格的总和与该行/列起始处的总数相匹配。你只能使用 1-9 的数字,且在同一行/列中数字不能重复。
6 23
22 29
7 24
9 3
玩法:在每一行、每一列以及粗线划分的拼图区域内,将 1-9 的数字各放置一次。
8 6 3 2 8 6
2
2
9 5 4 5 8 8 2 9
玩法:每一行、每一列以及 3x3 的方格必须包含 1 到 9 的每个数字且仅出现一次。灰色线框内所有数字的总和必须与该框左上角标注的数字相符。在灰色线框形成的区域内,任何数字不能出现超过一次。
12 8 13 13 4
12 11 11 9 14
8 11
8 11 7 13
14 15 23 5
10 15 14
5 13 15 10
13 11 11 11 5
8 14 4 11
4 4
5 15 12
10 12 28 10
玩法: 在每一行和每一列中,将 1-5 的数字各放置一次。大于号和小于号(‘>’ 和 ‘<’)指示相邻单元格之间的大小关系。
玩法:找出网格中的所有地雷。某些方格中的数字表示其相邻方格(包括对角线接触的方格)中地雷的数量。地雷不能放置在有数字的方格中。
2 3 3 4 1 2 4 3 0 2 6 3 5 4 2 0 4 1 1 3 5 1 3 3 1 1 1 4 2 1 4 3 3 3 0 0 2 0 2 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 1 0 0 1 4
押韵字母 含义
ADD (加) BIRD (鸟)
3 6
4 6
4 6
HANDLE (把手) DREAMY (梦幻的)
LACERATE (撕裂)
A
如何游玩:在空白方格中填入数字,使横向和纵向的计算结果与灰色方格中显示的相符。1 到 9 的每个数字必须且只能出现一次。计算应从左到右、从上到下进行,而非遵循严格的数学运算顺序。
* ' 9
C
C
A C
简单 (Easier)
- 7 × 8
×
×
× 3
-3
×
+
× + 46
15 1 72
困难 (Harder)
14
× 1 - -4
5 -3 38
条款与条件 (Terms & Conditions) 使用《i报》的文本服务,即表示您同意接收来自 DMG Media 的偶尔发送的短信。接收这些消息无需付费,您可以通过向原发件号码发送 STOP 随时退出。本页的短信服务由 BBA Digital Ltd, KT18 5AD 提供,服务热线:0333 335 3351。本页的电话服务由 Spoke AL10 9NA 提供,服务热线:0333 202 3390;以及由 Advanced Telecom Services, EC1M 4BH 提供。服务热线:0330 333 6946。
B A
精简十字词 No 4889 (Concise Crossword No 4889)
8 9
横向 (ACROSS) 1 租金 (Rent) (4) 3 电子乐器,简称 (Electronic instrument, in short) (5) 8 埃及统治者 (Egyptian ruler) (7) 9 发生 (Happen) (5) 10 进入 (Go into) (5) 11 出席 (Be present at) (7) 12 冷漠的 (Aloof) (11) 17 低墙 (Low wall) (7) 19 未说出口的 (Unspoken) (5) 21 起重设备 (Lifting apparatus) (5) 22 公正的 (Impartial) (7) 23 关联产品 (Linked product) (3-2) 24 赞美诗 (Song of praise) (4)
精简十字词卡住了? 获取今日答案,请致电 0905 789 3590。 通话费用为每分钟 80 便士,另加您的网络接入费。如果您在拨打此号码时遇到困难,请致电我们的帮助台 0333 202 3390。
昨日精简十字词答案 (Solution to yesterday’s Concise Crossword) 横向 (ACROSS) 1 Might, 4 Earn (My turn), 7 Rancour, 8 Gouda, 10 Event, 11 Hoedown, 12 Chiropodist, 17 Admiral, 19 Decor, 21 Shrew, 22 Gallant, 23 Amen, 24 Dread. 纵向 (DOWN) 1 Morsel, 2 Genre, 3 Trotter, 4 Eagle, 5 Raucous, 6 Archipelago, 9 Acne, 13 Humdrum, 14 Diddled, 15 Bass, 16 X-rated, 18 Rowan, 20 Craze. 谜题书籍 (PUZZLE BOOKS) 我们的谜题书籍系列包括十字词、代码词、拼图数独、儿童游戏、数独等。 Amazon 售价每本 £7.99
查看完整系列:minURL.co.uk/ibooks
代码词 No 4567 (Codeword No 4567)
6 7
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
需要一点启动帮助?请致电 0901 292 5204 获取最多四个额外的提示字母。通话费用为 £1 另加您的电话公司网络接入费(如果您在电话服务方面遇到问题,请致电帮助热线:0333 202 3390)。或发送短信 THEI CLUE 至 85100 接收提示。短信费用为 £1 另加您的标准网络费用(如果您在短信服务方面遇到问题,请致电帮助热线:0333 335 3351)。提示每天午夜更新。
纵向 (DOWN) 1 锥形容器 (Tapering container) (6) 2 烹饪 (Cook) (5) 3 茶壶部件 (Teapot part) (5) 4 核心 (Core) (7) 5 纠缠 (Pester) (6) 6 护理主管 (Nursing officer) (6) 7 行为夸张 (Behaving in a flamboyant way) (11) 13 白蚁 (White ant) (7) 14 零星的 (Sporadic) (6) 15 结果 (Outcome) (6) 16 窃取的 (Purloined) (6) 18 假装的 (Affected) (3-2) 20 辛辣菜肴 (Spicy dish) (5)
7 5
新闻 (NEWS) 观点 (OPINION) 电视 (TV) 周五 (FRIDAY) 钱财 (MONEY) 体育 (SPORT) 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
1 2 3 4 5
10 11
12 13 14
15 16
17 18 19 20
21 22
23 24
如何游玩 将梯子顶部的单词转换为底部的单词,仅使用中间的五个横杆。在每个横杆上,您必须填入一个有效的四个字母单词,该单词与上方单词相同,但只有一个字母不同。实现这一目标可能有多种方法。
CAKE
SOCK
SNAG
CRAM
2026年7月24日,星期五 (FRIDAY 24 JULY 2026)
如何游玩:1 到 9 的每个数字必须在构成红色字母 i 的方格中出现(且仅出现一次)。
2 1 3 9 1 6 7 6 3 5 9 5 2 6 9 5 8 1 2 8 1 3 7 6
数独 (Sudoku) 简单 (Easier)
8 9 6
2 5 8 4 1 2
2 6 9 3
1 7 8 3 6
4 1 3
明天:困难 (Tomorrow: Harder)
玩法 将字母 A、B 和 C 分别且仅一次地填入每一行和每一列中。每一行和每一列有两个空格。行/列边缘的字母表示该行/列中第一个/最后一个出现的字母。
C B C A
B C B
玩法 这是一个开放式谜题。你能根据此图表创造多少个由四个或更多字母组成且必须包含轮中心字母的单词?我们找到了 52 个,其中包括一个九字母单词。你能做得更好吗?
D N I
E E K R
4 5 1
7 4 2
游戏与谜题
儿童专区 数字金字塔
?
玩法:数字金字塔中每个方格的值为其正下方两个方格数值之和。
F
W
62 77 108 129
12+
32 30 47 61 68
20 12 18 29 32 36
17 3 9 9 20 12 24
文字填充 (Word Fit)
玩法:你能将所有单词填入网格中以完成谜题吗?有些单词最初可能适配多个位置,但只有一种填法能使所有单词共同适配并完成网格。
PENRYN PENZANCE REDRUTH SALTASH ST AGNES ST AUSTELL ST IVES TORPOINT TREVERBYN TRURO
玩法:只需根据网格旁的线索回答问题,并将答案写在相应的行中。最终结果必须保证每一行的水平阅读顺序与每一列的垂直阅读顺序完全相同。
文字方格 (Word Square)
数独 (Calcudoku)
玩法:在每行和每列中将数字 1-6 各放置一次,并遵守粗线区域内的求和结果。每个区域中的数字表示该区域的总计,符号则显示应应用于数字的运算类型:加法、减法、除法或乘法。在粗线区域内,数字可以重复。进行减法时,始终从区域内最高数字中减去较低数字;进行除法时,用最高数字除以较低数字。
324 422
139 185 237
4 字母 Hymn (赞美诗) Shoe (鞋) Teal (青鸭色) 5 字母 Dress (连衣裙) Satyr (萨提尔) Tryst (幽会) Twice (两次) 6 字母 Diesel (柴油) Justly (公正地) Neatly (整洁地) Poorly (糟糕地) Sequel (续集) 7 字母 Empower (授权) Extract (提取) Forward (向前) Texture (质感) Worship (崇拜) 8 字母 Covering (覆盖物) Rightful (合法的) Suburbia (郊区)
刺耳的刮擦声
胜任的
细条
男子姓名
5+ 5× 13+
2- 10× 3-
30× 7+ 10×
1- 2× 15+
骑士巡游 (Knight’s Tour)
玩法:一个国际象棋骑士必须准确访问网格中的每个方格一次,从 1 开始,在 100 结束(这些方格已阴影标记)。推导出骑士的完整路径(其中部分已给出),从而完成网格。骑士的移动方式是:要么水平移动两格后垂直移动一格,要么垂直移动两格后水平移动一格。
72 60 54 100
5 4
34 62 79 30 55
3 46
73 50 48 18 20
35 65 80 29
77 1 70 97 58 21 14
90 87 44 42
91 86 6 84 23
38 94 11 9
单词搜索 桥梁 (Bridges)
玩法:将所有岛屿(由圆圈表示)连接成一个单一的互连组。为此,请在岛屿之间画桥。每个圆圈中的数字表示必须连接到该岛屿的桥梁数量。桥梁不能相互交叉,只能水平或垂直绘制,且任意一对岛屿之间最多只能有两座桥。
1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 2 4 3 3 6 6 2 1 2 2
4 3
1 2 6 4 5 5 5 1 2 6 3 2 3 4 5 1 3 2 1 1 4 7 6 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 1 1 3 6 4 2 1 1 7 7 3 5 4 4 5 2 2 4 1 4 5 2 1 4 4 1 2 4 2 3 4 3 4 4 3 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 3 3 2 5 3 3
2 5
六边形词阵 (Hexalex)
玩法:将下方每个字母在空白六边形中放置一次,放置时将其划掉。以这样一种方式填入字母,使得通过从一个六边形移动到相邻六边形来拼写出网格旁列出的所有单词。
30× 1-
68 25
单元格 (Cells)
玩法:将网格划分为正方形或长方形块,每个块仅包含一个数字。每个块必须包含该数字所指示的单元格数量。
2 2 8
玩法:经典的单词搜索谜题:在网格中找到所有单词。单词可能水平、垂直或对角线隐藏,且方向可能是正向或反向。
H H C A R N B R E A B J Q V X R S T M F C C G Y Z N Y B Y Z B A X U Y A U Q W E N Z F P R I T J C R E N S E N G A T S G E L O V D D R Y N J L D A M P C A U U T C E A R M H A Y L E N S B W R S K R O N S H A P T A O A C U E C U B E E H R D D Z D T I R B T A M B Z P X L S N Y S S O H D R A E K S I L T E S R D L A U N C E S T O N I P X M T R E V E R B Y N U R V G I K N H C H H D Y N N X O E N T O R P O I N T K S M U Q S F G H Q L L E T S U A T S D O
BODMIN BUDE CAMBORNE CARN BREA FALMOUTH HAYLE HELSTON LAUNCESTON LISKEARD NEWQUAY
X N R
L T J
BEG BYE DYE FEZ FIX HOP HOW JAG LYE OHMS RHO SNICK TAU WAGES
(之后),由希梅什·帕特尔和非凡的 13 岁女孩马蒂尔达·劳勒(成年后由麦肯齐·戴维斯饰演)主演,讲述了两名幸存者找到共同目标的经历。
=== Ann Droid 晚上 9.30,BBC One 一部基调温和、带有喜剧色彩的科幻剧。这部由主演戴安·摩根共同编剧的 AI 情景喜剧继续播出,苏(由可靠的优秀演员苏·约翰斯顿饰演)提出在慈善商店工作一天。由于她的护理机器人琳达(摩根 饰)的存在,结果不可避免地变成了一场灾难。与此同时,儿子迈克尔(由《母亲之 land》的保罗·雷迪饰演,再次扮演一个唯唯诺诺的丈夫)试图说服苏出席妻子勒妮的巴西柔术(BJJ)演示会,结果引发了更多的混乱。
6.00 George And Mildred (S). 6.35 George And Mildred (S). 7.05 Classic Emmerdale (S). 7.35 Classic Emmerdale (S). 8.05 Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.40 Classic Coronation Street (S). 9.10 A Touch Of Frost (S). 11.20 Heartbeat (S). 12.25 Heartbeat (S). 1.30 Midsomer Murders (S). 3.35 Classic Emmerdale (S). 4.05 Classic Emmerdale (S). 4.40 Classic Coronation Street (S). 5.15 Classic Coronation Street (S). 5.50 Heartbeat (S).
6.55 Heartbeat 一名非洲酋长访问艾登斯菲尔德 (S)。
8.00 Doc Martin 路易莎和马丁寻找托儿所 (S)。
9.00 Doc Martin 当肯宣布关闭酒吧时,阿尔的职业计划被搅乱 (S)。
10.00 Grantchester 一名男子承认袭击并杀害了他的房东 (S)。
11.00 Grantchester 西德尼和乔迪发现两人产生分歧 (S)。 11.50 Trial & Retribution (S)。
1.25 Wycliffe (S). 2.30 电视购物 (Teleshopping)
6.00 Modern Family (S). 6.55 Rude(ish) Tube Shorts (S). 7.00 Couples Come Dine With Me (S). 8.00 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (S). 9.00 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (S). 10.00 America’s Funniest Home Videos (S). 11.00 Below Deck (S). 12.00 The Simpsons (S). 12.30 The Simpsons (S). 1.00 The Simpsons (S). 1.30 The Simpsons (S). 2.00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 2.30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 3.00 Modern Family (S). 3.30 Modern Family (S). 4.00 Modern Family (S). 4.30 Modern Family (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (S). 5.30 The Simpsons (S).
6.00 The Simpsons (S). 6.30 The Simpsons 荷马在彩票中赢得了 $1 百万美元 (S)。
7.00 The Simpsons 丽莎在一个月内与一名百老汇传奇人物同住 (S)。 7.30 The Simpsons (S).
8.00 Supercruising: Life At Sea MS Nieuw Statendam 号抵达巴哈马 (S)。
10.50 Naked Attraction (S).
11.55 Naked Attraction 亚历西亚和路易丝试图选择他们完美的约会对象 (S)。
1.00 Gogglebox (S). 2.05 First Dates (S). 3.05 Abbott Elementary (S). 3.30 The Goldbergs (S). 3.55 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 4.20 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 4.45 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (S).
选择 劳伦斯·费兰 (LAURENCE PHELAN)
8.55 继承猎人 (Heir Hunters) (S)。 10.00 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 10.35 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 11.05 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 11.35 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 12.10 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 12.40 来我家吃饭 (Come Dine With Me) (S)。 1.10 来我家吃饭 (Come Dine With Me) (S)。 1.40 来我家吃饭 (Come Dine With Me) (S)。 2.15 来我家吃饭 (Come Dine With Me) (S)。 2.50 来我家吃饭 (Come Dine With Me) (S)。 3.20 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 3.50 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 4.20 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 4.50 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 5.20 四人同床 (Four In A Bed) (S)。 5.50 乔治·克拉克的老屋新居 (George Clarke’s Old House, New Home) (S)。
6.55 地点,地点,地点 (Location, Location, Location) 克斯蒂和菲尔回顾过去的房屋寻找者 (S)。
7.55 宏伟设计 (Grand Designs) 修复安特里姆郡一座 100 年历史的铁匠铺 (S)。
9.00 索默道尔谋杀案 (The Sommerdahl Murders) 一家武术学校的店主被发现被刺身亡 (S)。
11.00 A&E急诊 24 小时 (24 Hours In A&E) 伦敦国王学院医院中风团队的工作情况 (S)。
12.05 24 Hours In A&E (S)。 1.05 999:前线 (999: On The Front Line) (S)。 2.10 24 Hours In A&E (S)。 3.15 阳光下的住所 (A Place In The Sun) (S)。 3.55 Close
新闻 观点 电视 周五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
今日电影 《天鹅绒金矿》(Velvet Goldmine) 晚上 11.25,Film4 (托德·海恩斯,1998) 海恩斯这位美国独立电影制作人曾在《超级巨星》(Superstar) 中解构卡伦·卡彭特,在《我不在那里》(I’m Not There) 中解构鲍勃·迪伦,而在本片中,他对华丽摇滚 era, 时期进行了同样的操作。影片讲述了像鲍伊一样的流行星布莱恩·斯莱德 (Brian Slade) (乔纳森·里斯-迈尔斯,左) 和像伊基·波普一样的库尔特·怀尔德 (Curt Wild) (伊万·麦克格雷戈) 的故事。克里斯蒂安·贝尔饰演一名记者,是观众的切入点,此外还有一个奥斯卡·王尔德的角色。正如那个时代的音乐一样,这是一部光辉而混乱的电影:张扬、绚丽、戏剧化,比起逻辑合理,它更在意给人的印象和视觉效果。鲍伊不允许使用他的音乐,但 Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed 和 T Rex 都同意了。
6.00 琼斯与墨尔本之晨 (Mornings With Jones And Melbourne) (R)。 6.30 琼斯与墨尔本之晨 (Mornings With Jones And Melbourne) (R)。 7.00 琼斯与墨尔本之晨 (Mornings With Jones And Melbourne) (R)。 7.30 琼斯与墨尔本之晨 (Mornings With Jones And Melbourne) (R)。 8.00 星门 SG-1 (Stargate SG-1) (R) (S)。 9.00 NCIS:洛杉矶 (NCIS: Los Angeles) (R) (S)。 10.00 威尔与格蕾丝 (Will & Grace) (R) (S)。 10.30 威尔与格蕾丝 (Will & Grace) (R) (S)。 11.00 辛普森一家 (The Simpsons) (R) (S)。 11.30 辛普森一家 (The Simpsons) (R) (S)。 12.00 追雨 (Chasing The Rains) (R) (S)。 1.00 夏威夷五-0 (Hawaii Five-0) (R) (S)。 2.00 夏威夷五-0 (Hawaii Five-0) (R) (S)。 3.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S)。 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S)。 5.00 辛普森一家 (The Simpsons) (R) (S)。 5.30 辛普森一家 (The Simpsons) (R) (S)。
6.00 动物控制 (Animal Control) 艾米莉雇佣了一位专业的犬类训练师 (R) (S)。 6.30 动物控制 (Animal Control) (R) (S)。
7.00 辛普森一家 (The Simpsons) (R) (S)。 7.30 辛普森一家 (The Simpsons) 由丽莎·库卓配音 (R) (S)。
8.00 F1 节目 (The F1 Show) 匈牙利大奖赛预告 (R)。
9.00 笨蛋在海外 2 (An Idiot Abroad 2) 卡尔·皮尔金顿前往非洲与大猩猩共处 (R) (S)。
10.00 Ricky Gervais:名声 (Ricky Gervais: Fame) 这位喜剧演员的单口喜剧表演精彩片段 (R) (S)。
11.30 动物控制 (Animal Control) 艾米莉雇佣了一位专业的犬类训练师 (R) (S)。
12.00 动物控制 (Animal Control) (R) (S)。 12.30 格林 (Grimm) (R) (S)。 1.30 力量:东北部 (The Force: North East) (R) (S)。 2.30 道路战争 (Road Wars) (R) (S)。 3.00 夏威夷五-0 (Hawaii Five-0) (R) (S)。 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S)。 5.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S)。
6.00 理查德·E·格兰特的酒店秘密 (Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets) (R) (S)。 7.00 理查德·E·格兰特的酒店秘密 (Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets) (R) (S)。 8.00 死木镇 (Deadwood) (R) (S)。 9.00 死木镇 (Deadwood) (R) (S)。 10.00 杀人现场:街头生活 (Homicide: Life On The Street) (R) (S)。 11.00 杀人现场:街头生活 (Homicide: Life On The Street) (R) (S)。 12.00 亿万富翁 (Billions) (R) (S)。 1.10 亿万富翁 (Billions) (R) (S)。 2.15 白莲花度假酒店 (The White Lotus) (R) (S)。 3.30 白莲花度假酒店 (The White Lotus) (R) (S)。 4.40 极恶之城 (Gomorrah) (R) (S)。 5.45 极恶之城 (Gomorrah) (R) (S)。
6.50 镀金时代 (The Gilded Age) 歌剧之战达到高潮 (R) (S)。
7.55 镀金时代 (The Gilded Age) 贝莎为公爵的即将到来做准备 (R) (S)。
9.00 第 11. 站 (Station Eleven) 废土后启示录剧集,由麦肯齐·戴维斯主演 (S)。
10.00 第 11. 站 (Station Eleven) 克斯汀遇到一名神秘男子 (S)。
11.00 囚犯 (Prisoner) 更广泛的威胁开始显现 (R) (S)。
12.00 最后的生还者 (The Last Of Us) (R) (S)。 1.10 最后的生还者 (The Last Of Us) (R) (S)。 2.15 白莲花度假酒店 (The White Lotus) (R) (S)。 3.25 白莲花度假酒店 (The White Lotus) (R) (S)。 4.35 某种程度上 (Sort Of) (R) (S)。 5.05 客房翼楼 (The Guest Wing) (R) (S)。
=== 《珍妮特·普拉内特》(Janet Planet) 晚上 11.05,BBC Two (安妮·贝克,2023) 这部成长剧观察极其细致,且充满了氛围感,记录了一名 11 岁女孩的夏天。这个女孩热爱读书、富有想象力——甚至带有韦斯·安德森的风格——她与从事针灸工作的单亲母亲住在新英格兰的乡村。
=== 《爱乐之城》(La La Land) 晚上 11.40,BBC One (达米安·查泽列,2016) 这部获得奥斯卡奖的音乐剧是一部复杂但令人心醉的浪漫爱情故事,讲述了一名有志成为演员的女性 (艾玛·斯通) 和一名爵士钢琴手 (瑞安·高斯林) 之间的故事,同时也是一部令人目眩神迷、色彩斑斓的对传统好莱坞的致敬之作。
BBC Radio 1 6.58am 新闻报道 (Newsbeat) 7.00 Greg James 主持的 Radio 1 早餐节目 10.00 Nat And Vicky 主持的 Radio 1 经典曲目 (Anthems) 10.30 新闻报道 (Newsbeat) 11.00 Nat And Vicky 主持的 Radio 1 群聊 (Group Chat) 12.45pm 新闻报道 (Newsbeat) 1.00 Sam And Danni 3.00 Sam And Danni 主持的 Radio 1 舞曲派对热身 4.00 Jack Saunders 主持的 Radio 1 官方排行榜 5.45 新闻报道 (Newsbeat) 6.00 Danny Howard 主持的 Radio 1 舞曲派对 8.00 Sarah Story 主持的 Radio 1 未来舞曲 10.00 Pete Tong 12mdn’t Radio 1 核心混音 (Essential Mix) 2.00 Radio 1 舞曲呈现 3.00 Danny Howard 的俱乐部混音 4.00 Radio 1 舞曲派对热身 5.00 Radio 1 快乐经典曲目
BBC Radio 1Xtra 6.32am 1Xtra 播放列表 7.00 Nadia Jae 主持的 1Xtra 早餐节目 10.00 DJ Day Day 12.45pm 新闻报道 (Newsbeat) 1.00 Nick Bright 4.00 Remi Burgz 5.45 新闻报道 (Newsbeat) 6.00 Remi Burgz 7.00 Kash & Pharaoh G 8.30 Kash & Pharaoh G 9.00 Kenny Allstar 主持的 1Xtra 说唱秀 10.30 Kenny Allstar-Fresh 1s 混音 11.00 Izzy Bossy 主持的 1Xtra 周五之夜派对 12.30am Izzy Bossy 主持的 1Xtra 周五之夜派对 1.00 Jeremiah Asiamah 主持的 1Xtra 狂欢秀 (Rave Show) 2.30 Jeremiah Asiamah 的 Get Lit 混音 3.00 Chuckie 主持的 1Xtra R&B 秀 4.30 Chuckie 主持的 1Xtra R&B 慢板混音 5.00 1Xtra 致敬
BBC Radio 2 6.30am Sara Cox 早餐秀 9.30 Vernon Kay 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 DJ Spoony 4.00 Angela Scanlon 7.00 Michelle Visage 8.30 Michelle Visage 的手袋热门曲 9.00 Sophie Ellis-Bextor 的厨房迪斯科 11.00 Shaun Keaveny 主持的摇滚秀 12mdn’t Romesh Ranganathan:为了嘻哈之爱 1.00 Tony Blackburn 的灵魂之声 2.00 流行金曲 (Pick Of The Pops) 4.00 Radio 2 音乐会: Joni Mitchell 和 James Taylor 5.00 我年岁中的曲调 (Tracks Of My Years)
BBC Radio 3 6.30am 早餐节目 9.30 核心经典 1pm 古典现场 4.00 本周作曲家:乔治·弗里德里希·亨德尔 (George Frideric Handel) 5.00 协调 (In Tune) 7.00 古典混音带 7.30 2026年 BBC 逍遥音乐会 (BBC Proms) 10.00 深夜接线 (Late Junction) 11.30 午夜时分 (’Round Midnight) 12.30am 彻夜
BBC Radio 4 6am 今日 (Today) 9.00 荒岛唱片 (Desert Island Discs) 10.00 女性小时 11.00 食物节目 11.45 本周书籍:《泥土冥想》(A Meditation On Mud) 12noon 新闻 12.04 AntiSocial 12.57 天气 1.00 一点世界 (The World At One) 1.45 死兔子 (Dead Rabbit) 2.00 农夫 (The Archers) 2.15 剧集:中央情报 (Central Intelligence) 2.45 边缘生活 (Living On The Edge) 3.00 园艺问答时间 3.45 短篇作品 4.00 最后一言 (Last Word) 4.30 侧向 (Sideways) 5.00
星期五 2026年7月24日
The Dink Apple TV+ 一部关于一名过气网球职业选手发现自己对匹克球产生新热爱之喜剧。
72 Hours Netflix 一部关于一名 40 岁的高管被意外邀请参加一场 20 多岁单身汉派对的喜剧。
Our Friends In The North BBC iPlayer 丹尼尔·克雷格主演的横跨数十年的 90 年代剧集。
广播节目单
下午 5.57 天气预报 6.00 六点新闻 6.30 Current-ish 7.00 The Archers(法隆因一项意外发现而震惊) 7.15 Screenshot(讲述行动仅限于一天的电影) 8.00 Any Questions?(来自伯明翰大学埃尔加音乐厅的时事讨论) 8.55 This Week In History(回顾往年今日发生的事件) 9.00 Archive On 4: A Brief History Of Strangers(乔·奎南探讨成为陌生人的体验) 10.00 The World Tonight(由肖恩·雷主持) 10.45 Wild Dark Shore(作者夏洛特·麦康纳希) 11.00 Americast(分析美国最新爆发的文化和社会故事) 11.30 A Good Read 午夜 新闻与天气 12.30 本周之书:对泥土的沉思 12.48 航运预报 1.00 接入 BBC 全球服务 5.30 新闻摘要 5.34 航运预报 5.43 今日祷告 5.45 Living On The Edge
BBC Radio 4 Extra 上午 6:00 Bolt 6.30 High Table, Lower Orders 7.00 Little Blighty On The Down 7.30 Beyond Our Ken 8.00 The Confessional 8.30 News From Nowhere 8.45 Promenade Rock 9.00 Parish Matters 9.30 Wild In The Garden 9.45 Daily Service 10.00 Soul Music 10.30 Hairspray And Harmonies 11.00 Bolt 11.30 High Table, Lower Orders 中午 12:00 Little Blighty On The Down 12.30 Beyond Our Ken 下午 1.00 The Confessional 1.30 News From Nowhere 1.45 Promenade Rock 2.00 The Museum Of Curiosity 2.30 Millport 3.00 绿山墙的安妮 3.30 Some Tame Gazelle 4.00 Soul Music 4.30 Hairspray And Harmonies 5.00 Bolt 5.30 High Table, Lower Orders 6.00 Little Blighty On The Down 6.30 Beyond Our Ken 7.00 The Confessional 7.30 News From Nowhere 7.45 Promenade Rock 8.00 The Museum Of Curiosity 8.30 Millport 9.00 绿山墙的安妮 9.30 Some Tame Gazelle 10.00 喜剧俱乐部:Parish Matters 10.30 喜剧俱乐部:Njambi McGrath: Becoming Njambi 10.45 喜剧俱乐部:Rhys James Is Privileged 11.00 喜剧俱乐部:Vent 11.30 喜剧俱乐部:Laura Solon: Talking And Not Talking 午夜 Soul Music 12.30 Hairspray And Harmonies 1.00 Bolt 1.30 High Table, Lower Orders 2.00 Little Blighty On The Down 2.30 Beyond Our Ken 3.00 The Confessional 3.30 News From Nowhere 3.45 Promenade Rock 4.00 The Museum Of Curiosity 4.30 Millport 5.00 绿山墙的安妮 5.30 Some Tame Gazelle
BBC 5 Live 上午 6:00 5 Live 早报 9.00 Nicky Campbell 11.00 Chiles On Friday 下午 1:00 Elis James And John Robins 2.00 Matt Chorley 4.00 5 Live Drive 7.00 格拉斯哥 2026 10.00 Laura McGhie 凌晨 1:00 Joel Mitchell 5.00 5 Live 拳击
BBC 6 Music 上午 7:00 Nemone 10.00 Jamz Supernova 下午 1:00 Chris Hawkins 4.00 Emily Pilbeam 7.00 Femi Koleoso 主持的 The People’s Party 9.00 6 Music’s Indie Forever 10.00 6 Music’s Indie Forever 11.00 Mary Anne Hobbs 主持的 The 6 Mix 午夜 6 Music’s Rave Forever 1.00 6 Music’s Forever Dark 2.00 Focus Beats 4.00 Ambient Focus
Classic FM 上午 6:30 Dan Walker 主持的 Classic FM 早报 9.00 Dan Walker 主持的 Classic FM 名人堂时间 10.00 Aled Jones 下午 1:00 Anne-Marie Minhall 4.00 Margherita Taylor 6.00 Jonathan Ross 主持的 Classic FM 电影之声(乔纳森播放来自《权力的游戏》的音乐) 8.00 Alexander Armstrong 主持的古典聚焦(亚历山大庆祝标志性小提琴家尼古拉·贝内蒂的生日) 10.00 Calm Classics 凌晨 2:00 Katie Breathwick
Absolute Radio 上午 6:00 Dave Berry 10.00 Leona Graham 下午 1:00 Ben Burrell 4.00 Hometime 7.00 Claire Sturgess 主持的 Absolute 80s 经典金曲 10.00 Sophie K 凌晨 4:00 Ben Coley
Heart 上午 6:30 Jamie Theakston 和 Zoe Hardman 主持的 Heart 早报 10.00 Pandora Christie 下午 1:00 Matt
Wilkinson 4.00 JK And Kelly Brook 7.00 Heart’s Club Classics With Toby Anstis 11.00 Rezzy Ghadjar 1am Seb Bailey TalkSPORT 6am TalkSPORT Breakfast With Shebahn Aherne 10.00 Alex Crook & Darragh MacAnthony 1pm Max Scott & Andy Jacobs 4.00 talkSPORT Drive with Andy Goldstein & Troy Deeney 7.00 Commonwealth Games Live 10.00 The Sports Bar Weekender 1am Extra Time
今日 精选
Current-ish 6.30pm, BBC Radio 4 喜剧演员露西·波特 (Lucy Porter)(上图)将推出一个新系列,涵盖大家都在讨论的故事。今晚她将欢迎嘉宾艾米·安妮特 (Amy Annette)、约翰·托希尔 (John Tothill) 和凯拉·格雷 (Kyrah Gray) 参与节目。
新闻
全球 10 大故事
印度
平息对教育问题的 愤怒
作者:Tanvi Mehta, Saurabh Sharma 和 YP Rajesh
发自新德里
印度总理在经历了数日要求教育部长辞职的大规模青年抗议后,首次做出了公开回应。此次事件已成为纳伦德拉·莫迪第三个任期内最大的危机。 莫迪(插图)昨天表示,将设立“快速通道”法院来起诉那些泄露试卷的人。 然而,抗议者和反对党迅速拒绝了莫迪的提议,并坚持要求教育部长德尔梅德拉·普拉丹(Dharmendra Pradhan)首先辞职。本周,反对派团体已连续第四天干扰议会运作。 周三晚间,抗议者在新德里的街道上与警方发生了短暂冲突,警方发射催泪瓦斯并挥舞警棍将其驱散。 此次抗议已演变为莫迪自 2014 年上台以来面临的最大规模青年挑战。 反对党呼应了青年运动的要求,并干扰了议会的季风会议。 “没有什么比我们青少年的福利和未来更重要的了!”莫迪在 X 上发布道。 “我们决定设立快速通道法院,以确保对参与试卷泄露的人员进行迅速且严厉的惩罚,”他说道,并补充称,那些试图破坏年轻人未来的人将绝不会被宽恕。 快速通道法院旨在快速处理案件,以规避印度缓慢的司法系统。 自称“蟑螂民众党”(Cockroach Janta Party, CJP)的组织于上月发起抗议,反对影响到 200 万名学生并与多起自杀事件相关的试卷泄露事件。CJP 发言人 Ashutosh Ranka 表示,法院在试卷泄露后如何处理仅是一个方面。 “但是,莫迪先生,请告诉我们,为什么试卷泄露会在第一时间发生?”他说道。 “这个国家针对各种其他问题都设立了快速通道法院,但这些快速通道法院是否真的解决了那些问题——你心中自有答案。” CJP 创始人 Abhijeet Dipke 表示,他们的抗议将持续到普拉丹辞职为止。路透社
以色列
因访问阿克萨 而受谴责
作者:Maayan Lubell 和 Lina Obeid
发自耶路撒冷
以色列极右翼警务部长伊塔马·本-格维尔(Itamar Ben-Gvir)访问了耶路撒冷的冲突点——阿克萨清真寺区域,并赞扬了在他看来在当地祈祷的犹太访问者,而这违反了仅允许穆斯林在当地祈祷的协议。 他的访问遭到了约旦和巴勒斯坦官员的谴责。耶路撒冷围墙内的旧城区域是中东最敏感的地点之一。犹太人将其称为圣殿山,它是犹太教最神圣的地点,也是伊斯兰教第三大圣地。 根据与穆斯林当局达成的一项维持数十年的微妙协议,该区域由约旦的一个宗教基金会管理,犹太人可以访问但不得在当地祈祷。 在 Tisha B’Av(犹太教中纪念古代圣殿被毁的哀悼日)的这次访问后,昨天没有立即出现动荡的迹象。 “我们看到圣殿山取得了巨大进步,”本-格维尔说。 “看看这里发生的事情——犹太人在祈祷,感觉自己就像这里的主人,”他补充道。路透社
美国
作者:Liz Lee 和 Mikhail Flores
发自北京和马尼拉
美国国务卿将中国在南海的行动描述为“令人不安”,在重申华盛顿对菲律宾的防御承诺后,本周该地区与北京之间发生了一系列海上对抗。
马可·鲁比奥的这番言论是在菲律宾指责中国海警船昨日在黄岩岛(Scarborough Shoal)附近向一艘政府渔业船只发射水炮,且冲击造成了间接命中之后发表的。
“全世界都看到了,这令人不安,”鲁比奥在马尼拉东盟会议期间告诉记者。
“我们有责任,我们不会抛弃我们的盟友。我们已经把这一点表达得非常清楚,”他补充道。
周四的事件发生在周一第二托马斯礁(Second Thomas Shoal)的一次对抗之后,菲律宾军方称一名菲律宾水手在被中国海警人员用警棍击打后受伤。美国国务院称中国的行为是“危险且挑衅性的”。
与第二托马斯礁一样,黄岩岛已成为菲律宾与中国之间本就紧张的关系中的一个闪点。尽管 2016 年的一项仲裁裁决认定中国在南海的主张没有法律依据,但双方仍陷于领土争端。
中国拒绝承认该裁决。 2024 年 6 月在第二托马斯礁发生的一次激烈对抗导致一名菲律宾水手失去一根手指,这促使菲律宾和中国就在补给任务上达成了一项临时安排。路透社
刚果民主共和国 (DRC)
在刚果民主共和国 (DRC) 爆发的埃博拉疫情中,已有 1,000 多人死亡。由于冲突、抵制以及应对措施的不均衡加剧了病毒传播,这是历史上速度最快的一次埃博拉疫情,造成了惨重伤亡。
政府周三的数据显示,确诊的埃博拉病例数增加至 2,536 例,其中包含 1,033 例死亡。刚果民主共和国公共卫生研究所在其最新报告中表示,周一在伊图里省和北基夫省发现了 50 例新病例。
非洲疾病控制与预防中心主任 Jean Kaseya 博士表示:“人们正在死去……因为我们没有疫苗,没有药物,也没有资金。”
刚果卫生部的最新更新显示,至少有 737 名患者处于隔离或住院状态。
此次疫情于 5 月 15 日宣布,与大多数之前的埃博拉疫情不同,因为导致此次疫情的 Bundibugyo 病毒没有经批准的疫苗或治疗方法。
其致死率和速度也超过了记录中的任何一次疫情,包括 2013-2016 年的疫情,后者被认为是记录中最严重的一次,在至少 28,000 例病例中造成 11,000 多人死亡。美联社
新闻 (NEWS) 2-35 评论 (OPINION) 18-22 电视 (TV) 26-31 周五 (FRIDAY) 37-43 财经 (MONEY) 44-46 体育 (SPORT) 50-56
南亚
当局表示,本周印度东北部、巴基斯坦和阿富汗遭遇强降雨,导致至少 82 人死亡。
在过去 24 小时内,印度东北部阿萨姆邦的洪水导致至少 10 人死亡。当局称此次经历了“前所未有的破坏”,使本周的总死亡人数达到 36 人。
阿萨姆邦灾害管理部门周三表示, 11 个地区有 650,000 多人受到降雨影响。
一份州政府报告称,洪水主要是由于 7 月 18 日至 20 日期间邻邦那加兰邦出现极强降雨,导致河流流量异常偏高。
在过去 72 小时内,阿富汗东北部努里斯坦省和巴基斯坦开伯尔-普什图省的洪水中,至少 46 人被杀, 100 人受伤。路透社
美国 FBI 局长归还 被掠夺的巴布亚 部落文物
作者:Niniek Karmini
在雅加达
印度尼西亚总统普拉博沃·苏比安托(Prabowo Subianto)收到了一批来自该国巴布亚地区的文化文物,这些文物此前被非法带往美国。
移交仪式于周三在普拉博沃位于印度尼西亚首都雅加达的官邸内,在与 FBI 局长卡什·帕特尔(Kash Patel)会面期间举行。
印度尼西亚文化部长法德利·宗(Fadli Zon)表示,此次交换凸显了印度尼西亚与美国在追回被盗文化遗产并将其归还原属国方面日益增强的合作。
宗部长表示,这些来自巴布亚的文物属于达尼(Dani)和阿斯马特(Asmat)部落以及森塔尼湖(Lake Sentani)社区的文化遗产。在来源研究确认这些物品是被走私出印度尼西亚后,通过印度尼西亚文化部与 FBI 的合作,这些文物得以归还。
“这些是非常宝贵的物品
军用直升机 发生致命坠毁事故
一架载有五名士兵的捷克军队直升机在捷克东部坠毁。
军方昨日表示,紧急救援服务正在
来自…… 姆列特岛 (Mljet)
十多年前在克罗地亚南海岸海床发现的一艘拜占庭时代船只,根据残骸中发现的金饰判断,当时可能载有一名高级官员及其随行人员。
考古学家昨日首次公布了他们多年水下挖掘的结果,称该沉船可追溯至 7 世纪或 8 世纪,且船上发现的文物表明这并非一艘普通的商船。
这些文物包括四位皇帝赫拉克留斯(Heraclius)王朝时期的金币、镶嵌有红宝石、祖母绿和珍珠的扣带,以及一枚刻有
这些文物是达尼和阿斯马特部落文化遗产的一部分
因为这次归还进程是我们恢复文化主权努力的一部分,”宗表示,并补充说这些文物将在印度尼西亚国家博物馆展出。
图像显示了几个打磨光滑的石斧头和传统上与巴布亚社会相关的仪式物品。
传统的巴布亚石斧不仅仅是实用工具。在像达尼这样的高地社区中,它们被视为财富和地位的象征,并在婚姻和仪式交易中被交换。AP
位于 Namest nad Oslavou 的基地工作,该地位于布拉格东南 112 英里处。
CTK 新闻社报道称,一人死亡。
军方表示:“一架 Venom 直升机在 Namest nad Oslavou 的第 22 直升机空军基地坠毁。”
“机上有五名士兵。”路透社 (REUTERS)
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 33
皇帝画像的黄金印戒, “这绝对不是随便什么人就能佩戴的”,克罗地亚文物保护研究所水下考古部门负责人帕夫列·杜贡尼奇(Pavle Dugonjic)地说道。
他的团队配备潜水设备,花费了十年时间发掘这艘船,其残骸位于亚得里亚海的姆列特岛附近。
“这是一笔令人印象深刻的金量,是整个地中海沉船中发现的最大规模的金饰,”该研究所研究负责人伊戈尔·米霍尔耶克(Igor Miholjek)说。
拜占庭帝国——罗马帝国的继承者——曾统治东地中海,但到 8 世纪初陷入了动荡。“这是该时期最重要的沉船,”美国斯坦福大学考古学教授贾斯汀·莱德万格(Justin Leidwanger)补充道。路透社 (REUTERS)
Antonio Bronic
武装组织领导人 指控被撤销
作者:Stephanie van den Berg
海牙
国际刑事法院的法官已终止对达尔富尔一名武装组织前领导人的诉讼,原因是自提起指控以来,相关证据有所恶化。
Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain 是正义与平等运动的领导人,该组织是 2003 年爆发冲突期间达尔富尔的两个主要武装组织之一。
他因 2007 年一次针对和平维持部队的袭击而被指控犯有战争罪。检察官表示,他们撤回了对 Banda 的指控,因为自 2011 年指控被确认以来,针对他的证据已经恶化。
检方表示:“不再有充分理由相信 Banda 先生应对所指控的罪行负责。”
法官表示,撤销指控并不妨碍检察官在日后重新提起指控。路透社
新闻
生活方式
A
高街健身房—— 最好的 竟然也是 最便宜的
额外支付 £70 并不值得。作者:Tara Russell
作为一名在过去十年左右时间里经常健身的人,我曾在各种健身房训练——从青少年时期在当地的休闲中心,到在国外生活期间在一家高端健身房分店聘请私人教练。在选择锻炼场所时,我非常注重“氛围感”——我意识到如果我不喜欢,我就不会去;而如果我享受其中,我每天都会在那儿。
在脚骨折康复后,我最近重新开始跑步,并正在寻找一家新的健身房。在我居住的伦敦西南部,有数十个选择,价格从每月 £22.99 到数百英镑不等。
因此,我决定尝试每一家高街健身房,以找出哪家公司的性价比最高。
THE GYM GROUP 每月 £22.99 起,另加 £15 入会费。亦提供学生及非高峰 时段会员资格。 高街上最便宜的选择是 The Gym Group,一家 24/7 全天候 无合约健身俱乐部。The Gym Group 提供极佳的低成本、易触达的健身房, 且通常位于租金较低的地区。 我去了 Tooting 分店, 其规模和可用设备的种类 令我感到惊喜。 它拥有巨大的自由重量区, 包括 4 个奥林匹克 表演级训练架和深蹲 架,以及广泛的心肺训练
设备,包括 StairMasters(楼梯机) 和 SkiErgs(滑雪机)——且提供免费课程。 课程在健身房主区域内进行, 而非在独立工作室中, 如果你想在个人锻炼中使用 壶铃或绳索,这可能会有点 碍事。馆内有不少其他健身者, 但由于设备数量充足, 我从未在等待机器上浪费时间。 更衣室很不错—— 虽然简陋,但很干净, 不提供毛巾,且必须 自备挂锁。对于熬夜者 或早起者来说, 24/7 的营业时间 是一个极大的加分项。 评分:4/5,性价比极高
The Gym Group 的 每月会员费用, 不含 £15 入会费
PUREGYM 每月 £22.99 起,但某些 健身房费用可高达 £49.99 我去了这家主打简约风的 连锁健康俱乐部 Puregym 的 Clapham 分店,而这里恰好是 他们最贵的门店之一。 也许是因为我在 5 月中旬 热浪期间下班后前往, 但健身房内的人数之少令我惊喜。 我看到的是宽敞、干净的更衣室, 配有独立淋浴间(不提供毛巾)、 吹风机和充足的储物柜。 健身房分布在两层, 心肺训练机数量不多, 二楼的自由重量区较小。 不过一楼非常宽敞, 拥有大型自由重量区和 功能性训练设备、 StairMasters 以及大量重量
训练机。PureGym 的某些分店 现在提供女性专属 锻炼空间,这是一个 很不错的额外福利。 这里有独立的工作室用于课程, 设有动感单车、重量训练 课程和瑜伽。然而,在气温 35 度的 日子里,健身房内热得令人难以忍受, 空调对缓解温度几乎没有作用。3.5/5
FITNESS FIRST 最灵活的滚动合约会员 每月 £120,无入会费 这里采用了分级会员制。 Clapham Junction 门店还提供 桑拿房、蒸汽房和 冰浴池等休闲设施,以及现代化的 健身设备和广泛的课程。
在 1 级会员(每月 £160) 分店中,有如核心床普拉提等选项。 更衣室非常大, 且相当奢华,包含毛巾, 有充足的淋浴间、大型 储物柜和吹风机。 健身房主区域本身比预想的要小, 虽然设备数量巨大, 但空间并不充裕。我发现自己
在跑步机上完成热身之后,我尴尬地尝试在腿举机旁边做伸展运动。 尽管如此,这里提供的器材范围之广——包括一个巨大的自由重量区、拳击袋和重量训练机——意味着无需排队。 水疗设施感觉很奢华,虽然空间有时会变得繁忙,但从未过度拥挤。
Tara Russell 骑上单车,尝试所有主要的高街健身房,包括 (下方由左至右)The Gym Group, Virgin Active 和 PureGym
对于一家高街健身房来说,价格点较高,但如果你有公司会员资格(通过工作可获得折扣),或者想要一家可以从家中或办公室轻松前往的健身房,那么它绝对值得。 3.5 / 5 – 价格点降低了评分
NUFFIELD HEALTH 每月 £86 起,另加 £29 入会费 Nuffield Health 拥有高端声誉——我在爱丁堡尝试的分店拥有巨大的健身区域、游泳池、桑拿房和课程。这里提供毛巾,更衣室非常棒,配有大型挂锁储物柜。 健身房本身是一个巨大的开放空间,拥有极其丰富的自由重量和器材——而且至关重要的是,有伸展空间。25 米长的泳池非常惬意,空间内还设有桑拿房和热水浴缸。 Nuffield 对每个地点的定价各不相同,但他们的一项会员资格也可以进入大多数其他健身房。4/5
VIRGIN ACTIVE 三级分店每月 £136,另加 £30 入会费 Virgin Active 的价格点比类似的品牌 Fitness First 和 Nuffield Health 略高。 在我尝试的分店中,更衣室宽敞且漂亮,有大型储物柜、充足的空间以及 GHD 卷发棒和吹风机。 该健身房拥有一个动感单车工作室和一个用于重量训练和健康课程的第二个工作室,为会员提供无限次课程。 然而,楼上的健身房非常小,虽然器材数量尚可,但所有东西都被挤在一起,几乎没有空间去审视所提供的服务。因此,大多数机器都被占用了。 机器和设施本身很新且质量良好——Technogym 品牌——但缺乏空间这一点有些奇怪。 至于水疗设施,桑拿房的温度适宜,尽管相当拥挤——有人在站着往里挤。热水浴缸的颜色有点太灰,无法让人放松,而蒸汽室很冷,似乎没有加热。我知道 Virgin Active 各分店的设施差异巨大,但 Clapham 分店处于第二高等级的会员级别,这表明它应该是较好的选择之一。 据说 Bank 分店很漂亮,某些健身房还提供包括改良普拉提在内的额外课程,但这些是 1 级会员,每月费用为 £218。2/5
最终,每月 £22.99 的 The Gym Group 在这里胜出。在我看来,当替代方案的价格至少是其三倍时,它们必须非常出色才能击败这个优惠。 我住的地方离 Gym Group 稍微太远,无法步行,但凭借省下的钱,我可以负担前往那里的交通费。虽然拥有桑拿和水疗设施会很不错,但每月至少多花 £70 是不值得的。
新闻 (NEWS) 评论 (OPINION) 电视 (TV) 周五 (FRIDAY) 理财 (MONEY) 体育 (SPORT) 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
“当我为了演莎士比亚而进行胸部除毛时,尖叫声传遍了泰晤士河”
保罗·查希迪 (Paul Chahidi) 1969 年出生于德黑兰,父亲是伊朗外交官,母亲是英国人。他在两岁时移居英国。他曾在牛津的龙校 (Dragon School) 就读,随后进入剑桥大学三一学院,并在皇家中央演讲与戏剧学院接受培训,之后经常在皇家莎士比亚公司演出。在电视荧幕上,他出演过《夜班经理》(The Night Manager)、《这个国家》(This Country)、《邪恶的小信》(Wicked Little Letters) 和《见证人》(The Witness);而他的电影作品包括《斯大林之死》(The Death of Stalin)、《诺丁山》(Notting Hill) 和《放荡者》(The Libertine)。他与妻子凯特和儿子乔治住在北伦敦。在这里,他回顾了那些改变他对工作、爱情、家庭、金钱和健康看法的人生时刻。
我是一个内向的外向者,或者说是一个内向的爱表现者。我有两个截然相反的侧面。我成长于一个非常多元文化、混合背景的家庭,有着浓厚的伊朗文化氛围,包括饮食、音乐和朋友。我们家里经常有很多访客,他们非常擅长社交。而我以前总是躲起来。如果我在房间里,我会被拽出来,被拉起来,然后我就得跟着音乐舞动起来,那主要是 70 年代的伊朗迪斯科。直到相当晚的时候,大约 13, 岁时在学校表演莎士比亚的剧本,我才接触戏剧。
我的父母存了足够的钱,把我送到牛津的一所男子寄宿学校。我在那里表现不错,但并不快乐。人们可能会觉得剑桥非常精英化且特权化,但与我之前的学校相比,那里有来自如此多不同背景的人,包括工人阶级背景和不同文化背景的人。 我发现结识所有这些人,并且不再为了生存而被迫与某些人交朋友,这让我感到无比的解放。 我在剑桥学习阿拉伯语和波斯语。我其实只是浅尝了地之光 (Footlights) 的边。我编辑过一份讽刺政治杂志,并在学位的其中一年在开罗度过。 在我的同辈群体中,有很多非常有才华的人:梅尔·吉德罗伊克 (Mel Giedroyc)、苏·珀金斯 (Sue Perkins)、斯蒂芬·曼根 (Stephen Mangan)、尼古拉·沃克 (Nicola Walker)、已故的杰出演员保罗·里特 (Paul Ritter)(曾出演《周五晚餐》)、杰兹·巴特沃斯 (Jez Butterworth)、本·米勒 (Ben Miller) 以及亚历山大·阿姆斯特朗 (Alexander Armstrong)。 理查德·奥斯曼 (Richard Osman) 和萨莎·拜伦·科恩 (Sacha Baron Cohen) 就在我之后入学。那里感觉并不像一个压力巨大的温室,但充满了创造力,而这些人只是我的伙伴。我们只是在一起瞎闹并排演戏剧。
如果你告诉我我在这个年纪还能作为演员工作,我一定会当面嘲笑你。我不合群,人们不知道该怎么给我安排角色。我是一个幽默的、早秃的、圆脸的家伙。 我担心父母如何看待我的职业选择,尤其是作为一个移民的孩子,他们经历了非常艰难的时期才来到这里并做出牺牲。 我用一种相当戏剧化的方式让父母坐下来,告诉他们我想成为一名演员,但我把气氛铺垫到了如此程度,以至于他们可能以为我要告诉他们我杀了人。他们表现得异常冷静,只是说:“没问题”。
“如果你告诉我我在这个年纪,在离开戏剧学校后还能作为演员工作,我一定会当面嘲笑你,”这位《夜班经理》的演员说道。
戴西·梅·库珀 (Daisy May Cooper),我在《这个国家》中与她合作,她简直是自然的伟力。这个词被用滥了,但戴西(插图)和我合作过几次的阿曼多·伊亚努奇 (Armando Iannucci) 都是天才。在拍摄《这个国家》的大部分时间里,我扮演的牧师都在努力忍住不笑。
我曾经和埃迪·雷德梅恩 (Eddie Redmayne) 一起去做了胸部除毛。我参加了莎士比亚环球剧院公司 (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Company) 制作的全男性版《第十二夜》。第一场演出在中间神庙大厅 (Middle Temple Hall) 举行,并且
周五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 35
当时正在读大学毕业年级的埃迪陪我去了南华克区一家位于后街的低预算脱毛店。我们进去时还很乐观,但你甚至能听到泰晤士河对岸传来的尖叫声。我以前得给胸口和双手脱毛,还要涂满白色油彩。谁最勇敢?我觉得是埃迪。我有一半伊朗血统,我的体毛比他多得多。
大约 20 年前,我在环球剧场的舞台上发生了一次可怕的事故。舞台上有水,我滑倒了,我的脚脱臼并向错误的方向扭转了 180 度,骨头断了。我坐了六周轮椅,然后用了两周拐杖。那次是与凡妮莎·雷德格雷夫一起排演《暴风雨》的最后一次带妆彩排;我对此最后的记忆是她穿着全套戏服在救护车旁向我挥手告别。那感觉极其超现实。
任何一个演员如果说他们不对寻找下一份工作感到恐惧,那一定是在撒谎。只要我还在工作,我一生都会如此。我的冒充者综合症曾多次严重到离谱。但你必须控制它。我花了 30 年时间才敢说自己可能是一个优秀的演员。
保罗主演的《厌世者》将在国家剧院上演至 8 月 1 日,该剧将于 9 月 22 日在电影院上映。他是演员信托基金 (Actors’ Trust) 的大使
文化
剧场
万鸟之王 (The King of All Birds) 爱尔兰剧作家兼表演者 Martha Knight 正在通过飞翔来探索爱尔兰的历史,同时俏皮地思考:谁才是万鸟之王?这部在都柏林边缘艺术节 (Dublin Fringe Festival) 上大获成功的视听体验,配有激昂的爱尔兰传统音乐。该剧由另一位才华横溢的剧作家 Joy Nesbitt 执导。 1.40pm, 6-31 Aug (not 17, 24), Summerhall 前男宾更衣室
Puck Bunnies: A Heated Rivalry 拖装音乐剧讽刺剧 《激烈的竞争》(Heated Rivalry) 在去年冬天通过描绘两名知名冰球运动员之间秘密的同性恋情,点燃了我们的屏幕。现在,由一个美国拖装国王 (drag kings) 和酷儿表演团体演出的喜剧音乐剧,将把这种渴望带到舞台上。护裆裤和假装的六块腹肌已准备就绪! 10.45pm, 5-31 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), Gilded Balloon Patter House 的 Other Yin
角色扮演 (Roleplay) 由 ag 以及《驯鹿宝贝》(Baby Reindeer) 制作人 Francesca Moody 创作的新剧总是令人期待。无论编剧/演员 Hannah Reilly 这部关于一名破产的、将自己重新定义为“色情网红”的女性主义播客主持人的黑色喜剧是否会演变成一部令人刷剧的电视剧,现在是你能在孕育了 Moody 早期项目的孵化环境中观看它的机会。 5.50pm, 6-31 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), Summerhall 的 TechCube 0
Sh!t Theatre: Evita Too 这部由 Rebecca Biscuit 和 Louise Mothersole 带来的离经叛道之作,讲述了世界上第一任女总统伊莎贝尔·佩隆 (Isabel Perón) 那个在很大程度上被遗忘的故事,同时质疑一名女性要如何才能被人们铭记。按照 Sh!t Theatre 的真实风格,剧中充满了各种看似随机但最终产生影响的插曲,从激情的演唱到全裸轮滑。 6.25pm, 7-30 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), Zoo Southside 的 Main House
阴谋 (The Plot) 在连续获得三个边缘艺术节热门剧目后,Emma Howlett 及其公司 TheatreGoose 带着一部关于托马斯和罗伯特·温图尔兄弟参与“火药阴谋”以及这起惨剧如何启发莎士比亚创作《麦克白》的戏剧回归。 7.30pm, 6-31 Aug (not 18, 25), Summerhall 的 Main Hall
避风港 (Sanctuary) 这是 Jacob Sparrow 的处女作,背景设定在艾滋病疫情高峰期,地点并非伦敦这样繁忙的大都市,而是在萨福克郡。它探讨了在这个敌对的历史章节中,那些酷儿所经历的孤独与羞耻——该剧作为 Leodis 奖(去年艺术节宣布的一项剧作比赛)的首位获奖作品来到了边缘艺术节。 4pm, 5-31 Aug (not 17), Pleasance Dome 的 Ace Dome
心跳强劲 (Heart Beats Strong) 这部由 Alfie Wickham, Kai Porter 和 Noah Manzoor 创作的戏剧基于表演者自身的青少年日记条目,定位为“对男性气质危机的解药”,讲述了三名处于成年边缘的年轻人面对该阶段所有挑战的故事。期待由肢体剧和舞蹈增强的叙事效果。 12.20pm, 5-31 Aug (not 12, 18, 25), Pleasance Courtyard 的 Bunker Two
你和我(以及接下来的任何人)(You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next)) 剧团 Patch of Blue 在将发人深省的作品带到边缘艺术节方面有着相当稳健的记录。他们的最新作品已经赢得了 2026 年玛丽·迪克奖 (Mary Dick Award),该奖项旨在支持聋哑或残疾艺术家。该剧灵感来自一个真实故事,配有现场民谣音乐,讲述了一个男人与其护理员之间令人动容、互助的关系。 3pm, 6-29 Aug (not 12, 18, 25), Summerhall 的 Old Lab
沼泽女巫 (Bog Witch) Bryony Kimmings 是最伟大的自传体剧场创作者之一,她的演出总是值得一看。这部作品记录了她为了追求“乡村生活” (cottagecore) 并为环境尽一份力而选择脱离电网生活。勇敢的人可以加入 Kimmings,在舞台上扮演一条鲭鱼、一只獾或地球的其他各种守护者。 Various times, 8-30 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), Traverse Theatre
孤独地大笑 (Laughing Out Lonely) 毫无疑问,我们日益数字化的生活已经导致了孤独症的流行。在这部沉浸式独唱歌剧中,丹麦假声男高音 Morten Grove Frandsen 将一系列年轻人撰写的社交媒体帖子编织成一幅合唱织锦;在 Louise Beck 的舞台呈现中,观众被邀请进入一个剧场回音室以共同见证。 不定期时间,8月18-30日(24日除外),Summerhall 解剖室 (Dissection Room)
水彩 (Water Colour) Milly Sweeney 的处女作去年在苏格兰的皮特洛克里节日剧院 (Pitlochry Festival Theatre) 首演,该剧赢得了多项奖项并获得了极高的评价。故事讲述了两名格拉斯哥人,他们在克莱德河上的一座桥上偶然相遇,这次相遇剧烈地改变了他们的人生观——一个向好,一个向坏。请随身携带纸巾。 不定期时间,8月6-30日(10, 17, 24日除外),Traverse 2
目标受众 (Target Audience) 去年,剧作家 Dan Bishop 通过《Brainsluts》带领观众进入了临床药物试验的世界,现在他带着另一部关于道德的喜剧回归。在这部剧中,一名电视编剧在纠结是否接受一份写“亲武器情景剧”的邀约,尽管这违背了他的所有原则,但报酬极其丰厚。 下午4.50,8月5-30日(17日除外),Pleasance Courtyard 的 Above
回家 (Come Back Home) 来自巴勒斯坦艺术家 Fadi Murad 的这部作品是对悲伤与失去的肆意审视,探讨了在内心深处携带家园意识意味着什么。该剧的片段曾在去年的边缘艺术节 (Fringe) 上演,并使 Murad 获得了 Summerhall 的慈善 Meadows 奖。 下午1.15,8月6-31日(17, 24日除外),Summerhall 解剖学讲堂 (Anatomy Lecture Theatre)
我们是伊恩 (We Are Ian) 前卫剧场煽动者 In Bed With My Brother 在过去十年中建立了一定的狂热追随群体。如果你现在才加入,不必担心:现在有机会观看 10 年前让他们真正成名的那部剧。这部剧回顾了 1989 年左右曼彻斯特的非法狂欢派对场景。 晚上11点,8月14-16日,Pleasance Courtyard 的 Beyond
QFWFQ 美国艺术家 Gregory Nussen 故意对他这部超现实主义作品的具体内容含糊其说。但它在 2025 年好莱坞边缘艺术节 (Hollywood Fringe) 获得最佳独演秀这一事实表明它很出色。我们已知它受到了伊塔洛·卡尔维诺 1979 年小说《如果在冬夜,一名旅者》的启发,并深入探讨了 Nussen 对地缘政治以及作为一名犹太同性恋者成长经历的理解。 上午11.40,8月6-31日(17, 24日除外),Summerhall 原男厕更衣室 (Former Gents Locker Room)
剧场亮点:《你和我(以及接下来的任何人)》(You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next))(主图);《孤独地大笑》(Laughing Out Lonely)(上方插图);《帕克兔》(Puck Bunnies)(左上方插图);《我们是伊恩》(We Are Ian)(左侧图) TOM INGVARDSEN, MATT AUSTIN
喜剧
Your Choice Amanda Royce 厌倦了被政治竞选人员堵在门口?这里有一个能让你大笑一场的节目。这部由国家剧院工作室负责人 Rachel Twigg 带来的首演作品,跨越了喜剧与戏剧的界限,讲述了一位强势的政治家在库尔登(Coulsdon)竞选市长期间频频出错,承诺要填补路面坑洞、削减肥胖率等。 5.10pm, 8月7-23日 (17日除外) Zoo Playground 的 Playground 3 剧场
Jordan Brookes: The Part of You That’s Always Screaming Brookes 在 2019 年赢得了一项享誉盛名的爱丁堡喜剧奖,之后数次受邀回归 Fringe 艺术节。他最近的作品,2024 年的《Fontanelle》,是一部出人意料且令人愉快的喜剧,通过歌曲尝试对泰坦尼克号发表一些新见解。而这一次的作品听起来更令人不安:它灵感源自一次“震惊的火车事件”,探讨了一种不安的感觉——某种阴森之物正潜伏在视线之外。 9.45pm, 8月5-30日 (17日除外), Pleasance Dome 的 Queen Dome
Birds: Alex Hines & Sarah Stafford 这部澳大利亚引进剧被诱人地描述为《等待戈多》遇见《Kath and Kim》,在去年的墨尔本喜剧节上曾是获奖热门。Hines 饰演一名离过五次婚的富翁,Stafford 饰演一名有 12 个儿子的母亲,两人在海滩上聊天,全然不知阳光正在融化他们的皮肤,而世界在他们周围燃烧。 7pm, 8月5-30日 (12, 19, 26日除外), Assembly George Square 的 The Box
Larry Dean: Hellbent Dean 对 Fringe 艺术节并不陌生,将人生中的创伤篇章转化为令观众捧场的单口喜剧秀更是他的拿手好戏。不过,这位格拉斯哥人现在因电视演出而名声大噪,最近出现在了《周六夜现场》(Saturday Night Live)中。在他开启大规模英国巡演之前,快去看看他的最新节目——一部关于婚姻、情感成熟以及拒绝长大的沉思录。 6.30pm, 8月5-30日 (16日除外), Pleasance Courtyard 的 Beyond
喜剧亮点:“Crybabies: The Scaring”(上方);“Birds: Alex Hines & Sarah Stafford”(下方插图);Ania Magliano(左下) REBECCA NEED-MENEAR
Crybabies: The Scaring 素描喜剧三人组 Crybabies 回来了,带来一个关于前牧师的故事:他入住一家偏远酒店,结果发现自己被这里的恶魔追杀。幸运的是,一位死去很久的客人的鬼魂站在他这边。制片人 Francesca Moody 和导演 Jon Brittain(《Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!》)的参与预示着该剧颇具潜力。 8pm, 8月5-30日 (15, 18日除外), Pleasance Courtyard 的 Pleasance 2
Kim Blythe: Puzzle 这位擅长网络列表类小品的苏格兰喜剧演员第三年回归并带来新剧。由于宣传语由填字游戏线索组成,至于具体内容,你的猜测和我一样准确,但 Blythe 永远不缺灵感。 7pm, 8月5-31日 (17日除外), Gilded Balloon Patter House 的 Doonstairs
In the Doghouse with Joe Kent-Walters 这是一个为夜猫子准备的节目:Kent-Walters 和他阴森的另一个人格 Frankie Monroe 连续第三年回归 Fringe 艺术节。这一次他承诺会带来某种游戏节目,以及特别嘉宾和奖品。他还将于 8 月 24 日在 Monkey Barrel 3 演出一次性的《A Show For Babies》,并于 8 月 28 日在 Shedinburgh 演出他的在研作品《Trowel of Tralee》。 1.30am, 8月25-31日, Monkey Barrel 4
Ania Magliano: Peach Fuzz Magliano 是目前炙手可热的喜剧人物。由于最近在《周六夜现场》的“周末更新”(Weekend Update)环节担任共同主持人而进入主流视野,她现在带着新剧巡演回归舞台,探讨如何尝试重新与自己的身体达成和谐。 时间不一, 8月5-22日 (11, 18, 25日除外), Monkey Barrel 3
Sasha Nezlobin: I’m Fine Nezlobin 曾在俄罗斯拥有成功的喜剧事业,一部基于其真实生活的轻喜剧让他家喻户晓。但由于他是该国乌克兰战争的激烈批评者,他被迫逃离。现在定居美国的他,承担起了用英语表演喜剧这一艰巨任务。幸运的是,他那冷峻的幽默感依然完好。 9.30pm, 8月5-31日 (15-18日除外), Pleasance Dome 的 10 Dome
Ayoade Bamgboye:《摇摆与环形路》/《闲谈》 对于 Bamgboye 来说,这是意义重大的一年。自从去年 8 月在 Fringe 艺术节凭借《摇摆与环形路》(Swings and Roundabouts)首次亮相,并斩获备受追捧的“最佳新人奖”以来,这位英籍尼日利亚人加入了全新版《周六夜现场》英国站(Saturday Night Live UK)的演员阵容。她的星途无疑正处于上升期,此次她将带着让她成名的演出以及一部新的在研作品《闲谈》(Small Talk)重返 Fringe。 《摇摆与环形路》,晚上 10pm,8 月 20-22 日,Pleasance Courtyard 的 Fourth 剧场;《闲谈》,下午 12.05pm,8 月 16-20 日,Monkey Barrel 2
Sofie Hagen:《我认为部分原因在我》 Hagen 幽默风趣的喜剧风格让她在 2015 年的 Fringe 艺术节上赢得了最佳新人奖。尽管她的语气讽刺,但她的现场演出往往营造出一种我们同在其中的温馨感。不过这次也许不同:这位丹麦喜剧演员将带来关于法西斯主义兴起的沉思。但即使这次的主题比她平时的素材严肃一些,毫无疑问,她仍会以一种俏皮的方式来处理。 下午 3.20pm,8 月 4-30 日(10, 17, 24 日除外),Monkey Barrel 1
Will Adamsdale:《AI,AI,哦……》(或者说,我如何用 ChatGPT 写了一部热门情景喜剧,但我们现在不说话了) Adamsdale 肯定没有真的让机器人代表他写一部情景喜剧(或者至少不是一部真正的),但这部标题经过精心设计的“机器人兄弟情”听起来,可能会在 AI 步步逼近抢走我们工作之时,提供我们所有人都在渴望的宣泄感。 下午 1.45pm,8 月 7-29 日(18 日除外),George Square 的 Underbelly Bluebell 剧场
Rose Matafeo:在研作品 早晨一小时 “我想谈谈某件事,但我还不知道是什么”,这位新西兰人的在研作品介绍就这样开篇。这听起来或许不像是在呐喊“Fringe 必选”,但考虑到 Matafeo 就像一个单人热门作品工厂——2018 年的《Horndog》、2024 年的《On and On and On》,以及她的电视情景喜剧《Starstruck》全部三季都受到了热烈追捧——这场演出不应错过。 上午 11.05am,8 月 17-30 日,Monkey Barrel 1
FRIDAY 24 JULY 2026
Imogen Andrews:《不可爱之虫》 Andrews 是 Z 世代喜剧演员浪潮中的一员,他们选择先在网络上积累大量追随者,然后再在 Fringe 现场亮相,她是值得关注的一员。作为一名角色喜剧演员,她的衣橱里充满了各种人格设定,且擅长讽刺互联网上一些最令人反感的趋势——她的首场演出将把她的某些另类人格释放到野外。 晚上 9.30pm,Pleasance Dome 的 Ace Dome,8 月 5-31 日(17 日除外)
电视
周五
“我
我也能变得 相当可怕’
保罗·雷迪与费奥娜·斯图吉斯探讨在 AI 喜剧《安·德罗德》(Ann Droid)中与《母亲之国》(Motherland)的合作演员戴安·摩根重聚、酩酊大醉的经历,以及他为何热爱饰演心理变态角色。
“很多人看我的时候,会觉得我是一个温柔的人,”演员保罗·雷迪(Paul Ready)说道。“在现实生活中我也确实很温柔。但如果你把这种温柔重新定义,它就会变得相当可怕,而人们对此毫无防备。”
雷迪最出名的是他在《母亲之国》中的角色,这部热门喜剧系列以一种凛冽且毫无掩饰的方式刻画了为人父母的压力。
他在剧中饰演心地善良的凯文(Kevin),是一群中产阶级伦敦母亲中唯一的全职爸爸。凯文试图激发他戏外妻子对性的兴趣,这段情节让人想起《弗雷泽》(Frasier)中尼尔斯·克林(Niles Crane)那些带有悲喜剧色彩的尝试。
雷迪说,当陌生人找他聊天时,他们最想谈论的就是凯文。他对人们如此喜爱这部剧感到高兴,不过他补充道:“我一直对扮演许多不同类型的角色感兴趣。[刚出道时] 我担心自己会被困在某种特定类型和特定角色中……如果我被定型了,我就会停止。我想我会去做其他事情。”
正因如此,现年 49 岁且在剧场磨练演技的雷迪,每当机会出现时,都非常享受扮演古怪之人和疯子的机会。
他在 2013 年的突破性电视角色是科幻剧《乌托邦》(Utopia)中的李(Lee),一个留着背头、以折磨人为乐并在剧中用勺子挖出一个人眼睛的杀手。他将此归功于导演马克·门登(Marc Munden)“看到了我的温柔,然后说:‘让我们看看他演心理变态会怎么样。’这为我打开了大门。”
雷迪最近的一部电影是 2025 年的《让他们下来》(Bring Them Down),这是一部关于农耕家庭之间世仇的复仇剧,他在片中饰演加里(Gary),他是巴里·基奥根(Barry Keoghan)饰演的杰克(Jack)那个脾气古怪的父亲。一位评论家甚至评价雷迪“完全认不出来,而且坦白说相当可怕”。“这部电影非常阴暗,并不适合所有人,”雷迪说,“但我热爱其中的每一分钟。”
雷迪是通过视频从他位于肯特郡的家中进行访谈的,他与伴侣——演员兼莎士比亚环球剧场艺术总监米歇尔·特里(Michelle Terry)以及他们的女儿住在一起。他此次是为了讨论《安·德罗德》(Ann Droid),这是由编剧兼演员戴安·摩根(Diane Morgan)和莎拉·肯德尔(Sarah Kendall)创作的新喜剧系列。《罗尔一家》(The Royle Family)的苏·约翰斯顿(Sue Johnston)饰演苏(Sue),一名孤独的寡妇,最近因一次跌倒而住院。
雷迪饰演迈克尔(Michael),苏那个自我中心、意志薄弱的儿子,在与母亲共同生活一段时间后,他决定搬回与他那风流成性的妻子(肯德尔 饰)同住。正是迈克尔想到了雇佣琳达(Linda,摩根 饰)——一个廉价的家用机器人来帮苏打理家务。起初,苏抗拒机器人伴侣这个想法,但很快她与琳达就变得形影不离。
迈克尔可能不是一个心理变态——但雷迪说,“他是一个自私的角色,演起来很有趣。我对他的处境有同情心,因为他只是在尝试寻找度过自己生活的方法。但他也由于经常做出糟糕的选择而缺乏自信。”
雷迪对于能与摩根重聚感到非常兴奋,摩根在《母亲之国》中饰演讽刺的单亲妈妈利兹(Liz),且因同样刻薄的《菲洛美娜·坎克》(Philomena Cunk)而获得赞誉。考虑到摩根作为“冷面笑匠”女王的地位,雷迪说,“她非常适合扮演机器人。即便你的脸没有任何表情,但在场景中依然能够传达出某种东西,这是一项挑战。在《母亲之国》的拍摄现场,当某些场景持续很长时间且需要多次拍摄时,安娜 [麦克斯韦尔-马丁] 和我经常开玩笑说:‘噢等等,黛(Di)把她的机器人派来了。’黛的脸当时就像在说:‘够了,我不干了。’所以我一点也不惊讶她现在在演机器人。”
与许多探讨技术侵蚀主题并倾向于...
在恐怖元素的衬托下,安·卓(Ann Droid)显得甜美且最终令人振奋。“苏和琳达的关系揭示了许多关于人类孤独的问题,”雷迪(Ready)解释道。“该剧探讨的问题之一是:AI能否填补这种关系上的空白?喜剧的一部分职责就是审视围绕这些问题的真相并开启[对话],但要以轻盈的方式进行。”雷迪在伯明翰的哈博恩(Harborne)长大,在学校时便迷上了表演。14岁时,他加入了一个当地的戏剧小组,随后就读于伦敦音乐与戏剧学院(LAMDA)。他提到,自己从小就对“人与人之间不同的动态关系以及表象之下的深层含义”感兴趣。在职业生涯早期,他曾深受严重的舞台恐惧症困扰。“我会变得非常焦虑。那时体内会有大量的肾上腺素,我开始怀疑:‘我为什么要让自己经历这些?’但随后我开始明白,在‘战斗或逃跑’的时刻所发生的一切,仅仅是身体在为真正地投入其中做准备。”在过去的25年里,雷迪一直在稳定地工作,出演过包括《飞过uckoo之巢》(One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)、《巴芭拉少校》(Major Barbara)、《闹剧》(Noises Off)、《量好心弦》(Much Ado About Nothing)和《麦克白》(Macbeth)在内的舞台剧,同时也出现在《生活开始》(Life Begins)、《霍比市》(Holby City)、《拉扯》(Pulling)和《丝绸》(Silk)等长寿电视剧集中。《乌托邦》(Utopia)为雷迪带来了他第一个丰厚的经常性角色,但真正让他出名的则是2016年首播的《母亲之地》(Motherland)。“《母亲之地》确实改变了我的处境,让我变得被大众熟知……我热爱小丑角色,而凯文就是一个小丑。但其中也有一种忧郁感,我们努力地为他寻找那种平衡。虽然凯文是一个搞笑人物,但他不能太滑稽,否则会削弱他所代表的意义——即一个尽力而为的父亲。我发现这很有意思,因为有些男性对他完全不喜欢,也不喜欢他们所感知到的‘弱点’。”雷迪最喜欢的角色之一出现在2018年的《恐怖》(The Terror)中,该剧讲述了1845年那次注定失败的富兰克林探险队,当时两艘船试图穿越西北航道,船员们死于铅中毒、饥饿、坏血病或被谋杀。雷迪饰演了亨利·古德塞(Henry Goodsir),一名苏格兰医生兼博物学家,他自杀后被船友吃掉。该剧获得了极高的评价,但也给雷迪带来了一个他不愿再次尝试的挑战:导演们决定为演员制作一个石膏模具,而不是让他扮演古德塞的尸体。“于是我穿着内裤,面对下趴在匈牙利一家艺术家工作室的石板上,好几个人在我身上抹黏土,”雷迪回忆道。“那感觉非常暴露。我不知道在我内裤被剪掉的时候,房间里有多少人。”石膏浇筑过程必须分两部分进行,“否则身体无法呼吸。所以在完成身体部分后,他们做了我的头部,并给了我一根吸管用来呼吸。在那一刻,我需要极度的禅定,因为那是我经历过的最令人幽闭恐惧的体验。”最终的成品模型与他如此之像,令他惊叹不已。他唯一的遗憾是没能把它带回家作为纪念品:“我多希望能把它放在花园里,在它的屁股里插个花盆。”雷迪的下一个项目是《小动物》(Little Animals),这是一个由他编写的个人剧,将于下个月在爱丁堡艺穗节(Edinburgh Fringe)演出。该剧旨在应对我们日益分裂的世界,讲述了两个男人之间因气候危机产生分歧而破裂的友谊。他说,这部作品“专门设计为不仅在剧院空间演出,而且是在一圈椅子中演出,这样演员和观众就能全部聚集在一起。面对所有关于技术的焦虑,我认为人类聚集在一个可以让真实连接发生的地方,本身就具有某种力量。”
星期五 2026年7月24日
凯文曾是一个 尽职尽责的 父亲,但 有些男人 并不喜欢 他们所认为的 他的软弱
《安·卓伊德》(‘Ann Droid’)现已在 BBC iPlayer 上线
明日预告
全英最奇特的 节日庆典
能让你饱腹的 夏季沙拉
假期最佳 儿童新书推荐
图书
Avni Doshi 曾入围布克奖的处女作小说《焦糖》(Burnt Sugar)的主题是母亲与女儿。或者更准确地说,是拥有一个有毒母亲所带来的漫长且伤痕累累的遗产。四年后,Doshi 的第二部小说《第一座房子》(The First House)探讨了面临考验的家庭纽带——这一次聚焦于一段充满困扰的婚姻。那么,Doshi 本人最推崇的关于功能失调家庭的书籍有哪些呢?
J
“我还没听过有人将《素食者》讨论为一部关于家庭的小说,但在我看来,它正是如此。这本书围绕着英惠展开,一个女人停止吃肉,这让周围的所有人都感到惊恐。她想变成植物;而他们认为她精神失常。 “故事分为三个部分。第一部分由女子的丈夫讲述,第二部分由她的姐夫讲述,第三部分由她的姐姐讲述。当我第一次阅读时,我对我们最亲密的人竟然可以显得如此陌生而感到震惊。英惠对真实性的坚持,为那些与她最亲近的人举起了一面令人不安的镜子。”
咖啡桌 之选
THE VEGETARIAN(《素食者》) 韩江 (Granta Books, £9.99)
Scott Offen 和他的伴侣 Grace 共同创作了一部视觉效果惊人的专著,在书中,后者摆脱了日常责任,进入一片逻辑消散的童话森林,Grace 变成了“一位准备战斗的北欧女神,一名在树下休息的西尔芙( sylph),一位野性的神灵”。因此,《Grace》(L’Artiere, £60)是一部如梦似幻的作品,在 Offen 的话中,特定年龄段的女性在其中不再是隐形人,而是走进了一个可能性无穷的世界,而她们的想象力赋予了她们自由。
A HEART SO WHITE(《如此洁白的心》) 哈维尔·马里亚斯 (Penguin Classics, £10.99)
“这本书可能包含了我能想到的功能最失调的家庭之一。第一句话就像坐过山车一样,描述了在叙述者出生前发生的一场震惊的悲剧:一名年轻的新娘去世了,她的妹妹接替了她的位置。
“从此展开的故事和秘密笼罩着现在。作者以极深且清晰的笔触,描写了家庭如何滋养并毒害其成员。”
MY PHANTOMS(《我的幻影》) 格温多琳·赖利 (Granta Books, £9.99)
“这部小说的叙述者是父母离婚的两姐妹中的妹妹。故事开始于一段关于她自私且格外令人反感的父亲的简短描述,随后正式介绍了她的母亲,后者对女儿们充满竞争心且心怀妒忌。 “父母双方都完全缺乏自我意识。Riley 是对话天才,绝望感往往交织在角色之间令人捧腹大笑的互动之中。”
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE(《傲慢与偏见》) 简·奥斯汀 (Penguin Classics, £8.99)
“多年来我重读了简·奥斯汀的许多小说,其中大多数的核心都是功能失调的家庭动态,但班内特一家那种特殊的疯狂是我最喜欢的。
“这本书为家庭混乱提供了完美的设定——五个没有嫁妆来推荐自己的女儿,必须找到合适的(且希望是富有的)丈夫。 “多年来,我一直关注班内特太太那种偏执与天真的奇特结合,但后来我开始欣赏班内特先生的幽默和随和实际上是如何掩盖他对家庭的忽视的。”
WILL AND TESTAMENT(《遗嘱》) 维格迪丝·约尔特 (Verso Books, £10.99)
“这也许是我多年来读过最令人心碎的家庭史诗,但它讲述得极其微妙且精炼。
“在族长去世后,一场家庭遗产纠纷展开,但很快人们就清楚地意识到,这场分歧实际上是关于一个污染了他们数十年关系的秘密。 “句子简练,但每个词的选择都极具效果。在家庭成员之间重复出现的短语积累了意义与恐怖感。我无法放下这本书,我对 Hjorth 的能力深感敬畏。”
《The First House》(£16.99, Hamish Hamilton)现已发售
仅仅因为你打算在泳池边躺平,试图逃离日常生活的压力,并不意味着你在日光浴躺椅上懒散时就必须阅读女性通俗小说或机场惊悚小说。放松也可以与钻研另一个时代并行不悖。想和一些一战诗人一起逃往战壕,或者与禁欲的僧侣一起前往 14 世纪的修道院吗?或者,维多利亚时代的伦敦犯罪底层世界,亦或是美国内战前密苏里州的奴隶市场(愉快吗)?这里有一些最适合在假期享受的历史小说佳作……
我的天才女友 (MY BRILLIANT FRIEND) 埃莱娜·费兰特 (2011)
这部那不勒斯系列小说对女性友谊进行了极其细致入微的剖析,而第一本书或许是最私密的,深入探讨了埃莱娜和莉拉在 50 年代的童年友谊,一切由此开始。这两个女孩既具竞争意识又充满野心,同时又忠诚且深情,她们从一开始就被彼此吸引,在战后意大利那不勒斯的贫困与紧张局势,以及当时女性社会预期变化的共同影响下,永远地联系在了一起。安·戈德斯坦的翻译堪称杰作,将意大利语口语中独特且律动的节奏呈献给了英语读者。这是一个让你在海滩上沉浸其中的成长故事。
布鲁克林 (BROOKLYN) 科尔姆·托宾 (2009)
这部作品在 2015 年被改编成由西尔莎·罗南主演的优秀电影。这是这位备受赞誉的爱尔兰作家最出色的小说之一,比 2024 年的续作《长岛》(Long Island) 更加充满希望,且篇幅更短,使其成为一本节奏轻快的假日读物。艾丽丝·莱西是一个爱尔兰工人阶级女孩,她前往纽约工作,将家人和 50 年代爱尔兰的经济停滞留在身后。托宾用谨慎且克制的散文优美地描述了她强烈的思乡之情,以及她与当地男孩以及与美国本身的爱情故事。
玫瑰的名字 (THE NAME OF THE ROSE) 翁贝托·埃科 (1980)
可以将其想象为拥有高智商的丹·布朗作品。翁贝托·埃科的这部经典之作设定在 1327 年,叙述者阿德索作为方济各会修士威廉·巴斯克维尔(没错,就像夏洛克·福尔摩斯一样,懂了吧?)的助手,前往意大利北部的一座修道院。那里正发生着一场关于教会性质与财富的深远神学争端。哦,还有数量不断增加的谋杀案。这是一部关于知识危险性的极其丰富且复杂的文本。
将信仰与理性潜入进一部极其有趣的谋杀谜案中。
《纪念之书》(IN MEMORIAM) 艾丽丝·温 (Alice Winn) (2023)
追随许多忧郁战争小说的足迹,从《赎罪》到《鸟鸣》,温的书是一部关于普雷舒特(Preshute,即马尔伯勒学院)两名年轻学生之间禁忌之爱的现代经典之作,温本人曾在那里就读。那是 1914 年,在战争的现实降临在他们身上之前,男孩们仍在校园里就战争是否为“必要的恶”进行理智的辩论。从西格弗里德·萨松(Siegfried Sassoon)和罗伯特·格雷夫斯(Robert Graves)那里汲取灵感,其文字抒情且带有美妙的苦涩感。
《指中窃贼》(FINGERSMITH) 萨拉·沃特斯 (Sarah Waters) (2002)
很难在沃特斯的小说中选出最好的一部,但这本可能名列前茅,它具有无与伦比的能力,能让你深陷于维多利亚时代伦敦的狄更斯式犯罪地下世界,同时读起来依然像一本标准的页码翻页快书。故事围绕女仆苏(Sue)及其在欺骗女继承人老板莫德(Maud)中的不情愿参与而展开,其中包含窃贼、浪漫爱情以及对阶级和性别的复杂探讨。哦,还有一段足以与《消失的爱人》媲美的反转。
《消失的一半》(THE VANISHING HALF) 布里特·贝内特 (Brit Bennett) (2020)
在这个巧妙处理的故事中,种族隔离在美国深南地区依然根深蒂固。两名肤色较浅的黑人姐妹在如何度过人生方面做出了不同的选择——一个选择“伪装”成白人,而另一个则以黑人身份生活,以及随之而来的所有(令人悲哀地)可以预见的后果。这是一个扣人心弦的故事,同时也是对种族主义、自我认同、代际偏见和时间流逝的巧妙探讨,书中的时间线从 1950 年代跨越到 1990 年代。
《狼殿堂》(WOLF HALL) 希拉里·曼特尔 (Hilary Mantel) (2009)
是否还有另一部历史小说能如此改变人们对一个真实人物的认知?曼特尔以其亲密且直接的口吻,带我们进入托马斯·克伦威尔(Thomas Cromwell)的大脑内部,让我们看到这个精明、白手起家的幸存者,他既能拥有深沉的爱与忠诚,同时也是安妮·博林(Anne Boleyn)垮台背后的操纵者。此外,我们还能如此清晰地看到亨利八世,他并非我们习以为常的卡通式反派,而是一个深受钦佩但情绪多变的讲故事的人。
《奇迹》(THE WONDER) 艾玛·多诺休 (Emma Donoghue) (2016)
多诺休最著名的是入围布克奖的《房间》,而这部书则显得不那么张扬,但在所有正确的地方都恰到好处。该书基于“禁食女孩”的真实故事——那些被认为在长时间不进食的情况下仍能生存的年轻女性。这是一个关于 1850 年代马铃薯饥荒期间爱尔兰贫困和危险宗教狂热的故事,感觉戏剧化但从未变得夸张。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日
《宠儿》(BELOVED) 托妮·莫里森 (Toni Morrison) (1987)
如果你喜欢今年奥斯卡大获成功的一部作品《罪人》(Sinners),那么你会爱上这部普利策奖获奖作品,它同样利用超自然恐怖来探讨系统性压迫与丧失。在美国内战后,一名住在辛辛那提的前黑奴赛西(Sethe)与女儿住在一栋闹鬼的房子里,这时一个名叫“宠儿”的神秘年轻女子出现,迫使赛西面对奴隶制的创伤。当你躺在太阳椅上有大把时间时,这是一部在情感上极具冲击力的读物。
《毒药木圣经》(THE POISONWOOD BIBLE) 芭芭拉·金索尔弗 (Barbara Kingsolver) (1998)
一名傲慢的浸理会牧师和他的家人于 1959 年前往刚果担任传教士,正值该国艰难赢得独立之前,他们认为自己可以帮助那些其实根本不想被帮助的当地人。通过五个截然不同的叙事声音和金索尔弗典型的敏锐社会政治观察,这部作品既由人物驱动,又深深植根于其时代和地点。读完这本书,你不仅会了解刚果的历史,还会了解到——并对——其他人对其了解之少而感到震惊。
《詹姆斯》(JAMES) 珀西瓦尔·埃弗里特 (Percival Everett) (2024)
你不必读过《哈克贝利·芬》也能享受这部作品。它以一种直击人心、节奏飞快且在某种程度上令人捧腹的视角,审视了南北战争前美国时期的种族主义,故事由逃亡奴隶吉姆的视角展开。埃弗里特重新构思了马克·吐温的素材,赋予了我们一个聪明得多的吉姆——他使用奴隶俚语来愚弄周围的白人,他博学且恐惧,而且没错,极其幽默。我仍然不明白一本描写私刑和奴隶制其他恐怖方面的书是如何能如此搞笑的,但它确实做到了。
《水之盟约》 (THE COVENANT OF WATER) 亚伯拉罕·维吉斯 (2023)
这是一个宏大的家族史诗,始于 1900 年的喀拉拉邦,讲述了一个深受诅咒困扰、接连发生溺水事件的家庭的三代故事。它极其沉浸地描绘了季风天空和椰子树的景象,通过印度南部古老的叙利亚基督徒社区之眼,将我们一路带向英属印度统治时期的最后日子。
如果把我们与贝佐斯和马斯克相比,我们绝对是那个勇敢的后起之秀。你不会听到我谈论开采火星轨道的 asteroid。
彼得·贝克爵士 (Sir Peter Beck) Rocket Lab 的亿万富翁创始人,谈及与蓝色起源 (Blue Origin) 及 SpaceX 卫星的竞争
@theipaper
business@theipaper.com
巴克莱银行被指“未能调查”与埃普斯坦的联系
作者:Simon Straker
作者:Simon Straker
美国参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦 (Elizabeth Warren) 要求巴克莱银行就其在调查前首席执行官杰斯·斯特雷利 (Jes Staley) 与杰弗里·埃普斯坦 (Jeffrey Epstein) 关系时,涉嫌“显然未能进行实质性调查”一事给出“紧急答复”。
在写给巴克莱银行董事长尼格尔·希金斯 (Nigel Higgins) 的信中,沃伦指责这家英国银行未能揭露其前高管与已故被定罪性犯罪者之间长达数十年的关系。
沃伦在美国参议院银行委员会中担任最高级别的民主党人,她的这次高调介入,升级了围绕华尔街与埃普斯坦历史联系的政治和监管压力。
该信函是与美国国会代表协同发送的——
[[IMG_XXXX]] 泽西岛圣奥宾的博波特海滩 (Beauport Beach) 是数千名访问该岛的 Jet2 客户的受欢迎去处 GETTY
Jet2 在新航线启动中将泽西岛供应量增加至三倍
Jet2 宣布对其 2027 年夏季计划进行重大扩张,从伯恩茅斯(Bournemouth)和伦敦斯坦斯特德(London Stansted)机场推出全新的独家航线,将其在泽西岛(Jersey)销售的座位数增加至三倍,达到 155,000 个。
在伯恩茅斯,Jet2 将开通每周两次(周一和周五)前往法国巴黎的航班,以及周三前往意大利维罗纳(Verona)的航班,同时开辟周六前往泽西岛的时段。
这些新增加的航线意味着,这家英国最大的旅游运营商和第三大航空公司将在伯恩茅斯运行其规模最大的夏季计划,涵盖 22 条航线,销售座位数超过 320,000 个——比今年增加了 8% 以上。
在伦敦斯坦斯特德,Jet2 还将推出一条前往泽西岛的独家航线,每周二、周四和周六有三班飞行。
随着近期新增了巴黎、突尼斯、拉帕尔马(La Palma),以及埃及的胡尔格达(Hurghada)和沙姆舍赫(Sharm El Sheikh)、希腊的萨莫斯岛(Thassos,经卡瓦拉中转)和西班牙的阿尔梅里亚海岸(Costa de Almeria)等目的地,这将使其从明年夏天起在斯坦斯特德的供应量提升至 55 条航线,可用座位数超过 2.4 百万个。
Jet2 表示,针对前往泽西岛航班需求的增长,公司推出了预订该岛行程可减免 £60 的优惠活动。
该公司首席执行官 Steve Heapy 表示:“我们期待在明年夏天带领更多客户出国。这一新方案为他们下次夏季飞行和度假提供了更多选择和灵活性。”
美国参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦(Elizabeth Warren)已给巴克莱银行(Barclays)两周时间做出回应。
[[IMG_XXXX]]
Staley 还在加利福尼亚州洛杉矶面临一项诉讼,指控他与巴克莱银行在关于他与 Epstein 关系的问题上欺骗了股东。他已请求撤销此案。
(接前文)代表 Ro Khanna 和 Raja Krishnamoorthi 提出了要求,给巴克莱银行两周期限来回答有关其处理信息和数据的问题。
沃伦对 Staley 在 2015 年出任首席执行官之前的审核过程表示怀疑,并质疑该行随后如何未能发现他与 Epstein 的联系——根据信函,他维持了这段关系。
此次调查聚焦于公司治理中的潜在缺陷,法律工作者要求得知是否进行了针对招聘“缺陷”的内部审查。
沃伦声称,这些管控机制“允许董事会招聘一名与被定罪性犯罪者关系密切的高管”。
此次调查源于英国法律程序的披露,其中揭露巴克莱银行在告知监管机构该关系已结束之前,并未直接就 Staley 与 Epstein 的互动进行询问。
Staley 于 2021 年因对其与 Epstein 关系描述的调查而从巴克莱银行辞职,他原定于昨晚在美众议院监督委员会的一场闭门听证会上作证。
去年 6 月,他针对金融行为监管局(FCA)因他在 Epstein 关系问题上误导英国监管机构而对其实施的行业禁令提出了上诉,但上诉被驳回。FCA 引用了两名当事人之间 1,000 封以上的电子邮件,在其中 Staley 将 Epstein 称为“家人”。
Staley 表示他对这些邮件没有记忆,且尽管与对方保持密切的职业关系,但对他所犯的罪行并不知情。
Staley 的律师未立即回应置评请求。
易捷航空(EasyJet)等待被收购,利润暴跌 70%
作者:Holly Williams
易捷航空披露,其季度利润同比暴跌 70%,至 £85m。两周前,该公司原则上同意了美国私募股权公司阿波罗(Apollo)提出的 £5.7bn 收购方案。
这家廉价航空公司表示,由于伊朗战争的影响,其燃料成本额外增加了 £105m,同时也导致提前预订量下降,因为乘客倾向于在临近出发日期时才下单。
该公司表示,近期预订量已开始改善,但由于全球局势动荡,全年的整体结果仍不确定。
该季度乘客人数下降 0.4 per cent 至 25.8 million,同时其客座率(衡量航空公司飞机填充率的关键指标)也有所下降。
易捷航空表示,为了提振低迷的需求,票价下调了 1 per cent,并承诺在 9 月底前将维持较低票价,以避免将燃料成本的增加转嫁给乘客。
该公司还报告称,由于新的欧洲出入境系统,学校假期开始时机场边检的排队情况好于预期,因为各国在实施相关要求方面拥有一定的灵活性。
易捷航空度假部门的利润从一年前的 £86m 下降至 £84m,不过这代表了市场份额的增加。
在介入此前几天由竞争对手美国投资公司 Castlelake 提出的 £5.5bn 报价(该报价此前也已获得原则性同意)之后,阿波罗尚未为这家航空公司提交正式报价——根据金融城(City)的收购规则,其必须在 8 月 7 日之前提交竞标,否则将退出。
“在电视事业迎来转机之前, 我每周只赚 £10”
在我们的“我如何管理我的钱”系列中,我们了解英国境内或海外生活的人们是如何通过消费、储蓄和投资来应对开支并实现目标的。本周,我们采访了《Ibiza Weekender》明星及《名人老大哥》(Celebrity Big Brother) 冠军大卫·波茨 (DAVID POTTS),33 岁。他透露了自己是如何从每周赚 £10 的马场工作者成长为一名电视从业者,以及他现在为何要购买第二套房产。
人物
在你成长过程中,家里的经济情况是怎样的? 我来自波尔顿,那是一个典型的工人阶级城镇,但我认为自己相当幸运。我的母亲是一名运动治疗师,父亲是一名警察,所以我们的成长环境非常稳定。 我们以前会去度假,也会收到很棒的礼物,但我们绝不是想要什么就给什么。如果我想要钱和朋友一起去电影院,我父母会说:“好吧,先来帮我们做些家务。” 我有两个兄弟,我们三个人在成长过程中都明白,如果你想要好的东西,就必须为此努力工作。我的父母当时工作极其努力,现在依然如此。
“我有两个兄弟,我们三个人在成长过程中都明白,如果你想要好的东西,就必须为此努力工作,”大卫·波茨说 WIREIMAGE
你关于赚钱的第一段记忆是什么? 我大约 12 岁时开始送报纸,但只坚持了大约两周。我想我只干了一天,然后我在上学期间大部分时间是由我母亲帮我送的。 我的第一份正式工作是在农场。农场主照顾马匹和 RSPCA(英国皇家防止虐待动物协会)的动物,我会在放学后和周末帮她。我每周拿 £10 工资,我简直太喜欢了。 我也一直相对擅长储蓄,因为总有我想买的东西,无论是新骑马靴还是给马准备的某种东西。 因为我母亲是自雇人士,她一直使用这种“信封系统”。她会准备一个度假信封、一个购物信封以及所有这些小额资金池。如果我们想存钱,她会告诉我们将钱放入信封中。现在回想起来,我可能从中学到了很多。
在进入电视行业之前,你是做什么的? 我取得了骑马教练资格,从事了大约三年。然后我意识到我想在周一到周五工作,因为我比较喜欢派对,而当你从事马匹相关工作时,周末是最忙的时候。 我在苏格兰皇家银行 (Royal Bank of Scotland) 找了一份工作,之后在 Tesco Mobile 工作。
《IBIZA WEEKENDER》如何改变了你的财务状况? 不是立刻改变的。人们认为只要上了电视就绝对是大富翁,但事实并非如此。在拍摄第一季《Ibiza Weekender》[一部 ITV2 现实节目,关注年轻人周末度假] 之前,我从父母那里借了 £1,000,因为我想买一套新衣服,并准备一些在那里的消费资金。 第一季,我想我们每天大约拿 £80 工资。你是按拍摄天数拿钱,然后当你回到伦敦进行媒体宣传和额外拍摄时,会再次获得报酬。但这绝对不是能改变生活的钱。
过了多久你才觉得电视事业在财务上有了保障? 很长一段时间。我已经从事这个行业大约 10 年了,我想至少花了三四年时间
新闻 观点 电视 周五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
在我感到财务稳定之前。 在拍完第一季《Weekender》后, 我仍然在母亲家附近的一家 酒吧工作。然后我搬到了 马加路夫(Magaluf),在拍摄间隙 在那里工作了整个夏季。 我在马加路夫赚了很多钱。 我的房租大约每周 €100 (£85),而我每周 能赚约 €500。当时 在那里的生活成本非常低, 因为你的房租 几乎涵盖了所有费用。 我成功存了几千英镑。 我会从马加路夫飞去拍摄 《Weekender》,然后直接飞回 继续工作,再飞回去 参加更多拍摄。回想起来, 这听起来很疯狂,但我很喜欢。 直到我开始获得其他机会, 比如《Celebrity
Potts 在拍摄第一季 《Ibiza Weekender》时的 日薪 £80
我现在存的钱比以前 多得多,而且我并不 太花钱买名牌产品
Dinner Date 和 《Celebs Go Dating》 之后,我的财务状况才真正开始 迅速增长。
你做过最赚钱的工作是什么? 圣诞剧(Pantomime)的报酬非常高。 人们没有意识到这一点,但除非 你在参加像《Strictly》这样的节目, 否则圣诞期间没有太多电视工作。 这就是为什么这么多电视业人士 去演圣诞剧的原因之一。其报酬 很容易达到五位数,而且 非常有趣。 当然,像《Celebrity Big Brother》、 《Celebs Go Dating》以及后期的 《Ibiza Weekender》等节目, 后期的财务回报都比刚开始时 高得多。
你买过最满意的东西是什么? 我在波尔顿(Bolton)的公寓。 我在这里住了五年了, 我非常喜欢这里。我还正在 购买第二处位于伯恩茅斯(Bournemouth) 的房产,这非常令人兴奋。 那简直是捡了大便宜。 我计划把它租出去。 我觉得我现在处于我的“投资时代”。 我有一辆不错的车,我会去 很棒的度假地,也经历了一些 绝妙的体验,但房产才是我 想要投入资金的地方。
你最大的金钱遗憾是什么? 大概是年轻时没多存一点钱。 我那时玩得很开心,对此 并不后悔,但如果我能多存 一点钱,我可能就不需要 借那 £1,000 了。而且我在 野格炸弹(Jägerbombs)上花了太多钱。
你现在如何管理你的资金? 因为我是个体经营者,我没有 固定薪水。这个月我可能 赚这么多,下个月可能 完全不同。这就是为什么 我现在对钱非常小心。 我现在存的钱比以前 多得多,而且我并不 太花钱买名牌产品,因为 我对那些没兴趣。我喜欢 我的抵押贷款顾问,因为他 能用简单的术语为我 分析所有情况。我曾研究过 股票和股份,但我决定 房产对我来说更安全。
你有养老金吗? 没有传统的养老金。我有 我所谓的“自创版养老金”, 即我拨 aside 且绝不触碰的钱。 我知道我可能应该有一份 正规的养老金,但当你 个体经营时,这可能会让人 感到压力很大。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日
消费者
情绪有所好转
作者:Josie Clarke
本月消费者信心出现了 6 个百分点的“伯纳姆回升”(Burnham bounce)——这是自 2023 年 11 月以来的最大涨幅。尽管昨天的 GfK 指数头条数值仍处于负值区间,为负 17, 但它表明在伯纳姆就任、温暖的天气以及国际足联世界杯的推动下,人们的“情绪有所好转”。
在过去 12 个月里,对国家整体经济状况的信心跃升了 10 个百分点至负 39 ——比一年前高出 5 个百分点;而对未来 12 个月经济的预期上升了 8 个百分点至负 28 ——比去年 7 月高出 1, 个百分点。
主要购买指数(衡量购买大宗商品信心的指标)也上升了 8 个百分点至负 12 ——比去年 7 月高出 3 个百分点。
对未来一年个人财务状况的信心也上升了 3 个百分点,将该指标拉入正值区间,达到 +1, 仅比去年 7 月低 1 个百分点。
GfK 消费者洞察总监 Neil Bellamy 表示:“在新任首相领导下,人们感受到了一种全新的开始,这在一定程度上促成了这次回升,但头条分数已经十年没有进入正值区间了。”
要求对百万富翁 加税的呼吁
作者:Sophie Wingate
体育评论员及前足球运动员加里·莱因克尔(Gary Lineker)是 120 名常驻英国的百万富翁之一,他们签署了一封给新任首相安迪·伯纳姆的公开信,呼吁对 £10m 以上的财富征收 2 per cent 的税。
这封名为“自豪地纳税”的公开信于昨日公布,声称此举每年将为英国筹集 £24bn,而资本利得税改革将进一步筹集 £12bn。
信中建议,这笔资金可用于减少不平等、支持公共基础设施并支持小企业。
莱因克尔(插图)表示:“我们最富有的人可以做得更多,而且 80 per cent 的人都愿意这样做。我们的国家值得我们所有人的支持。”
其他签署者包括犯罪小说作家 Val McDermid、音乐家 Brian Eno 和前 Greggs 主席 Ian Gregg。
财政部首席秘书 Emma Reynolds 对此提议表示欢迎,但表示任何关于税收的公告都将在预算案中公布。
商业
| 公司 | 价格 | 涨跌% | 最高 | 最低 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTSE 100 | 下跌 | 0.73% | 10,639.17 |
| 公司 | 价格 | 涨跌% | 最高 | 最低 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3i Group | 2674.0 | +4.78% | 4497.0 | 1825.0 |
| Aberdeen Group | 244.8 | -1.37% | 265.0 | 177.5 |
| AB Foods | 1967.5 | -2.21% | 2359.0 | 1729.5 |
| Admiral | 3560.0 | +0.39% | 3730.0 | 2624.0 |
| Airtel Africa | 345.6 | -0.97% | 436.2 | 181.0 |
| Alliance Witan | 1319.0 | -0.98% | 1356.0 | 1178.0 |
| Anglo Amer | 3630.0 | +2.86% | 4239.0 | 2042.0 |
| Antofagasta | 3621.0 | -4.61% | 4475.0 | 1850.5 |
| AstraZeneca | 12688.0 | -0.11% | 15732.0 | 9892.0 |
| Autotrader Group | 482.5 | -2.23% | 844.4 | 418.6 |
| Aviva | 683.6 | -0.64% | 700.8 | 590.6 |
| Babcock Intl | 1134.0 | +1.93% | 1527.0 | 902.4 |
| BAE Systems | 1965.0 | +2.13% | 2360.0 | 1529.0 |
| Barclays | 519.5 | -1.42% | 554.1 | 346.6 |
| Barratt Redrow | 290.5 | -0.58% | 410.3 | 235.4 |
| Beazley | 1287.5 | -0.04% | 1295.0 | 750.0 |
| BP | 555.9 | +3.08% | 609.4 | 393.3 |
| BritAmTobacco | 4480.0 | -2.93% | 5326.0 | 3677.0 |
| British Land | 429.6 | -1.87% | 445.4 | 318.6 |
| BT | 193.8 | -1.02% | 242.1 | 173.0 |
| Bunzl | 2722.0 | -0.51% | 2800.0 | 1981.0 |
| Burberry | 1037.5 | -1.24% | 1376.5 | 976.0 |
| Centrica | 161.4 | -10.23% | 220.3 | 153.2 |
| Coca-Cola Europac | 7790.0 | -1.33% | 8270.0 | 6280.0 |
| Coca-Cola HBC | 4816.0 | -3.10% | 5195.0 | 3270.0 |
| Compass | 2287.4 | -0.93% | 2581.1 | 2000.0 |
| Computacenter | 4706.0 | -3.01% | 4962.0 | 2092.0 |
| Convatec | 212.6 | -0.75% | 259.3 | 193.0 |
| Croda Intl | 2859.0 | -3.38% | 3312.0 | 2426.8 |
| DCC Energy | 6290.0 | -0.08% | 6740.0 | 4188.0 |
| Diageo | 1540.5 | -2.19% | 2142.0 | 1295.5 |
| Diploma | 7430.0 | -2.04% | 7663.2 | 4970.0 |
| Endeavour Mining | 3564.0 | -4.78% | 5620.0 | 2236.0 |
| Entain | 548.0 | -0.18% | 1031.5 | 500.4 |
| Experian | 2655.0 | -2.53% | 4092.5 | 2203.0 |
| F&C Inv Trust | 334.6 | -1.82% | 1332.0 | 325.8 |
| Fresnillo | 2497.0 | -6.13% | 4472.0 | 1371.0 |
– 0.60¢
FTSE 100 10639.17 -0.73%
FTSE 250 23627.3 -1.25%
FTSE All Share 5718.7 -0.78%
FTSE Eurofirst300 2555.6 -1.19%
道琼斯指数 * 51741.5 -0.91%
标准普尔 500 * 7410.5 -1.18%
纳斯达克 * 25021.13 -2.61%
DAX 24763.1 -1.56%
CAC 40 8299.1 -1.65%
恒生指数 25210.8 +1.28%
– 0.16¢
Games Works 19860.0 -1.19% 23540.0 14070.0 Glencore 537.7 -0.07% 707.2 275.2 GSK 1905.5 -0.26% 2282.0 1288.6 Haleon 361.6 -1.18% 416.1 274.4 Halma 3650.0 -0.33% 4902.0 3191.4 Hiscox 1796.0 -1.59% 1904.0 1246.0 Howden Joinery 770.5 -0.58% 981.0 713.0 HSBC Hldgs 1527.0 -0.91% 1590.0 908.8 IAG 422.4 -3.76% 492.9 332.7 ICG 1835.0 -0.76% 2340.0 1424.9 IG Group 1701.0 -1.33% 1956.0 1016.0 IMI 3016.0 -0.20% 3044.0 2138.0 Imperial Brands 2797.0 -0.18% 3632.0 2626.0 Informa 854.8 -1.34% 1000.0 719.0 IntCont Htls 11515.8 -0.98% 13305.1 8458.0 Intertek 5815.0 -0.09% 5840.0 3519.4 Investec 619.5 -2.59% 690.0 499.4 JD Sports Fashion 85.8 -1.52% 106.2 64.0 Kingfisher 296.7 -0.54% 372.3 240.3 Land Secs 686.5 -2.00% 710.3 522.5 Legal & Gen 296.1 -1.30% 310.0 217.2 Lion Finance 11470.0 -1.12% 12040.0 6905.0 Lloyds Bk Gp 112.5 -2.09% 116.0 74.4 LondonMetric Prop 194.0 -0.21% 216.2 175.3 Lon Stock Ex 8568.0 -1.31% 10575.0 6684.0 M&G 353.7 -0.98% 359.3 247.0 M&S 379.7 -4.26% 411.8 301.1 Melrose Ind 474.0 -1.66% 685.0 443.4 Metlen Energy 3632.5 -1.57% 4984.7 2643.8 National Grid 1234.0 -1.24% 1428.5 1000.0 NatWest Group 670.6 -2.04% 705.4 496.6 Next 14670.0 -1.11% 15105.0 11200.0 Pearson 1204.5 -0.21% 1318.0 874.8 Pershing Square 3642.0 -4.06% 5095.0 3636.0 Persimmon 1079.0 -1.33% 1552.0 947.4 Polar CapTech 647.5 -1.75% 743.5 382.0 Prudential 1085.0 -1.05% 1238.0 910.2
欧元/ 英镑 美元/ 英镑 黄金 原油
Reckitt Ben 4938.0 -1.91% 6522.9 3664.0 RELX 2451.0 -0.12% 4008.0 1991.0 Rentokil Initial 429.5 -3.53% 507.0 342.5 Rio Tinto 6856.0 -0.68% 9117.0 4344.5 Rolls-Royce 1359.0 -2.37% 1532.6 970.2 Sainsbury(J) 344.3 -1.96% 370.7 291.2 Schroders 588.0 +0.09% 599.5 358.6 Scot Mort Inv Tst 1313.0 -2.52% 1563.0 1015.7 Segro 953.2 +6.50% 969.0 603.0 Severn Trent 3014.0 -0.79% 3335.0 2381.0 Shell 3344.0 +1.58% 3758.5 2553.8 Smith&Neph 1118.5 -0.04% 1441.5 1050.0 Smiths Gp 2623.0 -2.27% 2746.3 2088.0 Spirax Group 6960.0 -1.00% 8050.0 5950.0 SSE 2440.0 -3.56% 2767.5 1597.0 Stan Chart 2129.0 -1.21% 2278.0 1285.0 Standard Life 906.0 -0.93% 920.5 615.0 St James’s Place 1066.0 -0.19% 1575.5 1050.0 Tesco 475.2 -0.46% 510.4 406.9 The Sage Grp 821.6 -0.72% 1335.0 771.7 Tritax Big Box 168.4 -0.24% 174.0 132.2 Unilever 4543.0 -1.54% 5542.1 3644.0 United Utilities 1364.0 -1.02% 1497.0 1072.0 Vodafone 116.2 -0.51% 131.1 80.7 Weir Group 2544.0 +0.79% 3580.0 2254.0 Whitbread 2392.0 -2.61% 3302.0 2098.0
咨询请致电 +44 (0)20 7825 8300
– $107.09
食品与饮料
在伦敦上市
McCormick 希望在明年与联合利华 (Unilever) 的食品业务合并时,在伦敦进行二次上市。这家主上市地在纽约的美国调味品集团(French’s 芥末酱和 Frank’s Red Hot 辣酱的母公司)在 3 月份达成了一项 338 亿英镑 (£33.8bn) 的交易,将收购联合利华的食品部门,包括 Hellmann’s、Marmite 和 Colman’s 等品牌。
BT 透露,尽管在继续投资光纤宽带的同时持续削减成本,但其季度收益同比下降 1%,至 21 亿英镑 (£2.1bn)。该公司表示,由于宽带和语音业务利润率降低,进度受到影响,税前利润下降 4%,至 5.05 亿英镑 (£505m)。该季度营收持平,为 43 亿英镑 (£4.3bn)。
款待业
但食欲不振
酒吧集团 Mitchells & Butlers 表示,炎热的天气抑制了对牛排晚餐和自助晚餐的需求,其季度食品销售额下降了 2.4%。然而,由于在国际足联世界杯期间,其酒吧和以饮品为主的场所交易强劲,该集团受到提振,季度内饮品销售额增长了 2.6%。
Google 自 2004 年上市以来首次出现现金流亏损,报告的自由现金流为负 $5.9bn (£4.4bn)。此次亏损出现在母公司 Alphabet 将其 AI 支出提高至高达 $205bn 之际。投资者担心如此巨大的 AI 基础设施投入可能无法产生盈利回报。
富时 100 指数 (FTSE 100) 昨日收盘下跌 77.80 点,跌幅 0.73%,报 10,639.17 点。涨幅最大的是房地产信托公司 Segro,上涨 58.2p 至 953.2p,以及投资公司 3i Group,上涨 122p 至 2,674p。跌幅最大的是英国
– 8.88%
雀巢 (Nestlé) 已确认将剥离其 Buxton 和 Perrier 水业务,以创建一个价值约 £4.2bn 的合资企业。这家 Kit Kat 的瑞士制造商已与私募股权公司 Platinum Equity 达成协议,成立一家名为 Peranel 的新公司,双方将各持 50% 的股份,该公司将涵盖 30 多个品牌。该交易将为雀巢带来 £2.6bn 的现金净收益。
特斯拉 (Tesla) 报告第二季度利润出人意料地下降,原因是埃隆·马斯克的汽车制造商通过降价以赢回客户。折扣推动交付量创纪录地增长至 480,126 辆,营收增长 26%,达到 $28.2bn (£21.2bn) —— 但净利润同比下降 17%,至 $1.2bn —— 远低于华尔街 $1.9bn 的预期。
澳大利亚最大的投资银行麦格理 (Macquarie) 提升其银行与金融服务主管 Greg Ward 为新任首席执行官,旨在“发出战略与领导层连续性的强烈信号”。这位在公司效力 30 年的资深员工将于 11 月 7 日接替任职八年并退休的 Shemara Wikramanayake。
英国天然气所有者 Centrica 计划在上月宣布的 500 个岗位基础上,进一步裁减 800 个岗位,作为未来两年内全面改革其客户服务和支持团队工作的一部分。这意味着,随着公司寻求变得“更高效”,其客户运营部门 14% 的员工将被裁减。
天然气所有者 Centrica 下跌 18.4p 至 161.4p,矿业公司 Fresnillo 下跌 163p 至 2,497p。 在法国,CAC 40 指数下跌 1.65%,而德国 DAX 指数收盘下跌 1.56%。布伦特原油价格上涨至每桶 $107.09。
在伦敦收盘时,英镑兑美元和欧元均下跌,兑美元下跌 0.60 美分至 $1.3314,兑欧元下跌 0.16 美分至 €1.1699。
今日晚些时候,雨区将影响英格兰西北部和苏格兰。 今日天气
城市 温度 降雨 日照
(昨日下午1点) (毫米) (小时)
Aberdeen 18 C 0.1 1.5 Aberporth 19 C 0.0 8.3 Aberystwyth 21 C 0.0 12.4 Aviemore 19 S 0.2 2.6 Belfast 19 C 0.0 7.1 Birmingham 22 C 0.0 8.1 Bournemouth 22 C 0.0 11.6 Bridlington 20 C 0.0 6.1 Bristol 26 C 0.0 12.8 Cardiff 25 C 0.0 12.2 Cromer 20 C 0.0 7.9 Durham 23 C 0.0 3.9 Eastbourne 21 C 0.1 7.5 Edinburgh 21 C 0.0 5.7 Eskdalemuir 19 C 0.1 5.8 Glasgow 19 C 0.0 6.8 Holyhead 17 C 0.0 10.1 Hove 21 C 0.0 9.7 Hull 23 C 0.0 5.6 Huntingdon 25 C 0.0 7.3 Ipswich 23 C 0.0 5.3 Isle of Man 17 C 0.0 10.4 Isle of Wight 23 C 0.0 11.0 Kinlochewe 16 C 1.6 0.5 Kirkwall 15 C 0.4 1.6 Leeds 22 C 0.0 5.0 Lerwick 14 C 0.4 4.4 Leuchars 21 C 0.1 4.8 Lincoln 23 C 0.0 6.1 Liverpool 20 C 0.0 7.6 London 24 C 0.0 7.6 Manchester 22 C 0.0 5.5 Margate 20 C 0.0 6.4 Milford Haven 21 C 0.0 11.3 Morecambe 21 C 0.0 9.2 Newcastle 21 C 0.0 3.9 Norwich 22 C 0.0 7.8 Nottingham 23 C 0.0 6.5 Okehampton 25 C 0.0 12.6 Oxford 25 C 0.0 10.9 Plymouth 24 C 0.0 12.3 Portland 21 C 0.0 12.4 Portsmouth 23 C 0.0 10.1 Prestwick 18 C 0.1 6.8 Rhyl 18 C 0.1 7.4 Sheffield 22 C 0.0 6.0 Shrewsbury 21 C 0.0 9.9 Skegness 20 C 0.1 7.4 Southend 23 C 0.0 5.4 Stoke 20 C 0.0 6.2 Stornoway 16 C 0.4 1.2 Swansea 23 C 0.0 13.4 Tiree 15 C 0.1 2.1
Kirkwall
Aberdeen
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Newcastle
Belfast
Leeds
Hull
Manchester
Liverpool
Sheffield
Nottingham
Birmingham
Oxford
Swansea
Cardiff
Bristol
Plymouth
Lerwick
Norwich
London
城市 温度 状况
(单位 C) 城市 温度 状况
(单位 C)
阿布扎比 42 S 阿布贾 27 C 阿利坎特 34 S 阿姆斯特丹 19 C 雅典 33 F 曼谷 32 C 巴塞罗那 29 S 北京 26 C 柏林 20 TH 布鲁塞尔 18 R 布达佩斯 23 F 芝加哥 22 F 德里 33 SH 迪拜 41 S 都柏林 19 C 法兰克福 20 C 日内瓦 25 S 赫尔辛基 17 TH 香港 31 S 伊斯坦布尔 26 F 约翰内斯堡 18 S 里斯本 27 S 洛杉矶 24 F 马德里 35 S
图例:C=多云, DR=毛毛雨, F=晴朗, FG=雾, H=冰雹, M=薄雾, R=雨, S=阳光充足, SH=阵雨, SL=雨夹雪, SN=雪, SS=沙尘暴, TH=雷阵雨
图例:
图例:
空气污染 指数 地区 今天 明天
约克
低
低
最高与最低气温 (周三,截至晚上11点) 高地 苏格兰东北部 苏格兰中部 苏格兰边境 北爱尔兰 西北部 & 默西 东北部 约克郡与亨伯 北威尔士 西米德兰兹 东米德兰兹 南威尔士 西南部 东南部 东部 大伦敦
低
设得兰群岛 奥克尼群岛 温度
°C 17
风速
轻微 15
英里/小时
大西洋 海洋
都柏林 戈尔韦
海峡群岛
奥尔德尼岛
根西岛
法国 萨克岛
迈阿密 33 S 米兰 28 S 莫斯科 18 TH 孟买 27 TH 慕尼黑 20 C 纽约 30 F 尼斯 29 S 帕尔马 32 S 巴黎 22 S 布拉格 15 C 雷克雅未克 10 SH 里约 31 S 罗马 32 S 斯德哥尔摩 18 C 斯特拉斯堡 22 S 悉尼 19 S 特内里费 27 S 东京 36 S 多伦多 19 C 温哥华 26 S 维也纳 23 F 华沙 15 TH 华盛顿 32 F 惠灵顿 13 F
泽西岛
概况 今日高压系统影响英国,带来多样的天气模式。苏格兰东北部和西南部,以及北部和西部群岛,将出现多云天气,随着时间推移将有降雨。其他地区,英格兰西北部傍晚可能会有阵雨,而西南部预计天气干燥,天空晴朗且阳光充足。大多数其他地区维持多云但干燥,全天风力较轻。 伦敦、英格兰东南部、东英吉利、海峡群岛:预计早晨开始多云,气温温和,全天逐渐上升。这种多云天气将在下午减轻,部分地区将迎来阳光。傍晚时分,天空依然以多云为主,风向西风,风力轻微,且没有降雨威胁。最高气温:27C。今晚,天空晴朗,微风。最低气温:14C。 英格兰中南部、英格兰西南部、米德兰兹、南威尔士、北威尔士:早晨开始天空晴朗,阳光充足,尤其是在最西部地区。随着时间推移,云量增加,尤其是在中部地区。到傍晚,北部云层将增厚,可能会有轻微阵雨。最高气温:28C。今晚,小雨,有风。最低气温:13C。
空气污染水平 低 (1) 非常高 (10) uk-air.defra.gov.uk
1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
暖锋 等压线:气压 单位为毫巴 冷锋 锢候锋 1024
海况
平静
微浪
中浪
威廉堡
德里/伦敦德里
科克
凯尔特 海
月相 今日最高温 今日最低温 日落 日出 05 12 21 00
28º
因弗内斯 (Inverness)
邓迪 (Dundee)
邓弗里斯 (Dumfries)
卡莱尔 (Carlisle)
爱尔兰海 (Irish Sea)
兰迪诺 (Llandudno)
25 24
南安普顿 (Southampton) 朴次茅斯 (Portsmouth)
埃克塞特 (Exeter)
苏格兰东南部、英格兰东北部、英格兰东部:早晨多云,有小雨威胁,主要在最西部地区。下午云层继续较厚,气温温和。至傍晚,云层可能有所分散,出现短暂的晴天,尤其是在最北部地区,伴有微弱的西风。最高气温:22C。今晚,阵雨,有风。最低气温:12C。英格兰西北部、苏格兰西南部、北爱尔兰、爱尔兰共和国、马恩岛 (IoM):早晨天气晴朗,有阳光,尤其是在最北部地区,气候宜人且温暖。云量将在下午逐渐增加。
天气形势压力:一个高压脊从英格兰西北部延伸,使英国大部分地区维持干燥且多云的状态。在这种高压影响下,海峡群岛保持晴朗。与此同时,北群岛上空一个较弱的低压区给苏格兰东北部、西南部以及西群岛带来云层和降雨。
最暖:大伦敦, Kew Gardens,28C。
最冷:波伊斯 (Powys), Sennybridge No 2,7C。
最湿:苏格兰高地, Resallach,6.60mm。
最晴:德文郡 (Devon), 埃克塞特机场 (Exeter Airport) No 2,13.0hrs。
北海 (North Sea)
剑桥 (Cambridge)
雷丁 (Reading)
布赖顿 (Brighton)
英吉利海峡 (English Channel)
至傍晚,可能会有小雨,尤其是在最西部地区,气温温和,全天有微风。最高气温:21C。今晚,小雨,有风。最低气温:12C。苏格兰西北部、苏格兰东北部、西群岛、北群岛:白天开始时天空多云,气温温和,有轻微的降雨威胁。随着下午的推进,预计云层将持续,但在最东部地区可能会有短暂的晴天。至傍晚,北部地区的风力将增强,偶尔有阵雨,部分地区雨势增强。最高气温:21C。今晚,阵雨,随后减弱。最低气温:13C。
黑夜时长
阿伯丁 (Aberdeen) 21.39-04.52 伯明翰 (Birmingham) 21.12-05.16 布里斯托 (Bristol) 21.10-05.24 卡迪夫 (Cardiff) 21.12-05.26 格拉斯哥 (Glasgow) 21.38-05.08 赫尔 (Hull) 21.11-05.04 因弗内斯 (Inverness) 21.49-04.55 利物浦 (Liverpool) 21.20-05.16 伦敦 (London) 21.00-05.14 曼彻斯特 (Manchester) 21.18-05.13 斯多诺韦 (Stornoway) 22.03-05.02 斯旺西 (Swansea) 21.16-05.28 约克 (York) 21.16-05.06
20 19
周六:北部地区大多多云伴有雨,南部和东部地区基本保持干燥,有晴间多云天气。海峡群岛天空晴朗。
19 18
周日:分散的阵雨影响英国大部分地区,天气多云,偶尔有阳光。气温温和,东南部较温暖。
19 20
周一:北部地区将出现多云天气,部分地区有雨,而南部地区将享有晴朗天空和温暖阳光。
20 21
周二:北部和西部地区有雨,而南部保持晴朗温暖。东部基本干燥且有晴间多云,更西地区云量较多。
20 20
周三:北部地区将有阵雨和云层,而南部和东部地区天气晴朗,气温上升。
体育
板球
2027年夏季赛程 —— 但坦率地说,这是一团糟
Chris Stocks 板球 记者
英格兰 2027 年夏季的赛程已出炉。英格兰及威尔士板球委员会(ECB)首席执行官理查德·古尔德(Richard Gould)在随之发布的声明中措辞宏大:“我们拥有一个夏季赛程,能为我们所有的英格兰球队和球迷在所有赛制中提供高质量的板球比赛。”古尔德希望人们关注的重点是,男子和女子的灰之赛(Ashes)将在 6 月至 8 月期间同时进行。
电视体育节目
英联邦运动会 TNT Spts 2 8.30am/TNT 4, 6.30pm 高尔夫:苏格兰女子公开赛 Sky Sports Golf, 9.30am F1:匈牙利大奖赛第一次练习赛 Sky Sports F1, 正午 自行车:环法自行车赛男子组 TNT Sports 1, 12.30pm 高尔夫:高级公开赛 Sky Sports Golf, 1.30pm 板球:Phoenix 对阵 Rockets (女) Sky Sports Cricket 2.45pm F1:匈牙利大奖赛第二次练习赛 Sky Sports F1, 3.45pm 板球:Phoenix 对阵 Rockets (男) Sky Sports Cricket, 6pm 高尔夫:3M公开赛 Sky Sports Golf, 7pm 飞镖:世界公开赛 Sky Sports Action, 8pm
然而,仔细观察就会发现,这份赛程只会放大在混乱的 2026 年夏季期间,男子队架构中已经出现的裂痕。它还意味着其中一些比赛很可能绝非所谓的“高质量”。
英格兰的夏季赛程将以对阵巴基斯坦的五场单日国际赛拉开帷幕,于 5 月 15 日在南安普敦开始。然而,令人侧目的是 5 月 26 日这个结束日期。因为这意味着在该系列赛结束与英格兰对阵孟加拉国的单场测试赛(Test)开始之间,仅剩一天时间。
足球
欧洲联赛 (UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE) 资格赛第二轮首回合 贝西克塔斯 (1).......................................1 中日得 (0)..............................0 基辅迪纳摩 (1).........................2 PAOK (2)................................................3 海杜克分裂 (0)...........................2 帕福斯 (0).......................................0 哈马比 (0)..............................1 安德莱赫特 (1)................................1 卡拉巴赫 (0).............................0 索非亚中央陆军 (0)................................0 谢里夫 (0)..........................................0 特拉维夫马卡比 (2)...............5 圣加仑 (1)......................................2 本菲卡 (1)...........................................1 特罗姆瑟 (0)........................................0 赫拉德茨克拉洛韦 (0)...................1 特温特 (1)..........................................1 费伦茨瓦罗斯 (1)............................2
欧洲协会联赛 (UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE) 资格赛第二轮首回合 塔林弗洛拉 (1)...........................1 新圣徒足球俱乐部 (0)...........0 赫尔辛基 (2).....................................................5 科尔雷恩 (0)....................................0 马利舍瓦 (1)...................................2 希伯尼安 (0)...................................0 马瑟韦尔 (1)..............................2 托尔斯哈芬 (0)...........................0 里耶卡 (0).............................................1 德里城 (0)..................................0 谢尔本 (3)..............................5 诺梅卡柳 (1).........................2
板球 单日杯 - A组 内特沃思:沃里克郡 282 (49.5 轮; G H S Garton 117; L W James 3-41; J A Pocklington 3-40); 诺丁汉郡 283-7 (48.3 轮; K Verreynne 68未出局; F W McCann 62; B T Slater 52; J B Lintott 3-55)。 诺丁汉郡以 3 个击球手之差获胜。
自行车 环法自行车赛,第 18 赛段:1 R Carapaz (厄瓜多),EF Education-EasyPost 4小时 26分 8秒,2 M Schmid (瑞士),Team Jayco-AlUla +45秒。总成绩:1 T Pogacar (斯洛文尼亚),UAE Team Emirates-XRG 64小时 35分,2 R Evenepoel (比利时),Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe +4分 32秒。
孟加拉国在洛德板球场——这是他们在 6月 18日特伦特桥开始灰烬杯之前唯一的红球比赛。 考虑到去年冬天英格兰在澳大利亚为上次灰烬杯所做的糟糕准备——在珀斯的俱乐部球场与狮子队进行了一场热身赛——这一次绝不能采取折中方案。 这意味着需要派出最强的测试 11 人阵容对阵孟加拉国——而且由于赛程紧凑,这也意味着顶尖的全形式球员必须在对阵巴基斯坦的单日国际赛 (ODI) 系列赛末尾轮休。 在世界杯中,这远非理想之选。
飞镖 世界公开赛,布莱克浦冬季花园,四分之一决赛:D van Duijvenbode (荷兰) 胜 G Anderson (苏格兰) 16-13。
高尔夫 英国资深公开赛,苏格兰格伦伊格尔斯,第一轮(除非另有说明,否则均为美国选手):63 C Percy (澳); 64 L Alexandre (法); 65 M Angel Jimenez (西); E Els (南非); P Perez; T Pernice Jr; 66 J Kelly; E Canonica (意); T Ridings; M Wright (澳); J Edfors (瑞典)。
橄榄球联盟
BETFRED 超级联赛 赫尔 (12)..........................................20 赫尔 K R (12)...............................34
今日赛程 足球 友谊赛:本茅斯 v 圣保利 (3.0), 不伦瑞克 v 南安普顿 (7.0), 弗利特伍德 v 卡莱尔 (1.0), 弗赖堡 v 德比 (3.0), 格蒙登 v 布拉福德 (4.30), 哈德斯菲尔德 v 奥尔德姆 (3.0), 普雷斯顿 v 剑桥联 (上午10点), 雷斯 v 心脏 (7.30), 罗森堡 v 曼联 (5.0), 斯旺西 v 乌迪内斯 (正午), 约克 v Al Ettifaq (6.0)。
板球 单日杯 - A组:肯特 v 诺森普顿郡 (坎特伯雷, 上午11点), 萨默塞特 v 格洛斯特郡 (汤顿, 下午2点), 萨里 v 莱斯特郡 (吉尔福德, 上午11点)。B组:达勒姆 v 萨塞克斯 (河滨, 下午1.30点), 格拉摩根 v 约克郡 (尼思, 上午11点), 汉普郡 v 米德尔塞克斯 (玫瑰碗, 上午11点), 伍斯特郡 v 德比郡 (新路, 上午11点)。
橄榄球联盟 BETFRED 超级联赛:韦克菲尔德 v 卡斯特福德 (8.0), 威根 v 圣海伦斯 (8.0)。
世界杯年。在巴基斯坦系列赛之后,英格兰队在次月前往南部非洲参加世界杯之前,仅剩下五场50轮比赛——将在2027年9月在主场对阵新西兰。鉴于英格兰队在解雇布伦登·麦卡 the 麦卡伦(Brendon McCullum)的测试赛教练职务但保留其白球板球教练职务后,重新回到了分立的教练模式,这在这位新西兰人与未来的新任测试赛教练之间制造了一个潜在的冲突点。明年的抢灰杯(The Ashes)是绝对的优先事项。但英格兰队还需要在紧随国内夏季之后的世界杯到来之前,尝试建立一定的势头和状态。英格兰队在世界杯前的倒数第二场系列赛(对阵巴基斯坦)中,似乎不可避免地将被迫派出阵容严重削弱的球队。像雅各布·贝塞尔(Jacob Bethell)、乔弗拉·阿彻(Jofra Archer)和哈里·布鲁克(Harry Brook)这样的全格式球员,肯定必须缺席至少最后两场比赛。而且,由于明年的印度超级联赛(Indian Premier League)预计将在5月15日左右结束,贝塞尔、阿彻以及参与该赛事的其他高知名度英格兰白球球员,可能也必须缺席开局的比赛。这也对队长人选提出了严重质疑。布鲁克目前是白球队的队长。他也被传言将接任因本·斯托克斯(Ben Stokes)震惊退役而空缺的测试赛队长职务。然而,在这样的赛程安排下,任何人怎么 possibly 能够担任所有格式的队长?甚至被视为未来白球队队长的贝塞尔,也将无法在巴基斯坦系列赛中顶替。那么由谁来担任?这是一个很好的问题,英格兰和威尔士板球委员会(ECB)在确定斯托克斯的继任者之前必须仔细思考,因为布鲁克肯定无法同时胜任这两项工作。球迷们还会注意到,对阵孟加拉国的测试赛将在伦敦举行。加上将于6月9-13日在椭圆球场(The Oval)举行的世界测试锦标赛决赛,这意味着明年夏天在英格兰举行的七场男子测试赛中有四场将在伦敦进行。男子抢灰杯的所有测试赛都不会在北部举行,仅在诺丁汉以北的海丁利(Headingley)将举行一场女子抢灰杯测试赛。
提示
Diamond Rain (7.50, 约克) 在这次赛道和距离的复出赛中仅落后于 See The Fire 两个马身,且在上个月捍卫其纽卡斯尔三级赛冠军时在终点线前被超越。其 112 的评分明显高于场上其他竞争者。
7.50
英格兰 2027 夏季赛程
5月15日 第一场ODI 对阵 巴基斯坦 (Utilita Bowl, 南安普顿) 5月19日 第二场ODI (Old Trafford) 5月21日 第三场ODI (Headingley) 5月23日 第四场ODI (Riverside, Chester-le-Street) 5月26日 第五场ODI (Sophia Gardens) 5月28日-6月1日 唯一一场测试赛 对阵 孟加拉国 (Lord’s) 6月18-22日 第一场 Ashess 测试赛 对阵 澳大利亚 (Trent Bridge) 6月30日–7月4日 第二场测试赛 (Lord’s) 7月8-12日 第三场测试赛 (Edgbaston) 7月21–25日 第四场测试赛 (Utilita Bowl) 7月29日–8月2日 第五场测试赛 (The Oval) 9月7日 第一场 IT20 对阵 新西兰 (Riverside) 9月9日 第二场 IT20 (Old Trafford) 9月11日 第三场 IT20 (Sophia Gardens) 9月14日 第一场 ODI 对阵 新西兰 (Edgbaston) 9月16日 第二场 ODI (Lord’s) 9月19日 第三场 ODI (Seat Unique Stadium, 布里斯托) 9月22日 第四场 ODI (Trent Bridge) 9月25日 第五场 ODI (Headingley)
世界测试锦标赛决赛 6月9–13日 (The Oval)
英格兰女子 2027 夏季赛程 6月24-27日 Ashes 测试赛 对阵 澳大利亚 (Headingley) 7月3日 第一场 IT20 对阵 澳大利亚 (Trent Bridge) 7月6日 第二场 IT20 (The Oval) 7月9日 第三场 IT20 (Old Trafford) 7月13日 第一场 ODI 对阵 澳大利亚 (Utilita Bowl) 7月16日 第二场 ODI (Lord’s) 7月20日 第三场 ODI (Edgbaston) 9月8日 第一场 IT20 对阵 孟加拉国 (County Ground, 诺丁汉姆) 9月10日 第二场 IT20 (County Ground, 汤顿) 9月12日 第三场 IT20 (New Road) 9月17日 第一场 ODI 对阵 孟加拉国 (County Ground, 霍夫) 9月21日 第二场 ODI (St Lawrence Ground, 坎特伯雷) 9月24日 第三场 ODI (County Ground, 切尔姆斯福德)
A S C O T 场地状况:良好至坚硬
FLEXJET PAT EDDERY STAKES (列级) (1级赛) 2岁马 奖金 £65,000 附加 7f (分段距离)
2.55
1 5105 ALFRED WALLACE (D) E Walker 9 5..............................O Murphy 6 2 1594 DANDYMAN DAN P Evans 9 5......................................................J F Egan 8 3 1 FIREHORSE S Woods 9 5.......................................................T Marquand 1 4 1 GYMBAAZY (D) Owen Burrows 9 5.................................D Muscutt 2 5 4711 KACH ABOVE (D) D Loughnane 9 5......................Laura Pearson 3 6 14 SILVER DOMINION (D) Oliver Cole 9 5..........................H Crouch 5 7 1 SONNY PARVENUE R Hannon 9 5...........................................P Dobbs 7 8 310 TIME FOR THE MOON (D) C Johnston 9 5..............................................
......................................................................................................................B Loughnane 10 9 401 TREASURER C Fellowes 9 5..................................................David Egan 4 10 120 LOVE IS R Hughes 9 0.............................................................................F Marsh 9 - 10 匹已申报 - 投注赔率:3-1 Sonny Parvenue, 7-2 Silver Dominion, 4-1 Alfred Wallace, 15-2 Time For The Moon, 8-1 Gymbaazy, 10-1 Love Is, 12-1 Firehorse, 14-1 Treasurer, 20-1 其他。
Y O R K 场地状况:良好至坚硬
BRITISH EBF LYRIC FILLIES’ STAKES (列级) (1级赛) 奖金 £70,000 附加 1m 2f (分段距离)
1 123-32 DIAMOND RAIN (D)(BF) C Appleby 5 9 6.......................W Buick 5 2 52-844 MISS JUSTICE (D) B Meehan 5 9 6.......................P Mulrennan T 4 3 140-47 QILIN QUEEN (D) E Walker 4 9 6...................................K Shoemark 6 4 1302-1 REGAL CHARM (D) H Candy 4 9 6.......................................R Hornby 1 5 3-1213 ESTISSA J Fanshawe 3 8 11............................................................H Davies 3 6 51-137 ON MESSAGE R Beckett 3 8 11............................................E Greatrex 2 - 6 匹已申报 - 投注赔率:4-7 Diamond Rain, 6-1 Qilin Queen, 13-2 On Message, 15-2 Estissa, 14-1 Miss Justice, 33-1 Regal Charm.
体育矩阵
A
C
C
A C
Ryana MacDonald- Gay(右) 以 4 wicket 17 跑的表现 大显身手,曼彻斯特超级巨头队(Manchester Super Giants) 在 The Hundred 赛事的揭幕战中, 在 Lord’s 球场以 7 个 wicket 的优势 大胜伦敦精神队(London Spirit)。 MacDonald-Gay 表现最抢眼, 击除了南非名将组合 Marizanne Kapp 和 Nadine de Klerk。 精神队在 91 个球内被全灭, 总得分为 80, 超级巨头队在还剩 41 个球的情况下 轻松赢得比赛。
B
B A
A L
谜题解答
多米诺骨牌
6 5 3 2 4 4 3 3
4 3
4 3
1 4 6 4 0 6 6 0
5 5 4 5 5 6 5 1
5 4
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 1
6 4 3 6 1 2 2 1
2 1
12+
3 0 5 3 3 0 4 3
2 2 5 1 1 2 6 2
2 5
0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
+
6 7
7 5
3 % 6 / & ( , 7 5
- ' 4 +
= ; ) * 0 .
1 9 < 8 : $ 2
扫雷 字格 计算数独
9 6
8 7
8 4 2 6 9 7 5 3 1 3 9 5 8 4 1 2 7 6 1 7 6 3 5 2 9 4 8 5 8 7 9 6 4 1 2 3 9 6 4 1 2 3 7 8 5 2 3 1 5 7 8 4 6 9 6 2 9 7 8 5 3 1 4 7 5 3 4 1 6 8 9 2 4 1 8 2 3 9 6 5 7
不等式数独
1 4 2 3 5
3 1
4 3 1 5 2
3 1 5 2 4
2 5 3 4 1
5 2 4 1 3
1 1 2 3 4 3
2 4 3 1 4 2
3 2 1 2 3 1
4 1 4 3 2 4
3 4 2 2 1 3
2 1 4 3 1 4
A B C
A B C
C B C A
B C A
B C A
C A B
B C B
2 2 3 3 4 1 2 4 3 0 2 6 3 5 4 2 0 4 1 1 3 5 1 3 3 1 1 1 4 2 1 4 3 3 3 0 0 2 0 2 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 1 0 0 1 4
六角词网
I N M R P C F S Z H O K Y E G W U D L B T A J
3 5 6 2 2 3 3 1
3 5 6
A 3
从左至右: sad; thrush; blur; slash; blue; thrash; clue; club; drub; hint; drab; skint; slab; hilt; dreary.
词轮 九字母词 BLINKERED 其他词 belie, belied, belike, bile, bilk, bilked, bled, bleed, blend, blender, blind, blinder, blink, blinked, blinker, bridle, brindle, deli, edible, elder, elide, idle, idler, inkle, keel, kernel, kiln, kindle, kneel, leek, leer, lend, lender, lied, lien, like, liken, likened, line, lined, liner, link, linked, linker, rebel, reel, rekindle, relied, reline, relined, rile.
7 4
7 4
746 数字金字塔
324 422
139 185 237
62 77 108 129
32 30 47 61 68
20 12 18 29 32 36
17 3 9 9 20 12 24
E X T R A C T
M O P
P T V S O
O E E H Y M N O J
W X R O E R U
E T W I C E A L S
R U N T R Y S T
S R I G H T F U L L
U E O Y Y
B S A T Y R
U E E W O R S H I P
R Q A A
B U L R
D I E S E L D R E S S
新闻 观点 TV 周五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
英式橄榄球 高尔夫 争取 birdies 的尝试 变成了噩梦 Hull 击出 9 杆
强势回归 首个五十分
少年 天才 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 在经历过 教训深刻的 英格兰之行后, 在首场 T20 比赛中为印度队 拿下首个五十分, 帮助球队以 7 个 wicket 的优势战胜津巴布韦。 Sooryavanshi 在 印度超级联赛(IPL)的成功意味着他 在本月早些时候以 15 岁之龄 成为印度最年轻的男性首秀球员,但他在面对英格兰队时 仅得到了 14, 13 和 15 分。 不过 Sooryavanshi(上图) 在英格兰的最后一场比赛中被弃用, 如今在哈拉雷重回巅峰, 用 18 个球完成半个世纪(half-century)。 他击出了 4 个六分球和 4 个四分球, 印度队在第 14 轮就轻松达到了 126 分的目标。
7 × 4 8
×
×
1 × 3 3
×
8 × 5 + 6 46
15 1 72
5+ 5× 13+
2 3 5 1 4 6
2- 10× 3-
6 4 2 5 3 1
30× 7+ 10×
5 6 1 3 2 4
1- 2× 15+
3 2 6 4 1 5
30× 1-
4 1 3 6 5 2
1 5 4 2 6 3
2 2 8
横向:3 ottom<-a-N, 5/6 钱财问题 纵向:1 Co.-gnate, 2 La-w-yer, 4 Tom-b-a/c
世界排名 第七的 Charley Hull 击出了一个 四bogey九杆, 而同样来自 英国的 Georgia Hall 则击出 10 杆。 “有趣”的旗杆位置和 多风的天气让这次女子苏格兰公开赛(Women’s Scottish Open) 的首轮比赛充满了挑战。 Hull(上图)在 第五洞(par-five)尝试一次 15 英尺的 birdie 击球, 球经过旗杆后滚出了 果岭并掉进一个凹坑。 这位 30 岁的人花费了 4 次 尝试才将球切回陡峭的 斜坡,而球最终停在 与最初推球几乎相同的位置。但她从 错误中吸取了教训,在 12 英尺处将球推入洞。 Hull 在 Dundonald Links 的成绩为 78 杆(比标准杆高 6 杆), 落后于共同领先者 Jenny Shin 12 杆。
3 × 6 - 4 14
5 × 1 - 9 -4
8 2
2 -3
5 -3 38
3 8
蛋糕 (CAKE)
障碍 (SNAG)
清酒 (SAKE)
舒适 (SNUG)
理智 (SANE)
蛞蝓 (SLUG)
正弦 (SINE)
贫民窟 (SLUM)
水槽 (SINK)
拍击 (SLAM)
生病 (SICK)
蛤蜊 (CLAM)
袜子 (SOCK)
填充 (CRAM)
A S P A B L E S L A T P E T E
6 5 2 8 1 7 9 3 4 3 8 4 2 5 9 1 6 7 7 9 1 3 6 4 2 5 8 2 1 3 7 4 5 8 9 6 5 4 9 6 3 8 7 1 2 8 6 7 9 2 1 5 4 3 9 7 6 5 8 3 4 2 1 4 2 8 1 9 6 3 7 5 1 3 5 4 7 2 6 8 9
9 2 5 7 6 8
3 7 4 1 8 2
4 8 9 3 2 1
5 9 1 9 3 2 4 6
4 6 7 8 5 1
2 5 6 1 9 4
9 2 5 1 7 8 3 4
7 3 9 6 4 5
6 4 2 5 1 3
63 72 33 52 49 60 31 54 19 100
34 51 62 79 32 53 16 99 30 55
73 64 71 50 61 48 59 18 15 20
2 35 78 65 80 17 98 47 56 29
77 74 1 70 97 66 81 58 21 14
36 3 76 89 82 43 46 67 28 57
75 90 87 44 69 96 83 42 13 22
4 37 92 95 88 45 68 25 10 27
3 1 2
91 86 39 6 93 84 41 8 23 12
38 5 94 85 40 7 24 11 26 9
桥梁 (Bridges)
1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 2 4 3 3 6 6 2 1 2 2
1 2 6 4 5 5 5 1 2 6 3 2 3 4 5 1 3 2 1 1 4 7 6 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 1 1 3 6 4 2 1 1 7 7 3 5 4 4 5 2 2 4 1 4 5 2 1 4 4 1 2 4 2 3 4 3 4 4 3 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 3 3 2 5 3 3
2026年7月24日,星期五
阿根廷选手 托马斯·阿尔博诺斯 (Tomas Albornoz) 在周六输给英格兰队的比赛中 对裁判安格斯·加德纳 (Angus Gardner) 大发雷霆,随后被世界橄榄球 联合会 (World Rugby) 传唤。 这位飞翼后卫(见上图)因在 圣地亚哥-德尔-埃斯特罗 (Santiago del Estero) 比赛结束哨响后质问裁判而面临 制裁,当时英格兰队以 31-24 获胜。 加德纳判定美洲狮队 (Pumas) 一次关键的尝试得分无效,这 本可以让球队获得平局,从而 激怒了阿根廷队员,他们随后 上前质问裁判。 阿尔博诺斯在与裁判争执并愤怒地 将球掷在地上时,不得不由教练组 和一名队友将其身体强行制止。
1 9 2 1 1 2 3 8 6 9
8 9 4 1 3 2 8 3 7 9 1 8 1 7 1 2 3 4 5 2 1 1 5 9
1 4 2 8 9 7 3 6 1 2
5 9
9 5 7 1 3 6 8 4 2 6 1 4 7 9 3 5 2 8 2 8 3 6 5 9 1 7 4 8 4 2 3 1 7 6 9 5 5 2 9 4 8 1 7 6 3 7 6 5 2 4 8 3 1 9 1 9 8 5 6 2 4 3 7 4 3 6 9 7 5 2 8 1 3 7 1 8 2 4 9 5 6
1 3 8 6 3 2 8 6
9 5 2
1 9 9 5 4 5 8 8 2 9
寻路者 (Pathfinder)
S P I I N S N O E F
E Y T A F O N C R F
A D T R A L A N D I
R O O M E T T T R A
M A I T R I R T I E
K R B I H N A N S L
H R E I N N O C R C
E T S S F T N E U O
A R O F R N D M B H
L T H Y I E C O A T
H H C A R N B R E A B J Q V X R S T M F C C G Y Z N Y B Y Z B A X U Y A U Q W E N Z F P R I T J C R E N S E N G A T S G E L O V D D R Y N J L D A M P C A U U T C E A R M H A Y L E N S B W R S K R O N S H A P T A O A C U E C U B E E H R D D Z D T I R B T A M B Z P X L S N Y S S O H D R A E K S I L T E S R D L A U N C E S T O N I P X M T R E V E R B Y N U R V G I K N H C H H D Y N N X O E N T O R P O I N T K S M U Q S F G H Q L L E T S U A T S D O
13 13
13 13
2 6 9 4 1
3 4 1 3 6 2 4
2 7 8 2 4 9 1 3 2
4 3 1 7 3 2 6 5 8
4 2 8 1 4 7 1
5 3 6 2 5
5 8 1
1 4 5 2 6 3
6 1 3 4 5 2
3 2 1 5 4 6
2 5 4 6 3 1
5 6 2 3 1 4
4 3 6 1 2 5
体育
自行车 环法自行车赛 (CYCLING TOUR DE FRANCE)
理查德·卡拉帕斯 (Richard Carapaz) 在第 18 赛段的最后冲刺阶段加速领先
一次感人的 突围中夺冠
作者:Ian Parker
理查德·卡拉帕斯通过突围取得了职业生涯第二次环法赛分站冠军,而塔代伊·波加查在距离巴黎还有三天的时候稳住了黄衫地位。这位厄瓜多尔车手在奥西耶尔-梅莱特(Orcières-Merlette)顶峰终点前三公里多处脱离大部队,最终领先第 13 赛段冠军毛罗·施密德和马泰奥·乔根森 45 秒夺冠。对于 33 岁的卡拉帕斯来说,这是一个极其感人的时刻,他在年初失去了母亲,希望将这场比赛献给她。 “这是一个特别的日子,”卡拉帕斯说,他之前的环法胜利同样是在 2024 年的一次突围中取得的。“这是一个非常美丽的赛段,我将其献给我的家人。这是我最感激的——知道我的努力可以通过这一切得到回报。 “我们尝试过几次 [通过突围获胜],但之前都不可能,而今天做到了。今天很艰难。我知道最后的攀升非常困难,我一直在等待机会。”
获得胜利的感觉太棒了。波加查和其他总冠军竞争者在卡拉帕斯之后 4 分 35 秒过线,在即将迎来阿尔普迪埃(Alpe d’Huez)两个大日子之前,波加查对雷姆科·埃文波尔保持 4 分 32 秒的领先优势。突围之争在从沃瓦隆(Voiron)出发的 185 公里赛段早期的第一次攀升——昂金坡(Cote d’Engins)就开始了。卡拉帕斯在一个六人小组中共同进入最后一次攀升,这位 2021 年奥运冠军在距离顶峰 4 公里的一个急右转弯处发起了第一次进攻。瓦伦汀·帕雷-佩特赖讷、施密德和乔根森化解了这次进攻,但在卡拉帕斯再次发起攻击时,他们无法做出反应。这是卡拉帕斯的第 25 场职业赛胜利,也是他自去年环意赛以来的首次获胜。这次胜利让他上升到总成绩榜第 10 位,尽管落后 21 分钟。亚当·耶茨再次奋力冲向终点,显然仍在与疾病作斗争,而当天开始时感到喉咙痛的布兰登·麦克纳尔蒂在赛段中途退赛。
梅赛德斯查明 代价高昂的问题后 拉塞尔夺冠希望增加
作者:Philip Duncan
在匈牙利赛道(HUNGARORING)
在梅赛德斯解决了其神秘的能量部署问题后,乔治·拉塞尔在世界冠军争夺战中获得了显著的助力。 在上周末的比利时大奖赛中,意大利青少年基米·安东内利在目前的 10 轮比赛中狂揽第六场胜利,导致拉塞尔(见下图)在积分榜上落后于队友 50 分。 拉塞尔在第一圈出现发动机故障导致被后方车群追上,随后与刘易斯·汉密尔顿发生碰撞,比赛就此结束。就在前一天,一个部署谜团——最初被归咎于拉塞尔的驾驶风格——导致他在排位赛中比安东内利慢了半秒。 拉塞尔表示,他一直在“祈祷”这个削弱竞争力的性能问题能在本周末的匈牙利大奖赛(三周暑假前的最后一站)前得到修复。他的梅赛德斯车队对此充满信心,他们认为已经找到了问题的根源,这似乎是隐藏在发动机中的一个编码问题。 昨天在匈牙利赛道接受采访时,这位 28 岁且今年经历了一系列机械问题的车手表示:“这些新的动力单元异常复杂,在校准代码中深埋了一些东西。除非你准确知道要寻找什么,否则几乎不可能发现,但我很高兴我们找到了它。 “我绝对感觉到这是最re-
罗利在与邻社之重大对决前夕离开圣海伦斯队
作者:安迪·汉普森 (Andy Hampson)
圣海伦斯队 (St Helens) 主教练保罗·罗利 (Paul Rowley) 已立即辞职。 罗利在就职不到一年的情况下离职,正值球队经历一个困难的赛季,且就在俱乐部于布里克社区体育场 (Brick Community Stadium) 对阵死敌威根队 (Wigan) 的前一天。 助理教练埃蒙·奥卡罗尔 (Eamon O’Carroll) 将临时负责一线队事务。 圣海伦斯队主席埃蒙·麦克马纳斯 (Eamonn McManus) 在一份声明中表示: “对于所有相关人员来说,这是一个极其艰难的决定,我们充分意识到保罗在本赛季面对我们的额外挑战。” 圣海伦斯队目前在超级联赛 (Super League) 中排名第六,面临有史以来首次错过季后赛的危险。 在本月早些时候,他们在主场以 46-0 惨败给图卢兹队 (Toulouse) 后跌出前六——这增加了罗利的压力——但在上周 32-18 击败卡塔兰巨龙队 (Catalans Dragons) 后重新回到了季后赛名额区。 罗利在一家处于转型期的俱乐部中不得不应对冗长的伤病名单,但部分支持者对球队的比赛风格感到不满。 这位 51 岁的教练在离开陷入财务危机的索尔福德队 (Salford) 后,于赛季初被任命并签署了一份为期三年的合同;在索尔福德期间,尽管场外动荡,他的表现依然令人印象深刻。这位前英格兰钩手此前曾执教过利 (Leigh) 和多伦多 (Toronto) 队。 俱乐部尚未表明打算何时任命正式的继任者。
...是我整个生命中最坚韧的,我对自己在赛车外的心态感到自豪。即使在一切看起来都与我们相悖时,我依然相信自己和团队。 “不幸的是,我对失望的感觉太习以为常了。上周就像是被扇了一记耳光,但在锦标赛排名上,我现在比四场比赛前更接近了 [在摩纳哥大奖赛后,罗素落后于安东内利 68 分],所以我将以积极的心态和对未来的期待进入本周末,而不是对已发生的事情感到失望。” 在周日斯帕-弗朗科尔尚 (Spa-Francorchamps) 赛道上的一次无线电传输中(该内容在比赛期间未播出),罗素大喊道:“直线加速段的 SOC [电池电量状态] 怎么回事?我在直线段上根本没有他妈的电。伙计们,不可接受。整个周末都他妈的不可接受。” 针对自己的爆发,罗素继续说道:“我们都要求自己达到最高水平,我的情绪异常激动,是因为我被挤出了比赛。 “无线电信息 99% 的时间里,都是在纯粹的挫败感和冲动之下说出的词句。我是第一个审视自己并寻找改进之处的人。这不是任何人的错,但我们需要限制这些问题。 “整个团队都支持我,我也同样支持他们,最终我们在发现(发动机中)存在问题这一点上实现了目标。”
英联邦运动会 (COMMONWEALTH GAMES)
保持低成本且 具有相关性
作者:詹姆斯·托尼 (James Toney)
查尔斯国王在昨晚的开幕式上仿佛从 TARDIS(时间机器)中走出来,对于一个长期被指责为生活在另一个时代的赛事来说,这或许是一个不幸的视觉类比。
该赛事继续与“失去相关性”的指责作斗争,就像《神秘博士》与戴立克人战斗一样。然而,我们现在身处格拉斯哥,证明了这座城市的承诺以及 96 年的历史。在经历了 23 届赛事后,英联邦运动会回到苏格兰,而这座城市上次迎接该赛事仅在 12 年前。
但他们从未像现在这样必须从画布上艰难爬起(指绝地反击)。在某个阶段,运动会完全消失的可能性是非常现实的。该赛事原定于澳大利亚维多利亚州举行,直到三年前该州政府退出,称成本飙升使得该项目无法向纳税人交代。
一年多时间里,运动会没有主办方,直到格拉斯哥介入,给自己留下了不到两年的规划时间。这个由一个长期泛黄的世界秩序中的残余部分所锻造的国家体育联盟,可能从未像现在这样岌岌可危。
伯明翰举办了 19 个体育项目;而格拉斯哥仅有 10 个,分布在一条 8 英里走廊内的四个场馆中。它们是在一个 1.5 亿英镑 (£150m) 的精简预算下交付的,大约只有 2014 年运动会 5.43 亿英镑 (£543m) 成本的四分之一。
“两年前,运动会极有可能无法举行。我们处于一个决定性的时刻,一个分叉路口。苏格兰挺身而出,”英联邦运动会主席唐纳德·鲁卡雷 (Dr Donald Rukare) 博士表示。“我们相信现在运动会处于一个非常好的位置。”
“这远非英联邦运动会的最终章。我们所见证的是英联邦运动会为了生存而必须进行的根本性转型……”
保持可行性,不仅是通过 2030 年,而且一直到 2034, 2038 年及以后。” 格拉斯哥的核心关键词是“重启”。不要称这次活动为缩减规模或低预算。对鲁卡雷(Rukare)及其团队至关重要的是,让这些运动会变得更实惠,以便更多国家能够举办。
过去六届运动会中有五届是在英国或澳大利亚举行的,唯一的例外是组织混乱的 2010 年新德里运动会,该赛事至今仍被视为一个“反面教材”。
下一届运动会将迎来百年庆典,并重返印度,阿姆达瓦德(Amdavad)在申办过程中承诺将增加体育项目。据报道,目前有五到六个感兴趣的 2034 年候选主办国,本周相关的体育部长们正受到广泛游说。
英联邦国家中只有略低于 40% 位于非洲,但该大陆从未举办过此次赛事,德班(Durban)因成本问题退出了 2022 年运动会,随后由伯明翰接手。
乌干达人鲁卡雷和首席执行官凯蒂·萨德利尔(Katie Sadlier)并不避讳地表示这种情况必须改变,但他们知道,他们的组织必须给主办国更多在管理成本和物流方面的灵活性。
然而,扩大运动会的覆盖范围也带来了关于其声称代表的价值观的艰难问题。在参赛的 54 个国家中,超过一半的国家有禁止同性关系的法律,其中许多非洲国家(包括尼日利亚)目前被认为是
在格拉斯哥
他们的预算为 £150m,大约是 2014 年运动会 £543m 成本的 四分之一
2034 年主办权的有力竞争者。萨德利尔四年前曾表示:“人权和包容性根植于我们的宪章之中。我们的成员绝对重视我们所拥有的原则,这些原则也是我们竞标过程的核心。”
萨德利尔在格拉斯哥巧妙地、但具有显著意义地撤回了这些言论,强调了不仅是这次活动,而且是整个英联邦大家庭面前的艰难选择。然而,也许英联邦运动会经过近一个世纪争取相关性的努力,终于找到了其真正的角色——作为终极的体育“清口剂”。
在这一天的每一小时里,我们都可以尽情地观看自己喜爱的球队、联赛和球星,在每个频道和流媒体中选择丰富。所以,也许每四年一次,为瓦努阿图和新西兰之间的铜牌赛感到兴奋,能够滋养灵魂。
如果一切都失败了,总还有草地滚球。
感谢国民彩票(National Lottery)的参与者,每周为公益事业筹集超过 £33m。正因为有你们,英国各地的体育、艺术、遗产和社区项目,以及在 2026 年格拉斯哥英联邦运动会中参赛的运动员们才得到了支持。
星期五 2026 年 7 月 24 日 新闻 观点 电视 星期五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
约翰逊-汤普森 退出,更多 名将缺席苏格兰赛
作者:詹姆斯·托尼(James Toney)
卡塔里娜·约翰逊-汤普森(Katarina Johnson-Thompson)冲击历史性连续第三届英联邦运动会冠军的尝试在开始前就已结束。
据认为,约翰逊-汤普森将优先考虑下个月在伯明翰冲击的首个欧洲冠军头衔,她将由尼夫·埃默森(Niamh Emerson)接替。
在两周内连续举办两项本土重大锦标赛的前景,对英国运动员来说总是意味着艰难的选择。
今年的运动会原定于 3 月举行,但澳大利亚退出了主办资格,格拉斯哥在仅提前 18 个月通知的情况下接手。
除了约翰逊-汤普森,同为奥运奖牌得主迪娜·阿舍-史密斯(Dina Asher-Smith)、达里尔·内塔(Daryll Neita)、安伯·安宁(Amber Anning)和马修·哈德逊-史密斯(Matthew Hudson-Smith)现在均已确认将缺席本届运动会,欧洲锦标赛的参赛名单将于周一公布。奥运冠军基利·霍奇金森(Keely Hodgkinson)一直表示,格拉斯哥不在她本赛季的计划之内。
入选格拉斯哥代表团标志着 27 岁的埃默森迎来了非凡的回归之年,她在 4 月完成了八年来首次七项全能赛。
埃默森此前由杰西卡·恩尼斯-希尔(Jessica Ennis-Hill)指导,她在 2018 年赢得世界青年冠军后被认为是该项目的下一个之星,同年她在黄金海岸赢得了英联邦运动会的铜牌。
在 4x100 米接力队中,阿舍-史密斯由雷妮·雷吉斯(Renee Regis)接替,
玛尚特对此保持沉默 在备战奥运会之际
作者:伊恩·帕克 (Ian Parker)
自行车运动员凯蒂·玛尚特 (Katy Marchant) 将在下周参加她八年来首次英联邦运动会,而就在不到 12 个月前,她才第二次成为母亲。
沃尔特 (Walter) 是四岁男孩亚瑟 (Arthur) 的弟弟,他在去年 8 月出生。玛尚特将恢复比赛状态描述为“我做过最困难的事”,但第二次经历这意味着对未知的恐惧已经消失。
“这次我感到更有信心,”这位 33 岁的运动员说道。“在亚瑟出生后回归时,有些日子我会想:‘天呐,我还能恢复到那种水平吗?’这项运动在进步,我是否还具备竞争力?
“这次我更有信心,我觉得这是旅程的一部分,而糟糕的日子成就了美好的日子。”
[[IMG_XXXX]]
两年前,玛尚特确认了自己重返顶峰的能力——她与艾玛·菲纽坎 (Emma Finucane) 和索菲·凯普韦尔 (Sophie Capewell) 一起赢得了奥运会团体竞速金牌和世界冠军。
在憧憬 2028 年洛杉矶第四次奥运会之际,玛尚特再次看到了希望的迹象。
“我在训练中的表现就像在奥运会前六个月时那样,”她补充道。“这证明了我决定暂不退役是正确的。”
玛尚特追随劳拉·肯尼 (Laura Kenny)、莎拉·斯托雷 (Sarah Storey) 和公路赛车手利兹·迪格南 (Lizzie Deignan) 的脚步,以母亲的身份回归赛场,但她回归的是短距离冲刺赛。
她承认,考虑到身体需求的差异,这让她成为了一个“小白鼠”,但随着她再次经历这个过程,她已经知道该期待什么。
卡塔里娜·约翰逊-汤普森 (Katarina Johnson-Thompson) 将重心放在欧洲锦标赛上
加入了她的妹妹艾丽西亚 (Alicia) 的队伍,后者是 4x400 米接力队的成员。她们的入选是在父亲约翰·雷吉斯 (John Regis) 和母亲珍妮·斯陶特 (Jenny Stoute) 两人在奥克兰赢得英联邦金牌 36 年后。
“我祝愿运动员们在恢复过程中好运,并希望他们在赛季剩余的时间里能获得机会,”田径队队长斯科特·格雷斯 (Scott Grace) 表示。
“对于状态极佳的运动员来说,这是一个进入英格兰队并在世界舞台上代表国家出赛的绝佳机会。
“我们很激动能在接下来的几周内,在格拉斯哥支持这些运动员。”
英格兰队的田径阵容现在将由世界奖牌获得者艾米·亨特 (Amy Hunt) 和乔治亚·亨特-贝尔 (Georgia Hunter Bell) 领衔。
举重
具有影响力
作者:马克·斯坦尼福斯 (Mark Staniforth)
双届奥运奖牌得主埃米莉·坎贝尔 (Emily Campbell) 决心享受她在大舞台上的每一个时刻,并完成她的使命——激励一整代女孩们去展现力量。直到 2016 年里约奥运会前不久,坎贝尔才开始考虑举重,但此后她激励人心的成长轨迹为他人开辟了道路,而现在看来,许多人正表现出效仿她的迹象。这位 32 岁的运动员将以 87 公斤以上级卫冕冠军以及六届连续欧洲冠军的身份参加她的第三届英联邦运动会——对于一个在 2014 年该赛事上次在格拉斯哥举行时还完全没考虑过这项运动的人来说,这是一个惊人的成就。“在 2014 年,我甚至并不真正知道举重是什么,”坎贝尔说。“我记得在电视上看 2014 年格拉斯哥英联邦运动会,但我一直盯着田径比赛,因为在那阶段我仍然希望进入该领域。”
“在 2014 年,对举重产生兴趣仍被认为是非常不寻常的,但现在你与很多女性交谈时,这被认为是正常的事情,所以我确实认为,从女性视角来看,人们对这项运动的认知在这段时间内发生了真正的改变。”佐伊·史密斯 (Zoe Smith) 是英格兰六人女子举重队中唯一在格拉斯哥赢得奖牌的成员。今年 4 月,在格鲁吉亚巴图米举行的欧洲锦标赛上,一支英国女子队以七枚奖牌位居奖牌榜之首,其中包括坎贝尔及其队友萨拉·戴维斯 (Sarah Davies) 成功卫冕冠军。这些数据有力地证明了坎贝尔在打破旧有刻板印象、让举重成为年轻女运动员具有吸引力的选择这一使命上取得了成功。“看到我们现在取得了进展是很不错的,因为在我开始练习举重时,这是我们需要非常努力才能争取到的东西,”曾在 2022 年伯明翰开幕式上持英格兰国旗入场的坎贝尔补充道。
埃米莉·坎贝尔希望激励新一代的女性举重运动员
体育
曼联 老特拉福德球场的 常客担心他们 正被高昂的票价 排除在外并被边缘化
A
埃利奥特·安德森 (Elliot Anderson) 在崇拜曼城中场凯文·德布劳内 (Kevin De Bruyne) 的过程中成长起来
我的巅峰尚未到来
» 接后页
他期待在曼彻斯特德比战中出场,曼城预计将于 13 September 下午在老特拉福德球场面对邻居曼联。
今年夏天与两家俱乐部都有传闻联系的安德森表示:“这是世界上规模最大的德比战之一。在我认识曼彻斯特以来,曼城一直是这座城市的王者。”
“这将是一场伟大的比赛,我迫不及待想参与其中。”
安德森在纽卡斯尔联的青训体系中成长,并为他的童年俱乐部出场 55 次。在职业生涯早期,他在布里斯托尔流浪者队的租借期间也取得了成功,在那里他赢得了“乔迪马拉多纳”的绰号。
两年前,他以 £35m 的转会费加盟森林队,并为这支“红军”出场 92 次。他在上赛季首次获得英格兰国家队征召,并在过去的 10 个月里迅速成为托马斯·图赫尔阵中的核心成员。
“我才 23 岁,所以我还有充足的时间来达到我的巅峰状态,”他说道,“我绝对还没有达到那个高度,未来还有更多可期。”
“我能带来全方位的贡献。我带来质量、身体对抗和能量。我想我能让球迷们感到兴奋,让他们在看台上欢呼,并为球队带来活力。”
这次转会对安德森来说具有额外的意义,因为他在成长过程中一直崇拜前曼城中场凯文·德布劳内。
在谈到这位比利时老将时,他表示:“在过去的七八年里,凯文一直是我非常仰慕的人。”
“我一直想踢得像他那样。我一直在关注他,现在能进入他效力的这支球队,感觉太特别了。”
曼城足球总监雨果·维亚纳在谈到这位新援时补充道:“埃利奥特是世界足坛最杰出的年轻中场天才之一。我们认为他可以成为一名全能的中场。”
但忠实球迷感到被误解
在原本应该是重新开始的绝佳机会的新赛季前夕,已经紧张的关系现在达到了崩溃的边缘。 数百名曼联支持者(其中一些人已经观赛数十年)在被怀疑从事门票黄牛交易而被标记后,接到了俱乐部的联系。 社交媒体上的抵制情绪极其激烈,这还是保守的说法。自从共同所有者吉姆·拉特克利夫爵士和Ineos加入以来,俱乐部做了许多让自身支持者恼火的事情,而现在他们竟然在针对最忠实的的支持者。 影响力较大的球迷团体首次联合起来,要求停止这一持续进行的进程,并撤销所有未经证实的禁赛措施。 “这简直太糟糕了,”一名持有季票 25 年且心怀不满的支持者在收到那封可怕的电子邮件后告诉《i报》。 “我们知道他们为什么要这么做:把我们这些季票持有者赶走,然后由那些在俱乐部商店和餐饮上挥霍钱财的日游游客来取代我们。” “就像拉特克利夫一直那样,金钱至上。” 然而,这个问题比许多支持者意识到的要复杂得多。 通过联系支持者(已经发送了两轮电子邮件),曼联正在向那些将曼联票务应用程序登录详情提供给超过 6 个不同的人的球迷寻求解释,这些人随后可以访问并分享比赛日的电子票。 这看起来很不寻常,且不会标记那些仅仅登录父亲账户的人,尽管社交媒体上对此有相反的说法。 然而,俱乐部允许支持者将客场门票转发给其他季票持有者,例如,且没有次数限制。
西北足球记者
因此,那些因为多次账户登录而被标记的人,通常是没有任何违规行为的常规观赛者。 “我管理我们所有群组的申请,以便我们能够协调,”季票持有者史蒂夫告诉《i报》。 “我们没有做任何违反俱乐部规定的事情。我们使用的是他们声明的官方转发系统。他们应该去追查那些在应用程序上登录的人,因为票就在那里。” “我们可能是通过多个账户登录来转发门票,但俱乐部拥有门票流向的数据,并且可以看到它是发给其他季票持有者的。我不明白为什么他们认为我们的行为是票贩子行为,因为他们肯定会查看该票是被转发了,还是由他人通过登录应用程序获取的。” 尽管支持者们自发地向俱乐部发出警告,但在应用程序中将季票添加到自己账户的系统极易受到欺诈。 你只需要获取另一名持有者的季票号码和姓名,就可以随意使用它来观看比赛。 “有人可能会拿到我的号码,然后在下一场比赛中抢在我之前通过检票口进入,就这么简单,”另一名匿名球迷说。 “我们已经告诉曼联,需要某种形式的双重身份验证,比如密码之类的,但他们没做。然后他们现在试图指责我们?” 曼联并不是唯一一家试图打击票贩子的俱乐部。 本周,利物浦发出了 400 多个终身禁令,涉及其比赛门票的非法销售。
曼联票务指南 称支持者可将 最多 6 个 个人资料与 应用门票绑定
俱乐部认为他们完全有权试图地杜绝此类活动。消息人士补充称,目前尚未发布正式制裁。曼联仅仅是在限制账户,并要求支持者提供信息以证明他们没有从事不法活动。
“他们还没有被禁赛,俱乐部只是想要更多信息,”一位不愿透露姓名的支持者告诉《i报》。“如果他们没有什么可隐瞒的,为什么要担心?也许其他遵守规则且拥有 10 年忠诚积分的支持者,现在能有更好的机会获得客场门票了。”
客场门票的分配在曼联支持者中已成为一个长期存在争议的话题。许多被联系的人处于忠诚度计划中,并且由于长期出席并申请所有比赛,几乎能保证获得每场客场比赛的门票。一些反对者称,这些人之所以处于该计划中,是因为他们将门票分给了许多其他人,甚至以高价转售,同时保留了忠诚度积分。
最引起不安的是曼联处理这一过程的方式。
曼联称他们是在保护球迷,但许多忠诚的现场观众感到被当作嫌疑人对待
“在第一波邮件中,他们甚至没有告诉我们具体是什么问题,只说你的账户有可疑活动,”史蒂夫补充道。“现在你得证明自己的清白。为了什么证明清白?他们总是采用这种‘在证明自己无辜之前先被推定有罪’的方法。”
“MUST [曼联支持者信托基金] 一直在向俱乐部施压,要求改变制裁流程,但我知道他们在这方面很吃力。当曼联通过数据分析来识别过去发生的问题时,他们搞错了。而现在这种情况再次发生。”
曼联意识到一些遵守规则的支持者被卷入了这场风波,但在根除票贩子行为的努力上依然态度坚决。
消息人士坚持认为限制措施是必要的,因为如果在调查期间不限制账户,那么拥有所有比赛门票的票贩子就可以直接出售
利用他们并从中获利。俱乐部坚称这并非一项旨在驱动营收的计划,任何被撤销的季票都将作为另一张季票转售。
对于近期票价上涨以及其他争议性的 Ineos 削减成本措施感到愤怒的球迷们对此持怀疑态度。
“我认为这直接关系到单纯的涨价以及吸引非季票收入,”足球财务专家、足球商业大学校区项目主任 Rob Wilson 教授告诉《i报》。
“虽然有些人称他们为体育游客,但临时观众正成为俱乐部的关键收入流。他们在票价上的支出更高,在比赛日的消费也更多。这是现代足球经济学中一个令人不安的事实。”
“可以公平地说,一名平均的季票持有者在球场内最多可能花费 £20-30。而一名单次访问者则会花费五倍于此的金额。如果我们看款待票观众,每人的金额可能在 £750-£1,000 之间,包括最基础的企业款待票。因此,他们正试图挤进更多的人。”
老特拉福德的常客需要更多说服力才会相信这一点。即使曼联真的将那些被视为黄牛而收回的季票重新分配,与长期拥趸开战也会起到一种威慑作用,令其他人打消继续花费数千英镑辛苦钱的念头。
而谁来填补那些空出的座位——正是那些高消费的游客。
就在去年,技术区后方的季票持有者被通知他们的座位将被转换为高级款待席,他们将被重新安置,这导致了几场比赛中出现了抗议。据了解,所有要求提供更多信息的电子邮件均已发出。俱乐部现在需要考虑的问题是:这一切值得吗?
周五 2026年7月24日 新闻 观点 电视 周五 财经 体育 2-35 18-22 26-31 37-43 44-46 50-56
喜之鸟兴趣减退,特拉福德有望加盟埃兰路球场
作者:George Sessions 和 Damian Spellman
在与曼彻斯特城就签下这位英格兰门将进行深入谈判后,利兹联看来将在争夺 James Trafford 的竞争中获胜。
Trafford 去年夏天才搬到伊蒂哈德球场,但在 9 月被 Gianluigi Donnarumma 取代后,这位 23 岁的球员渴望在 2026-27 赛季寻求新的挑战。
纽卡斯尔长期以来一直欣赏 Trafford(见上图),但利兹联预计将获得这位前伯恩利球员的效力。
在普里什蒂纳惨败, Hibs 欧战前景堪忧
作者:Ronnie Esplin
在被不被看好的科索沃球队 Malisheva 以 2-0 击败后,Hibernian 追求欧协联足球的愿望陷入危机。
在普里什蒂纳的 Fadil Vokrri 体育场举行的第二轮资格赛首回合比赛中,Kreshnik Uka 在第 21 分钟近距离破门,令 David Gray 的球队措手不及。
Hibs 在中场休息后加强了压力,新签约的 Nathan Lowe 错失了几个机会,但主队替补 Valjmir Nafiu 在第 90 分钟通过反击打入第二球,使得苏格兰人必须在下周的 Easter Road 第二回合比赛中完成救援任务。
这对他们来说又是极其糟糕的一个夜晚
克洛普将被确认 执教至2030年世界杯
作者:Carl Markham
前利物浦主教练尤尔根·克洛普(Jürgen Klopp)预计将在今日被确认担任德国国家队主教练。
德国足球协会(DFB)已在法兰克福的DFB校园预约了当地时间上午11点(英国夏季时间上午10点)举行新闻发布会。
在朱利安·纳格尔斯曼(Julian Nagelsmann)辞职后,克洛普成为DFB首先接触的人选。此前,德国队在一次令人失望的世界杯征程中,在32强赛中通过点球大战负于巴拉圭而止步。
DFB在纽约与克洛普(见上图)展开了谈判,当时他正担任一名电视评论员,而世界杯仍在进行中;随后在7月11日,DFB宣布已达成原则性协议。
据了解,他已同意签署一份合约,将执教至2030年下一届世界杯。
前利物浦助教佩普·利恩德斯(Pep Lijnders)——他最近在佩普·瓜迪奥拉(Pep Guardiola)离职后离开了曼彻斯特城——以及彼得·克拉维茨(Peter Krawietz)预计将被任命进入克洛普的教练团队。同时有报道称,曾在多特蒙德俱乐部(Borussia Dortmund)克洛普麾下效力的斯文·本德(Sven Bender)也将加入其中。
克洛普在执教九年后于2024年离开利物浦。
纽卡斯尔联(NEWCASTLE UNITED)
阿拉吉·班巴(Aladji Bamba)既可以坐镇中场,也可以在更前场的位置上发挥作用
……在与曼城的谈判加速后,(该球员)成为了门将。
利兹联主教练丹尼尔·法尔克(Daniel Farke)在卡尔·达洛(Karl Darlow)于上赛季末离队以及替补伊兰·梅斯利尔(Illan Meslier)离队后,一直致力于寻找一名新的正门将。
此次预期中对特拉福德(Trafford)的引进将对利兹联来说是一次重大胜利。尽管夏季投入有限,但利兹联在重返英超后排名第14位。
在2024-25赛季英冠联赛中,特拉福德在与利兹联争夺升级权的激战中为伯恩利队出战,当时这位备受赞誉的英格兰国脚在45场联赛首发中仅丢了16球。
苏格兰足球在欧洲赛场上(表现如何),因为这支来自利斯(Leith)的球队在面对一家仅有十年历史的俱乐部时遗憾落败。
在格雷(Gray)率领的球队本赛季首场正式比赛中,租借而来的斯托克前锋洛(Lowe)是唯一一名新签入球员。
Hibs队上赛季在超级联赛中获得第五名并确保了欧洲赛场席位,他们在比赛初段显得相对从容。但当他们落后时,应对反应较为平淡,尽管后卫格兰特·汉利(Grant Hanley)的一次头球攻门被对方轻松化解。
客队在下半场继续施压,但并未造成实质性威胁。随着比赛在最后阶段变得碎片化且混乱,主队再次破门,给Hibs队雪上加霜。
吉马良斯 培养新的 年轻天才
» 续接封页
将坚持明确的招募战略。 正如《i报》此前透露,纽卡斯尔一直在从一份广泛的目标名单中同时推进四到五笔交易。 尽管在追求维克多·穆诺斯(Victor Munoz)和约翰·曼赞比(Johan Manzambi)的行动中,由于两人分别加盟利物浦和阿斯顿维拉而以失望告终,但俱乐部能够迅速转向其他替代方案。 班巴(Bamba)就是其中之一,据消息人士称,他“从第一天起就在关注名单上”。 他被认为是一名具有巨大潜力的球员,预计将及时与球队汇合,参加下个月在拉曼加(La Manga)举行的俱乐部训练营。 尽早完成交易是纽卡斯尔的优先事项,但仍有几个关键位置需要加强。他们还必须抵御对吉马良斯的觊觎,后者仍然是阿森纳的目标。 由于纽卡斯尔计划在下赛季 fielding 一支更年轻的阵容,俱乐部将这位 28 岁的队长视为关键人物。然而,吉马良斯目前心态不稳,理想情况是希望有机会搬到酋长球场。英超冠军球队已被告知,纽卡斯尔将寻求接近于转让托纳利(Tonali)时所得的费用,但目前尚未提交正式报价。 纽卡斯尔的下一个优先目标是门将,但不会是詹姆斯·特拉福德(James Trafford)。正如《i报》周二报道的,这一可能性在近几周有所降低,特拉福德目前接近加盟利兹联。 纽卡斯尔也对球员离队持开放态度,雅各布·墨菲(Jacob Murphy)和乔·威洛克(Joe Willock)均可转会。 他们增加了四名球员,降低了工资单,并增加了球队的腿速和活力,这是令人鼓舞的。但签下经验如此匮乏的球员是一种风险,这就是为什么在转会窗最后几天留住吉马良斯并增加经验丰富球员显得至关重要。
theipaper.com
2026 年 7 月 24 日
theipaper.com/sport 《i报》体育 @TheiPaperSport
价格过高且 被边缘化 ——为何曼联 球迷担心最糟情况
克里斯·斯托克斯(Chris Stocks): 英格兰 2027 年 夏季看起来 已经一团糟
让自己成为 曼彻斯特之王
作者:安迪·汉普森 (Andy Hampson)
喜鹊——但豪预计 今夏还将签下更多球员
马克·道格拉斯 (Mark Douglas) 报道
北方足球记者
纽卡斯尔联将在为期 40 天的招募冲刺阶段最后阶段寻求注入一些经验和诀窍,而这次招募已经改变了埃迪·豪 (Eddie Howe) 的阵容。 《i报》获悉,在就签下摩纳哥的阿拉吉·班巴 (Aladji Bamba) 达成协议后,纽卡斯尔联接近完成额外的签约。 这位备受赞誉的 20 岁中场预计将以 £30m 的价格加盟,转会可能会在明天的盖茨黑德 (Gateshead) 季前友谊赛之前最终敲定。
一名首选门将是优先考虑的对象,而全背和一名右侧前锋也在豪(右图)的计划之列。 并非所有人都必然符合迄今为止四名夏季签约球员的年龄概况。 “我们相信我们正在进行一些理性的投注——但我们知道需要保持平衡,”一名消息人士表示。
埃利奥特·安德森 (Elliot Anderson) 在完成从诺丁汉森林 1.16亿英镑 (£116m) 的转会后,宣布曼彻斯特城是“曼彻斯特之王”。 这位英格兰中场在 {Etihad Stadium} 签署了一份为期五年的合同,并拥有额外 12 个月的续约选项。 该交易在本月早些时候达成,但在该球员从美国世界杯归来后于本周最终敲定。 安德森表示,能够签约“世界上最伟大的俱乐部之一”让他“欣喜若狂”,并坚定地将目标定在与新队友一起赢得奖杯上。 “我迫不及待地想为这家俱乐部效力,”这位 23 岁球员说道。“这是一个为了赢得奖杯并在顶尖水平上竞争而建立的俱乐部。这对任何一名足球运动员来说都是令人兴奋的。” “他们是赢家,他们是无情的,这就是我想成为其中一员的球队。在过去的 10, 12 年里,他们一直占据主导地位,这就是为什么我想加入。”
尽管他可以出任 8 号位,但班巴是以纽卡斯尔联整个夏天一直垂涎的防守型 6 号位身份被签下的,旨在为豪的球队在下赛季提供一个新的维度。 圣詹姆斯公园球场内部对这笔交易以及纽卡斯尔联如何将其保密至该球员乘坐私人飞机飞越利兹前往俱乐部训练场时感到非常满意。 内部人士强调,此次转会与布鲁诺·吉马良斯 (Bruno Guimaraes) 的未来无关。 虽然不是简单的替代,但班巴被视为桑德罗·托纳利 (Sandro Tonali) 的继任者。在这次阵容大调整中,纽卡斯尔联签下了四名球员,平均年龄为 19.5 岁。 消息人士强调,班巴和本月早些时候在竞争中胜出而签下的阿贾克斯中场肖恩·斯图尔 (Sean Steur) 都已经“准备就绪”,并预计将在下赛季获得大量一线队出场时间。但与此同时,可能还需要一定的耐心。 俱乐部传出的统一信号是,他们在转会窗口剩余的时间里仍希望再签入“三到四”名球员,并且正在处理“大量的交易”。 尽管部分支持者对纽卡斯尔联的夏季操作感到沮丧,但俱乐部似乎
Friday 24 July 2026
No. 4,889
theipaper.com
BOOKS – HOLIDAY READING: TOP HISTORICAL NOVELS P43 I THE BEST HIGH STREET GYMS P34 I PUZZLES P27 I TV GUIDE P26
EXCLUSIVE
with no other income will be exempt from tax
I M P A R T I A L N E W S + I N T E L L I G E N T D E B A T E
» The new Chancellor, John Healey, gives commitment that pensioners whose only earnings are the state pension will not pay income tax, in good news for 820,000 retirees » From next year, state pension will be dragged into UK taxation for the first time, because of triple lock increases » Treasury tells The i Paper that Healey won’t levy income tax on people who are reliant solely on the state pension » Tax thresholds have been frozen since 2021, meaning millions of people are paying more tax as their wages rise
panels will
be legal in
UK from
27 August
» No roof needed for devices that cut energy bills
P4 P37
P6
ENVIRONMENT Drought declared in first regions of UK after record heatwaves
INTERVIEW Janis Winehouse Amy was a victim of the success she never wanted
SPORT Jim Ratcliffe, Man Utd and the war on season ticket holders
P5
P54
FRIDAY
JULY
Quote of the day
Even if you’re on the right
track, you’ll get run over
if you just sit there
WILL ROGERS
Birthdays
Jennifer Lopez, singer/actress, 57; Lynda Carter (below), actress, 75; Bindi Irwin, conservationist, 28; Julia Bradbury, presenter, 56; Martin Keown, ex-footballer, 60; Danny Dyer, actor, 49
Anniversaries Monday 24 July 1911 The US explorer Hiram Bingham reaches the abandoned Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru with guidance from locals. His expedition introduced the remarkable mountain site to a global audience, sparking archaeological research and a fascination with the Inca civilisation.
Crossword.............17 TV & Radio...........26 Puzzles.....................27 Culture.....................37 Money.......................44 Weather...................49
News Matrix
a glance
Burnham meets
first ministers
Andy Burnham has met the Welsh and Scottish first ministers in Glasgow. Scotland’s John Swinney said the Prime Minister will “engage” on the possible devolution of further powers, while Rhun ap Iorwerth expressed hope for a “new chapter”. A second referendum on Scottish independence is “off limits”, No 10 said.
Three-decade low for knife killings
The number of homicides involving a knife or sharp instrument recorded annually by police in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level for 35 years. In total, 176 knife homicides were logged by forces in 2025-26, down from 204 in the previous 12 months. It is the lowest number since 175 were recorded in 1990-91.
US offers help to end war in Ukraine
The US has said it is prepared to play a “constructive role” in helping end the war in Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had a “frank conversation” with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at a summit in the Philippines. Rubio said President Donald Trump was ready to facilitate an end to the war.
Clegg sceptical of social media ban
Former Meta executive Sir Nick Clegg has said banning under-16s from social media means “letting tech companies off the hook”. Under-16s in the UK could be banned from using social media by spring next year – a move welcomed by child safety campaigners. Clegg said he had sympathy with the intention of a ban but added: “Weirdly, you’re almost letting the tech companies off the hook. “From their point of view, they think, ‘OK, well then we won’t bother doing all the difficult… engineering work to work out exactly who’s what age and how they use a different app to adults’, and so on.”
Newspapers support recycling.
The recycled paper content
of UK newspapers in 2024
was 37.2%.
Southport killer
now in Broadmoor
Axel Rudakubana has been moved from Belmarsh prison to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, after it was concluded that he could not be managed safely in Belmarsh. He is serving life for the murders of girls Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King and Alice da Silva Aguiar in Southport in 2024. People in Broadmoor are treated as patients not prisoners.
items needed fast
Last-minute purchases to accommodate heatwaves, holidays and hosting have prompted nearly a third of Britons (31 per cent) to pay for fast delivery. Research from online retailer Joybuy found the most popular essentials ordered in a hurry included fans, sun cream and swimwear. Britons decided to pay for quicker delivery on these items in the heat:
Clothing or footwear
Food or drink
3 Fans 4 Sun cream/SPF (below)
Barbecue items
Travel adapters
Children’s summer items
Portable air-con units
© Published by Harmsworth Media, 9 Derry Street, London, W8 5HY. Registered in England and Wales No. 00084121. Printed at Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Broxbourne); Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Knowsley); KP Services (Jersey) Ltd; Newsprinters Holdings Ltd (Eurocentral), Lanarkshire; Irish Times (Citywest, Dublin), Ireland. Back issues available from Historic Newspapers, info@historic-newspapers.com Friday 24 July 2026. Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office.
Donaldson loses
his knighthood
The disgraced former leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson, has lost his knighthood. Donaldson was convicted of historical child sex abuse offences at Newry Crown Court in June. The former Lagan Valley MP, who awaits sentencing, moved to renounce his knighthood and forfeit membership of the Privy Council after calls for their removal.
Hero Holland to read ‘Bedtime Story’
Tom Holland is the latest superhero to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story. The Spider-Man actor will read Superworm, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, tonight at 6.50pm. He follows Chris Evans (Captain America), Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and Tom Hardy – who played Bane – in appearing on the series.
Live ’25 Oasis film debuts in Venice
Steven Knight’s Oasis documentary will have its world premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Don’t Look Back in Anger, follows Noel and Liam Gallagher as they undertake their Live ’25 tour. The festival runs from 2 to 12 September, with the film due for world release on 9 September.
Ferry named after Captain Cook
New Zealand has named a new ferry linking its main islands after Captain James Cook. The Royal Navy explorer, a highly contested symbol of empire, mapped the islands in the late 1770s. “A serious country does not vandalise its memory to satisfy the latest fashion in whinger politics,” said foreign minister Winston Peters of the naming of the Cook. “The snivelling wokesters will work themselves into a lather.” Another new ferry will be named Kupe, after the Polynesian navigator who first reached New Zealand, according to Maori tradition. They are due for delivery in 2029.
Expect a summer
of painted ladies
The UK is enjoying a once-in-a- decade “painted lady summer”, when huge numbers of the migratory butterflies arrive and breed here, conservationists have said. Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is urging members of the public to count the painted ladies (right) as part of its annual Big Butterfly Count (bigbutterfly count.org). It said this year is on track to be the third best year for painted lady numbers on record, after 1996 and 2009.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
Time-travel novel wins crime award
The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths, which follows a detective working for a time-travelling cold case team, has been named the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. The first book in a new series follows investigator Ali Dawson to Victorian London to explore killings that have 21st-century consequences.
‘Important’ portrait uncovered on BBC
An “extraordinarily important” portrait has been uncovered on BBC One’s Fake Or Fortune? In last night’s episode, a painting wrapped in a sleeping bag was confirmed to be a work by 18th-century Scottish artist Katherine Read and verified as the earliest painting of an Indian sitter by a European female artist.
Twain picked Styles over Swift’s wedding
Shania Twain turned down an invitation to Taylor Swift’s wedding to perform with Harry Styles at Wembley Stadium. The Canadian singer opened for Styles during his 12-night London residency, which ran from 12 June to 4 July. “Next time I see her, I will of course give her a big congratulations,” she said.
Poster unveiled for story yet to come
Johnny Depp has transformed into
Ebenezer Scrooge in a first look at
Ti West’s adaptation of A Christmas
Carol. A poster shows Depp as
the titular character in Ebenezer,
directed by West, best known for his
horror films, with a caption reading:
“The name you know. The story you
don’t.” The film is due out November.
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
3
Letter from the Environment Correspondent
Lucie Heath
i@theipaper.com
plug-in solar panels
There’s been huge interest in the Government’s announcement that it would make £400 plug-in solar panels available in supermarkets. The lightweight panels offer a comparatively cheap and easy way for people to lower their energy bills and dip their toes into the world of renewable energy. Over the past few months ministers have been scrambling to pass the necessary safety regulations needed for the panels to be sold in the UK. It has now been confirmed households will be able to get their hands on the technology from the end of next month. However, it’s still not clear which shops will stock them. Lidl, B&Q, Asda and Screwfix are among those to have expressed interest, but are yet to confirm when exactly they will be on the shelves – it could now be within weeks. Ministers have sold plug-in solar as a perfect solution for renters and people living in flats, who wouldn’t typically be able to install traditional solar panels. The Government has taken inspiration from Germany, where plug-in solar has already taken off. Earlier this year I travelled to Berlin with the climate minister Katie White and saw the panels adorning balconies across the city. But differences exist between Germany and the UK that may prevent the technology being as popular here, not least England’s punitive leasehold laws that often prevent flat owners altering their property without going through a lengthy, expensive process. The Government has laid the groundwork for a German-style solar revolution, but the real test is whether households are actually able to install them.
NEWS
Mother and daughter die in sea
By Sam Hall, Sam Russell and Stanley Murphy-Johns
A teenage girl and her mother have died trying to save a seven-year- old family member who “got into trouble” as the tide came in on an Essex beach. Samiha Rahman, 15, and her mother Shally Rahman, 41, were on a day out at West Mersea beach on Wednesday afternoon when they
got into difficulty in the water. The mother and daughter, from London, were believed to be trying to help a boy, seven, who is in hospital in a critical condition. Shally Rahman’s brother-in-law, Matiur Rahman, said about 10 mem- bers of his family were near the water playing when “suddenly a big wave came”. He said: “We all feel very bad. “My whole family – we are
Emergency services on Mersea Island after Wednesday’s incident SWNS
Low-cost, plug-in solar panels can be used in homes
By Will Hazell and
Kyriakos Petrakos
Plug-in solar panels can be installed in UK homes from the end of next month after a change in the law. Households will be permitted to use the devices, which can take £100 off a household’s energy bill, for the first time from 27 August. It is still not clear when the pan- els will arrive on shop shelves in this country, but there are hopes it could be within a matter of weeks. Retailers such as Lidl, B&Q, Cur- rys, Asda, Screwfix and Wickes have all expressed interest in selling them. Plug-in solar refers to low-cost panels that can be placed on balco- nies and outdoor spaces. Unlike traditional panels, which can be costly and complicated to in- stall, they are plugged directly into a mains socket to provide a home with free solar power and cut energy bills. The technology is expected to retail from about £400 and would reduce a typical home’s bills by be- tween £70 and £110 annually, mean- ing a device would cover its costs in about four years. Plug-in solar has previously been illegal under UK safety regulations, but in March the then energy sec- retary Ed Miliband announced his intention to change the law this summer. Ministers at the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) have now quietly pub- lished a statutory instrument – a form of secondary legislation – which updates existing regulations.
Plug-in solar panels are already popular in countries like Germany
speechless. We can’t believe what we heard from my brother. We are very shocked.” Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said: “My thoughts, and those of my team, are with the friends and family of the woman and girl who died yesterday. “We can now confirm they were a mother and daughter from London and we are supporting their family in what is an unimaginable time. “Since yesterday we have been working to establish the circum- stances which led up to this incident.” The family have asked for privacy, the police said.
The i Paper previously revealed that officials were on track to approve the devices before the end of August, and that they could hit shop shelves around a month later.
The new regulations – which were first spotted by tech blog Engadget – come into force on 27 August, mean- ing that plug-in solar will be legal from that date. The news has been welcomed by manufacturers and retailers, who have been keen for the technol- ogy to get signed off before the end of the summer so they can launch their products while the weather remains warm. Lorna Wallace-Smith, head of UK communications for EcoFlow, a plug-in solar manufacturer, told The i Paper: “The legalisation of plug-in solar marks a significant milestone for UK consumers and the future of home renewable energy.” While a number of major retail- ers have said they plan to sell plug- in solar, it is not clear whether they will be on shelves in time for the le- galisation date or if there will be a short delay. Michelle Gorringe-Smith, direc- tor of new categories at Currys, said: “We welcome this announcement from the Government, which marks the next step in enabling the safe roll-out of plug-in solar products.” A spokesperson for Morrisons said: “Morrisons is continuing to engage with the Government and suppliers about the possibility of launching a competitively priced product when government legis- lation allows the domestic use of such items.” A DESNZ spokesperson said: “We expect plug-in solar panels to be available to buy this summer, giving millions of households the opportu- nity to cut their energy bills. “Already widely used throughout Europe, these easy-to-install panels could save many households signifi- cant amounts of money while sup- porting our drive for clean power.”
First drought declared in UK after summer of heatwaves and wildfires
By Sally Guyoncourt
Drought has been declared in North Wales and the Upper Severn fol- lowing successive heatwaves, wide- spread wildfires and dwindling river flows. It is the first area of the UK to declare drought status this summer amid record-breaking weather conditions. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) confirmed the status yesterday, say- ing the decision followed continued hot, dry weather, with July on course to become the driest on record in Wales for almost 190 years if signifi- cant rainfall does not arrive before the end of the month. Rhian Thomas, sustainable water
French wildfire forces 10,000 people from homes
By Stephane Mahe
IN LEGE-CAP FERRET
A fast-moving wildfire has forced more than 10,000 people from homes and campsites near France’s Atlantic coast, as extreme heat and deepening drought fuels fires across Europe. Scientists have warned that climate change is worsening the con- tinent’s water shortages. Across Europe, three heatwaves
and nature manager at NRW, said: “The prolonged period of hot, dry weather we have experienced this summer is now having serious im- pacts on the environment across parts of Wales.” Areas affected include North Gwynedd, Ynys Môn, South Gwynedd, Dee (Wales), Clwyd and Upper Severn, while regions across south-west Wales have moved from “normal” to “prolonged dry weather” status. Many parts of England are also in “prolonged dry weather” status as the nation has received just 3 per cent of its average July rainfall, with hosepipe bans in place for 23 million customers across the south and east.
this season have intensified drought, strained water supplies and left veg- etation tinder dry – and caused thou- sands of deaths. Wildfires have scorched more land already this year than the annual av- erage of the past two decades on the world’s fastest-warming continent. More than 10,000 people were evacuated from south-western France overnight as a rapidly spreading wildfire ripped through 2,000 hectares of land west of the
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
The Scottish Environment Pro- tection Agency announced yes- terday “increasing water scarcity across much of the country, with sev- eral areas approaching significant water scarcity including Fife, Ber- wickshire coastal, Lower Tweed and Lower Don”. Wildfires have been raging across the UK from Dove Stone Reservoir
There is some rain due tomorrow night, Deakin said, as a weather front coming in from the north-west “slips its way across England and Wales” bringing some overnight rain and a “cooler feel” to Sunday.
city of Bordeaux. No one had been injured as of yesterday. In Spain, authorities were still working to put out fires that have raged for several days, while in Italy, a 59-year-old firefighter died after falling ill while battling a large wild- fire near San Cataldo in Sicily. Yesterday across central Spain, firefighters, emergency personnel and military units were deployed as authorities monitored active fires, including blazes in Guadalajara, Toledo, Ciudad Real and Albacete. More than 100,000 hectares have burnt nationwide so far this year. Over 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe and Brit- ain in the heatwaves in May and late June. REUTERS
in Greater Manchester to Conwy Mountain in Wales and Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. The UK Health Security Agency issued fresh heat-health alerts yes- terday as temperatures were ex- pected to rise again today and over the weekend. Yellow heat-health alerts are in place for the Midlands, east of Eng- land, London, the south-east and south-west from 9am today until 9am on Sunday. Alex Deakin, Met Office meteor- ologist, said: “For the next couple of days there’s a lot of dry weather, many places seeing sunny spells and particularly across the south.”
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
5
Naturists hit out at leisure centre’s ‘discrimination’
By Nathan Pynn
Naturists have accused a leisure
centre of “discrimination”
after it banned them from
nude swimming.
Almost 200 members of
Northampton Sun Club have been
told they can no longer strip off
for their long-running monthly
dip at Mounts Baths in the
Midlands town.
The naturist group received an
email from the leisure centre’s
new manager two days before
their meet-up last month.
It said the naturists had
breached the centre’s swimsuit
policy and that it was unable to
“secure the staffing agreements”
needed for the group’s swim and
sauna sessions.
The naturist club’s treasurer
David Farnsworth, 51, said: “It’s
discrimination because the
management simply don’t like the
idea of what we are doing.
“We have been holding these
monthly naturist swims for
decades with no issues and we
now have more than 190 members
who are bitterly disappointed.”
Everyone Active, which runs
more than 230 leisure centres
across the UK, stood by the ban.
A spokesman said: “We have
been unable to secure the staffing
agreements needed.
“We understand this is a
change from what’s been offered
before and may be disappointing
to those who took part.
“If circumstances change in the
future, we’ll review the position
and update customers.”
Nudists say the club has run for decades without incident
NEWS
Retirees who rely solely on state
Exclusive By Will Hazell and Grace Gausden
Hundreds of thousands of retir- ees who rely on the state pension will not pay income tax, The i Paper can reveal. Andy Burnham and the Chancel- lor John Healey have pledged to stick to Rachel Reeves’s commitment to shield worse-off pensioners from paying income tax, even as the state pension rises under the triple lock.
The state pension is currently £12,547.60 a year, £22.40 below the personal tax allowance of £12,570 – the amount of income that can be gained before tax is paid. Because of the triple lock – under which pensions rise by the higher of inflation, wage growth or 2.5 per cent – the state pension will exceed the personal allowance from April, making it taxable for the first time. Tax thresholds have been frozen since 2021, meaning millions of peo- ple pay more tax as wages rise. Experts have previously estimat- ed that around 820,000 retirees will owe income tax on their state pen- sion alone in 2027-28. Burnham has criticised the freezing of tax thresholds and only last weekend suggested he would raise them. But after entering office on Monday he has insisted there was “no commitment” and that decisions on tax would be made at the Budget. The Prime Minister has already pledged to stick to the Labour mani- festo, which says the triple lock will not be altered this Parliament. And Treasury officials said that even if tax thresholds were raised, pensioners whose sole income is their state pension would be exempt from the income tax owed. Accord- ing to a report last year from the charity Independent Age, more than a million pensioners rely solely on
Resistance to devolution is over, says Burnham
By Will Meakin-Durrant
Whitehall resistance to devolution is “over for good”, the Prime Minister has said ahead of his first meeting at the new “No 10 North”. Andy Burnham is expected to work from the site in Man- chester once each week during his premiership. He will chair a meeting of the Na- tional Economic Council, a cabinet committee first launched in 2008 to respond to economic challenges. The panel’s attendees will vary according to No 10 North meeting agendas and could include business leaders and trade unions, the Gov- ernment said. No 10 North is housed at Heron House, near Manchester’s Albert Square, a building which is also home to GCHQ’s Manchester and North West hub.
the state pension for their income. A Treasury spokesperson said: “Anyone whose only income is the full new or basic state pension with- out any increments will not pay in- come tax and we are committed to that over this Parliament.” “By keeping the triple lock, 12 mil- lion pensioners will see their income rise by up to £470 this year, and they continue to benefit from the highest personal allowance in the G7.” In last November’s Budget, the then chancellor Reeves pledged that “people only in receipt of the basic or
Former chancellor Rachel Reeves made the pledge in last year’s Budget
The new state pension level, which is £22.40 below the personal tax allowance of £12,570 £12,547
While income tax in Scotland and Wales is partially devolved, the personal allowance remains the same and is set by the UK government. The state pension is the same in all the home nations and is not devolved.
“For 40 years, power and resourc- es have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the atten- tion and investment they deserve,” Burnham said. “No 10 North will change that by putting more power into every post- code across the entire country. “It will be the situation room for making Britain better – the place we use to get power out of West- minster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around. “The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good.” Burnham is expected to speak to leaders from business representa- tive organisations ahead of his first No 10 North meeting, including from the Federation of Small Business and Confederation of British Industry. The Prime Minister has faced
new state pension do not have to pay small amounts of tax through simple assessment from April 2027”. Under the simple assessment process, HM Revenue and Customs collects small tax sums by carrying out the calculations and sending out a tax demand at the end of the year. The Treasury said that work is al- ready under way on how to exclude those solely dependent on the state pension from simple assessment, with details to be outlined in “due course”. Last November’s Budget promised to set this out in 2026. It is not yet clear what the mecha- nism will be and pension experts told The i Paper that it would probably add complexity to the system and raise concerns about fairness. Adam Cole, retirement specialist at Quilter, said: “While exempting state pension income from tax might sound straightforward, in practice it could add significant complexity to the system.” Charlene Young, senior pensions and savings expert at AJ Bell, said that those on the “old” state pen- sion, who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, receive signifi- cantly less than newer pensioners. They would not pay tax on their pension anyway therefore, so would not qualify for a tax exemption. But many of those would have private pots, bringing their total income in line with newer pensioners on just the state pension – leaving them pay- ing tax unfairly. There is also no indication of how much the exemption would cost, she said. Adding: “Combined with the additional complexity it would cre- ate and the fact that it would exclude large groups of pensioners, it’s diffi- cult to see how the policy passes the fairness or simplicity test.”
No 10 North will be based in Heron House,in Albert Square, Manchester
questions about whether his focus on the North would draw attention away from other regions. Speaking in Harlow, Essex, yes- terday, he said: “The whole purpose of No 10 North is to put more power into every postcode in the land, in- cluding the postcodes of Harlow. “How do we get power out of Whitehall and Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can make a difference and turn things around?”
Surge in gas prices could wipe out PM’s energy bills VAT cut
Exclusive By Cahal Milmo
CHIEF REPORTER
A surge in gas prices fuelled by the Iran war will cancel out any house- hold savings provided by Andy Burn- ham’s promise this week to remove VAT from electricity bills, experts have warned. Earlier this week, Burnham put a pledge to reduce the VAT on domes- tic electricity bills from five per cent to zero at the centre of a campaign to offer voters immediate and tangible help with the cost of living. According to Treasury figures, the reduction, which comes into force in October but is currently only funded until next April, will
save households £45 a year if made permanent. Experts said that volatility in in- ternational gas markets mean the saving will be wiped out by a likely rise in domestic energy bills. The wholesale price for gas in Europe has surged by nearly 50 per cent in the past month after the out- break of fresh hostilities between Washington and Tehran. UK wholesale gas prices rose by 3 per cent alone this week to 151p per therm – meaning they are now high- er than the peak reached in March at the start of the Iran war. Cornwall Insights, an energy mar- ket think-tank, said consumers now face a 2 per cent increase in bills when the energy price cap for Octo-
ber is announced at the end of next month by watchdog Ofgem. The saving from the VAT cut “looks likely to be wiped out by rising wholesale costs”, the think-tank added. Julian Jessop, an independent economist and a fellow at the In- situte of Economic Affairs, underlined that without cuts to VAT, energy bills would be even higher. He added: “The fact that bills are going up at all will un- dermine confidence – including in the new government.” The vast majority of UK households – about 85 per cent – use a mixture of gas and electricity to power and heat their homes. Even if electricity prices fall, homeowners are still vulnerable to an increase in their total bill if gas costs rise signifi- cantly due to the conflict. The Ofgem price cap, which cal- culates the annual energy bill for the average household, currently stands at £1,862, meaning households are
looking at an annual rise of about £37 in October. According to the Institute for Fis- cal Studies, the fact that the VAT cut is due to end next April means it will be worth only about £25 for its cur- rent seven-month duration. Rupert Harrison, a former sen- ior Treasury official, said any sustained rise in gas wholesale prices will be reflected by a jump in domestic bills. He told the BBC: “If you think about the announcement we had this week about VAT on domestic fuel taking about £45 a year off the average bill, that will have al- ready been more than outweighed now by these price moves. “So this will feed through.” The volatility in gas prices fol- lows increased demand from both Europe and Asia for gas-produced electricity to power air conditioning units and growing concern at the level of gas stocks in Europe ahead of winter.
The Ofgem capped
annual energy
bill amount for
the average
household
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
PM defends cutting rates for pubs, clubs and music venues
By Helen Corbett, Sophie Wingate,
David Lynch, and
Will Meakin-Durrant
By Helen Corbett
Andy Burnham has defended only cutting business rates for some hos- pitality venues. Rates will be cut by 20 per cent for pubs, clubs and live music venues across England from April next year. Betting and vape shops will have their business rate relief slashed to raise the £100m a year to fund the discount for parts of the hospitality industry. A crackdown on online firms that fail to pay VAT is also planned to fund the move. Burnham said cut- ting rates for pubs was a “first step” to show “the cavalry is coming”. He said businesses that cause “so- cial harm”, such as vape and betting shops, will pay more to fund rate relief for businesses that do “real good”, like pubs. “Adult gaming centres on high streets can often bring real harm to communities,” Burnham said yesterday. “They will obviously pay higher rates to give the ability then to cut business rates for pubs and other venues that bring people together and bring wider benefits to high streets and communities.” The discount, which comes on top of a 15 per cent rate cut announced in January, will apply to around 32,000 hospitality businesses. It is expected to save a typical pub some £1,100 annually, but will not be available to the very largest live music venues. Burnham was asked why he did not go further and introduce a wider tax cut which would include
Badenoch worried by PM’s focus on Gaza
The Conservative leader Kemi Bad- enoch has said she is worried about a rift between Britain and Israel under Andy Burnham. The new Prime Minister has apol- ogised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s war in Gaza, saying La- bour must “do better”. Wes Streeting, the new Defence Secretary, said this week that Israel had “fallen short” of the standards the UK should expect. Tory leader Badenoch said: “I think that yet again this is a Gov- ernment and a Prime Minister and a Defence Secretary and even a Foreign Secretary that have the wrong priorities.” Badenoch added: “This exces-
Businesses such as vape shops cause ‘social harm’, said Burnham
other businesses like cafés and restaurants. He said: “This is a first step today, but it’s an important step. I made this commitment in the Makerfield by- election because we’re losing pubs. Pubs need to know that the cavalry is coming. “You know, this is to me our heritage. It’s working class cul- ture. Once pubs are gone, they don’t come back.
Tory shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: “Whilst any support for Britain’s hard-pressed businesses is welcome, once again this Government has been found wanting on both the detail and funding for this policy.”
sive focus on what’s going on in Is- rael and Palestine is because that’s what their backbenchers are con- cerned about.” Badenoch said that during her time as Trade Secretary, she had security briefings that showed the importance of the UK’s relationship with Israel. The Tory leader (inset) said: “There are British citizens alive today because of intel- ligence that Israel gave us. “I am very worried about a lack of co-operation because this Government wants to please its backbenchers.” Burnham sought to draw a line under tensions within Labour over
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
7
“So we’ve just got to signal what support when we can. That’s why I’ve made this early announcement. This is a significant cut to the busi- ness rates that pubs and other ven- ues pay.” He added: “It could make the dif- ference for a number of venues that are struggling, and it was right to confirm it quickly. “So much good happens bringing communities together, and when these places have gone they don’t come back, and we can’t afford to lose any more.” Since entering Downing Street on Monday, Burnham has unveiled plans to remove VAT from electric- ity bills and reinstate a £2 cap on sin- gle bus fares across England. The Chancellor, John Healey, has vowed to back business- es that have “felt really squeezed” and said he was “just as concerned about the cost of busi- ness as I am about the cost of living”. Meeting business leaders in central London yesterday, Healey said: “My message to British businesses is quite simple: to British businesses, to British innovators, to British investors: I will back you as your Chancellor, and I’ll back you in financial services, in technology, in retail, in industry, in all parts of the economy.” Like households, firms have been feeling a “lack of a breathing space”, Healey said. No 10 has said it set out further reforms to the wider business rates system, including small business rates relief, at the budget.
The number of hospitality businesses that will be affected by the rate cut across England
the Gaza war in a video message ear- lier this month. He said the UK should be “clear in our criticism of what has happened in Gaza”, while also condemning Ha- mas’s attack on 7 October 2023 and subsequent acts of anti- semitic violence in Britain. Earlier this week, Streeting said that Is- rael had “fallen short” of the standard the UK holds itself to, which he said should also be applied to Israel. In private messages to Peter Mandelson released earlier this year, Streeting said the UK should recog- nise Palestine as a state. The UK eventually did recognise Palestine under Sir Keir Starmer.
NEWS
Haigh had ‘free hand’ in selection of senior figures in Cabinet
By Caroline Wheeler, Kitty Donaldson and Richard Vaughan
Louise Haigh was instrumental in choosing and interviewing the can- didates for senior positions in Andy Burnham’s new Cabinet, The i Paper has been told. In a highly unusual move that underlines the extent of her influ- ence, Haigh – the first woman to serve as First Secretary of State since Barbara Castle – was tasked with shaping the new Prime Min- ister’s senior team, according to government sources. Haigh, who resigned as Trans- port Secretary in 2024 after it emerged she had pleaded guilty to a fraud offence a decade earlier, has become one of the most pow-
Louise Haigh (left) and Anneliese Midgley are trusted by Andy Burnham GETTY
Rayner fails to state number of council homes
By Richard Vaughan
CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Angela Rayner yesterday refused to confirm how many council houses Andy Burnham’s government will build after the Prime Minister prom- ised a social housing boom. In a speech before taking office, Burnham vowed to “oversee the biggest council housebuilding pro- gramme since the postwar period”. But Rayner, who has returned to her previous role as Housing Sec- retary under Burnham, declined to say how many council houses would actually be delivered. And she admitted it would not reach the 200,000 a year delivered in the 50s, telling the BBC: “I’m not going to give you an exact figure today because it very much depends on things like [developers’ obliga-
erful figures in Burnham’s admin- istration since helping to steer his leadership campaign. A close political ally of the Prime Minister, she is widely regarded as one of his most trusted advisers. Another key figure is Anneliese Midgley, who was appointed Chief
Haigh resigned as transport secretary in 2025 after admitting she had pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation over a 2013 incident involving a work mobile phone that she had reported as stolen. Haigh said the incident had been a genuine mistake and that she accepted the plea on legal advice.
tion]. It depends on where you get the start-ups. “But we’ve already made a start- up through the right-to-buy re- ceipts. We will deliver on what we said, but I’m also acknowledging that there’s a huge gulf between post- war and where we are today.” It signals a serious watering down of Burnham’s pledge before he en- tered No 10. The Housing Secretary was also unable to put a deadline on when the Government would hit Burnham’s marquee promises to end rough sleeping across the country. In his first speech as UK leader on Monday, the Prime Minister said his Government would work to “finally end long-term rough sleeping across the UK at the earliest opportunity”. Rayner said Burnham’s ambition was for a “universal scheme work-
Whip after Burnham entered Down- ing Street. Midgley was entrusted with over- seeing the selection of ministers for junior government posts, while Haigh focused on cabinet appoint- ments, insiders claim. Haigh spent the past few weeks conducting a series of interviews with prospective cabinet ministers in her parliamentary office and heav- ily influenced the final decisions on who would be appointed – although Burnham would have had to agree to all positions. The unusual arrangement would have allowed Burnham – who has been out of Parliament for 10 years, and lacks a working relationship with many current MPs – to make the appointments on his first day in office. Allies of Haigh insisted that the Prime Minister picks the team and everyone serves at his discre- tion. The i Paper approached No 10 for comment. Another source said Haigh had started work on Burnham’s Cabi- net picks during the Makerfield by- election campaign, and would “hear pitches for jobs” from prospective ministers at Stubshaw Cross Club near Wigan. A Labour insider said they had been told that Haigh helped to select Cabinet appointments with support from Midgley, adding: “It’s not really surprising, is it? “He’s not been in Parliament, and neither has James Purnell,” refer- ring to Burnham’s Chief of Staff and former Labour Cabinet minister. Purnell is understood to have had a greater influence over the appoint-
Rayner said the building would not be on the scale of post-war delivery
ing with local authorities to deliver an end to rough sleeping”. But when pressed whether the deadline to meet the pledge would be by the time of the next Parliament, or in five years or 10 years, she declined to put a timeframe on it. Burnham announced, as his “first instruction” in government,
ments to Burnham’s back-room team in Downing Street. Another Labour source, who described the arrange- ment as “astonishing”, claimed that Haigh had a “free hand”. Haigh, alongside Midgely, also urged Burnham not to appoint Ed
£340m in funding to tackle rough sleeping, on top of the previously announced £3.6bn funding under the National Plan to End Homeless- ness, which came under Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership. No 10 described the funding as the first phase of investment “in a wider five-year programme that would provide homes and support for thou- sands of the people facing the most severe and long-term homeless- ness”, with further steps to be set out before autumn. Rayner also defended accepting a nearly £17,000 severance payment when she resigned from government last year, only to return to Cabinet as Burnham’s Housing Secretary. Yesterday The i Paper reported that Rayner had been frozen out of the Prime Minister’s inner circle de- spite her reappointment.
Miliband as Chancellor, according to sources. They are understood to have been at odds with Miliband’s approach to net-zero policy, and also wanted to have closer links with trade unions. The reshuffle has prompted ac-
Council tax Petition plea
Andy Burnham is facing pressure to scrap council tax and stamp duty, after more than 100,000 people signed a petition calling for an independent review of both taxes. The Prime Minister has previously said he is “long persuaded” of the case for replacing the current system with a land value tax, but has not confirmed his position since entering No 10. The petition, organised by the campaign group Fairer Share, has passed 100,000 signatures, with support recorded in every parliamentary constituency. Reaching that threshold means it will now be considered by Parliament’s petitions committee. Most petitions that reach this stage are debated in the Commons, with a minister responding on the Government’s behalf, meaning Burnham could face his first parliamentary test on property tax within his opening months in office.
cusations that Burnham has bro- ken his own pledge to end Labour’s factional infighting. The scale of the changes has drawn sharp criticism from allies of Starmer, with one describing it as a “revenge reshuffle”.
Burnham has criticised the current system for several years. As mayor of Greater Manchester, he described council tax as “highly regressive”, and during the 2010 Labour leadership contest he called stamp duty “a tax on the aspirations of young people”. Andrew Dixon, founder of Fairer Share, said Burnham now had “the opportunity – and the responsibility – to fix” the council tax system. Rachael Maskell, the York Central Labour MP, said the petition showed voters had “sent a clear message to Westminster” and that housing taxes now needed “a root-and-branch review, followed by real reform”. Under the model proposed by Fairer Share, council tax and stamp duty would be abolished and replaced with a single annual charge of less than 0.5 per cent of a property’s value, and renters would no longer be liable. Eleanor Langford
London is ‘massively safe’, says Met chief
By Erik Olsson
Rival cities like Brussels and Bar- celona are spreading online con- tent that portrays London as dangerous, Sir Sadiq Khan has said. The Mayor of London said hostile states like China and Russia also amplify social media posts which char- acterise the capital as “lawless”. Police statistics re- leased yesterday showed neighbourhood crime in Lon- don – which includes theft, robbery and burglary – fell by 14 per cent, more than 35,000 offences, in the 12 months to June. The number of homicides involv- ing a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales has also fallen to its lowest level for 35 years. Khan said negative stories about
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
London are boosted by Maga (Make America Great Again) influenc- ers and rival cities like Brussels and Barcelona. He said: “Two things are happen- ing: you’re seeing bot farms across the world, from Vietnam to Sri Lanka, where people are churning out this negative stuff about London. Why? Because it makes them money. “And secondly, you’re seeing state actors, whether it’s Russia, China. We’ve seen Maga-influenced actors in the USA spreading disinforma- tion, misinformation and lies.” Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Police Commissioner, said: “There are culture wars out there, and frankly, we’re routine- ly invited to join one side or the other, we politely decline that. “We get on with doing our job without fear or favour. Look, there are hos- tile states out there, Russia and Iran, who try to undermine stability in other countries. “They are magnifying some of this content. Then there are competitor cities who want to undermine Lon- don, but London is massively safe.” Figures released yesterday showed a drop of 23 per cent (23,311) in thefts from people in London.
The proportion by which thefts from people have dropped in London this year 23%
Burnham pauses the early release for all 6,000 criminals
By George Lithgow
and Sophie Wingate
Andy Burnham has said he will “put a pause” on the plan for the early re- lease of prisoners. Some 6,000 criminals were due to be released under the new Sentenc- ing Act, which is set to come into force in September. Burnham said: “Keeping the pub- lic safe will always be my top priority. “I am working closely with the new Justice Secretary and have in- structed my team to put a pause on the changes that were due to start in September. “No prisoners will be let out under this policy until we have conducted an urgent review and done every- thing we can to minimise risk to the public. “Where changes are needed, we will not hesitate to make them.” It comes after the family of police officer Andrew Harper criticised the fact that two of his killers were being considered for early release. Lissie Harper, his widow, de- scribed the scheme as “deplorable”. Harper was 28 when he suffered fatal injuries while responding to a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in August 2019. The driver of the vehicle that caused Harper’s death, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence, and would not have been eligible for the scheme. But early release was on the cards
Family plans a public memorial for Widdecombe
By Ted Hennessey
A public memorial for Ann Widdecombe will be held later this year, her family have said. The 78-year-old Reform UK spokeswoman and former Tory minister was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, on 9 July. Joshua Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with her murder. In a statement, Widdecombe’s family said: “We understand that there is significant public interest in the funeral of Ann Widdecombe. “A private service for family and close friends will be held in the coming weeks, and invitations for this ceremony have been distributed. “A more public memorial will follow later in the year, the
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
9
Lissie Harper and her husband Andrew, who was killed in 2019
for Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, who were passengers in the car and handed 13 years in custody for man- slaughter after a trial in 2020. Both men could have become eligible to be released from prison after serving half of their sentences, rather than two-thirds. Harper’s mother, Debbie Adlam, told BBC Radio 4’s Today pro- gramme: “It just feels like another letdown for Andrew, really. “You know, when you look at the horrific way he was killed, we have to live with that, we have to know, you know, that we’ve still got to live a life. On Wednesday, Harper’s widow Lissie said: “It is deplorable to me that we have reached a point where releasing prisoners early is even con- sidered acceptable. “We speak of justice, accountabil- ity and standing with victims, yet decisions like this do the opposite.”
Police launched a murder probe on 10 July after Widdecombe was found
details of which will be released in due course. While we are very grateful for the wide expression of condolences, the family would ask that this initial service is limited to those closest to Ann.” Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, was a prisons minister in the 90s and later became an MEP for the Brexit Party. At the time of her death, she was a spokeswoman on immigration and justice for Reform UK. She also found fame outside politics on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
NEWS
PM has ‘no plan’ to nationalise Thames Water
Exclusive
By Caroline Wheeler,
Connie Dimsdale and
Richard Vaughan
Andy Burnham will not announce a formal takeover of Thames Water this week after the utility company’s investors offered the Government a deal to fend off nationalisation, The i Paper can reveal. It had been widely reported that the new Prime Minister had been planning to put Britain’s biggest water company into a form of special administration as soon as this week after he pledged to take greater “public control” of Britain’s utilities. It was even suggested that he would announce a radical overhaul of England’s water industry that would transfer ownership from shareholders to customers – an idea that is understood to have been of interest to Burnham. However, The i Paper has learned that there are no plans to make the announcement this week, with a No 10 source “categorically” denying that there ever were. This is contrary to claims made earlier in the week by multiple Whitehall sources who suggested the plans had been delayed. One source said: “I think they are now umming and ahhing over what to do with Thames Water.” Officials in the Department for En- vironment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have signalled there are no imminent plans to place the water company in a special administration regime (SAR), it is understood. There had been reports the trou- bled water company would be placed into an SAR this week – a process that would allow Britain’s largest water company to continue operat-
ing under government supervision while its long-term future is decided. But on Tuesday, Thames Water’s main investors offered the Gov- ernment a “golden share” to avoid nationalisation, which would give ministers greater oversight and control. This would include giving ministers the power to veto major decisions such as mergers. The London & Valley Water con- sortium – the creditor group that holds £17bn of the firm’s debt – said it had recognised Burnham’s desire to see “water companies create greater local public control and involvement to strengthen accountability”. Burnham pledged to take greater “public control” of the nation’s utili- ties in his first set-piece speech as Labour leader last Friday.
The water company serves 16 million customers across London and parts of southern England but has faced severe criticism for accumulating a debt pile approaching £20bn while allowing infrastructure to decay and discharging billions of litres of raw sewage into the Thames.
that’s cool for cats
Ursa the lynx (left),
who was rescued
from Ukraine, and
Boson, a fishing cat,
explored their new
surroundings last
week at the Small Cat
Rescue Centre, one of
the two new facilities
opening at the Big Cat
Sanctuary in Smarden
near Ashford, Kent.
GARETH FULLER/PA
Nearly all recent sewage spills ‘could be illegal’
By Steve Robson
Almost all sewage spills by some water companies in the past two years should have been treated as illegal, according to new analysis. Sewage poured into rivers, lakes and seas in England for more than 3.6 million hours in 2024 and 1.8 million hours in 2025, according to figures released by the Environment Agency (EA). Discharges via storm overflow pipes should only happen in wet conditions, such as heavy rainfall or storms, according to the regulator. But research carried out by Peter Hammond, a campaigner, suggests that this is not the case for the vast majority of spills. He found that on average, 87 per
cent of the spills had happened when rainfall was below 25mm and therefore were illegal. Among the worst offenders were Yorkshire Water, with 93 per cent of spills under 25mm in 2024 and 2025, and Thames Water, with 84 per cent in 2024 and 96 per cent in 2025. Hammond also accounted for the fact that some regions were wetter than others and therefore a higher or lower threshold for non-compliant rainfall could be applied. For example, in the North West he accounted for sewage spills by United Utilities with a threshold of 30mm or 35mm of rainfall. For Anglian Water, which operates in one of the driest regions, he analysed the data with lower thresholds of 15mm and 20mm of rainfall. Regardless of the threshold, at least 80 per cent of sewage spills could have been classed as illegal, Hammond found. The Environment Agency
disputes the idea that the 25mm threshold can be used to assess the compliance of storm overflows across the country. The figure was developed specifically for the prosecution of Southern Water, but the EA says it is not used as “routine”. An EA spokesperson said: “Storm overflows must only operate in rainfall and snowmelt – anything outside of that is a breach, and we will always take action. However, to meet the strict legal requirements needed to pursue a criminal conviction we must consider a wide range of factors including specific site and permit conditions, as well as rainfall totals. “Monitoring is in place across every storm overflow in England, so there is nowhere for poor performance to hide. This monitoring is supporting £10.2bn of investment in storm overflow upgrades and we are tightening regulation of storm overflows by adding spill limits to permits. “Over the past 12 months we have completed more than 10,000 inspections of water company assets, and since 2015 we have concluded 69 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies, securing fines of over £153m.” The former boss of Southern Water was charged on Wednesday over alleged efforts to manipulate water quality tests to avoid millions of pounds in penalties. Matthew Wright has been accused – along with three others – of conspiring to defraud the EA and water regulator Ofwat by manipulating the self- monitoring regime at water treatment works to avoid failing environmental checks. There are around 14,500 storm overflows in England. Each has its own permit that sets conditions on when it can be used to discharge sewage, based on the amount of rainfall in the area.
The proportion of spills that happened when rainfall was below 25mm and could therefore be classed as illegal
Victims of NHS blood scandal still waiting for criminal investigation
Exclusive By Caroline Wheeler
POLITICAL EDITOR
Victims of the contaminated blood scandal must wait longer for a de- cision on whether a criminal inves- tigation will be launched – despite Andy Burnham’s commitment to deliver justice. The delay comes just days after Burnham became Prime Minister, raising fresh questions over when victims will finally see the justice he has long promised. Burnham has pledged to stand by those affected until they secure jus- tice and has previously described the scandal as a “criminal cover-up on an industrial scale”. Police have yet to launch a crimi- nal probe into the worst treatment disaster in NHS history, despite the
holiday in Somerset
A black-crowned night
heron rarely seen
in the UK has been
spotted in Somerset,
conservationists
have revealed.
The small, adaptable
bird is widespread
across Africa, Asia,
the Americas and
Europe and was
caught on cameras at
the National Trust’s
Holnicote Estate
in Somerset.
The first confirmed
breeding of night heron
in the UK was recorded
in Somerset in 2017,
but it is a scarce visitor
to the UK.
As its name implies,
the heron is mainly
active at night – making
it difficult to spot.
PAL HERMANSEN/
NATIONAL TRUST/PA
SECURITY Train delays cost £1.3bn last year Journalist hacked by MI5 gets damages
By Harry Goodwin
Britons wasted almost 42 million hours because of delayed trains last year. More than a third of the 1.8 billion individual journeys made on British trains last year were disrupted, ac- cording to analysis by the Telegraph. A third of the 7.8 million trains nationwide in the year to 30 May ar-
devastating findings of a public in- quiry more than two years ago. The Infected Blood Inquiry found the scandal, which left more than 30,000 people infected with deadly diseases including HIV and hepati- tis C after receiving NHS-supplied blood and blood products, was “largely avoidable”. Among its most shocking findings was that children were knowingly used in medical research without informed consent. This included students at Lord Mayor Treloar College in Alton, Hampshire, where more than 80 children died after receiving con- taminated blood products. The National Police Chiefs’ Coun- cil’s (NPCC) initial focus was on the “specific events” at Treloar’s, but it has now decided to widen the scope of its review, raising fears among
rived late, while 300,000 others were either fully or partly cancelled. The disruption equates to almost 42 million wasted hours of pas- sengers’ time, at a cost of £1.3bn to the economy. Network Rail workers in the Wes- sex rail region have been trained to handle trespassing swans, after more than 140 waddled onto train lines between March 2023 and March 2024. However, deer are the most com- mon type of animal to trespass on train tracks.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
campaigners that a final decision on whether to launch a criminal investi- gation could still be years away. In a letter to victims, seen by The i Paper, Acting Deputy Chief Con- stable Robert Griffin, who leads the NPCC review, said officers had spent two years examining the inquiry’s early chapters, includ- ing events at Treloar’s, in the hope that would be enough to determine
In an interview with The i Paper on the second anniversary of the inquiry’s final report, weeks before he became prime minister, Burnham said he would be with victims “every step of the way”, adding: “My support for them will be absolute, whichever position I’m in.”
By Jess Glass
A former BBC journalist whose com- munications data was unlawfully obtained by MI5 has been awarded £20,000 in damages by a tribunal. The Security Service previously admitted it breached the rights of Vincent Kearney, now at RTÉ, when obtaining the data. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Metropolitan Police also made concessions dur-
whether a prosecution was possible. “Regrettably, that has not proved to be the case,” Griffin wrote, con- firming the review will now be ex- tended to cover every chapter of the inquiry’s findings – a decision he admitted would “inevitably extend the timeline”. Griffin set out why police had been unable to reach a decision, telling victims that “the manner in which evidence was gathered and consid- ered by the Public Inquiry differs significantly from the evidential standards and requirements appli- cable to a criminal investigation”. In recent weeks, victims including Gary Webster, Steve Nicholls and Steve Warwick, who all attended Treloar’s and were infected with deadly diseases after receiving blood products there, have made crime re- ports to Hampshire Police.
ing proceedings brought by Kear- ney at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT). In a judgment yesterday, the IPT awarded Kearney £10,000 in dam- ages from the PSNI and the same award against MI5, finding there was “no reason to distinguish between the conduct” of the two. Kearney, who worked as BBC Northern Ireland’s home affairs cor- respondent between 2006 and 2019, welcomed the judgment.
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
11
HEALTH
ADHD drugs up 25% in 12 months
By Storm Newton
The number of drugs prescribed to treat attention deficit hyper- activity disorder (ADHD) has in- creased by a quarter in the past year, figures show. The number of people being given medication was also up by almost a third overall, with prescriptions for adult patients rising by 40 per cent in 12 months. The latest annual Medicines Used in Mental Health figures, published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), show there were 4.2 mil- lion central nervous system stimu- lants or drugs for ADHD prescribed in 2025/26. This is up by 25 per cent from 3.38 million in the previous 12 months. There were 427,000 patients pre- scribed medication, up from 31 per cent from 326,000 in 2024/25. The report, published in March, said the diagnosis of conditions was “increasingly being used to secure support”. It highlighted that “rising distress” among younger people appears to be one of the factors behind an increase in demand for services, and said a “medicalisation of distress” can lead to a diagnosis being the “main route of support”, even when alternative responses may be more appropriate.
SOCIETY
of young ‘has fallen sharply’
By Aine Fox
Young people’s life satisfaction has fallen sharply in recent years, ac- cording to analysis. Fewer than half of 16- to 24-year- olds living in England feel satisfied with their lives nowadays, down from almost two thirds in 2010, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank said. It said its research suggests “growing up in England has become more pressured, more isolating and less enjoyable than a decade ago”. Analysis of data from a UK house- hold longitudinal survey found that while 62 per cent of this age group in England reported being satisfied with their lives in 2010, this had fall- en to 44 per cent nowadays. Life satisfaction for young people in England’s most deprived areas was at just over a third (34.7 per cent), down from 55.9 per cent, the IPPR said. One major issue for 16- to 24-year- olds which has come into focus in re- cent times is youth unemployment. A government interim report into so-called Neets – 16- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training – published in May warned a “whole system failure” had led to one in seven being in this situation.
NEWS
DIPLOMACY
decision’ blocking air strikes on Assad in 2013
to tread very carefully with Trump. By Rob Hastings W
hen Andy Burnham appointed Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary this week, minds immediately went back to the only time in history a parliamentary vote stopped a Prime Minister from launching military action. When Miliband defeated David Cameron in the Commons in 2013, the former Labour leader prevented the UK from joining the US and France in potential air strikes against Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria as the dictator’s forces attacked rebel-held towns with chemical weapons. At the time, three quarters of the British public backed Miliband’s stance. He also played a big role in making a hesitant President Barack Obama think again. In the end, Obama did not ordered US jets to take off. The Syrian civil war dragged on for another 11 years, costing hundreds of thousands of lives. The broken country became a hotbed for Isis, leading to several deadly terrorist attacks on British soil. There is no way of knowing whether things would have been different if Miliband had supported Cameron. But analysts question how the new Foreign Secretary would act in a similar situation now – and how he will handle a warmongering Donald Trump. Robert Ford was the US ambassador to Syria in 2013. He strongly backed air strikes to force Assad into negotiating a peace deal with opponents, and to maintain US authority around the world after Obama’s warning that using chemical weapons was a “red line”. Speaking to The i Paper from New England, Ford argues that Miliband and others made a “bad decision” 13 years ago. If he didn’t want the UK to hit Assad’s murderous regime back then, “when is he ever willing to use force?” However, Ford accepts that the world is very different today. British diplomatic sources suggest that Miliband may have played an important role in Cabinet when Sir Keir Starmer decided not to join Trump in attacking Iran this year – and Ford believes this was wise. Breaking from a lifetime of diplomatic language, he says: “Donald Trump just has no f**king idea what he’s doing and British caution is very warranted.”
HOW TO HANDLE TRUMP Ford (inset) warns that Miliband, who met with US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio in the Philippines this week, faces a huge challenge in managing the transatlantic alliance. “Oh my God, how are we going to survive two and a half more years of this?” says Ford, who retired from diplomatic service in 2014 and is now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington. “The White House itself and the Department of State are led by people who believe that America is the only superpower, [that] it can do what it wants unilaterally and other countries be damned.” He sums up Trump’s mindset as “If the Brits and the Europeans don’t want to go along with us, f**k them”. So how can Miliband hope to manage this situation? The only strategy open to the UK is “damage limitation”. Suggesting that Miliband should follow Starmer’s careful lead, Ford says: “The number one advice is: do not challenge publicly, because it just makes them feel that you’re testing them and they will always respond over the top. Any disagreement has to be done politely, behind closed doors, in a very diplomatic way.” He refers to an age-old maxim: “A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you’re looking forward to the trip.”
New Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband at the ASEAN conference in Manila
not wavered” since the case was filed and he “seeks to hold those account- able who have continued to either defame him or portray him in a false light, BBC included”. It comes after a judge ruled in the first court hearing for the case in Miami on Tuesday that the President must hand over fi- nancial records sought by the BBC. Judge Enjoliqué Lett granted a motion from the BBC legal team compelling the release of financial records held by the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust. The BBC team is seek- ing evidence for the President’s claim of financial loss due to the Panorama edit. The President’s legal action comes after the BBC issued an apology to the US President over the Panorama episode edit, accepting that it “had given the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action”. But lawyers for the BBC “strongly disagree that there is a basis for a defamation claim”. The BBC has been approached for comment.
DID MILIBAND CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY? Calls for international action in Syria took on new urgency when
The White House and the Department of State are led by people who believe the US is the only superpower
Assad’s forces attacked opponents with sarin gas on 21 August 2013, killing hundreds of people. This use of chemical weapons was later confirmed by the United Nations, which called it a war crime. Miliband’s decision to oppose strikes on Syria remains controversial. When Assad’s regime finally collapsed in 2024, Wes Streeting – now Defence Secretary – appeared to criticise the UK’s failure to act years earlier, but Miliband remained defiant. “After what happened in Iraq, where hundreds of British troops died and thousands were injured, we could not commit British military forces without a clear plan,” he said. He argued that when Trump launched strikes on Syria in 2017 and 2018, it “did not lead to the end of Assad”, and he didn’t believe the dictator would have gone in 2013 either. Ford disagrees, believing failure to act meant that “Assad knew the Americans weren’t going to touch him”, reducing the incentive for him to ever agree a peace deal. However, the UK Parliament’s rejection of military action was just one of “several things weighing on Obama that increased his sense of caution”, Ford explains. The US intended to attack a small number of targets for a single day, but Obama was worried about the need for a longer war if Assad used chemical weapons again. “I can remember his words,” says Ford. “He said: ‘Y’all are going to come back to me and say we need a second strike, a harder one… We’d escalate up and then who’s in control of it? Not us – Assad’.” He admits this was a fair point and there was “no perfect solution”. “The British decision surprised everyone, including Obama,” he recalls. Consequently, the President felt he had to call a vote of his own in Congress. This decision left Ford “shocked”, because there was little chance of the White House winning support. When Russia instead proposed a deal for Assad to give up his chemical weapons, Obama seized on this “as the necessary fig leaf” to save face while cancelling the vote and abandoning the military plan. Ford felt that Obama’s handling of Syria was a “massive failure” and resigned a few months later. He still wishes the US had done more to stop a war that ended up costing an estimated 650,000 lives.
Ex-BBC boss may be forced to testify in US defamation case
By Sally Guyoncourt
Former BBC director-general Tim Davie may be forced to testify as part of Donald Trump’s $10bn (£7.5bn) defamation case against the BBC, it has emerged. Davie (inset) resigned last November following rev- elations that different sections of the US Presi- dent’s speech on the day of the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 were edited together for an episode of Panorama. The President’s legal team has claimed that the resulting footage suggested Trump was urging supporters to riot and is suing the BBC for defamation. Now sources with links to the lawsuit have told The Telegraph that Trump’s legal team are ready to trav- el to London to depose Davie as part of the case. They are reported to have said the legal team will make arrangements with the BBC’s counsel to “coor- dinate that deposition; whether it takes place in the US or the UK is re- ally not that significant for us”, add- ing that “the President’s resolve has
Trump demands Riyadh normalises Israel relations
By Isabella Bengoechea
By Isabella Bengoechea
Donald Trump has thrown an enor- mous spanner in the works of his nu- clear deal with Saudi Arabia, saying the kingdom will first have to nor- malise relations with Israel – a highly unlikely prospect. The US President said the agreement on a civil- ian nuclear programme for the kingdom was contingent on Saudi Arabia signing the Abraham accords. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the nuclear deal would not allow for enrichment of uranium and it pertained only to “non-military use such as ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have”. He added: “The US is not op- posed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities.” Saudi Arabia has long pushed for such a deal, but non-proliferation experts have raised concerns that the deal failed to include guardrails to prevent enrichment of uranium to weapons-grade levels and could start an arms race in the region. While enrichment is not an auto-
matic path to a nuclear weapon, it opens the door to weaponisation. The suggestion Saudi Arabia will have to join the Abraham accords will be a concerning development for Riyadh. The 2020 accords normalised re- lations between Israel and some Middle East nations includ- ing the UAE and Bahrain. The de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (inset, with Trump), has made clear that normalising rela- tions with Israel would be contingent on establishing a clear path to a Palestinian state – something the Israeli prime minis- ter, Benjamin Netanyahu, has reject- ed as an unacceptable security risk. The Saudi embassy in Washing- ton has not commented on Trump’s assertion that the deal will require it to join the accords. The deal announced on Wednes- day is expected to last 30 years and gives US firms a leading role in the programme. However, the agreement still has to be submitted to Congress for review.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
US to step up Iran attacks as Houthis strike tankers
DEPUTY WORLD EDITOR
Donald Trump has said he is consid- ering restarting major combat oper- ations in Iran after its Houthi allies hit two oil tankers in the Red Sea in a long-dreaded widening of the war to a second crucial chokepoint. The UK has withdrawn remaining diplomatic staff from Iran, the For- eign Office announced after a 12th night of air strikes since the collapse of a US-Iran ceasefire deal. The Houthi attacks sent global oil prices soaring above $100 a barrel for the first time since May in a wor- rying milestone that has reignited fears of a global inflation shock. Trump declared yesterday: “I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to mak- ing a decision. We are all set for it.” The President added: “They haven’t received enough pain yet.” He gave no deadline, but said he would hold Iran responsible for at- tacks by its Houthi proxy, threaten- ing “major military punishment” against both if the Yemeni militants hit more ships. The Houthis said they had carried out missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea after they vio- lated a naval blockade, according to a group spokesman quoted by Iran’s IRIB news agency. Saudi Arabia’s news agency re- ported a fire on a tanker in the Red Sea following an attack, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it had received a report of an incident 70 nautical miles south west of the Saudi city of al-Shuqaiq. On Tuesday the Houthis declared a blockade to Saudi-linked shipping of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which lies between Yemen and Eritrea and
UK ‘ready to defend itself’ after RAF base threat
By Jane Merrick
POLICY EDITOR
The UK has said it is “ready 24/7 to defend itself” after the Iranian re- gime issued a direct threat to a Brit- ish RAF base used for US air strikes. Tehran branded RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire a “legitimate tar- get” after it was used as a launch site for US bombers to attack Iran ear- lier this week. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also accused the British mon- archy of being “the main cause of the misfortunes of the people of our region”. In response to the threat, a Gov- ernment spokesperson said: “Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the UK safe from any kind of attacks, whether it’s on our soil or from abroad. The UK stands ready 24/7 to defend itself. “This includes through operating a layered approach to air and missile
The ‘Layla’ was one of the tankers hit in the Red Sea PETER HEIDEN/REUTERS
connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. This followed a Saudi block- ade on Yemen and a recent attack on its airport in Sanaa. Around 12 per cent of the world’s trade, including a quarter of global container traffic, passes through Bab el- Mandeb (inset). Since the Houthis an- nounced their blockade this week, at least seven vessels have changed course to avoid travelling through Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to ship- tracking data. The attacks could spell the clo- sure of a second vital maritime cor- ridor after attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a spiral in global energy prices that could
In Washington, in a symbolic rebuke to Trump, the Republican-led House of Representatives backed legislation directing him to halt military action against Iran. However, it lacks the force of law.
Tehran called RAF Fairford air base, used by the US, ‘a legitimate target’
RAF bases have been used by the US for “defensive” operations against Iran since March. It is understood that the Prime Minister Andy Burnham, on arrival in office on Monday, was notified of the decision taken last week to ex- tend the existing agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region, including US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz. A Government spokesperson said: “The UK always puts precautionary measures in place to ensure the se- curity and safety of its personnel.” The defence investment plan set out plans to spend £790m on air and missile defence of UK homeland and overseas bases, together with more than £2bn of funding to deliver fur- ther air defence and counter-drone capabilities, and to upgrade the RAF Typhoon fleet.
defence, provided by Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force assets equipped with a range of ad- vanced capabilities, working closely with our Nato allies. “The UK’s approach to the conflict remains the same – we are commit- ted to defending our people, inter- ests and allies, acting in accordance with international law and not get- ting drawn into the wider conflict.”
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
13
harm Trump’s Republican party at midterm elections in November. Overnight the US military launched another round of air strikes to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transit- ing regional waters”. Tehran retaliated by firing at its neighbour- ing Arab countries Jor- dan and Kuwait, which house US bases. The Foreign Office said yesterday it had tem- porarily withdrawn staff from Iran due to the security situation. It took a similar step in February before the start of US and Israeli operations. Announcing the end of the latest wave of strikes yesterday, US Cen- tral Command said US forces had struck military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal sur- veillance sites and air defence assets. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said yesterday that the price Iran pays would “get higher every night” until it was ready to commit to a peace deal.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
NEWS
3 4
Police sorry for not stopping synagogue plot
By Pat Hurst and Kim Pilling
A police chief has apologised over missed opportunities to potentially uncover the plot to attack a syna- gogue in Manchester. Jihad al-Shamie was shot dead by police on 2 October last year while he carried out his terrorist attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in which two worship- pers were killed. Police had already seized his mo- bile phone containing details of his extremist mindset and terror-fixa- tion but did not analyse the contents until after he launched the attack. The apology came after de- tails emerged with the jailing of Shamie’s friend and accomplice, Mohammad Bashir. Shamie had been arrested on 13 February 2025 on suspicion of breaching a non-molestation order and on 21 September 2025 on sus-
is your lobster
Artist Philip Colbert
with ‘The Lost Gardens
of Lobsteropolis’,
his first UK museum
exhibition, at The
Lightbox Gallery in
Woking, Surrey.
The Scottish-born
artist is best known for
his lobster character,
which in this exhibition
serves as a guide
through shifting
cultural landscapes.
Large-scale paintings
and immersive
environments
combine art history,
popular culture and
the imagery of digital
life with humour and
exuberant colour.
The show opens
tomorrow and runs
until 1 November.
BEN BIRCHALL/PA
Hong Kong refugee faces UK deportation
By Harry Goodwin
A former leader of Hong Kong’s main opposition party has been told he will be deported from Britain. Wu Chi-wai was released from prison in Hong Kong earlier this year after serving four years for “subver- sion” under the territory’s Chinese- imposed national security law. He was one of the “Hong Kong 47”– opposition figures who organ- ised a “primary election” in defiance of the law in 2020. Wu arrived at Heathrow airport to seek asylum under the British
picion of rape. After Bashir’s sen- tencing, Sir Stephen Watson, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, said: “Regrettably, I can confirm that the significance of the informa- tion stored on Shamie’s devices was not realised as they had not been ex- amined before the attack took place on 2 October 2025.” He added: “I am disappointed at
Wu Chi-wai was imprisoned in Hong Kong for four years for ‘subversion’
Mohammad Bashir, 31, was jailed for life yesterday with a minimum term of 17 years
the prospect of adding to the dis- tress of all of those affected by the terrible events last October. For this, I am deeply sorry.” Bashir was jailed for life yesterday with a minimum term of 17 years. He drove Shamie on a 10-hour round trip to conduct hostile recon- naissance at the UK’s Defence Acad- emy in Shrivenham, Swindon, on 14 August last year, Manchester Crown Court heard. Last month Bashir, of Cheetham Hill, Manchester, pleaded guilty to the preparation of terrorist acts. Prosecutors said there was no evidence to suggest the defendant had any involvement in the Heaton Park incident but the planned attack on the defence facility was similar in nature and would have caused sev- eral fatalities. Sentencing Bashir, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told him that by Au- gust last year he had become a “firm-
National Overseas scheme, which speeds up asylum applications for tens of thousands of refugees from Hong Kong. People can apply for asylum under the scheme when they have arrive in the UK, rather than waiting overseas. But Wu was detained and had his passport confiscated at border con- trol, according to The Times. He was told he will be deported back to Hong Kong in seven days. The Home Office said it was aware of the case. It is understood there was an “administrative issue” with Wu’s paperwork.
Terrorist inmates Record number held in UK prisons
A record number of terrorists are behind bars in Britain, figures show. As of the end of March, there were 273 criminals in prison for terrorism, the highest number since records began in 2010 (126). The number is up 3 per cent year on year and has surpassed a peak recorded at the end of 2025 (267). Home Office data showed 58 per cent (159) held Islamist-extremist
1 2
ly committed jihadist” and together with Shamie was “equally engaged” in planning an attack on a British military target “in which you and he expected to kill and be killed”. She rejected his claim that he no longer held extremist views and re- gretted his actions. The judge said: “I consider you re-
No 4889
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
15
views and 29 per cent (80) had extreme right-wing beliefs. A further 34 (12 per cent) were classed as holding “other” ideologies – a category which includes left-wing extremist, dissident Irish extremist, domestic extremist and terrorists where a specific ideology has not been identified. No breakdown of how many fall into each category is provided.
Down
main dangerous. You have given no grounds that your attitude has really changed at all.” Following sentencing, Manches- ter-born Bashir, who also holds a Pakistani passport, smiled to family members in the upper public gallery of the courtroom as he walked from the dock.
Violence rose as pubs opened late
By Clara Margotin
The decision to allow pubs to stay open later during this year’s World Cup contributed to an increase in the number of violent incidents, a police chief has said. National Police Chiefs’ Coun- cil football lead Chief Constable Mark Roberts said some of the government’s licencing approach- es “exacerbated” violence during the tournament. Statistics from the UK Football Policing Unit show 2,322 football- related incidents were recorded by police forces across England and Wales during this year’s World Cup. This was up 78 per cent from 1,302 during the Euro 2024, and ex- ceeded statistics from every com- parable tournament apart from Euro 2020. Incidents at licensed premises, including pubs, represented 43 per cent of all incidents recorded during this year’s competition.
Across
3
Saying about a new
padded seat (7)
5/6 Monastery met to negotiate financial considerations (5,7)
1
Company agent
somehow related (7)
2
Possibly advocate wife
staying in bed (6)
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
NEWS
HISTORY
languages have been lost to time
By Stephen Beech
Thousands more languages were spoken in the past than today, ac- cording to research. Humanity experienced a “golden age” of linguistic diversity when tens of thousands of languages were spo- ken worldwide between 1,000 and 3,000 years ago, say scientists. A long decline that continues to the present began well before European colonial expan- sion, according to the findings published in the journal Science. The research team estimates that be- tween 4,500 and 6,200 languages were spoken at the beginning of the Holocene period, around 12,000 years ago – fewer than the roughly 7,500 languages spoken and signed today. As the human population grew, language diversity also increased. Models suggest that tens of thou- sands of languages may have existed between 1,000 and 3,000 years ago. The decline in linguistic diver- sity appears to have begun with the expansion of large states and empires, long before modern European colonialism. The languages spoken today represent a “small and his- torically” biased sample of past linguistic diversity. A team of researchers from the United States, Germany and Spain
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
No 4825 BY ECCLES
ACROSS
1
Help us with nothing
to be fair (2-2)
3
Sit back after English
airman captures German
in a flap (10)
10 Short feel, entertaining
partner, is unprofessional (7)
11 Gastropod found in American
sausage, reportedly (7)
12 Melting ice cap close to
Finnish social gathering (7)
13 Plastic factory covers island (6)
15 Mark Field ‘visiting’ Truss and
unloading: I’m outraged! (5)
16 Dash to capture crippled
flotillas, essentially,
in battle (2,7)
18 Male wearing fancy
leotard’s an artist (3,6)
21 Hence, Greek character is
found in Olympic city (5)
23 Donated large and
small hammers (6)
25 Tries to collect quantity
of food (not peppers,
initially) for reptiles (7)
Stuck on the cryptic crossword? For today’s solutions, call 0905 789 3580. Calls cost 80p per minute plus your network access charge. If you are having trouble accessing this number, please call our helpdesk on 0333 202 3390.
reconstructed plausible trajectories of global language diversity across the past 12,000 years. Professor Marcus Hamilton of the University of Texas at San Antonio explained that direct evidence for the number of languages is almost entirely absent before the appear- ance of writing around 6,000 years ago, and remained fragmentary until quite recently. Professor Russell Gray, from the Max Planck In- stitute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Ger- many, said: “The world immediately before agriculture was prob- ably not exception- ally rich in languages. There were most likely fewer languages than today. Linguistic diversity then grew alongside the human population for thousands of years.” Professor Claire Bowern of Yale University said: “The most unex- pected result is how recent the peak appears to have been. The period of greatest linguistic diversity may have occurred during the era of ex- panding states and early empires.”
The approximate number of languages spoken or signed worldwide, down from tens of thousands
Linguists widely consider Nicaraguan sign language to be the world’s youngest fully formed natural language. It emerged in the late 1970s and early 80s in Managua schools.
27 Sloth starts to investigate new environs, requiring trees in abundance (7) 28 Military leader from Iron Age rejected separately (7) 29 Gauge fight to restrict colonial worker beginning to expostulate for India (5,5) 30 Source of misery is wailing female (she is wasted) (4)
DOWN
1
Truss charged unit
for holiday (10)
2
Well-prepared speech about
a new King Charles? (7)
4
Old paper, The Guardian,
welcomes Charlie the King (9)
5
Seize file with ‘Government’
on the front (5)
6
Music producer trapped in
Mondeo car in accident (7)
7
Turkey and large cat walk over (7)
8
She wrote about Adrian
M getting fat (4)
9
In tax haven, Truss embraces
competition? On the contrary (6)
Stig sues BBC for ‘putting his life at risk’ in crash
By Harry Goodwin
Top Gear’s the Stig has accused the BBC of putting his life at risk in the crash which seriously injured Fred- die Flintoff. Flintoff (inset), 48, was taken to hospital with facial and rib injuries after the crash in December 2022. Paul Rees, who was the Stig from 2019 to 2022, sat beside Flintoff in a
14 Low speed, in case pal’s struggling (6,4) 17 Orange car somehow suggests overconfidence (9) 19 Current treatment to prop up face and tongue (7) 20 Accomplice’s response to ‘B: Good’? (7) 21 Rescue flailing Truss (6) 22 Study with conclusion ignored contains flaw, leading to disease (7) 24 Believe singer on the radio a lot (5) 26 Compete with prospect (4)
Solution to yesterday’s Cryptic
M A K E I T S N A P P Y M A I N W C H A R C A D E S A N T W E R P R H S H H O N L S C O T S O N I O N D O M E H T R L M A H A I K U T W I T C H E R S A N F A N U R I C E F I E L D S T A I R R I G E T E I M P E R I O U S A N G E L E I O I E N R E R E E B O K S R E E F E R S N S T V T E S S T A T E S P E R S O N
Morgan Super 3. Rees is suing the broadcaster’s commer- cial arm for up to £150,000 for personal injury. He told The Sun: “I genuinely felt like we were going to potential- ly die, because we had no protection.” A BBC Studios spokes- person said: “We dispute
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
10 11
12 13
15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25
27 28
29 30
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
17
get degrees
Queen’s University Belfast has honoured animals including Tilly Ward (left, with owner Eimear Marie), Luna King and Greta the pygmy goat at its pet graduation, celebrating animals’ role in supporting their student owners. Degrees included a BA in Law and Pawlitics for Tilly and a BSc in Furensic Science for Luna.
this claim and are defending it. As it’s now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.” After the crash, the BBC said Top Gear would be “rested” for the foreseeable future. It reached a £9m financial settlement with Flintoff.
the day
People don’t realise that what I’m saying will come to pass
Elon Musk The Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder on public reaction to his predictions for the future
@theipaper
facebook.com/theipaper
Please include a contact address with all correspondence
NORTH SEA DRILLING
and extract that oil
The Times The UK has much to be proud of with climate change, having halved its carbon emissions over the last three decades. But its overreliance on importing energy is damaging. A new stance on oil and gas is one of the swiftest pro-growth measures Burnham could take. (Editorial)
The Herald It seems we’re rather mad, for only the mad would turn up the gas when the house is burning. What makes this all the more crazy is that increasing oil and gas drilling won’t lower prices. That’s the central argument from the pro-drilling gang. (Neil Mackay)
As the 70s progressed, the allure of glam rock with its make up and hair gel, lost some of its dark sparkle - what replaced it felt pop-ier. Just ask the white-suited people behind the country-rock ballad ‘Baby I Know’ which reached No 10 in the UK charts. The singer was Tony Thorpe, who has died at the age of 80. Born in London in 1945, Thorpe began playing guitar and drums as a young boy and became a guitarist best known for being part of the 70s group The Rubettes. Thorpe began playing the guitar and drums aged 11 before turning professional five years later. Formed in 1974, The Rubettes then emerged at the end of the glam rock movement, and were known for wearing trademark white suits and cloth caps on stage. Their first single, ‘Sugar Baby Love’,
i@theipaper.com
PRISONER CAPACITY
point of prison?
UnHerd The release of Andrew Harper’s killers reveals Britain’s broken justice system. This is less an argument for harsher sentences than an argument that the public has been sold a fiction about what a sentence means – a fiction that unravels under scrutiny. (David Matthews)
The Conversation England and Wales imprisons a high number of people, yet reoffending rates remain high. The Public Accounts Committee warned that a system consumed by finding enough places has little capacity left for the rehabilitation that might reduce it. (Zoe Stephenson)
TONY THORPE MUSICIAN
which they first performed together at Top Of The Pops, remained at No 1 in the United Kingdom for four weeks in May 1974, while it also reached No 37 on the US charts. Their other best-known singles included ‘Tonight’, ‘Juke Box Jive’ and ‘I Can Do It’. Thorpe performed with the band from 1974 to 1979, alongside Alan Williams, John Richardson, Pete Arnesen, Mick Clarke and Bill Hurd. However, he went on to leave the band over reported creative differences. The Rubettes later replaced him with Bob Benham, but he left soon after and the band dissolved in 1980, though they reformed two years later. Throughout his career, Thorpe also worked with the Vibratones and the Coventry Theatre Orchestra accompanying the likes of Cilla Black,
COMMENT FROM HOME AND ABROAD
LONDONERS’ SAFETY
cesspit of crime untrue
The Guardian Online disinformation might make potential tourists think twice but the real London is not the dark dystopia you see on distorted social media feeds. Diverse, dynamic and prosperous, London is one of the safest megacities in the word. These are the facts. (Sadiq Khan)
Conservative Home
The phone snatching
or graffiti that blights
our public spaces are
the crimes that we
actually encounter
day-to-day. This
shapes our sense of
community. Which is
why for many we feel
as though the building
blocks for society are
out of place.
(Marc Goldfinger)
INDIAN POLITICS
listen to its raging youth
Financial Times Rather than meeting the frustrations of its young people with batons and detentions, the world’s largest democracy would do better to respond with dialogue and reform. India’s youth are not only a major constituency – they are also the country’s greatest asset. (Editorial)
The Hindu That a movement born as online satire could gather millions of digital followers and bring thousands to the street says a great deal about the government’s own record, which has become the source of a litany of grievances. (Editorial)
Jimmy Tarbuck, Sir Harry Secombe, and Roy Castle. After leaving the band he also went on to release his own music, lecture on the subject at Blackburn College and also released his memoir, A Bride’s Nightie, in 2014. A statement announcing the news read: “It is with great sadness that we officially announce the passing of Anthony John Thorpe. “He was a father to Clay, a husband to Shirle, a friend to many, and a mentor to countless musicians young and old. “His recently failing health did little to diminish his fierce intellect and sharp sense of humour. “He will leave an unfillable hole in the lives of all who knew him, or his music. “Our love and thoughts go to his son Clayton. God bless, Tone x.” Paying tribute, his former bandmate Alan Williams wrote on Facebook:
IRVINE WELSH MUSICAL
go and see this play
Daily Telegraph Sadly, this musical is a muddle. Partly in thrall to the film, it also tries to show the effect of drug use on the wider community (after all we live in more censorious times). In the end like Trainspotting’s darkest characters, you wonder what the point is. Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a family. Choose The Phantom of the Opera at the theatre over the road. (Ben Lawrence)
The Mirror Yes, it can jar to see so many grim, drawn-out scenes of drug-taking, accompanied by jaunty songs about having the “munchies” but it still packed a punch. (Shelley Spadoni)
“Mercifully now at peace. Dear Tony, our paths having crossed but fleetingly during which time was conceived wondrous music and often hilariously memorable moments.” Tony described his religious beliefs as “Christian; non-denominational, and not the sort who thinks that everybody else is ‘wrong’!” Besides his guitar and his family, including his wife Shirley, his favourite object ever was a copy of Hamlet.
Born 20 July 1945 Died 22 July 2026 Lucy Kenningham
‘POMPEII’
TV SERIES
humour of it mortifying
The Independent God love him, but the Night Manager star can’t help being deeply uncool. As he presents a history programme on Pompeii for National Geographic – in which he stops and rewinds time using the magic of his hands, among other mortifying things – it is so unintentionally hilarious I had to stop myself from shrieking. (Adam White)
New Scientist The Loki actor Tom Hiddleston is the unlikely host for a three-episode docu- series about the Roman city. It’s occasionally a little silly, but it’s also entertaining and informative. (Josh Bell)
PM does not want to upset pensioners – but who’s going to pay?
D
Andy Burnham, whilst campaigning for a seat as an MP in Makerfield, discussing the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme with ex-miners CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY
oes Andy Burnham’s claim this week that his government is a “second chance at a first impression” make any sense? What the new Prime Minister wants to suggest with that line is that he won’t make the same mistakes as Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, who burnt through so much political capital for no good reason. But while he won’t make precisely the same mistakes, he may well end up in a very similar position as his predecessors. There’s a lot about Burnham’s first few days that doesn’t fully make sense, particularly the blizzard of policy and spending announcements. The common theme running through those measures on energy bills, bus fares, and business rates for pubs is that the Prime Minister wants to run a “cost of living government”. He says that his ministers must show how they are going to pay for all their policies – but contradicts that himself by not being clear about how the
announcements he’s made so far are going to be funded. Now the Treasury has made it clear that Burnham will also honour the commitment made by Reeves that pensioners whose only income is the state pension will be excluded from taxation. Pensions will be dragged into taxation next year as a result of the triple lock. But Burnham and his Chancellor, John Healey, will ensure that anyone who only has the state pension won’t have to pay tax, with plans on how to assess this due to be announced later in the year. Politically, this makes sense. It would be a brave or perhaps daft Labour prime minister who came in and picked an early fight with pensioners, given Reeves was holed below the waterline by announcing that she would restrict the winter fuel payment to those on pension credits only. But it only makes sense for now, which is another common theme to much of what Burnham is doing and saying. What doesn’t make sense at all is how he plans to pay for any of this.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
Never mind whether some pensioners will be able to avoid income tax: what about the wider burden on the taxpayer of the triple lock itself, Burnham’s plans to end rough sleeping, his desire to “expend quite a lot of political capital” (not to mention vast sums of money) on reforming social care, reducing VAT on energy bills to zero, and anything else he might fancy announcing between now and the Government having an actual fiscal event in the autumn? The Prime Minister is committed to the same fiscal rules that meant Reeves felt forced to make the difficult, politically unpalatable
super rich have an irritating tendency to be globally mobile to dodge bills
decisions. He is right to avoid her doom-and-gloom language, which made those decisions seem even worse than they were and made voters feel intensely miserable about how many more difficult choices lay ahead. But he cannot avoid the same choices over tax-and-spend. And that means that at some point, Burnham is going to have to level with taxpayers in the way that every prime minister finds themselves having to do when they want to announce nice things that people want. It’s not just on social care, where unless you have a family member in the system, you’re likely to wrongly believe that care is free at the point of access like the NHS, and therefore get quite angry when a politician suggests you’ve got to stump up a lot more money, either through general taxation or other mechanisms, to fund the sector in future. It’s on everything. Something has to fund these measures. And that something is tax rises. Even turning to the magic money
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
19
tree of “taxing the super rich more” isn’t quite as simple as figures such as Gary Lineker want to suggest, as those pesky super rich have a really irritating tendency to be globally mobile and employ a lot of lawyers and accountants who help them avoid big bills. And so the burden ends up falling on the wider tax-paying public, already struggling not just with the cost of living but the amount of money that evaporates from their payslip into the Exchequer each month. It’s not just pensioners who are threatened by fiscal drag: it’s working people, too, and while Burnham does not want a noisy row with pensioners, he might find that in the long run, he ends up facing the resentment of the wider public, too. And that will mean that his second chance at a first impression will have been wasted, because he will end up in exactly the same predicament as the people he promised he would provide a “circuit breaker” from.
@
View
Tweets, emails
and letters to:
The Editor, The i Paper,
9 Derry Street,
London W8 5HY
@theipaper
Plus On Monday, in One-minute Wijuko How to play Place 1 – 9 once in the grid, obeying the sums between pairs of squares
7 4
13 13
facebook.com/theipaper
Please include a contact address with all correspondence
Damon doesn’t look Greek to me
Well done Christopher
Nolan in his response on
the irrelevancy of Elon
Musk’s tirade about The
Odyssey and in particular
the casting of a black
woman in the role of
Helen of Troy.
The ground for Musk’s
complaint seems to be
historical inaccuracy.
Question to anyone who
has seen the film as I did
this week. How Greek
did Matt Damon look to
you? On a related aspect,
the use of saxophones
(invented in 1848) in the
music towards the end
was just as inaccurate
but here’s the thing...
it’s a film from the
entertainment industry
Elon, not a documentary!
Then again, perhaps
this is the beginning
of Elon’s new career
as a film and theatre
critic, in which case he
is going to be busy if
he is going to focus on
historical accuracy!
JAMES COOKSON
CREDITON, DEVON
Pity the royals for a hard life
Yes, your correspondent
is quite right about all
the things he says about
being a member of the
Royal Family (Your
View, 23 July) but, in all
honesty, who would want
to be in the limelight
most of the time knowing
that the press are always
there watching you for
any misdemeanours
you might unfortunately
make. Certainly not me
and any advantages the
Royal Family have they
definitely earn due to
their devotion to our
country. We are very
lucky to have them.
ELIZABETH VEALE
DEAL, KENT
Nationalisation means we pay
The privatisation of water hasn’t worked – at least not for consumers. But, before we all rejoice
‘I nearly drowned’ the unique hell of work team building activities
i@theipaper.com
in its renationalisation,
shouldn’t we recall why
it was sold off in the
late 80s. It wasn’t to
make hedge funds rich,
but to avoid the huge
costs of infrastructure
renewal – pipes and
reservoirs – falling
to taxpayers. If water
comes back into public
ownership, so will the
taxpayer-funded costs.
RICHARD SKIPP
BRISTOL
Walnut canyon, almost empty
I was fascinated and
angered in equal
measure by Kate Lister’s
article (The past belongs
to everybody – but
the rich are snapping
it up, The i Paper, 23
July). Some years ago,
on a trip to America’s
canyon lands, we visited
the almost spiritual
Walnut canyon. Narrow
cliff-edge pathways
served rock-hewn caves,
homes to ancient Native
Indian tribespeople.
With expressive
sadness, the guardian at
the entrance explained:
“There ain’t much to see.
When the canyon was
discovered, they ran a
train line to it so the rich
and thoughtless came
and stole every remnant
they could find.”
Now, when there’s
nothing left, the edict
posted on billboards:
“Leave only footprints,
take only photographs”
seems a bit redundant.
BOB POWELL
STOCKTON ON TEES,
CO DURHAM
Fibre optic? Dream on
I seem to remember a Tory government promising access to full fibre internet to every corner of the UK including, presumably, the Lizard peninsula where I reside. So, we were delighted when two years ago, a contractor working on behalf of Wildanet came down our lane attaching a
One reader questions whether Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, truly looks Greek
fibre optic cable to
Open Reach poles. I
immediately contacted
BT and Wildanet to
see when we would
be connected.
Two years ago BT
said it wasn’t theirs to
connect and Wildanet
said they had no
immediate plans to
connect either. Six weeks
ago I again contacted
both providers to
complain, and neither
have any plans to
connect us.
So, notionally, we
have availability but
not connectivity. My
neighbours are slowly
going with Elon Musk
and his Starlink service,
because our “guaranteed”
download speed is 7mbs,
(not a misprint).
Have we been misled?
If you are in a rural
situation you pay a price.
MICHAEL SLATER
MANACCAN,
CORNWALL
Why can’t UK build railways?
Any suggestion that Britain is now the poor man of Europe is not surprisingly dismissed
by politicians. If the UK is, as they maintain, a relatively prosperous country, why do we struggle to fund public sector projects, most notably HS2, when our mainland European neighbours – with France leading the way, followed by Germany, Spain and Italy – have built hundreds of miles of high-speed rail lines, seemingly without their governments agonising over escalating costs, protracted delays and consequent abandonment of such projects? ALAN BUNTING
UK pensions among lowest
As a retired engineer aged 83 years old, I have been putting into the
MORE COMMENT on theipaper.com
Our commitment
We take very seriously our responsibility to maintain high editorial standards, and are grateful to readers for pointing out any errors. The i Paper adheres to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) code of practice. If you wish to complain about our editorial coverage, especially with relation to
government pension scheme for 56 years. I get £251 pounds per week – one of the lowest rates in Europe and Canada. Hence the triple lock is needed to keep my head above water. You’re always saying it’s unaffordable. I pay council tax, the TV licence and taxes. If I had been a politician or likewise I would get a gold-plated pension, but I’m not. So please give me a break and stop saying I’m a drain on society. Please cut me some slack so I can hold my head up high. MICHAEL TORODE
Ex-PM’s service honoured
Thank you Kathy Price and Moira Locke (Your
inaccuracy or intrusion, please write to The Editor,
The i Paper, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, or
email reader@theipaper.com. You can contact
Ipso directly at 10 Eastcheap, London, EC3M 1AJ,
telephone 0300 123 2220, or by email on
inquiries@ipso.co.uk.
Steven Bartlett
world
Skagen The artsy, Danish coastal town
View, 22 July) for your
defence of Keir Starmer,
an honourable man and
dedicated public servant.
He may not have had
the political nous and
cunning needed to carry
his party forward, nor the
spin and performance
skills of previous
prime ministers, but
let’s not forget what
he achieved; he saved
the Labour Party from
itself, from years of
factionalism, infighting
and unelectability.
He not only made it
electable in a remarkably
short space of time,
giving voters a credible
alternative to the worst
government in my
memory (and I’m 80!) but
actually got it elected
with a landslide. When it
was clear that he had to
go, he put country and
party before his own ego
and left with good grace
and dignity.
ANITA WOOLLETT
LEEDS
Wealthy don’t need our help
I regard myself as a compassionate person but admit to feeling some anger when l read suggestions that the Government should ameliorate tax requirements for people who are “capital rich but don’t necessarily have high incomes”. Why? There are many ways by which that capital richness can be used to supplement income. Not to do that is a matter of choice. This is often motivated by the desire to pass on the highest possible legacy arising from unearned, untaxed rises in property value. HAROLD LUCOCK
TECHNOLOGY
Kelner
W
hen did everything become “amazing”? I was told by a sales assistant the other day that putting in my PIN number was “amazing”. A flight attendant remarked that buckling my seat belt was, likewise, “amazing”. It’s the all-purpose adjective used, it seems to me, by anyone under 40 years of age. But what to say now when you discover something that really makes you gasp in amazement, that truly astonishes you? “Amazing” doesn’t really cut it any more. And so, I’m not quite sure how to describe the mind-blowing feeling of being driven around one of the world’s most congested cities in a
car without a driver. Even though our world has been transformed through technology, I can’t remember a single moment when I paused to think that I had just seen the future. But, in the back seat of a driverless Waymo taxi in Los Angeles last week, I had such an awe-inspiring experience. This is the future, I thought, and, what’s more, it works. The all-electric Waymo car, a radar- equipped Jaguar, offered safe, frictionless journey through downtown LA. Cheaper than an Uber, too (no need to tip, either). And, once you get used to the idea of being chauffeured by a ghost, it is a very pleasant way to travel. Independent research found that Waymo vehicles had 85 per cent fewer single-vehicle crashes than human drivers. Waymo is owned by Alphabet, the tech behemoth, owner of Google. It started offering its services to the public in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2020 and Waymo now operates in 10 major cities in the US, and the company – giving about half a million rides a week at present – is aiming for a million a week before the year is out. And they will soon be over here.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
Waymo, owned by Alphabet, currently operates half a million rides each week
Often under the cover of darkness, Waymo is conducting tests of autonomous vehicles on the streets of London and, according to latest soundings, it will be available for paying passengers in some parts of the capital later this year. The Government is ready to change regulations to enable driverless taxis to operate in the city. Which brings us to a very
salient point. Here’s another technological development which diminishes human engagement, so the honest objection isn’t about safety, it’s the social cost. Not only are the jobs of London’s 100,000 licensed taxi and minicab drivers at risk, our interface will be with a robot, not with someone who has a story to tell. Is this a spinning jenny moment in the history of
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
21
objection to this
development
isn’t safety...it’s
the social cost
public transport? Those who have devoted four years to learning the knowledge are right to fear a future that belongs to an automated car whose experience of London’s streets was established on a laptop. But we are in the throes of a new Industrial Revolution, one which will make our roads safer and give passengers more security. Besides, progress never comes without disruption. Worth remembering at this point that, once, black cab drivers put ostlers out of work. The way forward is in the shape of a car that navigates a dependable way across London without a driver, with no possibility of road rage. What I noticed on my trips through LA was not the absence of a driver, but the absence of anxiety. It was, for want of a better word, an amazing experience.
U
I
POLITICS
POLITICS
Lawson
@theipaper
facebook.com/theipaper
Please include a contact address with all correspondence
nder its new leader it looks like Labour is going to have a second go at cutting the cost of the £334bn annual welfare bill. But before it jumps in, it should learn the lessons of why so many in the Parliamentary Labour Party found that stance literally revolting last time it tried, and blocked the move. The issue isn’t the tactical concern
i@theipaper.com
of how to placate the left of the party. It’s getting the policy, framing, intention and purpose right. If Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden get the latter sorted, then the former will fall into place. So how can that be done? First, don’t start from a Treasury mindset of saving the most money. Cuts lead to more hardship, not
more employment, and so in the long
run save nothing. Don’t do it to look
tough in a vain attempt to appeal to
the right-wing newspapers.
Instead, start with the human.
What does a good society and a
flourishing life look like? People
generally want to create and
contribute. A tiny minority will
abuse any system. But you can’t
build a better world based
on the worst behaved.
Second, understand
the causes of the
spiralling welfare bill.
It’s jobs that don’t
pay enough, homes
that cost too much,
too little in the way of
care, a lack of training
and education and health
support that people need.
We live in a sick society. The
social contract is broken: nothing is
secure; no one thinks their children’s
lives are going to be better than
theirs; social media contaminates
young minds; climate change is at
the start of its inevitable chaos.
Our economy and our culture
are driving people mad. And yet we
don’t own this as a nation, a society
or a democracy – we pass the buck
to the individual and impossibly
demand that they shape up, they
take pills, they get counselling
and they individually try to find
their feet in a world that offers no
collective foundations.
No sticking plaster is going
Easton
trust – he won’t get it
n 1973, in the wake of mass strikes, power cuts and job losses 49 per cent of people surveyed by the Royal Commission on the Constitution agreed that Britain’s system of governance needed quite a lot or a great deal of improvement. The British Social Attitudes (BSA – as it is now called) team has just asked the question again. Today, that figure stands at 83 per cent, the highest level ever recorded. The statistic reveals a wide sense of disillusionment about how power operates in contemporary Britain. It lay behind that very first promise Andy Burnham made as Prime Minister. “We have not been good enough and we need to be better,” he said. The scale of his challenge is found in the number 83. Another question which the survey has posed since the mid-80s asks whether people trust British governments of any party to place
to mask the nation’s deep
social recession.
Third, because this is so complex
we have to ensure government
works as one. The calculation of
what benefits people receive should
be the last decision.
Start with the support and
opportunity people need. Then
ensure they receive an income they
can live on. Departments
need to listen to each other
and work together.
Fourth, don’t view
this as a technical
exercise. The people
who know best about
how to deal with causes
and cures of reducing
the welfare bill are the
people struggling to get by
on meagre payments. Speak to
them at the start of the process.
And finally, it’s going to take a
long time to get it right. This, then,
is as good an issue as possible
for Burnham to practise his new
politics, to build cross-party support
for a new welfare settlement.
When Burnham talks about place
before party, the local over the
centre, the long term over the short
term – he is already describing the
right approach. The Swedes use
a slogan that isn’t about help but
about hope: “secure people dare”. It
is time for our Government to dare.
The current annual welfare bill, which the new Prime Minister may attempt to reduce
Neal Lawson is chair of the Labour Party-affiliated group Compass
the needs of the nation above the interest of their own political party. Back in 1986, only 38 per cent of people thought governments would do that “just about always” or “most of the time”. The latest data reveals that just nine per cent of Britons think the same today, the lowest proportion ever recorded. Some 45 per cent of voters reckon governments would “almost never” put nation before party. Politicians should be profoundly alarmed. There is, though, another factor which is critical in understanding the collapse in political trust. Burnham promised to address it in his first major speech after winning Makerfield. The word he used was “agency”. Do you agree with the statement that “people like me have no say in what the Government does?” The BSA has been asking that since 1996 and it recently hit 26 per cent, double what it was 20 years ago. Surveys suggest supporters of Reform UK feel that lack of agency far more than any other party. Decentralisation and devolution lie at the heart of Burnham’s plans, but many former PMs have worn the “power to the people” T-shirt before. The data suggests scepticism about the political classes runs to contempt. “That is our challenge,” Burnham said outside No 10, “to make politics work.” He might reflect on the number 83.
Mark Easton is senior fellow at NatCen, home of the British Social Attitudes survey
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
NEWS
M
any people in the public eye sanitise and sugarcoat their words – but that was never Amy Winehouse’s style. Straight-talking and sharp-witted, the musician was brutally honest. That same tenacity is immediately seen in her mother, Janis Winehouse. The 72-year-old, whose only daughter died from alcohol poisoning 15 years ago yesterday, has multiple sclerosis (MS) and issues with memory loss, but remains lively and incisive. “She was a victim of her own success,” Janis tells The i Paper in a rare interview. “She didn’t want it, but it just followed her. And she’d be like, ‘Who, me?’” Discussing her daughter’s battle with drug and alcohol addiction, she argues that many people misunderstand how addiction works. “Once you’re addicted, you’re addicted,” she reflects. “The only boss is the addiction. People say, ‘Oh, no, you just stop doing such and such’.” They don’t get it. You can’t stop because your body is saying I need it.” When I ask what she believes contributed to Amy’s well- documented addiction issues, she points to her lack of confidence. “She was actually nervous,” Janis reflects. “She didn’t have confidence. Hence the alcohol. I think it’s the same with many, many addicts with alcohol. The alcohol takes away the pain. And that is a horrible thing with addiction.” Janis is speaking at an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of Amy’s Place – a recovery house in Hackney, east London, for women battling drug and alcohol addiction, set up in memory of Amy. Staggeringly, Amy’s Place is one of the only recovery centres in the UK solely for women. Run in
She didn’t have confidence. Hence the alcohol. I think it’s the same with many addicts
conjunction with the UK’s largest housing association, Clarion Housing Group, the service is for young women aged 18-30. Amy’s Place delivers a broad range of therapeutic and practical services to support women, including counselling, art therapy, yoga, sound healing, and piano lessons. The service houses up to 16 women at any one time, with residents able to stay for up to two years and each woman is assigned a recovery support worker. There are eight single flats and four shared. Amy would be a big fan of the service if she were alive, says Janis, who is also co-founder of the Amy Winehouse Foundation. How has Janis coped with grief in the past few years? “I’m just getting on with it because that’s what I do. I get on with life. I live it,” she says. This is a trait her daughter inherited from her, she says. “She was so like me.” Amy was not changed by fame and was never interested in money, her mother says. “I remember that interview where she said to the person interviewing her: ‘You’re standing on that lady’s foot’ because that is just how she was. She points it out. You’re doing this.” People stand around chatting, eating smoked salmon and cream cheese rolls and red velvet cake as we talk. The garden is full of former and current residents of Amy’s Place. Inside, framed pictures of Amy hang on the walls. The place has recently been done up and has the luxury of a hotel and the warmth of a family home. Amy would have been blown away by Amy’s Place, Jane Winehouse, Amy’s stepmother who is married to Amy’s father Mitch Winehouse, tells me. “She would love the women,” the 61-year-old tells me. “It’s very true to her. Everyone here is so real.
To be here, to engage properly in recovery, you have to get real.” Jane explains that the family knew little about addiction when Amy started struggling. “When Amy started having her problems, we knew nothing,” she says. “We’d had no family experience of addiction. Mitch and Janis, they barely drink. It was quite alien.” Discussing the media’s relentless hounding of Amy, Jane, who had known Amy since she was two, argues that the wider situation has improved since that time. “The paparazzi were parked outside her door morning, noon and night. It was a very, very different time. Thankfully, I think, I hope certainly, that we’ve moved on from that.”
Amy Winehouse, left, and Janis Winehouse, right: Janis argues that people misunderstand how addiction functions ALTITUDE FILMS; MAYA OPPENHEIM
Paramedics discovered Amy in her flat in Camden, north London, on the afternoon of 23 July 2011. She was only 27. “I think as a family, we just didn’t want to spend the rest of our lives in misery, you know,” Jane, who is the director and co-founder of the Amy Winehouse Foundation, says. “We wanted to make something really positive come out of something that was so tragic.” When they ask women at Amy’s Place to reflect on their experiences there, they often talk about how safe they feel, Jane says. “Consistently, the first thing they say is that they felt safe – some of them for the first time ever”. The women at Amy’s Place come from a range of backgrounds. “Some of them have had a really, really traumatic past. Others have come from lovely families, but there was just something within them that made them just never feel like they never fitted in. That they had low
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
23
self-esteem. Low self-esteem is a real recurring theme.” Stella Needham has been living at Amy’s Place for around a year and a half. “I was on the verge of death,” the 21-year-old recalls of her situation before moving here. “I had been in and out of hospitals for a while. I had sepsis. My organs were failing me. I had been put on an emergency bed list for rehab.” Her physical health had massively deteriorated due to ketamine addiction. She explains she was taking 7-9g of the drug every day. But Stella’s life has changed immeasurably since then. She celebrated two years sober around a month ago, and her physical health has completely recovered. She now has a job as a support worker at a drug and alcohol service. “I think addiction is an uncomfortability with the self. I think that’s what it kind of narrows down to,” she says. The support she gets from the other women at Amy’s Place has clearly been transformative. “We’re like sisters,” Stella, who grew up in Camden and is a massive Winehouse fan, says. “I could call up any of the girls at any time of night, and I know someone would be there for me.” Rachel Finlinson, the manager at Amy’s Place, explains they don’t kick out residents who relapse and use drugs or drink alcohol, unlike most similar services. The 55-year-old argues that women in addiction are highly stigmatised. She emphasises the importance of having a woman-only service as she explains many of the residents have suffered sexual violence or domestic abuse. It is incredible to see the women go from arriving feeling hopeless to blossoming and turning “into the women that they were always meant to be”.
First Briton gets therapy for sight loss condition
By Storm Newton
An 11-year-old girl has become the first UK patient to have in- novative gene therapy for a rare condition which robs children of their sight. The treatment, which had only been performed on one other person in the world, involves in- jecting healthy copies of a gene directly into the eye. Catherine L’Estrange, from London, is hopeful the move will allow her to continue one of her fa- vourite hobbies – reading books. If the therapy works, her sight will be stabilised or may even im- prove, according to the surgeon who treated her. Catherine was diagnosed with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) when she was a baby. The condition is caused by mutations to one of 20 different genes and affects around one in 100,000 births in the UK, leaving patients blind by their late teens or early twenties. As well as vision loss, BBS can also cause kidney problems,
Catherine L’Estrange, 11, with
her brother; she likes to read
learning difficulties and obesity, and patients sometimes have extra fingers or toes. The gene therapy, developed by biotechnology company MeiraGTx, was given to Cath- erine as part of an hour-long procedure at St Helier Hospital in March. Surgeons removed the jelly in- side her eye and injected healthy copies of a gene into the retina, the light sensitive layer of tissue
at the back of the eye. In people with BBS, small cells in the retina die, leading to blindness. Neruban Kumaran, consult- ant eye surgeon at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “By giving a healthy copy of the gene, it helps save those cells, and the hope is to ei- ther stabilise or improve vision.” Catherine said: “If this treat- ment works, it will help me to carry on seeing things around me, and most of all I will be able to carry on reading books, which is one of my favourite things to do.” Her father, Reverend Timothy L’Estrange, said most children with BBS do not get diagnosed until they are in primary school. “Our policy was to develop her independence and resilience as much as possible, ready for the inevitable loss of her sight... “We were told that possible gene therapy was many, many years away, and was likely to ar- rive after Catherine had entirely lost her sight – so we were delight- ed when we learnt this treatment had become available.”
‘Picky bits’ can help to reach five-a-day of fruit and veg
By Jane Kirby
Tucking into “picky bits” on a summer picnic can count towards people’s five- a-day, health experts have said. Favourites such as hummus, falafel (inset) and tzatziki can all help peo- ple hit the daily health target, ac- cording to the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Recommendations from the World Health Organiza- tion are for people to eat at least 400g of fruit and veg- etables every day to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Picky bits containing foods such as chickpeas, beans and tomatoes can often be overlooked but do count, the BHF said. For example, four sundried tomatoes make up one portion of the five‑a‑day target and can be easily added to salads, pastas and couscous. Three heaped tablespoons of hummus count as one of the five-a-day because it is made from chickpeas. However, beans and chickpeas can
only count once towards the target because they do not provide the same range of vitamins and minerals as fruit and vegetables. But pairing hummus with 80g per person of sliced vegetables such as carrots, cucumber or radish adds up to another portion. Tzatziki is made with cucumber and also counts towards one portion, and is boosted more if served alongside cucumber sticks, pepper strips, or carrot batons. A snack pot with three heaped ta- blespoons of beans, such as edamame, cannellini or butter beans, can also count towards the five-a-day. Falafel made from chickpeas can also count towards the one portion of beans and pulses, while bak- ing rather than frying makes it healthier. The BHF said home- made salsa including things like tomatoes, pep- pers, onions, avocado and sweetcorn also counts to- wards the five-a-day target. People are urged to check the labels of shop-bought salsa, how- ever, which can be lower in vegetables while being high in salt or sugar. Additionally, around 30 olives make up a portion of fruit and vegetables, but the BHF warns it can be salty. People are advised to eat fewer than 30 in a sitting but they can be paired with other fresh vegetables to make up one portion.
Sperm whales sleep vertically – stabilised by power of bubbles
By Nick Forbes
Sperm whales are able to hang vertically in the water while sleep- ing by releasing gas bubbles that regulate their buoyancy, scientists have discovered. The whales’ “iconic” resting be- haviour was first documented by naturalists in 2008, and they are the only whale species known to rest in a heads-up vertical posture. It is thought maintaining a po- sition just below the sea surface buffers the whales from surface wave action, helping them to sleep better. However, until now, it has always been unclear how they maintain their position while asleep. In a study, scientists at the Uni- versity of St Andrews and Uni- versité de Neuchâtel in France discovered the whales release gas bubbles, which they said helps re- tain a neutral buoyancy. Professor Patrick Miller, from the Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St Andrews, said the challenge was regulating the whales’ natural buoyancy, which comes from gases in their bodies.
Whales slowly rotate head-up due to the spermaceti oil in their heads
He said: “[Releasing air is] going to decrease the positive buoyancy of the animal, which will slow it from going up towards the surface.” He added that when the whales dive to a resting depth they are head-down, but that they “slowly rotate” due to the spermaceti oil in their heads, which is lighter than the rest of their bodies. He said: “Initially, the animals are still slowly moving up towards the surface once they spin to this vertical position. “Each time they release a bub- ble, the analysis was able to show how that slowed the ascent to- wards the surface, helping the ani- mal stay just beneath.” Since they come to the surface to breathe, each “resting dive” lasts 20 minutes or so, with the an- imals typically completing a num- ber of resting dives in succession. The team collected data for the study by placing small tags on sperm whales off the Norwegian coast. The tags captured clear bubble sounds, while movement data was used to create a simula- tion based on tissue density, drag and gas volume.
Turing’s writing adds racy edge to genius
By Stephen Beech
Alan Turing was a “fun, cheeky” man who loved sex and literature, according to analysis of a short story written by the Enigma codebreaker. The racy yarn by the “father of modern computing” rips up his “isolated mathematician” image, revealing a playful man overcoming trauma and “defiantly embrac- ing his homosexuality”. The unpublished work titled Pryce’s Buoy – a six- page, hand-written frag- ment of a short story cared for by archivists at King’s College Cam- bridge – has been tran- scribed and fully studied for the first time. Cambridge Professor of Liter- ature Sarah Dillon says her findings, published in The Review of English Studies, will surprise anyone who ac- cepts the movie portrayal of Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, in The Imitation Game. Born in London in 1912, Turing was a brilliant mathematician who studied at both Cambridge and Princeton universities.
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
25
In 1939 he took up a full-time role at Bletchley Park where secret work was conducted to decipher Nazi codes. Turing played a key role in de- coding the encryption of German Enigma machines during World War Two. He was arrested in 1953 for homo- sexuality, which was then illegal in Britain, and was found guilty of gross indecency. Turing subsequently had his security clear- ance revoked and was barred from continuing his government work. Turing was found dead from cyanide poi- soning at his home in June 1954, with an inquest ruling that he died by suicide. Dillon said: “We’ve distilled a ver- sion of Turing that is a two-dimen- sional stereotype. “He’s come to be seen as socially unaware, entirely concerned with logic and numbers. “His short story reveals a very dif- ferent man: playful, funny, cheeky, literary, and someone who really liked sex.”
CHOICE
6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.30 Animal Park (S). 10.15 The Moment Of Proof (R) (S). 10.45 Expert Witness (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.35 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 2.00 The Hairdresser Mysteries (S). 2.45 Rick Stein’s Australia (S). 3.15 Escape To The Country (R) (S). 3.45 The Bidding Room (S). 4.30 The Travelling Auctioneers (R) (S). 5.15 Pointless (R) (S).
6.00 BBC News At Six; Weather (S). 6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).
7.00 Hunting The Giant Bluefin Tuna: Our Lives (S). 7.30 The Travelling Auctioneers (R) (S).
8.00 Granite Harbour New series (S).
9.00 Would I Lie To You? With panellists Nabil Abdulrashid, and Francesca Mills (R) (S). 9.30 Ann Droid (S).
10.00 BBC News At Ten (S). 10.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 10.45 Austin (S).
11.10 Austin Austin faces a family intervention (S). 11.40 FILM: La La Land (Damien Chazelle 2016) Musical (S).
1.45 BBC News (S).
PICK OF THE DAY Granite Harbour 8pm, BBC One Shetland isn’t the only Scottish setting for a police procedural, of course, and along with Dundee (Traces), Glasgow (Annika) and Edinburgh (the stylish Rebus reboot, which is due back later this year), we also have Aberdeen. The new three- part series reunites the snappily dressed Sgt Davis Lindo and DCI Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett (Romario Simpson and Hannah Donaldson, both left), the odd-couple detectives investigating the suspicious death of a young woman in the Traveller community encamped at a country estate. Among the familiar faces to feature in the support cast are Ellie Haddington (Motherland), and John Gordon Sinclair as Lindo and Bartlett’s boss.
6.30 Animal Park (R) (S). 7.15 The Bidding Room (R) (S). 8.00 Sign Zone: Marcus Wareing Simply Provence (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 12.30 Political Thinking With Nick Robinson (S). 1.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games (R) (S). 1.30 The Finish Line (R) (S). 2.15 Lightning (R) (S). 2.45 The Farmers’ Country Showdown (R) (S). 3.15 The Hidden World Of Hospitality With Tom Kerridge (R) (S). 4.15 Wild Brazil (R) (S). 5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).
6.00 Richard Osman’s House Of Games (R) (S). 6.30 Just One Thing (R) (S).
7.00 Grand Tours Of Scotland’s Lochs (R) (S). 7.30 Beechgrove Garden (S).
8.00 Gardeners’ World The team explores the first RHS Sandringham Flower Show (S).
9.00 Bergerac New series. Modern re-imagining of the drama, starring Damien Molony (S). 9.45 Bergerac (S).
10.30 Newsnight (S).
11.05 FILM: Janet Planet (Annie Baker 2023) Premiere. Coming-of-age drama, starring Zoe Ziegler (S).
12.50 Sign Zone: There’s A Gangster In My Flat – Panorama (R) (S). 1.20 Sign Zone: Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together (R) (S). 1.50 Sign Zone: Starmer: What Went Wrong (R) (S). 2.15 This Is BBC Two (S).
6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 2.00 Dickinson’s Real Deal (R) (S). 3.00 Deal Or No Deal (R) (S). 3.59 ITV Regional Weather (S). 4.00 Tipping Point (R) (S). 5.00 The Chase (R) (S).
6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 6.30 ITV News; Weather (S).
7.30 Abbey Clancy:
Celebrity Homes Abbey visits homes belonging to Lorna Luxe and Jo Wood (S).
8.00 Emmerdale Dawn is not happy about Billy dating Gabby (S). 8.30 Coronation Street (S).
9.00 The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox The media’s reporting turns Amanda into a monster (S).
10.05 The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox A wrench is thrown in Mignini’s case (S).
11.05 ITV News (S). 11.40 ITV Regional News (S). 11.55 Inside The Langham: Britain’s First Grand Hotel (R).
12.20 Shop On TV 3.00 Nobody’s Fool (R) (S). 3.50 Long Lost Family (R) (S). 4.45 Unwind With ITV (S).
=== Prog Rock At The Proms 7pm, BBC Four Progressive rock always aspired to the classical, which makes perfect sense of its inclusion in this year’s Proms. The concert includes new orchestral arrangements of music by Genesis, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Mike Oldfield, Yes, Jethro Tull, Moody Blues (“Nights In White Satin”) and more, with performances from Guy Garvey, Gruff Rhys and Jane Weaver. Host Stuart Maconie also defends this often-derided musical genre.
===
Surgery Secrets Of
The Super Rich
8pm, Channel 4
More jaw-dropping – or, in this case,
jaw-tightening – tales from the
6.25 Cheers (R) (S). 6.50 Cheers (R) (S). 7.20 Cheers (R) (S). 7.45 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.10 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.40 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.10 Frasier (R) (S). 9.40 Frasier (R) (S). 10.10 Frasier (R) (S). 10.40 Frasier (R) (S). 11.10 American Pickers (R) (S). 12.05 Channel 4 News Summary (S). 12.10 Car S.O.S (R) (S). 1.10 The Great House Giveaway (R) (S). 2.10 Countdown (S). 3.00 A Place In The Sun (R) (S). 4.00 Narrow Escapes (R) (S). 5.00 Chateau DIY (R) (S).
6.00 Four In A Bed The B&Bers have complaints to make (R) (S). 6.30 Come Dine With Me (R) (S).
7.00 Channel 4 News (S).
8.00 Surgery Secrets Of The Super Rich Phoebe undergoes a lunchtime boob job (S).
9.00 Celebrity Gogglebox The best moments from the recent series. Last in the series (S).
10.00 Big Fat Quiz: Best Bits Shocking, surprising and scandalous moments from the show (S).
11.05 Sarah Millican: Outsider Footage recorded at the Brighton Dome (R) (S).
12.05 FILM: Polite Society (Nida Manzoor 2023) (S). 1.55 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (R) (S). 2.45 Britain’s Most Expensive Houses (R) (S). 3.40 Come Dine With Me (R) (S).
cutting edge of cosmetic surgery, starting with business executive and marathon runner Phoebe, who is undergoing a breast augmentation, known as the “lunchtime boob job” for its 90-minute turnaround. Luxury brand manager Ziad is meanwhile on a mission to get rid of his under-eye bags, and art dealer Roxana treats her ageing hands with a £7,000 procedure that involves using her own body fat to replenish skin volume.
=== Boris Johnson: Into Ukraine’s Kill Zone 9pm, 5 One of the more commendable aspects of Johnson’s time as prime minister was his full-throttle and steadfast support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. In this documentary,
6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 11.30 Storm & Alexis (S). 12.45 5 News At Lunchtime (S). 12.50 Matt Allwright (S). 2.20 FILM: Fatal Flatshare (Christine Conradt 2023) Thriller, starring Camila Senna (S). 4.00 Castle (R) (S). 4.55 Love Nature (R) (S). 5.00 5 News With Dan Walker (S).
6.00 Jersey And Guernsey (R) (S). 6.55 5 News Update (S).
7.00 Tour De France 2026 Action from the 19th stage (S). 7.55 5 News Update (S).
8.00 Michael Palin In Venezuela Michael visits a cluster of coral islands in the Caribbean Sea (R) (S).
9.00 Boris Johnson: Into Ukraine’s Kill Zone (S).
10.30 Commonwealth Games 2026 Highlights from the opening day in Glasgow (S).
11.30 Piers Morgan: Uncensored The news and debate show hosted by Piers Morgan (S).
1.00 Cruise TV With LoveitBookit (R) (S). 2.00 Car Pound Cops (R) (S). 3.45 Friends (R) (S). 4.35 Amazing Railway Adventures With Nick Knowles (R) (S).
Robot Linda is as inept as ever as she causes a disaster at the charity shop in ‘Ann Droid’ 9.30pm, BBC One
7.00 Prog Rock At The Proms Classic tracks on an orchestral scale (S).
9.00 TOTP: 2000 Jamie Theakston presents the pop chart programme (S). 9.30 TOTP: 1982 (S).
10.00 TOTP: 1986 (S). 10.30 Prog Rock At The BBC Including performances by Yes and Genesis (S).
11.30 Genesis: Old Grey Whistle Test Annie Nightingale introduces a Genesis concert from 1980 (S).
12.10 Jethro Tull: The Lively Arts (S). 1.10 Sight & Sound In Concert: Supertramp (S). 1.40 TOTP2: Genesis (S). 2.25 TOTP: 2000 (S). 2.55 TOTP: 1982 (S). 3.25 TOTP: 1986 (S). 3.55 Close
he travels to Ukraine’s frontline, into the heart of the kill zone, to find out what is happening four years into Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion. Under the constant threat of Russian drone attacks, Johnson seeks out the Ukrainian soldiers living with the threat of death every day, talking to wounded soldiers and hearing about the realities of conscription.
=== Station Eleven 9pm, Sky Atlantic When this multi-award-winning post-apocalyptic miniseries about a flu-like virus that destroys civilisation was first shown in December 2021, our own very real pandemic was still upending our lives. Set on twin timelines (immediately after the virus strikes and 20 years
Guy Garvey performs
a prog rock tribute
7pm, BBC Four
Phoebe undergoes a high-speed procedure 8pm, Channel 4
6.55 FILM: The Day The Earth Stood Still (Scott Derrickson 2008) Sci-fi, starring Keanu Reeves (S).
9.00 FILM: Quadrophenia (Franc Roddam 1979) Mods and rockers drama, starring Phil Daniels (S).
11.25 FILM: Velvet Goldmine (Todd Haynes 1998) Glam rock drama, starring Christian Bale (S).
1.50 FILM: Sequin In A Blue Room (Samuel Van Grinsven 2021) Australian drama, starring Conor Leach (S). 3.35 Close
6.00 Backyard Builds (S). 6.25 Deal Or No Deal (S). 7.30 Dress To Impress (S). 8.30 Olivia And Alex: Parenthood (S). 9.30 The Only Way Is Essex (S). 10.30 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City (S). 11.20 The Real Housewives Of Orange County (S). 12.15 Dinner Date (S). 1.15 Supermarket Sweep (S). 2.15 The Floor USA (S). 3.10 The Only Way Is Essex (S). 4.10 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City (S). 5.00 The Real Housewives Of Orange County (S).
6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase With Alex Jones, Tyler West and Ricky Wilson (S).
7.00 The Floor USA New series. Rob Lowe hosts the American version of the fast-paced game show (S).
8.00 The 1% Club Quiz, hosted by Lee Mack (S).
9.00 Love Island Relationship- based reality show (S).
10.05 Love Island: The Debrief Daily reactions with Shakira Khan (S). 10.35 Family Guy (S).
11.05 Family Guy Brian leads a protest against a new superstore (S). 11.35 American Dad! (S).
12.05 American Dad! (S). 12.35 Bob’s Burgers (S). 1.05 Bob’s Burgers (S). 1.30 Deal Or No Deal (S). 2.20 Unwind With ITV (S). 3.00 Teleshopping
Journey Finder Dominoes
How to play All of the 28 domino pieces from 0-0 through to 6-6 have been placed once into the grid. Can you work out where each of them is placed?
B
6 5 3 2 4 4 3 3
2
1 4 6 4 0 6 6 0
5 5 4 5 5 6 5 1
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 1
6 4 3 6 1 2 2 1
3 0 5 3 3 0 4 3
2 2 5 1 1 2 6 2
Binary
How to play Complete the grid so that each row and column contains five 0s and five 1s. The same number cannot appear in more than two consecutive squares in any row or column. In the finished puzzle, each row must have a different sequence of 0s and 1s to any other row, and likewise for each column.
1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 1
Chain Link
How to play Place the numbers 1-6 in each row, column
and along each series of squares linked by
the chain.
5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Number Hexagon
How to play Each hexagon is divided into six triangles. The sum of these six triangles is always 25. Place a number from 1-9 in each empty triangle to complete the puzzle: you cannot repeat a number within a hexagon.
8 2 9
3 1 6 8
4 7 1
Daily Quiz
How are fictional Irish rogues Jock O’Keeffe (Chris Walley) and Conor MacSweeney (Alex Murphy) better known?
What 1955 Frank Sinatra album is said to have been inspired by his break-up from Ava Gardner?
Which British spy-turned-traitor gained the nickname of the fictional boy spy created by Rudyard Kipling?
How to play Move between the numbers in order 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 and so on, starting with the grey 1 and ending with the grey 4. On each step you may move one square in any direction (including diagonally). You must form a continuous path that visits every square exactly once.
1 1 2 3 4 3
2 4 3 1 4 2
3 2 1 2 3 1
4 1 4 3 2 4
3 4 2 2 1 3
2 1 4 3 1 4
9 4
8
Making Tracks
How to play Numbers around the outside indicate how many squares in each row and column the track passes through between A and B. The track either passes straight through a square or turns at right angles in it.
A 3
Pathfinder
How to play Moving from letter to adjacent letter, can you create a continuous path that visits every square once and spells out all the words listed to the right of the grid? Start on the shaded square.
S P I I N S N O E F
E Y T A F O N C R F
A D T R A L A N D I
R O O M E T T T R A
M A I T R I R T I E
K R B I H N A N S L
H R E I N N O C R C
E T S S F T N E U O
A R O F R N D M B H
L T H Y I E C O A T
Battleships
How to play Locate the position of each of the ships listed below in the grid. Numbers around the edge tell you the number of ship segments in each row and column of the puzzle. Ships are surrounded on all sides by water, including diagonally.
1 2 4 1 1 2 1 5 2 1
3 5 6 2 2 3 3 1
4-page pullout pullout
Clear Combat Consonant Differ Earmark Falter Fortress Friend Healthy Hour Inhibit Innocent Moody Spit Train Transit
Recipe
Black rice salad with charred vegetables and burrata
SERVES 4
380g black (nero) rice 150g burrata 2 peppers 1 aubergine 250g of cherry tomatoes 1 lime Parsley and basil to garnish Olive oil, salt and pepper
First, char the vegetables until they look burnt over a BBQ or open fire (alternatively, bake them at 250°C/230°C fan/gas mark 9 until softened and blackened). Once ready, let the veg steam in an air-tight container or sealed bag to loosen up the skin and finish cooking. When cool, carefully peel the skin off the peppers and aubergine and cut them roughly into tiny cubes. A different approach is needed for the cherry tomatoes as they need just seconds on the fire to lightly char. They do not need to steam or they will become mushy. Simply peel them as best as you can and slice them in half. In a clean bowl, dress the vegetable mix with the juice and zest of a lime, a good pinch of salt and pepper, 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of chopped parsley. Mix well and keep ready aside. Boil the black rice according to the packet instructions until cooked through but still retaining a little bite to it (al dente texture). When ready, drain it and let it steam off until room temperature. Now simply dress it with a little oil and salt and a splash of lime juice. Start to plate with the rice on the bottom of the plates and top with a couple of spoons of the flavourful veggie mix. Lastly, add a piece of creamy burrata, season that with salt, pepper and a glug of olive oil, and garnish with basil leaves before you enjoy.
Recipe from Riso Gallo, risogallo.co.uk
INQUISITOR
The country’s
best barred crossword
every Saturday
How to play Fill the white squares so that the total in each across or down run of cells matches the total at the start of that run. You must use the numbers from 1-9 only and cannot repeat a number in a run.
6 23
22 29
7 24
9 3
How to play Place the numbers 1-9 once in each row, column and bold-lined jigsaw region.
8 6 3 2 8 6
2
2
9 5 4 5 8 8 2 9
How to play Each row, column and 3 by 3 box must contain each number (1 to 9) only once. The sum of all numbers contained within grey lines must match the number printed in its top-left corner. No number can appear more than once in an area formed by grey lines.
12 8 13 13 4
12 11 11 9 14
8 11
8 11 7 13
14 15 23 5
10 15 14
5 13 15 10
13 11 11 11 5
8 14 4 11
4 4
5 15 12
10 12 28 10
How to play
Place the numbers
from 1-5 exactly
once in each row
and column. The
greater than and
less than signs
(‘>’ and ‘<’) indicate
where one cell is
greater/less than
the adjacent
cell indicated.
How to play Find all the mines in the grid. Numbers in certain squares indicate how many mines there are in the neighbouring squares, including diagonally touching squares. Mines cannot be placed in squares with numbers.
2 3 3 4 1 2 4 3 0 2 6 3 5 4 2 0 4 1 1 3 5 1 3 3 1 1 1 4 2 1 4 3 3 3 0 0 2 0 2 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 1 0 0 1 4
RHYME LETTERS MEANING
ADD BIRD
3 6
4 6
4 6
HANDLE DREAMY
LACERATE
A
How to play Fill the empty squares with numbers that will make the across and down calculations produce the results shown in the grey squares. Each numeral from 1 to 9 must only appear once. The calculations should be performed from left to right and top to bottom, rather than in strict mathematical order.
* ' 9
C
C
A C
Easier
- 7 × 8
×
×
× 3
-3
×
+
× + 46
15 1 72
Harder
14
× 1 - -4
5 -3 38
Terms &
Conditions
By using The i Paper’s
text services, you
are agreeing to
receive occasional
SMS messages from
DMG Media. You
will not be charged
for receiving these
messages and may
opt out at any time by
texting STOP to the
originating number.
SMS services on this
page are provided by
BBA Digital Ltd, KT18
5AD, helpline:
0333 335 3351.
Phone services
on this page are
provided by Spoke
AL10 9NA, helpline:
0333 202 3390,
and by Advanced
Telecom Services,
EC1M 4BH. Helpline:
0330 333 6946.
B A
Concise Crossword No 4889
8 9
ACROSS
1
Rent (4)
3
Electronic
instrument,
in short (5)
8 Egyptian ruler (7)
9 Happen (5)
10 Go into (5)
11 Be present at (7)
12 Aloof (11)
17 Low wall (7)
19 Unspoken (5)
21 Lifting
apparatus (5)
22 Impartial (7)
23 Linked
product (3-2)
24 Song of praise (4)
Stuck on the concise crossword?
For today’s solutions, call 0905 789 3590.
Calls cost 80p per minute plus your network
access charge. If you are having trouble
accessing this number, please call our
helpdesk on 0333 202 3390.
Solution to yesterday’s Concise Crossword
ACROSS 1 Might, 4 Earn (My turn), 7 Rancour, 8 Gouda, 10 Event, 11 Hoedown,
12 Chiropodist, 17 Admiral, 19 Decor, 21 Shrew, 22 Gallant, 23 Amen, 24 Dread.
DOWN 1 Morsel, 2 Genre, 3 Trotter, 4 Eagle, 5 Raucous, 6 Archipelago, 9 Acne,
13 Humdrum, 14 Diddled, 15 Bass, 16 X-rated, 18 Rowan, 20 Craze.
PUZZLE BOOKS
Our range of puzzle books includes
crosswords, codewords, jigsawdokus,
children’s games, sudokus and more.
Available on Amazon for £7.99 each
See the full range at minURL.co.uk/ibooks
Codeword No 4567
6 7
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Need a little help getting started? Then call for up to four extra clue letters on
0901 292 5204. Calls cost £1 plus your telephone company’s network access
charge (if you are having trouble with the phone service, call the helpline: 0333 202
3390). Or text THEI CLUE to 85100 to receive your clues. Texts cost £1 plus your
standard network charge (if you are having trouble with the text service, call
the helpline: 0333 335 3351). Clues change each day at midnight.
DOWN
1
Tapering
container (6)
2
Cook (5)
3
Teapot part (5)
4 Core (7)
5
Pester (6)
6 Nursing officer (6)
7
Behaving in
a flamboyant
way (11)
13 White ant (7)
14 Sporadic (6)
15 Outcome (6)
16 Purloined (6)
18 Affected (3-2)
20 Spicy dish (5)
7 5
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
1 2 3 4 5
10 11
12 13 14
15 16
17 18 19 20
21 22
23 24
Ladder
How to play Convert the word at the top of the ladder into the word at the bottom of it, using only the five rungs in between. On each rung, you must put a valid four-letter word that is identical to the word above it, apart from a one-letter change. There may be more than one way of achieving this.
CAKE
SOCK
SNAG
CRAM
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
How to play Each numeral from 1 to 9 must appear (once only) in the squares forming the red letter i.
2 1 3 9 1 6 7 6 3 5 9 5 2 6 9 5 8 1 2 8 1 3 7 6
Sudoku Easier
8 9 6
2 5 8 4 1 2
2 6 9 3
1 7 8 3 6
4 1 3
Tomorrow: Harder
How to play Place the letters A, B and C only once in each row and column. Each row and column has two blank cells. The letters at the edge of a row/column indicate which of the letters is the first/last to appear in that row/column.
C B C A
B C B
How to play This is an open-ended puzzle. How many words of four or more letters, each including the letter at the centre of the wheel, can you make from this diagram? We’ve found 52, including one nine-letter word. Can you do better?
D N I
E E K R
4 5 1
7 4 2
GAMES & PUZZLES
Children’s Corner Number Pyramid
?
How to play The value of each square in the number pyramid is the sum of the two squares directly under it.
F
W
62 77 108 129
12+
32 30 47 61 68
20 12 18 29 32 36
17 3 9 9 20 12 24
Word Fit
How to play Can you fit all the words into the grid to complete the puzzle? Some words may initially fit in more than one place, but there is only one way to fit all the words together to complete the grid.
PENRYN PENZANCE REDRUTH SALTASH ST AGNES ST AUSTELL ST IVES TORPOINT TREVERBYN TRURO How to play Simply answer the clues alongside the grid, writing the answers in the respective rows. The solution must read the same horizontally in each row as it does vertically in each column.
Word Square
Calcudoku
How to play Place the numbers 1-6 once in each
row and column, obeying sums in bold-lined
regions. The number in each region indicates
the total for the region, and the symbol shows
which type of operation should be applied to
the numbers: addition, subtraction, division
or multiplication. Numbers may repeat within
bold-lined regions. With subtraction always
take the lower numbers away from the highest
number in a region, and with division divide the
highest number by the lower numbers.
324 422
139 185 237
4 Letters Hymn Shoe Teal 5 Letters Dress Satyr Tryst Twice 6 Letters Diesel Justly Neatly Poorly Sequel 7 Letters Empower Extract Forward Texture Worship 8 Letters Covering Rightful Suburbia
Harsh grating noise
Competent
Thin strip
Man’s name
5+ 5× 13+
2- 10× 3-
30× 7+ 10×
1- 2× 15+
Knight’s Tour
How to play A chess knight visits each square of the grid exactly once, starting at 1 and ending at 100 (these squares are shaded). Deduce the whole path of the knight – some of which is already given – and thus complete the grid. The knight moves either two squares horizontally followed by one square vertically, or two squares vertically followed by one square horizontally.
72 60 54 100
5 4
34 62 79 30 55
3 46
73 50 48 18 20
35 65 80 29
77 1 70 97 58 21 14
90 87 44 42
91 86 6 84 23
38 94 11 9
Word Search Bridges
How to play Connect every island (represented by circles) into a single interconnected group. To do this draw bridges between islands. The number in each circle states how many bridges must be connected to that island. Bridges cannot cross each other, can only be drawn horizontally or vertically, and there can be a maximum of two bridges between any pair of islands.
1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 2 4 3 3 6 6 2 1 2 2
4 3
1 2 6 4 5 5 5 1 2 6 3 2 3 4 5 1 3 2 1 1 4 7 6 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 1 1 3 6 4 2 1 1 7 7 3 5 4 4 5 2 2 4 1 4 5 2 1 4 4 1 2 4 2 3 4 3 4 4 3 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 3 3 2 5 3 3
2 5
Hexalex
How to play Place each of the letters below once into the empty hexagons, crossing them off as you do so. Enter the letters in such a way that it is possible to find all the words listed alongside the grid by moving from hexagon to adjacent hexagon to spell out each word.
30× 1-
68 25
Cells
How to play Divide the grid into square or rectangular blocks, each containing one digit only. Every block must contain the number of cells indicated by the digit inside it.
2 2 8
How to play The classic word-search puzzle: find all the words in the grid. Words may be hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and in either a forwards or backwards direction.
H H C A R N B R E A B J Q V X R S T M F C C G Y Z N Y B Y Z B A X U Y A U Q W E N Z F P R I T J C R E N S E N G A T S G E L O V D D R Y N J L D A M P C A U U T C E A R M H A Y L E N S B W R S K R O N S H A P T A O A C U E C U B E E H R D D Z D T I R B T A M B Z P X L S N Y S S O H D R A E K S I L T E S R D L A U N C E S T O N I P X M T R E V E R B Y N U R V G I K N H C H H D Y N N X O E N T O R P O I N T K S M U Q S F G H Q L L E T S U A T S D O
BODMIN BUDE CAMBORNE CARN BREA FALMOUTH HAYLE HELSTON LAUNCESTON LISKEARD NEWQUAY
X N R
L T J
BEG BYE DYE FEZ FIX HOP HOW JAG LYE OHMS RHO SNICK TAU WAGES
afterwards), it stars Himesh Patel and the extraordinary 13-year-old Matilda Lawler (played as an adult by Mackenzie Davis) as two survivors who find a common purpose.
=== Ann Droid 9.30pm, BBC One Sci-fi of a gentler, comedic sort as this AI sitcom co-scripted by its star, Diane Morgan, continues with Sue (the reliably good Sue Johnston) offering to work at the charity shop for the day. Inevitably it turns out to be a disaster, thanks to her care robot Linda (Morgan). Meanwhile, son Michael (Motherland’s Paul Ready playing another beta-male husband) tries to persuade Sue she should show up for wife Renee’s BJJ presentation, with further chaotic results.
6.00 George And Mildred (S). 6.35 George And Mildred (S). 7.05 Classic Emmerdale (S). 7.35 Classic Emmerdale (S). 8.05 Classic Coronation Street (S). 8.40 Classic Coronation Street (S). 9.10 A Touch Of Frost (S). 11.20 Heartbeat (S). 12.25 Heartbeat (S). 1.30 Midsomer Murders (S). 3.35 Classic Emmerdale (S). 4.05 Classic Emmerdale (S). 4.40 Classic Coronation Street (S). 5.15 Classic Coronation Street (S). 5.50 Heartbeat (S).
6.55 Heartbeat An African chieftain visits Aidensfield (S).
8.00 Doc Martin Louisa and Martin search for a nursery (S).
9.00 Doc Martin Al’s career plans are derailed when Ken announces he is closing the pub (S).
10.00 Grantchester A man confesses to attacking and killing his landlord (S).
11.00 Grantchester Sidney and Geordie find themselves at odds (S). 11.50 Trial & Retribution (S).
1.25 Wycliffe (S). 2.30 Teleshopping
6.00 Modern Family (S). 6.55 Rude(ish) Tube Shorts (S). 7.00 Couples Come Dine With Me (S). 8.00 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (S). 9.00 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (S). 10.00 America’s Funniest Home Videos (S). 11.00 Below Deck (S). 12.00 The Simpsons (S). 12.30 The Simpsons (S). 1.00 The Simpsons (S). 1.30 The Simpsons (S). 2.00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 2.30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 3.00 Modern Family (S). 3.30 Modern Family (S). 4.00 Modern Family (S). 4.30 Modern Family (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (S). 5.30 The Simpsons (S).
6.00 The Simpsons (S). 6.30 The Simpsons Homer wins $1million on the lottery (S).
7.00 The Simpsons Lisa stays with a Broadway legend for a month (S). 7.30 The Simpsons (S).
8.00 Supercruising: Life At Sea The MS Nieuw Statendam arrives in the Bahamas (S).
9.00 FILM: American Pie (Paul Weitz 1999) Comedy, starring Jason Biggs (S).
10.50 Naked Attraction (S).
11.55 Naked Attraction Alesia and Louise try to select their perfect dates (S).
1.00 Gogglebox (S). 2.05 First Dates (S). 3.05 Abbott Elementary (S). 3.30 The Goldbergs (S). 3.55 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 4.20 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (S). 4.45 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (S).
CHOICE LAURENCE PHELAN
8.55 Heir Hunters (S). 10.00 Four In A Bed (S). 10.35 Four In A Bed (S). 11.05 Four In A Bed (S). 11.35 Four In A Bed (S). 12.10 Four In A Bed (S). 12.40 Come Dine With Me (S). 1.10 Come Dine With Me (S). 1.40 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.15 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.50 Come Dine With Me (S). 3.20 Four In A Bed (S). 3.50 Four In A Bed (S). 4.20 Four In A Bed (S). 4.50 Four In A Bed (S). 5.20 Four In A Bed (S). 5.50 George Clarke’s Old House, New Home (S).
6.55 Location, Location, Location Kirstie and Phil catch up with past house-hunters (S).
7.55 Grand Designs Restoring a 100-year-old blacksmiths in Co Antrim (S).
9.00 The Sommerdahl Murders The owner of a martial arts school is found stabbed (S).
11.00 24 Hours In A&E The work of the stroke team at King’s College Hospital (S).
12.05 24 Hours In A&E (S). 1.05 999: On The Front Line (S). 2.10 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.15 A Place In The Sun (S). 3.55 Close
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
FILM OF THE DAY Velvet Goldmine 11.25pm, Film4 (Todd Haynes, 1998) Haynes, the US indie film-maker who deconstructed Karen Carpenter in Superstar and Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, does the same with the glam rock era in this film about Bowie-like pop star Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers, left) and Iggy Pop-alike Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor). Christian Bale is the audience’s identification point, a reporter, and there’s also a role for Oscar Wilde. As befits the music of the era, it’s a glorious muddle of a film: flamboyant, colourful, theatrical, more concerned with making an impression and looking good than making sense. Bowie didn’t allow it the use of his music but Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed and T Rex did.
6.00 Mornings With Jones And Melbourne (R). 6.30 Mornings With Jones And Melbourne (R). 7.00 Mornings With Jones And Melbourne (R). 7.30 Mornings With Jones And Melbourne (R). 8.00 Stargate SG-1 (R) (S). 9.00 NCIS: Los Angeles (R) (S). 10.00 Will & Grace (R) (S). 10.30 Will & Grace (R) (S). 11.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 11.30 The Simpsons (R) (S). 12.00 Chasing The Rains (R) (S). 1.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 2.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 3.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).
6.00 Animal Control Emily hires an expert dog trainer (R) (S). 6.30 Animal Control (R) (S).
7.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 7.30 The Simpsons With the voice of Lisa Kudrow (R) (S).
8.00 The F1 Show A preview of the Hungarian Grand Prix (R).
9.00 An Idiot Abroad 2 Karl Pilkington travels to Africa to spend time with gorillas (R) (S).
10.00 Ricky Gervais: Fame Highlights of the comedian’s stand-up show (R) (S).
11.30 Animal Control Emily hires an expert dog trainer (R) (S).
12.00 Animal Control (R) (S). 12.30 Grimm (R) (S). 1.30 The Force: North East (R) (S). 2.30 Road Wars (R) (S). 3.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 4.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 5.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S).
6.00 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets (R) (S). 7.00 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets (R) (S). 8.00 Deadwood (R) (S). 9.00 Deadwood (R) (S). 10.00 Homicide: Life On The Street (R) (S). 11.00 Homicide: Life On The Street (R) (S). 12.00 Billions (R) (S). 1.10 Billions (R) (S). 2.15 The White Lotus (R) (S). 3.30 The White Lotus (R) (S). 4.40 Gomorrah (R) (S). 5.45 Gomorrah (R) (S).
6.50 The Gilded Age The opera war reaches its climax (R) (S).
7.55 The Gilded Age Bertha prepares for the duke’s imminent arrival (R) (S).
9.00 Station Eleven Post- apocalyptic drama, starring Mackenzie Davis (S).
10.00 Station Eleven Kirsten meets a mysterious man (S).
11.00 Prisoner A wider threat begins to emerge (R) (S).
12.00 The Last Of Us (R) (S). 1.10 The Last Of Us (R) (S). 2.15 The White Lotus (R) (S). 3.25 The White Lotus (R) (S). 4.35 Sort Of (R) (S). 5.05 The Guest Wing (R) (S).
=== Janet Planet 11.05pm, BBC Two (Annie Baker, 2023) Intensely watchful but very much a vibes movie, this coming-of-age drama charts a summer in the life of a bookish, imaginative – even Wes Anderson-ish – 11-year-old girl living with her acupuncturist single mother in rural New England.
=== La La Land 11.40pm, BBC One (Damien Chazelle, 2016) This Oscar-winning musical is a complex but swoony romance about an aspiring actor (Emma Stone) and a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling), as well as a dizzying, Technicolored tribute to old-fashioned Hollywood.
BBC Radio 1 6.58am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1 Breakfast With Greg James 10.00 Radio 1 Anthems With Nat And Vicky 10.30 Newsbeat 11.00 Radio 1’s Group Chat With Nat And Vicky 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Sam And Danni 3.00 Radio 1 Dance Party Starters With Sam And Danni 4.00 The Official Chart On Radio 1 With Jack Saunders 5.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Radio 1’s Dance Party With Danny Howard 8.00 Radio 1’s Future Dance With Sarah Story 10.00 Pete Tong 12mdn’t Radio 1’s Essential Mix 2.00 Radio 1 Dance Presents 3.00 Danny Howard’s Club Mix 4.00 Radio 1 Dance Party Starters 5.00 Radio 1’s Happy Anthems BBC Radio 1Xtra 6.32am 1Xtra Playlists 7.00 1Xtra Breakfast With Nadia Jae 10.00 DJ Day Day 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Nick Bright 4.00 Remi Burgz 5.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Remi Burgz 7.00 Kash & Pharaoh G 8.30 Kash & Pharaoh G 9.00 1Xtra Rap Show With Kenny Allstar 10.30 Kenny Allstar-Fresh 1s Mix 11.00 1Xtra’s Friday Night Party With Izzy Bossy 12.30am 1Xtra’s Friday Night Party With Izzy Bossy 1.00 1Xtra’s Rave Show With Jeremiah Asiamah 2.30 Jeremiah Asiamah’s Get Lit Mix 3.00 1Xtra’s R&B Show With Chuckie 4.30 1Xtra’s R&B Slow Jamz Mix With Chuckie 5.00 1Xtra Salutes.. BBC Radio 2 6.30am The Sara Cox Breakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 DJ Spoony 4.00 Angela Scanlon 7.00 Michelle Visage 8.30 Michelle Visage’s Handbag Hits 9.00 Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco 11.00 The Rock Show With Shaun Keaveny 12mdn’t Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love Of Hip-Hop 1.00 Tony Blackburn’s Sounds Of Soul 2.00 Pick Of The Pops 4.00 Radio 2 In Concert: Joni Mitchell And James Taylor 5.00 Tracks Of My Years BBC Radio 3 6.30am Breakfast 9.30 Essential Classics 1pm Classical Live 4.00 Composer Of The Week: George Frideric Handel 5.00 In Tune 7.00 Classical Mixtape 7.30 BBC Proms 2026 10.00 Late Junction 11.30 ’Round Midnight 12.30am Through The Night BBC Radio 4 6am Today 9.00 Desert Island Discs 10.00 Woman’s Hour 11.00 The Food Programme 11.45 Book Of The Week: A Meditation On Mud 12noon News 12.04 AntiSocial 12.57 Weather 1.00 The World At One 1.45 Dead Rabbit 2.00 The Archers 2.15 Drama: Central Intelligence 2.45 Living On The Edge 3.00 Gardeners’ Question Time 3.45 Short Works 4.00 Last Word 4.30 Sideways 5.00
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
The Dink Apple TV+ Comedy sees a washed-up tennis pro discovering a newfound love of pickleball.
72 Hours Netflix Comedy about a 40-year-old exec accidentally asked to a 20-something bachelor bash.
Our Friends In The North BBC iPlayer Daniel Craig in the decades- traversing 90s drama.
PM 5.57 Weather 6.00 Six O’Clock News 6.30 Current- ish 7.00 The Archers. Fallon is rocked by an unexpected discovery. 7.15 Screenshot. Films that confine their action to a single day. 8.00 Any Questions? Topical discussion from Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham. 8.55 This Week In History. A look back at the events of this date in years past. 9.00 Archive On 4: A Brief History Of Strangers. Joe Queenan discusses the experience of being a stranger. 10.00 The World Tonight. With Shaun Ley. 10.45 Wild Dark Shore. By Charlotte McConaghy. 11.00 Americast. Analysis of cultural and social stories breaking in the US. 11.30 A Good Read 12mdn’t News And Weather 12.30 Book Of The Week: A Meditation On Mud 12.48 Shipping Forecast 1.00 As BBC World Service 5.30 News Summary 5.34 Shipping Forecast 5.43 Prayer For The Day 5.45 Living On The Edge BBC Radio 4 Extra 6am Bolt 6.30 High Table, Lower Orders 7.00 Little Blighty On The Down 7.30 Beyond Our Ken 8.00 The Confessional 8.30 News From Nowhere 8.45 Promenade Rock 9.00 Parish Matters 9.30 Wild In The Garden 9.45 Daily Service 10.00 Soul Music 10.30 Hairspray And Harmonies 11.00 Bolt 11.30 High Table, Lower Orders 12noon Little Blighty On The Down 12.30 Beyond Our Ken 1.00 The Confessional 1.30 News From Nowhere 1.45 Promenade Rock 2.00 The Museum Of Curiosity 2.30 Millport 3.00 Anne Of Green Gables 3.30 Some Tame Gazelle 4.00 Soul Music 4.30 Hairspray And Harmonies 5.00 Bolt 5.30 High Table, Lower Orders 6.00 Little Blighty On The Down 6.30 Beyond Our Ken 7.00 The Confessional 7.30 News From Nowhere 7.45 Promenade Rock 8.00 The Museum Of Curiosity
8.30 Millport 9.00 Anne Of Green Gables 9.30 Some Tame Gazelle 10.00 Comedy Club: Parish Matters 10.30 Comedy Club: Njambi McGrath: Becoming Njambi 10.45 Comedy Club: Rhys James Is Privileged 11.00 Comedy Club: Vent 11.30 Comedy Club: Laura Solon: Talking And Not Talking 12mdn’t Soul Music 12.30 Hairspray And Harmonies 1.00 Bolt 1.30 High Table, Lower Orders 2.00 Little Blighty On The Down 2.30 Beyond Our Ken 3.00 The Confessional 3.30 News From Nowhere 3.45 Promenade Rock 4.00 The Museum Of Curiosity 4.30 Millport 5.00 Anne Of Green Gables 5.30 Some Tame Gazelle BBC 5 Live 6am 5 Live Breakfast 9.00 Nicky Campbell 11.00 Chiles On Friday 1pm Elis James And John Robins 2.00 Matt Chorley 4.00 5 Live Drive 7.00 Glasgow 2026 10.00 Laura McGhie 1am Joel Mitchell 5.00 5 Live Boxing BBC 6 Music 7am Nemone 10.00 Jamz Supernova 1pm Chris Hawkins 4.00 Emily Pilbeam 7.00 The People’s Party With Femi Koleoso 9.00 6 Music’s Indie Forever 10.00 6 Music’s Indie Forever 11.00 The 6 Mix With Mary Anne Hobbs 12mdn’t 6 Music’s Rave Forever 1.00 6 Music’s Forever Dark 2.00 Focus Beats 4.00 Ambient Focus Classic FM 6.30am Classic FM Breakfast With Dan Walker 9.00 The Classic FM Hall Of Fame Hour With Dan Walker 10.00 Aled Jones 1pm Anne-Marie Minhall 4.00 Margherita Taylor 6.00 Classic FM At The Movies With Jonathan Ross. Jonathan plays music from Game of Thrones. 8.00 Classical Spotlight With Alexander Armstrong. Alexander celebrates the iconic violinist Nicola Benedetti’s birthday. 10.00 Calm Classics 2am Katie Breathwick Absolute Radio 6am Dave Berry 10.00 Leona Graham 1pm Ben Burrell 4.00 Hometime 7.00 Absolute 80s Greatest Hits With Claire Sturgess 10.00 Sophie K 4am Ben Coley Heart 6.30am Heart Breakfast With Jamie Theakston And Zoe Hardman 10.00 Pandora Christie 1pm Matt Wilkinson 4.00 JK And Kelly Brook 7.00 Heart’s Club Classics With Toby Anstis 11.00 Rezzy Ghadjar 1am Seb Bailey TalkSPORT 6am TalkSPORT Breakfast With Shebahn Aherne 10.00 Alex Crook & Darragh MacAnthony 1pm Max Scott & Andy Jacobs 4.00 talkSPORT Drive with Andy Goldstein & Troy Deeney 7.00 Commonwealth Games Live 10.00 The Sports Bar Weekender 1am Extra Time
Pick of the day
Current-ish 6.30pm, BBC Radio 4 Comedian Lucy Porter (above) introduces a new series covering the stories everyone is talking about as she welcomes guests Amy Annette, John Tothill and Kyrah Gray this evening.
NEWS
Around the
world in
10 stories
INDIA
to quell anger over education
By Tanvi Mehta, Saurabh Sharma and YP Rajesh
IN NEW DELHI
The Indian Prime Minister has made his first public response after days of huge youth protests demanding the resignation of the education minis- ter, in what has become the biggest crisis of Narendra Modi’s third term. Modi (inset) said yesterday that “fast-track” courts would be set up to prose- cute those behind exam paper leaks. However, the pro- testers and opposition parties swiftly rejected Modi’s proposal and insisted that the educa- tion minister Dharmendra Pradhan quit first, with opposi- tion groups disrupting parliament for the fourth day this week. Protesters clashed briefly with po- lice on the streets of New Delhi late on Wednesday, with officers firing tear gas and wielding canes to push them back. The protests have swelled into the biggest youth challenge to Modi since he came to power in 2014. Opposition parties have echoed the demands of the youth movement and have disrupted the monsoon ses-
ISRAEL
condemned for visit to Al-Aqsa
By Maayan Lubell and Lina Obeid
IN JERUSALEM
The Israeli far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, praising Jewish visitors he said had prayed at the site in breach of arrangements that allow only Muslim prayer there. His visit drew condemnation from Jordan and Palestinian officials. The compound in
sion of parliament. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and fu- ture of our youth!” Modi posted on X. “We have decided to set up fast- track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those in- volved in paper leaks,” he said, add- ing that those who tried to harm the future of young people would not be spared. Fast-track courts are designed to quickly process cases, cir- cumventing India’s slow justice system. The self-named Cock- roach Janta Party (CJP) launched protests last month against the exam paper leaks that affected two million students and have been linked to several suicides. The CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said what courts do after paper leaks is just one aspect. “But Modi-ji, tell us why are paper leaks happening in the first place?” he said. “Fast-track courts are set up in this country for every other issue, but whether those fast-track courts have actually solved those issues – you know the answer to that.” The CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said their protest would continue until Pradhan resigned. REUTERS
Jerusalem’s walled Old City is one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East. Known to Jews as Temple Mount, it is the most sacred site in Judaism and is Islam’s third-holiest site. Under a delicate, decades-old arrangement with Muslim authorities, it is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation and Jews can visit but may not pray there. There was no immediate sign of unrest yesterday after the visit on Tisha B’Av, a day of lament in Judaism mourning the destruction of ancient temples. “We see huge progress on the Temple Mount,” said Ben-Gvir. “Look at what’s happening here – Jews praying, feeling like they’re the owners of the place,” he added. REUTERS
UNITED STATES
By Liz Lee and Mikhail Flores
IN BEIJING AND MANILA
The US Secretary of State has de- scribed China’s actions in the South China Sea as “disturbing” as he reaffirmed Washington’s defence commitments to the Philippines, fol- lowing a series of maritime confron- tations with Beijing this week. Marco Rubio’s remarks came after the Philippines accused a Chi- nese coastguard vessel of firing a water cannon at a government fish- eries vessel near Scarborough Shoal yesterday, with the blast scoring an indirect hit. “The whole world saw it, and it’s disturbing,” Rubio told reporters on the sidelines of the Asean meeting in Manila. “We have a role, and we’re not
going to abandon our allies. We’ve made that abundantly clear,” he added. Thursday’s incident followed a confrontation on Monday at the Sec- ond Thomas Shoal, where the Phil-
Marco Rubio reaffirmed US defence commitments to the Philippines
ippine military said a Filipino sailor was injured after being struck with a baton by Chinese coastguard per- sonnel. The US State Department called China’s actions “dangerous and provocative”. The Scarborough Shoal, like the Second Thomas Shoal, has become a flashpoint in the already tense re- lationship between the Philippines and China, which remain locked in a territorial dispute despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that found China’s claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis. China rejects that ruling. A violent confrontation at the Second Thomas Shoal in June 2024, where a Filipino sailor lost a finger, prompted the Philippines and China to reach a provisional arrangement on resup- ply missions. REUTERS
DRC
More than 1,000 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a grim toll in the fastest Ebola outbreak in history, as conflict, resistance and uneven response fuel its spread. The number of confirmed Ebola cases increased to 2,536, including 1,033 deaths, government data showed on Wednesday. The DRC public health institute said in its latest report that 50 new cases were detected on Monday in Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Dr Jean Kaseya, director- general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said: “These are people dying ...
because we don’t have vaccines, we don’t have medicine, we don’t have funding.” The latest update from Congo’s Ministry of Health showed that at least 737 patients were in isolation or hospitalised. The outbreak, which was declared on 15 May, is unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks because the Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments. It has also killed more people at a faster rate than any outbreak on record, including the 2013-2016 outbreak, which is considered the worst on record with more than 11,000 deaths out of at least 28,000 cases. AP
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
SOUTH ASIA
as floods persist
At least 82 people died after heavy rains across north-eastern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan this week, authorities said. At least 10 people died in floods in India’s north-eastern state of Assam in the past 24 hours amid what au- thorities said was “unprecedented devastation”, taking the total death toll during the week to 36. More than 650,000 people were af- fected by rainfall across 11 districts, the Assam disaster management au- thority said on Wednesday. The floods were primarily caused by very heavy rainfall in its neigh- bouring state of Nagaland between 18 and 20 July, resulting in unusually high river flows, a state government report said. At least 46 people were killed and 100 injured in floods across Af- ghanistan’s north-eastern province of Nuristan and Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the past 72 hours. REUTERS
US FBI chief returns plundered Papua tribal artefacts
By Niniek Karmini
IN JAKARTA
The Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has received a collection of cultural artefacts from the country’s Papua region that had been illegally taken to the US. The handover took place on Wednesday during a meeting with the FBI director Kash Patel at Prabowo’s residence in the Indone- sian capital, Jakarta. The exchange underscored grow- ing co-operation between Indone- sia and the US in recovering stolen cultural heritage and returning the items to the country of origin, the Indonesia culture minister Fadli Zon said. The artefacts from Papua are part of the cultural heritage of the Dani and Asmat tribes and Lake Sentani communities. They were repatriated through co-operation between Indo- nesia’s culture ministry and the FBI after provenance research estab- lished the objects had been smug- gled out of Indonesia, Zon said. “These are very valuable objects
Army helicopter in deadly crash
A Czech army helicopter with five troops on board has crashed in the east of Czechia. The army said yesterday that emergency services were
From... Mljet
A Byzantine-era ship discovered more than a decade ago on the seabed off Croatia’s southern coast was probably carrying a high-ranking person and his entourage, judging by the gold jewellery found in the wreckage. Announcing for the first time yesterday the results of their years-long underwater excavation, archaeologists said the shipwreck could be dated to the 7th or 8th century and that the artefacts on board indicated that this was no ordinary merchant vessel. These included gold coins dating to the Heraclius dynasty of four emperors, buckles decorated with rubies, emeralds and pearls, and a golden signet ring with
The artefacts are part of the cultural heritage of the Dani and Asmat tribes
because this repatriation process is part of our effort to restore our cul- tural sovereignty,” Zon said, adding that the artefacts would be displayed at Indonesia’s National Museum. Images show several polished stone axe heads and ceremonial ob- jects traditionally associated with Papuan societies. Traditional Papuan stone axes were more than utilitarian tools. Among highland communities such as the Dani, they served as sym- bols of wealth and status and were exchanged in marriage and ceremo- nial transactions. AP
working at a base in Namest nad Oslavou, 112 miles south- east of Prague. CTK news agency reported that one person was killed. The army said: “A Venom helicopter crashed at the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base in Namest nad Oslavou. “There were five soldiers on board.” REUTERS
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
33
a picture of the emperor “that certainly wouldn’t be worn by just anyone”, said Pavle Dugonjic, head of the department of underwater archaeology at the Croatian Conservation Institute. His team, equipped with diving gear, has spent a decade uncovering the ship, whose wreckage lies near the Adriatic island of Mljet. “This is an impressive amount of gold, the largest ever found on a shipwreck in the entire Mediterranean,” said Igor Miholjek, head of research at the Institute. The Byzantine Empire – successor to the Roman Empire – once dominated the eastern Mediterranean but by the early 8th century was mired in turmoil. “It’s the most important shipwreck of its period,” added Justin Leidwanger, professor of archaeology at Stanford University in the US. REUTERS
Antonio Bronic
Charges against armed group’s leader dropped
By Stephanie van den Berg
THE HAGUE
Judges at the International Criminal Court have terminated proceedings against the former leader of an armed group in Darfur after evidence deteriorated since the charges were brought. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain was leader of the Justice and Equality Movement, one of the two main armed groups in Darfur during a conflict that erupted in 2003. He was charged with war crimes over a 2007 attack on peacekeepers. Prosecutors said they withdrew the charges against Banda because the evidence against him had deteriorated in the time since the charges were confirmed in 2011. “There are no longer substantial grounds to believe that Mr Banda is responsible for the charged crimes,” the prosecution said. The judges said the withdrawal of the charges does not prevent prosecutors from bringing them later. REUTERS
NEWS
LIFESTYLE
A
high street gyms – the best was also the cheapest
facilities isn’t worth it if they’re too crowded. By Tara Russell
s someone who has been a regular gym-goer for the past decade or so, I have trained at a variety of gyms – from my local leisure centre as a teenager to indulging in a personal trainer at a high end gym branch whilst living abroad. When it comes to exercise venues, I am very much “vibe- orientated” – I’ve realised if I don’t like it, I won’t go, and if I enjoy it, I’ll be there every day. I recently started running again after recovering from a broken foot, and am looking for a new gym. There are dozens of options where I live in south-west London, with prices ranging from £22.99 a month to hundreds of pounds. So I decided to try every high street gym to find out which company offers the best value for money.
THE GYM GROUP From £22.99 per month, plus £15 joining fee. Student and off-peak memberships also available The cheapest high street option is The Gym Group, a 24/7 no contract fitness club. The Gym Group provides an excellent low cost, accessible gym, and tend to be in areas with cheaper rents. I went to the Tooting branch, and was pleasantly surprised by both the size, and range of equipment available. It has a huge free weights section including four Olympic performance level rigs and squat racks, and a wide range of cardio
equipment including StairMasters and SkiErgs – and free classes. The classes take place on the gym floor, rather than in a separate studio, which can be a bit obstructive if you want to use the kettlebells or ropes in an individual workout. There were quite a few fellow gym go-ers, but the amount of equipment meant I never had to wait for a machine. The changing rooms were decent – clean, if a bit basic, with no towels provided and you have to bring your own padlock. For night owls, or early-risers, the 24/7 opening hours are an excellent plus. Rating: 4/5, excellent value for money
The monthly cost of membership at The Gym Group, not including a £15 joining fee
PUREGYM From £22.99 per month, but certain gyms can be up to £49.99 I went to the Clapham branch of the no-frills health club chain, Puregym, which happens to be one of their most expensive. Perhaps it was because I went after work during the mid-May heatwave, but I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of people in the gym. I was greeted by spacious, clean changing rooms with individual showers (towels not provided), hairdryers and plenty of lockers. Set over two floors, there aren’t loads of cardio machines and the free weights area is small upstairs. Downstairs was huge, though, with a large free weights area and functional training equipment, StairMasters, and lots of weight
machines. Certain branches of PureGym now offer women- only workout spaces, which is a nice bonus. There is a separate studio for classes, with spin cycles, weight- based sessions and yoga. The gym was pretty unbearably warm on a 35 degree day, though, and the air con didn’t do much to alleviate the temperature. 3.5/5
FITNESS FIRST £120 per month for their most flexible membership on a rolling contract, no joining fee This has a tiered membership system. The Clapham Junction venue also offers leisure facilities like a sauna, steam room, and an ice-plunge pool, along with modern gym equipment and a wide range of classes.
There are options like reformer pilates at tier 1 (£160 per month) branches. The changing rooms were huge, and quite luxurious with towels included, plenty of showers, large lockers and hairdryers. The gym floor itself was smaller than expected, and whilst there was a huge amount of equipment, there wasn’t much space. I found myself
awkwardly trying to stretch next to the leg press after my warm-up on the treadmill. That said, the range of equipment available – which included a huge free weights section, boxing bags and weight machines, meant there was no need to queue. The spa facilities felt luxurious, and whilst the space became busy at times, it was never overcrowded.
Tara Russell gets on her bike to try all the main high street gyms, including (below left to right) The Gym Group, Virgin Active and PureGym
The price point is high for a high
street gym, but if you have access
to a corporate membership – a
discount available through work
– or want a gym where you can go
from home or the office easily, then
it is certainly worth it.
3.5 / 5 – the price point knocked
it down
NUFFIELD HEALTH From £86 per month, plus a £29 joining fee Nuffield Health has a high-end reputation – the branch I tried in Edinburgh has a huge gym floor, swimming pool, sauna and classes. Towels are provided and the changing rooms are great, with large padlocked lockers. The gym itself is a large open space, with a huge range of free weights and equipment – and crucially, space to stretch. The 25 metre pool was lovely, and the space has a sauna and hot tub as well. Nuffield prices each of their locations individually but they also provide access to most of their other gyms within one membership. 4/5
VIRGIN ACTIVE £136 per month for a tier 3 branch plus a £30 joining fee Virgin Active has a slightly higher price point than similar brands Fitness First and Nuffield Health. In the branch I tried, the changing rooms were vast and lovely with large lockers, plenty of space and GHD hair straighteners and dryers. The gym boasts a spin cycle studio and a second studio for weights and wellness classes which offer members unlimited sessions. However, upstairs the gym was tiny, and whilst it had a decent amount of equipment, everything was so crammed in that there was barely space to take in what was on offer. And consequently, most of the machines were occupied. The machines and facilities themselves were new and of a good quality – Technogym – but the lack of space was a bit bizarre. As for spa facilities, the sauna was a nice temperature, if quite crowded – there were people standing to squeeze in. The hot tub was a bit too grey to relax, and the steam room was cold and didn’t seem to heat up. I am aware facilities vary immensely across Virgin Active branches but Clapham sits in the second highest membership tier, suggesting it must be one of the better options. Apparently, the Bank branch is lovely, and certain gyms offer extra classes including reformer pilates, but these are tier 1 memberships and cost £218 per month. 2/5 Ultimately, for £22.99 per month, The Gym Group takes the trophy here. When alternatives are at least triple that, they have to be pretty incredible, in my opinion, to beat this offer. I live a bit too far from a Gym Group to walk, but with the money I’d save I could afford to travel there. Whilst it would be nice to have sauna and spa facilities, they aren’t worth a minimum of £70 more each month.
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
‘When I had a chest wax for Shakespeare, the screams reached over the Thames’
Globe, and the genius of Daisy May Cooper. By Nick McGrath
Born in Tehran in 1969 to an Iranian diplomat father and British mother, Paul Chahidi moved to the UK aged two. Educated at the Dragon School, Oxford, and then Trinity College in Cambridge, he trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has since appeared regularly for the Royal Shakespeare Company. On TV, he’s appeared in The Night Manager, This Country, Wicked Little Letters and The Witness, while his movie credits include The Death of Stalin, Notting Hill and The Libertine. He lives in North London with his wife Kate and their son George. Here, he looks back on the moments that changed his perspective on work, love, family, money and health.
I’m an introverted extrovert or an introverted show-off. I have two very opposite sides to me. I was in a very bicultural, mixed heritage household with strong Iranian culture, with food, music, friends. We would often have a lot of visitors coming to our house, and they would entertain a lot. I used to hide. If I was in the room, I would be grabbed, pulled up, and I’d just start having to do my own arm movements to the music, which was mainly 70s Iranian disco. I didn’t come to drama until quite late on, at about 13, acting out scenes from Shakespeare in school.
My parents saved enough money to send me to an all-boys boarding school in Oxford. I did well there but wasn’t happy. People might look at Cambridge and go, it’s very elitist and privileged, but compared to where I’d been at school, there were people from so many different backgrounds, from working- class backgrounds, from different cultures. I found it incredibly liberating meeting all these people, and not being forced to be friends with people in order to just survive. I studied Arabic and Persian at Cambridge. I only dipped my toe in the Footlights, really. I edited a satirical political magazine and spent a year of my degree in Cairo. In my peer group, there were a lot of very talented people: Mel Giedroyc; Sue Perkins; Stephen Mangan; Nicola Walker; the late brilliant Paul Ritter, who was in Friday Night Dinner; Jez Butterworth; Ben Miller; and Alexander Armstrong. Richard Osman and Sacha Baron Cohen were just after me. It didn’t feel like a hot house but there was a lot of creativity, and these
If you told me I would be working as an actor at this age, I would have laughed in your face. I didn’t fit in and people didn’t know how to cast me. I was a funny, prematurely balding guy with a round face. I worried what my parents thought about my career choice, particularly as the child of an immigrant who has come through a very difficult period to be there and sacrifice things. I sat my parents down in a rather overdramatic way to tell them I wanted to be an actor, but I’d built up the moment to such a degree they probably thought I was about to tell them I’d killed someone. They were admirably calm and just said: “That’s fine”.
‘If you told me I would be working as an actor at this age, after I left drama school, I would have laughed in your face,’ says ‘The Night Manager’ actor
people were just my mates. We just mucked around and put on plays.
Daisy May Cooper, who I worked with on This Country, is a force of nature. The term is overused but Daisy (inset) and Armando Iannucci, who I’ve worked with a couple of times, are both geniuses. I spent most of This Country as the vicar trying not to laugh.
I once got my chest waxed with Eddie Redmayne. I did this all-male production of Twelfth Night with the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Company. The first performance was at Middle Temple Hall, and
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
35
Eddie, who was finishing university, came with me to this backstreet low-budget waxer in Southwark. We were very blithe when we went in, but you could hear the screams across the River Thames. I used to have to have my chest and hands waxed and wear full white makeup. Who was bravest? I think Eddie was. I’m half Iranian; I have a lot more hair than him.
About 20 years ago, I had a terrible accident on stage at the Globe. There was water on the stage. I slipped, and my foot dislocated and turned 180 degrees the wrong way, and my bones snapped. I was in a wheelchair for six weeks and then on crutches for two weeks. It was the final dress rehearsal of The Tempest with Vanessa Redgrave; my last memory from that was being waved off in the ambulance by her in full costume. It was utterly surreal.
Any actor who says they are not petrified about getting another job is lying. I will have that for the rest of my life as long as I work. My imposter syndrome has been off the charts so many times. But you have to control it. It’s taken me 30 years to even be able to say I might be a good actor.
Paul stars in The Misanthrope at the National Theatre until 1 August, which will be in cinemas from 22 September. He is an ambassador for Actors’ Trust
CULTURE
THEATRE
The King of All Birds Irish playwright and performer Martha Knight is taking flight to explore the history of Ireland from above, while playfully pondering: who is the king of all birds? A hit at the Dublin Fringe Festival, this audio-visual experience is set to a soaring score of traditional Irish music. It is directed by another talented playwright, Joy Nesbitt. 1.40pm, 6-31 Aug (not 17, 24), Former Gents Locker Room at Summerhall
Puck Bunnies: A Heated Rivalry Drag Musical Parody Heated Rivalry steamed up our screens last winter with its portrayal of a secret gay romance between two high-profile ice hockey players. Now, a comedy musical staged by a US troupe of drag kings and queer performers is bringing some of that yearning to the stage. Jockstraps and prosthetic six packs at the ready! 10.45pm, 5-31 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), Other Yin at Gilded Balloon Patter House
Roleplay A new play by ag and Baby Reindeer producer Francesca Moody is always an exciting prospect. Whether or not writer/ actress Hannah Reilly’s dark comedy about a broke, feminist podcaster who reinvents herself as a “slutfluencer” evolves into a bingeable TV, here is your chance to see it in the incubated environment that nurtured Moody’s earlier projects. 5.50pm, 6-31 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), TechCube 0 at Summerhall
Sh!t Theatre: Evita Too This unhinged show by Rebecca Biscuit and Louise Mothersole tells the largely forgotten story of the world’s first female president, Isabel Perón, while questioning what it takes to be remembered as a woman. In true Sh!t Theatre fashion, it features all sorts of seemingly random but ultimately consequential diversions, from spirited singing to naked roller skating. 6.25pm, 7-30 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), Main House at Zoo Southside
The Plot
Having scored three consecutive
Fringe hits, Emma Howlett and
her company, TheatreGoose,
return with a play about brothers
Thomas and Robert Wintour’s
involvement in the Gunpowder
Plot, and how the grisly affair
inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
7.30pm, 6-31 Aug (not 18, 25),
Main Hall at Summerhall
Sanctuary This debut play from Jacob Sparrow is set during the peak of
the Aids epidemic, not in a buzzy metropolis like London, but in Suffolk. It explores the loneliness and shame experienced by those who were queer during this hostile chapter of history – and it comes to the Fringe as the inaugural winner of the Leodis Prize, a playwriting competition announced at last year’s festival. 4pm, 5-31 Aug (not 17), Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome
Heart Beats Strong Based on its performers’ own teenage diary entries and pitched as “an antidote to the crisis of masculinity”, Alfie Wickham, Kai Porter and Noah Manzoor’s play follows three guys on the cusp of adulthood, navigating all that period entails. Expect storytelling bolstered by physical theatre and dance. 12.20pm, 5-31 Aug (not 12, 18, 25), Bunker Two at Pleasance Courtyard
You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next) Theatre company Patch of Blue has a pretty solid track record of bringing thought-provoking work to the Fringe. Their latest has already won the 2026 Mary Dick Award, designed to support deaf or disabled artists. Inspired
by a true story, and set to live folk
music, it follows the touching,
mutually supportive relationship
between a man and his carer.
3pm, 6-29 Aug (not 12, 18, 25),
Old Lab at Summerhall
Bog Witch Bryony Kimmings is one of the great autobiographical theatre- makers, and her shows are always worth catching. This one documents her move off-grid in a bid to embrace a cottagecore life while doing her bit for the environment. The brave can join Kimmings on stage as a mackerel, a badger or various other custodians of the planet. Various times, 8-30 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), Traverse Theatre
Laughing Out Lonely There is no question that our increasingly digitised lives have led to a loneliness epidemic. In this immersive solo opera, Danish countertenor Morten Grove Frandsen weaves a choral tapestry out of a series of social media posts written by young people, and in Louise Beck’s staging, the audience is invited into a theatrical echo chamber to bear witness. Various times, 18-30 Aug (not 24), Dissection Room at Summerhall
Water Colour
Milly Sweeney’s debut play,
which premiered at Scotland’s
Pitlochry Festival Theatre last
year, has won several awards
and earned glowing reviews.
It follows two Glaswegians,
whose chance encounter on a
bridge over the Clyde drastically
alters their outlooks on life –
one for better, the other for
worse. Bring tissues.
Various times, 6-30 Aug
(not 10, 17, 24), Traverse 2
Target Audience Last year playwright Dan Bishop took audiences inside the world of clinical drug trials with Brainsluts, and now he is back with another morality comedy. In this one a TV writer grapples over whether to accept an offer to pen a “pro-weapons sitcom” for a serious amount of money, even though it goes against everything he stands for. 4.50pm, 5-30 Aug (not 17), Above at Pleasance Courtyard
Come Back Home From Palestinian artist Fadi Murad, this unbridled examination of grief and loss questions what it means to carry your sense of home within you. An excerpt of the show ran at last year’s Fringe and led to Murad being awarded Summerhall’s philanthropic Meadows Award. 1.15pm, 6-31 Aug (not 17, 24), Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall
We Are Ian Avant-garde theatre agitators In Bed With My Brother have built something of a cult following over the past decade. If you’re late to the party, don’t worry: here is a chance to see the show that properly put them on the map 10 years ago. It is a look back at Manchester’s illegal rave scene, circa 1989. 11pm, 14-16 Aug, Beyond at Pleasance Courtyard
QFWFQ American artist Gregory Nussen is intentionally obscure about what his surrealist show entails. But the fact that it won Best Solo Show at the 2025 Hollywood Fringe suggests it’s good. We do know it’s inspired by Italo Calvino’s 1979 novel If On a Winter’s Night a Traveller, and delves into Nussen’s own understanding of geopolitics and of growing up Jewish and queer. 11.40am, 6-31 Aug (not 17, 24), Former Gents Locker Room at Summerhall
Theatre highlights ‘You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next)’ (main); ‘Laughing Out Lonely’ (inset above); ‘Puck Bunnies’ (inset above left); ‘We Are Ian’ (left) TOM INGVARDSEN, MATT AUSTIN
COMEDY
Your Choice Amanda Royce Sick of being doorstepped by political canvassers? Here’s one you can laugh out loud at. Straddling comedy and theatre, this debut show from the National Theatre’s head of studio, Rachel Twigg, follows a bullish politician as she blunders through her mayoral campaign in Coulsdon, promising to fill potholes, slash obesity and more. 5.10pm, 7-23 Aug (not 17) Playground 3 at Zoo Playground,
Jordan Brookes: The Part of You That’s Always Screaming Brookes won a prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2019, and has made a couple of celebrated returns to the Fringe since. His most recent show, 2024’s Fontanelle, was a delightfully unexpected comedy with songs in which he tried to find something new to say about the Titanic. This one sounds more unsettling: it’s inspired by a “shocking incident on a train”, and addresses the uncomfortable feeling that something sinister is lurking just out of sight. 9.45pm, 5-30 Aug (not 17), Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome
Birds: Alex Hines
& Sarah Stafford
Tantalisingly pitched as Waiting
for Godot meets Kath and Kim,
this Australian import was an
award-winning favourite at
last year’s Melbourne Comedy
Festival. Hines plays a rich five-
time divorcee and Stafford a
mother of 12 boys as the pair chat
at the beach, blissfully unaware
of the sun melting their skin – and
the world burning around them.
7pm, 5-30 Aug (not 12, 19, 26), The
Box at Assembly George Square
Larry Dean: Hellbent Dean is no stranger to the Fringe, nor to converting traumatic chapters from his life into crowd-pleasing solo comedy shows. But the Glaswegian is increasingly famous thanks to TV appearances, most recently on Saturday Night Live. Catch his latest show – a musing on marriage, emotional maturity and refusing to grow up – before he takes it on a chunky UK tour. 6.30pm, 5-30 Aug (not 16), Beyond at Pleasance Courtyard
Comedy highlights ‘Crybabies: The Scaring’ (above); ‘Birds: Alex Hines & Sarah Stafford’ (inset below); Ania Magliano (bottom left) REBECCA NEED-MENEAR
Crybabies: The Scaring Sketch trio Crybabies are back with a horror-comedy yarn about a former priest who checks into a remote hotel, only to find himself pursued by its demons. Fortunately, he has the ghost of a long-dead guest on his side. Involvement from producer Francesca Moody and director Jon Brittain (Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!) suggests promise. 8pm, 5-30 Aug (not 15, 18), Pleasance 2 at Pleasance Courtyard
Kim Blythe: Puzzle The Scottish comedian and wizard at online list-based skits returns for a third year with a new show. With a blurb made up of crossword clues, your guess is as good as mine as to what it will entail, but Blythe is never short of inspiration. 7pm, 5-31 Aug (not 17), Doonstairs at Gilded Balloon Patter House
In the Doghouse with Joe Kent-Walters One for night owls: Kent-Walters and his macabre alter ego Frankie Monroe return to the Fringe for a third year running. This time he is promising a game show of sorts, plus special guests and prizes. He’ll also be performing A Show For Babies at Monkey Barrel 3 as a one-off on 24 August, and his work-in- progress, Trowel of Tralee, at Shedinburgh on 28 August. 1.30am, 25-31 Aug, Monkey Barrel 4
Ania Magliano: Peach Fuzz Magliano is hot comedy property right now. Catapulted to the
mainstream by her recent turn co-hosting SNL’s Weekend Update, she is returning to the stage with a tour of her new show, about attempting to get back in tune with her body. Various times, 5-22 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), Monkey Barrel 3
Sasha Nezlobin: I’m Fine Nezlobin had a thriving career as a comic in Russia, where a sitcom loosely based on his own life made him a household name. But as a vocal critic of the country’s war on Ukraine, he was forced to flee. Now settled in the US, he has taken on the daunting task of performing comedy in English. Fortunately, his dark sense of humour remains intact. 9.30pm, 5-31 Aug (not 15-18), 10 Dome at Pleasance Dome
Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts/Small Talk It’s been a big year for Bamgboye. Since debuting at the Fringe last August with Swings and Roundabouts – and walking away with the highly coveted Best Newcomer Award – the British- Nigerian has joined the cast of the all-new Saturday Night Live UK. Her star is certainly in the ascent, and she returns to the Fringe with both the show that made her name and a new work- in-progress, Small Talk. ‘Swings and Roundabouts’, 10pm, 20-22 Aug, Fourth at Pleasance Courtyard; ‘Small Talk’, 12.05pm, 16-20 Aug, Monkey Barrel 2
Sofie Hagen: I Think Some
of This is My Fault
Hagen’s droll brand of comedy
won her the Best Newcomer
Award at the 2015 Fringe.
Despite her wryness, her live
shows often foster a cosy sense
that we’re all in this together.
Though perhaps not this time:
the Danish comedian is back with
a musing on the rise of fascism. But if it proves a shade more serious than her usual fodder, no doubt she’ll tackle it playfully. 3.20pm, 4-30 Aug (not 10, 17, 24), Monkey Barrel 1
Will Adamsdale: AI, AI, Oh…
(Or How I Wrote a Hit Sitcom
with ChatGPT But We’re Not
Talking Now)
Surely Adamsdale didn’t really
let a bot write a sitcom on his
behalf (or not a real one, anyway),
but his painstakingly titled
“robo-bromance” sounds like it
might provide the catharsis we
are all craving as AI creeps ever
closer to taking our jobs.
1.45pm, 7-29 Aug (not 18), Bluebell
at Underbelly, George Square
Rose Matafeo: Work in Progress Morning Hour “I want to talk about something, but I don’t know what yet” opens
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
the blurb for the New Zealander’s work in progress. That might not scream “pick of the Fringe”, but given Matafeo is a one-woman hit factory – 2018’s Horndog, 2024’s On and On and On, and all three seasons of her TV sitcom Starstruck have been adoringly received – it shouldn’t be missed. 11.05am, 17-30 Aug, Monkey Barrel 1
Imogen Andrews: The Unlikeable Worms Part of a wave of Gen Z comedians choosing to grow substantial followings online before appearing in person at the Fringe, Andrews is one to watch. A character comedian with a wardrobe full of personas – and a knack for satirising some of the internet’s most grating trends – her debut show will unleash some of her alter egos into the wild. 9.30pm, Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome, 5-31 Aug (not 17)
TELEVISION
FR DAY
“A
I can be quite terrifying’
Paul Ready talks to Fiona Sturges about reuniting with ‘Motherland’ co-star Diane Morgan in AI comedy ‘Ann Droid’, getting plastered and why he loves to play a psychopath
lot of people look at me and see some- one gentle,” says actor Paul Ready. “And I am quite gentle in real life. But if you take that gentleness and reframe it, then it becomes quite terrifying and people don’t see that coming.” Ready is best known for his role in Motherland, the hit com- edy series which offered a brac- ingly unvarnished portrait of the stresses of parenthood. He was the sweet-natured Kevin, the only stay-at-home dad in a gaggle of middle-class London mums. Kevin’s efforts to interest his off-screen wife in sex recalled the tragicomic trials of Niles Crane in Frasier. It is Kevin, Ready says, that strangers want to talk about when they approach him for a chat. He is delighted people have so much love for the show, though he adds: “I’ve always been interested in playing lots of different charac- ters. [Starting out] I feared being stuck playing within a certain genre and certain characters… If I was ever typecast, I would stop. I think I’d do something else.” All of which is why Ready, who is 49 and cut his acting teeth in the theatre, relishes the opportunity to play creeps and crazies when the opportunity arises. His breakout TV role in 2013 was Lee in the sci-fi series Utopia, a bequiffed hitman who delights in torturing people and gouges a man’s eye out with a spoon. He credits director Marc Munden for “seeing the gentleness in me and going: ‘Let’s see what happens when he plays the psychopath.’ That opened doors.” Ready’s most recent film was 2025’s Bring Them Down, a revenge drama about a feud between farm- ing families in which he played Gary, the temperamen- tal father of
Barry Keoghan’s Jack. One critic was moved to describe Ready as “unrecognisable and frankly rath- er terrifying”. “The film is very dark and not everyone’s cup of tea,” Ready says, “but I loved every minute of it.” Ready is talking over video from his home in Kent where he lives with his partner, the actress and artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe, Michelle Terry, and their daughter. He is here to talk about Ann Droid, the new comedy series from writer-actors Diane Morgan and Sarah Kendall. The Royle Family’s Sue Johnston plays Sue, a lonely widow who has recently been hospitalised fol- lowing a fall. Ready is Michael, Sue’s self-absorbed, weak-willed son, who, after a spell living with his mum, has decided to move back in with his philandering wife (Kendall). It is Michael who comes up with the idea of hiring Linda (Morgan), a cut-price do- mestic droid to help Sue around the house. At first, she is resistant to the idea of a robot companion, though soon she and Linda be- come inseparable. Michael may not be a psycho- path – but, says Ready, “he is a selfish character, which is enjoy- able to play. I have sympathy for him, as he is just trying to work out how to get through his own life. But he’s also a guy who makes bad choices and doesn’t have a lot of self-esteem.” Ready was thrilled to be reu- nited with Morgan, who played the sardonic single mum Liz in Motherland and who has also won accolades for her equally mordant Philomena Cunk. Given Morgan’s status as the queen of deadpan, he says, “she fit into playing a droid particularly well. It’s a challenge to be present in a scene and give something even though your face doesn’t do anything. When scenes would go on for a long time on the set of Motherland and there would be a lot of takes, Anna [Maxwell Martin] and I used to joke: ‘Oh hang on. Di’s sent her droid in.’ Di’s face would be all: ‘Enough, I’m out of here.’ So I’m not at all surprised she’s playing a robot.” Unlike a lot of TV shows tack- ling themes of encroaching tech- nology that lean into
the horror element, Ann Droid is sweet and ultimately uplifting. “Sue and Linda’s relationship exposes a lot about human lone- liness,” Ready explains. “One of the questions the series asks is: can AI fill that relationship gap? It’s part of comedy’s job to look at truths around these issues and to open the [conversation], but do it lightly.” Ready grew up in Harborne in Birmingham and got the acting bug at school. At 14, he signed up to join a local drama group and later attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He notes how, from a young age, he was interested “in the different dynamics between people and what was going on beneath the surface”. Early in his career, he suffered from ter- rible stage fright. “I would get so anxious. There would be so much adrenaline, and I did begin to wonder: ‘Why am I putting myself through this?’ But then I began to understand that what happens in a fight-or- flight moment is just the body preparing itself to really be present.” Ready has been working steadily over the past 25 years, appearing in stage productions including One Flew Over the Cuck- oo’s Nest, Major Barbara, Noises Off, Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth, while popping up in epi- sodes of long-running TV shows such as Life Begins, Holby City, Pulling and Silk. Utopia brought Ready his first juicy recurring role, though it was Motherland, which debuted in 2016, that made him famous. “Motherland certainly changed things for me in making me rec- ognisable… I love the clown char- acters and Kevin is a clown. But there’s a melancholy there, too, and we worked hard to find that balance with him. “Though Kevin was a figure of fun, he couldn’t be too comi- cal because it would have un- dermined what he represented, which was a dad doing his best. I found it interesting, because there were some reactions from men who didn’t like him at all and didn’t like what they perceived as weakness.” One of Ready’s favourite roles came in 2018’s The Terror, a series
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
about the doomed Franklin expe- dition of 1845 in which two ships attempted to travel through the Northwest Passage, with the crews succumbing to lead poi- soning, starvation and scurvy or being murdered. Ready played Henry Goodsir, a Scottish doctor and natural- ist, who takes his own life and is eaten by his shipmates. The series was glowingly reviewed, but it also brought a challenge that Ready is less keen to repeat: rather than have him playing Goodsir’s corpse, the directors decided to make a plaster cast of the actor. “So there I was, in my pants, lying face-down on a slab in an artist’s studio in Hungary with multiple people slath- ering me in clay,” Ready recalls. “It was very exposing. I don’t know how many peo- ple were in the room when my pants got snipped off.” The plastering pro- cess had to be done in two parts “or the body can’t breathe. So after they did the body, they did my head and gave me a straw to breathe through. That was a moment where I needed extreme Zen, because it was the most claustrophobic ex- perience I’ve ever had.” The result was a model that looked so like him, it took his breath away. His main regret is that he didn’t get to take it home with him as a memento: “How I’d love to have that in my garden with a plant pot in its ass.” Ready’s next project is Little Animals, a one-man show that he wrote and is performing at the Edinburgh Fringe next month. Conceived as a response to our increasingly fractured world, it tells of a friendship between two men that has fallen apart after a disagreement over the climate crisis. It is, he says, a piece “that is specifically written not just to be in a theatre space but in a cir- cle of chairs, so the actors and audience are all together. With all this anxiety about technology, I think there’s something power- ful about human beings coming together in a place where real connection can happen.”
Kevin was a dad doing his best, but some men didn’t like what they perceived as his weakness
‘Ann Droid’ is available now on BBC iPlayer
In tomorrow’s
Quirkiest festivals around Britain
Summer salads that will fill you up
Best new kids’ books for the holidays
BOOKS
The subject of Avni Doshi’s Booker-shortlisted debut novel, ‘Burnt Sugar’ was mothers and daughters. Or, rather, the long, jagged legacy of having a toxic mother. Four years on, Doshi’s second novel, ‘The First House’, interrogates trying family bonds – this time focusing on a troubled marriage. So what are Doshi’s own most prized books about dysfunctional families?
J
“I haven’t heard The Vegetarian discussed as a novel about family, but in my opinion, it is just that. The book centres on Yeong-Hye, a woman who stops eating meat, much to the horror of everyone around her. She wants to become a plant; they believe she is mentally ill. “The story is split into three parts. The first is told by the woman’s husband, the second by her brother-in-law, and the third by her sister. When I first read it, I was struck by how strange the people we know most intimately can seem. Yeong-Hye’s insistence on authenticity holds up an uncomfortable mirror to those closest to her.”
COFFEE TABLE CHOICE
THE VEGETARIAN Han Kang (Granta Books, £9.99)
Scott Offen and his partner Grace have together created a visually stunning monograph in which the latter shucks off her quotidian responsibilities to enter a fairy-tale forest where logic evaporates and Grace becomes ‘a Nordic goddess preparing for battle, a sylph resting beneath a tree, a deity of wildness’. ‘Grace’ (L’Artiere, £60) is thus a dreamlike body of work, one in which women of a certain age, in Offen’s words, are no longer invisible, but set forth into a world where possibilities are endless and their imagination sets them free.
A HEART SO WHITE Javier Marias (Penguin Classics, £10.99)
“This book might contain one of the most dysfunctional families I can think of. The first sentence is a rollercoaster, describing a shocking tragedy that occurred before the narrator is born: a young bride is dead and her sister takes her place.
“The stories and secrets that unfold from here haunt the present. The author writes about how families nurture and poison their constituent members with incredible depth and clarity. “
MY PHANTOMS Gwendoline Riley (Granta Books, £9.99)
“The narrator of this novel is the younger of two sisters with divorced parents. We begin with a short burst about her self- centred and particularly grating father before being properly introduced to her mother, who is competitive and envious towards her daughters. “Both parents are completely lacking in any self-awareness. Riley is a genius with dialogue, and the sense of hopelessness is often woven through laugh-out-loud interactions between characters.”
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Jane Austen (Penguin Classics, £8.99)
“I’ve re-read many of Jane Austen’s novels over the years and most of them have dysfunctional family dynamics at their heart, but the particular breed of madness in the Bennet household is my favourite.
“The book has the perfect set-up for familial chaos – five daughters without a dowry
to recommend them must find suitable (and hopefully, wealthy) husbands. “For many years I focused on Mrs Bennet’s peculiar combination of paranoia and naivety, but later came to appreciate the way Mr Bennet’s humour and easygoing nature actually masked his neglect of his family.”
WILL AND TESTAMENT Vigdis Hjorth (Verso Books, £10.99)
“This is perhaps the most harrowing family saga I have read in years, but it is told with incredible subtlety and economy.
“After the patriarch dies, a family inheritance dispute unfolds, but very soon it becomes clear that the disagreement is really over a secret that has contaminated their relationships for decades. “The sentences are spare, but each word is chosen with great effect. Phrases repeated among family members accumulate meaning and horror. I could not put this book down, and I am in awe of Hjorth’s powers.”
‘The First House’ (£16.99, Hamish Hamilton) is out now
ust because you’re going to lie by the pool and try to get away from all the stresses of daily life doesn’t mean you need to read chick-lit or airport thrillers while lazing on your sun-lounger. Relaxation can go hand in hand with delving into another time period, too. Fancy escaping to the trenches with some Great War poets, or to a 14th-century monas- tery with ascetic monks? Or how about the criminal un- derworlds of Victorian London or the slave markets of pre-Civil War Missouri (jolly)? Here are some of the best pieces of historical fiction to enjoy on your holiday…
MY BRILLIANT FRIEND Elena Ferrante (2011)
The Neapolitan novels offer a deliciously nuanced dissection of female friendship, and the first book is perhaps the most intimate, delving into Elena and Lila’s childhood friendship in the 50s, where it all began. As competitive and ambitious as they are loyal and loving, the girls are drawn to each other from the start and bound forever after amid the poverty and tensions of Naples in post-war Italy and the concurrent changing expectations for women. Ann Goldstein’s translation is a marvel, offering the unique pulsating rhythms of spoken Italian to English-speaking readers. A coming-of-age story you can get lost in on the beach.
BROOKLYN Colm Tóibín (2009)
Made into a terrific film starring Saoirse Ronan in 2015, this is one of the acclaimed Irish writer’s best novels, more hopeful than the 2024 sequel Long Island and shorter too, making it a zippy holiday read. Eilis Lacey is a working-class Irish girl who travels to New York for work, leaving her family and the economic stagnation of 50s Ireland behind. Her terrible homesickness is beautifully described in Tóibín’s careful, measured prose, as are her love affairs with a local boy and with America itself.
THE NAME OF THE ROSE Umberto Eco (1980)
Think Dan Brown with brains. Umberto Eco’s classic is set in 1327, when narrator Adso travels to an abbey in northern Italy as assistant to a Franciscan friar, William of Baskerville (yes, like Sherlock Holmes, get it?), where there is a far-reaching theological dispute about the nature of the church and wealth. Oh, and a growing number of murders. A deeply rich, complex text about the dangers of knowledge and
to take on holiday
also be about going back in time, as you allow yourself to get lost in worlds from scheming Tudor England to murderous medieval Italy, writes Francesca Steele
faith versus reason smuggled into an absurdly entertaining murder mystery.
IN MEMORIAM Alice Winn (2023)
Following in the footsteps of so many melancholy war novels, from Atonement to Birdsong, Winn’s book is a modern classic about the forbidden love between two young students at Preshute, aka Marlborough College, where Winn herself once studied. It is 1914, and boys are still intellectually debating whether war is “a necessary evil” on school grounds, before the realities of it come for them. Drawing inspiration from
Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves, the prose is lyrical and wonderfully bittersweet.
FINGERSMITH Sarah Waters (2002)
It’s hard to pick the best Waters novel, but this probably tops the list, with its unparalleled ability to plunge you deep into the Dickensian criminal underworld of Victorian London, while still reading like a proper page-turner. Pivoting on the role of maid Sue and her reluctant involvement in defrauding her heiress boss, Maud, there are thieves, romance and complex interrogations of class and sexuality. Oh, and a twist to rival that of Gone Girl.
THE VANISHING HALF Brit Bennett (2020)
Segregation is still very much in place in America’s Deep South in this deftly handled tale of two light-skinned black sisters who make different choices about how to move through life – one choosing to “pass” as white, while the other lives as black, along with all the consequences of that you would (sadly) expect. It is a gripping story, as well as a clever interrogation of racism, self-identity, generational prejudices and the passage of time, as the book moves from the 1950s to the 1990s.
WOLF HALL Hilary Mantel (2009)
Is there another historical novel that has so altered the perception of a real person? With her intimate, upfront voice, Mantel takes us right inside Thomas Cromwell’s head and lets us see the shrewd, self-made survivor, capable of deep love and loyalty, alongside the manipulator behind the fall of Anne Boleyn. It doesn’t hurt either that we get such a good look at Henry VIII, not as a cartoon villain we’ve all grown used to, but as a deeply admired yet volatile storyteller.
THE WONDER Emma Donoghue (2016)
Best known for her Booker- shortlisted Room, this is a less showy book from Donoghue, in all the right ways. Based on the true story of the fasting girls, young women purported to be surviving for great lengths of time without food, it is a story of Irish poverty and dangerous religiosity during the potato famine of the 1850s that feels dramatic without ever becoming hyperbolic.
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
BELOVED Toni Morrison (1987)
If you liked this year’s Oscar triumph Sinners, you will love this Pulitzer Prize winner, which also uses supernatural horror to explore systemic oppression and loss. In the aftermath of the American Civil War, Sethe, a former slave living in Cincinnati, lives with her daughter in a haunted house, when a mysterious young woman called Beloved turns up and forces Sethe to come to terms with the trauma of slavery. An emotionally wrenching read for when you’ve got a lot of time on the sun-lounger.
THE POISONWOOD BIBLE Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
An arrogant Baptist minister and his family head to Congo as missionaries in 1959, right before the country’s hard-won independence, thinking they can help locals who really don’t want to be helped. With five deeply distinct narrative voices and Kingsolver’s typical shrewd sociopolitical observations, this is both character-driven and invested in its time and place. Not only will you leave this book understanding Congo’s history; you’ll also leave understanding – and being appalled by – how little others understood of it.
JAMES Percival Everett (2024)
You don’t have to have read Huckleberry Finn to enjoy this visceral, fast-paced and somehow stomach-achingly funny look at racism in antebellum America, told from the point of view of escaping slave Jim. Everett reworks Mark Twain’s source material to give us a Jim who is far cleverer, speaking in slave lingo to fool the white people around him, learned and terrified, and yes, inexplicably funny. I still don’t know how a book that features lynchings and other horrifying aspects of slavery gets away with being so comical, but it really does.
THE COVENANT
OF WATER
Abraham Verghese
(2023)
A sprawling family saga that begins in Kerala in 1900, this covers three generations of a family afflicted by a curse that causes repeated drownings. It is an extraordinarily immersive picture of monsoon skies and coconut palms, taking us all the way to the final days of the Raj through the eyes of the ancient Syrian Christian community in southern India.
the day
If you compare us to Bezos and Musk, we’re definitely the plucky upstart. You don’t hear me talking about mining asteroids orbiting Mars
Sir Peter Beck Rocket Lab’s billionaire founder on rivalling Blue Origin and SpaceX satellites
@theipaper
business@theipaper.com
Barclays accused of ‘failure to investigate’ Epstein links
By Simon Straker
By Simon Straker
US Senator Elizabeth Warren has demanded “urgent answers” from Barclays over its alleged “apparent failure to meaningfully investigate” former chief executive Jes Staley’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter sent to Barclays chair Nigel Higgins, Warren accused the British bank of failing to uncover a decades-long relationship between its former top executive and the late convicted sex offender. The high-profile intervention by Warren, who serves as the most senior Democrat on the US Senate Banking Committee, escalates the political and regulatory pressure surrounding Wall Street’s historical connections to Epstein. The letter was sent in co-ordi- nation with US Congress repre-
Beauport Beach, in St Aubin, Jersey, is among the popular haunts for thousands of Jet2 customers visiting the island GETTY
Jet2 triples Jersey offering in new route launch
Jet2 has announced a major expansion to its summer 2027 programme with the launch of new and exclusive routes from Bournemouth and London Stansted airports, trebling the number of seats it will have on sale to Jersey to 155,000. At Bournemouth, Jet2 will introduce twice-weekly flights (on Mondays and Fridays) to Paris, France, and a Wednesday service to Verona, Italy, as well as opening a Saturday slot to Jersey. These new additions mean that
sentatives Ro Khanna and Raja Krishnamoorthi, giving Barclays a two-week deadline to answer ques- tions on its handling of information and data. Warren expressed scepticism over Barclays’ vetting process before Sta- ley became chief executive in 2015, and questioned how the bank subse- quently failed to uncover his connec- tion to Epstein – a relationship that he maintained, according to the letter. The inquiry focuses on potential flaws in corporate governance, with
Staley also faces a lawsuit in Los Angeles, California, which claims he and Barclays defrauded shareholders about his relationship with Epstein. He has sought a dismissal of the case.
the UK’s largest tour operator and third-largest airline will operate its biggest summer programme from Bournemouth with 22 routes and more than 320,000 seats on sale – a capacity increase of more than 8 per cent on this year. At London Stansted, Jet2 will also launch an exclusive route to Jersey, with three flights a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This will lift its Stansted offering to 55 routes from next summer, with more than 2.4 million seats available, after new
lawmakers demanding to know whether or not internal reviews into hiring “deficiencies” were conducted. Warren claimed that these con- trols had “allowed the board to re- cruit an executive with close ties to a convicted sex offender”. The inquiry follows revelations from UK legal proceedings, at which it was revealed that Barclays did not directly question Staley regarding his interactions with Epstein before advising regulators that the relation- ship had concluded. Staley, who resigned from Barclays in 2021 due to investigations into his characterisation of his relationship with Epstein, was due to testify last night in a closed-door US House Oversight Committee hearing. In June last year he lost an appeal against a Financial Conduct Author- ity (FCA) industry ban for misleading
destinations were recently added to Paris, Tunisia and La Palma, as well as Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, Thassos (via Kavala) in Greece and Costa de Almeria in Spain. Jet2 said it responded to growing demand for flights to Jersey as it launched an offer of £60 off bookings to the island. Steve Heapy, the airline’s chief executive, said: “We look forward to taking even more customers away next summer. This new package offers them more choice and flexibility for their next summer flights and holidays.”
US Senator Elizabeth Warren has given Barclays two weeks to respond
the British regulator over his Epstein ties. The FCA had cited a cache of more than 1,000 emails between the pair, in which Staley referred to Ep- stein as “family”. Staley said he had no recollection of those emails and that he was una- ware of his crimes despite maintain- ing a close professional relationship with him. Staley’s lawyers did not immediate- ly respond to requests for comment.
Profits slump by 70% as EasyJet awaits takeover
By Holly Williams
EasyJet revealed a 70 per cent year- on-year slump in quarterly profits to £85m – two weeks after agree- ing in principle to a £5.7bn takeo- ver approach by US private equity firm Apollo. The budget airline said it had paid out an extra £105m on fuel costs as a result of the Iran war, which has also led to lower advance bookings, with passengers waiting until closer to their departure dates. More recently, bookings have begun to improve, but the overall outcome for the full year remains un- certain due to global volatility, it said. Passenger numbers fell by 0.4 per cent to 25.8 million during the quar- ter, while its load factor – a key measure of how well airlines fill their planes – was also lower. Fares were reduced by 1 per cent to boost flagging demand, easyJet said, amid a promise that they would remain lower to the end of Septem- ber to avoid fuel cost increases being passed on to passengers. It also reported that airport bor- der control queues at the start of the school holidays due to the new Eu- ropean entry-exit system had been better than feared, with countries having been given flexibility on how to put the requirements in place. Profits at easyJet’s holidays arm dipped to £84m from £86m a year ago, although this represented an in- crease in market share. Apollo is yet to table a firm offer for the airline – it has a deadline of 7 August to make a bid or walk away under City takeover rules – after it muscled in on a £5.5bn previous offer from rival US investment firm Castle- lake made just days before, which had also been agreed to in principle.
‘I was earning £10 a week before getting my big break in television’
In our How I Manage My Money series, we find out how people in the UK or living overseas are spending, saving and investing to meet their costs and achieve their goals. This week we speak to ‘Ibiza Weekender’ star and ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ winner DAVID POTTS, 33, who reveals how he went from earning £10 a week working with horses to building a television career, and why he is now buying a second property.
PEOPLE
WHAT WAS MONEY LIKE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? I come from Bolton, which is a very working class town, but I think I was quite lucky. My mum was a sports therapist, and my dad was a policeman, so we had a very stable upbringing. We used to go on holidays and got nice presents, but we were never just given whatever we wanted. If I wanted money to go to the cinema with my friends, my parents would say: “Right, come and help us do something around the house first.” I’ve got two brothers and all three of us grew up knowing that if you want nice things, you’ve got to work hard for them. My parents both worked incredibly hard and still do.
‘I’ve got two brothers and all three of us grew up knowing that if you want nice things, you’ve got to work hard for them,’ says David Potts WIREIMAGE
WHAT’S YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF EARNING MONEY? I got a paper-round when I was about 12, but I only lasted about two weeks. I think I did it for one day and then my mum ended up doing most of it while I was at school. My first proper job was working on a farm. The woman who owned it looked after horses and RSPCA animals, and I’d help her after school and at weekends. I got paid £10 a week and I absolutely loved it. I’ve always been relatively good at saving as well because there was always something I wanted, whether that was new riding boots or something for one of the horses. My mum always had this envelope system because she was self-employed. She’d have a holiday envelope, a shopping envelope and all these little pots of money. If we wanted to save, she’d tell us to put it in an envelope. Looking back, I probably learned a lot from that.
WHAT DID YOU DO
BEFORE TELEVISION?
I qualified as a horse-riding
instructor and did that for about
three years. Then I realised I
wanted to work Monday to Friday
because I was a bit of a party person
and weekends are the busiest time
when you’re working with horses.
I got a job at Royal Bank of
Scotland , then I worked for
Tesco Mobile.
HOW DID ‘IBIZA WEEKENDER’ CHANGE YOUR FINANCES? Not straight away. People think that as soon as you’ve been on TV you’re absolutely loaded, but that really isn’t the case. Before filming
my first series of Ibiza Weekender [an ITV2 reality show that focused on young people holidaying for the weekend], I borrowed £1,000 from my mum and dad because I wanted a new wardrobe and some spending money while I was out there. For the first series, I think we got paid about £80 a day. You were paid per filming day and then you’d get paid again when you came back to London for press and extra filming. But it definitely wasn’t life- changing money.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE BEFORE TELEVISION FELT FINANCIALLY SECURE? A long time. I’ve been doing this for about 10 years now and I’d say it took at least three or four years
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
before I felt financially stable. After my first series of Weekender, I was still working in a pub near my mum’s house. Then I moved to Magaluf and worked entire summer seasons there in between filming. I used to earn a fortune in Magaluf. My rent was around €100 (£85) a week and I’d earn about €500 a week. It was really cheap to live there at the time because your rent covered pretty much everything. I managed to save a good few thousand pounds. I’d fly from Magaluf to film Weekender, then fly straight back to carry on working, then fly back again for more filming. Looking back, it sounds insane, but I loved it. It wasn’t until I started getting other opportunities like Celebrity
The daily rate Potts
got paid for
the first series of
‘Ibiza Weekender’
£80
I save a lot more than I used to and I don’t really spend money on designer things
Dinner Date and Celebs Go Dating that things really started to snowball financially.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST LUCRATIVE WORK YOU’VE DONE? Pantomime is a really good payer. People don’t realise that, but there’s not a huge amount of television work around at Christmas unless you’re doing something like Strictly. That’s one of the reasons so many people in television do panto. It can easily be a five-figure payday and it’s also great fun. Then obviously shows like Celebrity Big Brother, Celebs Go Dating and later series of Ibiza Weekender all became much more financially rewarding than they were at the beginning.
WHAT’S THE BEST PURCHASE YOU’VE EVER MADE? My apartment in Bolton. I’ve lived here for five years now and I absolutely love it. I’m also in the process of buying a second property in Bournemouth, which is really exciting. It was an absolute steal. I plan to rent it out. I feel like I’m in my investing era now. I’ve got a nice car, I go on lovely holidays and I’ve had some amazing experiences, but property is where I want to put my money.
WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST MONEY REGRET? Probably not saving a bit more when I was younger. I enjoyed myself a lot and I don’t regret that, but if I’d put a little bit more away, I probably wouldn’t have needed to borrow that £1,000. And I spent too much money on Jägerbombs.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR MONEY NOW? Because I’m self-employed, I don’t have a salary. One month I might earn one amount, the next month it could be completely different. That’s why I’m really careful with money now. I save a lot more than I used to and I don’t really spend money on designer things because that just doesn’t interest me. I like my mortgage adviser because he breaks everything down for me in simple terms. I looked into stocks and shares at one point, but I decided property felt safer for me.
DO YOU HAVE A PENSION? Not a traditional pension. I have what I call my own version of a pension, which is money that I’ve put aside and don’t touch. I know I probably should have a proper pension, but when you’re self- employed it can feel overwhelming.
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
CONSUMER
new PM giving UK a ‘bounce’
By Josie Clarke
There has been a six-point “Burn- ham bounce” in consumer con- fidence this month – the largest increase since November 2023. Despite yesterday’s headline GfK Index figure remaining in negative territory at minus 17, it showed that there had been a “mood lift” on the back of Burnham’s appointment, the warm weather and the Fifa World Cup. Confidence in the country’s gen- eral economic situation over the past 12 months jumped by 10 points to minus 39 – five points higher than a year ago – while expectations for the economy over the coming 12 months rose by eight points to minus 28 – one point above last July. The major purchase index, an indicator of confidence in buying big-ticket items, also rose by eight points to minus 12 – three points higher than July last year. Confidence in personal finances over the next year was also up by three points, dragging the measure into positive territory at +1, just one point lower than last July. Neil Bellamy, consumer insights director at GfK, said: “The sense of a fresh start under the new Prime Minister accounts for some of the bounce, but it has been a decade now since the headline score was in positive territory.”
extra tax call on millionaires
By Sophie Wingate
The sports pundit and former foot- baller Gary Lineker is among 120 UK-based millionaires who have signed an open letter to the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling for a 2 per cent tax on wealth over £10m. The “Proud to Pay” letter, pub- lished yesterday, claims the move would raise £24bn a year for the UK, with capital gains tax reforms raising a further £12bn. It suggested that the money could be used to re- duce inequality, support public infrastructure and back small businesses. Lineker (inset) said: “Our richest people can do more and 80 per cent want to. Our country deserves all of us to get behind it.” Other signatories include the crime writer Val McDermid, musi- cian Brian Eno and former Greggs chairman Ian Gregg. The Chief Secretary to the Treas- ury Emma Reynolds welcomed the offer, but said any announcement on tax would be made in the Budget.
BUSINESS
Company
Price
Chg %
High
Low
FTSE 100 down 0.73% at 10,639.17
Company
Price
Chg %
High
Low
Company
Price
Chg %
High
Low
3i Group
2674.0
+4.78% 4497.0
1825.0
Aberdeen Group
244.8
-1.37%
265.0
177.5
AB Foods
1967.5
-2.21%
2359.0
1729.5
Admiral
3560.0
+0.39% 3730.0
2624.0
Airtel Africa
345.6
-0.97%
436.2
181.0
Alliance Witan
1319.0
-0.98% 1356.0
1178.0
Anglo Amer
3630.0
+2.86% 4239.0
2042.0
Antofagasta
3621.0
-4.61%
4475.0
1850.5
AstraZeneca
12688.0
-0.11%
15732.0 9892.0
Autotrader Group 482.5
-2.23%
844.4
418.6
Aviva
683.6
-0.64%
700.8
590.6
Babcock Intl
1134.0
+1.93% 1527.0
902.4
BAE Systems
1965.0
+2.13% 2360.0
1529.0
Barclays
519.5
-1.42%
554.1
346.6
Barratt Redrow
290.5
-0.58%
410.3
235.4
Beazley
1287.5
-0.04%
1295.0
750.0
BP
555.9
+3.08% 609.4
393.3
BritAmTobacco
4480.0
-2.93%
5326.0
3677.0
British Land
429.6
-1.87% 445.4
318.6
BT
193.8
-1.02%
242.1
173.0
Bunzl
2722.0
-0.51%
2800.0
1981.0
Burberry
1037.5
-1.24%
1376.5
976.0
Centrica
161.4
-10.23% 220.3
153.2
Coca-Cola Europac 7790.0
-1.33%
8270.0
6280.0
Coca-Cola HBC
4816.0
-3.10%
5195.0
3270.0
Compass
2287.4
-0.93%
2581.1
2000.0
Computacenter
4706.0
-3.01%
4962.0
2092.0
Convatec
212.6
-0.75%
259.3
193.0
Croda Intl
2859.0
-3.38%
3312.0
2426.8
DCC Energy
6290.0
-0.08%
6740.0
4188.0
Diageo
1540.5
-2.19%
2142.0
1295.5
Diploma
7430.0
-2.04%
7663.2
4970.0
Endeavour Mining 3564.0
-4.78%
5620.0
2236.0
Entain
548.0
-0.18%
1031.5
500.4
Experian
2655.0
-2.53%
4092.5
2203.0
F&C Inv Trust
334.6
-1.82% 1332.0
325.8
Fresnillo
2497.0
-6.13%
4472.0
1371.0
– 0.60¢
FTSE 100
10639.17
-0.73%
FTSE 250
23627.3
-1.25%
FTSE All Share
5718.7
-0.78%
FTSE Eurofirst300
2555.6
-1.19%
Dow Jones * 51741.5 -0.91%
S&P 500 *
7410.5
-1.18%
Nasdaq *
25021.13
-2.61%
DAX 24763.1 -1.56%
CAC 40
8299.1
-1.65%
Hang Seng
25210.8
+1.28%
– 0.16¢
Games Works
19860.0
-1.19%
23540.0 14070.0
Glencore
537.7
-0.07%
707.2
275.2
GSK
1905.5
-0.26%
2282.0
1288.6
Haleon
361.6
-1.18%
416.1
274.4
Halma
3650.0
-0.33%
4902.0
3191.4
Hiscox
1796.0
-1.59%
1904.0
1246.0
Howden Joinery
770.5
-0.58%
981.0
713.0
HSBC Hldgs
1527.0
-0.91%
1590.0
908.8
IAG
422.4
-3.76%
492.9
332.7
ICG
1835.0
-0.76%
2340.0
1424.9
IG Group
1701.0
-1.33%
1956.0
1016.0
IMI
3016.0
-0.20%
3044.0
2138.0
Imperial Brands
2797.0
-0.18%
3632.0
2626.0
Informa
854.8
-1.34%
1000.0
719.0
IntCont Htls
11515.8
-0.98%
13305.1 8458.0
Intertek
5815.0
-0.09%
5840.0
3519.4
Investec
619.5
-2.59%
690.0
499.4
JD Sports Fashion 85.8
-1.52%
106.2
64.0
Kingfisher
296.7
-0.54%
372.3
240.3
Land Secs
686.5
-2.00% 710.3
522.5
Legal & Gen
296.1
-1.30%
310.0
217.2
Lion Finance
11470.0
-1.12%
12040.0 6905.0
Lloyds Bk Gp
112.5
-2.09%
116.0
74.4
LondonMetric Prop 194.0
-0.21% 216.2
175.3
Lon Stock Ex
8568.0
-1.31%
10575.0 6684.0
M&G
353.7
-0.98%
359.3
247.0
M&S
379.7
-4.26%
411.8
301.1
Melrose Ind
474.0
-1.66%
685.0
443.4
Metlen Energy
3632.5
-1.57%
4984.7
2643.8
National Grid
1234.0
-1.24%
1428.5
1000.0
NatWest Group
670.6
-2.04%
705.4
496.6
Next
14670.0
-1.11%
15105.0 11200.0
Pearson
1204.5
-0.21%
1318.0
874.8
Pershing Square
3642.0
-4.06% 5095.0
3636.0
Persimmon
1079.0
-1.33%
1552.0
947.4
Polar CapTech
647.5
-1.75% 743.5
382.0
Prudential
1085.0
-1.05%
1238.0
910.2
EURO/ POUND DOLLAR/ POUND GOLD OIL
Reckitt Ben
4938.0
-1.91%
6522.9
3664.0
RELX
2451.0
-0.12%
4008.0
1991.0
Rentokil Initial
429.5
-3.53%
507.0
342.5
Rio Tinto
6856.0
-0.68%
9117.0
4344.5
Rolls-Royce
1359.0
-2.37%
1532.6
970.2
Sainsbury(J)
344.3
-1.96%
370.7
291.2
Schroders
588.0
+0.09% 599.5
358.6
Scot Mort Inv Tst
1313.0
-2.52% 1563.0
1015.7
Segro
953.2
+6.50% 969.0
603.0
Severn Trent
3014.0
-0.79%
3335.0
2381.0
Shell
3344.0
+1.58% 3758.5
2553.8
Smith&Neph
1118.5
-0.04%
1441.5
1050.0
Smiths Gp
2623.0
-2.27%
2746.3
2088.0
Spirax Group
6960.0
-1.00%
8050.0
5950.0
SSE
2440.0
-3.56%
2767.5
1597.0
Stan Chart
2129.0
-1.21%
2278.0
1285.0
Standard Life
906.0
-0.93%
920.5
615.0
St James’s Place
1066.0
-0.19%
1575.5
1050.0
Tesco
475.2
-0.46%
510.4
406.9
The Sage Grp
821.6
-0.72%
1335.0
771.7
Tritax Big Box
168.4
-0.24% 174.0
132.2
Unilever
4543.0
-1.54%
5542.1
3644.0
United Utilities
1364.0
-1.02%
1497.0
1072.0
Vodafone
116.2
-0.51%
131.1
80.7
Weir Group
2544.0
+0.79% 3580.0
2254.0
Whitbread
2392.0
-2.61%
3302.0
2098.0
For enquiries call +44 (0)20 7825 8300
– $107.09
FOOD & DRINK
listing in London
McCormick wants a secondary listing in London when it merges with Unilever’s food business next year. The US condiment group behind French’s mustard and Frank’s Red Hot sauce, which has its main listing in New York, agreed a £33.8bn deal to buy Unilever’s food arm, including brands such as Hellmann’s, Marmite and Colman’s, in March.
despite reshuffle
BT has revealed its quarterly earnings have fallen by 1 per cent year-on-year to £2.1bn despite continued cost-cutting as it invests further in fibre broadband. It said progress had been hit by lower broadband and voice business margins as pre-tax profits slipped by 4 per cent to £505m. Revenues were flat at £4.3bn for the quarter.
HOSPITALITY
but off their food
The hot weather has dampened demand for steak dinners and carvery lunches, the pubs group Mitchells & Butlers has said, as its quarterly food sales fell by 2.4 per cent. The group was boosted by strong trading at its pubs and drink-led venues during the Fifa World Cup, however, with drink sales up by 2.6 per cent during the quarter.
through cash flow
Google has burned through cash for the first time since going public in 2004, reporting a negative free cash flow of $5.9bn (£4.4bn). The deficit comes as parent firm Alphabet ramps up its AI spending to as high as $205bn. Investors are concerned that such huge AI infrastructure outlays might not yield profitable returns.
markets
The FTSE 100 closed yesterday down by 77.80 points, or 0.73 per cent, at 10,639.17. The biggest risers were property trust Segro, up 58.2p at 953.2p, and investment firm 3i Group, up 122p at 2,674p. The biggest fallers were British
– 8.88%
its water business
Nestlé has confirmed it will spin out its Buxton and Perrier water business to create a joint venture worth around £4.2bn. The Swiss maker of Kit Kat has agreed a deal with private equity firm Platinum Equity to form a new company called Peranel, in which they will each own a 50 per cent stake, housing more than 30 brands. The deal will net Nestlé £2.6bn in cash.
hit bottom line
Tesla reported a surprise drop in second-quarter profits as Elon Musk’s carmaker cut prices to win back customers. The discounts drove a rise in deliveries to a record 480,126, with revenues up 26 per cent to $28.2bn (£21.2bn) – but net profit fell by 17 per cent year-on- year to $1.2bn – far below Wall Street expectations of $1.9bn.
Macquarie chief
Australia’s largest investment bank Macquarie has promoted its banking and financial services head, Greg Ward, to be its new chief executive “in a strong signal of strategy and leadership continuity”. The 30-year company veteran will succeed the retiring Shemara Wikramanayake, after eight years in the job, on 7 November.
increase to 1,300
British Gas owner Centrica plans to axe a further 800 jobs on top of the 500 announced last month as part of efforts to overhaul its customer services and support teams over the next two years. It means that 14 per cent of the company’s customer operations workforce will be axed as the firm seeks to become “more efficient”.
Gas owner Centrica, down 18.4p at 161.4p, and miner Fresnillo, down 163p at 2,497p. In France, the CAC 40 fell by 1.65 per cent, while the DAX ended 1.56 per cent lower in Germany. The price of Brent crude oil rose to $107.09 a barrel.
The pound fell against both the dollar and euro, down by 0.60 cents at $1.3314, and by 0.16 cents at €1.1699, at the close in London.
Rain patches affect north-west England and Scotland later in the day. Today’s Weather
City
Temp
Rain
Sun
(1pm yesterday) (mm) (hrs)
Aberdeen 18 C 0.1 1.5 Aberporth 19 C 0.0 8.3 Aberystwyth 21 C 0.0 12.4 Aviemore 19 S 0.2 2.6 Belfast 19 C 0.0 7.1 Birmingham 22 C 0.0 8.1 Bournemouth 22 C 0.0 11.6 Bridlington 20 C 0.0 6.1 Bristol 26 C 0.0 12.8 Cardiff 25 C 0.0 12.2 Cromer 20 C 0.0 7.9 Durham 23 C 0.0 3.9 Eastbourne 21 C 0.1 7.5 Edinburgh 21 C 0.0 5.7 Eskdalemuir 19 C 0.1 5.8 Glasgow 19 C 0.0 6.8 Holyhead 17 C 0.0 10.1 Hove 21 C 0.0 9.7 Hull 23 C 0.0 5.6 Huntingdon 25 C 0.0 7.3 Ipswich 23 C 0.0 5.3 Isle of Man 17 C 0.0 10.4 Isle of Wight 23 C 0.0 11.0 Kinlochewe 16 C 1.6 0.5 Kirkwall 15 C 0.4 1.6 Leeds 22 C 0.0 5.0 Lerwick 14 C 0.4 4.4 Leuchars 21 C 0.1 4.8 Lincoln 23 C 0.0 6.1 Liverpool 20 C 0.0 7.6 London 24 C 0.0 7.6 Manchester 22 C 0.0 5.5 Margate 20 C 0.0 6.4 Milford Haven 21 C 0.0 11.3 Morecambe 21 C 0.0 9.2 Newcastle 21 C 0.0 3.9 Norwich 22 C 0.0 7.8 Nottingham 23 C 0.0 6.5 Okehampton 25 C 0.0 12.6 Oxford 25 C 0.0 10.9 Plymouth 24 C 0.0 12.3 Portland 21 C 0.0 12.4 Portsmouth 23 C 0.0 10.1 Prestwick 18 C 0.1 6.8 Rhyl 18 C 0.1 7.4 Sheffield 22 C 0.0 6.0 Shrewsbury 21 C 0.0 9.9 Skegness 20 C 0.1 7.4 Southend 23 C 0.0 5.4 Stoke 20 C 0.0 6.2 Stornoway 16 C 0.4 1.2 Swansea 23 C 0.0 13.4 Tiree 15 C 0.1 2.1
Kirkwall
Aberdeen
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Newcastle
Belfast
Leeds
Hull
Manchester
Liverpool
Sheffield
Nottingham
Birmingham
Oxford
Swansea
Cardiff
Bristol
Plymouth
Lerwick
Norwich
London
City
Temp Cond
(in C)
City
Temp Cond
(in C)
Abu Dhabi 42 S Abuja 27 C Alicante 34 S Amsterdam 19 C Athens 33 F Bangkok 32 C Barcelona 29 S Beijing 26 C Berlin 20 TH Brussels 18 R Budapest 23 F Chicago 22 F Delhi 33 SH Dubai 41 S Dublin 19 C Frankfurt 20 C Geneva 25 S Helsinki 17 TH Hong Kong 31 S Istanbul 26 F Johannesburg 18 S Lisbon 27 S Los Angeles 24 F Madrid 35 S
Key: C=Cloudy, DR=Drizzle, F=Fair, FG=Fog, H=Hail, M=Mist, R=Rain, S=Sunny, SH=Showers, SL=Sleet, SN=Snow, SS=Sandstorm, TH=Thunderstorm
Key:
Key:
Air Pollution Index Region Today Tomorrow
York
LOW
LOW
HIGHS AND LOWS (Wednesday, up to 11pm) Highlands North East Scotland Central Scotland Scottish Borders Northern Ireland North West & Mersey North East Yorkshire & Humber North Wales West Midlands East Midlands South Wales South West South East Eastern Greater London
LOW
Shetland Orkney Temperature
°C 17
Wind speed
Rough 15
mph
Atlantic Ocean
Dublin Galway
Channel Islands
Alderney
Guernsey
FRANCE Sark
Miami 33 S Milan 28 S Moscow 18 TH Mumbai 27 TH Munich 20 C New York 30 F Nice 29 S Palma 32 S Paris 22 S Prague 15 C Reykjavik 10 SH Rio 31 S Rome 32 S Stockholm 18 C Strasbourg 22 S Sydney 19 S Tenerife 27 S Tokyo 36 S Toronto 19 C Vancouver 26 S Vienna 23 F Warsaw 15 TH Washington 32 F Wellington 13 F
Jersey
GENERAL SITUATION
A high-pressure system influences
the UK today, bringing varied
weather patterns. North-east and
south-west Scotland, as well as
the Northern and Western Isles,
will experience cloudy skies with
periods of rain moving in as the day
progresses. Elsewhere, north-west
England may see some evening
showers, while the south-west can
expect dry conditions with clear
skies and sunshine. Most other
regions remain cloudy but dry,
with light winds throughout.
London, SE England, East Anglia,
Channel Islands: The morning is
expected to begin with cloud cover
and mild temperatures, climbing
Air pollution levels Low (1) Very high (10) uk-air.defra.gov.uk
1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
Warm front Isobars: air pressure in millibars Cold front Occluded front 1024
Warm front Isobars: air pressure in millibars Cold front Occluded front 1024
Sea state
Calm
Slight
Moderate
Fort William
Derry/Londonderry
Cork
Celtic Sea
through the day. This cloudiness
will lighten into the afternoon, with
some areas enjoying sunny spells.
By evening, skies remain mostly
cloudy, winds stay light from the
west, and there will be no threat of
rain. Max temp: 27C. Tonight, clear
skies, light winds. Min temp: 14C.
Cen S England, SW England,
Midlands, S Wales, N Wales:
The morning begins with clear
skies and sunshine, particularly
in the most western areas. As the
day progresses, cloud increases,
especially in central parts. By
evening, the cloud will thicken in the
north, where a light shower may
occur. Max temp: 28C. Tonight,
light rain, breezy. Min temp: 13C.
Moon Phase Today’s high Today’s low Sunset Sunrise 05:12 21:00
28º
Inverness
Dundee
Dumfries
Carlisle
Irish Sea
Llandudno
25 24
Southampton Portsmouth
Exeter
SE Scotland, NE England, E
England: The morning starts
cloudy with a threat of light rain,
mostly in the most western areas.
Cloud cover stays heavy into the
afternoon, keeping temperatures
mild. By evening, some breaks in
the clouds may allow for brief
sunny spells, especially in the most
northern parts, with gentle westerly
winds. Max temp: 22C. Tonight, rain
showers, windy. Min temp: 12C.
NW England, SW Scotland, N
Ireland, Republic of Ireland, IoM:
The morning begins with fair and
sunny spells, particularly in the
most northern parts, where it will
be pleasantly warm. Cloud cover
will increase through the afternoon.
SYNOPTIC PRESSURE A ridge of high pressure extends from north-west England, maintaining dry and cloudy conditions over much of the UK. The Channel Islands remain sunny under this high. Meanwhile, a weaker low-pressure area over the Northern Isles brings cloud and rain to north-east and south-west Scotland, as well as the Western Isles.
Warmest: Kew Gardens, Greater London, 28C.
Coldest: Sennybridge
No 2, Powys, 7C.
Wettest: Resallach, Scottish Highlands, 6.60mm.
Sunniest: Exeter Airport No 2, Devon, 13.0hrs.
North Sea
Cambridge
Reading
Brighton
English Channel
By evening, light rain is possible,
especially in the most western
areas, with mild temperatures
and a gentle breeze throughout.
Max temp: 21C. Tonight, light
rain, breezy. Min temp: 12C.
NW Scotland, NE Scotland, W
Isles, N Isles: The day starts with
cloudy skies and mild temperatures,
with a slight threat of rain. As the
afternoon progresses, expect the
cloud to linger, though some sunny
spells are possible in the most
eastern parts. By evening, winds
will pick up in northern parts with
occasional rain showers moving
in, turning heavy in places. Max
temp: 21C. Tonight, rain showers,
easing later. Min temp: 13C.
HOURS OF DARKNESS
Aberdeen 21.39-04.52 Birmingham 21.12-05.16 Bristol 21.10-05.24 Cardiff 21.12-05.26 Glasgow 21.38-05.08 Hull 21.11-05.04 Inverness 21.49-04.55 Liverpool 21.20-05.16 London 21.00-05.14 Manchester 21.18-05.13 Stornoway 22.03-05.02 Swansea 21.16-05.28 York 21.16-05.06
outlook
20 19
SATURDAY Northern regions are mostly cloudy with rain, southern and eastern areas stay mostly dry with sunny spells. Clear skies in the Channel Islands.
19 18
SUNDAY Scattered rain showers affect much of the UK, with cloudy conditions and occasional sunny spells. Temperatures are mild, warmer in the south-east.
19 20
MONDAY Northern
regions will experience
cloudy conditions with rain
in parts, while southern
regions enjoy clear skies
and warm sunshine.
20 21
TUESDAY Rain in northern
and western areas, while
the south stays sunny and
warm. Mostly dry with
sunny spells in the east,
cloudier further west.
20 20
WEDNESDAY Northern regions will have rain showers and cloud, while southern and eastern areas have fair, sunny weather with climbing temperatures.
SPORT
CRICKET
summer 2027 schedule – but, frankly, it’s a mess
Chris
Stocks
CRICKET
CORRESPONDENT
England’s schedule for the 2027 summer is out. The statement that greeted it from Richard Gould, Eng- land and Wales Cricket Board chief executive, was grandiose: “We have a summer schedule that offers high- quality cricket across all formats and for all our England teams and fans.” Gould is hoping the headline will be the fact that the men’s and wom-
Sport on TV
Commonwealth Games TNT Spts 2 8.30am/TNT 4, 6.30pm Golf: Women’s Scottish Open Sky Sports Golf, 9.30am F1: Hungarian GP first practice Sky Sports F1, midday Cycling: Men’s Tour de France TNT Sports 1, 12.30pm Golf: Senior Open Championship Sky Sports Golf, 1.30pm Cricket: Phoenix v Rockets (w) Sky Sports Cricket 2.45pm F1: Hungarian GP second practice Sky Sports F1, 3.45pm Cricket: Phoenix v Rockets (m) Sky Sports Cricket, 6pm Golf: 3M Open Sky Sports Golf, 7pm Darts: World Matchplay Sky Sports Action, 8pm
en’s Ashes will be played concurrent- ly between June and August. Look closer, though, and you real- ise that this schedule will only mag- nify the faultlines that have opened up in the men’s set-up during a cha- otic 2026 summer. It also guarantees that some of these games are likely to be anything but high-quality. England’s summer kicks off with five one-day internationals against Pakistan, starting in Southampton on 15 May. Yet it is the end date of 26 May that elicits a raised eyebrow. That’s because it leaves just one day between that series and the start of England’s one-off Test against Bang-
FOOTBALL
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND FIRST LEG
Besiktas (1).......................................1
Midtjylland (0)..............................0
Dynamo Kiev (1).........................2
PAOK (2)................................................3
Hajduk Split (0)...........................2
AE Pafos (0).......................................0
Hammarby (0)..............................1
Anderlecht (1)................................1
Qarabag FK (0).............................0
CSKA Sofia (0)................................0
Sheriff (0)..........................................0
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (2)...............5
St Gallen (1)......................................2
Benfica (1)...........................................1
Tromso (0)........................................0
Hradec Kralove (0)...................1
Twente (1)..........................................1
Ferencvaros (1)............................2
UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND FIRST LEG
Flora Tallinn (1)...........................1
The New Saints FC (0)...........0
HJK (2).....................................................5
Coleraine (0)....................................0
Malisheva (1)...................................2
Hibernian (0)...................................0
Motherwell (1)..............................2
HB Torshavn (0)...........................0
Rijeka (0).............................................1
Derry City (0)..................................0
Shelbourne (3)..............................5
Nomme Kalju (1).........................2
CRICKET ONE-DAY CUP - GROUP A Nettleworth: Warwickshire 282 (49.5 overs; G H S Garton 117; L W James 3-41; J A Pocklington 3-40); Nottinghamshire 283-7 (48.3 overs; K Verreynne 68no; F W McCann 62; B T Slater 52; J B Lintott 3-55). Nottinghamshire win by 3 wickets.
CYCLING TOUR DE FRANCE, Stage 18: 1 R Carapaz (Ec) EF Education-EasyPost 4h 26m 8s, 2 M Schmid (Swit) Team Jayco-AlUla +45s. Overall: 1 T Pogacar (Sloven) UAE Team Emirates-XRG 64h 35m, 2 R Evenepoel (Bel) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe +4m 32s.
ladesh at Lord’s – their only red-ball game before the Ashes begin at Trent Bridge on 18 June. Given how badly England pre- pared for the last Ashes, in Australia last winter – one warm-up against the Lions at a club ground in Perth – there is no room for half-measures this time. It means the strongest possible Test XI needs to be named to face Bangladesh – and with the lack of room in the schedule, it also means the best all-format players will have to be rested for the back end of that ODI series against Pakistan. This is far from ideal in a World
DARTS WORLD MATCHPLAY, WINTER GARDENS, BLACK- POOL, Quarter-Finals: D van Duijvenbode (Neth) bt G Anderson (Sco) 16-13.
GOLF BRITISH SENIOR OPEN, GLENEAGLES, SCOTLAND, First Round (USA unless stated): 63 C Percy (Aus); 64 L Alexandre (Fr); 65 M Angel Jimenez (Sp); E Els (SA); P Perez; T Pernice Jr; 66 J Kelly; E Canonica (It); T Ridings; M Wright (Aus); J Edfors (Swe).
RUGBY LEAGUE
BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE
Hull (12)..........................................20
Hull K R (12)...............................34
TODAY’S FIXTURES FOOTBALL Friendlies: Bournemouth v St Pauli (3.0), Braunschweig v Southampton (7.0), Fleetwood v Carlisle (1.0), Freiburg v Derby (3.0), Gmunden v Bradford (4.30), Huddersfield v Oldham (3.0), Preston v Cambridge Utd (10am), Raith v Hearts (7.30), Rosenborg v Man Utd (5.0), Swansea v Udinese (Midday), York v Al Ettifaq (6.0).
CRICKET One-Day Cup - Group A: Kent v Northamptonshire (Canterbury, 11am), Somerset v Gloucestershire (Taunton, 2pm), Surrey v Leicestershire (Guildford, 11am). Group B: Durham v Sussex (Riverside, 1.30pm), Glamorgan v Yorkshire (Neath, 11am), Hampshire v Middlesex (The Rose Bowl, 11am), Worcestershire v Derbyshire (New Road, 11am).
RUGBY LEAGUE BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE: Wakefield v Castleford (8.0), Wigan v St Helens (8.0).
Cup year. After the Pakistan series, England have just five more 50-over matches – at home against New Zea- land in September 2027 – before they set off for the World Cup in southern Africa the following month. Given England have gone back to a split coaching model, after sacking Brendon McCullum from his role as Test coach but keeping him on in white-ball cricket, this creates a potential flashpoint between the New Zealander and whoever takes over as the new Test coach. The Ashes are the absolute prior- ity next year. But England also need to try to build some momentum and form ahead of a World Cup that follows hot on the heels of our do- mestic summer. It appears inevitable that England will have to name a severely weak- ened squad for their penultimate series before the World Cup, against Pakistan. Those all-format players such as Jacob Bethell, Jofra Archer and Harry Brook will surely have to miss at least the final two matches. And with next year’s Indian Pre- mier League expected to finish around 15 May, the likes of Bethell, Archer and England’s other high- profile white-ball players involved in that tournament will probably also have to miss games at the beginning. It also raises serious questions about the captaincy. Brook is leader of the white-ball teams at present. He is also touted to take over the Test captaincy left vacant by the shock retirement of Ben Stokes. Yet how can anyone be a captain across all formats with a schedule like this? Even Bethell, touted as a future white-ball captain, would not be able to fill in for that Pakistan se- ries. So who then? It is a good question and one the ECB will have to think carefully about before they name Stokes’s suc- cessor because Brook can surely not do both jobs. Fans will also notice that the Bangladesh Test is taking place in London. Along with the World Test Championship final – to be played at The Oval from 9-13 June – it means four of the seven men’s Tests in Eng- land next summer will be in London. None of the men’s Ashes Tests will take place in the north, with only a women’s Ashes Test at Headingley taking place north of Nottingham.
TIP
Diamond Rain (7.50, York) Only two lengths behind See The Fire on her reappearance over course and distance and was headed on the line when defending her Newcastle Group Three crown last month. Her mark of 112 is clear from the rest of the field.
7.50
England’s 2027 summer
15 May First ODI v Pakistan (Utilita Bowl, Southampton) 19 May Second ODI (Old Trafford) 21 May Third ODI (Headingley) 23 May Fourth ODI (Riverside, Chester-le-Street) 26 May Fifth ODI (Sophia Gardens) 28 May-1 June Only Test v Bangladesh (Lord’s) 18-22 June First Ashes Test v Australia (Trent Bridge) 30 June–4 July Second Test (Lord’s) 8-12 July Third Test (Edgbaston) 21– 25 July Fourth Test (Utilita Bowl) 29 July–2 August Fifth Test (The Oval) 7 September First IT20 v New Zealand (Riverside) 9 September Second IT20 (Old Trafford) 11 September Third IT20 (Sophia Gardens) 14 September First ODI v New Zealand (Edgbaston) 16 September Second ODI (Lord’s) 19 September Third ODI (Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol) 22 September Fourth ODI (Trent Bridge) 25 September Fifth ODI (Headingley)
World Test Championship final 9–13 June (The Oval)
England women’s 2027 summer 24-27 June Ashes Test v Australia (Headingley) 3 July First IT20 v Australia (Trent Bridge) 6 July Second IT20 (The Oval) 9 July Third IT20 (Old Trafford) 13 July First ODI v Australia (Utilita Bowl) 16 July Second ODI (Lord’s) 20 July Third ODI (Edgbaston) 8 September First IT20 v Bangladesh (County Ground, Northampton) 10 September Second IT20 (County Ground, Taunton) 12 September Third IT20 (New Road) 17 September First ODI v Bangladesh (County Ground, Hove) 21 September Second ODI (St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury) 24 September Third ODI (County Ground, Chelmsford)
A S C OT GO O D TO F IR M
FLEXJET PAT EDDERY STAKES (LISTED) (CLASS 1) 2YO £65,000 added 7f
2.55
1
5105 ALFRED WALLACE (D) E Walker 9 5..............................O Murphy 6
2
1594 DANDYMAN DAN P Evans 9 5......................................................J F Egan 8
3
1 FIREHORSE S Woods 9 5.......................................................T Marquand 1
4
1 GYMBAAZY (D) Owen Burrows 9 5.................................D Muscutt 2
5
4711 KACH ABOVE (D) D Loughnane 9 5......................Laura Pearson 3
6
14 SILVER DOMINION (D) Oliver Cole 9 5..........................H Crouch 5
7
1 SONNY PARVENUE R Hannon 9 5...........................................P Dobbs 7
8
310 TIME FOR THE MOON (D) C Johnston 9 5..............................................
......................................................................................................................B Loughnane 10
9
401 TREASURER C Fellowes 9 5..................................................David Egan 4
10
120 LOVE IS R Hughes 9 0.............................................................................F Marsh 9
- 10 declared -
BETTING: 3-1 Sonny Parvenue, 7-2 Silver Dominion, 4-1 Alfred Wallace,
15-2 Time For The Moon, 8-1 Gymbaazy, 10-1 Love Is, 12-1 Firehorse, 14-1
Treasurer, 20-1 others.
Y O R K GO O D TO F IR M
BRITISH EBF LYRIC FILLIES’ STAKES (LISTED) (CLASS 1) £70,000 added 1m 2f
1
123-32 DIAMOND RAIN (D)(BF) C Appleby 5 9 6.......................W Buick 5
2
52-844 MISS JUSTICE (D) B Meehan 5 9 6.......................P Mulrennan T 4
3
140-47 QILIN QUEEN (D) E Walker 4 9 6...................................K Shoemark 6
4
1302-1 REGAL CHARM (D) H Candy 4 9 6.......................................R Hornby 1
5
3-1213 ESTISSA J Fanshawe 3 8 11............................................................H Davies 3
6
51-137 ON MESSAGE R Beckett 3 8 11............................................E Greatrex 2
- 6 declared -
BETTING: 4-7 Diamond Rain, 6-1 Qilin Queen, 13-2 On Message, 15-2
Estissa, 14-1 Miss Justice, 33-1 Regal Charm.
The Sport Matrix
A
C
C
A C
Ryana MacDonald- G ay (right) starred with 4 for 17 as Manchester Super Giants started their campaign in The Hundred with a seven- wicket thrashing of London Spirit at Lord’s. MacDonald-Gay claimed top billing, snaring marquee South Africa pair Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk as the Spirit were all out for 80 in 91 balls, with Super Giants cruising home with 41 balls to spare.
B
B A
A L
Puzzle solutions
Dominoes
6 5 3 2 4 4 3 3
4 3
4 3
1 4 6 4 0 6 6 0
5 5 4 5 5 6 5 1
5 4
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 1
6 4 3 6 1 2 2 1
2 1
12+
3 0 5 3 3 0 4 3
2 2 5 1 1 2 6 2
2 5
0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
+
6 7
7 5
3 % 6 / & ( , 7 5 - ' 4 +
= ; ) * 0 . 1 9 < 8 : $ 2
Minesweeper Word Square Calcudoku
9 6
8 7
8 4 2 6 9 7 5 3 1 3 9 5 8 4 1 2 7 6 1 7 6 3 5 2 9 4 8 5 8 7 9 6 4 1 2 3 9 6 4 1 2 3 7 8 5 2 3 1 5 7 8 4 6 9 6 2 9 7 8 5 3 1 4 7 5 3 4 1 6 8 9 2 4 1 8 2 3 9 6 5 7
Futoshiki
1 4 2 3 5
3 1
4 3 1 5 2
3 1 5 2 4
2 5 3 4 1
5 2 4 1 3
1 1 2 3 4 3
2 4 3 1 4 2
3 2 1 2 3 1
4 1 4 3 2 4
3 4 2 2 1 3
2 1 4 3 1 4
A B C
A B C
C B C A
B C A
B C A
C A B
B C B
2 2 3 3 4 1 2 4 3 0 2 6 3 5 4 2 0 4 1 1 3 5 1 3 3 1 1 1 4 2 1 4 3 3 3 0 0 2 0 2 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 1 0 0 1 4
Hexalex
I N M R P C F S Z H O K Y E G W U D L B T A J
3 5 6 2 2 3 3 1
3 5 6
A 3
LEFT TO RIGHT:
sad; thrush; blur; slash;
blue; thrash; clue; club;
drub; hint; drab; skint;
slab; hilt; dreary.
Word Wheel NINE-LETTER WORD BLINKERED OTHER WORDS belie, belied, belike, bile, bilk, bilked, bled, bleed, blend, blender, blind, blinder, blink, blinked, blinker, bridle, brindle, deli, edible, elder, elide, idle, idler, inkle, keel, kernel, kiln, kindle, kneel, leek, leer, lend, lender, lied, lien, like, liken, likened, line, lined, liner, link, linked, linker, rebel, reel, rekindle, relied, reline, relined, rile.
7 4
7 4
746 Number Pyramid
324 422
139 185 237
62 77 108 129
32 30 47 61 68
20 12 18 29 32 36
17 3 9 9 20 12 24
E X T R A C T
M O P
P T V S O
O E E H Y M N O J
W X R O E R U
E T W I C E A L S
R U N T R Y S T
S R I G H T F U L L
U E O Y Y
B S A T Y R
U E E W O R S H I P
R Q A A
B U L R
D I E S E L D R E S S
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
RUGBY UNION GOLF Birdie bid turns into nightmare nine for Hull
bounces back with maiden fifty
Teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi rebounded from his chastening tour of England by registering his maiden fifty for India in a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first T20. Sooryavanshi’s success in the Indian Premier League meant he became his country’s youngest male debutant aged 15 earlier this month, but he made scores of just 14, 13 and 15 against England. But Sooryavanshi (above) , who was dropped for the final match in England, was back to his best in Harare with an 18-ball half-century. He belted four sixes and as many fours as India eased to a 126-run target in the 14th over.
7 × 4 8
×
×
1 × 3 3
×
8 × 5 + 6 46
15 1 72
5+ 5× 13+
2 3 5 1 4 6
2- 10× 3-
6 4 2 5 3 1
30× 7+ 10×
5 6 1 3 2 4
1- 2× 15+
3 2 6 4 1 5
30× 1-
4 1 3 6 5 2
1 5 4 2 6 3
2 2 8
Across: 3 ottom<-a-N, 5/6 Money matters Down: 1 Co.-gnate, 2 La-w-yer, 4 Tom-b-a/c
World number seven Charley Hull racked up a quadruple-bogey nine and fellow Englishwoman Georgia Hall a 10 as “interesting” pin positions and windy conditions made for a testing opening round of the Women’s Scot- tish Open. Hull (above) rolled a 15-foot birdie attempt past the flag at the par- five fifth and watched it roll off the green into a hollow. The 30-year-old took four at- tempts to chip back up the steep slope, with her ball coming to rest in almost the same position as her original putt, but she learned from her mistake and holed from 12ft. Hull signed for a six-over 78 at Dundonald Links, 12 strokes behind joint clubhouse leader Jenny Shin.
3 × 6 - 4 14
5 × 1 - 9 -4
8 2
2 -3
5 -3 38
3 8
CAKE
SNAG
SAKE
SNUG
SANE
SLUG
SINE
SLUM
SINK
SLAM
SICK
CLAM
SOCK
CRAM
A S P A B L E S L A T P E T E
6 5 2 8 1 7 9 3 4 3 8 4 2 5 9 1 6 7 7 9 1 3 6 4 2 5 8 2 1 3 7 4 5 8 9 6 5 4 9 6 3 8 7 1 2 8 6 7 9 2 1 5 4 3 9 7 6 5 8 3 4 2 1 4 2 8 1 9 6 3 7 5 1 3 5 4 7 2 6 8 9
9 2 5 7 6 8
3 7 4 1 8 2
4 8 9 3 2 1
5 9 1 9 3 2 4 6
4 6 7 8 5 1
2 5 6 1 9 4
9 2 5 1 7 8 3 4
7 3 9 6 4 5
6 4 2 5 1 3
63 72 33 52 49 60 31 54 19 100
34 51 62 79 32 53 16 99 30 55
73 64 71 50 61 48 59 18 15 20
2 35 78 65 80 17 98 47 56 29
77 74 1 70 97 66 81 58 21 14
36 3 76 89 82 43 46 67 28 57
75 90 87 44 69 96 83 42 13 22
4 37 92 95 88 45 68 25 10 27
3 1 2
91 86 39 6 93 84 41 8 23 12
38 5 94 85 40 7 24 11 26 9
Bridges
1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 2 4 3 3 6 6 2 1 2 2
1 2 6 4 5 5 5 1 2 6 3 2 3 4 5 1 3 2 1 1 4 7 6 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 1 1 3 6 4 2 1 1 7 7 3 5 4 4 5 2 2 4 1 4 5 2 1 4 4 1 2 4 2 3 4 3 4 4 3 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 3 3 2 5 3 3
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
censure for referee outburst
Argentina Tomas Albornoz has been cited by World Rugby after his outburst towards referee Angus Gardner during last Saturday’s defeat to England. The fly-half (above) faces sanction for confronting the referee after the final whistle at Santiago del Estero, as England prevailed 31-24. Gardner disallowed a late try for the Pumas that could have earned them a draw, infuriating Argentine players, who confronted the referee. Albornoz had to be physically restrained by coaching staff and a team-mate as he remonstrated with the referee and angrily threw the ball into the ground.
1 9 2 1 1 2 3 8 6 9
8 9 4 1 3 2 8 3 7 9 1 8 1 7 1 2 3 4 5 2 1 1 5 9
1 4 2 8 9 7 3 6 1 2
5 9
9 5 7 1 3 6 8 4 2 6 1 4 7 9 3 5 2 8 2 8 3 6 5 9 1 7 4 8 4 2 3 1 7 6 9 5 5 2 9 4 8 1 7 6 3 7 6 5 2 4 8 3 1 9 1 9 8 5 6 2 4 3 7 4 3 6 9 7 5 2 8 1 3 7 1 8 2 4 9 5 6
1 3 8 6 3 2 8 6
9 5 2
1 9 9 5 4 5 8 8 2 9
Pathfinder
S P I I N S N O E F
E Y T A F O N C R F
A D T R A L A N D I
R O O M E T T T R A
M A I T R I R T I E
K R B I H N A N S L
H R E I N N O C R C
E T S S F T N E U O
A R O F R N D M B H
L T H Y I E C O A T
H H C A R N B R E A B J Q V X R S T M F C C G Y Z N Y B Y Z B A X U Y A U Q W E N Z F P R I T J C R E N S E N G A T S G E L O V D D R Y N J L D A M P C A U U T C E A R M H A Y L E N S B W R S K R O N S H A P T A O A C U E C U B E E H R D D Z D T I R B T A M B Z P X L S N Y S S O H D R A E K S I L T E S R D L A U N C E S T O N I P X M T R E V E R B Y N U R V G I K N H C H H D Y N N X O E N T O R P O I N T K S M U Q S F G H Q L L E T S U A T S D O
13 13
13 13
2 6 9 4 1
3 4 1 3 6 2 4
2 7 8 2 4 9 1 3 2
4 3 1 7 3 2 6 5 8
4 2 8 1 4 7 1
5 3 6 2 5
5 8 1
1 4 5 2 6 3
6 1 3 4 5 2
3 2 1 5 4 6
2 5 4 6 3 1
5 6 2 3 1 4
4 3 6 1 2 5
SPORT
CYCLING TOUR DE FRANCE
Richard Carapaz accelerated away in the final stretches of stage 18
an emotional breakaway win
By Ian Parker
Richard Carapaz broke away to his second career Tour de France stage win as Tadej Pogacar stayed safe in yellow three days from Paris. The Ecuadorian rode clear a little over three kilometres from the top of the summit finish in Orcières- Merlette to win by 45 seconds from stage 13 winner Mauro Schmid and Matteo Jorgenson. It was an emotional moment for the 33-year-old, who lost his mother at the start of the year and wanted to dedicate the race to her memory. “It’s been a special day,” said Carapaz, whose previous Tour win also came in a breakaway, in 2024. “This is a very beautiful stage that I dedicate to my family. That’s what I’m most grateful for – to know the work I do can be compensated with all of this. “We tried [to win from breakaways] several times and it was impossible, but today it was. It’s been a hard day. I knew it was a hard final climb. I was waiting for the chance. It’s great to have the win. Pogacar and other general classification hopefuls crossed the line four minutes 35 seconds after Carapaz, with Pogacar retaining his four minute 32 second advantage over Remco Evenepoel ahead of two big days on the Alpe d’Huez. The fight for the break started on the first climb, the Cote d’Engins, early on the 185km stage from Voiron. Carapaz was in a group of six to hit the final climb together and the 2021 Olympic champion launched his first attack on a tight right-hand corner four kilometres from the top. Valentin Paret- Peintre, Schmid and Jorgenson shut that down but had no response when Carapaz attacked again. It was a 25th professional win for Carapaz, but his first since last year’s Giro d’Italia. The win moved him up to 10th in the general standings, albeit 21 minutes down. Adam Yates again fought his way to the finish still apparently suffering with illness but Brandon McNulty, who started the day feeling a sore throat, abandoned midway through the stage.
Russell receives title boost after Mercedes identify costly issue
By Philip Duncan
IN HUNGARORING
George Russell has been handed a significant boost in his world cham- pionship bid after it emerged Mer- cedes have resolved his mysterious energy-deployment problem. Russell (below) trails team-mate Kimi Antonelli by 50 points in the standings after the Italian teenager romped to his sixth victory from the 10 rounds so far at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. Russell’s race ended following a collision with Lewis Hamilton that happened after he was exposed to the chasing pack following a first-lap engine glitch. A day earlier, a deployment riddle – first blamed on Russell’s driving style – then contributed to him qualifying half a second behind Antonelli. Russell said he was “pray- ing” the debilitating problem would be fixed ahead of this week- end’s Hungarian Grand Prix, the final round prior to the three-week summer break, and his Mercedes team are confident they have got to the bottom of the problem, an ap- parent coding issue hidden away in his engine. Speaking at the Hungaroring yesterday, the 28-year-old, who has suffered a catalogue of mechanical issues this year, said: “These new power units are just exceptionally complex and there was something deeply embedded in the calibration code. It was almost impossible to see unless you knew exactly what to look for, but I’m glad we have found it. “I definitely feel this is the most re-
Rowley leaves Saints on eve of big clash with neighbours
By Andy Hampson
St Helens head coach Paul Rowley has stepped down with immediate effect. Rowley’s departure, less than a year into the job, comes amid a difficult season and just a day before the club face arch-rivals Wigan at the Brick Community Stadium. Assistant coach Eamon O’Carroll will take charge of first- team affairs on an interim basis. Saints chairman Eamonn McManus said in a statement: “The decision was an extremely difficult one for all concerned, and we fully recognise the extra challenges that Paul faced with us this particular season.” Saints are sixth in Super League and in danger of missing out on the play-offs for the first
silient I’ve ever been in my whole life, and I take pride in my mentality out- side of the car. I still believe in myself and the team, even when everything looks against us. “Unfortunately, I’ve had too much practice of being disappointed. Last week was a slap in the face, but I am closer in the championship than I was four races ago [Russell trailed Antonelli by 68 points after the Monaco Grand Prix], so I head into the weekend with a positive mind- set and excitement about what’s to come, rather than disappointment of what’s happened.” In a radio transmission, which was not broadcast during last Sunday’s race at Spa-Francorchamps, Russell yelled: “What the fk happened with the SOC [state of bat- tery charge] down the straight? I had no fing battery down the straight. Guys, unacceptable. Un-f**ing- acceptable, this whole weekend.” Responding to his outburst, Rus- sell continued: “We all hold ourselves to the highest level, and my emotions were exceptionally high because I got knocked out of the race. “Radio messages, 99 per cent of the time, are words that are said through pure frustration and hot- headedness. I am the first person to look at myself in the mirror and see where I can improve. It’s no- body’s fault, but we need to limit these issues. “The whole team is standing by me and vice versa, and ultimately we have achieved what we wanted to in the sense of finding there was a problem [in the engine].”
time in the competition’s history. They dropped out of the top six after a dismal 46-0 home loss to Toulouse – which increased the pressure on Rowley – earlier this month, but returned to play-off positions after last week’s 32-18 defeat of Catalans Dragons. Rowley had to contend with an extensive injury list at a club in transition, but some supporters had become frustrated by the team’s style of play. The 51-year-old was appointed on a three-year contract at the start of the season after leaving financially-stricken Salford, where he had impressed despite off-field turmoil. The former England hooker had previously coached Leigh and Toronto. The club have not indicated when they intend to appoint a permanent successor.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
affordable and relevant as ‘reset’ starts in Glasgow
By James Toney
King Charles stepped out of the Tar- dis at last night’s opening ceremony, a perhaps unfortunate visual analo- gy for an event long accused of living in another time. The event continues to battle ac- cusations of irrelevance like Doctor Who battles Daleks. Yet that we’re here in Glasgow is testament to this city’s commitment and to 96 years of history. Twenty-three editions in, the Commonwealth Games are back in Scotland just 12 years after this city last welcomed them. But never before have they had to climb off the canvas like this. At one stage, there was a very real pros- pect the Games would disappear altogether. The event was due to be staged in the Australian state of Vic- toria until the government walked away three years ago, saying soaring costs made the project impossible to justify to taxpayers. For more than a year, the Games
didn’t have a host until Glasgow stepped in, giving itself less than two years to plan. This sporting al- liance of nations, forged from the pink bits of a long-yellowing world order, has probably never been more precarious. Birmingham had 19 sports; Glasgow has just 10, staged across four venues in an eight-mile cor- ridor. They are being delivered on a streamlined budget of £150m, roughly a quarter of the £543m the 2014 Games cost. “Two years ago, there was a dis- tinct possibility the Games wouldn’t happen. We were at a defining mo- ment, a fork in the road. Scotland stepped up to the plate,” said Com- monwealth Games president Dr Donald Rukare. “We believe now the Games are in a very good position. “This is far from the Common- wealth Games’ final chapter. What we’re witnessing is a fundamental transformation in what the Com- monwealth Games must become to
remain viable, not just through 2030, but well into 2034, 2038 and beyond.” The key word in Glasgow is “reset”. Don’t call this event slimmed down or low budget. What is vital to Rukare and his team is that these Games become more affordable for more nations to host. Five of the last six editions have been held in either Great Britain or Australia, the exception being the chaotically organised 2010 Games in New Delhi, an event still held up as a case study in how not to do it. The next Games, which mark the centenary, return to India, with Amdavad promising more sports as part of its bid. There are report- edly five or six interested hosts for 2034, with their respective sports ministers being extensively lobbied this week. Just under 40 per cent of Com- monwealth nations are in Africa, but the continent has never staged the event, Durban pulling out of the 2022 Games over cost concerns, with Birmingham stepping in. Ugandan Rukare and chief execu- tive Katie Sadlier have made no se- cret that this must change, but they know their organisation must allow hosts more latitude to manage costs and logistics. Yet expanding the Games’ foot- print also brings difficult questions about the values they claim to rep- resent. More than half of the 54 countries competing here have laws against same-sex relationships, with many of those in Africa, includ- ing Nigeria, currently considered
IN GLASGOW
They are on a budget of £150m, roughly a quarter of the £543m the 2014 Games cost
among the frontrunners to host in 2034. “Human rights and inclusive- ness are ingrained in our constitu- tion,” said Sadlier four years ago. “Our membership absolutely values the principles we have, and they were central to our bidding process.” Sadlier deftly, but significantly, backtracked on those comments in Glasgow, underlining the difficult choices ahead not just for this event but for the wider Commonwealth family. However, perhaps it’s taken nearly a century of fighting for relevance for the Commonwealth Games to find their real role as the ultimate sporting palate cleanser. Every hour of the day we can gorge on our favourite teams, leagues and stars, spoiled for choice across every channel and stream. So perhaps, once every four years, it can nour- ish the soul to get excited about a bronze-medal match between Va- nuatu and New Zealand. And if all else fails, there’s always the lawn bowls. Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33m is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
Johnson-Thompson withdraws as more stars skip Scotland
By James Toney
Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s bid for a historic third consecutive Commonwealth Games title is over before it has even begun. Johnson-Thompson is thought to have prioritised her bid for a first- ever European title in Birmingham next month and will be replaced by Niamh Emerson. The prospect of two home major championships in the space of a fort- night always meant difficult choices for British athletes. This year’s Games were originally scheduled to take place in March but Australia withdrew as hosts and Glasgow stepped in on just 18 months’ notice. In addition to Johnson-Thompson, fellow Olympic medallists Dina Ash- er-Smith, Daryll Neita, Amber An- ning and Matthew Hudson-Smith have all now confirmed they will miss the Games, with the team for the Europeans due to be named on Monday. Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson has always said Glas- gow was not part of her plans for this season. Selection for Glasgow continues a remarkable comeback year for the 27-year-old Emerson, who complet- ed her first heptathlon in eight years in April. Emerson, who was previously mentored by Jessica Ennis-Hill, was tipped as the sport’s next big thing after winning the world junior title in 2018, the same year she claimed Commonwealth bronze on the Gold Coast. Asher-Smith is replaced by Renee Regis in the 4x100m relay squad,
Mum’s the word for Marchant as she builds for Olympics
By Ian Parker
Cyclist Katy Marchant will race at her first Commonwealth Games in eight years next week less than 12 months after becoming a mum for the second time. Walter, a little brother to four-year-old Arthur, arrived in August last year and Marchant has described getting back into competition shape as the “hardest thing I’ve ever done”, but doing it a second time means fear of the unknown is gone. “I feel more confident this time,” the 33-year-old said. “Coming back after having Arthur, there were days when I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, am I going to be good again?’ The sport moves on, will I have what it takes? “I feel more confident this time that it’s part of the journey and the bad days make the good.”
Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s focus is on the European Championships
joining her sister Alicia, a member of the 4x400m team. Their selec- tion comes 36 years after their fa- ther, John Regis, and mother, Jenny Stoute, both won Commonwealth gold in Auckland. “I wish the athletes the very best of luck in their recoveries and with the opportunities ahead during the rest of their seasons,” said athletics team leader Scott Grace. “This is a fantastic opportunity for athletes who are in excellent form to step into Team England and represent their country on the world stage. “We are excited to support these athletes in Glasgow over the next couple of weeks.” Team England’s athletics squad will now be headlined by world medallists Amy Hunt and Georgia Hunter Bell.
Two years ago Marchant got the confirmation about her ability to get back to the top – winning Olympic team sprint gold and the world title alongside Emma Finucane and Sophie Capewell. As she eyes a fourth Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, Marchant is seeing the signs again. “I’ve been producing performances in training like I was six months leading up to the Games,” she added. “That confirms I’ve made the right decision to not retire yet.” Marchant has followed Laura Kenny, Sarah Storey and road rider Lizzie Deignan in returning to competition as a mum, but she returns as a sprinter. She admitted that made her a “guinea pig” given the different demands on the body, but as she goes through the process again she knows what to expect.
WEIGHTLIFTING
weight with the next generation
By Mark Staniforth
Double Olympic medallist Emily Campbell is determined to relish every moment of her time on the big stage and complete the job of inspiring a whole new generation of girls to flex their muscles. Campbell did not give weightlifting a second thought until shortly prior to the Rio 2016 Games but her inspiring trajectory since has seen her blaze a trail that others are showing every sign of emulating. The 32-year-old is heading into her third Commonwealth Games as the defending 87-plus kg champion as well as a six-time consecutive European gold medallist – a remarkable feat for someone who had not given her sport a second thought the last time the event was held in Glasgow in 2014. “I didn’t even really know what weightlifting was in 2014,” Campbell said. “I remember watching Glasgow 2014 on the TV but I was glued to the athletics because that was what I was still hoping to get into at that stage. “In 2014 it was still considered very unusual to show an interest in weightlifting, but now you have conversations with a lot of women and it’s considered normal, so I do think the perception of the sport from a female perspective has really changed in that time.” Zoe Smith was the only member of England’s six-strong women’s weightlifting team to win a medal in Glasgow. In April this year, a Great Britain women’s team topped the medals table at the European Championships in Batumi, Georgia, with seven medals, including successful title defences for both Campbell and her team-mate Sarah Davies. Such statistics provide concrete evidence of the success of Campbell’s mission to shatter old stereotypes and make weightlifting an attractive option to young female athletes. “It’s nice to see we’re making strides now because it’s something we had to work really hard for when I started weightlifting,” added Campbell, who carried the England flag at the opening ceremony in Birmingham in 2022.
Emily Campbell wants to inspire the next generation of female lifters
SPORT
MANCHESTER UNITED Old Trafford regulars fear they are being priced out and pushed aside
A
Elliot Anderson came of age idolising City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne
come, Anderson tells City fans
» Continued from back page
the prospect of playing in the Manchester derby, with City due to face neighbours Manchester United at Old Trafford on the afternoon of 13 September. Anderson, who was linked with both clubs this summer, said: “It’s one of the biggest derbies in the world and for as long as I’ve known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester. “It’ll be a great fixture and I can’t wait to be involved in something like that.” Anderson came through the youth ranks at Newcastle United and made 55 appearances for his boyhood club. Early in his career he also enjoyed a successful loan at Bristol Rovers, where he earned the nickname ‘Geordie Maradona’. He joined Forest in a £35m deal two years ago and played 92 times for the Reds. He earned his first England call-up last season and quickly established himself as a key member of Thomas Tuchel’s side over the last 10 months. “I’m only 23, so I’ve got plenty of time to get to my best levels,” he said. “I’m definitely not there yet and there’s more to come. “I bring a bit of everything. I bring quality, I bring physicality, energy. I’d like to think I’d get the fans excited, get them off their feet and bring energy to the team.” There is extra significance in the move for Anderson, as he grew up idolising former City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. He said of the Belgian veteran: “Kevin is someone who I’ve hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years. “I’ve always wanted to play like him. I’ve watched him all the time and to be sat here in the team that he was doing it for is so special.” City director of football Hugo Viana added of the new arrival: “Elliot is one of the outstanding young midfield talents in world football. We feel he can become a complete midfielder.”
but loyal fans are feeling maligned
n already fractious relationship is now at breaking point, on the eve of a new season that was supposed to represent the perfect opportunity to start afresh. Hundreds of Manchester United supporters, some of whom have been attending games for decades, have been contacted by the club after their accounts were flagged over suspected ticket touting. The social media backlash has been vitriolic, to put it mildly. A club that has done much to irk its own supporters since co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos came on board are now targeting their most loyal supporters. For the first time, influential fan groups have joined together to call for an end to the ongoing process and the withdrawal of any unproven suspensions. “It is diabolical,” one disgruntled season ticket holder of 25 years tells The i Paper after receiving the dreaded email. “We know why they are doing it: drive us season-ticket holders out, then day-trippers, who spend all their money in the club shop and on food, replace us. “As ever with Ratcliffe, money comes first.” The issue is much more complex than many supporters realise, however. By contacting supporters, with two rounds of emails already sent, United are seeking an explanation from fans who have given their login details for the United ticketing app to more than six different people, who can then access and share the match-day e-ticket. This appears unusual and isn’t going to flag someone who is just logging into their dad’s account, despite claims on social media to the contrary. The club, however, allow supporters to forward away tickets to other season-ticket holders, for example, at an unlimited rate.
NORTH-WEST FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
So those who have been flagged for multiple account logins are often regular matchgoers who are doing nothing wrong. “I manage all our groups’ applications, so we can coordinate,” Steve, a season-ticket holder, tells The i Paper. “We’re not doing anything against what the club says. We’re using the official forwarding system they state. They should be going after the people that log in on the app because that’s where the tickets are. “We might be forwarding tickets from multiple account log ins, but the club have got the data where the ticket is going and can see it is for other season- ticket holders. I don’t see why they think what we are doing is touting, because surely they would then look and see if that ticket is being forwarded or it’s acquired from logging into the app by someone else.” Despite supporters taking it upon themselves to warn the club, the system of adding season tickets to your own in the app could not be more susceptible to fraud. All you need to do is get the season-ticket number and name of another holder, and you are then free to use that to attend matches. “Someone could get my number and then beat me to the turnstile the next match, simple as that,” another anonymous fan says. “We have told United there needs to be some form of two-factor authentication, a password or something, but no. And then they try blame us?” United are not the only club trying to crack down on touts. This week, Liverpool have issued over 400 lifetime banning orders relating to illegal sales of tickets at their matches.
Number of people United’s ticketing guidance says supporters can link up to a profile with an app-ticket 6
The club feel well within their rights to attempt to stamp out such activity. Sources added that no formal sanctions have been issued yet. United are simply restricting accounts and requesting information from supporters to prove they are not up to no good. “They’ve not been banned, the club just want more information,” one supporter, who wished to remain anonymous, told The i Paper. “If they have nothing to hide, why are they worried? Maybe other supporters with 10 years’ worth of loyalty points who follow the rules might get a better chance at away tickets now.” The distribution of away tickets has been a controversial topic among United supporters for some time. Many of the people contacted are in the loyalty scheme and are almost guaranteed to get tickets for every away game, having been present and applied for everything for a prolonged period of time. Some of these, so say some naysayers, are in the scheme as a result of sharing their tickets out with numerous others or even selling them on, for inflated fees, while keeping the loyalty points. What has caused the most consternation is how United are going about this process.
United say they are protecting fans, but many loyal matchgoers feel treated as suspects
“They didn’t even tell us in this first wave of emails what it was, just that it was a suspicious activity on your account,” Steve adds. “Now you have to plead your innocence. Plead your innocence for what? They always come up with this ‘you’re guilty before proving yourself innocent’ approach. “There has been pressure from MUST [Manchester United Supporters Trust] to change the sanctions process, but I know they are struggling with that. When United have done some data analysis to identify problems that have happened in the past, they’ve got it wrong. And it is happening again.” United are aware that some rule-abiding supporters are being caught in the crossfire but remain resolute in their attempts to eradicate touting. Sources insist restrictions are necessary because if they didn’t restrict the accounts while investigating, then touts with tickets for all games could just sell
them on and profit from it. The club is adamant this is not a revenue- driving scheme and that any revoked season ticket will be resold as another season ticket. Supporters, angry at recent ticket price rises and other controversial Ineos cost-cutting measures, are rather sceptical. “I believe this is directly related to simply raising prices and attracting non-season ticket revenue,” Professor Rob Wilson, a football finance expert and programme director at the University Campus of Football Business, tells The i Paper. “While some call them sport tourists, ad hoc attendees are becoming a crucial revenue stream for clubs. They spend more on their ticket and spend more on a match day. It’s an uncomfortable truth about modern football economics. “It’s fair to say an average season-ticket holder probably spends £20-30 at the
stadium, at most. A one-off visitor will spend five times that amount. And then if we look at hospitality ticket goers, that number is likely £750-£1,000 per person, including the ticket for bog-standard corporate. Hence they are trying to squeeze in more.” Old Trafford regulars will take some convincing otherwise. Even if United do reallocate any season tickets taken away from those deemed to be touts, going to war with long-standing fans acts as a deterrent, putting off others from continuing to part with thousands of their hard- earned pounds. And who will fill those free seats – big-spending tourists. Just last year, season- ticket holders behind the dugouts were informed their seats would be converted into premium hospitality seats and they would be relocated, leading to protests at several games. It is understood all emails calling for more information have been sent out. The question the club have to consider now is: was it all worth it?
FRIDAY
24 JULY 2026
NEWS
OPINION TV
FRIDAY
MONEY
SPORT
2-35
18-22
26-31
37-43
44-46
50-56
Trafford set for Elland Road after Magpies interest cools
By George Sessions and Damian Spellman
Leeds look set to win the race for James Trafford after they entered advanced talks with Manchester City over the signing of the England goalkeeper. Trafford only moved to the Etihad Stadium last summer but, after he was displaced by Gianluigi Donnarumma in September, the 23-year-old became eager to seek a fresh challenge for the 2026-27 campaign. Newcastle have been long-term admirers of Trafford (above), but Leeds are expected to secure the services of the former Burnley
Hibs on brink in Europe after flopping in Pristina
By Ronnie Esplin
Hibernian’s quest for Conference League football is in jeopardy after a 2-0 humbling by unfancied Kosovan outfit Malisheva. Kreshnik Uka stunned David Gray’s side in the first leg of the sec- ond qualifying-round tie at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina when he opened the scoring in the 21st min- ute from close range. Hibs stepped up the pressure after the break and new signing Na- than Lowe missed a couple of chanc- es but home substitute Valjmir Nafiu added a second in the 90th minute on the break to leave the Scots with a rescue mission in the second leg at Easter Road next week. It was another abject night for
Klopp set to be confirmed as coach until 2030 World Cup
By Carl Markham
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is set to be confirmed as Germany head coach today. The German Football Association (DFB) has called a press conference for 11am local time (10am BST) at the DFB campus in Frankfurt. Klopp was the first man the DFB turned to when Julian Nagelsmann resigned after a disappointing World Cup ended with a penalty shoot-out exit to Paraguay in the last 32. The DFB opened talks with Klopp (above) in New York, where he was working as a television
stopper after negotiations with City accelerated yesterday. Leeds boss Daniel Farke has been on the hunt for a new number one after Karl Darlow left at the end of last season and back-up Illan Meslier moved on. The anticipated move for Trafford would represent a major coup for Leeds, who finished 14th on their return to the Premier League despite a modest summer outlay. Trafford had starred for Burnley during a battle for promotion with Leeds in the 2024-25 Championship when the highly-rated England international conceded only 16 goals in 45 league starts.
Scottish football in Europe as the Leith side came up short against a club that is only a decade old. On-loan Stoke striker Lowe was the only new signing in Gray’s side for the first competitive game of the season. Hibs, who secured their European place with a fifth-placed finish in the Premiership last season, looked comfortable enough in the early stages. But when they went behind their response was tepid, notwith- standing a header from defender Grant Hanley that was easily saved. The visitors kept pushing in the second half without looking danger- ous and as the game became disjoint- ed and scrappy in the final stages, it was the home side that struck once more to pile the pain on Hibs.
pundit, while the World Cup was still on and on 11 July announced it had reached an agreement in principle. He is understood to have agreed a deal taking him through to the next World Cup in 2030. Former Liverpool assistants Pep Lijnders, who recently left Manchester City after Pep Guardiola’s departure, and Peter Krawietz are expected to be appointed to Klopp’s backroom team, while reports suggest Sven Bender – who played under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund – will join them. Klopp left Liverpool in 2024 after nine years.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Aladji Bamba can anchor the midfield or play further forward
Guimaraes to nurture new young talent
» Continued from back page
be sticking to a clear recruitment strategy. As previously revealed by The i Paper, Newcastle have been working on four or five deals simultaneously from a broad list of targets. Although moves for Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi ended in disappointment after they joined Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively, the club have been able to pivot quickly to alternative options. Bamba is one of those and, according to sources, has been “on the radar from day one”. He is regarded as a player with significant potential and is expected to join up with the squad in time for the club’s training camp in La Manga next month. Doing business early was a priority for Newcastle, but there are still several key positions to strengthen. They must also fend off interest in Guimaraes, who remains a target for Arsenal. With Newcastle set to field a younger squad next season, the club sees the 28-year-old captain as a key figure. However, Guimaraes is unsettled and ideally wants the chance to move to the Emirates. The Premier League champions have been informed Newcastle would seek a fee close to the one received for Tonali, but have yet to make a formal offer. Newcastle’s next priority is a goalkeeper, but it won’t be James Trafford. As The i Paper reported on Tuesday, that possibility was dialled down in recent weeks and Trafford is now close to joining Leeds United. Newcastle are also open to departures, with Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock available. That they have added four players, lowered the wage bill and added legs and energy is encouraging. But signing those with so little experience is a risk, which is why retaining Guimaraes and adding more experience in the last days of the transfer window feels critical.
theipaper.com
24 JULY 2026
theipaper.com/sport The i Paper Sport @TheiPaperSport
Priced out and pushed aside – why United fans fear worst
Chris Stocks: England’s 2027 summer looks a mess already
of Manchester, says £116m Anderson
By Andy Hampson
Toon – but Howe expects
a lot more this summer
By Mark Douglas
NORTHERN FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
Newcastle United will seek to inject some experience and know-how in the final 40 days of a recruitment drive that has already transformed Eddie Howe’s squad. The i Paper understands that Newcastle are close to completing additional signings after agreeing a deal for Monaco’s Aladji Bamba. The highly-rated midfielder, 20, is set to join for £30m, with the transfer potentially finalised before
Elliot Anderson has declared Man- chester City the “kings of Manches- ter” after completing his £116m move from Nottingham Forest. The England midfielder has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium with the option of a further 12 months. The deal was agreed earlier this month but finalised this week fol-
tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Gateshead. A first-choice goalkeeper is a priority, while full-backs and a right-sided forward are also on the agenda for Howe (right). Not everyone will nec- essarily follow the age profile of the four sum- mer signings so far. “We believe we’re mak- ing some intelligent bets – but we know there needs to be a bal- ance,” a source said.
lowing the player’s return from the World Cup in the US. Anderson said he was “over the moon” to be signing for “one of the biggest clubs in the world” and has his sights firmly set on winning tro- phies with his new colleagues. “I can’t wait to play for this club,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s a club built to win trophies and compete at the
Although he can play as a No 8, Bamba is being signed as the de- fensive-minded No 6 that Newcas- tle have coveted all summer to give Howe’s side a new dimension next season. There is real satisfac- tion inside St James’ Park at the deal and how Newcastle managed to keep it under wraps until the player was on a private jet flying over Leeds en route to the club’s training ground. Insiders have stressed that the
very top of the game. That is excit- ing for any footballer. “They’re winners, they’re relent- less, and that’s the sort of team I want to be a part of. Over the last 10, 12 years, they’ve dominated, so that’s why I wanted to join.” The midfielder is already relishing
move is not related to Bruno Gui- maraes’ future. While not a like-for-like replace- ment, Bamba is viewed as a suc- cessor to Sandro Tonali in a squad overhaul that has seen Newcastle sign four players with an average age of 19.5. Sources stress that both Bamba and Sean Steur, the Ajax midfielder they beat off competition to sign earlier this month, are “ready to go” and will be expected to rack up plenty of first-team minutes next season. But, at the same time, an el- ement of patience may be required. There is a consistent message coming from the club that they still want another “three or four” in the remaining days of the transfer win- dow and are working on a “multi- tude of deals”. Despite frustration among some supporters over Newcastle’s sum- mer business, the club appears to
York, Alan Williams, Alan Williams, Albert Square, Albert Square, Alexandre Fr, Alfie Wickham, All Birds Irish, Amazing Railway Adventures With Nick Knowles - WARNING: translated output contains large residual English-looking blocks
结论:存在严重质量缺陷 (Blocking Issues Found)
该翻译版本在完整性、忠实度和专业交付标准方面存在显著问题,尤其是出现了严重的“幻觉”内容和交付缺陷。
> [!WARNING] 翻译质量评估未完全通过... 以及一个包含未翻译专有名词列表的审计笔记。根据指令,将内部清理标签作为交付缺陷处理。{Etihad Stadium},未翻译且保留了大括号。£116m (虽然是数字,但部分位置未统一转换为中文习惯)。missing numeric tokens,在正文中虽有部分数字,但整体逻辑因幻觉内容而崩溃。该翻译不可用。它不仅未能忠实地翻译原文,反而将其他无关文档的内容(或AI生成的虚构新闻)混入其中,且未清理QA审核痕迹。
判定:FAIL (不通过)