Full text: Putin's declaration of war on Ukraine
Dear citizens of Russia! Dear friends! Today, I again consider it necessary to return to the tragic events taking place…
Andrew, Harry and the enduring prudence of the Queen
Prince Andrew’s decision to settle his case with Virginia Giuffre means he will be spared the potentially humiliating ordeal of…
How do Russian and Ukrainian military forces measure up?
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A health-care disaster Sir: Kate Andrews’s piece on who really controls the NHS (‘Waiting game’, 12 February) gives us a…
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Home Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, made ready for a Russian invasion of Ukraine by cutting short a planned visit…
2540: Recycling components - solution
Unclued lights (PLAY, WITH, HOLD, DOWN) comprise components for the unclued cyclic sequence PLAY WITH, WITHHOLD, HOLD DOWN and DOWNPLAY.…
P.J. O’Rourke 1947 — 2022
The great American journalist and satirist P J O’Rourke has died. He contributed a number of articles to The Spectator…
Why Putin wins
Did Vladimir Putin ever intend to invade Ukraine? Or were his troop manoeuvres just a game — another test of…
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Jesus wept Sir: Sam Dunning’s brilliant exposure of the corrupting links between Jesus College, Cambridge and the Chinese Communist party…
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Home In a message for the 70th anniversary of her accession, the Queen said it was her sincere wish that…
Are the Winter Olympics suffering the effects of climate change?
No snow The pistes are covered with artificial snow and the hillsides are bare. Are the Winter Olympics a victim…
2539: Wider - solution
The six unclued lights and PLAYWRIGHTS (35/26) are FETCHER/Fletcher (13), CHILLER/Schiller (22), WESTER/Webster (34), MEANDER/Menander (38), PRIESTLY/Priestley (6) and COTEAU/Cocteau…
What's the point of Boris?
The anger against the Prime Minister for failing to observe the rules which he imposed upon the rest of us…
2538: Green Light! Cross! - solution
The unclued lights are towns on Gozo (go + zo are defined in the puzzle’s title). Apologies that this crossword…
How many people still send letters?
Borderland Few countries can have passed through as many kingdoms and empires as Ukraine — the ‘borderlands’. These are just…
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Portrait of the week: Sue Gray speaks, Boris goes to Ukraine and 477-mile bolt of lightning strikes
Home Sue Gray, the second permanent secretary in the Cabinet Office, in a 12-page ‘update’ on her investigation into 16…
Read in full: Sue Gray's partygate report
Sue Gray’s long-awaited investigation into Downing Street parties during lockdown has just been released. Here is the full text: On…
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Russia’s star Sir: Wolfgang Münchau is surely right to highlight the risk posed to European peace and stability by Germany’s…
What Boris must do now to survive
When Omicron struck, Britain was already the most boosted country in Europe. Our programme was so advanced that 80 per…
Who survived the sinking of the Titanic?
Prime numbers As of 29 January Boris Johnson will have been Prime Minister for two years and 190 days. Currently…
Portrait of the week: Unease in Ukraine, tensions in No. 10 and hamsters escape Hong Kong
Home Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, told the Commons that Britain was prepared to send troops to protect Nato allies…
2537: My Lord! - solution
The exchange that gave rise to the expression CURATE’s (19 Down) Egg was ‘I’m afraid you’ve got a bad egg,…
Portrait of the week: Saving Big Dog, scrapping the licence fee and tsunami hits Tonga
Home Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office, having been asked by Boris Johnson to look into accusations…
After Omicron: there’s no longer a case for restrictions on liberty
Covid-19 is in decline in Britain, with Omicron cases now falling as fast as they rose. The booster programme —…
