Latest Stories
-
The misunderstood genius of Vincent van Gogh
Does genius go hand-in-hand with “some touch of madness”? Aristotle thought so. No one exemplifies the idea more than Van Gogh, who has a new exhibition in London. But is it really true?
-
Back me and then sack me, says last-ditch May
Rarely in British history has there been so much confusion over so many important issues with so little time to sort them out. Here is The Day’s early-morning guide to the key questions.
-
#Nemesis: ‘better than a friend or a lover’
Everyone needs a nemesis. Or do they? Social media is abuzz with the idea. And history is full of arch rivals who pushed each other to be better — or drove each other to death.
-
Company behind Pret admits to Nazi past
The Reimann family is the second richest in Germany, with stakes in major brands like Pret and Krispy Kreme. Now they have found evidence of a dark Nazi past. How should this make us feel?
-
The web at 30: a ‘monster hijacked by crooks’
Should we be celebrating its birthday? There is no denying that the internet has revolutionised every aspect of human life, from war to dating to shopping. But has it made things better?
-
Nuclear powers India and Pakistan on red alert
The world holds its breath as Pakistan shoots down an Indian jet and the two historic enemies trade threats. A top scientist has warned that war between them could cause two billion deaths.
-
Study finds signs that civilisation is ending
After analysing the lifespans of nearly 100 historic empires and their cultures, a Cambridge academic finds common warning signs of impending collapse. Alarmingly, many are evident today.
-
Oscar winner Green Book accused of ‘whitewash’
Is this year’s Best Picture a masterpiece — or a whitewash of history? Green Book tells the story of a “true friendship” between a black concert pianist and his white chauffeur in 1962.
-
Trump declares national emergency to build wall
What is it about walls? President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency in order to fund a wall along the US-Mexico border. Now he faces several challenges in the courts.
-
Row erupts over claim Churchill was a villain
Can you be a hero and a villain at the same time? Labour’s shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, is under fire for branding Winston Churchill — once voted the “greatest Briton” — a villain.
-
The real story of Britain’s forgotten Queen
Olivia Colman has won a BAFTA for her portrayal of Queen Anne, an overlooked monarch who was often dismissed as fat, ugly and dull. Has history been unfair to Anne?
-
Islamic State in ruins as final battle rages
The terror group once controlled a vast caliphate across Iraq and Syria. Now, US-backed forces are closing in on the last ISIS militants for a final battle in a tiny area of north-east Syria.
-
Thatcher statue approved amid fiery debate
A statue of the UK’s first female prime minister will be put up on a tall plinth in her hometown, out of the reach of vandals, a year after the sculpture was rejected by Westminster council.
-
‘God wanted Trump to be president’
That is the incredible claim made by Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sarah Sanders. Whether divine intervention is at play or not, Trump is extremely popular among America’s evangelicals.
-
How rocks shaped Brexit (and all of history)
Brexit, ancient Greece, human evolution… What is the key to understanding all these things? Geology, according to a groundbreaking new book by astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell.