Write to letters@thetimes.co.ukSir, I read with interest AN Wilson’s response to the election of Pope Leo XIV (“Pope Leo is everything Trump is not: a voice for the masses”, May 8). I have had the privilege of being in Rome for the past three weeks, witnessing the death of Pope Francis and the days leading up to his funeral and this conclave. It is a process like no other, and with added meaning in a world that feels devastatingly uprooted. In 1943, the philosopher Simone Weil wrote that spiritually disoriented peoples often respond to their condition by violently displacing others or succumbing to lethargy and passivity. In St Peter’s Square on Thursday night Pope Leo XIV offered an alternative path for our

The Times reports on Home Office forecasts for net migration, external, and suggestions the annual figure will be closer to 525,000 in 2028 - above the 340,000 level expected by the government. Most of the papers cover yesterday's guilty verdict of the two men who cut down the world famous Sycamore Gap tree near Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland in 2023. "Sycamorons" declares the Daily Star,, external while the Daily Mirror reads: "Mindless", external. The Sun runs with "Saw" - spelt S-A-W - "losers" for its headline. Its editorial goes on to say "boneheaded" and "nihilistic stupidity" requires no further analysis, and instead turns to the encouraging news that the stump of the Sycamore Gap tree has shown signs of regrowth.

Where Eagles Dare, The Guns of ­Navarone, Ice Cold in Alex — these have long been held to be some of the nation’s favourite Second World War films and have proven to be trustworthy companions of men and boys through rainy Sunday afternoons. However, it seems the old stagers are being outflanked by a new force on the Hollywood front. Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, released in 2017, has topped a poll which asked the nation: “What would you say is your favourite film about World War Two?” Nolan’s effort beat Steven ­Spielberg’s 1998 Oscar-winner Saving Private Ryan into second place, while that classic choice of Christmas viewing, The Great Escape, came third. The survey, run by Deltapoll and commissioned by the podcast

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In retrospect, Pope Leo XIV had it all going for him. The new pope, whose election on the second day of the conclave stunned the Roman Catholic world, seemed to be from two places at once. He had the good papal housekeeping seal of approval from Pope Francis, his predecessor, who put him in one of the top jobs in the Roman Catholic Church. There, as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, he led the office that helped that pope choose bishops and, thus, determine the future of the church. At age 69, the new pope is the ideal age for a papal candidate.

"A befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions," Qureshi said. "It is the Pakistani act that constituted provocation and escalation," he said. .He dismissed as ludicrous claims by Pakistan of missiles being fired at religious sites.India also said that Pakistan's claims of critical infrastructure damage were "completely false".The Indian military showed time stamped pictures to deny Pakistan's claims about air force stations and base destruction in India. "Indian armed forces remain in high state of operational readiness... all hostile actions have been effectively countered," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told reporters.India, she said, had targeted Pakistan military assets in Rahim Yar Khan. "Pakistan had attempted a malicious misinformation campaign.

While the country has been basking in unseasonably warm and sunny weather this spring, many farmers have been praying for rain as they watch their livelihoods wither in the dusty soils of the driest start to spring in England for almost 70 years. “Everything was normal in February, a bit chilly and miserable, and then it stopped raining,” Harry Metcalfe, a Cotswolds farmer, said after inspecting his stressed wheat crop. Since February 26 his farm has received 25.8mm of rainfall, compared to the 184mm it received in the same period last year. He suspects the few meagre ears of wheat coming through will make about £5,500 in gross profit at harvest time, down from a budgeted £30,000 when he planted them. That is before

British Airways will get 32 new Boeing planes, in a deal worth nearly $13 billion, its parent company announced on Friday, a day after U.S. officials teased a big order was coming for America’s largest plane maker. IAG, which owns British Airways and other European airlines, said it had ordered the Boeing aircraft as well as 21 planes from Airbus, a French aerospace company, to be delivered between 2028 and 2033. The announcement came after Howard Lutnick, the U.S. commerce secretary, said Thursday that Britain would buy $10 billion worth of Boeing planes as he announced details of what he called a “strong” trade deal between the two countries. The plane order, however, is a commercial agreement and not part of the governments’ trade deal. Mr. Lutnick also said the United States would scrap tariffs on jet engines and other parts from Rolls-Royce, a British company, although the arrangement was not included in the documents published on Thursday by the U.S. and British governments.

AP file photoPoll Do you believe the punishment for vandalizing the Sycamore Gap tree should be severe? Yes, they should face the maximum sentence No, a lesser punishment would sufficeWhat was the court told? 'Moronic mission'Why was the tree so beloved? "Far from being the big men they thought they were, everyone else thought that they were rather pathetic," the prosecutor added.Judge Christina Lambert ordered the pair held in custody until sentencing on July 15. She said they could face "a lengthy period in custody.

Around the country, wealthy families are transforming old, rundown mansions into alluring private-use homes in which they’re welcoming visitors to stay. Set within 28 acres of glorious Hampshire countryside, the house was built in 1878 as a fishing lodge. But the historic, eccentrically bohemian West End is no formal, polished museum — the welcome is relaxed and warm, and extends to dogs. • 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK for 2025It’s the four grandiose suites, though, that make this house a real treat. Bridget HarrisonFrom £6,000 a night (minimum two nights) for up to 18 guests, or from £4,000 a night for a seven-night stay, newtonsurmaville.com

Prosecutor Lyndon Harris told the court that Mr. Ojiri had sold several artworks to Nazem Ahmad, whom he knew to be a suspected terrorist financier sanctioned by the United States and Britain because of links to Hezbollah. The BBC said that Mr. Ojiri had not worked on any BBC programs since 2023 and had been a freelancer rather than a member of the corporation’s staff. He had also appeared on several shows for other British broadcasters. Mr. Ojiri was released on bail ahead of a sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court on June 6. The maximum sentence for the offense is five years’ imprisonment.

(The Center Square) — President Donald Trump’s framework for a trade deal with the United Kingdom includes lower tariffs on vehicles from that nation, a move that U.S. automakers oppose. American Automotive Policy Council President Matt Blunt said the import duties on UK vehicles could end up being lower than those on American-made vehicles. We hope this preferential access for UK vehicles over North American ones does not set a precedent for future negotiations with Asian and European competitors.”The American Automotive Policy Council represents Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company and Stellantis. Under the framework of the UK deal, the first 100,000 vehicles imported from UK manufacturers each year will be subject to a 10% tariff. The U.S. will also negotiate an alternative arrangement with the UK on steel and aluminum, according to the White House.

After Trump was elected president, Craig Souser was preparing for a surge in business for his Pennsylvania-based manufacturing company, which makes robotics systems used in food packaging. Instead, he’s now facing higher costs and falling demand that have caused him to delay investments in his business —and look at adding manufacturing outside the United States. “Nobody saw the magnitude of this coming. I don’t know if it was his plan or not, who knows, but it took what we thought was going to be a rebound year and made it really bad. We have some business but it’s nowhere near what we expected.

Operation Sindoor impact on air travel: Due to ongoing India-Pakistan tensions under 'Operation Sindoor', several airports in North and North-Western India remain closed, with flight cancellations extended until May 15 by airlines like Air India, IndiGo. For flight travel at other airports, passengers are being advised to arrive at airports at least three hours before departure due to enhanced security measures, including secondary ladder point checks and restricted visitor access.

Two days of dressage are now consigned to the scoreboard, and the stage is set for the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase. Badminton Horse Trials cross-country times for the top 1011.35am: Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class), lying ninth. How to watch Badminton Horse TrialsIf you want to watch the live action from Badminton Horse Trials from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. This year, Badminton TV has teamed up with ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch Badminton – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £21.99. As part of Badminton TV, you can enjoy the documentary programme Legends and Legacy, a fly-on-the-wall insight into the 2024 event and preview of 2025.