A 137-carat diamond hasn’t been seen in public since 1919. It had been hidden inside a Canadian bank for a century
Read our Privacy noticeThe legendary 137-carat yellow gem known as the Florentine Diamond, long believed lost after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, has resurfaced. Once among the most prized jewels of the Habsburg crown, the diamond’s trail went cold after World War I. Among them was a remarkable 137-carat diamond, famous for its pear shape, bright yellow color, and rich history. Known as the Florentine Diamond, the stone had once belonged to the powerful Medici family, rulers of Florence, before passing to the Habsburgs after the Medici line died out. Its disappearance inspired fascination and countless tales, even becoming the centerpiece of novels and films such as The Imperfects, which wove fiction around the mystery of the lost diamond.
Source:The Times
November 07, 2025 06:18 UTC
Times letters: Finger pointing over wrongly freed prisoners
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Source:The Times
November 07, 2025 04:44 UTC
Britain Faces Up to Tough Economic Choices. Finally, Economists Say.
In the budget, Ms. Reeves is expected to either increase taxes or cut spending in order to find tens of billions of pounds if she is to stick to her self-imposed rules on lowering debt. But the chancellor recently presented her spending plans, so raising taxes seem to be only one way out of this bind. Ms. Reeves did not say in her speech that taxes were going to increase, but analysts have said she appears to be preparing the waters for an unpopular decision. The Labour Party promised before it was elected into government last year that it would not raise taxes on working people. Breaking that pledge is likely to infuriate many voters and provide ammunition to her political opponents.
Source:The Times
November 07, 2025 03:50 UTC
American father and son die after being stung over 100 times by swarm of wasps while ziplining in Laos
An American man and his teenage son died last month after they were swarmed by wasps while zip lining at an adventure camp in Laos and stung many dozens of times, a hospital official said Thursday. The camp is located outside the city of Luang Prabang, a popular tourist site in the Southeast Asian nation that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The two were taken to a local clinic and then transported to Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital where they arrived in critical condition, said Jorvue Yianouchongteng, the emergency room physician who received them. "The son was unconscious and passed away after half an hour, while the father was conscious and passed away about three hours later," he told The Associated Press. Farmers burn crop waste from a field outside the Laos UNESCO heritage site of Luang Prabang, Saturday, April 6, 2024.
Source:The Times
November 07, 2025 00:42 UTC
Viewpoint with Andrew Brown: American Right crosses the line from nasty to Nazi
THE dividing line between Nazi and nasty is important on the American Right. That means it’s coming here, since there are no national boundaries in the online world. A spokesperson for Murdoch declined to comment.”Mr Murdoch is the quintessence of nasty, but not Nazi; Mr Carlson, who some people think is merely nasty, has found an audience of five million on YouTube since being sacked by Mr Murdoch from Fox News. A couple of weeks ago, Mr Carlson brought on to his podcast Nick Fuentes, who really is a Nazi. “The fact that Heritage, too, has now fallen in line suggests that what we’re seeing is something much more ferocious and remarkable than even the most pessimistic critics of the online Right appreciated,” he writes.
Source:The Times
November 07, 2025 00:30 UTC
Paul Vallely: Is the world ready for another Live Aid?
“LIVE AID could never happen now; the world has grown too mean,” said one of the journalists who arrived to interview Bob Geldof and me before the launch of Live Aid: The definitive 40-year story, which was published yesterday. Live Aid did not capture the Zeitgeist: it created it. Today, Live Aid and Live 8 are a dangerous memory. And Live Aid will provide the psychological and spiritual template. Live Aid: The definitive 40-year story by Paul Vallely is published by New Modern at £30 (Church Times Bookshop £27); 978-1-917-92338-5.
Source:The Times
November 07, 2025 00:30 UTC
David Lammy 'finished' as GB News star delivers damning verdict: ‘Career suicide’
David Lammy could have committed 'career suicide'David Lammy is “finished”, according to GB News presenter Patrick Christys. In an explosive monologue on his late-night show, Patrick said: “David Lammy is a national embarrassment. An illegal migrant and sex offender from Algeria was mistakenly released from prison a week ago. So David Lammy took a poppy off an actual veteran. Just bear in mind how confident, how smug, how dismissive he is there – he was asked five times.
Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 19:42 UTC
THE Awards 2025: lessons from the stars of UK and Irish higher education
In this collection, we showcase the insights and innovations of shortlisted academics and teams in the 2025 Times Higher Education Awards. Three easy tweaks to make your teaching autism-friendly: Cora Beth Fraser of The Open University explains how teaching staff can address the dropout rate among autistic students. Josie Barnard from De Montfort University explains how. Outstanding Technician of the YearOften unsung, technical professions contribute to universities’ research and impact in ways that can far exceed their already-considerable value to laboratories and classrooms. Rachael Cornwall from Buckinghamshire New University shares advice.
Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 18:12 UTC
Legacy of defiance — but Aston Villa’s Jewish fans torn amid Maccabi row
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Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 18:07 UTC
Advice for pet owners as cold weather sweeps the UK
With temperatures beginning to drop across the UK as we start to head closer to the wintery season, leading veterinary charity PDSA is calling on owners to take extra precautions to keep their pets warm and safe. PDSA Vet Emma Fisher shares essential tips to help keep dogs, cats, and small pets protected from the cold weather. If your pet is awake and able to drink, offer them some warm water, but don’t force them to drink if they don’t want to! Raised, warm bedding in a draught-free area is ideal. Support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery helps us reach even more pet owners with vital treatment, advice and information.
Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 18:03 UTC
Mary Wallopers on Palestine, border-town rebellion and why they won’t leave Dundalk
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Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 18:01 UTC
Man stabbed in Essex town was targeted, police say
On Monday evening, there was a heavy police presence in Challis Lane, Braintree and John Ray Gardens, Black Notley after an attempted robbery. Map - Police have confirmed the order of events (Image: Newsquest)He briefly stopped in Challis Lane and then drove to John Ray Gardens, Black Notley, where he was found injured by residents. An Essex Police spokesperson said: “We are investigating an attempted robbery in Braintree on Monday afternoon, November 3. An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called shortly after 5pm on Monday evening with reports of an injured man in Black Notley, Braintree. Officers - Two police vehicles and a forensics vehicle remained in Challis Lane in the evening (Image: Warren Jervis)The police spokesperson added: “Our enquiries are ongoing.
Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 15:00 UTC
Premier League news: Liverpool to compete with Bayern Munich for Marc Guehi signing - Paper talk and football gossip
The top stories and transfer rumours from Thursday's newspapers...Premier LeagueReal Madrid have reportedly ruled themselves out of the race for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi as Liverpool and Bayern Munich lead the chase for his signature - Daily MailArsene Wenger has claimed that Liverpool "destroyed their midfield" when they chose to deploy Florian Wirtz as their No 10 - Daily MirrorNapoli will reportedly make a move to sign Kobbie Mainoo in January - The SunTottenham want to reward Micky van de Ven with a new contract and pay rise to reflect the fact that the club rate him and Cristian Romero as one of the best pairings in the Premier League - The TelegraphImage: Daily TelegraphWatch Back Pages on Sky Sports News Back Pages is a review of the sports headlines from the national newspapers, every Monday to Friday, live on Sky Sports News from 10.30pm. Missed the show? Catch up on the latest news with the Back Pages podcast. European footballJude Bellingham remains out of the England picture with Thomas Tuchel not attending Anfield to watch the Real Madrid star play against Liverpool - Daily MirrorFrench side Lyon have made a pitch to sign Real Madrid forward Endrick on loan - Daily MailReal Madrid have decided to sell Vinicius Jr this summer after his outburst when subbed off during El Clasico - The SunBayern Munich superstar Harry Kane has been linked with a move to Barcelona - The SunBarcelona manager Hansi Flick has no intention of leaving next summer despite reports in Spain that he is "tired" of the club and plans to resign - Sky in GermanyScottish footballCeltic have drawn up a long list of potential managerial targets - with former midfielder Efrain Juarez put forward as a shock contender for the job - The Scottish SunRugby UnionChandler Cunningham-South is set to make his first Test start at No 8 with Steve Borthwick rotating his England match-day squad for the challenge of Fiji this Saturday - The Telegraph
Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 13:51 UTC
I had hallucinations of Pamela Anderson's boobs 20 times a day
He was finally diagnosed with a condition called Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) which causes hallucinations, often after significant vision loss. What is Charles Bonnet syndrome? Charles Bonnet syndrome is a condition where you see things that are not real, triggered by loss of sight. Most people with Charles Bonnet syndrome know the hallucinations are not real. There’s currently no cure for Charles Bonnet syndrome, but over time the hallucinations usually happen less often.
Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 13:26 UTC
Do you think you were parented by a narcissist? What you need to know
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Source:The Times
November 06, 2025 12:35 UTC