People
Bloomberg amused by Boris’s naff gift
According to New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, his London counterpart Boris Johnson still has a lot to learn when it comes to receiving dignitaries to the city, namely himself. In this week's Spectator, the billionaire owner of the Bloomberg news agency writes about his first meeting with... [continued]
Pressure on Burnham over female poet
Pressure is being placed on Downing Street and Buckingham Palace to make the next Poet Laureate a woman for the first in the position's 300-year history. As part of a well-orchestrated campaign, Chloe Garner, director of the Ledbury Poetry Festival, has written an open letter to the... [continued]
Havel play debuts without wife
When the communists were overthrown in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Vaclav Havel was impelled to abandon work on a play he had been working on, called Leaving, in order to govern
his country (he was, of course, twice elected president). Tonight that play, which he completed and published last year,... [continued]
Vaclav Havel: no wife, no play 
Che divides Cannes critics
Audiences at Cannes were divided last night after the screening of Steven Soderbergh's Che, starring Benicio del Toro (right) as the Argentine
revolutionary Che Guevara: had they just seen the clear winner of Sunday's Palme d'Or, or an absolute mess of a film that needs a lot of... [continued]
More pictures from the Cannes red carpet
Mrs Grant hits out at ‘bloodthirsty’ press
It is still uncertain whether Avram Grant will be removed as Chelsea's coach - when asked by by Goal.com he said enigmatically "It's not the last time for Chelsea in
this final". However, if Roman Abramovich does pull the trigger his wife, Tzofit Grant (left), will be relieved about... [continued]
Sports: Chelsea suffer painful defeat at hands of Man U
Swindon shuns McCloud grand design
As the presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud (pictured) is notoriously pernickety about what constitutes good architecture. However, a development planned by his own construction company HAB - Happiness, Architecture, Beauty - has been given a universal thumbs down by locals in Swindon, who... [continued]
In Town Last Night: London Magazine at the Serpentine
The mood was distinctly summery in Kensington Gardens last night as urban property glossy The London Magazine took over the Serpentine Gallery to usher in the new London Season. Editor
Laura Tennant was joined by Sloane Ranger author Peter York and footwear designer Beatrix Ong who were... [continued]
More pictures from In Town Last Night
In brief: Hamilton tires of ‘boring’ Geneva
Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 racing driver, has complained about his life as a tax exile in Geneva, Switzerland, which he finds "boring". He says: "I miss my friends being around. I miss coming home and having home cooking, doing my washing and all that stuff. There... [continued]
Murdoch mediates in war of commentators
News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch has been impelled to intervene in a long-running dispute between two of America's leading and most pungent TV commentators, Bill O'Reilly of Fox News and Keith Olbermann at MSNBC network. The pair have been at odds for years - O'Reilly is an... [continued]
