Reuters Germany’s conservative leader has unexpectedly fallen short of the numbers needed to form a majority in parliament to become chancellor. Friedrich Merz, 69, needed 316 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag but only secured 310, in a significant blow to the Christian Democrat leader, two and a half months after winning Germany’s federal elections. His…

70 years ago today Roger Bannister, a 25-year-old British medical student, became the first man to run a mile in under four minutes—significant because for many years nobody believed it was possible, and thus no one had achieved it. As soon as Bannister set it as a goal and proved it was possible, the record…

Zhao Xintong made history as he became the first player from China to win the World Championship with an 18-12 victory over Mark Williams in Sheffield. The 28-year-old had extended his 11-6 overnight lead with a dominant display on Monday afternoon to begin the concluding session 17-8 ahead. Willed on by a buoyant Crucible crowd,…

Getty Images for Unsplash Plus The National Institutes of Health recently announced that in order to improve the quality of science used in drug development, the agency would favor grant proposals that move away from animal testing. The FDA, which had previously announced a similar change, described the decision as one that would move research…

Five men are continuing to be questioned by police over an alleged terror plot in the UK. The men, including four Iranian nationals, are being held over an alleged plan to “target a specific premises”, the Metropolitan Police said. They were arrested in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester. Three other Iranian men were…

104 years ago today, Coco Chanel debuted her “No. 5” perfume, as revolutionary a fashion-fragrance as was every made. Smelling unlike anything that until then had been sold, and hoping to appeal to the free-wheeling, flapper culture of the 1920s, the glass bottle, rather than appearing as an over-elaborate crystal vial, was inspired by a…

These were Palmer’s big moments but he had an overall impact on a game that was so crucial to Chelsea, who are now only behind fourth-placed Newcastle United on goals scored – 62 against 66 – with the same goal difference of plus-21. It perfectly sets up their visit to Tyneside on Sunday, 11 May,…

Rand Laycock conducting orchestra – Courtesy of Cleveland Clinic An Ohio music conductor dealing with Parkinson’s disease was fitted with a ‘pacemaker for the brain’ allowing him to control his tremors and lead his orchestra once again. Rand Laycock was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 11 years, just before his 60th birthday, after going to his doctor…

Eight men have been arrested in two separate counter-terrorism police investigations. Five were arrested at various locations around England on Saturday as part of a “pre-planned” investigation into a plot to “target a specific premises”, the Metropolitan Police said. Four – two aged 29, one aged 40 and one aged 46 – are Iranian nationals.…

199 years ago today, Frederic Edwin Church, one of the foremost painters in the American landscape movement known as the Hudson River School, was born. His absolutely stunning depictions of North and South American wilderness put an emphasis on realistic detail, dramatic light, and panoramic views. In his pomp, Church was the most famous painter…