So we creep back towards normality but it still seems strange. Rory McIlroy holes a putt for a birdie, and there is silence instead of the usual roar of approval. The Queen has a winner at Royal Ascot and for the first time in her reign she can’t be there. Premier League football is back and grounds are empty while a government minister urges fans to watch televised matches at home rather than in public places. All this is strange and for many sad, though not half as sad as a wry observation this week from the West Indies cricket captain, the admirable Jason Holder. He said his players wouldn’t be fazed at having to play their Test matches this summer in empty grounds because they are quite accustomed to this at home where the fans no longer flock to Test matches as they did in days past.
An RA exhibit details attempts to wipe out Ukrainian culture – and what survived
The parallels between the threat to Ukrainian culture in the 1930s and today are unmistakable.