Write to letters@thetimes.co.ukSir, Martin Samuel (“The Premier League doesn’t need a regulator”, Jan 13) is right that a more interesting feature of English football than its occasional bankruptcies is the survival of so many original clubs when the industries those towns were built on have disappeared. However, in his enjoyably provocative piece complaining that the introduction of a football regulator stems from a government predisposed to over-regulation, he makes no mention of the Football Association, the sanctioning body of the Premier League and its de facto regulator. Leaving aside the fact that the present proposal was introduced by the last Tory government, and that “the former MP Tracey Crouch” was, more explicitly, a former Conservative minister, English football has always had a

“The British press and the broadcasters, to a degree, fell all over themselves to give Elon Musk publicity,” said David Yelland, a former editor of Rupert Murdoch’s tabloid, The Sun. This is plain old Fleet Street bias.”Claire Enders, a London-based media researcher and founder of Enders Analysis, likened Mr. Musk to Mr. Murdoch, the insurgent media baron from Australia who upended the London newspaper industry in the 1970s. “He’s American, he’s a multibillionaire, and he’s close to Trump.”Mr. Musk, however, is not interested in taking over the British press so much as discrediting it. The Times of London published a major investigation of the scandal, and the slow response to it by the police, in 2011. “The idea that there is a media blackout on this, and we needed Elon Musk to uncover it, is nonsense.”

Incidents down, but repair fees riseThe number of pothole incidents last year may have fallen but it coincides with a rise in repair costs, according to the AA. Repairs from potholes typically involve the tyres, wheels, steering and suspension, and cost £579 million in 2024 — an average of £300 per annum, up from £250 the year before. More than 1,700 drivers a day have their vehicles damaged by road defects, according to the Pothole Partnership’s figures. The government has listened to the Pothole Partnership and is beginning to instigate policies that should lead to longer-term fixes rather than the recent patchwork approach. Potholes and road surface-related defects are extremely dangerous for motorcycle riders.

People try myriad ways to influence investors. So credit to Boaz Weinstein for coming up with something new: sitting in a room by himself and hurling abuse for an hour and a half via a webinar. His rant was entertaining and exhausting in equal measure too. Yet, there was no proper Q&A — just some planted questions. And by the end of it, the big puzzler remained unanswered: what exactly would he do to generate heaps of extra value

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The winners of Frome Times’ Person and Group of the Year 2024 are dedicated fundraiser Radek Evans and the volunteer team behind the esteemed Memorial Theatre. Person of the Year, Radek Evans, was nominated for his outstanding service and support of Frome’s charities, most notably for completing 24 half marathons throughout the year for charity. The volunteers at the Memorial Theatre in Frome were nominated for the Group of the Year award due to their unwavering commitment to keeping the theatre thriving. The winners of the competition, run by the Frome Times, were chosen by the town’s mayor, Cllr Andy Jones and the paper’s editor Ian Drew. Above: Radek Evans (Dumbo the elephant) receiving his award from editor Ian DrewAbove: Frome Times editor Ian Drew with Memorial Theatre volunteers

One week after fires erupted in LA, the danger remainsChristal HayesReporting from Los AngelesExactly one week ago, two of the LA area's most destructive fires ignited - the Palisades fire and Eaton fire. Seeing the containment numbers on these fires go up each day has given all of us hope. Officials warn the next 24 hours will be dangerous and there's a potential for new blazes to flare up. They're already warning people in fire-prone areas to leave - even if an official evacuation alert hasn't been issued. But each day we get closer to this ending - a day when we can focus on healing and rebuilding our communities.

Tony Slattery death: A Prolific Career in Comedy and ActingTony Slattery death: Personal Struggles and AdvocacyTony Slattery death: Tributes and LegacyFAQs:(You can now subscribe to our(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channelTony Slattery, a British comedian and actor known for his quick wit on the improvisational show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway? ', has died from a heart attack at 65.Born on November 9, 1959, in London, Slattery's comedic journey began at the University of Cambridge, where he was a contemporary of Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Emma Thompson. As president of the esteemed Footlights comedy society, he honed his improvisational skills, leading to his prominent role 'Whose Line Is It Anyway? ' He openly discussed these issues in the BBC's Horizon special 'What's The Matter With Tony Slattery? In recent years, he remained active in the comedy scene, touring shows and launching a podcast titled 'Tony Slattery's Rambling Club'.Slattery's partner of nearly four decades, Mark Michael Hutchinson, confirmed his passing, stating, "It is with great sadness we must announce actor and comedian Tony Slattery, aged 65, has passed away today, Tuesday morning, following a heart attack on Sunday evening.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain suffered a new blow on Tuesday when his anticorruption minister, Tulip Siddiq, quit her post weeks after being named in an embezzlement investigation in Bangladesh. Ms. Siddiq, 42, is the niece of Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, who resigned last year after 15 years in power and fled the country amid a broad student-led protest movement against her repressive rule. A junior minister in Mr. Starmer’s government, Ms. Siddiq had previously referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics adviser for investigation after questions arose over whether she had benefited financially from her ties to Ms. Hasina. Ms. Siddiq has dismissed the allegations against her as politically motivated and insisted that she did nothing wrong. But in an official letter of resignation to Mr. Starmer on Tuesday, she wrote that the media focus on her risked diverting attention from the government’s political agenda.

Governments around the world are uncomfortably watching their borrowing costs rise, following the lead of the U.S. Treasury market. British government bonds, known as gilts, are suffering a particularly harsh sell-off, as investors recoil from the country’s low economic growth, stubborn inflation and high debt levels. The yield on 10-year gilts, the benchmark rate, reached 4.9 percent on Tuesday, the highest since 2008, while yields on 30-year bonds were the highest since 1998. The surge in borrowing costs puts the British government’s plan to revive economic growth, by allocating more money for public services and greater investment, at risk less than three months after it was announced. “At a time when yields are rising everywhere, global investors are looking at the U.K. like the weakest link in the chain,” said Hugh Gimber, a strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

JUST a few hours before he disappeared, Christopher Hughes, 37, phoned his sister, Fran, for a chat and told her he loved her. “I knew my brother and I knew he wouldn’t have done what they accused him of,” says his other heartbroken sister, Andrea. “There are some nasty, vicious comments about how he deserved it because of what he did,” says Andrea. “In a kidnap it’s life and death,” DI Justin Bryant, who led the case, tells us in an exclusive interview. 12 Mamid Curtis Balbas is taken into custody Credit: Minnow Films12 Police search for evidence at the garage Credit: Minnow Films12 Alan Jaf is searched by police after being named Credit: Minnow FilmsFive men are now in custody and more were arrested after the documentary filming ended.

He added the message “time for a 🔥TIME FOR WAR.”On July 30, a violent mob targeted the mosque that Mr. McIntyre had highlighted, and dozens of police officers were injured. Days of unrest convulsed Britain over the next week, as rioters clashed with the police, lit cars on fire, attacked mosques and ransacked businesses. Mr. McIntyre posted a selfie in July 2022 in which he gave a Nazi salute, and after his arrest, the police found a copy of “Mein Kampf,” Hitler’s political manifesto, in his home. The Merseyside Police, which oversee policing in the Liverpool area, said Mr. McIntyre’s messages on Telegram encouraged others to participate in violent disorder and cause criminal damage in Southport. He also made other “failed attempts to instigate disorder at other locations,” the police said in a statement.

Just days later, Hugh and Sutton didn't hold back on the PDA as they were captured sharing a heated kiss.In photos obtained by Mail Online, the pair were photographed in the car while at a San Fernando In-N-Out as they repeatedly kissed each other. Looking totally loved up, Sutton was spotted tentatively holding Hugh's face during the passionate moments as they waited for their fast food order. Then, in September 2023, Hugh announced his split from his wife Deborra-Lee Furness after 27 years of marriage.Fast forward to a year later, Sutton called time on her marriage with husband Ted Griffin. But we just spent Memorial Day with our families. It's really fun to meet new friends".

It quotes an unnamed Labour backbencher saying the prime minister should consider sacking her if the situation doesn't improve in the next few months. There's a suggestion in the Daily Mail that Starmer has been left "struggling to contain turmoil in the Treasury", external. It says pressure is mounting both on the chancellor and Treasury Minister Tulip Siddiq, whose family in Bangladesh is facing corruption allegations. It recalls its own comparison between the length of Liz Truss's tenure as prime minister, and the shelf life of a salad ingredient. The paper points out that if the prime minister did replace her, he would need to decide what the alternative economic strategy would be.