Times letters: Credibility of Rachel Reeves’s spending review
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Source:The Times
June 13, 2025 09:32 UTC
Minister says black box found at crash site as families await answers
Investigations begin as grieving families wait for answersHollie ColeLive reporterImage source, ReutersInvestigators have been at the site where Air India Flight AI171 crashed yesterday moments after take-off in the west Indian city of Ahmedabad. The only survivor, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, told India’s state broadcaster DD News he saw the aircraft crew and passengers die. While he has been recovering in hospital, India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said one of the two flight data recorders - also known as black boxes - had been recovered. Investigators from the UK and US have arrived in India today, according to an internal memo from Tata Group, which owns Air India. Six bodies have been released so far to families who were able to identify them based on facial features, a local police official has told the BBC.
Source:The Times
June 13, 2025 03:03 UTC
HMRC announces major change for all taxpayers in shake-up
HMRC has announced a major change for all taxpayers in a shake-up. The taxman has plans to scrap all outgoing letters to households, except ones that generate revenue such as tax demands. It is hoped the move will reduce the number of letters HMRC sends by 75% and save £50million a year by 2028‑29. An HMRC spokesperson told The Sun it will be communicating with taxpayers in "different ways instead" and provide a "better service" for customers. A Simple Guide to Your HMRC LetterThey said : "The government is providing an additional £500million in funding to make HMRC a digital-first organisation.”It comes as part plans to prioritise digital operations at HMRC.
Source:The Times
June 13, 2025 01:22 UTC
Hundreds Dead in Air India Plane Crash
An Air India flight bound for London crashed only seconds after takeoff in western India on Thursday, plunging into a local medical college and killing more than 260 people, officials said. Video verified by The New York Times shows the plane taking off and then descending slowly over a cluster of buildings as if it were gliding before a large fireball erupts on the horizon. It did not tumble or plunge out of the sky, and was in the air for less than a minute, the video shows. Air India confirmed that 241 people — all but one person on the plane — were killed, and that one person, a British citizen, had survived. The crash’s sole survivor was later identified by his brother as Viswash Kumar Ramesh.
Source:The Times
June 13, 2025 01:20 UTC
Middle-class vigilantes are turning against the state
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Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 16:26 UTC
Trump Is Pushing Allies Away and Closer to Each Other
New trade deals. America’s closest allies are increasingly turning to each other to advance their interests, deepening their ties as the Trump administration challenges them with tariffs and other measures that are upending trade, diplomacy and defense. Concerned by shifting U.S. priorities under President Trump, some of America’s traditional partners on the world stage have spent the turbulent months since Mr. Trump’s January inauguration focusing on building up their direct relationships, flexing diplomatic muscles and leaving the United States aside. This emerging dynamic involves countries such as Britain, France, Canada and Japan — often referred to by international relations experts as “middle powers” to distinguish them from superpowers like the United States and China. “These are industrialized democracies, allies of the United States, supporting multilateral rules and institutions,” said Roland Paris, a professor of international relations and the director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 16:10 UTC
David Walliams in hot water over Nazi salute : News 2025 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide
David Walliams has been criticised for jokingly making Nazi salutes during a recording of Would I Lie To You? According to multiple reports, Walliams joined in with increasingly vigorous waves, which culminated in him holding out his arm in a Nazi salute. Another member of this week’s studio audience posted on X: "I didn't have David Walliams doing a Nazi salute at the Would I Lie To You? A spokesperson for Banijay UK, which owns the show's production company Zeppotron, said: "Any attempt at humour regarding this deeply offensive gesture, whether broadcast or not, is completely unacceptable in any context. A BBC spokesperson said: "The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable and we apologise to all at the recording for the offence caused."
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 16:07 UTC
Braintree author releases latest book based on Football
Andy Johnson, better known as Jonkers, has lived in the Braintree and Bocking area his whole life. The 58-year-old author and poet first began his career in writing books more than ten years ago, and recently released his third book - Horsés Heroes. The book, suitable for teenagers and adults, combines Andy's passions for football and story writing following fictional team, Foulchester United. Team - Andy Johnson (R) and Henry Jachimczyk (L) worked together on the new book (Image: Andy Johnson) Inspired by Colchester United, the team's players are all animals with names based on big names in the football world. As well as writing books, Andy visits schools in the county to share his journey as an author with students and inspire them to start reading.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 16:02 UTC
University of Manchester to join International Green Learning and Skills Accelerator
The University of Manchester has been invited to lead a pioneering global programme designed to empower education’s role in the transition towards net zero. In recognition of its longstanding commitment to sustainability, the university will represent the UK as one of the founding members of the International Green Learning and Skills Accelerator, a Times Higher Education initiative set up as part of the United Nations’ Green Jobs for Youth Pact. The accelerator, and a related research project, will advance this mission by bringing together universities, industries, and policymakers from around the world to share best practice and to develop a globally recognised framework for green skills and learning. This initiative aims to define, standardise, and promote the green skills necessary for the net-zero economy, aligning education and employment to meet the challenges of the climate crisis. As a globally connected, civic university, the University of Manchester will use its connections to bring in alumni and partners from across the world have an input into the new framework.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 15:29 UTC
Ahmedabad plane crash: Flight was heading to London with 240 onboard - what we know so far
Moments after takeoff, the pilot of the Air India flight issued a Mayday alert to Ahmedabad air traffic control. Air India set up passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information regarding the incident. UK's King Charles stated he is "desperatley shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad, India." NEW DELHI: An Air India flight crashed on Thursday shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. "Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from (Ahmedabad to Gatwick) has crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 15:27 UTC
Ahmedabad Plane Crash, Flight Crash in Ahmedabad Live: US, UK sending teams to assist with investigation
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the Ahmedabad plane crash, saying that the incident is "heartbreaking beyond words." 00:38 (IST) Jun 13 Air India Ahmedabad Plane Crash Live: Amit Shah visits crash victims, pledges support — AmitShah (@AmitShah) 00:02 (IST) Jun 13 Air India Ahmedabad Plane Crash Live: Boeing offers condolences after Air India flight 171 tragedy Boeing's President and CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has expressed profound sorrow following the Air India Flight 171 accident in Ahmedabad. 16:56 (IST) Jun 12 Ahmedabad Plane Crash Live: IndiGo flight returns to Kolkata due to closure of Ahmedabad airport after crash 16:53 (IST) Jun 12 Air India Flight Crash: Three teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are working at the plane crash site in Ahmedabad. 16:46 (IST) Jun 12 Plane Crash in Ahmedabad: On Air India plane crash, MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol says, "It's a very unfortunate incident. 16:26 (IST) Jun 12 Ahmedabad Plane Crash Live: AAI sets up operational control room, issues helpline no.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 15:15 UTC
Covid fraud convictions at risk over investigators’ legal failure
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Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 14:53 UTC
Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Air India Ahmedabad-London flight crashes near airport in Meghani area
All agencies are working here.”The UK government also responded to the incident, stating: "We are aware of a plane crash in Ahmedabad. "President Droupadi Murmu expressed her condolences on X, saying, "I am deeply distressed to learn about the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. "Tata Group announced that it would provide Rs 1 crore as compensation to the family of each person who died in the crash.“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight, AI 171 operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Union home minister Amit Shah are on their way to Ahmedabad. It will take some time before we can confirm the exact number of casualties,” said Mohol.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, is now operational with limited flights.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 14:36 UTC
Israel-Iran war looming? US evacuates non-essential staff from middle-east, UK cautions ships in Gulf
Live Events(You can now subscribe to our(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channelAmid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, the United States is drawing down non-essential personnel from several diplomatic and military sites across the Middle East , citing growing regional instability.The State Department on Wednesday ordered the departure of all nonessential staff from the US Embassy in Baghdad, noting ongoing security concerns and a commitment to protecting American lives. While the embassy was already operating with limited personnel, the move marks a further scale-down.Additionally, nonessential staff and family members in Bahrain and Kuwait have been authorized to leave at government expense, the department confirmed.US Central Command said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved the voluntary departure of military dependents across the region as a precautionary step. "CENTCOM is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East," the statement said.President Donald Trump, speaking at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday, acknowledged the drawdown: “They are being moved out, because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens.”The US and Iran appear to be at a diplomatic impasse over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. A sixth round of talks, initially set for this weekend in Oman, is now in doubt, according to two American officials.Trump, speaking on the Pod Force One podcast, said he was "getting more and more less confident" about a breakthrough with Iran. “They seem to be delaying... Something happened to them.”Iran, for its part, pushed back on the mounting pressure.
Source:The Times
June 12, 2025 14:06 UTC