Trump is giving Britain the chance to take back control
It’s time for the government to take back control — but this time to do it properly and mean it. Rather than wasting time discussing the rights and wrongs of reciprocal tariffs, we should focus unashamedly on the things that are within our control and that we can influence. We should no longer rely on the goodwill of an increasingly volatile US administration, or our traditional allies from Europe. In the mould of Dubai and Singapore, it’s time for us to set our own path and strike out as the open, trading superpower we once were. The UK has some of the brightest and best minds in the world — hungry to take risks, test existing standards and transform markets.
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 08:02 UTC
UK government to take control of British Steel under emergency law
The UK government said it was taking control of Chinese-owned British Steel on Saturday after rushing an emergency law through parliament to avert the shutdown of the country's last factory that can make steel from scratch. The Times newspaper said British Steel workers had seen off a "delegation of Chinese executives" trying to enter critical parts of the works. Jingye bought British Steel in 2020 and says it has invested more than £1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) to maintain operations but is losing around £700,000 a day. British Steel has said US President Donald Trump's recent tariffs on the sector were partly to blame for the Scunthorpe plant's difficulties. British Steel has its roots as far back as the Industrial Revolution but took shape in 1967 when the Labour government nationalised the industry, which at the time employed nearly 270,000 people.
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 05:28 UTC
In Pictures: Thousands of fans gather for Comic-Con Prague 2025
As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 04:41 UTC
UK gangster owns up to west Delhi businessman's murder
Poll Should the police increase their efforts to track down hired shooters in gang-related crimes? New Delhi: Gangster Kapil Sangwan , who is based in the UK, claimed responsibility on Saturday for the murder of a real estate businessman in west Delhi's Paschim Vihar. They had conducted a recce earlier and knew that the victim used a Fortuner SUV. Around 7am, they ambushed the target and shot him dead.Meanwhile, in a social media post, Sangwan alleged the victim's association with rival gangster Mahal, attributing the shooting to this. Sangwan claimed that the victim and his brother worked for Mahal, illegally taking over plots on his behalf.
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 04:31 UTC
F1 Bahrain GP 2025 LIVE: Qualifying start time, schedule, results and race start time
✕ Close Lewis Hamilton 'confident' that Ferrari can close gap to McLaren at Bahrain grand prixF1 returns to Sakhir this weekend for the Bahrain Grand Prix and round four of the 2025 F1 season. It was another difficult weekend for Ferrari in Suzuka, short of pace compared to the frontrunners, with Charles Leclerc finishing in fourth and Lewis Hamilton down in seventh, though the Brit hinted that a change is forthcoming to the SF-25 car. Now, the grid returns to Bahrain - where pre-season testing took place in February - for the second race in the Asian triple-header. Verstappen won last year’s race in Bahrain, leading home a Red Bull one-two. Follow live updates from the Bahrain Grand Prix with The Independent - qualifying starts at 5pm (BST).
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 03:53 UTC
UK passes emergency law to save British Steel
“The most important thing is we’ve got control of the site, we can make the decisions about what happens, and that means that those blast furnaces will stay on,” he said. The Times newspaper said British Steel workers had seen off a “delegation of Chinese executives” trying to enter critical parts of the works.Police said officers attended the scene “following a suspected breach of the peace,” but no arrests were made. “They also refused a condition to keep the blast furnaces maintained.”Saturday’s legislation allowed for criminal sanctions and gave the government powers to take over assets if executives fail to comply with instructions to keep blast furnaces open. However, fierce competition from cheaper Asian steel has heaped pressure on Europe’s beleaguered industry in recent years. British Steel has its roots as far back as the Industrial Revolution but took shape in 1967 when the Labour government nationalised the industry, which at the time employed nearly 270,000 people.
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 01:02 UTC
UK Parliament meets on rare Saturday to rescue Scunthorpe steel plant
This screen grab from PA video shows a view of the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. (AP)The strategic importance of steelThe financial strain and international factorsThe political responseHistorical context and steel industry declineA pivotal momentIn an extraordinary Saturday parliamentary debate, UK lawmakers discussed a government-backed emergency bill aimed at preventing the closure of the country's last steel plant that makes steel from scratch. The Scunthorpe plant, owned by Chinese firm Jingye , has been struggling financially and is at risk of shutting down, potentially decimating what remains of the UK’s steel industry.Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration is now poised to "take control" of the facility to keep the blast furnaces running. “Today's legislation will help ensure that we can retain that steel-making capability here in the UK, both now and for years to come. The company has stated that the Scunthorpe facility is no longer financially viable under its current operations.
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 01:02 UTC
Check-in and boarding passes may be axed in airport rules
The change could mean that passengers will be able to upload their passports onto their phone and pass through airports using face verification. The privileges would be part of the ‘digital travel credential’ introduced by the ICAO, reports The Times. Boarding passes and check-ins could be scrapped at airportsIf the airport rule changes were to go through, it would mean passengers could download a ‘journey pass’ when booking flights, removing the need to check in and boarding passes. The ‘journey pass’ would update automatically if any changes are made to the booking, hoping to make travel easier. The Times reports that without check-ins, airlines will be told of passengers 'intention to fly when they arrive at the airport and their face is scanned.'
Source:The Times
April 13, 2025 00:32 UTC
UK’s rarest coin sells for nearly 300 times its face value after eBay bidding war – check your change
THE UK's most-wanted rare coin has sold for 292 times its face value after an intense bidding war on eBay. The collectable 50p coin is stamped with a Kew Gardens design and eventually went for £146 online. The Royal Mint website says: "Nothing gets people excited quite like this original 2009 design." There are hundreds of millions of 50p coins in circulation, so the odds of you coming across one of these are slim - but not impossible. Another extremely rare 50p coin was up for sale for a staggering 10,000 times its face value.
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 21:02 UTC
The six surprising UK attractions that overseas tourists can’t get enough of
Where to stay The smart and central No 12 Hotel and Bistro in North Berwick (B&B doubles from £170; no12hotelandbistro.co.uk)2. Where to stay The revamped Harbour Hotel in Padstow (B&B doubles from £135; harbourthotels.co.uk)• Read our full guide to Cornwall3. Where to stay The rustic and highly rated Saltmarsh Farmhouse and Café, within the Seven Sisters Country Park (B&B doubles from £190; saltmarshfarmhouse.co.uk)Advertisement5. So it’s no wonder that so many overseas visitors head to the designer-outlet shops at the purpose-built Bicester Village instead. Where to stay The boutiquey Lion at Bicester, a short drive from Bicester Village (B&B doubles from £106; thelionbicester.co.uk)Are there any unlikely tourist attractions in the UK that we’ve missed?
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 20:31 UTC
Trump Envoy Suggests Allied Zones of Control in Ukraine
Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy to Ukraine, suggested British and French troops could adopt zones of control in the country, in an interview with The Times newspaper published Saturday. He suggested that a demilitarized zone could be implemented along the existing lines of control in eastern Ukraine, The Times said. To make sure that British, French, Ukrainian and other allied forces do not exchange fire with Russian troops, Kellogg said a buffer zone would be needed. In discussions of partitioning, I was referencing areas or zones of responsibility for an allied force (without U.S. troops). Kellogg said relations between Ukraine and the United States were now "back on track", citing resumed talks over a proposed deal on Ukraine's mineral resources.
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 20:18 UTC
Ulster University accused of ‘excessive’ spending over £24k bill for 32 staff to attend awards bash
Ulster University staff at the Times Higher Education Awards ceremony in Birmingham where UU was crowned University of the YearUlster University took 32 members of staff to a higher education awards ceremony in Birmingham at a cost of more than £24k, it can be revealed. A trade union has said it was unaware of the high spend, adding that UU should prioritise staffing and student support during “difficult financial times” across the higher education sector.
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 20:08 UTC
US Special Rep Kellogg: The Times article misrepresents what I said regarding areas of responsibility in Ukraine
US Special Rep Kellogg: The Times article misrepresents what I said regarding areas of responsibility in UkraineGeneral Keith Kellogg, President Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, said an article in the British ezine The Times distorted his words about the possible division of Ukraine, he wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday. “The Times article misrepresents what I said. In discussions of partitioning, I was referencing areas or zones of responsibility for an allied force (without US troops). I was NOT referring to a partitioning of Ukraine,” Kellogg stressed. Earlier, The Times reported that US Special Representative Keith Kellogg allowed for the possibility of deploying British and French troops in western Ukraine as part of the so-called pacification force after the ceasefire.
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 19:09 UTC
British Government Takes Control of Country’s Last Major Steel Mill
The British government moved swiftly on Saturday to take control of operations at the country’s last large crude steel producing facility, in what appeared to be a major step toward nationalizing the plant. In an unusual and dramatic move, the government had summoned lawmakers back from vacation on Saturday to approve the government’s emergency legislation. The government said it was acting to prevent the owners of the British Steel complex in Scunthorpe, a Chinese company called Jingye, from taking steps unilaterally to close the blast furnaces, potentially costing 2,700 jobs.
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 17:43 UTC
Trump envoy suggests ‘zones of control’ in Ukraine
Trump envoy suggests ‘zones of control’ in UkraineAFP, LONDONKeith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, suggested British and French troops could adopt zones of control in the country, in an interview with The Times newspaper published yesterday. He suggested that a demilitarized zone could be implemented along the existing lines of control in eastern Ukraine, The Times said. “You have a ... DMZ that you can monitor, and you’ve got this... no-fire zone,” Kellogg said. Kellogg admitted that Russian President Vladimir Putin “might not accept” the proposal. London and Paris describe the possible deployment as a “reassurance force” aimed at offering Ukraine some kind of security guarantee.
Source:The Times
April 12, 2025 17:20 UTC