Police review Borehamwood couple's arrest in school WhatsApp row
A police force is carrying out a "rapid and thorough review" after a couple were arrested over complaints they made about their daughter's primary school, which included comments on WhatsApp. Maxie Allen and his partner Rosalind Levine, from Borehamwood, told The Times they were held for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. Hertfordshire Police said the arrests "were necessary to fully investigate the allegations" but there was "insufficient evidence" to take any action. The county's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Jonathan Ash-Edwards, said: "There has clearly been a fundamental breakdown in relationships between a school and parents that shouldn't have become a police matter."
Source:The Times
March 31, 2025 07:20 UTC
1923 Season 2: Episode 6 release date, time, where to watch and upcoming episode schedule
Episode 6 Release Date, Time and Where to WatchLive EventsEpisode CountUpcoming Episode SchedulePlot of Season 2FAQs(You can now subscribe to our(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channelThe next episode of 1923 Season 2 , titled The Mountain Teeth of Monsters, is set to premiere on Sunday, March 30, 2025. It will be available on Paramount+ at different times based on time zones.1923 Season 2 Episode 6 will be released on Sunday, March 30, 2025. Teonna will reunite with someone from her past.1923 Season 2 consists of eight episodes, the same as Season 1. Paramount agreed to extend the series into two seasons.1923 Season 2 is available exclusively on Paramount+. Alexandra faces challenges as she embarks on a trans-Atlantic journey to reunite with Spencer.There are eight episodes in 1923 Season 2.
Source:The Times
March 31, 2025 03:41 UTC
Times letters: Arrest of parents who complained to school
Write to letters@thetimes.co.ukSir, Your report “Police arrest parents for complaining about school” (Mar 29) made for uncomfortable reading, particularly in conjunction with the principles of policing, drafted by Sir Robert Peel, founder of the Metropolitan Police, in 1829, “to recognise always that the power of police to fulfil their functions and duties is dependent on public approval of their existence, actions and behaviour”. I have been mercifully retired for 24 years but feel confident that the case would have been dealt with very differently in my time in the service. It would have been written off pretty much at source as “no threat of imminent violence, no evidence of criminal offence, complainant advised this is not a police issue; see a solicitor if you
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 23:43 UTC
Driving test waiting times hit record high
The number of test centres with a 24-week waiting time – the maximum possible – nearly doubled over the period, from 94 to 183. As of February, only 14 centres had waiting times at or below seven weeks, which is the DVSA’s nationwide target for the end of the year. “Bringing down driving test waiting times is vital to ensure a lack of driving licence does not become an ongoing barrier for young people trying to access education and employment. A DVSA spokesperson said: “Car practical test waiting times remain high due to an increase in demand and low customer confidence in driving test availability, resulting in a change in customers’ booking behaviour. “We continue to work on implementing our seven-point plan to reduce waiting times and encouraging learner drivers to only book their driving test when their instructor agrees they are ready.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 23:11 UTC
Ukrainian refugee’s boxing academy provides joy and confidence for UK youngsters
In May 2024, he founded Pohodin Boxing Academy, which operates from Syd’s Gym in Sheffield, together with Syd Khaan and Benny Banaris. Mr Pohodin came to the UK in 2022 (Danielle Desouza/PA)Mr Pohodin teaches a wide array of backgrounds and age groups on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday each week. “I’m very happy Ukrainian boxing is successful.”He added he feels particularly happy to live in Sheffield as he considers it to be the “centre of boxing” in the UK. “We are grateful for every Briton who helped Ukrainians, in their stay here and to those who volunteered and helped Ukrainians who are in Ukraine,” he added. Initially joining boxing classes for her wellbeing, she said she was glad she then met fellow Ukrainians.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 23:05 UTC
Government asks MP watchdog to review expenses rules after £900 ‘pet rent’ claim
“It’s important to say that the MP in question, she hasn’t done anything wrong in that she’s followed the rules as they are at the moment, but we don’t think that those rules can be right and that’s why the government will flag it with Ipsa.”
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 22:49 UTC
Prince Harry Accused of ‘Bullying’ by Chair of Charity He Co-founded
An ugly rift between Prince Harry and a leader of a charity he co-founded escalated on Sunday after the leader, Sophie Chandauka, accused the prince of engaging in harassment and bullying to try to force her out of her post. Ms. Chandauka said that when Harry abruptly resigned last week as the patron of the charity, Sentebale, it was calculated to damage the organization after he failed to oust her from her post as the chair of its board of trustees. “Can you imagine what that attack has done for me, on me, and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organizations and their family?” Ms. Chandauka said in an interview with the British broadcaster Sky News. “That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale.”A spokesman for Harry and his wife, Meghan, declined to comment on Ms. Chandauka’s latest claims, which she made on the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.”
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 21:58 UTC
Keir Starmer and Donald Trump discuss 'productive' talks on US-UK trade deal
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump (Pic credit: AP)UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump held discussions on Sunday regarding ongoing negotiations for a UK-US trade agreement, Downing Street announced.Since the UK's departure from the European Union , successive British governments have sought to establish a comprehensive trade pact with Washington. The talks between Starmer and Trump come at a crucial time, with the US president preparing to implement a new wave of tariffs on April 2, a day he has referred to as " Liberation Day . "According to an official statement from Downing Street, the two leaders acknowledged the progress made by their respective teams in negotiating an " economic prosperity deal " and agreed to accelerate discussions in the coming week. "They agreed to stay in touch in the coming days," the statement added.Trump has suggested that a favorable deal with the UK could help mitigate the impact of the tariffs he plans to impose. Unlike the European Union, which has vowed retaliation against US tariffs, Britain has refrained from imposing countermeasures on American steel levies.While a formal agreement remains elusive, Starmer, who visited Washington in late February, has expressed optimism about securing a deal.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 21:57 UTC
UK will buy US fighter jets despite Europe’s fears about Trump
Britain will push ahead with a multi-billion pound deal to buy US fighter jets in defiance of European warnings that President Trump could disable the aircraft. Ministers are set to confirm the purchase of F-35 Lightnings instead of “expensive” Eurofighter Typhoons. The US has denied the existence of a “kill switch” on the F-35 after panic swept Europe that Trump could ground the fifth-generation fighters on a whim. Those fears were exacerbated when Trump said he would “tone down” the F-47, a new model of US aircraft, by “about 10 per cent” before selling the planes to allies. The Unite union said the UK could find itself in a situation where President Trump “wakes up in a bad mood” and prevents the fighter jets being used YURI GRIPAS/EPAUnite, one of Britain’s largest unions, has urged the government to buy two squadrons of Typhoons, manufactured in
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 19:46 UTC
Clocks in UK to 'move forward' by one hour: What is daylight saving time?
File Photo: London's iconic Big Ben clock towerWhen do the clocks go forward? How many countries follow daylight saving time? By shifting the clocks forward, we squeeze in more usable daylight into the evenings for activities such as after-work strolls and evening sport.Often, this is incorrectly attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Apparently, Hudson wanted more daylight after his shift work to collect insects.Of the world's 195 countries, daylight saving time is observed only in around 70. The UK followed suit weeks later, as did several other countries involved in the conflict.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 14:21 UTC
Police chief blasts force after parents arrested over school WhatsApp group - as cops warn councillor she could be a suspect for helping the couple
A police chief has criticised the decision to arrest two parents over a school WhatsApp group chat, but officers warned a councillor she could be next if she continued helping them. Times Radio producer Maxie Allen, 50 and his partner Rosalind Levine, 46, were arrested on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications after a 'trivial' dispute. They only dared to ask the question of the school and that was enough to have them arrested.' I couldn’t believe this was happening, that a public authority could use the police to close down a legitimate inquiry. Yet we have never even been told what these communications were that were supposedly criminal, which is completely Kafkaesque.'
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 13:54 UTC
Revealed: The six universities worst hit by student loan fraud
Students enrolled at six universities fraudulently secured more than £7 million over three years, leaked data has revealed. Leading higher education figures say “organised networks appear to be targeting” the loan system. Since 2022, the Student Loans Company (SLC) has identified 1,785 fraudulent funding applications from students linked to six universities, five of which franchise their degrees to private colleges. In total, £22 million was identified as fraudulent, including £14.9 million that was suspended and saved following suspicious applications. An investigation by The Sunday Times last week discovered that thousands of students with “absolutely no academic intent” were
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 13:48 UTC
All the times celebs have been caught out cheating: From Seann Walsh's Strictly snog scandal and Phillip Schofield's shock affair to Danny Jones and Maura Higgins 'drunken kiss'
Phillip Schofield's affair with a male This Morning colleague and Seann Walsh's snog with Katya Jones are just a couple that spring to mind, with Danny Jones and Maura Higgins 'drunken kiss' being the latest scandal. A photo of the pair kissing caused a media firestorm as the infamous Strictly curse reared it's ugly head once more. Seann was in a relationship with then girlfriend Rebecca Humphries at the time, while Katya was married to fellow Strictly professional Neil Jones. They had been dating for 16 months when Sam discovered what happened between the former Love Island star and Brahim. In 2014 Neil finally said sorry to game show host Les for the affair he had with his then-wife Amanda.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 12:45 UTC
New Forest hotel named best family friendly hotel
New Park Manor hotel near Brockenhurst has been named one of the UK's best by The Times. (Image: PR)A New Forest hotel has been hailed as one of the best in the UK after being named in a list of "best value" stays. Travel experts at The Times released a list of 33 of the best hotels across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that cost less than £150 a night. New Park Manor Hotel on Lyndhurst Road in Brockenhurst has been praised by the paper, who also called the bed and breakfast the "Best Family-Friendly Hotel" in the UK. New Park Manor Hotel boasts its own spa, with a 16-metre indoor pool, and a heated outdoor pool open from May 19 to September.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 08:56 UTC