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.

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.

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.

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.

“It’s your jobs, your lives, your communities, your families.”Relief swept the town, even spilling into Scunthorpe United’s soccer match, where steelworkers were welcomed on the field with cheers. The local club’s nickname, “The Iron,” stands as a tribute to the town's industrial roots.The blast furnaces are not just vital to Scunthorpe — they represent the UK’s last capacity to produce steel from raw materials. He accused Jingye of making “excessive” demands during negotiations and warned that without intervention, the company was on track to “irrevocably and unilaterally” shut down primary steelmaking.Though the new law does not nationalize British Steel, Reynolds acknowledged that a future transfer of ownership to the state remains on the table. It also raises uncertainty over Jingye’s role going forward. Should the company fail to comply with the law, it and its executives could face legal action.British Steel, acquired by Jingye in 2020, has yet to comment on how it will respond to the government’s move.

More infoWe have reached the halfway stage of the US Masters and Rory McIlroy is bang in contention. Friday's blistering round of six-under-par helped erase the late double bogeys in Thursday's opening round. McIlroy is trying to win a first ever Masters title, and complete the career grand slam. The top two on the leaderboard - Rose and DeChambeau - will tee off at 7.40pmIreland's Shane Lowry gets his third round under way at 7.20pm alongside Matt McCarty. Scottie Scheffler underwhelmed with a second-round 71, seeing the defending champion drift from 21/10 favourite out to 15/4.

Huxley Marshall works hard and plays hard. Just 12 years old, he has made £350 over the past year from self-taught barbering, cutting the hair of friends (and friends’ dads) at £8 a chop. Huxley is a rugby enthusiast, so when the team at his Wimbledon school were looking for a haircut to match their on-field prowess, the choice was an obvious one: the mullet. “Our team is planning on bringing the mullet back for rugby season,” he says. When I play someone with a mullet, I think they’re tough — it gives me that vibe that they don’t really care.

Ukraine could be divided like Berlin after the Second World War, Donald Trump’s envoy to the war-torn nation has said. “You could almost make it look like what happened with Berlin after the Second World War, when you had a Russian zone, a French zone, and a British zone, a US zone,” he told The Times, before clarifying that the US would not provide any ground troops under this scenario. The proposal would require Ukraine to cede control of its eastern territories, which are currently under Russian control. Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly voiced opposition to relinquishing land to Russia without Nato protection for its remaining territories. “Ukraine will never recognise territories that are occupied by Russia as Russian territory.

Write to letters@thetimes.co.ukSir, We are in danger of fatally underestimating the significance of President Trump’s decision to suspend his tariffs (“Trump puts the brakes on tariffs for 90 days”, news, Apr 10; “Unknown territory”, leading article, Apr 11). Bond investors (the world’s canary in a coalmine) were dumping Treasury bonds, but not simply to cover losses. This was also the day investors lost confidence in America — a profound shift. President Trump’s trade war is causing a fundamental reassessment of the US economy and its financial markets. Investors will demand higher returns for buying Treasury bonds, which means higher borrowing costs for an economy already

What are the start times for the Bahrain GP race this Sunday, April 13th? The Bahrain GP race weekend is spelling a disastrous story for Red Bull. Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 Start TimesFormula 1 has already released the official schedule for the race on their website. Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 Start Times UKThe Bahrain GP will be streamed for the viewers in UK from 3:00 PM according to GMT time zone. Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 Start Times USIn the USA, viewers can watch Bahrain GP from 11:00 AM as per the Eastern Time zone.

Holidaymakers returning from Spain with a leg of jamon iberico are in for a nasty surprise this weekend as the government has banned travellers from bringing many meat and dairy products from the EU into the UK. The restrictions, which are intended to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, apply to meat and dairy from cows, pigs, sheep and goats. The government said the rules include a ban on “bringing items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain — regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free”. The restrictions apply only to travellers arriving in Great Britain and will not be imposed on imports arriving from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or

What time does Rory McIlroy tee off at the Masters today? UK start times, how to watch and latest oddsWhat time does Rory McIlroy tee off at Masters today? UK start times

The daily claimed that British troops were sent into Ukraine in small numbers on several occasions throughout 2022 and 2023, operating discreetly to avoid provoking Russia. In particular, UK forces were deployed to fit Ukrainian aircraft with Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles and train pilots and ground crews in their use. Former UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace was even reportedly nicknamed “the man who saved Kiev” by military officials. “The Americans went to Ukraine only on rare occasions because of concerns that they would be seen to be too involved in the war, unlike Britain’s military chiefs, who were given the freedom to go whenever necessary,” The Times wrote. The presence of current and former NATO troops has also been tacitly admitted, but never openly confirmed, by Western officials.

Live EventsVisitor visa appointment wait times at US consulates in India have reduced significantly in recent months, offering relief to thousands of Indian applicants. The current wait times for B1/B2 visa interviews are now 140 days in Hyderabad, 151 days in Mumbai, and 156 days in New Delhi. At the height of the backlog in 2022 and early 2023, wait times had crossed 800 days in some cities.The recent decline in wait times follows operational changes made by the US embassy and its consulates. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)While wait times have come down, the visa process continues to involve detailed scrutiny. B1/B2 visas accounted for a large portion of this total.

Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau are set to take centre stage in Saturday's action at the Masters. Rose, the British golfer, delivered a 1-under round to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard, following his remarkable performance on Thursday at Augusta. American DeChambeau managed to outdo his previous round of 69, placing himself second with a score of 7-under. Rory McIlroy, after a disappointing end to his round on Thursday, bounced back on Friday with a score of 6 under par, putting him back in the running. Elsewhere, Tyrrell Hatton will be partnering with Scottie Scheffler, both of whom had disappointing ends to their rounds.