Republican holdouts bristle at Trump pressure over megabill
Confident that passage of President Trump’s signature legislation was all but assured, West Wing aides summoned holdouts in the House Republican caucus Wednesday to deliver a blunt message: Follow the president’s orders and get it done by Friday. But the vote was in doubt, and signs emerged of cracks in a coalition otherwise firmly under Trump’s control. One GOP lawmaker who attended the White House meeting Wednesday, Rep. David Valadao of California, represents a Central Valley district with one of the highest percentages of Medicaid enrollment in the nation. Several Republican lawmakers fear that provision could have devastating effects on rural hospitals. Earlier Wednesday, after taking meetings at the White House, members of the House Freedom Caucus, a bloc founded to promote fiscal responsibility, also met with Johnson.
Source:The Times
July 03, 2025 02:52 UTC
'Destination you'll never want to leave': Jet lag or just Kerala vibes? UK F-35B’s extended vacation goes viral
NEW DELHI: Kerala’s tourism department has turned a grounded fighter jet into a flying PR moment, poking fun at the British Royal Navy after one of its most advanced aircraft, a £90 million F-35B Lightning II, found itself stuck at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for over two weeks following an emergency landing.Jumping at the chance, Kerala Tourism shared a cheeky post featuring the marooned jet alongside the line: “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.” The image even included a five-star review from the jet itself: “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.”The F-35B jet had been operating from the UK’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales when it was forced to divert to the Indian airport on 14 June due to low fuel. Though it landed safely, it subsequently developed a hydraulic failure on the ground, complicating its return to service.A UK engineering team is now en route to Thiruvananthapuram with specialised tools to carry out the necessary repairs. The aircraft will be moved to the airport’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to minimise disruption to scheduled air traffic. Its extended grounding in Kerala has inadvertently added a touch of humour to an otherwise serious military episode.While repairs are underway, the stranded fighter jet has unintentionally boosted Kerala’s global visibility—not through a strategic exercise or military drill, but through the state’s own tourism board turning the moment into a viral marketing masterstroke.
Source:The Times
July 03, 2025 02:51 UTC
IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Who was Wayne Larkins? India, England wear black armbands in tribute
Players from both England and India sported black armbands at the start of the second Test at EdgbastonLate selection meeting between Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill and Ajit Agarkar near pitch? Poll Should cricketing legends like Wayne Larkins be honored with more tributes? Yes, they deserve recognition No, it's enough alreadyNEW DELHI: Players from both England and India sported black armbands at the start of the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in tribute to former England cricketer Wayne Larkins , who passed away on June 28. He later moved to Durham before retiring, having amassed over 40,000 runs and 85 centuries across formats. He will be partying up in the sky, drinking a toast to everyone and to his own life.
Source:The Times
July 03, 2025 02:34 UTC
Migrants who cross the Channel into the UK 'are 24 times more likely to go to prison than Brits'
Channel migrants are 24 times more likely to be in prison than Brits, analysis by the Conservative Party shows. This is a dramatically larger share than the average for Brits, which comes to just 0.14 per cent, studies show. It is also said to be 18 times higher than the ratio of the total migrant population that is in prison, which is 0.18 per cent. For Albanians, the figure is 6 per cent, among Iraqis it is 2.7 per cent, while 1.6 per cent of Iranians are in prison. Those from the main nationalities arriving are far more likely to commit crime and end up in prison than the general population.
Source:The Times
July 03, 2025 01:10 UTC
Jeff Bridges picks the greatest movie of the 1970s
Jeff Bridges picks the definitive movie of the mid-1970s: “A vibe of the times”The 1970s were an incredible time for film. The decade also saw the rise of many movie stars who are still going strong to this day, one of whom was Jeff Bridges. “If you want some weird, visual, acoustic stuff to wash over you, check out a movie called The Forbidden Zone [sic],” he recommended. “Bright wrote The Forbidden Zone [sic], and my wife Susan was a dancer on that. Forbidden Zone is now considered a cult classic, to the point where reports of a sequel have even been floated.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 20:56 UTC
UK shuts both its Afghan resettlement schemes without warning
“Most of the Afghans evacuated so far are from a Pashtun background, who have tribal links with the Taliban. They have come to the UK, got their residency, and travelled back to Afghanistan to support the Taliban. There are women, girls, musicians, and activists all stuck in Afghanistan who would like to come to Britain. We are contacted daily by people who tried to come via these schemes who never got any response. By March 31, 2025, 21,316 Afghans had been relocated under ARAP.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 18:56 UTC
Pound Drops Amid Uncertainty Over UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves
The position of Rachel Reeves, Britain’s most senior finance official, was the subject of growing speculation on Wednesday after she appeared visibly upset in Parliament as Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to guarantee that she would keep her job. Mr. Starmer had previously committed to keeping Ms. Reeves in her role as chancellor of the Exchequer until the next general election, but when asked on Wednesday by Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition, to repeat that pledge, he avoided the question. But in an interview later with the BBC, Mr. Starmer said that Ms. Reeves had done “an excellent job as chancellor” and that she would continue in the post “for a very long time to come.”Ms. Reeves became chancellor last year amid high expectations. She was the first woman to hold the position, one of Britain’s great offices of state. She emphasized her credentials from previously working at the Bank of England and vowed to restore fiscal credibility to Britain after it was shaken by the tax and spending plans of the former prime minister Liz Truss.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 18:39 UTC
3 Managers Arrested Over Deaths at U.K. Hospital Where Lucy Letby Worked
Three senior managers who worked at the hospital where Lucy Letby, then a neonatal nurse, was convicted of murdering seven babies have been arrested as part of a police investigation into manslaughter by “gross negligence.”Cheshire Constabulary, the local police force responsible for investigating a series of baby deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital, said the three people were part of the hospital’s “senior leadership team” between 2015 and 2016. Ms. Letby was convicted in 2023 of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others during that period. Ms. Letby was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison. In the arrests of the three senior managers, the police did not name the suspects, in accordance with internal guidelines and British privacy laws. But they said the managers had been arrested on Monday on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and had been released on bail as the investigation continued.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 16:23 UTC
Rachel Reeves in Tears in UK Parliament As Questions Are Raised Over Her Role
The position of Rachel Reeves, Britain’s most senior finance official, was the subject of growing speculation on Wednesday after she appeared visibly upset in Parliament as Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to guarantee that she would keep her job. Mr. Starmer had previously committed to keeping Ms. Reeves in her role as chancellor of the Exchequer until the next general election, but when he was asked on Wednesday by Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition, to repeat that pledge, he avoided the question. However later on Wednesday, the prime minister’s office expressed support for Ms. Reeves, saying that she was “going nowhere.”Ms. Reeves became chancellor last year amid high expectations. She was the first woman to hold the position among Britain’s great offices of state. She emphasized her credentials from previously working at the Bank of England and vowed to restore fiscal credibility to Britain after it was shaken by the tax and spending plans of the former prime minister Liz Truss.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 15:03 UTC
40 years on, Steve Cram recalls his world record hat-trick
SEB Coe, Steve Ovett, Saïd Aouita, John Walker, and Joaquim Cruz are among the legendary names that race to mind when assessing the rivals who drove Steve Cram to greatness. “I knew him from junior school football days but he’d moved to a different school by the time of the race,” recalls Cram. July 27, Mile, Oslo: Cram defeated Coe and broke his world record with a time of 3:46.32. August 4, 2,000 metres, Budapest: Cram snatched the world record from New Zealander John Walker with a time of 4:51.39. Cram will share insights, images and footage, 40 years after becoming the first athlete to set world records at three different distances.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 13:41 UTC
Patients face ‘unnecessary pain’ as NHS imposes minimum waiting times, experts warn
Patients face ‘unnecessary pain’ as NHS imposes minimum waiting times, experts warnPatients face ‘unnecessary pain’ as NHS imposes minimum waiting times, experts warn. Picture: AlamyBy Shannon CookPatients risk being left in “unnecessary pain” as NHS chiefs force hospitals to introduce minimum waiting times for treatment, health experts have warned. It said commissioners may wish to set “activity planning assumptions”, which can include introducing minimum waiting times. “There are millions of people waiting for planned treatment, and the Government has made waiting times a key target for the next election. NHS organisations do need to strike a balance with those patients needing emergency care, primary care or mental health care, too.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 13:26 UTC
UK researchers aiming for ‘radical leap’ in chronic wound treatment
A UK university and a charity are among those taking part in a major new European Union-funded project to develop injectable hydrogel treatment for hard-to-heal wounds. These deep cavity chronic wounds, caused for example by pressure ulcers or diabetic foot ulcers, are a major source of pain and distress and account for 2-4% of healthcare costs in Europe. When completed, the hydrogel which is developed from safe, sustainable materials, will be a “radical leap in chronic wound treatment”, according to those behind the project. Professor Matteo Santin, who is leading the work at Brighton, said: “Chronic wounds don’t just damage skin – they erode confidence, independence, and quality of life. The charity will coordinate a series of workshops and co-creation activities, ensuring that people living with chronic wounds and their carers actively help shape the hydrogel platform.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 13:25 UTC
Cricket goes AAA as AI slashes game production time
LightFury Games ’ office in a Bengaluru shopping mall feels more like a gaming den than your typical white-collar abode. On the day I visit, chief executive and co-founder Karan Shroff is still buzzing from the spring conference season. “Everybody makes better games, has better skills, better experience,” Farren adds. “Success is when I can find someone to replace me and move on to the next problem.”AI permeates every department. “Humans are using these tools to push the envelope so we can do greater things much more quickly.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 11:45 UTC
Best in Class: UK, US highschools take the lead in HSBC Hurun Global Rankings
Westminster School (London) led the list, sending over 40% of its 200 annual graduates to Oxbridge. St Paul’s School (London) moved to second position, with around 40 of 220 students each year heading to Oxbridge or Ivy League institutions. St Paul’s Girls’ School (London) remained at fourth, consistently sending a third of its 120 graduates to Oxbridge or the Ivy League. King’s College School (London) climbed into the top five, driven by improving placement results, as per the report. London’s Westminster School has topped the HSBC Hurun Education Global Highschools list for the third consecutive year, with a commanding academic record and centuries of legacy.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 11:31 UTC
Patients risk being in ‘unnecessary pain’ over NHS minimum waits for treatment
Patients risk being left in “unnecessary pain” as NHS chiefs force hospitals to introduce minimum waiting times for treatment, health experts have warned. As first reported in The Times, the policies include blanket minimum waiting times of 12-16 weeks in some regions. It said commissioners may wish to set “activity planning assumptions”, which can include introducing minimum waiting times. Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “Used in this way, minimum waiting times risk distorting clinical priorities and leaving patients in unnecessary pain and anxiety. “There are millions of people waiting for planned treatment, and the Government has made waiting times a key target for the next election.
Source:The Times
July 02, 2025 10:33 UTC