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
New Forest hotel named among UK's best for stays under £150
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. READ MORE: Popular Southampton hotel scoops top awardThe Times' review said: "We all know that family-friendly really means parent-friendly — something New Park Manor has down to a fine art. 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. New Park Manor Hotel's attentive staff were also praised, and the review noted that bed and breakfast double rooms start at £130, with main meals from £20.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 08:47 UTC
Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes emerges as Real Madrid transfer target - Paper Talk
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...SUNDAY EXPRESSManchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Real Madrid, according to reports. Chelsea's sporting director Laurence Stewart reportedly made use of his club's weekend off by travelling to France on a Ligue 1 scouting trip on Friday night. Incoming Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has been tasked with seeing the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi over the line. Eintracht Frankfurt are set to play hardball with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United over in-demand striker Hugo Ekitike this summer. Manchester United fan group The 1958 are planning a sit-in protest at next weekend's Manchester derby after they and breakaway club FC United held a joint protest against the Glazers on Saturday.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 08:25 UTC
Newspaper headlines: PM urged to 'get tough with Trump' and 'police raid Quaker meeting'
"Harry is a bully, says charity chief", is the Telegraph's headline, referring to comments made by Sophie Chandauka after the Prince resigned last week. The Sunday Express, external carries a picture of a collapsed clock tower in the city of Mandalay where it says many people are still trapped. The Sunday Times, external leads with the arrest of six women at a Quaker meeting house in London, who had met, it says, to discuss "climate change and Gaza". The Times says it's the latest accusation against the force that it's over-policing the "right to protest and free speech". The Telegraph, external says the BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, has refused the offer of anti-Semitism training for the broadcaster three times since 2019.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 08:15 UTC
Government to host international summit to combat people-smuggling gangs
More than 8,000 adverts on social media were taken down last year where smugglers were promoting crossings, before moving to encrypted channels. Some 600 engines were seized and hundreds of people arrested for facilitating journeys in efforts to crack down on smuggling gangs. The legislation is continuing through Parliament with plans to introduce new criminal offences and hand counter terror-style powers to police and enforcement agencies to crack down on people-smuggling gangs. The addition announced on Sunday will widen the right to work scheme for gig economy workers not currently covered in existing laws. Ahead of the international summit, the Conservatives said Labour’s claims of being tough on immigration were “risible”.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 06:14 UTC
Latest planning applications submitted to Cumberland Council
Below is a listed overview of all the applications submitted to Cumberland Council this week:Langfauld Farm, Langrigg, Wigton, CA7 3LL. No: FUL/2025/00312, Victoria Road, Cockermouth, CA13 9PA. No: WTPO/2025/001217 Sunscales Avenue, Cockermouth, CA13 9DY. Proposal for a single-storey rear extension and widening of the driveway access with additional dropped kerbs. No: FUL/2025/0026Cragg Farm, Eaglesfield, Cockermouth, CA13 0SG.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 04:42 UTC
Oxford's grass verges cut for first of three times this year
In 2023, Oxfordshire County Council introduced a new verge maintenance policy, which resulted in grass verges in Oxford being cut once a year. The county council pays Oxford City Council to manage the majority of the grass verges in the city. The updated maintenance schedule follows budget approval from Oxford City Council last month. The nine areas are Abberbury Road Roundabout, Abingdon Road, Church Cowley Road, Eastern Bypass Central Reservation, Grenoble Road, Green Road, Marston Ferry Road, Oxford Road in New Marston, and Sunderland Avenue. Parks and green spaces are mown eight times a year, with additional litter picking at peak times.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 01:05 UTC
Fairer chocolate trade ‘transforming mothers’ lives in Ivorian cocoa villages’
The west African nation is the biggest producer of cocoa in the world, with farmers in the region of Tonkpi supplying chocolate global markets, including the UK. The group has put women through leadership programmes, built basic maternity clinics and set up entrepreneur associations in several remote villages. Women dancing outside the maternity clinic in the village of Podiagouime, near the city of Man (Chris Terry/Fairtrade/PA)“When a woman is about to deliver, it’s not comfortable. Midwife Ferehala Diarrasouba in the maternity clinic in the village of Podiagouime, near the city of Man (Chris Terry/Fairtrade/PA)“If a woman is independent, it really helps society. Members of the women’s Village Loan and Savings Association in Gouele, near the city of Man (Chris Terry/Fairtrade/PA)“My children are the ones who motivate me in this.
Source:The Times
March 30, 2025 00:15 UTC