The Guardian

Albanese government bows to pressure from Qantas and other airlines and omits compensation scheme from aviation customer rights charterGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government has bowed to pressure from Qantas and other airlines advocating against laws that would force them to pay cash compensation to passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled.The omission of a compensation scheme in the government’s draft aviation customer rights charter follows claims from airlines such as Qantas that compensation rules – which exist in the European Union – would force them to preempt costs and increase air fares.

Plan to go overseas for festive period changed after medical advice not to travel long distances, it is understoodPrincess Beatrice will be joining the royal family at Sandringham this Christmas after changing her travel plans due to medical advice, it is understood.Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, are expecting their second child in early spring and were planning on spending the festive period overseas with the princess’s in-laws. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/princess-beatrice-to-spend-christmas-with-royal-family-due-to-pregnancy Author : Nadeem Badshah Publish date : 2024-12-21 23:35:03 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Mark Burnett, who also created Survivor, Shark Tank and The Voice, lacks diplomatic and foreign policy experienceDonald Trump has appointed Mark Burnett, a British television producer who helped produce Trump’s show The Apprentice, as the US’s special envoy to the UK.In an announcement on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump hailed 64-year-old Burnett, saying: “With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.” Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/21/trump-appoints-mark-burnett-special-envoy-uk Author : Maya Yang Publish date : 2024-12-21 22:26:48 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked

Travellers urged to allow more time for journeys amid ‘perfect storm’ of festive season and bad weatherSome flights and ferries were cancelled on Saturday amid a “perfect storm” of the Christmas getaway and bad weather.The disruption has been caused by strong gusts after the Met Office announced yellow warnings for parts of the country. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/flights-and-ferries-cancelled-in-uk-due-to-high-winds-as-christmas-getaway-begins Author : PA Media Publish date : 2024-12-21 22:29:42 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Nigel Farage’s party is building on the unpopularity of the government and is set to challenge it in next year’s polls For many Labour and MPs and party officials, it was a nightmarish image that encapsulated the forces buffeting politics across the west.A gleeful Nigel Farage standing next to Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, having discussed the possibility of a political donation big enough to bankroll any British party, with cash to spare. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/dec/21/labour-fears-grow-as-reform-eyes-victories-in-local-election-battleground Author : Michael Savage Policy Editor Publish date : 2024-12-21 19:35:14 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Singer says successful operation is ‘best Christmas present I could’ve wished for’ Max George, a member of the boyband the Wanted, has revealed he has had a pacemaker fitted after an operation to address a 2:1 heart block.George, 36, who announced he had been taken to hospital due to “issues with my heart” earlier in the month, said the pacemaker was “the best Christmas present”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/dec/21/the-wanted-singer-max-george-pacemaker-heart-block Author : PA Media Publish date : 2024-12-21 19:56:56 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Prime minister announces move after meeting with parents’ groups and teachers over social media fearsAlbania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on children.Edi Rama, the prime minister, confirmed the ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, after meeting parents’ groups and teachers from across the country. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/21/albania-bans-tiktok-for-a-year-after-fatal-stabbing-of-teenager-last-month Author : Reuters Publish date : 2024-12-21 20:00:46 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Saudi national, alleged to have killed five and injured more than 200, had issued a warning on social mediaA Saudi national alleged to have carried out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which killed five and injured more than 200, had warned on social media that “something big will happen”.The 50-year-old doctor is in police custody after a black BMW SUV ploughed 400 metres through a crowded market at speed, driving over some people and flinging others up into the air. A nine-year-old girl is among the dead. Continue reading... Source link :

Further 13 people taken to hospital after vehicle crashed into lorry then burst into flamesAt least 38 people have been killed in a “tragic” traffic collision between a bus and truck in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the Associated Press reported, citing fire department officials who attended the scene. The death toll had initially been put at 22.A further 13 people were taken to hospitals near the city of Teófilo Otoni. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/21/at-least-22-people-killed-in-tragic-bus-crash-in-brazil Author : Jem Bartholomew Publish date : 2024-12-21 19:40:53 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Funding from property firms raises questions over loopholes in political finance rulesA secretive group that donated £130,000 to Labour and claimed to be “merely a platform for people” is in fact funded by property developers, the Observer can reveal.The firm behind a £200m project to build a skyscraper in Birmingham and three other developers are behind the West Midlands Breakfast Club, which gave money to Labour in February. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/dec/21/revealed-property-developers-behind-breakfast-club-that-donated-130000-to-labour Author : Shanti Das Publish date : 2024-12-21 18:37:11 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Gemma Devonish died after being found with stab wounds at an address in Carshalton on ThursdayA man has been charged with the murder of a 42-year-old teacher who was found with stab wounds in south London.Police were called at about 10.30am on Thursday to reports of a woman found injured at an address in Nutfield Close, Carshalton, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/man-charged-with-of-teacher-42-in-south-london Author : PA Media Publish date : 2024-12-21 18:21:31 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

The 72-year-old is relieved but takes ‘no satisfaction’ in seeing other families broken up, lawyer saysIt took just over four years, and 67 days in court, but Gisèle Pelicot is said to feel “relieved and appeased” about the judges’ decision to convict all the men accused of raping or sexually assaulting her while she was drugged and unconscious.After a final declaration that she “respected” the sentences handed down in Avignon, her lawyers said she was now “absolutely exhausted” and glad the marathon trial was over. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/21/gisele-pelicot-lawyers-what-she-will-do-next Author : Kim Willsher in Avignon Publish date :

Average price of eggs rose nearly 30 cents since October, with egg production down 4% from prior yearThe accelerating spread of bird flu through US poultry flocks is pushing the price of eggs to highs rivaling or exceeding the cost in December 2022 at the height of the post-pandemic inflation scare.The average cost of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $3.65 in November, up from $3.37 in October, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week, up from $2.50 at the start of the year, as farmers battle with a fatal strain of H5N1 that continues to disrupt

Bridget Phillipson insists move to marking and class preparation out of school would help stem retention crisis‘We need a total culture change’: the teacher told to work 60-hour week or leave after having babyAll state school teachers should given the right to work away from the classroom on lesson preparation, marking and pupil assessment to stem a growing retention crisis in the profession, the education secretary says today.Bridget Phillipson told the Observer it was vital more schools offered teachers some flexible working away from the classroom as is already the case in many academy schools, without reducing contact time with

Judge dismisses challenge that argued development failed to provide housing and could damage London landmarksThe building of a controversial 25-storey office block nicknamed the Slab on London’s South Bank is to go ahead after the high court upheld a decision by the former communities secretary Michael Gove to approve the development.Mr Justice Mould dismissed a legal challenge by the Save Our South Bank group, which has been fighting the development since planning permission was first submitted in 2021. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/court-clears-way-for-the-slab-office-block-to-be-built-on-south-bank Author : Hayden Vernon Publish date : 2024-12-21 15:55:19 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the

Rare autographed cache found by researcher at National Trust’s Waddesdon ManorBaron Edmond de Rothschild was one of Europe’s richest and best connected men. But his lifelong hobby – hunting the autographs of the famous – was more akin to that of an idolising youngster.Nine decades after his death, more than 220 letters he collected over 60 years have just been discovered at Waddesdon Manor, the former Rothschild home, now owned by the National Trust. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/dec/21/letters-from-lord-byron-elizabeth-i-and-benjamin-franklin-among-collection-discovered-in-british-stately-home Author : Richard Brooks Publish date : 2024-12-21 15:23:33 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Investigation by Senate Democrats found that Thomas accepted gifts and travel worth more than $4.75m since 1991A nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of supreme court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct.Any movement on the issue appears unlikely as Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in January, underscoring the hurdles in imposing restrictions on a separate branch of government even as public confidence in the court has fallen to record lows. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/21/ethics-inquiry-supreme-court Author : Associated Press

AGI in South Carolina investigated by government after leaked files revealed traumatic injuries and animal deathsThe US Department of Agriculture is investigating allegations from an animal rights organisation concerning Alpha Genesis Incorporated (AGI), the animal experimentation facility and breeder, from which 43 monkeys escaped last month.AGI is accused of “abuse and neglect”, and of violations of the Animal Welfare Act, as leaked documents show that between 2021 and 2023, multiple primates held at AGI centres endured preventable traumatic injuries and deaths. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/21/animal-lab-monkeys-abuse-allegations Author : Claire Colley Publish date : 2024-12-21 14:00:19 Copyright for syndicated content

The royal has bowed to pressure over residents’ right to buy freeholds on parts of his hereditary landPrince William has agreed to end the last feudal restrictions on land ownership in parts of his hereditary Duchy of Cornwall estate after decades of complaints from residents.The Prince of Wales will allow tenants in two of the most environmentally sensitive areas of his 55,000-hectare (135,000 acres) estate the right to buy the freehold to their homes for the first time. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/prince-william-to-end-feudal-restrictions-on-land-ownership-on-cornish-estate Author : Richard Palmer Publish date : 2024-12-21 13:00:17 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the

Woman jailed for M25 protest not allowed to continue home detention because electronic tags are too bigA 77-year-old environmental activist will spend Christmas in prison despite having been released on an electronic tag, because the authorities cannot find an electronic device small enough to fit her wrists.Gaie Delap, a retired teacher and a Quaker from Bristol, was jailed in August, along with four co-defendants, for her part in a campaign of disruptive Just Stop Oil protests on the M25 in November 2022. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/dec/21/elderly-activist-to-spend-christmas-in-prison-because-tag-does-not-fit Author : Diane Taylor Publish date : 2024-12-21 12:50:54 Copyright for syndicated

Previously unseen artefacts show invading forces included communities of men, women, children, craftworkers and merchantsDozens of sites linked to the Viking great army as it ravaged Anglo-Saxon England more than 1,000 years ago have been discovered. Leading experts from York University have traced the archaeological footprint of the Scandinavian invaders, identifying previously unknown sites and routes.The study, conducted by Dawn M Hadley, professor of medieval archaeology, and fellow archaeology professor Julian D Richards, found that the significance of many of the ingots, gaming pieces and other artefacts unearthed by metal detectorists over the years had been overlooked until now. They

TV presenter and Green party politician resign from animal-welfare charity over response to undercover abattoir videosThe BBC presenter Chris Packham and the former Green party leader Caroline Lucas have resigned from the RSPCA animal-welfare charity, accusing the organisation of “legitimising cruelty”.It comes after an undercover investigation from Animal Rising, which campaigns for a plant-based food system, used hidden cameras to reveal animal cruelty at RSPCA-approved abattoirs. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/21/chris-packham-and-caroline-lucas-accuse-rspca-of-legitimising-cruelty Author : Jem Bartholomew Publish date : 2024-12-21 11:31:12 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Thirty-three of 44 current and former contract workers who paid large recruiting fees say they didn’t receive refunds after working within the company’s Saudi operations In February, one of the world’s richest employers, Amazon, announced it had refunded nearly $2m to more than 700 overseas workers who had been forced to pay big recruiting fees to get work at the company’s warehouses in Saudi Arabia.It was a rare win for migrant laborers, a class of vulnerable workers who are often targeted for deceptive recruiting tactics and other abuses. One Nepali laborer said he was so shocked when a refund from

Mark-ups criticised by patients’ charity for punishing those with ill health, while NHS defends fees amid financial pressuresHospital car parking fees were increased for a quarter of NHS trusts in England amid the cost of living crisis, new data has revealed.Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show parking charges rose for at least 37 trusts – 25% of England’s total – between April 2022 and March 2024. Requests were filed to the 147 NHS trusts in England by PA Media, but 25 did not reply, meaning the number that raised parking fees could be higher. Continue reading... Source

Rain and strong winds may cause delays in north and west of UK on Saturday, spreading to southern regions on SundayWeather warnings have come into force across much of the UK as millions of people set off for their Christmas getaway.Wet and windy weather this weekend could cause roads and public transport to be disrupted by strong gusts. The AA predicted that 22 million drivers would hit the road on Saturday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/21/weather-warnings-in-place-across-uk-as-millions-set-off-for-christmas-getaway Author : Guardian staff Publish date : 2024-12-21 09:51:29 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.