Author: WTX News

Who’s on strike today and how will it affect you? Daily update for December 23 The Metro says There’s two sleeps to Christmas, which means we’ve reached day 23 of December’s strike action. People from across Britain’s major industries – such as rail workers, nurses and bus drivers – have all downed tools this month in protest over pay and working conditions. People were warned not to get injured or ill during the ambulance workers’ strike earlier this week. Today, four different unions are staging industrial action. There could be delays on the road for those looking to travel home…

Long queues loom for drivers in ‘frantic’ Friday getaway before Christmas weekend Sky News says Drivers have been warned to expect long queues as millions take to the roads ahead of the Christmas weekend. The AA has said Friday will be the busiest day on the roads this week with an estimated 16.9 million journeys being made across the UK. A further 16.6 million are expected to be made on Christmas Eve. Congestion will be further compounded thanks to a strike by thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail, causing train services to…

Travellers braced for misery at UK’s busiest airports as Border Force workers strike Sky News says Hundreds of thousands of air passengers face possible delays today as Border Force workers become the latest to go on strike. More than 1,000 employees will walk out, affecting passport control desks at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow airports, as well as the port of Newhaven in East Sussex. The strike will last until early on Boxing Day, before another round from 28 December until early on New Year’s Eve. More than 10,000 flights are scheduled to land at those airports during…

UK Government could block gender reform bill passed by MSPs over ‘concerns’ for safety of women Daily Record says The UK Government could block controversial plans to make it easier for Scots to change their gender despite MSPs voting in favour of the landmark legislation. The Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill was finally passed at Holyrood today by 86 votes to 39 after winning cross-party support following three days of heated debate. But nine SNP MSPs voted against in the party’s biggest rebellion since taking power in 2007. The legislation intends to lower the age from 18 to 16 at…

A dramatic video showed smoke pouring from the site.

North Korea sold arms to Russia’s Wagner Group, US says The Moscow Times says North Korea has delivered arms to Russia’s private military group Wagner, the White House said Thursday, calling the mercenary enterprise a “rival” for power to the defense and other ministries in the Kremlin. The United States will boost sanctions against Wagner following North Korea’s sale of infantry rockets and missiles to the group last month, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. “Wagner is searching around the world for arms suppliers to support its military operations in Ukraine,”…

Jan. 6 committee releases final report, says Trump should be barred from office CNN says The House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection recommends barring former President Donald Trump from holding office again. The recommendation is among the conclusions of the panel’s final report, a comprehensive overview of the bipartisan panel’s findings on how Trump and his allies sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election, released late Thursday evening. The 845-page report – based on 1,000-plus interviews, documents collected including emails, texts, phone records and a year and a half of investigation – includes allegations that Trump “oversaw”…

Much of US in Grip of Major Winter Storm VOA says Just ahead of the Christmas holiday, the U.S. finds itself in the grip of a major storm. Thousands of flights were canceled Thursday. The U.S. National Weather Service said the “historic winter storm” is producing “widespread disruptions to large portions of the nation heading into the holiday weekend.” More than 200 million people, or about 60% of the U.S. population, are under some form of winter weather warnings or advisories. The Associated Press reports that in South Dakota, Rosebud Sioux tribal authorities say they are facing a “relentless wind…

Japanese officials believe a ballistic missile was fired into the sea this morning.

From tinsel hair to metallic eyeshadow, there’s plenty of fun to be had.

Christmas Day will be set against a backdrop of ‘unsettled’ weather with high winds and frequent rain expected.

The people are divided by the clip.

The January 6 committee disclosed an interview about Trump acknowledging his loss on Thursday and is expected to release its full report.

The Galápagos pink land iguana is an endangered reptile native to a sole island on the Ecuadorean archipelago.

Beth Mead wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year after Euro 2022 success Daily Mirror says Legendary Lioness Beth Mead has been named 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year after her hand in leading England to the Euro 2022 crown. The 27-year-old SPOTY favourite was named Player of the Tournament at this year’s European Championship after her six goals and five assists saw England ‘bring it home’. The Lionesses earned England’s first major trophy since the men’s team won the World Cup in 1966, finally ending the nation’s 56 years of hurt. Mead beat a heady field of competition…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Thursday’s front pages report on the fallout of the NHS strikes. Most of the papers run a picture of Ukraine’s president Zelenksy meeting US president Joe Biden in Washington.  NHS strike action The Daily Mirror accuses the government of “crippling” the health service by responding to demands for pay negotiations with “deadly silence.” The Daily Star features a picture of the PM under the headline: “missing.” The paper says “As the whole country goes on strike and our NHS crumbles before our very eyes, we seem to have lost our prime minister.” The Guardian’s…

He was flown on a US Boeing C-40 Clipper across the Atlantic – in a journey shrouded in secrecy to avoid any Russian sabotage.

Ambulance strike: Warning of very challenging days ahead BBC News says Hospitals were quieter than normal during Wednesday’s ambulance strikes, but Thursday is likely to be “very challenging” with lots of patients turning up, health bosses say. Only the most serious 999 calls were responded to. But there was no evidence of people going to A&E in taxis or their own cars, NHS Providers told the BBC. Thousands of paramedics, call handlers and technicians took action in England and Wales on Wednesday. Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, mental-health trusts and ambulance services in…

French serial killer Charles ‘The Serpent’ Sobhraj to be freed from Nepalese jail France24 says Nepal’s top court ordered on Wednesday the release of Charles Sobhraj, the French serial killer portrayed in the Netflix series “The Serpent” who was responsible for a string of murders across Asia in the 1970s. Nepal’s top court ordered on Wednesday the release and deportation of Charles Sobhraj, the French serial killer portrayed in the Netflix series “The Serpent” who was responsible for a string of murders across Asia in the 1970s. The Supreme Court ruled Sobhraj, 78, who has been in prison in the…

WHO chief ‘very concerned’ over COVID situation in China Can health care withstand a new COVID-19 variant? WHO fearful as China sees cases soar Global News says There are still “huge weaknesses” in the world’s health-care system that could be exposed if a new COVID variant takes dominance, a WHO official said Wednesday. Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, told reporters during a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, that he doesn’t think the world is ready to “take the hit” of another wave of a new COVID variant, amid concerns in China over rapidly growing…

Zelensky to US Congress: ‘Your money is not charity, it’s investment in global security’ The Kyiv Independent says President Volodymyr Zelensky received a lasting standing ovation as he delivered a historic address before U.S. Congress late on Dec. 21. “It is too much for me,” he said with a smile before proceeding with his remarks. Zelensky spoke in English for roughly 25 minutes and reminded the American lawmakers that mere hours before his U.S. trip — the first overseas one since the full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24 — he was at the front line in Donetsk Oblast’s Bakhmut. The…

FTX co-founder and ex-chief of hedge fund Alameda Research each pleaded guilty to multiple charges, are cooperating with feds CNN Business says Two senior executives associated with collapsed crypto exchange FTX have pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges and are cooperating with federal prosecutors, according to unsealed court records. Additionally, the pair face civil fraud charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission that were announced Wednesday night. Gary Wang, the co-founder of FTX, and Caroline Ellison, who served as CEO of the hedge fund Alameda Research, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of conspiracy and fraud for their roles in the…

The Independent – Public told to avoid risks during ambulance strikes Summary of the front page The Independent says Britons have been warned not to take risks – including drinking, driving or playing certain sports – as ambulance services descended into chaos hours before a planned strike. At least seven of 10 ambulance trusts declared “critical incidents” amid “unprecedented” pressure on services, while NHS leaders warned they could not guarantee patient safety during Wednesday’s walkout in England and Wales. The front page features a picture of striking NHS nurses. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National…

Metro – You’d better watch out … Summary of the front page The Metro says Health minister Will Quince has warned people to avoid getting injured or ill as ambulance staff go on strike. “You’d better watch out” is the headline. The paper reports Mr Quince encouraged people to avoid “risky activity” such as contact sport or running if it is icy. It comes as 750 troops try to fill the gap left by 10,000 emergency workers, the Metro says. The front page pays tribute to Terry Hall. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous…

The Guardian – NHS bosses urge PM to intervene to avoid war of attrition on strikes Summary of the front page The Guardian writes NHS leaders have warned the public to avoid “risky activity” for fear of being left “helpless and unable to reach A&E during the ambulance strike today”. The front page also reports on Germany returning artefacts to Nigeria – the precious bronzes were first looted by Britain over 125 years ago. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous Next