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Fraport-run regional airports see record arrivals in 2022The 14 regional airports run by Fraport saw record arrivals figures in 2022, with domestic arrivals up 3.4% and international arrivals up 7.2% compared to the pre-pandemic period (2019).
World's oldest known person, French nun Lucile Randon, dies aged 118The nun previously said that working kept her alive as she worked until the age of 108
‘Tax us now’: ultra-rich call on governments to introduce wealth taxesMore than 200 members of the super-rich elite are calling on governments around the world to “tax us, the ultra rich, now” in order to help billions of people struggling with cost of living crisis.The group of 205 millionaires and billionaires, including the Disney heiress Abigail Disney and The Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo, on Wednesday called on world leaders and business executives meeting in Davos for the World Economic Forum (WEF) to urgently introduce wealth taxes to help tackle “extreme inequality”.In the letter entitled “the cost of extreme wealth”, the millionaires, from 13 countries, said: “The history of the last five decades is a story of wealth flowing nowhere but upwards. In the last few years, this trend has greatly accelerated …The solution is plain for all to see. You, our global representatives, have to tax us, the ultra rich, and you have to start now.”The super-rich signatories, who brand themselves as “patriotic millionaires”, warned that inaction could lead to a catastrophe. “There’s only so much stress any society can take, only so many times mothers and fathers will watch their children go hungry while the ultra rich contemplate their growing wealth. The cost of action is much cheaper than the cost of inaction – it’s time to get on with the job.”
The speedy overseas holiday MoneySaving checklist - easy ways to save & avoid pitfallsDon't leave home (or the country) without it2. Take two minutes to download the cheapest way to spend abroad (perfect rates and 1% cashback). App-only Chase Bank's* debit card is one of quite a few cards that give virtually-perfect exchange rates, and fee-free ATM withdrawals (max £1,500/month), yet it also gives 1% cashback on most spending in the UK and abroad, making it the winner. You NEEDN'T switch banks to get it, or even go through a hard credit check.As it's a debit card, you don't get Section 75 protection though, so if you're planning important £100+ purchases while away, a credit card gives more protection. The current top pick overseas card is Barclaycard's Reward Visa. For more options, see our Travel cards guide.
Confused over Royal Mail stamp swap deadline? Don't be as you WILL still be able use non-barcoded stamps until 31 July 2023You will still be able to use non-barcoded 'everyday stamps' after 31 January for another six months, MoneySavingExpert.com can confirm. The deadline to use these stamps is 31 July. This is despite a series of misleading adverts from Royal Mail saying otherwise. In February last year, Royal Mail announced it would scrap everyday stamps that feature a profile of the Queen's head from 31 January 2023 in favour of barcoded versions. But it later extended the deadline for a further six months in recognition that users needed more time to adjust to the change.
Bulgaria seeks to revive trans-Balkan pipeline project to secure non-Russian oilBulgaria is looking to revive a trans-Balkan oil pipeline project to secure non-Russian crude oil supplies for its only oil refinery on the Black Sea, controlled by Russia's Lukoil, President Rumen Radev said on Tuesday.Sofia is holding talks with neighbouring Greece to build a 300 km oil pipeline to transport crude oil from the Greek port of Alexandroupolis on the Aegean Sea to Bulgaria's Black Sea port of Burgas, Radev said.
Greece expresses ‘deep concern’ over Israeli bulldozing activity on Jerusalem patriarchate’s propertyAthens reiterates support for right, privileges of patriarchateGreece expressed “deep concern” Tuesday over the bulldozing of a plot of land by Israeli forces which belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. Last June, the European Union missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah expressed concern over the Israeli settler group Ateret Cohanim’s takeover of Greek Orthodox properties in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.
Low Cost Airlines Increase Flights To The Greek Islands – New Direct Connections AnnouncedRyanair and Easyjet have added and continue to add quite a few new summer routes to their schedule, expecting a bigger share of the market as Europeans want to travel, but their incomes, due to inflation, are being squeezed, making travel more expensive for their pocket.
Electric Aircraft To Revolutionize Travel And Protect Ecosystem In GreeceElectric aircraft to be acquired by Aria Hotels, one of the hospitality subsidiaries of the Libra Group, will offer a new traveling experience in Greece.
Crete: Woman Claims She Was Robbed By A Taxi Driver Because She Was Late For WorkAn incredible incident took place in Crete when a woman, in order to save herself from being in trouble at work because she was late, filed a complaint with the police and alleged that she was robbed by a taxi driver.According to Creta Post, the incident occurred last Friday in Heraklion when the 27-year-old, having been significantly late to work, pretended that a taxi driver robbed her.
Police forces ordered to check existing staff in same way they vet recruitsAll police forces will be asked to check staff against national databases to identify if anyone "slipped through the net", the Home Office says.The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) will ask forces to check current staff recruited before tougher vetting of recruits was introduced in 2006.
Polar bear kills woman and boy in Alaska villageA polar bear has killed a woman and a boy in a remote Alaska village, authorities have said.The bear entered the village of Wales on Tuesday afternoon, on the western tip of the Seward Peninsula, and began chasing people, police said.As it attacked the woman and boy, it was shot and killed but the mauling proved to be fatal.Fatal polar bear attacks in Alaska are rare but experts say encounters with humans will increase as more ice melts.Wales is a small town, mainly consisting of the native Inupiaq people. Around 150 people live in the remote settlement.
Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest provider are worthless, analysis showsThe forest carbon offsets approved by the world’s leading provider and used by Disney, Shell, Gucci and other big corporations are largely worthless and could make global heating worse, according to a new investigation.The research into Verra, the world’s leading carbon standard for the rapidly growing $2bn (£1.6bn) voluntary offsets market, has found that, based on analysis of a significant percentage of the projects, more than 90% of their rainforest offset credits – among the most commonly used by companies – are likely to be “phantom credits” and do not represent genuine carbon reductions.The analysis raises questions over the credits bought by a number of internationally renowned companies – some of them have labelled their products “carbon neutral”, or have told their consumers they can fly, buy new clothes or eat certain foods without making the climate crisis worse.But doubts have been raised repeatedly over whether they are really effective.
Beans in toast: UK should switch to broad bean bread, say researchersBritain should switch to eating bread made with broad beans, researchers have said, because it would be more sustainable and easily deliver key nutrients.Using flour made from broad beans – or fava beans – could represent one of the biggest changes to UK food in a generation, according to scientists at the University of Reading.Prof Julie Lovegrove, who is leading the research, said she thought fava beans could appeal to UK consumers as “beans in toast”, while improving the nutritional quality of bread and reducing the environmental impact.
Brace for another summer of travel chaos, warns Ryanair bossRyanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has warned holidaymakers to brace themselves for another summer of travel chaos at the UK’s airports.This disruption is anticipated due to ongoing strikes and the war in Ukraine.Ryanair announced that last weekend it sold more than 2.03 million seats, beating the previous record of 1.6million sold in early 2019.During a press conference, Mr O’Leary said this record wasn’t due to a seat sale.“There just seems to be very strong demand out there,” he said, adding: “People are getting in early and booking their Easter and summer travel.”
Microsoft to cut 10,000 jobs as spending slowsMicrosoft chief executive Satya Nadella said that while customer spending had grown during Covid, more were now choosing to "exercise caution".He said the firm would continue to hire in key areas.Breaking the news in a memo to staff, Mr Nadella said many parts of the world were in recession or anticipating one, while "at the same time, the next major wave of computing is being born, with advances in AI".Microsoft is considering a multi-billion-dollar investment in artificial-intelligence company OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), according to the Financial Times....reports suggest Microsoft is considering a $10bn investment in the company behind ChatGPT, the chatbot that's not only captivated the millions of people who have tried it out but is also predicted by some experts to be the future of search.
Echidnas blow snot bubbles to keep themselves coolThe hedgehog-like creatures with sharp, prickly spines are able to survive in warm climates despite not being able to sweat
'Let them eat cake,' says Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak has suggested that office workers should be allowed to eat cake.Yesterday, the head of a food watchdog suggested that office workers should not bring in cake to the office for the sake of their colleagues’ health, likening the issue to passive smoking. Mr Sunak’s press secretary added that he was "very partial to a piece of cake" with his favourite flavours including carrot or red velvet cake.Number 10 even distributed mini-cupcakes to reporters during the press conference in Parliament on Wednesday.It is not only offices, however, where bringing in sweet treats has become frowned upon.In many primary schools, headteachers have called for pupils to bring in books or pencils on their birthdays as opposed to sweets.
Indian diamond heiress gives up fortune to become child nunAn eight-year-old girl in India who was due to inherit a multimillion-dollar diamond fortune has instead been admitted as a nun to a strict religious order after renouncing worldly pleasures.Devanshi Sanghvi was, until this week, an heiress to the Sanghvi and Sons jewellery business in the western city of Surat, known locally as Diamond City for its prominence in the global gem trade.Her family are also members of the Jain faith, a small but ancient Indian religion that preaches non-violence, strict vegetarianism and love for all creatures.
British Airways flight attendant makes £50,000 mistake on first day at workA new British Airways flight attendant had an embarrassing first day at work when he made a mistake which cost the airline around £50,000.The unnamed cabin crew member accidentally opened an emergency door, causing the plane’s inflatable slide to deploy.The staffer was working on flight BA75 to Lagos on Friday (13 January), and made the error as the plane was still taxiing down the runway at Heathrow, the airline confirmed.The open door caused the Boeing 777’s emergency slide to inflate and spring from the side of the aircraft, prompting emergency services teams to surround the plane, thinking it was about to be evacuated.Passengers were then delayed for four hours as the airline’s crew laboured to get the plane back in flying shape.