Month: June 2022

Afghan government news agency A powerful earthquake has killed at least 280 people and left scores injured in Afghanistan, according to the country’s state news agency. Pictures shared on social media showed people on stretchers, rubble and ruined homes in the eastern Paktika province. A report by the Bakhtar News Agency said the death toll

PA Media Train services in Britain will continue to be disrupted on Wednesday as talks resume in a bid to resolve a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. Millions of passengers were affected on Tuesday after rail workers walked out in the largest rail strike in decades. While strikes are not being held on Wednesday,

Getty Images Boris Johnson has said commuters must “stay the course” during the rail strikes, as he urged rail bosses and unions to agree on a deal. The prime minister, speaking to the Cabinet, said strikes were causing “significant disruption”. Union RMT has called the strikes over three days due to “aggressive” cuts to jobs,

EPA Boris Johnson is to call for a “sensible compromise” on pay to end the largest rail strike in 30 years. The prime minister is expected to say “too high demands” on wages will make it hard to halt rising inflation. Thousands of staff at Network Rail and 13 rail operators walked out from midnight

EPA Travellers are facing reduced train services across England, Scotland and Wales ahead of the biggest rail strike in 30 years. Last-minute talks between unions and rail bosses are set to continue on Monday ahead of planned walkouts on most major lines on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Disruption is expected on non-strike days due to

Getty Images The dispute at the heart of strikes set to hit Britain’s railways this week is resolvable, an industry boss says. Steve Montgomery, chair of the Rail Delivery Group, said more talks were planned for Monday – and that management wanted to work with unions on pay increases and reform. This weekend, the RMT

Getty Images The West must prepare to continue supporting Ukraine in a war lasting for years, Nato’s chief has warned. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the costs of war were high, but the price of letting Moscow achieve its military goals was even greater. His comments came as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also warned of

EPA A series of strikes set to hit the rail network next week will “punish millions of innocent people”, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said. He said commuters and pupils taking exams would be among those affected. But the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said politicians had prevented progress in talks. Strikes will take

PA Media Rail and tube strikes will go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a row over pay, jobs and conditions, union leaders have confirmed. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said discussions with Network Rail, train operators and London Underground had failed. It is expected to cause disruption in England, Scotland

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Boris Johnson has announced a training programme for Ukrainian forces he said could “change the equation” of the war. The prime minister met President Volodymyr Zelensky during a surprise trip to the nation’s capital Kyiv. He pulled

EPA Gatwick Airport is reducing the number of flights during the peak summer period due to staff shortages. The number of daily flights will be cut to 825 in July and 850 in August, down from 900 in previous years. It comes after the government and regulators wrote to airlines telling them to ensure their

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Since the Russian army attacked Ukraine nearly four months ago, thousands of civilians have been killed and whole towns reduced to rubble, while millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes. But on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei

Getty Images UK interest rates have risen further as the Bank of England attempts to stem the pace of soaring prices. Rates have increased from 1% to 1.25%, the fifth consecutive rise, pushing them to the highest level in 13 years. It comes as finances are being squeezed by the rising cost of living, driven

Boris Johnson’s ethics adviser Lord Geidt has resigned after saying there was a “legitimate question” over whether the PM had broken ministerial rules over Partygate. He said he was leaving the role, which he took up in April last year, “with regret”. Lord Geidt did not give a reason for his departure, but in a

Getty Images Passengers have been advised not to travel on trains unless necessary during strikes next week, with only a fifth of services due to run. Network Rail said about half of all rail lines will be closed when thousands of workers walk out across the UK on 21, 23 and 25 June. The services

PA Media The first flight scheduled to take asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda on Tuesday has been cancelled after a last-minute legal battle. Up to seven people had been expected to be removed to the east African country. But the flight was stopped after an intervention from the European Court of Human Rights