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Stratford International on track to get cross-Channel trains in budget boost

21 October 2026 at 11:59

Sadiq Khan says upgrade would unlock station’s true potential and allow it to live up to its name

Stratford International train station in east London will receive funding in next week’s budget, according to reports, putting it on track to live up to its name and become a hub for cross-Channel services.

London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, has been making a case to ministers for funding to upgrade the station to allow it to start running international rail services.

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© Photograph: Mike Kemp/Corbis/Getty Images

© Photograph: Mike Kemp/Corbis/Getty Images

© Photograph: Mike Kemp/Corbis/Getty Images

United Airlines CEO faces rightwing backlash after calling for US wealth tax

20 October 2026 at 21:06

Scott Kirby says wealth inequality is a ‘danger to society’ and calls for inheritance tax in recent interview

Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, is under scrutiny from conservative politicians and commentators for saying wealth inequality is a “danger to society” and calling for a national wealth and inheritance tax in a recent interview.

Talking to the New York Times, Kirby was asked about the growing public distrust of CEOs and whether he felt any responsibility to quell that distrust.

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© Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/AP

© Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/AP

© Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/AP

Nato increases Black Sea deployment amid escalating deadly Russian attacks

Mounting anxiety as Russia’s war on Ukraine reaches Nato’s borders with targeting of vessels transporting agricultural cargo

Nato is deploying additional military assets to the Black Sea amid the recent deadly escalation of Russian attacks on merchant shipping, as five more vessels were attacked on Tuesday.

Russia’s military said it ⁠struck ​three cargo vessels in Ukraine’s ⁠port of Reni and two ⁠other cargo vessels en ​route ‌to ‌Odesa.

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© Photograph: MAPN/Romanian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: MAPN/Romanian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: MAPN/Romanian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

Nato increases Black Sea deployment amid escalating deadly Russian attacks

Mounting anxiety as Russia’s war on Ukraine reaches Nato’s borders with targeting of vessels transporting agricultural cargo

Nato is deploying additional military assets to the Black Sea amid the recent deadly escalation of Russian attacks on merchant shipping, as five more vessels were attacked on Tuesday.

Russia’s military said it ⁠struck ​three cargo vessels in Ukraine’s ⁠port of Reni and two ⁠other cargo vessels en ​route ‌to ‌Odesa.

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© Photograph: MAPN/Romanian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: MAPN/Romanian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: MAPN/Romanian Defence Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

European air fares could rise by as much as 20% in 2027, Ryanair boss predicts

20 October 2026 at 15:28

Conflict in Middle East is pushing jet fuel costs higher and many carriers are not hedged against such increases, Michael O’Leary says

Ryanair’s chief executive has predicted a record increase in European air fares next year, as airlines grapple with fuel bills pushed higher by the Middle East conflict.

Many carriers are not hedged against rising jet fuel costs, Michael O’Leary said, which he predicted would lead to airline bankruptcies and takeovers. He forecast these pressures would result in the price of plane tickets rising by as much as 20%.

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© Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

© Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

© Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

European air fares could rise by as much as 20% in 2027, Ryanair boss predicts

20 October 2026 at 15:28

Conflict in Middle East is pushing jet fuel costs higher and many carriers are not hedged against such increases, Michael O’Leary says

Ryanair’s chief executive has predicted a record increase in European air fares next year, as airlines grapple with fuel bills pushed higher by the Middle East conflict.

Many carriers are not hedged against rising jet fuel costs, Michael O’Leary said, which he predicted would lead to airline bankruptcies and takeovers. He forecast these pressures would result in the price of plane tickets rising by as much as 20%.

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© Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

© Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

© Photograph: Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters

Saudi Arabia announces first batch of hospitality investment projects worth $1.78bn

20 October 2026 at 11:23
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has approved 19 projects across five tourism destinations under its Hospitality Investment Enablers Program, which is expected to attract SR6.7 billion ($1.78 billion) in investment and create more than 17,000 jobs. The initiatives will be rolled out across five destinations, including Al-Baha, Al-Ahsa, Jeddah, Asir and the Eastern Province, with 19 companies, including BSF Capital, Sedal, Rikaz and Jenan among the participating firms. The undertaking, led by the Ministry of

Excessive wealth, extreme emissions – and ecocide: what I learned at Europe’s big superyacht show

20 October 2026 at 10:00

These yachts are highly popular with the ‘super-bourgeoisie’ – and getting bigger. Can anything be done to stop them destroying our seas?

Who knew? Apparently everyone did, apart from me: you don’t wear shoes on a superyacht. Now, about to step on to my first teak deck at the Monaco Yacht Show, I’ve got to take my trainers off, and I’m having a sock panic. Have they got holes? Do they even match? Do they smell?

To be honest, I’ve come dressed all wrong for Europe’s big annual superyacht trade exhibition. The code for men seems to be crisp and tucked in, blazers and chinos, navy and white, sculpted hair and designer sunnies. (I went colourful, loose, casual). For women, it’s something like Riviera elegance. Everyone – whether they’re Italian, French, English, German, American, exhibitors, buyers, brokers, charterers – seems to know each other. The international superyacht community seems to be a close-knit one, and I’m not part of it. Yet.

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© Photograph: Sam Wollaston/The Guardian

© Photograph: Sam Wollaston/The Guardian

© Photograph: Sam Wollaston/The Guardian

Tuesday briefing: Can Andy Burnham beat Britain’s headphone dodgers?

20 October 2026 at 06:44

In today’s newsletter: The prime minister’s campaign against noisy passengers has struck a chord with commuters. Whether anyone hears him remains to be seen.

Good morning.

Me again, back from the October school holiday (a week in glorious Wales, thanks for asking) and ready to hear your commuter woes. For our prime minister, it’s “one of the most annoying things on public transport”: maybe you’re trying to work, or read, or you’ve finally got your kid to sleep, when someone starts blasting sound from their phone at full volume.

France | The prime minister has said he has asked regional authorities to impose partial curfews in some cities after the government admitted police had “lost control” in several places during violent weekend protests around the country.

UK politics | Andy Burnham has told officials to rip up their plans for how to fix Thames Water and present him with more radical options for what to do with the stricken company.

Yemen | At least 53 people have been killed in a Houthi ballistic missile attack on a training camp for Yemeni government forces in the largest single loss of life since the country’s civil war reignited in September.

Israel | Israeli police have detained 10 people in a rare raid against settlers, after a weekend of extreme violence in the occupied West Bank including an attack on US photojournalist Heidi Levine.

Reform | Nigel Farage undermined his own claims that a £5m gift was for security when he referred to the money as a reward for Brexit, according to one of his closest aides.

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© Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images

New Bradford railway station will ‘transform travel across the north’

Transport hub will offer through trains between Leeds and Manchester with ‘turn-up-and-go’ service

A new railway station will be built in Bradford to “transform how people travel across the north”, the government has announced.

The station will be at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) scheme, built on the current Bradford Interchange site but allowing through trains between Leeds and Manchester.

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© Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

© Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

© Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Andy Burnham outlines new rules to outlaw ‘rip-off’ private parking fines

19 October 2026 at 22:30

Drivers to get five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after their session ends

Drivers will get a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after their parking session ends before they face a fine under new rules for private car parks that Andy Burnham said were designed to outlaw “rip-off” charges.

In the latest in a series of “everyday fixes” to ease the cost of living and give consumers a “fairer” deal, the prime minister said a new official code of practice for the industry meant motorists in England, Scotland and Wales would enjoy a range of new rights.

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© Photograph: Ian Lamond/Alamy

© Photograph: Ian Lamond/Alamy

© Photograph: Ian Lamond/Alamy

Riyadh Metro helps drive Saudi rail passenger numbers up 266.5%

19 October 2026 at 10:35
RIYADH: Passenger numbers on Saudi railways surged 266.5 percent to 156.4 million in 2025, as the impact of Riyadh Metro was felt in its first year of operation. According to the General Authority for Statistics, intracity traveler numbers jumped to 145.4 million from 31.1 million in 2024, an increase of 368 percent. The increase came after the $22.5 billion Riyadh Metro, designed for an eventual daily capacity of up to 3.6 million passengers, opened to the public in phases from Dec. 1, 2024.

UK government promises disabled air passengers better safeguards

Despite recent progress, almost a fifth of air travellers with disabilities are still dissatisfied with their experience

Disabled passengers will have better safeguards when flying, the government has pledged, including protection from damaged wheelchairs and support from trained staff.

A report from an industry-led accessibility group said there was “much more to be done” but progress was being made, a year after a review led by Tanni Grey-Thompson demanded action to improve air travel in response to numerous incidents in which passengers had been left stranded without assistance.

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© Photograph: Ian Patrick/Alamy

© Photograph: Ian Patrick/Alamy

© Photograph: Ian Patrick/Alamy

Labor promises $30 weekly cap for Victorian public transport amid push for free travel

Premier Ben Carroll says two-year limited cap will start on 1 January if re-elected, while Greens say there should be no fares

Public transport fares in Victoria will be capped at $30 a week if the Labor government is re-elected next month – but commuters will need to dust off their Myki cards to benefit.

The premier, Ben Carroll, on Monday said the fare cap would begin on 1 January, the day after half-price fares end. The discounted fares were introduced after a period of free public transport in response to the fuel crisis sparked by the US-Iran war.

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© Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/AAP

© Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/AAP

© Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/AAP

Andy Burnham launches campaign against ‘headphone dodgers’ on public transport

Passengers urged to ‘share the carriage, not the noise’ as guidance sets out £100 penalties for nuisance behaviour

Andy Burnham has announced a crackdown on “headphone dodgers” who play loud music on public transport, as he extends his promise to give voters “breathing space” in the confines of a train carriage.

The prime minister will unveil a campaign against nuisance behaviour on public transport on Monday, alongside guidance allowing local transport authorities to levy fines of up to £100 for non-compliance.

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© Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images

Flydubai captain describes blocking axe blows as co-pilot attacked him

18 October 2026 at 18:27

Capt Smit Machchhar said he screamed for help as he reached to open the cockpit door on flight FZ1073

The captain of a flydubai flight who was attacked by a co-pilot who intended to crash the plane has described ⁠blocking axe blows to his head and screaming for help as he reached to open the cockpit door.

Capt Smit ⁠Machchhar has been hailed ⁠as a ​hero for his role in averting disaster on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month, helping to thwart what the UAE ⁠attorney general has said was an attempted suicide attack by the co-pilot who had intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion airport.

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© Photograph: Israel's Foreign Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Israel's Foreign Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Israel's Foreign Ministry/AFP/Getty Images

Saudi Red Sea Authority issues requirements and regulations for recreational boat rental activities

18 October 2026 at 12:57
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has introduced its first regulations governing recreational boat rentals, as the Saudi Red Sea Authority seeks to strengthen safety, improve service quality and protect the marine environment as coastal tourism expands. The move aims to support the development of the coastal tourism sector and contribute to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The requirements and regulations aim to establish clear rules governing recreational boat rental activities for visitors an

Intensifying drone attacks on ships in Black Sea bring war ever closer to Nato shores

Six attacks in 10 days by suspected Russian drones mark dramatic escalation in maritime conflict

The first the crew of the Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria knew of an attack on a cargo ship in their country’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea in the early hours of 6 October was a distant explosion 70 miles off the coastal town of Byala.

The Turkish-owned Alfa Watan, heading for the Romanian port of Sulina, had been struck by suspected Russian air and naval drones. Arriving on the scene, Dioscuria found an overturned lifeboat and lifejackets in the water. There was no sign, however, of Alfa Watan’s crew of 10.

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© Photograph: ARSVOM/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: ARSVOM/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: ARSVOM/AFP/Getty Images

Selma Blair ‘did not intend to harm anyone’ during airplane incident, representatives say

Actor experienced a ‘medical emergency’ on flight during which she allegedly injured crew members, statement says

Actor Selma Blair did not mean to hurt anyone during the recent flight which led to her arrest on allegations that she assaulted a pair of cabin crew members, a police officer and a nurse, her representatives said on Friday in a statement that characterized the episode as a medical emergency.

The lengthy statement also dismissed prior media coverage of Blair’s arrest after a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York as unsympathetic and inaccurate, singling out reporting from several outlets alleging that she tried to open the door of the airplane that she and her fellow passengers were on.

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© Photograph: Ryan Murphy/AP

© Photograph: Ryan Murphy/AP

© Photograph: Ryan Murphy/AP

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