6:54 am, April 3, 2024
Aid workers killed in Gaza were ‘heroes’, says charity as British victims named
Seven aid workers, including three Britons, who were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza will be remembered as ‘heroes’, the charity’s chief executive has said.
British victims John Chapman, 57, James ‘Jim’ Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, were part of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) security team.
The World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid taken to Gaza on the maritime route, the charity said. During a phone call with Israel’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak said he was appalled by the killings and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation.
Four out of five teachers say new inspection system is needed, poll suggests
More than four out of five teachers in England believe a new system of inspection should be introduced because Ofsted has ‘many problems’, a survey suggests.
The majority of teachers (90%) said they do not believe single-word judgments are a fair reflection of the performance of a school.
A poll, of more than 4,500 National Education Union (NEU) teacher members in state schools in England, suggests 62% feel the inspection system causes them mental ill-health and 59% say it affects their home life. The findings were released on the first day of the NEU’s annual conference in Bournemouth.
Tube passengers warned of disruption to journeys because of driver strikes
Tube passengers are being warned of disruption to services because of strikes by drivers.
Members of Aslef will walk out on April 8 and May 4 in a dispute over terms and conditions.
On Monday, April 8 severe disruption is expected, with little or no service on some lines, and Tube services will start later than normal on Tuesday, April 9. There will also be severe disruption on Saturday, May 4, with little or no service expected on some lines, and Tube services will start later than normal on Sunday, May 5.
Government should draw up proposals for frequent flyer tax, MPs urge
Ministers should develop proposals like a frequent flyer tax to reduce the demand for air travel, if other measures aimed at cutting aviation emissions fall short of expectations, MPs have said.
Under government plans, emissions will be reduced significantly each year by technological measures, like increasing fuel efficiency and the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels. The first review of how the Jet Zero Strategy is working to cut emissions is expected to take place in 2027.
However, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has urged the government to bring forward this review to 2025 to determine whether the sector remains on track to meet a 2050 net zero target.
Train passengers suffering severe disruption on West Coast Main Line
Train passengers travelling on the West Coast Main Line are suffering severe disruption because of a signalling fault at London’s Euston station.
Some of those affected reported being stranded on stationary trains for at least two hours.
Network Rail apologised for the incident and said its engineers are ‘working to fix the problem as soon as possible’.
Nationwide’s ‘not closing our branches’ ads banned by watchdog
Ads for Nationwide featuring actor Dominic West have been banned for misleading consumers into thinking that the bank – unlike its rivals – would not be closing its branches.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated the TV, radio and press ads, in which West plays the boss of a fictional rival of Nationwide, following 282 complaints.
One of those was from Santander, who understood that Nationwide had recently closed or reduced opening hours at a number of branches, and challenged whether the ads were misleading.
Tuesday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Saxton 4×4’s pre-tax profit slides by almost 50% despite turnover rising
- April Fools’ Day round-up: Did any of these motoring jokes catch you out?
- Mercedes-Benz to appeal against court ruling in class action over diesel emissions-cheating devices
- Podcast: Manheim boss backs physical car auctions and hints that more could be around the corner
- JLR honours ‘skilled’ UK dealer partners at annual Retailer of the Year Awards
- Ambitious growth plans revealed as Dicksons of Inverness completes management buy-out
OpenAI makes ChatGPT accessible without an account
ChatGPT maker OpenAI has made the generative AI chatbot accessible without an account for the first time.
The company said it was ‘making it easier for people to experience the benefits of AI’ without having to sign up to do so.
According to OpenAI’s own figures, more than 100 million people across 185 countries use ChatGPT every week.
Government to launch study into headlight glare following petition
An online petition of nearly 11,000 signatures has prompted the government to launch a study into the issue of headlight glare.
The petition, set up by a member of the public but campaigned for by the RAC, reflects a recent study by the breakdown assistance provider which found as many as eight-in-10 drivers believe that the problem of headlight glare is getting worse.
A recent survey of 2,000 drivers found that 89 per cent think headlights on modern cars are too bright – and some 91 per cent say they get dazzled and 74 per cent say that it happens regularly.
Honda slashes prices for its e:NY1 electric SUV
Honda has revised the prices of its e:NY1 electric SUV to help boost its appeal and persuade customers to go electric.
The e:NY1 went on sale in 2023, but, to help with sales, Honda will now sell the entry-level e:NY1 Elegance from £39,995 – down from £44,995. Order books open on April 23 and customers will be allowed to purchase via dealer network or online.
It’s the latest deal on the electric crossover – the carmaker started retail offers in December 2023 to make the car more affordable to customers.
Weather
Another wet day with most areas getting a shower at some point, reports BBC Weather. The rain will be very persistent in Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England; lighter elsewhere. Southern England might even see some sun later. Temperatures will be between eight and 15 degrees.
A cloudy night for nearly all areas with showers, some heavy at times. In northern Scotland the showers will turn to snow on the hills.
