Top ministers meet in New York in call for concerted action

When planning a holiday, it’s crucial to ensure your passport is valid, travel insurance is up to date, and you're traveling to a safe destination recommended by the FCDO. The UK Foreign Office issues travel warnings for countries with security, health, and legal risks, currently advising against travel to 73 out of 226 destinations. Ignoring this advice can lead to invalidated insurance and lack of consular support in case of emergencies abroad. Full Article

Jackie Wan, owner and head chef of the Forum Chinese restaurant in Cambridgeshire, uses CCTV to address negative reviews by reviewing footage of diners' experiences. Wan recently responded to a customer complaint about receiving only four prawns in their stir fry, conducting a week-long inquiry and obtaining CCTV footage to debunk the claim. The customer had left a one-star review on TripAdvisor, criticizing the food quality and portion size, which Wan was able to refute...

The Borgarting Court of Appeal declared the loss of registration and denial of state grants for Jehovah’s Witnesses invalid, citing that social distancing does not constitute psychological violence or children's rights violations. They found that the decisions were not in compliance with the Religious Communities Act and European Convention on Human Rights. The Court of Appeal's judgment vindicated Jehovah’s Witnesses and deemed the denial of grants and registration as invalid, overturning the District Court's ruling...

Ministers are considering dropping controversial plans to freeze some disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP), to avoid a damaging vote in the Commons. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is set to announce reforms to the welfare system next week, with the government expected to announce billions of pounds worth of cuts, including the potential freezing of PIP benefits. However, this plan may be abandoned after facing strong opposition from Labour MPs and peers,...

Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that a scheme dispatching expert medical teams to hospitals in high-unemployment areas is significantly reducing NHS waiting lists. Launched in September, the initiative targets 20 areas with high economic inactivity, resulting in a 130% acceleration in the decline of waiting times and the removal of approximately 37,000 patients from lists. Streeting stated that the targeted efforts are twice as effective as national averages, with top doctors providing support to get...

The government is set to announce welfare reforms that will allow disabled individuals to try employment without losing their benefits, addressing concerns over potential loss of entitlements. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to introduce a "right to try guarantee" to prevent automatic reassessment of benefits for those entering the workforce. However, there are worries over sweeping welfare cuts that could push thousands of disabled people into poverty, with concerns that as many...