Author: admin@primenews

Some of India’s top airlines have until 26 February to streamline baggage delivery to passengers at the airport. The civil aviation ministry has said that passengers should get their luggage within 30 minutes after landing. It has also said that the first bag should arrive on the baggage belt within 10 minutes of the plane’s engine shutting down. Late baggage delivery has been a persistent problem across airports. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) directed seven airlines, including carriers like Air India, Vistara and IndiGo, to implement necessary measures to ensure timely delivery of baggage. The directive comes after the…

Australian three-time Olympic medallist Shane Rose has been stood down from competition for wearing a mankini during a show jumping event. Equestrian Australia said “concerns were raised” about the 50-year-old’s “attire” during the event at Wallaby Hill near Sydney last weekend. The governing body said it “has an obligation to address these concerns and is currently reviewing the matter”. Riders were encouraged to wear fancy dress at the event. Paris 2024 hopeful Rose wore three costumes – a fluorescent orange mankini, a gorilla costume and a Duffman outfit from the Simpsons. He wrote on Facebook: “If my costume offended anyone,…

It’s called the Munich Rule: engage and interact; don’t lecture or ignore one another. But this year, at the 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC), two of the most talked-about people weren’t even here. That included former US President Donald Trump, whose possible return to the White House could throw a spanner in the work of the transatlantic relationship, which lies at the heart of this premier international forum. And Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who was vehemently blamed by one world leader after another for the death of his most prominent critic Alexei Navalny, not to mention his full-scale invasion of…

Tourism spending in China during the Lunar New Year jumped above pre-Covid levels, official data shows. Domestic tourism spending hit 632.7 billion yuan ($87.96bn; £69.7bn), about 47% more compared to the same holiday period last year according to government figures. The celebrations came after years of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, which were lifted in early 2023. The data was also boosted as the holiday was a day longer than usual. The figures for the start of the Year of the Dragon showed that 474m domestic trips were taken during the eight-day break, which ended on Sunday. That was more than…

Doctors across Gaza have described operating on patients without anaesthetic, turning people with chronic conditions away, and treating rotting wounds with limited medical supplies. “Because of the shortage of painkillers we leave patients to scream for hours and hours,” one told the BBC. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the state of healthcare in Gaza as being “beyond words”. It said 23 hospitals in Gaza were not functioning at all as of Sunday – 12 were partially functioning and one minimally. The health agency said air strikes and a lack of supplies have “depleted an already under-resourced system”. The…

At least 64 people have died in an ambush in Papua New Guinea’s remote Highlands region. The victims were shot dead during a tribal dispute in the Enga province over the weekend, a national police spokesman told the BBC. The Highlands area has long struggled with violence, but these killings are believed to be the worst in years. An influx of illegal firearms have made clashes more deadly and fuelled a cycle of violence. Police started collecting bodies at the scene near the town of Wabag – roughly 600km (373 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby. “This is by…

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz has warned that unless Hamas frees all hostages held in Gaza by 10 March an offensive will be launched in Rafah. It is the first time Israel has said when its troops might enter Gaza’s overcrowded southern city. Global opposition is growing to such an attack in Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering. Earlier, the UN public health agency said a key Gaza hospital had ceased to function following an Israeli raid. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had not been allowed to enter Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, north of Rafah,…

NatWest Group has revealed its highest yearly profit since just before the financial crisis in 2007. The banking group reported a pre-tax profit of £6.2bn over 2023, higher than expected. It also named Paul Thwaite as its permanent boss. He replaces Dame Alison Rose who resigned last year after admitting discussing the closure of Nigel Farage’s bank account. The board said he was the “right person” to shape the group’s future. It comes as the group is gearing up for a potential sale of shares to the general public, perhaps even as early as June. The government still owns 35%…

Shop sales rebounded in January as shoppers flocked to stock up on food at supermarkets and take advantage of new year bargains. Official figures revealed a 3.4% jump in sales following a record drop in December. Food sales at supermarkets rose strongly while department stores reported a positive impact from January sales. However, inflation remained elevated with people paying more for less. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that the value of goods people bought in January went up 3.9%, compared to the 3.4% increase in the volume of products they purchased. Inflation, which measures the pace of price…

Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour with a one-over-par 72 at the Genesis Invitational in California. Woods was playing his first round of an official PGA Tour event since having ankle surgery after pulling out of the Masters in April. The 15-time major champion is tied for 49th, with the top 50 making the cut. Fellow American Patrick Cantlay shot a 64 to lead by one stroke, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is 10 shots off the pace. Englishman Tommy Fleetwood went round in 70, while American world number one Scottie Scheffler is joint 10th after a 68. Former…