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Holiday cottage company insisted on a death certificate to amend our break
Sykes Holiday Cottages required official proof of death before transferring a family’s booking, despite being told the husband who made it had died shortly before the trip. The case highlights the distress rigid procedures and poor communication can cause grieving customers, particularly when a company has no formal bereavement policy. The £2,400 cottage break was…
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A+E Global Media Hires Banijay Distribution Veteran Chris Stewart
Chris Stewart, an international television distribution executive with decades of industry experience, has joined A+E Global Media as Vice President of Content Sales. He will oversee sales across the UK, Ireland and Germany from a UK base, bringing to the role extensive expertise in sales, acquisitions and programming across major media companies. His appointment comes…
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West Virginia awards five abused children $4.4 million over CPS failures
Five children abused by their adoptive parents have been awarded a $4.4 million settlement from West Virginia over Child Protective Services’ handling of repeated reports about their welfare. The settlement recognises failures in the agency’s response and will be held in a trust to support the children, some of whom have significant needs linked to…
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Four killed in US strike on Caribbean vessel accused of drug trafficking
The US military conducted a lethal strike on a Caribbean vessel on Sunday, killing four people it identified as narco-traffickers. Video footage captured the vessel erupting in a dramatic fireball, marking the latest operation in an expanding Trump administration campaign against alleged drug smugglers. Southern Command claimed intelligence showed the vessel’s involvement in trafficking along…
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Three critically injured after hayride overturns near Wellsburg, New York
A hayride carrying 19 people, most of them children from a German Baptist community, overturned near Wellsburg, New York, on Sunday after its tractor lost control at an intersection. Three people were reported to be in critical condition, and investigators are examining the circumstances of the crash. Fourteen people were treated at the scene and…
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From hotel suites to virtual reality, museums turn to licensing deals as costs rise
UK museums are expanding licensing deals to generate income as funding cuts and rising costs put pressure on their finances. By linking collections and exhibitions to products and experiences, institutions can reach audiences beyond museum visits and build on public interest in cultural events. UK sales of licensed merchandise and services rose 7% to $19.2bn…
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France to close up to 500 schools amid student unrest
Up to 500 French schools will be partially or totally closed on Monday following violent clashes between riot police and student protesters demanding educational reforms. The demonstrations, which began last week and have spread from Paris to cities including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille, are driven by student grievances over insufficient teachers, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating…
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China Box Office: Crime Procedural ‘Traces of Justice’ Leads National Day Frame
Crime procedural drama “Traces of Justice” dominated mainland China’s box office during the National Day weekend, earning RMB208.9 million ($31.2 million) over three days and accumulating $41.8 million since its 1 October release. Directed by Chen Sicheng and starring Zhang Yi, the period crime drama appeals to audiences during China’s peak Golden Week holiday viewing…
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Update on five-year-old girl critically injured in NRL grand final fan crash as her condition improves
Ten people were taken to hospital after a car struck football supporters at a Wallsend roundabout on Saturday as they gathered to farewell the Newcastle Knights before the NRL grand final. The five-year-old girl who was initially critically injured is now in a serious but stable condition, while the crash has left four people in…
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Labour hits 30 per cent as school nurses crisis deepens
Labour’s support has surged to 30 per cent, its highest Opinium rating since 2024, following Andy Burnham’s conference speech. A King’s Fund report warns of sharp declines in school nurses and health visitors.