– July 23: Based on Higher Manchester Police (GMP), an altercation takes place between passengers from a Qatar Airways flight which arrives at Manchester Airport at 7.20pm. A second incident, which police describe as a “violent altercation involving members of the general public”, occurs within the Starbucks of Terminal Two simply after 8.20pm. A 3rd incident occurs within the automobile park pay level space shortly earlier than 8.30pm. Brothers Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammed Amaad, 25 and their mom Shameem Akhtar, 56, from Rochdale, are allegedly assaulted. Police say three of their officers obtain head accidents, together with a damaged nostril. 4 males are arrested on the scene for affray and assault on emergency service staff.
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By no means thoughts your pal’s get together or household traditions, have you ever ever rung within the festive season at an office-sponsored vacation occasion?
With the vacations in full swing, many firms are placing on their annual celebration for all their staff. Relying on the office, these events could be spectacular or underwhelming between open bars at fancy eating places and cake within the workplace after-hours, however individuals agree they’re at all times entertaining.
Final evening (December 15), Saturday Evening Dwell parodied a stereotypical “workplace Christmas get together extravaganza” in an all-too-relatable skit that’s prompted many followers to share their “sadly very true” experiences at their firm get together.
The skit, starring Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernández, Sarah Sherman, and visitor host Chris Rock, begins by specializing in an workplace throughout “probably the most insane occasion of the yr.”
“Sixty staff and 7 interns all going exhausting in the identical house they had been working in fifteen minutes in the past,” the voice-over exclaims as “co-workers” awkwardly stand towards the wall, sipping on drinks from their crimson solo cups in Santa hats.
“All of it kicks off at 5:45 p.m. when your drab, boring workplace is totally remodeled into your identical drab, boring workplace however with a couple of lights turned on,” the voice continues. “With music by Ja-Ja-Ja-Jason’s laptop computer as quickly as he can work out tips on how to pair a speaker with it.”
‘Saturday Evening Dwell’ solid members of their ‘Workplace Christmas Social gathering Extravaganza’ skit (SNL/TikTok)
Characters embrace “the shy woman from advertising who has one drink and divulges an excessive amount of about herself” and “the man who introduced his child and instantly regrets it,” whereas the tough actuality of the meals and drinks is chalked as much as “ice heat beers” and “the soggiest meals you’ve ever seen.”
“Dana from gross sales,” performed by Heidi Gardner, pretends to kick off a 45-minute-long “Secret Santa” swap earlier than somebody’s “quiet” boyfriend is launched.
Heidi Gardner stars as ‘Dana from gross sales’ within the ‘Saturday Evening Dwell’ Christmas get together skit (SNL/TikTok)
The drama begins when a male coworker, performed by Chris Rock, introduces his spouse to his “work spouse,” the girl he’s closest with on the workplace.
“Drinks shall be drunk, H.R. complaints shall be created, and somebody right here is getting a DUI, but it surely’s not who you suppose,” the skit added earlier than noting: “And simply once you thought the get together couldn’t rage any longer, it doesn’t trigger it’s Tuesday evening, and all y’all obtained work tomorrow.”
Instantly after watching SNL’s skit, viewers flocked to the feedback part on TikTok, confessing the truth of their firm’s Christmas get together.
“Ours was throughout work. Catered meals. All of us grabbed a plate and went again to our workstations to eat. A multimillion-dollar firm. Oh yeah, we obtained 50 bucks,” one candid girl wrote. One other stated the SNL sketch was “sadly very true.”
A 3rd admitted: “We had a distant working Christmas get together on groups. It was a grueling 1.5-hour assembly with necessary cameras.”
“Certainly one of my coworkers introduced her new child child to the corporate Christmas get together this yr lol,” a fourth shared.
In the meantime, one particular person stated: “We went to lunch at a restaurant, and all needed to pay our payments individually. There was 40 of us.”
One other viewer claimed her Christmas get together expertise was “worse” than SNL’s portrayal. “Mine obtained worse on the clerb,” she wrote earlier than explaining how her workplace was anticipated to fulfill at 7 p.m. on the venue after leaving work an hour earlier. And to make issues worse, everybody was anticipated to be within the workplace the subsequent day (Wednesday) at 8 a.m.
Authorities departments are doing “something to keep away from” sharing details about Prince Andrew’s previous enterprise dealings.
The declare comes from writer Andrew Lownie who’s been working for 4 years on a brand new guide in regards to the Duke of York.
He has submitted over 100 requests to Whitehall departments solely to search out that data “has vanished”.
Chatting with Sky Information, he stated: “I used to write down in regards to the intelligence companies, and I discovered that was so much simpler, much more open and clear than the Royal Household.
“I’ve tried, by the Freedom Info Act, to get entry to any of the paperwork for Andrew, a particular consultant between 2001 and 2011 when he was taxpayer-funded, a public servant”, however explaining how his requests have been rejected he stated “these things has vanished”.
‘It is like enjoying whack-a-mole’
“The Overseas Workplace claimed to not know something about it. The Division of Enterprise and Commerce know nothing.
“It is like enjoying whack-a-mole. It is actual Sure Minister stuff, something to keep away from releasing this data.”
Curiosity in Prince Andrew’s funds has elevated in current months after it was revealed that the King was now not paying him an allowance, elevating questions on how he is ready to pay for his residence on the Windsor Property, Royal Lodge, and safety.
The prince’s time as commerce envoy for the UK could also be important as a result of it was doubtlessly a profitable time for him, giving him entry to enterprise contacts all over the world.
Info withheld ‘in accordance with the acts’
A Division for Enterprise and Commerce spokesperson stated: “The division has complied with its obligations below the Freedom of Info Act and Public Data Act and maintains that data has been withheld in accordance with the acts.
“This consists of an ICO (Info Commissioner’s Workplace) determination discover which outlined that the commissioner didn’t must take any additional steps.”
When requested, the Overseas Workplace instructed Sky Information: “The FCDO (Overseas, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace) takes its obligations below the Freedom of Info Act very severely.”
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2:56
Alleged Chinese language spy linked to the prince
It comes as a Chinese language businessman – described as a “shut confidant” of Prince Andrew – was barred from getting into the UK over nationwide safety dangers.
Often known as H6, the person was invited to the duke’s birthday celebration in 2020, and was instructed by Andrew’s aide Dominic Hampshire that he may assist in potential dealings with Chinese language buyers. A decide dominated the Chinese language businessman had an “uncommon” diploma of belief from the royal.
Andrew met the person by “official channels” with “nothing of a delicate nature ever mentioned”, an announcement from his workplace stated.
Rising name for accountability
Former chair of the general public accounts committee between 2010 and 2015, Baroness Margaret Hodge, has joined requires much less secrecy typically across the royal funds.
She instructed me: “I discover it actually troublesome to imagine that the departments for whom Prince Andrew had contact when he was an envoy haven’t obtained the information.
“They’ll have these information, they clearly simply do not wish to share them. And that basically says all of it.
“I desire a Royal Household that’s well-funded: they seem to be a treasured and valued establishment in our society however going with that funding should come some accountability.”
Picture: Prince Andrew, Mike Tindall, Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence attend a thanksgiving service for the lifetime of King Constantine of the Hellenes in February. File pic: PA
The palace believes that as a non-working royal, the duke’s revenue and tax preparations are a matter for him and HM Income and Customs.
When it comes to how he’s paying for Royal Lodge, Sky Information understands the royal family has been given assurances that his sources of revenue are all above board, nonetheless, it’s not of their remit to vet or approve these sources.
It sees it as a job for the Crown Property which manages properties within the likes of the Windsor Property.
However Royal Lodge is of curiosity extra typically to the household.
As the previous residence of the Queen Mom, it has been recommended that doubtlessly different family members could also be concerned with residing there sooner or later, from the Prince and Princess of Wales to Queen Camilla taking a look at it for her household.
‘Opaque’ and ‘complicated’
Nonetheless Robert Hardman, journalist and writer of Charles III: New King. New Courtroom, says: “Every part to do with Prince Andrew is opaque, is complicated, individuals do not actually wish to discuss it as a result of his state of affairs is a distraction.”
He added: “I believe the true query just isn’t what’s occurring at this time, it is what’s occurring in a number of years down the road, what occurs if his financial savings run out, these sources of revenue similar to they’re in the intervening time, what in the event that they run out and all of a sudden he cannot afford to pay for the upkeep or the safety, what occurs to the lease then?
“Does the Crown Property then say, ‘Nicely, really the phrases of the lease have been forfeited?’ We simply do not know.
“It’s a non-public monetary matter for him however given the prominence of the home and its historical past and its connections, then the media are clearly going to hold on taking a eager curiosity in it, as are the Crown Property and as are in the end the Treasury.”
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1:43
Prince Andrew and China: What is occurring?
Prince Andrew’s tv interview 5 years in the past about his hyperlinks to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was meant to close the scandal down and permit him to get again to public duties with out that distraction.
As a substitute, it had the alternative impact.
This yr, he has solely been seen as soon as formally in entrance of the cameras, as he appeared to steer the household as they walked to the chapel at Windsor for a memorial service in February.
This Christmas we could once more see Andrew with the remainder of the household going to church at Sandringham, all the time an indication that he hasn’t been solely overlooked within the chilly by his kin.
However he nonetheless lives with the repercussions of the Jeffrey Epstein saga, his extraordinary downfall which means questions will proceed to stay about him, how he lives and his funds.
Authorities departments are doing “something to keep away from” sharing details about Prince Andrew’s previous enterprise dealings.
The declare comes from creator Andrew Lownie who’s been working for 4 years on a brand new e book concerning the Duke of York.
He has submitted over 100 requests to Whitehall departments solely to search out that data “has vanished”.
Chatting with Sky Information, he mentioned: “I used to jot down concerning the intelligence providers, and I discovered that was quite a bit simpler, much more open and clear than the Royal Household.
“I’ve tried, by way of the Freedom Info Act, to get entry to any of the paperwork for Andrew, a particular consultant between 2001 and 2011 when he was taxpayer-funded, a public servant”, however explaining how his requests have been rejected he mentioned “these items has vanished”.
“The International Workplace claimed to not know something about it. The Division of Enterprise and Commerce know nothing.
“It is like enjoying whack-a-mole. It is actual ‘Sure Minister stuff’, something to keep away from releasing this data.”
Curiosity in Prince Andrew’s funds has elevated in latest months after it was revealed that the King was not paying him an allowance, elevating questions on how he is ready to pay for his residence on the Windsor Property, Royal Lodge, and safety.
The prince’s time as commerce envoy for the UK could also be important as a result of it was doubtlessly a profitable time for him, giving him entry to enterprise contacts around the globe.
A Division for Enterprise and Commerce spokesperson mentioned: “The division has complied with its obligations beneath the Freedom of Info Act and Public Data Act and maintains that data has been withheld in accordance with the acts.
“This consists of an ICO (Info Commissioner’s Workplace) choice discover which outlined that the commissioner didn’t must take any additional steps.”
When requested, the International Workplace informed Sky Information: “The FCDO takes its obligations beneath the Freedom of Info Act very critically.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
2:56
Alleged Chinese language spy linked to the prince
It comes as a Chinese language businessman – described as a “shut confidant” of Prince Andrew – was barred from getting into the UK over nationwide safety dangers.
Often known as H6, the person was invited to the duke’s birthday celebration in 2020, and was informed by Andrew’s aide Dominic Hampshire that he might assist in potential dealings with Chinese language traders. A choose dominated the Chinese language businessman had an “uncommon” diploma of belief from the royal.
Former chair of the general public accounts committee between 2010 and 2015, Baroness Margaret Hodge, has joined requires much less secrecy usually across the royal funds.
She informed me: “I discover it actually troublesome to imagine that the departments for whom Prince Andrew had contact when he was an envoy haven’t obtained the information.
“They may have these information, they clearly simply do not need to share them. And that basically says all of it.
“I need a Royal Household that’s well-funded: they are a treasured and valued establishment in our society however going with that funding should come some accountability.”
Picture: Prince Andrew, Mike Tindall, Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence attend a thanksgiving service for the lifetime of King Constantine of the Hellenes in February. File pic: PA
The palace believes that as a non-working royal, the duke’s earnings and tax preparations are a matter for him and HM Income and Customs.
When it comes to how he’s paying for Royal Lodge, Sky Information understands the royal family has been given assurances that his sources of earnings are all above board, nonetheless, it isn’t of their remit to vet or approve these sources.
It sees it as a job for the Crown Property which manages properties within the likes of the Windsor Property.
However Royal Lodge is of curiosity extra usually to the household.
As the previous residence of the Queen Mom, it has been steered that doubtlessly different family members could also be concerned about residing there sooner or later, from the Prince and Princess of Wales to Queen Camilla it for her household.
Nevertheless Robert Hardman, journalist and creator of Charles III: New King. New Courtroom, says: “All the things to do with Prince Andrew is opaque, is complicated, folks do not actually need to discuss it as a result of his scenario is a distraction.”
He added: “I believe the true query is just not what’s taking place right now, it is what’s taking place in just a few years down the road, what occurs if his financial savings run out, these sources of earnings similar to they’re for the time being, what in the event that they run out and out of the blue he cannot afford to pay for the upkeep or the safety, what occurs to the lease then?
“Does the Crown Property then say, ‘Nicely, truly the phrases of the lease have been forfeited?’ We simply do not know.
“It’s a non-public monetary matter for him however given the prominence of the home and its historical past and its connections, then the media are clearly going to hold on taking a eager curiosity in it, as are the Crown Property and as are in the end the Treasury.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
1:43
Prince Andrew and China: What is occurring?
Prince Andrew’s tv interview 5 years in the past about his hyperlinks to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was meant to close the scandal down and permit him to get again to public duties with out that distraction.
As a substitute, it had the alternative impact.
This yr, he has solely been seen as soon as formally in entrance of the cameras, as he appeared to steer the household as they walked to the chapel at Windsor for a memorial service in February.
This Christmas we might once more see Andrew with the remainder of the household going to church at Sandringham, all the time an indication that he hasn’t been solely omitted within the chilly by his family.
However he nonetheless lives with the repercussions of the Epstein saga, his extraordinary downfall that means questions will proceed to stay about him, how he lives and his funds.
From reproductive rights to local weather change to Huge Tech, The Unbiased is on the bottom when the story is creating. Whether or not it is investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our newest documentary, ‘The A Phrase’, which shines a lightweight on the American girls preventing for reproductive rights, we all know how necessary it’s to parse out the information from the messaging.
At such a important second in US historical past, we want reporters on the bottom. Your donation permits us to maintain sending journalists to talk to either side of the story.
The Unbiased is trusted by People throughout all the political spectrum. And in contrast to many different high quality information shops, we select to not lock People out of our reporting and evaluation with paywalls. We imagine high quality journalism must be obtainable to everybody, paid for by those that can afford it.
Your assist makes all of the distinction.
A member of the family of Russian president Vladimir Putin by chance revealed what is probably going a confidential tally of the appeals by family of troops who submitted DNA samples, in an try and establish lifeless troopers by their stays.
Anna Tsivilyova, the daughter of Mr Putin’s cousin and a deputy defence minister, stated the federal government obtained tens of hundreds of appeals from family associated to the monitoring and identification of lacking troopers by means of DNA samples.
Ms Tsivilyova was seen speaking in a video revealed by the unbiased Astra Telegram channel.
Western intelligence sources estimate the variety of Russian lifeless to be as excessive as 200,000, with 400,000 wounded.
She was seen speaking to the lawmakers in a video revealed on Tuesday the place she stated: “The Ministry of Inside Affairs takes [DNA] completely freed from cost at their very own expense, and enters into its database all of the family who’ve utilized to us. I’ve already stated 48,000.”
She was requested, moments later, by defence committee chief Andrei Kartapolov to not disclose this quantity.
“Anna Yevgenyevna [Tsivilyova] has talked about figures right here, together with lacking individuals. I earnestly ask you to not use these figures anyplace. That is such delicate, closed info. And after we draw up the ultimate paperwork, we must always not embrace these figures anyplace,” he stated.
Ms Tsivilyova stated: “I didn’t give the numbers of lacking individuals, however the variety of requests to us. A lot of them can be discovered. So this quantity is particularly requests, not information.”
Astra revealed a video of the assembly, which was streamed on the time on the web site of parliament’s decrease home, the Duma. On Wednesday it was now not obtainable on the positioning, Reuters reported.
As late as final month, Russia suffered greater than 2,000 casualties in a single day, Ukraine’s navy claimed, in what would mark one of many heaviest toll of losses inflicted on Mr Putin’s forces at any level within the struggle up to now.
Russian forces had been struggling 1,500 casualties a day and had been nearing the 700,000 mark for the entire killed and wounded since February 2022, Sir Tony Radakin stated final month. He described the price of the struggle on the Russian individuals as “extraordinary”.
In keeping with Astra, a preferred Russian Telegram channel, the trade occurred at a parliamentary listening to in late November.
Ukraine and Russia have usually floated purported numbers of lifeless and wounded on the enemy aspect and each Kyiv and Moscow have dismissed their opponents’ estimates as grossly inflated.
