Author: staff

Major airports in the UK have been increasing their passenger drop-off fees in recent years. The latest to hike the charge is Stansted, London’s third-busiest airport. Drivers now have to pay £10 (€12) instead of the previous £7 (€8.40) for express drop-offs of up to 15 minutes, making it the second-most expensive fee in the UK. Earlier in the year, London Gatwick raised its ‘kiss and fly’ fee to become the most expensive in the UK. In comparison, many airports on the continent still allow free or low-cost drop-offs. UK airports hike passenger drop-off fees Stansted’s hiked fee also impacts…

Uzbekistan has inaugurated the Centre for Islamic Civilization, a new complex dedicated to research, public education and the preservation of Islamic cultural heritage. First announced in 2017 by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the United Nations General Assembly, the project brings together collections, research facilities and public spaces in a single site designed to make historical material accessible to a broader audience. The centre combines museum exhibitions, research facilities and educational programmes, presenting the historical development of Islamic civilisation through manuscripts, artefacts and interactive displays. At the opening ceremony, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev described the centre as a space that reflects the…

Negotiations on prisoner swaps would also continue, Peskov said.  He did not provide a reason for why the peace negotiations, which U.S. President Donald Trump launched soon after he entered the White House, have hit a roadblock.  The last time the three parties met was in February in Geneva. A new round of talks scheduled for March 5 in Abu Dhabi was postponed indefinitely, days after the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran, which has spilled over into the wider region. In an interview with the BBC earlier this week, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a…

In a widely anticipated move, the Bank of England left its main interest rate on hold at 3.75% on Thursday. “We have held interest rates at 3.75% as we assess how events unfold,” Bank governor Andrew Bailey said. “Whatever happens, our job is to make sure inflation returns to its 2% target.” Before the Iran war broke out, inflation in the UK was expected to fall towards the 2% target in the coming months. However, the current conflict, which has sent energy prices soaring, has made the outlook for UK inflation more uncertain, forcing policymakers to reconsider their expected move…

What Nvidia presented as a major step forward in gaming graphics has quickly sparked backlash online, with critics saying that the new feature is an AI beautification filter that limits artistic direction in video games. The chip and AI giant unveiled on Monday Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS 5), an image-enhancing technology, which it describes as a breakthrough that uses generative AI to deliver near-photoreal visuals. DLSS is Nvidia’s AI-driven graphics technology that began as a way to upscale resolution and now generates entirely new frames, with support in more than 750 games. DLSS 5 will arrive this fall, but…

The results of both the Skytrax World Airport Awards and AirlineRatings.com’s World’s Best Airline Awards are out now, and Asia has once again come out on top. Singapore Changi Airport has been named the Airport of the Year 2026, the 14th time it has received the accolade overall. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has just been named the World’s Best Full-Service Airline, taking the top spot from Korean Air which won in 2025. Doha’s Hamad International Airport was noticeably absent on Skytrax’s airport ranking, having come second overall in 2025. This is because the airport announced earlier this week that it was…

A German official told reporters: “Germany and France have agreed to a final attempt at mediation between the industries, to be conducted by experts. Due to the upcoming decisions on the federal budget, a result must be reached by mid-April.” FCAS, which also includes Spain, is intended to replace Germany’s Eurofighter and France’s Rafale jets by around 2040. The program includes a warplane — which lies at the heart of the disagreement between the two defense giants — as well as drones and a combat cloud. While German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is open to developing two separate planes, Macron has…

Published on 19/03/2026 – 12:13 GMT+1 Especially, now that Russia’s war in Ukraine and the US-Israeli war in Iran have become deeply interlinked. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, energy and petrol costs are soaring. And because that vital waterway handles a massive share of global fertiliser shipments, it also means higher grocery prices for everyone. To ease the pressure, Trump announced last week that he is lifting some sanctions on Russian oil. The US Treasury issued a temporary permit allowing countries to purchase Russian crude currently stranded at sea. Washington insists this only applies to already loaded cargo,…

Travellers are facing rising airfare costs and reductions in flight schedules as the conflict in the Middle East causes oil prices to soar. Experts predict ticket prices could remain elevated for months even if the war de-escalates. Increased demand on flight routes that avoid Middle East and Gulf stopovers also means flyers are having to pay more. Which airlines are increasing fares? The US-Israel and Iran war has seen oil prices rocket due to attacks on refineries in the region and the impossibility of transporting oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which in turn is spiking jet fuel costs. Cathay…

The city of Cáceres want to become European Capital of Culture 2031, a recognition awarded each year by the European Union to highlight the continent’s cultural wealth. In total, nine cities are competing to represent Spain in this edition. Among them are Burgos, Granada, Jerez de la Frontera, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Oviedo, Mallorca, Potries and Toledo. A shortlist is expected to be drawn up this month, with the the final decision will be announced in December. The European Capitals of Culture initiative was launched in 1985 at the instigation of the European Commission and since then more than…