This week in the UK news

“He enjoyed a long and fulfilled retirement surrounded by his loved ones.”

Mrs Mohamed Al Fayed

Technical failure leaves hundreds of holidaymakers enraged

On Monday disaster struck for holidaymakers trying to take a last minute vacation before the school season started. The national air traffic control service (Nats) had a technical glitch that prevented most flights from arriving to and leaving from the UK.

While the official reason is unknown. incorrect flight information being sent seems to be the most likely reason for the issue. This stopped Nats being able to process flights and the paths said flights would take. Without this information it would have been unsafe to allow flights to leave as normal.

In this 4 hour window up to 2000 flights may have been affected in some way, many of those being cancelled. What is even worse is that refunds could not be made as this is classed as an “exceptional circumstance” leaving many people enraged. The amount of angry calls and live chats directed at travel agencies skyrocketed only for many to be turned away due to the refund policies.

As of now, everything is back in order.

Billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed Dead at 94

Egyptian businessman and former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed passed peacefully in his sleep from old age on Wednesday. Known for his middle eastern business empire, he came to the UK in the 1970s where he remained until death. He was the father of Dodi who died alongside princess Diana in 1997 when their car crashed. Al Fayed spent much of his life after the tragedy questioning how this happened. 

In a statement after his passing, his family said “He enjoyed a long and fulfilled retirement surrounded by his loved ones.”

His legacy will live on through his children, The football stadium he owned, and the countless lives he touched.

Concerns Rise as new Covid Variant Found in the UK

This week the most recent variant of Covid-19 called BA.2.86 has been found in the UK. Called Pirola, this is the next in the long line of variants found since the pandemic started in 2019. So far only three cases have been confirmed but more may be present. Scientists have found samples of this variant in waste water according to government reports. 

Of the confirmed cases, one person was slightly unwell and one had no respiratory issues. The third had some symptoms however nothing major. While some people are claiming this is spreading rapidly and it is the most dangerous variant to date, no evidence has so far been released proving these claims.

While boosters will be available in autumn which may help fight against Pirola, a lot of people are still against the vaccines for one reason or another. Regardless, covid-19 is still present if not as severe as it once was.

“Crumbling” Concrete Forces Schools to Close

This week the story of poorly made concrete is sweeping the UK. RAAC concrete is a type of lightweight aerated concrete used in a lot of walls, ceilings and floors. Due to the fact that it is aerated, it is far easier for water to seep in and impact the structural integrity. RAAC concrete only has a lifespan of about 30 years but with the damage from weather and internal cracking, it is getting to a point where buildings could begin to crumble if something is not done about it. The Health and Safety Executive says RAAC is now “beyond its lifespan” and may “collapse with little or no notice”.

Many schools have been made with this type of concrete which has led to mass panic from teachers and parents alike for the safety of the children. More than 100 schools have already closed in order to deal with this issue. “Eye-watering sums of money” are being put in to fix the concrete. But as hospitals , schools and other important buildings all have this concrete, only time will tell when this situation will be fixed.

Until then, precautions are being put in place in affected locations to mitigate the problem.

Funding For Steel in Final Stages

The UK government is currently in talks with the largest steel manufacturer in the UK, Tata Steel, for a £500m deal for longevity and commitment to the UK, alongside £700m from the parent company. This money would be used to create electric arc furnaces to reduce carbon emissions in order to reduce pollution. These furnaces are easier to use and require less people to operate which could result in a loss of jobs.

This brings forth some concerns in the current economic climate. Talks are in progress about how to mitigate redundancies but it is very likely that jobs will be lost. Nothing is solidly in place so only time will tell what comes of the negotiations.