Latest news with #Fletcher
Western Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Western Telegraph
UK workers' rights bill ‘undermines devolution', Senedd
Luke Fletcher backed the principles of the bill: 'Day-one rights for workers, zero-hours contracts being revised, removing restrictions on unions [and] ending fire and rehire.' But the Plaid Cymru politician expressed serious concerns about powers in the bill for UK ministers to override decisions made by the Welsh Government. He told the Senedd: 'We are seeing provisions that encroach on the ability of this [Welsh] Government and this place to legislate on behalf of the people of Wales.' Mr Fletcher said: 'In the same way the Welsh Government would've opposed such a power grab in the days of a Tory government, I would hope they would do exactly the same now.' Peter Fox, who chairs the health committee, expressed similar concerns, saying: 'The Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to promote fair pay in the social care workforce, yet has not brought forward its own bill. 'The effect of this choice is to severely limit the opportunities for stakeholders in Wales to be involved in the legislative process and for the Senedd to examine the policy in detail.' Warning of a £5bn cost to businesses, his Conservative colleague Altaf Hussain said his party would vote against providing consent to the employment rights bill. He told the Senedd: 'Although the intentions behind this legislation appear commendable, I am concerned about the significant burden it will impose on businesses across the UK.' Jack Sargeant, who is minister for fair work in the Welsh Government, said the bill will be the single biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation. Mr Sargeant told Senedd members: 'It enhances employment rights, it strengthens enforcement and it removes unnecessary restrictions on trade unions.' He agreed with Ms Blythyn, one of his predecessors as minister: 'I do note some of the concerns from some members in the contributions today but we do believe it's very much in the best interest of the social care sector and social care workers in Wales.' Senedd members voted 27-13 in favour of the LCM on July 15, with Plaid Cymru abstaining.
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
British crew blaze ahead as Portsmouth crowd roars in SailGP opener
Find out what's new on ST website and app. PORTSMOUTH, England - Emirates GBR skipper Dylan Fletcher delivered a masterclass in speed and consistency on Saturday to send his team to the top of the SailGP leaderboard after a commanding opening day on England's south coast. Fletcher's crew won the first Portsmouth race and then never let up, collecting second, third and second place in the remaining heats. By the end of the day, they had 36 points, comfortably ahead of Switzerland and Australia. 'We've had some tough events, so to be here and have a good Saturday, especially in front of a home crowd, is amazing,' said Fletcher. 'I'm really happy and proud of the team. But we know there's still a big job to do tomorrow.' Despite a long list of podiums around the world, Britain have never won a SailGP event on home waters, a record Fletcher and his crew are desperate to break in Sunday's finale. Fletcher is no stranger to big moments. Olympic gold in Tokyo, world title in 2017 and a seat at the helm of the INEOS Britannia America's Cup campaign—his sailing CV stands out in any crowd. He's been racing double-handed boats since his teens and has never looked back. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Asia How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world Asia At least 34 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Halong Bay Singapore 1 dead, 1 injured after dispute between neighbours at Yishun HDB block Singapore Vessels from Navy, SCDF and MPA to debut at Marina Bay in NDP maritime display Asia Autogate glitch at Malaysia's major checkpoints causes chaos for S'porean and foreign travellers Asia SIA, Scoot, Cathay Pacific cancel flights as typhoon nears Hong Kong Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore The Portsmouth grandstand was packed as spectators enjoyed clear skies and unpredictable conditions, with shifting winds and coastal obstacles keeping teams on their toes. France, meanwhile, saw their hopes dashed before racing began, forced to withdraw after a wing incident in training. All athletes were reported safe, but the setback is another blow for Quentin Delapierre's team, who were just starting to find form after missing the early rounds. At the season's halfway mark, Spain lead the overall SailGP standings, followed by Australia and New Zealand. Emirates GBR are fourth overall. The action continues on Sunday, with Fletcher's crew hoping to finally turn home advantage into a long-awaited British SailGP win. SailGP is a high-speed, global sailing league where national teams race identical, cutting-edge F50 foiling catamarans at speeds approaching 100kph. REUTERS
Days of Palestine
17 hours ago
- General
- Days of Palestine
One in Three Gazans Go Days Without Food, Warns UN Official
DaysofPal – Senior UN officials have expressed concern about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, stating that the amount of hunger and suffering there is unprecedented. Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters following a recent visit to Gaza, Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), described the situation as 'worse than I have ever seen before,' both in terms of need and the near-total collapse of humanitarian access. 'The entire population is food insecure,' Skau said, citing recent data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. 'Half a million people are facing extreme hunger, and the situation has only worsened since that report was published.' He added that 90,000 children in Gaza now urgently need treatment for malnutrition. 'One in three people are going entire days without eating,' Skau said. 'Mothers told me they try to stop their children from playing, just to save the little energy their bodies can manage on the few spoonfuls of food they get.' Many families, he said, survive on nothing more than hot water with lentils or scraps of pasta. Children Starve While Aid Waits at the Border Skau emphasized that humanitarian agencies, including the WFP, are ready and able to deliver life-saving aid but are being obstructed by severe access restrictions. 'We have enough food stockpiled at the border to feed everyone in Gaza for two months,' he said. 'But we can't get it in.' 'For a time, after some easing of the blockade, we were able to bring in 20 to 30 trucks a day, which is nowhere near enough. When I visited, a kilo of wheat flour was selling for over $25. These are prices no one can afford.' He noted that, for the first time in days, a small aid delivery was allowed through the Zikim crossing into northern Gaza. 'But we need all routes open, from Jordan, Egypt, and Israel, and we need safety guarantees for aid workers and civilians alike.' Skau's testimony was echoed by Tom Fletcher, the UN's Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, who painted a stark picture of the horrors unfolding inside the besieged territory. 'People in Gaza are facing death, injury, displacement, and the stripping away of their dignity,' Fletcher said. 'We are seeing civilians killed while waiting in line for food. That is not a debate; that is a war crime.' Fletcher underscored Israel's obligations as the occupying power under international law: 'Israel must ensure access to food and medicine for the population. That is not a choice; it's a legal duty. But that's simply not happening.' The Collapse of Normal Life The situation, both officials said, defies description. 'We're running out of words,' Fletcher admitted. 'Food is vanishing. People who ask for it risk being shot. Field hospitals are receiving the dead while hearing the same stories from the wounded every day. Parents are watching their children die not from bombs, but from starvation.' Both Skau and Fletcher stressed the urgency of a ceasefire, not just to stop the killing, but to allow humanitarian lifelines into Gaza before even more lives are lost to preventable hunger. 'We have enough food at the border to feed the entire population for about two months,' Skau said. 'But it is clear that we need a ceasefire.' He emphasized the need to open all roads from Jordan, Egypt, and Israel and to ensure security conditions that allow aid delivery to reach those most in need. 'We want to be able to deliver in the north,' he added, referring to the newly reopened Zikim crossing, 'because we believe that is the only way to help reduce levels of despair and prices.' Shortlink for this post:
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
UK workers' rights bill ‘undermines devolution', Senedd
Luke Fletcher backed the principles of the bill: 'Day-one rights for workers, zero-hours contracts being revised, removing restrictions on unions [and] ending fire and rehire.' But the Plaid Cymru politician expressed serious concerns about powers in the bill for UK ministers to override decisions made by the Welsh Government. He told the Senedd: 'We are seeing provisions that encroach on the ability of this [Welsh] Government and this place to legislate on behalf of the people of Wales.' Mr Fletcher said: 'In the same way the Welsh Government would've opposed such a power grab in the days of a Tory government, I would hope they would do exactly the same now.' Peter Fox, who chairs the health committee, expressed similar concerns, saying: 'The Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to promote fair pay in the social care workforce, yet has not brought forward its own bill. 'The effect of this choice is to severely limit the opportunities for stakeholders in Wales to be involved in the legislative process and for the Senedd to examine the policy in detail.' Warning of a £5bn cost to businesses, his Conservative colleague Altaf Hussain said his party would vote against providing consent to the employment rights bill. He told the Senedd: 'Although the intentions behind this legislation appear commendable, I am concerned about the significant burden it will impose on businesses across the UK.' Jack Sargeant, who is minister for fair work in the Welsh Government, said the bill will be the single biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation. Mr Sargeant told Senedd members: 'It enhances employment rights, it strengthens enforcement and it removes unnecessary restrictions on trade unions.' He agreed with Ms Blythyn, one of his predecessors as minister: 'I do note some of the concerns from some members in the contributions today but we do believe it's very much in the best interest of the social care sector and social care workers in Wales.' Senedd members voted 27-13 in favour of the LCM on July 15, with Plaid Cymru abstaining.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
UK workers' rights bill ‘undermines devolution', Senedd
Luke Fletcher backed the principles of the bill: 'Day-one rights for workers, zero-hours contracts being revised, removing restrictions on unions [and] ending fire and rehire.' But the Plaid Cymru politician expressed serious concerns about powers in the bill for UK ministers to override decisions made by the Welsh Government. He told the Senedd: 'We are seeing provisions that encroach on the ability of this [Welsh] Government and this place to legislate on behalf of the people of Wales.' Mr Fletcher said: 'In the same way the Welsh Government would've opposed such a power grab in the days of a Tory government, I would hope they would do exactly the same now.' Peter Fox, who chairs the health committee, expressed similar concerns, saying: 'The Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to promote fair pay in the social care workforce, yet has not brought forward its own bill. 'The effect of this choice is to severely limit the opportunities for stakeholders in Wales to be involved in the legislative process and for the Senedd to examine the policy in detail.' Warning of a £5bn cost to businesses, his Conservative colleague Altaf Hussain said his party would vote against providing consent to the employment rights bill. He told the Senedd: 'Although the intentions behind this legislation appear commendable, I am concerned about the significant burden it will impose on businesses across the UK.' Jack Sargeant, who is minister for fair work in the Welsh Government, said the bill will be the single biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation. Mr Sargeant told Senedd members: 'It enhances employment rights, it strengthens enforcement and it removes unnecessary restrictions on trade unions.' He agreed with Ms Blythyn, one of his predecessors as minister: 'I do note some of the concerns from some members in the contributions today but we do believe it's very much in the best interest of the social care sector and social care workers in Wales.' Senedd members voted 27-13 in favour of the LCM on July 15, with Plaid Cymru abstaining.
