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WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. From left, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., gather after Senate Democratic leadership elections for the next session of Congress on Tuesday in Washington. Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also reelected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. In a statement, Schumer, of New York, said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” “Our preference is to secure bipartisan solutions wherever possible and look for ways to collaborate with our Republican colleagues to help working families,” Schumer said. “However, our Republican colleagues should make no mistake about it, we will always stand up for our values.” While Schumer remains popular with his colleagues, it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who were hopeful that they could hold the majority for the third election in a row. Instead they lost four seats and will be in the minority, 53-47, as Trump takes office and pressures the Senate to quickly confirm his Cabinet nominees. People are also reading... Unlike eight years ago, when opposition to Trump’s narrow election win fueled enthusiasm in their party, Democratic lawmakers and many of their voters are exhausted and looking for answers. So far, Democrats have stayed relatively quiet on Trump’s nominees and plans for office – a stark contrast from the loud opposition to Trump when he was elected eight years ago. Schumer has declined to comment on specifics of any nominees, instead allowing Republican reaction to dominate the conversation. On Monday, Schumer wrote a public letter to South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the incoming Republican majority leader, asking him to resist Trump’s pressure to allow him to appoint some of his nominees without a Senate vote and to insist on full FBI background checks for all nominees. But he has said little else about Trump’s upcoming presidency. While some have been more aggressive — Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a former chairwoman of the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee, said that Trump’s nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department is “dangerous” and “nothing short of disaster” — several Democratic senators say they are saving their strength and figuring out a focus. “Everybody’s in kind of a wait-and-see mode right now,” said Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who is part of Schumer’s leadership team. “Under the previous Trump administration, there was chaos all the time, all the time. And I do think it is important to pick your battles.” It’s still unclear which battles they will pick. And Democrats have differing opinions on how to fight them. Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who is also in Democratic leadership, says that “anyone who has a grand strategy is full of crap,” but thinks that Democrats, for now, “need to keep things simple.” “We need to talk about people, protect people, advocate for people,” Schatz said. “Do not talk about protecting institutions. Do not talk about advocating for institutions. It’s a not just a rhetorical shift, but an attitudinal shift. We have to remind ourselves, that we’re not fighting for programs and projects and line items and agencies or norms. We’re fighting for people.” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said that he’s spent a lot of time reflecting, and “I don’t think anyone can claim this was a policy election,” and Democrats need to look at cultural issues. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman says Democrats just need to “pace ourselves” and avoid the “massive freakout” of Trump's last term. Democrats should be preparing, says Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal. He says Schumer is picking his battles “very thoughtfully and strategically.” “We’re thinking about how we protect against using the FBI, or the prosecutorial authority of the Justice Department for retribution against critics,” said Blumenthal. “How we elevate these issues in a way that American people understand them.” Democrats know better now, after eight years, “the extraordinary challenges we’re going to face,” Blumenthal said. November's best images from around the world Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. compete in the ice dance rhythm dance program at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series competition in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) A discarded plastic bag floats in the waters of Botafogo beach in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) China's President Xi Jinping, left center, and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, walk into the Alvorada palace after attending a welcoming ceremony in Brasilia, Brazil, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova competes against Great Britain's Katie Boulter during a Billie Jean King Cup semi-final match at Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., closes a door to a private meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) A surfer rides on an artificial wave in the river 'Eisbach' at the 'Englischer Garten' (English Garden) downtown in Munich, Germany, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) A woman carries a gift basket as she arrives at a park to attend a friend's birthday party, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Kampala, Uganda. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Tania hugs her brother-in-law Baruc after rescuing some of their belongings from their flooded house after the floods in Paiporta, Valencia, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President-elect Donald Trump listens during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) President Joe Biden meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) A resident returns to his burned village, Monday Nov. 25, 2024, one day after a fire broke out leaving about 2,000 families homeless at a slum area in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) Isaac Young rests his cheek on the family horse Rusty's forehead during farm chores before homeschooling, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Sunbury, Ohio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Students from anti-discrimination movements attack an Awami League supporter in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu) A young girl holds a "Black Voters for Harris-Walz" sign outside of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' election night watch party at Howard University, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) A man looks from a damaged building a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in Ramat Gan, central Israel, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Visitors walk through the 'Cathedral' on the Christmas light trail as it returns for its12th year with a showcase of new installations set within the UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape of Kew Gardens in London, England, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Venezuelan migrant Alvaro Calderini carries his niece across a river near Bajo Chiquito, Panama, after walking across the Darien Gap from Colombia on their way north to the United States, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) An aerial view shows a packed parking lot at Citadel Outlets in Commerce, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, as early Black Friday shoppers arrive at the mall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Israeli soldiers holding their weapons bathe with residents in a hot water pool coming from a drilling project which exposed a subterranean hydrothermal spring near Mount Bental in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, on the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Voters stand in line outside a polling place at Madison Church, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Molten lava flows on the road to the Blue Lagoon, Grindavik, after the volcanic eruption that started Wednesday, on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco) Firefighters and sheriff's deputies push a vintage car away from a burning home as the Mountain Fire burns in Camarillo, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Supporters of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) celebrate the victory of candidate Yamandú Orsi in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) People gather at the site where former Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed by Israeli airstrikes late September during a memorial ceremony in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) Katia, 11, with her grandmother and mother sit in an armored minivan during en evacuation by the "White Angels" police unit in Kurakhove, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton Shtuka) People clean mud from a house affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Cattle stand on a heap of textile waste at the Old Fadama settlement of Accra, Ghana, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu) Family members accompany the coffin that contain the remains of Mexican actress Silvia Pinal, during a memorial service at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Pinal, an actress from Mexico's Golden Age of cinema in the 1940s and 50s, died Thursday. She was 93. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario) A family arrive to cross into Lebanon through the Jousieh border crossing, between Syria and Lebanon, Nov. 28, 2024, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.GRUPO FINANCIERO BANORTE WILL DRIVE THE GROWTH OF ONE MILLION TREES BY 2030: CARLOS HANK-GONZÁLEZ
Egypt Daily News – The spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Bingyu, commented on US President Donald Trump’s position on increasing customs tariffs on Chinese goods, saying that cooperation between Beijing and Washington is “beneficial to both parties,” warning that this trade battle will only lead to a loss. Earlier on Monday, Trump promised to impose comprehensive new tariffs on the three largest suppliers to the United States: Mexico, Canada, and China, as soon as he takes office, as part of his efforts to eliminate illegal immigration and drugs, saying that he would impose a 25% tax. on products coming from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods coming from China. Trump pointed out that these three parties must intervene to solve the problem of illegal immigration, otherwise “it is time for them to pay a heavy price.” In a post on social media, the Republican leader said: “On January 20, I will sign the necessary documents to impose additional tariffs on all products coming into Washington and its ridiculous open borders,” complaining about the thousands of illegal immigrants from Canada and Mexico, who are “causing... High levels of crime and drug use. Trump noted that the new tariffs will remain in place “until such time as drugs, especially fentanyl, and all the illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!” Speaking about China, Trump said he had many conversations about the huge amounts of smuggled drugs, particularly fentanyl, being sent to the United States, but these conversations remained to no avail. “Until such time as they stop, we will impose an additional 10% tariff on China, on top of any existing tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the USA,” he threatened. On the other hand, the Chinese embassy in Washington warned that the trade war between the two poles would only bring loss. “Economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States is of a mutually beneficial nature,” embassy spokesman Liu Bingyu said on the X website. “No one is going to win a trade war or a tariff war,” he added. He noted that China took steps last year to help stop drug trafficking.Critics, journalists, and industry folk aren’t the only ones who get to vote on the best game of the year at The Game Awards. The Players’ Voice category , which seeks to recognize players’ favorite game of the year, is exclusively voted on by fans. TGA announced the 30 nominees for round one, which you can vote on until Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. EST. Each voter gets 10 votes for round one. Two more rounds follow to narrow down players’ most favorite game of the year, which will be announced at The Game Awards on Dec. 12 . While the list of nominees largely lines up with games that got noms for the jury-voted Game Awards categories, which are tabulated with 90% weight on jury votes and 10% weight on fan votes, a few titles with massive fan bases but less critical acclaim appear in round one of Players’ Voice. There’s The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom , which was nominated only for Best Family Game and Best Action/Adventure; Palworld , which got zero nominations; and Dragon Age: The Veilguard , which was nominated only for Accessibility ; and Sonic X Shadow Generations , which got zero nominations, to name a few. No Man’s Sky is another surprising nominee — the game was first released in 2016, but received two big updates this year, including the literally game-changing Omega update . Perhaps less surprisingly, only one nominee comes from an independent developer: Balatro by LocalThunk. The Game Awards Players’ Voice nominees, in full: Astro Bot Balatro Black Myth: Wukong Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Dragon Age: The Veilguard Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Final Fantasy XIV Fortnite Genshin Impact Helldivers 2 League of Legends The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Metaphor: ReFantazio Mobile Legends: Bang Bang No Man’s Sky Palworld Persona 3 Reload Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Silent Hill 2 Sonic X Shadow Generations Stellar Blade Wuthering Waves Valorant Warframe Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Zenless Zone Zero The Game Awards take place on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. EST. Gaming GOTY Watch News
Obama Democracy Forum will convene to focus on tools for bipartisan dialogueAfter Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizers
Montana transgender lawmaker on Capitol Hill's bathroom ban: 'Do not cede ground'
Late winners were just rewards for hard work says Stevenage's Neil BanfieldElon Musk spent over a quarter of a billion dollars to help Donald Trump win November's presidential election, according to new filings, underscoring the influence one of the world's wealthiest people had on this year's White House race. The billionaire owner of electric car maker Tesla and SpaceX gave $259 million to groups supporting Trump's 2024 campaign, according to new Federal Election Commission filings released late on Thursday. The huge donations made Musk one of the biggest underwriters of a presidential campaign in U.S. history, helping him to become a powerful political ally of Trump and someone who now plays a key role in shaping the incoming Republican administration's policy agenda. Musk gave $239 million to America PAC, a super PAC he founded to help turn out voters for Trump. In late October Musk gave an additional $20 million to RBG PAC, a group that sought to convince voters that Trump would not sign into a law a national abortion ban, according to the FEC filings. The group's name refers to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon known for her support of abortion rights. Musk, who also owns the social media platform X, has emerged as a close advisor in Trump's transition team. Trump has chosen him, along with former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, to head a task force aimed at slashing government spending and regulations. Musk and Ramaswamy met on Capitol Hill on Thursday with lawmakers whose support they will need to win the sweeping spending cuts Trump has asked them to find. The two men have called for firing thousands of federal workers, slashing regulations and eliminating programs whose authorization has expired, such as veterans' healthcare. Musk has also been a regular fixture and Trump confidante at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago Florida estate during the transition. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
NEW YORK, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The pharmaceutical manufacturer Amgen announced on Tuesday that an experimental obesity drug helped patients lose an average of up to 20 percent of their weight in a year. The drug, using the brand name MariTide, is given by injection once a month, compared with once a week for other obesity drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro that are already on the market. The data came from a clinical trial involving nearly 600 people. It was a Phase 2 trial, testing effectiveness as well as safety. The drug still must go through additional clinical trial phases involving many more patients, and then receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before being sold to patients. The company has yet to set a price for the drug. Amgen also did not provide detailed data, that will come in later in a peer-reviewed study and will be presented at a meeting, the company said. Instead, to meet requirements of the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, it provided so-called top-line data that could affect its stock price, said The New York Times in its report about the development. Jeffrey Flier, a diabetes and obesity researcher at Harvard, was quoted as saying the results were "promising," adding that MariTide "could be a future player in a highly competitive market."
Sydney, Dec. 5: It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won't go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That's not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people's lives that going cold turkey will be difficult. Other questions loom. Does the ban limit kids' free expression and — especially for those in vulnerable groups — isolate them and curtail their opportunity to connect with members of their community? And how will social sites verify people's ages, anyway? Can't kids just get around such technicalities, as they so often do? This is, after all, the 21st century — an era when social media is the primary communications tool for most of those born in the past 25 years who, in a fragmented world, seek the common cultures of trends, music and memes. What happens when big swaths of that fall away? Is Australia's initiative a good, long-time-coming development that will protect the vulnerable, or could it become a well-meaning experiment with unintended consequences? Platforms will be held liable The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. "It's clear that social media companies have to be held accountable, which is what Australia is trying to do," said Jim Steyer, president and CEO of the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Leaders and parents in countries around the world are watching Australia's policy closely as many seek to protect young kids from the internet's dangerous corners — and, not incidentally, from each other. Most nations have taken different routes, from parental consent requirements to minimum age limits. Many child safety experts, parents and even teens who have waited to get on social media consider Australia's move a positive step. They say there's ample reason to ensure that children wait. "What's most important for kids, just like adults, is real human connection. Less time alone on the screen means more time to connect, not less," said Julie Scelfo, the founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction, or MAMA, a grassroots group of parents aimed at combatting the harms of social media to children. "I'm confident we can support our kids in interacting in any number of ways aside from sharing the latest meme." The harms to children from social media have been well documented in the two decades since Facebook's launch ushered in a new era in how the world communicates. Kids who spend more time on social media, especially when they are tweens or young teenagers, are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, according to multiple studies — though it is not yet clear if there is a causal relationship. What's more, many are exposed to content that is not appropriate for their age, including pornography and violence, as well as social pressures about body image and makeup. They also face bullying, sexual harassment and unwanted advances from their peers as well as adult strangers. Because their brains are not fully developed, teenagers, especially younger ones the law is focused on, are also more affected by social comparisons than adults, so even happy posts from friends can send them into a negative spiral. What unintended harms could be caused? Many major initiatives, particularly those aimed at social engineering, can produce side effects — often unintended. Could that happen here? What, if anything, do kids stand to lose by separating kids and the networks in which they participate? Paul Taske, associate director of litigation at the tech lobbying group NetChoice, says he considers the ban "one of the most extreme violations of free speech on the world stage today" even as he expressed relief that the First Amendment prevents such law in the United States "These restrictions would create a massive cultural shift," Taske said. "Not only is the Australian government preventing young people from engaging with issues they're passionate about, but they're also doing so even if their parents are ok with them using digital services," he said. "Parents know their children and their needs the best, and they should be making these decisions for their families — not big government. That kind of forcible control over families inevitably will have downstream cultural impacts." David Inserra, a fellow for Free Expression and Technology, Cato Institute, called the bill "about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike" in a recent blog post. While Australia's law doesn't require "hard verification" such as an uploaded ID, he said, it calls for effective "age-assurance" that includes an array of ways companies can estimate someone's age. He said no verification system can ensure accuracy while also protecting privacy and not impacting adults in the process. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the law's effect on online anonymity, a cornerstone of online communications — and something that can protect teens on social platforms. "Whether it be religious minorities and dissidents, LGBTQ youth, those in abusive situations, whistleblowers, or countless other speakers in tricky situations, anonymous speech is a critical tool to safely challenge authority and express controversial opinions," Inserra said. "But if every user of online platforms must first identify themselves, then their anonymity is at risk." Parents in Britain and across Europe earlier this year organized on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram to promise not to buy smartphones for children younger than 12 or 13. This approach costs almost no money and requires no government enforcement. In the United States, some parents are keeping kids off social media either informally or as part of an organized campaign such as Wait Until 8th, a group that helps parents delay kids' access to social media and phones. This fall, Norway announced plans to ban kids under 15 from using social media, while France is testing a smartphone ban for kids under 15 in a limited number of schools — a policy that could be rolled out nationwide if successful. U.S. lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings — most recently in January — on child online safety. Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook's founding. In July, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable. But the Kids Online Safety Act has since stalled in the House. While several states have passed laws requiring age verification, those are stuck in court. Utah became the first state to pass laws regulating children's social media use in 2023. In September, a judge issued the preliminary injunction against the law, which would have required social media companies to verify the ages of users, apply privacy settings and limit some features. NetChoice has also obtained injunctions temporarily halting similar laws in several other states. And last May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said there is insufficient evidence to show social media is safe for kids. He urged policymakers to address the harms of social media the same way they regulate things like car seats, baby formula, medication and other products children use. (AP)
After Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizersAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez formally launched her bid to become the lead Democrat on the House oversight committee, setting up a race against the veteran representative Gerry Connolly for a crucial minority leadership position. The 35-year-old New York congresswoman’s announcement comes as Democrats are reshaping their committee leadership, with the oversight committee set to play a critical role in challenging potential actions during the next second Trump administration. In an official appeal to her colleagues , Ocasio-Cortez wrote that the role carries “a profound and consequential” responsibility. She argues that her generation of lawmakers is ready to take on leadership responsibilities, positioning herself as a fresh alternative to more established party members. Connolly, a 74-year-old longtime representative from Virginia, is Ocasio-Cortez’s primary challenger and represents the experienced counterpoint . With 16 years in Congress and touting a track record of protecting federal employees, he offers a more traditional approach to the committee leadership. The competition reflects broader dynamics within the Democratic party – a tension between political veterans and energetic progressive voices seeking to take the reins on political strategy. The contest will be decided by the Democratic caucus’s steering and policy committee through a secret ballot, followed by a full caucus vote. Outgoing oversight committee ranking member Jamie Raskin is staying neutral in the race . The oversight committee remains a powerful platform, even from the minority position. It is meant to examine government operations, and its jurisdiction spans a wide range of issues including potential government waste and corruption and investigating federal agencies and presidential administrations. While Democrats cannot control subpoenas or hearing agendas during the next session, the ranking member can still influence public discourse and push back against the Republican legislative agenda. The final decision is expected in the coming weeks.
Yoko Ono is an experimental art pioneer – who were the Beatles, again?
Leading global travel and events management company, ATPI Group, today (26 November) announces the launch of CrewHub, ATPI’s new proprietary booking platform designed to reimagine group travel for all sectors including maritime. The technology, which is currently in testing with full availability for marine customers in early 2025, will streamline and consolidate business travel for groups and crews of any size and from any industry. Whether moving crew to a vessel, rig, television production, sports event or organising a large meeting or event, ATPI’s new first-of-its-kind self-service platform gives travel organisers the autonomy to easily book complex group travel themselves, with the added assurance that a dedicated support team is on hand to assist whenever needed. For marine users, the innovative technology enables unlimited crew members from different airports or routes to be within a single booking when having a shared arrival or departure location. Crew and group travel has traditionally been a cumbersome and time-consuming process, often requiring hours to complete a crew change or group booking, from the initial email sent to ATPI to the final distribution of eTickets. With over 100 years’ experience in complex travel logistics and solutions, ATPI identified a significant gap in the market. Initially developed as a pioneering solution for their Marine and Energy customers, ATPI, quickly realised its broader potential, extending its functionality to cater for all types of ‘crew’ and groups. Designed with operational efficiency and cost saving in mind, CrewHub allows users to easily filter flights to meet their unique requirements, cutting booking time to approximately one minute per crew member (based on 11 travellers from across the world to one location), which is a reduction of up to 60%. This development will speed up, simplify and modernise the booking of crew and group travel, and empower the travel organiser in the process. With CrewHub a travel organiser, crew co-ordinator, or even a captain, can book travel for a crew rotation in a few simple steps. Selecting names, dates, and arrival and departure locations, routes and fares, they can move multiple travellers between any airport or port globally in one transaction with ease. And with an upcoming development, if they need to cancel or amend the booking, they can make changes on CrewHub without needing to call an agent. ATPI developed CrewHub to work alongside its consultants to ensure the perfect blend of technology and human touch that the TMC is known for. Unlike traditional online booking tools, all CrewHub bookings and itineraries are reviewed and validated by an ATPI agent, giving travel bookers reassurance that all details are accurate and compliant with their travel requirements. Additionally, ATPI CrewHub has the functionality to provide users with special fares and booking options tailored specifically to their sectors and business – such as remote locations, flexible scheduling, and specialised requirements for offshore workers and crews – features that are not available through other traditional online booking tools. CrewHub in action The new platform is being trialled with a select group of customers before being rolled out to Marine and Energy businesses in Q1 2025. It will then be launched across all ATPI business lines throughout 2025, including corporate, entertainment, sports and mining, ensuring every trip is perfectly tailored to each traveller and sector’s needs. Jenny Thornton, Director of Technology Solutions at ATPI, said: “CrewHub is a unique solution that allows all sectors to go online, self-serve and bring huge time efficiencies to their travel programme.” “Booking crew and group travel has been reserved for experienced consultants to handle offline for years, due to the complexities of coordinating multiple itineraries, preferences and logistical requirements across various providers and platforms... But not anymore.” “At ATPI, we are committed to continuous innovation that streamlines the entire booking process and redefines industry standards. CrewHub, does exactly that. It’s the first of its kind in the TMC space, and bringing such a dynamic tool to the market will bring efficiencies to all of our customers.” Users of ATPI CrewHub will benefit from: • Efficiency gains – increase workflow productivity for booking co-ordinators, saving both time and money • Multiple start points – streamline the travel process by booking an unlimited amount of travellers from multiple start points across the globe on one booking • Cost saving measures – filter flights to get the lowest global fares or quickest flights instantly, allowing users to get the best flight for their unique requirements • Single sign on – with access to ATPI CrewHub via ATPI TravelHub, users will only need to complete five simple steps to move groups of people from one destination to another • Eprofile integration – readily integrated with EProfile, ATPI CrewHub retrieves all your passenger’s data, ensuring its available on demand Comprising of over 100 offices worldwide, the ATPI Group is a global leader in travel management for corporate, marine and energy businesses, sports and corporate event management, united by the aim to truly connect and deliver what really matters to every single customer. Source: ATPI
Sir Keir Starmer has been warned by a trade union not to impose “blunt headcount targets” for the size of the Civil Service but Government sources insisted there would be no set limit, although the number “cannot keep growing”. Departments have been ordered to find 5% “efficiency savings” as part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spending review, potentially putting jobs at risk. The size of the Civil Service has increased from a low of around 384,000 in mid-2016, and the Tories went into the general election promising to reduce numbers by 70,000 to fund extra defence spending. Any reduction under Labour would be more modest, with the Guardian reporting more than 10,000 jobs could be lost. A Government spokesman said: “Under our plan for change, we are making sure every part of government is delivering on working people’s priorities — delivering growth, putting more money in people’s pockets, getting the NHS back on its feet, rebuilding Britain and securing our borders in a decade of national renewal. “We are committed to making the Civil Service more efficient and effective, with bold measures to improve skills and harness new technologies.” Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect trade union said: “We need a clear plan for the future of the civil service that goes beyond the blunt headcount targets that have failed in the past. “This plan needs to be developed in partnership with civil servants and their unions, and we look forward to deeper engagement with the government in the coming months.” A Government source said: “The number of civil servants cannot keep growing. “But we will not set an arbitrary cap. “The last government tried that and ended up spending loads on more expensive consultants.” The Government is already risking a confrontation with unions over proposals to limit pay rises for more than a million public servants to 2.8%, a figure only just over the projected 2.6% rate of inflation next year. Unions representing teachers, doctors and nurses have condemned the proposals. In the face of the union backlash, Downing Street said the public sector must improve productivity to justify real-terms pay increases. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It’s vital that pay awards are fair for both taxpayers and workers.” Asked whether higher pay settlements to staff would mean departmental cuts elsewhere, the spokesman said: “Real-terms pay increases must be matched by productivity gains and departments will only be able to fund pay awards above inflation over the medium-term if they become more productive and workforces become more productive.” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s hard to see how you address the crisis in our services without meaningful pay rises. “And it’s hard to see how services cut to the bone by 14 years of Tory government will find significant cash savings. “The Government must now engage unions and the millions of public sector workers we represent in a serious conversation about public service reform and delivery.”