But hours later, a message on his u/paulmccartney profile said: “Paul McCartney has been banned.”
One fan on the forum declared: “What clownery is going on here that Paul McCartney himself gets banned? I wanted to see the photos but now I can’t.”
The account has since been allowed back on Reddit — but with the photos message still deleted.
It is unclear why he got the boot in the first place.
The forum warns there must be no advertising on its list of rules. Reddit also has a zero-tolerance policy towards spam, banning things judged as responsible for “artificially inflating exposure to unwanted or irrelevant content”.
Sir Paul, who also played the Fonda Theatre venue on Saturday, releases his 19th solo studio album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, in May.
Ranting about the decline of comedy specials while releasing a new one at the same time feels a bit like an oxymoron. But somehow it still makes sense coming from alt-comedy pioneer David Cross, who isn’t just complaining; he’s finding his own route to making specials feel special again. The only way to do that is by putting one out in the manner he’d like to see more often — starting by making the whole crowd stand up too.
Capturing the energy of a concert at the famous 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga., was the first step in differentiating “The End of the Beginning of the End” from the typical hour you watch on a big streamer. And, with this new special, Cross is able to get back to his own beginnings of touring across the country with love bands as his openers, performing for crowds for as long as he could until he had to run offstage to pee.
Premiering the special earlier this month on his website (and on April 7, it will be available on YouTube via production company 800 Pound Gorilla), Cross is hoping the special connects with comedy fans in a way that we’ve forgotten specials could.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
Your new special is called “The End of the Beginning of the End.” What does that title mean to you as it relates to the impending doom of what we’re all living right now.
David Cross: Well, you can look at it in a couple different ways. To me, it signifies that the beginning of the end has occurred. And we are now at the end of the beginning of the end. And from where you go with that, that’s for you to decide.
One of the things I love about the special is the fact that you shoot it at a club in the style of a live–music concert.
I’ve shot specials in theaters and it’s just different, not that one is better than the other, but they’re just different. You have a different relationship with the audience. When I first started touring, I would go to music venues and I’d have a band open for me and then I would just go up and pretty much [perform] as long as I could until I had to pee. Sometimes I’d have a band playing, sometimes two bands, then I’d go out. And I did that a couple of times, and then stopped doing that and did theaters, and I decided for the last two specials I’m going to go to, when I shoot it, I’ll go to a music venue, and I was at the 40 Watt Club in Athens this last time, I was at the Metro in Chicago before that, both places I played on earlier tours, and, you know, it’s not seated. People are standing there at the stage, and I prefer it. It’s more fun. It’s not as lucrative but, to me, a more fun show to do.
Comedian David Cross
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
The ambience of it was great.You can hear people shouting and drinking and having a good time, and the crowd work is also a little more spontaneous and fun than it would be in a regular venue.
Yeah, well, there’s more opportunity for that. But my thing has never been about crowd work. I like engaging with it, it’s kind of a nice distraction from the set that you’ve been doing 100 times, 150 times at that point. So it’s always fun to have that thing happen and that feeling of spontaneity. And like the guy [who I talk to in the crowd during the special], I could not have asked for [someone better]. I mean, even if it was scripted, it wouldn’t have been as good. The guy who [I talk to] during the stuff about hiking Machu Picchu [with Bob Odenkirk], that’s just… [chef’s kiss].
Speaking of Bob Odenkirk, you guys have this long relationship. How would you describe the dynamic of working with Bob and just how you guys bounce ideas off each other?
I mean, it’s great. We have an inordinate amount of respect for each other, both as people and as creative partners. And so there’s never any real issues. There’s things we will definitely disagree with, but we’re both decent people. So you know somebody backs off and says, “OK, let’s do it that way.” But even then, there aren’t that many of those [issues]. We just have really worked well at building something or molding it, creating it and shaping it. And our aforementioned hike to Machu Picchu, we have a documentary about that, that will be premiering at a fancy festival at some point in the near-future. And so we got that doc and we’ve been working on that. And for the way we work now, because he lives in L.A. and I live in New York, and it’s been like that for a while, he’ll write a bunch of stuff, I’ll make notes, I’ll write my things, send it back. And so we’re able to do that and not necessarily have to be in the same room because we’ve had 30-plus years of working with each other.
It’s a kind of like an unspoken language you guys probably have in terms of comedy, which is super important, I imagine, just for collaborating.
Yeah, and it’s something we discovered very early on … before there was even “Mr. Show,” what would ultimately become “Mr. Show,” when we got together to write sketches for this bigger kind of comedy collective thing, and these shows that we would all do with each other, for each other, and the stuff that we would write together was just, like, really good, easy writing — again, one person adding this thing and one person saying here’s a switch yeah and another person adding this thing in. It was fun, it’s cool, still is. One thing he doesn’t get credit for is he’s a really decent human being. And with all the awfulness in the world that’s magnified, every sense is bombarded with it — it’s just good to be hanging with somebody whose energy is a good person, a decent person and an equitable, nice guy, so that’s good as well.
Comedian David Cross poses for a portrait ahead of his comedy special “The End of the Beginning of the End.”
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
One thing you guys also have in common is you both have kids, and he has a comedy show for kids called “The Appropriate Show.” Have you taken your daughter to see it?
It’s a sketch show [in which] all the sketches are appropriate for kids to watch. And the sketches have been done in other sketch shows onstage, live. And he puts together this thing once, twice a year here in L.A. And I took my daughter to it last year. It’s just sketches that kids can [understand]. At least if they don’t understand the actual references they get the archetype. “Oh, that’s the boss, that’s that uh… And it’s great, it’s a really cool idea uh… “ And would an ass— think of [a show like] that? No, one good decent person; a good man. But listen, this interview isn’t about me, it’s about Bob Odenkirk, so let’s get back to that.
Well, speaking of having comedy geared toward kids, your daughter’s at an age where she’s probably consumed or seen some of your comedy at this point.
Not, not really. No, no.
Do you shield her from your stuff, or are you not so concerned about it?
I don’t actively shield her, but I don’t introduce her to anything. So I was a little bummed out, and I got over it pretty quickly, but when I found out that she had seen a little bit of “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” and only because I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of what movies are and what kids’ movies are and how things work. And I feel like that would introduce an element of reality that I want her to be able to just enjoy these things without — she’s seen “Kung Fu Panda”when she was younger, like, I don’t know, three, four, five times, has no idea that I’m in that, that my voice is in there. She knows I do stand-up, she gets that now. And when she was younger, she’d say, “Daddy’s silly for a living.” … I’m just trying to ride the balance of letting her have those childhood joys and experiences.
Comedian David Cross.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Does having a kid make you think about what’s coming up in the future of comedy, or what kids are gonna maybe find funny, or what they find funny now? Do you have any thoughts on kid comedy in general?
Not really. I mean, I can see that she and her friends, who are kind of like-minded, are naturally funny, and then that’s kind of encouraging and heartwarming and they’re silly, but I’ll be long gone when that generation is is providing comedy. And I’m still, although I’ve kind of given up, I’m still trying to grasp what works now. I mean, it’s short-term TikTok, Instagram stuff. There are some amazing, like really, really great things being done as far as film sketches for YouTube channels. “Almost Friday,” they’ve got genius-level stuff. I mean, really good. And where the sketch goes in a place, you’re never ahead of it, goes in a place where you’re not expecting. It’s really well written and well performed.
What are your thoughts on what a comedy special is nowadays or what it should be?
I mean, that’s a great question. I think anybody who plays with the form, whether I think it’s that funny or not, is different. But I’m happy when anybody kind of tries at least to play with a form. I just went to Rory Scovel‘s taping last week of his latest special. I don’t know when that’ll air, but if you’ve seen the beginning to his first special, stuff like that where you’re like, “Wait, what’s happening? What’s going on?” I love stuff like that.
I still get excited to watch specials by some of my favorite comics, but there’s a quality that’s missing. And these are stand-ups I love, and they’re not that great. They’re not bad but they’re not special, you know? And all those guys I mentioned, and more, have great specials. Like, you can go back and they’re great. And I don’t know why that is. I mean, there’s still funny stuff, but I don’t ever want to get to that place where its just feels a little phoned-in a little bit… that is, in part, why the last two specials were shot in this more intimate setting that feels special. And … as I said, the energy’s different, it’s a little bit different, and it’s less slick. It feels like you’re in the moment. You don’t need a million dollars to shoot a special. You don’t 28 camera angles, it‘s just bull—. And it takes something away.
Comedian David Cross
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
It all should feel the right amount of unsafe as well, I think.
That’s never gonna happen at a theater show. You’re never gonna feel that. And I don’t know, it really does feel almost like maybe we peaked in a sense, like there’s too much, and because of that, these things aren’t special. They’re not revelatory, they’re not unique. I dunno, can 18,000 people in an arena really relate to a … billionaire talking about how they’re gonna get canceled. I mean, is that a thing I guess? Those other big, slick specials that are shot in, like, a 3,200-seat, 3,500-seat theater, it just feels like, “Oh this person is up there and I’m listening to their jokes.” There’s nothing wrong with that. They’re often very funny jokes, but it doesn’t go beyond that. It’s just like, “All right, tell me your joke.” It might as well be an audio thing, you know?
Well, hopefully the robots aren’t coming for your job anytime soon.
Absolutely not. I mean, this could be naive, but I feel 100% safe that you are never going to replicate an evening of stand-up at a nigtclub like that. And not sitting down at tables while you’re having drinks and waitresses are coming by. I’m talking about everybody’s up on the stage, sold-out, maximum capacity; everybody’s there, focused, we’re all sharing that thing. You can’t. AI’s not going to be able to do that.
Yeah, the robots can’t do that, Terminator can’t do that..
Oh, I forgot about Terminator. He could do that. G— it.
THE UK Foreign Office has warned Brits heading abroad to be wary of longer-than-usual airport queues ahead of new travel rules being fully rolled out next month.
The new EES requirement has already resulted in lengthy wait times at airports and are predicted to only get worse across the next few weeks.
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New EES machines are set to cause length delays at airportsCredit: AlamyNon-EU citizens are required to register details before they flyCredit: Alamy
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the new travel system replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.
Non‑EU residents have to register their details on their first visit to a Schengen area country.
This is done using the EES machines at airports and ferry terminals to log their fingerprints, facial images and scan passports.
With lots of Brits are still yet to register, and with an influx of families heading abroad over the upcoming Easter break – it’s anticipated that this will result in delays and queues at the EES machines.
New advice on the government website reads: “Ahead of the Easter holidays, Brits are being advised to be aware of extra border checks – the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) – and allow additional time at the border when travelling to the EU.”
It added: “EES checks should take only a few minutes per person, although longer waits at border control are possible, including for your journeys back to the UK.”
Some passengers could be subject to further delays – especially those heading to Spain as ground staff are planning to strike at 12 airports across the country.
Travel Reporter Alice Penwill queued for three hours through Lanzarote Airport
Several Spanish unions are set to begin an indefinite strike too from today.
Walkouts are planned to take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, across three time slots: from 5am to 7am, from 11am to 5pm and from 10pm to midnight.
Other baggage handling staff have planned 24-hour strikes on March 28-29 and April 2-6.
Airports that could be disrupted by these strikes include Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona-El Prat, Bilbao, Valencia and Bilbao.
It could disrupt also affect airports on popular Spanish islands too, like Gran Canaria, Tenerife Sur and Norte, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Ibiza.
Here are Sun Travel’s top tips on how to deal with EES travel chaos…
Sit at the front First off is quite simple,book a seatat the front of the plane. If you want to get toborder controlbefore the rest of the passengers on your flight, then by being at the front, you’ll be able to get off first.
Early flights When you’re booking, it might ease wait times if you go head out on one of the first flights of the day. There are generally fewer scheduled flights and they experience less disruption.
Anticipate delays If you are taking a connecting flight, we’d advise to anticipate delays. Of course this varies from airport to airport, but some travellers might find it will take longer to get through because of the EES requirements. Similarly, if someone’s collecting you perhaps give them a bit more time – especially if they’re in one of the pick-up zones that costs money.
Go for a bigger airport If you can go to a bigger airport and take a longer road transfer, it could be worth it At a larger airport there’s likely to be more EES machines than at one of the smaller ones For example, Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski found there were plenty more of the machines in Spain‘s Alicante Airport than in Austria‘s Salzburg.
Bring entertainment If you have children, or are generally just bored of queues (and who can blame you?) – think about entertainment It could be worth setting the kids up with an iPad or something that will keep them occupied. Bring a reserve of snacks because standing in line means no access to the airport’s cafes and shops.
Get into the priority lane For those who are disabled and require assistance make sure to let the airline know in advance as you would usually. After landing, staff should escort you straight through to the front of border control queues. Many major airports offer priority family lanes at passport control for families with young children (usually under 12 years old).
Use the plane facilities Quite simply, if you are going to be waiting in line for yours, then you want to be comfortable. So before landing, go to the toilet on the plane. If you’re queueing along corridors before heading into border control, then the chances are there won’t be access to toilets
Reports say that even police have been called in to deal with angry holidaymakers in TenerifeCredit: AlamyThere have been reports of further travel chaos at Tenerife South due to EESCredit: Alamy
EES is replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.
Non-EU nationals – which includes Brits – are required to register their details like fingerprints, facial images and scan passports on their first visit to a Schengen area country.
But at Tenerife South, passengers say that only a handful of these EES machines are working with some rejecting fingerprints.
Passengers are even saying they’ve missed flights due to delays in getting through controls.
Some Brits are warning to give as much as three hours before a flight just in case.
One Brit wrote on social media: “The key is to arrive three hours early so at least you are in the front of the queue when problems start.”
Another added: “Love Tenerife but HATE the airport.”
Police have reportedly been called in to the South Airport on several occasions to calm the crowds of angry passengers.
With bad weather and storms hitting the Canary Islands, those who miss flights are having to sleep inside the airport overnight before catching another plane home.
On one particular day, around 100 passengers were stranded there and many were unable to find overnight accommodation, so stayed in the terminal.
Passengers are blaming lack of staff and proper organisation for the chaos, with computers not working.
“Passport control is a disaster,” posted another Brit. “One person for thousands of travellers.”
Only 20 per cent of the biometric machines are working and officials admitted to the Spanish media that there were “computer failures.”
The chaos has been going on for months and tourism chiefs and hoteliers say the island’s reputation is being hit, compounded by the bad weather.
Since last week, the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, have also been struck with flash flooding and snow as a result of Storm Therese.
Even without bad weather, many airports have experienced delays caused by the new travel requirement of EES registration.
Due to their small size, airports on the Canary Islands have seen reports of long queues.
NEW YORK — In a strongly worded decision this week, a federal judge ordered that the Voice of America — an international broadcaster with the mission to provide news for countries around the world that was largely shut down for the last year by the Trump administration — come roaring back to life.
Whether or not that actually happens is uncertain.
The government filed notice Thursday to appeal U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth’s order two days earlier to put hundreds of VOA employees who have been on paid leave the last year back to work. Lamberth had ruled on March 7 that Kari Lake, President Trump’s choice to oversee the bureaucratic parent U.S. Agency for Global Media, didn’t have the authority to reduce VOA to a skeleton.
The Voice of America was established as a news source in World War II, beaming reports to many countries that had no tradition of a free press. Before Trump took office again last year, Voice of America was operating in 49 different languages, heard by an estimated 362 million people.
Trump’s team contended that government-run news sources, which also include Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, were an example of bloated government and that it wanted news reporting more favorable to the current administration. With a greatly reduced staff, VOA currently operates in Iran, Afghanistan, China, North Korea and in countries with a large population of Kurds.
Lamberth, in his decision, said Lake had “repeatedly thumbed her nose” at laws mandating VOA’s operation.
Time to turn the page at VOA?
VOA director Michael Abramowitz said legislators in both parties understand the need for a strong operation and have set aside enough funding for the job to be done. “It is time for all parties to come together and work to rebuild and strengthen the agency,” he said.
Don’t expect that to happen soon. “President Trump was elected to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse across the administration, including the Voice of America — and efforts to improve efficiency at USAGM have been a tremendous success,” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. “This will not be the final say on the matter.”
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA’s White House bureau chief and a plaintiff in the lawsuit to bring it back, said that “restoring the physical infrastructure is going to take a lot of money and some time, but it can be done. What is more difficult is recovering from the trauma that our newsroom has gone through.”
It’s an open question whether the administration wants a real news organization or a mouthpiece, said David Ensor, a former Voice of America director between 2010 and 2014. “We don’t know — maybe no one does at the moment — what the future holds,” he said.
The administration’s efforts over the last year to bolster friendly outlets and fight coverage that displeases Trump offer a clue, even though Congress has required that Voice of America be an objective and unbiased news source. This week it was announced that Christopher Wallace, an executive at the far-right network Newsmax who had previously spent 15 years at Fox News Channel, will be the new deputy director at VOA. Abramowitz didn’t know he was getting a new deputy until it was announced.
Widakuswara wouldn’t comment on what Wallace’s appointment might mean. “I’m not going to pass judgment before seeing his work,” she said.
While Lamberth ordered more than a thousand employees on leave to go back to work, it’s not clear how many of them moved on to other jobs or retired in the last year. The judge also said he did not have the authority to bring back hundreds of independent contractors who were terminated.
One employee who left is Steve Herman, a former White House bureau chief and national correspondent at VOA and now executive director of the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation at the University of Mississippi. Despite the court decisions, he questions whether the Trump administration would oversee a return to what the organization used to be.
“I’m a bit of a pessimist,” Herman said. “I think it’s going to be very difficult.”
An administration loath to admit defeat
Besides fighting to shut it down, Trump is loath to admit defeat. The White House recently nominated Sarah Rogers, the undersecretary of State for public diplomacy, to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media, putting it more firmly within the administration’s control. Her nomination requires Senate approval.
“Is Marco Rubio’s State Department going to allow objective journalism in 49 languages?” Herman asked. “I don’t think so. I would want that to happen, but that’s a fairy tale.”
In the budget bill passed in February, Congress set aside $200 million for Voice of America’s operation. While that represents about a 25% cut in the agency’s previous appropriation, it sent a bipartisan message of support, said Kate Neeper, VOA’s director of strategy and performance evaluation. Besides being a plaintiff with Widakuswara in the lawsuit to restore the agency, she has helped some of her colleagues deal with some of their own problems over the past year, including immigration issues.
“There is a lot of enthusiasm for going back to work,” she said. “People are eager to show up on Monday.”
The hunger for information from Voice of America in Iran when he was director was a clear example of what the organization meant, Ensor said. Surveys showed that between a quarter and a third of Iran’s households tuned in to VOA once a week, primarily on satellite television. Occasionally the government would crack down and confiscate satellite dishes, but Iranians could usually quickly find replacements, he said.
“I believe in Voice of America as a news organization and as a voice of America,” Ensor said. “It was important, and it can be again.”
March 21 (UPI) — A federal judge struck down the Department of Defense’s policy that led to the ouster of most journalists from the Pentagon last fall and replaced them with those who agreed to the department’s new rules.
Though he didn’t order the restoration of other reporters’ credentials, he voided the policy that they refused to sign, allowing them to get credentialed again.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnellwrote on X: “We disagree with the decision and are pursuing an immediate appeal.”
In October, the Defense Department required that all credentialed journalists sign the policy. Signing it gave the Pentagon the ability to label the journalists “security risks” and revoke their credentials if the department decided they had endangered national security. They had to pledge to only publish approved information.
Most news outlets refused to sign, losing their press passes and desks inside the Pentagon. They were replaced with news outlets and people friendly to the administration. The Times then sued the department over its First Amendment rights.
“A primary purpose of the First Amendment is to enable the press to publish what it will and the public to read what it chooses, free of any official proscription,” Friedman wrote in his opinion.
“Those who drafted the First Amendment believed that the nation’s security requires a free press and an informed people and that such security is endangered by governmental suppression of political speech,” Friedman added. “That principle has preserved the nation’s security for almost 250 years. It must not be abandoned now.”
First Amendment attorney Theodore Boutrous, who is representing The Times in the suit, told CNN: “The district court’s decision is a powerful rejection of the Pentagon’s effort to impede freedom of the press and the reporting of vital information to the American people during a time of war.”
“The district court’s opinion is not just a win for The Times, [Times reporter] Mr. [Julian E.] Barnes, and other journalists, but most importantly, for the American people who benefit from their coverage of the Pentagon,” Boutrous said.
Friedman also agreed with the Times that the policy violated its due process rights because it was vague and could be accidentally violated by reporters. Part of the policy prevented reporters from asking certain questions.
“A primary way in which journalists obtain information is by asking questions,” he wrote. “Under the policy’s terms, then, essential journalistic practices that the plaintiffs and others engage in every day — such as asking questions of department employees — could trigger a determination by the department that a journalist poses a security or safety risk.”
First Amendment advocates said they support the decision.
“The court affirmed that our security and liberty rely on the press’s freedom to publish and the public’s ability to access news about government affairs free from state control,” said Gabe Rottman, vice president of policy at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, in a statement.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation, said the ruling is especially important right now.
“It’s unfortunate that it took this long for the Pentagon’s ridiculous policy to be thrown in the trash. Especially now that we are spending money and blood on yet another war based on constantly shifting pretexts, journalists should double down on their commitment to finding out what the Pentagon does not want the public to know rather than parroting ‘authorized’ narratives,” Stern said in a statement.
5 key hand luggage rules explained as Ryanair warns travellers on restricted item – The Mirror
Need to know
Before jetting off abroad, there are five key hand luggage rules you need to be aware of, with Ryanair warning passengers ahead of the Easter and summer holidays to stop packing one particular item
There are five crucial hand luggage restrictions to be aware of before jetting off abroad(Image: Getty Images)
Hang luggage rules you need to be aware of
Liquids:UK airports have restrictions on the amount of liquids you can take in your hand luggage and through security. Many airports require liquids to be under 100ml, while some UK airports have ditched this rule. As rules have changed, it’s best to check directly with the airport for both your outbound and inbound flights, as countries outside the UK may have different restrictions in place.
Lighters: As outlined on the government website, travellers can only carry one lighter on board a plane. It cannot be packed in hold luggage, and instead, should be put in a resealable plastic bag in carry-on luggage and kept in your possession throughout the flight.
Food and powders: While you can carry certain food items and powders in your hand luggage, they can obstruct images on X-ray machines. This means that bags may need to be manually checked at security, which can cause delays. The government advises packing suitable items into your hold luggage to minimise delays.
Frozen items: Typically, you cannot carry frozen items in your hand luggage onto your flight, such as food, liquids or ice packs. However, there are some exceptions, such as for medicines, medical equipment, dietary requirements, baby food and baby milk. It’s best to check directly with the airline you’re flying with to ensure you meet their requirements.
Sharp objects: Ryanair has warned passengers to stop packing “objects with a sharp point or sharp edge” in their hand luggage, including “scissors with blades of more than 6cm”. While you can carry scissors on a plane, the blade must be shorter than 6cm to be placed in carry-on luggage. Small sewing or embroidery scissors are generally allowed, while other larger, sharp items can be packed into hold luggage. It’s best to check directly with your airline for specific requirements.
At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, 12 of the 32 head coaches were female, including England manager Sarina Wiegman.
“There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and increasing the visibility for women on our sidelines,” said Fifa’s chief football officer Jill Ellis.
“The new Fifa regulations, combined with targeted development programmes, mark an important investment in the current and future generation of female coaches.”
Fifa hopes these new regulations will see a rapid increase in female representation, including at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Among some of the most high-profile female coaches is London-born Emma Hayes, who is joined by assistant Denise Reddy at the United States.
In 2024, Hayes told BBC Sport that a lack of female coaches in English football is “a massive issue” and urged the game’s administrators to “come up with more creative ways” to address it.
Other female English coaches at international level include Gemma Grainger at Norway, Casey Stoney at Canada and Carla Ward at the Republic of Ireland.
Canadian Rhian Wilkinson led Wales to their first major tournament at Euro 2025 last summer, while Dutchwoman Wiegman has guided England to back-to-back European titles and has been named the Fifa best women’s coach of the year on four occasions.
Wiegman was the only female coach in the quarter-final stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Speaking at that time, she said: “Of course what we hope is to get more female coaches at the top level and that the balance gets better than it is right now.
“Males are welcome too but if the balance is better than hopefully that will inspire more women to get involved in coaching.”
The village has been crowned the world’s most beautiful by Forbes and receives 20,000 visitors on weekends – but overtourism has caused serious problems
The council has decided action must be taken (Image: Snowshill via Getty Images)
A UK village crowned the most beautiful in the world has moved forward in the fight against overtourism, with a huge cash boost and a raft of new potential measures.
Bibury, nestled in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, is an undeniably charming spot. It boasts honey-hued stone cottages, a gently winding river, and a historic, fairytale-like atmosphere. Its allure led Forbes to name it the world’s most attractive village for 2025, approximately 150 years after poet William Morris declared Bibury “the most beautiful village in England.”
The cottages of Arlington Row are often hailed as the most photographed and breathtaking cottages in Britain. Built in 1380 as a monastic wool store, it was later converted into a row of weavers’ cottages in the 17th century.
It’s easy to see why Bibury garners such accolades, with accommodation options like the Swan Hotel and The Catherine Wheel pub both welcoming inside and festooned with climbing plants outside. The village’s charm has put Bibury firmly on the tourist trail. And now, some locals say, things are getting out of hand.
Do you have a story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Chairman of the local parking action group, Mark Honeyball, who has resided in Bibury for a decade, has had some rather unpleasant experiences with visitors. He revealed to the Express that he asked a coach driver to move on from some double yellow lines before drama unfolded.
He said last year: “I’ve been physically attacked four times now, but once really quite badly two weeks ago, I was kicked in the chest and stomach and kneed and punched in the face full force by a driver that I’d just asked simply to move on from double yellows at the top of the village.
“The coach drivers themselves are being pushed here by their coach companies, they don’t really want to be here, they find it really difficult to park. The tour operators are the key behind this, the coach operators are doing what the tour operators ask them to do, primarily with people from China, India, and South Korea at the moment.”
Up to 20,000 tourists flood into Bibury over weekends in the high season, with as many as 50 coaches arriving daily. That’s a staggering number for a village home to merely 600 residents.
Following the period of consultation, the county council is considering a series of measures to control the impact of tourism. They include:
Permanent removal of coach parking bays and implementation of on-street parking restrictions.
Additional enforcement of parking restrictions.
Introducing pay-and-display parking.
Restricting coach parking/waiting using enforcement officers to support traffic flow.
Exploring if there are improvements that can be made to local bus services including options such as park and ride.
Restrictions on coaches entering the village were implemented in May last year. At that point, parking bays in the heart of the village were shut and new public bus stop clearways were established. The objective was to put a stop to “unsafe coach manoeuvres.” Following the summer trial period, Gloucestershire County Council decided to implement permanent restrictions on coaches entering the area.
Cllr Lisa Spivey, leader of the county council, said: “Hopefully we are getting somewhere. We did a trial last year which has been extended where we essentially removed the coach parking bays in the centre of the village and created drop off and pick up points for coaches, so we are now going to make that a more permanent solution.
“They have currently got some red and white plastic barriers which don’t look very nice in a historic village so we want to make that look nice. We are going to introduce pay and display parking so we can pay for more enforcement to make sure people aren’t parking where they shouldn’t be and causing an issue.
“We’ve been working alongside the coach operators and other stakeholders to really encourage the use of smaller vehicles to come into the village. There’s been a huge amount of engagement with the coach operators, Cotswold Tourism, the parish council, businesses, the police etc. Lots of people have been involved.”
Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, but stricter rules have been introduced in hotspots including vaping bans, dress codes and driving restrictions – here’s what you need to know
Spain is a popular destination for many Brits to go to(Image: fhm via Getty Images)
Spain remains one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, but in recent years, problems associated with excessive drinking and overtourism have prompted numerous hotspots – including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands – to introduce tougher regulations for tourists.
From new measures to prevent people hogging sunbeds for hours on end, fresh vaping restrictions to even a regulation nicknamed the ‘bikini ban’, British holidaymakers should pay attention before their next trip; in certain instances, breaking the rules could result in a substantial fine.
To help you out, we’ve compiled some of the most significant regulations and recent updates to be aware of before your next Spanish break.
Vaping fines
Spain continues its clampdown on vaping, and the penalties for vaping in prohibited areas are just as severe as those for smoking. In 2025, the country brought in an outdoor smoking ban, which covers all manner of public areas, from restaurant and bar terraces to beaches
The prohibition includes smoking, vaping, shisha, any heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, with fines ranging between €30 to €2,000 (approximately £26 and £1,700), though for a first offence, it’s more likely to be towards the lower end. Watch out for signage before you take a drag of your vape.
Footwear restrictions
Planning to hire a car in Spain?
Think carefully about your footwear choice in the morning. If temperatures soar and you’re contemplating a pleasant coastal drive, you might be inclined to slip on flip-flops or slides, but this decision could land you with a substantial fine.
Spanish driving regulations demand footwear that permits ‘free movement’ to operate the pedals correctly, which excludes items such as flip-flops and sandals, high heels, wedges, or even going barefoot. Police officers can impose fines ranging from €80 to €200 (approximately £69 to £172) if they believe you lack proper control of your vehicle.
Therefore, if you’re organising a Spanish road trip, remember to pack some practical shoes to switch into.
Dress codes and ‘bikini bans’
Whilst in a Spanish seaside resort, it’s fairly typical to spot men wandering about topless or women sporting bikinis travelling to and from the beach. Nevertheless, certain Spanish destinations have grown weary of such displays and have introduced stringent regulations compelling holidaymakers to cover up when away from a beach or poolside.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) travel guidance for Spain notes: “In some parts of Spain, it’s illegal to be in the street wearing only a bikini or swimming shorts. Being bare-chested is also illegal in some areas in Spain. You could be fined if you’re caught wearing swimwear on the seafront promenade or adjacent streets.”
Penalties can reach up to €500 in certain areas, approximately £430. Spain isn’t the only country where you’ll encounter rules like these – certain parts of Italy have also brought in similar measures after residents grew tired of holidaymakers wandering around town or attempting to enter restaurants in their swimwear.
Alcohol crackdowns and bans
For countless holidaymakers, a trip to Spain wouldn’t be complete without a sangria or two. However, let’s be honest, Brits frequently take things too far when overseas, and in some regions, exhausted by intoxicated tourists, stringent crackdowns and prohibitions have been put in place.
In the Balearic Islands, particularly around Magaluf and Playa de Palma in Majorca, and San Antonio in Ibiza, there are now prohibitions on happy hours, all-you-can drink promotions, pub crawls, and party boat excursions. Some all-inclusive hotels in Majorca also cap daily drinks at six; three at lunchtime and three at dinner to prevent binge drinking and antisocial behaviour.
Particular resorts on both the mainland and the islands are taking action against people drinking on the street, as well as illegal parties being hosted in villas and private properties.
The FCDO also warns: “Hotels and other establishments will evict you if you behave dangerously on balconies. You could also get a fine.”
Reserving sunbeds
Bagging sunbeds with a towel remains a prevalent practice among British holidaymakers, despite its potential to irk other tourists, but some beaches are taking a stand against the habit by imposing fines. In a resort near Valencia, two retirees were slapped with a £250 fine for reserving sunbeds by laying down towels before 8am to secure a prime beachfront spot.
Whilst it’s unlikely to result in a fine, numerous Spanish hotels have taken action against sunbed monopolisers by confiscating their belongings or handing out warning cards if sunbeds are left unoccupied for a specified period.
Oscars viewers were left stunned when a tie was announced in one categoryThe Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva received the win for Live Action Short FilmCredit: Getty
Comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani presented the award on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where he announced the unexpected outcome.
Before revealing the winner in the prestigious category, the actor warned that two names would be called, and that it indeed wasn’t a mistake.
He explained that both recipients would come onstage separately to accept their awards and give their speeches.
The Singers was the first announced, followed by Two People Exchanging Saliva, which experienced an awkward blunder when the spotlight went dark, cutting off the winners’ mid-speech.
After a few moments of silence and a perplexed reaction from host Conan O’Brien, the spotlight turned back on, and they resumed their speech.
Social media erupted with confusion among fans over whether it was normal to have two winners in one category.
“Today I learned that a tie at the Oscars is actually possible. I didn’t know that was a thing. Who knew?!” one viewer wrote on X.
“So far this #Oscars, we’ve got endless roasts about opera and ballet, an unusual amount of AI comments, and even an award that resulted in a tie… which I didn’t know was a thing (it’s only happened seven times in 98 years),” another said.
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“A tie in 2026 is crazy,” a third reacted.
“We just had a tie in the #Oscars for best short film. I never knew that was a thing!” a fourth added.
There have only been six other times when a tie has occurred at the Academy Awards.
The first tie occurred at the 5th annual ceremony in 1932 when Fredric March (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and Wallace Beery (The Champ) both won the Best Actor award.
Technically, Fredric won by one vote over Wallace, but at the time, the rules stated that anyone within three votes of the winner would receive the award.
Today, ties only happen when two nominees receive the exact same number of votes.
A tie happened again in 1950 in the Best Documentary Short category, in which So Much for So Little and A Chance to Live both were awarded the trophy.
Who won on Hollywood’s biggest night?
One Battle After Another ran away with the night with six Oscars, while Sinners, which was nominated for a record-breaking 16 awards, came away with four. See the full winners list below:
Production Design: Frankenstein, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
Sound: F1, Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta
Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
Casting: One Battle After Another, Cassandra Kulukundis
This was the case in 1969 when Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) and Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl) both received the Best Actress honor.
The fourth tie occurred in 1987 when the award for Best Documentary (Feature) went to Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got and Down and Out in America.
It wasn’t until 1995 that another tie was called in the Best Live-Action Short Film category, with the statue going to Trevor and Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life.
The last instance was in 2013 when the Sound Editing category had two Oscar winners: Zero Dark Thirty (Paul N. J. Ottosson) and Skyfall (Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers).
There was an awkward blunder when Two People Exchanging Saliva accepted their award and the spotlight was shut offCredit: ReutersConan O’Brien hosted the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony in Los AngelesCredit: Getty
Simon Calder gave his thoughts on when travel disruption will start to ease following the strikes on Iran
13:00, 11 Mar 2026Updated 16:05, 11 Mar 2026
Travel remains severely disrupted as strikes on Iran continue
A travel expert has shared his views on when ‘people will be able to travel again’ as the Middle East conflict continues to escalate. Journalist Simon Calder, who specialises in travel, discussed the crisis and its impact on worldwide travel.
American and Israeli strikes on Iran are approaching the end of their second week, with no resolution in sight. Travel to the Middle East remains limited, with airlines cutting back on the number of flights to and from the area.
Countries such as Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates serve as vital transport hubs for destinations including Asia and Australasia. The outbreak of hostilities has left hundreds of thousands of travellers stuck.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Calder offered his perspective on when travel might become more straightforward. He said: “We’ve already seen missiles sent to Turkey and attacks on Cyprus. Now, personally, I think the chances of anything happening to a tourist in Turkey or Cyprus are microscopically low, but I also know that people are rebooking away. They’re going to the western Mediterranean – typically Spain and Portugal – because they believe they will be safer there.
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“If you’re flying from the UK to a holiday spot such as Turkey or Cyprus and that flight is cancelled, then, fortunately, air passenger rights rules are squarely on your side. The airline that cancels the flight has to get you to your destination as soon as possible, regardless of the cost. And if you can’t get there immediately, the airline has to provide meals and accommodation, if necessary, before you are able to get to your destination.
“The Foreign Office warns against travel to Kuwait, to Bahrain, to Qatar and, crucially, to the UAE, home to the busiest hub in the world: Dubai International Airport. But I’m also predicting that, actually, that ruling is going to lift fairly quickly, and people will be able to travel again.”
Flights are still operating through Dubai International Airport, despite two Iranian drones injuring four people after exploding at the facility. The Dubai Media Office, which releases statements on behalf of the city-state’s government, confirmed flights are continuing, and that the attack caused ‘minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national’.
Officials have been attempting to restore its flight schedule, though the airport has been targeted amid the conflict. The war has created uncertainty for travellers with flights booked in the coming weeks, prompting Mr Calder to offer his guidance on what passengers should do.
“If your flight is due to go, I’d say, a week or more from now, well, all you can do is just hope that it goes ahead,” he stated. “If you’re going imminently and you do not know if your trip is running, well, the basic news is that if you go to Abu Dhabi, to Dubai, to Doha, you will be going against Foreign Office advice. So, be aware of that; your travel insurance will be invalidated.
“I’ve got some skin in the game. I am booked to fly out on Saturday night from Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, through to Abu Dhabi and connect onwards to London. Now, at the moment, along with many, many other travellers, I’m absolutely promised the flight will go ahead as normal, and I trust that it will. But I simply do not know.
“At the moment, I’m definitely not cancelling my flight because, well, bluntly, if you cancel the flight – which is what the airlines would really like you to do – you will simply be removing yourself from the problem. If, like me, you’re booked in a few days’ time and you do have a bit of flexibility, then absolutely keep your booking open.
“If you go for a refund, first of all, the airline will be delighted because you’ll be a problem that’s removed from their cares and, secondly, you could find yourself paying three times, five times, 10 times as much to get back. Much better to remain a problem for the airline; they’ve got to get you where you need to be.”
People check in at an Easyjet check in counter(Image: TkKurikawa via Getty Images)
Jetting off overseas is often an exciting time, with the promise of fresh surroundings and experiencing a different culture. But as the cost of living crisis rolls out, many Brits are finding it increasingly difficult to locate a getaway that won’t drain their finances.
Depending on your flexibility with dates, bargain flight offers do occasionally crop up. However, you’ll frequently face substantial charges if you want to bring anything beyond a compact carry-on bag. And there are also restrictions on the amount of luggage you’re permitted to take.
It might also be that while one person in your party travels light, others decidedly don’t. In such situations, you may want to ‘share’ your baggage allowance – by allowing another passenger to use some of yours. But is this actually allowed?
Ryanair and easyJet have clarified their policies regarding passengers sharing baggage allowances with fellow travellers in their party. Ryanair said on its website: “Bag pooling is allowed between passengers with check-in bags on the same flight reservation.
“This means that if you have two 20kg Check-in Bags (40kg total) on your booking, one of those bags could weigh 15kg whilst the other weighs 25kg. However, no bag can weigh more than 32kg.”
easyJet adopts a similar approach, as its guidelines state: “If you’re travelling with family or friends on the same flight and booking, you can pool your total weight allowance. This means that the total weight allowance can be split among the total number of bags booked, as long as no single item weighs more than 32kg. Maximum total size (length + width + height) = under 275cm.”
Ryanair customers who have opted for a basic fare are permitted to bring a small bag at no additional cost. The bag must fit under the seat in front of you and not exceed dimensions of 40 x 30 x 20 cm.
Larger bags can set you back anywhere between £12 and £80.99 per flight, depending on the size and the chosen route. It’s always more cost-effective to book these online rather than at the airport.
easyJet allows all passengers to bring one small under-seat cabin bag on board free of charge. This must not exceed dimensions of 45 x 36 x 20 cm, including any wheels or handles.
The cost for larger bags varies, but as with Ryanair, it’s always cheaper to add these online rather than at the airport.
She warned she’s seen ‘diabolical things’ on planes
05:01, 08 Mar 2026Updated 07:40, 08 Mar 2026
An experienced flight attendant has revealed some of her own dos and don’ts of air travel(Image: Getty)
An experienced flight attendant with 11 years under her belt has divulged her personal tips for ensuring the best possible experience when travelling by plane. She cautioned that she’s witnessed some truly “diabolical things” during her time in the air.
With this in mind, one expert has shared her own set of guidelines that she adheres to whenever she takes to the skies. In a video posted on TikTok, flight attendant and US reality TV star Charity Nelms stated: “These are things that you’re not doing on an aircraft that you should do.
“I’m an 11-year flight attendant and I do all of these things when I travel on my own personal time because I’m an expert. This ain’t my first Rodeo.”
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Wiping seatbelts
If you’re the type to bring antiseptic wipes on board, you might be focusing your efforts in the wrong place, according to Charity. She explained: “Number one, you guys all come on board with your little Clorox wipes and your little disinfectants, and you start wiping everything down: that little tray table in front of you, the back of the seat.
“I don’t really get why you’re wiping the back of the seat, because if you’re wearing clothes, nothing really touches that.”
Instead, she advised: “What you should be wiping, that nobody wipes is that seatbelt. The metal part, because everybody touches it.
“And also you should be wiping the fabric part of the seatbelt because everybody pulls on that. The amount of throw up, baby vomit, bodily fluids, liquids that have spilled, random stuff that end up on those seatbelts.
“Wipe them down. I do.”
Wearing full-length trousers
This is the most effective way to avoid direct contact with your seat. She went on: “Second thing you’re not doing is you’re not wearing full pants [trousers].
“I am letting you know from a flight attendant, the amount of things I have seen on the seat.Wear pants. Shorts, skirts, dresses – absolutely not. Wear full pants.
“None of your skin should be touching that seat. I don’t care if you come on board and you disinfect it. Nope, nope, nope.
“Wear full pants. Trust me, I have seen some diabolical things.”
Hand hygiene
According to Charity, cabin crew can tell if you haven’t washed your hands after using the in-flight loo. “Third thing that none of you are doing, you are not washing your hands after you use the lav,” she stated.
“You’re also not flushing the toilet. Did you know that your flight attendants know if you flush the toilet and wash your hands?”.
“We literally know from outside. You’re also not closing the door when it comes to using the lavatory.
“This is what you do. Flush the toilet, you wash your hands, you come out and you close the door with your elbow. Please start doing that.”
Footwear
She encouraged travellers to keep their footwear on when using the lavatory. “Fourth, and also having to do with the lav, you’re not wearing shoes,” Charity stated.
“It is never, ever water on the floor in the lav. And your socks are like two big sponges.”
SHOPPERS are flocking to Amazon to snag a sleek underseat cabin bag that’s been slashed in cost just in time for the holiday season.
Originally £29.99, the budget-friendly Taygeer Underseat Cabin Bag has now been dropped in price.
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Amazon has slashed the cost of this 24-litre travel bag and it’s perfect for budget airline travellers
Taygeer Underseat Cabin Bag, from £18.99 (was £29.99)
Discounts on these handy backpack vary across depending on colour – you can pick up the black model for £22.79, but that drops to £18.99 if you have Amazon Prime membership.
It looks like a solid choice for anybody flying with budget airlines, where luggage rules are strict and some unlucky travellers get stung with extra fees at the terminal gate.
Now, free personal bag allowance has been upped from 40x20x25cm to 40x30x20cm – that’s a 20% increase and an extra 4 litres of space.
Small wonder so many Amazon shoppers are dashing to pick up this rucksack after that price drop.
It is specifically designed to meet those new dimensions while offering a suitcase-style, 180-degree opening that makes packing all your bits an absolute breeze.
Despite its compact size, the bag is packed with features like a built-in wet pocket for toiletries, plus a separate shoe pouch.
You can also pick it up at sizes designed for Easyjet and Lufthansa flights.
WASHINGTON — The Republican-led Senate voted Tuesday to kill new rules that established the first federal standard for ergonomics in the workplace, and President Bush signaled he would support the regulatory rollback.
The unusually rapid Senate action, following a brief and fiery partisan debate, elated business and enraged labor. The vote to nullify the rules was 56-44. The Republican-led House could follow suit as early as today.
The rules in question, issued in the final weeks of the Clinton administration, are meant to require employers to adopt the principle of ergonomics–namely, fitting work conditions to the physical capacity of workers.
Nearly 2 million workers each year suffer from work-related conditions known as musculoskeletal disorders, caused by repetitive, awkward or stressful motions, according to estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that some experts call conservative. Examples are carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and herniated spinal discs–but not injuries caused by slips, trips or accidents.
While most Democrats have championed the federal ergonomics rules, the idea of federal intervention was first raised in 1990 by a Republican labor secretary, Elizabeth Hanford Dole, who served under the current president’s father.
But the new Bush administration has embraced the arguments of business interests, which view the final rules produced by Clinton’s Labor Department as unworkable and unreliable.
“These regulations would cost employers, large and small, billions of dollars annually while providing uncertain benefits,” the White House said.
“If implemented, they would require employers to establish burdensome and costly new systems intended to track, prevent and provide compensation for an extremely broad class of injuries whose cause is subject to considerable dispute.”
The administration statement confirmed what congressional Republicans have said privately for several days–that Bush would support a congressional resolution to nullify the new rules.
Tuesday’s developments gave fresh evidence of the effect of the realignment of power in Washington, with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House for the first time since the 1950s.
Former President Clinton, a Democrat, repeatedly fended off attempts by the Republican-led Congress to stop action on ergonomics.
Now, participants on both sides acknowledge that the fate of the rules, along with the resolution of many other business-labor disputes, may have been sealed when Bush was declared the victor last year over Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore.
Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.), the assistant majority leader, mocked the rules as “the most expensive, intrusive regulations ever promulgated, certainly by the Department of Labor and maybe by any department in history.”
Nickles said the rules would allow “federal bureaucrats” to tell moving companies, grocers or bottlers, for example, how many workers they would need to unload goods. “There is no way in the world that a lot of companies could comply with this rule,” he said.
But Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) ripped Republicans for rushing the nullification through Congress using special parliamentary tactics that allowed little debate.
“It’s a major weakening in terms of the protections for American workers,” Kennedy said. “If we are not going to protect them now, there is no one that is going to protect them. . . . We know the people that are going to be constantly hurt–working families hurt, day in, day out.”
Six of 50 Democrats, mainly Southerners, broke party ranks to vote with all 50 Republicans for the resolution repealing the rule. They were Sens. Zell Miller of Georgia, Blanche Lambert Lincoln of Arkansas, Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina, Max Baucus of Montana and John B. Breaux and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, irate at the six, said: “The votes of Democratic senators who gave cover to this assault on worker safety are especially dishonorable.”
Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer of California opposed the repeal.
Labor and business lobbyists worked the issue in full force.
Union officials, campaigning with the slogan “Stop the Pain: Start the Healing,” made a frantic, final push to save what they consider one of the most important accomplishments of the Clinton years. The AFL-CIO, noting that women suffer repetitive-motion injuries disproportionately, held news conferences that featured women who had suffered crippling disorders in a poultry plant, a public school and an Internet company.
Business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Assn. of Manufacturers countered that the rules would overwhelm employers, forcing them to comply with vaguely worded standards at untold billions of dollars in expense. Employers circulated on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to tell senators and reporters how the rules would hurt them; one Virginia restaurant owner with 300 employees said it would cost him at least $53,000 a year.
The rules, issued by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 14, took effect on Jan. 16, four days before Clinton left office. With exceptions for maritime, agricultural, construction and railroad industries and some other employers, most businesses in America–including those in California covered by the state’s own, less-detailed ergonomics standard–are required to comply by Oct. 16.
As a first step, employers are required to tell employees about the risks and symptoms of common musculoskeletal disorders and set up a system to receive reports of such injuries. The government has estimated that the ailments force at least 600,000 workers each year to take time off.
When employers receive verified reports of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the rules require further steps. Some problems, according to the rules, can be solved by “quick fixes”–presumably inexpensive–such as adjusting the height of a desk or work platform.
But other problems might require more extensive response–an ergonomics safety program including, according to the rules, “management leadership,” “employee participation,” “job hazard analysis” and “hazard reduction and control measures.”
Critics were irate over a provision that would allow employees to claim that a preexisting condition is work-related if the condition is “significantly aggravated” by the workplace.
Businesses also complained about a provision that would require employers to offer light-duty work to employees with covered disorders for at least three months with full pay and benefits, or, failing that, three months off with at least 90% of their regular pay.
The Clinton administration estimated that the regulations would cost employers $4.5 billion a year to implement but would save them billions of dollars more on workers’ compensation. Business groups scoffed at those figures and said the cost could be as much as $100 billion annually.
Normally, Democrats in the evenly divided Senate are able to threaten a filibuster to block legislation they oppose. It takes 60 votes to end such a maneuver.
But Republicans, in their action Tuesday, relied on a little-known 1996 law that enables Congress to repeal major new regulations with the approval of the president. Under its terms, debate was limited to 10 hours and Democrats were unable to filibuster.
The 1996 law, known as the Congressional Review Act, has until now never been successfully invoked. One effort to nullify a health regulation failed in the Senate in September of that year.
If, as expected, Republicans prevail on ergonomics, their use of the review act may have broader implications. For one, Democrats said Republicans could be emboldened to use the act to wipe out other rules that businesses oppose. “It can be brought to bear on agriculture regulations, on energy regulations,” said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). “This is not just an isolated instance.”
Democrats also charge that the language of the act would prevent future efforts to make meaningful ergonomics rules unless Congress gives permission.
But Republicans said that was not so.
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao said in a letter Tuesday to Sen. James M. Jeffords (R-Vt.) that she would continue to pursue “a comprehensive approach to ergonomics” even if the current rule is killed. Chao said she remained open to crafting a new rule that would “provide employers with achievable measures that protect their employees before injuries occur.”
