Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

The 3.5 per cent teacher pay rise remains underfunded and could force schools to cut classroom services, the NASUWT teaching union has warned, intensifying pressure on Education Secretary Lucy Powell. The union says schools have already built pension savings cited by Ms Powell into their financial plans, meaning the £500 million cannot be treated as new money to cover the award. The dispute follows a letter from Ms Powell to the NEU, which had threatened strike action, saying savings from the revaluation of support staff’s pensions would not be “clawed back” and would improve schools’ ability to meet the cost…

Lululemon has appointed Athleta chief executive Maggie Gauger as its president and chief product officer, in a newly created role that will take effect later this month. Gauger joined Athleta from Nike last year. Her move is the latest senior leadership change at a time of increasing competition in the athleisure sector. Lululemon also named Joseph Godsey as chief operating officer. Nikki Neuburger, its chief brand and product activation officer, and Ted Dagnese, its chief supply chain officer, will leave in November to “pursue other opportunities”. Heidi O’Neill, Lululemon’s chief executive, said the company was creating “a deeply experienced leadership…

Britney Spears was spotted at Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park in Tennessee with her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James. Witnesses said the family were at the park on Wednesday. No further details were provided.

Liverpool have joined the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt teenager Niko Ilicevic, with the 15-year-old attacking midfielder attracting interest from a growing number of leading European clubs. Ilicevic has made an impressive start to the season while playing above his age group, earning attention for his performances at both club and international level. Liverpool monitor Eintracht Frankfurt youngster A report has identified Liverpool as the latest club monitoring the German youth international, while Bournemouth are also understood to be following his progress. Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Inter are among the other clubs linked with Ilicevic. Bayern…

A North Texas woman has been accused of stabbing her husband and their two young children during an early-morning attack at a home in Northlake, near Fort Worth. Holly Leeann Flores, 37, was arrested on Tuesday, 6 October, and faces two counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The victims — a 34-year-old man, a three-year-old girl and a 10-month-old boy — survived the incident and were taken to hospital. Police said the children suffered serious stab wounds, while the man sustained an injury to his head. Northlake family stabbing investigation According…

Almost half of Australian shoppers are already budgeting for Christmas, with new data highlighting how cost-conscious consumers are planning for the festive season months in advance. The figures show that many shoppers are preparing their Christmas spending well ahead of time, rather than leaving their festive purchases until closer to the holiday.

The union representing about 30,000 Bureau of Prisons employees has asked a federal judge to hold the agency in contempt, alleging it has failed to restore a collective bargaining agreement as ordered. The National Council of Prison Locals filed the request on October 6, a week after US District Judge Vernon Oliver in Connecticut granted its application for a preliminary injunction against the bureau. Judge Oliver ruled that the union was likely to succeed in arguing that the Bureau of Prisons had breached the Administrative Procedure Act when it ended the agreement. He ordered the agency to reinstate the Bureau…

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been detained for the third time in two days during protests calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Police stopped Gandhi and other opposition lawmakers as they marched towards Jantar Mantar, New Delhi’s designated protest site, on Wednesday. Several protesters and opposition politicians were also taken into custody. Video broadcast on the Congress Party’s YouTube channel showed officers placing Gandhi into a vehicle before driving him away. Police did not immediately comment on the detentions. The demonstrations centre on a controversial revision of India’s voter lists. Opposition parties, student groups and…

President Donald Trump has approved a firing squad execution for Nidal Hasan, the former US Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009. The execution has been scheduled for 3 December at Fort Hood, under an order issued by Army Secretary Adam Telle. If carried out, it would be the first US military execution in more than six decades and the first military firing-squad execution since the Second World War. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the decision on social media, writing: “Judgement day for Hasan has finally come.” The Pentagon declined to provide further…

Bolsonaro has pledged a broad review of taxes introduced during Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration in Brazil. The proposal would examine Lula-era tax measures, although no further details of the planned review were provided.