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Thick Fog Disrupts Some Flights on One of the UK’s Busiest Weekends for Travel

Pedestrians cross the Millennium Bridge as a red London bus passes over Blackfriars Bridge with Tower Bridge disappearing into the fog behind on the River Thames in London on December 27, 2024. (AFP)
Pedestrians cross the Millennium Bridge as a red London bus passes over Blackfriars Bridge with Tower Bridge disappearing into the fog behind on the River Thames in London on December 27, 2024. (AFP)
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Thick Fog Disrupts Some Flights on One of the UK’s Busiest Weekends for Travel

Pedestrians cross the Millennium Bridge as a red London bus passes over Blackfriars Bridge with Tower Bridge disappearing into the fog behind on the River Thames in London on December 27, 2024. (AFP)
Pedestrians cross the Millennium Bridge as a red London bus passes over Blackfriars Bridge with Tower Bridge disappearing into the fog behind on the River Thames in London on December 27, 2024. (AFP)

Travelers flying to or from the UK faced further disruptions Saturday as thick fog and low visibility restricted air traffic on one of the year's busiest weekends.

Gatwick Airport in London warned that some flights may be delayed throughout Saturday and apologized for the inconvenience. Flights were delayed by up to three hours late Friday because of poor weather conditions, and at least 40 flights from the airport, mostly short haul to Europe, were delayed Saturday morning.

Heathrow Airport, one of Europe's busiest, also advised passengers to check with their airlines regarding potential delays.

The UK's weather forecasters, the Met Office, said thick fog patches could reduce visibility to just 100 meters (328 feet) in some areas across the country. It said travelers should allow “a little bit longer” for journeys and warned drivers to be extra careful.

Conditions are expected to improve Sunday, the Met Office said.

The country's main air traffic control organization said the restrictions would remain in place in areas with low visibility.

“Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety," it said. “Our teams are working closely with the airports and airlines to minimize disruption.”

The restrictions came at a busy time of year when many people travel following the Christmas holiday and ahead of the New Year.

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Varieties

Spain to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16

FILE PHOTO: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/Illustration/File Photo
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Spain to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16

FILE PHOTO: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/Illustration/File Photo

Spain will ban access to social media for minors under 16 and platforms will be required to implement ‌age verification ‌systems, Prime ‌Minister ⁠Pedro Sanchez said ‌on Tuesday at the World Government Summit in Dubai.

"Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate ⁠alone... We will no longer ‌accept that," Sanchez said. "We ‍will protect ‍them from the digital ‍Wild West."

He added that his government would also introduce a new bill next week to hold social media executives accountable for illegal and ⁠hateful content.

Australia in December became the first country to ban social media for children under 16.

It's a move being closely watched by other countries considering similar age-based measures, such as Britain and France.

Varieties

Saudi Media Ministry and SDAIA Launch Key Initiatives at Saudi Media Forum

Officials are seen at the fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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Saudi Media Ministry and SDAIA Launch Key Initiatives at Saudi Media Forum

Officials are seen at the fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Media, in partnership with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), launched on Monday two key initiatives at the fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh.

The Media Innovation Bootcamp (Saudi MIB) and the AI principles in media document were announced by Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary and SDAIA President Abdullah Alghamdi.

The initiatives aim to enhance the national media ecosystem and integrate artificial intelligence technologies into content creation.

The bootcamp trains a new generation of journalists and content creators in smart journalism tools, emphasizing automated data collection and deepfake detection for accurate reporting.

The AI track enables participants to collaborate with software engineers to create digital characters that mimic human behavior, facilitating 24/7 multilingual broadcasts with real-time audience interaction.

The AI principles in media document provides guidelines for responsible AI use in the media lifecycle. Developed with SDAIA, the Saudi Broadcasting Authority, and the General Authority for Media Regulation, it aims to ensure content integrity, address challenges posed by misleading content and deepfake technologies, and boost efficiency by leveraging AI to accelerate content production and deliver personalized user experiences.

The initiatives represent a partnership between the Ministry of Media and SDAIA to empower national talent and promote responsible technology use, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Varieties

New Tempest Threatens Portugal, One Week After Storm Kristin

A car is smashed due to storm Kristin, in Leiria, Portugal, February 2, 2026. (Reuters)
A car is smashed due to storm Kristin, in Leiria, Portugal, February 2, 2026. (Reuters)
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New Tempest Threatens Portugal, One Week After Storm Kristin

A car is smashed due to storm Kristin, in Leiria, Portugal, February 2, 2026. (Reuters)
A car is smashed due to storm Kristin, in Leiria, Portugal, February 2, 2026. (Reuters)

Portugal is bracing for a new storm that authorities warn could trigger floods and further devastation, as the country ​still struggles with the aftermath of Storm Kristin.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) said late Monday that the new storm, named Leonardo, is expected to begin impacting mainland Portugal from Tuesday afternoon through Saturday.

The Iberian Peninsula ‌has experienced a ‌succession of storms bringing ‌heavy ⁠rain, ​thunder, snow ‌and strong gales in the last few months, with southern Spain facing what some residents describe as its wettest winter in 40 years.

IPMA said Leonardo may bring persistent and at times heavy rain, with wind gusts ⁠reaching up to 75 km/h (47 mph) along the coast ‌south of Cabo Mondego in ‍the country's central ‍region, and 95 km/h in the highlands.

The ‍gusts, however, should be less intense than those exceeding 200 km/h unleashed by Storm Kristin, which battered central mainland Portugal from early last Wednesday, ​killing at least six people and leaving a trail of destruction across homes, ⁠factories and critical infrastructure.

Daniela Fraga, deputy commander of national emergency and civil protection authority ANEPC, told reporters late on Monday that heavy rain in the coming days could lead to floods and inundations, mainly in the regions that were affected by Storm Kristin.

Nearly 134,000 households were still without electricity, around 95,000 of them in the Leiria region in ‌the center of the country, power distribution company E-Redes said.