battery

Carol Hutchins had been looking forward to a sunny break in the TUI Magic Life Hotel in Fuerteventura with her daughter, Layla, at the end of October, but she didn’t get further than the airport

A disabled woman has been left “very upset” after she missed her holiday to the Canary Islands because of her mobility scooter battery.

Carol Hutchins had been looking forward to a sunny break in the TUI Magic Life Hotel in Fuerteventura with her daughter, Layla, at the end of October. However, the mum-and-daughter duo’s dream trip ended at Manchester Airport, where staff told them Carol’s scooter couldn’t be loaded onto the plane.

Carol has been left “very upset” by the missed holiday and the fact that she’s over £1,000 out of pocket. There is no suggestion that TUI did not follow protocol. However, Carol and Layla’s experience serves as a warning to Brits travelling overseas with a mobility scooter.

A TUI spokesperson explained: “We’re sorry that Ms Hutchins wasn’t able to travel on her holiday, and we recognise how upsetting that must have been for her. This was due to them not having the required documentation and battery identification information for their electric mobility aid, which meant it couldn’t be cleared to fly under safety guidance. The TUI airport team supported her on the day and explored alternative options, which she chose not to accept.”

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Carol booked her holiday to the sun-soaked Canary Islands at the TUI Doncaster store on 23 October 2025. As the booking was made within two weeks of departure, the travel agent called the welfare team while Carol was in the shop, to make sure the mobility scooter was added to the booking.

When a mobility aid is added to a holiday booking, customers receive the Conditions of Carriage, which include important instructions passengers must follow before their flight.

They state: “The battery or batteries should clearly be labelled showing the type and the watt-hour (Wh) rating. Failure to show this can lead to refusal of battery or batteries. Please carry the manufacturer’s operating instructions with you, which will help you and the airport staff to block the vehicle’s electric circuits and remove the battery if necessary.”

According to TUI, the Conditions of Carriage were emailed to Ms Hutchins four times as her booking was updated, and given twice again alongside ticket documentation.

When Carol and Layla arrived at Manchester Airport on October 29, her battery did not have any visible ID label, meaning airport staff could not legally clear it under safety regulations.

An on-site duty manager contacted the resort team in Fuerteventura to find an alternative mobility scooter she could use on her holiday.

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However, according to Layla, Carol did not feel comfortable travelling without her own or with the idea that she might be without one for a period once at her destination.

According to TUI, Carol and Layla turned down the offer of two alternative flights and goodwill vouchers.

TUI’s website has a section that explains what customers on mobility scooters need to know and do before they travel.

Before flying with your electric mobility aid, you’ll need to:

• Check your battery type and specifications
• Provide battery details to TUI in advance
• Bring manufacturer documentation to the airport

TUI accepts these battery types:

• Non-spillable batteries (like AGM, Gel Cell, SLA)
• Lithium batteries with specific watt-hour limits:
• Single battery: maximum 300Wh
• Two batteries: maximum 160Wh each
• However, wet cell (spillable) batteries are not permitted on TUI flights.

Important pre-flight steps:

• Share your device’s battery details with TUI as early as possible
• Bring manufacturer documentation showing battery specifications
• If documentation is unavailable, check the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) website or contact your device manufacturer
• Remember that spare or removable batteries must be carried in the cabin

SEOUL, Feb. 23 (UPI) — South Korea’s Samsung SDI said Monday it collaborated with Columbia University to publish a paper on what it described as a major advance in futuristic lithium-metal batteries.

The study, published in Joule, one of the world’s leading peer-reviewed journals in energy science, discussed the development of a new electrolyte formulation designed to improve the lifespan and safety of lithium-metal batteries, according to Samsung SDI.

Lithium-metal batteries have been regarded as a next-generation technology because they can offer very high energy density, around 1.6 times that of conventional lithium-ion batteries.

However, their commercialization has been constrained by limited charge-discharge lifespans. Samsung SDI expected that the new findings could help address the challenges.

Once commercialized, Samsung SDI projected that lithium-metal batteries could bolster industries that require high energy density, including advanced wearable devices.

“The publication in Joule provides academic validation of our technology that improves the safety of lithium-metal batteries, which had long been considered a key weakness,” Samsung SDI Executive Vice President Joo Yong-lak said in a statement.

“We will continue to accelerate the development of next-generation battery technologies based on our global research network,” he added.

Yuan Yang, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at Columbia University, echoed the sentiment.

“This study represents a major improvement in lithium-metal battery performance through a new electrolyte formulation and brings commercialization of next-generation batteries one step closer,” he said.

The share price of Samsung SDI fell.61% on the Seoul bourse Monday. As a major affiliate of Samsung Group, the company is one of the world’s largest battery manufacturers.

SACRAMENTO — The head of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority took a voluntary leave Tuesday after news reports circulated about his recent arrest on suspicion of domestic battery against a spouse.

Ian Choudri was arrested Feb. 4 at his Folsom home in the 500 block of Borges Court.

The rail authority said in a statement Tuesday that Choudri agreed to take a temporary leave to allow its board of directors and the California State Transportation Agency to review and assess the situation.

Choudri’s attorney said Monday that the Sacramento County district attorney’s office declined to file charges in the case. Police were called to Choudri’s home by a third party, Choudri’s attorney told The Times.

“This matter is over and no further action will be taken,” said Allen Sawyer, who is representing Choudri.

The district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Choudri is among the highest-paid state employees in California, having earned $563,000 last year, according to payroll records obtained by The Times from the state controller’s office.

The High-Speed Rail Authority did not answer a question about whether Choudri would receive pay during his absence.

The board of directors is scheduled to meet next on March 4.

The day before his arrest, Choudri had appeared with Gov. Gavin Newsom in Kern County to announce the completion of a 150-acre facility that would serve as a hub for construction of the high-speed rail project in the San Joaquin Valley.

California’s grand vision for a bullet train, originally to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles, has become a flash point in national politics.

President Trump and Republicans have seized on the billions of dollars in cost overruns and slow progress to cast the project as a Democratic boondoggle and waste of taxpayer money.

Newsom, eager to show some advancement before he leaves office, has refocused construction on building a segment from Merced to Bakersfield. His office said earlier this month that 119 miles were under construction and 58 structures, including bridges, overpasses and viaducts, have been completed.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Board of Directors approved Choudri as chief executive in August 2024. Newsom praised the decision and commended his more than 30 years of experience in the transportation sector.

Choudri replaced former CEO Brian Kelly, who retired. Choudri joined the agency from HNTB Corp., an infrastructure design firm where he previously held the position of senior vice president.

Choudri did not respond to requests for comment. Newsom’s office directed questions to the High-Speed Rail Authority.

Shia LaBeouf’s Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans allegedly took a violent turn Tuesday morning, landing him in the hospital and facing charges of battery.

The New Orleans Police Department confirmed that officers arrested the “Megalopolis” and “Honey Boy” actor, 39, at 12:45 a.m. in the city’s famed French Quarter. He was charged with two counts of simple battery for allegedly assaulting two men.

A representative for the “Transformers” star did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Police arrived at a business on the 1400 block of Royal Street, responding to a reported assault, officials said. The two men alleged they were assaulted by LaBeouf. The former “Even Stevens” child star was “causing a disturbance” at the business, prompting staff to remove him from the premises, police said. LaBeouf allegedly struck one of the victims and “used his closed fists on the victim several times.”

Police say LaBeouf left the business but returned “acting even more aggressive.” According to the incident report, an unspecified number of people tried to subdue LaBeouf and eventually let him go “in hope that he would leave.” Instead, he allegedly began assaulting the same man as before, hitting his upper body with closed fists. The actor is accused of punching the second man in the nose.

Investigators say people held LaBeouf down again until officials arrived. The actor was transported and treated for unknown injuries and was arrested and charged upon his release. TMZ published bystander video of multiple men standing over LaBeouf as he lies shirtless on a street. The video shows one man punching LaBeouf as he tries to get to his feet. Other bystanders can be heard telling both the man hitting and LaBeouf to “chill.” The video ends with two men holding LaBeouf down.

TMZ also published video of LaBeouf sitting shirtless in the trunk of a police vehicle and video of LaBeouf walking through the French Quarter on Monday.

Los Angeles native LaBeouf has a history of violent and disorderly behavior that shadowed his efforts to move past his Disney Channel days in the early aughts. Following his comeback in the form of filmmaker Alma Har’el’s “Honey Boy,” LaBeouf was sued in 2020 by his ex-girlfriend, musician FKA twigs, for assault, sexual battery and emotional abuse. The lawsuit also alleged LaBeouf abused another former girlfriend. He denied her allegations.

“I am not in the position to defend any of my actions. I owe these women the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done,” he told the New York Times amid the lawsuit.

The exes settled the lawsuit 2025.

LaBeouf is married to Mia Goth, the horror star known for films including “Frankenstein,” “Infinity Pool” and Ti West’s “X” trilogy.

Atlanta Falcons rookie James Pearce Jr. is “maintaining his innocence” after being arrested Saturday near Miami. Pearce is facing five felony charges after allegedly intentionally crashing his SUV into a vehicle being driven by Los Angeles Sparks player Rickea Jackson multiple times.

The 22 year-old linebacker was arrested after crashing his vehicle while trying to flee the scene of what the Doral Police Department described as a domestic dispute with the WNBA star, the Associated Press reported. He also allegedly “intentionally” hit a police officer’s knee with his SUV while trying to get away.

“We look forward to working with the State Attorney’s office in fully investigating this case and uncovering the truth,” Pearce’s attorney, Jacob Nunez, said Monday in a statement to the AP.

“Mr. Pearce maintains his innocence and urges the public to understand that while allegations have the power to shape a narrative, that it is hardly the full, complete story. We look forward to vigorously defending our client and remain confident that he will continue contributing positively to both his team and the community he serves so well.”

Pearce’s charges include two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated stalking, fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren, and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer. He was released Sunday after posting a $20,500 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. A judge also issued Pearce a pre-trial order to stay away from Jackson.

WPLG-TV reported that Pearce had been stalking Jackson after she had recently ended their three-year relationship. The NFL player had continued to try to contact Jackson despite her blocking his phone number and telling him to leave her alone and that she wanted nothing to do with him, WPLG said. “Fearing for her safety,” the Sparks forward had called 911 and was trying to get to the police station when Pearce purposefully crashed his vehicle into hers multiple times, according to the outlet.

“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami,” the Falcons said in a statement to the AP. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”