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How do I apply?

Shop for your items and add them to your cart like you normally would. When you are ready to check out, simply select Uplift as your payment method. To apply, you'll need to provide some basic information like your mobile number, date of birth, and if you are a US resident, your Social Security number. If you're approved, finish checking out and you're done.

How are my loan offers determined?

We look at a number of factors, including your credit information, purchase details, and more.

How do I make installment payments?

You can make a payment anytime by visiting pay.uplift.com and clicking on the Loans tab. From there, click the Make a Payment button. We recommend that you enable AutoPay at time of purchase so that your payments are automatically deducted each month. If you don't have AutoPay enabled, visit pay.uplift.com , click on the Accounts page, and set the AutoPay toggle to ON. You can also change the form of payment on file with Uplift anytime by visiting pay.uplift.com .

I purchased a trip using Uplift, can I travel before it’s paid off?

Yes! You do need to allow a few days between booking and your departure date for things to process. Other than that, you are free to travel whenever - even before you're all paid off.

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Here is a link to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

Down payment may be required. Actual terms are based on your credit score and other factors and may vary. APRs range from 0% to 36%. Minimum $49 purchase required. Not everyone is eligible. Loans made through Uplift are offered by these lending partners:  uplift.com/lenders. Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

*0% APR offer available on 3 month terms between 4/1/2024-4/14/2024 for approved applicants purchasing Wanna Get Away Plus®, Anytime, and Business Select® tickets. Based on a purchase price of $200, you could pay a down payment of just $50 today, followed by 3 monthly payments of $50 at 0% APR. APRs range from 0%-36%, not everyone is eligible to receive a 0% APR offer. Minimum $49 purchase required. Actual terms are based on your credit score and other factors and may vary. Not everyone is eligible. Loans made through Uplift are offered by these lending partners:  uplift.com/lenders .  Privacy Policy .  Terms of Use .

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What is the PayJustNow Wallet?

The PayJustNow Wallet is your personal, virtual wallet where refunds from retailers using the PayJustNow system are deposited. Instead of waiting 3–5 days for a traditional refund, you receive it instantly in your Wallet.

How do I access my PayJustNow Wallet?

You can access your Wallet directly from the PayJustNow app or website by logging into your account. Navigate to My Wallet in the menu.

How do I use my Wallet?

You can choose to use all the value in the Wallet to make a payment on your next 1st instalment, or simply pay the first instalment value. If your Wallet value is less than the first instalment, we will debit your card for the balance. Settling the 2nd or final instalment from the Wallet is only possible if the Wallet value is equal to or greater than the instalment.

How quickly will I receive my refund in the Wallet?

Instantly! As soon as a refund is processed, the money is available in your Wallet.

Where can I use the money in my Wallet?

Your Wallet balance is spendable across the entire PayJustNow network. Dive right back into shopping wherever PayJustNow is accepted!

Can I withdraw money from my Wallet to my bank account?

Currently, the balance in your Wallet is to be used for shopping across our network. We're focused on giving you an instant shopping opportunity without the wait! Should you want to have the money returned to your card and are happy with the 3-5 day wait - please email  [email protected]  with your bank details? As a security measure you will need to have validated your identity by navigating to “My Profile” and taking a selfie.

How the refund process works

Introducing the PayJustNow Wallet

Selfie Security .

Making a withdrawal from your wallet.

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PAYMENT OPTIONS

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Our convenient Payment Options will allow you to Travel Now and Pay Later through Mobicred, Pay Now and Travel Later powered by XL Turners Travel, or Pay your Way using the standard payment options available through PayFast.

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By Elaine Glusac

Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips and journeys.

On Tuesday, the largest credit card companies in the United States reached an agreement with merchants to reduce the so-called swipe fees retailers pay for accepting credit card payments, potentially saving the retailers $30 billion.

These fees also help fund the credit card rewards programs that many travelers redeem for things like free flights and hotel stays, leading points hawks to wonder: Are loyalty programs at risk?

Here’s what we know so far about the changes.

What are the terms of the deal?

Last year, credit card payments generated an estimated $72 billion in fees paid by merchants, which are generally passed along to customers in the form of higher prices. For nearly 20 years, merchants have been seeking reductions in the fees they pay Visa and Mastercard for handling transactions where the cards are used.

The proposed settlement , awaiting approval in a federal court, reduces and caps those fees for five years. It would also allow merchants to potentially charge consumers more based on the card they pay with. For example, a person paying with a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which costs $550 a year, could be charged more than someone paying with the more basic Chase Sapphire Preferred card, with an annual fee of $95.

Why does it matter?

The majority of the fees collected go back to the banks that issue the credit cards. Those banks have used the funds to push premium credit cards that offer loyalty points, which can be redeemed for free travel and other perks. The cards with the biggest benefits tend to be those that charge higher swipe fees.

While the reduction in the fees collected sounds small — averaging at least .07 percent — they represent an estimated $30 billion over the five-year term of the deal, which banks could try to make up by reducing points perks.

“It’s reasonable to think that,” said Brian Kelly, the founder of the Points Guy , a news site devoted to maximizing credit card points.

While he speculated that banks will be able to “find other ways to make up the difference,” he acknowledged that a points squeeze could emerge.

“Opportunities to earn probably aren’t going to flourish,” he said.

The idea that merchants could charge more to the holders of premium, perks-rich cards, which are expensive, might also deter consumers from using them. Some experts question the viability of the practice given the potential for consumer backlash.

Is the new agreement related to the Credit Card Competition Act?

The legal actions that led to the new credit card agreement date back to 2005. But the newer Credit Card Competition Act , proposed in 2023, aims to introduce more competition in the credit card payment system. By creating a cheaper alternative pipeline for processing payments, the proposed legislation is seen as a greater threat to rewards programs.

Responding to the just-announced agreement between the credit card companies and retailers, Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, and the lead sponsor of the Credit Card Competition Act, released a statement urging the act’s passage.

“I fear that this deal only provides temporary concessions negotiated by a few lawyers behind closed doors,” he said in the statement.

Other experts said the agreement may ease the pressure on Congress to pass the act.

“I think it’s a way for Visa and Mastercard to show that they are making a good-faith effort to help out merchants by lowering the fees they’ve been complaining about for 20 years, and hopefully enough to let senators know they’re doing their part,” said Chris Hassan, the social media and brand manager for Upgraded Points , a website that tracks credit card benefits.

Separately, the proposed merger between Capital One and Discover, which is pending federal approval, could introduce more competition among credit cards and potentially improve rewards for holders of those cards.

What should I do now?

The points and payments systems won’t change until the agreement is approved, which is expected in late 2024 or early 2025, according to a news release from Mastercard.

But the topic should remind travelers of the reality of playing with points: The rules always change. Values tend to fall as redemption levels rise, which companies issuing these currencies are free to adjust at will.

If you have points, spend them, say experts like Sara Rathner, a travel and credit card specialist at the financial website NerdWallet . “They’re not a trophy to dust and admire.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

3 Reasons Why I'd Never Use 'Buy Now, Pay Later' When Planning a Vacation

I s there anything better than taking a much-needed vacation? It's surely one of the biggest joys in life to pack a suitcase and hit the road. Paying for it can get a little sticky, though. You've likely heard of "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) services. This method of financing a purchase over several weeks or months has become quite popular, and a lot of merchants (online and in person) are offering it alongside options to pay with cash or credit card.

In brief, BNPL works by giving you the chance to pay for a purchase by splitting it into equal payments over a period of several weeks. Some services offer 0% APR, too, so using this payment option won't cost you anything extra -- assuming you can make the payments on time and in full. If you can't, you might face interest charges, delinquent accounts, or major credit score damage (if the payment service reports to the credit bureaus; not all do). Some travel websites, like Expedia, are now offering BNPL to cover the cost of travel.

But before you rejoice and rush off to book flights and hotels and pay for them in installments, wait just one second. Personally, I wouldn't use BNPL to cover vacation costs, and you might want to reconsider, too. Here's why.

1. A vacation is not a necessity -- it's better to save ahead of time

First and foremost, I'd skip the BNPL for travel costs because a vacation isn't a necessity. It's really not a good idea to borrow money for a vacation -- it's best to avoid debt for all but necessary expenses. As good as it feels to plan a trip, it feels much better to do so knowing that you're not committing your future self to make loan payments. It's a much better idea for my personal finances (and perhaps also yours) to save money ahead of time to cover flights, hotel rooms, and beyond.

I've been saving for a big 40th birthday vacation for the last few months, and in addition to ensuring I pay myself first , I'm also keeping that money in a special place. I opened a high-yield savings account with an online bank last year, and I've seen my APY climb over that time, to the point that I've earned more than $1,000 this year on the money in the account -- for doing absolutely nothing but keeping it in there. If a big vacation is in your future, I recommend taking a look at the best savings accounts and picking a winner.

2. I don't want a credit score hit

Not all of these BNPL providers run a credit check, but some do, and depending on the provider, it could be either a soft or hard credit check . A soft credit check doesn't impact your credit score, but a hard inquiry could ding your score by a few points. A hard inquiry is more likely if you're borrowing over a longer period of time (which makes sense -- more risk for the lender). For most people and in most situations, this isn't really a big deal -- your credit score will recover.

But if you're already between two credit score ranges and have a big expense coming up (like buying a home with a mortgage loan ), losing a few credit score points could be enough to impact your eligibility for the loan, as well as increase the interest rate you qualify for. Hard credit checks are impossible to avoid in most borrowing circumstances, be it for that mortgage loan or even a new credit card application. But I certainly wouldn't want to lose a few points from my credit score because of a vacation.

3. There are better ways to pay for travel

When it comes time to start paying for more of the bits and pieces of my big trip, I'll be leaning on my favorite travel rewards credit card (which I'll be paying off using that aforementioned saved cash). Why bother paying with a credit card if I have the money put aside? Well, for starters, I can't pay for online purchases with cash, and my debit card doesn't come with as many robust fraud protections as credit cards do.

The best travel credit cards offer other benefits -- I booked the flights through my card issuer's travel portal, meaning I could use points to pay for part of the cost and also earn a higher rewards rate on the money I spent. My card also comes with rental car insurance -- I hope not to need it, but since I'll be booking a few daily car rentals, I will feel a lot better knowing I'm protected. Some travel credit cards also offer broader travel insurance, as well as free checked bags and status with airlines and hotels. No matter the kind of traveler you are, there's a travel credit card out there for you.

Ultimately, BNPL is best approached with caution, no matter what you're using it for. You should probably think twice before using it for a vacation. Explore other options to pay for your upcoming travels instead.

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Will Baltimore bridge collapse force U.S. to pay more attention to its infrastructure?

The Francis Scott Key Bridge will get rebuilt with federal funds, but many other structures across the nation aren’t getting the same support.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is the latest example of a challenge to U.S. infrastructure amid a lack of funds and motivation to maintain aging bridges, experts say.

The Baltimore bridge "is an old and reliable piece of infrastructure, that under almost any reasonable circumstances would be standing in another 20 or 30 years,” says Joseph L. Schofer , professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering. “If you come along and pull out the primary support, there's no way to save the bridge.”

Though he has no reason to believe negligence was involved in the Baltimore collapse, Schofer says some infrastructure catastrophes are. He points to the Fern Hollow Bridge failure in Pittsburgh as an example: The National Transportation Safety Board concluded reports and recommendations to fix corroded steel supports went ignored, ultimately leading to the collapse of the 447-foot-long bridge, which dropped a bus and four cars to the park below.

It’s a disturbing trend as train derailments, highway and bridge collapses, and dam failures are being seen across the U.S, experts say. But which areas are civil engineers most concerned could cause imminent catastrophe, and what can we do about it?  

Physical collapse is happening now

Federal funding will rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which more than 30,000 cars use daily.

“In terms of where you go from here, you've got a bridge that's failed, and probably more likely, you want to rebuild it. So what are your options?" Schofer says.  

"Going forward, you’ve got some really interesting design options that could either make the likelihood of this kind of event very small or eliminated entirely, and I think probably that's what they'll do with a new design.”

But many other key structures across the country aren’t getting the same attention.

“There are cautionary tales all over,” says Maria Lehman , president of the American Society of Civil Engineeers (ASCE) and vice chair of the Biden administration’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council. “Every county in the country has a list of bridges that, if they had money, they would replace tomorrow.”  

The 617,000 bridges in the U.S. include not just those spanning mighty rivers but also every highway overpass and minor link across a stream—and close to one tenth of them are significantly compromised. “If you have to think in terms of catastrophe, we’re already there,” says Amlan Mukherjee , the director of sustainability focusing on infrastructure at WAP Sustainability Consulting.

In 2007, the collapse of an I-35W bridge in Minnesota killed 13 people and injured 145. More recently, a six-lane bridge over the Mississippi was closed for three months in 2021, disrupting interstate travel and shipping because an inspector missed a significant crack. Americans drive 178 million trips on structurally deficient bridges each day, according to the 2021 report from the ASCE.  

Yet the U.S. spends only 1.5 to 2.5 percent of its GDP on infrastructure, proportionately less than half of what the European Union spends, Lehman says. This long-term lack of funding has run out the clock on many solutions. Many U.S. bridges were built to last 30 to 50 years, but nearly half are at least half a century old. The average age of U.S. levees is also 50 ; dams average 57 .

The future of U.S. infrastructure

Mukherjee is optimistic about the use of new technology to solve some of the country's infrastructure issues, though adoption has been slow. Drones can provide human inspectors with up-close views of areas they can’t reach themselves and reduce chance of human error; a drone on an unrelated project captured footage of the Mississippi bridge crack two years before its discovery.

Bilal Ayyub , a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, has also worked with North American freight railroads to find weak links using computer modeling. This can comb through thousands of stations to “identify exactly which point if it fails will have the biggest impact,” he says.  

One piece of good news, experts say: in 2021, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law , which provides $1.2 trillion over five years for the ailing systems that help American society run—the largest federal investment in U.S. history.  

“Every president for the last eight presidents said we should spend a lot of money—like a trillion dollars—on infrastructure, and none of them delivered,” Lehman says.

Unless it is renewed regularly, though, this funding will barely stop the bleeding. It’s time for the U.S. to begin maintaining the systems that make so much of American life possible while they’re still in working condition, Lehman says.

“If you have a leak in your roof, you go up there, find it, replace the shingles, put on a little tar,” she says. “If you let it go, it’s not going to be a little fix: It’s going to be a replacement.”

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Table of Contents

What is Fly Now Pay Later?

Who can use fly now pay later, how does fly now pay later work, is fly now pay later legit, downsides to fly now pay later, is fly now pay later worth it.

Whether you're taking a long-awaited vacation or need to book travel urgently for an emergency, you may not currently have all of the funds necessary to book a trip. Enter a service like Fly Now Pay Later that lets you "buy now, pay later" for flights, hotels and other travel expenses.

But you may be wondering how Fly Now Pay Later works or if it's legit. Let's dive into the details and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the deferred-payment service.

Not to be confused with a general term for deferring travel costs, Fly Now Pay Later is a company offering services that allow you to spread the cost of your vacation over time. After you are approved, Fly Now Pay Later will pay for the travel upfront and charge you monthly installments. You can choose to split up the cost of your trip over a time period of up to 12 months.

At the time of writing, the interest rate on these installments is between a 9.99% and 29.99% annual percentage rate, depending on your credit.

You can use Fly Now Pay Later to pay for all types of travel expenses. You can buy now and pay later for:

Attractions.

Vacation packages.

» Learn more: Easy tricks to save money on travel

U.S. residents hoping to use Fly Now Pay Later must be 18 or older. If you reside in Alabama and Nebraska, you must be at least 19 years old. You'll also need a debit card and a mobile phone with a U.S. number, as the Fly Now Pay Later service is currently only available through its app. You'll also need a driver's license or passport to verify your identity.

A debit card is the only accepted form of payment for Fly Now Pay Later.

You’ll also need to undergo a soft credit check, which doesn't affect your score. Fly Now Pay Later doesn’t disclose its credit score requirements. But it recommends checking your score before applying, so you may want to double-check your credit profile for any mistakes and make sure your credit accounts aren’t frozen in order to be eligible.

In addition to being available to United States residents, Fly Now Pay Later is also currently available to residents of the United Kingdom and Germany.

» Learn more: Can Americans travel to Europe?

To start using Fly Now Pay Later, you'll need to download the app and set up an account. As part of setting up a new account, Fly Now Pay Later will run a credit check to determine your eligibility, interest rate and credit limit. Then you can use the app to find the flights, hotels or travel packages you wish to book.

Depending on which airline or hotel you want, you may be able to book the trip directly through the app. For example, you can buy now and pay later for flights with American Airlines, United, Qatar Airways or TAP Portugal through the app. For other travel purchases, you'll be issued a virtual card that you can use to pay for the travel expenses.

After making your travel purchase or during the process of issuing the travel card, Fly Now Pay Later will prompt you to choose the number of installments you want to pay. You can spread the cost of your trip across — and up to — 12 months.

Your first installment is due one month from the date your account was set up, and subsequent payments will be taken on the same day each month after that. However, you can change your payment date by contacting Fly Now Pay Later customer support.

Fly Now Pay Later is legit. Its payment options are provided by Pay Later Financial Services Inc. in partnership with an FDIC member bank Cross River Bank.

Fly Now Pay Later mostly receives positive reviews from customers, carrying a 4.2 Trustpilot rating. However, negative reviews of Fly Now Pay Later focus on the difficulty of contacting a representative when something goes wrong and also on issues using Fly Now Pay Later's virtual payment card to book directly with travel providers.

» Learn more: Should you use buy now, pay later services on travel?

Using Fly Now Pay Later may sound appealing. After all, you only have to pay a deposit now to book your travel. However, there are several downsides to using Fly Now Pay Later — and similar deferred travel payment plans:

High interest rates: At the time of writing, Fly Now Pay Later charges between 9.99% and 29.99% APR on installments. You may be able to pay a lower interest rate by using a low- or no-interest credit card instead of Fly Now Pay Later for your purchase. Other BNPL options, including Uplift, could offer as low as 0% APR for certain eligible applicants.

A credit check is required: As part of the process of setting up an account, Fly Now Pay Later checks your credit to determine what interest rate to charge.

Requirement to use the app: Fly Now Pay Later has a splashy, well-designed website. However, you can't actually use the service on the website. Instead, you have to download and use the Fly Now Pay Later app.

Issues booking with the virtual card: For some types of travel expenses, Fly Now Pay Later issues travelers a virtual card that they then can use to book travel with a travel provider. Some travelers report having their virtual card declined by travel providers.

Lack of travel protections: You won't get travel protections offered by travel rewards credit cards — such as trip delay insurance, delayed baggage insurance, and trip cancellation insurance.

No rewards on travel purchases: As you'll be paying a travel provider through Fly Now Pay Later, you won't earn any rewards on the purchase. Additionally, Fly Now Pay Later only accepts payments through debit cards. So, you won't earn rewards when paying your balance unless you use a debit card that earns rewards.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Fly Now Pay Later is an appealing service for avoiding having to pay your travel expenses immediately. Just note that there are several downsides to doing so — everything from having to pay interest to losing out on credit card rewards and travel protections.

If you're OK with these tradeoffs and don't have a better alternative, using Fly Now Pay Later can be a good option. Just make sure to set realistic payment goals to balance minimizing interest and avoiding late payment fees.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Our Chicago: Total solar eclipse travel tips, dealing with massive crowds

CHICAGO (WLS) -- After years of anticipation, what's being called the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2024 is just hours away.

It will move from Mexico, into the U.S. and then Canada, before moving out to sea.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Parts of Illinois and Indiana are in the 115-mile-wide path of totality, which is the area where the moon blocks the sun 100%.

The path includes Carbondale, which was also in the path of totality in 2017. Many people are headed there, including a group from the Adler Planetarium.

"It's just such an exciting thing for us being all true astronomy geeks," Dr. Geza Gyuk, director of astronomy at Alder Planetarium, said.

He was near Carbondale for the 2017 eclipse.

"It's just, it's otherworldly it's just wonderful and just such an experience because the quality of the light as totality approaches it starts getting strange, and there's weird patterns of shadows on the ground. And then totality occurs and there's this marvelous sort of, thing in the sky," Gyuk said. "You never experience anything like it looks like there's an eclipse, well it is an eclipse, it looks like a sunset all around you 360 degrees. The birds stop singing, it becomes dark, you can see stars in the sky. It's very strange."

ABC News reports that the total solar eclipse is expected to be the largest mass travel event this year in the U.S.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has declared a state of emergency, expecting massive crowds. 100,000 to 200,000 people are expected in the prime viewing area in Southern Illinois.

A good number of those will be from the Chicago area, but before people get in the car and head south, the Illinois Department of Transportation has some advice.

Maria Castaneda, a spokesperson with IDOT, says people have to think of it like any trip.

"Plan ahead, map out your route, make sure you have it clearly defined which route you're going to be taking," she said. "Also use various travel apps."

There are various ways to head south.

"I know that I-57, if you're leaving here from Chicago, is a pretty direct route, but you can also hop on I-55 and connect with 64," Castaneda said. "It really depends on where you're heading from, what route you're going to use. Give yourself a lot of extra time, because there's going to be expected big crowds so it's going to take you much longer than your normal trip, if you typically do drive to southern Illinois. And if you're not, and you're not aware of it, then you definitely need to give yourself extra time because you're going into an area you're not that well versed with."

It's not only going to be crowded on the drive south, but also the drive home.

"Plan to stay for a little while. There's some beautiful areas to see. Enjoy what southern Illinois can provide," Castaneda said. "Leave a little later than maybe you intended to drive back and you could hopefully avoid some of the really big heavy crowds."

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Queensland premier defends BPIC agreement that delivers union tradies pay rises of more than $10 per hour

Queensland's premier has defended a deal brokered with construction unions that includes pay rises of more than $10 an hour over the next four years and an extra $1,000 a week to work away from home. 

Union workers will receive a 5 per cent pay rise on the first of July, which will continue every year until the end of the agreement in 2027.

Carpenters and other qualified tradespeople will be paid nearly $1,948 a week.

By 2027, the same carpenters will be paid $2,351 a week, jumping from $54.12 an hour to $65.78.

Skilled labourers will also see their wages increase by $10 an hour over the agreement, increasing from $47.63 to $57.89. By 2027, they'll be paid $2,084 a week.

The deal comes at a time when Queensland is looking at huge array of projects across the next decade, ranging from Olympic infrastructure to green energy projects.

"These are all prevailing conditions in the industry," Premier Steven Miles said. 

"I think it's appropriate that on government jobs, workers aren't competing with each other on wages.

"These conditions have been in place for some time."

Travel allowances and leave loading

The living away from home allowance section of the BPIC states that a "distant construction sites allowance of $1,000 per week or $200 per day for part weeks" will be paid when an employee is directed to work on a project "located 50 kilometres or more from the address of the employer".

A travel allowance will be paid to workers on government projects worth more than $50 million, while all workers will receive a $50 dollar travel allowance each day.

Starting in July that will jump to $55, and workers who travel more than 50 kilometres will be paid up to $95 dollars a day.

This too will go up over the next four years, reaching $106 per day in 2027.

Workers conducting emergency work or pouring concrete will be paid double time to work in the rain.

A site allowance will be paid per hour to workers on large projects, starting at $1.70 for projects worth $50 million to $80 million, reaching $10 an hour on projects worth $900 million to $1 billion.

All workers will accrue a rostered day off (RDO) every 10 working days, with RDO's still accumulating while workers are on leave.

"The purpose of this calendar is to ensure workers and site management manage their fatigue levels, thereby encouraging safer and more productive projects," the contract says.

Workers on leave will receive 17.5 per cent leave loading on top of their usual pay packet.

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Israel-Gaza latest: Netanyahu making 'mistake', Biden warns - as Sunak defends arming Israel

The US president has said he disagrees with Israel's approach to the war. It comes after Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his pledge to go forward with his invasion of Rafah. Listen to a Daily episode on how the war could be worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis as you scroll.

Wednesday 10 April 2024 12:12, UK

• Israel-Hamas war
• Netanyahu's approach in Gaza 'a mistake', Biden warns
• Date for Rafah offensive is bravado, US officials say  
• Alex Rossi analysis: US frustration mounts over Israel's lack of concrete plan
• Sunak defends arms sales to Israel
• Israel 'must be punished' for Iranian consulate 'attack', says supreme leader
• Alex Crawford report : Yemeni fishermen face threat of Houthi attack - but on Gaza they are firmly behind the militants
• Live reporting by Brad Young

By Alex Rossi , international correspondent

Joe Biden's remarks don't so much represent a shift in tone but a strengthening of his criticism of the Israeli approach. 

It's clear also from the undertone that there is now no love lost between the American president and the prime minster of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. 

The comments, it should be noted, were recorded last week - two days after seven aid workers were killed in a botched Israeli attack. 

Mr Biden has become increasingly frustrated by the mounting civilian casualties and the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza. 

But the comments go beyond that and speak to the lack of Israeli strategy for the day after the war. 

From Washington, Israel appears to be making many of the same mistakes the US made after 9/11. 

Driven by anger and revenge they've smashed up Gaza but have no plans for the peace. 

Hamas may have been badly hit but they've not been defeated. 

An insurgency out of the ashes seems probable without a concrete plan. 

Israel, at the moment, seems unable or unwilling to countenance what such a bargain would look like.

Palestinian families have been visiting the graves of loved ones in Rafah.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks.

Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters, but it says the majority of those killed were women and children.

The Spanish prime minister has called Israel's military actions in Gaza a threat to world stability, the Times of Israel reports.

Speaking to the Spanish congress, Pedro Sanchez said Israel's response was "disproportionate" and risks "destabilising the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world".

Recognising a Palestinian state was "in Europe's geopolitical interests", he said.

The commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon has said the danger of escalation on the Lebanon-Israel border is real.

UNIFIL's Aroldo Lazaro called for the "cessation of hostilities, and a move towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict".

Lebanon and Israel have exchanged fire over the border since the start of the war in Gaza.

Most recently, Israel's military said it killed a commander of Hezbollah's secretive Radwan Force in southern Lebanon yesterday.

Israeli officials demand the Radwan Force withdraw from the border area in order to allow tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis to return home.

Hezbollah has said it will stop firing rockets into Israel once a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

Eurovision chiefs have condemned war-related online abuse, hate speech and harassment of participating artists.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) called out "targeted social media campaigns" against multiple musicians, against the backdrop of the "unquestionable pain" in the Middle East.

Israel's representative at the competition, Eden Golan, has reportedly received death threats, according to the Jerusalem Post.

"This is unacceptable and totally unfair, given the artists have no role in this decision," said EBU deputy director general Jean Philip De Tender.

The decision to include the Israeli broadcaster Kan was the sole responsibility of the EBU, he added.

Benjamin Netanyahu's pronouncement that a date has been set for an offensive in Rafah has been dismissed by the Biden administration as an empty threat, according to reports.

Senior administration officials told CNN they believed his statement made earlier this week was bravado.

Publicly, US officials have said no date has been shared with them.

For context:  The Israeli government has threatened for weeks to assault Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are sheltering.

Mr Netanyahu has previously said four Hamas battalions were using the city's residents and displaced people as human shields.

Rishi Sunak has defended the UK's decision not to suspend arms sales to Israel, saying "none of our closest allies" have done so. 

The British prime minister said the UK has a "long-established process" relating to the arms export regime and "we review these things regularly".

"That's led to no change. Actually none of our closest allies have currently suspended existing arms licences either, so we continue to discuss these things with our allies," he said. 

Responding to a caller on his LBC phone-in interview, Mr Sunak said Benjamin Netanyahu "needs to do more" to alleviate suffering in Gaza. 

"It was a shocking tragedy what happened to our veterans when they were selflessly carrying out aid missions into Gaza and I've also said repeatedly the situation in Gaza is increasingly intolerable, you know, the humanitarian suffering that people are experiencing isn't right and Prime Minister Netanyahu needs to do more to alleviate that," he said. 

"I've made that very clear to him."

An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in central Gaza has killed 14 people, according to a local hospital. 

Most of those killed were women and children and 30 others were seriously injured, al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital spokesperson Dr Khalil al Dikran told CNN. 

The building was inside the Nuseirat refugee camp. 

The attack happened on the last night before Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.

Antony Blinken says Israel has not informed the US of any specific date for a major offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah. 

Israel has said for weeks it will launch an incursion into Rafah, which it says is the last stronghold of Hamas. 

But even its closest allies, including the US, have urged against an offensive and warned it will cause a large number of civilian casualties.

The US secretary of state said American and Israeli officials were in close contact to try to ensure "any kind of major military operation doesn't do real harm to civilians". 

About 1.4 million Palestinians are in Rafah, many displaced from other parts of Gaza.

An Iranian journalist has described the moment he was stabbed outside his home in what he believes was a state-sponsored attack.

Pouria Zeraati, a 36-year-old presenter at London-based broadcaster Iran International, was attacked by three unknown assailants in Wimbledon on 29 March.

In his first live interview, Mr Zeraati told Sky News' The World With Yalda Hakim he "lost a lot of blood" in the stabbing.

He said he was walking towards his car when a man came up to him and asked for £3 in cash.

When Mr Zeraati replied that he did not have any change, a second man approached and "grabbed me from the front very firmly".

At that point, he said the first person "stabbed me in the leg, the back side of my leg in my thigh, and very fast they ran away".

The journalist said at first he thought he had been robbed, but then realised he still had his phone, watch and wallet - and instead believed the attack may have been something to do with his job.

Mr Zeraati said he thought the men were trying to harm rather than kill him.

He said: "Because [of] the way they were holding me, and then they stabbed me in my leg - they could stab anywhere in my body. They could stab in my neck, they could stab in my heart. There are places specifically that people [aim for to] make sure the target is dead."

The Metropolitan Police said no arrests have yet been made.

The force said it is confident the three suspects "do not present a risk to communities of London or the UK", as detectives believe they fled the country via Heathrow Airport within hours of the stabbing.

Mr Zeraati said: "It looks like a state-sponsored attack, but we need to wait for more investigation results to come out".

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