Noun + noun in newspaper headlines B – longer versions

What you read and what it probably means
The shortening of these statements means there can be doubt as to what is actually being said.

• Weary holidaymakers face Newcastle airport strike chaos

could mean tired holidaymakers have been delayed for an hour or so / for several weeks because of the disruption caused by some airport personnel going on strike at Newcastle airport.
or Weary holidaymakers may face chaos if the strike proposed at Newcastle airport goes ahead as planned.
There is no indication of time in these headlines!

• Southampton doc cleared drugs’ negligence

could mean that a Southampton doctor has been acquitted of the charge of having been negligent when prescribing or administering drugs.
To be cleared – informal = to be acquitted = to be found not guilty – this does not mean someone is innocent, but that there has been insufficient evidence for guilt to have been established. Someone may have been found not guilty on a technicality, but not actually be innocent. Cleared is a word often used in the media because it is shorter than acquitted.

• Kidnap child found safe

The child whose story has been covered in this newspaper because (s)he had been kidnapped has been found safe.

• Hotel manager found guilty wedding food-poisoning

The manager of …… hotel has been found guilty of having caused the food poisoning which affected guests at a wedding

• Top clothing firms adopt Fairtrade cotton labels

A version could be:

Some large clothing firms have agreed recently that in future they will start using fairly-traded cotton, but just as possibly
Some major clothing manufacturers are advertising the fact that they now use fairly-traded cotton by announcing the fact on the labels inside their garments.