major

A UK airport with international flights is set to undergo a multi-million redevelopment – its first in nearly a decade.

Belfast City Airport in Northern Ireland has revealed the latest plans for its £200million expansion.

The plans are part of the airport’s Master Plan 2040 and would include expanding passenger facilities as well as creating new airfield infrastructure.

There will be new airport access as well as a new forecourt, additional parking and a hotel.

There are currently no plans to extend the airport though.

The airport is also hoping to increase its operating hours from 15 to 16 hours per day.

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In addition, the airport wants to increase its annual flights from 48,000 to 61,000.

Other plans include a potential new rail connection.

The wider 2040 plan includes serving up to seven million passengers per year, compared to just 2.36million today.

Eventually there will be new aircraft stands, aprons and a taxiway too.

Routes from the airport are mainly to other UK destinations, but there are flights to Amsterdam as well as seasonal routes to destinations including Majorca in Spain.

Matthew Hall, Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport, said: “Delivery of our Master Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will benefit passengers and businesses across the region, whilst delivering key elements of the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme for Government.

“Every airport on the island of Ireland will need to play its part in meeting future demand, and this draft Master Plan exemplifies Belfast City Airport’s commitment to doing so, while reinforcing our position as a vital economic enabler for the region.

“We want more passengers to arrive by public transport and leave their cars at home, hence a focus on greener journeys within the Master Plan.

He added that they have partnered with Translink to look into creating a new rail halt linking the airport with Belfast city centre on the Bangor line.

ANYONE travelling through Italy could have their plans scuppered thanks to a series of strikes.

Throughout September, there are set to be a walkouts from staff working in airports, railway hubs, on ferries and public transport across the country.

The first strike will hit Italy on September 7 when railway workers have planned industrial action for 24 hours.

It’s set to begin at around 9.20pm on Monday evening for 24 hours until the same time on Tuesday.

The staff staging walkouts work at companies which carry out railway operations across Italy including train drivers.

Some operators that will be affected include Trenitalia, Trenitalia Tper and Mercitalia Rail.

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It’s likely there will be cancellations and timetable changes across the entire country’s network during this time.

But due to Italian law, there has to be some guaranteed service during the strike, so some trains will be running during this period.

Later on in September, there will be strikes at airports in both Pisa and Florence.

On September 13, ground staff at Pisa and Florence airports will strike between 11am and 3pm.

Private security staff at Fiumicino, Turin and Malpensa airports will also walkout during these times.

The most disruption is likely on September 30 when there will be a four hour national strike by Italy’s national air traffic provider ENAV and a company called Techno Sky which looks after airport maintenance.

Staff look to strike during the afternoon which could see delays and cancellations at airports across Italy, although airlines are yet to confirm which flights will be affected.

Throughout September, there will also be frequent strikes on local public transport in the cities of Genoa, Venice, Vicenza, Trento, Bergamo and Perugia.

September 15 is set to be particularly disrupted with public transport staff striking in popular cities like Florence, Naples, Venice and Pisa.

On September 26, there will be a 24-hour general strike which will affect rail, ferry and bus services across the country.

It’s advised to check which services are still running before heading off as it may impact travel plans.

Under EU rules, passengers whose train or flight is cancelled because of strike action are entitled to a full refund or rerouting on an alternative service at no extra cost. 

The Gentlemen’s future “felt inevitable”, according to director Guy Ritchie.

Netflix is finally bringing back The Gentlemen and teasing an even darker side of Eddie Halstead.

More than two years ago, The Gentlemen on Netflix became a global phenomenon, attracting more than 100 million views worldwide and reaching the number one spot in 75 countries.

Now, once again back for eight more action-packed episodes, The Gentlemen season two is set to premiere on Thursday, September 3, on Netflix.

And just to give a little taste of what’s to come, the streamer has released the official trailer and this time, Eddie Halstead (played by Theo James) is biting back.

It begins with him telling Geoff Seacombe (Vinnie Jones): “Four hundred years ago, this estate spread out as far as the eye can see. I want it all back.”

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It doesn’t take long for the The Gentlemen season two teaser to welcome newcomer Hugh Bonneville into the fold as Eddie asks for his help to “decriminalise marijuana”.

Elsewhere, Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) shares her concerns that “The Duke” is evolving into “something volatile”, with a follow-up clip showing Eddie strangling someone.

But the trailer really escalates when, after Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone) calls him a “snake”, Eddie unexpectedly screams in his face: “Don’t you f*****g talk to me like that!”, leaving everyone stunned.

Clearly excited to see what’s to come, one YouTuber user commented: “When the world needed The Gentlemen most, they returned.”

Someone else exclaimed: “Guy Ritchie masterpiece”, as another added: “I know this is going to be epic”, a third pleaded: “Please give us four more plus seasons. Guy Ritchie is the goat.”

Thankfully, the viewers have got their wish as on top of releasing the new series two trailer, Netflix has confirmed that The Gentlemen has already been renewed for season three.

Addressing the good news, Ritchie remarked: “The ambition of The Gentlemen has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight. A third season felt inevitable, and I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further.”

As of yet, no further details of The Gentlemen season three have been released but given that series two hasn’t even dropped yet, it is still very early days.

Nevertheless, a teaser for what’s coming up has been confirmed by its official synopsis: “It’s been one year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together in Bobby’s criminal empire overseas.

“As they drive to expand their enterprise, the decisions Bobby is making seem to be increasingly unsound. Now Eddie and Susie must decide whether to take action or risk losing it all, but unfettered ambition never ends well…”

On top of Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville joining the cast, The Gentlemen season two will welcome Dune’s Benjamin Clementine, The Housemaid star Michele Morrone and Love Island icon Maya Jama.

The Gentlemen season two premieres on Thursday, September 3, on Netflix.

THE year is flying by, so much so that it’s time to think about your next holiday. So where is set to be big in 2027?

With events like the Ryder Cup, football tournaments, eclipses and K-pop festivals – these are the spots you should book a holiday to next year.

Algarve… for Formula 1

The Algarve could be a great should for fans of Formula 1 as in June, it will return to Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.

It will be the first time the F1 has been to the track since 2021.

If you fancy a holiday there as well as a thrilling race, Portimão has an old quarter to explore along with a busy marina and lots of pretty beaches.

From the UK, you can get direct flights from 21 UK airports to Faro – which is the gateway airport to the Algarve region.

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Burgas… for Eurovision

After their win in Vienna with 516 points, Bulgaria will host the Eurovision Song Contest next year.

Anyone wanting to witness countries going head-to-head with bizarre performances should head to Arena Burgas next May.

The city on the Black Sea coast is also one of the cheapest spots for a family holiday with 89p beers and all-inclusive holidays for under £280.

One-way flights to Burgas can cost as little as £17 and are direct from nine UK airports.

Brazil… for FIFA Women’s World Cup

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 will have 64 fixtures across eight host cities throughout June and July.

Locations include Salvador, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro which according to Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey is ‘just like the movies’.

It’s home to Sugarloaf Mountain where you’ll see one of the Wonders of the World, Christ the Redeemer, and the city also has the famous Copacabana Beach.

Rio de Janeiro has direct daily flights from London with British Airways, taking just over 11 hours.

Luxor… for the eclipse

For those who enjoyed the recent partial eclipse in August – a total solar eclipse will block out the sun over parts of North Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Luxor in Egypt is a spot that will see a lot of the eclipse – it will be dark for a total of six minutes and 22 seconds.

The city is known for having the historic Valley of the Kings tombs, and Karnak Temple.

There aren’t any direct flights to Luxor – indirect journeys can take nine hours with a stopover at Cairo.

Australia… for Men’s Rugby World Cup

Between October 1 and November 13 2027, rugby will dominate Australia at the Men’s Rugby World Cup.

Matches will take place across the country in Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville.

Of course heading to Australia isn’t just a weekend break for Brits – so make the most of it by planning excursions, heading to its beautiful coastline and even go on a safari.

It’s about to get easier to travel to as with new direct BA flights to Melbourne next January while Qantas will launch the longest ever flights called Project Sunrise between Sydney and London in 2027.

Madrid… for UEFA Champions League

The Premier League season is already underway and soon enough the UEFA Champions League will be too.

Paris Saint-Germain are the ones to beat – and the final match will take place at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5, 2027.

There’s plenty to do in Madrid too from visiting its world-class art museums like Prado and eating at Mercado de San Miguel where pintxos (open sandwiches) start from £1.30.

One-way flights take two and a half hours and start from as little as £13 and depart from six UK airports.

Limerick… for the Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup golf tournament between teams from Europe and the US will return after two years being held at the Golf Course at Adare Manor in Limerick.

The competition takes just three days, so there’s plenty of time to explore the city.

Take a stroll along the riverside, tour King John’s Castle and enjoy a pint at JJ Bowles which is considered the oldest pub in Limerick.

The nearest airport is Shannon which is a 30-minute drive away from the city. One-way flights are as little as £15 and it takes an hour and a half from UK airports.

Florida… for Disney

Any fans of Disney will want to head to Florida next year, with a number of new exciting launches.

There’s the new Disney World attraction at the Glob Theatre called “Welcome to Monstropolis”, with the monsters in the show introducing visitors to Monstropolis.

And the new cruise ship Disney Believe is set to launch in late 2027 – with a Moana-inspired Grand Hall, Tinker Bell on its bow and Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the stern.

Airlines like BA, Norse, American Airlines, Finnair, and Iberia offer direct flights to Orlando.

Seoul… for K-pop

Calling any K-pop fans – you might want to book flights to Seoul.

Next December it will launch Fanomenon, a festival with concerts and award shows centered around K-pop will debut on December 2 which hopes to rival Coachella.

Head of Sun Travel, Lisa Minot, even tried out a K-pop dance class when she visited as well as exploring K-beauty shops in Myeong-dong and popped into a cat cafe.

Virgin Atlantic launched new flights from Heathrow to Seoul earlier this year, with return flights from £840.

Goodwood… for the races

If you don’t fancy hopping on a plane, then stay right here in the UK.

In West Sussex the Goodwood Estate hosts races throughout the year, and scheduled for 2027 is Qatar Goodwood Festival between July 27 -31.

It will also host a motorsport Festival of Speed between July 15-18.

There’s also live music, lounges, a roof garden, private bars and boxes.

A HISTORIC UK attraction is set to close after more than 60 years.

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the New Forest in Hampshire will close after six decades.

The museum sits in a purpose built building but has reached the end of its lease, which it has been unable to renew.

The museum, which is home to around 250 heritage vehicles, wanted to extend its lease by 50 years.

The lease expires in 2032, but the museum will move out of the building in 2030.

The Trust has already started looking for a new location to house its collection of vehicles.

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The decision was made due to a number of reasons including rejected National Lottery funding.

A spokesperson for the museum said: “Changes to the organisational structure of the charity will start taking place from later this year as it pivots towards its future direction, and the resource it requires to do so.

“Any changes to the physical collection and the management of that will take place in a carefully managed and gradual way over the next four years.”

The museum welcomes 300,000 visitors each year and opened back in 1972.

Famous cars in the museum’s collection include Mr Bean’s Mini, Del Boy’s Reliant van and the flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Overall, the museum is home to 1.9million items.

To enter the museum, you’ll need to get a ticket which covers the museum, Palace House, gardens, Beaulieu Abbey and the monorail.

Tickets cost from £24.80 per adult and £14.57 per child.

EASYJET is set to pull out of a major European airport, cancelling all flights.

The budget airline announced earlier this week that it would be ending all flights from Leeds Bradford Airport in January 2026.

However, it is also cancelling its remaining flights from a major airport in Norway.

easyJet currently operates flights between Oslo Airport and Manchester; however these will be scrapped later this year.

According to TravelMole, this works out to around 11,000 one-way seats a month, or 61 flights from the airport.

Having already axed all routes to Oslo from Paris and Milan, the Manchester route will follow suit by October 23.

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This is after eight years of operating to the Norwegian airport.

This just leaves Tromso and Harstad-Narvik as easyJet‘s only airports in Norway.

An easyJet spokesperson told Sun Travel: “Following a review of the route, easyJet can confirm that from 23 October it will no longer operate flights between Manchester and Oslo.

“We concentrate our efforts on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers, focusing on offering routes with the greatest demand, and we continue to serve customers in the UK with flights to Tromso and Harstad-Narvik from airports across the UK including London Gatwick, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh.”

Other airports that easyJet has pulled out of recently is Istanbul Airport back in March, as well as Milan Bergamo and Stockholm Arlanda last year.

It comes just days after easyJet confirmed that they would be pulling out of Leeds Bradford Airport.

After 16 years of flying to the UK airport, all flights will stop from January 5, 2026.

Routes from the airport currently include Barcelona, Majorca and Malaga, along with Paris, Geneva and Belfast.

An easyJet spokesperson said: “Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.”

TRAINS to a major UK airport are experiencing major delays or have been cancelled due to a fire near the track.

Anyone travelling to the London Stansted Airport today has been warned of the disruption.

Greater Anglia, which operates the Stansted Express, has been forced to cancel many of its trains this morning.

A fire that broke out between Cambridge Heath and London Fields has damaged signalling equipment causing delays on the tracks.

On X, Greater Anglia issued a travel warning. It explained: “A fire next to the track yesterday, between Cambridge Heath and London Fields, has damaged signalling equipment. 

“Trains are unable to run between London Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs. Network Rail engineers are working on replacing the damaged signalling cables as quickly as possible.”

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The routes affected include:

• London Liverpool Street to and from Stansted Airport
• London Liverpool Street to and from Cambridge North London
• Liverpool Street to and from Hertford East Service

Tickets are being accepted at no extra cost on other lines such as the London Overground Mildmay Line between Stratford and Hackney Central.

They are also being taken between Kings Cross and Cambridge and Moorgate and Hertford North, and between Liverpool Street and Kings Cross with London Underground.

On the Stansted Express website, most trains from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport have been cancelled up until midday.

Those scheduled are expected to be delayed.

The majority of services from Tottenham Hale to Stansted Airport have also either been either delayed or cancelled.

Only one route from Stratford to Stansted Airport shows as ‘on time’ before midday with at least four services being cancelled.

A NEW train service has launched in Europe – with double-decker trains.

A double-deck train service between Finland and Sweden has launched and is now the longest route of its kind in the world.

It is the first rail connection between northern Finland and southern Europe in nearly 40 years.

The route used to run back in the 1980s to the 90s but was stopped due to low passenger numbers.

The route has two services each day and is operated by Finnish state railway VR.

The journey heads from Oulu in Finland to Haparanda in Sweden and takes about an hour and 40 minutes.

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If you are heading to Sweden, you must switch trains at Haparanda Station.

As a result of the new connection, travellers can head from Lapland all the way to Portugal‘s Algarve along one route stretching 3,100 miles making it the longest train journey in the world.

On part of the track, you can head from Helsinki – the capital of Finland – to Stockholm – the capital of Sweden – in 24 hours.

Until now, travellers wanting to head between Finland and Sweden would need to rely on a bus or walking the 1.2mile walk gap between the two.

The new link between Tornio in Lapland, Finland and Haparanda, Sweden, now bridges that gap.

Tickets for the route start as little as €5.40 (£4.60).

A BUDGET airline is scrapping its flights from a UK airport.

Vueling first launched flights from Cardiff Airport back in 2012.

It planned to operate seasonal flights to the Spanish city of Alicante this winter.

However, Vueling has now withdrawn it from its winter 2026–27 flights from Cardiff – just four months after first placing flights on sale.

The airline had scheduled a three-weekly service to Alicante over the Christmas and New Year period.

The last flight of the year from Cardiff Airport to Alicante is on October 24.

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It’s flights to Malaga will end on October 18, which was already planned.

Neither the airline nor Cardiff Airport has confirmed if the flights will be returning for the summer season.

A Vueling spokesperson said: “At Vueling, we are constantly analysing our network and flight schedule to offer our passengers the best connectivity options and adapt our offer to the connectivity needs of each route.

“In this regard, our route between Alicante and Cardiff will not operate during the 2026 winter season. In any case, we continuously evaluate any opportunities that may arise in the future.”

Passengers have taken to social media who have been affected.

One said: “They always seem to cancel lots of winter flights out of Cardiff due to low sales. They release them late then wonder why they don’t sell. Shame as Vueling provide a great service.”

Another said: “We usually fly with them in February and the flights are pretty full so I am surprised.”

A spokesperson for Cardiff Airport said they were “disappointed” that the service had been withdrawn.

They added: “Alicante remains a popular destination from Cardiff, with TUI and Ryanair continuing to offer direct flights this winter.

“We remain focused on working with our airline partners to grow our route network and give customers across Wales greater choice from Cardiff.

“We would encourage any customers affected by Vueling’s decision to contact the airline directly regarding their booking and to explore the alternative travel options available from Cardiff.”

PASSENGERS are facing travel chaos today after a train caught fire.

Trains running to Gatwick are being cancelled or delayed until further notice.

Passengers are being urged to check before they travel.

A train is on fire between Balham and London Victoria, with some lines between these stations closed as a result.

The Gatwick Express account posted on X: “A train is on fire between Balham and London Victoria.

“Some lines are closed between these stations until further notice.

“Gatwick Express services will still run but may be delayed due to congestion.

“Please check your train before you travel and allow extra time to reach your destination.”

Southern Rail also warned of disruption until 3pm.

“Both slow lines between Balham and Clapham Junction are blocked until further notice.

“We will be unable to stop at Wandsworth Common or Battersea Park until further notice.

“If you are travelling to or from these stations, you will need to use an alternative route for your journey.”

In an update, it said some trains are being delayed by at least half an hour.

A BUDGET airline has revealed the exact date it will be cancelling its flights from a major UK airport.

EasyJet will be cancelling all its flights from Leeds Bradford Airport on January 5, 2027.

The decision follows a review conducted by the airline of its routes from Leeds Bradford Airport.

Current routes from Leeds Bradford Airport include Barcelona, Malaga, Paris, Geneva and Belfast.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the airline said: “Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January.

“Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.

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“We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand.”

The airline added that customers had been contacted with bookings beyond January 5 and offered either a flight transfer or a full refund.

EasyJet first launched its flights from the airport back in 2010 and only introduced its Paris route in 2024.

If you still want to head on holiday from Leeds Bradford Airport, there are other options available.

Competitor budget airline, Ryanair, still operates to and from the airport, as well as Jet2.

Leeds Bradford Airport has also recently had a £100million glow-up with a larger terminal that has more shops, seats and lounges.

Earlier today, Chinese firm LandSpace achieved the country’s first successful recovery of a reusable space launch rocket booster on land. This follows China’s first-ever recovery of a reusable space launch rocket booster last month, which state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) conducted at sea using a specially configured ship. Reusable boosters can lower costs and increase the tempo of launches dramatically, which would be extremely beneficial for China’s already massively expanding military and national security space enterprise. It could also go a long way to closing the gap on commercial launch costs with the U.S.

“On August 19, 2026, at 07:35 (UTC+8), the ZhuQue-3 (ZQ-3) Y2 reusable launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone. Approximately 137 seconds after lift-off, the first and second stages separated. The second stage continued its flight and successfully delivered the Honghu 03 satellite, independently developed by Hongqing Technology, into its designated orbit,” according to a post from LandSpace’s official account on X. “At approximately 07:41, the first stage performed a successful soft touchdown at the LandSpace Landing Site#1 in Minqin County, Gansu Province, following the planned trajectory – marking the full success of the flight test mission.”

ZhuQue-3 first landing

“This mission marks China’s first-ever successful recovery attempt of the first stage of an orbital-class launch vehicle using landing legs, and China’s first successful booster recovery on land,” the company wrote in another post on X. “It is a pivotal flight test for ZhuQue-3 as it transitions from the technological demonstration and verification phase toward the engineering application phase of reusability. This mission further verified the design correctness and reliability of the ZhuQue-3 reusable launch vehicle system, validated its first-stage recovery capability and engineering maturity.”

This is only the second-ever launch involving the two-stage ZQ-3. The first launch came last December, and the upper stage successfully reached low Earth orbit (LEO). However, the attempted recovery of the first stage booster failed and it exploded on the pad. “Abnormal combustion occurred during the process, preventing a soft landing on the recovery site,” according to a machine translation of a subsequent report from Chinese state-run media outlet Xinhua.

A complete ZQ-3 space launch rocket is around 216.5 feet (66 meters) long and close to 15 feet in diameter (4.5 meters). It can reportedly loft up to 14.2 metric tons of payload into LEO.

The design of the reusable ZQ-3 booster, including its fold-out landing legs at the base and stabilizing fins at the top, is very reminiscent of U.S. firm SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The ZQ-3 and Falcon 9 (229.6 feet/70 meters tall, 12 feet/3.7 meters diameter) are also similar in overall size, but the latter has a higher stated payload rating (maximum 22.8 metric tons to LEO). SpaceX pioneered reusable space-launch booster technology. The company is currently the top space launch provider globally, by far, with the U.S. government, and more specifically the U.S. military, being its chief customer.

LandSpace has not shied away from comparisons to the Falcon 9, and has reportedly said the primarily stainless steel construction of the ZQ-3 makes it cheaper to produce than its American competitor. It is also worth noting here that other companies in the United States, like Blue Origin, and elsewhere globally are pressing to enter the market place, as well.

The ZQ-3 also notably uses liquid methane as its main propellant. “A methane-liquid oxygen propellant mix offers advantages in performance and reduces issues of soot formation and coking for purposes of reusability,” according to a 2023 story from SpaceNews.

LandSpace has already claimed the title as the first anywhere in the world to get a liquid methane-fueled rocket into space and then into orbit with its earlier two-stage Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2) design. To date, the company has conducted eight ZQ-2 launches, six of which have been successful. The company’s original design was the three-stage ZQ-1, which it attempted to launch just once, without success, in 2018.

LandSpace’s official launch video of Zhuque-2 Y2 methane rocket

As noted, LandSpace’s achievement today follows CASC’s successful recovery of the reusable booster from a two-stage Long March 10B space launch rocket in July. The state-run aerospace firm used a net-like device installed on a ship to ‘catch’ the booster as it returned to Earth. This method of recovery means that the Long March 10B booster does not have, or necessarily need, landing legs, though it does have fins for stabilization at the top.

Long March-10B first landing

The Long March 10B is part of a family of space launch rockets with multiple stage and booster configurations. The first-ever launch of a Long March 10-series rocket, a 10A variant, only came in February. In that instance, the booster did return to Earth vertically, but set down in the sea rather than being recovered. CASC is also currently developing reusable versions of its Long March 12 design.

Long March-10 launch and landing

LandSpace’s ostensible focus is on commercial launch opportunities. CASC’s Long March 10 family is generally discussed in the context of China’s nominally civilian space program, including flights to the Tiangong space station and plans for a crewed mission to the lunar surface.

At the same time, it is hard not to see this continued push toward new reusable space launch capabilities having huge impacts on Chinese military and other national security activities outside the Earth’s atmosphere. A mature, reliable reusable space launch capability would drastically accelerate China’s access to space across the board while also lowering costs. This is especially vital for the deployment of new large distributed constellations.

This would also increase China’s ability to compete on price in the commercial space launch market globally. As noted, the United States currently enjoys a decided competitive advantage in this arena worldwide, thanks largely to SpaceX and its reusable launch options. The benefits of securing a greater share of this market could easily feed back into Chinese national security applications by helping further spread cost burdens and fueling accelerating development of this class of space launch systems.

In the meantime, the Chinese government has already been expanding its space-based intelligence gathering and other capabilities at a breakneck pace using non-reusable launch options.

“I think the ongoing greatest challenge is just the speed at which China is moving to rapidly improve their space capabilities and the breadth that that potentially poses,” U.S. Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command, said at the annual Space & Missile Defense (SMD) Symposium last week, at which TWZ was in attendance. “China is moving breathtakingly fast.”

Whiting was responding to a question about what he felt were the greatest challenges facing his command over the next year to 18 months.

What “[China’s] President Xi [Jinping] has decided to do is build the second-best remote sensing architecture in the world from outer space, and that’s now what they have,” Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, head of the Space Force’s Combat Forces Command (CFC), also told TWZ and others at a roundtable at the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) Warfare Symposium in February. “So when 2013 started, and he came to power, he had less than 100 satellites that were the total of what China had in outer space. They have about 1,900 today.”

“Over 500 of those satellites are remote sensing satellites, which are purposely designed and networked to track mobile forces such as U.S. carriers, destroyers, and cruisers in the Pacific, as well as aircraft that deploy around the Pacific. Those have been built with a purpose. The purpose is to cue their long-range fire weapons,” he added.

The U.S. military is now openly calling for new anti-satellite weapons to challenge China’s growing presence in orbit, further underscoring the scale of these developments.

With the new milestones just in the past two months, Chinese aerospace firms now look to be moving very fast in the realm of reusable space launch boosters, which only further fuel its many ambitions in orbit and beyond.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

ORLANDO, Fla. — Across 250 years, only three elected governors out of thousands have been Black — all Democrats and all men, including current Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

But Moore could soon have company.

With Florida Republicans nominating U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds on Tuesday, there are seven Black major party gubernatorial nominees in addition to Moore — men and women, Democrats and Republicans — on November ballots.

“We do have a unique moment here,” said Moore, who recently became chair of the National Governors Association. He often says that his historic status is “not an applause line” but instead represents a bigger challenge that this country is still looking to overcome.

The Black nominees typically do not focus on the history at stake, instead emphasizing their experience and policy proposals.

“Florida is a great meritocracy in America,” Donalds told reporters Tuesday night after not mentioning his race at all in his victory speech. “I’ll let you guys write about that,” he added.

But many said that more reflective representation matters given the nation’s history, from slavery to Jim Crow and the lingering effects.

“It’s not a secret that some issues in the African American community get ignored and don’t have a voice,” said Aaron Ford, Nevada’s first Black attorney general and now the Democratic nominee for governor. Ford said he brings a focus to issues ranging from voting rights and civil rights to the economy.

Republican Lisa Demuth said she “has never led with any type of identity politics” as Minnesota’s first Black House speaker and now her party’s nominee for governor. “But I recognize the historic state we are in right now,” she said. Michigan Republicans also chose U.S. Rep. John James, who is Black, as their gubernatorial nominee.

Former New York Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat who was not elected but ascended when Eliot Spitzer resigned in 2008, celebrated that the slate crosses party lines. “This is one day when maybe the Democrats and Republicans could stand in front of a statue of George Washington and let him know that we’re finally getting it right,” he said.

Democrats, meanwhile, emphasized that their Black candidates – who also include Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina and David Crowley in Wisconsin – are especially important after the U.S. Supreme Cour t cleared the way for states to redraw legislative districts that are majority or plurality nonwhite. That was compounded by President Trump’s attacks on diversity initiatives and push to rewrite how the U.S. tells its history of the slave trade and Jim Crow segregation.

“Governors, in many ways, are becoming the last lines of defense against what we’re seeing in Washington,” Moore said.

A challenge for Black politicians, even more so than reaching the U.S. Senate

Karen Finney, who helped push Democrat Joe Biden to select a Black woman as his vice presidential running mate, said Black politicians often are the first and loudest advocates on issues that acutely affect Black constituents. She and others cited health disparities such as maternal and infant mortality and sickle cell disease, and Finney noted that an inflationary economy hits harder in Black communities that, on average, have lower income and net worth than the wider population.

She said it is important for legislators to raise those matters and even more impactful when it is an executive.

“These are people who have the power to shape our lives, and they shape the agenda,” Finney said.

But the governor’s seat has been notoriously hard for Black politicians to reach, even more difficult than the U.S. Senate. Democrat Douglas Wilder of Virginia took office in 1990 as the nation’s first elected Black governor.

“I didn’t become Maryland’s first Black governor because the Democratic Party said, ‘I think it’s time for us to put Wes Moore up in the seat’,” Moore said. “I had to run against the party.”

“I don’t think that the party is doing enough,” Moore added, specifically bemoaning a “negligence” in Southern states where Black voters anchor Democrats’ base.

Stacey Abrams, who lost two Georgia governor’s races, recalled white Democratic power players raising money for her primary opponent in 2018, although she disputed that explicit racism was the issue.

“We do what we’ve done because it’s what we did,” she said. “Black women have not been executives, and the absence of that proof point becomes a self-reinforcing philosophy.”

This time, she noted, Bottoms already has been an executive as mayor of Atlanta.

Democrats and Republicans talk about ‘identity politics’ differently

In Minnesota, history will be made in November when the state elects its first female governor as Demuth competes against Democrat Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. senator. Demuth said she looks forward to a day when such distinctions seem less notable.

“One of the things that I really do look forward to is where it’s already done, where it no longer makes history,” she said. “So I think of young women, little girls that are looking at you, could I ever be governor of Minnesota? I hope when I win, they’re able to look at point to that and say she’s already done it.”

In Georgia, Bottoms told the National Association of Black Journalists last week that she does not “give a lot of talk … about the historical nature” of her campaign. Yet she notes her family’s Georgia ties go “back at least five generations through a plantation in Crawfordville” and that her grandfather had to “walk through these back doors” when he moved to Atlanta. She never mentioned slavery or segregation but said her ancestry “is always present with me.”

Abrams, who has campaigned for Bottoms and other Democrats this year, was more direct, arguing that all politics is identity politics of some kind — and that Republicans’ version is simply more coded.

“When your Constitution specifically strips a race of its humanity, you cannot then later on say identity doesn’t matter and has no effect, and we’ve spent 250 years trying to reckon with that identity” with social, political and legal fights, she continued. “So, it’s deeply disingenuous, if not woefully naive, to say that identity does not matter.”

Race shapes many decisions, but not all of them

Deval Patrick, whose tenure in Massachusetts overlapped with Paterson’s in New York, said his race mattered especially to his Black constituents and what they wanted from him. It was “just different than the expectations of my predecessors,” he said, recalling criticism after he did not visit a Boston neighborhood where a teenager had been killed by gun violence.

“His mother was on the news grieving, and at some point she said while the cameras were rolling, where is Gov. Patrick?” he said. “Nobody had ever asked one of my predecessors to come to a crime scene in a neighborhood. Never.”

In Nevada, Ford said being governor still means recognizing how many core issues – jobs, housing and healthcare – cross demographic lines.

“It could be a white man, a Latino woman. It could be a person urban, suburban or rural Nevada. It could be someone from northern Nevada, southern Nevada. These are the issues that are important to them,” he said.

Patrick, who talks regularly with Ford and Moore, agreed, saying that is not just how a governor does the job, but how a candidate wins it in the first place.

“The successful candidates are the ones who present themselves as candidates for everyone,” he said, “and not candidates for just some.”

Barrow and Sloan write for the Associated Press. Sloan reported from Washington.

ONE busy London station has closed until next month – and it is bad news if you are travelling during the day.

Southwark Underground Station in London has now closed during the daytime, every weekday across the next month.

The closure started on August 17 and will run until September 11.

This means that the Jubilee Line will not stop at the station at certain times of the day.

Commuters shouldn’t be impacted too much though as the station will only be closed between 9:45am and 4:15pm, but Transport for London (TfL) is advising passengers to check before they travel.

But families or tourists travelling off peak will not be able to get off at the station.

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The tube station is undergoing extensive construction works above ground including two mixed-use buildings being added on top of the site.

High noise levels mean that it is unsafe to run operations during the time construction work is being done.

There will also be a new shopping area and cafe space, as well as a public garden and a play area.

The next nearest station on the Jubilee Line is Waterloo, which is around an eight to 10-minute walk away.

Once work has finished on the station and surrounding site, there will be a 15 storey building with 429 ensuite studio rooms, used as student accommodation.

There will then be another nine storey block, with 44 council homes.

Southwark station opened back in 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) and today, 30 trains per hour in each direction at the station.

In November 2025, the station was officially awarded Grade II-listed status by Historic England.

Experts at the time even labelled it as “one of the most memorable and theatrical spaces on the London Underground network”.

EASYJET is cancelling all flights from a major UK airport for good.

The budget airline has confirmed that the axing of all flights from Leeds Bradford Airport will come into place from January 5, 2027.

Current routes from Leeds Bradford Airport include Barcelona, Majorca, Malaga and Paris, as well as Geneva and Belfast.

The airline said in a statement: “Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January.

“Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.

“We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand.”

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They also said that they had “contacted customers with bookings beyond this date,” with options including free transfer to other flights or refunds.

Other airlines still operating from Leeds Bradford Airport include Ryanair and Jet2.

EasyJet launched its first flight from Leeds Bradford Airport in 2010, to Geneva.

This followed other routes such as Belfast in 2021 and Paris in 2024.

Last year, Leeds Bradford Airport opened its new £100million terminal expansion, which includes more retail space, seating and new lounges.

Some of the recent new routes that are launching from the airport include Jet2’s Santorini and Preveza, from summer 2027.

The longest flight from the airport is to Hurghada, taking around 5hr40, although previously expressed plans to launch long haul flights in the future.

A MAJOR European airport continues to be impacted by a volcanic eruption.

Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy has has faced hundreds of cancellations and delays, as well as a multi-day closure over the past week.

It has since issued yet another travel warning this morning as Mount Etna continues to cause travel disruption.

In the latest statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity, the closure of the airspace corresponding to Sector B1 has been extended.

“Arriving flight operations have been restored to 12 aircraft per hour until 6:00 PM today, 18 August.

“There are no restrictions on departures. Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.

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“Further updates will follow.”

While the airport is now open, Etna is still erupting with a new lava flow emerging just yesterday.

Cancellations today include a flight due to land at 12pm from Manchester Airport.

While most flights remain ‘scheduled’ according to the airport’s website, as the day progresses delays could emerge.

Last week, cancellations at the airport saw passengers stranded with some even sleeping on luggage belts.

Numerous other flights were diverted to Palermo Airport, also in Sicily.

There were also disruptions at Malta International Airport last week, as an ash cloud caused by Etna travelled across the country.

More than half a million Brits were reportedly living in vans or campervans as of August 2025, but for those who want one for the odd holiday, the costs can add up quickly

For many, the idea of a portable home on wheels is a dream: the chance to hit the road, live more adventurously and avoid expensive hotel bills. Some have even opted to live full-time in converted vans, swapping traditional bricks-and-mortar living for life on the move.

More than half a million Brits were living in vans or campervans as of August 2025, according to estate agent Property Revolutions Ltd. But for those who want one mainly for the odd holiday, the costs can add up quickly.

Former campervan owner and journalist Clare Macnaughton spotted this downside and eventually sold hers. As she explains, a campervan for her meant a “third vehicle”, complete with MOT, insurance, servicing bills and a “diesel habit to feed”.

So what’s the alternative? Clare chose a vehicle famously loathed by petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson. She and her family bought an Adria Action 361 LT — a traditional two-berth caravan.

Clare admits the caravan wasn’t fault-free at first – she’s had a couple of early niggles, including trouble with the fridge switch and a fuse in one of the sockets. Even so, she says one feature has won her over completely, describing it as a “revelation”.

She wrote in The Telegraph “And then, the revelation: the bed. This caravan may be tiny, but the bed is colossal. Pete is 6ft 1in, with a back ruined by a lifetime of lugging tiles up ladders, and the campervan’s bed was always a couple of inches too short for him.

“This one swallowed Pete, me and Maya with room to spare. Whoever designed this caravan clearly understood the priorities of middle age: you can compromise on almost anything, just don’t compromise on the bed.”

The Caravan and Motorhome Club also rates the model highly. In a write-up on its site, it awarded it 92%, calling it “singularly attractive” and saying it’s “easy to tow”.

“Singularly attractive, nicely made, easy to tow, good value and a brilliant lounge. Wholeheartedly recommended.” It also highlighted the generous sleeping space, calling it a “behemoth of a double bed”.

The comments come after psychologist Dr Sophie Mort, who told the Express that camping can support mental wellbeing — noting how “camping gives everyone a task”.

She explained: “When we’re away from screens, work pressures and daily routines, we’re more likely to have meaningful conversations, share experiences and form deeper connections with those around us.

“So many of us are burned out, stressed out and even talked out right now. Camping gives everyone a task, putting up the tent, unrolling the sleeping bags or getting the stove going for tea, so people can be together without the pressure of more talking and dissecting.

“It’s often in those low-stakes, side-by-side moments that conversation starts to flow naturally.”

A EUROPEAN airport has finally restarted flights after a week of chaos – but passengers are still being warned of cancellations.

Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy, was forced to cancel hundreds of flights last week as well as close for a number of days due to Mount Etna erupting.

Today, the airport is open again, however flights are still being cancelled.

There are currently no restrictions on departures, but only five flights are allowed to arrive at the airport per hour.

And despite departure flights going ahead, there are already several delays this morning affecting Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways passengers.

In the latest statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity and the associated release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the airspace corresponding to Sectors B1 and B2 has been closed.

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“Arriving flights are limited to 5 aircraft per hour until 2:00 PM today, Monday 17 August.

“There are no restrictions on departures.

“Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport. Further updates will follow in the coming hours.”

In the latest update, at 7:09am this morning a new volcano vent opened, creating a new lava flow.

“Intense explosive activity” also resumed at the summit crater, with an ash plume rising a few kilometres, according to Volcano Discovery.

Some passengers have been left stranded during the volcanic activity.

Barbara Krmelj, 35 and partner Roy Barone, 46, were due to fly back to London on August 11 but their flights were cancelled.

As a result, the duo had to take an extra week’s leave from their jobs and while they have been given new flights, they anticipate that they too will be cancelled.

The couple, who said they are likely to have been left £1,000 out of pocket, added: “We can’t enjoy all the beauty around us as we feel trapped on the island.”

Another passenger, Evgenia Filimianova, 39, flew to Sicily from London to attend a friends wedding but their return flight was cancelled.

Evgenia said: “It feels like there is no way out. Emotionally, it’s not easy – it’s stressful and tiring and we weren’t prepared for it.”

Last week, the volcanic ash also caused issues at Malta International Airport.

The Polish Navy launched its largest surface combatant since the interwar period, when the frigate Wicher went into the water today. The warship, built locally according to a British design, is the first of three and part of a wide-ranging modernization program for the Polish Navy as it adapts to meet a growing Russian threat in the strategic Baltic Sea region and elsewhere.

Wicher (Polish for gale) was floated off a semi-submersible heavy-lift barge in the Gulf of Gdansk today.

Yesterday, the frigate was still on dry land, in the dock at the PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (PGZ SW) yard in Gdynia, on the Baltic Sea, where it had been built. It was rolled out and placed on the barge there before its christening and naming ceremony attended by Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

“Within the PGZ Group, we are implementing projects of strategic importance to national security,” said Adam Leszkiewicz, CEO of PGZ. “The christening and launch of the first frigate under the Miecznik program is one of the most important milestones in rebuilding the operational capabilities of the Polish Navy.”

Yesterday’s ceremony was marked by the blasts from the ship horns of two of the warships that Wicher will replace. These are the Kościuszko, which accompanied Wicher during its launch today, and Pułaski, currently in dry dock at the shipyard.

These are Poland’s two Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates, dating from the late Cold War period and transferred from the U.S. Navy.

The three new multirole frigates being built in the Project 106 Miecznik (Swordfish) class — described as the largest program of its kind in Polish Navy history — are far more capable vessels, based on Babcock International’s Arrowhead 140 design.

The Arrowhead 140 design is derived from the innovative Iver Huitfeldt class frigate used by the Royal Danish Navy and also forms the basis of the U.K. Royal Navy Type 31 general-purpose frigate. Overall, the Arrowhead 140 has a modular structure and generous internal space, meaning it can be adapted for a variety of different systems and sub-systems, as required.

The new Swordfish frigates have a length of 138 meters (453 feet), a beam of approximately 20 meters (66 feet), and a maximum displacement (including additional equipment and armor) of approximately 7,700 tons. They will have a maximum range of approximately 8,000 nautical miles, and a maximum speed of 28 knots, powered by four combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) piston engines driving two propellers. Each will have a core crew of approximately 120, with space to embark an additional 60 personnel.

Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design was selected by Poland in 2022, after which a keel-laying ceremony for Wicher was held in Gdynia in January 2024.

Construction of the second vessel, Burza (Storm), had begun by early 2026, which is planned to be followed by its launch in 2027 and commissioning in 2030. The keel for the third ship, Huragan (Hurricane), will be laid down in late 2026, followed by a planned launch in 2028 and commissioning in 2031.

While they are multirole vessels, the Miecznik design stresses anti-air warfare (AAW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

Compared to the British Type 31, the Miecznik is more extensively equipped.

For its AAW mission, the primary weapon of the Polish warship is the MBDA CAMM, or Common Anti-air Modular Missile.

Firing trials of the CAMM (also known as Sea Ceptor) from the U.K. Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll:

Sea Ceptor firing trials from HMS Argyll

For medium-range threats, out to beyond 62 miles, the warship will be armed with the CAMM-MR, being jointly developed by Poland and the United Kingdom under the Future Common Missile (FCM) program.

The standard CAMM, with a maximum range of around 28 miles, will also be carried to engage targets at shorter distances.

Versions of the CAMM can be quad-packed, in this case in the U.S.-made Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS), with 32 cells. That would provide for a maximum of 128 missiles, especially significant bearing in mind current concerns about magazine depth in the face of sustained drone and missile barrages.

Depending on the exact configuration of the VLS, other kinds of missiles and ASW weapons could potentially be integrated at a later date, too.

For ASW specifically, the Miecznik class is provided with two dual-tube launchers for MU90 Impact lightweight torpedoes. The same torpedoes arm the Polish Navy’s AW101 helicopters, seen in the tweet below, which can also be embarked.

For surface strike, the frigate will be armed with eight Kongsberg Naval Strike Missiles (NSM), stealthy weapons that can be used against other ships as well as against targets on land. There is an option to install an additional eight NSM launchers if required.

Gun armament will comprise a Leonardo 76mm Strales, which is compatible with guided ammunition. While these are dual-purpose weapons also capable of striking surface and land targets, the guns are optimized for the anti-missile and anti-drone defense role, for which they fire DART projectiles that employ radio-command guidance for accuracy. The video below shows the Strales/DART combination in action during peacetime:

Strales system with DART ammunition

Two 35mm guns will also be able to fire programmable ammunition. These guns will likely be the locally produced OSU-35K remote weapon stations, as seen below on a Polish Navy minehunter:

Najbliższe dni upłyną nam pod znakiem Miecznika i wodowania Wichra. Równolegle pracujemy jednak przy jednostkach już będących w służbie – dziś na niszczycielu min ORP Albatros (602) zamontowaliśmy docelowy system artyleryjski OSU-35K.
Albatros to typ Kormoran II. Okręty te… pic.twitter.com/pEvF79AofY

— PGZ Stocznia Wojenna ⚓ (@StoczniaWojenna) July 28, 2026

For self-defense, the vessels will be fitted with the Terma C-Guard system, with eight fixed 130mm launchers that can dispense infrared, radar-frequency, and acoustic countermeasures.

The majority of the sensor suite on the Miecznik class is provided by Thales, integrated under its TACTICOS combat management system (CMS), already used by the Polish Navy. Thales-provided equipment also includes primary and secondary multifunction radars, a panoramic electro-optical system, and an underwater detection suite comprising a hull-mounted sonar and a towed array sonar.

TACTICOS, Thales’s Combat Management System for Warfighting and Maritime Security Operations

The electronic warfare system is from Rohde & Schwarz, based on that company’s KORA system.

Other additional systems include a laser warning system, navigation radars, and a diver detection sonar.

From the outset, the Polish Navy has schemed the Miecznik class around uncrewed systems, both in terms of operating these itself and countering hostile drones.

While it’s unclear what types of drones may be embarked, the Arrowhead 140 design includes four boat bays, which can accommodate uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) as well as traditional small, crewed boats. The large helicopter deck can also embark rotary-wing drones.

Bearing in mind the emphasis on ASW missions, USVs and rotary-wing drones equipped for this mission could become a regular fixture on the frigate, helping to extend its surveillance range and also for prosecuting targets, especially in high-risk and/or littoral environments.

Under current planning, Wicher is expected to be commissioned in 2029, following sea trials and qualification tests. Before then, the warship needs to be fully outfitted and its systems integrated, which will also be conducted at Gdynia.

The Miecznik program is scheduled for completion by the end of 2031, making it a remarkably compressed effort, reflecting the urgency behind Poland’s military modernization.

PGZ – Miecznik – Nowoczesna fregata dla Marynarki Wojennej RP

In the maritime realm, the new frigates are key to Poland’s efforts to transform its navy from a relatively small Baltic force centered on aging, second-hand warships into a more capable fleet able to make meaningful contributions to high-end NATO maritime operations.

The Miecznik class represents a substantial increase in both size and combat capability over the Polish Navy’s existing surface combatants. The transformation is being driven in large part by the changing security environment in the Baltic following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

With Finland and Sweden joining NATO, Germany strengthening its maritime capabilities, and the Baltic states expanding their armed forces, Poland is positioning itself to play a much larger role in the alliance’s regional maritime architecture.

Russia retains substantial air defense, electronic warfare, and strike capabilities in the Baltic region, while its Baltic Fleet is relatively modern and well preserved compared with the Black Sea Fleet. Russian forces in and around the Baltic region — particularly Kaliningrad, western Russia, and Belarus — can combine these capabilities with long-range missiles, submarines, mines and other systems to threaten NATO forces before they even have the chance to concentrate.

Already, Russia is employing cyber operations, sabotage, GPS/electronic interference, drone activity and other “gray zone” measures around NATO’s eastern flank.

A modern frigate force, backed by advanced submarines, coastal anti-ship missiles, and other naval capabilities, will give Warsaw considerably more reach and flexibility both inside the Baltic and beyond it.

However, there remains a question over whether Poland can generate enough people, infrastructure, and sustained resources to turn its ambitious procurement plans into a genuinely effective fleet. The Polish Navy has historically operated with a relatively small personnel base, currently numbering just over 6,000, while the country’s armed forces are simultaneously pursuing one of Europe’s most expansive modernization programs. Manning, training, maintaining, and sustaining an expanded fleet could ultimately prove a challenge.

Poland has an option with Babcock to build a further five ships to the same design. Perhaps more significantly, construction infrastructure built for the program, and the accompanying skills base, will be available for projects in the future, helping the Polish Navy continue its modernization.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com