major

Chinese schoolgirl Yu Zidi lit up the opening day of the Asian Games with a record‑breaking 200m butterfly gold medal secured by a performance she described as “only so‑so”.

The 13‑year‑old claimed her first major gold in two minutes 05.08 seconds, an Asian Games record that took almost half a second off compatriot Zhang Yufei’s mark from three years ago.

Yu, who is strongly tipped to make an impact at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, won by over three seconds in Tokyo from her team-mate Chang Mohan.

“It was only so-so,” a smiling Yu said after receiving her medal, adding that her butterfly technique “is still slightly lacking”.

“I hope I can swim even faster. I improved my time by 0.9 seconds here, and I believe I will perform better next time,” she continued.

Yu, who will take part in two more individual events at the Asian Games, became the youngest ever swimmer to win a medal at the World Championships when she took bronze as a 12-year-old as part of China’s 4x200m freestyle relay team last year.

ED Sheeran has made a major show change as he admitted he was “afraid” of being pelted by projectiles after the Macklemore controversy.

The singer yesterday broke his silence on the huge Palestine row, which saw Macklemore be pulled from his gigs over comments about the conflict – and his own band quit in protest.

As masked protesters waving Palestinian flags gathered outside the Lincoln Financial Field venue in Philadelphia, Ed took to the stage.

Near the end of the gig, Ed confessed he was forced to pivot from his original show plan over fears he didn’t know what the “audience would be like.”

Speaking at his stadium show, Ed said: “The show itself, at this point in the show, to be honest like I usually go out to B stage and I’m gonna be totally honest with you I didn’t know what the audience would be like tonight.

“I didn’t know if I was going to have things thrown at me. I didn’t know if people would be angry at me.”

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Ed Sheeran breaks down in tears onstage as he apologises over Palestine row

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The audience cheered as Ed continued: “I apologise that today is not the usual Loop show where I stand on the B stage but I was afraid of standing in the middle.

“I will admit that.”

Elsewhere in the show, Ed broke down in tears as he bowed to pressure threatening the future of his US tour, Loop, and apologised.

He said he had tried not to be a “political commentator” because he wanted his music to be about “unity”.

But then admitted on stage: “I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.”

“What happened in Israel and at the Nova music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain.

“What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.

“My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives.

“And the systemic injustice we are seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

The controversy started when US rapper Macklemore was banned by Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft from performing at the venue at a gig planned for later this month.

Kraft said he would not “provide a platform for hate speech” after the rapper spoke out about Palestine onstage.

But when Macklemore was pulled from the tour, several other support acts quit in solidarity – including Ed’s own band.

Other acts who dropped out included Grammy award-winning musician Finneas, Irish singer Aaron Rowe and Danish singer Lukas Graham.

Thousands then cancelled tickets and the musician was unsure if he’d be able to carry on with performances at all.

Emotional Ed said he had questioned whether he “wanted to be an artist at all” after the toxic fallout.

The devastated star thanked his fans for still coming out to his gig, saying: “This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome and everyone here can stand beside people that have opposing views, and everyone can stand beside people that they don’t agree with on everything, but they can all agree on singing these songs.”

The outage marks at least the sixth one this year after a United States-imposed energy blockade went into effect.

Cuba has worked to restore power after suffering a significant blackout that left many parts of the country in the dark.

The state-run company in charge of operating the country’s electrical system, Union Electrica (UNE), said nearly half of its customers in the capital of Havana had regained power on Saturday.

“The re-establishing is being done gradually, as conditions permit,” UNE posted on social media.

The latest blackout, at least the 12th since late 2024, first affected five of Cuba’s eastern provinces, including Havana, before spreading across the whole island. It is at least the sixth this year alone.

Cuban authorities told the Reuters news agency on Friday the collapse was the result of a failure in high-voltage transmission lines in the central part of the country. UNE said “unstable weather conditions” also played a role.

For years, Cuba’s ageing infrastructure and fuel shortages have led to sporadic blackouts. But power outages have become more frequent after the United States, in a bid to put political and economic pressure on the country’s government, imposed an energy blockade in January.

United Nations human rights experts have condemned the US oil blockade, calling it a violation of international law and warning ‌that ‌Cuba risks becoming a “silent Gaza” as shortages and blackouts grow ever more critical.

Some of the island’s residents said they were already out of power when Friday’s blackout happened.

“Yesterday, I’d gone without power for 24 hours. They turned the lights on for an hour, and then the grid collapsed,” Havana resident Frank Lorenzo, 23, told Reuters.

Others, like Lidia Fernandez, told the news agency AFP that a lack of fuel makes it difficult to power backup generators, which run on imported diesel.

“It’s one thing after another: no water, no gas for cooking, no electricity,” the 36-year-old teacher said.

Fernandez added, “Honestly, I don’t know how we haven’t gone crazy.”

A HUGE expansion at a major American airport that was supposed to open this year has been pushed back to 2027.

New York‘s John F. Kennedy International Airport in America is currently undergoing one of its biggest-ever transformations costing £7.1billion.

The centre of the project is the New Terminal One, which was expected to open before the end of this year but has now been pushed back to the first quarter of 2027.

The airport has confirmed that testing is needed before the terminal opens to passengers.

Once open, the terminal – which will have replaced the old one – will have 13 gates plus a temporary gate in its first phase of opening.

When the first phase is complete, the airport will move on to the second phase, which includes demolishing the former terminal.

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The second phase will also add nine gates, making a total of 23 gates at the completed terminal – 22 of which will be for wide-bodied planes commonly used for long-haul, international flights.

The 241,548sqm terminal will be the largest at the airport and inside there will be 27,871sqm of shops, restaurants and six lounges.

One of those lounges is Air France‘s largest lounge outside Paris, spread across two floors.

Inside the lounge, there will be seating for up to 400 travellers, with different dining areas celebrating French food and a bar with French wines and Champagnes.

Other spaces inside the terminal will include an “indoor green space” and “family-friendly amenities”.

And travellers will be able to spot a variety of public art installations too.

Airlines that will feature at the New Terminal One include Air France, KLM, Etihad Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, EVA Air, Turkish Airlines, Air New Zealand, Air China and Philippine Airlines.

The project forms part of an even larger £14.2billion transformation at the airport, where there will also be a new Terminal 6 and upgrades at three other terminals.

Airlines at Terminal 6 are expected to include JetBlue, United Airlines and other Star Alliance carriers.

At Terminal 4, there will be 10 new gates and an expanded check-in and arrival area.

Terminal 8 will then undergo a £300million upgrade, including adding new gates and transforming the retail spaces.

New York is a popular destination among British travellers, with around one million Brits heading to the city each year.

Flights between the UK and New York typically take between seven and eight hours and cost from £380 return.

All Creatures Great and Small fans were quick to share their thoughts on the first episode of the new Channel 5 series.

Beloved Channel 5 period drama All Creatures Great and Small has returned.

On Thursday (September 17), fans were thrilled when a brand new series kicked off as the residents of Darrowby were now settling into a post-war existence. The episode kicked off with James in London, as Channel 5 viewers got to see Helen’s (Rachel Shenton) sister Jenny (Imogen Clawson) as a nurse in the city.

However, when the couple returned to Darrowby, trouble arose as a new vet arrived in the village, which didn’t sit well with Siegfried (Samuel West), who accused him of trying to poach his clients from Skeldale House.

Fans also saw the return of Dorothy (Maimie McCoy), who made a comeback during the festive special last year and has since sparked a romance with Siegfried.

Although during the episode, it seems as though the pair are including Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) on their dates, as they spoke about going to see a film at the cinema later that night.

Elsewhere, Helen and Mrs Hall spoke about her return as Helen mentioned her being back had ‘made a difference’. Mrs Hall agreed as she said: “In more ways than one.”

Despite Helen joking that it meant she was keeping Siegfried out of their hair, Mrs Hall remarked: “No, she’s exactly what he needs. I had a feeling she would be if he gave her another chance.

Helen replied: “He doesn’t know how lucky he is to have you, do you know that?” As it seemed as though she was suggesting there was more to their friendship than is said, Mrs Hall didn’t notice.

As Dorothy later suggested, the three of them saw another film, Mrs Hall told her she didn’t mind if they wanted to spend time just the two of them, as she told her: “I’d hate to feel like I was getting in the way.”

Her friend replied: “If anyone is getting in the way, it’s me. You’re working, and here I am getting under your feet.” Mrs Hall added: “If you were in my way, I’d tell you.”

Later on, Siegfried was frazzled over the new arrival as Dorothy assured him he had no reason to worry over it, although Mrs Hall didn’t seem too convinced as she stayed quiet on the matter.

The interactions between the three characters didn’t go unnoticed with viewers, as many were quick to comment on the episode as they noticed the only link between Siegfried and Dorothy is Mrs Hall.

On X, one person said: “Both Dorothy and Siegfried are basically dating Audrey because she is the only common interest they have. brilliant.” Someone else added, “Audrey is the glue between Siegfried and Dorothy. These two do not have much in common, which became obvious. D doesn’t know Siegfried needs truth, not flattery, and Siegfried doesn’t even want her opinion.”

Another person added: “Wait. Why is Dorothy so hesitant to spend time alone with Siegfried, without Audrey there as well? Are things not going well? ill-matched?” While someone agreed: “So the cracks are already visible? Just what my predictive analysis hinted at. We would see stuff already, but things are going south just yet.”

All Creatures Great and Small continues Thursdays on Channel 5 from 9pm

ONE airport express bus fare has dropped by a whopping £9 thanks to a new government scheme.

It’s great news for holidaymakers heading to a major Scottish airport, as passengers can now get a single journey for just £2 rather than £11.

The regional bus fare cap has recently come into force in Glasgow meaning prices has been significantly reduced.

Mostly it’s across public buses in the areas towns or cities – but that also applies to the Glasgow Airport Express service.

So anyone travelling to Glasgow Airport can now get there for £2.

The fare was introduced in Glasgow and the majority of West Scotland from September 7.

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The cap has been funded by Transport Scotland and applies across Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde.

On its website, First Bus states: “All single journeys on First Bus services across Glasgow and the surrounding areas are capped at just £2 from 7 September no matter how far you’re travelling.

“That’s £2 to get to work. £2 to meet friends. £2 to head into town. Even £2 to start your journey to the airport on the Glasgow Airport Express.”

It’s good news too as Glasgow Airport recently increased its drop-off charge up to £7 for 15 minutes.

The £2 bus fare cap is set to come into force in parts of England too from next year.

The government announced in July 2026 that single bus tickets will be capped at £2 in areas of England outside London from January 1 until December 31 2027.

The hotels will open close to stations, motorways, attractions and stadiums

A popular hotel chain has announced plans to open 10 new locations across the UK. The expansion will create nearly 700 additional rooms, with the hotels expected to begin welcoming guests between late 2026 and 2028.

The properties will be positioned near major railway stations, motorways, stadiums, business centres and visitor attractions. Hilton confirmed the hotels will operate under Spark by Hilton, its value-focused “premium economy” brand.

The company says Spark offers reliable and comfortable accommodation at an accessible price, although room rates and individual opening dates have not yet been announced. A total of 672 rooms will be added across nine locations in England and one in Wales.

The new hotels will open in Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Hull, Peterborough, Runcorn, Sunderland, Wakefield and Washington. The 10 properties have been signed through an agreement between Hilton and UK hotel owner and operator AG Hotels Group.

Paul Blackmore, vice-president of development for the UK and Ireland at Hilton, said: “With nearly 700 rooms in the pipeline, including the brand’s first hotel in Wales, Spark continues to gain momentum.”

The full list of new hotels is:

• Spark by Hilton Cardiff North – 51 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Coventry Walsgrave – 48 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Derby Station – 100 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Doncaster East – 51 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Hull Central – 51 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Peterborough Norman Cross – 99 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Runcorn – 53 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Sunderland Northern Spire Bridge – 63 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Wakefield South – 77 rooms
• Spark by Hilton Washington Newcastle South – 79 room
• Spark by Hilton Dunfermline – 53 rooms

The Dunfermline property is separate from the 10 hotels included in the latest agreement. Spark by Hilton launched in 2023 and now has more than 275 hotels operating worldwide, with over 200 additional properties in development.

ONE of the capital’s busiest Tube lines is used by around 400,000 passengers each day, but it is soon getting a major £3.4billion upgrade.

The Piccadilly Line in London will undergo a series of closures between this month and the end of November to carry out upgrades on the line and to prepare for new trains to be delivered.

The Tube line is one of the busiest in the capital with 210million passengers every year.

Closures on the line include the following dates:

• Night Tube September 18 between Hyde Park Corner and Northfields
• September 19 to 20 between Hyde Park Corner and Acton Town
• Night Tube September 25 between Cockfosters and Acton Town
• September 26 to 27 between Cockfosters and Uxbridge
• Night Tube October 16 to 18 between Hammersmith and Heathrow and Uxbridge
• October 28  to 30 between Cockfosters and Uxbridge
• Night Tube October 30 to November 1 with no service on the entire line
• Night Tube November 20 to November 22 between Hammersmith and Heathrow and Uxbridge

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Works being carried out during these dates will prepare the Tube line for new trains that will enter service between December 2026 and June 2027.

The trains will replace the current 1973 fleet which has operated since 1975.

In total, there will be 94 new nine-car trains and overall the modernisation of the Tube line will cost £3.4billion.

The new trains will feature an open-plan design, with 10 per cent more capacity.

And – a relief for London commuters – there will be air conditioning onboard, which is a first for a deep Tube train.

Each train will also have dedicated spaces for wheelchair users and screens with real-time train arrivals.

According to Transport for London, there will be 27 trains an hour instead of 24, which means there will be a Tube every 135 seconds.

The Bakerloo Line will follow the Piccadilly Line in getting new trains, but passengers will have to wait until around 2035 for this.

AirBaltic, the national airline of Latvia, has filed fo Chatper 11 protection in New York. The airline currently operates direct services between London Gatwick and Riga, as well as twice-weekly seasonal Aberdeen to Riga service

AirBaltic has filed for bankruptcy, casting the airline’s future in serious doubt.

Latvia’s national airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in New York on 14 September as it seeks to restructure its debts.

AirBaltic currently operates direct services between London Gatwick and Riga, as well as twice-weekly seasonal Aberdeen to Riga service. These serve approximately 4,144 passengers each week, according to AirAdvisor.

Earlier this year, the airline announced it would launch flights from the UK to Lapland in December, offering five new routes to Kuusamo in Finnish Lapland from European airports, including services from London Gatwick and Manchester.

The airline plans to reduce its fleet from 54 aircraft to 36 by the end of 2026, while some staff members may also lose their jobs. CEO Erno Hilden has said that consultations are underway regarding workforce reductions, although no figure has been decided.

AirBaltic has faced a number of financial challenges since it took a €30 million (£26 million) state loan in April 2026, the company said in a statement, “including increased fuel costs arising from the crisis in the Middle East.”

Supervisory board chairman Andrejs Martinovs said in a written statement: “We have carefully assessed the restructuring options available to the company, with one priority in focus – to give airBaltic the best possible basis to continue operating and to build a sustainable financial structure. Under court supervision and with protection from creditor claims, this process provides a clear framework and timetable for reaching agreements with creditors, including aircraft lessors and other stakeholders. At the same time, it allows the company to continue operating.”

What does this mean for passengers?

If you have a flight booked with airBaltic, you shouldn’t panic. Passengers should not interpret the word ‘bankruptcy’ as meaning the airline has stopped flying and cancel valid bookings themselves – it has not cancelled any flights.

The airline has a commitment for €350 million (£300 million) in financing, subject to court approval, and insists that scheduled flights, bookings and customer services are continuing normally.

AirBaltic said flights would operate as scheduled during the court-supervised process, which it expects to finish by June next year.

Flights departing the UK fall under UK261. Riga to UK services are protected under EU passenger-rights rules because they depart from an EU airport. In either direction, a cancellation would normally allow passengers to choose between reimbursement and rerouting.

Anton Radchenko, Aviation Expert and CEO of AirAdvisor , said: “Chapter 11 is designed to give a company space to keep operating while it restructures, so I would not cancel a valid airBaltic booking when the airline is still flying and says the ticket remains valid. Cancelling voluntarily could leave the passenger subject to the ticket’s normal restrictions, whereas waiting for the airline’s decision preserves their statutory rights if the service is later changed or cancelled.

“I would use this moment to identify exactly what protects the booking. A direct flight is not usually ATOL protected, airline-failure insurance is not standard, and the practical fallback may depend on whether the passenger booked a genuine package, paid directly by credit card or can make a chargeback claim.

If airBaltic cancels while continuing to operate, passengers should request a refund or rerouting and the necessary care rather than accepting whichever option is presented first. Fixed compensation may also apply depending on the notice and reason, but if an airline ceases trading completely, possessing a legal claim does not guarantee immediate repayment, which is why the financial protection behind the booking matters.”

The European Union entry-exit system (EES) has caused repeated delays for Brits at major EU airports this year

British holidaymakers heading abroad may finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief over the widely-criticised EES system. The scheme forces non-EU residents to queue at special machines in airports before gaining entry to 29 nations within the so-called Schengen area – essentially the majority of the European Union.

However, there have been persistent reports of lengthy delays – some stretching to as long as four hours. A new report in the Sunday Times now reveals that the European Union has shelved the controversial entry-exit system (EES) across at least nine countries.

Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Greece and Switzerland are all understood to have been granted permission to postpone full implementation of EES. The newspaper reports that there appears to be no deadline by which these countries must adopt the scheme, which has already sparked widespread reports of enormous queues at European airports this summer in destinations such as Mallorca, Faro, the Canary Islands and Milan.

The scheme has faced fierce criticism from Ryanair and others. The European Union describes the Entry/Exit System (EES) as an automated IT system designed to register non-EU nationals travelling on short stays each time they cross the external borders of participating European countries.

Following years of postponements, the system was rolled out from October 2025, with full implementation originally anticipated by the following April. However, faced with the prospect of significant border queues due to software failures, officials granted countries a 150-day grace period during which they could drop the checks to avoid travel chaos.

That rule ended on September 6. The EU previously insisted there would be no extension.

Yet the Sunday Times reports that at least nine Schengen countries are understood to have told the European Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the EES, that they would not enforce the new controls in full until the technology and systems were working correctly.

They have informally been allowed to do so with no time limits apparently in place to adopt the system, it is being reported. One of the main purposes of the system is to track whether non-EU citizens have spent more than their permitted 90 days in the bloc in a rolling 180-day period.

Social media has been awash with debate about the scheme. One post on Reddit saw a traveller say: “They made a mess of it. Seems many basic things like it is hit and miss on the document scanning but also things like people walk up with hats and headphones and the machine doesn’t tell them to remove them, and organisational things like if the machine errors the traveller has to back out and has no where to go.

“The right way to do this would have been progressive: start by getting some people eg 5% going through the machine lane, everyone else through normal.

“The vendor observes problems, fixes them, once machine working well, increase to 10%, then 20% and so on.” Another person said: “The general lack of functionality of so many IT systems across the EU is kind of astonishing.”

A third added: “It’s worse than that. There isn’t even consistent protocol/IT support within a single EU airport.”

Another put it more simply, saying: “I just miss having stamps.”

‘People are missing their flights’

Nadia, from Greater Manchester, told the Guardian in August she had made two trips to Schengen areas this summer. A trip to Tenerife in June was “quite straightforward”, but her experience in July at Frankfurt airport where she was picking up a connecting flight home, was much less so.

“The queue there was ridiculously long, and there was very limited information,” she says. “People were wandering around trying to work out where they needed to go.

“I’m very well travelled and pretty confident, but even I was slightly unsure and was thinking, is there some other queue I should be joining? There was no one nearby to check with without losing your place.”

Eventually, her passport was checked. “He didn’t actually take fingerprints then,” says Nadia, who is a solicitor. “I think the queue was so long they decided to dispense with that.

“It’s the efficiency of the system I question and the fact that individual member states’ systems do not talk to one another. They shouldn’t need to get information again if you have already gone through. It’s pretty shambolic, and I think people missing their flights because of it is just not acceptable, especially when there’s no recourse; it’s not your fault.”

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has repeatedly complained about EES. Speaking earlier this year, he said: “There’s a bit of Brexit in this too. Here, you voted for Brexit – f***ing join the queue.”

OASIS have launched a countdown to a major announcement with a drone display above their beloved Manchester City’s home ground.

Over the past few weeks, Liam, 53 and Noel Gallagher, 59, have dropped a string of cryptic clues about their next world tour, and last night they continued to hype up the buzz.

Oasis reformed two years ago, after the long-feuding brothers caused the band to split-up in 2009.

Now after their successful run of gigs last year, they have appeared to confirm they will be making another tour announcement on Monday (September 14).

Oasis teased the news with a huge drone display flying above the Etihad Stadium last night.

The display saw the band’s iconic black and white logo light up the sky at 11pm.

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The incredible light show, which was 120m-long, then revealed a date which read “14.9.26”.

Onlookers got to watch the drone display in the sky for ten minutes before it disappeared.

Oasis have been dropping clues left, right and centre.

Yesterday, they appeared to confirm the tour locations with a new video which left viewers scrambling to decode where the gigs will take place.

And on Tuesday, Liam and Noel teased another upcoming tour location with a subtle nod to a moment around the time the group split.

Meanwhile, The Sun exclusively revealed that Oasis will be returning to the stage next year.

They will perform a record-breaking run of six concerts at Knebworth and a 12-date residency at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

A MAJOR UK airport has quietly increased its drop off fees.

London Luton Airport passengers must now pay £9 to drop off, rather than £7.

The time has been slightly extended, with the fee covering up to 12 minutes, rather than 10 minutes.

After 12 minutes, drivers are also charged an extra £1 per minute, meaning you could pay up to £27 if waiting the max 30 minutes.

The fee must be paid online or by phone by midnight the day after the drop off.

Many travellers have taken to social media outraged by the increase.

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One person said on Facebook: “Free in most European countries!”

Another added: “£7 was bad enough!”

A third person said: “Paid it this morning, spent three minutes in the drop off zone, crazy cost.”

Luton Airport last raised its drop off fee in late September 2025, meaning this is the second time in a year the airport has raised the fee.

The fee was raised by 40 per cent in 2025 from £5 for five minutes to £7 for 10 minutes.

The price hike was the first at the airport in five years.

Over the past year several airports have raised drop off fees, causing outrage among travellers.

Earlier this year, Stansted Airport raised its drop off fee from £7 to £10, for up to 15 minutes.

In 2025, Edinburgh Airport raised its fee to £6 for a 10-minute stay, with additional charges for longer stays.

Sun Travel has contacted Luton Airport for comment.

The National Television Awards are back for 2026 and every year, the biggest TV talent takes on one another to win the top prizes in the coveted categories

The National Television Awards are back – and the winners are being revealed.

The big award ceremony is back, with Joel Dommett hosting for a sixth year in a row. Every year, he rubs shoulders with national treasures, such as Ian McKellen, and ahead of the ceremony, he told The Mirror that “just to be part of that is really cool”.

“There was a moment where I was still on stage with Ian McKellen for seven minutes, watching the VTs,” he told us, “I was just panting, because I was running around before, but then I was watching the VTs with Ian, who was presenting an award next. We had a nice little chat and I loved that moment because he’s someone you would never meet in real life.”

The ceremony made a number of changes this year, including a new category called Best Reality Docuseries. It will see At Home With The Furys take on Clarkson’s Farm and Stacey & Joe as well as Fletchers’ Family Farm, in which Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher turns to rural life, and fishing programme led by comedians Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse – Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.

The NTAs are also celebrating their first all-female drama performance shortlist – with Gavin And Stacey star Ruth Jones to compete with Ella Bruccoleri, Judy Parfitt, Sheridan Smith and Vicky McClure for the prize.

Winners so far are as follows:

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

WINNER: Michael McIntyre’s Big Show

New Drama

WINNER: I Fought The Law

Factual Entertainment

WINNER: Gogglebox

Reality Docuseries

WINNER: Clarkson’s Farm

Serial Drama Performance

WINNER: Jeff Hordley as Cain Dingle – Emmerdale

Watch The National Television Awards 2026 live on Tuesday 8 September from 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX

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ALL departing flights from UK airports including both Heathrow and Gatwick are majorly disrupted due to an “air traffic control failure”.

Thousands of passengers have been stranded across the country as flights are grounded.

The country’s air traffic control service NATS has a “technical issue” causing widespread chaos for departing flights.

Planes arriving into airports are not impacted.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “The air traffic control service NATS is experiencing a technical issue which is affecting departing flights at UK airports.

“Arriving flights are not currently impacted.

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“We are supporting our local NATS team in their efforts to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

“We will provide updated information when we have it.

“We apologise to those disrupted and advise passengers to check with their airline for the latest flight information.

“This is affecting all UK airports, not just Heathrow and Gatwick.”

Fuming passengers told The Sun they’re stuck abroad because their flights are unable to leave over the issue in the UK, and have been warned they may have to get hotels for the night.

A National Air Traffic Services spokesperson said in a statement: “We are investigating a technical issue which is causing some disruption to flight departures.

“Our engineers are on site and we will provide an update as soon as we can.

“We apologise for the delay this will cause to journeys, passengers should check with their airline on the status of their flight.”

Are you affected? Email emily.davies@thesun.co.uk

It said in an update: “We have identified that the issue was in our flight processing system. Our engineers are on site and working urgently to resume normal operations as quickly as possible. 

“We recognise the ongoing disruption to travel, for which we sincerely apologise. Flights are still departing and airspace is open, but recovery will take some time.

“We will provide further updates as soon as possible. Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline.

“We will provide further updates as soon as we have confirmed information, at http://www.nats.aero and on X at @NATS.”

Airport management at Heathrow said all outgoing flights have been temporarily halted.

Belfast City Airport also warned of “some disruption” to flights.

Manchester Airport Group, the company that operates Manchester Airport, Stansted Airport in Essex and East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire, said flights from all three had been affected by the air traffic control issue.

In 2023, thousands of passengers were left stranded by another major air traffic control failure.

It grounded 500 flights across the UK and Brits were stuck for hours on a Bank Holiday.

The “one in 15 million” event led to thousands of flights being cancelled and delayed.

An investigation launched by NATS revealed that a flight plan error resulted in the failure, which meant the air space was forced to close down – and only resumed 10 hours later.

In the aftermath, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said NATS could raise the amount it charges airlines by 25 per cent to ensure “safety and quality service”.

The fee increased from £47 to £64 per flight, an increase of 43p per passenger to £2.08 on average.

Sarah, from Manchester, said that people were left “confused and upset” by the chaos while at Lisbon Airport.

She told Sun Travel: “We arrived at the correct time for our 4.30pm flight to Heathrow but were then told our flight was four hours delayed.

“The queues are backing up at the BA check in desks with confused and upset people and crying babies.”

A spokesperson for Jersey Airport said: “UK air traffic control is currently experiencing issues which is impacting flights across the UK including services between Jersey and UK.

“Passengers are advised to check the latest flight information directly with their airline.”

Gatwick Airport added: “We are aware of a NATS technical issue that is currently affecting a number of UK airports, including London Gatwick.

“Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for more information regarding their flights.”

Disgruntled travellers have flocked to social media following the disruption.

One said: “Still stuck next in line on the runway at LHR. 90 minutes in.”
Another said: “BA 742 back to engines off and waiting.  Approaching 2 hour mark in 15 minutes.”

Another person posted on X: “We are currently sat on Alicante tarmac going to Manchester and this is affecting us. Not just London!”

A third said: “Luton airport too! We’re stranded on the actual plane.”

FAMILIES can save even more on holidays this month with a new deal that lets kids fly for FREE.

Turkish Airlines Holidays, the holiday brand of Turkish Airlines, has launched an offer that allows children under 11-years-old to fly for free.

The offer is available on specific holiday packages booked up to September 29.

And it includes some exciting holiday destinations such as Turkey, Mauritius, the Maldives and Dubai.

The offer is for any holiday departing between now and March 30, 2027.

Other offers include 15 per cent off Economy Class basic fares or 20 per cent off Business Class fares.

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You’ll also get complimentary seat selection as well on eligible flights.

For example, you could head to Istanbul in Turkey from £249 per person for two nights.

You’d stay at the four-star Darkhill Hotel, close to all the city’s main attractions.

The hotel also has its own rooftop bar with views across the city.

Alternatively, you could head to Dubai for three nights, costing from £769 per person.

You’d stay at the five-star Paramount Hotel Midtown, with breakfast included.

In the hotel there are a number of restaurants and bars including a rooftop terrace with a huge screen and views across the city skyline.

Want to splash out? Well, you could travel to Mauritius and stay at the five-star Maritim Resort & Spa for five nights, from £1,369 per person.

The new offer brings Turkish Airlines Holidays in line with other tour operator such as TUI and easyJet holidays.

AN airport that was closed for almost three days after a volcanic eruption has finally reopened.

But hundreds of thousands of passengers are scrambling to get home with flights still being delayed or cancelled.

On Monday, Indonesia’s Transport Ministry reported on Monday that as many as 270,000 travellers were stranded with their flights “cancelled, delayed, or diverted” – including those at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport which has since reopened.

Now it’s believed as many as 370,000 passengers are said to have been affected by the disruption across the last three days, with 3,000 flights cancelled.

It started on Friday when there was an eruption on Anak Krakatau.

An ash cloud drifted into the city of Jakarta and the Lampung province, halting flights at its airports with seven being forced to close.

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The biggest airport to close was Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International which grounded flights from Sunday until early this morning.

The current FCDO advice reads: “Soekarno Hatta Airport and Halim Airport in Jakarta were temporarily closed due to the volcanic ash clouds from Mount Anak Krakatau on 5 September.

“Both airports have reopened, but there are continued flight disruptions and many flights are cancelled or delayed.”

For anyone due to travel, it advises to check with your airline or travel provider for up to date information on your flight status.

On Flightradar24, Soekarno Hatta Airport has had 9 per cent of its flights cancelled today with 20 per cent delayed.

Lots of travellers were told they wouldn’t be able to fly for a few more days, including a newlywed couple on a honeymoon in Bali.

Talking to Bernama, they asked: “What are we going to do here for another five days? We only prepared enough money for our honeymoon and [were supposed] to go home yesterday.

They continued: “We thought we would just sleep at the airport for a few hours and then take the morning flight home [on Monday]. We never thought we would end up being stuck here for days.”

Yesterday, another passenger told AFP how they had not heard any updates from the airline and were seeking out hotels only to find most of them have been fully booked.

Airlines like Qantas are offering anyone who booked to go to or from Jakarta before September 5 the chance for a free refund on travel up to September 11.

But its services are resuming as scheduled from today.

Indonesia’s Geological Agency has warned however that “the probability of further eruptions in the coming periods remains high”.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

BRITS are facing huge queues and delayed trains after an operational issue has caused problems at the border.

Le Shuttle – previously called Eurotunnel Le Shuttle – has warned passengers not to arrive early in Folkestone for their train.

This is due to huge ongoing delays.

In a statement, they said: “Due to an operational issue, you may experience longer waiting times than usual.

“Please do not arrive more than two hours before your booked departure.”

The website warns of departure delays of approximately four hours from Folkestone to Calais, while the return Calais to Folkestone has delays of three hours.

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However on the website, a 11:24am departure from Folkestone to Calais has now been scheduled for 4:45pm, with this having a knock on effect for the rest of the departures today.

The latest update on the website is for the 3:24pm departure which will now leave at 6:45pm.

A Calais to Folkestone train scheduled for 4:36pm is now set to depart at 7:51pm.

According to local media, one traveller said their train was delayed by 3.5 hours.

Another wrote on social media: “I am on my way to the terminal for a train at 8:24.

“You are running 4.5h late! How can I cancel my trip and get a full refund?”

A third said there were “hundreds of delayed people waiting to board”.

It isn’t clear what has caused the issue or when it will be fixed.

The Sun has contacted Eurotunnel for comment.

IF you need a loud announcement to tell you when it’s time to board, you might be in trouble at certain airports.

More silent airports are being introduced all over the globe – and these ones have no background noise, but it means you could potentially miss your flight.

Silent airports were first launched in 2015 to create a calmer, less stressful environment for travellers.

Essentially these are terminals that significantly reduces certain sounds like general boarding calls, final calls, and flight updates – or gets rid of them altogether.

Airports Council International (ACI) Angela Gittens previously told CNN Travel that silent airports are designed to “create a calm, relaxed ambiance.”

She added: “Passengers can wind down while they wait for their flight to board in the common airside lounges, commercial, and food and beverage areas.”

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Instead of announcement over loud speakers, lots of airlines are opting for live updates when it comes to their flights on apps or text messages.

Any sort of changes are usually sent straight to the passenger.

But for anyone not paying attention, it could cause problems – and even mean missed flights.

If any passengers are running late, in a silent airport, they will not be called to board their flight.

It’s likely that any last-minute gate changes won’t be announced either.

The very first silent airport was Helsinki Airport in Finland and many others have since followed suit.

Currently only two airports in the UK are ‘silent’ – Bristol and London City.

Around the world, other silent airports include Riyadh Airport, Barcelona El Prat Airport, and Venice Marco Polo Airport in Italy.

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey almost missed her flight at the airport at Amsterdam Schipol Airport in the Netherlands because there were no announcements.

Kara said: “Returning from Amsterdam Schipol Airport and having checked what gate I would be flying from, I headed straight there and sat down with my headphones on, waiting to board.”

Kara continued: “Yet I didn’t realise the gate had changed until I saw a group of people from the corner of my eye all get up and start running.

“It was only when I saw the women leaving the boarding gate desk that I asked and she told me the gate had moved to one on the other side of the airport.

“So while they can be “less stressful” – keep an eye on your flights.”