seats

March 16 (UPI) — Illinois will have busy primary elections Tuesday as voters select a candidate to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and fill five U.S. House seats without incumbents.

Three House seats are open due to retirements, and two others have incumbents running for Senate. All seats are expected to be filled with Democrats.

There will also be primaries for governor of the state, but there are no Democrats running against incumbent Democrat JB Pritzker.

Illinois voters “have an opportunity for generational turnover — where a boomer senator is stepping down, and you’ve got three Gen-Xers, who’ve been around on the scene for quite some time, trying to get the seat,” Northwestern University political science professor and Democratic strategist Alvin Tillery told ABC News. Tillery is not involved in any Illinois races.

“It could be another 20 or 30 years before we have a Senate race this competitive in Illinois,” he added.

Key Republicans running for Senate are attorney Jeannie Evans and former Illinois GOP chair Don Tracy.

There are 11 Democrats vying for the seat, but the top three are Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly.

Krishnamoorthi has raised the most money — more than $30 million — while Stratton has the benefit of Pritzker’s endorsement.

All three have run on fighting President Donald Trump and opposing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, which operated heavily in Chicago during Operation Midway Blitz.

“Fighting ICE has become synonymous with opposing and fighting back against Trump,” Brandon Davis, a Democratic consultant who worked on Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2023 campaign, told NBC News.

“I’m the only one with the background of standing up to bullies and bad actors, and successfully doing so, and now I have to stand up to Donald Trump,” Krishnamoorthi told ABC News in an interview. He would be the second Indian-American to hold a seat in the Senate.

Stratton is the first Black lieutenant governor in Illinois and told ABC News: “I have the best path in the nation to elect another Black woman to the United States Senate.”

Kelly has the endorsement of longtime Congressional Black Caucus member Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. He campaigned with Kelly on Tuesday, telling WLS-TV she is “our go-to person on healthcare issues.”

But all three have focused their ads against ICE.

Stratton has said she wants to “abolish” the agency because, “I don’t believe that this agency can be reformed. I want ICE and CBP out of our American cities.”

Krishnamoorthi said he wants to “abolish Trump’s ICE.” He explained he’s pushing for reforms to stop them from wearing masks and stop “roving gangs of ICE and CBP agents stirring up trouble in our cities.”

Kelly has called to dismantle ICE and the whole of the Department of Homeland Security, saying it’s “too big, too unwieldy and they’re not accountable.”

It has been branded ‘brutal’ and ‘absolute hell’

The world’s longest bus journey spans 4,000 miles and has racked up a negative reputation. It takes over 100 hours to travel the route, which is roughly six days.

The journey connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans as it goes from Lima in Peru to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It is made possible thanks to the Trans-Oceanic Highway.

The legendary Transoceánica holds the title of being the longest regularly scheduled, direct commercial bus route in the world.

It runs weekly by the Brazilian bus company and passes through coastal cities, savannas, wetlands, rainforests and the Andes Mountains.

The bus departs on Thursdays at 1pm and promises to be a ride passengers won’t forget. There are 44 regular seats and 12 sleeping berths on board. There’s also a toilet, small sink, water dispenser and Wi-Fi.

However, there are no showers on board. To be able to wash, passengers use facilities during the three scheduled stops per day at roadside stations.

The bus is driven by two alternating drivers, with one resting in a sleeping cabin while the other drives. According to Check My Bus, the ticket price is approximately R$1,300, which is around £186.

From the bus, passengers are able to see world-famous sites including the Amazon Basin, Andes Mountains, Christ the Redeemer and Machu Picchu.

Starting in Rio de Janeiro, the bus makes its way through São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Acre, until it reaches the border with Peru.

It then goes through the Peruvian Amazon, crosses the Andes and takes the Transoceanic Highway to Lima, the capital of Peru.

Despite the stunning scenery, some passengers have found the journey very tricky.

YouTuber Noel Phillips travelled the route and branded it “gruelling” and “absolute hell”. He said that on the bus, personal space was a non-existent concept.

In a video documenting the trip, Noel said: “Nobody has [headphones]; everyone just plays everything on full blast. And when they can’t hear it above everybody else’s, they just turn theirs up so in the end you just have 15 phones playing different things at 55,000 decibels.”

Noel admitted that by the time he reached Brazil, the journey felt repetitive. He faced a number of delays on his journey as well as a lack of heating on the bus.

The mammoth journey is now flown twice a week and spans three continents

The world’s longest flight record was set last year with the launch of a new 29-hour route. It is now the longest in the world, spanning almost 20,000km, which is 12,427 miles.

The route is so long that the plane even needs to stop off to refuel. Passengers are in their seats for over a day as the plane travels from Shanghai, China, to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It is flown twice a week by China Eastern Airlines. Due to the distance, the plane stops at Auckland Airport, New Zealand, to refuel.

Staff also get swapped around whilst at the stop, yet the passengers carry on. At almost 20,000km, the route is used to ship supplies between China, New Zealand and South America, as well as passengers.

It was launched on December 4 last year. The route from China to Argentina takes more than 25 hours, while the return leg takes an additional four.

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“This new route fills the gap in direct flights between Shanghai and major South American cities,” China Eastern Airlines said at the time of the first flight.

“It opens a ‘southbound corridor’ connecting opposite ends of the Pacific and reshapes air travel between three continents.” The staggering journey sees passengers board a jumbo 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER.

Before the launch of the route last year, the quickest available journey from Shanghai to Buenos Aires took 31 hours. It involved non-direct flights with a layover.

It is a popular route, as more than 55,000 people born in China live in the South American country, according to data from Simply Flying.

Data also showed that 96,000 passengers flew between China and Buenos Aires in the 12 months to September 2025, before the new route existed.

The flight has set the record for the longest commercial flight route in the world, yet it can’t secure the world’s longest direct flight route title because it makes a stop.

The title of the longest non-stop flight is currently held by Singapore Airlines. It takes 19 hours to travel from Singapore to New York.

However, it isn’t set to hold the record for long as Qantas is set to launch a new non-stop route next year. It is planning a 22-hour nonstop flight from Sydney, Australia, to London in 2027.

Thanks to a 20,000-litre fuel tank, the plane wouldn’t need to stop to refuel. It will travel 10,573 miles and has been labelled “the final frontier of long-haul travel” by Qantas.

BRITISH Airways is launching the world’s largest business class cabin this year.

This week, new information about British Airways‘ new business class seats was leaked.

The leak included the proposed seat plan, revealing the expected layout of the airline’s new A380 cabin.

The new Airbus A380 configuration will feature 110 Club World seats, making it the largest business class cabin on any aircraft.

BA is set to start refurbishing its A380s in the second quarter of this year and inside the refitted planes, passengers will find Club Suites – the newest business class offering.

The suites will feature a privacy screen door, a special lining that reduces noise, a 53.3cm-wide seat and a 200cm bed.

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Passengers will also be able to make use of a 47cm touchscreen as well as side bins and cabinets for their belongings.

Every seat will also have direct aisle access.

The number of premium seats will increase, meaning that the total capacity of the aircraft will be lower.

According to the leaked seat plan, the main deck will feature 12 new first class suites, 84 premium economy seats and 215 economy seats.

The upper deck will be just for Club World business class, with 110 seats in total.

In comparison, this will be a 48-seat reduction compared to the current layout which features 14 first class seats, 97 business class seats, 55 premium economy seats and 303 economy seats.

Club Suites are already available on all A350s, 787-10s, and most 777s from London Heathrow Airport.

In mid-2026, British Airways is also set to introduce its new First seat.

The seats are designed to have a “modern luxury hotel feel” with “home comforts” and “thoughtful British touches”.

The new First seat will be wider and longer and will feature an 81.2cm 4K touchscreen.

The seats will have a ‘buddy dining’ feature as well, which will allow two passengers to dine together in one suite.

There will be a multi-purpose ottoman too, and a floor-level wardrobe.

These seats also form part of the airline’s A380 retrofit plans.

British Airways mainly uses its A380s from London Heathrow to major long-haul destinations such as Los Angeles, Miami, Boston and Johannesburg.

In other flight news, British Airways has launched a business class sale with £500 off flights.

Plus, these are five of the best solo travel destinations according to British Airways experts from beach cities to A-lister hotspots.

FLYING in economy usually makes you think of leg pain thanks to limited space.

But one airline’s economy seats are known for having the opposite.

Japan Airlines is often considered as having one of the best and most spacious economy seats in the world, having won the Skytrax award for ‘Best Economy Class Airline Seat’ for six consecutive years.

For example, Japan Airlines has a seat pitch – that’s the distance between seats – of up to 86cm.

Other airlines usually have up to a maximum of 81cm.

The seats are also wider on a Japan Airlines flight, with the Boeing 787 Dreamliners using a 2-4-2 configuration, rather than 3-3-3.

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This allows each seat to have an extra 5cm of room, reaching up to 48cm in total width.

There’s more room between armrests as well, ranging from 45cm to 48cm.

Seats also have 13-inch 4K entertainment screens, adjustable headrests, power outlets and built-in cup holders.

The food on board is next level too, as Japan Airlines collaborates with leading Japanese restaurants to create their in-flight meals.

And Brits can experience this as well…

Japan Airlines runs long-haul flights from London Heathrow to a number of destinations including Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Okinawa.

Japan Airlines flights from the UK usually start from around £700 return.

Last year, travel writer Jacob Lewis tried out the first cabin seats with built-in speakers, which were on Japan Airlines aircraft.

He said: “Settling into my private business class suite, I felt nervous as I queued up The Super Mario Bros Movie on my massive 24-inch 4K monitor.

“But it turns out my fears of disturbing my neighbours‘ peace were unfounded.

“Even with explosions raging at full volume through the headrest speakers, you couldn’t hear a peep from the aisle.

“I thoroughly tested this theory by enthusiastically blasting some aggressively peppy J-pop, but again, the audio seemed to be tuned perfectly to keep it confined to my seat.

“The speakers will truly come into their own if you’re the kind who likes to fall asleep to music or a movie.”

He also added that the rest of the cabin felt futuristic.

He said: “Each seat now comes with fully closing doors featuring translucent panels that feel private without being claustrophobic.

“There’s wireless charging built right into the console (no more wrestling with cables mid-flight) and a handy wardrobe space to store your shoes before you step inside, Japanese style, along with your jacket.

“The seat itself features pressure-dispersing cushions that make you forget you’re in an airplane seat at all, and the cabin crew will fetch a nice squishy memory foam-style mattress when it’s time to sleep.”

In other airline news, British Airways launches £2 flights to two European destinations – with a catch.

Plus, British Airways launches European holiday sale with 25% off flights and £200 off breaks – here are the best deals.

RYANAIR has warned it’s planning on axing even MORE routes to Spain next year.

This comes after the budget airline announced it would be cutting 1.2million seats from popular destinations this summer.

Ryanair has already revealed that this year it plans to axe over a million seats to certain Spanish routes, with some routes being cut down.

Others could be axed completely – and there could be more to come.

This is in response to Aena – the state-controlled airport operator in the country – increasing its fees for airlines.

The operator has proposed an increase in passenger fees, meaning airlines would be paying 21 per cent more from 2027 to 2031.

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CEO of Ryanair, Eddie Wilson has now said: “Next winter we will make further cuts to regional airport services and I remind you that our total traffic in Spain for this summer will only grow by 0.5 per cent compared to 9 per cent in Italy, 11 per cent in Morocco or 20 per cent in Poland.”

He added: “Aena’s proposal to increase fares by 21 per cent is regrettable, but not surprising, as this airport monopoly has a history of applying the highest fares at the expense of traffic development, especially at Spain’s regional airports, which are 70 per cent empty.”

Eddie Wilson continued to say that if the fees were to be increased it would “make even the most popular airports in Spain uncompetitive.”

He said that Ryanair’s aircraft would end up going to “other places in Europe where rates are more competitive” instead.

Ryanair isn’t the only airline hitting back at the proposals from Aena.

According to Business Travel News Europe, “‘airline groups are objecting to proposed increases” and have called for an “annual reduction in the fees.”

Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s regional vice president for Europe, called AENA’s proposed level of increases “unsustainable and unrealistic”.

After the proposals were announced, Ryanair last year revealed cancellations of its routes to Vigo and Santiago.

The airline is also reducing its capacity at Santander, the Canary Islands, and Zaragoza.

It is also significantly scaling back its operations at Santiago de Compostela.

Elsewhere in Spain, Ryanair is halting all flights to Asturias and Vigo, and the base in Jerez will remain closed in 2026.

Other axed routes last year include those to French airports like Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg.

However, Ryanair will restart routes to Bergerac in March with flights being bookable until the end of October 2026.

In response to possible tax increases in Belgium, Ryanair has said that 1.1million seats will be axed across Charleroi Airport this year.

This will be followed by another 1.1million in 2027.

Charleroi City Council is set to introduce a €3 per passenger tax from April 2026.

And the Belgium government is set to increase the passenger tax from €2 to €10 by January 2027.

Check out this cheap and sunny destiantion alternative to Spain…

With Ryanair axing flights across Europe this year – Morocco could become even more affordable in the coming years…

This means that your trip to Tenerife could become more expensive – and if so, you should take a look at Morocco instead.

Cities around the North African country could be set to get cheaper flights as Ryanair has said that the capacity removed from Spanish airports will be reallocated to more competitive European markets, including Morocco.

There are plenty of options like Marrakesh, Agadir, Rabat or Essaouira.

Lisa Minot, Head of Sun Travel, went on a trip earlier this year and said: “I’ve spent a wonderful long weekend in Marrakech and the city is as exciting as ever.

“We were sunbathing on the roof of our riad in the Medina in glorious 22 degree temperatures – and I loved the amazing desert landscapes just 40 minutes from the hustle and bustle of the souks.

“Tourism is booming in the city and while the streets are as colourful and chaotic as ever, the influx of visitors has brought some gorgeous new bars, restaurants and stunning hotels.“

For more on holidays, check out Morocco’s capital city that’s an ‘understated seaside gem’ and far less crowded than Marrakesh.

Plus, here’s the best time of day to book flights down to the exact MINUTE – and how it can save you hundreds on your holiday.

One train journey takes a staggering 167 hours to complete, with the railway spanning eight time zones to make it the longest in the world

The longest direct train journey in the world stretches a staggering 5,771 miles and takes almost a week to complete. Passengers on board the train undertake a mammoth journey through eight time zones.

The Trans-Siberian Railroad claims the title of the longest single rail system in the world. It connects east and west Russia, running from Moscow to Vladivostok.

To travel the length of the railway, it takes approximately 167 hours and requires no passenger changes. Heading east from Moscow, the train crosses the country to the Pacific Ocean.

There are even non-stop train options, so all passengers remain on board throughout the seven days. If you prefer to get off and explore the local surroundings, passengers can opt for the stopping service.

However, this takes between 14 and 20 days to complete. The Trans-Siberian railway runs through cities such as Moscow, Yaroslavl, Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita, Khabarovsk, and Vladivostok.

There’s also the Trans-Manchurian line, which runs through northern China to Beijing, and the Trans-Mongolian, which heads to Beijing but passes through Ulan Bator.

A famous train on the Trans-Siberian railway is Rossiya (the Russia), which has second-class sleepers, third-class open-plan sleeper bunks, and a restaurant car.

Passengers can pay for four tickets to ensure sole occupancy of a four-berth compartment, even if they’re the only ones travelling. The bunks convert to seats during the day, with toilets and washrooms at the ends of the corridors.

Many tourists who travelled the route chose not to start or end their journey in Russia. Tourists once began in London and made their way to Moscow before boarding the Trans-Siberian Railroad.

Once in Vladivostok, tourists could then head to Korea, Japan, or China without taking a plane. National Geographic also ran tours along the route, offering tourists the chance to travel on “one of the world’s most legendary railways.”

They described the journey: “Set out on an epic train journey across one-third of the world, travelling from Vladivostok, Russia to the heart of Moscow along the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway.

“From the Mongolian steppe to Lake Baikal’s remote shores to the snow-capped Ural Mountains, trace the history of tsars, exiles, and Mongols in the comfort of our luxury train, the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express. Encounter remote cultures and the unique architecture of Siberia’s wooden cottages and Moscow’s onion domes.”

Tours like these have been halted, yet the train is reportedly still being used by Russians. The UK Government warn against all travel to Russia.

Official advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office says: “FCDO advises against all travel to Russia due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine, including security incidents, such as drone attacks, and Russian air defence activity, lack of flights to return to the UK and limited ability for the UK government to provide support.”

RICHMOND, Va. — Democrats passed a new congressional map through the Virginia legislature on Friday that aims to help their party win four more seats in the national redistricting battle. It’s a flex of state Democrats’ political power, however hurdles remain before they can benefit from friendlier U.S. House district boundaries in this year’s midterm elections.

A judge in Tazewell, a conservative area in Southwest Virginia, has effectively blocked a voter referendum on the redrawn maps from happening on April 21 by granting a temporary restraining order, issued Thursday.

Democrats are appealing that decision and another by the same judge, who ruled last month that Democrats illegally rushed the planned voter referendum on their constitutional amendment to allow the remapping. The state’s Supreme Court picked up the party’s appeal of the earlier ruling.

The judge’s order prohibits officials from preparing for the referendum through March 18. But early voting for it was slated to start March 6, meaning Democrats would have to get a favorable court ruling within two weeks to stick with that timeline.

If Democrats get to carry out a referendum, voters will choose whether to temporarily adopt new congressional districts and then return to Virginia’s standard process after the 2030 census. Democrats wanted to publish the new map ahead of the April vote.

President Trump launched an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle last year by pushing Republican officials in Texas to redraw districts to help his party win more seats. The goal was for the GOP to hold on to a narrow House majority in the face of political headwinds that typically favor the party out of power in midterms.

Instead, it created a burst of redistricting efforts nationwide. So far, Republicans believe they can win nine more House seats in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Democrats think they can win six more seats in California and Utah, and are hoping to fully or partially make up the remaining three-seat margin in Virginia.

Democratic lawmakers in Virginia have sought to portray their redistricting push as a response to Trump’s overreach.

“The president of the United States, who apparently only one half of this chamber knows how to stand up to, basically directed states to grab power,” Virginia’s Democratic Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said in February. “To basically maintain his power indefinitely — to rig the game, rig the system.”

Republicans have sounded aghast. House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore described the remap as a way for liberals in northern Virginia’s Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties to commandeer the rest of the state.

“In southwest Virginia, we have this saying … They say, ‘Terry, you do a good job up there, but you know, Virginia stops at Roanoke,” Kilgore previously said, referring to how some people across Virginia’s Appalachian region feel unrepresented in state politics. “That’s not going to be the same saying anymore, because Virginia is now going to stop just a little bit west of Prince William County.”

Virginia is currently represented in the U.S. House by six Democrats and five Republicans who ran in districts imposed by a court after a bipartisan legislative commission failed to agree on a map after the 2020 census.

Legislation that would put the Democrats’ more gerrymandered map into effect if voters approve the referendum now awaits the signature of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who has indicated that she would support it.

“Virginia has the opportunity and responsibility to be responsive in the face of efforts across the country to change maps,” Spanberger said as she approved the referendum.

Democratic candidates are already lining up in anticipation. “Dopesick” author Beth Macy and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello launched campaigns in red areas that would be moved into districts with more registered Democrats.

Virginia Del. Dan Helmer and former federal prosecutor J.P. Cooney, who helped investigate Trump and was fired by him, have launched campaigns in a formerly rural district that would now mostly include voters just outside the nation’s capital. And former Democratic congresswoman Elaine Luria is mounting a comeback against Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans, who ousted her in 2022, in a competitive district that the map has made slightly more favorable to Democrats.

Diaz writes for the Associated Press.