unusual

A TEENAGE boy was banned from boarding his flight because of a sticker on his passport.

Thirteen-year-old Alix Dawson was due to fly to Thailand with his family last month for two weeks.

However, after arriving at Edinburgh Airport, his mum Meghan Law was told that he wouldn’t be allowed to board the flight with his passport at the check in desk.

Meghan, who lives in Aberdeen said: “We got to the airport and were checking in my bags when the [check-in staff member] looked at my passport then just walked away from the desk. She didn’t say anything.

“We were standing there for 20 minutes before I asked what’s going on. She came back and said that my passport was damaged.

“I said I’ve used this umpteen times. No one’s ever mentioned any damage on it before.

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“There were no rips or stains, I don’t know what she was trying to imply. I was really shocked.

“What they were trying to say was that the luggage check-in stickers that had been stuck on one of the pages [and] had damaged the page. But it wasn’t even on the photo page.

“There were no rips, it was just where the sticker marks had been. They said we couldn’t travel with it.

“I knew there were no issues with their passports. We’d probably travelled over a dozen times with them.”

She was then told that they would need to go to Glasgow Airport to get a new emergency passport.

Fearing for their £3,000 holiday, she contacted TUI, who they booked the trip with.

After sending photos of the reported ‘damage’, Meghan said the tour operator found no issues with the passport and put them on the next available flight to Thailand which was with Emirates rather than Qatar Airways.

The family were able to head on holiday with no further obstacles, albeit the next day, from a different airport.

Meghan said: “If I hadn’t booked through TUI and booked it myself, we just wouldn’t have been able to go on holiday.

“One way from Glasgow on the same day of travel would’ve been £2,800.

“We used it six times over the two-week holiday and no one said anything which confirms there were no issues with the passports.”

She said that it “ruined the start of the trip” for being so stressful and is calling for compensation.

Other passengers have been banned from their flights due to them being too damaged.

Countries such as Bali and Vietnam have some of the strictest rules in the world when it comes to passport condition, with airlines fined thousands if they let passengers fly with them.

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ONE popular airline was forced to stop flights this week after a ‘freak’ maintenance issue.

Thousands of passengers have had their flights cancelled or delayed due to an unusual safety problem.

According to Finnair, the issue that caused the cancellation was aircraft seat covers being cleaned incorrectly.

A statement from the airline revealed that the “seat cover cleaning method (water washing) on fire protection has not been properly verified”.

It continued to add that safety is its “top priority” and it would be acting on the “manufacturers’ maintenance instructions as well as the guidelines and recommendations of the authorities”.

The airline said that it would make daily aircraft type changes to minimise the number of cancellations, but that this would likely “lead to overbookings”.

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It added that “several flights between 13 and 17 October 2025” had been cancelled and it would be likely that there would be more “flight cancellations, delays or changes in the operating airline”.

On October 13-14, the airline cancelled 40 services, with a further 18 more services grounded on October 15-16, according to FlightAware.

Today, four flights have been cancelled travelling from London Heathrow to Finland‘s capital, Helsinki.

Finnair is one of Europe‘s largest airlines and the cancellations have affected around 10,000 passengers.

Passengers caught up by these cancellation mishap may be due up to £520 in compensation for the inconvenience caused, as outlined by AirAdvisor.

Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, said: “From a compensation perspective under UK and EU law passengers whose flights were cancelled as a result of this operational error could be due up to £520 in compensation.”

Anton continued: “It remains to be seen how Finnair will frame the cause of the cancellations, but the issue appears to have originated from a maintenance procedure rather than a regulatory safety order.

“If your flight is delayed by over two hours, airlines should offer affected passengers free food and drink vouchers to make the delay more comfortable.

“Equally, if your flight is moved to the following day, you can seek overnight accommodation from your airline.”

There were also problems in Belgium airports this week as thousands of passengers had their journeys interrupted due to strikes.

Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport on Tuesday cancelled all their flights on October 14, due to a national strike being held by several unions

Belgium has as many as 120 flights a day, according to finance experts at Dot Dot Loans.

This means as many as 72 flights to and from the UK saw disruption, affecting nearly 13,000 passengers.

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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.

For more on Finnair, one Sun Writer checked out their business class pods – and called them a game-changer.

Plus, the major airline launches first lie-flat beds in premium economy.

Channel 4 viewers have seen husband and wife duo Giles Wood and Mary Killen on Gogglebox since 2015.

On Friday night, Channel 4 viewers tuned in for a brand new episode of Gogglebox, which opened with husband and wife duo Giles Wood and Mary Killen.

The pair, who have been part of the programme since 2015, have become firm fan-favourites on the series for their hilarious dynamic and witty remarks.

Recently, Giles left people in disbelief after sharing a throwback photo of himself online.

However, during the most recent episode, he made an unusual demand when it came to his funeral plans.

He told his wife: “By the way, if I do die, Mary, I want to insist on something. I don’t want Frank Sinatra’s song ‘I did it my way’.”

She replied: “You didn’t do it at all, let alone doing it your way!” The Channel 4 star also told his wife he didn’t want the song Bohemian Rhapsody played.

Mary asked: “No? What do you want?” He commented: “I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday,=.”

Laughing at his remark, she said: “You wouldn’t want that! That would be so annoying.” He added: “Annoying right until the last minute!”

It wasn’t long before people commented on his hilarious request, with one person on X saying: “Giles wanting, ‘I wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ as his funeral song is just the most Giles thing ever. I love it, but pray it doesn’t come for many, many more years to come.”

Although Mary and Giles have been regulars on the series for 10 years, this series welcomed a plethora of fresh faces, including mother and daughter-in-law Sara and Lara, mates Jake and Calum, and family Andre, Sarah and daughter Chee.

This comes as the show bid farewell to Scottish couple Roisin and Joe, who first appeared on Gogglebox in 2022. Earlier this year, they announced they won’t be in the new series as they weren’t asked to return.

In a statement at the time, they wrote: “After three and a half years of sitting on the sofa Channel 4 have decided it’s time for Joe and I to stretch out legs and have not asked us back for season 26.

“Therefore we are leaving the Gogglebox family. We couldn’t be more grateful to Studio Lambert for the opportunity, the experience has actually been so mad and we will miss watching TV with you all on Friday nights!

“It’s been an honour to represent Scotland as some of the first Scottish people on the show and prove we don’t actually need subtitles.”

Gogglebox is available to watch on Channel 4.

BRITS will have a brilliant view of Saturn tonight – and it’ll be looking pretty unusual to boot.

This week marks Saturn’s opposition, which is a premium stargazing (or rather, planet-gazing) event.

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During the opposition, Saturn is at its closest point to Earth.

And Saturn will be visible opposite the Sun in the sky so it’s fully illuminated.

That means it’ll be at its brightest point of the year.

So if you want to spy it, you’ll have your best chance tonight – assuming that it’s not cloudy.

It should rise after sunset and be visible all night.

This event will make Saturn easily visible to the naked eye,” said the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

“Appearing as pale yellow and rising in the east, located in the constellation of Pisces.”

Interestingly, this is a particularly special event because Saturn’s rings will be difficult to see.

They’re tilted at a severe angle to us, as we passed through their “plane” back in March.

We do that roughly every 13 to 15 years.

During a few weeks either side of that crossing, you can’t see the rings unless you have a very good telescope.

And even though we’re well on from March, the rings are still very severely tilted.

In fact, they’re just two degrees off dead straight to us.

“Saturn’s beautiful rings won’t be fully visible due to Saturn’s rotation turning edge-on to us,” Royal Observatory Greenwich said.

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“So unfortunately the rings will appear very narrow.”

If you miss Saturn (or you really enjoy it) then there’s another opposition opportunity just a couple of days later.

Neptune can be seen at opposition on September 23 – that’s the Tuesday.

“The planet will be visible with a telescope, rising in the east and setting in the west at sunrise,” Royal Observatory Greenwich explained.

“Neptune, the farthest planet in our Solar System at 4.3 billion kilometres away, will be at its closest point to Earth, shining blue and brighter than any other time of the year.”

But it won’t be easy to see.

Neptune is extremely far away – much further than Saturn.

So you’ll need a very good telescope to spy it.

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“Even with an optical aid, Neptune appears faint and you’ll need a high magnification to get a clear view,” the observatory added.

A U.K. Royal Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft was noted today flying in Polish airspace along the border with Russia and Belarus, apparently highlighting a significant, if overlooked, overland surveillance mission for the type. The unusual flight comes amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia in the region, following the Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace last week. Since then, more Russian drones have entered Romanian airspace, while NATO has begun deploying additional fighter jets to bolster Poland’s air defenses.

Evidence of today’s Royal Air Force P-8 mission appeared on publicly available flight-tracking websites, which showed the Poseidon, serial number ZP809, flying up and down the Polish side of the border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in the north and with Belarus in the south. The P-8 was operating from its home base of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.

The P-8 may be generally described as a maritime patrol platform, but is more accurately a multi-mission type with extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. These are equally relevant for missions over land or over water. Even without any specific modifications, the P-8’s standard electronic support measures (ESM) suite allows it to act in an electronic intelligence (ELINT) collection role, specifically on enemy air defenses and electronic order of battles. This is something we will come back to later in this story.

As its main operator, the U.S. Navy has further adapted a handful of P-8s for specialized ISR, with modifications such as a secretive radar system, the AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor, or AAS. Even without AAS, the U.S. Navy regularly uses P-8s to execute intelligence-gathering duties, specifically ELINT, outside of its sea control/anti-submarine warfare/anti-surface warfare tasks.

This is just part of the U.S. Navy’s extensive investments in further expanding the capabilities of its P-8s with new munitions, podded self-protection systems, and other improvements.

As for the Royal Air Force, however, the small fleet of just nine aircraft at Lossiemouth means that these have been primarily tasked with patrolling the North Atlantic, including the strategically vital Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom Gap, better known as the GIUK Gap. This includes defending against potential Russian aggression and tracking Russian submarine activity, which has been a growing area of concern for some time now, as well as protecting the U.K. Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) when they go out on deterrence patrol.

Indeed, the small size of the Royal Air Force P-8 fleet saw the United Kingdom discuss plans to team up with Norway to cooperate on Poseidon operations, and, in the future, Germany will be added to this group. This will provide a further boost to NATO’s ability to effectively patrol the North Atlantic.

As regards using its P-8s for overland ISR, the Royal Air Force has previously been lukewarm on this.

According to Gareth Jennings, the aviation desk editor at Janes, the Royal Air Force once planned to use the P-8 for overland surveillance, but shelved the idea due to the small number of aircraft being purchased

Was told not all that long ago that, although the RAF originally intended the P-8 to have an overland surveillance capability, this would not now be the case owing to the relatively few aircraft being procured and commitment to its core-carrier protection/MPA and ASW tasks. Seems… https://t.co/8iCZ3RshAP

— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) September 15, 2025

Whether the mission over Poland today signals some kind of change is unclear, but we have reached out to the U.K. Ministry of Defense and NATO to try and find out more about this flight.

Suffice it to say, activities in Kaliningrad and Belarus right now mean there are plenty of points of considerable interest to NATO.

Currently, the armed forces of Russia and Belarus are conducting the first iteration of their joint Zapad maneuvers since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Zapad drills — meaning ‘West’ — are widely seen as intimidation exercises directed against NATO’s eastern flank. Ahead of the exercise, Poland said it was deploying 40,000 troops along its borders with Belarus and Russia. Poland had previously closed most border crossings with Belarus, leaving only two in operation.

It’s also worth recalling that the Zapad-2021 exercise was used, in part, as cover for the westward movement of troops and equipment months before Moscow launched its all-out assault on Ukraine.

The scenario for Zapad-2025 involves an imagined Western invasion of Belarus. Although much smaller than in pre-2022 editions, the close coordination of Russian and Belarusian forces, including armor, crewed and uncrewed aircraft, air defense systems, and naval assets, provides an ideal opportunity for intelligence gathering.

🇷🇺⚡🇵🇱 Russia deployed nuclear capable SRBM “Iskander” on a highway in the Kaliningrad region near the Polish border, as part of #Zapad 2025 exercises with Belarus. pic.twitter.com/QOdODGfTaE

— Geo News (@GeoTienou) September 13, 2025

While we cannot know for sure at this point, today’s P-8 flight would appear to be entirely in line with that kind of intelligence-gathering mission.

Elsewhere in Poland, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski reiterated that, while the drones that entered Poland last week were capable of carrying warheads, they were not loaded with explosives.

Increasingly, NATO leaders in Europe are seeing the Russian drone incursions as a deliberate, incremental escalation directed against NATO. This kind of approach is very much in line with an escalating campaign of hostile activities short of all-out war across Europe, of which Russia has been accused. The tempo of the operations has stepped up since Moscow launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine. Even before then, Russia had a long history of so-called hybrid or gray-zone warfare operations that fit this same description.

The weekend saw another Russian drone incursion, this time in Romania and much smaller in scale than last week’s in Poland.

At least one Russian drone entered Romanian airspace at 6.05 p.m. local time on Saturday during a strike on neighboring Ukraine.

According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, the drone was intercepted by two Romanian F-16s, which were carrying out an air patrol mission in northern Dobruja and which came close to downing it, after gaining both radar and visual contact.

Forțele Aeriene au interceptat o dronă în spațiul aerian 🇷🇴
2 aeronave F-16🇷🇴din Baza 86 Aeriană au decolat azi la ora 18:05, pentru monitorizarea situației aeriene la granița cu 🇺🇦, ca urmare a unor atacuri aeriene 🇷🇺asupra infrastructurii 🇺🇦 de la Dunărehttps://t.co/uGPjZVDt07 pic.twitter.com/95XooGzfX5

— MApN (@MApNRomania) September 13, 2025

The drone orbited for about 50 minutes, according to the defense ministry, before leaving Romanian airspace near the town of Pardina in northern Dobruja, heading toward Ukraine.

The Romanian foreign minister summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the incident, which also drew further condemnation from European Union leaders.

In a statement, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said that the various drone incursions in recent days “represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area.”

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Russia’s incursion into Romanian airspace is once again a blatant violation of EU sovereignty and a serious threat to regional security.”

This morning, Russia attempted to deflect the blame, describing the drone incursion as “a provocation” by Kyiv, but providing no evidence to back this up.

The first additional NATO fighters have now arrived in Poland to help bolster air defenses on the alliance’s eastern flank. These are French Air and Space Force Rafales from Escadron de Chasse 2/4 “La Fayette,” which are now at Mińsk Mazowiecki Air Base in eastern Poland. While there has been some surprise in certain quarters that this is a unit with a nuclear tasking, it’s one of two units that have a nuclear mission alongside other roles, including air defense.

French Dassault Rafale fighter jet armed with MICA air-to-air missiles taking off from the Minsk Mazowiecki Air Base in eastern Poland.

Three French Rafales have been deployed to Poland as a part of the ongoing Operation “Eastern Sentry” – NATO’s response to recent Russian drone… https://t.co/wo8BApj6FR pic.twitter.com/i2WdnoeSJP

— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) September 14, 2025

Last Friday, NATO leaders announced details of a new mission, Eastern Sentry, which includes the deployment of two F-16s and an anti-air warfare frigate by Denmark, the three Rafales from France, and four Eurofighters from Germany. Already forward-deployed to help defend NATO’s eastern flank are F-35As from Italy and the Netherlands, based in Estonia and Poland, respectively.

A NATO spokesperson told TWZ today that the first activation of Eastern Sentry saw the alliance scramble fighters in both Poland and Romania over the weekend, including the newly arrived French Rafales, and also placed ground-based air defenses on alert. In related news, German Eurofighters are now under NATO control too, but they have, so far, not scrambled as part of this operation.

Today, the United Kingdom confirmed its plans to add Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters to Eastern Sentry, with the U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey writing on X that “Russia crossed a line with the reckless drone incursions into NATO airspace.” The deployment of Typhoons to help defend Polish airspace “is a message to Moscow: you tested NATO, we responded with strength and unity, Healey added.”

Russia crossed a line with the reckless drone incursions into @NATO airspace.

The UK will fly @RoyalAirForce Typhoons on NATO air defence missions over Poland, deterring Russian aggression.

This is a message to Moscow: you tested NATO, we responded with strength and unity.

— John Healey (@JohnHealey_MP) September 15, 2025

Also now in Poland are the three Mi-17 Hip helicopters that the Czech Republic also pledged to help defend NATO’s eastern flank. The rotorcraft are assigned to the Special Operations Air Task Unit (SOATU).

“We are fulfilling the promise we made to our close ally. Our soldiers are already in Poland and are ready to participate in strengthening the protection of airspace on Poland’s eastern border,” said Czech Minister of Defense Jana Černochová.

As to what happens next in NATO’s response to the drone incursions, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has suggested that NATO should consider imposing a ‘no-fly’ zone over Ukraine to protect the alliance from Russian drones. As we have explored in the past, establishing something like this over Ukraine would be no easy task, and the alliance previously rejected such a proposal amid fears that it could lead to direct confrontation with Russian combat aircraft.

Speaking about extending such missions into Ukrainian airspace, Sikorski told the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine: “We as NATO and the EU could be capable of doing this, but it is not a decision that Poland can make alone; it can only be made with its allies.” He continued: “Protection for our population — for example, from falling debris — would naturally be greater if we could combat drones and other flying objects beyond our national territory. If Ukraine were to ask us to shoot them down over its territory, that would be advantageous for us. If you ask me personally, we should consider it,” Sikorski added.

The potential risks involved in such an initiative were reinforced today by a statement from top Kremlin official Dmitry Medvedev, who warned that the establishment of a ‘no-fly’ zone in Ukraine and allowing NATO allies to shoot down Russian drones would amount to a “NATO war with Russia.”

It appears that the kind of ‘no-fly’ zone that Sikorski is proposing would only shoot down Russian drones that were understood to be heading toward NATO airspace, although determining this would also not always be straightforward, with plenty of potential for misunderstanding between the alliance, Russia, and Ukraine.

Contact the author: [email protected]

The annals of aviation history are scattered with asymmetric aircraft designs, some of them notably more extreme than others. Perhaps less well-known among this diverse group is the U.S. Air Force’s airlift specialist, the C-17A Globemaster III. The sheer size of this aircraft means that its lopsidedness is less often seen by casual observers, especially when it’s on the ground. But once spotted, the feature is hard to ignore and is worth a closer look.

In fact, this oddity is just one of many interesting features, capabilities, and operational exploits associated with the C-17. For example, TWZ has previously explored how the aircraft’s thrust reversers, normally used to deflect the airflow from the main engines to provide braking when landing, can also be employed in flight, for a dramatic “reverse idle tactical descent.”

Meanwhile, wider attention was brought to the C-17’s asymmetry in a recent thread on the social media platform X, posted by @SR_Planespotter, a friend of TWZ. A partial underside view of a C-17 was provided alongside a shot of the C-5 Galaxy, which features an offset aerial refueling receptacle.

Turning to the C-17, it’s immediately obvious from this angle that the two large fairings that run down either side of the lower fuselage are of significantly different lengths. These sponsons accommodate the main landing gear, which is itself worthy of note.

On the C-17, the main gear has two struts, with three heavy-duty wheels on each. The complex mechanism that allows these wheels to be retracted is something of a technological marvel, as you can see in the videos below. Overall, the landing gear is designed to ensure the C-17 can make high-angle, steep approaches, allowing it to operate into small, austere airfields and short runways even when heavily loaded.

As for the discrepancy in length between the two sponsons, this is due to the C-17’s auxiliary power unit (APU) being installed in the forward part of the sponson on the right-hand side.

A video showing a U.S. Air Force C-17 flying at low level through the Mach Loop in the United Kingdom provides another good view of the underside sponsons:

In the C-17, the APU is a self-contained gas turbine engine, drawing gas from the aircraft’s main fuel system. The APU provides electricity as well as hydraulic pressure. In this way, all the aircraft’s doors and the rear ramp, plus the various control surfaces, can be fully operated without using the four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan main engines. The same APU system also delivers pneumatic pressure, which is used for the environmental/air-conditioning and de-icing/anti-icing systems.

As well as the APU, the right main landing gear sponson features a ram air turbine (RAT), which can be extended in the case of a major power failure, ensuring that there’s hydraulic system power for the flight controls.

So, while the asymmetric nature of the C-17 may not always be obvious, there’s a very logical reason behind it.

The same is the case for various other asymmetric fixed-wing aircraft through the ages (helicopters are a different matter altogether, with the majority using an asymmetric tail rotor as a matter of course). Similarly, many propeller-driven aircraft feature more modest asymmetry, such as offset vertical tail surfaces, to counteract torque produced by the rotating prop.

Messerschmitt Bf 109s have a vertical fin cambered to the left, to counter P-effect. On Hispano Buchons with Hispano Suiza engines, the engine turned in the opposite direction, so the camber had to be reversed. Later Buchons had RR Merlins, so the tail had to be reversed again. pic.twitter.com/GzL5hROEoA

— Aeroweanie 🇺🇸 ✡ (@aeroweanie) August 30, 2025

There have also been a surprising number of aircraft whose asymmetry is bestowed by having an offset cockpit. The Cold War-era British de Havilland Sea Vixen carrier fighter is perhaps the best example, with the pilot’s cockpit set on the left and the observer’s position more or less ‘buried’ on the right. This was supposed to provide the observer (navigator) with a better working environment to monitor the radar scope, but it was otherwise hardly conducive to comfort.

Then there have been the various aircraft types with asymmetric landing gear, especially when it comes to the nose undercarriage. Most famous is perhaps the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, with the nose leg offset to accommodate the enormous GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm rotary cannon.

Less well known is the Hawker Siddeley Trident airliner, of the 1960s era, which had its nose gear offset by a full two feet to make space for the bulky, primitive automatic approach and landing equipment that was installed in the bottom of the forward fuselage.

The Scaled Composites ARES (Agile Responsive Effective Support), built to perform a similar close air support role to the A-10, ended up even more radically lopsided. In this case, a 25mm rotary gun was mounted on the right, with the engine intake on the left. A special recess in the nose was intended to divert gun gases, canceling asymmetric recoil. The engine was also set at an angle to avoid the same gases entering it, while various ducts redirected the engine exhaust, reducing the infrared signature. The aircraft is still active today as a testbed.

We can’t finish this brief study without looking at perhaps the most extreme example of all. The World War II-era German Blohm & Voss BV 141 was a wildly unorthodox tactical reconnaissance aircraft. In this case, to provide the crew with the best visibility, the fuselage was located entirely separately, starboard of the engine and tail unit.

So, this is how the C-17 airlifter takes its place among some other standout asymmetric aircraft designs. Let us know which skewed flying machines we might have missed.

Contact the author: [email protected]

President Trump struck an unusual deal with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices that allows the companies to sell certain chips to China in exchange for giving the U.S. government a 15% cut of those sales.

But the unprecedented agreement also has raised concerns from politicians and legal experts over whether the deal is legal and would pose a national security threat.

Questions also linger about exactly how the deal, which was announced Monday, would work because the U.S. Constitution bars taxes on exports, although some experts said Trump could find a workaround.

The U.S. government might receive $3 billion from the revenue split if China’s demand for Nvidia’s H20 chip — which is less powerful than the company’s highest-end artificial intelligence chip — reaches $20 billion, according to a note from Bernstein Research.

“It ties the fate of this chip manufacturer in a very particular way to this administration that is quite rare,” said Julia Powles, a professor and executive director of the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy.

Trump’s agreement with the world’s most valuable company could put pressure on other tech companies and major exporters to strike similar deals with the U.S. government, but it’s still unclear what the implications will be internationally, she said.

The deal is the latest example of how tech companies are seeking to curry favor with the Trump administration, which has threatened to impose tariffs on semiconductor companies that don’t commit to investing in the United States.

Apple faced potential tariffs as well, but committed to investing $100 billion more in U.S. manufacturing after Trump criticized the company for expanding iPhone production in India.

Trump also placed restrictions in April around the export of certain AI chips, including Nvidia’s H20 and AMD’s MI308, over national security concerns.

He’s called for the resignation of Intel Chief Executive Lip-Bu Tan, who has faced scrutiny over his reported investments in Chinese companies, but changed his tune after meeting the executive this week.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers have criticized the idea that tech companies should split their sales with the U.S. government in exchange for export licenses that allow them to resume chip sales in China.

“Export controls are a frontline defense in protecting our national security, and we should not set a precedent that incentivizes the Government to grant licenses to sell China technology that will enhance its AI capabilities,” Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), the chair of the House Select Committee on China, said in a statement.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, (D-Ill.), a ranking member of that committee, said in a statement that the deal raises questions about its legality and how the funds will be used.

“The administration cannot simultaneously treat semiconductor exports as both a national security threat and a revenue opportunity,” he said. “By putting a price on our security concerns, we signal to China and our allies that American national security principles are negotiable for the right fee.”

The White House didn’t answer questions about the agreement. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday that “the legality of it, the mechanics of it, is still being ironed out by the Department of Commerce.”

On Monday, Trump defended the deal with Nvidia, stating that the H20 chips are “obsolete” and less powerful than the company’s more high-end Blackwell chip. At a news conference, Trump said he met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and initially asked for a 20% revenue split but they came down to 15%.

“We negotiate a little deal,” Trump said. “So he’s selling a essentially old chip.” Trump’s remarks came after a report from the Financial Times over the weekend that Nvidia and AMD would pay 15% of their China chip revenue to the U.S. government. AMD didn’t respond to a request for comment.

An Nvidia spokesperson said in a statement that the company hasn’t shipped H20 chips to China for months but it hopes that easing export restrictions will “let America compete in China and worldwide.”

“America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America’s AI tech stack can be the world’s standard if we race.”

For Nvidia, the stakes are high. Huang said in a May interview with Stratechery, a newsletter and podcast, that the Chinese market is about $50 billion a year. Restricting H20 chip sales means that the company is walking away from profits that could be used to compete with China in the race to dominate AI.

Taylar Rajic, an associate fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said she’s skeptical that legal concerns would halt the arrangement because it’s unclear who would sue.

“I can’t identify who would bring that suit forward,” she said. “It wouldn’t be Nvidia because they’re the ones who negotiated this deal.”

Meanwhile, Chinese officials have their own fears that Nvidia’s chips could have location tracking or remote shutdown capabilities, though the company has denied those accusations.

“China obviously has its own concerns and its own national security considerations that it wants to take into account,” Rajic said. “It just depends on whether or not they want to buy it from us too.”

Cameron Mofid has visited every UN-recognised country and territory on Earth, but two destinations in particular stand out as his top favourites

An audacious explorer who has set foot in every country on Earth before his 26th birthday has shared two surprising favourites from his travels. Cameron Mofid, hailing from San Diego, California, embarked on a daring mission to visit all UN-recognised countries and territories across the globe – a staggering 195 in total – while grappling with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) during the pandemic.

The resolute traveller achieved his remarkable feat in April when he and his travel mates arrived in the enigmatic nation of North Korea, which recently completed the construction of a sprawling new coastal resort.

With nearly 200 countries under his belt, picking out the best might seem a daunting task. Yet, two nations particularly stole Cameron’s affection, despite both being subject to severe travel warnings by the Foreign Office (FCDO). It comes after a warning to Brit tourists planning all-inclusive holidays to Spain.

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Algeria stood out as his initial top pick, which he described as “unbelievable”. In an interview with CNN, he disclosed: “It’s one of my favourite countries in the whole world. The countries that receive the least amount of tourism are often the ones where you have the best experience, because you feel totally immersed in their culture.”

Cameron also expressed his fondness for Yemen, having ventured through the Middle Eastern country in February 2023. He remarked on the sensation of stepping back in time while meandering its streets, reports the Express.

He elaborated: “To see people dress the same way that they were hundreds if not thousands of years ago. To see people living in mud houses, to see people still using flip phones.”

Algeria, positioned in northern Africa, is largely dominated by the Sahara Desert apart from its northern coastline where most of its population lives. It stands as Africa’s biggest nation.

The nation possesses a diverse historical heritage, having been governed by numerous Arab and Berber ruling families from the 8th to 15th centuries before establishing ties with the Ottoman Empire and later being incorporated into France in 1848.

Regarding travel to Algeria, the FCDO has designated most of the country in green on its platform, suggesting visitors should “see our travel advice before travelling”. Nevertheless, the frontier areas are highlighted with amber and red alerts.

In particular, the FCDO advises against all journeys within a 30km zone of Algeria’s frontiers with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and certain parts of Tunisia. Additionally, it suggests avoiding all non-essential travel within 30km of the remaining Tunisian frontier.

Meanwhile, Yemen, a comparatively young state positioned at the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, borders the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, situated below Saudi Arabia.

From 2011 onwards, Yemen has been consumed by political turmoil and is presently enduring a catastrophic civil conflict that has resulted in more than 150,000 deaths and triggered a humanitarian catastrophe, with 23 million individuals requiring aid.

The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning regarding travel to Yemen, urging against all trips to the nation and pressing those currently there to leave “immediately” in light of the precarious security conditions.

Their report cautions that terrorist attacks are highly likely in Yemen, with a “very high and constant threat” of kidnapping. It underscores that propaganda from Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has explicitly encouraged the kidnapping of Westerners.

Travelling on long-haul flights is never a pleasant experience – but there are a few things I always pack with me to try and make the journey a little easier

At the tender age of three, my family and I uprooted from our Northampton home to start a new life in New Zealand. Despite growing up on the other side of the globe, with all my extended family back in England, I became well-acquainted with the 24-hour plane journey required for family visits.

This mammoth trip was undertaken every four years until I relocated back to England last year. Now, as a travel reporter, I frequently find myself jet-setting around the world; and the knowledge gained from doing so has been invaluable to my career.

There’s no sugar-coating it – long-haul economy class flights are far from enjoyable, especially for someone who is nearly six feet tall like me. The conditions are cramped, dry, dirty, and often dark.

However, there are a few essentials I always pack to make the ordeal slightly more bearable.

My long-haul flight essentials

Silk scarf

The air in long-haul flights can be incredibly dry, causing discomfort to your nose, mouth, and eyes. To combat this, if I’m attempting to get some shut-eye, I drape a silk scarf over my face, serving as both an eye mask and face mask.

Breathing through the silk helps humidify the air, making it less irritating to breathe, and also prevents the sensitive skin around my nose from drying out. You might attract a few curious glances, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Headphones

My headphones are Bluetooth-enabled, but they also come with a connecting cable that can convert them into wired ones. This is compatible with most in-flight entertainment systems, allowing me to enjoy films with excellent sound quality.

This is an absolute must-have for me, especially during long-haul flights that can last up to 16 hours. The complimentary headphones provided at takeoff are often of poor quality and lack sufficient padding, making them uncomfortable to use for extended periods.

Earplugs

I swear by Loop earplugs as they’re comfortable, stay put in my ears, and effectively block out the majority of the noise associated with air travel, which makes sleeping a little easier

Toiletries

Carrying wet wipes, a toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, and some moisturiser can make a world of difference in helping you feel somewhat refreshed.

Just remember never to brush your teeth using the water from the aeroplane bathroom – it’s not the cleanest. I usually wait until my layover before heading to the airport bathrooms for a quick freshen-up.

Knowing that I’m relatively clean makes the second leg of the flight much more bearable. I always ensure I have a spare pair of underwear and socks to change into, and if there’s room, I bring an extra shirt as well, because accidents do happen.

Slippers

Having slippers on hand makes trips to the bathroom or getting up to stretch your legs a lot easier and hygienic. Never venture to an aeroplane bathroom barefoot or in socks. It’s gross and completely avoidable.

Long-haul flights can be a bit of a drag, but they don’t have to be utterly unbearable. These minor adjustments can transform a dreadful journey into a tolerable one, and personally, I wouldn’t dream of travelling without them.

Bubbly presenter Katy Hill hosted many popular TV shows in the late 1990s and early 2000s and even had her own Capital FM radio show – these days she works in an entirely different profession and looks very different

Blue Peter legend Katy Hill is now working in a totally different career and has set up her own business after rising to fame in the late 90s on some of the biggest TV and radio shows there were.

She hosted the much-loved kids’ show CBBC from 1995 to 2000, before moving to BBC One’s Live and Kicking until 2001. During her time on Blue Peter she was known for taking on daring stunts and even became the first civilian to fly with the Red Arrows. After her success on the show and thanks to her popularity she went on to host Top of the Pops, Football Fever, BBC’s Holiday and her own weekend show on Capital FM.

Katy, who is now 54, also regularly contributed to glossy mags like Cosmopolitan Hair and Beauty, Hello! and Closer, and it was in 2004 that she bagged second place on Channel 4’s The Games. Later in her career, she hosted radio shows for Heart Radio, penned weekly blogs and stepped in as a relief presenter on ITV’s Daybreak, reports OK!.

However, these days, Katy is less of a fixture on our telly boxes. as she’s now a life coach, having launched her own business. Describing herself as an ‘Internationally Certified Success and Confidence Coach’, she frequently posts motivational content on social media. Katy also runs her own newsletter, The Limitless List, which offers inspiring quotes and messages.

In addition to her TV career, she also offers programmes, live groups and one-on-one coaching to support her members. Katy’s Instagram bio states: “The shy kid who refused to play small and spent 30 years on TV! Now empowering women like YOU to UNLOCK your CONFIDENCE and CLAIM the SUCCESS you deserve!”

Katy is happily married to Trey Farley, her former co-host on Live and Kicking. The pair have been happily married for more than two decades and are parents to two children, Kaya and Akira. In July 2023, Katy and Trey marked their 20th wedding anniversary, with the former TV presenter posting a heartfelt tribute to her spouse on social media.

She uploaded pictures from their wedding day and wrote: “20 Years of US! 20 Years of Mr and Mrs Farley! What a ride we’re on @rocaflix … nobody else I’d rather be doing LIFE with! Happy 20 babe! Let’s make more amazing memories! X (Ours was the Hans Zimmer version – obvs! )”.

Before tying the knot with Trey, Katy was previously married to her childhood love, Andrew Frampton. They got hitched in 1999 but parted ways in 2001.

EXCLUSIVE: BBC bosses are risking a fallout with legendary rocker Neil Young, 79, just days before his Glastonbury gig over potential coverage of his performance on Saturday

BBC bosses risk falling foul of rock legend Neil Young just days before his Glastonbury gig. The Heart of Gold singer, 79, is one of the biggest names on the bill but it is still unclear how much of his Saturday performance will be on TV. Young is still wrangling with the BBC about coverage. Insiders suspect he will agree to letting just a handful of songs go out on TV or BBC iPlayer. Whether they will be live or part of an edited highlights package is still unclear. A BBC schedule of live sets released to the public omits Neil Young, while mentioning headliners such as Charli xcx and Doechii who play other stages on Saturday.

Bosses will have to tread carefully after the star pulled out of the festival earlier this year citing concerns about the BBC’s “corporate control”. He said in January: “We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.

“It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”

A BBC spokeswoman said: “We aim to bring audiences as many performances as possible from the Pyramid Stage, and our schedules and plans continue to be finalised, right up to and during the festival.”

Young has made principled stands recently. He blocked his music from Spotify for two years, saying a podcaster on the platform had spread vaccine misinformation.

This year, he has also refused to let Ticketmaster use dynamic pricing for his forthcoming tour. When Young played Glastonbury in 2009 only five songs were televised.

Speaking at the time Mark Cooper, then executive producer of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, said: “Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms.

“They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist. They have decided to make one song available online over the weekend to give a flavour of his set. That’s Rockin’ in the Free World and that’s their decision.

“You probably won’t find too many Neil Young performances available freely on TV or online.”

Elsewhere in the Glastonbury controversy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for Kneecap to be pulled from the line-up. The band was due to perform in the 2025 festival, but the PM doesn’t think it would be appropriate due to recent events.

He made the statement after Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh appeared in court as he was charged with a terror offence. The incident was relating to the musician allegedly displaying a flag and making remarks in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a concert in November last year.

Liam Ó hAnnaidh goes by the stage name Mo Chara and was bailed until later in the summer, which means he is able to play at Glastonbury. The festival will kick off on June 25 up until June 30.

When asked by The Sun if he thinks Kneecap should perform at the annual festival, Starmer said: “No, I don’t. I think we need to come down really clearly on this.

“I won’t say too much, because there’s a court case on, but I don’t think that’s appropriate.” The band are scheduled to perform on the West Holts Stage on Saturday.

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Tea is the most popular drink in the world other than water. It beats out coffee and beer, which hold second and third place.

May 21 is designated as International Tea Day by the United Nations, marking the significance and value of the drink globally, not just economically but culturally too.

Tea plays a meaningful role in many societies. From Tibetan po cha to a good old English breakfast brew, tea is considered a unifying and hospitable beverage.

While the exact origins of tea are unknown, it is believed to have originated in northeast India, northern Myanmar and southwest China, according to the UN. There is evidence that tea was consumed in China 5,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest beverages in the world.

How to say tea around the world

Across the globe, nearly all words for tea can be derived from the root words “cha” or “te”.

In many parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the word for tea is derived from cha.

• In Mandarin: 茶 (chá)
• In Arabic: شاي (shāy)
• In Turkish: çay
• In Hindi: चाय (chāi)

In Western Europe, many countries use some derivative of te. For example, “tea” was introduced into the English language as a result of trade routes in the East. The word was taken from China, where it was pronounced “te” in the Hokkien dialect.

• In English: tea
• In French: thé
• In Spanish: té
• In German: tee

Who produces the most tea globally?

The tea plant is usually grown in tropical and subtropical climates where its cultivation and processing support the livelihoods of millions of people.

According to the latest data from the Tea and Coffee Trade Journal‘s Global Tea Report, China produces nearly half of the world’s tea (48 percent). India is the second largest producer, accounting for 20 percent of world production, followed by Kenya (8 percent), Turkiye (4 percent) and Sri Lanka (3 percent).

The rest of the world accounts for 17 percent of tea production globally.

How much tea is consumed daily worldwide?

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), world tea consumption reached 6.5 million tonnes in 2022, growing from previous years.

Consumption in China, the largest consumer of tea, reached 3 million tonnes in 2022, representing 46 percent of global consumption.

India, the second largest consumer, accounted for a share of nearly 18 percent at 1.16 million tonnes in 2022, followed by Turkiye with 250,000 tonnes, Pakistan with 247,000 tonnes and Russia with 133,000 tonnes.

According to the FAO, tea consumption expanded by 2 percent in 2022 compared with 2021 and further increased in 2023.

However, tea consumption in countries in Europe and North America has been declining due to increasing competition from other beverages while for Russia, tea imports have been negatively impacted by the war in Ukraine.

Five odd teas around the world

To mark this year’s International Tea Day, here are five somewhat unusual teas from around the world and how to make them:

Butter tea (po cha)

Found in: Tibet and other Himalayan regions

What’s odd?: It’s in the name. Made with yak butter, black tea and salt, butter tea is broth-like. Apparently, there is a tradition where the host will refill your cup with butter tea until you refuse or until they stop filling it, signalling it’s time for you to leave.

Kombucha – is it tea?

Found in: China, Japan and the Koreas

What’s odd?: Kombucha is considered a tea. It’s a fermented tea made using a jelly-like SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). Kombucha fans often name their SCOBYs, treat them like pets and pass them to friends like family heirlooms.

Butterfly pea flower tea

Found in: Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam

What’s odd?: It is known as blue tea because of its colour, which then changes to purple when lemon juice is added. It’s caffeine free and made from a concoction of floral petals from the blue pea flower.

Baobab leaf tea

Found in: sub-Saharan Africa

What’s odd?: Baobab leaf tea is traditionally used in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa as a mild herbal remedy and nutritional drink.

Unlike most herbal teas, which are often floral or fruity, baobab leaf tea has a mildly earthy or even slightly bitter taste, a bit like spinach water.

Guava leaf tea

Found in: Philippines, Central America, Africa

What’s odd?: The tea is made from the leaves of the guava tree, which have an earthy flavour. In Philippine culture, it is said to have medicinal benefits for soothing stomach aches and bathing wounds.

A 125-year-old Jacobean-style mansion is hitting the auction block for just £288,000.

The catch? Prospective buyers can only view it from a distance.

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Shire Hall, in Llangefni on the island of Anglesey, north Wales, was built in 1899 and sits overlooking the Afon Cefni river.

It was originally constructed of stone at a cost of £4,453, with an extension added in 1912.

Once used as office space, the building is now derelict following a serious fire, and is considered unsafe to enter.

It’s set to be sold at auction between 20 and 22 May.

Viewings are restricted due to the building’s dangerous condition, including a collapsed roof and major structural damage.

Paul Fosh Auctions, which is handling the sale, says the site has planning permission in place for six riverside apartments.

However, they note that a more extensive development could be possible, depending on future discussions with the local council.

Gemma Vaughan from the auction house said: “The lot offers a most unusual and exciting opportunity for an investor/developer to acquire this historic building in the heart of Llangefni.”

Shire Hall stands on Glanhwfa Road, about a mile from the A55 expressway, which links the island to the rest of north Wales and Cheshire.

Anglesey is well known for its coastal walks and sandy beaches, although Shire Hall itself is far from the seaside charm – with only ruins remaining of its former grandeur.

The sale includes Shire Hall, along with around 90 other lots, in an online auction hosted by Paul Fosh Auctions, starting at 12 noon and running from May 20 to 22.

Another property has left Brits scratching their heads – not because of its price, but also because no one’s allowed inside.

Dubbed the “mansion you can’t go inside,” the eerie estate sits behind locked gates with no signs of life, yet manages to attract curious onlookers and conspiracy theories in equal measure.

Locals say the sprawling home has been sealed up for years, with perfectly manicured gardens but not a soul ever seen entering or leaving.

There’s no for-sale sign, no public records of recent ownership changes, and absolutely no explanation as to why the doors remain firmly shut.

Despite the mystery, the mansion has become an unlikely tourist magnet, with visitors travelling miles just to snap a photo at the gates.

It may not be Britain’s most expensive or oldest home, but it’s certainly one of the strangest, and its secrecy only adds to the eerie fascination.

This comes as Britain’s “loneliest house” went on the market for £250,000, but it comes with a huge catch.

Meanwhile, viewers of Britain’s Most Expensive Houses were left baffled by a rather unusual tactic used in a bid to sell a jaw-dropping £29m mansion.

Plus, the “UK’s smallest house“, measuring less than 2.5 metres wide, has hit the market for £200k – proving once again that when it comes to British property, size, access, and logic don’t always apply.

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