The East West Rail project linking Oxford to Milton Keynes was finished in 2024. There’s just one hitch: no services
The rumbling noise in the night, still enough to waken the unhabituated, is what really goads some people living in Winslow, Buckinghamshire. Freight trains running through the new station since late 2024 prove this stretch of railway is operational. But the long-promised passenger services have yet to appear – and there is no sign of any arriving soon.
Welcome to East West Rail, open or not. For well over a decade, ministers have talked up a new railway linking Oxford to Cambridge via Milton Keynes to accelerate the drive for housing, jobs and growth – an arc of tech industry hailed as the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley.
Spirit Airlines has announced that it has gone out of business after the low-cost airline ran out of cash and a rescue attempt by the Trump administration appeared to stall.
The airline that once operated hundreds of daily flights on its bright yellow planes and employed about 17,000 people said that after 34 years it had “started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately”.
Four months after US capture of Nicolás Maduro, officials hail repairing of ties as airliner touches down in Caracas
US and Venezuelan officials have hailed a new era in diplomatic relations as the first direct commercial flight between the two countries in more than seven years landed in Caracas.
Nearly four months ago, US special forces attack helicopters and planes swept into the skies over Venezuela’s capital after Donald Trump ordered the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro.
Vehicle was travelling through Juvisy-sur-Orge when it veered off the road into the river
Four people have been rescued from the Seine near Paris after a bus driven by a trainee driver collided with a parked vehicle before plunging into the river.
The bus was travelling through the town of Juvisy-sur-Orge, south-east of the French capital, on Thursday when it veered off the road into the Seine, prosecutors said.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — The 30 per cent discount offered under the Madani30 promotional code for Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Electric Train Service (ETS) and Ekspres Rakyat Timuran (ERT) services has been extended until May 14.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT), in a statement today, said the extension was made following encouraging public response, reflecting the public’s readiness to shift towards more affordable and convenient rail transport.
“For the travel period from May to October 2026, a total of 1.2 million seats are being offered under the Madani30 initiative, providing ample opportunity for the public to plan their journeys early at more reasonable fares.
“In this regard, MOT urges the public to take advantage of this opportunity by planning their trips in advance and using KTMB services to their preferred destinations,” it said.
According to MOT, the initiative remains available for the purchase of adult tickets across all ETS sectors as well as ERT services on the JB Sentral-Tumpat-JB Sentral route, for travel up to Oct 14 this year.
The discount is valid for travel from Mondays to Thursdays, except for school holidays and public holidays.
MOT said the initiative is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the ‘road to rail’ agenda, which is the transition from road to rail, which is more sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly.
“The use of rail transport is not only more comfortable and safe, but also contributes to environmental sustainability and reduces traffic congestion.
“This approach is in line with the Madani Government’s aspirations in reducing road congestion, reducing carbon footprint, and improving the quality of life of the people through a more integrated public transport system,” the ministry said.
The public can get more information via KTMB’s official social media page and make advance purchases via the KTMB Mobile application, KITS Style, KTMB’s official website or ticket kiosks at selected stations.
MOT also stressed the government’s commitment to continue strengthening the national rail transport ecosystem as the backbone of Malaysia’s future mobility. — Bernama
Some travellers spent hours in lines at airport, with kiosks not working, little seating and few staff on hand to help
Some travellers passing through the new EU entry-exit system (EES) have faced huge delays at border checks, with some waiting for up to three hours, airports say.
The new rules have gradually been introduced in Europe since October 2025, and came into effect on Friday in the Schengen countries – 25 of the EU’s 27 states plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Fishing companies can also access subsidies in loosening of state aid rules to cover fuel and fertiliser price rises
The EU is to subsidise up to 70% of the extra cost of fuel and fertilisers caused by the Iran war for farmers, fishing businesses and road hauliers as part of a package of emergency measures.
Individual companies can claim up to €50,000 each between now and the end of the year with minimum paperwork, a measure the EU hopes will remove what it sees as an existential threat to hauliers and farmers.
The Hong Kong government has announced it will provide diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies for public and commercial vehicles, amid higher fuel prices due to the ongoing Middle East war.
The diesel subsidy of HK$3 per litre will run for two months, from 12am on Thursday to 11.59pm on June 29, finance chief Paul Chan told reporters on Wednesday.
A petrol station in Hong Kong. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
He said the subsidy, which will benefit public and commercial vehicles, as well as vessels that use diesel fuel, would be reflected in the listed price at petrol stations, and the government would reimburse the price difference to oil companies or distributors.
The government proposed the diesel subsidy scheme earlier in April, with an estimated expenditure of HK$1.8 billion, and the proposal was “swiftly approved” by the legislature, Chan said.
The finance minister also said the LPG subsidy of HK$0.5 per litre for taxis, minibuses and school buses would run for two months. The measure will benefit around 16,900 taxis, 3,440 minibuses and 170 school buses in the city.
Authorities plan to roll out the LPG subsidy in late May, he said, without saying exactly when.
Chan said that due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, the cap price for LPG at dedicated filling stations would rise by over HK$1 per litre – an increase of more than 28 per cent.
“Given that the majority of minibuses and taxis run on LPG, this will place significant pressure on their operations,” he said in Cantonese.
Transport minister Mabel Chan said at the Legislative Council on Wednesday that the LPG subsidy would cost the government around HK$38.4 million.
Petrol stations in Hong Kong. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
She said the expenses would be “reallocated internally” through three bureaus: the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, and the Transport and Logistics Bureau.
Tse Chin-wan, the environment and ecology minister, told the media at the legislature on Wednesday that the government would sign contracts with oil companies and conduct audits to prevent abuse of the subsidies.
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has recorded a 36 per cent drop in net profit in its latest fiscal year, although other figures, including hotel occupancy rate and guests’ per capita spending, trended upwards.
Hong Kong Disneyland on May 15, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
The theme park announced its results for its 2024-25 fiscal year, ending in September 2025, on Monday.
Amid rising costs, Disneyland saw a net profit of HK$536 million, down from HK$838 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The park’s attendance was also down, from around 7.7 million to 7.5 million, while the hotel occupancy rate improved.
The resort has three hotels – Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Hollywood Hotel and Disney Explorers Lodge. The overall occupancy rate rose from 73 per cent during the last fiscal year to 80 per cent, the park said.
Per capita spending also increased by 2 per cent, the statement said.
Hong Kong Disneyland on May 15, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
“Our steady performance is a testament to the resort’s resilience and timeless appeal,” Tim Sypko, managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, said in a press release on Monday.
The park is set to expand with the addition of new Pixar- and Marvel-themed experiences. The new Pixar attractions will coincide with the animation studio’s 40th anniversary and the upcoming release of Toy Story 5.
Opened in September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort had struggled to turn a profit for nearly a decade before turning the ship around in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Before that, it had suffered nine consecutive years of losses. The park had three years of steep losses of over HK$2 billion from the 2019-20 fiscal year to the 2021-22 fiscal year amid the 2019 protests and unrest, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The park relies heavily on tourists. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, 64 per cent of visitors were inbound guests, while the remaining were local.
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, with festivities to continue until early June.
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