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BRITAIN has just opened a brand-new train station in a 100-year first – marking a major milestone for rail travel in the UK.

Beaulieu Park Station saw its first passengers roll out at 7:20am on Sunday morning – marking the first new stop on Essex’s main rail line.

The shiny new £175million station, operated by Greater Anglia, welcomed the Colchester 6.56am train to London Liverpool Street, pulling in at 8.12am.

The long-awaited stop promises to slash journey times, with commuters reaching the capital in just 40 minutes.

It was funded by a £175million pot, including £141million from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, £12million from the South-East Local Enterprise Partnership and £22million from developers Countryside (now part of Vistry) and L&Q.

The station is set to ease pressure on Chelmsford’s busy main station and cut car trips into the city centre.

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Comic Donna Preston is on board for good value trains from Scotland to London

Part of the new Beaulieu and Channels neighbourhoods, the state-of-the-art hub will boost access to jobs, drive investment and fuel growth in the north of Chelmsford.

The new Beaulieu Parkway relief road links directly to the station from the A12, and a future North-East bypass will connect travellers from Braintree and surrounding villages.

Features and amenities

The new Beaulieu Park Station comes packed with modern features designed to make travel smoother for everyone.

There’s step-free access to all platforms via two lifts, alongside ticket vending machines, a staffed gate line and fully accessible toilets with baby changing facilities.

Passengers can also take advantage of a comfortable waiting area and space for retail or catering outlets.

For drivers, there’s parking for 705 vehicles spread across two car parks – including 38 free Blue Badge bays, 10 electric vehicle charging points, and dedicated areas for staff, emergency services and motorcycles.

Public transport links have also been upgraded, with local bus routes C11, C9, C8 and 73 now stopping directly at the station.

A handy pick-up and drop-off zone includes dedicated taxi bays, while the transport interchange offers bus stands for local services.

Cyclists haven’t been forgotten either – there are 500 spaces for free covered bike storage and paid secure storage options too.

To top it off, local walking and cycling routes have been improved, with several new paths created to make the station more accessible to nearby communities.

Ticket prices

An off-peak day return from Beaulieu Park Station to London Liverpool Street is priced at £28.20, while seven-day season tickets will cost £134.60.

A day return to London Liverpool Street during peak hours will cost travellers £42.60.

For those travelling to and from Stratford, the costs are £22.60 for an off-peak ticket, £19.70 for a standard day single and £35.30 for a standard day return.

The new service will also service Southend Airport, with tickets costing £16.90 for a standard day single, £24.10 for a standard day return, and £21.30 for a child day return. 

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Residents of other cities such as Ipswich and Norwich will also benefit from Beaulieu Park Station.

The full list of fares and services is available from operator Greater Anglia.

There’s a new train operator in town

They hope to challenge Eurostar with trips across the Channel…

A brand-new train operator is hoping to launch services between the UK and Europe, offering ‘competitive fares’ for passengers.

Currently, Eurostar is the only rail operator that connects the UK to destinations across Europe, including cities in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

This could all change as a new train operating company, Gemini,has announced its plans to launch services between the UK and Europe.

The new train operator, which is currently being established, hopes to begin its rail journey by launching services from London to Paris and Brussels.

Once services between London and Paris/Brussels have launched, Gemini hopes to further its list of European destinations.

The new rail operator plans to introduce ‘new cutting-edge trains and a fresh approach to sales and ticketing’ on services between the UK and Europe.

Brookfield Corporation (BN -4.28%) completed a three-for-two stock split earlier this week. The global investment firm split its shares to make them more accessible to individual investors and to enhance the trading liquidity of its stock.

Over the past 30 years, the company has completed several stock splits as a result of delivering a total return exceeding 27,000%. Brookfield has consistently outperformed the broader market, with a 19% annualized total return over the last three decades compared to 11% for the S&P 500. Looking forward, Brookfield expects to continue delivering strong growth, which could triple the value of its shares by 2030

Image source: Getty Images.

Brookfield: The wealth-creating machine

Despite its impressive returns, many investors aren’t too familiar with Brookfield. The Canadian company is a leading global investment manager with three businesses:

• Asset management: The company owns a 73% interest in Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative investment manager with over $1 trillion in assets under management (AUM).
• Wealth solutions: Brookfield Wealth Solutions is an investment-led insurance company that offers annuities, as well as property, casualty, and life insurance.
• Operating businesses: It owns interests in four global operating platforms focused on infrastructure (Brookfield Infrastructure), renewable energy (Brookfield Renewable), private equity (Brookfield Business), and real estate (Brookfield Property).

These businesses generate significant and rapidly growing operating cash flows, enabling Brookfield to return capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, while also allocating funds to enhance shareholder value.

Over the last five years, Brookfield has grown its distributable earnings at a 22% compound annual rate, raising them from $2 billion in 2020 to an expected $5.3 billion this year. This growth puts the company’s intrinsic value at $102 per share (pre-split), well above the recent pre-split stock price of less than $70 a share. Over the past year, Brookfield has returned $1.5 billion to investors ($1 billion for share repurchases and $500 million in dividends), while retaining the remaining capital for reinvestment.

The plan leading to 2030

Brookfield expects to continue growing rapidly over the next five years. The company aims to deliver annualized total distributable earnings-per-share growth of 25% during this period. Within this, its core businesses should generate 20% annualized growth, with an additional 5% growth anticipated from capital allocation activities. As a result, Brookfield estimates its share value could increase at an annual rate of 16%, potentially rising to $210 (pre-split) by 2030 — a projected increase of over 200% from current levels.

The investment firm anticipates that its wealth solutions business will be a significant growth driver through 2030, accounting for over one-third of its anticipated total growth. Management’s goal is to grow its insurance assets from $135 billion currently to $350 billion by 2030, which it expects would more than double the platform’s earnings in the next five years. Brookfield has been expanding this platform through acquisitions, most recently announcing an agreement to acquire Just Group for $3.2 billion, expanding its reach to the UK pension risk market.

Brookfield also sees robust future growth for its asset management business. The company anticipates capitalizing on growing investor demand for alternative investments, which typically offer higher returns and lower volatility compared to traditional asset classes. Many individual investors have relatively low exposure to alternatives, representing a major market opportunity given that they hold $40 trillion in wealth.

Finally, Brookfield generates significant free cash flow, providing capital to grow shareholder value. The company estimates that by 2030, it will produce $25 billion in cumulative surplus free cash flow after dividend payments and current capital commitments, which it can allocate to acquisitions, fund investments, and other opportunities.

A top stock-split stock to buy now and hold for the next five years

Brookfield Corporation has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to grow shareholder value over the years. As a result, it has had to split its stock several times, including earlier this week. More stock splits seem likely, given the company’s robust growth profile. That makes it a great stock to buy post-split, as shares could triple in value from here by 2030.

Married At First Sight UK is introducing three more couples to the chaotic E4 experiment, with The Mirror revealing a first look at one of the nervous couples

Married At First Sight UK is well underway, but the E4 programme likes to keep things interesting by introducing several new couples almost two weeks after the experiment begins. Three more couples will join the chaos of the already tense series, which has many of the couples struggling to get along.

In a first look shared with The Mirror, Abi, 34, is seen with her new hubby, John, 38, taking professional photos. John has been single for five years and calls himself a ‘Romantic Romeo’, claiming he’s single as he gives off ‘single man energy’. Meanwhile, Abi revealed she’s never had a relationship that lasted longer than a year.

The clip starts with John asking his wife whether she walked down the aisle with her mother, to which she confirmed that she did.

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She then said: “Just to warn you, she’s never liked any of my previous partners. She’s quite hard to please. So you might have a bit of a grilling from her.”

During a confessional, a determined John said: “I would try to and prove myself to Abi’s mum. It’s scary, really, before Abi separately confessed that her mum “isn’t afraid to say how she feels”.

A teaser clip that aired on Sunday night gave fans a glimpse of Abi’s mother’s “honesty”. John said in the voiceover: “Today is now or never, everything is riding on this.”

The narrator then teased drama and says: “But will an over protective mum derail the first new couple’s first day?”

Abi’s mum insisted she “will not see her hurt again” during the confessional and later told the groom: “The last thing I want to be is upset by some arrogant person that comes along.”

Her mum said to the camera in another clip: “I am the one that vets everybody, I am the bad guy. Beware.”

Other new intruder latecomers to the show include April, who has been single since 2023, and Leisha, who hopes to settle down and start a family.

Meanwhile, Leo, 31, calls himself bombastic and a “yes man” who has been single for five years, while Reiss, 33, is a painter and decorator who has been unattached for six months.

The three new couples arrive as the original contestants continue to navigate their difficult relationships.

Married At First Sight UK continues at 9pm on E4.

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

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The state-of-the-art Fujian is in the final stages of testing before it officially begins active service in China’s navy.

China’s newest aircraft carrier transited through the Taiwan Strait as part of a research and training exercise before its entry into service, according to the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

PLAN spokesperson Senior Captain Leng Guowei said on Friday that the Fujian was bound for the South China Sea, where it will undergo testing.

“The cross-regional tests and training are a routine mission of the carrier’s construction process and do not target any specific objects,” Leng said, according to Chinese state media.

The 80,000-tonne Fujian has not been officially commissioned for service, but it will soon join the Liaoning and Shandong vessels as China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier.

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military affairs expert, told China’s State-run news outlet Global Times that the Fujian’s research trip to the South China Sea is a sign the aircraft carrier is nearly complete. It earlier underwent tests in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea.

The Fujian’s route was not unexpected, as Chinese state media shared photos and videos of the aircraft carrier leaving Shanghai’s shipyard on Wednesday.

A step forward for China’s blue water navy.

🇨🇳China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian passes through Taiwan Straits to hold tests, training in #SouthChinaSea.

By the way, the Taiwan Strait is not ‘international waters’.

The Fujian is China’s first fully domestically… pic.twitter.com/3ffANYEbMH

— Shen Shiwei 沈诗伟 (@shen_shiwei) September 12, 2025

Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force on Thursday spotted the Fujian sailing near the disputed but uninhabited Senkaku Islands, in the direction of the Taiwan Strait, accompanied by two PLAN destroyers.

The Senkaku Islands are known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Diaoyutai Islands in Taiwan.

The Fujian is just the second aircraft carrier in the world, after the USS Gerald Ford, to host an electromagnetic catapult system that makes it easier for aircraft to take off and land.

Developing such a launch system is a sign that the technology gap between China and the US is closing, according to maritime expert and former United States Air Force Colonel Ray Powell, but there are still some limitations.

The Fujian is 20 percent smaller than US super aircraft carriers and conventionally powered rather than nuclear-powered, Powell said.

The real challenge for China, Powell told Al Jazeera, will be crewing its aircraft carriers as the PLAN will need to divide veteran crew members between the three carriers: Fujian, Liaoning and Shandong.

“China is closing the hardware gap, but developing the operational expertise for effective blue-water carrier ops is what the US has spent nearly a century perfecting,” he said.

While no date has been announced yet for the Fujian’s official commission into active service, the US Naval Institute (USNI) said it is expected to “coincide with a date that holds historical significance to China”.

Possible dates include September 18, the anniversary of Japan’s 1931 invasion of Manchuria, or China’s October 1 national holiday, the USNI said.

BANGKOK — President Donald Trump on Thursday imposed once unthinkably high U.S. taxes on imports from dozens of countries, part of his campaign to turn one of the world’s most open economies into a fortress bristling with barriers to trade.

The taxes — tariffs — that took effect at midnight apply to products from 66 countries, the European Union, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands.

Trump believes the tariffs will protect U.S. industry from foreign competition, encourage companies to build factories and hire workers in the United States and raise revenue to pay for the massive tax cuts he signed into law July 4.

“Growth is going to be unprecedented,” Trump said Wednesday.

But mainstream economists and policy analysts warn that tariffs are paid by importers in the United States who will try to pass along the cost through higher prices to their customers, businesses and consumers alike; make the economy less efficient and innovative by shielding domestic companies from foreign competition; and threaten U.S. relationships with longstanding allies and trading partners.

Indeed, the economic damage is already starting show.

Here’s what to know:

Hefty tariffs have taken effect — but many could have been higher

The levies that took effect Thursday are a revised version of what Trump called ” reciprocal tariffs ” announced on April 2. Those earlier threats included import taxes of up to 50% on goods from countries that have a trade surplus with the United States, along with 10% “baseline’’ taxes on almost everyone else. The move triggered sell-offs in financial markets, and Trump backtracked to give countries a chance to negotiate.

Some of them did, caving in to Trump’s demands to accept high tariffs to ward off even higher ones. The United Kingdom agreed to 10% tariffs and the European Union, South Korea and Japan accepted U.S. tariffs of 15%. Those are well above the low single-digit rates they paid last year, but down from the 30% Trump had ordered for the EU and the 25% he ordered for Japan in April.

Thailand, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines cut deals with Trump, settling for rates of around 20%.

Indonesia views its 19% tariff deal as a leg up against exporters in other countries that will have to pay slightly more, said Fithra Faisal Hastiadi, a spokesperson in the Indonesian president’s office. “We were competing against Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China … and they are all subject to higher reciprocal tariffs,” Hastiadi said. “We believe we will stay competitive.”

Trump dictated terms to countries that didn’t reach a deal

For countries that didn’t or couldn’t reach a deal, Trump dictated terms himself, plastering tariffs ranging from 10% on the Falkland Islands to 41% on Syria. Countries in Africa and Asia are mostly facing lower rates than the ones Trump decreed in April. Tiny Lesotho in southern Africa, for instance, ended up with a 15% tariff instead of the 50% Trump originally announced.

India also has no broad trade agreement with Trump. On Wednesday, Trump he signed an executive order placing an extra 25% tariff for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing combined U.S. tariffs to 50%. India has stood firm, saying it began importing oil from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict.

Impoverished Laos and war-torn Myanmar face 40% rates. Trump whacked Brazil with a 50% import tax largely because he’s unhappy with its treatment of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. South Africa said the steep 30% rate Trump has ordered on the exporter of precious gems and metals has put 30,000 jobs at risk and left the country scrambling to find new markets outside the United States.

Even wealthy Switzerland is under the gun. Swiss officials were visiting Washington this week to try to stave off a whopping 39% tariff on U.S. imports of its chocolate, watches and other products.

Overall, the average U.S. tariff rate has risen from around 2.5% before Trump returned to the White House to 18.6% — the highest since 1933 — the Budget Lab at Yale University reported Thursday.

Canada and Mexico have their own arrangements as China talks continue

Goods that comply with the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump negotiated during his first term are excluded from the tariffs.

So, even though U.S. neighbor and ally Canada was hit by a 35% tariff after it defied Trump — a staunch supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — by saying it would recognize a Palestinian state, most of its exports to the U.S. remain duty free.

Canada’s central bank says 100% of energy exports and 95% of other exports are compliant with the agreement since regional rules mean Canadian and Mexico companies can claim preferential treatment.

The slice of Mexican exports not covered by the USMCA is subject to a 25% tariff, down from an earlier rate of 30%, during a 90-day negotiating period that began last week.

Meanwhile, Trump has yet to announce whether he will extend an Aug. 12 deadline for reaching a trade agreement with China that would forestall earlier threats of tariffs of up to 245%.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the president is deciding about another 90-day delay to allow time to work out details of an agreement setting tariffs on most products at 50%, including extra import duties related to illicit trade in fentanyl.

Higher import taxes on small parcels from China have hurt smaller factories and layoffs have accelerated, leaving some 200 million workers reliant on “flexible work” — the gig economy — for their livelihoods, the government estimates.

Still, China has shown that it has leverage to resist Trump’s threats: It can withhold exports of rare earth minerals that companies need for everything from wind turbines to electric vehicle batteries.

Considerable uncertainty remains

Details of the deals reached in a frenzy of negotiations leading up to Trump’s August deadline have not been published — and are already subject to disagreement.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, for instance, told reporters that Japan is asking the U.S. government to immediately correct tariffs that are not consistent with their agreement.

“The uncertainty about whether Trump was bluffing with his tariff threats and simply using those threats as a negotiating tool has been resolved,” said Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy and economics at Cornell University. “But the uncertainty about the tariffs themselves, including the rates and what countries and products will be covered, is still unresolved in any durable way and remains subject to Trump’s whims.

“Even the deals that have ostensibly been negotiated lack clarity about their details and are far from settled.’’

Trump also is threatening new tariffs — including levies of 200% or more on pharmaceuticals and 100% on computer chips.

Trump’s trade agenda also is under attack in court, adding to the uncertainty.

A specialized trade court in New York ruled in May that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing April 2 tariffs and earlier ones on Canada, China and Mexico. An appeals court, which allowed the government to continue collecting tariffs while the case moves through the judicial system, now has the case, which is expected to eventually go to the Supreme Court.

In a hearing last week, the judges sounded skeptical about the Trump administration’s authority to declare a national emergency to justify the tariffs.

Kurtenbach and Wiseman write for the Associated Press. Wiseman reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Aniruddha Ghosal in Hanoi contributed.

ST. LOUIS — Growing up on the western tip of Cuba, Andy Pages excelled at every sport he played.

He was good at soccer and volleyball, arguably better at basketball. But he loved baseball for reasons that weren’t necessarily limited to the game.

Pages’ father, Liban, a carpenter who had a job repairing wooden boats, helped make his son’s first bats by hand, using leftover lumber given to him by friends. Soon baseball became the boy’s favorite pastime.

“When I was starting to play baseball in Cuba, when things were really bad, there were no bats. There weren’t things like that,” Pages said in Spanish. “So he always tried to make me a bat so I could play.

“I became more motivated, and from that point on, we’ve been playing baseball.”

The sport eventually proved to be a way off the island for Pages, who has emerged as one of the Dodgers’ brightest stars in just his second season with the team.

He entered the start of a three-game series Monday in San Diego hitting .288 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs, trailing only Shohei Ohtani in homers and matching Ohtani for third on the team in RBIs. He’s also tied for second in stolen bases with six and has yet to be thrown out.

If he can stay consistent, he has a chance to become the first Dodger center fielder to hit better than .250 with 25 homers since Matt Kemp in 2011.

Although Pages never played in Cuba’s elite Serie Nacional, the proving ground for stars such as Yuli Gurriel, Yunel Escobar and Orlando “El Duque” Hernández, he became one of the country’s top prospects after hitting .364/.484/.581 in a under-15 league.

Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages rifles the ball to second base to prevent Arizona’s Ketel Marte from advancing on a single at Dodger Stadium on May 20.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

That convinced Pages (pronounced PAH-hays) he had a chance to be a big leaguer some day. So at 16, the Athletic reported, he arranged to be spirited off the island alongside Jairo Pomares, another young Cuban star, traveling through Guyana, Curacao and Haiti before crossing in the Dominican Republic. He then waited eight months before the Dodgers signed him as an international free agent in March 2018, giving him a $300,000 bonus, more than 1,500 times the average annual wage in Cuba, according to CiberCuba.

Pomares signed with the San Francisco Giants at about the same time, but while he remains in the minors, Pages’ climb to the majors was steady. He reached triple A by the start the 2024 season. He didn’t stay at Oklahoma City long, however, hitting .371/.452/.694 with 15 RBIs in 15 games to earn a call-up to the Dodgers.

Before his rookie season was over, Pages was a World Series champion. He paid a heavy price for that though, going seven years without seeing his family in person.

“It was emotional since I hadn’t seen them for a long time,” said Pages, 24, who returned to Cuba for the first time the winter before his big-league debut.

His sister, Elaine, a child when he left “was already a full-grown woman.”

“So those memories came back to me, and they were quite — how should I say it? — quite strong for me,” said Pages, who brought his father a few of the machine-made bats he used in the minor leagues.

But if his father provided the spark that made his son a baseball player, teammate Teoscar Hernández provided the help, guidance and mentoring that made Pages an everyday major leaguer.

“He’s played in the major leagues for a long time now,” Pages said of Hernández, a 10-year veteran who signed with the Dodgers months before Pages made his big-league debut. “He’s been through a lot of bad times. I went through that at the beginning of the season, for example, and last year too. And he’s given me advice that’s helped me a lot to get through that time.”

With Pages’ family still in Cuba, Hernández has become a big brother as well as a teammate, taking him out for dinner on off days or just getting together to play video games.

Andy Pages runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Athletics at Dodger Stadium on May 14.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“Getting through bad times is sometimes a little difficult when you’re alone, when you don’t have anyone to help you, to give you good advice, and to make you understand that sometimes things don’t happen when you want them to,” Pages said.

And that’s worked out well for Pages. Three games after Hernández returned from a rehab assignment last month, Pages started a streak that would see him hit in 13 of his next 14 starts, including 11 in a row, raising his average 24 points to .293. He’s batting .379 with a team-high 11 hits in seven games this month.

“We try to go out to my house. We go out to a restaurant with my wife, his wife. Just so we can get together, have time to enjoy and not think about baseball,” Hernández said.

Pages isn’t the first player to benefit from Hernández’s mentorship. During his six seasons in Toronto, Hernández took another talented rookie, fellow Dominican Vladimir Guerrero Jr., under his wing. Guerrero is now a four-time All-Star.

Hernández is still so respected in Toronto when the Dodgers played there last season, some Blue Jays players wore his old uniform number during batting practice. Earlier this year Guerrero offered to buy him a $300,000 Richard Mille watch; Hernández joked he’d rather have money instead.

As the quiet Pages has grown more confident and comfortable with the Dodgers, his play has improved. A speedy outfielder with a plus arm, he also can play all three positions.

And while he left Cuba, he never fully left it behind, having expressed interest in representing the country in next year’s World Baseball Classic. The decision to go to the Dominican Republic as a teenager, after all, was a business one, not a personal one.

Pages would also like to bring his family to U.S. some day, though that dream was dealt a setback last week when President Trump signed an executive order restricting access to Cubans hoping to come to the U.S.

“Hope is always there,” said Pages, who has beaten impossibly long odds once. “But you have to follow the rules, get the papers, do whatever it takes to make sure everything’s OK. And then get here and stay here.

“I’m just trying, trying until they can leave.”

Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe in Florida has opened its doors – with five new worlds to explore within – so naturally I went along to sample the magical delights

Universal Orlando Resort’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, has changed the face of the landscape and what it means to enjoy a holiday full of thrills and spills.

The £7 billion theme park is an immersive, multisensory experience with storytelling at its core. The resort’s fourth theme park and the first to open in 25 years, it invites guests to “explore vibrant worlds filled with extraordinary adventures that go beyond their wildest imaginations” – and it really is magical.

With 50 awe-inspiring attractions,entertainment, dining and shopping experiences in its new park, the Universal parks make up a 700-acre resort space.

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But it’s not just the stunning scenery, experiences and rides that blew me away – my entire group were wowed by the culinary experiences inside the park. Forget burgers, hotdogs and popcorn – although readily available if you fancy – I dined on exquisite seafood from scallops to King Oysters at Atlantic and freshly made Dim Sum and Ramen noodles at The Blue Dragon, both in Celestial Park.

I also found the best purple pizza called Pizza Lunare in Pizza Moon, complete with an Ube crust – the chunks of roasted garlic were to die for – and melt-in-the-mouth beef brisket at The Oak & Star Tavern.

Let’s explore the worlds a little closer for when you plan your first visit…

Celestial Park

Step through the Chronos – the impressive first portal tower and entrance to the park that when ‘powered’ will align to open up five magical portals for visitors to explore.

I first enjoyed Celestial Park – the cosmic heart of Epic Universe and so much more than just a starting point. Local ‘Celestians’ who inhabit here tend to the lush, tree-lined walkways and I found myself whisked into a whimsical world of greenery, tropical flowers, fountains and ponds.

Everything here is connected heavily to astrology, from the first sight of Luna, goddess of the moon, who oversees the night’s luminescence by her Neptune Pools, to the far side of the park where Apollo, god of the sun, rests. Even the rides are well themed – I enjoyed a gentle sway on the Constellation Carousel and zipped at 62mph on Stardust Racers, a dual racing rollercoaster across 5,000ft of track, which is the park’s top thrill ride for speed and height.

Celestial Park interweaves the other worlds and acts as a calming decompression from the extremities of themes and music in each world. Grab a cocktail at Bar Zenith, watch the fountain show and marvel in the sheer beauty.

MUST DO Visit North Star Wintry Wonders, an all-year Christmas store where it really snows outside – even under the hot Florida sun.

Dark Universe

The storytelling continues as you move through this spooky portal and into monstrous Darkmoor Village. It makes sense – Universal is the pioneer of horror, after all.

Dr Victoria Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein’s great great-granddaughter, is the proud owner of this world’s central focus – Frankenstein Manor – and she has captured all the monsters but she’s having some trouble with Dracula. Ride Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment as you navigate the catacombs of the manor to “help” Victoria (you won’t help – but you will scream).

The ride’s technology is phenomenal and the animatronics are creative masterpieces. Fear not, it’s suitable for all ages.

Take time to explore the details. Look out for a little girl statue of Maria (a character from the 1931 Frankenstein film, who accidentally drowns), listen to sounds from beneath the vampire well and head to the Blazing Blade Tavern for a fiery sight to behold.

MUST DO Grab a bite to eat at Das Stakehouse. The theming is almost better than the food – and the food is delicious.

Super Nintendo World

Everything moves, spins, jumps and wobbles in Super Nintendo World. It’s a gaming world for everyone – even the big kids who are young at heart.

Providing one of the coolest portals (the walkway into each world), I entered via a Super Mario Warp Pipe and arrived inside Princess Peach’s Castle before exiting into a world of jaw-dropping colour and musical joy. Glistening golden coins, stomping Koombas, sliding 1-Up mushrooms and snapping Piranha Plants were everywhere as I looked across to Bowser’s Castle.

This is where I gave Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge a go and my dismal points were made up for by the fun and laughter I had hurtling turtle shells and banana peels at my friends (virtually, of course – the race car game, where we’re up against all the usual Super Mario bad guys, is played via a headset).

The character meet and greets here are sweet for youngsters – Toad is a rotund delight for toddlers, Mario and Luigi are cool for pre-teens and even the too-cool-for-school teenagers won’t be able to resist Donkey Kong.

Don’t miss the fabulous rollercoaster Minecart Madness – it’s a bumpy ride but the jumps over “missing” sections of the track are thrilling.

MUST DO Buy a $45 Power-Up wristband. It’s vital for playing the in-world mini games, collecting coins and banking some exclusive park stamps and badges, which connects to an app on your mobile phone and creates family friendly competition.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic

This world makes the Wizarding Worlds at Universal Orlando Resort a trio – also made up of Diagon Alley in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade in Islands Of Adventure.

Step inside the magical streets of 1920s Paris, where the likes of Newt Scamander hangs out. Known as Place Cachée, this world is a fan delight, merging the magic of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them in Paris, with the wonders of Harry Potter.

I hopped on the Métro-Floo to the British Ministry Of Magic for Dolores Umbridge’s trial for her crimes against magic on the mesmerising dark ride, Battle At The Ministry. Expect magical creatures and spells galore – and make time for the show, Le Cirque Arcanus. The puppetry will leave you speechless.

MUST DO Try a Gigglewater in Le Gobelet Noir – a bar owned by Nicolas Flamel, the alchemist who created the Philosopher’s Stone.

How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk

The largest of all the worlds at Epic Universe,the Viking village of Berk is breathtaking. On entry, I was faced with two 40ft carved wooden statues, guarding the village. This world is set after the second film, where there’s peace and harmony between man and dragon.

Look out for The Untrainable Dragon live show, which has the most beautiful score, with singers and actors akin to the talent of a West End show. And be sure to try the mac and cheese cone at Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel – it’s the novelty dish I never knew I needed.

MUST DO Look to the skies. Here you’ll find actual flying dragons – drones to us adults (don’t tell the kids), but they are very realistic.

HOW TO BOOK

Universal Orlando Resort

All Parks tickets are available through British Airways Holidays from £439 per person.

British Airways Holidays offers seven nights at Universal Stella Nova Resort from £829 per person, travelling on selected dates in January 2026. Book by 9 June. For reservations visit britishairways.com/en-gb/destinations/orlando/holidays-inorlando

For nearly six decades, Los Tigres del Norte’s name has been all over the charts, on countless marquees, seven Grammys and, now, one street in New York City.

On Thursday, the historic música Mexicana band showed up to the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, surrounded by fans at the grand presentation of the newly minted Los Tigres del Norte Way.

“Starting today, a street in Brooklyn carries the name of Los Tigres del Norte,” the group wrote in an Instagram post Thursday evening. “Thank you for walking with us, today and always.”

The Sinaloense legends’ street sign is located on 5th Avenue and 47th Street in Brooklyn, surrounded by a litany of Latino restaurants.

“We’ve been coming to New York for so many years,” vocalist and accordion player Jorge Hernandez said in a TV interview Wednesday with New York’s Fox 5. “We’ve been able to connect with the community, so that’s why we’ve been selected today to have the street and we are very happy to be honored tomorrow.”

The road naming occurred on the same day as the release of the “La Puerta Negra” artists’ latest five-track EP “La Lotería.” The title track is a sociopolitical corrido that uses the imagery of the popular bingo-like Mexican game to comment on topics like immigration and the past criminality of the current U.S. president.

The band will play its first-ever show at New York’s historic Madison Square Garden on May 24 to wrap up their current East Coast stint before performing June 13 at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and June 15 in Del Mar, Calif.

However, Thursday’s festivities weren’t the first time that the “Jaula de Oro” band was honored with a street-naming ceremony. A strip of W. 26th Street in Chicago is honorarily named after the 12-time Latin Grammy winners. The street runs through the Windy City’s Little Village neighborhood, which is known as the “Mexico of the Midwest” due to upwards of 80% of its residents being of Mexican descent.

Los Tigres del Norte were feted locally in 2014 in the most L.A. way possible — with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In June, the group will receive lifetime recognition for its members’ continued immigration advocacy from Monterey County officials ahead of their tour date in Salinas, Calif.

Center Parcs has released the first glimpse of what its latest UK resort – predicted to cost at least £350 million – will look like, after submitting a formal planning application

Brits have been given the first-ever glimpse of what could soon become the UK’s newest Center Parcs. The holiday brand, which came to Britain back in 1987, submitted a formal planning application to open a huge resort near the tiny rural town of Hawick, Scotland.

Center Parcs has its heart set on building around 700 lodges and tourist facilities – such as its iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, and Aqua Sana Spa – conveniently located just off the A7. This area, which is south of Selkirk, boasts diverse wildlife including ospreys, golden eagles, red squirrels, and deer – and is near a slew of historic houses, castles, and abbeys.

The mega project, predicted to cost between £350 million and £400 million, will create around 1,200 jobs and become the seventh UK Center Parcs location. This week, the travel giant held a two-day community consultation (from May 20-21) in Hawick to discuss details with locals.

READ MORE: UK seaside town abandoned by Butlin’s where rows of houses and fields now sit

According to the BBC, concern has been raised over the loss of usable farmland. Some residents are also worried tourists will visit the Center Parcs complex and then leave the area – which won’t support local businesses.

However, the company, which is accepting comments on the proposed site until Friday, June 6, says most of its guests who stay for the weekend end up ‘exploring’ the local area too. It also released a fly-through video and 3D model to show locals exactly what the holiday village would look like.

The computer-generated images reveal the epic site will feature the classic Center Parcs central hub which homes its Subtropical Swimming Paradise, a huge lake where guests can hire boats, as well as restaurants and a spa – all set amongst lush woodlands. “The flythrough video and 3D model really help bring the plans to life and add to the real sense of anticipation that has been evident at recent consultation events,” the company’s chief executive, Colin McKinlay, said.

The Center Parcs boss added that the company is working hard to ensure its proposals reflect feedback it has received from the community. “It’s one thing to describe what we’re hoping to build, but seeing it laid out visually captures the ambition of what we’re planning,” he explained.

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Scotland’s first-ever Center Parcs aims to open its doors by 2029. In the meantime, Brits can holiday in any of the six sites currently operating in the UK. These are Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire; Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire; Elveden Forest, Suffolk; Whinfell Forest, Cumbria, or Longleat Forest, Wiltshire.

Guests can choose to stay for three, four, or seven nights – with all breaks starting on either a Friday or Monday. Prices will vary depending on what type of accommodation you choose, as well as if you’re visiting during peak breaks. Half-term visits start from £749*.

*Prices based on Center Parcs’ website at the time of writing.

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The UK’s favourite amusement park has had a big new addition to its line-up this week, as one of its iconic attractions was officially unveiled with a new look – and a brand new name

It’s been a bumper year for UK theme parks, with Universal Studios announcing its arrival and major new attractions popping up at Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. Closer to Greater Manchester, Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort has also been making waves, particularly this week with the grand reveal of its revamped and rebranded Launch Pad.

I was among the first to test the ride on Wednesday morning (May 7), just hours before it officially opened its doors to the public, writes the Manchester Evening News’s Adam Maidment. It’s a heart-pounding adrenaline rush as riders are catapulted 210ft into the air at a blistering 80mph.

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A word of advice – keep breakfast light before hopping on. If you’re a regular at Pleasure Beach Resort, you might already be acquainted with Launch Pad, albeit under a different guise.

Since its debut in 1997, it’s gone through several name changes – starting life as Playstation: The Ride and later becoming known as Tango Ice Blast and then simply Ice Blast.

But 28 years after its initial unveiling, bosses told me on opening day that it’s been given a ‘new lease of life’. In fact, it’s undergone such a transformation that it’s best considered a brand new ride.

There’s a fresh theme, vibrant new colours, a catchy new soundtrack and even a new cylinder. Diving into the mechanics without getting bogged down in jargon, the thrill of the ride is largely due to the pressure cylinder operating at a whopping 105 PSI, exerting a force of 105 pounds.

Karl Murphy, Pleasure Beach Resort’s engineering director, has previously remarked: “We’ve increased the force, which means the acceleration is greater.”

As someone who’d never experienced the ride’s earlier incarnations, I was essentially going in blind, save for the anticipation of being catapulted skywards. Its longstanding popularity hinted at an extraordinary experience awaiting.

The ride’s space theme is a perfect match, easily conjuring images of being aboard a rocket about to blast off. A brief countdown from mission control and suddenly, it’s lift-off time.

The immediate surge of speed is electrifying, prompting involuntary shouts of excitement (or terror). The sensation of the G-force is palpable, offering a taste of astronaut life without leaving Earth.

And if you manage to regain your composure while suspended 210ft high, do take a moment to appreciate Blackpool’s beauty on a clear day – the sandy stretches, the iconic Tower, and the expansive views are truly breathtaking.

The new attraction may be brief, but it is so engaging that you’ll likely fancy multiple rides if the queues are manageable.

Beyond Launch Pad, visitors can enjoy other attractions such as Valhalla, previously crowned the best water ride in Europe, and the legendary The Big One roller coaster which, at 213 feet tall, has endured admirably for 31 years.

Pleasure Beach Resort recently refreshed Valhalla two years ago – a move that has seen it reclaim its title as the best water ride in Europe – and is maintaining its momentum by updating classic attractions, with River Caves next in line.

At the Launch Pad debut gathering, Pleasure Beach Resort CEO Amanda Thompson OBE underscored the significance of these revitalisations: “Re-imaginings like this one are fantastic for our industry. Not only do they create a new and incredibly powerful ride experience, they’re sustainable, and they allow us to re-invent beloved attractions for generations to come.”

Even to newcomers who missed the ride’s earlier versions, the care and investment poured into reimagining Launch Pad is evident; the attraction has been reborn with abundant new features that almost render it a brand-new experience.

Pleasure Beach Resort is certainly pulling out all the stops to maintain its standing as one of the top theme parks in the UK, and perhaps even further afield.

They’re also gearing up to unveil a brand-new Gyro Swing next year, with a hefty price tag of £8.72m, set to be the largest of its kind on these shores.

You’d do well to add Launch Pad to your itinerary for your next jaunt to Pleasure Beach Resort – it’s sure to sweep away the cobwebs.