Qantas plans to launch what it says will be the world’s longest nonstop commercial flight in October 2027, connecting Sydney and London with a journey expected to last up to 22 hours.

The Australian airline announced Wednesday that nonstop flights between the two cities will begin operating as part of its long-awaited Project Sunrise initiative, which aims to connect Australia’s east coast directly with major global destinations.

Qantas unveiled the first of its specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Toulouse, France. The aircraft has been modified for ultra-long-haul travel and includes an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank that allows it to travel more than 16,000 kilometers, or nearly 10,000 miles, nonstop.

The Sydney-London route will become the first nonstop service between Australia’s east coast and the United Kingdom. According to Qantas, the flights will reduce travel time by as much as four hours compared with existing one-stop itineraries.

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“Since we first flew the Kangaroo Route in 1947, where we stopped seven times on the way to London, every generation of aircraft has taken a stop out of the journey,” Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a statement. “Today, we’re taking out the last one.”

The launch marks a significant milestone for Project Sunrise, an initiative first announced by Qantas in 2017 to push the limits of commercial long-haul travel.

Qantas said the A350-1000ULR aircraft were designed specifically for the project and will carry 238 passengers across four cabin classes. The airline plans to take delivery of 12 of the aircraft.

The carrier said nonstop Sydney-London flights will go on sale in February 2027 ahead of the service launch later that year.

The route is expected to surpass Singapore Airlines’ nonstop service between Singapore and New York, currently regarded as one of the world’s longest regularly scheduled commercial flights.

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Qantas cited recent research showing growing demand for ultra-long-haul travel, with 70% of surveyed Australians indicating they would consider booking a nonstop flight of that length. Among premium travelers, interest rose to 80%, according to the airline.

The company said more than 1.7 million passengers have flown on its existing nonstop long-haul routes since 2018, including services linking Perth with London, Rome and Paris.

Qantas plans to expand Project Sunrise beyond London. The airline confirmed that Sydney-to-New York will be the next route added to the network, with additional details expected next year.

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The airline said pilots, cabin crew and maintenance personnel are already undergoing training ahead of the aircraft’s arrival and entry into service.

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Wales has nearly 500,000 people classed as being economically inactive

Unemployment in Wales has risen slightly but remains below the rate for the UK as a whole.

According to the ONS, unemployment in Wales was up 0.3% in the three months from February to April to 3.8%. For the UK unemployment was down 0.3% to 4.9% on the previous quarter.

On the three months to March UK unemployment was down from 5% .Of the UK nations and regions unemployment was only lower than in Wales in the south east of England (also 3.8%) and Northern Ireland at 1.7% – although the province has the highest economic inactivity rate in the UK. The highest unemployment rate remains London at 6.6%.

On the previous quarter the number of unemployed in Wales was up 5,000 to 59,000. On the year it was down 14,000. For the UK it was down 105,000 to 1.6 million, but up 124,000 on the year.

Wales has the third lowest employment rate in the UK of working age adults, behind the north east of England (71.1%) and Northern Ireland (71.9%) at 72.3%. The rate for the UK as a whole is 75%.

The number of working age people in Wales classed as economically inactive – so not actively seeking employment – was 24.8%. It was only higher in Northern Ireland at 26.8%. For the UK as a whole it was 21%. The number of economically inactive, which includes those on long-term sick, in Wales stands at 484,000 – which was down 11,000 on the quarter. Amongst young people, aged 16 to 24, some 17% – higher than the UK level -are classed at Neets (not in education, employment or training.)

As with the previous Labour Welsh Government, the new Plaid Cymru administration said say that the ONS figures, based on its Labour Force Survey, had to taken with a degree of caution. While the ONS, headquartered in Newport, is continuing its work on improving the robustness of the survey, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity Adam Price is seeking a meeting to discuss the reliability of the data.

A spokesman for the Welsh Government said; “As a newly elected Government we are committed to driving investment, innovation and higher productivity across Wales.

We have announced a National Productivity Goal to close the gap with the rest of the UK and help unlock the full potential of the Welsh economy.

“By focusing on productivity, we will deliver more jobs, higher pay, stronger businesses and thriving communities.

“This goal will give direction to our new Welsh innovation and development agency, shaping how we support businesses, develop skills and invest in the foundations of a stronger, more competitive Welsh economy.

“Evidence from a range of sources suggest the labour market in Wales is following a similar trend to the UK as a whole.

Amid continued interventions from the Office for National Statistics to increase the quality of the Labour Force Survey data, we continue to recommend using the LFS data alongside the trends in other measures of the labour market to gain a clearer picture of the Welsh labour market.

Latest figures from the Annual Population Survey (APS) show the unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over in Wales was 4.5% compared to the UK rate of 4.4%. It also shows Wales’ employment rate is relatively close to the all-time high.

“The Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, is keen to meet with the ONS to discuss the reliability of Labour Market data for Wales.”

On the UK picture Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “The labour market remained broadly stable in the latest quarter, with further softening evident in some measures.

Payroll numbers continued to fall over this period, with new recruits at their lowest level in five years.”

She added there were “some signs of workers moving into self‑employment”, while the vacancies decline signalled firms are “becoming more cautious about taking on new staff”.

The ONS said its vacancies survey showed some firms are putting recruitment on hold due to economic uncertainty and higher labour costs.

Burmese pythons, already blamed for damaging wildlife populations in Florida’s Everglades, may be affecting the ecosystem in another unexpected way. A new study has found that these invasive snakes could accidentally help spread plant seeds after eating birds and mammals that feed on fruits.

The research suggests that the impact of Burmese pythons goes beyond hunting native animals. By moving seeds through their digestive systems, the snakes may influence how plants spread across South Florida’s wetlands and could play an unnoticed role in changing the region’s natural landscape.

Scientists found plant seeds inside Burmese pythons

The study, published in the Journal of Zoology, was carried out by researchers from the University of Florida, the US Geological Survey and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
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Scientists examined digestive tract samples collected from Burmese pythons in South Florida and discovered 25 different types of seeds inside the snakes. The seeds included those from native plants such as cabbage palm and creeping cucumber.

Researchers said the snakes likely picked up the seeds indirectly by eating birds and mammals that had already consumed fruits. This process is known as secondary seed dispersal, where one animal helps move seeds after another animal has eaten them.
The researchers explained that invasive reptiles can influence plant movement in different ways. A python may directly spread seeds by consuming them, or it may transport seeds after eating another animal that carries them.

Some seeds survived after passing through python digestion

The study also tested whether the seeds could still grow after being inside a python. The results showed that nearly 40 per cent of cabbage palm seeds survived digestion and were able to germinate.
This indicates that Burmese pythons may unintentionally help plants reach new locations. Scientists said this could affect the balance of vegetation in the Everglades, where even small changes in plant distribution can influence the wider ecosystem.

Researchers believe the effect could apply to both native plants and invasive species, making the role of Burmese pythons more complex than previously understood.

Invasive snakes have already damaged native wildlife

Burmese pythons are considered one of Florida’s most harmful invasive species. Over the last two decades, the snakes have contributed to a sharp decline in several native mammals, including raccoons, rabbits and foxes.

These animals were important seed carriers in the ecosystem. As their numbers reduced, pythons may have started replacing part of that role, although scientists warn that a predator taking over the work of native animals can create uncertain consequences.

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The researchers said the change highlights how invasive species can affect nature in unexpected ways.

Scientists warn that invasive species can have hidden impacts

The study’s authors said invasive species “reshape ecosystems in ways that are not always obvious”. While Burmese pythons are widely known for reducing native animal populations, their influence may extend to other parts of the environment.

Melissa Miller, a University of Florida researcher involved in related python studies, previously said, “Our study links python ecology with removal efforts,” adding that long-term research is essential to better understand “cryptic, long-lived species such as Burmese pythons.”

Scientists said the findings show that invasive animals can create environmental changes through multiple pathways. Some effects may only become visible after years of research.

The study adds another layer to the growing understanding of Burmese pythons in Florida. Even after decades of monitoring the species, researchers continue to discover new ways these giant snakes are influencing the Everglades.

Understanding these hidden connections could help conservation teams develop better strategies to protect one of the world’s most important wetland ecosystems.

Governor Andrew Bailey warned inflationary pressure remained in the pipeline despite a fall in energy prices

The Bank of England says it will accept a delay in returning inflation to its two per cent target, after holding interest rates at 3.75 per cent in a divided Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) vote.

Bank officials revealed they were keeping a close eye on the outcome of a peace agreement being reached between the US and Iran, which had pushed international oil and gas prices downward and alleviated concerns over a looming economic crisis in the UK.

However, the Bank cautioned that it still anticipated inflation would creep upwards this year, climbing above 3.3 per cent from its current rate of 2.8 per cent.

Minutes from the MPC decision revealed that members were required to assess how swiftly the Bank could bring inflation down to two per cent and how long it would be willing to accept sluggish growth.

The majority of members also concurred that elevated bond yields and mortgage costs affecting businesses and households “were already acting to reduce inflation over time”, tempering inflationary pressures and enabling the Bank to avoid raising interest rates, as reported by City AM.

The Bank signalled that its inflation outlook had been revised downwards following the peace deal’s impact on energy markets, alongside unexpected figures from within the UK suggesting price pressures had begun to ease.

Governor Andrew Bailey, who supported holding interest rates, described a drop in oil prices to below $80 per barrel as “encouraging”, though cautioned that they remained elevated compared to levels seen before the Iran conflict began. “Whatever happens in the future, the higher energy prices of the past four months mean there’s already some inflationary pressure in the pipeline,” he said.

Discussing his vote to hold interest rates steady, he indicated he was willing to accept inflation remaining above the Bank’s two per cent target in the medium term.

“Our remit recognises that attempting to bring inflation back to target too quickly may cause undesirable volatility in output,” he wrote.

“Given the context at present of softness in the real economy and uncertainty around the scale and duration of the shock to energy prices, tolerating temporarily above-target inflation as part of a return to target is an appropriate way to approach the trade trade-off, providing inflation expectations remain contained.”

The two Bank policymakers who voted in favour of raising interest rates were chief economist Huw Pill and external member Megan Greene.

Both Pill and Greene cautioned that businesses and households could be more vulnerable to inflation shocks than they were back in 2022, when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices soaring fourfold.

Pill argued that an interest rate rise would help curb spiralling wage and price-setting pressures, and “put the MPC in a good place from which to respond” to the current situation. Catherine Mann, who voted to hold interest rates on this occasion, appeared to indicate that an early rate rise could unsettle businesses and households, despite elevated pricing measures “needing an activist hike”.

She said she “had time” to assess whether workers would push for higher wages, which could drive prices above expected levels.

Fellow members who voted alongside her indicated they would be willing to raise interest rates should tensions in the Middle East flare up once more.

The MPC also cautioned that it would need to reach an early judgement on whether “second-round effects” — whereby rising wage pressures drive up prices — would take hold across the UK, given that a delayed rate rise may prove insufficient to bring inflation under control swiftly enough.

Some economists have argued that a sluggish jobs market and moderating wage growth — particularly within the private sector — would result in weaker second-round effects than those witnessed following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022.

Universal Constructions has booked a $33 million contract with the state government over a new primary school.

The Department of Education recently awarded the Balcatta-based construction company a contract over a new school construction in Jandakot, dubbed Treeby East.

According to TendersWA, the contract starts on July 2 and covers about 15 months of work.

The proposed Treeby East primary school is expected to open in 2028, to accommodate 650 students.

It will comprise a seven-classroom early childhood teaching block, two double-storey teaching buildings, and a single-storey block for art and science.

Other features include a library, and administration building, a covered assembly building, staff facilities, and a full-size AFL oval with associated amenities delivered by the City of Cockburn.

“The construction of a new primary school in Treeby East will support families and benefit the growing local community,” the department said online.

The Treeby East PS is one of four new primary schools the state government flagged for a 2028 opening, as part of a $140 million re-election commitment.

Butler has been earmarked for two primary schools, dubbed Eglinton North and Yanchep East.

The state government also flagged a new primary school in Vasse, in the state’s South West.

Universal Constructions had been involved in the construction of Treeby Primary School, which opened in 2022.

In 2020, the state government awarded Universal a $14.6 million contract for works for the school.