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Heathrow to Canary Wharf in 8 MINUTES: Virgin Atlantic to launch a flying taxi service in the UK – with passengers whisked through the air at 200mph

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If you’re a weary Londoner, the idea of an eight minute journey from Heathrow to Canary Wharf might sound too good to be true.

But it’s set to become a reality, with the launch of a flying taxi service in Britain.

Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with Joby Aviation in a partnership that aims to offer ‘seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK’.

The futuristic electric air taxis are designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers, and can hit impressive speeds of up to 200mph.

This means that the journey between Heathrow and Canary Wharf – which currently takes around 80 minutes by taxi – could be slashed to just eight minutes.

‘As a leader in sustainability and with innovation firmly in our DNA, we are delighted to be partnering with Joby to bring short-haul, zero-emission flight to airports and cities throughout the UK,’ said Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic.

‘Our strategic partnership combines Joby’s expertise in design, engineering and technology with the power of Virgin Atlantic’s brand and award-winning customer experience.

‘We look forward to working together to bring Joby’s service to the UK and to deliver greater connectivity for our customers.’

If you’re a weary Londoner, the idea of an eight minute journey from Heathrow to Canary Wharf might sound too good to be true. But it’s set to become a reality, with the launch of a flying taxi service in Britain

 

Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with Joby Aviation in a partnership that aims to offer ‘seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK’

 

Joby’s electric air taxi features six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically.

Best of all, this means the air taxi produces a fraction of the noise of today’s helicopters, allowing it to land in quiet areas with minimal disruption.

‘From the beginning, we knew our aircraft had to fade into the background of life,’ Joby explains on its website.

‘Our expert team of engineers has dedicated years to delivering an aircraft that will be quiet enough to land in your neighborhood.’

According to Joby, the aircraft is also optimised for rapid, back-to-back flights, and will be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles.

‘Flying with us might feel more like getting into an SUV than boarding a plane,’ Joby added.

Initially, Virgin Atlantic and Joby will be offering journeys from hubs at London’s Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, with a flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds expected to take just 15 minutes.

According to Google Maps, this same journey in a car currently takes around 1 hour 4 minutes.

Joby’s electric air taxi features six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically. Best of all, this means the air taxi produces a fraction of the noise of today’s helicopters, allowing it to land in quiet areas with minimal disruption

 

The journey between Heathrow and Canary Wharf – which currently takes around 80 minutes by taxi – could be slashed to just eight minutes

 

However, over time, this network could be extended to cities and communities throughout the UK.

A ‘London Hub’ network map shows how customers will be able to hail rides from London and its airports to Birmingham, Norwich, Portsmouth, Brighton, Canterbury, Cambridge, Oxford, and Readibng.

Meanwhile, the ‘Manchester Hub’ will operate across Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York, and Hull.

Unfortunately, the timeline for the roll-out remains unclear, as does the pricing.

However, Joby says its expects to offer prices that are ‘comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options at launch.’

The news comes shortly after a £235,000 flying car that can fly over traffic jams was unveiled to the wolrd.

Alef Aeronautics’ futuristic vehicle can be driven around like a normal car on the streets.

However, it is also packed with propellors in the bonnet and boot that allow it to take off at any time to skip the queue.

The ‘Manchester Hub’ will operate across Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York, and Hull

 

In February, the company successfully tested the flying car in a city environment for the first time.

Incredible footage showed the car driving forwards a few metres before taking off vertically.

It glided through the air over the car in front of it, before landing on the ground and driving off.

‘This drive and flight test represents an important proof of technology in a real-world city environment,’ said Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef.

‘We hope it will be a moment similar to the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk video, proving to humanity that new transportation is possible.’

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Fire breaks out on cargo ship in Lagos

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Fire broke out aboard a cargo vessel, CHANG MIN (IMO 9622801), on Friday evening while it was docked at the ENL Terminal in Apapa Port, Lagos.

The incident occurred during cargo offloading activities and prompted an immediate multi-agency emergency response.

According to Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the fire began at approximately 5:55 pm, affecting the second section of the ship’s cargo hold.

The vessel was transporting highly flammable items, including CNG-powered trucks, wooden goods, and tyres.

Emergency services arrived swiftly to initiate a coordinated response, working closely with the vessel’s crew to assess the situation and implement safety protocols.

Initial measures involved sealing off the affected cargo hold to restrict oxygen flow and suppress the flames.

This was followed by a carefully planned firefighting operation that allowed crews to re-enter the compartment and fully extinguish the blaze.

“There were no casualties and no injuries were sustained to anyone as all seafarers on board have been accounted for,” said Oke-Osanyintolu.

He confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished and that recovery operations had been concluded. The exact cause of the incident remains unknown and is under investigation.

“Preliminary investigations conducted by Emergency responders at the scene revealed that the fire was observed at the point of unloading and the cause is yet to be ascertained at time of report,” he added.

Responding agencies included the LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority Fire Unit, and ENL Consortium Ltd.

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PRESS RELEASE RE: VIRAL VIDEO OF SCHOOL GIRL SMOKING.

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The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a deeply concerning video currently circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, depicting a school-aged girl smoking what appears to be cannabis, surrounded and cheered on by her classmates.

The video has been widely shared with captions suggesting the incident occurred within a Nigerian school, prompting significant concern, and anxiety amongst Nigerian parents and the wider community. However, preliminary investigation into its origin strongly suggests that the video did not originate in Nigeria, with multiple indicators pointing towards the video’s likely origin being in Zimbabwe.

The evidence supporting this conclusion includes the language spoken within the video. Individuals featured are heard speaking in both English and Shona, the latter being a language predominantly spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of southern Africa. Critically, no Nigerian languages or discernable Nigerian accents are present in the audio. Furthermore, the original upload of the video was accompanied by a caption written in Shona, with its initial posting on the Instagram channel @rusape_celebs_tv, a channel which is demonstrably based in the town of Rusape, Zimbabwe.

We urge the public to exercise caution when sharing unverified information, particularly when it involves sensitive content and carries the potential to negatively impact individuals, organizations, and entire communities. The Force strongly encourages responsible sharing of information and thorough verification of sources before amplifying potentially harmful claims.

FPRO, FHQ
ABUJA.

19th June, 2025.

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Critic files N250m defamation suit against Adamawa commissioner

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A fresh defamation lawsuit, with demands for damages has been filed against the Adamawa State Commissioner for Environment, Mohammed Sadiq by a famed critic of people in power in the state, Umar Jada, also known as Calculate.

This is a twist in the running war of words and legal battle between both parties.

Initially, it was the commissioner’s father, Sadiq Wali, who had taken Calculate before a Yola court over an audio comment against Sadiq Wali which the later claimed damaged his reputation, a fracas to which the commissioner was dragged into.

While that initial case is still running in court, Calculate dragged Sadiq Wali before the Adamawa State High Court and, accusing him of a deliberate attempt to malign and assassinate his character.

He is now demanding N250 million as general damages.

Cslculate’s case, filed under writ of summons No. HC/ADSY/2025, marks a surprising escalation in the public rift between the two political actors who only last week, acted as if a lull was in the offing.

In his deposition, Calculate alleges that on May 25, 2025, Mohammed Sadiq published a series of defamatory statements on his Facebook page, referring to him in demeaning language.

Calculate, praying the court to order the defendant to pay N250 million in damages for libel, is also asking the court to mandate Mohammed Sadiq to immediately remove the offending publications from his Facebook wall.

This defamation suit comes on the heels of the initial dramatic legal encounter when a Magistrate Court ordered the arrest and detention of Calculate following a high-profile defamation complaint by Sadiq Wali.

The arrest sparked public outcry, resulting in a legal intervention after Calculate filed an appeal before an Adamawa State High Court which granted him bail under less stringent conditions.

The present lawsuit by Calculate has now been seen as a counteroffensive, although it took many by surprise because a mediation move made last week by a prominent politician, Senator Ishaka Abbo appeared to be succeeding, with both parties thought to considering a peaceful settlement.

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