TUI is launching holidays to a beach city that was once the capital.

Zadar, in Croatia, was the former capital of Dalmatia, and is now a popular seaside city break.

And TUI has added Zadar to its city break programme, which will mean Brits can book hotel and flight packages with the tour operator.

The packages will include flights with easyJet and Ryanair, flying from nine airports.

This includes London Gatwick and Manchester as well as Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Trips on offer can range from three nights to 14 nights.

JET SET

TUI to launch more hotels in affordable exotic countries with no jet lag & £1 beers

HANNIBAL LECTURE

I visited 20C African capital that looks like Santorini with TUI flights

While Split and Dubrovnik are some of Croatia‘s busiest cities, Zadar is also worth a visit.

Not only does it often have highs of 28C in summer, but it is cheap too – beers can be found for around £2.30.

There is also the famous Sea Organ, which plays music powers by waves as well as light shows at night.

TUI has excursions such as waking tours or trips to the nearby National Parks.

TUI’s Commercial Director Chris Logan said: “We’re excited to introduce Zadar to our growing city break programme.

“It’s a destination that truly has it all, with a stunning coastline, rich history, and authentic Croatian culture around two and a half hours from the UK.

“Whether you’re exploring the Old Town, relaxing on nearby beaches or enjoying a sunset boat tour, Zadar is the perfect choice for customers looking for an alternative spot on the Adriatic Coastline.”

Some of the holidays on offer include five night and return flights from £520.

The Sun’s Alex Goss recently visited Zadar.

He said; “For our final meal, we headed to restaurant Kornat in Zadar, one of the best in the town that offers seafront Croatian dining at its finest, with black tie service and an impeccable local wine list.

“We had seabass roll stuffed with shrimp cream, tuna steak with a spinach and wasabi sauce and beef carpaccio with homemade dough cones stuffed with cottage cheese from the island of Pag.

Just make sure you’re not too hungover to tackle Zadar’s mind-bending Museum of Illusion the next day.”

Zadar is also a great spot for island hopping across Croatia.

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There is Silba, home to just 150 people were cars are banned.

It takes three hours by ferry to reach Silba from Zadar, with tickets costing £4.

Luka Doncic drilled a three-pointer right in front of the Clippers’ bench late in the first quarter and then glared at them, shaking his head as he ran back down court to play defense for the Lakers, just one of the many piercing stares he sent their way after delivering one of his three-point bombs.

It seems as if Doncic has his own personal rivalry against the Clippers and it just simply folded into the inter-city rivalry.

And once again, Doncic overwhelmed the Clippers in directing the Lakers to a 135-118 win Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

He came up one rebound shy of a triple-double, dropping 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. He was 14 for 28 from the field, seven for 12 from three-point range and eight for 11 from the free-throw line.

In leading the Lakers to their fifth straight win, Doncic now has recorded 39 double-double games of at least 40 points, which moved him past Anthony Davis for the fourth most among active players and tying Magic Johnson for the sixth most 40-point double-doubles as a Laker.

Doncic also tied Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal for the most 40-point double-doubles as a Laker before the age of 27 since the NBA/ABA merger (five).

“I think we played a great game,” Doncic said. “I think they were getting a lot of shots, especially in the first half.”

Late in the fourth quarter, the game turned physical, and Doncic was in the middle of it.

Kris Dunn pushed Doncic in the back, and Doncic confronted Dunn, who then put the basketball in Doncic’s chest. Jaxson Hayes then stepped in and pushed Dunn.

In the end, Dunn was assessed two technical fouls and ejected from the game and Hayes was assessed a technical foul. Doncic shot a technical foul free throw with 3:33 left in the game.

“Of course, I appreciate it,” Doncic said about Hayes stepping in to help him. “I told him right away, ‘Thanks for having my back.’ And that says a lot about him. That says a lot about this team. Everybody has got each other’s back.”

Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers was called for a foul after knocking down Austin Reaves on this play.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Doncic scored 24 points against the Clippers in the first quarter alone, making his first five three-pointers before finishing the quarter five for eight from three, nine for 14 from the field, many of the baskets punctuated by a stare down at the Clippers’ bench.

By the half, Doncic had posted 32 points on 11-for-17 shooting and six for 10 on three-pointers and six assists.

Over the course of his career with the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic, who is averaging 12.5 free-throw attempts per game, has torn the Clippers apart.

Entering Tuesday night’s game, he had averaged 32.2 points per game over 20 games, his highest against any Western Conference foe. He had produced 7.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists and shot 48% from the field, 36% from the three-point line.

When asked why he has performed so well against the Clippers, Doncic shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I think we just met a lot of times in the playoffs. They beat me the first two times, so I don’t know what it is. I guess I like it.”

With Deandre Ayton (right knee contusion) out and Hayes starting in his place, Austin Reaves (31 points) and LeBron James (25), did their part to help the Lakers clinch Group B of the NBA cup with a 3-0 record.

The Lakers finish group play against the Dallas Mavericks here Friday night and the Clippers complete their group play against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night at Intuit Dome.

Etc.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said that Ayton got an MRI exam on his knee that “was clean other than just some swelling, a little bit of a bruise.” Ayton was injured in the first half against the Jazz Sunday. “Don’t think it’s going to be a long-term thing,” Redick said. “Hopefully it’s a game-to-game thing and he’s back at some point by the end of the week.”…The Lakers announced that they signed forward Drew Timme to a two-way contract and waived two-way center Christian Koloko. Timme has played for the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, and posted averages of 25.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 25.5 minutes over six games. The 6-foot-10 Timme played his college basketball at Gonzaga.

Berlin, Germany – Organisers of a pro-Palestine conference are suing authorities in Berlin who shut the event down last April soon after it began.

They hope a panel of judges at the Berlin Administrative Court will rule that police acted unlawfully in cracking down on the Palestine Congress, a forum of solidarity activists and human rights experts who were gathering to discuss Israel’s genocide in Gaza and Germany’s alleged complicity.

The hearing begins on Wednesday.

The defendant, the State of Berlin, argues the police were right to act preemptively as they predicted criminal statements would be made at the conference, specifically incitement to hatred, dissemination of propaganda or use of symbols of unconstitutional and “terrorist” organisations.

The police justified this prediction in part on the basis that in a news conference held prior to the event, organisers allegedly did not distance themselves from the Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

On the day in question, April 12, 2024, officers in riot gear descended in their hundreds on the venue usually used for wedding receptions and pulled the plug – cutting off the power to ensure that none of the planned speeches could be heard or broadcast via livestream.

“I’m not aware of any other instance where a conference was shut down without any crime having been committed,” Michael Ploese, the lawyer representing the conference organisers, told Al Jazeera.

He said that German law only allowed restrictions on gatherings in private rooms where there was  high probability that a criminal act would be committed, and that the right to freedom of expression usually took precedence.

Among the groups organising the conference was Juedische Stimme (Jewish Voice), a sister group of the US collective of the same name that organises Jewish peace activists who are critical of Israeli actions regarding Palestine.

“I saw it as a success that we had even been able to begin it at all, but I wasn’t expecting it all to end an hour later,” said Wieland Hoban, the chair of Juedische Stimme, who gave opening remarks at the conference.

Adding to the sense of repression, the British Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu Sittah, one of the main speakers, said officials at the airport in Berlin prevented him from continuing his journey and told him to return to the United Kingdom.

Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek left-wing economist and former minister of finance, posted online the speech he had planned to make. Like Abu Sittah, Varoufakis faced an entry ban after the furore. The Berlin Administrative Court later ruled that the ban on Abu Sittah’s political activity was unlawful.

Throughout Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, German police and security services have repeatedly claimed protests in support of those being bombarded are anti-Semitic or are to be interpreted as revering Hamas. Thousands of individual protesters have been arrested, and many planned demonstrations have been banned outright.

Germany is Israel’s biggest diplomatic supporter in Europe and enforces strict limits on speech that criticises or attacks Israel, with some arguing this is necessary because of Germany’s genocide of six million Jews in the Holocaust.

It is a justification that Wieland Hoban rejects, saying the laws are even used against Jewish people who speak up for Palestine.

“Even if you lost family in the Holocaust, you can still be lectured by some German about what you can say,” said Hoban. “Simply mentioning the Holocaust can get you accused of relativierung” – a word that is used to suggest someone is playing down the Holocaust by drawing comparisons to other, lesser, crimes against humanity.

Last month, a group of United  Nations experts said they were alarmed by the “pattern of police violence and apparent suppression of Palestine solidarity activism by Germany”.

If this week’s case goes in favour of the conference organisers, it will be a blow to Germany’s controversial stance.

Videos of police using force to shut down nonviolent protests for Gaza on the streets of German cities have coursed around the world.

But what marked the state’s intervention in the Palestine Congress apart was that it represented the silencing of an event consisting of talks and debates in an indoor venue – a sphere of political expression that lawyers had previously thought was off-limits for police repression.

A discussion about the budget was rapidly descending into an argument when Susanna Reid was forced to interrupt Good Morning Britain to reveal some devastating news

Good Morning Britain‘s Susanna Reid was forced to interrupt a heated discussion about the budget as heartbreaking news came in. The ITV morning show host said the news brought back “awful memories”.

Susanna and the shows’ guests were talking about the “smorgasbord” of tax rises expected in the budget and the presenter seemed to be getting irate about the vague language being used to discuss it, frustratingly calling it all “semantics”.

But she soon had to stop the discussion to reveal some breaking news. “We’ve got some news coming out of Hong Kong,” she started. “Where a fire is engulfing a residential building.”

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As live footage came in of the building burning, Susanna found the fire difficult to talk about. “Wow, goodness me, these are live pictures. They bring back awful memories don’t they?”

She couldn’t help drawing parallels between the Hong Kong fire, where several people are trapped inside, and the tragedy at Grenfell Tower in 2017.

The fire at Grenfell resulted in 72 deaths and a public inquiry was started to establish what happened and how such a disaster can be prevented in the future.

The inquiry, which only ended in February this year, found that there was a chain of failures across government and the private sector led to Grenfell Tower becoming a death trap in the event of a fire, as the cladding and insulation were failed fire safety tests.

Susanna described “plumes of grey smoke” coming out of the Hong Kong building and said local fire departments were “battling” to put out the fire and save the people inside.

Kevin Maguire, who was on the show to talk about the budget, said: “You’ve just got to hope that there are lots of exits and that the outside windows have been fitted properly so unlike Grenfell, the fire can’t go outside.”

After the Grenfell fire, it was found that the fire was able to move more easily between the interior and exterior of the building as the windows’ surrounds were made of materials that were less resistant to the heat. The windows themselves were an insufficient size when they were refurbished, necessitating larger surrounds.

Good Morning Britain soon turned back to talk about the budget. Andrew Pierce said he thought Rachel Reeves would be sacked after the budget.

For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

MORE flights have been cancelled today amid a nationwide strike abroad.

The walk out across Belgium is following the new plans introduced by the country’s prime minister to reduce the debt.

Brussels Airport confirmed they have cancelled 110 of the 203 incoming flights today.

This is in addition to the departing flights already axed due to the strike.

The remaining 93 incoming flights will still go ahead.

In a statement yesterday, Brussels Airport confirmed: “Due to the national industrial action on Wednesday 26 November in which the staff of the security and handling service provider is participating, we unfortunately expect major disruptions to our airport operations on that day.”   

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GROUNDED

Major airports axe ALL flights tomorrow affecting hundreds of Brit passengers

Hundreds of Brits will be affected by the cancellations as airlines including BA and Ryanair operate flights.

British Airways has cancelled all of its London Heathrow to Brussels flights.

And Ryanair has cancelled all of their flights to Brussels Charleroi which affects routes from Manchester and Edinburgh.

Flights between Manchester and Brussels that are operated by Brussels Airlines have also been cancelled.

Brussels Charleroi Airport also said in a statement: “Due to the national day of action planned for Wednesday 26 November by a united front of trade unions and the lack of staff available to ensure safe operations, Charleroi Airport will not be able to operate scheduled departures and arrivals.

“Passengers scheduled to fly via Charleroi on November 26 will be contacted in the coming days by their airline for a rebooking or refund.”

Antwerp and Ostend-Bruges airports are fully operating stick.

It’s not just flights affected, as Eurostar travel has also been affected.

A number of trains between Paris and Belgium have been cancelled or delayed this week.

They told passengers: “Please keep an eye on our live train info page which we’ll update as soon as we know the strike impacts our timetable.

“Public transport and domestic train traffic could be disrupted. If you have a connecting journey, please check for travel updates with the relevant carrier ahead of your trip.

“You may need to allow extra time for your journey.”

Ferries and domestic trains are also being affected and cancelled.

SACRAMENTO — The final pieces of a multi-bill legislative package needed to implement a $52.1-billion state budget stalled in the state Senate on Monday as lawmakers made last-minute efforts to change or derail several measures.

The major issues still on the table include a proposed suspension of the renters tax credit and legislation to allow local governments to implement cheaper retirement plans for their workers.

The Senate shut down late Monday afternoon without taking major action. Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) said members would return at noon today, and “we will go until all business is completed, exhausted or until all hope is dead.”

In one late maneuver that was outside the framework of the bipartisan budget agreement, a proposal was emerging to give local governments the proceeds of a new statewide tax on tobacco while stripping them of much of their authority to regulate smoking.

Gov. Pete Wilson was awaiting passage of the package to which he had agreed last week with Democratic and Republican leaders of the Assembly and Senate. The new fiscal year begins Thursday.

“The governor will sign the budget as soon as he has the entire package on his desk,” said Dan Schnur, Wilson’s chief spokesman. “Every piece of the budget package is critical. You take out one piece and the package doesn’t fit together anymore.”

There was disagreement, however, over just what constituted the agreed-upon package.

Wilson Administration officials have said all five members of the leadership group agreed to suspend the renters tax credit for two years. The Assembly passed a bill to do that last week.

But the legislation has hit a snag in the Senate, where Roberti insists that the deal included an agreement to place a measure on the ballot next year that, if approved by the voters, would embed the renters credit in the state Constitution. Such a move would make it impossible for the Legislature to tamper with it again.

Roberti and Wilson appeared to be on the verge of a compromise late Monday, although it was not clear if there was sufficient support in the Legislature. The new deal would put the issue to the voters, as Roberti wants, but would reinstate the $60 credit only for tenants who have a state tax obligation. The credit now goes–in the form of a refund–even to renters who pay no taxes.

Senate Democrats also appeared to be dragging their feet on the local government retirement issue. That bill, passed by the Assembly, would allow local governments to implement pension options for new employees that would save the governments money over time.

In holding up the bill, which is opposed by organized labor, Democrats appeared to be gambling that Wilson would look the other way because the measure produces no immediate savings to any level of government. But Schnur said the governor would not give up any piece of the package, no matter how minor.

“Even if the specific legislation doesn’t have direct fiscal impact, it is still the part of an overall agreement,” Schnur said. “We want to get this signed before midnight Wednesday. But we need the whole package in place before he can sign it.”

Schnur said the retirement bill, and another measure pending to allow counties to reduce general assistance welfare payments by as much as 27%, helped provide the rationale for the governor’s proposed shift of $2.6 billion in property tax revenue from local government to schools.

The so-called mandate relief, he said, was intended to give counties more control of their shrinking budgets.

The tobacco tax proposal floated Monday, although not part of the package, would address the same issue.

Local government reportedly could realize about $300 million annually through the 15-cent per pack tax. But in return, they would have to agree to strict limits on their ability to control smoking, perhaps leading to a state-imposed repeal of anti-smoking ordinances in place.

Several sources said Monday that the proposal had the tacit support of the tobacco industry and of Los Angeles County, which would stand to gain several millions dollars.

Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier) confirmed that he was pushing the tobacco tax legislation. He said it made sense to restrict local government’s regulatory powers at the same time–a goal long sought by the tobacco industry.

“If we’re going to dedicate a revenue source, we have to make sure that the locals cannot circumvent or cut down the revenue source by continuing to impact the sales of cigarettes,” Calderon said.

But anti-smoking activists were out to kill the plan before it could even become an official proposal.

“Everybody wants to do something for (Los Angeles) County, but not under these conditions,” said Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles). “This is the most dishonest, diabolical scheme. It’s the worst kind of politics.”

Times staff writer Dan Morain contributed to this report.

State Budget Watch

Less than three days before the end of the fiscal year, these were the key developments in Sacramento:

THE PROBLEM: The state will end the year with a $2.7-billion deficit and faces a $9-billion gap between anticipated tax revenues and the amount needed to pay off the deficit and provide all state services at the current levels for another 12 months.

THE LEGISLATURE: Final legislative approval of the last handful of bills to complete the 1993-94 state budget was making no progress by late afternoon. The Senate met in the morning but recessed without voting on four budget bills, the stickiest of which would suspend the renters tax credit for two years.

GOV. PETE WILSON: Wilson was holding fast to his vow not to sign a new budget until all companion measures are passed by the Legislature.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS: Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) was one of those holding up his approval of legislation reducing the renters tax credit. He was seeking as a condition assurances in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment, to be considered by voters, that the credit would be protected and fully funded in future years.

Milo Boyd went to check out if £55 for a room at one of the 55 Spoons hotels that are dotted across the UK is good value, or if the price point really is too good to be true

Love it or loathe it, Spoons is a British institution.

The mega-chain has around 800 joints across the UK and raked in £2 billion last year. Everything from its unique-to-the-venue 70s-inspired carpets to its weirdly cheap drinks, from its very outspoken CEO Tim Martin to its ability to buy up grand Victorian buildings and turn them into drinking dens, is etched into the British psyche.

But what you might not know, and what I didn’t, is that Spoons not only runs hotels, but has been doing so since 1998. Its first venue, in Shrewsbury, had 22 rooms for customers as well as the better-known drinking side of the business. Since then, 54 other Spoons Hotels have opened.

Put off by Mr. Martin’s intervention in British politics and the idea that it’s out-competing independent boozers with its mass buying power, in recent years, my trips to Spoons have been limited to bouts of airport necessity and, occasionally, using its bathrooms without buying anything. However, after its hotel was judged to be the most affordable in the country by Which? earlier this month, I decided to put past gripes behind me and give it a go.

On a cold Wednesday in November, I turned up at Thomas Ingoldsby in Canterbury, freezing and bedraggled following a long bike ride from Broadstairs. What I experienced warmed my chilly cockles and turned my view of Spoons on its head.

The offering is, quite simply, incredible. Here is the breakdown:

Price

Clearly price is a strong point in Spoons pubs, and the same is true in its hotels. In the Which? survey it was one of only two hotels to score 4* for value for money, the other being the overall winner, Coaching Inn Group. While Coaching’s average room rate is £128 a night, Spoons charges just £70 on average. A double room at the Thomas Ingoldsby, booked for next Wednesday, is just £55.

I tucked into a £2.99 veggie breakfast in the morning after an evening of £1.89 pints of ale. Both were pretty good. Maybe it’s been too long since I ventured outside the M25, but those prices just seemed absurdly low. In 2025, when stepping outside alone seems to rob you of at least £20, the budget friendliness of this experience was by far the most significant factor.

Vibe

Before my hotel stay, the last time I ventured into a Spoons had me wander into the cavernous and eerily quiet Coronet on London’s Holloway Road. The difference in vibe could not have been more stark on this particular frosty Wednesday night in Canterbury. The drinkers were out in full force in East Kent. University students, groups of jolly OAPs, lone men reading books and eating onion rings. All of life was there.

The hotel rooms are a short flight of stairs from the pub, which means you can easily stumble up at the end of it all or treat yourself to a deli wrap and chips in the bath. A member of staff told me it is possible to rent out a room spur of the moment, although overly drunk guests may be refused.

The room

The room itself was pretty faultless. I’ve been to a lot of budget hotels in my time, and this one was up there with the best of them. The (likely) worst-case scenario when staying at the lower price-range establishments is furniture that’s falling apart, a room that feels dirty and bedbug traces. The best case is a room in which everything feels well looked after, new or new enough, clean and well considered. The Ingoldsby delivered all of that, while having double rooms that were comfortably big enough for an impromptu last-orders party (although I imagine such things aren’t encouraged or allowed).

The room also had a large desk with a well-stocked tea tray, a sizeable TV and a view of Canterbury Cathedral I suspect few hotels in the city could compete with. Only two of the Ingoldsby’s rooms have that view. Not only do those on the other side of the hotel not look out onto the seat of Anglicanism, they’re a little disturbed by morning lorry movements, I was told. If you can bag it, room 110 is the one to get.

After a long, cold day of cycling across Kent, I was happy to discover the thermostat could be turned all the way up to 25 C, and delivered on that promise. It was like being on holiday.

What’s included

Sadly, Spoons hotel does not have an all-inclusive package. Who knows what mania would break loose after that many bottles of Hooch and triple-cooked chips. But the actual offering is not meagre.

Decent Wi-Fi, a couple of packets of biscuits, fresh towels, two bottles of water and enough tea, coffee and hot chocolate sachets to keep you going before check-out at 11. A morning bite is not included, but with breakfasts that cheap, it didn’t seem worth complaining about.

In conclusion

A friend’s wise dad once told me that Spoons is the closest thing to a real social institution that this country has left. As nightclubs go under and members’ societies close, there are fewer and fewer places for people to meet. Spoons might be one of the last remaining true third spaces we have left in the UK, where all sorts from all demographics want to go. And now that it’s delivering rooms this good and cheap as well, it’s even harder to deny its pull.

There was a time in the middle of the previous decade when Australian pitches offered next to no encouragement for bowlers.

On England’s Ashes tour of 2017-18, the fourth Test in Melbourne yielded more than 1,000 runs for only 24 wickets. The Melbourne Cricket Ground was given a warning by the International Cricket Council for what the governing body deemed a ‘poor’ surface.

Since England last visited Australia in 2021-22, pitches have given much more to the bowlers.

For the past four years, pitches in this country have been rated as faster, bouncier and more inconsistent than anywhere else in the world. Pace, bounce and inconsistency is the perfect recipe for tough batting.

At this point, it is worth stating there is a subjectivity to what constitutes a ‘good’ pitch.

Quite often, a pitch can be described as ‘good’ when it is friendly for batting, yet that does not always produce the most thrilling spectacle.

Perhaps it is better to describe a ‘good’ pitch as one that produces an even contest between bat and ball.

Pitches also change over the course of a Test, offering different challenges to batters and bowlers as a match progresses.

Take the first Ashes Test as an example. In the first three innings, the highest total was 172 and batting looked devilishly difficult.

In the final innings, Australia’s run chase, Travis Head made a target of 205 look minuscule. The run chase could have been much more difficult on the fifth day of a Test, when a pitch would be at its oldest and most worn.

Because of the rapid nature of the first Test, Head was batting on the second evening, when the pitch may have been at its best for run-scoring.

“The pitch was brilliant,” said former Australia opener Simon Katich on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“For Australia to chase 200 for the loss of two wickets summed it up. In Australia if you can wear the new ball down you will score quickly from 40 to 50 overs. England weren’t able to do that and paid the price.”

NEW British passports are being rolled out next month – with new technology set to make them the ‘most secure UK passports ever’.

On the front cover will be the King Charles’ Coat of Arms that will replace the current Queen Elizabeth II version.

It isn’t just the cover that’s changing, there will be a difference inside too.

The watermark images will depict the natural landscapes from all four UK nations from Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs Bay and the Giant’s Causeway.

The new passport will also have technology built into them with improved anti-forgery designs.

These include updated holographs and translucent features within the pages, which make them harder to forge or tamper with.

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There’s even a unique passport number built into each one using laser marking.

They’re hard-wearing too – like with the previous design the photograph page is made from an ultra-thin polycarbonate meaning it shouldn’t be easily damaged.

The UK government claim this makes it the “most secure British passport ever made”.

Migration and citizenship minister Mike Tapp said the redesign is “a new era in the history of the British passport”.

He added: “It also demonstrates our commitment to outstanding public service – celebrating British heritage while ensuring our passports remain among the most secure and trusted in the world for years to come.”

As for when you can get one, the Home Office has said that the new passports are ready to go.

So anyone applying for a new passport from now will receive one with the updated design.

You don’t need to rush to get the upgraded version though as passports featuring Queen Elizabeth II’s coat of arms will remain valid until their expiry date, the government said.

Since 2023, newly issued passports have been in the King’s name, but the coat of arms hasn’t been changed.

The last redesign of the British passport was in 2020 which saw the return of the navy blue cover which replaced the EU burgundy after Brexit.

Millions of Brits still have the previous dark red passports which are still permitted for use until they expire.

However, anyone using a red passport needs to be mindful of the EU rules which were introduced when the UK left the EU five years ago.

Since Brexit, any additional months on top of the 10 year validity of passports are no longer accepted.

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For more on passport rules – check out the common mistakes people make that put their holidays in jeopardy.

Plus, everything you need to know about the new European entry rules next month – and how it will affect your holiday.

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (UPI) — South Korean tech giant SK hynix, the world’s leading high-bandwidth memory chipmaker, announced Wednesday it launched a new semiconductor-inspired crunchy snack in collaboration with convenience store chain 7-Eleven.

The snack, called “HBM Chips,” is a play on the company’s high bandwidth memory — or HBM — technology. In this case, the acronym stands for “Honey Banana Mat,” using the Korean word for “flavor.”

The square corn chips, coated with sweet honey-banana chocolate, are meant to resemble semiconductors.

SK hynix said the product aims to make its complex technology more accessible to everyday consumers, particularly younger generations who may become future semiconductor industry talent.

“Semiconductors feel too distant for most people, but snacks are something everyone can enjoy,” SK hynix said in a statement. “We decided to explain technology through a new language of taste.”

The company also introduced a new sunglasses-wearing humanoid mascot “equipped with the latest HBM” that it said will appear in future brand communications, social media content and merchandise.

The collaboration marks the first foray into consumer packaged goods for the business-to-business chipmaker.

SK hynix holds approximately 50% of the global HBM market and recently surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest dynamic random access memory maker for the first time, capturing 36% market share in early 2025. The company pioneered HBM technology, which stacks layers of memory vertically, in 2013 and currently supplies major tech companies including Nvidia, Amazon and Microsoft.

HBM chips are critical components in AI servers and high-performance computing, enabling faster data transfer between processors and memory.

SK hynix recently logged record-high quarterly profits and said much of its high-end chip supply has already sold out through 2026 due to surging AI demand.

The new snack chips are now available at 7-Eleven stores across South Korea.

Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency says strict air quality standards were introduced without sufficient review.

United States President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to roll back tougher limits on deadly soot pollution, prompting condemnation from environmental groups.

The Trump administration’s latest bid to weaken environmental standards comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a court motion arguing that former President Joe Biden’s administration exceeded its authority when it tightened air quality standards in 2024.

In a motion filed on Monday, lawyers for Trump’s EPA asked a Washington, DC, appeals court to throw out the tougher standard, arguing it was introduced without the “rigorous, stepwise process” required under the 1963 Clean Air Act.

The EPA initially defended the tougher standard amid a flurry of legal challenges from Republican-led states and business groups, which argued the rule would raise costs, before reversing course under Trump appointee Lee Zeldin.

“EPA has concluded that the position it advanced earlier is erroneous,” lawyers for the EPA said in the filing, arguing that the agency should complete a “thorough review of the underlying criteria and corresponding standards” before revising the limit.

Under Biden appointee Michael S Regan, the EPA last year substantially lowered acceptable soot levels, from 12 micrograms per cubic metre of air to 9 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

The agency said at the time that the tougher standard would prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths and 290,000 lost workdays by 2032.

Upon taking office earlier this year, Zeldin, a former Republican lawmaker, pledged to roll back dozens of environmental regulations as part of what he dubbed the “largest deregulatory action in the history of the United States”.

Patrice Simms, an environmental lawyer at the nonprofit organisation Earthjustice, said lowering air quality standards would harm public health.

“Trump has made it clear that his agenda is all about saving corporations money, and this administration’s EPA has nothing to do with protecting people’s health, saving lives, or serving children, families or communities,” Simms said in a statement.

“We will continue to defend this life-saving standard.”

Patrick Drupp, the director of climate policy at the Sierra Club, also condemned the EPA’s move, calling it “reckless” and “a complete betrayal” of the agency’s mission.

“While this administration continues to strip away access to affordable healthcare, they are simultaneously allowing fossil fuel companies to cut corners and make Americans sicker,” Drupp said.

THE road to Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay’s wedding has been anything but smooth, with a family feud overshadowing their upcoming nuptials.

But I hear fans will soon see the couple in happier times, as their engagement do last December was filmed by Netflix for her chef dad, Gordon’s, docuseries.

They celebrated with friends and family, including Adam’s mum Caroline, who is not invited to their wedding in Bath next month as they are now estranged.

But the scenes are still expected to be part of Being Gordon Ramsay, which sees the chef juggling his personal life with opening five new London restaurants.

A source said: “Adam’s family were at the engagement party, when relations were much better.

“Things went downhill from there.

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“His mum was unhappy some of the family weren’t there and confronted Gordon at the event.

“Guests were made to sign non-disclosure agreements and hand in phones as the party was filmed.”

So many people I know are desperate to find out what really caused the fallout.

The show is due to hit Netflix in February, and I’m sure viewers will be glued to their screens . . . 

PUP IS PINKY SPICE

MEL B was radiant on the red carpet at The Beauty Awards, but I have a feeling her pet pooch is even more pampered than she is.

The Spice Girls star looked trendy in a cropped blazer, mini skirt and towering knee-high boots as she clutched her tiny dog Cookie as she arrived at the bash in London.

And she had clearly pushed the boat out to prepare her pup for the glitz and glamour of the evening, by dying the fur on her head pink.

Kerry Katona was also there and was snapped snogging her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione, who she met on Celebs Go Dating, while Ekin-Su Culculoglu looked fabulous in a white dress.

WHAT A HORROR, SCARLETT

PREPARE for a scare, as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Scarlett Johansson, will feature in the next Exorcist film.

She has joined the horror franchise for the upcoming movie, once again coming from writer and director Mike Flanagan.

He said: “Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this Exorcist film.”

The last film, 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, had an underwhelming reception, but the hope is that having Scarlett on board will breathe new life into the franchise relaunch.

She certainly has form with relaunches, having been part of Jurassic World Rebirth earlier this year, which made $869million.

WICKED WEEKEND AT BOX OFFICE

ARIANA GRANDE and Cynthia Erivo’s hard work has paid off, because Wicked: For Good managed to conjure up magical box office takings at the weekend.

The movie raked in £17.8million in just three days, making it the biggest opening weekend in the UK since Margot Robbie‘s Barbie in 2023, which took £18.5m.

The figure is 30 per cent higher than the first Wicked film – which came out last November – and the highest ever opening for a stage musical adaptation.

Now it faces a fight to become the biggest film of the year, with hopes it will surpass Jack Black’s A Minecraft Movie, which has taken £56.4million in the UK since its release in March.

But there could well be more of Ariana’s Galinda on screens if fans get their way.

Wicked author Gregory Maguire has announced he is working on a prequel story about the character’s early life called Galinda: A Charmed Childhood, which will be published by HarperCollins next September.

That’s on top of his Elphaba prequel Elphie, which came out earlier this year.

Quizzed on the prospect of more films in the saga, director Jon M. Chu said: “Who knows? But that was never part of the equation. And I just finished this! I know Universal would want to do it, but that’s hard.”

OLLY ON PULL AT ALBUM BASH

OLLY MURS hosted the launch of album Knees Up at his favourite East London boozer.

And Bizarre’s Jack couldn’t resist getting behind the bar with him at The Birdcage in Bethnal Green to see who could pull the best pint.

While Olly declared his one a “thing of beauty”, Jack’s was a disaster – despite having worked at his local Spoons.

At The Birdcage, in Bethnal Green, Olly said: “We have spent a lot of time in this pub so it’s only fitting we have the launch of the album here with a quiz, games, karaoke, cake and darts.

“There’s always a moment to be a lad, right? And that’s what this album is about – I’m going back to my roots.”

COUNTRY music superstar Zach Bryan is ready to take the UK by storm with a series of massive shows here next summer.

The American singer will perform at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium on June 12, Edinburgh’s Murrayfield on June 14 and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on June 16 and 17.

Tickets go on sale next Friday at 10am.

WITH three No1 albums to his name, Dave has conquered the world of music and now he’s hoping to make you giggle, too.

The rapper, who went very serious on his latest hit record The Boy Who Played The Harp, has revealed he now wants to become a comedian.

In a new interview with The Face, Dave said: “I’m trying to get into stand-up comedy and one of my sketches is that I don’t know how to whistle.

“I’m inherently shy and introverted.”

Sometimes, that can make for the funniest people.

But when Dave’s not making music in the studio or writing gags, he is trying to create positive change in London – via social media.

He said he regularly sends messages directly to London mayor Sadiq Khan, suggesting how he can improve the capital.

Dave said: “I’m telling him: ‘Yo, this is what I think is going on’.

“Not everyone’s going to have a direct line to Sadiq Khan, but you can put a message out to your MP.”

OASIS have said “there will now be a pause for a period of reflection” after completing their reunion tour – but it sounds like Liam Gallagher is ready to go again.

When asked what he wants for Christmas, Liam said on X: “A European tour”.

He added: “There’s loads more classics we need to play for you when we go out again.”

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But when one fan said they were convinced a new album was on the way, Liam replied: “It’s not, I honestly don’t see the point, it won’t be as good as the old stuff.

“I’m quite happy singing the old stuff I’m not 1 of those w*****s that need to keep pushing it forward or sideways or backwards in some cases. Nostalgia forever.”

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court struck down a key part of the historic Voting Rights Act on Tuesday, ruling that Southern states may no longer be forced to seek federal approval before making changes in their election laws.

The ruling came on a 5-4 vote, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. speaking for the court.

Roberts said the 1965 law had been a “resounding success” and has ensured that blacks now register and vote at the same rate as whites.

But he said it was no longer fair or rational to subject these states and municipalities to special scrutiny based on a formula that is more than 40 years old.

“States must beseech the federal government for permission to implement laws that they would otherwise have a right to enact and execute on their own,” he wrote. This conflicts with the principle that all the states enjoy “equal sovereignty” and cannot be subjected to different federal laws, he said.

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“Our country has changed in the last 50 years,” the chief justice said. He said that Congress needs to “speak to current conditions.”

As it currently stand, nine states are covered by the law based on voting data from the 1960s and early 1970s.

Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. joined with the chief justice.

The decision may have an immediate impact. Texas has been fighting federal courts over its voter ID law and plans to redistrict its congressional districts. Those state actions were halted under the part of the law struck down Tuesday.

The decision leaves open the possibility that Congress could adopt a new formula to target states or municipalities for special scrutiny.

The decision leaves intact the rest of the Voting Rights Act, which makes it illegal to adopt or enforce laws that have a discriminatory effect on minority voters. But civil rights advocates say the provision struck down Tuesday was still needed because it stopped discriminatory measures before they could take effect.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke for the four dissenters. She said the court had made an “egregious” error by striking down a law that had been extended in 2006 by a near unanimous vote in Congress.

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david.savage@latimes.com

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

TUESDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
SOUTHERN SECTION
Beckman 44, Dana Hills 35
Big Bear 79, Rim of the World 61
Bolsa Grande 51, EF Academy 19
California 76, Huntington Beach 56
Camarillo 51, Vasquez 49
Canyon Country Canyon 78, Buckley 74
Cathedral 57, La Serna 52
Chadwick 56, Highland 31
Chaminade 54, Valencia 40
Corona 73, Jurupa Hills 70
Corona Santiago 69, Hillcrest 54
Crespi 84, Golden Valley 68
Crossroads 92, St. Paul 30
Crossroads Christian 60, Downey Calvary Chapel 36
de Toledo 53, St. Monica Academy 50
Diamond Ranch 58, La Palma Kennedy 52
Dos Pueblos 88, Lompoc 41
Eastside 70, Rosamond 28
Esperanza 71, Northwood 62
El Toro 68, Westminster La Quinta 56
Etiwanda 65, Norte Vista 55
Fontana 49, Arlington 39
Foothill Tech 72, Del Sol 44
Fullerton 70, Orange 21
Garden Grove 74, Workman 18
Garden Grove Pacifica 76, Loara 45
Grace 56, Santa Clarita Christian 42
Harvard-Westlake 82, Millikan 73
Indian Springs 46, Norco 42
Laguna Hills 70, Yorba Linda 59
La Habra 71, Cerritos 47
La Mirada 78, Eastvale Roosevelt 76
Legacy Christian 69, Milken 50
Los Amigos 83, Whitney 44
Los Alamitos 67, San Clemente 60
Norwalk 60, South El Monte 49
Orcutt Academy 50, Carpinteria 31
Palm Desert 62, Upland 49
Paloma Valley 69, Garey 16
Perris 59, San Jacinto Valley Academy 39
Rancho Cucamonga 75, Oak Hills 70
Redlands East Valley 66, Chaffey 49
San Dimas 74, Laguna Beach 50
San Luis Obispo 72, Nordhoff 22
San Marcos 47, Oak Park 46
San Marino 55, South Hills 38
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 65, Rancho Alamitos 29
Santa Fe Christian 77, Rancho Christian 72
Santa Margarita 71, Bakersfield Christian 39
Santa Paula 83, Saddleback 65
Saugus 52, West Covina 32
Silverado 58, Riverside North 25
South Torrance 61, Keppel 55
St. Monica 72, Culver City 50
Temecula Prep 77, Cornerstone Christian 19
Temecula Valley 71, Arrowhead Christian 52
Tustin 50, Segerstrom 38
University Prep 51, HMSA 44
Verbum Dei 64, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 55
Villa Park 68, Peninsula 49
West Torrance 49, Palos Verdes 43
Windward 67, Simi Valley 37
Woodcrest Christian 76, California Lutheran 57

INTERSECTIONAL
Capistrano Valley 69, LACES 48
Carlsbad 58, Fairmont Prep 55
Downey 70, Gardena 53
Franklin 58, Gabrielino 48
Mira Mesa 67, Linfield Christian 50
Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 80, Carson 45
Palmdale Aerospace Academy 61, Bakersfield Highland 51
Pasadena Poly 87, New West Charter 22
Pioneer 73, Maywood Academy 41
Rolling Hills Prep 68, San Pedro 48
Woodbridge 74, Mt. Carmel 54

GIRLS
SOUTHERN SECTION
Barstow 46, Duarte 29
Beckman 55, Eastvale Roosevelt 35
Buena Park 51, Santa Monica 30
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 44, Rosemead 21
Canyon Springs 47, Elsinore 33
Chaparral 62, Silverado 30
Chino Hills 52, Corona Santiago 33
Colony 56, Montclair 12
Covina 31, San Gabriel Academy 18
Crean Lutheran 58, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 20
Etiwanda 87, Lynwood 41
Fillmore 47, Simi Valley 31
Garden Grove 44, Westminster La Quinta 25
Hacienda Heights Wilson 62, Schurr 50
Heritage 76, Liberty 17
Hesperia Christian 43, Western Christian 38
Indian Springs 44, Colton 35
Lakewood St. Joseph 62, West Covina 18
Lancaster 40, Hart 39
Lawndale 52, Ramona Convent 18
Loara 62, Westminster 33
Long Beach Wilson 66, Mayfair 22
Los Alamitos 58, Cerritos 48
Maranatha 56, Pasadena Marshall 24
Marina 51, Anaheim Canyon 35
Mater Dei 72, Bishop Montgomery 33
Mission Viejo 34, Northwood 32
Newbury Park 52, Santa Clara 2
North Torrance 59, Bakersfield Liberty 31
Oak Park 69, Canyon Country Canyon 47
Oaks Christian 49, Rio Mesa 31
Orange Lutheran 39, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 32
Palmdale 32, Long Beach Cabrillo 9
Palm Springs 53, Desert Hot Springs 28
Pasadena Poly 55, Immaculate Heart 34
Redondo Union 76, Santa Maria St. Joseph 55
Rialto 64, Rancho Cucamonga 55
Riverside King 63, Upland 33
San Clemente 56, Chaminade 19
San Marino 59, Pasadena Marshall 10
Santa Fe 45, Pilibos 38
Savanna 51, Placentia Valencia 33
Segerstrom 93, Norwalk 32
St. Anthony 62, Claremont 40
Sunny Hills 68, Sierra Vista 43
Temecula Valley 44, Temecula Prep 6
Valencia 76, Moorpark 23
West Ranch 59, Mary Star of the Sea 28
Whittier 41, La Habra 39
Xavier Prep 49, Desert Christian Academy 32

INTERSECTIONAL
Birmingham 57, Walnut 44
Burbank 85, Rise Kohyang 3
Carondelet 46, Harvard-Westlake 34
El Dorado 57, Bakersfield Frontier 52
Granada Hills 66, Louisville 32
King/Drew 57. Lakewood 40
La Jolla Country Day 61, Brentwood 46
Los Amigos 32, Narbonne 23
North County San Marcos 72, Irvine 36
Ontario 49, Garfield 35
Portola Valley Priory 60, Windward 58
Rosary Academy 58, Red Mountain (AZ) 15
Sacred Heart of Jesus 60, Bravo 10
Westchester 61, Culver City 37

US President Donald Trump is sending senior negotiators to meet Vladimir Putin to push for a deal to end Russia’s war with Ukraine. Special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow next week, with Jared Kushner also involved in the process.

A new “Dancing With the Stars” champion has been crowned. After weeks of themed choreography revolving around TikTok, Disney films and one-hit wonders, the winner of Season 34 is (insert dramatic pause) Robert Irwin and Witney Carson.

Crikey!

Irwin, an Aussie wildlife conservationist and son of the late “Crocodile Hunter,” Steve Irwin, joins sister Bindi as a winner of the Mirrorball trophy. Bindi Irwin won the trophy during Season 21 of “DWTS,” in 2015.

Season 34 came down to social media personalities Alix Earle and Dylan Efron, actor Elaine Hendrix, and gymnast and UCLA senior Jordan Chiles. Tuesday night’s finale consisted of three rounds of dance. First was the judges’ choice round, followed by the instant dance challenge — in which the style of dance and the song are kept secret from performers until just before they take the stage — and then the freestyle round. With Carson, Irwin earned a perfect score in the instant dance portion of the show.

The season’s winner was determined by a combination of the judges’ votes and those from the public.

Irwin, 21, and Carson, 32, scored an aggregated score from the judges of 29 points. Earle finished second, with Chiles coming in third place, followed by Efron and Hendrix.

Ahead of the finale, Carson revealed on her TikTok that both she and Irwin were dealing with injuries.

“We’re kind of falling apart right now,” the pro dancer said. “My body is feeling it right now, Robert’s body is feeling it right now.”

During a clip from their rehearsals shown before his first dance of the night, a quickstep to Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” Irwin said he feared Carson might need to have a Plan B for the challenging choreography.

“If I push any harder, my body is going to break,” he said.

Irwin dealt with rib pain throughout the night. After his instant dance performance, a cha-cha to DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean,” he acknowledged the toll the competition had taken.

“I catch crocodiles, and a crocodile has never managed to screw up my ribs like that,” he said. “Dancing is hard.”

The gap between the wealthiest Americans and the poorest is bigger than at any time since the 1920s — just before the Depression. According to an analysis this year by Edward Wolff of New York University, the top 20% of wealthy individuals own about 85% of the wealth, while the bottom 40% own very near 0%. Many in that bottom 40% not only have no assets, they have negative net wealth.

A gap this pronounced raises the politically divisive question of whether there is a need for wealth redistribution in the United States. This central question underlies such hot-button issues as whether the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire and whether the government should provide more assistance to the poor. But before those issues can be addressed, it’s important to understand how Americans feel about the country’s increasing economic polarity.

We recently asked a representative sample of more than 5,000 Americans (young and old, men and women, rich and poor, liberal and conservative) to answer two questions. They first were asked to estimate the current level of wealth inequality in the United States, and then they were asked about what they saw as an ideal level of wealth inequality.

In our survey, Americans drastically underestimated the current gap between the very rich and the poor. The typical respondent believed that the top 20% of Americans owned 60% of the wealth, and the bottom 40% owned 10%. They knew, in other words, that wealth in the United States was not distributed equally, but were unaware of just how unequal that distribution was.

When we asked respondents to tell us what their ideal distribution of wealth was, things got even more interesting: Americans wanted the top 20% to own just over 30% of the wealth, and the bottom 40% to own about 25%. They still wanted the rich to be richer than the poor, but they wanted the disparity to be much less extreme.

But was there consensus among Americans about their ideal country? Importantly, the answer was an unequivocal “yes.” While liberals and the poor favored slightly more equal distributions than conservatives and the wealthy, a large majority of every group we surveyed — from the poorest to the richest, from the most conservative to the most liberal — agreed that the current level of wealth inequality was too high and wanted a more equitable distribution of wealth. In fact, Americans reported wanting to live in a country that looks more like Sweden than the United States.

So, if Americans say they want a country that is more equal than they believe it to be, and they believe that the country is more equal than it actually is, the question becomes how we lessen these disparities. Our survey didn’t ask what measures people would be willing to support to address the wealth gap. But to achieve the ideal spelled out by those surveyed, about 50% of the total wealth in the United States would have to be taken from the top 20% and distributed to the remaining 80%.

Few people would argue for an immediate redistribution of 50% of the nation’s wealth, and such a move would unquestionably create chaos. In addition, despite the fact that individual Americans give large amounts to charitable causes each year — in effect, a way of transferring wealth from the rich to the poor — the notion of government redistribution raises hackles among many constituencies.

Despite these reservations, our results suggest that policies that increase inequality — those that favor the wealthy, say, or that place a greater burden on the poor — are unlikely to reflect the desires of Americans from across the political and economic spectrum. Rather, they seem to favor policies that involve taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

Michael I. Norton is an associate professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School; Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke University and the author of “The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home.”

Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says “the honeymoon period is over” after his side’s 2-1 loss against Larne at the Coleraine Showgrounds.

Leroy Millar and Sean Graham scored late in the first half to give the away side the lead with Conor McKendry coming close to netting Larne’s third before the half-time whistle.

Despite Matthew Shevlin’s late goal, Coleraine couldn’t create a dramatic late comeback with Higgins labelling the performance from his side as “unacceptable”

This result means that, for the first time this season, Ruaidhri Higgins’ side suffered back-to-back defeats after losing against Cliftonville on Saturday.

“That is what I said in there, the honeymoon period is over,” Higgins told BBC Sport NI.

“We have to step up, all of us, and we will see in the coming days what we are made of really and it is important that we respond in the right manner to a bad four days.

“I demand that we respond in the right manner, get back on the horse and start winning football matches.”

After Higgins was appointed late last season, Coleraine made a bright start to this campaign and were top of the table coming into the match against the Inver Reds.

However, now it is Gary Haveron’s side are top of the table, two points clear of the Bannsiders with a game in hand.

“You can take getting beaten, but the manner of the defeat was unacceptable really,” Higgins added.

“There is collective responsibility there. We are all responsible, I think.

“I think they did a number on us. They came, sat in and countered on us.

“We were weak in certain parts of the game which is extremely disappointing, and it is an unacceptable performance really.”

A special counsel team on Wednesday demanded a 15-year prison term for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on charges of abetting former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s imposition of martial law.

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team made the request during the final hearing of Han’s trial at the Seoul Central District Court, making him the first of dozens of defendants in the martial law case to receive a sentencing recommendation.

“Though the defendant was, in fact, the only person who could have stopped the insurrection situation of this case, he abandoned his duty as a servant of the entire nation and took part in the insurrection crime through a series of acts before and after the declaration of martial law,” a member of the special counsel team said.

Han has been indicted on charges of abetting the ringleader of an insurrection, playing a key role in an insurrection and perjury, all in connection with the martial law imposition.

In addition to attending a Cabinet meeting shortly before Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, he allegedly revised the proclamation afterward to enhance its legitimacy, discarded it and lied under oath at the Constitutional Court.

The special counsel team asked the court to consider the immense damage to the nation and the people and his uncooperative attitude in the investigation process.

“This case was an act of terror on the democracy of the Republic of Korea, and the nation and the people as a whole were the victims,” the team member said.

“By strictly punishing the defendant, we must ensure this unfortunate history of the Republic of Korea does not repeat itself,” he added.

Han is expected to be the first to receive a verdict in the martial law case as the court previously stated plans to deliver its ruling on Jan. 21 or 28 next year.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

The Navy is ending its commitment to build the troubled Constellation class frigates, service secretary John Phelan announced today on social media. The move is the first of what Phelan said will be several changes designed to speed up Navy ship production.

“From day one, I made it clear: I won’t spend a dollar if it doesn’t strengthen readiness or our ability to win,” Phelan explained. “To keep that promise, we’re reshaping how we build and field the Fleet—working with industry to deliver warfighting advantage, beginning with a strategic shift away from the Constellation class frigate program.”

“The Navy and our industry partners have reached a comprehensive framework that terminates for the Navy’s convenience the last four ships of the class, which have not begun construction,” Phelan said in a video he posted on X. “We greatly value the shipbuilders of Wisconsin and Michigan. While work continues on the first two ships, those ships remain under review as we work through this strategic shift.”

The Navy first announced in 2020 that it had picked Marinette Marine in Wisconsin, a wholly owned subsidiary of Italy’s Fincantieri, to build the Constellation class, which was to be based on an off-the-shelf design. Construction of the USS Constellation began in August 2022. The Navy currently has a total of six of the ships on order, out of what was expected to be an initial tranche of at least 10 of the frigates. The first example was slated to be delivered in 2029, however, Phelan’s decision means the last four ships in this class will no longer be built.

As we have noted in the past: “Major changes to the Constellation‘s configuration compared to its parent Franco-Italian Fregata Europea Multi-Missione (FREMM) have already led to serious delays and cost increases, and there are growing questions about the program’s future. A key program goal had been to take an in-service design that would only need relatively minor modifications to make it ready for Navy use, which would help keep the work on schedule and budget. The opposite has now happened.”

The design changes have also contributed to major delays and cost growth. The original plan was for USS Constellation to be delivered in 2026. The Navy had also been aiming for a unit cost of $1 billion, or potentially even less, as production of the frigates ramped up. More recent estimates have put the price tag for each of the ships at around $1.4 billion.

In an exclusive interview with The War Zone in April from the sidelines of the Sea Air Space conference in Maryland, Mark Vandroff, senior vice president of Government Affairs at Fincantieri Marine Group, confirmed that little progress had been made on the first frigate of the class.

“First ship is under construction up in Marinette, roughly 10 percent done,” Vandroff said at the time. We’re “working to finalize the design with the Navy. That has been progressing. We’ve made a lot of progress in the last year, and we expect to have the functional design wrapped up here in late spring, early summer.”

“What I would say is, with the Navy, we’re converging the design,” Vandroff added when asked specifically for an update on changes to the Constellation class design from the parent FREMM. “You know, we’re responsible for producing the functional design. The Navy has to approve the functional design. So, as we go back and forth to get our design to be fully approved by the Navy, we’re converging on that final design.”

A big part of the problems with the Constellation class were the constant design changes, which prompted concerns about expected performance.

As far as what comes next, Phelan didn’t offer any specific examples.

“Shipbuilding is a foremost concern,” he posited. “The Navy needs ships, and we look forward to building them in every shipyard that we can. A key factor in this decision is the need to grow the fleet faster to meet tomorrow’s threats.”

“This framework,” he continued, “puts the Navy on a path to more rapidly construct new classes of ships and deliver the capability our war fighters need in greater numbers and on a more urgent timeline. This is an imperative, and I hope to have more to share very soon.”

We’ve reached out to the Navy for more details. 

Update: 5:03 PM Eastern –

A senior Navy official offered some additional context about what might come next.

“The Navy will work with Congress in the coming weeks to seek the reappropriation of a portion of the unspent frigate funds on more readily producible ships in Marinette,” an official confirmed to us. “We do hope to retain the unspent frigate funds, as I mentioned, and have them reallocated to other ships that can be built in Marinette and delivered to the fleet faster.”

Update: 5:16 PM Eastern –

Fincantieri provided the following statement on the program cancellation.

“As part of a general fleet review launched by the U.S. Navy, aimed at transitioning towards a future model focused on technological excellence, manned and unmanned vessels, and long-term sustainability, Fincantieri and the U.S. Navy have reached a significant agreement that provides for reshaping the future of the Constellation class Program, currently under construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), in Wisconsin. In this framework, Fincantieri is consolidating its strategic partnership with the Navy, confirming its role as a key player in defining the future of American maritime defense through advanced industrial capabilities and long-term investments.

Working closely with the U.S. Navy, the Group will help deliver new classes of vessels. Fincantieri is expected to receive new orders to deliver classes of vessels in segments that best serve the immediate interests of the nation and the renaissance of U.S. shipbuilding, such as amphibious, icebreaking and other special missions. Fincantieri is in fact ready to execute the contracts planned in coordination with the U.S. Navy. Entering the future and in alignment with the Group’s industrial capabilities and potential, Fincantieri will support the U.S. Navy as it redefines strategic choices in the Small Surface Combatants segment, manned or unmanned.  

Considering the above, the agreement encompasses the continuity of work for two Constellation class frigates currently under construction and provides for the discontinuity of the contract for the four other Constellation class frigates already under contract, reflecting the evolving strategic priorities of the U.S. Navy. On top of the aforementioned award of future orders, in order to cover the above, the agreement indemnifies Fincantieri Marine Group on existing economic commitments and industrial impacts through measures provided by the U.S. Navy, and as a result of the contractual decision made for its own convenience. 

This new arrangement guarantees continuity and workload visibility for Fincantieri’s personnel and the Wisconsin System of Yards – a vital pillar of the U.S. maritime industrial base – capitalizing on the investments and expertise developed to date. Over the past years, Fincantieri has invested more than $800 million in its four U.S. shipyards, including Marinette, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, and Jacksonville with the aim of ensuring maximum production efficiency, flexibility, and technological innovation. These investments have enabled the consolidation of an advanced industrial supply chain, capable of meeting the U.S. Navy’s new priorities, including rapid delivery, modularity, and scalability of naval platforms.

Fincantieri Marine Group currently employs approximately 3,750 highly skilled workers in the United States, having recently increased its workforce by 850 workers to meet demand and strengthen its industrial base. This significant expansion underscores the Group’s commitment to supporting the local economy and the broader national maritime supply chain.”

In addition, George Moutafis, CEO of Fincantieri Marine Group, also weighed in.

“The agreement reached with the U.S. Navy marks a new chapter in our strategic partnership, built on mutual trust, a shared vision and commitment to excellence. The path forward defined on the Constellation class program provides for the necessary stability for our teams and the entire Wisconsin System of Yards, allowing us to continue investing in innovation and skills. As the Navy transitions to new vessel types, we stand ready to support their evolving needs, leveraging the strength of our American facilities and the expertise we have fostered. Our investments in the U.S. shipyards are a testament to our long-term vision: to be a cornerstone of the U.S. maritime industrial base and a driving force to sustain the momentum of the national shipbuilding renaissance, the American shipbuilding renaissance.

In the future development model, Fincantieri positions itself as one of the reference shipyards for the U.S. Navy, confirming its strategic role in supporting the Navy’s evolving needs. The Group is looking forward to working with all stakeholders in the supply chain on the execution of the new redefined path forward, further developing the skills and expertise cultivated in its American facilities and supporting the sustainable growth of the sector.”

This is a developing story.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com