KATY Perry ditched her sexy stage outfits for a demure “First Lady” look alongside new love Justin Trudeau.  

The pop star, 41, and former Canadian prime minister, 53, were guests of Japan’s ex-PM in Toyko.  

Katy has recently been dressed in blue armour on her Lifetimes Tour. 

But she wore a smart two-piece to meet Fumio Kishida, 68 — premier from 2021-24 — and his wife Yuko, 61.

Fumio wrote: “Former Canadian Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau visited with his partner and joined my wife and me for lunch.” 

Resharing the image, Trudeau wrote: “Katy and I were so glad to have the chance to sit down with you and Yuko.” 

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One X user replied: “Katy Perry doing international diplomacy.

“Did not have this on my top risks 2025 list!” 

In June, it was revealed her relationship with actor Orlando Bloom, 48, with whom she has a daughter, Daisy, five, had ended after almost a decade. 

Weeks later, she sparked rumours of a romance with Justin. 

They were spotted on a dinner date in Montreal although it wasn’t confirmed they were an item until October when they were seen passionately kissing on a yacht in California. 

Later that month they were photographed together in Paris after he flew in to celebrate her birthday. 

A union boss has claimed hundreds of flights either side of Christmas risk being delayed or cancelled after London Luton Airport workers voted for six-day strike

EasyJet passengers who are planning to fly in and out of London Luton Airport over the festive period have been warned of “travel turmoil” after workers voted to strike.

The Unite union, which is coordinating the industrial action, claimed six days of walk-outs threaten to “severely impact” easyJet’s Luton operations, with delays to flights expected as well as some cancellations. It estimated that over the six days of strikes – either side of Christmas – 410 easyJet flights will be affected. People who have booked dream trips to spend Christmas in the sun, and those visiting friends and families could be among those hit.

It comes after easyJet check in and baggage handling staff employed by DHL voted to strike in a row over pay. Workers are set to walk out for six days, with the first scheduled for December 19 and the last on December 28.

READ MORE: Jet2 flight chaos as cabin crew ‘attacked’ during fight on Tenerife-bound planeREAD MORE: Christmas market in lantern-lit old town with 30p beers and £1.50 hot chocolates

The staff who have voted to strike are outsourced to easyJet by DHL and work on check in desks and as baggage handlers. Unite says they operate on popular routes to and from Luton, including to countries such as Spain, Germany, Italy and Czech Republic.

Around 200 workers and members of Unite are taking action after rejecting the company’s latest offer of a 4.5% pay rise. Unite says workers do not believe this goes far enough to address alleged low pay rates, the current cost of living crisis and rising food, fuel and heating bills with workers struggling to afford essentials. It also says DHL workers at Gatwick earn around £3 an hour more for doing the same job.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “DHL and easyJet can comfortably afford to offer these workers an above-inflation pay rise. It is shameful that hardworking members can’t afford the basics and they are paid less than their counterparts. These companies must stop putting profits over people and come back to the table with a fair pay offer to avoid this disruptive strike, which is entirely of their making.”

One worker said: “I was in debt from a previous low paid job, but this hasn’t ended as my pay isn’t enough. I have the same routine of dedicating myself to a job where I can only cover rent and food. I can’t afford to save to give a better life to my child or spend enough time with my child.”

Strikes by DHL workers at Luton will take place from 3am on Friday December 19 to 3am Monday December 22, then from 3am on Boxing Day to 3am on Monday December 28.

The Civil Aviation Authority is expecting this to be the busiest Christmas in UK aviation history, with millions expected to travel this festive season. Luton, a major base for easyJet, handled more than 16.2 million passengers in 2023, with 1.2 million of these travelling through the terminal in December that year.

Unite regional officer Jeff Hodge said: “We know passengers set to fly easyJet from Luton on these dates will be concerned, but the dispute is entirely the fault of DHL who can well afford to pay these workers a wage they can live on but are choosing not to. Strike action could still be avoided, but that now hinges on DHL returning to negotiations with an offer that is acceptable to our members.”

A DHL spokesperson said: We are deeply disappointed that 57% of Unite members have voted in favour of industrial action at our London Luton Airport operation. Our current pay offer is above-inflation and continues to build on four consecutive years of above-inflation pay increases.

“We remain committed to constructive talks to reach a solution that recognises the value of our colleagues while safeguarding the long-term competitiveness of the operation. However, robust contingency plans are in place to minimise any potential disruption should the action go ahead.”

EasyJet said: “We are disappointed to hear of the planned industrial action by Unite ground handlers employed by DHL at London Luton Airport. Should this action go ahead, we will work closely with the airport and DHL to ensure that robust contingency plans are in place to minimise any disruption so we are currently expecting to operate our full flying programme on these dates. In the meantime we urge DHL and Unite to reach an agreement as soon as possible.”

If the thought of another freezing cold German Christmas market selling pricey mulled wine fills you with dread, you may want to consider venturing further afield where the beers are cheap

By day, the bright array of mustard-yellow shophouses and wooden merchant homes are set against a backdrop of grey skies but come nightfall and it’s transformed into a fairytale type setting.

The riverside streets glow with lanterns and fairy lights and the tinsel-draped shopfronts turn Hoi An – a trading port on Vietnam’s central coast – into Asia’s answer to a Christmas market.

Around half an hour from Da Nang airport, the ‘market’ sells beers for 30p, hot chocolates for £1.50, and the old town is lit by hundreds of coloured lanterns.

Hoi An is a charming city that is also a UNESCO-listed trading port on Vietnam’s central coast.

There’s no single cordoned-off square with entry gates and security barriers. Instead, the “market” spills through the lanes of Hoi An Ancient Town and across the bridge to the night market on Nguyen Hoang Street.

Stalls selling handicrafts, lanterns, sweets and souvenirs line the narrow streets beside the river and in December you get a mash-up of Vietnamese lantern festival and Western Christmas.

Asia travel specialists TransIndus say December is one of the most atmospheric times to see the town. “By December you’re into Hoi An’s cooler winter period,” a spokesperson said.

“Daytimes are usually in the low- to mid-20s, so it’s T-shirt weather for exploring the old streets, and in the evenings you might just want a light jacket if there’s a breeze coming off the river.”

However, December is the tail end of the rainy season, so a passing shower or a grey spell is to be expected. “When the rain clears and the pavements start to dry, the reflections from the lanterns in the puddles are beautiful,” they added.

“You get steam rising off the street-food stalls, scooters back out within minutes, and the whole old town has this slightly surreal, cinematic feel.”

And you can stay in a guest house or a three-star hotel for just £10 to £15 a night. Even in many tourist-facing places along the river, a drink is still well under what you’d pay in Manchester or London.

Of course you’ll have to fork out a bit to get there, TransIndus analysed flight prices on Skyscanner for London to Vietnam routes.

In December it found that return fares start from around £386 if you can be flexible on dates and are happy to take an indirect route into Vietnam.

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President Trump has tapped a new architect to help plan his $300-million White House ballroom wing, assigning the former lead designer to a consultant role in the high-profile and controversial project.

Shalom Baranes Associates, a Washington-based architecture firm, will design the ballroom that will be built in place of the demolished East Wing, according to a White House official. James McCrery, who was previously named to lead the project, will remain in a consulting role.

“Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.

The White House did not specify why it was swapping architects on the project. The Washington Post reported that McCrery and Trump clashed over the scope of the project and that McCrery’s small firm wasn’t able to meet deadlines in the large-scale project.

Demolition of the East Wing, which once housed the first lady’s office, began in October. Trump has said the new ballroom will be 90,000 square feet and hold 1,000 people, a complex that will be much larger than the main White House building, which is about 55,000 square feet.

Cost estimates for the ballroom project have ballooned from $200 million to as much as $350 million. The White House has also said Trump is contributing to the ballroom project, though it hasn’t said how much.

Wealthy individuals and corporate donors — including billionaire Steve Schwarzman, Amazon.com Inc. and Coinbase Inc. — have also contributed funds for the project, which has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest for a president who has also regularly mixed personal business with official duties.

Trump unveiled his ballroom plans over the summer, after long complaining about wanting a larger room for entertaining at the White House. At the time, the president said the work on the White House grounds wouldn’t “interfere with the current building” and that the project’s plans paid “total respect” to the existing structure’s architectural style.

Clark Construction Group LLC is leading the construction of the new ballroom among other projects in Washington, including a renovation of the Kennedy Center.

Will Scharf, a White House aide and the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission, said that the administration is slated to submit plans for the ballroom this month.

Woodhouse writes for Bloomberg News Service.

Dec. 5 (UPI) — The man arrested in the attempted bombing on Jan. 6, 2021, made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., Friday.

A detention hearing was set for Dec. 15 by Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya.

Brian Cole Jr., of Woodbridge, Va., is charged with unlawful transportation of an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill, injure, or intimidate. He’s also charged with malicious destruction or attempt of malicious destruction, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, CNN reported.

Cole allegedly placed pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC headquarters on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021 — one day before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The bombs did not detonate, and there were no injuries. But they did divert police away from the Capitol during the riots.

Cole lives with his mother and other family members and works for a bail bondsman, the charging affidavit said.

Federal officials said they found Cole using evidence that was already in the file, not a new tip. They used cell phone data and purchasing records to find him.

“That evidence has been sitting there collecting dust,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday.

Authorities have not said what Cole’s motive was, but the New York Times reported that he was sympathetic to President Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

According to his credit card and checking account records, Cole bought multiple items from Oct. 19 through late 2020 that are consistent with components of the pipe bombs, the charging document said.

Some items he bought were galvanized pipe, end caps, electrical wire, battery clips and kitchen timers, the document said. He bought them from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart and Micro Center.

Cole was seen on grainy surveillance video, but it was difficult to make out any characteristics, prolonging the investigation. The pipe bombs were made of 1-inch galvanized pipes, 8 inches long with end caps, homemade black powder, wires, metal clips and a kitchen timer. The FBI has said that the bombs were viable and could have seriously hurt people nearby if they had exploded. It offered a $500,000 reward for information on the suspect. The bombs sat for 15 hours before being discovered, and Vice President Kamala Harris came very close to one of the bombs.

On the approach to land on the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, the F/A-18F Super Hornet’s pilot looked out the canopy and saw a Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) launched from the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg speeding through the sky. At first, the pilot thought the missile was aimed at a Houthi drone or cruise missile, one of several fired at the carrier strike group on Dec. 22, 2024, during an attack from the Yemeni rebel group. But as the SM-2 drew closer and changed its course toward the Super Hornet, configured as an aerial refueler, the crew knew it was heading straight for them. However, they had no way of knowing that on the Gettysburg, their jet had been identified as a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile like others fired at the strike group, and thus a threat.

What happened next, the cascading series of problems that led up to it, and efforts to correct those issues are laid out in a Navy investigation report released Thursday. The investigation was one of four conducted into mishaps aboard the Truman during its troubled deployment to the Middle East. There were two additional Super Hornet losses and a collision with a merchant ship. You can read more about that in our initial story about the investigations here.

“Are you seeing this?” the F/A-18F pilot asked the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) as the missile came dangerously closer shortly before 2 a.m. local time.

“Yeah, I’m watching it,” the WSO responded prior to the two ejecting from the jet before it was hit by the missile.

As the stricken fighter’s crew headed down to the water and their eventual rescue, the crew of a second Super Hornet was approaching the carrier a minute later for a landing. That crew saw the explosion from the missile detonation on the first jet, which had just given them fuel a short while earlier. Then they saw another missile from the Gettysburg launch and make a course correction toward their aircraft. They briefly considered ejecting as well.

“Give it one more second,” the pilot told WSO as he hit the afterburners to try to speed past the threat. “I have my hand on the [ejection] handle.”

Seeing the motor of the incoming missile burn out, the pilot paused. The missile continued its course upward, but passed about “one to two plane lengths behind the aircraft,” the pilot said. As the Super Hornet shook from the resulting turbulence, its crew watched the SM-2 crash harmlessly into the water before they landed safely on the carrier.

Both friendly fire incidents were the result of several factors and came as the Truman CSG was engaged in one of the Navy’s fiercest battles since World War II. The incident took place just seven days after the strike group entered the Red Sea and just hours after it launched its first attack on Houthi targets in Yemen. That was followed by what crew on the Gettysburg said was an “earlier than expected” response from the Houthis in the form of a volley of drones and anti-ship cruise missiles fired at the strike group, adding additional stress to the crews and the equipment they had to rely on.

A myriad of issues, some systemic, contributed to the shootdown and the near miss. How all these factors could have combined to cause the friendly fire incident is something we examined in a deep dive back in January about the stresses the Red Sea deployments were putting on Navy surface combatants’ Combat Information Center (CIC), the nerve center and tactical brain of those vessels.

One factor that led to the so-called blue-on-blue incidents was “a lack of re-integrated training opportunities between USS Gettysburg and the carrier strike group,“ a senior Navy officer (SNO) told a small group of reporters, including from The War Zone, on Thursday afternoon. Amid the ongoing fights with the Houthis, the Gettysburg left the Truman, only returning to the Red Sea three days before shooting at the Super Hornets. As the strike group’s air defense command, the Gettysburg played a vital role in protecting the ships, but had limited time working to synchronize operations and didn’t take part in the pre-mission planning for the Dec. 21 attack on the Houthis.

That time apart “contributed to the misidentification and subsequent engagement of the US Navy aircraft,” the SNO explained. “This was manifested through non-following procedures, lack of forceful backup on the cruiser and lack of cohesion across striped units.”

“It is important to note that over the immediate 45 days prior to the incident, [Gettysburg] only operated with the [strike group] 15 percent of the time (seven of 45 days),” investigators concluded.

Beyond that, key crew members on the ship “failed to execute” the proper steps that would have prevented firing on friendly jets, a Navy Surface Officer (NSO) posited. There was confusion about what the Gettysburg crew was firing at, and calls to ceasefire were ignored or unheard, the report explained. The carrier and cruiser gave aircrews conflicting information. On top of all that, the Gettysburg‘s embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter was landing, requiring the ship’s SPY-1 radar coverage to be reduced until shortly before the engagements. In addition, the E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft operating overhead at the time had problems with its radar.

Meanwhile, exacerbating the situation was the fact that, not only did these crew members fail to take the proper actions, but they were also dealing with faulty systems, according to the investigation.

There were numerous problems with the Link 16 tactical datalink system used for the exchange of related positioning, surveillance, weapons coordination, and air control information.

“In the weeks and hours prior to the friendly fire engagement, Link 16 performance on [Gettysburg] was noticeably degraded,” investigators found. The ship “suffered numerous losses of Link 16 during the days/hours before the friendly fire engagement.”

The Identification Friend Or Foe (IFF) system proved even more problematic, going on the fritz several times during this cruise.

“Multiple watchstanders stated that {Gettysburg] had frequent IFF [problems]…suffering from several types of intermittent failure manifesting as stale IFF video, IFF not displaying M5 video, IFF not correlating with CEC, and IFF spiral tracks…,” according to the investigation.

Adding to the problems, information about these system failures was not properly reported up the chain of command. The watchstanders on duty at the time of the shootdown, for instance, did not know the IFF system, which would have properly identified the Super Hornets, was not working

Some of these technical problems existed on many surface combatants, especially involving the Aegis Weapon System, a centralized, automated, command-and-control (C2) and weapons control system allowing warships to deal with the massive volumes of air and sea surrounding them.

“We’ve had over 30 of our surface warships involved in these sustained combat operations,” the NSO stated. “There have been a number of Aegis Weapon System [software code issues] that have been identified that pose levels of risk to that team as they’re executing combat operations, primarily defensive combat operations.”

“Specific to the Gettysburg incident,” the NSO added, “the interoperability piece that has been associated with the Identification Friend or Foe, we discovered that was not just a cruiser issue. That was across the board, and we worked aggressively to identify it and then to get that software fixed, and our industry partners were committed to executing that, and we’re on a path to burn down that technical debt across the board.”

All told, “we’ve invested over $55 million since this incident to correct those Aegis Weapon System deficiencies,” the SNO pointed out. “And I will tell you, over the last two years, our industry partners have demonstrated their commitment and their ability to rapidly correct these software deficiencies, and it’s been very impressive.”

The friendly fire incident has also spurred a wide-ranging retraining effort.

“We’ve implemented a total of 15 initiatives across our combat-focused training organization, led by the Naval Surface and Mine Warfare Development Center,” the NSO noted.

Regardless of the system failures, the Navy investigation held the Gettysburg’s commanding officer responsible for shooting down one Super Hornet and narrowly missing another.

“The decision to shoot was wrong when measured against the totality of information available to the [Gettysburg’s commanding officer],” the investigation determined. “Constrained by a series of previous actions/decisions (both in and beyond his control), the [commanding officer] had low situational awareness, and his CIC team was unable to help him regain it.”

Moreover, the “totality of the circumstances, including the deficient condition of the [Gettysburg’s) (IFF, CDEC and Link 16 PPLI issue), deficient unit and force watchstander proficiency, and possessing the ability to have understood and mitigated both, conclude that the [Gettysburg commanding officer’s] decision to engage was neither responsible nor prudent, and could have been prevented by action at multiple levels.”

A little more than a month later, that commanding officer, Capt. Justin Hodges was relieved and replaced by Capt. John Lucas. However, Hodges’ name appears nowhere in the investigative report.

Despite the many problems that contributed to the friendly fire incident, the Navy redacted the names of those responsible and any punishments they may have received. The same blackout was true for the other three investigations about mishaps aboard the Truman as well.

At the press conference, Navy officials stood by their decision to keep that information from the public.

“I assure you that accountability actions were taken across all the operators involved in this,” the SNO explained. “I don’t feel an obligation to publish those results to the world. I am here to tell you that everyone from the top commanders up to me…reviewed those actions and deemed them to be appropriate.”

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

Since early November, British pop star Dua Lipa has performed a string of concerts across Latin America in support of her 2024 album, “Radical Optimism.”

In addition to singing her manifold hits, the Grammy winner has included nightly covers of songs associated with the country she is performing. Many of her renditions have since gone viral on social media, to much fanfare.

As her tour wraps up Friday at GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City, here’s a rundown of the many Spanish- and Portuguese-language covers Lipa has performed over the last month.

Argentina

Her first show of the Latin America leg was at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aires on Nov. 7 and Lipa marked the occasion by belting out a cover of Argentine rock band Soda Stereo’s 1990 mega hit “De Música Ligera.”

“I learned that rock music is very popular here,” Lipa told the Buenos Aires crowd in Spanish leading up to the cover. “I feel like everyone knows this song and if you know it, sing along.”

Watch the cover here.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

At her second and final show in the Argentine capital, the “Don’t Start Now” artist went deeper into her musical bag and pulled out a cover of Argentine electropop band Miranda!’s track “Tu Misterioso Alguien.”

Lipa’s performance of the track is available to watch here.

Chile

On Nov. 11, Lipa played her first concert at Chile’s Estadio Nacional in Santiago, where she surprised the crowd with her rendition of Chilean singer Mon Laferte’s “Tu Falta de Querer.”

After the video of Lipa’s cover made the rounds online, Laferte revealed that the “New Rules” singer invited her to perform at that concert.

“It was a beautiful surprise,” Laferte said of the cover in a Nov. 13 interview with Univision Canada. “I need to confess something … Dua Lipa invited me to sing with her in Chile, but I had to be here [in Las Vegas for the Latin Grammys] and so I wasn’t able to go.”

But Laferte was still just as surprised as anyone else by Lipa’s song choice.

“I didn’t know she was going to sing ‘Tu Falta de Querer,’” she continued in the interview. “I thought that I would have to learn one of her songs. I felt very honored when she invited me, but after seeing her sing my song, it was beautiful. Furthermore, she sang the song very sentimentally, you could tell she was living with the words in the song.”

The following night, the “Dance the Night” hitmaker sang La Ley’s 1995 single “El Duelo,” which can be watched here.

Brazil

Lipa answered the internet’s eternal “come to Brazil” pleas with her Nov. 15 performance at Estadio Morumbis in São Paulo.

The crowd was treated to two surprise songs and a duo of surprise guests. First, legendary Brazilian singer and percussionist Carlinhos Brown shared the stage with Lipa to perform Sérgio Mendes’ “Magalenha.” The pop singer surprised spectators by perfectly reciting every Portuguese lyric of the fast-paced, tongue-twisting track.

Brown shared a video of their duet on social media, writing, “Dua, I loved the invitation and all your energy. São Paulo, thanks for the reception and affection!”

Later in the night, Lipa brought out famed Brazilian vocalist Caetano Veloso to sing his hit “Margarida Perfumada.”

A week later, while taking the stage in Rio de Janeiro, Lipa busted out a cover of Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66’s anthem “Mas Que Nada.” Along with João Gilberto’s “Garota de Ipanema,” Mendes’ 1966 song helped Brazilian music gain international popularity.

Peru

Peruvian Dua Lipites were treated to a rendition of the Chica hit “Cariñito” by Los Hijos del Sol. The British songstress was joined on stage for the cover at Lima’s Estadio San Marcos by Peruvian cumbia singer Mauricio Mesones.

Colombia

While performing in Bogotá on Nov. 28, the “One Kiss” artist pulled out her best Shakira impression and sang the Colombian idol’s 1995 bop “Antología.”

“BOGOTA!!!! Thank you for a truly epic night!!! I’ll be living off this adrenaline for the next few days!!,” Lipa captioned an Instagram post of the performance in Spanish.

Shakira also took to Instagram to express gratitude for Lipa’s homage.

“I’m so touched to hear my song in Dua’s voice, in the same city where I wrote it years ago,” the 48-year-old singer wrote in a Nov. 29 post. “See how music brings us together? a girl from London and another one from Barranquilla! Thanks @dualipa ! What a treat!”

Mexico

Lipa performed the first of her three scheduled concerts in Mexico City on Monday and did a cover of Luis Miguel’s arrangement of “Bésame Mucho.”

“Today I want to pay tribute to a great Mexican composer, Consuelo Velázquez, whose song is linked to the hearts of so many people around the world,” the Golden Globe nominee told the Mexican crowd in Spanish before launching her cover. “I love this song because the story goes that she had never been kissed when she wrote it. And I believe that songwriters write their dreams so that they come true.”

(Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)

For her show in Mexico City on Tuesday night, Lipa brought out Maná frontman Fher Olvera to perform a duet of the Mexican rock band’s breakout 1992 hit “Oye Mi Amor.”

“Tonight we are very lucky because we have someone very special who is going to sing with us,” Lipa said in Spanish — before Olvera ran out onto the stage to rapturous applause.

Earlier in the night, Lipa expressed how grateful she was to wrap up her tour in the Mexican capital.

“I can’t stop thinking about all the incredible memories I’ve made this year. Being here with you tonight is the cherry on top, and it’s the only way I wanted to end this tour,” she told the crowd. “Thank you so much Mexico for always supporting me and making me feel so at home. I feel a very deep connection to this country and its beautiful people, and I will always, always come back.”

The jury is still out on what Lipa will play as her final cover of her tour — but it will definitely be Mexican as hell.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration will be expanding its ban on travel for citizens of certain countries to more than 30 nations, said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in the latest restriction to come since a man from Afghanistan was accused of shooting two National Guard members.

The expansion would build on a travel ban already announced in June by the Republican administration, which barred travel to the U.S. for citizens from 12 countries and restricted access to the U.S. for people from seven others. In a social media post earlier this week, Noem had suggested more countries would be included.

Noem, who spoke late Thursday in an interview with Fox News Channel host Laura Ingraham, would not provide further details, saying President Trump was considering which countries would be included.

In the wake of the National Guard shooting, the administration already ratcheted up restrictions on the 19 countries in the initial travel ban, including Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran and Haiti, among others.

Ingraham asked Noem whether the travel ban was expanding to 32 countries and asked which countries would be added to the 19 announced earlier this year.

“I won’t be specific on the number, but it’s over 30. And the president is continuing to evaluate countries,” Noem said.

“If they don’t have a stable government there, if they don’t have a country that can sustain itself and tell us who those individuals are and help us vet them, why should we allow people from that country to come here to the United States?” Noem said.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment about when an updated travel ban might go into effect and which countries would be included in it.

Additions to the June travel ban are the latest in what has been a rapidly unfolding series of immigration actions since the shooting Thanksgiving week of two National Guard troops in Washington.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who emigrated to the U.S. from Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal, has been charged with first-degree murder after one of the two victims, West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, died of wounds sustained in the Nov. 26 shooting. The second victim, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, was critically wounded. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty.

The Trump administration has argued that more vetting is needed to make sure people entering or already in the U.S. aren’t a threat. Critics say the administration is traumatizing people who’ve already gone through extensive vetting to get to the U.S. and say the new measures amount to collective punishment.

Over the course of a little more than a week, the administration has halted asylum decisions, paused processing of immigration-related benefits for people in the U.S. from the 19 travel ban countries and halted visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.

On Thursday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it was reducing the time period that work permits are valid for certain applicants such as refugees and people with asylum so they have to reapply more often and go through vetting more frequently.

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and SoFi Stadium have been added as defendants in an amended complaint filed by the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the city of Pasadena in Los Angeles Superior Court as part of the plaintiffs’ bid to keep UCLA’s football team as a tenant at the Rose Bowl.

In new court documents filed late Thursday, attorneys for the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the city of Pasadena contended that “upon information and belief,” in late 2024 or early 2025, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment executives openly suggested that SoFi Stadium was pursuing UCLA, “demonstrating the SoFi defendants’ intent to induce UCLA’s breach and disturb UCLA’s performance of the agreement” from a contract that binds the Bruins to play at the Rose Bowl through the 2043 season.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys further alleged that the SoFi Stadium defendants knew about UCLA’s agreement with the Rose Bowl “yet coordinated with UCLA to breach its contractual obligations and abandon the Rose Bowl stadium in favor of playing its home football games at SoFi Stadium.” The plaintiffs’ attorneys contended that SoFi Stadium officials were aware that such discussions would violate the school’s agreement with the Rose Bowl, “thereby acting with malice in luring UCLA football away from its contractual home in Pasadena.”

Furthermore, the plaintiffs contended in their allegations that “as a direct and proximate cause of the SoFi defendants’ conduct, and as described herein, plaintiffs have suffered irreparable harm necessitating equitable relief and for which monetary damages alone would be inadequate. Plaintiffs have also incurred significant monetary damages, including economic loss, consequential damages, and other general and specific damages, in an amount to be determined at trial, but which amount could exceed one billion dollars.”

UCLA has repeatedly said in public statements that it continued to evaluate its options for its future football home. Representatives for UCLA and SoFi Stadium have said they would not comment on ongoing legal matters.

As part of the amended complaint, the plaintiffs’ attorneys also are contending that UCLA should not be allowed to abandon its commitment to playing at the Rose Bowl after the stadium approved and began implementation of at least $28.5 million in construction for a field-level club in the south end zone. The plaintiffs attorneys said the project was moving forward after UCLA made assurances last spring and summer that it was not leaving the stadium for the foreseeable future.

The plaintiffs reiterated in their amended complaint that they have suffered “irreparable harm necessitating equitable relief and for which monetary damages alone would be inadequate,” which they claim entitled them to force UCLA to keep playing at the Rose Bowl through the end of its contract.

As part of the amended complaint, the plaintiffs also claimed that UCLA had “a breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing” that obligated them to act honestly and fairly.

Attorneys for both sides are scheduled to meet in court next month for a hearing on UCLA’s motion to compel arbitration, a move that if granted would keep the matter out of public view. The plaintiffs’ attorneys have said they oppose such a move and believe the matter was of great public interest.

Surrounded by his cabinet, US President Donald Trump described Somalis living in the United States as “garbage”.

The comments have been widely condemned, but not by his supporters.

What are the implications, not just in the US but elsewhere?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Samakab Hussein – Somali American and Minnesota State House representative

Joi Chaney – Lawyer and Democratic political strategist

Eric Ham – Political analyst and former US congressional staffer

As he admits to not being a fan of musicals, the TikTok star says: ‘My brain is still – I don’t dance, what are you on about?’

He’s the YouTuber with zero dance experience that no one over 25 had heard of before Strictly Come Dancing started. Now George Clarke has made it to the quarter finals of the BBC1 ballroom show and is happy to admit he has no idea how it’s all gone so well.

“I don’t think any of us expected it. It’s still a surprise to me that the judges pull up paddles any higher than five,” he laughs. “I’m very happy and appreciate the compliments and stuff, but I don’t think I’ll ever be in a place where I’m like, ‘I can dance’.”

The 26-year-old, from Bristol, is so naturally modest, he can’t compute that he’s not only proving himself on the dance floor – scoring 39 for his samba in Blackpool – he’s also inspiring huge swathes of the audience to vote for him every week.

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The rumour is that George and his pro partner Alexis Warr are topping the phone vote every week and the bookies now have Strictly as a two-horse race between him and footballer Karen Carney.

But he is still wondering whether he’s going to remember the steps each week. “People ask me, ‘did you know you were gonna be good?’ and my brain is still ‘I don’t dance, what are you on about?’”

American Alexis, who only joined the show this year, is delighted with the warm welcome she’s received from the British public. She is a bit more pragmatic when it comes to eyeing up the glitterball trophy. “I feel like everyone wants to win, it would be nice, obviously. But we don’t want that to be the sole focus or what drives us,” she explains.

George, who still suffers nerves even now they’ve reached week 11, is determined not to think about the final or the prospect of winning. “I feel like the only strategy I want is to dance as well as we can, which is what we’ve been doing the whole time. It’s never really gone further than trying to be ourselves and enjoy it – it’s not ‘let’s get our hands on that glitterball!’

“But if people get behind that and that we end up with it in our hands, then that’s a really cool side effect, I guess.”

He still says that the dance that meant the most to him in the whole competition was the rumba he did last month, which was dedicated to his family and particularly his mother, who was diagnosed with the brain inflammation condition encephalitis a decade ago and has more recently been battling cancer.

It only got 29 points from the judges but to him it was a triumph. “It’s one of the dances that I’m happiest with, despite the fact that I know there was so much I could have done better,” he explains. They danced to Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know, which was the only song he put forward at the start of the series, because it means so much to his family and was sung at his grandfather’s funeral by his sister.

In his head, and as an ambassador for Encephalitis International, he knew he wanted to tell the story of his mother’s illness. “It wasn’t ‘woe is me, I’ve had such a horrible experience’, it was much more that it is such an unknown disease,” he explains. “The only people that tend to know about it are doctors and people that it has affected. So it felt like a good time as any to say something about it and to spread awareness.”

Afterwards, his Dad couldn’t believe he’d done it. “He said ‘I dunno why you put so much pressure on yourself – you’ve already got live TV and a dance that you’re not used to.’” George was thrilled when his Mum and Dad were really proud and appreciative. “To me, a dance felt like as good an opportunity as any to dedicate something to my family and I felt like it was a very special thing to do.”

Tonight they will attempt to get through musicals week to next week’s semi final – alongside fellow contestants Karen, Balvinder Sopal, Lewis Cope and Amber Davies.

George has already admitted to presenter Claudia Winkleman that he is no fan of musical theatre. “I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to a proper musical,” he says now. “I feel like the musicals I hated are the ones I’ve been conned into thinking are just a regular film, and then suddenly they break out into song. And I’m sat there wondering why they’re singing about running out of milk or something,” he laughs. “It seems really unnecessary.”

Despite this, he has had fun learning the deadly serious Argentine Tango, which he and Alexis, 25, will perform to The Point of No Return from Phantom of the Opera.

“It’s very technical. It’s very different, but I’m quite enjoying it,” George says, seeming a bit surprised. “It feels like it very much goes hand in hand with what the Phantom of the Opera is – or what I’ve been told it is! Just the whole sort of back and forth between them.”

He’s hoping that he can keep his confidence and concentration going strong. “There’s honestly no telling of how well things will go, cause I feel that is very much dependent on whether I get in my head on the night,” he explains. “If that happens, I tend to tell the judges that I made 18 mistakes and they take that into account with the scoring.”

Both he and Alexis are astonished by how quickly the competition has raced by. “I feel like we’ve been very much taking each week as it comes and enjoying each dance, each concept, getting to know each other and creating that friendship,” Alexis says. “Now it’s wild to think like how soon it is to be over. I’m gonna have withdrawals for sure. I’m a very emotional person, so I will not be OK.”

He agrees that it will be a “shame” when it’s all over, but George also confesses that physically he’s ready for a break. “I think the body is getting to a point now where I would quite like a rest, but I don’t think I’ll ever mentally feel, ‘OK I’m done now’. Even if we were to get a 40 or something, we’d still want to do all the dances again, just to see how we’ve improved.”

Going forwards, he plans to keep dancing with his model girlfriend Yasmin Bennett, who has long wanted to learn some steps with him. And if Strictly opens certain doors for him then he’s going to step through as many as possible. “I think my number one priority would always be YouTube and the online world, because that’s what I’ve grown up wanting to do and I feel very grateful for this career,” he says. “But whenever I get a new opportunity, I want to see where it leads because the internet is so volatile, it really depends on how long people are interested and there’s no real timeframe for that.”

Offers he’d love to receive include being invited onto programmes like Would I Lie to You? or Taskmaster. “To be on a panel show that I’ve watched growing up, that would just be so cool.”

For now, George knows that if he does make the final, he’ll be there as presenters Tess Daly and Claudia bow out of the series for good. So who does he think might replace them?

“I honestly have not got a Scooby,” he chortles. “They’re big shoes to fill, but actually, I don’t think it should be about trying to fill shoes. It’s just a way to put a new lease of life into the show.”

Strictly Come Dancing airs tomorrow at 6:50pm on BBC One

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

WASHINGTON — The man accused of planting a pair of pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack confessed to the act in interviews with investigators, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press.

Brian Cole Jr. also indicated that he believed the 2020 election was stolen and expressed views supportive of President Trump, said the people, who were not authorized to discuss by name an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The details add to a still-emerging portrait of the 30-year-old suspect from Woodbridge, Virginia, and it was not immediately clear what other information or perspectives he may have shared while cooperating with law enforcement following his arrest on Thursday.

Federal authorities have not publicly disclosed any information about a possible motive or whether there is any connection to the attack on the Capitol the following day by Trump supporters.

A spokesperson for the federal public defender’s office, which will be representing Cole at a Friday court appearance in Washington, declined to comment. Calls to relatives of Cole listed in public records were not immediately returned Thursday.

Cole faces explosives charges in connection with the Jan. 5, 2021 placement of the pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees. Nobody was hurt before the bombs were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both devices could have been lethal.

An FBI affidavit made public Thursday indicated that investigators zeroed in on Cole through analysis of credit card charges related to the purchase of pipe bomb components, cellphone towers and a license plate reader.

The arrest marks the first time investigators have publicly identified a suspect in an act that has been an enduring mystery for nearly five years in the shadow of the violent Capitol attack.

Tucker, Richer and Kunzelman write for the Associated Press.

Panjab Warriors’ takeover of Morecambe was met with delight by fans, who were facing the prospect of their team ceasing to exist after they were suspended from the National League over unpaid debts and salaries.

The group – made up of various Sikh investors, with most of their money coming from principal shareholder Kuljeet Singh Momi – eventually purchased the club shortly before a deadline to provide proof of funds.

On their first day as owners, Rehal was at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium orchestrating their press relations. He was introduced to the BBC as Panjab Warriors’ head of communications, and it was he and CEO Ropinder Singh who opted to conduct the group’s first public interview.

“We’ll be so transparent, you’re going to be sick of us,” Rehal claimed in the interview.

Rehal was not listed as a director or shareholder in the club’s accounts, but referred to Panjab Warriors as “we” throughout the interview, despite the group’s insistence he was an external consultant.

He also insisted the group’s heritage would make them more ethical football club owners.

“Punjab, the land of five rivers, is our native land. For us, our heritage, our culture and our faith are our core principles. They make us who we are.

“All we want to say is, trust us.”

In its statement announcing the sanctions, the Treasury said: “This is the first use of the Domestic Counter-Terrorism Regime to disrupt funding for Pro-Khalistan militant group Babbar Khalsa.”

Labour MP and economic secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: “We will not stand by while terrorists exploit Britain’s financial system.

“This landmark action shows we are prepared to use every tool at our disposal to choke off funding for terrorism – wherever it occurs and whoever is responsible. The UK stands firmly with peaceful communities against those who promote violence and hatred.”

It is now against UK law to make funds or financial services available to Rehal, who earlier this week was pictured on social media meeting National League CEO Phil Alexander on behalf of Morecambe.

Dec. 5 (UPI) — The fourth day of an evidentiary hearing in the case against Luigi Mangione was postponed Friday because he is ill, Judge Gregory Carro said.

“Apparently the defendant is ill today, so we’ll continue Monday morning,” Carro announced Friday. He didn’t elaborate on Mangione’s condition.

Mangione, 27, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson, 50, on a sidewalk in Manhattan. He was captured five days later in an Altoona, Pa., McDonalds.

Mangione and his lawyers are in court to get his first statements, his notebook and a gun found in his backpack excluded from evidence at trial. Police seized them before they had a search warrant.

When the hearing resumes on Monday, two Altoona police officers are expected to testify.

On Thursday afternoon, Patrolman Tyler Frye testified that Mangione never became belligerent or opened his backpack.

“He never attempted to open his backpack at the McDonald’s, did he?” ABC News reported that defense attorney Jacob Kaplan asked. “No,” Frye responded.

The hearing is expected to continue into next week. On Thursday, Carro said both sides were being “duplicative” and said that’s “not helping your case.”

Tens of thousands of people gathered in the Syrian city of Hama to mark one year since forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad were expelled. People were waving flags, chanting and calling for justice for past massacres.

LONDON locals were shocked this week when two acting legends dropped into a packed pub during the weekly quiz night, and managed to win it.

Amongst a string of other accolades, the duo are famous for having worked together on the iconic Lord Of The Rings series, and despite it being two decades on, are clearly still close.

The VIP guests were Sir Ian McKellen, 86, and Dominic Monaghan, who sat in the middle of busy East London pub The Grapes.

In a video posted to TikTok, Sir Ian and Dominic, 48, are in amongst the action while the pub’s Monday night quiz was going on – where the prize is a £60 bar tab.

The actors, who were enjoying food and some drinks throughout the evening, managed to win the quiz and beat out the local punters.

In the video, Dominic can also be see sharing a kiss with a brunette woman.

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The video was filmed by a guest in the pub, with the caption: “Spotted Sir Ian McKellen and Dominic Monaghan at The Grapes, Sir Ian’s pub, during quiz night! And they won! #lotr.”

Riverside pub The Grapes, which is based in Limehouse, is partly owned by Sir Ian and occasionally sees the actor drop by.

His joint outing with Dominic shows the former co-stars have maintained a lengthy friendship since meeting over two decades ago.

Sir Ian is famed for portraying Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings series, in which Dominic played Merry.

The former is also known for movies such as The X Men, The Good Liar and the Da Vinci Code.

Fans were overjoyed to see Ian and Dominic reunited, with one commenting: “I love that even after all the years since the trilogy ended, the most unlikely of pairings are still this close!!!”

After decades in the public eye, Sir Ian has far from slowed down.

Last year, he told the BBC how he was “determined” to keep working as he ages.

He explained: “I forget names… When you’re older you’ve got more to remember than people who are young.

That isn’t stopping him, though. “Nevertheless, it’s a nuisance when you can’t remember your best friend’s name or forget your telephone number.”

“What else would I be doing if I wasn’t working?” the actor said.

“Just keep at it as long as the legs and the lungs and the mind keep working.”

THE draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is to take place tonight.

Announced at 5pm today, England and Scotland fans will find out just who they are playing in the first matches in the World Cup, running from June 11 to July 19 next year.

Canada, USA and Mexico share hosting duties next summer for the blockbuster tournament that runs from June 11 to July 19, which will welcome 48 teams.

However, with three host countries and matches being played in 16 different cities, trying to work out flights and get the best deal can be tricky.

So to make it easy, Skyscanner is relaunching its Football Flight Finder so you can find your teams match schedule and search for flights.

Not only that, but you will be able to search flights for every leg of the journey in a few clicks.

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Skyscanner Football Travel Pundit Laura Lindsay has even shared her top tips on booking your travel to watch your team the entire way.

Book early doors

Laura explained: “Acting quickly can mean you score a bargain before demand increases to certain destinations.

“Some destinations will be more popular than others so if you can book early doors, you’re more likely not to be disappointed as interest increases.” 

Multi-city for MVP

There will be 16 host cities across the US, Canada and Mexico and Skyscanner’s multi-city feature helps with logistics of travelling between then.

Laura said: “This handy feature also allows fans to make more of their trip by seeing more of the host countries – it could also save you money by doing so.” 

Go wide

Of course, the days before and after a match will be the highest price when it comes to flights.

But Laura explains: “Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary.

“Use Skyscanner’s ‘month view’ tool to see if there’s a bargain to be had by flying out a few days early or staying in your destination a bit longer.” 

Think outside the box

If you want to try and avoid sky high costs, a different airport might be your best shot.

According to Laura: “Different UK airports have different routes and driving a little bit further to a different airport could mean a more direct flight, or better prices.

“The same can be said for your destination. If you can fly to an airport a little further from the game, and travel to it via public transport, train or a hire car, you could make more of your trip as well as save money.” 

Make a substitute

Skip using the same airline for your return tickets, as you could save money using different airlines for your outward and return journey.

Don’t think it’s all over

If you don’t book quickly, you are likely to see the prices jump extremely quickly depending on the algorithm and demand.

Set up a price alert if you do miss out, and you can then try and book flights at a later date if they drop in price, or go on sale.

Laura finished by saying: “Not only that but we have also seen airlines increase capacity last minute as teams get through stages in previous tournaments so you could still get lucky.” 

NEW YORK — President Trump’s White House is taking on the role of media critic and asking for help from “everyday Americans.”

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the White House launched a web portal it says will spotlight bias on the part of news outlets, targeting the Boston Globe, CBS News and The Independent as its inaugural “media offender of the week.”

It’s the latest wrinkle in the fight against what Trump, back in his first term, labeled “fake news.” The Republican president has taken outlets like CBS News and The Wall Street Journal to court over their coverage, is fighting the Associated Press in court over media access and has moved to dismantle government-run outlets like Voice of America.

Trump has also engaged in personal attacks, last month alone saying “quiet, piggy,” to a female reporter who was questioning him on Air Force One, calling a reporter from The New York Times “ugly, both inside and out” and publicly telling an ABC News journalist she was “a terrible reporter.”

“It’s honestly overwhelming to keep up with it all and to constantly have to defend against this fake news and these attacks,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who called the new web portal an attempt to hold journalists accountable.

After its debut, the White House asked for volunteers to submit their own examples of media bias. “So-called ‘journalists’ have made it impossible to identify every false or misleading story, which is why help from the American people is essential,” Trump’s press office said.

Despite the attacks, Axios wrote this week that the mainstream media is ending the year as “dominant as ever” in capturing the president’s attention and setting Washington’s agenda, citing as one example The Washington Post’s reporting on military strikes against boats with alleged drug smugglers.

The irony is that Trump engages with reporters at a level he hasn’t seen with any other president in his lifetime, said Axios CEO Jim VandeHei, co-author of the report with Mike Allen.

“He’s always bitched about the media and the press,” VandeHei told The Associated Press. “He gobbles this stuff up like hot McDonald’s french fries. He’s a mass consumer of this. He watches it, he calls reporters, he takes calls from reporters. … That’s always been the contradiction with him.”

The first media “honorees” were criticized for stories about Trump’s reaction to Democratic lawmakers who recorded a video reminding military members they were not required to follow unlawful orders. Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition “punishable by death.”

The White House said it was a misrepresentation to say Trump had called for their executions. The portal also said news outlets “subversively implied” that the president had issued illegal orders. The news articles they cited did not specifically say whether Trump had or had not ordered illegal activities.

The new portal also contains an “Offender Hall of Shame” of articles it deems unfair and a leaderboard ranking outlets with the most pieces they object to. Twenty-one outlets are represented, led by The Washington Post’s five stories. CBS News and MS NOW, the network formerly known as MSNBC, had four apiece. No news outlets that appeal to conservatives were cited for bias.

Responded a Post spokeswoman: “The Washington Post is proud of its accurate, rigorous journalism.”

The conservative media watchdog Media Research Center, which has accused news outlets of having a liberal bias since 1987, welcomes the company.

“We’re pleased,” said Tim Graham, MRC’s director of media analysis. “It’s a stronger effort than Republican presidents have done before. I think all Republicans realize today that the media is on the other side and need to be identified as on the other side.”

VandeHei said about the portal, “I can’t think of anything I care less about. If they want to set up a site and point out bias, great. It’s called free speech. Do it. I don’t think it makes a damned bit of difference.”

What is damaging is a constant drumbeat of claims that what people read in the media is false. “It makes people suspicious of the truth and the country suffers when we’re not operating from some semblance of a common truth,” VandeHei said.

Bauder writes for the Associated Press.

Jayshawn Kibble has returned to City Section basketball, and so far he’s dominating. The Washington Prep senior scored 29 points against Lawndale, 34 against Gardena Serra, 24 against Bishop Montgomery and 30 against Inglewood.

He won a City Open Division championship when he was a sophomore for King/Drew. He went to St. Anthony last season, then transferred to Washington Prep, which has several former King/Drew players.

In 2024, Jayshawn Kibble of King/Drew drives to the basket during a City Section Open Division playoff win over Palisades.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Washington Prep is 2-2 and lost to Inglewood 102-85 on Wednesday after leading in the third quarter.

In a City Section season lacking depth among top players and top teams, Kibble could lead the Generals to the championship.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Gaza once had seven border crossings to the outside world. Now it has only two, and both are blocked by Israel, leaving two million people trapped two months into a negotiated ceasefire.