ahead

The warning comes as millions of Brits prepare for peak holiday season

British families arranging summer holidays are being advised to double-check this before travelling or face last-minute disruptions that could jeopardise their plans.

HM Passport Office has issued a new alert to households submitting passport applications together, warning that a straightforward error when posting documents could delay the procedure. In guidance published online, the body stated families and couples should submit all supporting paperwork in one envelope when making multiple applications. Authorities emphasised this is especially vital where identical documentation – such as birth or marriage certificates – is required for more than one person.

The department said: “Linking the right documents for multiple applications can help avoid delays.”

Straightforward measure that could prevent weeks of waiting

According to the official guidance, applicants should place all paperwork in a sturdy envelope and clearly mark each application reference number on the front, above the address.

Families are also informed they can post their documents to any of the addresses supplied, even if individual applicants received different submission instructions.

However, there is one critical condition: if anyone in the group requires their identity verified, documents must not be dispatched until this stage is completed. Applicants will receive an email confirming when the Passport Office is prepared to accept paperwork.

Why this is important right now

The alert comes as millions of Britons gear up for the peak holiday season, when demand for passports typically rockets.

Official government guidance states that standard UK passport applications usually take up to three weeks, though this can take longer if documents are missing or incorrectly submitted.

The UK Government advises travellers to apply well in advance of any planned trips and to check passport validity rules for their destination, particularly for travel to the EU, where stricter expiry and issue-date requirements apply post-Brexit.

The risk of expensive travel chaos

Failing to follow the correct procedure could mean applications are separated or delayed while officials attempt to match documents to the right person.

This, in turn, risks passports failing to arrive on time, potentially resulting in missed flights, cancelled holidays and hefty rebooking charges.

With overseas travel continuing to bounce back strongly, officials are urging families not to leave anything to chance.

The Passport Office said planning ahead and following the correct steps allows travellers to “plan ahead with confidence” – and avoid unnecessary stress just weeks before departure. Further details can be found here.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes targeted the Ezzedine residential project in Srifa on Thursday morning.

Israel has ramped up its attacks on southern Lebanon, killing two people and issuing several forced displacement orders as the two sides prepare for United States-brokered talks on extending a ceasefire.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported on Thursday morning that Israeli warplanes targeted the Ezzedine residential project in the town of Srifa, killing two people.

The Israeli army announced in a post on Telegram that it had begun targeting alleged Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, the Israeli army’s Arabic language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, announced on X the forced evacuation orders for the towns and villages of Libbaya, Sahmar, Taffahata, Kafr Malek, Yohmor (Bekaa), Ain Tineh, Houmin al-Fawqa and Mazraat Sina.

NNA reported that one person was injured following a raid by an Israeli drone near the vocational school between the towns of Breqa and Zrarieh.

An air strike was also reported on the town of Ain al-Tineh in the Western Bekaa.

Reporting from Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands said in the past few days Israel has launched one of its “most intense periods of aerial bombardment in weeks”.

“There have been many individual strikes – usually by drones – on cars and motorbikes. Several of these have happened on the main coastal highway that leads south from Beirut,” he said.

According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday, at least 2,896 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the conflict resumed in early March.

At the same time, the Israeli army announced on Telegram that a drone launched by Hezbollah had fallen in Israeli territory near the shared border, injuring several people who were evacuated to hospital for treatment.

Israel-Lebanon talks

Representatives from both sides are expected to meet in Washington, DC, on Thursday for a new round of talks aimed at extending the ceasefire, which is scheduled to expire on Sunday.

“The discussions are controversial here in Lebanon. One of the reasons is that Hezbollah is not at the table. Hezbollah doesn’t want these talks to go ahead at all,” Challands explained.

“It says any direct discussions between Lebanon and Israel are basically capitulation. It wants first a full-on ceasefire, for Israel to have withdrawn from the country, for hundreds of thousands of displaced people to return to their homes, and for reconstruction to have started,” he said, adding that the Lebanese government, however, believes these points can be discussed during the talks with Israel.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is welcoming US President Donald Trump to Beijing for high-level talks. Tariffs, competition over tech, the US-Israeli war on Iran, and Taiwan are all on the agenda for the two-day visit.

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday held back-to-back talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, and reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation amid global challenges, his office said.

Lee said during his meeting with Bessent at Cheong Wa Dae that South Korea and the United States should further strengthen economic cooperation through close communication so that they can continue the “positive trend” of both countries maintaining stable economies despite increased global uncertainties, according to his spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

Lee also called for further developing bilateral cooperation in the economic and technological sectors, especially in terms of critical minerals, supply chains and foreign exchange markets, the spokesperson told a press briefing.

While concurring with Lee’s remarks, Bessent credited his leadership for South Korea’s growth and stock market performance under difficult circumstances, such as the Middle East war, she said.

Lee held talks with He earlier in the day and asked him to play an active role in expanding cooperation between South Korea and China in diverse sectors, including the economy, industry, trade and culture.

The vice premier responded that he is pleased the two countries’ bilateral trade increased further this year and conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s greetings.

Lee recalled his meeting with Xi in January and asked that the vice premier also convey his sincerest greetings, the spokesperson said.

The back-to-back talks came as Bessent and He were in Seoul to coordinate the agenda of Thursday’s high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Xi in Beijing.

Following their meetings with Lee, the two officials met behind closed doors at a VIP lounge at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.

The talks were held under tight security, with all access points to the lounge closed, including to the press.

Bessent will later head to Beijing to join Trump on his two-day visit to the country.

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.

China renewed its strong opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan ahead of the high profile summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Taiwan is expected to be one of the most sensitive issues discussed during the two day meeting, alongside trade disputes, regional security, and the ongoing Iran conflict.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, while the United States maintains unofficial relations with Taipei and remains legally committed to helping the island defend itself.

China Repeats Opposition to Arms Sales

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned Washington against expanding military cooperation with Taiwan and criticized U.S. weapons sales to the island.

Spokesperson Zhang Han described Taiwan as a core Chinese national interest and called on the United States to honor previous commitments under the One China framework.

Beijing argues that Taiwan is an internal Chinese matter and strongly opposes any foreign military involvement with the island.

Record US Weapons Package Raises Tensions

The Trump administration approved an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan in December, marking the largest U.S. arms sale to the island to date.

Reports have also suggested that another arms package worth around $14 billion could be approved after Trump’s visit to China, though its current status remains unclear.

The United States says such sales are necessary to ensure Taiwan can defend itself against possible military pressure from China.

Taiwan Defence Budget Faces Scrutiny

The issue gained further attention after Taiwan’s opposition controlled parliament approved only part of a proposed $40 billion defense budget requested by President Lai Ching-te.

The approved funding prioritizes purchases of U.S. weapons while reducing spending on some domestic defense programs, including drones.

American officials reportedly expressed disappointment that the budget fell short of what Washington believes Taiwan needs for adequate defense preparedness.

Taiwanese officials fear Beijing could use the reduced spending as leverage during talks with Trump to argue against further U.S. military support for the island.

Taiwan Rejects Beijing Sovereignty Claims

Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, Lai described Taiwan as a sovereign and independent nation that would not yield to external pressure.

China quickly rejected those remarks, reiterating that Taiwan has never been and will never become an independent country.

Beijing also repeated warnings that it retains the option of using force to bring Taiwan under its control, although it continues to publicly favor peaceful reunification.

Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party responded by emphasizing the island’s democratic system, independent government, and military institutions.

Taiwan Remains Central to US China Rivalry

Taiwan has become one of the most dangerous flashpoints in U.S. China relations, with both powers viewing the issue as tied directly to national credibility and regional influence.

For China, Taiwan represents sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national unity. For the United States, support for Taiwan is linked to maintaining regional stability and reassuring allies in the Indo Pacific.

Analysts warn that increasing military activity, arms sales, and political tensions surrounding Taiwan continue to raise the risk of miscalculation between Washington and Beijing.

Analysis

China’s warning ahead of the Trump Xi summit highlights how deeply the Taiwan issue shapes the broader strategic rivalry between the United States and China.

Despite ongoing diplomatic engagement and trade negotiations, Taiwan remains the most sensitive and potentially explosive issue in the bilateral relationship. Both sides see compromise on Taiwan as politically risky and strategically costly.

The large U.S. arms packages demonstrate Washington’s determination to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities, especially as China rapidly expands its military presence around the island.

At the same time, Taiwan’s internal political debates over defense spending reveal concerns within the island about balancing military preparedness with economic and domestic priorities.

For Beijing, any increase in U.S. military support for Taiwan is viewed as interference in China’s internal affairs and a challenge to its sovereignty claims.

The summit between Trump and Xi may help reduce immediate tensions, but the fundamental disagreement over Taiwan is unlikely to ease. As military capabilities expand and political rhetoric hardens on all sides, Taiwan will remain a central test of whether the United States and China can manage strategic competition without drifting toward confrontation.

With information from Reuters.