BANNED

MYSTERY continues to surround Katie Price and new husband Lee Andrews after the pair STILL haven’t returned to the UK.

It came after speculation the businessman, who is now based in Dubai, was banned from touching down on home turf after “taking out a £200K loan in his ex’s name”.

Lee, 41, married the mum-of-five in Dubai last month, with the former glamour model returning back to the UK on her own just days later – as her husband explained she needed to return for her children.

After Katie returned to the UK to face her “horrified” family following her shock nuptials, Lee vowed he would soon be on a flight from the UAE to join her.

Sadly, her new spouse was a no-show in the UK and last week, we exclusively reported how Katie appeared to confirm her move to the UAE after splashing cash on luxury resorts.

In her latest Instagram video, Katie was seen wearing a grey vest as she stretched out on a bed.

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She propped herself on her headboard for the clip and told fans: “Hey guys, so I’m still in Dubai”.

She told how she was “really missing” her CBD products which assist with her sleep.

At the end of her clip, she zoomed in on her face as she demanded: “Get me back to the UK for CBD”.

In her caption, she added further detail and wrote: “I miss my sleeping pattern.

“I couldn’t bring my products over to Dubai due to the laws but wow… this is when you realise it most, I miss taking my oil before bed and sleeping through the night”.

The Sun exclusively revealed the former glamour model said I Do with businessman Lee Andrews in a plush ceremony in Dubai last month.

The shock engagement news came only a matter of weeks after Katie and former partner JJ, 32, called time on their two year romance.

In another video, which saw Lee brand Katie his “sweet little wife” and the TV star reply: “So we are still in Dubai but we are coming to England very soon”.

Lee then replied: “Within a day”.

Katie Price’s relationship history

We take a look back at the highs and lows of Katie Price’s relationship history.

1996-1998: Katie got engaged to Gladiators star Warren Furman – aka Ace – with a £3,000 ring. But their relationship didn’t make it as far as ‘I do’.

1998-2000: Katie described Dane Bowers as ‘the love of her life’ but she broke up with the singer after he allegedly cheated on her.

2001: Footballer Dwight Yorke is the father of Katie’s eldest child Harvey. He has had very little to do with his son throughout his life.

2002: Rebounding from Dwight, Katie famously had one night of passion with Pop Idol star Gareth Gates, allegedly taking his virginity.

2002-2004: Katie was dating Scott Sullivan when she entered the jungle for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!. He threatened to “punch Peter’s lights out” when chemistry blossomed between her and Peter Andre.

2004-2009: The jungle romance resulted in Katie marrying Aussie pop star Peter. They had two kids, Junior and Princess, before their bitter split in 2009.

2010-2011: Fresh from her break-up with Peter, Katie enjoyed a whirlwind relationship and marriage with cage fighter Alex Reid. They split 20 months after their Las Vegas wedding.

2011: Katie briefly dated model Danny Cipriani… but it ended as quickly as it begun.

2011-2012: They didn’t speak the same language, but Katie got engaged to Argentinian model Leandro Penna in 2011. He later fled home to South America.

2012-2018: Wedding bells rang once more after Katie met Kieran Hayler in 2013. They eventually called it quits after a rocky marriage.

2018-2019: Katie moved on quickly with Kris Boyson. They had an on-off romance for one year and even got engaged. They split for good in 2019.

2019: Katie was linked to Charles Drury during her on-off relationship with Kris. Charles, who also dated Lauren Goodger, has always denied being in “official relationship” with her.

2020-2023: Car salesman Carl Woods took a shine to Katie in 2020. Their relationship was up and down for three years. They broke up for a final time last year.

2024-2026: After weeks of rumours, Katie confirmed her relationship with Married At First Sight star JJ Slater in February 2024. The pair split in January 2026 after two years together.

2026: Katie shocked fans when she revealed she had married Dubai-based businessman Lee Andrews after a 48-hour engagement and only knowing him a week.

It remains to be seen if the pair will touch down on home turf any time soon.

After the pair became man and wife, reports – which Lee has denied – suggested he had been banned from leaving the country after he forged his ex’s signature for a £200,000 loan.

Lee allegedly applied for a mortgage in personal trainer Dina Taji’s name last year without her knowledge.

When she received a call from the bank about the application, she took legal action.

He spent three weeks inside the notorious Al-Awir central prison shortly before meeting Katie. It is unclear at what stage the investigation is at.

The city’s law prevents people involved in active criminal and civil cases from leaving the country, though Lee told the Mail it was “complete b******s” that he couldn’t leave.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

He went on to say: “First of all, I’ve been travelling all over Christmas, prior to January, and I’m actually travelling tonight to the UK so no, I don’t have a travel ban. 

“And the Dina Taji issue was something else, but I don’t have a mortgage either for £200,000, that’s completely not right.”

He added that he has been house-hunting for a new home for him and Katie.

We revealed over the weekend how Lee was arrested at his home in the emirate over allegations of obtaining money by deception.

The Mail also reports that Andrews “begged” other inmates for £5,966 to help secure his release, before turning to one of his ex-wives.

The Sun contacted Lee for comment at the time.

During his three weeks in the overcrowded prison – where violence and infections are rife – Lee shared a huge cell with 65 other inmates.

Lee, whose fantasist online claims were exposed by The Sun, was finally freed after apparently paying court fines.

Just weeks after his release last November, he struck up an online romance with Katie – before the pair stunned relatives by tying the knot in Dubai.

Watch out for the 100ml limit on some types of food

Picking up a snack or beverage during your flight can make a real difference to your travel experience when jetting off on holiday. Carriers like easyJet offer a wide selection of refreshments and nibbles available for purchase.

That said, these items can come with a hefty price tag, and when you’re travelling with the whole family, the bill can quickly spiral. Fortunately, passengers are typically allowed to bring their own food on board, though certain products are completely banned.

Exact regulations differ between airlines, but there are standard restrictions that apply across most UK carriers in 2026.

EasyJet permits passengers to bring their own food on flights, whilst also providing an assortment of snacks and beverages for sale during the journey.

The airline urges travellers to familiarise themselves with particular rules concerning the importation of certain food products at their destination, reports the Express.

EasyJet said: “There’s a 100ml limit for liquid food, like soup or custard. Different countries have different regulations about importing food and drink, so make sure you check the rules for your destination.

“You can bring alcohol bought in the airside departure lounge into the cabin, as long as it’s unopened. Alcohol must be lower than 70% abv, and packed either in an airport shopping bag or in your cabin bag. It’s strictly forbidden to drink any alcohol that has not been purchased on board the aircraft and those found consuming their own alcohol may face prosecution.

“You can bring hot drinks on board if you’ve bought them at the airport and they have a lid on.

“The 100ml liquid limit doesn’t apply to baby food, milk or sterilised water, provided that the total amount is no more than two litres. You may be asked to taste it for security reasons.”

Banned food and drinks on easyJet flights

• Any liquid food over 100ml, like soup, yoghurt or custard
• Bottles of alcohol that have been opened. Alcoholic beverages may only be consumed if purchased on board during the flight.
• More than two litres of baby food or formula
• Hot drinks without a lid on

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Ukrainian skeleton racer Heraskevych says 2006 Winter Olympics ‘acts as propoganda for Russia’ after IOC decision.

The Court ⁠of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) began hearing Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych’s appeal on Friday, with a decision expected later in the day on whether he can return to competition at ⁠the Milano Cortina Olympics after his disqualification over his “helmet of remembrance”.

The 27-year-old was removed from the Olympic programme on Thursday when the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation jury ruled that imagery on the helmet — depicting ⁠athletes killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 — breached rules on political neutrality at the Games.

Heraskevych is seeking reinstatement or at least a CAS-supervised run, pending a decision by sport’s highest court in advance of the final two runs set for Friday evening.

“I’m pretty positive about how it went,” he told reporters outside the office of CAS ‌in Milan following his appearance before the court. “I hope the truth will prevail, and I know that I was innocent.”

The racer said he was now getting threats from Russians and blamed the IOC’s decision for that.

“I believe that these Games now and this act of the IOC also serves as an instrument of propaganda for Russia,” Heraskevych said. “I still receive a lot of threats from the Russian side.”

The IOC, whose president, Kirsty Coventry, met Heraskevych on Thursday in a last-ditch effort to break the impasse, has ⁠allowed the athlete to keep his credentials despite his disqualification, so he can ⁠stay at the Milano Cortina Games.

“For me, sitting down with Vladyslav and his dad, the conversation was extremely respectful,” Coventry told a news conference on Friday. “After that, I asked the disciplinary commission to re-look at not pulling his accreditation, out of respect for him ⁠and his dad. I thought that was the right thing to do.”

The case has dominated headlines in the first week of the Olympics.

CAS Secretary-General Matthieu Reeb ⁠could not say exactly when they were likely to reach a ⁠decision, despite the tight schedule.

“We hope to have a final decision announced today, but it’s difficult for me to say when,” Reeb told reporters. “Obviously, we know the schedule of the competition, and it is an objective for CAS to be able to run the decision ‌before the start of the race, but we don’t know how long the hearing will take.

“We have only one arbitrator from Germany, and she will be in charge of this case. We have participants attending in ‌person, ‌like the IOC, the athlete is here, the father of the athlete is here.

“We have a representative of IBSF attending remotely. The athlete is also assisted by legal counsel speaking from Kyiv.”

The decision to ban Heraskevych has drawn shock and condemnation from many former and current Olympic athletes.

Lizzy Yarnold, Team GB’s two-time Olympic skeleton gold medallist, told BBC Sport: “I think it is actually quite shocking. Within the sliding community there is shock and confusion.

“This [wearing the helmet] was a reaction to something which was an act of memorial and incredibly emotionally important to him.

“I think the IOC owe him an apology and this was the wrong decision.”

Two-time Olympic bobsledder John Jackson was equally unimpressed with the IOC.

Jackson, who also served as a Royal Marines commando, told the BBC: “His approach to that is about remembering those who have fallen.

“For me, being military and now a veteran, remembrance is really important to all veterans. We have all lost friends and colleagues in conflict, and we all know someone who isn’t here and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“I support him in what he was trying to achieve. It is really important to remember those who have given their life for something that ultimately doesn’t need to happen.”

Heraskevych meanwhile told the BBC that being banned only left him feeling “emptiness.”

“Yesterday and before yesterday I was training good. I could be among the medallists for this event, but suddenly because of some interpretation of the rules that I do not agree with, I am not able to compete,” he said.

“Expression guidelines – what do you consider as expression? Many others here in this arena have helmets with different colours and I believe that is also a kind of expression.

“Some others had national symbols, that is also expression. For some reason, their helmets weren’t checked and they were allowed to compete but I am not.

“I believe they [those who have fallen] deserve to be here because of their sacrifice. I want to honour them and their families.”

Heraskevych’s international team mates showed their support throughout Thursday’s competition in Italy.

Alpine skier Dmytro Shepiuk displayed a note reading “Ukrainian heroes with us” after competing, while luger Olena Smaha also voiced support for Heraskevych wearing a glove reading: “Remembrance is not a violation.”

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky accused the IOC of “playing into the hands of the Russian aggressor” after Heraskevych’s disqualification

“Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors,” he wrote on X, external.

“Unfortunately, the decision of the International Olympic Committee to disqualify Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych says otherwise.”

Ukranian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych claims the International Olympic Committee has banned his helmet featuring images of people killed in the war in his home country, in a decision that “breaks my heart”.

The 26-year-old wore the helmet during a Winter Olympics training session in Cortina, and had promised before the Games to use the event as a platform to keep attention on the conflict.

The IOC is yet to confirm publicly if it has banned the helmet.

“The IOC has banned the use of my helmet at official training sessions and competitions,” said Heraskevych, who was a Ukraine flagbearer in Friday’s opening ceremony, on Instagram, external.

“A decision that simply breaks my heart. The feeling that the IOC is betraying those athletes who were part of the Olympic movement, not allowing them to be honoured on the sports arena where these athletes will never be able to step again.

“Despite precedents in modern times and in the past when the IOC allowed such tributes, this time they decided to set special rules just for Ukraine.”

Heraskevych told Reuters that many of those pictured on his helmet were athletes including teenage weightlifter Alina Peregudova, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko and ice hockey player Oleksiy Loginov, and stated some of them were his friends.

Heraskevych said Toshio Tsurunaga, the IOC representative in charge of communications between athletes, national Olympic committees and the IOC, had been to the athletes’ village to tell him.

“He said it’s because of rule 50,” Heraskevych told Reuters.

Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.

He said earlier on Monday that the IOC had contacted Ukraine’s Olympic Committee over the helmet.

The IOC said it had not received any official request to use the helmet in competition, which starts on 12 February.

Meanwhile, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Heraskevych “for reminding the world of the price of our struggle” in a post on X, external.

The post continued: “This truth cannot be inconvenient, inappropriate, or called a ‘political demonstration at a sporting event’. It is a reminder to the entire world of what modern Russia is.”

Heraskevych, Ukraine’s first skeleton athlete, held up a ‘No War in Ukraine’ sign at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, days before Russia’s 2022 invasion of the country.

Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

Heraskevych had said he intended to respect Olympic rules which prohibit political demonstrations at venues while still raising awareness about the war in Ukraine at the Games.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 athletes from Russia and Belarus were largely banned from international sport, but there has since been a gradual return to competition.

The IOC cleared 13 athletes from Russia, external to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) in Milan-Cortina.

BBC Sport has approached the IOC for comment.

Passengers are best to check their train operator before heading on board

In the UK, there are several big train companies, and many are used by thousands daily for commuting, visiting family or friends, or even during a staycation. Each company has its own features. For instance, some trains have Wi-Fi and USB charging ports, while others do not.

When it comes to food and drinks, there are differences as well. Some railway companies offer catering services, but many others do not. Every train operator has its own rules about bringing your own food and drinks onboard – and there are some items you should avoid.

On National Rail’s official website, a statement reads: “Many train companies have onboard catering facilities. These can include trolley services, counter buffet services and restaurant cars. The longer the journey, the more likely that there will be food and drink available on board.”

Some train companies offer food and drink on board. Below is a list of the ones that do:

There are numerous others that don’t, however. The following train companies and services do not offer onboard catering:

• c2c
• Chiltern Railways
• Elizabeth line
• Gatwick Express
• Great Northern
• Heathrow Express
• London Northwestern Railway
• London Overground
• Merseyrail
• Northern
• South Western Railway
• Southeastern
• Southern
• Stansted Express
• Thameslink
• West Midlands Railway

According to National Rail, passengers can bring their own food onboard, and they are urged to “take care” with hot drinks. However, they should not “leave wrappers and other packaging behind”, or “get carried away” when consuming alcohol.

In a major “do not” alert, the passenger rail service says people should avoid bringing certain types of food on board. It says: “Don’t bring very smelly food on your journey – leave that wedge of Stinking Bishop at home!”

In terms of alcohol, National Rail adds: “In general, you can bring and consume alcohol on trains, except those managed by Transport for London. But some train companies will run alcohol-free services, so check before you travel. And remember, antisocial behaviour is not permitted at any time.” Scroll down below for a look at the trains that ban alcohol at certain hours and on specific routes.

The largest train companies in the UK, by network size, passenger numbers, and franchise size, include Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Great Western Railway (GWR), Northern Trains, Avanti West Coast, and ScotRail. GTR is the largest, running 22% of all passenger services in the UK, including Thameslink, Southern, and Great Northern.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR)

GTR covers Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern, and Gatwick Express. The railway operator doesn’t have a strict rule against certain food or drink items, but it is requested that passengers do not consume items that disturb or upset other passengers, and litter must be taken with them.

You are allowed to bring and eat your own food and drinks on Southern Railway trains. Usually, there aren’t any catering services on Southern Railway’s commuter trains, but passengers can enjoy their meals and drinks as long as they are ‘polite to others’, ‘keep the train clean’, and ‘take their rubbish with them’. You can have food and drinks, but please be ‘mindful of strong odours’. Alcohol is mostly allowed, but Southern might limit it on certain trains, like those for football games.

Regarding Thameslink trains, as there are no on-board catering services, passengers are encouraged to bring their own refreshments. However, the trainline asks passengers to avoid bringing ‘smelly, hot, or messy food’ that may disturb other passengers. Alcohol is generally allowed on Thameslink, but antisocial behaviour is not tolerated, and you may be asked to stop or leave if deemed intoxicated.

It is important to note that while London-based Thameslink services allow alcohol, other Transport for London (TfL) services do not. All of the above also applies to Great Northern and Gatwick Express trains.

Great Western Railway (GWR)

On GWR trains, you can bring your own food and drinks, including alcohol, but ‘avoid bringing food that smells really strong’. You can usually have alcohol, but ‘anti social behaviour is not allowed’, and specific, limited services may have restrictions.

Food and drink are available only on longer-distance routes operated by Intercity Express Trains. On most long-distance trips, there are snacks, drinks, and alcoholic beverages you can choose from. However, not all local routes have food and drink services, especially the ones between Penzance–Exeter St Davids and Exeter St Davids–Bristol/Cardiff/Gloucester/Worcester.

Usually, there is a free trolley service with snacks and drinks available at your seat on high-speed trains that run from 6am to 7.30pm. Passengers are urged to take their rubbish with them or use the bins that are available.

Northern Trains

You can usually bring food and non-alcoholic drinks on Northern Rail trains, so you can have your own snacks during the trip. But on some “dry trains,” alcohol is banned. It’s important for passengers to also be thoughtful of others by ‘not bringing strong-smelling foods’ and by ‘taking all their rubbish with them’.

A statement on the official Northern website reads: “On certain trains, we don’t allow any alcohol on board. We’ve made some of our services ‘dry trains’ because of past issues with people getting rowdy and causing trouble.

“If you’re on a ‘dry train’, our staff will ask you not to drink or hide any booze during your journey. If you’re visibly drunk or try to sneak alcohol on board, you won’t be allowed to travel and could face prosecution under railway byelaws. If you’ve got alcohol with you before you board these services, you’ll need to dispose of it before the barriers, please. No exceptions here – you won’t be able to travel with it.” The trains where you can’t bring alcohol are listed online.

Avanti West Coast (AWC)

You can bring your own food and drinks on AWC trains, but it’s best to avoid really smelly items. In Standard and Standard Premium classes, you can buy snacks and drinks from the onboard shop, and there are hot food choices too. In First Class, you get free meals and drinks, depending on the time and length of the trip. You can have alcohol, but don’t drink too much; also, some services might not allow alcohol, so it’s a good idea to check first.

ScotRail

You can bring and consume your own food and non-alcoholic drinks on ScotRail trains. Alcohol consumption is restricted, with a ban in place during certain hours. It is advised to avoid bringing very smelly food and to take your litter with you.

A statement on ScotRail explains: “Alcohol may be consumed on our trains between 10am and 9pm. Other restrictions may apply in certain circumstances, such as large sporting events or concerts, as determined by ScotRail and the British Transport Police (BTP), on a case-by-case basis. Railway Byelaw 4 (2) states that a passenger with intoxicating liquor can be prevented from entering, or be asked to leave, the railway.”

NEARLY 300million cars are registered in the USA – but there’s one island where you won’t find any at all.

A place called Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan has been car-free since the late 1800s with locals and tourists getting around by horse-drawn carriage or bikes if you prefer.

Mackinac Island is one of those rare places with a ban on all cars.

The ban was implemented in 1898 after early cars apparently spooked horses, threatening public safety and the local carriage industry.

Since then, the only way to navigate the island is by horse or bike.

Living on the island all year-round are just 600 residents along with around 600 horses.

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While the number of horses remains the same, during the peak season of July and August, daily visitor numbers can be as many as 15,000.

It’s no surprise summer is the most popular time to visit as the island has average highs of 25C and is mostly dry.

Whereas in the winter months, it can experience lows well into the minus degrees and snow.

Mackinac Island is just north of mainland Michigan – to get there, take a ferry from Mackinaw City (Lower Peninsula).

Or take a ferry from St. Ignace on the Upper Peninsula which takes 16 minutes and cost around $36 (£26.51) each way.

While the island does have an airport, it’s for charter and private aircraft only.

Thanks to there being no cars on the island, there are plenty of bike rentals with most charging around $94 (£69.31) for a full day of use.

Or around $16 (£11.80) per hour.

Horse-drawn carriage tours are also very popular with sightseeing tours starting at around $44 (£32.43) per adult where tourists head all over the island with a local guide.

During the summer, you can call certain companies for a ‘taxi’, which is a horse-drawn carriage.

One major attraction on Mackinac Island is Arch Rock in Mackinac Island State Park which is a natural 50-foot wide limestone arch.

To get up to Arch Rock, visitors have to take 207 steps from Lakeshore Drive – so be prepared for a long walk.

Film fans might recognise the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island from Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

The enormous hotel sits on the south of the island and you can actually book to stay there yourself.

There are plenty of rooms from simple balcony suites, Grand Queen rooms or even cottages with four bedrooms – these have private hot tubs, and take in views across the Straits of Mackinac.

The hotel has a grand Esther Williams Swimming Pool which has a water-jet play area, water slide and a large heated whirlpool.

There’s also a private adults-only area featuring a separate infinity-edge pool with beautiful views.

For golfers, there’s an enormous golf course, bike rentals, pickleball, bocce ball and shuffleboard.

To stay at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island can be as much as $1,000 (£737.07) per night during peak season.

Here’s another car-free island much closer to home…

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding visited a car-free island in Scotland…

“Eilean Shona is a tidal island that’s completely car-free and was the inspiration behind J.M Barrie’s creation of Neverland in Peter Pan.

“As my boat approached the shores of the island, it was obvious why. Towering green trees and serene still waters were both welcoming and peaceful.

“Once I reached the island, the soft soil, earthy smells, chimes of birds and light breaking through the trees made it feel magical.

“Whilst there isn’t much to do on the island, it is the perfect retreat away from the modern world and the stresses of day to day life.

“Thanks to there being no shops, no restaurants and patchy phone signal, it really helps you disconnect from your mobile (and consequently social media).“

After several years of suspension, political parties in Burkina Faso have been formally dissolved by the military government, which has also seized all their assets in a move analysts say is a major blow for democracy in the West African nation.

In a decree issued on Thursday, the government, led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, scrapped all laws which established and regulated political parties, accusing them of failing to comply with guidelines.

The troubled West African nation is struggling with violence from armed groups linked to ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda. It is one of a growing number of West and Central African nations to have undergone coups in recent years.

Traore seized power in September 2022, eight months after an earlier military coup had already overthrown the democratically elected President Roch Marc Kabore.

Despite strong criticism by rights groups and opposition politicians of his authoritarian approach, 37-year-old Traore has successfully built up an online cult-like following among pan-Africanists, with many likening him to the late Burkinabe revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara.

Traore’s anti-colonial and anti-imperial pronouncements are often shown in high-definition, AI-generated videos that have gained him widespread admiration across the internet.

But the decision to ban political parties does not sit well for democracy, Dakar-based analyst Beverly Ochieng of the Control Risks intelligence firm, told Al Jazeera.

“The military government will [remain] highly influential, especially after a recent decree appointing Traore in a supervisory capacity in the judiciary,” Ochieng said, referring to a December 2023 constitutional change which placed courts directly under government control.

Going forward, “there will be very limited division of powers or autonomy across the civic and political space,” Ochieng said, adding that the military government will likely keep extending its stay in power.

Why have political parties been banned?

The Burkinabe government claims the existing political parties were not following the codes which established them.

In a televised statement following a Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday, when the new decree was approved, Interior Minister Emile Zerbo said the decision was part of a broader effort to “rebuild the state” after alleged widespread abuses and dysfunction in the country’s multiparty system.

A government review, he said, had found that the multiplication of political parties had fuelled divisions and weakened social cohesion in the country.

“The government believes that the proliferation of political parties has led to excesses, fostering division among citizens and weakening the social fabric,” Zerbo said.

He did not give details of the political parties’ alleged excesses.

How did political parties operate in the past?

Before the 2022 coup, which brought the current military leadership to power, Burkina Faso had more than 100 registered political parties, with 15 represented in parliament after the 2020 general elections.

The largest was the ruling People’s Movement for Progress (MPP), which had 56 of 127 seats in parliament. It was followed by the Congress for Democracy and Progress, with 20 seats, and the New Era for Democracy with 13 seats.

But the civilian government faced months of protests as thousands took to the streets to demonstrate against growing insecurity from armed groups in large parts of the country.

In 2022, Traore took power, promising to put an end to violence by armed groups. He also promised the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc that his government would hold elections by 2024.

But political parties were banned from holding rallies after the 2022 coup and, a month before the 2024 deadline, Traore’s government postponed elections to 2029 after holding a national conference, which was boycotted by several political parties.

Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, withdrew from ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States, a new economic and military alliance in January last year. They also withdrew from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In July 2025, Traore’s government dissolved the Independent National Electoral Commission, saying the agency was too expensive.

Has insecurity worsened under Traore?

Landlocked Burkina Faso is currently grappling with several armed groups which have seized control of land in the country’s north, south and west, amounting to about 60 percent of the country, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS).

The most active groups are the al-Qaeda-backed Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), which also operate in neighbouring Mali and Niger.

The groups want to rule over territory according to strict Islamic laws and are opposed to secularism.

By December 2024, all three Alliance of Sahel States countries had cut ties with former colonial power France and instead turned to Russian fighters for security support after accusing Paris of overly meddling in their countries.

Between them, they expelled more than 5,000 French soldiers who had previously provided support in the fight against armed groups. A smaller contingent of about 2,000 Russian security personnel is now stationed across the three countries.

But violence in Burkina Faso and the larger Sahel region has worsened.

Fatalities have tripled in the three years since Traore took power to reach 17,775 – mostly civilians – by last May, compared with the three years prior, when combined recorded deaths were 6,630, the ACSS recorded.

In September, Human Rights Watch accused JNIM and ISSP of massacring civilians in northern Djibo, Gorom Gorom and other towns, and of causing the displacement of tens of thousands since 2016.

HRW has also similarly accused the Burkinabe military and an allied militia group, Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, of atrocities against civilians suspected of cooperating with armed groups. In attacks on northern Nondin and Soro villages in early 2024, the military killed 223 civilians, including 56 babies and children, HRW said in an April 2024 report.

Mali and Niger have similarly recorded attacks by the armed groups. Malian capital Bamako has been sealed off from fuel supplies by JNIM fighters for months.

On Wednesday night, the Nigerien military held off heavy attacks on the airport in the capital city, Niamey. No armed group has yet claimed responsibility.

Is the civic space shrinking in Burkina Faso?

Since it took power, the government in Ouagadougou has been accused by rights groups of cracking down on dissent and restricting press and civic freedoms.

All political activities were first suspended immediately after the coup.

In April 2024, the government also took aim at the media, ordering internet service providers to suspend access to the websites and other digital platforms of the BBC, Voice of America and HRW.

Meanwhile, authorities have forced dozens of government critics into military service and sent them to fight against armed groups. Several prominent journalists and judges have been arrested after speaking out against increasingly restrictive rules on press and judiciary freedom.

Abdoul Gafarou Nacro, a deputy prosecutor at the country’s High Court, was one of at least five senior members of the judiciary to be forcibly conscripted and sent to fight armed groups in August 2024 after speaking out against the military government. Nacro’s whereabouts are currently unknown.

In April 2025, three abducted journalists resurfaced in a social media video 10 days after they went missing, in one example. All three – Guezouma Sanogo, Boukari Ouoba, and Luc Pagbelguem – were wearing military fatigues in an apparent forced conscription. They have all since been released.

However, several others, including some opposition politicians, are still missing.

A WOMAN was forced to miss her holiday after she was stopped from boarding an easyJet flight when they discovered an issue with her passport.

Donna Fairclough was due to fly out of Manchester Airport and was ‘heartbroken’ to miss out on an £820 holiday to Malta.

Donna Fairclough and her fiancé Gary Broadley were due to fly to Malta from Manchester Airport on January 3, 2026.

However, Donna was turned away from the flight by easyJet because of a sizeable tear in her passport.

The damage was across the photo page of her travel document and the size of the tear meant that she wasn’t allowed to board the flight.

Talking to Manchester Evening News, Donna said: “The rip was initially about a quarter-of-an-inch. I was excited to go away. It was heartbreaking because we lost out on a holiday because of a rip.

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“I said to my partner, you can still see my face and my passport number and it didn’t affect any of that. That’s what I couldn’t understand.”

As well as missing out on their holiday, the pair have claimed that easyJet won’t refund them for their break as the rip is classified as ‘accidental damage’.

Advice on the Gov.UK website reads: “If your passport is damaged you must replace it. You may not be able to travel with it. HM Passport Office will consider your passport damaged if […] any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing.”

HM Passport Office will also consider your passport damaged if you cannot read any of the details, the cover is coming away, or if there are stains on the page.

Donna has since got a new passport and has urged other holidaymakers to check theirs before travelling.

easyJet responded in a statement that the airline is “sorry” that Ms Fairclough was not able to go on her holiday and “understand how disappointing this must have been”.

The airline added it “works closely with the authorities and complies with their guidance to ensure the safety and security of customers and crew, and this means we can’t allow anyone to travel if their documentation is damaged.”

They then advised Donna on how she could get a new passport and have been in touch with further support.

It’s not just damage to passports that can halt passengers from boarding flights, issues with expiry dates have caught travellers out too.

Previous rules allowed British passport holders to roll over 10 months from their previous passports meaning they’d have validity of up to 10 years and 10 months.

But the current rules no longer see those additional 10 months as valid, even if they are on your passport.

So, if your passport was issued in June 2015, but your expiry date says September 2025, that expiry is actually incorrect.

Instead, your passport would have expired 10 years past the start date – making the real expiry is actually June 2025.

There’s also the three month rule – a number of countries require British holidaymakers to have a few additional months left on their passport to travel.

Most places in Europe require British travellers to have at least three months left on the passport before it expires.

Passport Rules

Everything you need to know about passports

Here’s another common passport mistake that is costing Brits £1.1million a year on holiday.

And another woman was left sobbing after easy passport mistake saw her BANNED from her flight.