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United States President Donald Trump has sharply escalated his crackdown on immigration with an announcement of a “permanent pause” on migration from “all Third World Countries” late on Thursday.

The president’s remarks came a day after two National Guard members were shot – one of whom has since died from her injuries – in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. An Afghan national has been named as the primary suspect.

“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

He did not specify what “third world” means and did not name any countries. But the phrase “third world” generally refers to Global South countries that are economically still developing or economically disadvantaged.

He also said “anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country”, will be removed from the US.

Trump added that all federal benefits and subsidies to “noncitizens” will end, and he will “denaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity, and deport any foreign national who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western civilisation”.

Earlier this year, Trump announced a ban on visas for citizens of 12 countries and restrictions for citizens of seven more. He has also introduced other restrictions on travel to the US throughout the year.

Here’s what we know.

What has the Trump administration said?

After Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, was arrested and named as the suspect in the shooting of the National Guard members on Wednesday, Trump called the shooting “an act of terror”.

In an address to the media on Wednesday night, he said: “We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.”

Early on Thursday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an indefinite immediate suspension “of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals”.

Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.

The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and…

— USCIS (@USCIS) November 27, 2025

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow then added on X that, “at the direction” of the president, he had ordered “a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern”.

“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies,” Edlow said.

Edlow’s office told US media that the countries for which citizens with green cards will be reviewed would be those on the Trump administration’s June travel ban list.

In June, to “protect the United States from foreign terrorists and other National security and public safety threats”, the Trump administration announced that foreign nationals from 19 countries would face a full travel ban or partial restrictions.

Countries with a full ban in place are Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Those with a partial ban in place – some temporary visas are still allowed – are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.

— USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) November 27, 2025

On Thursday night, Trump said on Truth Social he would introduce a “permanent pause” on immigration from all “Third World Countries”.

What does a ‘permanent pause’ in immigration mean?

It is unclear.

“In ordinary English, ‘permanent pause’ sounds final, but under immigration law, the term has no defined meaning,” Abhishek Saxena, a New Delhi-based advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India who also handles international immigration consultations, told Al Jazeera.

“Practically, ‘permanent pause’ typically means an open-ended restriction with no stated end date, but not a legally irreversible condition,” he added.

According to the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the president may suspend the entry of immigrants for a fixed period, indefinitely or until the president modifies or lifts the proclamation. This can, however, be challenged. “If any indefinite pause is violating laws passed by US Congress, then such ban or pause can be challenged in a court,” said Saxena.

Roberto Forin, acting director of the Geneva-based Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), said the Trump administration’s vagueness over who these policies apply to and what he means by “permanently pause” or “Third World” is intentional.

“Keeping it undefined allows the administration to indiscriminately intimidate migrant communities in the US and around the world, while giving itself the prerogative to use this ban as another tool in its transactional approach to foreign policy,” Forin told Al Jazeera.

“I would expect the ban to disproportionately affect poorer countries, while sparing those that can offer something in exchange, such as natural resources or other strategic benefits,” he said.

“The objective of such announcements is to signal toughness, shift the narrative, instil fear and dehumanise migrants – regardless of the practical implementation and eventual legal outcomes,” he added.

How will people from such countries who are already living in the US be affected?

It is unclear how people from those countries will be affected until the names of the countries are listed and the immigration measure is implemented.

However, an August report by the Washington, DC-based American Immigration Council concluded that people from the 12 countries on Trump’s June 2025 full travel ban list will “not be able to see family members living abroad”.

“Under the June order, existing visas cannot be revoked, but those who need to leave the United States and renew their visas after they expire could be subjected to the ban instead of being allowed to return,” the report said.

Saxena said a restrictive immigration policy can indirectly affect people in the US in several other ways as well.

“Firstly, it will lead to increased scrutiny of pending applications. USCIS may subject applications from nationals of the affected countries to added background checks, longer security screening, or temporary holds,” he said.

“Secondly, history shows that when a country is placed under heightened security review, [visa] processing times frequently increase,” he noted.

“Lastly, although the government cannot revoke existing residency statuses arbitrarily, it may audit past immigration filings for fraud, misrepresentation, security concerns, or ineligibility under existing statutes,” he added.

Saxena said Trump’s announcement that he will pause immigration from “Third World Countries” would also likely prevent spouses, children, and parents who are abroad from entering the US until the proclamation is lifted.

“This creates long-distance separations, delays in family-based immigration petitions and interruption of family reunification programmes,” he said.

“However, people already inside the US cannot be separated from their families merely because a country is listed in a proclamation. Family-unity principles under the Constitution and the INA apply once a person is inside US territory,” he added.

What if you have a green card?

On Thursday, the Trump administration told journalists that it intends to re-examine all green cards held by people from the countries on the June 2025 travel ban list. However, it is not clear how the process will work or whether green cards could be revoked or even cancelled.

A green card is a US immigration document which allows an immigrant to permanently reside and work in the country.

US immigration judges have the power to revoke green cards and to deport people from the country if there are serious grounds, such as being found guilty of grievous crimes like murder or rape.

The government can also deport an immigrant on these grounds, including if they consider the person “a threat to public safety or if the person violates their visa”.

However, according to Saxena, the government “has no legal authority to revoke green cards without following due process. Any revocation must follow strict statutory procedures and satisfy due-process requirements.”

Last year, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detained pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil on the “basis of his speech” while he was protesting against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza at Columbia University. Khalil was a permanent US resident at the time, but ICE accused him of omitting information on his green card application.

In September, a US immigration judge ordered that Khalil should be deported to Algeria or Syria, but this has not yet happened.

What other steps has Trump taken this year to restrict immigration?

Besides green card re-examinations and announcing travel bans on citizens of some specific countries, Trump also froze refugee admissions shortly after he resumed office in January.

“The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees,” the White House said in a statement in January.

Then, at the end of October, the Trump administration announced the lowest refugee admission cap in the country’s history, limiting entry to just 7,500 people for the fiscal year 2026.

On November 25, according to a memo seen by the Reuters news agency, the Trump administration ordered a review of all refugees allowed into the country under the previous Joe Biden administration, and recommended that their permanent residency applications be paused.

According to the memo, which was reportedly signed by USCIS chief Eldow, the status and applications of about 233,000 refugees who entered the US between January 20, 2021 and February 20, 2025, would be reviewed. The memo cited Trump’s January order on freezing refugee admissions due to national security as a reason.

The US has also cut foreign aid for refugees in host countries.

The Trump administration has also targeted skilled migrant workers in an effort to protect US citizens’ jobs. In September, it increased the application fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 per application. The visa is used by companies in the US hiring overseas workers.

In October, the US Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for the visa application fee rise, claiming it could harm businesses. The case is pending in the Washington, DC district court.

What does this mean for refugees generally?

“Taken together, these measures, especially if they trigger a ‘race to the bottom’ among governments, could have devastating consequences globally, including in countries already ravaged by conflict and violence,” Forin said.

“We see this happening in Europe as well, from the system the UK has tried to establish to outsource asylum procedures to Rwanda, to the centres Italy tried to set up in Albania, and none of these have worked, because they were blocked by courts at every step.”

“Unfortunately, they have all contributed to the dehumanisation of refugees and migrants, depicting them simply as a threat or a burden, rather than as human beings in need of protection or deserving of a chance at a better future,” Forin added.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump says he wants to “permanently pause migration” from poorer nations and is promising to seek to expel millions of immigrants from the United States by revoking their legal status.

Trump is blaming immigrants for problems from crime to housing shortages as part of what he calls “social dysfunction” in America and demanding “REVERSE MIGRATION.”

His most severe social media post against immigration since returning to the Oval Office in January came after the shooting Wednesday of two National Guard members who were patrolling the streets of the nation’s capital under his orders. One died and the other is in critical condition.

A 29-year-old Afghan national who worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan war is facing charges. The suspect came to the U.S. as part of a program after U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to resettle those who had helped American troops.

Trump’s threat to stop immigration would be a serious blow to a nation that has long defined itself as welcoming immigrants.

Since Wednesday’s shooting near the White House, administration officials have pledged to reexamine millions of legal immigrants, building on a 10-month campaign to reduce the immigrant population. In a lengthy social media post late Thursday, the Republican president asserted that millions of people born outside the U.S. and now living in the country bore a large share of the blame for America’s societal ills.

“Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!”

Trump was elected on a promise to crack down on illegal migration, and raids and deportations undertaken by his administration have disrupted communities across the country. Construction sites and schools have been frequent targets. The prospect of more deportations could be economically dangerous as America’s foreign-born workers account for nearly 31 million jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The president said on Truth Social that “most” foreign-born U.S. residents “are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels” as he blamed them for crime across the country that is predominantly committed by U.S. citizens.

There are roughly 50 million foreign-born residents in the U.S., and multiple studies have found that immigrants are generally less likely to commit crimes than are people who were born in the country.

The perception that immigration breeds crime “continues to falter under the weight of the evidence,” according to a review of academic literature last year in the Annual Review of Criminology.

“With few exceptions, studies conducted at both the aggregate and individual levels demonstrate that high concentrations of immigrants are not associated with increased levels of crime and delinquency across neighborhoods and cities in the United States,” it said.

A study by economists initially released in 2023 found immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than people born in the U.S. Immigrants have been imprisoned at lower rates for 150 years, the study found, adding to past research undermining Trump’s claims.

Trump seemed to have little interest in a policy debate in his post, which the White House, on its own rapid response social media account, called “one of the most important messages ever released by President Trump.”

He pledged to “terminate” millions of admissions to the country made during the term of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. He also wants to end federal benefits and subsidies for those who are not U.S. citizens, denaturalize people “who undermine domestic tranquility” and deport foreign nationals deemed “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

Trump claimed immigrants from Somalia were “completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota” as he used a dated slur for intellectually disabled people to demean that state’s governor, Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee last year.

On Wednesday night, Trump called for the reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees who had entered under the Biden administration. On Thursday, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said the agency would take additional steps to screen people from 19 “high-risk” countries “to the maximum degree possible.”

Edlow did not name the countries. But in June, the administration banned travel to the U.S. by citizens of 12 countries and restricted access from seven others, citing national security concerns.

The shooting of the two National Guard members appeared to trigger Trump’s anger over immigrants, yet he did not specifically refer to the event in his social media post.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is accused of driving across the country to the District of Columbia and shooting two West Virginia National Guard members, Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. Beckstrom died Thursday; Wolfe is in critical condition.

Lakanwal, currently in custody, was also shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening.

Trump was asked by a reporter Thursday if he blamed the shootings on all Afghans who came to the U.S.

“No, but we’ve had a lot of problems with Afghans,” the president said.

Boak writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — Russia stood alone Friday to veto a U.N. resolution condemning its “brutal” invasion of Ukraine, killing the measure — for now. But all other members in the solemn session of the U.N. Security Council either voted in favor or abstained, testament to rounds of intensive diplomatic pleas by the Biden administration.

The U.S.-drafted measure, which demands the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Russian troops battering Ukraine, was approved by 11 members. Most notably, China, thought to be in Moscow’s corner, abstained. So did two U.S. allies, India and the United Arab Emirates, in a disappointment for the U.S. Russia, as one of five permanent members, holds veto power, which it exercised.

That Russia’s “isolation” was so starkly drawn was hailed as a major victory by U.S. diplomats. And they vowed they will carry a similar resolution to the full 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes and only a simple majority is needed to pass.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said that she was not surprised by the Russian veto but that it would not deter efforts to rebuke and stop Moscow’s aggression.

“Russia, you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices,” she said, looking directly at the Russian representative, Vasily Nebenzya, who, in one of the peculiarities of U.N. politics, was chairing the session as rotating president of the council.

“You cannot veto the truth,” Thomas-Greenfield continued. “You cannot veto our principles. You cannot veto the Ukrainian people. You cannot veto the U.N. Charter. And you will not veto accountability.”

Nebenzya, after the vote but with the council still in session, took Thomas-Greenfield and several other Western representatives to task for what they had condemned as egregious abuses and attacks on civilians by Russian forces.

“Who are you to moralize?” he said. Thomas-Greenfield looked back at him, stone-faced.

He and the Ukrainian ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, also had testy exchanges. Nebenzya called his Ukrainian counterpart “boorish,” while Kyslytsya said Nebenzya and his comments accusing Ukraine of repression earned him a special “seat in hell.”

Friday’s vote followed senior U.S. diplomats’ intense lobbying of their counterparts from dozens of countries to back the resolution at the Security Council or at a possible later meeting of the full United Nations, where a similar condemnation could be brought.

Russia “will be shown to be isolated on the world stage,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said a couple of hours ahead of the vote.

Although the Americans were disappointed that India and the UAE did not join in the “yes” column, it was China’s decision to abstain that gave them particular relief.

Before Friday’s meeting, U.S. diplomats expressed the likelihood that Beijing would side with Moscow. They saw glimmers of hope, however: President Xi Jinping has been publicly measured in support for the invasion. Although he values a growing relationship with Moscow, he may also be reluctant to pick too bitter a fight with the U.S. and NATO.

The Chinese representative to the Security Council, Zhang Jun, explained his country’s vote saying that although China did not support violating the sovereignty of another nation, as Russia has done, the resolution might add “fuel to the fire” rather than contributing to a diplomatic path to peace. He also said Russia’s “legitimate security aspirations” had to be addressed.

“Ukraine should become a bridge between East and West, not an outpost for confrontation among major powers,” Zhang said.

Similarly, the UAE and India said that although they abhorred Russia’s actions, they feared the resolution would shut the door to diplomacy and dialogue. Both countries, especially India, also have strong ties to Russia.

The Security Council vote came after increased economic sanctions the Biden administration imposed on Russia on Thursday — and on Putin himself on Friday — which had been augmented by a series of measures by the European Union.

Rallying broader support for a condemnation of Russia, however, had been a surprisingly difficult task for U.S. diplomats.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and his deputy, Wendy R. Sherman, as well as other officials, had been on the phone to counterparts from a host of nations, including Portugal, Turkey, Moldova, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Those efforts followed months of in-person and virtual consultations and warnings among allies about Russia’s designs on Ukraine.

India had been an especially prickly case. In addition to historical ties with Moscow, New Delhi in recent years has built a defense and diplomatic partnership with Washington.

But India was tepid in its initial response to Russia’s aggression. During a Security Council session that unfolded in New York on Wednesday night as President Vladimir Putin unleashed Russian troops on Ukraine, India’s representative called for de-escalation but did not condemn Moscow. So, while not a “yes,” India’s abstention Friday could have been worse, diplomats said.

A Biden administration official who briefed reporters on the U.S. strategy for the Security Council rejected any suggestion that the difficulty in putting together a united front reflected the impotence of consensus-based global organizations like the United Nations and especially the Security Council, where Russia and China are permanent members, along with the United States, France and Britain. Russia currently holds the rotating president’s seat on the council.

“It’s important that we send a message to Ukraine, to Russia and to the world that the Security Council will not look away,” said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes deliberations. “The council was established to respond to precisely this scenario: a stronger country waging war against a weaker neighbor in violation of the U.N. Charter and the principles of the U.N. Charter.”

But U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who spoke to reporters after the Security Council meeting, was clearly disappointed.

The United Nations “was born out of war, to end war,” he said. “Today that objective was not achieved.”

TUI has revealed plans for more hotels in some very stunning holiday destinations that won’t break the bank.

The tour operator – the second biggest in the UK – has confirmed that they will be expanding across Africa.

This includes destinations such as Egypt, Tunisia, Zanzibar and Gambia.

They said in a statement: “With the expansion of our hotel clusters in North, West, and East Africa, we are continuing to deliver differentiated holiday experiences in promising growth destinations.”

When it comes to Tunisia, there is the new Mora Sahara Tozeur on the edge of the Sahara which opened earlier this month.

The 93-room hotel not only has desert rooms but is suitable for families too.

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Tunisia has been made easier to visit in recent months following a number of new flight routes too.

In Egypt, two new JAZ hotels have also opened this month.

There is JAZ Royal Palmariva, on Makadi Bay, or JAZ Palmariva Beach which is on Madinat Makadi.

One Sun writer stayed at both the Jaz Aquaviva and Jaz Casa Del Mar Beach in Egypt.

She wrote: ‘It is one of several hotels within the gated, ­security- patrolled Madinat Makadi, which features restaurants — shout out to the delicious Indian, Amaya — a souk selling spices, perfumes and souvenirs, and a ­private beach, all reachable by a free shuttle bus.

“Another huge draw to the complex is its championship golf course (an 18-hole round costs from £70pp).

“Twenty minutes north of Madinat Makadi is its more luxurious sister, Jaz Casa Del Mar Beach, which also offers desert tours and watersports.

“If my home had four pools, a private beach, spa, Parisian-style bistro, 24-hour martini bars, a grill restaurant serving delicious seafood soup and lamb chops in jus, plus a jam-packed activity programme, I would never leave.”

And TUI is launching more hotels across Zanzibar as well.

Next month will see the opening of adults-only JAZ Amaluna, with the five-star resort on Uroa Beach.

RIU Palace Swahili, also an adult only hotel, will open in 2026, with infinity, pools, eight bars and 500 rooms.

It comes after a major expansion in Tanzania last year, which also saw the opening of their first Mora hotel there.

Zanzibar isn’t particularly expensive – a beer is around 5,000 shillings, which is about £1 – and it rarely drops below 28C.

The Sun’s UK’s Digital Editor Stewart Jackson recently visited the island.

He explained: “The beach — pretty much deserted apart from guests of the hotel and local vendors — is worth exploring at low tide, with starfish, crabs and fish easy to find in the rock pools beyond the expansive golden sands.

“It is worth visiting the island itself, including a tour of Stone Town, the oldest part of Zanzibar’s capital.

“You will take in atmospheric spice markets, historic landmarks and — perhaps the island’s biggest claim to fame among British visitors — the birthplace of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.”

And the new TUI Blue Tamala opened earlier this month in The Gambia, with 140 rooms overlooking the private beach.

TUI‘s chief executive Sebastian Ebel said: “There is a lot of growth outside the region of Europe.”

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“I very much believe in Africa.”

It comes after huge success in other parts of Africa such as Morocco, Senegal and Kenya.

Leaders welcome deal reached at UN climate summit as step forward but say ‘more ambition’ needed to tackle the crisis.

World leaders have put forward a draft text at the United Nations climate conference in Brazil that seeks to address the crisis, but the agreement does not include any mention of phasing out the fossil fuels driving climate change.

The text was published on Saturday after negotiations stretched through the night, well beyond the expected close of the two-week COP30 summit in the Brazilian city of Belem, amid deep divisions over the fossil fuel phase-out.

The draft, which must be approved by consensus by nearly 200 nations, pledges to review climate-related trade barriers and calls on developed nations to “at least triple” the money given to developing countries to help them withstand extreme weather events.

It also urges “all actors to work together to significantly accelerate and scale up climate action worldwide” with the aim of keeping the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) mark for global warming – an internationally agreed-upon target set under the Paris Agreement – “within reach”.

Wopke Hoekstra, the European Union’s climate commissioner, said the outcome was a step in the right direction, but the bloc would have liked more.

“We’re not going to hide the fact that we would have preferred to have more, to have more ambition on everything,” Hoekstra told reporters. “We should support it because at least it is going in the right direction,” he said.

France’s ecological transition minister, Monique Barbut, also said it was a “rather flat text” but Europeans would not oppose it because “there is nothing extraordinarily bad in it”.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla also said in a social media post that while the outcome “fell short of expectations”, COP30 demonstrated the importance of multilateralism to tackle global challenges such as climate change.

‘Needed a giant leap’

Countries had been divided on a number of issues in Belem, including a push to phase out fossil fuels – the largest drivers of the climate crisis – that drew opposition from oil-producing countries and nations that depend on oil, gas and coal.

Questions of climate finance also sparked heated debates, with developing nations demanding that richer countries bear a greater share of the financial burden.

But COP30 host Brazil had pushed for a show of unity, as the annual conference is largely viewed as a test of the world’s resolve to address a deepening crisis.

“We need to show society that we want this without imposing anything on anyone, without setting deadlines for each country to decide what it can do within its own time, within its own possibilities,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said earlier this week.

Earlier on Saturday, COP30 President Andre Aranha Correa do Lago said the presidency would publish “roadmaps” on fossil fuels and forests as there had been no consensus on those issues at the talks.

Speaking to Al Jazeera before the draft text was released, Asad Rehman, chief executive director of Friends of the Earth, said richer countries “had to be dragged – really kicking and screaming – to the table” at COP30.

“They have tried to bully developing countries and have weakened the text … But I would say that, overall, from what we’re hearing, we will have taken a step forward,” Rehman said in an interview from Belem.

“This will be welcomed by the millions of people for whom these talks are a matter of life and death. However, in the scale of the crisis that we face, we of course needed a giant leap forward.”

Check if your holiday destination is affected after eight new countries were added to the Foreign Office’s methanol poisoning list following a wave of tragic deaths

The Foreign Office has added eight more countries to the methanol poisoning list as British tourists are warned of the deadly risks of fake alcohol abroad.

Ecuador, Kenya, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Uganda, and Russia are now on the list of destinations where the UK government advises travellers take extra care – in addition to backpacker favourites Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. It follows an increase in cases of serious illness and deaths caused by alcoholic drinks tainted with methanol.

Among the most memorable is the hostel horror late last year which killed six tourists in Laos, including 28-year-old lawyer Simone White from Orpington, Kent. Now, a travel expert has offered her top tips to anyone heading to these destinations on how to stay safe and avoid illicit alcohol – as well as what you should do if you end up drinking it.

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What is methanol poisoning and how do I know if I’ve got it?

Methanol is a type of industrial alcohol that can be found in antifreeze and paint thinners. It is very harmful to humans, and drinking even small amounts can leave victims dead or permanently blinded within hours.

Early signs of methanol poisoning can include blurry vision and confusion. Alicia Hempsted, travel insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, explained: “Early symptoms can include vomiting and drowsiness but as poisoning worsens, it may lead to abdominal pain, vertigo, difficulty breathing, blurred vision and even blindness.”

In September 2025 alone, an estimated 821 people worldwide were affected by methanol poisoning”, with internet searches up 593% since the tragedy in Laos last year. Alicia adds: “Untreated methanol poisoning has a fatality rate of between 20% and 40%.3 Avoid alcohol if you’re unsure of its source or if it seems unusually cheap or homemade.”

How to stay safe

You can’t see or smell methanol if it’s in your drink, meaning it’s best to stick to sealed bottles in high risk areas. Alicia said: “Methanol looks and smells almost identical to regular alcohol, so it can be hard to detect.

“The safest approach is to only drink from sealed bottles, avoid free or unlabelled drinks and to never leave your drink unattended. Methanol poisoning tends to affect you faster and more severely than normal alcohol.

“If you experience any of the symptoms of methanol poisoning, or suspect you may have consumed it, you must seek immediate medical attention. Treatments can include antidote or dialysis, depending on how advanced the poisoning is.”

Know before you go – and take out travel insurance

Emergency treatment for methanol poisoning can leave you with hospital bills in the tens of thousands. You should always take out travel insurance when heading abroad, no matter where you’re going, or for how long.

You should also check the Foreign Office’s travel guide for your destination to ensure you are up to date with the latest information. Alicia explained: “Unfortunately, even when you take every possible precaution, emergencies can still happen when you’re abroad.

“Travel insurance can provide cover for emergency medical expenses and hospital treatments helping to protect you from financial and additional personal stress if the worst does happen.”

What has the Foreign Office said?

The Foreign Office announced the eight new countries last month after an impassioned campaign by families who have lost loved ones to methanol poisoning abroad. Hamish Falconer, minister responsible for Consular and Crisis, said: “Methanol poisoning can kill – it can be difficult to detect when drinking and early symptoms mirror ordinary alcohol poisoning.

“By the time travellers realise the danger, it can be too late. That’s why we’re working hard to raise awareness of the warning signs and urging anyone who suspects methanol poisoning to seek immediate medical attention. I encourage all travellers to check our travel advice and Travel Aware pages before they go on holiday.

“No family should endure what the campaigners’ families have suffered. Their determination to prevent others facing the same tragedy has been instrumental in driving forward these vital updates to our travel advice.”

TORONTO — Top diplomats from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies are converging on southern Ontario as tensions rise between the U.S. and traditional allies such as Canada over defense spending, trade and uncertainty over President Trump’s ceasefire plan in Gaza and efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in an interview with the Associated Press that “the relationship has to continue across a range of issues” despite trade pressures as she prepared to host U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and their counterparts from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Anand also invited the foreign ministers of Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine.

She said “15 foreign ministers are coming from around the world to the Great White North and funnily enough on the week of our first large snowfall.”

“The work that Canada is doing is continuing to lead multilaterally in an era of a greater movement to protectionism and unilateralism,” Anand said. “And in an era of economic and geopolitical volatility.”

Canada’s G-7 hosting duties this year have been marked by strained relations with its North American neighbor, predominantly over Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canadian imports. But the entire bloc of allies is confronting major turbulence over the Republican president’s demands on trade and various proposals to halt worldwide conflicts.

One main point of contention has been defense spending. All G-7 members except for Japan are members of NATO, and Trump has demanded that the alliance partners spend 5% of their annual gross domestic product on defense. While a number of countries have agreed, others have not. Among the G-7 NATO members, Canada and Italy are furthest from that goal.

There have also been G-7 disagreements over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with Britain, Canada and France announcing they would recognize a Palestinian state even without a resolution to the conflict. With the Russia-Ukraine war, most G-7 members have taken a tougher line on Russia than Trump has.

The two-day meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Lake Ontario near the U.S. border comes after Trump ended trade talks with Canada because the Ontario provincial government ran an anti-tariff advertisement in the U.S. that upset him. That followed a spring of acrimony, since abated, over Trump’s insistence that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney apologized for the ad and said last week that he’s ready to resume trade talks when the Americans are ready.

“The work that we are doing in the G-7 is about finding areas where we can cooperate multilaterally,” Anand said. “This conversation will continue regardless of other efforts that we are making on the trade side.”

Anand said she will have a meeting with Rubio but noted that a different minister leads the U.S. trade file. The U.S. president has placed greater priority on addressing his grievances with other nations’ trade policies than on collaboration with G-7 allies.

“Every complex relationship has numerous touch points,” Anand said. “On the trade file, there is continued work to be done — just as there is work to be done on the numerous touch points outside the trade file, and that’s where Secretary Rubio and I come in because the relationship has to continue across a range of issues.”

Anand said Rubio asked her during a breakfast meeting in Washington last month to play a role in bringing countries to the table to ensure that Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan has longevity.

U.S. officials said Rubio, who also may have meetings with other G-7 counterparts and at least one of the invited non-G-7 foreign ministers, would be focused on initiatives to halt fighting in Ukraine and Gaza, maritime security, Haiti, Sudan, supply chain resiliency and critical minerals.

Canada’s priorities include ending the war in Ukraine, Arctic security and security in Haiti. There will be a working lunch on energy and critical minerals that are needed for anything from smartphones to fighter jets. Canada has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.

Anand will probably try to use the meeting to improve the working relationship with Rubio, said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

“Yet, a key factor shaping that relationship is beyond her control: President Trump’s mercurial behavior,” Béland said.

“The expectations are quite low, but avoiding drama and fostering basic common ground on issues like Ukraine and Russia would be helpful,” Béland said.

Gillies and Lee write for the Associated Press.

I’ve visited 26 places in ten countries over the past 12 months. A number I’d argue is a few more than ideal, at least if you want to avoid the sensation of constantly rushing around, and being stuck in a loop of packing and unpacking a toiletries bag.

Over the past year, I’ve managed to tick off 10 countries and 26 destinations from my travel list. A number that’s a tad more than ideal if you’re not keen on the constant hustle and bustle, and the never-ending cycle of packing and unpacking toiletries.

Among these destinations are some that still leave me in awe. The alien-like landscape of Deception Island in Antarctica, a whale graveyard, is undoubtedly the highlight.

Likewise, the sight of condors soaring above as I trekked up an Andes mountain following a gaucho’s trail is something I won’t forget anytime soon.

Closer to home, this was the year I finally set foot on Lindisfarne in Northumberland. This tidal island, which recently featured in Danny Boyle’s zombie film, 28 Years Later, is truly magical.

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My visit last midsummer was particularly memorable with the sun shining, beetles scurrying in the grass, and seals serenading across the bay. However, it’s not any of these places that I’m eager to revisit next year, fingers crossed. That honour goes to Catania.

I had a fleeting, 12-hour visit to this Sicilian city in August and now, I’m resolved to go back.

If you’ve been to this Italian island, chances are you landed in the much larger and more famous Palermo. It’s a captivating city, brimming with attractions like a sprawling botanical garden, the beautifully restored Palazzo Butera, and a top-notch puppet museum.

Despite its charm, there’s a sense that Palermo has perhaps overindulged the tourist trade. Its renowned Capo Market has shifted from selling fresh produce to street food, and the daily queue for a baked goodie at the former monastery, Santa Caterina, often stretches to 100 people.

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In contrast, Catania, located roughly 200 km east of Palermo on Sicily’s coast, exudes an authenticity and tranquillity that sets it apart from its older sibling.

While Palermo is large, audacious and rough around the edges, Catania is neater, more stylish and refined. The city, home to 300,000 residents, was established by the Greeks in the 8th century BC and has been shaped by centuries of conquest and natural disasters, most notably the catastrophic earthquake of 1693.

This rebuilding led to the creation of its stunning Baroque architecture, now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A stroll through the historic centre leads you to Piazza del Duomo, where the grand Catania Cathedral and the famous Fontana dell’Elefante, a lava-stone elephant statue that has become the city’s emblem, reside.

The Via dei Crociferi, adorned with ornate churches and monasteries, is frequently hailed as one of Sicily’s most beautiful streets.

One of the most captivating reasons to visit Catania, and why I’m so eager to go back, is its breathtaking location. The city is nestled between the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano. After an evening spent sipping spritz and carafes of light table wine, our group climbed onto the roof of our apartment block and looked north.

Illuminating the dark sky above us was a burst of orange. Lava was erupting from the top of Etna.

Vibrant buses bound for the volcano regularly set off from Catania, transporting daring tourists up the volcano and through lava fields, craters, and even vineyards that flourish in the fertile volcanic soil.

For those not captivated by volcanoes and stunning architecture, spending a week just eating and drinking is arguably just as satisfying. Street food plays a significant role in daily life there and has a rich history.

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If arancini balls, cannoli, and granita (a refreshing Sicilian sorbet sometimes served in a warm brioche) didn’t originate here, they’ve certainly been perfected.

The fun carries on at the La Pescheria market, situated near Piazza del Duomo, where Sicilian-speaking stallholders will sell you a cone of deep-fried seafood.

The great news for those, like me, planning a trip to Catania is that there are direct flights from London Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and Manchester airports, with airlines such as British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, and Ryanair providing services. One-way tickets this month start from just £19.

Perhaps a bargain too tempting to pass up….

Want to see the most beautiful scenes in one trip? A must-do country European road trip will take you to six countries, where you will see the sea, mountains, castles and breath-taking views

Hopping on a plane and getting to your holiday destination in hours is a luxury, but one thing that everyone should do at least once in their lives is a road trip.

TikTok account Living Our Memories shared the perfect itinerary, where the key stops included France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. The total route is 23 hours and 49 minutes, non-stop.

Gathering over a million views, the couple, who shared their travels with their 5K followers, captioned the video: “An epic road trip across 6 countries you must have to do at least once in your life.”

Champagne, France

First stop, the French region of Champagne, known for its scenic vineyards. Located in the northeast of France, their sparkling white wine is what makes them so well-known. Visitors can see the cities of Reims and Épernay, as well as the villages like Hautvillers and Méry-sur-Ay.

Wine lovers can make a pit stop and tour the famous Champagne houses such as Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Taittinger. Those who prefer adrenaline can do some outdoor activities such as biking through the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims.

Stausee Steg, Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein’s turquoise waters in the middle of the most gorgeous greenery scenes, facing the mountains. It’s the perfect place for a swim in the lake or a picnic with your loved ones.

If you’re feeling sporty or want to capture the perfect shot, you can hike the mountains and get the perfect scene. According to AllTrails, it’s best to bring water shoes for those who plan to swim or walk near the rocky edges.

Lake Eibsee, Germany

Nature lovers will love Lake Eibsee in Germany. The waters are crystal clear with views of the Zugspitze mountains.

Some of the activities for visitors are hiking the 7.5 km (4.6 miles) walk around the lake, as it provides stunning views. You can also rent a boat or a canoe to explore the lake and the surrounding islands. If you’re brave enough, you can also swim in the waters – but it’s super cold.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Located in Bavaria, Germany, in the foothills of the Alps, Neuschwanstein Castle is just the exact layout as the ones in the Disney movies. In fact, it’s best known for the inspiration behind Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The 19th-century historic castle overlooks the narrow Pollat gorge, and it’s close to the Alpsee and Schwansee lakes. Therefore, it makes it an ideal place to visit on the way to the upcoming location of the road trip.

Tickets cost 20 euros (£17.36), but children under the age of 18 can access the castle completely free of charge.

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Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Luxembourg’s tourism has increased over the years, making it the perfect place for a city break or a day trip. The city has a unique blend of history and culture, with a lot to offer to visitors and locals alike.

Its historical sites include UNESCO World Heritage sites and famous landmarks such as the Grand Ducal Palace and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame. The best thing about Luxembourg is that you can enjoy it all year round, and the public transportation is free.

Dinant, Belgium

To conclude the road trip, what better way to do it than in Belgium? A more tranquil side of the country, with beautiful scenery and history. Its most popular tourist attraction is the Maison Leffe. The town’s location is also ideal along the River Meuse, as it overlooks the water and the pastel-coloured houses.

Visitors can walk through the cobbled streets, take a boat tour and even participate in water activities such as kayaking on the nearby Lesse River.

Bruges, Belgium

Perfect for a city break, a small yet fulfilling town with a lot to offer. If you’re a fan of medieval settings, this is the place for you. However, its popularity comes with big crowds and higher costs.

Bruges is also famous for its Belgian waffles, fries, chocolate and beer – so, come with an empty stomach to indulge the best sweet and savoury flavours.

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