hundreds

BOOKING a last minute holiday can often work out a heck of a lot cheaper than booking a break in advance.

As hotels want to fill their rooms and entice guests, prices often plummet the closer you get to take-off – meaning savvy holidaymakers can secure some of the best deals.

Loveholidays is currently offering hundreds of last-minute breaks in spots like Zante, Spain and Turkey that will save you hundreds when compared to peak season prices.

Here’s our selection of the best-value last minute breaks on Loveholidays, where hols taking off in the next two months are going for crazy cheap.

Zante

The Perkes Hotel is perched on the coastline of Laganas, a lively beach resort with a sweeping sandy bay and access to some of the island’s best nightlife.

Bag yourself a last-minute break to the Greek island to hop on a turtle boat tour or take a dip in its signature electric-blue waters.

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This hotel is just a stone’s throw from the sea, five minutes from popular main beach Laganas Beach, and a 15 minute drive from the island’s charming old town.

We found a seven night all inclusive stay with flights at the Perkes Hotel for £309pp this September. Or click here to browse all last minute Zante deals.

Book a 7 night all inclusive holiday to Zante from £309pp

The Algarve

Save £214 on this stay at Portugal‘s Ukino Terrace Algarve Concept Hotel – rated one of the ‘most loved’ on the Loveholidays website.

Considering how affordable it is to stay here, this hotel is well and truly glam.

The whitewashed, modern hotel building overlooks the palm tree-lined outdoor pool, where adults can kick back on a sleek white lounger while kids burn off their energy at the kids club.

Here you’re only a five-minute walk from a gorgeous, sandy beach, a short stroll from local bars and restaurants, and 20 minutes’ drive from the Zoomarine theme park.

We found a seven night self catering stay with flights at the Ukino Terrace Algarve Concept Hotel from £239pp in September.

Or click here to browse all last minute Algarve deals.

Book a 7 night self catering stay in the Algarve from £239pp

Antalya

Fancy an all inclusive stay at a Turkish five-star hotel for under 300 quid per person? You’ll want to bag this last-minute deal.

Antalya’s Sun Star Resort sits on the Turkish Riviera in the resort of Mahmutlar, where the stunning Taurus Mountains overlook the glimmering turquouise sea.

This hotel has its own private beach, multiple outdoor pools and even its very own waterpark – so there’s no need to leave site if you just want to fly and flop.

But if you do fancy getting out and about, there’s vibrant bars, cafes and restaurants plus exciting local markets all within walking distance.

We found an all inclusive holiday including flights to Sun Star Resort from £299 in September.

Or click here to browse all last minute Antalya deals.

Book a 7 night all inclusive 5* holiday to Antalya for £299pp

Tunisia – £259 + FREE child stays

Not only does this Tunisia holiday save you £107 when compared to peak prices, but you can also bag a free kids’ place.

The Golf Residence Hotel in Port el Kantaoui is a sprawling four-star resort with multiple pools, bars, restaurants and even its own on-site spa.

Plus if you’re visiting as a family, there’s a kids club, kids pool and an action-packed entertainment program to make use of.

Nearby, take a swing at El Kantaoui Golf Course or zip down waterslides at Acqua Palace Water Park.

We found a half-board stay at the Golf Residence Hotel with flights included for £259pp this September.

Or click here to browse all last minute Tunisia deals.

Book a 7 night half-board holiday to Tunisia from £259pp

Costa del Sol – £159pp

Last minute holidays to this charming Costa del Sol hotel are £210 below peak price, meaning you can soak up that September sun for a fraction of the cost.

The Village Terrazas Costa del Sol is a relaxed retreat in Manilva, where stylish apartments are surrounded by pretty courtyards dotted with fountains and ponds.

There’s two large outdoor pools here, plus a kids pool, kids club and playground.

Spend your days drifting between the pool, the beach and afternoon games of table tennis or billiards.

We found a five night self catering stay with flights from £159pp this September.

Or click here to browse all last minute Costa del Sol deals.

Book a 5 night self catering holiday to the Costa del Sol from £159pp

Mass kidnappings highlight Nigeria’s security crisis in the north as elections approach.

Kidnappers have released a video of what appears to be a large group of people being held captive by armed men in a forested area in Nigeria.

The video emerged on Sunday, two days after gunmen abducted as many as 600 worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state.

The incident comes as Nigeria prepares for presidential elections in January, with security likely to be high on the agenda due to a wave of mass kidnappings for ransom across the north of the country.

Dekera village residents have reported that gunmen took people away in simultaneous raids on several communities.

In the video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp and circulating widely, children can be heard crying. A gunman speaking in the Hausa language speaks directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify relatives.

“These are all your people,” the gunman ⁠says.

News agencies reported that they could not verify the exact date or location where the video was filmed. However, no older version of the video has been found posted online before Sunday.

Residents, including Abdulmutallib Muqaddas Dindi, were able to confirm the identities of some ⁠of the hostages.

“We have identified our elders, relatives, and some of us have seen their wives and children in the video,” he said.

Police and state authorities have not responded to requests for comment.

Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions in northern Nigeria.

State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Obed Nana told the Anadolu news agency that an operation is under way to “assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate the rescue of the abducted worshippers”.

Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, with armed gangs frequently raiding villages, schools and highways and holding abductees until the gangs are paid large sums of money.

Increasingly, the gunmen are targeting communities further south, beyond ‌hot spots in the north.

As he prepares for the election, President Bola Tinubu has faced growing criticism over lax security.

TAKING it easy is a way of life for Croatians.

In fact, slow living is so ingrained in their philosophy that they even have a word for it — “Pomalo”.

I watch the sun set over 23 miles of unblemished coastline from the balcony of my hotel room in Porec on the Istrian peninsula. It’s not exactly difficult to relax in a place like this.

With its pristine pine-fringed beaches, ancient cobblestone streets and tranquil lagoons, this 2,000-year-old town has become a big hit with holidaymakers seeking a laid-back getaway.

And its newest 5* hotel — Pical Resort by Valamar Collection — takes relaxation to a whole new level. From the moment I walk into the lobby, it’s clear I won’t have to lift a finger during my trip.

The friendly, attentive staff are quick to grab my bags and carry them up to my room, while a brief wave of the hand from a sunlounger sends someone rushing over to take my order poolside.

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Set in more than ten hectares of Mediterranean greenery and with 514 rooms across three distinct wings, this mega-complex can cater for around 2,000 guests at full capacity.

But if I had any concerns about Pical’s size impacting the quality of its service, these quickly vanish when I learn it employs more than 800 staff members — one for every 2.5 patrons.

Making every guest’s experience personal is clearly something this resort prides itself on.

As I enter my spacious, modern room, one of the first things I notice is a “holiday scent” selection next to the bed.

I’m encouraged to pick a fragrance from a scratch-and-sniff card and tick off my favourite so that housekeeping can deliver a reed diffuser during their turn-down service. I enthusiastically opt for Floral Essence with notes of jasmine and violet.

My room is in the hotel’s main building, which is designed for couples and solo travellers.

But it also has a family building with an all-day childcare service and 8,000 square metres of indoor and outdoor play facilities, including ball pits, water slides and a giant gaming room.

For those with more cash to splash, the hotel boasts 113 premium “V-Level” suites which offer dedicated concierge services and special dining perks.

As soon as I am unpacked, my first move is to check out one of the resort’s 11 swimming pools.

There is no risk of sun-lounger wars breaking out here — with hundreds of beds to choose from.

It takes all my strength not to drift off to sleep as I sink into the cushions under the warmth of the sun, the distant noise of the bubbling jacuzzi lulling me into a zen state.

If you prefer a livelier sunbathing setting, however, the Puro Beach club is where to head.

Before I can even put my bag down, the staff have already laid a towel out on my reserved sunbed and are ready and waiting to take my drink order.

It’s easy to see how this resort has earned its five stars. My elegant sushi platter was top-notch and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than sipping on a hand-crafted mojito while listening to the club’s resident DJ.

That evening I swap my chopsticks for silverware as I head to the hotel’s culinary pièce de résistance — its new Michelin-star restaurant Harry’s Piccolo.

Created under the direction of chefs Matteo Metullio and Davide De Pra, this gastronomic haven is heavily inspired by Porec’s unique geography, close to the borders of Slovenia and Italy.

Its seven-course tasting menu travels the tracks of the famous Parenzana railway which once connected the three nations by blending Italy’s fine-dining flair with Slovenian alpine herbs and world-class Croatian seafood and olive oils.

The result is sensational dishes like L-Astice: Adriatic lobster with pea liquor Bearnaise, asparagus, black truffle and green peppercorn.

The whole affair is rather pricey, at €190, but worth it if you’re celebrating or are really into your food.

And if fine dining isn’t your cup of tea, there are seven more restaurants on site.

The hotel’s main diner, More, offers buffet breakfasts and live cooking stations at dinner, while Quattro Terre focuses on local and Mediterranean cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients.

As my five-day trip nears an end, I save Pical’s crowning glory — its ESPA wellness spa — until last.

I begin my relaxation journey in one of its six Istrian-inspired saunas, infused with local herbs that release a heady scent, before moving into the Mediterranean steam bath, where I’m handed a home-made body scrub.

When the heat becomes too much to bear, I retreat into the aqua sensory room to cool off on one of the many floating water beds, before rinsing off in a sensory shower, which mimics a tropical rainstorm with red LED lighting and aromatherapy smells.

I’m also booked in for a 60-minute massage treatment with one of ESPA’s expert therapists, Sanda. After a lengthy consultation to tailor the treatment to my needs — including picking a scent from a selection of aromatherapy oils — she starts to work her magic on my achy shoulders.

And as I fight the urge to fall asleep yet again, I realise I may have taken “Pomalo” a bit too seriously.

WHEN on holiday, it seems easy to splash the cash when out all day and night.

But some travellers have discovered a ‘code’ on receipts when on holiday.

Often on restaurant receipts, the code ‘MKT’ appears.

According to Dojo, a UK-based card payment provider: “When MKT (or MP) is printed on a restaurant menu or receipt, it means ‘market price’.

“This indicates that the price of the item is not fixed and will fluctuate depending on the current market rate.

“Listing items on menus as ‘MKT’ allows restaurants to adjust their pricing in line with their cost, without reprinting menus.”

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In a clip shared on TikTok, user @aribella_menold gained more than 4.1 million view on a video where she shows a receipt totalling $159.14 (£118.26) between three diners.

On the screen it states: “POV: You didn’t know what ‘mkt’ meant on the steak menu and now you’re paying for it”.

One user commented on the video: “Honestly, shame on your server for not informing you of the price when it’s clearly not listed.”

Another said: “I have never been anywhere where they told you the cost upfront unless you asked…. It’s totally the customer’s fault for not asking when there is NO PRICE LISTED.”

Experts at Dojo say: “In these situations, transparency from both sides is key.

“It’s likely the server assumed the customer was familiar with the pricing or would ask if unsure.

“To avoid confusion, diners should feel comfortable asking for clarification on any ‘MKT’-priced items.

“Equally, it’s good practice for servers to offer a prompt, such as: ‘Just to note, I can provide today’s price for any items listed as MKT upon request.”

Items that are most likely to have MKT pricing include seafood, due to some fish being more available during different seasons.

You can also get it with prime meat cuts, like steak, due to supply, demand and seasonal availability.

And you might not have guessed it but even fruit and veg can be impacted too, especially ones like berries and mushrooms, again due to seasonal supply.

Some ingredients will also be included, especially if they require importation such as caviar or truffles, as prices for these items often fluctuate.

A MAJOR budget airline is facing travel chaos as staff promise to walk out THIS weekend.

EasyJet cabin crew in France are vowing to walk out due to rota arrangements and working conditions.

A strike notice was issued for August 7 to September 2 which means staff can walk out at any time during that period.

However, 48 hours notice must be given.

And now the strike dates have been announced for August 15 and 16.

Airports facing disruptions include Lyon, Nice, Paris Orly, Bordeaux and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

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A spokesperson for ⁠easyJet told Sun Travel: “We are extremely disappointed that unions representing our France-based cabin crew have announced plans for industrial action on 15 and 16 August, outside any formal negotiation process and despite our offer of adjustments to tackle their concerns.

“Given we have planned negotiations in September, we call on the unions to call off this opportunistic action at this important time of the year for our customers.

“We are sorry for the impact the unnecessary action will have on our customers.

“We will do all we can to minimise disruption. Customers whose flights are affected will be informed directly and will be offered options including a free transfer or a refund.

“We advise customers travelling to or from France on 15 and 16 August to check the status of their flight via our Flight Tracker.”

In a statement from the group of unions said: “Any flight cancellations or disruptions resulting ​from these days of action will be solely attributable to easyJet, which has chosen not to give a ​serious response to the repeated warnings from ​trade unions over the past months.”

A previous strike notice was suspended due to wildfires in the Gironde region.

The unions said at the time: “For nearly a year, the unions have been warning easyJet management about the continuous deterioration of cabin crew working conditions: chronic schedule instability, last-minute changes, imposed trip patterns, particularly burdensome rotations, and a total lack of protective measures.”

FAMILIES are being left stranded abroad after more than 700 flights have been cancelled across Europe.

The ongoing eruption of Mount Etna has caused chaos in Sicily, with Catania Airport suspending operations since the weekend.

This has resulted in cancelled flights and hundreds of holidaymakers being stranded abroad.

Evgenia Filimianova, 39, flew to Sicily last week from London to attend a friends wedding.

However, after trying to fly back to Athens from Catania Airport yesterday, they were told their flight was cancelled just 30 minutes before it was due to depart.

Not only that, but their seven-year-old daughter is stuck with family in Athens without them.

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Evgenia said: “We were having a very nice day in Taormina, at the wedding, enjoying our time there, but we could see the eruption and the volcano spewing lava.

“The locals seemed very chill and we didn’t get any emergency texts or direction from the people at the hotel, so we weren’t too worried.

“But then I started reading about travel. As soon as there is ash, the airports start closing.”

She added that there were loads of people “sleeping on the floor” when they arrived at the airport with other families also stuck.

Despite spending a night at the airport hotel, they were told today that flights were still being cancelled.

She added: “It feels like there is no way out. Our daughter is in Athens, we have to get back to her.”

Not only are flights being cancelled, but she said “buses and trains are fully booked, taxis are too expensive, the hotels are getting booked up”.

Flights are still operating from Palermo Airport on the north of the island, but Evgenia has said that flights from there are fully booked too.

The couple are now planning to get to Malta and then make their way back to Athens from there.

She explained: “The plan is to get a cab to the bus station, then a three hour bus to Porto di Pozzallo, then a ferry to Malta, then a cab to a hotel, stay there overnight and then a cab to the airport.

“And then we’re just hoping we’ll be able to fly to Athens.

“Emotionally, it’s not easy. It’s stressful and tiring and we weren’t prepared for it.

She did find some humour in the situation though.

She added: “It’s like The Odyssey – we’re Greek, and we’re trying to get back there, and there are all these hurdles along the way.”

According to local media, between August 8 and 11, around 400 departing flights were canceled, with another 52 cancellations today.

More than 250 flights were redirected to other airports.

All flights to and from Catania Airport have been suspended until at least 4pm tomorrow.

It isn’t just Sicily being affected as flights to Malta are also being cancelled and delayed due to the volcano.

Aug. 9 (UPI) — Typhoon Dolphin roared into eastern China Sunday at Force 13 speeds of 85 miles per hour, producing extreme downpours and prompting the cancelation of hundreds of flights, official media reported.

Dolphin made two landings in densely populated eastern China, with the first coming at 5:30 p.m. local time at Yuhuan in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The second landfall came at Yueqing City in Zhejiang a bit more than an hour later.

China’s National Meteorological Center issued alerts to local authorities in the region to be guard on against extreme downpours.

Forecasters warned that heavy to torrential rain is expected until Tuesday in most parts of Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui and northern and central-eastern Hubei provinces.

Some local rain totals could reach as high as 12.5 inches in eastern Zhejiang and the mountainous regions of southern Anhui, they predicted, with as much as 3.1 inches falling in as little as an hour.

Meanwhile, 388 inbound and outbound flights were canceled Sunday at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou City, the capital of Zhejiang Province.

Typhoon Dolphin is expected to weaken into a tropical storm as it moves northwestward through Zhejiang, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said Sunday.

The storm passed north of the island but its wake prompted sea warnings in the area as maritime officials announced the suspension of sea traffic on Monday.

Despite dodging a direct hit, Dolphin produced strong winds and heavy rains in northern Taiwan, causing scattered damage, the Central News Agency reported.

Six people were injured and hundreds of incidents of fallen trees were reported in Taipei as a result of the typhoon.

Hundreds of people marched on Saturday in the town of Soller, in the island of Mallorca against mass tourism. Protesters exclaimed that tourism has had an impact on the cost of living for locals, and that access to housing has become more difficult.

Wildfires have spread near Albania’s capital and in parts of southern Spain, prompting hundreds to evacuate. As firefighting teams attempt to contain the blaze in both countries.

Migrant children in Ceuta suffer loss, hunger in hope of a safer life in mainland Europe.

Hundreds of unaccompanied minors are stranded in Ceuta in North Africa, following the massive surge of migrants who swam around the border fence with Morocco to reach the Spanish territory.

Some of the children are traumatised after witnessing family members drown in the Mediterranean Sea, as tens of thousands left Morocco in search of better opportunities.

An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 migrants, of the roughly 60,000 who arrived in Ceuta on Thursday, have avoided expulsion.

More than 800 unaccompanied minors are among the remaining migrants and face an uncertain future.

A 17-year-old girl from Tangier told the Associated Press she saw Spanish police pulling the body of her eight-year-old brother from the sea when she made it to shore. She was also separated from her mother during the journey.

“I saw people stepping on the dead,” she said through a translator. “Now we are children begging on the street.”

After finding a government facility for youths in need full, she is now relying on locals for food and shelter.

Minors must be cared for under Spanish law

Spanish law says adult migrants can apply for asylum, but the bar is normally set very high for Moroccans to be granted humanitarian protection. If rejected, they will face expulsion procedures.

Article 35 of Spain’s 2000 law on foreigners’ rights states that when police identify young children and teenage migrants who are unaccompanied by adults, the minors must be granted protection and receive “immediate attention’ from Spanish child protection services.

An AP journalist saw Spanish soldiers escorting an unaccompanied Moroccan boy who was crying and begging not to be sent back. Due to pressure from local residents who insisted he was a minor, the boy was transferred to the Spanish Civil Guard instead of being repatriated.

Most of the Moroccan adults who arrived last week have either voluntarily gone home or were pushed back by Spanish police. Among the remaining in Ceuta are significant numbers of people from other countries, including Sudanese fleeing their war-torn country, Palestinians from Gaza, Afghans and people from several African nations.

The city’s migrant centre is full — it has a capacity for 600 people. Food is scarce among the migrants, according to reporting by AP and AFP.

Many are sleeping outside or resting on the beach or on the hills surrounding Ceuta. In the hazy distance, mainland Europe, their ultimate goal, lies across the sea.

A family trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida can be notoriously expensive, but a travel expert who’s visited almost 50 times in the last six years has a money-saving hack

An avid Disney World Resort fan has been to the popular park a whopping 48 times, and during that time, he’s uncovered nifty travel hacks that can help families save hundreds.

Those who have been to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will know how expensive a holiday can be, and those who haven’t will have heard about its hefty price tag. From flights, hotels, theme park passes, restaurants, and all the additional extras, it can quickly add up, with trips to ‘The Most Magical Place on Earth’ costing anything from £1,500 to £4,000 per person.

For a family of four, that could amount to anything from £4,000 to more than £10,000 for a 10-night trip. It certainly doesn’t come cheap, but for many, it’s a bucketlist holiday that’s well worth forking out for, and there are ample ways to help keep the costs down.

One of the best-known ways to save some serious cash is to book the cheapest available flights and opt for budget-friendly hotels outside the resort but close enough to travel back and forth each day. Yet, there’s another nifty money-saving tip that Disney expert Mark Patterson highly recommends to anyone planning a trip.

Matt, who has been to Florida’s Disney World Resort a whopping 48 times in the last six years for work and pleasure, told the Mirror: “All the restaurants at Disney are expensive, so the hotels I like have a kitchenette with a stove and a full-size fridge, so you can buy food and cook it.

“You can then take it into the park with you, and that can save a lot of money. Even if you just take two meals in for the family, that can save you easily $100 (£74.71) to $200 (£149.42) per day.”

Booking a hotel room or resort with a kitchenette to make meals for the day isn’t the only way to save some extra cash. The travel expert who lives in Southern California advised holidaymakers to book a hotel that offers free breakfast to help avoid hidden costs that can quickly add up to hundreds.

And there’s one area he recommends for that budget-friendly hotel with a free breakfast. “The Flamingo Crossings area is my favourite, it’s newer, and the hotels are all new, and they all have free breakfast. They offer good, reasonable prices there.”

However, he noted that, due to its location, visitors have to drive, get a lift, or take a shuttle bus to the park each day. Yet, with free breakfast included, it might be well worth travelling a little further to help cut costs.

Matt certainly knows what he’s talking about, having stayed at 36 different hotels during his trips to Disney World. He also aims for an average hotel price of around $100 (£74.71) to $200 (£149.42) per night to make it more affordable, while looking out for any hidden fees.

Another area he recommends is Disney Springs. He said: “The Disney Springs area has a range of hotels, right there within walking distance to the shopping area, and it’s where pretty much everybody goes to eat at night. It gets very busy and popular, so being able to walk to that is very handy.

“However, the bad thing about that, or something you have to trade off, is that only one of the hotels offers a free breakfast; all the others you have to pay for. So I might get a hotel for around $100 (£74.71) per night, but will then have to pay for breakfast, which is $28 (£20.92), along with paying for parking, which can be around $25 (£18.68) and a resort fee of around $40 (£29.88).

“So it can literally double the price of what I thought I was going to pay. Disney Springs area is great, but you’ve got those little hidden fees.”

Mark documents his many trips to Walt Disney World Resort on his website, DDadBudget, with various pieces of advice to fellow fans.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Regulator proposes checks on 453 US-registered jets over seats that may be incorrectly installed.

The US aviation authority has warned that seats on hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX planes could have been installed incorrectly and may require inspection.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday that the issue relates to 453 jets registered in the US and proposed requiring airlines to inspect the seats.

If not installed correctly, the seats could come loose during an emergency landing and “injure passengers and crew members”, the FAA said, adding that they could also “block the aisle and slow an evacuation”.

The proposed order would apply only to US-registered planes because the FAA does not regulate foreign airlines.

Regulators in other countries, however, often follow FAA orders when the issue affects aircraft operating in their markets.

A Boeing spokesperson told the Reuters news agency that the company had issued guidance to operators ‌on the matter in December 2025.

“We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory,” the spokesperson said in an email.

The warning adds to years of scrutiny of Boeing’s safety record.

A cabin panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in January 2024, forcing an emergency landing and prompting the FAA to ground 171 jets.

Investigators later found that the panel was missing four key bolts.

The scrutiny intensified after a spate of other accidents around the world, as well as the death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett in March 2024 while he was providing evidence for a safety lawsuit against the firm.

In June 2025, the US National Transportation Safety Board said Boeing had failed to provide adequate training, guidance and oversight to prevent the Alaska Airlines incident.

There are nearly 2,300 737 MAX jets operating around the world, including 823 in the US, according to aviation advisory and intelligence firm IBA.

WASHINGTON — In its latest move to restrict the legal immigration system, the Trump administration announced a sweeping change Monday that could lead to the deportations of thousands of asylum seekers.

The change from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services allows asylum officers to bypass the need to interview certain applicants and instead refer them directly to immigration judges for removal proceedings.

The agency estimates that up to a third, or 444,000 of the more than 1.4 million asylum cases in its backlog, could be affected by the rule.

The administration framed the move as an effort to streamline the process and reduce the backlog of cases. The interim final rule takes effect Tuesday and is subject to a 60-day public comment period.

“For far too long the asylum system has been exploited for purposes of delay and work authorization, not legitimate claims of protection,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in a news release.

“America’s asylum system exists to protect individuals who genuinely fear persecution and this rule will help ensure that resources are directed to the timely adjudication of those claims instead of to those seeking to use the system as a loophole,” Edlow added.

But advocates for immigrants said the change leaves asylum seekers who tried to follow the law vulnerable to deportation.

Migrants can apply for asylum two ways: affirmatively or defensively.

Those who entered the country legally, such as on a visa, and still have lawful status apply with USCIS and have their cases decided by an asylum officer. Those who crossed the border illegally or who are undocumented can apply after being placed into removal proceedings, where they make their case to an immigration judge.

Immigration courts are not an independent system — they are housed under the Department of Justice and judges are federal employees.

That shift is significant because the Trump administration has fired more than 100 immigration judges and replaced them with military lawyers and former prosecutors for the Department of Homeland Security. Many of the fired judges were appointed during the Biden administration or previously worked as lawyers representing immigrants.

In recent months, immigration courts have approved a dwindling percentage of asylum claims as judges face pressure to approve more deportations. After immigration agents began arresting people in courthouses, many immigrants grew wary of showing up for court proceedings, which has aided the increase in removal orders.

USCIS refers thousands of cases to immigration courts each year, federal data shows. During the first half of this fiscal year, the agency transferred 31,454 cases to immigration courts — a number that was already on track to be higher than the 2025 yearly total of 40,932. The highest yearly total was 61,729 cases in 2019, during Trump’s first presidency.

USCIS said the current policy, which requires an asylum officer to first interview an applicant before deciding whether to send the case to an immigration judge, “essentially allows an alien to get a second chance at asylum.”

Todd Schulte, president of the immigrant advocacy organization FWD.us, noted that the rule change comes just after the Trump administration terminated temporary legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and others, many of whom entered the U.S. legally and applied for asylum the “affirmative” way. On X, Schulte called the move “a terrible harbinger.”

Noul hit southern Guangdong province and neighbouring Hong Kong, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region.

Typhoon Noul has hit southern China, including Hong Kong, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region and prompting the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in Guangdong province.

China’s national weather centre said Noul made landfall on the coast of Huidong county in Huizhou, southern Guangdong province, at approximately 3:50am local time on Sunday (19:50 GMT on Saturday).

China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Noul was the strongest typhoon to make landfall in China so far this year.

Hong Kong’s Observatory said Noul, with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometres per hour (68 miles per hour) near its centre, was moving Sunday into inland Guangdong and weakening progressively, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the region.

More than 715,000 people had been relocated for safety by early Sunday in Guangdong province, according to state-owned China National Radio. On Saturday, authorities said some 340,000 people were evacuated.

China’s National Meteorological Centre expected parts of southern Guangdong and southeastern Fujian provinces to experience heavy rain and strong winds over the weekend.

Many trees were seen uprooted in Huilai county, located on the coast of Guangdong province, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Hong Kong’s airport authority said about 350 flights were cancelled on Sunday. At least nine people were injured across the city during the typhoon period, according to Hong Kong authorities.

As Noul approached Hong Kong, parts of a large scaffolding on a high-rise building collapsed on Saturday afternoon, local police said, although initial reports indicated there were no injuries.

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said Noul was bringing rainfall to parts of southern and eastern Taiwan. It was passing over waters south of Taiwan and was moving away from the island Saturday.

Earlier this month, Typhoon Bavi brought strong winds and rain to eastern China, leading to the evacuation of more than two million people. It made landfall on July 11. Another, Maysak, made landfall in southern China on July 3.

THE UK’s aviation watchdog has issued a new travel warning as thousands of families will jet off on their summer holidays this week.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has updated its travel warnings about common packing items that could delay your travels – or even see them cancelled.

The CAA has warned that incidents involving lithium batteries are on the rise – so it’s important to pack certain gadgets correctly.

It’s well-known now that items like vapes and power banks have to go in hand luggage, but lots of other ones fall under the same category.

The CAA has named another eight items that you may not have realised are powered by lithium batteries.

These are:

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• Bluetooth speakers
• Electric fans
• Fitness and smartwatches
• Digital cameras
• Wireless headphones
• Tablets
• E-readers
• Laptops

All of these items should be taken onboard as hand luggage.

This is so that if an incident occurs – like a power bank overheating – the cabin crew can react quickly.

The CAA said that on average, passengers carry four lithium battery devices each which works out as four million gadgets taking to the skies every day.

If any are packed incorrectly, it increases the likelihood of delays and or cancellations to flights.

For example back in May, an easyJet flight was forced to divert when a passenger informed crew during the flight that the portable charger was in the hold of the aircraft.

The flight had been heading to London Luton from Hurghada in Egypt but had to land in Rome as a ‘precaution’.

In another case, a Hong Kong Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a fire broke out in one of the overhead bins.

Passengers suspected a power bank was behind the cause of the blaze, according to local media.

Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, had some further advice: “Before you head to the airport, give your devices a quick once-over. If a battery is bulging, swelling, changing shape, overheating or showing any other signs of damage, don’t take the risk.

“Instead, safely dispose of it as soon as possible at a local recycling centre with dedicated facilities for electronics and batteries and never put it in your general waste.

“Battery safety starts before you even step foot on an aircraft, starting with where you shop.

“When shopping for your summer getaway, the best way to protect yourself and those around you is to stick to a reputable high street retailer you know and trust to ensure your power bank or any other lithium-ion battery product you’re taking away with you is safe.”

Airlines have been cracking down on the use of power banks onboard this year, after one caught fire on an Air Busan flight in South Korea.

While passengers managed to evacuate, the plane was decommissioned due to the damage

Check out ALL the new rules you need to know before travelling this summer – including power banks.

Mykhailo Fedorov has been credited with reforming defence procurement and tackling corruption.

Hundreds of people have gathered near the Ivan Franko National Theatre in central Kyiv to protest against the dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, calling on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reverse the decision.

According to local media reports, protests also took place in several other cities on Thursday, including Lviv, Odesa and Dnipro, while in Kyiv, protesters chanted “Shame!” and carried placards reading “The Russians are celebrating”.

The theatre is close to the presidential office, the site of last July’s so-called “cardboard protest”, when public pressure prompted Zelenskyy to reverse a widely criticised measure that stripped Ukraine’s anticorruption agencies of their independence.

The demonstrations came as Ukraine’s parliament prepared to vote on a new wartime government on Thursday following Fedorov’s departure as defence minister. The wider overhaul also saw Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko leave office.

The move forms part of Zelenskyy’s second cabinet reshuffle in a year. Lawmakers expect Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko to replace Fedorov as defence minister. Parliament is also expected to approve the appointment of energy executive Serhii Koretskyi as prime minister, along with new defence and foreign ministers.

Writing on X, Fedorov said it had been “a great honour to serve the Ukrainian people” as the minister of defence, before outlining what he described as the ministry’s key achievements during his tenure, including disabling “Starlink access for Russian forces” and launching programmes to expand Ukraine’s domestic drone production amid the ongoing war with Moscow.

The 35-year-old technology specialist, who previously served as Ukraine’s first minister for digital transformation, has been credited with streamlining bureaucracy and introducing a more data-driven approach to the war against Russia.

Supporters say his efforts to reform defence procurement and tackle corruption won him enemies within parts of the political and military establishment. However, critics say he failed to deliver quickly enough on promises to overhaul military recruitment.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said he wanted the Ministry of Defence and military leadership to work with greater unity, appearing to acknowledge reports of tensions between Fedorov and other officials.

July 11 (UPI) — One person was found dead and hundreds evacuated in Missouri after an intense day of flash flooding across the state, authorities said Saturday.

More than 350 people were rescued in Iron, Reynolds and Crawford counties on Friday as floodwaters rapidly took over the area.

Officials said 250 of those were staff and children at Camp Taum Sauk, all of whom were safely evacuated. Another 100 were water rescues.

“It was very harrowing,” Jennifer Box, mother of of two you boys at the camp, told The New York Times. “We knew they were safe, but we didn’t know how to get to them, and that’s kind of your worst nightmare.”

One Crawford County woman, Faith Gregory, was found dead a mile downstream from her home in Huzzah Creek, officials said.

Authorities said Gregory was swept away after part of her home collapsed in the floodwaters.

“It’s definitely not the outcome we were hoping for, but it’s a tragic reminder of how strong Mother Nature can be and how forceful it can be,” Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Eddie Young told FOX Weather.

The region was battered by more than 12 inches of rain, leaving many area residents remained strained throughout Saturday.

“But they’re OK,” spokeswoman Kate Moore, of Missouri Region C, told ABC News. “They’re just stranded because the roads are washed away. We have a lot of damage — the trees, buildings, a lot of things have gone and ripped the roads away.”

Hundreds of easyJet and Ryanair flights have been hit by delays today following an issue at the National Air Traffic Services, with 30,000 Ryanair passengers said to be impacted

Hundreds of UK flights have been delayed due to an issue at the UK’s air traffic control (ATC).

There was widespread disruption across UK airspace this morning after an issue at the Met Office meant the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) didn’t receive weather information.

As a result, Ryanair saw 155 of its flights delayed, impacting almost 30,000 passengers, with delays of up to three hours. EasyJet was hit harder, with 253 flights delayed – 13% of its total number of planned departures today.

“A Met Office technical issue overnight meant that we were not receiving vital weather information into our NATS systems this morning. Accurate weather information is vital for air traffic controllers and pilots in managing flights safely,” a spokesperson for NATs said

“As a result, some air traffic restrictions were put in place early this morning and these have now been removed. We continue to work with the Met Office, who are working to fully resolve the problem.”

The Met Office has been contacted for comment.

“Nearly three years after NATS catastrophic 2023 system meltdown, UK passengers are once again being delayed because NATS’ systems have failed,” Ryanair Chief Operations Officer, Neal McMahon, said.

“Today’s outage delayed 155 Ryanair flights and disrupted almost 30,000 Ryanair passengers. Families travelling on holiday, people travelling for work and thousands of visitors to the UK have once again paid the price for NATS’ failure.”

Back in August 2023, a technical problem experienced by NATS saw very significant delays and cancellations across the UK. An outage resulted in hundreds of flights being delayed or canceled. In some cases, passengers waited several days for alternative flights. More than 700,000 passengers suffered cancellations and delays.

An investigation into the incident found that an engineer was unable to correct the fault from home, and so arrived at work more than three hours after the incident began in a bid to fix it.

A single flight from Los Angeles to Paris triggered the failure at 8.30am BST on Monday 28 August, the Civil Aviation Authority previously said. The air traffic control system had been confused by a duplicate code – DVL – which represents both Deauville in France and Devil’s Lake in North Dakota, USA.

Despite the engineer’s best efforts to resolve the problem on site, he was unable to do so. The system was eventually restored at 2.30pm after its manufacturer, Frequentis Comsoft, found the fault.

Following an independent review, Jeff Halliwell, Chair of the Independent Review Panel, said: “The incident on 28 August 2023 represented a major failure on the part of the air traffic control system, which caused considerable distress to over 700,000 aviation passengers, and resulted in substantial costs to airlines and airports. Our report sets out a number of recommendations aimed at improving NATS’ operations and, even more importantly, ways in which the aviation sector as a whole should work together more closely to ensure that, if something like this does ever happen again, passengers are better looked after.”

Rob Bishton, Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, added: “This final report gets to the heart of what went wrong in August 2023 and sets out a number of recommendations that are sector-wide in their scope. It is vital that we learn the lessons from any major incident such as this. I would personally like to thank the Panel for all of their efforts in producing a thorough and wide-ranging report, that will help improve the UK’s aviation system for the future.”