limit

When travelling, it’s important to know what won’t get you in trouble at customs

Travellers could face fines or worse if they overlook an airport ‘rule’ that puts a limit on certain items. It could catch Brits off guard if they end their latest getaway with a last-minute spending spree on various common products or high-end items.

When going to or from the European Union (EU), it is important to understand the regulations regarding the duty-free allowance passengers are permitted. Failing to comply with these restrictions could result in goods being seized, along with potential fines or legal proceedings.

The duty-free allowance applies to both EU and non-EU nationals, including holidaymakers and business travellers. Following Brexit, the UK has been adhering to the regulations for non-EU nationals.

Why is there a duty-free allowance?

Duty-free allowance is the authorised quantity of goods, such as alcohol, tobacco, and gifts, that travellers can bring into a country without incurring customs duty, value-added tax (VAT), or other levies. As a result, people face a strict limit on how much they can observe, or risk being perceived as exploiting the system, reports the Express.

What are the duty-free limits?

Duty-free allowances are split into two categories – restricted and unrestricted goods. Unrestricted goods are those without any special regulations or caps, such as clothing, electronics, or personal belongings, while restricted items are subject to specific limitations, including alcohol, tobacco, and perfume.

The restrictions in place also vary depending on how you’re returning to the UK. Shoppers are often caught out by the deals on offer in airports – but identical rules apply to those travelling by sea.

You’re also unable to pool your allowance with fellow passengers, which means people need to be mindful of their own spending habits. According to ETIAS Visa Europe, Brits returning to the UK via air or sea travel have the following allowances on ‘restricted’ items:

• 200 cigarettes (or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco)
• Four litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer and one litre of spirits or two litres of fortified or sparkling wine
• Other goods up to a value of €430 per person

The thresholds are reduced for non-EU citizens travelling by rail or road. The website explains that travellers should bring no more than:

• 40 cigarettes (or 20 cigarillos or 10 cigars or 50g of tobacco)
• One litre of spirits or two litres of fortified or sparkling wine and four litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer
• Other goods up to a value of €300 per person

ETIAS warned that, when goods go beyond the duty-free allowance, customs duty, value-added tax (VAT), and other taxes may be applied on the excess amount. The total of duties and taxes owed depends on various factors, such as the type of goods, their value, and the country of origin.

A spokesperson said: “To avoid overpaying taxes and duties, travellers should be aware of the duty-free allowances for the type of goods they are bringing into the EU. They should accurately declare all goods they are bringing in and their value.

“If unsure about the value of an item, travellers can check online or with customs officials. Additionally, travellers should keep all receipts and documentation to show the value of their goods.”

In other news, holidaymakers could face fines of up to £5,000 for bringing certain goods into England, even if those items were purchased at a duty-free price. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) released an update at the end of March, calling on travellers to take this “simple step” to protect against diseases.

April 23 (UPI) — Senate Republicans have again blocked the Democrats from curbing President Donald Trump‘s ability to wage war with Iran, as negotiators try to find a diplomatic end to the conflict during the fragile cease-fire.

The Senate voted 51-46 on Wednesday afternoon against Sen. Tammy Baldwin‘s War Powers Resolution, the fifth time since March 4 that the Senate has voted against directing the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran until authorized by Congress.

As with previous votes, Wednesday’s was mostly along party lines with Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky again voting with his Democratic colleagues, and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania again voting with the Republicans.

“This entire war has been unnecessary, illegal and unwise. And we need to put a check on this president before it gets even worse,” Baldwin said from the Senate floor on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, the president has shown us that he did not have a plan after day one. The president said the war would be over in a matter of days; we are coming up on the two-month mark with no real end in sight. And over the course of 50-plus days we have seen nothing short of a disaster.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran, vowed in a statement that the Democrats will continue to do all in their power to end the war.

“It’s infuriating that Senate Republicans keep shirking their oaths and giving Donald Trump the green light to plunge our nation even deeper into his war of choice, further endangering our troops abroad and surging prices at home,” she said.

“This wanna-be dictator keeps breaking every single promise he’s made to the American people who are sick and tired of watching Republicans duck their responsibility to stop this chaos.”

The war began Feb. 28 with the United States and Israel attacking Iran.

Since then, 13 Americans have been killed. At least 3,646 people have been killed in Iran, according to HRANA.

Gas prices have surged as Iran has restricted access to the important Strait of Hormuz energy transportation route, and the United States is enforcing a blockade of Iran’s ports, cutting it off from sea-based trade.

The vote was held as a two-week cease-fire was to end before President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension amid negotiations. On Wednesday, Iran’s military claimed to have seized two cargo ships in the conflict over the waterway.

Since the war began, Democrats have been seeking to rein in Trump’s war powers, arguing the ongoing war with Iran violates the Constitution, which mandates that only Congress has the power to declare war.

Democrats in the Senate have pledged to use their powers to force weekly debates on the war as well as weekly votes, forcing Republicans to repeatedly and publicly state their position on the conflict.

The vote was held less than a week before the 60-day limit of the war passes. On April 28, the War Powers Act will compel Trump to seek congressional authorization for the war.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has said that Trump should have sought Congress’ authorization, and appears to be leading Republican efforts to draft legislation for the continuation of the use of military force as that deadline comes.

“My focus is on the safety of America’s armed forces and the American civilians who are on the ground in the Middle East,” she said in a statement in early March, just days after the war began.

“At this point, we have little choice but to continue the military operation to degrade and destroy Iran’s capability for nuclear weapons.”

President Trump signed an executive order aimed at fixing college sports Friday that would give federal agencies authority to cut funding at schools that don’t comply with mandates covering transfers, eligibility and pay-for-play in the rapidly changing industry.

The order is a laundry list of proposed fixes, many of which lawmakers and college leaders have been pushing for since the approval of a $2.8 billion settlement changed the face of games that were once played by pure amateurs.

Among the notable parts of the order was a call to establish “clear, consistent and fair eligibility limits, including a five-year participation window” — an element that could fend off the dozens of lawsuits the NCAA has faced of late.

It also calls for “structured transfer rules,” but offered no specifics for a system that allows players to move around freely, sometimes in the middle of the season, which adds uncertainty to roster building that many consider unsustainable.

As much as the changes he directs, Trump’s call for the Education Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorney general’s office to evaluate “whether violations of such rules render a university unfit for Federal grants and contracts” stands out as a proactive way to force change.

Several universities across the country have made policy changes related to diversity, equity and inclusion, transgender rights and even the sorts of courses they teach to comply with federal orders and avoid funding-related showdowns with the government.

At a college sports roundtable last month, Trump said he anticipated any order he signed would trigger litigation. Attorney Mit Winter, who follows college sports law, agreed, saying the order “appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate” court orders.

NCAA President Charlie Baker, however, did not signal any intent to litigate, saying Trump’s order “reinforces many of our mandatory protections — including guaranteed health care coverage, mental health services and scholarship protections.”

“This action is a significant step forward, and we appreciate the administration’s interest and attention to these issues,” Baker said. “Stabilizing college athletics for student-athletes still requires a permanent, bipartisan federal legislative solution.”

Trump, in the order, also called on Congress to “quickly pass legislation,” the likes of which has stalled multiple times.

The president’s mandate is likely to set up a situation where the NCAA and schools have to decide whether to follow a federal court order or an executive order, Winter said.

“Federal court orders prohibit the NCAA from making athletes sit out a season if they transfer more than once and prohibit the NCAA from enforcing rules that limit collectives from being involved in recruiting,” he said. “The EO appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate both of these court orders. Will the NCAA create rules that do that? And if they do, will schools follow them?

“Either way, we’re likely going to see litigation challenging the EO by athletes and third parties.”

Winter added that the order also appears to urge schools to pay new revenue share amounts.

“Most schools are paying 90-95% of their rev-share funds to men’s basketball and football players,” he said. “And those funds are already promised via contracts signed with those athletes. Will the order purport to make schools not adhere to those contracts?”

Long and Pells write for the Associated Press. AP writer Maura Carey contributed.

ACTRESS Rosalind Halstead has admitted drink driving at nearly four times the limit.

The star, 41 — married to Emmerdale’s Chris Coghill who plays Kev Townsend in the ITV soap — was arrested near their home.

A breathalyser test found her alcohol level was 138 micrograms. The legal limit is 35mg.

She was driving her 2003 Jaguar X-Type without insurance when she was stopped in Haringey, North London.

She admitted both charges at Highbury magistrates’ court and could face up to six months in jail when she is sentenced next month.

JPs also slapped her with an interim driving disqualification.

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Rosalind appeared in Hugh Grant‘s 2004 comedy Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and 2005 musical Mrs Henderson Presents fronted by Judi Dench.

She went on to star in ITV’s 2009 Wuthering Heights alongside Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley.

The actress has also starred in BBC series Sherlock in A Scandal in Belgravia, and BBC drama Holby City.

She most recently featured in Star Wars spin-off series Andor.

President Trump has cast another mail ballot in Florida as he continues to publicly bash the voting method as a source of fraud and push Congress to curtail the practice.

Palm Beach County voter records show the president voted by mail in a Tuesday special election for state legislative seats and that his ballot has been counted. Early in-person voting in the contest ran through Sunday, when Trump was still at his south Florida estate.

The White House said Tuesday that Trump’s ire is at states using universal mail-in voting, not individual instances of voters needing accommodations to vote by mail. A spokeswoman pushed back specifically at the idea that his voting practice contradicts his push for new federal voting rules.

“As President Trump has said, the SAVE America Act has commonsense exceptions for Americans to use mail-in ballots for illness, disability, military, or travel — but universal mail-in voting should not be allowed because it’s highly susceptible to fraud,” said White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales in a statement.

A report by the Brookings Institution published in 2025 found that cases of mail voting fraud occurred in only 0.000043% of total mail ballots cast, or about four cases out of every 10 million mail votes.

Wales added: “As everyone knows, the President is a resident of Palm Beach and participates in Florida elections, but he obviously primarily lives at the White House in Washington, D.C. This is a non-story.”

Nonetheless, Trump has in the last week called mail-in voting “cheating” and “corrupt as hell.” He is urging Congress to pass the SAVE Act. The sweeping bill would bar universal mail ballots and, as Wales noted, limit the options to a select few voters such as those with disabilities, military commitments or who are traveling on Election Day. The measure faces steep odds in the closely divided Senate even with the president’s pressure.

Trump has fixated on mail ballots since he began falsely claiming that his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden was the result of fraud. Multiple U.S. courts and Trump’s own attorney general have found no evidence of fraud that affected the outcome, despite the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the share of the electorate that cast mail ballots that year.

“We’re the only country in the world that does it that way. Corrupt as hell,” Trump said last week at the White House when hosting Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

Dozens of countries, including European democracies that are traditional U.S. allies, use some form of mail-in voting.

Trump said last week that the SAVE Act was the “biggest thing” pending in Washington, even as Congress and administration grapple with the Iran war and a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

Last August, Trump used a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to blast mail voting.

“We’re going to start with an executive order that’s being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail-in ballots because they’re corrupt,” Trump said. “And it’s time that the Republicans get tough and stop it because the Democrats want it. It’s the only way they can get elected.”

The president, who changed his official personal residence and voter registration from New York to Florida during his first term, does not have a standing vote-by-mail request for all elections, according to the county records. That means he has to request a mail ballot for any individual election.

The ballot today includes Florida state House District 87 and Senate District 14.

Trump offered an endorsement late Monday in the House contest via his Truth Social platform.

“There is a very important Special Election tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, for Florida State House District 87 in beautiful Palm Beach County. … TO ALL GREAT PATRIOTS IN FLORIDA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 87: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR JON MAPLES! Polls are open from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.” Trump wrote, without mentioning that he had voted by mail or at all.

The Florida election comes one day after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a Mississippi case questioning whether states can count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but not received until later. Trump has criticized those allowances in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Barrow writes for the Associated Press.