COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) said Monday she’s running for a full term to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat.
“I’ve made a decision,” Graham told Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, according to a clip released of an interview set to air Monday. “I’m in.”
The entrance of Graham — sworn in last week to fulfill the remaining months of her late brother’s term, which expires in January — into the Republican scramble to select a new Senate nominee further complicates an already rushed process after Lindsey Graham ‘s death this month.
A weeklong filing period opens Tuesday for the special Republican primary, which will be Aug. 11. On Friday, President Trump said that Darline Graham had his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to seek the nomination, adding, “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!”
Last week, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham to serve the remainder of her brother’s term.
In his announcement, McMaster made no reference to Graham as a placeholder or symbolic appointment, although a person familiar with McMaster’s thinking but unauthorized to speak publicly said the governor had never contemplated that she would run for the seat herself.
Before the emergence of Graham — and their Oval Office meeting after she was sworn in — Trump had suggested he could back a potential candidacy from Republican Rep. Russell Fry, who said Monday he would officially enter the special primary.
Funeral services for Lindsey Graham are scheduled to be held next week in Washington and South Carolina.
The millions in Graham’s campaign account aren’t funds that Darline Graham could directly access in a run of her own, said Bradley A. Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission.
Under federal rules, Lindsey Graham’s campaign would be limited to transferring just $2,000 to a potential Darline Graham candidacy.
However, Smith said there is no limit on how much it could transfer to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could — thanks to a Supreme Court decision last month — “spend an unlimited amount in coordination with Darline’s campaign.”
Kinnard writes for the Associated Press.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) has privately expressed interest in running for a full U.S. Senate term after getting appointed as a temporary replacement for her late brother, Lindsey Graham, according to three people familiar with the deliberations.
The people, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said she has started having conversations about a potential campaign.
Plans for Lindsey Graham’s funeral were also announced Friday. There will be a service in Washington on July 28 and more in South Carolina on July 29.
Darline Graham’s eventual decision could dramatically shake up the scramble to fill her late brother’s seat after he died last weekend. The filing period for a special primary runs from July 21-28, and the primary is scheduled for Aug. 11.
Several other noteworthy politicians — including Reps. Russell Fry, Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, as well as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette — have been eyeing a run.
Darline Graham’s conversations were first reported by Semafor.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve the remainder of her brother’s term, which ends in January.
The first woman to represent the state in the Senate, Darline Graham called it “such an honor,” as dozens of her brother’s staffers and campaign advisors stood behind her, some with eyes glassy from welling tears.
“Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him,” she said.
Lindsey Graham died on Saturday at age 71. A preliminary report from the medical examiner said he suffered a tear in his aorta.
He never married or had a family of his own, but his sister was often by his side for the political touch points of his career, speaking at events and appearing in some of his campaign ads.
In his announcement on Monday, McMaster made no reference to her as a placeholder or symbolic appointment.
However, a person familiar with McMaster’s thinking but unauthorized to speak publicly said the governor, in selecting Darline Graham, had never contemplated that she would run for the seat herself.
Sen. Tim Scott, another South Carolina Republican, said he would not endorse any candidate in the primary because he also serves as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
But, he said, “as Tim Scott, the voter of South Carolina, I might indeed wade into the water at some point.”
“I think the truth of the matter is that Darline has so far been off to a remarkable start,” Scott told reporters, asking about her as a possible special primary contender. “ ‘Why not her?’ would be my question.”
When he died, Lindsey Graham had millions in his campaign account and was expected to raise much more heading into the general election. But those aren’t funds that Darline Graham could directly access, if she were to run, according to Bradley A. Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission.
Under federal rules, Lindsey Graham’s campaign would be limited to transferring just $2,000 to a potential Darline Graham candidacy. However, Smith said there is no limit on how much it could transfer to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could — thanks to a Supreme Court decision last month — “spend an unlimited amount in coordination with Darline’s campaign.”
“It can’t be earmarked for Darline’s campaign, but in those circumstances I’m sure that the party will make sure she’s not short of cash,” said Smith, now serving as a professor at Capital University Law School in Ohio.
Kinnard and Kim write for the Associated Press. Kim reported from Washington.
It was a Capitol Hill mystery. For nearly a month, United States Senator Mitch McConnell was not seen or heard from in public.
Little was known about the 84-year-old’s condition, other than that he was hospitalised on June 14. Conspiracy theories began to bubble online. One prominent right-wing influencer, Laura Loomer, even spread rumours that the Republican leader was brain-dead.
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But after weeks of silence, McConnell confirmed on Sunday that he was on the mend after suffering a fall.
Still, the Kentucky Republican has increasingly appeared frail on Capitol Hill, freezing in front of cameras and walking unsteadily when not in a wheelchair.
Members of Congress are typically on the older side. The average age for a US senator is around 65.
McConnell’s poor health — and the sudden passing of his Senate colleague Lindsey Graham, 71, on Sunday — have reignited the question: What would happen if McConnell were unable to serve the remainder of his term?
The answer is the subject of intense scrutiny, as Republicans seek to preserve their majority in the Senate.
A seven-term senator from Kentucky, McConnell is the longest-serving party leader in the history of the Senate.
He first entered the Senate in 1985, and in 2007, he became the head of the Republican Party in the chamber, a position he held until 2025.
He continues to serve as a senator, though he is not seeking re-election in November’s midterm elections. His term ends in January.
On Sunday, McConnell said in a statement that a fall on June 14 rendered him “briefly unconscious” and landed him in the hospital. The senator also said he had dealt with a mild case of pneumonia.
But McConnell has long struggled with health and mobility challenges. As a toddler, he survived a severe bout of polio, though it left one of his legs partially paralysed.
McConnell indicated his condition was improving, but that he would not return to the Senate yet.
“With signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength,” he wrote.
His statement was accompanied by a smiling photo of the senator in a hospital bed, with what appeared to be a copy of Sunday’s Washington Post newspaper.
This is not the first time the senior senator’s health has been a source of concern in recent years.
As recently as February, the veteran lawmaker was hospitalised for flu-like symptoms.
Also, in 2019, McConnell tripped and fell in his Louisville home, fracturing his shoulder.
According to reporting from the Louisville Courier Journal, he also collapsed three times in 2023, suffering a concussion and a broken rib that ultimately led to him using a wheelchair.
It was during that period that McConnell had several instances where he inexplicably appeared to freeze while speaking in public, prompting questions about his fitness to serve.
Republicans have a controlling majority in the Senate — but only by a few seats.
With McConnell absent, the number of Republicans available to vote shrinks from 53 to 52 in the 100-seat Senate.
That could influence the outcome of divisive bills, when every Republican vote matters.
McConnell’s absence has already helped Democrats pass a resolution against President Donald Trump’s war on Iran, with four Republicans crossing party lines to vote for it.
McConnell also sits on the all-important Senate Appropriations Committee, which helps decide discretionary government spending.
The US government has a looming funding deadline on September 30, and McConnell’s continued hospitalisation could muddle efforts to pass funding measures.
The Republican majority in the Senate has weakened over time, according to Stephen Voss, a political science professor at the University of Kentucky.
Moderates like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — alongside wild cards like Rand Paul — have shown willingness in the past to join with Democrats during critical votes.
But that small proportion of “swing” Republicans has grown during the midterm primary season.
A number of lame-duck Republicans have lost their re-election bids to party rivals, backed by President Trump. That makes them more willing to buck their party leadership from time to time.
“McConnell’s absence could become inconvenient depending on what sort of policy battles we see in coming months,” said Voss.
News of McConnell’s hospitalisation sent alarm rippling through the US political sphere.
Republican leaders attempted to reassure the public that the senator would soon return to his post. But as the weeks stretched on, questions about McConnell’s condition mounted.
Ultimately, on July 8, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear sent a letter to McConnell’s office, requesting an update on the senator’s health status.
Beshear has since called McConnell’s written statement on Sunday a “step in the right direction”, but he continues to push for more transparency, suggesting the Republican senator release a video update instead.
Some critics have called on McConnell to step down altogether, questioning his fitness for office. They include Democrat Charles Booker, who is running to succeed McConnell in the midterm elections.
Tres Watson, a Republican strategist and host of the Kentucky Politics Weekly podcast, sees no reason to doubt McConnell’s ability to serve, despite the recent health scares.
“I’ve been around the senator several times in the last year. His brain is functioning fine, his wit is there, his intellect is there, but the body is failing him, and he made the understandable decision not to run for another term,” Watson said.
If McConnell were to vacate his senate seat before his term ends, it may be tempting for Democrats to think Beshear, the Democratic governor of Kentucky, could appoint someone from his own party.
That’s not the case, however, because of a recent change in state law. Kentucky is now one of four US states where the governor does not have authority to fill Senate vacancies.
In 2024, Kentucky’s Republican-controlled legislature passed a law requiring Senate vacancies to be filled by a special election, which must be called by the governor.
But experts say holding a special election this year would be fraught with challenges, one of which is timing.
The new law says the governor must give 63 days’ notice before the special election. Senate hopefuls would have to file their candidacy no later than 56 days prior to the vote.
Even if McConnell’s Senate seat were vacated immediately, the earliest a special election could occur is September.
But experts say that cobbling together a special election would not make sense, since November’s midterm elections are barely three and a half months away. McConnell’s Senate seat is up for grabs in that race.
“Setting up the process would take time, so we wouldn’t get a senator in office very quickly, even if this process kicked off soon,” said Voss, the political science professor. “The probability that we’d get a replacement ahead of time is pretty low.”
Watson, the Republican strategist, agrees. He questions the efficiency of rushing to hold a special election, when the midterms are on November 3.
“We’re getting pretty close to Election Day,” Watson said. “They’re not going to put the commonwealth through the expense of having another special election just so someone could be a US senator for effectively one month.”
Yes, a significant challenge could be litigation. Kentucky’s 2024 law is largely untested, and it would almost certainly attract legal challenges.
“I think there’s a decent chance the issue could end up in the courts,” said Joshua Douglas, a University of Kentucky law professor who teaches election law.
Douglas believes there may be a contradiction between the new law and parts of the Kentucky Constitution.
“The 17th Amendment says the legislature may authorise the governor to appoint a temporary replacement, Section 152 of the Kentucky Constitution says the governor appoints one, and the Kentucky legislature now says there must be a special election after the new law,” Douglas said.
Voss explained that the legal challenges could delay any special election to fill McConnell’s seat.
“This is the sort of thing that lawyers know how to tie up in litigation,” Voss said. “There would be people involved who know how to slow walk the process.”
The 2024 law stripped the governor’s authority to select a temporary replacement for a US Senate seat.
Governor Beshear vetoed the bill, but the state legislature, which has a Republican supermajority, overrode his opposition.
The measure is part of a broader strategy of Republican lawmakers to shift powers away from the governor since Beshear’s election in 2019.
“We’ve seen an overall attempt by the Kentucky General Assembly to shift power from the executive to the legislative branch,” Voss said.
But the 2024 law was not the legislature’s first attempt at limiting the governor’s ability to fill Senate vacancies.
Initially, in 2021, Republican lawmakers passed a bill that required the governor to choose a temporary replacement from a list of three provided by the executive committee of the former senator’s party. After filling the vacancy, a special election would be held.
According to Watson, Republicans passed a new version because they were concerned about legal challenges to the 2021 law.
Republicans in the state argue that the 2024 update is more democratic and aligns with the process for filling other vacancies.
Beshear is the only Democrat to hold a statewide office in Kentucky. The state has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate since 1992.
In the general election, Democrat Charles Booker, a former state legislator, is running against Republican Representative Andy Barr to succeed McConnell.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — President Trump said Monday he’s recommended that Lindsey Graham’s sister be named as his temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate.
Trump posted on social media that Gov. Henry McMaster should appoint Darline Graham Nordone to fulfill the rest of Graham’s term, which expires in January. Graham died over the weekend at age 71, and McMaster is expected to announce his pick later Monday.
After their parents died at a young age, Graham was left to raise his sister, whom he later adopted. The pair were very close, and Graham’s sister was by his side as he filed reelection paperwork earlier this year.
A special election will be held next month to pick a new Republican nominee in the general election for Graham’s seat. He had been seeking a fifth term this year.
The rare open Senate seat has ignited a scramble among South Carolina’s most ambitious conservatives, who have been eager to climb the political ladder.
Republicans just finished a sprawling and bruising contest to figure out their nominee for succeeding McMaster, who is wrapping up his second term. State Atty. Gen. Alan Wilson won the nomination, overcoming a field that included Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — all of whom are now eyeing Graham’s seat following his death over the weekend.
According to South Carolina law, a one-week filing period for a special primary election begins on the second Tuesday after the candidate’s death, or July 21.
The special primary election would be held on the second Tuesday after that filing period closes, or Aug. 11. Any necessary runoff would follow two weeks after that, or Aug. 25.
From that point, the new nominee would have just over two months to campaign for the general election on Nov. 3.
All of this is problematic according to federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to go out 45 days before any federal election. For the general election primary, that would have been June 27. Federal Election Commission officials didn’t immediately return a message seeking clarity about the process.
Graham died on Saturday night, and a preliminary medical examiner report said he suffered a tear in his aorta, known as an aortic dissection.
In the hours after Graham’s death was announced, South Carolina’s Republican circles were already swirling with rumors about possible replacements. Given the proximity of November’s election, it’s likely that whomever McMaster appoints could be a top contender in the special primary, although it’s possible that McMaster’s choice will only serve as a temporary caretaker.
Evette, who has served nearly eight years alongside McMaster and received his endorsement in the governor’s race, is one possibility. She lost the June 23 runoff to Wilson.
A person with knowledge of Evette’s thinking but not authorized to discuss it publicly said that she was getting encouragement from across the state and feels she would have good chances in the special primary.
It’s unlikely that any House member would be appointed to finish Graham’s current term, since Republicans have such a slim majority in the chamber.
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a rumored replacement, said he assured Trump on Sunday that “my goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!”
However, that doesn’t mean that House members won’t run for the next full term. A person with knowledge of Mace’s thinking but not authorized to speak about it publicly said she was considering the race. Mace is not running for reelection to the House.
But another Republican from the state, Rep. Russell Fry, could be a possibility. The two-term lawmaker represents the growing area around Myrtle Beach, and he’s been a top Trump ally.
A spokesman for businessman Mark Lynch, whom Graham defeated in the primary, didn’t return a message Sunday.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who lived in South Carolina before joining the Trump administration, has fielded calls about potentially replacing Graham but doesn’t have interest in the role, according to a person who insisted on anonymity to describe private conversations.
No Democrat has won a Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double digits. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin.
So while history suggests that Graham was en route to a fifth term, Republicans are carefully surveying the landscape.
Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews won the Democratic nomination last month and has raised more than $8 million in the race, and she had just under $3 million cash on hand at the end of May, according to federal filings. Graham had taken in $6 million, with just over $4 million on hand.
In a statement Sunday, Andrews called on South Carolinians to join her “in setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude” to Graham for his service.
Harrison, noting that he and Graham “had our share of political disagreements,” wrote on social media that he “always appreciated that even in our fiercest political battles, we could still share a conversation, a laugh, and a mutual respect for South Carolina and the institutions we were both privileged to serve.”
Graham leaves a major void in the Senate, where seniority can determine influence. He served more than two decades in the chamber, positioning himself to lead committees and set the agenda.
Sen. Tim Scott, South Carolina’s junior senator, has been in office only since 2012 — short by the state’s standards. Fritz Hollings served for 38 years, and Strom Thurmond was there for 47.
Scott, who co-chaired Graham’s reelection effort, described his former colleague as “irreplaceable.”
“America lost a statesman, but I lost a friend,” he told ABC’s “This Week.”
Kinnard writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.
Based on the words of President Trump, America is well on the way to becoming a “global superpower in manufacturing” — indeed, as he declared in a Father’s Day social media post, we are already experiencing the “BEST ECONOMY EVER.” (Capitalization’s his.)
Here’s what the government’s own statistics tell us: Manufacturing investment has crashed during his watch, with construction spending in the manufacturing sector down 26.4% from Trump’s inauguration through May, to $174.8 billion. That’s the lowest figure since February 2023, when the economy was in the midst of a post-pandemic recovery.
White House spokesman Kush Desai told me by email that “the last two jobs reports” showed manufacturing job growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a seasonally-adjusted decline of 2,000 manufacturing workers in May and a gain of 3,000 in June. But the June 2026 figure was 38,000 jobs, or about 0.3% below the level in June 2025, and 75,000 or about 0.6% below the level in January 2025, when Trump took office.
Desai said that “thanks to President Trump’s proven agenda of tariffs, deregulation, and tax cuts, American manufacturing will continue to rebound.”
There’s little mystery about what has come between Trump’s ambition and the real world. To a large extent it’s Trump’s economic program, particularly his tariff policies and, more recently, his war with Iran. Those have injected a level of uncertainty for corporate managements pondering whether to spend money on expansion that they haven’t had to confront in years.
From where we’re standing, we are not seeing signs of a manufacturing renaissance in the U.S.
— Didi Caldwell, Global Location Strategies
The tariffs and the war have driven up manufacturers’ costs for raw materials and overseas shipping. The general economic atmosphere doesn’t help. U.S. gross domestic product growth came in at a 2.1% annualized rate in the first quarter of this year, but the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta expects it to have fallen to 1.3% in the second quarter ended June 30.
Meanwhile, the University of Michigan consumer confidence index reached 44.8 in May, its lowest level ever (though it improved to 49.5 in June). Wages have been rising modestly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but those gains have been eaten up by higher prices, especially for gasoline and food.
Commentary on economics and more from a Pulitzer Prize winner.
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To put things another way, the actual figures show the U.S. economy to be sputtering, and the “vibe economy” as measured by consumer confidence is doing even worse.
Now that Trump’s second term is about to reach its 18-month mark, let’s unpack the factors causing the discrepancy between his ambitions and claims, and the reality.
Trump declared economic victory just as his term was starting. On March 20, 2025, he proclaimed a “manufacturing renaissance” in the U.S. That was based on what he said were “trillions of dollars in new investments” he had “already secured in tech-based manufacturing.”
A White House statement said “the list of manufacturing wins is endless.” The provided list was a roster of announcements, not groundbreakings, much less completed ventures.
Business executives quite properly have taken these pledges with mounds of salt. “Announcements are what people say they’re going to do, but dollars spent is what’s actually happening,” Didi Caldwell, chief executive of a firm that helps companies find factory sites, told the Financial Times. “From where we’re standing, we are not seeing signs of a manufacturing renaissance in the U.S.”
Indeed, at least some of these announcements have had the flavor of performative efforts to satisfy Trump’s amour propre and extract government concessions.
For example, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook appeared with Trump at the White House in August to announce a $600-billion U.S. spending plan to take place over four years. That was a $100-billion increase over its previously-announced program.
More to the point, however, it incorporated spending with suppliers that Apple had been working with for years. Mentioned in the news announcement was a commitment to buy cover glass for iPhones from Corning. But Corning has been supplying that glass since the first iPhone appeared in 2007. In any case, the announcement appeared to secure a commitment from Trump to exempt Apple from tariffs imposed on imported chips.
Apple’s announcement Wednesday that it will spend $30 billion to buy chips from Broadcom was similarly ambiguous. The announcement didn’t provide details about the terms of the commitment or the timing of its expenditures. I asked Apple for details and whether the deal was related to a desire to remain in Trump’s favor, but didn’t hear back.
A similar phenomenon occurred during Trump’s first term; Trump had built much of his 2016 presidential campaign on a promise to increase manufacturing jobs in the United States. He blamed shrinkage in the manufacturing sector on trade agreements such as NAFTA and the policies of the Chinese, and took credit when an American manufacturer agreed to create or save jobs in the United States.
As I reported in 2019, many of those arrangements turned out to be exaggerated or bogus, or predated Trump’s claim. Some disappeared as soon as public attention turned elsewhere, or were outweighed by job cuts made elsewhere by the same companies.
Trump’s tariffs appear to have had a direct effect on manufacturing employment in the U.S. Since Trump’s inauguration, the manufacturing sector has shed about 75,000 jobs, or 0.6%. After April 2, 2025, when he announced global “liberation day” tariffs supposedly as a response to years of unfair treatment of American exports, the decline picked up pace, with a shrinkage of 68,000 manufacturing jobs.
The Supreme Court invalidated those tariffs in February, but others are still in place, including tariffs on imported steel and aluminum and on goods from China. Nor has he ceased threatening partners with trade wars. As recently as Tuesday, he said he would cut off all trade with Spain because of that country’s disagreement with him over its defense spending and its criticism of his Iran war.
As it happens, Spain is one of the few countries with which the U.S. has a trade surplus. That means that any cutoff, which trade experts think will be unlikely, would come at a cost to the U.S.
One might have hoped that Trump had learned a lesson from his first-term trade war with China. That conflict provoked a sharp contraction in the manufacturing economy, with the Institute for Supply Management’s purchasing managers index falling to 49.1 by mid-2019. (A reading below 50 signifies contraction.)
The ISM index began to recover toward the end of Trump’s term but fell again during the pandemic. Lately it has been falling again, to 53.3 in June from 54 in May.
The Iran war is another deadweight on domestic manufacturing. That’s partially the consequence of blockages of the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial thoroughfare not only for middle eastern oil, but also for such industrial inputs as fertilizer and aluminum. Cement, concrete, olive oil and spices are also among commodities produced in the region that use the strait as an outlet to reach the outside world.
Uncertainties in the region, tensions between the U.S. and China, and heightened concerns over the safety of shipping overall have driven up shipping costs between the far east and the U.S. The price of shipping a benchmark 40-foot container from China to the West Coast has nearly quadrupled to $6,687 now from about $1,700 just before the Iran war began, according to an index maintained by the cargo firm Freightos — even though shipping prices typically decline during this time of year.
There can be little doubt that the U.S. would benefit from an industrial policy — if it’s coherent. China supplanted America as the world’s leading exporter of manufactured goods in 2010, and the gap has only widened since then. China’s dominance may be hard to reverse, as it’s built on lower labor costs and transport infrastructure that enjoys focused government investment.
Tariffs could be a component of a new industrial policy, but Trump’s tariffs aren’t rationally geared to protecting domestic industries that need protection. They’re expressions of his whims, and as such they’re totally ineffective. If there are government investment policies targeting industries that need assistance, they’re not apparent to economists or industrialists.
Trump can talk as much as he likes about a golden age for U.S. manufacturing, but from his first term through this one, it’s nothing but talk. And talk, of course, is cheap.
Douglas Rissing
One president since Ulysses Grant in 1873 saw lower bond yields in each of their four consecutive presidential years, according to Bank of America.
Only William McKinley presided over four consecutive years of falling bond yields.
On the other hand, Woodrow
Rhea Seehorn was nervous about whether “Pluribus” would be recognized by Emmy voters Wednesday when nominations were announced. So she was jubilant when she and the surreal sci-series on Apple TV scored 18 nominations, the most for a first-year drama.
“I’m just so grateful,” the actor said in a phone interview. “People were like, ‘Why were you nervous?’ Honestly, you never actually know. I’m just so thrilled for the show, my co-stars, the production design, the editing, the writing, the music, the sound. I haven’t moved from my couch since they first announced everything because I’m still trying to call everybody on the show.”
Seehorn received a nomination for lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of cynical Carol Sturka, a fantasy romance author who finds herself in a mystifying situation after a virus seems to have wiped out most of Earth’s population. The series was created by Vince Gilligan, who created the acclaimed series “Breaking Bad” and co-created its spinoff “Better Call Saul,” which also featured Seehorn.
The actor compared her experience of being nominated for “Pluribus” to “Better Call Saul,” which earned her two supporting actress nominations: “ ‘Better Call Saul’ was such a family that supported and cheered each other on, and I’m so grateful I have that environment again. People could not be happier for each other, and we get to celebrate the show together.”
She added, “The only part that feels different is that it’s my first nomination as a lead. It’s the process of Vince writing this for me and seeing the mountain which he wanted me to climb and going through that process. The whole thing has been its own journey, so ending up with awards and nominations, and being so well received by critics and fans is not lost on me.”
The series has been applauded for its mix of drama, comedy and strangeness in its portrait of a woman coming to terms to what seems like an impossible dilemma.
“I love the storytelling, how much Vince and I would drill down on making this as authentic as we could in terms of an everyman who has to deal with an insane situation,” Seehorn said. “Most of us are just not heroic or leaping off the couch to go save the world. And Carol is dealing with immense grief and confusion in an utter dystopian crisis. I love the humor and the drama that comes out of us being as realistic as we can with her amidst an unrealistic event.”
Fans of “Pluribus” have been relentlessly curious since the finale in December about when the second season will launch.
“I don’t know anything about that,” Seehorn said. “I don’t have to keep secrets because I’m not great at keeping them, and I know nothing. I don’t know what I’m doing with an atom bomb in the driveway. I can’t wait to find out. The writers want to have the same quality and reward the intelligence of the fans and never phone a single thing in. So their process is their process.”
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon takes the oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at Seoul City Hall on Wednesday. Pool Photo by Yonhap
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon promised Wednesday to provide more opportunities for the younger generation, who are facing severe economic threats, including drastic changes in the job market, as he began his fifth term at the helm of the city government.
Oh was reelected for a fifth term in the June 3 local elections — the first such case in South Korea’s political history. During his inauguration ceremony held at Seoul City Hall, he delivered five pledges, including providing Seoul’s youth with education and housing.
“Today’s youths are facing great pressure to survive more than ever before amid rapid job transformations, technological shifts and high housing prices,” the newly inaugurated mayor said.
Oh said he would ensure that every young citizen can learn and utilize artificial intelligence (AI) so that no one gets isolated from ongoing technological developments.
“I will make a Seoul where people can grow as much as they work and be recognized solely for their skills,” he emphasized.
Oh also promised to supply 310,000 newly built housing units by 2031 and complete urban railway projects to open an era where “a subway station is within a 10-minute walk of every home.”
He further pledged to create a city where residents can find a place to exercise within a 10-minute walk from their homes and vowed to revitalize local commercial districts by providing comprehensive support for small business owners.
“Making Seoul a global top three city is not just about raising its international ranking,” Oh said. “It means transforming it into a city where global citizens want to visit and where our residents want to live for a lifetime.”
Oh previously served his first two terms as the capital’s mayor from 2006 to 2011, when he voluntarily stepped down after losing a municipal referendum on a citywide free lunch program.
Following a decadelong hiatus from public office, Oh made a dramatic comeback by winning the 2021 mayoral by-election, stepping into his third term. After finishing his third term and winning reelection in 2022, he served his full fourth term until this year.
“I will work with the mindset that true achievements are only those felt by the citizens,” Oh said.
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Constitutional amendment will keep President Mnangagwa in office until 2030 and allow parliament to elect the president.
Published On 24 Jun 202624 Jun 2026
Zimbabwe’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that will keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in office until 2030.
According to Senate President Mabel Chinomona, the controversial amendments were passed on Wednesday after 75 senators voted in favour and four against extending the term for Mnangagwa, 83.
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The raft of sweeping changes, which critics have called a “constitutional coup”, includes a provision that extends presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.
The bill also includes a provision for the president to be elected by parliament rather than by direct popular vote.
With parliament’s backing, the bill now has to be signed by Mnangagwa to become law.
Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party holds a strong majority in parliament and has ruled since independence in 1980.
Last year, the ruling party resolved to change the constitution to prolong presidential terms, and the plan received cabinet backing in February.
The bill then passed through the National Assembly last week, with 216 lawmakers voting in favour of the draft legislation and 42 against it.
Mnangagwa came to power after a 2017 military coup ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe, who had been in power since independence in 1980.
Still, the country’s opposition, which has been weakened by years of repression, charges that the measures would entrench ZANU-PF’s control over the country.
Moreover, activists who have tried to mobilise in the country have reported intimidation and violence, including arrests or assault by suspected agents of the state.
Legal challenges have also failed to stop or invalidate the amendment process.
In March, Human Rights Watch said that Zimbabwe’s authorities were using violence and intimidation against those who were opposing the amendments.
“Over the last few months, the police and unidentified armed men have threatened, harassed, and beat up several people who are opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment,” it said in a statement.
WASHINGTON — President Trump signed a bill into law on Wednesday that gives his immigration and deportation agenda a nearly $70 billion boost for the rest of his time in the White House.
The bill provides $38 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $26 billion for the Border Patrol. An additional $5 billion would cover unforeseen costs, according to the White House.
Trump signed the legislation in the Oval Office a day after House Republicans pushed the measure through by a 214-212 vote over the objections of Democrats. His signature ended a nearly six-month fight over Department of Homeland Security funding that began with shooting deaths of deaths of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, in January during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
Democrats began demanding changes to immigration enforcement after the shootings, creating an impasse — and resulting in the longest agency in history — that ultimately led Republicans to go it alone on the funding.
The agencies will be funded through the next three years. The new law front-loads routine annual funding, ensuring a virtually uninterrupted flow of money as the Trump administration seeks to deport some 1 million people per year.
The legislation had become sidetracked over $1 billion for White House security, including for Trump’s new ballroom, and a $1.8 billion fund to compensate his allies who claim to be victims of political prosecution. Both proposals became politically toxic and were scrapped.
The bill as passed focused exclusively on immigration enforcement, a topic that Republicans have treated as a defining issue between the two major political parties and one the GOP hopes will carry it to victory in November’s midterm elections.
Superville and Binkley write for the Associated Press.
SACRAMENTO — State Treasurer Fiona Ma and former California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero have been declared the two winners of a crowded primary election for lieutenant governor, securing themselves spots on the November ballot.
Ma is a Democrat. Romero is a former Democrat who said she registered as a Republican after splitting with Democrats over the push to oust President Biden as the party’s presidential nominee in 2024.
Both were declared as the top-two winners by the Associated Press. Under California’s primary system, the first and second place finisher advances to the November general election, regardless of their political affiliation.
Ma is a certified public accountant serving as state treasurer. She previously sat on the California Board of Equalization and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She also served three terms in the California Assembly.
Romero is an adjunct professor at Pepperdine School of Public Policy. She served as a Democrat in the Assembly and state Senate, becoming the Senate’s first woman majority leader in 2005.
Other notable candidates included former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and Josh Fryday, a member of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s cabinet. Both are Democrats.
The position is largely ceremonial. The lieutenant governor serves on various boards that oversee the University of California, California State University and community college systems, and can be called upon to break a tie in the state Senate. If the sitting governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor would assume the role.
Ma and Romero have offered some similar viewpoints. Both candidates previously expressed support for the death penalty and opposition to the state’s plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.
Neither candidate supports the controversial Billionaire’s Tax Act. Romero, however, has further vowed to shun all potential tax increases.
Ma and Romero will now face off in November. The winner will replace Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who is finishing her second term and could not seek reelection. Kounalakis instead ran for state treasurer.
The Director’s Guild of America has struck a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, completing the negotiation cycle for Hollywood’s major unions.
SAG-AFTRA ratified its contract last week, the Writers Guild approved its deal back in April, and the DGA has similarly landed on a new contract, after nearly a month of negotiations. The latest deal with major film and TV studios was announced on Tuesday, but its terms have not yet been disclosed.
The Directors Guild, led by its president Christopher Nolan, reportedly entered negotiations in hopes of improving conditions to create new jobs, bulk up its health fund, and increase protections against generative AI.
“The tentative agreement will be presented to the DGA National Board for approval,” the DGA said in a statement. “Consistent with the Guild’s longstanding practice, terms of the agreement will not be released publicly until the National Board has completed its review.”
Negotiations started on May 11, and the current contract is set to expire on June 30. Once the DGA National Board approves the new contract, it will be sent to its members for a ratification vote. The union represents nearly 20,000 helmers, assistant directors, associate directors, unit production managers and stage managers.
The studios said they were pleased to have reached this latest tentative agreement with DGA.
“We appreciate the hard work and commitment of our guild partners in achieving a fair deal that helps advance a stable and successful entertainment industry,” AMPTP said in a statement.
The DGA’s tentative contract marks the last few steps of the current Hollywood union negotiation cycle. The previous one in 2023 was marked by the industry-stopping strikes from SAG-AFTRA and WGA, and the industry is still feeling the impact from them. But this year’s bargaining season was much quieter and uncontroversial. SAG-AFTRA and WGA will reconvene with the studios for bargaining in 2030, as they all signed four-year contracts.
People gather during a protest in a street in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Thursday after fighting erupted between opposition-led protesters and Somali state security forces during a planned protest against the federal government’s mandate extension for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Photo by Said Yusuf Warsame/EPA
June 4 (UPI) — The Somalian military and opposition militias opposed to an extension of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term by the country’s parliament skirmished Thursday in its capital.
After the opposing sides set up positions within Mogadishu late Wednesday, gunfire and fighting broke out in the city ahead of planned demonstrations today, The Guardian and The New York Times reported.
Mohamud was due to leave office May 15, but the country’s parliament voted to extend his term by one year, prompting opposition leaders — including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Khayre — to announce demonstrations against what they said is a constitutional crisis.
Ahmed said that government forces had targeted his home intending to kill him because he has spoken out against the extended term and is leading resistance to it.
Ahmed and Khayre each have their own security, as do other clans throughout the country, and the alleged targeting of the leaders by government military forces led to ongoing skirmishes that have left Mogadishu residents fleeing for their safety.
Ahmed, in a video statement, said that government forces had “encircled and attacked my house.”
“I am never scared of their aggressive attack — I will fight back,” he said.
Khayre said in a statement that the government had deployed anti-tank weapons and drones in the attack, endangering civilians in the area.
At a press conference Thursday, Col. Mahdi Omar Mumin said that government forces staged “an operation in which security agencies neutralized armed militia members who yesterday attacked police forces in the Hodan District,” Somalia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement on X.
“The militia had caused harm to Somali civilians and disrupted security in the capital,” the ministry said.
Mohamud and members of the parliament who support him said the effort is to move from indirect elections to individuals voting specifically for their chosen candidates.
Opposition members have said they fear the change could prevent many people in the country from having a voice in the government and potentially enable greater power for Mohamud.
The travel industry is on edge after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reiterated his threat to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called sanctuary cities in a move that could jeopardize international flights.
The U.S. Travel Assn. said that Mullin confirmed he is considering withdrawing the officers in a meeting where the trade group was pressing its concerns about other proposals the Trump administration is considering that could hamper travel. The travel association and major airlines quickly condemned the idea, and even Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it doesn’t make sense to him.
“U.S. Travel believes such a move would have devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that depend on international visitation,” the industry group said Friday in a statement.
Details of the meeting were first reported by the Atlantic.
Duffy said at a congressional hearing this week that he wasn’t familiar with Mullin’s remarks, and he’d like to learn more about the context and maybe ask Mullin a question about what he meant. But Duffy said it would be a bad idea to start restricting travel based on political views. After all, he acknowledged, at some point Democrats will be in charge and “you will all switch spots at one point — hopefully not too soon, Mr. Chairman.”
“We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places. We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics,” Duffy said.
So it’s not clear how much support this idea has within the administration, though President Trump has previously threatened to withhold funding from sanctuary cities.
There is no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally refer to jurisdictions that limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And courts have rejected the idea of pulling funding from them in the past.
In Trump’s first term in office, in 2017, courts struck down his effort to cut funding to the cities.
It’s not clear exactly which cities and airports Mullin might target, but the Justice Department last year published a list of three dozen states, cities and counties that it considers to be sanctuary jurisdictions. They include California, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego County.
The Airlines for America trade group was quick to say the idea would hurt the economy and disrupt travel.
“Reducing CBP staffing at major airports would have a devastating effect on the airline and tourism industries, causing a significant operational disruption to carriers, travelers and the flow of international cargo.”
Funk and Yamat write for the Associated Press.
At this year’s festival to unveil our inaugural Cannes issue, I had to opportunity to sit down with Sony Pictures Classics co-founders and co-presidents Michael Barker and Tom Bernard and EVP of Acquisitions, Production and Business Affairs Dylan Leiner on the Main Stage at the Marché du Film to discuss the company’s festival strategy, bidding wars, artificial intelligence and more. Watch the full conversation and read edited excerpts below.
How much does the festival reception of a movie, the reviews coming out of a festival, the buzz around it, shape decisions that you’re making? Or is it just confirming what your gut already knows?
Leiner: I want to tell one story that speaks to that, which was at the first Berlin Film Festival we attended after COVID. I remember, in the same day, I ran into three international distributors who all asked if we had seen “The Teacher’s Lounge.” And I didn’t even know what the film was. It wasn’t on our radar, it wasn’t in competition. So we quickly saw “Teacher’s Lounge” and we acquired the film [which went on to be nominated for the 2024 international feature Oscar]. And that was one of the great values of an in-person festival, the ability very quickly to communicate with distributors, with tastemakers, with critics from around the world and get that kind of information. Gut, personal taste… It plays into it a lot, but then we need reassurance. And being at a festival and being in this fishbowl environment is really helpful for that.
For a lot of people, myself included, the mystique of a festival is often around the bidding war narratives: Who’s going to pick up what and what are they going to pay? I’m curious for your take on the first big acquisition of this year’s Cannes, A24 buying “Club Kid” for a reported $17 million.
Bernard: Throughout the years, there were companies [that would] maybe overpay, or they were going to bid to get this movie no matter what, because they were the headline in all the newspapers covering this festival. So in terms of a company that’s branding — which, A24 is one of the best in branding — I think that that had to do with a little bit of the cash that went up. … There’s a branding aspect in a lot of festivals for a movie that’s a hot movie that the press has decided to seize on.
Barker: Here’s a key to how we have survived. It’s different from the way you talk about it. When we acquire a movie, whether anyone else has offers, we try to block it out. And we have trained ourselves to not let that noise bother us. What is it worth to us? What do we think it’s going to do? Dylan runs these incredible models of what it’ll do on the low end, what it will do on the high end. And then you decide where you want to be.
Bernard: Or we think we can make it work.
Barker: But at no point do we sit around and worry about who else has a higher offer for the movie. Because I have to say, in very few instances, on the movies we buy, are we the higher offer. We just do the best we can, and if we lose it, we lose it.
Bernard: [French film producer] Serge Silberman, a sage of the past, he always said, “You never lose money on a movie you didn’t buy.”
That brings up a question that I had about “Nuremberg,” which was a real success. What you’re saying is, it performed in alignment with your expectations. Were there any lessons that you took away from that in terms of future projects that might come along?
Leiner: Yes, it performed in accordance with our expectations. What’s interesting about that film, we acquired it here last year. Nobody else was really interested in the movie. … So our challenge basically was to figure out how to convince the filmmaking team that, because it was a very expensive film, that we were the right company to acquire the film on the terms that we could afford and that we could make it work. And it was a very intense series of phone conversations, in-person meetings.
Bernard: We felt like we were auditioning to get married to somebody. We were never going to be able to pay to make their money back. It was a $40-million movie, and they were really sort of out there without anybody really looking at it. And we said, “Listen, sell it to us. We think it’s going to be a great success. We’ll make your movie way more valuable over the test of time.”
Barker: There are two types of movies that are being made and distributed. One are the big tentpole studio movies. It’s about winning the weekend theatrically. These are the theatrical-driven movies. And it’s all about making that huge budget back very quickly. But the other kind of film, which is why we are in business, is the evergreen. Every one of our films, we open it with the best marketing push we can. Yes, we try to get the highest box office. But what we know will happen, even if the box office ends up being less, we believe in these films as long-term players. And these films have really long tails. You look at movies like “Run Lola Run” or “Call Me By Your Name” or even “Living” … They have generated revenues to the filmmakers and to us that’s way beyond what the box office would have portended when it opened.
I would be curious, what areas of the filmmaking process or the film distribution process do you think AI is appropriate for use, that you’ve experimented with it, that you’re excited about its prospects? And where are your red lines, if you have any?
Barker: One of the people on our staff — we really love our young staff. One of them was writing a screenplay with AI, and told me they got certain rules on AI. And I’m listening to all these rules. You can’t have your main character die in a first scene. You can’t have your romantic female lead be totally unlikable, people aren’t going to go. I’m listening to this, and I said, “Have you ever seen ‘Sunset Boulevard?’” And she goes, “No, what is that?” I said, “Go watch that movie.” She came back and she was like, “Holy cow.” I said, “Billy Wilder sat down and made that up based on what he observed.” AI is not going to be able to do that.
YOU don’t have to spend hundreds on theme park tickets or overpriced attractions to have a great family day out this half term.
May half term is nearly here, and we’ve found plenty of days out that will cost you only a couple of pounds – and plenty more that are completely free.
Whether you’re a family of mini history buffs, budding astronauts or future artists, we’ve found hands-on activities to suit all interests.
From the north of Scotland down to the coast of Devon, here’s our pick of free and cheap family days out all across Britain for May half term.
Step into a world of Cosmic Chaos at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum, where the cast of BBC’s Horrible Science lead you on a bizarre adventure through the planets.
Much like the hit children’s TV show, this experience is packed with weird facts and wacky experiments that make learning surprisingly fun.
Designed for families with children aged 7 and up, the exhibition lets you get hands-on with outer space – from inspecting space toilets, to programming your own rover and analysing moon rocks.
You’ll even get to journey through a wormhole before ending the trip with a dance on an alien disco planet.
The exhibition is open from now until January 2027, costing £10 per person with under 3’s going free. Make sure to book your tickets online in advance.
This interactive woodland trail follows the theme of Julia Donaldson’s famous picture book through the trees of Hamsterley Forest.
Expect interactive activity points, forest facts and even a Dragon on your journey, which ends with a lovely photo op.
Purchase a trail pack from reception for just £4, which includes colouring, a lanyard, stickers and a pop-out magic wand.
Train geeks young and old will love a day out to the National Railway Museum in York.
You can stand face-to-face with Mallard (the world’s fastest steam locomotive) and climb aboard a Japanese Bullet Train, the only one of its kind outside Japan.
Plus their May half term event sees a free family trail, The Great Object Hunt, which will have you thoroughly searching each collection.
The museum is free to visit and open daily from 10am – 5pm. Make sure to book your free tickets in advance to secure your slot.
Looking for a creative afternoon out in Liverpool? Head to the Walker Art Gallery to discover Big Art, a space specifically for mini artists aged 0–5.
Your little ones can dive into a huge selection of toys and games, explore the dress-up area, or get stuck in at the craft table, which features a brand-new theme every single week.
Session times vary between 11am – 3pm. Check their website for details.
Step into hands-on history and nature at Bolton Museum.
Here families can walk through a stunning Ancient Egypt gallery or visit Greater Manchester’s only public aquarium.
Head over to the Little Lever Library for weekly Toddler Tales storytelling sessions.
For older kids, the Create and Craft sessions offer the perfect chance to get hands-on with free arts and crafts activities.
The museum is open daily from 9am – 5pm, and open from 10am – 4pm on Sundays.
From 23 – 31 May, the Royal Air Force Museum are running an exciting Hero Trail.
Families can pick up an activity sheet and work their way through the attraction, looking for clues in the collections as you learn about historic aviation heroes.
There will also be a free screening of the BBC documentary series WWII: I Was There for older history fans running daily from 25 – 29 May.
The museum opens daily from 10am with last admission at 4:30pm.
Get out and about in nature this May half term and visit Down Banks in Staffordshire.
There’s plenty of trails to walk or cycle through as a family, plus you could plan to bring a picnic or else stop by in the cafe and farm shop.
Down Banks is a National Trust site that is free to enter.
From now until 31 May, families can take part in this free city-wide, space-themed fun trail in Leicester.
Set off on an adventure through space-themed art made by local children and artists at multiple venues throughout the city, including visiting the Sun at the National Space Centre.
Download the My Leicester app for access to the free trail, or find more information on their website.
Until May 31, visitors to Peterborough Cathedral can meet the Titanosaur – a huge model of Patagotitan Mayorum, one of the largest dinosaurs ever discovered.
The model is a sight to behold, loaned from the Natural History Museum and displayed in the epic Peterborough Cathedral – perfect for any dinosaur fans in the family.
There’s also educational activities set up in the cathedral to complete your visit.
Entry costs £6 per person, and visiting slots can be pre-booked online.
This outdoor space in Essex has a near mile-long trim trail for kids to tackle.
Children can take on tyre swings, a giant see-saw, slides, climbers and more in Essex’s longest play trail.
Here you’ll also find Sky Ropes, a family-friendly high ropes course which costs just £13.50 per person, a much cheaper alternative to other treetop adventure sites such as Go Ape.
The Box in Plymouth is the ideal attraction for a budget-friendly morning.
You can hunt for hidden treasures with a family trail sheet, or meet the famous Mildred the Mammoth statue.
The museum are running family-friendly activities during the May half term, including a picnic-themed arts and crafts session where you can make fun foods from clay for ages 4 – 11.
The museum is open daily from 10am – 5pm.
Haldon Forest Park in Devon has endless walking and cycling trails that are perfect to explore as the weather warms up.
Head to the Info Pod in the forest park to grab a Gruffalo Orienteering Trail sheet for an interactive quest through the woods.
Your journey leads you through the forest and finishes at the park’s play area, where you can snap a photo with the giant Gruffalo sculpture.
The trail costs £1.50 and leads you through twelve interactive stations.
From 1 – 31 May, Bristol Walk Fest is taking over the city, providing the perfect way for families to explore the city’s parks, streets, and hidden corners on foot.
Over 7,500 attend the city-wide festival each year, and it features a huge range of self-guided and guided walks led by local experts.
You can choose from street art discovery tours and historical walks, to gentle strolls through nature or even dress-up costume events.
There’s options available to suit all ages and fitness levels.
Most of the walks are free – check the event website for details.
Until May 31, the Southbank Centre in London are hosting a Spring Family Fun festival. There are both free and paid events available.
Highlights include a huge 80th birthday bash for legendary children’s poet Michael Rosen on May 23, followed by the high-energy DanceDanceDiscoPartyFunShow on May 30.
Families can also dive into creative workshops like textile quilting or grab a map for the interactive Architecture Explorers trail.
Make sure to check the festival website for specific events, and to pre-book your place.
The Thames Clippers Uber Boat audio guide is an underrated way to explore London as a family from the water.
Hop aboard the boat and you can buy a London audio guide for £2.50 each, where a tour narrated by Rory Bremner teaches you fun facts all about the River Thames.
You can choose from two guides: a historical tour about the River Thames, or a guide to all the famous film and TV locations.
Once you grab the guide, simply download onto your smartphone, and make sure to bring your own headphones to listen along.
Note that the audio guide is a £2.50 add-on to a standard Uber Boat ticket. Tickets start from £6.20 for a single adult journey, with child tickets at 50% off the full adult price. Children 4 and under go free.
The National Museum of Scotland houses two dedicated zones specifically designed for younger explorers.
Inside Adventure Planet, children can get hands-on with the museum‘s collections through digital challenges, puzzles, and a dress-up area.
The Imagine gallery features a giant musical floor, wobbly mirrors and a quiet reading corner, perfect for a chilled break with a book.
The National Museum of Scotland, including the Adventure and Imagine zones, are free to enter. The museum is open from 10am – 5pm daily.
This unique attraction acts as a completely hands-on museum, where objects are displayed without glass casing, designed for families to pick up and interact with.
You can find the Wee Hub in the Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, where there are also often crafts sessions and art exhibitions taking place.
The Wee Hub is open from 11am – 3pm, Wednesday – Sunday.
This museum in Glasgow will transport you to the early 20th century via walk-through exhibits.
The standout feature is Main Street, a recreation of Glasgow from 1895 – 1930.
You can walk through an old-fashion street, popping into traditional shops with authentic interiors that make you feel like you’re in the past century.
Elsewhere, the floor is packed with transport marvels including the towering South African Loco 3007, life-size vintage buses, and detailed boat models that celebrate the city’s shipbuilding heritage.
The museum is open from 10am – 5pm daily, opening at 11am on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Every Saturday, Aberdeen Art Gallery hosts free, themed craft workshops designed for families with children aged 5 – 12.
These creative sessions let kids experiment with different art styles, from building intricate paper sculptures, to decorating treasure boxes and sketching portraits.
The workshops are set up as relaxed drop-in sessions, so there’s no need to book ahead – simply show up and start creating.
The Art Gallery is free to visit and open from 10am – 5pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am – 4pm on Sunday.
Walk straight into scenes from the past at St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff.
Inside you’ll find live demonstrations from skilled craftsmen, interactive galleries, as well as farming displays and rare breed farm animals outdoors.
You can also visit St Fagans Castle whilst you’re there, a pretty Elizabethan mansion.
Admission is free, with the museum open from 10am – 5pm daily.
This free-admission museum in Swansea is full of nautical and industrial artefacts, perfect for any budding historians.
If you visit between the 26 – 28 May, you can join in a free drop-in Holiday Make and Take session, where kids can create their own crafts to take home.
The museum is open from 10am – 5pm daily.
Did you know Snowdonia is one of the most popular parts of the UK for geocaching?
Geocaching is an exciting adventure activity for all ages – it is essentially a huge outdoors treasure hunt, and it’s totally free!
Tucked away in nooks of the National Park you’ll find stashes of hidden items and letters known as caches, left by previous participants.
Simply sign up for a geocaching website, and follow the clues to find your hidden item – signing your name once you find the hidden cache to prove that you were there.
The Ulster Museum is a treasure chest of artefacts and activities, where you can come face-to-face with everything from Egyptian mummies and dinosaurs to Spanish Armada gold.
The galleries include deep dives into topics like Inclusive Global Histories and fascinating science in the Elements exhibition.
For kids, the real action is in the Discovery Centres (located on Levels 1, 3, and 5).
These are hands-on zones where they can design their own dinosaurs, crawl inside a massive sensory tree, or raid the costume trunks for a bit of dress-up.
The Ulster Museum and Discovery Centre are free-entry and open from 10am – 5pm, from Tuesday – Sunday.
This community-run farm in Carrickfergus is a hidden gem where you can get up close with pigs, goats, chickens, and ponies without spending a penny on entry.
It’s an underrated spot where families can meet the resident small pets and enjoy the County Antrim fresh air.
The site is also home to the Dancing Goat, a non-profit café serving up hot soups, sandwiches, tea, coffee and more.
The best part is that all the proceeds from the café are reinvested directly into the local area.
The farm is open from 9:30am – 4pm daily however it closes on Sundays.
The new experience is just in time for half-term (Image: Supplied)
The Brits’ favourite holiday resort has launched something new just in time for the school holidays, and it’s set to provide an experience you can’t get at other family parks.
It’s known as the ‘home of entertainment‘ for a reason, with its iconic Butlin’s live performances, rides, arcades, and waterparks all leading the way for family fun for decades. Now, a whole new experience has been added to the resorts that will amplify the fun for very little added cost.
Butlin’s has launched a whole new private sing-along experience, taking you away from the stage and audiences of the park and into your very own space with Karaoke Pods – bookable, just for you. Now, you can give the performance of a lifetime in the comfort of your own friendship group or amongst your family at whichever Butlin’s resort you choose.
As of now, the pods are open at all three Butlin’s resorts, including Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness, and can be booked for groups of up to 12 people.
Inside the Karaoke Pods, you can choose from an impressive catalogue of songs made up of over 5,000 chart-topping hits and throwback tunes carefully picked for guests to have the utmost fun.
Each session is set to last for a whole 55-minute session and should be booked in advance or, on the day when you decide to give it a spontaneous go, for £36.
If you want the drinks to keep on following, there’s no need to leave the pod, as they’ve thought way ahead of the curve. Any drinks can be ordered and delivered directly to your very own karaoke room.
During your sing-along session the pods, which Butlin’s describes as ‘high-tech’, capture each moment with videos, photos and even gifts. Meaning, you can sing your heart out in the soundproofed room without a care in the world and remain present as the pod does all the memory capturing for you.
Heidi Watson, head of innovation at Butlin’s, said: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with the Coca-Cola brand to bring this exciting, new karaoke experience to all three of our resorts. It’s the perfect activity for families or groups of friends to create unforgettable memories together while singing their hearts out to their favourite tunes.
“We’re confident the new Karaoke Pods will be popular with our guests, and an amazing addition to the activities already on offer across all of our different breaks.”
There’s no better time to book the karaoke pods than now, in time for your May half-term getaway as schools close for the week beginning May 25. Alternatively, you can get ahead of the curb and book in time for your summer holidays.
FANCY grabbing a last-minute break during May half-term?
There are lots of late deals offering adventures and attractions galore.
Cruise on a fabulous liner, escape to the countryside, explore a city or bed down in a zoo. Trisha Harbord selects ten top getaways for all budgets, at home and abroad.
OOH la la! The French seaside resort of Le Touquet will be holding a British Week from May 25 to 31.
There will be a host of activities delivered in English, such as guided horse rides, while the seven miles of coastline and dunes make Le Touquet perfect for sand-yachting.
The resort, an hour’s drive from Calais, has over 70 restaurants, for all tastes and budgets.
GO: Two nights’ room-only at the 3* ibis Styles, for two adults and two children, is from £366. See all.accor.com. Return ferry from Dover costs from £118. See irishferries.com.
YOU can’t beat a cruise for having everything on tap, and we really rate the no-fly MSC voyages on super-modern Virtuosa.
Enjoy five pools, a waterpark, clubs for kids, superb shows and an indoor promenade with restaurants, bars and shops.
The ship, sailing from Southampton, also has the first humanoid robotic bartender at sea, who shakes and stirs cocktails.
GO: Two nights’ full-board from May 23 costs from £265pp. Five nights from May 25, visiting four ports including Bruges and Rotterdam, costs from £541pp. See cruise.co.uk.
SPOIL yourself at the 5* Imperial Island Resort in Paphos, which reopened this week. Everything has been upgraded, from the rooms to the food, spa and kids’ clubs.
There are new outdoor play areas at the Cyprus hotel and numerous sports on offer.
Soak up the sun on the adjacent beach or head to Paphos Archaeological Museum and the medieval fort that overlooks the harbour.
GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive, based on two adults and two children sharing a superior family room, plus Gatwick flights on May 24, is from £1,072pp. See easyjet.com/en/holidays.
THERE aren’t many kids who don’t like pizza, pasta and ice cream – and they can have all those on a cultural trip to Rome.
The Vatican museums, beautiful Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica and the Colosseum amphitheatre are all must-sees.
There are also many children’s attractions, including interactive museums about everything from video games to illusions.
GO: Three nights’ B&B at the 3* Hotel Morgana, including flights from Birmingham on May 25, costs from £469pp, based on a family of four. See jet2holidays.com.
MENORCA may be one of the quieter Balearic Islands, but you won’t be bored here.
Choose from lying on the beach or going hiking, cycling or horse riding.
The 3H Vibra Caleta Playa apartments, surrounding a pool with kids’ area, all have air-con, kitchenettes and a balcony or terrace.
They are close to a sandy cove in Santandria and the historic former capital, Ciutadella.
GO: Five nights’ self-catering in a one-bed apartment for two adults and children, including flights from Gatwick on May 24, costs from £442 per person. See firstchoice.co.uk.
THERE’S a great deal from Pembrokeshire’s 4* Ty Hotel Milford Waterfront, with kids staying free during half-term.
The offer at the hotel, which overlooks the Milford Haven marina, runs rom May 22 to 31.
If the children love dinosaurs, be there on May 27 when Dinomania comes to town.
You can also rent kayaks from the beach activity centre, visit the maritime heritage museum, go hiking or enjoy ten-pin bowling.
GO: A family room for two adults and two children, including breakfast, is from £104. See ty-hotels.com and milfordwaterfront.co.uk.
GET back to nature with up to 30 per cent off countryside breaks with Landal, which has resorts in areas including Yorkshire, Cumbria, Northamptonshire and Scotland.
Woodland Lakes, near Thirsk, North Yorks, has indoor pool, kids’ play areas, archery, fishing and a wellness centre.
It’s close to the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales and only a half-hour drive from the historic city of York.
GO: Four nights’ self-catering in a lodge sleeping four people from May 25 costs from £639. See landal.co.uk.
IT should be a great week in Great Yarmouth, with plenty to do in the Norfolk resort.
A pantomime of The Wizard Of Oz is being performed at Britannia Pier’s theatre between May 28 and 31, and the town has a festival of circus and arts from May 28 to 30.
Stay at Richardson’s Hemsby Beach holiday park and you’ll be spoiled for family-friendly activities, too.
GO: Four nights’ self-catering in a two- bedroom chalet from May 25 costs from £419. Details at richardsonsholidayparks.co.uk and visitgreatyarmouth.co.uk.
TELLY favourites are appearing at Butlin’s, and there are three-night late deals from £48pp. Headline acts include The Masked Singer Live and the new Maximum Pro Wrestling show.
The resorts – in Skegness, Lincs, Somerset’s Minehead and Bognor Regis in West Sussex – also boast Splash Waterworld pools with slides, unlimited fairground rides and soft-play areas for kids.
GO: Three nights for four people sharing a two-bedroom Comfort room in Minehead from May 29 costs from £192. For more information or to book, see butlins.com.
HELP Whipsnade Zoo roar into the Guinness World Records book as one of more than 14,000 people taking part in a paint-by- numbers challenge from May 23 to 31.
The masterpiece featuring 200 animals will celebrate the 200th birthday of ZLS – the conservation charity behind the Bedfordshire zoo.
Families picking up a brush will need to register on the GWR Verify app. Stay overnight in one of the zoo’s lodges and enjoy zoo tickets, private tours, breakfast and dinner.
GO: A lodge for two adults and two children is from £520. See whipsnadezoo.org.
YOU can still bag a bargain break for the whole family this May half term without breaking the bank.
Travel companies like TUI, On the Beach, and Loveholidays still have some seriously affordable sunny escapes you can book for the upcoming school break.
These last-minute deals to Spain, Turkey, Portugal and beyond start from a tiny £163pp.
From colourful waterpark hotels in Turkey, to chic beachside apartments in Croatia, here are the cheapest last-minute deals you can book right now for a May getaway.
Holiday company TUI have hand-picked for Sun Travel some of their cheapest last-minute package holidays you can still book for May half term.
Neil Swanson, TUI UK Managing Director, says: “As holiday experts with decades of experience, we know how important it is for customers to secure great value holidays.
“May is a great time to travel, thanks to gorgeous weather and shoulder season prices.
“Destinations that offer year-round sun, such as Lanzarote and Turkey, also offer plenty of great value deals over the half term – and of course, booking a package gives holidaymakers extra value with flights, transfers, and 24/7 support all included as standard.”
Here are some of the most affordable holidays you can still book with TUI for the May half-term.
The Club Candan in Marmaris is hard to miss with its bright yellow exterior backed by lush green mountains.
The star of the show is the massive outdoor pool, which is complete with a giant striped waterslide that keeps the kids (and adults) having fun.
Accommodation comes as spacious self-catering apartments that are perfect for families, plus there’s a poolside restaurant if you don’t fancy cooking, which hosts a weekly Turkish night with barbecues and dance shows.
TUI offer a 5-night self-catering stay from 23 May, including return flights from London Gatwick, for £539pp.
The Park Plaza Verudela Apartments in Croatia‘s Pula are a stylish self-catering option overlooking a beautiful Blue Flag beach.
Apartments and dining areas are chic and modern, plus there’s a bar and two restaurants on the resort.
There’s plenty here for families, with a kids club that takes care of little ones and a dedicated teens club, too. As a guest here, you also get access to the spa and dining at Park Plaza Histria Pula, which is just a short walk away.
TUI offer a 7-night self-catering stay from 23 May, including return flights from Birmingham, for £698pp.
TUI BLUE Flamingo Beach is an ideal pick for a family holiday to Lanzarote.
This hotel has plenty of family-friendly activities on offer.
There are sports like tennis and volleyball.
Plus a daily activities programme including pool games, character parades, and unique “family togetherness” activities for all ages.
There’s also a splash pool with slides, and dedicated kids clubs for ages 0 – 17.
With so many exciting things to do, don’t forget to relax, too.
There’s a sunlounger-lined pool where you can lay back and watch the kids play in the splash pool, plus you’re just steps away from Playa Flamingo Beach.
TUI offer a 5-night all-inclusive stay, including return flights from Newcastle, for £874.05pp.
Holiday company On the Beach have found some very affordable last-minute breaks for the May half term for Sun Travel.
Caspar Nelson, holiday expert at On the Beach says: “There are still some incredible value holidays available for May half term, with deals from just £135pp still available”.
His top picks for last-minute, affordable holidays this May half term include Spain, Portugal and Tenerife.
“For families and couples looking to get away without overspending, Spain and Portugal continue to offer some of the best-value options thanks to their reliable sunshine, short flight times and wide choice of resorts.
“Benidorm remains a go-to for families wanting lively beaches and plenty to do, while Costa Brava is ideal for classic seaside breaks with pretty coves and charming towns”.
“Lloret de Mar is a popular pick for groups and younger travellers looking for a fun atmosphere, and the Algarve offers a more relaxed escape with golden beaches and scenic coastal spots.
“For travellers wanting to make their budget go further, all-inclusive breaks are also proving especially popular for May half term.”
This Benidorm break from On the Beach is an absolute bargain at just £180pp.
Stay at the Apartments Las Torres, a modern complex just a few minutes’ walk from the lively strip, and just a stone’s throw away from the golden Levante beach.
Each apartment comes fully kitted out with a living room and TV, a well-equipped kitchen, a double bedroom and balcony.
There’s also a spacious outdoor pool with a kids zone, plus a golf course nearby to practice your swing. On the Beach offers a 5-night self-catering stay from May 24, including return flights from Belfast, for £180pp.
This four-star Costa Brava stay is in the prime location for a sunny Spanish holiday.
It’s just a short walk from the Pierre & Vacances Estartit Playa to the local beach, which is a quiet spot with soft sands and calm, shallow waters. There’s even water sports, kayaking and boat hire available on the beach.
This complex offers apartments that sleep up to six, perfect for a big group holiday. Plus there’s a play area and games like table tennis on site to entertain all ages.
On the Beach offer a 5-night self-catering stay from May 24, including return flights from Glasgow, for just £163pp.
This luxurious resort in the Algarve has a stunning sun terrace with a sparkling outdoor pool.
The terracota-coloured Colina da Lapa complex has 70 stylish apartments, plus a swimming pool and free shuttle to the nearest beach.
The charming fishing town of Carvoeiro is under 10 minutes’ drive away, and has beautiful beaches, caves and hiking trails to explore.
On the Beach offer a 5-night self-catering stay from May 24, including return flights from Edinburgh, for just £470pp.
“Tenerife is another strong choice, offering dependable sunshine, family-friendly resorts and plenty to do for all ages” says Caspar Nelson.
“With demand high during school holidays, the best-value destinations are likely to be snapped up quickly by late bookers.
“So holidaymakers are urged to act fast to lock in deals now available.”
Bag this Tenerife deal from On the Beach for an affordable all-inclusive stay at the family-friendly BLUESEA Callao Garden.
This holiday complex has three large outdoor pools to choose from, as well as a pool bar to grab a delicious chilled drink to enjoy in the sun.
It’s only 20 minutes from Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia airport, so you can avoid the dreaded overly-long coach transfer.
Plus there’s a beautiful beach just a 10-minute stroll away.
On the Beach offer a 5-night all-inclusive stay at the BLUESEA Callao Garden from May 24, including return flights from Edinburgh, for just £308pp.
Travel Supermarket has crunched the numbers to find us some of the cheapest destinations where you can still book a holiday this May half-term.
Gathering data based on a seven-night family holiday with two adults and two children, departing 23 or 24 May, the company found the following destinations came out on top.
Spain’s Costa Brava ranked number one, followed by the Costa Dorada and the Bourgas Area of Bulgaria.
Chris Webber, Head of Holidays and Deals at TravelSupermarket, analysed the top 10 cheapest destinations for May half-term.
He says: “For those with a little more flexibility on budget, the rest of the top 10 cheapest destinations for May half term are: Lanzarote (£726.88pp), Malta (£730.76pp), Larnaca (£738.93pp), Fuerteventura (£744.40pp), Agadir (£767.55pp), Dalaman (£771.53pp) and Paphos (£778.52pp).”
Spain’s Costa Dorada is the ideal family beach holiday destination.
And it turns out that it’s one of the most affordable options for booking a last-minute break, too.
Chris Webber says: “Costa Dorada is a solid value option for families, with good flight connections and a wide range of resorts keeping competition – and prices – keen.”
Travel Supermarket found the average cost of a week-long holiday during the May half-term to the Costa Dorada to be £638.78pp, making it one of their most affordable last-minute holiday destinations.
The Medplaya Hotel Vistamar sits on the beach, and is a family-friendly choice with a children’s playground, large family-sized rooms and entertainment including a games room and pétanque court.
Travel Supermarket offers a 7-night half-board stay from 23 May, including return flights from London Luton, for £499pp.
Bulgaria, specifically the Bourgas Area, also ranked highly as one of the cheaper destinations to visit this May half-term.
Chris Webber says: “Bulgaria always tends to be decent value, and the Bourgas area in particular is great for all-inclusive deals.
“Families can keep their overall costs right down once they’re there.”
Travel Supermarket found the average cost of a week-long holiday during the May half term to the Bourgas Area to be £662.10pp – but we found an even cheaper deal.
Hotel Tiara Beach is a four-star resort with an excellent kids club and activity program, plus an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna and more.
Plus, with this all-inclusive deal, you don’t have to worry about the additional costs of food and drink.
Travel Supermarket offers a 7-night all-inclusive stay from 25 May, including return flights from Birmingham, for £579pp.
Holiday website Loveholidays has rounded up some of its cheapest destinations for last-minute holidays this May.
Al Murray, Chief Marketing and Supply Officer at loveholidays, says: “With May half-term just around the corner, we’re still seeing fantastic value in sunny short-haul destinations.
“There are deals to be had in Spanish hotspots like Costa Brava, Gandia, Tenerife and Majorca in particular, offering families short flight times, reliable weather and plenty to do.”
Here are Loveholidays’ pick of last-minute holiday deals this May half term.
The four-star Portodrach Aparthotel & Suites is a glamorous, modern resort with spacious self-catering apartments and all the amenities you’d need for a sunny Spain holiday.
The complex has a large swimming pool dotted with parasols and loungers, a poolside snack bar and even a swim-up bar.
Activities available range from a games room, to water sports like surfing and banana boat hire, to golfing at the nearby golf course.
Loveholidays offer a 7-night self-catering stay from 24 May, including return flights from London Gatwick, for £359pp.
Hotel RH Arena By Hoteles RH in Gandia, Spain is a stunning place to stay just steps from a stretch of golden sand.
Whether you’re cooling off in the crystal-clear freshwater pool or hitting the sauna for a detox, this Spanish gem has everything you need for a recharge.
Watch the chefs in action with show-cooking in the restaurant, or grab a quick snack from the cafe. The hotel bar is the main hub for a chilled drink, providing plenty of space to relax and socialise out of the sun.
Loveholidays offer a 5-night stay with breakfast from 24 May, including return flights from London Gatwick, for £379pp.
Situated in lively Puerto de la Cruz, the family-friendly Casablanca resort is a top tier pick for Tenerife.
You’re just a 10-minute stroll from the sand, but there is plenty to do on-site, with a heated outdoor pool and kids club to keep little ones entertained.
After a day of lounging by the pool or exploring the nearby old town, you can settle in for a night of live music and shows.
Loveholidays offer a 5-night self-catering stay from 24 May, including return flights from London Stansted, for £319pp.
07:05, 08 May 2026Updated 07:06, 08 May 2026
Passengers boarding a Ryanair plane
People from the UK heading abroad for the Spring Bank Holiday are being given the latest advice on holidays amid growing fears over jet fuel shortages and flight disruption. Travel experts say flights are continuing to operate “as planned” despite airlines across Europe drawing up contingency measures following soaring fuel prices linked to conflict in the Middle East.
Concerns have grown after reports that some airlines are preparing for possible refuelling stops on long-haul routes if shortages worsen. German airline Lufthansa has reportedly already begun contingency planning after one of its flights was forced to divert for fuel during a recent journey to South Africa.
The airline has also cut thousands of flights from its wider summer schedule as fuel costs continue to rise. However, travel industry figures insist UK holidaymakers should not panic.
Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association, said: “We really don’t want people worrying about their holidays; planes are taking off daily and people are continuing to get away on their holidays. The Government and airlines are clear that there isn’t a problem with fuel supply.
“If you have a holiday booked in for the coming months – including the May half term – we expect it to go ahead as planned.”
He added: “Whilst there have been reports about cancellations globally, these amount to less than one per cent of overall flights.”
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, around 13,000 flights worldwide have reportedly been cut during May. Munich and Istanbul are believed to be among the worst-affected destinations.
The Department for Transport has also said there is currently “no need” for travellers to change their plans. Officials say UK airlines buy fuel in advance and airports continue to maintain reserves to help prevent disruption.
Passengers are still being advised to check flight updates with airlines before travelling and ensure they have suitable travel insurance in place. Some 120 flights from the UK this month have been cancelled, new figures show, as jet fuel prices surge and fears of shortages grow.
Cirium said airlines have axed 120 of the 22,613 departures initially scheduled from UK airports in May, equivalent to 0.53%. The number of outbound flights planned for June is 36 lower than a week ago. This represents a 0.2% reduction and means capacity for the month has fallen by 7,972 seats.
The final week of May is a peak period for holidays as it is half-time at many schools. For all flights globally, some 13,005 planned for May were cancelled between April 10 and April 21, equivalent to 1.5%. That reduced capacity by almost two million seats.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said airlines are “assessing poor performance flights and consolidating or cancelling as required”.
She added that UK departures to popular summer hotspots “remain unaffected” and insisted “customers can continue to book with confidence”. Paul Charles, founder of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “Airlines are now being forced to cut flights and make difficult decisions ahead of the peak season.
“It is better for them to cancel flights well in advance so that passengers are less inconvenienced than a last-minute change of plan. As the Iran conflict continues, there will need to be many more cancellations as the jet fuel supply is squeezed.”
Lufthansa’s airline group announced in April it would cancel 20,000 flights over the following six months to save fuel. Iran continues to have a stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a surge in oil prices and concerns of jet fuel shortages.
But on Sunday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said summer holiday plans will not face major disruption because of the latter. She revealed that more fuel has been imported from America, while refineries have upped their production.
The Government has also introduced a temporary rule change allowing airlines to group passengers from different flights together on to fewer planes to save fuel.
Seoul appeals court cuts ex-prime minister’s prison sentence from 23 years to 15.
Published On 7 May 20267 May 2026
A South Korean appeals court has reduced the sentence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo by eight years for crimes relating to ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law.
The verdict was issued in the South Korean capital, Seoul, on Thursday.
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Yoon’s decree in December 2024 briefly suspended civilian government and plunged South Korea into chaos, but it only lasted about six hours as opposition lawmakers moved quickly to overturn it in a vote.
A lower court had sentenced Han in January to a heavier-than-expected jail term of 23 years for engaging in the insurrection, as well as on related charges of perjury and falsifying an official document.
But the appeals court in Seoul cut that by eight years on Thursday, with the presiding judge announcing: “We sentence the defendant to 15 years in prison.”
The court still maintained most of Han’s convictions but lessened the penalties after taking into account his “more than 50 years as a public official prior to the martial law declaration”.
“The records also make it difficult to find evidence showing that the defendant participated more actively in the insurrection, such as by conspiring in advance or systematically leading the operation,” the judge said.
However, he said Han had “abandoned the grave responsibilities arising from the authority and position entrusted to him and instead sided with those participating in the acts of insurrection”.
Han, wearing a white shirt and a dark suit with no tie, listened to the verdict without showing much emotion.
The 76-year-old has been imprisoned since his original sentence in January.
Han had denied wrongdoing on all charges except perjury, saying in November that while he regretted not being able to stop Yoon from declaring martial law, he “never agreed to it or tried to help”.
Han is an experienced technocrat, who served in senior posts under five presidents.
He became the acting president after Yoon was impeached, before his own impeachment on accusations of having aided Yoon in the martial law declaration.
The Constitutional Court overturned Han’s impeachment, restoring his powers to serve as leader before he resigned from the post to run in a snap election in June.
He ended his bid for the presidency following rifts among conservatives.
Yoon, who faces eight separate trials, was handed a life sentence in February on charges of “masterminding an insurrection”.
Yoon, a former career prosecutor, denied the charges, arguing he had presidential authority to declare martial law and that his action was aimed at sounding the alarm over opposition parties’ obstruction of government.
He has apologised for the “frustration and hardship” brought upon the people by his martial law decree, but said in a statement after the sentencing that he stood behind the “sincerity and purpose” behind his actions.
YOU can still go abroad May half term with these fantastic last-minute holiday deals
We’ve scoured the web to find some of the cheapest package holidays you can still book, so you can whisk your family off somewhere hot and sunny this May.
We’ve found great deals in Italy, Greece, Spain, Morocco and Portugal.
Whether you’re after a family-friendly hotel with a big pool and lots of entertainment, or a European holiday park in the pinewoods by the beach, we’ve got you covered.
Head to the pretty, pine forest-backed beaches of Tuscany’s Maremma Coast with this bargain holiday deal.
This package includes a stay at Gitavillage Le Marze, an Italian holiday park with kids adventure activities, exciting entertainment, and its own beach bar.
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Nearby you can walk or cycle through Maremma Nature Park, or go island-hopping and visit sunny Elba and Giglio.
On the Beach offer a 7-night stay from 23 May, including return flights from Edinburgh, for £280pp.
Calpe is a stylish Spanish resort on Spain‘s Costa Blanca with gorgeous beaches, a colourful Old Town and unique nature.
Whether you’re sunbathing on the massive Playa del Arenal-Bol beach, or spotting wild flamingos at saltwater lagoon Las Salinas, Calpe makes for a Spanish holiday unlike any other.
This deal comes with a stay at Sunsea Village, a complex with a swimming pool, tennis courts and spacious apartments to stay in.
On the Beach offer a 7-night stay from 23 May, including return flights from Edinburgh, for £275pp.
Salou sits on Spain’s sunny Costa Dorada, where you can expect to find temps hovering at a toasty 25C in May.
This popular family destination has plenty to see and do, including water slides and rollercoasters at PortAventura World, and theme park Ferrari Land – home to the fastest and tallest hypercoaster in Europe, Red Force.
Bag a stay at the Rentalmar Apolo Suites, where you’ll have a modern apartment as your base with the beach just a few steps away, and PortAventura World just a few minutes down the road.
On the Beach offer a 5-night stay from 23 May, including return flights from London Luton, for £235pp.
Head to Rhodes in Greece this May for a slice of sun with plenty of history and charming streets lined with tavernas and souvenir shops to explore.
Faliraki is an energetic seaside resort with lots of watersports activities, nightlife and is home to Faliraki Water Park, one of Europe’s largest.
A stay at the Anseli Apartments comes with access to a shimmering swimming pool surrounded by loungers, plus a games area and TV lounge for somewhere to relax.
On the Beach offer a 4-night stay from 25 May, including return flights from Birmingham, for £365pp.
Agadir has a six mile stretch of sandy beach, colourful souks to explore – plus it reaches highs of up to 26C in May.
Whether you want to try new water sports, drive a beach buggy, or simply laze back on the sands and relax, this coastal resort has something for everyone.
The Bahia City Hotel is in an ideal location, just five minutes’ walk from Agadir beach with plenty of bars and restaurants nearby.
Loveholidays offer a 5-night stay, including return flights from Leeds Bradford, for £369pp.
Manilva sits on the Costa del Sol, and offers plenty to see and do for families.
The coastal town has a lively marina lined with bars and restaurants, your pick of unspoilt beaches, plus lots of wildlife such as dolphins and whales which you can spot from boat tours.
The Village Terrazas Costa del Sol is a picturesque holiday village with modern apartments, two outdoor pools, a kids club and regular live entertainment.
Loveholidays offer a 5-night stay from 25 May, including return flights from East Midlands Airport, for £329pp.
Puerto de la Cruz on the stunning Northern coast of Tenerife is a sunny coastal town with plenty of attractions and unique landscapes to explore.
Stroll through centuries of exotic plant collections at Jardín Botánico, or take a tour up to the volcanic peak of Mount Teide, or head to the beach at Playa Jardín with its unique black sand backed by palms, while Lago Martiánez has mineral-rich saltwater pools.
Be Smart Florida Plaza is an affordable base just a short walk from Playa Jardin and the Old Town, and it offers 132 spacious rooms plus a sizeable outdoor swimming pool.
Loveholidays offer a 5-night stay from 25 May, including return flights from Belfast, for £309pp.
Alvor is a pretty Portuguese fishing village, which is a fantastic option for those who want the coastal views without the crowds.
Here you can set off in boats or kayaks to discover the Bengali caves, cycle the Alvor boardwalk, or simply stretch out under the sun on Alvor’s two-and-a-half-mile Blue Flag beach.
The Clube Alvorferias is a modern, whitewashed hotel with a large circular swimming pool surrounded by palms. It has comfortable apartments with air con, balconies and kitchenettes, plus you’re only a 10-minute walk into the vibrant town centre.
Loveholidays offer a 5-night stay from 25 May, including return flights from Norwich, for £299pp.
