Keep your shoes on: What to know about the TSA rule change at US airports

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Tuesday that it was scrapping a policy requiring people to take off their shoes while passing through airport screenings.

The policy, long a source of ire for travellers, had its roots in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US, when authorities sought to bolster security around air travel through a host of measures.

Many more rules have been added in the time since, some criticised as arbitrary and needlessly intrusive, and have been supplemented by the integration of measures such as facial scanning technology at airports across the country.

What’s behind the change, what rules remain, and could other policies change next?

What was the ‘shoes off’ policy?

The “shoes off” policy was first implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in 2006 and required travellers to remove their shoes as they advanced through airport security screenings to check them for possible explosives.

Those enrolled in TSA PreCheck, a programme in which people who pass a basic security check are allowed to bypass certain airport security measures, had already been allowed to pass through screenings with their shoes on.

Why was it implemented?

The policy was the result of a failed December 2001 attack by a British man named Richard Reid, who packed explosives into his shoes and tried to detonate them during a flight from Paris to Miami.

The incident, like many attempted attacks carried out in the post-9/11 period, was highly amateur: Reid, a petty criminal who became an Islamic fundamentalist, was foiled after an airline worker noticed that he was trying to light his shoe on fire with a match.

But the failed attack played into fears that were prominent during the post-9/11 era. And, when it came to safety, why take a chance?

“TSA can’t just rely on the next attack being as incompetent as this one was,” Jay Stanley, a privacy advocate and senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told Al Jazeera.

The agency asked people, on a voluntary basis, to consider removing their shoes while passing through screening so they could be checked for explosives. TSA later made the policy mandatory in August 2006.

An FBI agent, left, sits next to a suspect identified by authorities as Richard Reid, right, as he is transported in a car from State Police barracks at Logan International Airport in Boston on Saturday, December 22, 2001 [Elise Amendola/AP Photo]

Why was the policy scrapped?

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement on Tuesday that eliminating the policy would remove a source of strain on travellers and reduce TSA wait times at airports, and was no longer necessary due to technological innovations.

“We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,” she said.

The change was effective immediately.

What other policies remain in place, and could they change?

While the “no shoes” policy is gone, travellers expecting an easy, stress-free trip to the airport should temper their expectations as many other security measures remain in place.

Passengers will, for example, still have to remove their belts, coats, laptops, and certain items from their bags while passing through security. Rules limiting gels and liquids in carry-on items to 3.4 ounces (100 ml) still apply, and checked bags must also be subjected to X-ray screenings.

Canines used for detecting bombs and drugs are still frequently used, and full-body scanners were brought to airports after another failed attack in December 2009, in which a man tried to detonate explosives smuggled onto a plane in his underwear.

Noem has suggested that DHS is reviewing some rules, but did not offer further details.

Are those measures effective or just security theatre?

Travellers have long fumed about an ever-growing list of measures that can seem arbitrary and do not always have a clear utility.

While the government argues that the increases in airport security reflect efforts to patch up vulnerabilities exposed by the 9/11 hijackers and subsequent failed attacks, some experts say that certain measures provide the impression of security more than provable benefits.

“People are hesitant to push back against new rules because nobody wants to be seen as responsible if there’s another attack,” said Stanley.

“Security theatre has always been a part of this, where you make a big show of security in order to give people the impression of greater safety.”

A TSA checkpoint at the airport
A TSA security checkpoint in Pittsburgh International’s Landside terminal in Imperial, Pennsylvania, US on June 9, 2019 [Gene J Puskar/AP Photo]

But enforcing so many rules can be difficult for agency workers themselves, who have the industrial-scale task of screening around two million travellers per day.

A 2015 report from the agency’s inspector general found that TSA officers had failed to detect weapons, explosives and other prohibited items brought through security by undercover agents to test the effectiveness of the system in 95 percent of cases.

Despite such concerns, TSA has continued to grow in size and scope each year. The agency has a workforce of nearly 63,000 people and a budget that is set to reach more than $11bn in 2025. In 2006, when “shoes off” was first implemented, it was around $6bn.

What new technologies are being used in airport security?

In her statement, Noem said that one of the reasons that the “shoes off” policy could be safely discarded is that “cutting-edge technological advancements” have rendered it unnecessary.

One that travellers may have noticed is the greater use of facial recognition technology, a development some privacy advocates have viewed with concern.

What are the privacy concerns?

Petra Molnar, a lawyer and author of the book, The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, told Al Jazeera that in an era of heightening restrictions on movement, airports have become testing grounds for new technologies, with civil liberties a largely secondary concern.

“With increasingly more digital technologies used at borders, airports have become epicentres of surveillance tech, with facial recognition and biometric technologies augmenting to physical surveillance practices,” said Molnar.

“Airports and borders are often one of the first places where new surveillance technologies are tested out, often with little regulation and oversight. Airports are the true testing grounds where unregulated technology experiments can run unchecked.”

While the decision to scrap the “shoes off” policy is a rare example of airport security measures being dialed back in the name of efficiency and convenience, it also comes at a time when those traveling or returning to the US are increasingly wary of being pulled aside and questioned about their political views on topics such as Israel’s war in Gaza.

The administration of President Donald Trump recently warned, for example, that international students entering the US must make their social media profiles available for inspection by authorities.

I’ll be 100% for semi-final, says Sinner – but will Djokovic after slip?

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Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

World number one Jannik Sinner says he will be “100%” for Friday’s Wimbledon semi-final against Novak Djokovic after injuring his elbow earlier in the week.

The 23-year-old Italian fell during the first game of his fourth-round tie with Grigor Dimitrov on Monday and took a medical time-out to receive treatment.

He was two sets down against Dimitrov but ultimately progressed after his opponent retired through injury.

Sinner only had a light 20-minute hit with his coaches on Tuesday and wore strapping and a protective sleeve on his racquet arm during Wednesday’s quarter-final victory over Shelton.

The only sign of discomfort he showed was when he grimaced and shook out his arm after returning one of Shelton’s huge serves in the second set.

“The pain is getting better,” Sinner told BBC Sport. “I played today with some painkillers which helped me to get through.

“Returning fast serves is not easy. But yes, it’s not something crazy serious because if not I would be much more concerned.

Djokovic, bidding for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title, lost to Sinner in the French Open last four just five weeks ago.

The two have also met twice before at Wimbledon – in the quarter-finals in 2022 and the semi-finals in 2023, with Djokovic winning on both occasions.

However, three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner has won their past four meetings.

“Me and Novak, we know each other better because we have played quite a lot,” Sinner said.

“I’ve never won against him here in Wimbledon so it’s going to be a very, very tough challenge.”

Sinner also said he decided to play in new shoes for his match with Shelton to reduce the chances of slipping again.

“I played with completely new shoes to have more grip,” he added.

“I haven’t even played practice [in them]. It was completely new, which usually on other surfaces I don’t do.

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It’s going to take best of me to win – Djokovic

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Seven-time champion Djokovic beat Italian Flavio Cobolli in four sets to secure his semi-final spot but also suffered an injury scare himself during the match.

Leading 5-4 in the fourth set and serving for the match, he slipped and fell awkwardly as he attempted to move for a shot.

It prompted concern from the crowd and Djokovic initially appeared in discomfort when he got up, but shook it off to win the next two points and secure victory.

“There is a concern, but we’ll see in the next 24 to 48 hours. It was an awkward, nasty fall,” Djokovic told BBC Sport.

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Djokovic has now broken the record for most Wimbledon men’s singles semi-final appearances with 14, moving one clear of eight-time champion Roger Federer.

It is also a 52nd Grand Slam semi-final appearance for Djokovic, extending his all-time record in the men’s game.

But regardless of his impressive record, he knows he will need to be at his very best against Sinner.

“I am just trying to focus on my recovery right now and getting my body in shape for very physical battle,” he said of his preparations for the match.

“Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him because it’s going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik.

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I’ll be 100% for Djokovic semi-final, says Sinner

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Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

World number one Jannik Sinner says he will be “100%” for Friday’s Wimbledon semi-final against Novak Djokovic after injuring his elbow earlier in the week.

The 23-year-old Italian fell during the first game of his fourth-round tie with Grigor Dimitrov on Monday and took a medical time-out to receive treatment.

He was two sets down against Dimitrov but ultimately progressed after his opponent retired through injury.

Sinner only had a light 20-minute hit with his coaches on Tuesday and wore strapping and a protective sleeve on his racquet arm during Wednesday’s quarter-final victory over Shelton.

The only sign of discomfort he showed was when he grimaced and shook out his arm after returning one of Shelton’s huge serves in the second set.

“The pain is getting better,” Sinner told BBC Sport. “I played today with some painkillers which helped me to get through.

“Returning fast serves is not easy. But yes, it’s not something crazy serious because if not I would be much more concerned.

Djokovic, bidding for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title, lost to Sinner in the French Open last four earlier this year.

The two have also met twice before at Wimbledon – in the quarter-finals in 2022 and the semi-finals in 2023, with Djokovic winning on both occasions.

However, three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner has won their past four meetings.

“Me and Novak, we know each other better because we have played quite a lot,” Sinner said.

“I’ve never won against him here in Wimbledon so it’s going to be a very, very tough challenge.”

Sinner also said he decided to play in new shoes for his match with Shelton to reduce the chances of slipping again.

“I played with completely new shoes to have more grip,” he added.

“I haven’t even played practice [in them]. It was completely new, which usually on other surfaces I don’t do.

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It’s going to take best of me to win – Djokovic

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Seven-time champion Djokovic beat Italian Flavio Cobolli in four sets to secure his semi-final spot but also suffered an injury scare himself during the match.

Leading 5-4 in the fourth set and serving for the match, he slipped and fell awkwardly as he attempted to move for a shot.

It prompted concern from the crowd and Djokovic initially appeared in discomfort when he got up, but shook it off to win the next two points and secure victory.

“There is a concern but we’ll see in the next 24 to 48 hours. It was an awkward, nasty fall,” Djokovic told BBC Sport.

“I’m going to address it with my team and hope that severity is not too bad.”

Djokovic has now broken the record for most Wimbledon men’s singles semi-final appearances with 14, moving one clear of eight-time champion Roger Federer.

It is also a 52nd Grand Slam semi-final appearance for Djokovic, extending his all-time record in the men’s game.

But regardless of his impressive record, he knows he will need to be at his very best against Sinner.

“I am just trying to focus on my recovery right now and getting my body in shape for very physical battle,” he said of his preparations for the match.

“Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him because it’s going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik.

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Wiegman delivers ‘proper England’ performance

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With doubts circling and pressure increasing, England needed to step up at Euro 2025 – and they did.

A 2-1 defeat by France on Saturday meant the defending champions had catching up to do in Group D.

But England ensured their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals remained intact with a commanding victory over the Netherlands.

“Proper England”, as midfielder Georgia Stanway had called it earlier this week, returned as Sarina Wiegman’s side played with fluidity and creativity.

They were back to their defensive best and Wiegman’s positional switches worked a treat.

How Wiegman dealt with scrutiny

Wiegman knows what it means to be under the spotlight, having led England to back-to-back major tournament finals.

When you have set that standard, anything less is a disappointment.

England’s level dropped dramatically against France which increased scrutiny on Wiegman, who suffered her first defeat at a Euros after winning 12 games in a row over the previous two tournaments.

It was also the first time the reigning women’s European champions had lost the first match of their defence at the following finals.

Wiegman admitted the scrutiny was “hard” but she focused on the task in hand.

“I always knew ahead of this tournament that it was a very hard group. It can happen but then you need to win the other games,” she said.

“So yes, I was excited but at the same time I felt a little tense too. I think that’s completely normal as you really want to stay in the tournament and you want to win.

“I just had to focus on my job, review well and think about how we could bring people together.”

Wiegman has often delivered in the big moments and no manager has won more Euros matches than the Dutchwoman (13 – level with Germany’s former manager Tina Theune).

She also boasts the best goals-per-game rate in the competition among managers to take charge of four or more matches, with her sides scoring 40 in 14 games.

Having come under criticism for her decision to start Lauren James in the number 10 role against France – which left England vulnerable defensively – Wiegman made all the right choices against the Netherlands.

James started on the right wing, with Manchester United’s Ella Toone starting in the number 10 role. They scored three of the four goals on the night.

Jess Carter, who struggled against France at left-back, was moved into central defence, swapping with Alex Greenwood, and England kept a clean sheet.

“The priority was that we wanted to skip and exploit space. The Netherlands pushed up so we wanted to go over them. That worked really well,” said Wiegman.

“When you’re in their half of the pitch, you can start playing. We had some nice crosses and we spoke about that too.

“[James] came in good positions but she can also do that in midfield. In midfield today we wanted Ella [Toone] because she can make good runs in behind.”

The plan worked.

Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema had just eight touches in the first half and the Dutch conceded more than two goals in a single match at a major women’s tournament for the first time.

‘That’s a proper English performance’

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England midfielder Keira Walsh said the players “had to acknowledge that sometimes it is a bad day and it was a really bad day against France”.

They wanted to put it behind them and do their talking on the pitch, as team-mate Stanway stressed this week.

Striker Alessia Russo felt they produced the “proper England” performance that Stanway had talked about.

“‘Proper English’ to us means we’ll work hard until we can’t run any more, stick together and know that we are very dominant on the ball,” said Russo.

“We were picking up the ball in right areas and were clinical with our chances. We wanted to return to our roots and we know we’re capable of performances like that.”

Russo was among the standout performers as she picked up three assists – the first player on record (since 2013) to provide as many in a women’s Euros match.

James’ double means she has now been directly involved in more goals (eight) than any other European player at the past two major tournaments.

Stanway and Toone impressed in midfield, while Carter thrived in the centre-back role, with Greenwood producing the goods at left-back.

“We can change the structure of the team with so many different players. That’s a strength of ours, that each individual player is so good at something,” said Lucy Bronze.

“[Greenwood] isn’t the fastest player on the pitch and I think she completely marked Chasity Grant out of the game. She was front-footed, she was aggressive.

“Jess Carter was covering her every single minute of the game as well. I think that’s a proper English performance.”

Carter told BBC Radio 5 Live that the two defenders had felt “isolated” in the defeat by France and they wanted to combat that.

Wiegman made the decision to swap them in training and tested it out.

“I’m not one to question and ask for a reason, I just do the job I’m asked to do,” said Carter.

Has optimism been revived?

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England were one of the pre-tournament favourites and despite defeat by France, qualification for the quarter-finals is in their hands.

If they beat Wales in their final group game, they will qualify for the last eight.

Wiegman admitted the “consequences of the result were huge” against the Netherlands – but it was nothing they did not expect.

“We knew exactly that we were going straight into finals [against strong opposition],” she added.

“Losing the first game, it was not the end of the world but it doesn’t put you in the best position.

“We knew we had to perform really well and the team did.”

Were England written off too soon? They won Euro 2022 and reached the 2023 World Cup final after all.

“Everybody else was panic stations, but we still needed to win this game whether we beat France or not and we knew that,” said Walsh.

“The objective didn’t change. We wanted to take the game to them and put things right that we didn’t the other day.

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  • England Women’s Football Team
  • UEFA Women’s EURO
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Nigeria Lived In A Fool’s Paradise Under Buhari, Tinubu Ended It – Reno Omokri

Reno Omokri, a former aide to Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, claimed that Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has led to a more sustainable development of Nigeria’s economy.

Omokri, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, claimed that Tinubu had to correct what he described as the economic snob Nigeria had experienced while in power.

We were in a fool’s paradise, the author claimed. We are now living within our means, Omokri said on the program. Tinubu has removed that.

Because we want to give our people an artificial luxury, should we continue to go into debt? Under former President Buhari, we were borrowing a lot.

According to him, Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank and current trial defendant, allegedly obtained loans totaling $ 28 trillion without telling the National Assembly.

They were using that money to artificially increase the naira’s value. We can’t just borrow money to feed the population. We must produce, which is why we are producing right now. The ex-presidential aide claimed that exports are rising while imports are falling.

Read more about BRICS: Tinubu seeks review of global governance structures and others.

Sales haven’t been encouraging, according to Kehinde, a seller of animal feed at the Kara cattle market. Nosakhale Akhimien/Channels Television (Photo)

The author claimed that despite the current difficulties, a shift away from debt dependency was necessary in order to answer the question of the typical Nigerian’s purchasing power and livelihood.

“People have the impression that things are getting worse, but the truth is that we need to look inside. He claimed that Tinubu is acting in a manner consistent with Peter Obi and Atiku’s words.

The ex-presidential aide claimed that under Tinubu, Nigeria’s debt levels have actually increased.

Wimbledon fans left outraged as Hugh Grant falls asleep in Royal Box during match

Hugh Grant, the actor who appeared to be dozing off in a crucial Novak Djokovic match on camera in Wimbledon’s Royal Box, has sparked a heated online debate.

Hugh Grant has become the unexpected centre of attention at Wimbledon this week after he was filmed seemingly nodding off in the Royal Box during one of the tournament’s most anticipated matches.

The Love Actually star, 64, was spotted with his head lowered and eyes closed during the men’s quarter-final between Novak Djokovic and Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday. The moment was captured by BBC cameras and broadcast live, just minutes after Grant had been seen chatting amiably with Queen Camilla in the exclusive seating area on Centre Court.

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The couple had earlier appeared cheerful-looking and laughing as they mingled with other guests and stood to greet the Queen at the All England Club, where Grant and his wife, Anna Eberstein, had previously appeared.

However, the actor was filmed wearing sunglasses and slouched in his seat during the match’s high heat, which sparked a flurry of online reactions.

BBC Sport later shared the clip on X (formerly Twitter), joking: “It’s all got a bit too much for Hugh Grant,” along with laughing and sleeping emojis. The post quickly went viral and ignited a spirited debate among tennis fans.

Some users of social media criticized Grant for being disrespectful. One wrote, “COBOLLI, I believe Hugh Grant owes you a massive apology for being completely disrespectful in your tie-breaker situation.”

Another screamed, “Hugh Grant has slept through the first set tiebreak!” T**ts like him and some other “celebs” who receive exclusive tickets to #Wimbledon2025 are deserving of them! “!

Hugh couldn't keep his eyes open at Wimbledon
Hugh couldn’t keep his eyes open at Wimbledon(Image: X/@BBCSport)

Not everyone, however, took the situation so seriously. One joker said, “Hugh Grant asleep in the Royal Box is the best thing I’ve seen at #WIMBLEDON this year!!” There was humour in the brief nap. I adore this man!” Another remarked, “The best thing I’ve seen today is Hugh Grant flat out kipping at Wimbledon.”

The day saw numerous celebrities in attendance enjoying the sunshine. Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham made a style statement in a scarlet alice + olivia dress, while Emily Atack looked elegant in a black and white gown as she sipped a Pimm’s in the stands.

Before taking their seats, comedian Jack Whitehall and his fiance Roxy Horner were spotted posing with Whitehall’s parents in the Vodafone Lounge.

Hugh attended the tennis alongside his wife
Hugh attended the tennis alongside his wife(Image: Getty Images)

Other notable guests included former Prime Minister Sir John Major and influencer GK Barry, who wore a stylish black and white tweed outfit.

Although Grant has not commented on the incident, his mid-game sluggishness has undoubtedly become one of Wimbledon’s most talked-about moments this year.

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