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Ultimate escape is a paradise island where pints cost just £2.20

AN ISLAND dubbed the “Caribbean without the jetlag” – where pints cost just £2.20 – could be the perfect escape from the moody British weather.

An index tracking the best winter sun spots, ranking temperature, hours of sunshine, pint and meal for two prices, time difference, and precipitation, revealed its winner.

An island dubbed the ‘Caribbean without the jetlag’ has topped the best winter sun escape locationCredit: SWNS
The destination which topped the chart averages between 24°C and 25°C throughout January to MarchCredit: SWNS

Sal in Cape Verde was the top spot of the unique index taking into account all things Brits love.

The Atlantic island offers white sandy beaches, subtropical temperatures and just a one-hour time difference with the UK, despite flights taking six hours.

Winter highs average between 24°C and 25°C throughout January to March.

Visitors can enjoy around 10 hours of sunshine each day, according to easyJet’s Winter Sun Index.

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The island also boasts dishes inspired by Portuguese, African and Brazilian cuisines, with a meal for two costing roughly £30.

Close behind in the rankings is Egypt’s Red Sea gem, Hurghada, with winter temperatures sitting between 21°C and 25°C.

Unbelievably pints of beer on average cost under £2.

The resort town offers near-endless sunshine, crystal-clear waters and desert landscapes with activities like quad biking or Jeep safaris.

The Canary Islands also remain firm favourites, with Gran Canaria and Lanzarote claiming third and fourth spots.

Gran Canaria is known for its golden beaches, while Lanzarote stands out with striking black sands and volcanic vistas.

Kevin Doyle, UK country manager for the airline, said: “As temperatures at home begin to drop and the days get darker, now is the perfect time to book an escape to warmer climes.

“Our network and package holidays offer a broad range of winter sun destinations across Europe and beyond – from Sub-Saharan islands to Spanish peninsula cities.”

Other highlights from the index include the likes of Agadir in Morocco, Djerba off Tunisia and Spain’s Seville.

Agadir offers winter highs of 23°C, nearly nine hours of sunshine per day and very little rainfall, while on average, meals for two come in at £26 and a pint just £1.75.

Djerba made the index thanks to a mix of culture and relaxation, with winter temperatures ranging from 16°C to 18°C and up to eight hours of daily sunshine.

The island blends Mediterranean coastline and Saharan influences, plus artisanal market streets, palm trees and sandy beaches, with meals for two costing around £26 and a pint is just £1.30.

Seville, Europe’s warmest city in winter, scores highly for its elegant Moorish architecture and vibrant city life.

Travellers can expect temperatures between 16°C and 22°C, around eight hours of sunshine and a pint for just £2.20.

The city’s plazas, flamenco recitals, and sunny streets make it perfect for those seeking city warmth rather than the sea.

WINTER SUN INDEX – TOP 10 DESTINATIONS

1. Sal – Cape Verde
Typical winter temperature: 24–25C
Hours of sunshine per day: 8–10
Winter precipitation: 1–3mm
Time difference with UK: -1hr
Average pint: £2.20
Price of a meal for 2: £30–£31
Flights: £189.48
Holidays: £760

2. Hurghada – Egypt
Typical winter temperature: 21–25C
Hours of sunshine per day: 9–10
Winter precipitation: ~1mm
Time difference with UK: +2hr
Average pint: £1.75
Price of a meal for 2: £26
Flights: £154
Holidays: £460

3. Gran Canaria – Canary Islands, Spain
Typical winter temperature: 20–22C
Hours of sunshine per day: 7–8
Winter precipitation: 15–20mm
Time difference with UK: 0hr
Average pint: £1.75
Price of a meal for 2: £35
Flights: £29.98
Holidays: £380

4. Lanzarote – Canary Islands, Spain
Typical winter temperature: 21–22C
Hours of sunshine per day: 7–8
Winter precipitation: 10–20mm
Time difference with UK: 0hr
Average pint: £2.20
Price of a meal for 2: £44
Flights: £30.48
Holidays: £420

5. Agadir – Morocco
Typical winter temperature: 19–23C
Hours of sunshine per day: 7.5–8.5
Winter precipitation: 28–40mm
Time difference with UK: 0hr
Average pint: £1.75
Price of a meal for 2: £26
Flights: £44.15
Holidays: £430

6. Fuerteventura – Canary Islands, Spain
Typical winter temperature: 20–22C
Hours of sunshine per day: 6–7
Winter precipitation: 10–15mm
Time difference with UK: 0hr
Average pint: £2.20
Price of a meal for 2: £40
Flights: £51.48
Holidays: £420

7. Tenerife South – Canary Islands, Spain
Typical winter temperature: 18–22C
Hours of sunshine per day: 7–8
Winter precipitation: 15–30mm
Time difference with UK: 0hr
Average pint: £2.20
Price of a meal for 2: £40
Flights: £27.98
Holidays: £350

8. Djerba – Tunisia
Typical winter temperature: 16–18C
Hours of sunshine per day: 7–8
Winter precipitation: 18–25mm
Time difference with UK: +1hr
Average pint: £1.30
Price of a meal for 2: £26
Flights: £76.12
Holidays: £320

9. Seville – Spain
Typical winter temperature: 16–22C
Hours of sunshine per day: 6–8
Winter precipitation: 30–45mm
Time difference with UK: 0hr
Average pint: £2.20
Price of a meal for 2: £40
Flights: £81.98
Holidays: £230

10. Paphos – Cyprus
Typical winter temperature: 17–19C
Hours of sunshine per day: 7–8
Winter precipitation: 40–60mm
Time difference with UK: +2hr
Average pint: £2.65
Price of a meal for 2: £48–£50
Flights: £52.98
Holidays: £400

Sal in Cape Verde was the top spot of the unique indexCredit: SWNS

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Competing Senate healthcare bills fail to pass

Dec. 11 (UPI) — The Senate failed to approve either of two competing healthcare plans meant to address healthcare costs likely to rise in the new year with the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Democrats and Republicans each put forth their own healthcare plans, but neither mustered the 60 votes needed to overcome the Senate’s filibuster rule with identical 51-48 vote totals, NBC News and The Hill reported.

Each proposal mostly received party-line support, with only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. voting against the GOP proposal, which all Senate Democrats also opposed.

Senate Democrats received some GOP support for their proposal, with Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, voting in favor.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., did not cast a vote for or against either measure.

The Democrats’ plan included a three-year extension of enhanced ACA subsidies beyond the Jan. 1 expiration date. The proposal would also limit health insurance premiums under the ACA to 8.5% of the policyholders’ incomes.

The enhanced subsidies were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan.

To pass, Democrats needed at least 13 Republicans to vote in favor of the plan.

The expiring subsidies were the crux of a six-week government shutdown this fall. Democrats refused to vote in favor of a House Republican-drafted stopgap funding measure without including language that would see the subsidies extended beyond December.

Without the subsidies, healthcare premiums through the ACA were forecast to more than double in some cases. The Congressional Budget Office projects about 3.8 million will drop coverage annually over the next eight years without the additional subsidies. In 2025, a record 24 million Americans got their health insurance through the healthcare marketplace.

“We have 21 days until Jan.1,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “After that, people’s healthcare bills will start going through the roof. Double, triple, even more.

“There is only one way to avoid all of this. The only realistic path left is what Democrats are proposing — a clean, direct extension of this urgent tax credit.”

Republicans, however, refused to consider the subsidies as part of the continuing resolution. Ultimately, Republicans agreed to consider a separate healthcare vote as a tradeoff to reopening the government.

The Republican plan, unveiled Tuesday by Sens. Bill Cassidy and Mike Crapo, doesn’t extend the subsidies but provides $1,500 health savings accounts for those earning less than 700% of the poverty level.”

“It delivers the benefit directly to the patient, not to the insurance company, and it does it in a way that actually saves money to the taxpayer,” Senate Republican leader John Thune said.

He described the Democrats’ plan as a “partisan messaging exercise” and called the idea that it would lower healthcare costs a “tour of fantasy land,” according to ABC News.

President Donald Trump makes remarks during a roundtable meeting with high-tech business executives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Wednesday. The president announced that the United States has seized an oil tanker near Venezuela and a revealed a new special corporate immigration gold card focused on keeping students in the United States. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo

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