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Travelling with kids can be expensive, even if you stay within the UK, but changing your travel dates could potentially save you hundreds of pounds – according to Expedia some dates could be the key to nabbing bargains

When you have kids, it feels like the days of cheap holidays are over, especially once they hit school age. Holidays can take a lot more planning and careful budgeting.

However, travel booking site Expedia has given parents a hand, putting together data that shows the cheapest exact dates to travel as a family, as well as the peak travel dates to avoid. Melanie Fish, spokesperson for Expedia Group Brands said: “Using the right dates to dodge peak travel times is a great money‑saving hack, especially when paired with booking everything you need for your trip on Expedia for a hassle‑free holiday.”

It also revealed some up and coming destinations for spring that are seeing a surge in searches, potentially making them popular places for a spring break. These include Conwy, Tenby, and the Cotswolds, all classic family holiday staycation spots.

As you may expect, late-March and early-April are expensive times to travel as parents try to get some time away for the Easter holidays. For domestic travel, the most expensive dates are between May 23 and 31, which is half-term in most schools across the UK. The most expensive dates for international travel were revealed as April 5 and May 23, again both coinciding with school holidays.

The busiest dates for staycations were found to be March 6 and 27, while for international travel, you can expect packed airports and ferry ports on April 2 and 3. If you’re someone who prefers to avoid the crowds and traffic, it’s best to rethink booking a departure on these dates.

When it comes to the cheapest dates, for domestic travel these fall on March 1 and 2, early in the spring, as it’s before the main tourist season kicks off in most staycation spots.

For international travel, the cheapest departure dates include March 2 and April 27. Unfortunately, these do fall outside of school holiday dates, but some parents may be tempted to book a break anyway. However, it’s worth making sure you research school holiday fines before you pull the kids out of school, as a family of four could rack up a £320 bill even for a first offence.

The quietest times to travel also fall outside of school holidays: April 28 and May 31. However, if your school has a later May half-term or inset days tacked onto the holiday, then going slightly later could cut the cost of a break later in the month. Choose flexible dates when searching for flights or holidays to see how much you could save by departing a few days later.

If you’re in a particularly strict area for school holiday fines, don’t worry, shifting your dates within the school holidays can also cut costs. For example, the cheapest dates to book in the six week summer holidays tend to be closer to the end of the holiday, as most people want to go away as soon as school finishes. By opting for a late-August rather than mid-July break you could save hundreds and still be back in time for school.

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The saga of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” will continue.

Author Sarah J. Maas announced on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast Wednesday that two new books will be released in the hugely popular romantasy series, ending a five-year drought since the fifth installment, “A Court of Silver Flames.” The sixth book will be published on Oct. 27, 2026, and the seventh on Jan. 12, 2027.

“It took me a while to find the right story and to be in the right headspace. And then, like what poured out of me was this and it poured out very quickly,” the author told Cooper. “The story that was finally ready to come out of me was big. Really, really big.”

Maas first teased the sixth book on Instagram in July, with the caption “First drafts DONE” on a video that drew nearly a million likes.

Maas did not share details about the book titles, cover art or whose point of view the stories will follow, but did mention that the character’s perspective was “one of the surprising things” for her while writing.

On Instagram, Maas thanked her fans for their patience, passion and “never letting the world fade.”

“I know how long you’ve waited. I know how much these characters mean to you. And I also know these stories deserve more than speed and deadlines. They deserve my best self. They deserve the right moment,” Maas wrote. “I’m so honored by the way you guys have always embraced Prythian as your own. I truly hope it feels like coming home for you like it did for me.”

The first installment of the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series was released in 2015, but the franchise gained popularity on BookTok — a TikTok subcommunity dedicated to literature — during the COVID-19 pandemic. The books follow Feyre Archeron in the faerie lands of Prythian and her love story with the High Lord of the Night Court, Rhysand.

Maas has sold more than 70 million English copies between her interconnected “Throne of Glass,” “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and “Crescent City” series, according to her website. Maas is a major player in the romantasy — a portmanteau of romance and fantasy — genre, which has soared in popularity on TikTok.

“This is going to sound silly, and you probably won’t believe me, but just talking about things like legacy is beyond for me,” Maas told Cooper. “I’m still very much that girl in middle school or high school sneaking off to watch anime or drool over Legolas and getting to go play in these worlds in my head and do the thing that makes me come alive every day, that’s incredible.”

Many TUI customers due to fly in the next few days will be awaiting news of whether their flights and package holidays are cancelled. The travel operator has now issued a major update on the situation

TUI has cancelled more flights to Cyprus as a UK Royal Navy warship heads for the region.

Sir Keir Starmer said HMS Dragon – a Type 45 Destroyer – will be sent to that section of the Mediterranean. The PM has also spoken with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to let him know the UK is also “sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities”.

It comes a day after the runway of the British air base in Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri, was hit by a drone. The Ministry of Defence said it caused “minimal damage”.

Today, flights to Cyprus’s two commercial airports were cancelled, with easyJet, Ryanair and TUI scrapping services. This afternoon, German travel giant TUI issued a major update on its coming Cyprus flights.

The spokesperson said: “In light of the evolving situation in the Middle East, we have taken the decision to cancel the four TUI Airways flights scheduled to travel to Cyprus on Wednesday, 4 March. We appreciate this may be disappointing news for those due to travel, and we are truly sorry for the disruption to our customers’ holiday plans. Our customer service teams are fully mobilised, and every affected customer will be contacted directly to discuss the options available to them.

“We want to reassure all customers that we are closely monitoring developments and keeping the situation under constant review.”

As for next steps, TUI has said: “Customers will be contacted directly and offered the option to amend their booking fee-free, with a rebooking incentive, or to receive a full refund.”

It also confirmed that its next TUI Airways flights to Cyprus are scheduled to operate on Saturday (March 7). TUI said: “At this stage, these flights are planned to run as normal. However, we continue to monitor the situation closely and, as it remains dynamic, schedules may be subject to change.”

Passengers flying out on Saturday should keep an eye on TUI’s travel alert page, as well as check its app for updates, and keep up to date with international news.

Flights cancelled on Wednesday, 4 March:

• TOM7318 – East Midlands Airport to Paphos
• TOM6312 – Cardiff Airport to Paphos
• TOM6354 – Bournemouth to Paphos
• TOM2336 – Manchester to Paphos

TUI’s website also has advice for customers currently in Cyprus. It says: “The safety of our customers is always our top priority. Our teams are working with our airline partners to monitor the situation and make arrangements to bring you back to the UK once it is safe to do so. We are working though bookings in date order and will call you to discuss your options. However, if you would prefer, please call us on 0203 451 2688.

“If you choose to call us, please be aware that we are receiving an exceptional volume of calls and there may be some delay in your call being answered.”

READ MORE: TUI, Emirates, British Airways and easyJet latest updates on when flights might resumeREAD MORE: TUI issues update for Brits impacted by Middle East travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) does not currently advise against travel to Cyprus, but many airlines have been cancelling their flights in light of the current situation.

The FCDO advises that Brits planning a holiday in Cyprus should sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts, monitor local news, and regularly review departure plans as the situation can change rapidly.

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England and South Africa have postponed a T20 international series which was originally planned for next winter.

The two sides will play three Test matches and three one-day internationals across December 2026 and January 2027.

In addition to the ODIs the white-ball leg of the tour was supposed to include three T20s as per the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme.

Cricket South Africa and the England and Wales Cricket Board are planning to rearrange the 20-over series to a later date.

South Africa’s domestic T20 franchise tournament – the SA20 – is set to be played from 9 January until 14 February 2027 and a number of players from both sides are expected to participate.

“The originally planned T20 series has been removed from the schedule due to scheduling conflicts,” said an ECB statement.

“Both parties are exploring opportunities to reschedule it at a later date.”

England’s Test series in South Africa starts on 17 December at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

The second Test between the sides will start on 26 December at SuperSport Park at Centurion while the final Test at Newlands in Cape Town begins on 3 January.

The ODI series starts at Boland Park in Paarl on 10 January, with the final two matches of the series at the Manguang Oval in Bloemfontein on 13 and 15 January.

BARRY Manilow has been forced to reschedule his shows AGAIN after undergoing cancer surgery following his diagnosis in December.

The veteran singer, 82, has delivered a health update to fans while revealing he will have to push back his tour dates.

In his post, Barry revealed he was rescheduling his first batch of arena shows, which were due to begin in a matter of days.

He explained that the shows that are being canceled are the February 27 up until March 17 shows, on the order of his surgeon.

Barry then delivered some happy news when he said he would likely be able to do the Vegas shows at the very end of March, and the second batch of arena shows at the beginning of April.

“I’m SO, SO sorry I have to reschedule some of these first arena shows, again,” Barry added.

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The full statement read: “Hi everyone, Barry here.

“Just got home from visiting the surgeon. Very depressing visit.

“I told him that I have been using the treadmill three times a day (I have) but that I still couldn’t sing more than three songs in a row before I had to stop.”

Barry added that he told his surgeon that he was sure he would be able to do the arena shows in a few weeks, but the surgeon shook his head.