experts

Al Jazeera’s Nils Adler @nilsadler1 reports on how far-right ‘Active Clubs’ use fitness and camaraderie to recruit young white men while masking extremist ideology. Experts warn the decentralized groups are preparing members for real-world violence.

Preparation explained part of the conversation. Watching her ride explained the rest.

Again and again, people used the same word. Smooth.

“She’s got a beautiful style. You could put a teacup on her back and it would not spill,” said two-time Commonwealth champion Katherine Bates.

“She’s got an exceptionally strong core. She does not move at all on the bike, even when putting out maximum power.”

Paralympic gold medalist and Finucane’s former Great Britain team-mate, Jenny Holl, believes that style is difficult to teach.

“Emma looks like she’s one with the bike,” she reveres.

“She’s so smooth, so dialed. She never looks like she’s fighting with it and, for me, that’s the biggest difference. That fluidity seems to give her that extra gear.”

Finucane’s positioning has taken years of refining and discipline.

“She’s so low but that’s really hard work. She’s trained herself to be in that position,” explained Partridge.

“The work she’s put in, the focus on the position and the discipline on her line, all these things add up to making her what she is.”

Perhaps the best example came in the women’s 1km time trial.

While most of the field opted for specialist time-trial handlebars, Finucane chose conventional drop handlebars.

She still won.

WASHINGTON — With three months remaining until election day, there is now little the Trump administration can do to bring relief to Americans battered by years of stagnant wages and steep inflation before they hit the polls, experts say — complicating midterm campaigning for Republicans and sharpening the opportunity for Democrats to win back some control in Washington.

That’s in part because the Trump administration has very few levers to turn the tide in such a short period, and has shown little interest in using those it does have, experts said. Rather, President Trump has persisted in waging war in Iran and pushed forward with new tariffs on trade partners despite both contributing to soaring costs for food, gas and other basic necessities.

Other options, such as issuing rebate checks for consumers or releasing strategic oil reserves, would be costly in the long run, experts said.

“There isn’t much available on a 14-week clock that doesn’t cost more later than it delivers now,” said Patrick Harker, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday also declined to use its primary tool for reducing inflation — increasing interest rates — by instead holding rates steady. Trump had not supported a rate increase, instead pressuring the central bank to lower rates, which can lower borrowing costs but increase inflation.

Some factors driving up costs are virtually impossible to resolve in the near term, such as damage to oil refining capabilities in the Middle East as a result of the war in Iran. Others are already baked into pricing to come as a result of tariffs and fuel costs, including for groceries, experts said.

Incumbent parties often suffer midterm losses when voters are broadly pessimistic about the economy, as they are now despite remarkable resilience in the U.S. labor market and strong stock returns.

Consumer prices declined in June for the first time in six years, largely thanks to a decline in gas prices as the Iran war appeared headed toward a resolution — which is no longer the case.

New data Thursday showed the U.S. economy growing at a sluggish 1.5% pace from April through June. It also showed consumer spending and inflation slowing down. But slowing inflation has not meant lower costs.

As the Iran war entered its sixth month this week, average gas prices nationally climbed back above $4 a gallon. On Wednesday, the price of Brent crude oil rose to $90 a barrel as the U.S. and Iran carried out new strikes.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. However, Trump asserted Wednesday that the economy is strong — citing in part new U.S. automobile plants as evidence — while slamming the Federal Reserve’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged.

“They want to keep rates up, but we will fight through this,” Trump told reporters at an Oval Office event. “We have things that are going on in our country in the likes of which no one has ever seen.”

As Democrats have seized on the economy as the midterms’ defining issue, Trump has promised improvements but also called affordability concerns a “hoax.” Last week, he rejected the notion that he should rethink his unpopular Iran strategy because of the looming midterms.

“No, the election — I can’t think about that having to do with this,” he said before renewing attacks last week. “I think people are very impressed.”

Jonathan Nagler, a New York University professor who studies how the economy shapes politics, said it is impossible to predict how voters will feel about the economy three months from now, because there are so many variables.

But data make clear that “the better the economy is, the better the incumbent does,” and voters will blame Trump and his party for their economic woes if they persist, Nagler said — particularly with gas prices, which are “a non-trivial expense” that is “super directly tied to Trump.”

“Democrats can draw a very straight line from a decision by Trump to go to war with Iran, and gas prices rising. That is just very, very easy to explain to people in a pretty convincing way,” Nagler said. “Democrats can try to say, ‘Hey, there should be some accountability here.’”

Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, said inflation has compounded for years “to make the level of prices too high for too many,” and is clearly the biggest economic issue facing many Americans.

“And that’s not likely to change in the next few months, where you still not only have some of the spillover effects of the war in Iran to play out — most notably in terms of the fall harvest and food prices, which will go well into 2027 — but also just the on-again, off-again truces and the damages to refining capacities,” she said.

All of that is adding to “simmering” service sector inflation and Trump’s latest tariffs, which mean “more paperwork, more costs, and another bump in prices in the pipeline,” Swonk said.

Harker said the administration has no good options for bringing down prices by November. Reducing tariffs takes time to filter down to shelf prices, so that can’t offer a quick fix even if Trump were to decide to cut them, he said.

The biggest variable between now and November is energy, Harker said, and no economic tool allows the administration to control what happens in the Persian Gulf. Even if Trump’s war with Iran were to end, economists say it would take a significant amount of time for gas prices to come down.

The Fed could decide to raise rates in September, but Harker said that would take time to filter through the economy and would do “nothing” ahead of November.

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to immediately “reverse the disastrous effects of [President] Biden’s inflation and rebuild the greatest economy in the history of the world,” one where “incomes will skyrocket, inflation will vanish completely, jobs will come roaring back, and the middle class will prosper like never, ever before.”

A recent CNN poll found that 65% of Americans believe Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions in the country, while less than a quarter — 22% — said they had improved conditions, and that 67% believe Trump’s choices in Iran hurt the U.S.

The poll found Trump had a 34% approval rating, matching a career low from the end of his first term, and that his support fell even lower on key issues: to 28% on Iran, 25% on inflation and 21% on gas prices.

A recent Pew Research Center survey found most Americans aren’t feeling great about the economy — with 24% rating economic conditions as excellent or good, 41% rating them as “only fair,” and 35% rating them as poor. It also found that voters want candidates running for Congress in November to talk about economic issues.

Democrats see the poll numbers as an opportunity to win over swing voters, which becomes more urgent as the campaign enters its fall stretch.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) last week placed blame for rising costs squarely on Trump‘s tariffs, his “reckless war of choice” in Iran, and cuts to healthcare made in last year’s federal spending package.

Vidhya Jeyadev, a spokesperson for Majority Democrats, which is focused on growing the party, said Democrats now have an opportunity to bring in Republican voters disillusioned with the president’s handling of the economy.

“We need to tie what people are feeling day to day — rising rent, groceries, utility costs — directly to the choices that Trump and Republicans have made,” Jeyadev said.

Many Republican leaders have acknowledged economic challenges while defending Trump’s policy decisions.

They have broadly backed the war in Iran as a necessary step to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) recently defended Trump’s tariffs, too, acknowledging some sectors have experienced “challenges” as a result, but saying “all that’s settling out as we go into this election cycle.”

Swonk said some economic indicators do show a surprisingly strong economy that benefits the rich.

However, “there’s a reason people are upset, and that’s because inflation, much like stock returns, has compounded — but not everybody has stock returns. Everybody feels inflation. And that drives a larger wedge between the haves and the have-nots,” she said.

“What anyone really cares about is the prices that went up didn’t come back down, and their wages didn’t keep up with it,” Swonk said. “It doesn’t feel like you can do as many things as you once did. And that’s hard.”

Travel experts are suggesting British holidaymakers are opting for so-called ‘coolcations’ this summer as wildfires ravage parts of Europe including Spain, France, Italy and Portugal

Wildfires are currently raging across large parts of southern Europe. France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece have all been affected – and this could potentially have a knock-on effect to British summer holiday plans.

These nations are often among those favoured by UK tourists during the warm summer months, but these nations may be too warm at the moment with temperatures surging past 40C.

France’s president Emmanuel Macron described the escalating situation as the nation’s worst wildfire crisis since World War Two, with firefighters battling blazes around the clock. Flames are also spreading at an alarming rate across Spain, while active fires continue to rage in northern and central Portugal, as well as Sicily and parts of southern Italy.

With this in mind travel experts have been suggesting potential alternatives if people want to take a so-called ‘coolcation’, and one name keeps cropping up.

Several industry insiders suggested to Reach PLC that people might consider visiting Norway, and Scandinavia more broadly, owing to the milder temperatures that come with heading north instead of south, reports the Express.

Jacqueline Mondelli, of travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth, was among those to recommend Norway. She added: “Similar to last summer, we’re seeing coolcations draw travellers away from the traditional European hotspots like Italy, France, and Spain, in lieu of cooler climates and outdoor adventures.”

Emily Grossman, travel expert with the site TrustedHousesitters, said Norway could be a possibility for travellers looking for cooler climes: “For holiday travellers still weighing up their plans, it’s worth considering destinations less exposed to extreme heat and drought.

“We’re already seeing cooler summer climate choices reflected in TrustedHousesitters’ booking data. House-sitting stays in Norway up nearly 30% year-on-year, and Denmark is up over 24%.”

Norway, Denmark and Sweden are all straightforward to get to from the UK, with direct flights available from a range of airports across the country.

Alicia Hempstead, travel insurance expert at MoneySupermarket.com, suggested that those planning a holiday might want to look towards Scandinavia as an alternative destination.

She said: “As wildfires are unpredictable and can arise at any moment, especially during periods of extreme heat, it’s difficult to say where people should choose instead.

“However, the safest approach would be to choose destinations that are less prone to extreme heat, for example, countries in Scandinavia such as Denmark or Sweden.”

Tim Gunstone, of HotelPlanner, was in agreement, saying: “Tourists are choosing cooler European destinations and to travel to the hottest destinations in October rather than August.

“The biggest winner has been Scandinavia. This has seen August bookings grow by a massive 120%.”

Bryce Collins, founder of INTRO Travel, said: “If you’re set on Europe, head north. The nordics rarely see the extremes, and anywhere on a coast or a big lake stays cooler, there’s something calming about having all that water around.”

Months after the United Nations Security Council backed a comprehensive framework to end Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, Israel’s security cabinet has approved a highly constrained pilot project to allow foreign security forces into a narrow pocket of the devastated territory.

Israeli media reported on Sunday that the so-called International Stabilization Force (ISF), part of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point “peace plan”, will include 200 members from countries such as Morocco and Uganda deploying to a designated “test” zone in the southern city of Rafah.

While international officials have welcomed the move, analysts describe the limited deployment as a calculated diplomatic gesture with little practical effect that comes as the US-backed peace process has largely stalled and as Israel’s deadly attacks continue.

Instead of a genuine transition towards peace, they argue, the move is a political manoeuvre designed to deflect US pressure ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington this week, while simultaneously entrenching the geographic fragmentation of the Gaza Strip.

“Netanyahu is going to Washington to say ‘no’ to the broader demands of withdrawal” from the Strip, says Wissam Afifa, a Gaza-based political analyst. “Instead, he is offering this alternative: ‘Take this small appetiser, take this minor achievement, and play within this highly restricted space.’”

Scaled-back forces and ‘rubber batons’

The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the original plan anticipated the deployment of 500 Moroccan troops to a refugee camp in the city. The drastic reduction to just 200 troops may indicate that Israel’s political-security cabinet has decided to divide the deployment into even smaller, heavily controlled stages.

The force will operate in full coordination with the Israeli military. According to the Israeli news outlet Ynet, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was the sole cabinet member to vote against the measure, arguing that the Palestinian group Hamas had failed to fulfill its commitment to disarm and insisting that “the solution in Gaza is to encourage migration”.

Israeli media also reported that the government maintains that the Israeli military will retain control of the “Yellow Line” – a unilaterally imposed boundary that effectively places up to 70 percent of the Gaza Strip under tight Israeli control – and that no withdrawal will take place until Hamas has fully disarmed.

The original framework endorsed by UNSC Resolution 2803 called for the deployment of an international force alongside a transitional Palestinian administration.

Earlier this month, Hamas announced it would dissolve its government in Gaza and hand over power to a new, Palestinian technocratic governing authority called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

Analysts said Hamas’s move was likely designed to apply pressure on Israel and demonstrate the group’s commitment to handing over governance and allowing the rebuilding of the territory.

The pilot programme also envisions the NCAG’s entry to oversee civil affairs in Gaza. Yet, according to Haaretz, the Palestinian police accompanying them will be stripped of firearms, permitted to carry only “rubber batons and tasers”.

Meanwhile, preparations on the ground appear to be moving forward to accommodate this new security architecture. Israeli Army Radio recently broadcast a video showing a military base under construction in the southern “Gaza envelope” near the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

The station reported that the sprawling facility is being built specifically to host the incoming multinational forces before their deployment.

Despite the severe Israeli restrictions, Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for the Board of Peace, welcomed the Israeli cabinet’s decision, praising it as a “critical part of the agreed framework for stabilizing Gaza, supporting demilitarization, and enabling the transition to effective Palestinian transitional administration”.

A ‘sweetener’ for Washington

To understand the timing and motivation behind the decision, experts pointed to the diplomatic deadlock surrounding the US-brokered peace initiative. Trump’s plan envisioned a phased approach, bridged by the handover of Gaza to a technocratic committee. However, this framework has been stalled by Israel’s refusal to link a ceasefire to the broader political situation and its rejection of a phased withdrawal.

Afifa said the “failure” of the US administration’s flagship initiative had left it “embarrassed” as the project that was repeatedly highlighted by Trump “as a great achievement, resulted in zero”.

With Netanyahu heading to Washington, the Israeli prime minister desperately needed a deliverable, said Afifa. The cabinet’s decision, passed hastily via a telephone vote during a Knesset recess to avoid internal coalition fractures, provides exactly that, he added.

Mamoun Abu Amer, an expert on Israeli affairs, echoed this assessment. He viewed the rushed cabinet vote as an attempt to preempt US pressure and present an image of compliance to Trump, while fundamentally altering the agreement’s core terms to suit Israel’s long-term security strategy.

Abu Amer also said that Israel has effectively turned Resolution 2803 upside down through selective and highly conditional implementation.

“This is an inverted process,” said Abu Amer. The original text implied that the NCAG would enter Gaza, the ISF would deploy and the Israeli military would withdraw to new lines to allow for stabilisation. Instead, Israel is demanding unilateral disarmament first, while keeping the technocratic committee besieged within an Israeli security envelope.

Abu Amer also suggested the requirement for the Palestinian police force to only carry rubber batons and tasers reflects a premeditated Israeli strategy to strip the Palestinian administration of genuine law enforcement capabilities, reducing them to subcontractors managing municipal decay in a thoroughly devastated environment under a strict military occupation.

The NCAG itself appeared to reject this Israeli paradigm. In a recent statement, the committee declared it would only assume responsibility for Gaza after UNSC approval of the force’s deployment and, crucially, a full Israeli military withdrawal.

‘False witnesses’

The spatial realities of the Israeli plan reveal a strategy of deep fragmentation and long-term control, experts said, pointing to the cabinet’s decision to explicitly restrict the ISF and the technocrats to operating strictly outside the “Yellow Line”.

Afifa warned that transforming a small pocket of Rafah into an “experimental bubble” subverts the idea of Gaza as a single, contiguous territorial entity.

“This raises a massive question about the fate of two million people,” he said. “If this entire project is reduced to a few thousand individuals selected under Israeli criteria, it means a tacit agreement from the international community to leave two million Gazans hostage to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis while Israel claims to be implementing a peace plan.”

This also carries significant diplomatic risks for the participating nations. Israeli media reported the cabinet’s decision stipulated that ISF contributors must be nations that have peace agreements with Israel and do not pursue legal actions against it in international forums.

“It is not wise for an Arab country like Morocco to be a party to helping Netanyahu implement his political agenda,” said Abu Amer, urging participating nations to reject the altered Israeli formula and insist on a comprehensive withdrawal.

Failing to do so, he cautioned, would reduce foreign troops to mere security buffers, acting as “false witnesses” to the continuation of the occupation and the destruction of the Palestinian society.

WE’VE seen the end of Matty Healy’s messy era with his marriage to Gabbriette Bechtel – and it’s all down to another woman. 

That’s the opinion of The Sun’s Howell Davies, who first met the notoriously chaotic rocker over a decade ago. 

Our experts have delved into The 1975 frontman’s life story on Showbiz Fix: Uncut, looking at his high school days when the band was first formed, through to worldwide success and that relationship with Taylor Swift. 

But our Associate Bizarre Editor Howell believes his marriage to model Gabbriette last week marks the dawn of a new era – and we’ve got Charli XCX to thank.

Chatting on The Sun’s celebrity vodcast, Howell said: “Matty and Gabrielle got together in 2023 but the fun connection is that Gabbriette is actually really good friends with Charli.

“Gabbriette and Charli got to know each other really well on this Netflix show that Charli made where she put together a band called Nasty Cherry and Gabbriette was in this band. 

PROUD MUM

Denise Welch shares unseen pics of son Matty Healy’s wedding

MAT-TIE HEALY

Matty Healy to get married in A-list location with dress code he won’t like

“Charli was sort of there helping them make it in music, she got them a record deal. 

“The band didn’t really last very long – but the show is entertaining if anyone wants to go back and watch it. 

“But because Charli has been dating Matty’s band mate George for years, eventually Gabbriette and Matty Healy met, through this friend group.”

Charli was never a fan of Matty’s on/off relationship with Taylor and even shaded the US popstar in her own track, Sympathy Is A Knife.

Howell went on: “I think Gabbriette is definitely more approved by Charli than Taylor Swift was, for sure. 

“It makes a lot more sense for him to be with Gabbriette 

“Fans love it. You know, they’re sort of this edgy, wild card couple who will always be doing weird stuff. 

“You know, Gabbriette has a pet rat and you’re like, yeah, that makes sense for Matty.”

Matty and Gabbriette married at the historic Castillo del Lago estate in Los Angeles on July 18. 

It came two weeks after his ex’s wedding – with Taylor marrying Travis Kelce on July 3 in New York.

Howell said: “The funny thing about Gabbriette and Matty getting together in 2023, just after his split from Taylor Swift, is it’s almost exactly the same time, almost to the week, that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey got together. 

“Then, you know, fast forward three years, they’re getting married two weeks apart. 

“So I think there’s stellar competitiveness between Taylor and Matty.”

You can watch the full episode of Showbiz Fix: Uncut on The Sun’s Showbiz YouTube channel, where a new episode drops weekly. 

EDITOR’S ANALYSIS

Houthi blockade for now is shaping who moves Saudi crude, not whether it moves, analysts say, even as oil prices soar.

As oil prices hit $100 a barrel on Thursday, experts say they are watching to see which vessels Yemen’s Houthis allow to pass through in the Red Sea as that will indicate how the crude market trends.

Brent futures rose $6.58 or 6.96 percent, to $100.65 a barrel, exceeding $100 for the first time since late May.

That was on the back of the Iran-aligned Houthis saying they were cutting off the passage Riyadh had been using to ship parts of its crude oil once Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to retaliate against United States and Israel attacks.

On Monday, the Yemeni group declared a naval blockade on shipments from Saudi Arabia and said they would target Saudi, Israeli, and United States-linked tankers in the Bab el-Mandeb, which links the Red sea to the Indian Ocean.

On Thursday, the Houthis attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers, the group said, with a Saudi news agency later confirming that one of the two vessels was set ablaze.

It is not clear if the second one was also hit, according to marine analysis firm, Windward.

“The Houthis are quite mercurial and there is no complete clarity on what the blockade means,” said Michelle Bockmann, a senior maritime intelligence analyst at Windward.

“We’re watching now the ability of Chinese-owned tankers at [Saudi port] Yanbu if they are allowed to go through Bab el-Mandeb. Two have gone through but those had been loaded before the blockade was announced.”

The Houthis have previously relied on China for help, including for drone components, and “the Chinese have previously had a free pass”, said Bockmann, including between 2023 and 2025 when the Houthis attacked cargo ships aligned with Israel and the US in the Red Sea in the wake of the war on Gaza.

Windward tracking shows the cargo that moved through the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint on July 20 was Saudi in origin but Chinese in crew and destination, and it drew no interdiction. The two vessels passed through the same corridor that Western- and Saudi-linked operators were being warned to avoid.

The enforcement is calibrated to affiliation rather than cargo and the blockade is shaping who moves Saudi crude, not whether it moves, Windward said.

“No one has ever been able to predict their actions… but they know you don’t have to do a lot to get the oil markets to react,” said Bockmann referring to the rise in benchmark oil prices on Thursday.

Rachel Ziemba, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, underscored that the standoff in Bab el-Mandeb is happening while crude buffers have nor been replenished after the peak of the Hormuz crisis earlier this year.

“The multiple chokepoints are new and an example of littoral states looking to use their leverage,” Ziemba said.

Diesel also impacted

For now, both the Houthi threats and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil transited before the US-Israel war on Iran, has sent prices soaring, including at the pump in the US reaching the national average of $4.09 per gallon (3.4 liter).

“Today’s rise in oil prices could cause $0.10 to $0.20 rise over the next week or two per gallon average price in US,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

But De Haan is looking beyond the two straits and says he’s watching the availability of diesel as price per gallon averages $5.34.

“Diesel prices are being impacted more significantly,” he told Al Jazeera.

One reason behind that is that Ukrainian drone attacks have taken offline some of Russia’s oil refineries. The shortages are being felt domestically leading to Russia banning diesel exports, De Haan said.

“Oil exports are one story, but supplies of diesel gasoline, jet fuel is another story,” he said.

Another unknown in the mix is the role of China which, historically has been a major importer but slashed those imports in the past few months, helping stabilise global prices as some pressure on demand eased.

“It’s been one of the reasons that oil prices haven’t gone up dramatically – that china slashed its imports, and no one predicted that,” De Haan said. “For now, we don’t know if china is using its own strategic reserves or if it will start import again.”

Between those geopolitical plays and the upcoming hurricane season in the US, there is “another wildcard ahead for global refining capacity” and prices, De Haan said.

BEACH? Check. Cheap booze? Check. Quick flights and nice hotels? Check, check.

We know what makes a good holiday, and it’s all of the above. But where can you find all of these things, and still get deals for as little as £159 per person?

The Sun’s team of travel experts have named some of their top places to go for a beach holiday, whether you love a bit of culture or just time sunning it up by the pool.

Along with cheap flights, hotels and cocktails, none of these will break the bank – and they come expert approved.

Urla, Turkey

Brits love a bit of Turkish coastline, with millions of us visiting the country’s beach resorts each year. But when I told friends I was visiting the coastal town of Urla in Turkey’s Izmir region (pictured above) a couple of summers ago, I was met with blank faces.

Unsurprising then, that there were hardly any Brits wandering the quaint streets of the town, which looks out over the Aegean sea.

Featured as one of Conde Nast Traveller’s Places To Visit in 2024, we swam in the sea at a local beach club during the day and hit up a couple of the local vineyards, then gorged on delicious food and cocktails at night.

And it really is delicious food, as the town is home to several restaurants that feature in the fancy Michelin food guide. However, that doesn’t mean you have to pay Michelin prices everywhere – this is after all, an article about cheap destinations.

At the Bulls**t Pub near the seafront, you can get a burger and fries with a small beer for 450 Turkish lira (£7) and at the highly rated Evba Urla neighbourhood restaurant, you can get a huge Turkish breakfast for the same price.

Accommodation varies in prices, with several chic boutique hotels as well as family guesthouses from £500 a week for a family of four in August, while airlines offering flights include Pegasus, easyJet and SunExpress from £132 return in late-August. – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Djerba, Tunisia

With eight miles of powdery soft white sands lapped by azure blue waters, Sidi Mahres on the Tunisian island of Djerba could give the Caribbean a run for its money.

And yet the island just off the coast of the North African country offers incredible value for money with 4* hotels a fraction of what you’d pay in Europe.

You’ll also get so much more than just a great beach here. From the bustling souks to Djerbahood – a maze of winding lanes covered in vibrant street art – there’s plenty to keep the culture vultures happy too.

The island’s hotel zone has plenty of all-inclusive hotel options – I stayed at the beachfront 5* Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalasso.

With huge pools, four restaurants and three bars it also has the biggest Thalasso spa on the island for the ultimate pampering.

Seven nights’ all-inclusive is from just £488pp with easyJet Holidays, including flights from the UK, luggage and transfers. – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Gran Canaria, Spain

If I’m heading to the beach, it needs to be hot enough for me to catch a killer tan.

That’s why Gran Canaria ranks highly for me as a beach destination.

The Spanish island’s proximity to the Western Sahara means temperatures are usually soaring and sunshine is pretty much guaranteed year round. Plus, it’s fly-and-flop heaven.

The last time I visited, I spent the majority of my time on a sun lounger with a book, having cocktails handed to me every hour by a doting poolside waiter. It was pure bliss.

With the southern side of the island completely geared up for holidaymakers, you may not be getting the most authentic foods and experiences, but the positive of that is being able to stick to what you love.

Fancy sushi for dinner? There’ll be a restaurant nearby. Want to spend all-night partying with fellow holidaymakers? Take your pick of beach bars and clubs.

TUI has package holidays from £487pp in August for a family of four. – Sophie Swietochoswki, Assistant Travel Editor

Agadir, Morocco

Warm in winter, surfing every morning and mega cheap shopping – what’s not to love about Agadir?

I rave about Morocco when it comes to affordable holiday destinations, and in particular love Agadir and Taghazout which are known for their epic surf scene, with beaches far quieter than its Spanish counterparts.

I stayed at the adult-only Pickalbatros White Beach Resort resort (from £484 for three days & flights with TUI) where my days were spent lounging by the pool.

There was no fighting for sunbeds because there’s so many to choose from, and once I was in position with a good book, skillful rollerblading waiters whizzed cocktails to me and pool staff tried to tempt me into aquarobics.

Outside the resort, you can explore the souks for homeware that is a fraction of the price in the UK, or go on tours of Agadir Oufella fortress and the marina.

Or just sit by the beach and watch people taken out by waves – whatever takes your fancy. Package holidays are crazy cheap too. I’m talking seven night breaks for £159 each, including flights in winter. – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Île de Ré, France

This dinky French island – connected to the mainland via bridge – feels like it’s trapped in a long-gone era with its traditional restaurants serving fresh seafood, the charming harbour littered with bobbing sail boats and its towering fort that was built back in 1625.

Cars are permitted on the island, but the best way to get around is by bike – you could easily cycle around the periphery in four hours, stopping off at authentic bars and gorgeous beaches as you go.

If escapism is what you’re after, that’s exactly what you’ll get. The streets rarely feel overcrowded and the laissez-faire attitude of those that live there is contagious.

Make sure to potter into the chic main town of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. The UNESCO-listed World Heritage site is simply gorgeous with rows of old-fashioned houses with pastel-coloured shutters overlooking the cobblestone streets.

If you’re into seafood, you’re in luck. This island is THE place to sample oysters.

La Cabane du Feneau (reachable by bike) is a renowned oyster hut, buried in the salt marshes, that serves them freshly-shucked with quality views to match the quality food.

Eurocamp has 7-night breaks in one of their 2-bed lodges at their La Grainetiere park on Ile De Re in the last week of July for £917. – Sophie Swietochoswki, Assistant Travel Editor

Sardinia, Italy

Between the end of last year and the beginning of this year, Sardinia was named several times as the place to go in 2026.

The small limestone island looks as if it has been carved out of rocks from the ocean floor, sitting closer to Africa than mainland Italy – and as a result, you can expect a dry, warm climate and the smell of fresh herbs across the island.

While lots of Brits head to Olbia in the north, the south of the island around the capital – Cagliari – is the real gem and boasts less crowds, especially when staying at the adults only Baia di Chia Resort.

Lounging by the pool with a spritz in hand while overlooking the bay, I made the excellent decision of ordering a freshly-made pistachio tiramisu straight to my sunbed.

While indulgent and comforting it was the perfect holiday treat to enjoy while soaking up the 38C sun.

If you were to do one thing, make sure you walk along the beach to Torre di Chia – a historic defensive tower that sits on top of a hill with the ocean directly below.

Baia di Chia Resort has 7 nights on a half board basis plus flights from £1267pp in September, based on two people sharing. – Cyann Fielding, Travel Writer

Valetta, Malta

Funnily enough, I also found myself strangely at home in Malta – if I wanted to, I could find English breakfast at any hotel, red telephone boxes, and a pub called The Queen Victoria. 

The good thing about a country that is relatively tiny is that a normal taxi ride to another city takes about 10 minutes and is roughly €5. 

Don’t expect sandy beaches in Valetta – but it still has beautiful, if not slightly rocky, swimming spots such as St Elmo Bay (or take a day trio to Gozo if you really crave soft sands).

Bar-hopping in the centre of Valletta during happy hour was my happiest time though, where I found mojitos for under €10 (£8.50) or €2.50 (£2.13) cold pints.

Don’t be fooled by the miniature size of this island – you’ll find plenty to do no matter your interest, from culture to coast and history to great grub. 

Holiday Pirates has 7-night package holidays in August from £399pp for a family of four, a short drive down the coast from Valetta in St Pauls Bay. Dharshinee Krishna Naidu, Travel Writer

Marsa Alam, Egypt

There can’t be many beaches in the world where you can step off a wooden pier into waters where you can swim with dugongs – gentle giant sea cows – and wild sea turtles.

Marsa Alam is the new kid on the block on Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

Further down the coast from Hurghada, its own airport with direct TUI flights each winter mean you’ll spend less time in transfer buses.

And the joy of the newly built all-inclusive resorts on this stretch of coastline – including the Jaz Elite Amara where I stayed this year – is their great value for winter sun with temperatures averaging 22C to 26C even in February.

With wide, sandy beaches and calm seas where you can snorkel for free to explore the colourful corals and marine life, it offers Maldives-style water fun for far less.

Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Jaz Elite Amara is from £1,105pp with TUI in November, when there are average highs of 27C. – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Crete, Greece

Crete has long been a favourite European island destination for Brits, but instead of heading to the busy resorts in the west, travel south to Ella Rocrita Resort.

This family-friendly resort sits on a portion of the coast that feels untouched, with miles of hills and olive groves surrounding you.

On the resort itself, you can stay in a villa-style suite with a swim up room, creating you only little slice of the Greek haven.

You won’t be short on pools, as across the resort there are different sized pools with different features depending on if you are with the kids or your partner.

I spent an entire day lounging at the spa, where I dipped in and out of different hydrotherapy pools, steam rooms and saunas.

The best spot? Head up to the roof where you will find a pool that sits at the highest point in the resort, overlooking the surrounding hills, beach and lagoon littered with flamingos.

Travel Supermarket has package holidays from £459pp for a family of four in late August. – Cyann Fielding, Travel Writer

Cape Verde

Cape Verde has been a household name in the UK for around 10 years now, thanks to its year-round sunshine, relatively short flight time and affordable all-inclusive hotels.

It is certainly the place for those seeking winter sun, with the average highs reaching 24C in December and thanks to its proximity to the equator, temperatures don’t diffier too much in mid-summer.

Skin-scorching sun isn’t the only reason to pay a visit to the Portuguese-speaking country, though.

For those who like a bit of adrenaline, there’s kite-surfing along the aptly named Kite Beach (you’ll need strong arms), plus quad-biking on
the desert landscape that makes up the bulk of the inner island.

The beautiful beaches, as well as adventure activities and
watersports, were all within a short drive of our hotel, the Riu
Palace Santa Maria, south of the island of Sal and near the idyllic
beach town of Santa Maria.

My favourite spot was the excellent rustic beach bar called Ole Brazil
selling the best caipirinhas I’ve ever drunk for £3.50.

And right next door is the popular LobStar restaurant, which is
perfectly placed to receive the best of the daily catch brought in by
the local fishermen every afternoon.

TUI has package holidays from £692pp for a family of four this August.. – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Marbella, Spain

Everyone knows the party town of Marbella – but let me pitch it to you as a place to go when the beach clubs are closed.

This is when you see the real side to the Spanish city, where the cobbled streets are quiet and the flowers are still in full bloom.

Take your time browsing the shops for clothes and trinkets, without the crowds, and walk into wine bars, no reservations required.

We stocked up on foodie bits to take back for a hotel picnic, which included a €2.50 (£2.13) bottle of wine which was remarkably delicious.

The Hard Rock Hotel I stayed at is all kinds of fun – think music-themed massages and doughnuts on guitar walls – and its less than £100 a night off season.

Throw in some £16.99 Ryanair flights to Malaga and you’ve got yourself a bargain break. – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Kalamata, Greece

You’ve dug out your swimsuit, rushed down to the beach and leapt into the water… only to find its freezing cold. Not in Kalamata, however.

The sea is one of the warmest in Greece due to the shallow waters of the Messinian Gulf. 

Escape the hot Greek sun by jumping head first or spend the days lounging under the sun with a cold beer in your hand.

Aside from smoky Kalamata olives, my favourite thing about hitting the beach in the southern Peloponnese region is the food culture, which costs less than a Boots Meal Deal back home.

I spent my afternoons gorging on grilled sardines laid on sourdough with a touch of lemon or finding street vendors that have charcoal grilled sweetcorn. 

What’s better than being in a Mediterranean paradise with a full stomach and a frosty drink in your hand?

Love Holidays have 7-night package holidays from 349pp for a family of four this August.  – Dharshinee Krishna Naidu, Travel Writer

Two lawsuits already serve as backdrops to the unseemly sequence of events that led to Bryce Harper sending Thanksgiving wishes on behalf of FanDuel to an admitted sports gambling addict.

Could there be a third?

Legal experts say Harper might have grounds to sue FanDuel for false endorsement, misappropriation and invasion of privacy.

The Philadelphia Phillies All-Star first baseman said in a statement posted on Instagram that he created a personalized 21-second video on behalf of FanDuel but would not have done so had he known the online sportsbook allegedly intended to use it to entice VIP customer Terry Thompson to continue gambling.

“I did not know FanDuel would do this,” Harper wrote. “I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it.”

Harper said he received a request on Cameo in November 2024 to read a message provided by FanDuel VIP host Bryttanni Morgan for a personal “holiday video for Terry.”

“Hey, Terry? What’s up, brother? Hey, man, your host Bryttanni from FanDuel wanted to make sure your Thanksgiving was extra special,” Harper says in the video.

Thompson sued FanDuel, Morgan, DraftKings and the NFL in March, alleging that the sportsbooks caused him to lose about $1.6 million while betting an estimated $18.5 million over a four-year period.

“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video,” Harper said. “The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”

The lawsuit filed by the nonprofit Public Health Advocacy Institute on behalf of Thompson and fellow gambler Christopher Sage alleges that FanDuel and DraftKings intentionally fostered addiction by providing enticements such as Super Bowl tickets, hotel accommodations and access to athletes and celebrities.

Thompson said his home fell into foreclosure after he took out second and third mortgages. He borrowed money from family and friends and burned through his savings, losing his last $10,000 on a DraftKings parlay bet in February.

He describes in the lawsuit feeling so desperate that he reached out to his therapist, who called police officers to his home to prevent him from harming himself.

Sportico legal analyst Michael McCann wrote that Harper likely has grounds to sue FanDuel over the video.

Harper, an eight-time All-Star and two-time Most Valuable Player, has earned nearly $252 million in salary over his 15-year MLB career and is owed another $75 million before his contract expires after the 2031 season. He also earns about $9 million a year in endorsements, according to Sportico.

In a legal action, Harper could seek monetary damages by alleging that the video tarnished his reputation. The perception that he urged a gambling addict to continue destructive behavior could negatively impact his ability to land endorsement deals.

“Section 43(a) of the federal Lanham Act prohibits false endorsements, including when a business draws from an athlete’s NIL and other identifying characteristics without permission,” McCann wrote. “There can be a viable claim when that unauthorized use leads consumers to believe the athlete endorses the business’s product or service.

“Harper could also sue over unauthorized use of his name, image, voice and other uniquely identifying features. To that end, he could argue the video constitutes misappropriation or invasion of privacy.”

FanDuel, in turn, could counter by pointing out that Harper agreed to create the video as part of his relationship with Cameo, a company that connects fans with celebrities and creators for personalized digital interactions.

“False endorsement and misappropriation, FanDuel could insist, are inapplicable to a personalized video setting where the video’s talent voluntarily assents in exchange for compensation,” McCann wrote. “Further, FanDuel could assert that Harper was, or should have been, aware of a potential connection between the video and FanDuel and, more generally, sports betting.”

FanDuel issued a statement after the Harper video came to light in an investigative story published July 9 in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“We are committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers,” the statement said. “Unlike illegal offshore sportsbooks, FanDuel employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools, and we continue to review and strengthen our policies to ensure we have the industry’s strongest consumer protection initiatives.”

FanDuel and DraftKings, the leading sportsbooks since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that states could legalize sports betting, have developed lucrative partnerships with leagues in all major sports. The 2022 MLB collective bargaining agreement opened the door for players to do promotional work for sportsbooks.

Yet the collaborations have not come without problems. The MLB players union’s licensing and marketing arm filed a lawsuit in 2024 that accused DraftKings, FanDuel and Bet365 of using without permission or compensation photos of players on its betting app and in social media posts.

Coincidentally, Harper became embroiled in that lawsuit, in which the plaintiffs pointed to images of Harper’s face on the DraftKings app as evidence. The two sides reached a settlement in April ahead of trial.

FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun, allowing the team’s leading goal scorer to play in their crucial last-16 World Cup match against Belgium, has stirred a controversy hours ahead of the USA vs Belgium last-16 match.

The row and ensuing uproar deepend on Monday when US President Donald Trump confirmed asking FIFA to review its decision against Balogun, with FIFA utlimately making a U-turn on the player’s suspension from the crucial fixture.

Was FIFA’s decision the result of an unfair power move from President Trump, or was it a warranted correction to a red card that should not have been issued in the first place?

It depends on who you ask.

Football fans of the cohost nation appear to be divided on the controversy.

While there is near consensus that the red card Balogun received against Bosnia and Herzegovina was harsh, not everyone agrees with Trump’s intervention.

“I think it’s bull****,” Cesar Espino, who was watching the Spain vs Portugal round-of-16 match at a pub near downtown Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera hours ahead of kickoff in the USA-Belgium game.

“I feel like if you win it’s a stain because Balogun is one of our top players.”

He added that the decision will make the USA “more unlikeable”, adding to the list of controversies for the host nation, including travel bans and the restrictions against the Iranian team during the group stage.

But 23-year-old Oscar Ramirez argued that the issue is more nuanced than the USA gaining an unfair advantage “because of the nature of the red card”.

“I think most people, including myself, believe the red card was unfair; it was unjust,” Ramirez said.

“I think you’ll have some people who will be like, we should keep the rules no matter what. And you’ll have some people who will be like, that card shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The USA fan admitted jokingly that he is biased, so he supports the decision.

“I’m American, and I want our best chances. And without him, we don’t have a good chance,” Ramirez  said.

FIFA responds

Balogun, the USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, received the red card for a studs-up contact near the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic.

The USA striker was looking at the ball, so the incident appeared unintentional. Nonetheless, Balogun was sent off after an onfield VAR review, triggering an at least one-match suspension.

A FIFA board subsequently suspended the penalty without providing an explanation.

Trump, who enjoys close relations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, confirmed on Monday that he requested a review of the suspension.

“All I did – I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said.

He also suggested that the US conducted research on the referee who issued the card, calling the official “very suspect”.

“If you like I can provide you with the past,” he told reporters.

FIFA has insisted that the decision was taken by a judicial panel that operates independently with Infantino denying that his conversation with Trump may have influenced the process.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” the FIFA president said in a statement.

“That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”

Despite that assertion, US Senator Ted Cruz thanked Trump earlier for “getting rid of that ridiculous red card”.

The controversy has infuriated Belgian football officials. But in the US, some politicians and commentators lauded Trump for his intervention.

“I admit that I’m not the biggest soccer fan, but I’m glad President Trump urged FIFA to do the right thing. Good for President Trump, good for Folarin Balogun, good for the USA,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on X.

For his part, Fox Sport analyst Alexi Lalas said lifting Balogun’s suspension was surprising but welcome news.

“What happened here is America stood up for itself,” Lalas, a former USA player, told Fox News.

“The powers that be when it comes to the United States Soccer Federation did what they needed to do within the rules and regulations that exist in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful.”

Mamdani invokes Mourinho

But CBS Sports commentator  Nico Cantor said the episode set a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the authority of the referees making decisions based on their interpretations of the rules.

“For as much as I believe Balogun didn’t deserve the red, it’s an interpretable decision,” he wrote on X.

“Anything can now be questioned after the fact. And it’s up to FIFA’s ‘judicial body’ – whoever that is, wherever they are – to call make critical decisions as they see fit.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had also called the red card “cruel”, but he refused to comment on FIFA’s decision to suspend the suspension.

Instead, he posted a GIF of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho saying, “I prefer not to speak. If I speak – big trouble.”

Back in Washington, DC, US fan Lucas Faria said it was “crazy” that the suspension was overturned, but he added that the decision is unlikely to derail trust in the World Cup because it is already loaded with controversy.

Faria told Al Jazeera that the tournament has been a Trump-Infantino show.

“The tickets have been outrageous. It’s been an outrageous tournament so far. This is just an obvious thing,” he said.

Faria added, however, that the US team should not be judged for FIFA’s decisions.

“It’s not on them,” he told Al Jazeera.

WASHINGTON — A spectacular economic upturn is on its way, President Trump promised Americans last week, galvanized in part by a deal brokered this month to end his war with Iran.

“Very soon you’ll be at $2.50 a gallon for gasoline,” Trump told a crowd Wednesday night on the National Mall. The next year, he said, “is set for an economic boom the likes of which no nation has ever seen before.”

Economists are skeptical. The effects of the war and other factors driving inflation are likely to stick around for months, experts say, presenting an ongoing challenge to American households — and to Trump’s party as it seeks to retain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

Yesenia De La Torre, 24, from Culver City pumps gas at the Chevron gas station on Sawtelle Boulevard and Culver Boulevard on June 15. Despite an agreement announced Sunday to end the Iran war and open the Strait of Hormuz, high oil, gasoline prices and energy supply problems won’t be solved overnight.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The war’s end will not create “a complete snap-back,” said Patrick Harker, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

“Markets are still cautious, and the infrastructure that’s been destroyed [in the Middle East] is going to take a while to re-create,” Harker said. “Inflation’s going to stay elevated for a while.”

Oil prices were dropping last week — falling to their prewar level Friday — and average gas prices fell by 7 cents per gallon over a week ago. But it will take significant time for oil shipping to ramp up through the Strait of Hormuz, infrastructure to be rebuilt and gas prices to drop, said Michael Negron, senior fellow for economic opportunity at the Center for American Progress.

“I would expect there to be a continued inching downward,” Negron said, but “we’re not going to just go back within weeks to $2.90 per gallon.”

That means the prices of gas and of other essentials aren’t likely to improve dramatically before the midterms, in which affordability has become a driving issue. It could heighten challenges for Republicans, who are defending their majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, as Democrats seek to leverage the issue to gain ground.

Positive messaging about the economy from Trump and other officials “doesn’t really resonate” with Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, said Gina Plata-Nino of the Food Research and Action Center, a national anti-hunger advocacy organization.

“When you’re still making the same amount of money but there’s less for you to be able to pay [for] your basic needs — gas is more expensive, food is more expensive — it doesn’t really add up,” she said.

A fruit stand on West 7th Street sells bananas for $2 per bunch.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

Americans question the costs

The Iran war has cost the average American household between $775 and $1,300 so far in fuel and taxpayer costs, according to an analysis by Roger Pielke, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

The national average gas price sat at $3.90 on Friday, according to AAA, and California’s average was $5.48 per gallon, down 13 cents from a week earlier.

The increase in oil prices has also affected diesel and fertilizer prices, creating a ripple effect through several sectors, including agriculture. Consumer prices rose 4.1% in May from a year earlier, putting the inflation gauge at a three-year high.

Trump has leaned on a bullish message about the economy, but he has largely dismissed Americans’ worries about affordability, calling it a “fake word” and a “hoax.” Last week, he undermined the first major progress by Congress on the issue, refusing to sign a bipartisan housing affordability bill after both chambers passed it.

President Donald Trump closes his eyes as Dr. Ben Carson, left, speaks during an event with the White House Religious Liberty Commission in the Oval Office on Friday.

(Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the president’s approval rating on the economy dropped to 33% last week in an NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll — his lowest ever for that poll and 3 points below former President Biden’s worst reading on the question during his term.

Nearly four-fifths of respondents said that gas prices present some sort of strain, with 34% categorizing it as a major strain and 44% calling it a minor strain. Half of respondents who said they were not vacationing this summer said cost was the reason.

And only 23% of Americans say the war was worth the costs, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted days after the Trump administration announced the framework agreement to end the conflict earlier this month.

“People [are] just feeling like they’re getting left behind,” Harker said. “That’s a very real, palpable feeling when you go out and talk to people. They’re worried.”

The president and his party need a midterms message that “real economic change” is coming, said Brian Reisinger, a rural policy analyst in Wisconsin and a former GOP strategist.

“It has to be substance behind the sell,” Reisinger said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks to reporters after the weekly Senate policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Thune spoke on a meeting with President Trump on the Iran deal.

(Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

U.S.-Iran talks on shaky ground

Trump’s boosters have hailed the Iran deal as a victory for the president. And Trump has justified the shock to gas prices as “worth it not to have a nuclear weapon” in Iran, though the war has not achieved the president’s stated aims, which included the elimination of its nuclear program.

“President Trump was clear all along that there would be short-term, temporary disruptions to energy markets, and that oil and gas prices will quickly fall as soon as the Iran situation is resolved,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Friday.

How rapidly the conflict will be resolved is not yet clear. The U.S.-Iran negotiations were on shaky ground by week’s end, with each country offering diametrically opposed messaging on the status of key points of negotiation.

Analysts say much of the increase in traffic through the strait has been driven by the return of Iranian oil to global markets. Trump agreed in the controversial deal with Iran to lift sanctions on Iranian oil, allowing Tehran to resume trading its most valuable export and breaking with decades of U.S. policy.

The unpredictability of the talks is another factor keeping energy companies, shippers and insurers cautious for now, Negron said.

“Everything is to be negotiated in the next nearly two months,” he said. “It is natural to expect there to be additional risk priced into each barrel of oil, into the insurance people are paying, just because of the volatility and uncertainty of where we are.”

IF you’ve spent the last few months telling yourself you’ll book your summer holiday “next week,” don’t panic. You’re in good company.

This year, British holidaymakers are leaving it later than ever to lock in their summer breaks.

Normally, playing chicken with the calendar is terrible news for your bank balance. But right now, I’m seeing something interesting.

Because summer is staring us down, hotels with empty beds and airlines with empty seats are gently slashing prices to get bookings over the line.

And the result is some genuinely surprising short-haul beach bargains are sitting on the board for under £400pp.

I’ve crunched the numbers and picked out ten spots where your late-booking budget will stretch way further than you think.

Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote, Spain

If you want a completely foolproof option, Lanzarote rarely misses.

Puerto del Carmen is an absolute staple, and right now, it’s delivering significantly better value than a lot of mainland Spanish resorts.

You get the reliable Canary sun, decent beaches, and enough life going on that you won’t get bored.

I spotted a five-night stay at the THB Flora from £370pp this August.

What makes this hotel a solid pick for me is the location – it’s close enough to the main strip when you want a drink, but tucked far enough away that you aren’t fighting a crowd just to claim a sunbed in the morning.

Icmeler, Turkey

Icmeler has always been the smarter, slightly more sophisticated neighbour to Marmaris.

The bay is stunning, the beach is framed by pine hills, and it completely avoids the chaotic mega-resort energy you find elsewhere in Turkey.

And this year, it’s consistently overdelivering for the price.

Case in point: five nights at the Petunya Konak Boutique Hotel is coming in from £385pp this August.

This hotel feels way more boutique than your standard package hotel too.

The pool setup is hidden away in the gardens, giving you a level of quiet that is gold dust during peak August.

Cavtat, Croatia

Dubrovnik may be grabbing all the headlines these days, but Cavtat remains one of Croatia‘s smartest-value coastal towns.

It serves up the exact same crystal-clear Adriatic water and postcard waterfront dining, just minus the suffocating levels of tourism.

If you’ve never done Croatia, a five-night stay at the Epidaurus Hotel from £385pp this August is a brilliant place to start.

The real win here is the logistics: you’re perfectly placed to enjoy Cavtat’s laid-back vibe, but you can hop on a quick boat ride into Dubrovnik whenever you fancy a bit of sightseeing.

Lagos, Algarve, Portugal

Lagos might just be my favourite corner of the Algarve.

It manages to balance unreal, cliff-backed beaches and a character-packed old town without feeling like a plastic tourist trap.

Finding peak summer deals here under the 400-quid mark is a massive result.

I dug up five nights at the Aqualuz Suite Hotel Apartamentos from £388pp this August.

And the selling point at this hotel, for me, is space. Because you get an apartment setup to actually spread out in, while still being an easy stroll from both the sand and Lagos’ top-notch independent restaurant scene.

Qawra, Malta

Malta doesn’t always get the attention it deserves for a summer beach break, which on this occasion plays into the hands of us holiday deal finders.

Because it offers guaranteed scorching weather, great swimming spots, and some of the warmest evening temperatures in Europe.

If you’re bored of the usual Spain or Turkey rotation, it’s a top shout.

You can grab five nights at the Best Western Premier Malta from £295pp this August.

And frankly, this place looks and feels much more expensive than the price tag suggests.

The rooftop pool alone looks like it belongs to a luxury city-break hotel rather than a budget summer deal.

Puerto Pollensa, Majorca, Spain

If you want Majorca but want to skip the neon lights and rowdy strips, Puerto Pollensa on the north coast is tough to beat.

It’s got a beautiful, relaxed bay and a classic, old-school Mediterranean feel.

I’ll be honest – this is normally a premium area, but 2026 keeps throwing curveballs that I love catching.

Because I found a five-night stay at the Club del Sol Aparthotel from £393pp this August, giving you a foothold in one of the prettiest, most civilized parts of the island while keeping your budget completely under control.

Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria, Spain

Gran Canaria is a reliable destination for Brits for a reason.

If you’re scrambling for a last-minute getaway, Playa del Ingles is an easy win thanks to its massive beach and lively town center – this place is built for convenience.

I clocked five nights at the Servatur Waikiki from £400pp this August.

It’s right on the money in terms of location too, as you’re close to the beach, close to the nightlife, and it serves as a great, no-nonsense base for a classic sun-and-beer holiday.

Elounda, Crete, Greece

Elounda is proof that you don’t need a luxury budget to stay in one of Crete’s most scenic spots.

It’s known for its clear waters and charming little harbour, and is exactly the kind of place that usually charges a premium just for the view.

However, I spotted a five-night stay at the Alikes Hotel Apartments from £373pp this August.

And this hotel puts you right in the heart of the village, so you can easily wander between the tavernas and waterfront bars without needing to budget for taxis.

Sunny Beach, Bulgaria

Bulgaria has been sneakily dominating the budget travel market for years, and while Sunny Beach is famous for being cheap, the actual standard of the hotels has shot up recently.

Which now puts the destination in a perfect spot – overdelivering on quality compared to what you pay.

Just look at this: I found a five-night stay at the Lion Sunny Beach from £388pp this August.

And this place perfectly highlights what modern Bulgaria does well: it’s contemporary, stylish, and comfortable, without ever making you feel like you’ve compromised just to save a few quid.

Vlore, Albania

If there’s one destination you need to look at before everyone else ruins it (sorry), it’s Albania.

The Albanian Riviera has been gaining serious traction in the last couple of years, and Vlore sits right in the perfect spot.

The beaches are stellar, the water rivals Greece, but the prices haven’t caught up with the quality yet.

But in my experience, that window won’t stay open forever.

This summer, you can lock in five nights at the Valza Boutique Hotel from £388pp in August.

It’s a sleek, boutique property that you’d easily pay double for if it were sitting across the water in Italy or Croatia.

My advice? Get this one booked before the rest of the UK finds out.

*Prices correct at the time of publication.

AS a travel expert at one of the UK’s biggest travel companies, I spend a ridiculous amount of time staring at holiday prices.

Not because I have a weird fetish for spreadsheets (trust me, I don’t), because if you dig deep enough into the data, you can spot exactly when everyone is about to pile into a destination. And, more importantly, where the cheap holidays are hiding before the rest of Britain catches on.

For summer 2026, a few spots keep flashing up on my radar for one massive reason: they’re offering proper, old-school all-inclusive value.

Some are old favourites, others are probably completely off your map.

But they’re all delivering serious bang for your buck right now.

Here are the seven at the top of my list.

Cabo Blanco, Majorca, Spain

Majorca isn’t exactly a secret, but Cabo Blanco is about as close as you’ll get to an undiscovered value goldmine.

While the masses fight for sunbeds in the bigger resorts, this quieter stretch of coast serves up rugged cliffs, proper crystal-clear water, and the kind of sea views that justify doing absolutely nothing from your balcony for a week straight.

You get all the perks of Majorca in the short flight and guaranteed sun, but skip the eye-watering price tag of the flashier spots.

I found a five-night all-inclusive stay at Sun Club El Dorado for £325pp in August.

It’s perched right on the edge of the coast, has more pools than you’ll know what to do with, and is basically built for elite-level lounging.

Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech probably isn’t the first place you think of when someone says “all-inclusive,” which is exactly why it’s a brilliant shout: it breaks the monotony of the standard fly-and-flop.

You can be haggling in a centuries-old souk in the afternoon, and back at the resort by dark, nursing a drink by the pool with the Atlas Mountains in the background. It beats swapping one European beach for another.

Case in point: a five-night all-inclusive stint at Marrakech Ryads Parc & Spa is coming in at £373pp this summer.

It’s one of my top picks because it nails the balance – you can dive headfirst into the chaos of the city by day, then retreat to a massive, quiet resort to completely switch off.

Sidari, Corfu, Greece

Corfu has quietly morphed into one of the best-value Greek islands, and Sidari is where the real bargains are hiding.

It’s a bit of an all-rounder – it handles families, couples, and groups without feeling like a chaotic free-for-all.

Plus, you’ve got the Canal d’Amour right there to give it a bit of natural character.

Looking at the peak summer hols, I found a deal for a five-night all-inclusive stay at Panorama Sidari Village from £398pp this August.

The selling point here is definitely the location: it’s perched on a hillside overlooking the coast, so you get the top-tier views without being stranded miles away from the resort centre.

Gumusluk, Bodrum, Turkey

Turkey’s reputation for budget-friendly all-inclusives is well established, but for me, Gumusluk is still criminally underrated.

Unlike the mega-resorts down the road, this place has a proper slow pace.

The waterfront is lined with seafood restaurants, the sunsets are top-tier, and the vibe here is completely relaxed.

I found five nights all-inclusive at Golden Age Crystal Bodrum for £395pp right in the school holidays.

The hotel is a cracking little base because it puts you near the side of Bodrum most tourists miss – laid-back beach clubs and evening strolls – without forcing you to pay the premium rates of the flashier hotels nearby.

Mahdia, Tunisia

If you want the absolute maximum amount of sunshine per pound spent, Tunisia should always be on your radar.

Mahdia is easily one of the country’s best-kept secrets, pairing massive white beaches with a calm, old fishing port vibe. It feels authentic, rather than a purpose-built tourist bubble.

I did some digging and found five nights all-inclusive at the Nour Palace Resort for £388pp this August.

It sits right on the sand and boasts one of the biggest pool setups on this entire list. If you just want to park yourself by the water and forget reality, this is the one.

Agadir, Morocco

Agadir has been quietly banking reliable, budget sun holidays for years.

The weather is a safe bet, the beach goes on forever, and the whole place is set up to make your life easy.

It’s one of those rare spots where you can do absolutely nothing for a week and actually feel like you’ve escaped.

The price on this one is borderline ridiculous too: a five-night all-inclusive stay at El Pueblo Tamlelt for £228pp.

It’s exactly what a budget all-inclusive should be – huge pools, loads going on, and a price tag that makes you double-check you didn’t accidentally miss a zero off the end.

Ovacik, Turkey

If you want the full package – beaches, nightlife, mountain backdrops, and change left over from a grand – Ovacik is tough to beat.

It sits just above the famous Blue Lagoon at Oludeniz, giving you easy access to Turkey’s best coastline while being a cheap taxi ride away from the bars in Hisaronu.

Because it’s up in the hills, it stays a touch cooler and greener than the coastal strip, which is a massive win in August.

I spotted a five-night stay at Sunshine Holiday Resort Hotel from £388pp this August.

It perfectly highlights why this area works so well for families: you get a waterpark, proper mountain views, and more than enough entertainment to keep kids quiet without ever needing to leave the complex. Job done.

Your holiday could be ruined if you don’t do the vital check first.

Thousands of Brits are counting down to their summer holidays, but there is a very important check that needs to be done first. Many people have already been caught out, leaving their getaways in tatters.

Travel expert Simon Calder recently explained that “thousands upon thousands” of people haven’t realised before it is too late and missed their booked holidays. To help avoid it happening to more holidaymakers, I asked a range of travel experts the one important check everyone must do before heading to the airport.

They all agreed that Brits heading to Europe need to not only check the passport’s validity but also ensure it was issued less than 10 years ago. Before 2018, passports could remain valid for as long as 10 years and nine months.

But now if you are heading to the EU or Schengen areas, you cannot have passports older than 10 years when you arrive at their holiday destination. It must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to return home.

The check every Brit needs to do

Francis Hellyer, CEO of tickadoo, said: “People check the expiry date, see it is months away, and relax. But for getting into the EU the border does not care about your expiry date, it cares about your issue date.

“If your passport is more than 10 years old on the day you land, you can be turned away at the gate even with eight months left on the page. Check the date of issue, not just the date of expiry.”

Natasha Inglis, Implementation and Client Success Director at Good Business Travel, added: “Your passport might still be in date, but that doesn’t always mean it’s valid for travel.

“Most travellers only look at their passport’s expiry date, but the issue date is just as important. For travel to EU countries, passports must be less than 10 years old on the day you arrive.

“This means that certain valid passports could still be rejected at the airport, so it’s really crucial to check both dates before you travel.”

Patrick Hill, Head of Paramount Cruises, said he is seeing “more and more” people getting caught out, especially when making last minute bookings.

He urged travellers to make the passport check before booking rather than before flying, and remember the new rules regarding the 10 year issue date.

Patrick explained: “If you renewed before October 1, 2018, the Passport Office sometimes carried over unused months from your old passport. The EU doesn’t count those. So check your date of issue, not just your expiry, they’re not the same thing.”

As well as passports not being allowed to be older than 10 years, there must be three months left after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area. However, Patrick noted that cruise lines often require six months from the end of the cruise.

He added: “Check both your issue date and expiry date the moment you start booking, not the week you travel. We’ve seen too many holidays evaporate at the check-in desk over a few missing months.”

How to check your passport

Find the date of issue on your passport photo page and add 10 years. Make sure your outbound flight falls before that date.

Next, find the date of expiry and minus three months. Make sure your return flight falls before that date. Ensure you check every passport included in your booking, especially children’s passports as they only last five years.

Francis Hellyer warned: “Do not assume that being allowed to check in means you are safe. Airlines turn away borderline passports to avoid EU fines, and immigration can still refuse you even after you board. If anything looks tight, renew now.”

He added: “When someone is refused boarding, the flight is only the start of the loss. We see how much a family spends on the holiday itself, the tours, the show tickets, the day trips, and a lot of that is non-refundable. A passport check takes two minutes and it is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy for the whole trip.”

May 29 (Asia Today) — South Korean defense experts said the government should take a tougher position toward Iran after investigators concluded that an Iranian-developed anti-ship missile was likely used in an attack on the HMM Namu.

Experts said Thursday that Seoul needs a firm diplomatic response to the results of the government investigation into the unidentified aerial objects that struck the HMM-operated vessel.

The government said Wednesday that the objects were highly likely to have been Noor-series anti-ship missiles developed by Iran. Technical analysis found the engine resembled an Iranian-made turbojet engine, and some components carried markings believed to be from an Iranian manufacturer.

South Korean officials said the evidence points toward Iran but stopped short of making a final judgment on who carried out the attack or whether it was intentional. The government summoned Saeed Koozechi, Iran’s ambassador to South Korea, but Koozechi denied that Iran was involved.

“If it was actually confirmed to be an Iranian missile, it should be viewed as an act by the Iranian government,” said Kwon Yong-soo, professor emeritus at Korea National Defense University. “The missile’s maximum range is short, and because of the flame at launch, it would have been visible where it came from.”

Kwon said the government should be able to explain whether the missile was fired from land, a ship or a fast boat.

“If it was not Iran’s act, Iran itself should present evidence,” he said.

Yang Uk, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said the evidence points to an Iranian-made anti-ship missile.

“Even if Iran denies it, that denial is not persuasive,” Yang said. “Anti-ship missiles are weapons that only states, governments and militaries can operate.”

Yang said Iran may have provided missiles to an armed group, such as the Houthi rebels, but the distance would have been too far for such a launch.

“If the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired it and the Iranian government pretends not to know, that would prove Iran’s own command and control is inadequate,” he said.

Some experts said the South Korean government’s response has been too weak, even though it summoned Koozechi immediately after announcing the investigation results.

A Foreign Ministry official said summoning Iran’s ambassador was a serious diplomatic measure.

“Summoning the Iranian ambassador to South Korea is by no means meaningless,” the official said. “The measure itself shows our firm position.”

The official said Seoul had sent investigation teams twice, collected debris, reached its conclusion through analysis by expert agencies, publicly announced the findings and explained them to the other country.

“That itself is a serious diplomatic step,” the official said.

Yang said some may argue South Korea does not need to create unnecessary conflict with Iran. But he said Seoul should at least secure something from the Iranian government if it takes that position.

“Given that the evidence points to Iran, we should at least apply pressure to ensure our ships are allowed to return safely,” Yang said. “If we do not even do that, then we are refusing to do what a state should do.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260528010008578

From charming market towns to picturesque coastal villages, travel experts share some of the best UK staycation towns

With holiday prices soaring and a fuel crisis affecting air travel, many families may opt to stay in the UK this summer instead of jetting abroad for their annual break. But there’s absolutely no reason to feel let down if this applies to you, as the country boasts countless beautiful destinations from top to bottom.

With this in mind, express.co.uk has consulted several travel experts who have revealed their top recommendations, all of which are excellent options for those seeking the ideal staycation location. From northern forests to sun-drenched southern coastlines, whatever kind of break you’re after, the UK offers an abundance of possibilities.

Andy Brooker, travel expert at kate & tom’s, said: “Many of us forget how much the UK has to offer. There’s something for everyone here, and many fantastic towns to explore depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.”

Andy suggests Formby near Liverpool and Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District.

Championing Formby as an excellent choice for families, he explained: “Variety is important when you have busy children to please, and Formby offers the opportunity to explore dramatic sand dunes, sweeping pinewoods, and the native red squirrel population at The Formby Red Squirrel Reserve.”

Endorsing Bowness-on-Windermere, Andy added: “Bowness-on-Windermere is an iconic town in Cumbria and one of the Lake District’s most popular destinations for a reason.” It blends breathtaking lakeside vistas with delightful cafés, independent shops and gateways to some of Cumbria’s most picturesque trails.

“From cruising across Lake Windermere and exploring The World of Beatrix Potter to relaxing in traditional pubs and taking in panoramic views. Bowness offers the perfect mix of outdoor adventure, family-friendly activities and classic Lake District charm.”

Andy isn’t alone in championing a Lake Windermere escape, with Jerry Rebbeck from Wheelwrights Holiday Cottages highlighting the neighbouring village of Clappersgate.

He said: “Whilst it may be a small village, it boasts a rich history with many historic structures, including the notable Clappersgate Bridge.

“The Grade II listed bridge dates back to the 17th century and is a popular spot for visitors interested in its unique design and views over the river and surrounding greenery.”

Nestled near the River Brathay and Lake Windermere, Clappersgate is ideally positioned for watersports enthusiasts, while the Loughrigg Circular provides an excellent walking route for ramblers.

When the weather turns, there’s also the nearby Lake District Aquarium and the striking neo-gothic Wray Castle to explore.

For those seeking something further south, Jacob Wedderburn-Day, travel expert and CEO of Stasher, points to Rye in West Sussex, Totnes in Devon, and Frome in Somerset.

Speaking about the first, he said: “Rye is one of the most distinctive small towns in the UK, with cobbled streets, historic inns, shops and easy access to Camber Sands.

“It is a good choice for travellers who want a break without staying in a larger seaside resort. It works especially well for a weekend because the town is compact and easy to explore at a relaxed pace.”

Totnes, meanwhile, is highlighted as one of the “best towns for travellers looking for shops, good food and easy access to the South Devon countryside and coast.”

He went on to say: “The community there has a relaxed pace, which makes it ideal for a slower weekend away. It is also well placed for travellers who want to combine a town break with day trips nearby.”

Jacob describes Frome as one of the “most interesting town breaks” in the UK, boasting a thriving shopping scene, a vibrant creative community and lively weekend markets.

Conveniently situated close to both Bath and Bristol, Frome works brilliantly as a day trip from either city, or as a base from which to explore the surrounding area.

Although she stops short of naming a specific town, Rachel Pennycook, Europe Travel Specialist at The Luxury Holiday Company, urges visitors not to overlook the Scottish Highlands.

“The Highlands are popular for a reason. They’re one of the few places in the UK where you can properly disconnect and feel a world away.

“In summer, the long daylight hours mean you can take your time, whether that’s a morning by the loch, an afternoon exploring castles, or an evening enjoying local food with a view.

“For me, what sets the Highlands apart is the sense of space and freedom. You don’t need to plan every minute; sometimes, the best days are simply about soaking up the scenery, finding a quiet spot, or sharing a meal with friends and family.

“It’s a destination that works just as well for families looking for adventure as it does for couples.”

AS the travel team at the Sun, it’s fair to say we’ve stayed in our share of hotels around the world.

Racking up thousands of hotel stays between us all, it also means we’re pros when it comes to what works – and what definitely doesn’t.

So we’ve rounded up 20 of the things we despise in hotels… and you’ve most likely experienced most of them too.

Lack of teabag choices

Everyone loves a strong cup of English Breakfast tea – apart from me, that is.

Personally, when I can’t sleep after a long flight, I want something like a chamomile or a mint tea.

Yet hotels seem to forget this and simply give a few – cheap – bags of your classic brew, forgetting about us herbal lovers.

I’ve had to become that person who takes my own teabags on holiday – and I’m not the only one, apparently. – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

No plugs near the bed

In 2026, it astounds me that you can still get a hotel room without plug sockets next to the bed.

Okay, if you are a tiny guesthouse then I appreciate you don’t necessarily have the cash to be rewiring all your rooms.

But I’ve been to a number of 3-star and upwards properties that have
clearly renovated their rooms in the last 10 years and STILL didn’t
decide to put a phone charger-friendly socket next to the bedside
table.

I really don’t want to be wandering through a pitch black room in the
middle of the night to turn off my alarm or check texts. Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Complicated air conditioning

We all love a sunny, hot holiday, but sometimes it gets too much and you are desperate for a bit of air-con to cool you down as you unpack.

Only to be faced with a room that’s hotter than hell and an air-conditioning display that would challenge even a Mensa champ.

No matter how many times you press the inexplicably-labelled buttons the room temperature remains stubbornly hot. There’s never any instructions and all the displays seem completly counter-intuitive.

While I’ve done battle with air-con systems to cool me down regularly, in some rare cases it works so efficiently you are walking into a fridge every time you return to your room, forcing you to go to sleep in a jumper just to keep warm. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Glass walled showers

There’s nothing more embarrassing than booking a girls trip away and discovering that a room shared between three friends has a see-through shower.

This happened to me on a recent trip, when my friends and I could see straight from the bedroom into the shower.

I understand the design choice, generally it makes the room look bigger.

But in practice, who really wants to be on full display while having a holiday wash whether or not you’re with your partner? Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Early swimming pool closing times

One of the best ways to stave off that all-inclusive bloating is a beautiful morning swim. So why do hotels have such strict opening and closing times for their pools?

I’ve been told off on multiple occasions for trying to have a few quick pre-breakfast laps at 7am, despite it only opening at 9am.

And don’t get me started on those 6pm pool closures too… Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Confusing lighting

It’s been a long, hard day of travelling and you are finally ready to settle down for the night and enjoy that lovely big bed.

Exhausted, you begin the lighting lottery, randomly turning unlabelled switches off and on again in an attempt to lose the light.

In most cases, the ones you have by the bed bear no relation to the lights in the room and you’re forced to rise from your comfy bed in the semi-darkness in an attempt to unplug random lamps or work out how the one pesky light in the doorway can be turned off.

Of course, the minute you finally have the room in total darkness you realise you’re no where near the bed – forcing a comic caper of feeling your way back without bumping into unfamiliar furniture. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Overeager luggage handlers

I’ve dragged my luggage from taxi to train, up a steep set of stairs, through the airport and out the other side again without a single helping hand.

So what makes you think that I’m incapable of carrying it several yards from the hotel reception to the lift?

Despite my polite pleas that I’d rather take it myself and that I really can manage, so many are way too insistent.

The simple truth of it is, I don’t want to have to wait for my case to be delivered to my room – I want to be able to freshen up and shower or get changed straight into my bikini to catch the last of the sun without unnecessarily wasting time waiting around in my room.

Plus, I find the whole thing rather awkward from he hovering in the door – does this mean I need to tip – to the unnecessary explaining how the safe works. It’s a hard no from me. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Lack of clothes hangers

I’m both an unpacker and an overpacker – even if I am only staying in a hotel room for a couple of nights, I like to get all my clothes hung up and put away, just like they would be at home.

Suitcase open, you swing open the wardrobe doors to be confronted by one of my least favourite things – those fiendish attached hangers you have to thread back onto a built-in contraption.

Cue frustrating minutes that should be spent enjoying the view or testing the comfiness of the bed instead doing battle as you try – and fail – to attach them in a move similar to threading a needle. 

Not only that but what also drives me nuts are miserly hotels that provide you with just four or five hangers for a week-long stay – forcing me to work out a complicated phone system to call housekeeping to ask for enough hangers to put all my clothes away! – Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Breakfast toast conveyor belts

There’s no doubt about it, hotel breakfasts are one of the best parts of being on holiday – but can we acknowledge the toaster of doom?

Every hotel seems to have adopted the same conveyor belt toaster, which barely warms your bread on its first cycle, and burns it to a crisp on the second.

I don’t understand why hotels insist on this method of making toast. Why do I have to commit five minutes of my life to watching a piece of bread spin around, only for it to get spat out and land in a pile of everyone else’s crumbs?

So I’ve permanently ditched the toaster of doom – I’d much rather pop my poached eggs on top of some crispy potatoes instead. Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

Tiny dressing gowns

I have a question for hoteliers: what’s the average clothing size of guests at your hotel? Because when it comes to dressing gowns, it seems you only provide sizes that could fit a small child – and I can’t see the point in offering an amenity that is simply unusable. 

For every hotel with complimentary dressing gowns that I’ve visited in my time on the travel desk at The Sun, I’d estimate that four out of five of them come up short when it comes to gowns – literally.

Rarely is there enough material to wrap around my entire body in the cosy fashion that any proper dressing gown should.

And it’s simply not sexy looking like a sausage sandwiched into too tight a casing. Sort it out, please. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Loads of bed cushions

I have no issue with cushions on a sofa, or even on a bed at home. But on a hotel bed? Gross. You have no idea what people have done with them.

At best, the crime would be multiple guests using it as a pillow and
it never getting washed. At worst? Well… what human beings get up to behind closed hotel room doors will never cease to stun me.

There is no need for a cushion on a bed. Four freshly-laundered, white pillows are the perfect amount for both propping yourself up to watch TV and also getting a good night’s sleep.

Any decent receptionist should be happy to send up a couple more if needed. Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Filtered water taps in hallways

In a bid to be more eco-friendly, there is a new hotel design being rolled out that I despise – filtered water taps in hallways.

They cite the change as being one to reduce water bottles, often providing free glass bottles in rooms to fill up instead.

But I hate waking up in the night and having to throw a dressing gown on to leave me room, wander down the hallway and find the damn tap because I ran out of water.

It was certainly no help during an unlucky bout of stomach flu when I was dehydrated but unable to even leave the room – and with tiny bathroom sinks, barely able to fill a water bottle. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

No bathroom doors

At home, you wouldn’t put your toilet behind a sliding, often frosted glass door.

So I don’t understand why this would be any different on holiday.

In fact, with people having various reactions to travelling when it comes to toilet habits, I’d argue that doors are more needed than ever in a hotel.

Just like with glass showers, it comes down to a matter of privacy. I’d definitely settle for less space in a hotel room if it came with a solid bathroom door so I’m able to use the facilities in peace. Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Family lounger hoggers

This is not a hotel fault – it’s all about the guests. It’s the families who reserve four-plus sun loungers by the pool each day, for both the parents and the kids – but the kids never actually use them.

Last summer, I looked around the hotel pool and there were scores of sunbeds reserved with kids’ towels and inflatables.

Mum and dad would spend both morning and afternoon making good use of their beds, while the kids went off for hours at a time.

Come on guys, surely Flipper the inflatable dolphin doesn’t need its
own lounger… Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Receptionless hotels

Commonly seen in city aparthotels, it seems receptionists are a thing of the past.

I’ve stayed at a number recently which brag about having a contactless check in, meaning everything is done via the app.

This might be a joy for some people, but I cannot explain how helpful it is to have a person to ask, often known the best places for dinner, nearby bars or even helpful transport tips.

Google only goes so far, and I miss the personal experience that is sadly being lost. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Confusing spa locations

If I’m booking a spa break and it’s advertised as such, I don’t really want to be walking through the reception and restaurant in my bikini and barely-there dressing gown – especially while other guests are fully clothed.

It feels a little like that common nightmare where you’re in a crowd and suddenly realise you’re the only one that’s naked.

Ideally the spa should be positioned within easy access of most bedrooms and not in an area where guests have to shuffle uncomfortably through public areas.

It’s even better if the onsite lunch spot is for spa guests only. Dining in your dressing gown doesn’t feel so odd when everyone’s doing it – and it’s a proper luxury. Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Telephones with bright lights

You’ve managed to do it all – suss out the six light-switches on the wall, turn the air-conditioning down, and lay down ready for a good night’s sleep, turn the final light off, and all of a sudden – your room is aglow.

Why oh why do hotels choose to put a telephone on the desk opposite your bed with a bright light on it? They’re always coloured red or green and are ridiculously bright. It seems completely necessary to light them up like that.

If the hotel is that concerned you need to use the phone during the night, put it by the bedside table within arms reach.

I always end up having to put a towel over it to dull the glow, or use an eyemask to block out the obnoxious light. Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Noisy adjoining rooms

For big families or friend groups, rooms with adjoining doors are a godsend.

For an often-solo traveller, they are my worst nightmare.

I’ve had to ask to move rooms on multiple occasions when I’ve been put in one, due to the lack of noise-insulation they have when next to very loud strangers.

I’ll never forget my 3am pyjama walk to a new room after my neighbours VERY interesting yet noisy argument on the phone. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

TVs that barely work

I get it. Updating TVs can be pricey, but at least give me basic channels that actually work.

I like having some background noise when I’m getting ready in the mornings and the TV helps me unwind after a day of exploration.

In an ideal world, every hotel TV would be fitted with chrome cast so that guests can stream their favourite shows straight from their phone. And perhaps I sound a little spoiled when I say that a lack of smart tvs is my biggest bug bear.

But if you can’t afford to buy more modern TVs then give us the Freeview channels as a basic, otherwise your telly is just a very ugly accessory Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Gyms with barely any equipment

When you book your hotel stay and see that it has a gym, it feels like an absolute win, and for those who work out every day – it’s a must.

But there’s nothing worse than turning up with your gym gear on, only to see one exercise bike and some sad dumbbells in the corner of a windowless, carpeted room.

Then it’s time to come up with some sort of makeshift spin class that completely throws you off your schedule, or walk away with the guilt of missing your workout for the day.

I’d almost prefer if there were no gym at all – but I wish hotels were at least honest about their ‘fitness centres’ so it would save me packing my gymwear. – Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

TAKING the family for a summer staycation this year doesn’t have to break the bank.

We all know the famous UK hotspots where you can barely see the sand for the crowds and prices have hiked to eye-watering levels.

But there’s plenty of quieter UK towns and villages to discover that are also more affordable.

Our Sun Travel team have picked their favourite, lesser-known staycation spots – with just as many things to see and do, beautiful views, and far less tourists.

From Game of Thrones-themed castle hotels in Northern Ireland, to Cornwall holidays without the crowds – here’s our top picks for a summer 2026 staycation.

Stamford, Lincolnshire

Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

The Cotswolds may attract millions each year keen to explore the pretty villages of honey-coloured stone, but Stamford in the Lincolnshire Wolds is a great alternative that won’t have the same tourist queues.

The town is built from mellow limestone too, with narrow alleyways, hidden courtyards and beautifully-preserved buildings.

Shopaholics will love the independent boutiques and antique shops as well as the weekly Friday market.

It’s also close to Burghley House, a grand Elizabethan estate on the edge of the town with a massive park that’s famous for hosting the annual horse trials. Stay at the Candlesticks Hotel & Restaurant with rooms from £97 a night in May.

Holme, North Norfolk

Travel Reporter, Jenna Stevens

My home county of Norfolk is becoming an increasingly popular pick for a UK holiday. Crowded beaches, cars clogging up the country roads, sometimes it can be hard to enjoy a stay along the coast – especially in peak summer.

But as a local, I know of all the quiet spots that tourists skip over – the kind where you’re more likely to come across the odd dog-walker than get caught up in heaving crowds.

Holme-next-the-Sea is a village on the North Norfolk coast, often overlooked for larger resorts like Hunstanton or Cromer.

Not only is Holme less busy, but its beach is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful in Norfolk. Here you’ll find gentle waves lapping over flat golden sands, plus beautiful pine forests and rolling dunes as your backdrop.

Walk far enough east along the shores and you’ll reach Holme Bird Observatory – where there’s a large glossy pond, a cafe and gift shop to enjoy.

For a hot drink and a bite to eat, you can’t beat The White Horse at Holme. This traditional pub has a sun trap of a beer garden with a cosy fire pit, plus its own rustic bakery with delicious pastries, sandwiches and coffee – give their famous pain au chocolat a go.

It’s fair to say this pub and its charming bakery have put Holme on the map. However, people travel miles just to grab a pastry and a coffee here, only to drive over to neighbouring towns for the day – and they’re missing out on one of the most picturesque villages in Norfolk.

Norfolk Hideaways offer seaside cottage breaks in Holme-next-the-Sea from £41pp/pn.

Herm Island, the Channel Islands

Head of Travel: Digital, Caroline McGuire

Herm isn’t STRICTLY in the UK as it’s actually a Channel Island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, but it’s a British Isle, so I’m going to bend the rules slightly and get it on this list. 

Because it really is utterly magical and a total ‘hidden gem‘. 

The tiny island, which takes about 20 minutes to walk across, can be reached via a 15-minute boat ride from Guernsey. 

Cars are banned and groceries must be ordered several days in advance, which really adds to the feeling of adventure. 

Winding paths lead to stunning white sand beaches including Shell Beach, which wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean.

While incredibly remote at the top of the tiny island, it features an excellent beach bar serving Aperol Spritzes and jugs of rum punch. 

Dolphins are regularly spotted in the turquoise waters and have been known to swim in among the bathers on a summer’s day, while seals lounge on the rocks offshore.

There is a surprising range of places to dine out on the island, given only 85 people live there. It has two pubs and a restaurant in the only hotel, so you can dine on everything from smash burgers to fish and chips, oysters to gnocchi and fillet steak.

In terms of places to stay, there’s three options – the White House hotel, some self-catered apartments or in fully-equipped tents that sleep up to eight people.

Everything gets booked up in peak season, but in the shoulder seasons there is usually plenty of space and when we visited in early May, we had blue skies every day.

This month, there is availability for self-catered apartments from £34pp a night and tents available from £31.80pp a night. 

I can’t recommend the place enough, several years after our trip and we still talk about the magic of Herm. There’s no place quite like it. 

Crackington Haven, Cornwall

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Trying to find a quiet spot in Cornwall during the summer might seem like an impossible task.

But the tiny village of Crackington Haven is where you’ll join the locals with far fewer crowds.

Its nearest train station is nearly an hour away (Bodmin Parkway) which keeps lots of the tourists from visiting.

The tiny beach cove is loved by surfers, although the rolling green hills above are also worth a hike.

When you need to warm up there is a tiny cafe serving hot drinks and snacks, although for a heartier meal at the Coombe Barton Inn pub.

Most of the fish options are caught locally although there are other dishes like curries and burgers to choose from.

Don’t expect to find any hotels here, with the majority of stays being holiday home rentals.

Instead head back to the pub, which has six rooms starting from £100 a night.

Minster Lovell, Cotswolds

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

If you want an afternoon where you feel like you’ve stepped into the Famous Five, then you need to head to the Minster Lovell ruins in the Cotswolds.

Just outside the town of Witney, the historic ruins of Minster Lovell Hall are perfect to run around in.

They date back to 1430 and was built by one of the richest men in England at the time.

Now, it is popular with local teens wanting to get away from the town, and is great for a picnic spot too.

It is even right on the River Windrush, if you fancy a dip to cool down in.

There’s a few holiday rentals to stay at but you just down the road is Minster Mill, a five star hotel with spas, live bands and supper clubs. Rooms start from £140 a night.

Sandgate, Kent

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

The village of Sandgate is overlooked by its busier neighbours of Folkestone and Hythe, but is just as worthy of a seaside day trip.

Its promenade is much quieter than other beaches, having just a few cafes along the front.

I recommend getting a coffee at Orchard Lane Coffee House, followed by a piece of cake at Mr Whippet’s.

You’ll have to gaze at Sandgate Castle from the outside as it is closed to the public.

There’s vintage shops and clothes stores all run by local sellers, as well as the fantastic wine bar John Dory’s who often have themed dining pop ups.

The best spot to stay is The Famous Ship Inn with rooms from £110 and a delicious menu of pub classics including pies and stews.

Makes sure to visit on Thursdays for a great pub quiz too.

Mousehole, Cornwall

Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski

Out of towners visiting Cornwall tend to flock to the coastal regions of Padstow and St Ives.

Beautiful as they are, the crowds can be heaving in summer time – and if you haven’t secured a restaurant reservation well in advance then you’re pretty much stuffed.

That’s why I love the charming village of Mousehole. Although it’s very small, so can feel busy in peak summer times, it’s got nothing of a touristy feel to it.

If you’re driving, just ensure you pick a holiday home a little out of the main hub as cars can easily get stuck in the narrow lanes. Everything is wonderfully walkable, though. 

Make sure to swing by the Rock Pool Cafe which occupies a prime spot on the cliff edge so you can tuck into seafood sarnies while soaking up views of the waves.

They serve an excellent hot choccie, too – essentially warm milk with a plate of white, milk or dark chocolate shards that you swirl in yourself.

The cobbled streets are lovely to potter along, with higgledy-piggledy houses converted into quirky art shops and boutiques. 

Explore the craggy cave at the southern end of the village or stroll along its little beach which is littered with tattered boats still used by local fishermen.

Booking.com has cottages in Mousehole available from £80 per night,

Tenby, Wales

Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

Tenby has been dubbed the St Ives of Wales – as it is similar to its Cornish cousin with both sitting on small, rocky peninsulas set around a central harbour.

While thousands flock to St Ives each summer, Tenby offers a quieter alternative that still has gorgeous beaches within walking distance of the town centre.

And Tenby’s brightly coloured, pastel houses overlooking the water are also a double for the Cornish resort and it has a very similar thriving art scene with lots of galleries to explore.

To really escape the crowds, head to Caldey Island, a 20-minute boat ride away that is owned by Cistercian monks featuring a medieval Abbey.

Then head to Priory Beach or the clifftop paths toward the lighthouse for a peaceful but picturesque stroll.

Keep your eyes peeled on the boat journey to and from the island as it is known for its puffins between April and July.

Stay at Cottage Court Hotel for a budget-friendly option with rooms often under £60 near North Beach.

St Pauls Walden, Hertfordshire

Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski

Having spent my entire life in and around Hertfordshire, I can vouch for its beauty – miles of rolling hills, sparse farmyards with grazing wildlife and quaint tea rooms whose window displays feature stacks of homebaked brownies and cakes.

There are some villages and gems within the county that remain so off-grid, I’ve only just discovered them myself.

One of those is St Pauls Walden, a tiny North Hertfordshire village that encompasses the best of the British countryside. 

It’s home to some gorgeous rural walks through thick forests where you’re unlikely to spot another soul – that includes a loop past St Pauls Walden Bury, whose immaculate 18th century gardens are pristine.

The glorious stately home was actually the birthplace of the late Queen Mother, who spent many of her childhood days frollicking around in the lakes and under the pergolas.

The home and gardens are open to the public on certain days and cost £8 to visit.

Swing by The Strathmore Arms, a proper countryside pub that serves fuss-free grub, cooked well.

Then check into the nearby Tewinbury Farm Hotel to fully immerse yourself in Hertfordshire’s nature, with rooms from £159 per night.

The rural retreat hosts regular supper parties at the on site allotment during summer, whipping up feats with ingredients sourced from the grounds, plus there’s cooking classes and cinema nights.

Grantchester, Cambridgeshire

Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill

When visiting Cambridgeshire, most will flock to the city of Cambridge, and why wouldn’t they? It has beautiful colleges, winding shopping streets and is renowned for its punting.

But just down the road is the village of Grantchester which is usually left off the county’s must-visit tick list.

Any fans of the TV show by the same name should definitely pay it a visit as it has all the recognisable haunts there from the wisteria-clad vicarage to the church and The Green Man Pub.

My favourite place in the village though, is the Orchard Garden which is literally set in an apple orchard.

There’s plenty of picnic tables, fold out chairs to relax in, not to mention it’s famous for its historic guests like the poet Rupert Brooke and novelist Virginia Woolf.

But what I was most interested in was the baked treats – like the homemade scone with jam and clotted cream which you can enjoy for £5.40.

Afterwards, take a stroll through Grantchester Meadows either along the river, or the pathway which will lead you into the city.

If you want to stay nearby, head to the Travelodge in Cambridge which has rooms from £37 per night. From there, it’s a 15-minute drive, or an hour’s stroll away.

Ballygally, Northern Ireland

Travel Reporter, Jenna Stevens

Those visiting Northern Ireland often flock to Belfast or The Giant’s Causeway – but there are plenty of beautiful villages along the Antrim coast that are well worth a visit.

Ballygally is a top pick for fans of quaint, pretty villages, sea swimming – and the series Game of Thrones.

This quiet village has a crescent-shaped beach backed by quaint cottages and rolling green farmland, where you’ll spot sheep peacefully grazing.

Here, you’re only minutes from Carnfunnock Country Park, which has a hedge maze and adventure playground for kids.

Drive 35 minutes further out to Glenariff Forest Park for mystical waterfall walks and dramatic forests with towering evergreen trees and plenty of wildlife.

In the centre of the village you’ll find Ballygally Castle Hotel, Ireland’s only 17th-century castle with rooms you can still stay in.

The hotel offer a Game of Thrones-themed afternoon tea for £36pp, with treats like Jon Snow cakes and a Dothraki Trifle with Mini Dragon’s Egg.

Plus the carved wooden door to their castle-themed restaurant was used in the series, too.

In fact, it’s one of nine which you can tick off on your travels around Northern Ireland with a dedicated Journey of Doors trail passport, which you can grab from reception.

Ballygally Castle Hotel has rooms from £120 per night.

Paultons Park, Hampshire

Head of Travel: Digital, Caroline McGuire

Yes, Paultons theme park in the New Forest gets more than a million visitors a year, so it can’t really be classed as a ‘best-kept secret.’ 

But I am always stunned to learn how few people know it exists. Or who think that it’s only Peppa Pig World, when that land is only a fraction of what is on offer. 

I’ve been taking my son since he was 2, when we were all about Peppa Pig World, and the number of rides for kids under the age of 10 is such a gamechanger. 

He is in year 2 now, so has grown out of Peppa and moved on to the entry-level coasters, of which they have several.

It has long been the park of choice for younger families, but in the last few years they have been investing heavily in attractions for older children, including Valgard, a viking-themed land opening this weekend, that features two rollercoasters and a swing ride.

But it’s not just the rides. 

They have short queues, incredible customer service, spotless bathrooms, and lovely attention to detail. For instance, they have those small rides you see outside supermarkets that cost a quid – and they’re free to use at Paultons.

Also, they don’t charge for parking, unlike several other big theme parks.
It’s little things like that which make all the difference between a good theme park and a great one. 

Advance day tickets from £46.75 per person with children under 1m getting free entry.

For accommodation, try the Green Hill Farm Holiday Village in Landford just 10 minutes drive away.