names

With two bank holidays on the horizon, many people are keen to jet off on a cheap long weekend getaway and a travel expert has shared the four best value destinations he’d “genuinely” book himself

A holiday expert has listed four “hot and cheap” destinations well worth booking this May for a spring getaway without the “summer prices”.

With two bank holidays on the horizon, many people are looking to make the most of a break from work by jetting off on a long weekend on the quest for some guaranteed sunshine – never a safe bet here in the UK. With that in mind, holiday expert Rob, known online as Rob On The Beach, listed four places he’d “genuinely” book for himself.

Taking to Instagram, he said: “Four places I’d personally book for May if you want a properly hot holiday without paying summer prices.”

He continued: “May is easily one of the best value months for good weather at a pinch of a price. Plus, the UK’s fully into bank holiday season so you can stretch that annual leave a bit further, too.

“So I’ve looked at the data, the weather and the live pricing to find the four places I’d genuinely book myself.”

4. Malta

Kicking off his list, Rob began with island country Malta, which boasts 300 days of sunshine per year.

The holiday expert said: “In fourth, Malta. This is one people are slowly catching onto now. You’re getting consistent mid-20s heat, loads of sunshine, but it’s still not hit the peak pricing window yet in May.

“And the best part about Malta is it’s not just sit by the pool, either, which you can do, but there’s loads to explore and loads to see on the island.”

He then shared a deal he found from Monday, May 4 until Saturday, May 9, which cost £240 per person for direct flights from London Luton and a stay at the “gorgeous” St Julian’s Levante, Affiliated by Melia hotel.

3. Cyprus

Next, Rob listed Cyprus, another island country, which is located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It offers renowned beaches and 320 days of sunshine a year, as well as rich history and culture.

Rob said: “This is your safe bet because in Cyprus in May, there’s proper sunshine every single day and by mid May, you’re well into the high 20s here.

“Also, quick one, because people always ask; yes it is safe in Cyprus right now. The FCDO advice has not changed and everything there is operating as normal. But speaking of things that aren’t normal, just look at this deal.”

Rob detailed a five night stay at Hylatio Tourist Village in Paphos from Friday, May 15 until Wednesday, May 20, at half board, with direct flights from London Stansted for £280 per person.

He added: “For that level of weather, this early in the year in a premium destination like Cyprus, that’s a cracking price.”

2. Dalaman

In second place, Rob put Dalaman, a municipality and district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Dalaman is famed for its award winning beaches, scenic snorkelling, rich history, views of the legendary Turquoise Coast, as well as its natural beauty complete with nesting loggerhead turtles, and plenty more.

Rob “specifically” recommended Fethiye and said: “Now look, Fethiye is unreal all year round but May is when I personally think it’s at its best.

“You’ve got that perfect balance of temperatures in the mid 20s, proper sunshine all month and all without the peak pricing the peak level of tourists.

“It’s green, it’s scenic, there’s loads to explore, it’s absolutely drop dead gorgeous and you still get that classic Turkey all-inclusive value here, too.”

Rob shared a deal he’d found for a five night all-inclusive stay at the five-star Club Tuana Fethiye with direct flights from London Gatwick from Saturday, May 2 until Thursday, May 7, for £350 per person.

He said: “This is one of the best value holidays you can book in May, full stop.”

1. Albania

Rob said he’d “gone for something a bit different this time”, putting Albania in first place. The small Balkan country boasts vibrant coastlines and rich history and culture. There’s many castles and archaeological sites, as well as hiking options and peaceful, uncrowded Mediterranean beaches.

The holiday expert explained: “Somehow, Albania is still flying under the radar – because here, you’ve got coastline that looks like Greece but prices that really do not.

“In May, you’re comfortably in mid-20s heat with loads of sun and crucially not a lot of people there.”

Rob shared a deal he found for four nights at the three star Hotel Vola with breakfast included from Saturday, May 9, until Thursday, May 14, and direct flights from London Stansted, priced at £175 per person.

He added: “For a sunny, cheap European beach break that’s also a hidden gem, that’s cheaper than most people’s weekends at home. This is the kind of place to go to now as well because people will cotton on and it will be busy next year.”

Uncapped striker Cora Chambers has been included in new Northern Ireland boss Michael McArdle’s first squad for their April World Cup qualifying double-header against Malta.

The 22-year-old was involved in Kenny Shiels’ full-time panel ahead of Euro 2022, but did not go to the tournament and has not been involved with the senior side since.

The Linfield forward netted 20 league goals for the Blues last year and has scored 39 goals in 47 appearances since making the move to the club from Sion Swifts in 2024.

She is included in one of two changes from the squad which lost both games in Kris Lindsay’s interim spell as manager against Switzerland and Turkey.

Hearts midfield Joely Andrews also returns to the 23-strong squad after missing last month’s games through injury.

Experienced defender Sarah McFadden drops to the standby list while Glentoran midfielder Mia Moore, who made her first start in the defeat against Turkey, will instead be part of the under-19 squad competing in Euro qualifiers this month.

McArdle, who was the Scottish FA’s head of elite women’s football and former interim head coach of Scotland, was appointed as Tanya Oxtoby’s permanent successor in March.

His first game as NI manager will take place at Mourneview Park against Malta on Tuesday, 14 April.

His side will then travel to Malta for the second of April’s double-header on Saturday, 18 April as they look to pick up their first win in qualifying.

Several tech executives and directors, including those at CrowdStrike, Dell, Palo Alto Networks, and Taiwan Semiconductor, made significant stock transactions—mostly sales except for the CEOs of Palo Alto Networks and Taiwan Semiconductor, who made notable purchases.

March 26 (UPI) — Argentina’s government on Thursday formally designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, as a terrorist organization and ordered its inclusion in the country’s public registry of individuals and entities linked to terrorism and its financing.

In an official statement, Argentina’s presidential office said the decision is based on reports documenting the group’s transnational criminal activities and links to other terrorist entities.

The move aligns Argentina with U.S. security policy, which designated the cartel as a terrorist organization in 2025.

Inclusion in the registry enables the government to impose “financial sanctions and operational restrictions aimed at limiting the capacity of these criminal organizations and their members,” according to the statement from President Javier Milei’s administration.

It also “protects Argentina’s financial system from being used for illicit purposes” and strengthens international cooperation in security and justice matters “in close coordination with countries that have already designated the Jalisco Cartel as a terrorist organization.”

The government said CJNG has become one of the world’s most powerful drug trafficking organizations over the past decade, with a presence in Mexico, operations in the United States and expansion into at least 40 countries, including Argentina.

The statement also highlighted the measure’s impact on international cooperation, saying it reinforces security and judicial coordination with countries that have already classified the cartel as a terrorist group.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel emerged in Mexico in the early 2010s amid the fragmentation of major drug cartels. Its leader and founder, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” died in February during an operation in Mexico supported by U.S. intelligence. The United States had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Milei’s government has previously designated as terrorist organizations groups already classified as such by the United States, including branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran’s Quds Force.

Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, ex-IRGC commander, to replace late Ali Larijani as chief of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Iran has named Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as the successor to Ali Larijani, head of the country’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), who was killed in a US-Israeli air strike earlier this month.

President Masoud Pezeshkian’s deputy of communications announced the appointment on X on Tuesday.

The SNSC, formally chaired by Pezeshkian, coordinates security and foreign policy and includes top military, intelligence and government officials, in addition to representatives of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

Zolghadr, who served in the 1980s war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, went on to become head of the IRGC’s joint staff for eight years and then deputy commander-in-chief of the elite force for another eight years.

In 2005, he was named deputy interior minister for security and police in the government of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a move that was seen at the time as bolstering the IRGC’s influence in politics.

Since 2023, he has been the secretary of the Expediency Council, a powerful body that plays both an advisory and mediating role between Iran’s various power structures and the supreme leader.

Zolghadr’s new position consolidates the IRGC’s growing clout in Iran amid growing uncertainty regarding decision-making at the top of the system. Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since he succeeded his assassinated father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in early March.

Larijani, one of the most prominent non-clerical figures in Iranian politics, was killed last Tuesday in a week that saw the war spiralling throughout the region, upending global energy markets and roiling the world economy.

On Tuesday, the war showed no sign of de-escalation after US President Donald Trump’s claim that he was speaking to an unidentified “top person”, as he extended by five days a deadline to hit Iran’s power plants.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said “no negotiations” were under way, accusing Trump of seeking “to manipulate the financial and oil markets”.

The travel expert previously shared his recommendations for a gorgeous yet affordable European summer holiday, and one place is well worth a visit.

If you’re still to book your holiday for 2026, Simon Calder is on hand to help with suggestions on where to go. The travel expert has previously spoken out about his favourite affordable spots to take a trip, and they’re all gorgeous too.

Simon highlighted Portugal, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania as some of the most stunning yet affordable holiday destinations. He said: “In Western Europe, it has to be Portugal and in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria – obviously a very popular package holiday destination.”

In fact, according to research in 2023 by holiday specialists Jersey Island Holidays, Montenegro topped the charts as Europe’s most affordable destination, reports the Express. Although this was a few years ago, the destination still remains very affordable.

For example, Brits can secure a seven-night break in an all-inclusive four-star resort in Herceg Novi next month for £419pp, including flights, according to Love Holidays.

The Iberostar Waves Slavija hotel, which is right by the beach, will only set you back £409 for seven nights — excellent value for money.

It’s cheap when you’re actually there too. According to Cost of Living, the average price of a beer in Montenegro is €2.50, which is around £2.15.

The average pizza costs €12, whereas pasta and meat dishes come in at around €15, according to Porto Montenegro. Flights in April start at just £16 one-way from Gatwick Airport.

But Simon Calder isn’t the only one singing the praises of this holiday destination, as travel bloggers at Wander-lush crowned Montenegro Europe’s most “underrated nation”.

Kotor Bay stands out as one of Montenegro’s most spectacular locations, and conveniently for tourists, the nearest city and airport is Podgorica.

The experts highlighted that whilst Kotor ranks among the most striking towns on Kotor Bay, if they “had to choose the most beautiful place in Montenegro overall, it would be the harbour town of Perast”.

Travel experts at Starsinsider agreed, declaring that Montenegro “is the most underrated jewel of the Mediterranean”.

In Podgorica, one of the top attractions is Saborni Hram Hristovog Vaskrsenja, a “beautiful and very impressive” church that’s “absolutely worth visiting”, according to some travellers on Tripadvisor.

Kotor Bay has earned praise on the platform as “the best coastal road in the world” and a “beautiful and peaceful” destination for a getaway.

“We fell in love with Montenegro. The water is so clear, the mountains come down to the water, and it’s stunning scenery.

“That said, what I love about it is that it’s so unspoiled. I sure hope it can stay that way. So peaceful and lovely,” one person shared in a review.

The Pentagon said the airmen on board the KC-135 plane were: John Klinner, 33, from Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, from Washington; Ashley Pruitt, 34, from Kentucky; Seth Koval, 38, from Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, from Ohio; and Tyler Simmons, 28, also from Ohio.