WASHINGTON — President Trump’s trade war with Canada could intensify the headwinds Republicans are navigating ahead of the November midterms, with its effects poised to reverberate in northern battleground states with crucial Senate races.
With the election less than six weeks away, Republicans are facing an increasingly bleak outlook, as new polls this week showed voters favoring Democrats by as much as 12 points amid widespread cost-of-living anxiety and low approval for Trump.
The escalating beef with Canada — Trump attacked the country anew on social media Wednesday — stands to heighten voters’ economic worries and add to the GOP’s political challenge in dead-heat races, analysts said.
“It doesn’t make things easier. It’s not helping,” said Rusty Hills, a University of Michigan public policy professor and onetime chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
The president’s unpopular policies on the war in Iran, the economy and data centers have already handed Republican candidates the tough task of appearing responsive to Americans’ frustration with cost-of-living issues without alienating Trump and his voter base.
The trade war, said Lance Dutson, a Maine Republican media strategist, puts “another log on the fire” of the affordability issue.
The tariffs have appeared unpopular in recent polling, including among a majority of independent voters. Though they are not expected to dramatically increase consumer prices, they could affect voters’ perception of the economy — and even small economic impacts on certain industries, such as auto manufacturing in Michigan, could have an effect in very close midterm races, experts said.
Trump’s new import bans on some Canadian goods are set to begin next week, a response to retaliatory tariffs Canada levied earlier this month. Trump argues that Canada has “been ripping off” the United States and that tariffs will help domestic manufacturers.
On Wednesday, the president inaccurately claimed on Truth Social that Canada is allowing “millions and millions” of immigrants into its country.
“It is a Liberal takeover that will end very badly. Already showing up in their numbers. Big unemployment. ‘Oh Canada!” the president wrote on social media Wednesday morning.
Five of the nine states most likely to decide Senate control border Canada — Alaska, Ohio, Michigan, New Hampshire and Maine. Two more, Texas and Iowa, also do substantial trade with Canada.
Democrats must retain their Senate seats including New Hampshire and Michigan and flip four of the other states to win a majority, a tall task. As the landscape worsens for Republicans, however, some are testing how much they can distance themselves from Trump.
“It’s a tightrope, there’s no question,” Hills said. “[Candidates] are looking for some wiggle room on some of these issues like the war and prices and Canada tariffs, because they need every independent and swing voter they can get.”
A majority of Americans oppose raising tariffs on Canadian goods, including 64% of independents, an Economist/YouGov poll found. Only 14% of independents said they supported additional U.S. tariffs on Canada in a late August Ipsos poll.
And in Michigan, 68% of independent voters disapprove of the tariffs, a poll this month from the Washington Post and Schar School found.
“The more we put tariffs on stuff, the more they put tariffs on stuff … prices are just ultimately going to go up for all of us,” said one Michigan swing voter in a Sept. 9 focus group conducted by the firm Engagious, in which 11 of 13 participants said the trade war was bad for the state.
The highest costs of the tariffs will be concentrated within a few industries, including auto and other manufacturing, dairy, and alcohol and spirits, said Alex Durante, a senior economist at the Tax Foundation. The tariffs likely won’t create a major change for consumers, but the general impression that tariffs can contribute to higher prices might turn off voters who are already worried about inflation, he said.
Counter-tariffs imposed by Canada in response to U.S tariffs last year resulted in a 6% increase in the prices of affected goods, researchers found in paper published by the Journal of Monetary Economics.
Canadian lumber products at Gutherie Lumber in Livonia, Mich., in August.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
“This trade war is certainly not helping the president and his party in the midterms,” Durante said. “What’s weighing on the top of people’s minds is this general affordability crisis … and they realize that tariffs are another factor that is impacting affordability.”
The latest escalation of the trade dispute began in July, when Trump threatened new 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods, reinvigorating a conflict that began with tariffs the president imposed in 2025.
The two countries began trade talks, but the negotiations fell apart in late August, and Trump imposed tariffs on about $20-billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada retaliated with tariffs on about $20-billion worth of American goods that took effect Sept. 8. Trump then announced import bans on some Canadian goods, including certain alcohol and dairy products, which go into effect next week.
Construction and farm equipment in Illinois, aluminum and pipe products in New York, and iron and steel products in Ohio are among the goods targeted by Canada’s counter-tariffs, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. In California, about 10.5% of the state’s Canadian imports are exposed to the counter-tariffs imposed by Canada.
Democrats have seized on the issue as another way to tie Republican candidates to Trump’s policies, something that analysts said may have varying degrees of success in different swing states.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins campaigns in August in Kittery, Maine.
(CJ Gunther / Getty Images)
In Maine and New Hampshire, where the Republican Senate nominees have criticized Trump’s move, the tariff issue may be less likely to stick. Efforts to tie Republicans to Trump have historically been less successful in the region because of its independent streak, said Jim Merrill, a veteran Republican strategist in New Hampshire.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins warned the White House against imposing tariffs and successfully pushed for the administration to exempt road salt and cement this month. She told Politico that the Trump administration had “very much underestimated” the effect of the tariffs on Maine residents.
Republican John Sununu, a former senator who is running to retake the seat in New Hampshire, has also criticized the tariffs, saying a trade war with Canada “doesn’t make any sense.” He indicated he would support legislation in Congress to restrain the president’s tariff powers.
Elsewhere, Senate nominees have walked a careful line on tariffs. In Alaska, Sen. Dan Sullivan has largely avoided the issue, even as Democrats there have used it to ramp up attacks on his record in recent days. In Ohio, former Sen. Jon Husted told the National Review in August that the public “would like to understand the strategy behind what the president’s trying to do.”
Former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, the Republican Senate nominee, told reporters over the weekend that he was in favor of “good” tariffs that would help Michigan and opposed to “bad” tariffs that would hurt the state.
Focusing on issues other than tariffs may be the right strategy on the campaign trail, Hills said.
“He’d much rather be talking about the Republican plan for affordability,” Hills suggested. “There’s interesting things we need to be talking about in order to win this election, and this isn’t one of them.”
THERE’S a specific point during every peak-summer holiday when even the most committed sun worshipper has to admit it’s all getting a bit much.
The beach is shoulder-to-shoulder, the sand is hot enough to cook an egg and you’ve started timing dinner around whether you can secure a table without joining a queue.
That’s why I’ve become a massive advocate for the October break.
Across the Mediterranean, daytime temperatures comfortably hover in the mid-twenties and, even in October, there are hours and hours of proper sunshine every day.
Meaning you can still pack your swimwear, bring the sun cream and expect to come home a lot more tanned.
And my favourite part is: you enjoy all of that without the intense August heat, peak-season crowds or, most importantly, peak-season prices.
I crunched the booking data across our most popular summer resorts and found that October breaks are up to 49 per cent cheaper than their peak-August counterparts.
So these are the seven classic summer spots where October can genuinely be a better and much cheaper time to travel.
Crete is one of the best places to squeeze a final dose of proper Greek sunshine out of the year.
As one of Greece’s most southern major holiday islands, it holds onto summer far longer than many of its northern neighbours.
October in Hersonissos still serves up highs of 24°C and warm seas, keeping proper beach-and-pool days firmly on the menu.
Hersonissos also stays lively well into autumn, and the gentler heat also means exploring Heraklion or visiting the Palace of Knossos doesn’t turn into a sweaty endurance test.
Matched booking data shows that October packages here are, on average, 40 per cent cheaper than in August.
And I found a four-star, all-inclusive stay at Hotel Heronissos, just 100m from the beach.
It has a huge outdoor pool and puts you within walking distance of the resort centre, while your meals, snacks and local drinks are all included.
The full package works out at £320pp for 7 days – roughly £46pp a day – including the flights. Bargain.
Book a 7-night all-inclusive stay at Hotel Heronissos from 8 October 2026, with direct return flights from Bristol, for £320pp.
Majorca doesn’t just pull down the blinds the second September finishes, you know?
October in Cala Millor can still hit highs of 25°C earlier in the month, with sea temperatures sitting at a very swimmable 23°C.
But the biggest win in October, by far, is the elbow room.
In August, finding a towel-sized patch on Cala Millor’s huge sandy bay feels like bidding for a London flat – but in October, you can just walk down and lay your towel out.
Booking data shows that October packages are, on average, 40.1 per cent cheaper than in August, which is a pretty crazy saving for Majorca.
I found a four-star, half-board stay at Bakour Garbi Cala Millor, which sits just 400m from the beach, has a large outdoor pool, kids’ club and playground, and its heated indoor pool and spa area is ideal for an October break.
It gives your family a built-in back-up plan if an autumn cloud briefly rolls past.
Book a 7-night half-board stay at Bakour Garbi Cala Millor from 14 October 2026, with direct return flights from Bournemouth, for £340pp.
Rhodes is arguably the strongest weather bet on the entire list for autumn.
October brings highs of 25°C, around nine hours of sunshine a day and sea temperatures of approximately 24°C.
That is still proper tanning weather, and feels particularly nice when everyone back home has already turned the central heating on.
Afandou is ideal for a quieter escape, with one of the longest beaches on Rhodes and a traditional village centre.
The slightly gentler heat also means you can explore the island properly without spending the entire day desperately seeking shade.
My booking data shows that October packages are, on average, 43.7 per cent cheaper than in August – another massive saving.
I tracked down a room-only stay at Golden Days Aparthotel, a simple, cheap-and-cheerful base with an outdoor pool, a separate children’s pool and a tourist train running down to Afandou Beach.
Getting a full week on one of Greece’s warmest islands for under £190pp is an absolute steal. In fact, I’ve paid more than that for a train ticket to London this year.
Book a 7-night room-only stay at Golden Days Aparthotel from 2 October 2026, with direct return flights from East Midlands, for £185pp.
Albir delivers Costa Blanca sunshine without putting you in the middle of Benidorm.
That being said, Benidorm is still close enough for waterparks, nightlife and an emergency tribute act, but Albir itself stays super-relaxed.
October brings highs of 24°C and around eight hours of sunshine a day, alongside a palm-lined promenade overlooking the pebble beach.
The cooler autumn breeze also makes it a far better time to tackle the scenic walk up to Albir Lighthouse without desperately searching for shade every five minutes.
Booking data shows that October packages are, on average, 44 per cent cheaper than in August.
And I spotted a four-star, bed-and-breakfast stay at Sun Palace Albir in a quiet part of the resort.
It has an outdoor pool, a big sunbathing terrace and a spa area for when you fancy taking relaxation very seriously.
The stand-out feature here, though, is its restaurant terrace, which has panoramic views across the mountains and out to sea, a far better spot for breakfast than a rainy motorway service station – speaking from experience.
Book a 7-night bed-and-breakfast stay at Sun Palace Albir from 20 October 2026, with direct return flights from Manchester, for £305pp.
Kusadasi stays properly hot into October, with daytime temperatures reaching highs of 26°C along the Aegean coast – and I have to say it’s absolutely gorgeous.
You could easily spend seven days flitting between the pool and the buffet, but October’s gentler heat also makes exploring the ancient marble streets of nearby Ephesus infinitely more enjoyable than during the height of summer.
When I took a peek, matched booking data showed that October packages to Kusadasi are, on average, 44.3 per cent cheaper than in August.
And to highlight that value, I found a four-star, all-inclusive stay at Marbel Hotel.
It has a huge outdoor pool, tennis court, gym and Turkish hammam bath house, with your meals and drinks wrapped into the price.
It’s a great choice if you want plenty to do at the hotel while remaining close enough to dip into the centre of Kusadasi.
Book a 7-night all-inclusive stay at Marbel Hotel from 7 October 2026, with direct return flights from London Stansted, for £365pp.
Laganas in August and Laganas in October feel like two completely different worlds.
Peak summer brings wall-to-wall crowds and full-throttle nightlife, but by October, the volume turns right down, but temperatures can still reach highs of 25°C.
You get to enjoy Laganas’ vast golden-sand beach and the clear Ionian Sea without sharing them with thousands of foam-party-obsessives.
Some seasonal bars and clubs begin closing as the month progresses, but for me that’s part of the appeal.
You still get the sunshine, warm sea and beautiful coastline – just with considerably less people around.
And booking data shows that October packages are, on average, a whopping 45.7 per cent cheaper than in August.
I found a bed-and-breakfast stay at Atlantis Hotel Zante, and this place is just 7km from the airport.
That means you can be beside the pool remarkably quickly instead of spending the first afternoon touring every hotel on the island aboard a transfer coach.
The hotel has an outdoor pool, a separate children’s pool and a Jacuzzi, while the rooms include a mini fridge, kettle and toaster to keep the snack admin easy.
Book a 7-night bed-and-breakfast stay at Atlantis Hotel Zante from 13 October 2026, with direct return flights from London Stansted, for £255pp.
Taking the top spot for the biggest seasonal saving is Oropesa del Mar on Spain’s underrated and underdiscovered Costa del Azahar.
October temperatures here can still climb to highs of 25°C, allowing summer to stretch on long after the UK has descended into grey drizzle.
This purpose-built Spanish resort has broad beaches and wide promenades that feel calm and effortless once the July and August rush clears out.
The slightly gentler temperatures also make October a much better time to explore the coastline or head towards Castellon and Valencia.
My booking data shows that October packages are, on average, a staggering 48.6 per cent cheaper than in August – nearly half the price for the same Spanish coastline.
I found a bed-and-breakfast stay at Magic Sports Hotel, part of the Magic World resort and a real gem of a hotel for the easily-bored holidayers among us (guilty).
It has sports simulators, themed rooms, huge swimming pools and an on-site waterpark with slides inspired by everything from Formula 1 to winter sports.
Finding seven nights here with direct return flights for £265pp feels, quite frankly, ridiculous – and it’s my pick of the deals, for sure.
Book a 7-night bed-and-breakfast stay at Magic Sports Hotel from 3 October 2026, with direct return flights from London Stansted, for £265pp.
Frankie Muniz had a vulnerable moment on social media Friday, revealing he’s hit rock bottom following the announcement of his split from wife Paige Price.
The “Malcolm in the Middle” star announced he and Price were calling it quits after seven years of marriage in July, and now the actor is revealing he’s experienced some painful introspection in recent weeks.
“The last 6 weeks of my life have been a nightmare I’m praying to wake up from,” he wrote on Instagram. “Everything felt heavy, unclear, and like it was falling apart at the same time. I wouldn’t wish this season on anyone.”
He continued that despite the painful experience, “the unexpected gift in the middle of it is that I’ve had nowhere to hide.”
The actor-turned-race car driver said he’s spent the last several weeks reflecting and can now see the areas of his life where he thinks he can improve.
“I want to become a better version of me. Not the polished version I show the world … the actual one,” he wrote.
“I read that sometimes hitting rock bottom is the thing that wakes you up. It forces the changes you needed to make all along so you can live the best life possible. That idea has been sitting with me. In five years I believe I’ll look back at this exact low point and feel grateful for it, because the high I’ll be standing on then only exists because I went through this.”
He told his followers that this period isn’t the end of the story, but the catalyst for change.
“It’s the part where I start doing the work … the uncomfortable, unglamorous, necessary work. I’m choosing to treat this season as the foundation, not the finish line.”
Shortly after Muniz’s post, Price posted an Instagram story with a message that some followers speculated may be a response to the actor’s admission.
“Life is all about perspective. If you ask the grass, the zebra is the monster and the lion is the protector,” Price wrote.
Muniz is best known for his titular starring role in the beloved Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” which ran for seven seasons in the early aughts. In April, the series returned for a four-episode reunion arc on Hulu starring returning fan favorites Bryan Cranston as Hal, Jane Kaczmarek as Lois and a couple of Malcolm’s TV siblings.
In 2006, when “Malcolm in the Middle” wrapped, Muniz transitioned away from acting and pursued race car driving.
KATIE Price has made a spectacular return to London Fashion Week—over a decade since she last walked the runway.
The outspoken reality TV star, 48, wowed as she strutted her stuff at the Natasha Zinko X OnlyFans fashion show.
Showing off her newly enhanced chest, Katie wore a black waistcoat and black satin shorts with white ruffles on the back.
Speaking to the press before strutting her stuff, Katie told The Sun: “I’m so excited to be walking in the Natasha Zinko show.
“I’ve always been someone who believes in being unapologetically yourself, so this feels like a really natural fit for me.
“Fashion is about having fun, expressing yourself and feeling confident in your own skin, and I can’t wait to bring a bit of my personality to the catwalk.”
Katie’s bold appearance came just days after she appeared on Good Morning Britain to confirm she is filing for divorce from conman Lee Andrews.
Katie wasn’t the only star to take to the runway.
Newly single Kelly Osbourne, 41, also took center stage.
The Sun revealed earlier this month how she had split with her OnlyFans model boyfriend, UglyNorth, whose real name is Brad.
Taking place at Collins Music Hall in Islington, North London, the show marks the first time OnlyFans has joined London Fashion Week.
Speaking about the collaboration, Keily Blair, CEO of OnlyFans, said: “This collaboration brings together two brands with a shared belief in individuality, creativity, and fierce self-expression.
“OnlyFans has always been a platform where people can define themselves on their own terms, and Natasha Zinko brings that same spirit to fashion.
“Our London Fashion Week debut, which features OnlyFans creators, is a celebration of the communities behind both brands, and of the confidence to express yourself unapologetically.”
Meanwhile, Natasha added: “This limited capsule collection felt like a natural fit from the very beginning.
“We both share the same values: love, freedom of identity, inclusivity and body positivity. It’s about celebrating people exactly as we are.”
KATIE Price has plugged a questionable weight-loss jab – that’s ‘not intended for human use’.
The former glamour model, 48, is championing the injectable which is not approved in the UK.
She wrote on X: “Guys, I have started my peptide journey with @supreme_cbd and this is a great offer to start on! £40. Wow that’s brilliant.”
Katie continued: “I’m loving these peptides.”
She then added a discount code, confirming, “If you want to lose weight.”
Concerned fans commented: “What Katie? Why?”
A second worried user pointed out: “Commented this on the post but surprisingly got nothing back, so I’ll try with you… ‘not for human consumption?’”
Another bemused fan queried: “Why would you be on a peptides, there’s f*** all on you?”
Tesamorelin is legal to possess in the UK for scientific research but it is not authorised for human consumption in the UK.
It is legal to buy, possess and sell tesamorelin in the UK strictly for in-vitro laboratory research and scientific investigation.
However, it is not a licensed human medicine in the UK and is not approved by the MHRA for clinical use.
It cannot legally be marketed, sold or labelled for human consumption, therapeutic treatment or veterinary applications and is licensed in the US for people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
In June, she admitted her weight had plummeted due to “stress” after her estranged husband Lee Andrews was first arrested in Dubai.
The mum-of-five recently shared a health update on son Harvey as he continues his fat jab journey.
She previously shared her concerns over her 24-year-old son’s health after revealing he weighs 30st.
Harvey, who lives with Prader Willi Syndrome, blindness and autism, started taking fat jab Mounjaro earlier this month.
Katie revealed that Harvey’s BMI is double that of someone classed as obese – and also recently said on her podcast that he had been taking fat jab Mounjaro for nearly a month.
In August, the terrified mum said she feared Harvey would suffer a heart attack.
It comes after she ended her marriage to Lee Andrews, 43.
The model appeared on Good Morning Britain earlier this week and admitted she’d had enough of Lee’s lies.
The final straw came when she discovered a crypto account he claimed contained £37m had just £2.20 in it.
Meanwhile, Lee said that he hasn’t “pulled the wool over anyone’s eyes” nor has he “thrown Katie under the bus”.
WHILE weight loss jabs have been hailed as a breakthrough in helping tackle Britain’s obesity crisis, some users say they’re missing out on their waist-shrinking powers – and it could be down to some simple mistakes…
POOR PENMANSHIP
Many people don’t correctly use the injection pen, according to Ana Carolina Goncalves, a pharmacist at Pharmica in Holborn, London.
Make sure to prime your weight loss pen correctly, as per the instructions. If nothing comes out, try again, and if it still doesn’t work, switch the needle or ask a pharmacist for help.
It’s also recommended to rotate injection sites between the abdomen, thigh and upper arm to avoid small lumps of fat under the skin.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
Make sure you’re using the jabs on the most effective day of your schedule.
For example, taking the jab right before a takeaway or party won’t stop you from indulging, says Jason Murphy, head of pharmacy and weight loss expert at Chemist4U.
Weight loss injections need time to build up in your system, so if you’re planning for a heavier weekend, inject your dose mid-week.
MAKING A MEAL OF IT
You may not feel the urge to overeat at mealtimes due to the jabs. But skipping meals altogether can backfire, says Dr David Huang, director of clinical innovation at weight loss service Voy.
If a person is extremely malnourished, their body goes into emergency conservation mode, where their metabolism slows down.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A key mistake using weight loss jabs is not eating the right foods.
As well as cutting out sugary drinks and alcohol, Dr Vishal Aggarwal, Healthium Clinics recommends focusing on your protein intake.
DE-HYDRATION STATIONS
Dehydration is a common side effect of weight loss injections. But it’s important to stay hydrated in order for your body to function properly.
Dr Crystal Wyllie, GP at Asda Online Doctor, says hydration supports metabolism, digestion, and can reduce side effects like headaches, nausea and constipation.
MOVE IT, MOVE IT
It can be easy to see the jabs as a quick fix, but stopping exercising altogether is a mistake, says Mital Thakrar, a pharmacist from Well Pharmacy.
Exercise helps maintain muscle mass and help shape the body as you lose weight, which may be crucial if you’re experiencing excess skin.
QUIT IT
While there’s the tendency to ditch the jabs as soon as you reach your desired weight, stopping them too soon can cause rapid regain.
Mr Thakrar recommends building habits like healthier eating during treatment for sustaining results.
KATIE Price appeared to ignore her marriage breakdown for the night as she celebrated her best friends’ engagement.
After ending her marriage to Lee, 43, the former glamour model was played a voice note from him on GMB on Wednesday, in which he insisted “there’s been no wool pulled over anyone’s eyes”.
Tonight, Katie appeared in good spirits as she joined her friends for a boozy night out.
Katie flashed a big smile alongside celebrity interviewer pal Lewis Nicholls and Mike Turner.
He shared a photo of the trio and wrote: “Reunited to celebrate our engagement with Katie tonight,” with a red love heart emoji.
Katie was seen beaming as she held a glass of bubbly in her hand while joining her friends at Bank House Hotel Worcester.
Speaking to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls this week, Katie candidly confessed that – despite everything – she still loves Lee.
She said: “I love him… but who is he?
“I love the man I met. I can’t take it. I was stupid to fall for him. It’s really sad.”
Katie also admitted she believes her ex loves her too, saying: “I do believe he did.
“I think he’s got himself in such a situation… where he copy and pastes what he says to women… I do believe he’s fallen for me.”
Katie then revealed the signs that finally made her open her eyes.
She said: “For example, one of the rings he bought me he said was worth £72,000. So I thought I’d better get it insured.
“So I took it into a shop and got it cleaned to get it insured. When they gave it back to me I said, ‘How nice are the diamonds?’
“They said, ‘They’re really good lab diamonds. They were grown in a lab. The ring is probably only worth about five grand’. Do you know how embarrassed I was?”
On the latest episode of her podcast The Katie Price Show, Katie held up her hand to sister Sophie, 36, and said: “I’m still wearing my ring but on the other hand because I love the ring.
“I’ve taken Lee out of [my Instagram] bio now. Enough is enough now, it gets to a point where you can tolerate so much…
“I did what I had to do. It doesn’t matter what people say about whoever I’m with. I have to do what I need to do.
“If there are things that I question, that’s for me to find out myself to make my decision. Things haven’t added up and I’m not happy about them. He is still in prison and I haven’t spoken to him.”
KATIE Price has revealed why she’s still wearing her engagement ring from conman ex-husband Lee Andrews despite their split – and if she’s spoken to him since her bombshell Good Morning Britain appearance this week.
After ending her marriage to Lee, 43, the former glamour model was played a voice note from him on GMB on Wednesday, in which he insisted “there’s been no wool pulled over anyone’s eyes”.
On the latest episode of her podcast The Katie Price Show, Katie held up her hand to sister Sophie, 36, and said: “I’m still wearing my ring but on the other hand because I love the ring.
“I’ve taken Lee out of [my Instagram] bio now. Enough is enough now, it gets to a point where you can tolerate so much…
“I did what I had to do. It doesn’t matter what people say about whoever I’m with. I have to do what I need to do.
“If there are things that I question, that’s for me to find out myself to make my decision. Things haven’t added up and I’m not happy about them. He is still in prison and I haven’t spoken to him.”
Speaking to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls this week, Katie candidly confessed that – despite everything – she still loves Lee.
She said: “I love him… but who is he?
“I love the man I met. I can’t take it. I was stupid to fall for him. It’s really sad.”
Katie also admitted she believes her ex loves her too, saying: “I do believe he did.
“I think he’s got himself in such a situation… where he copy and pastes what he says to women… I do believe he’s fallen for me.”
Katie then revealed the signs that finally made her open her eyes.
She said: “For example, one of the rings he bought me he said was worth £72,000. So I thought I’d better get it insured.
“So I took it into a shop and got it cleaned to get it insured. When they gave it back to me I said, ‘How nice are the diamonds?’
“They said, ‘They’re really good lab diamonds. They were grown in a lab. The ring is probably only worth about five grand’. Do you know how embarrassed I was?”
KATIE Price has begged her terminally ill mum Amy to “find the strength to stay” in an emotional Instagram post.
The 48-year-old star said she’s never loved anyone as much as seriously ill Amy, 74, who is living lung condition Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
She wrote: “Mum please don’t leave me, please find the strength to stay
with me longer on this earth your my EVERYTHING.
“And you know I’ve turned everything around and your so proud of me.
Your my eyes, my voice, my strength, my absolute Everything.
“You’re a warrior and I’m your baby girl always and you love me through everything and held my hand. I can’t lose yo, u not n, ow not EVE”R.”
Just days ago, Katie revealed on her podcast with sister Sophie that their mum Amy is in hospital and “very poorly”.
Amy was diagnosed with IPF in 2017 and the chronic condition causes irreversible scarring of the lung’s air sacs making it difficult to breathe.
She had a lifesaving lung transplant in 2023 after drifting into a coma and being days away from death.
In July, Katie said she feared Amy might die while filming her recent autobiographical Sky documentary.
“There were so many times we thought we were gonna lose mum through the filming,” admitted Katie.
Sophie agreed, saying she didn’t think Amy was “going to make it.”
Katie went on: “She just keeps battling through and I never thought she’d make the BAFTAs [in February], none of us did.”
Demonstrators burn tyres and block highways as protests over increased fuel prices grip Syrian cities.
Published On 14 Sep 202614 Sep 2026
Protests have erupted across several cities in Syria after the government increased fuel prices, with demonstrators blocking a main highway for several hours.
The government raised prices on Sunday by up to 40 percent on diesel and 28 percent on petrol, in what it said were temporary increases caused by a sharp rise in the global cost of securing fuel.
Syria’s government also cited an overhaul of the critical Baniyas refinery for higher prices, saying it will raise capacity from 80,000 to 130,000 barrels per day.
Protests were reported in Hama, Khan Sheikhoun and Maarat al-Numan. Footage published by Al Jazeera shows crowds gathering on the street and burning tyres. The price increases also prompted fierce debate on social media.
The country is currently producing about 102,000 barrels of oil per day, while it needs about 325,000 barrels per day for domestic consumption and is relying on imports to make up the difference, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said on Saturday.
The Ministry of Energy said it would continue to review prices as global market conditions change and would work over the long term to expand refining and storage capacity, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Syria’s fuel supplies are key to the country’s economic recovery as it seeks to rebuild after 14 years of war.
Protests have erupted in Syria after the government raised fuel prices by up to 40% for diesel and up to 28% for gasoline. The government cites higher import costs and the Baniyas refinery overhaul.
Published On 14 Sep 202614 Sep 2026
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FORMER glamour model Katie Price has shared a worrying health update about her mum, Amy, amid her terminal illness battle.
Amy Price was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) back in 2017 with the irreversible scarring of the lungs making it difficult for her to breathe.
During a Good Morning Britain interview in May, Katie, 48, told how her mum was “really not well.”
The admission came two months after Amy was hospitalised in March after being diagnosed with an infection.
Amy has been in and out of hospital, battling the cruel disease for years.
Now, Katie has shared a health update on her mum and it doesn’t sound positive as she’s made a return to the hospital.
Speaking on her podcast The Katie Price Show, she said: “Mum is still in hospital. She’s very poorly.
“She’s very poorly at the minute, but she loves watching what we’re doing. She loves us at the NTAs, she loved it, seeing us all there.”
Amy appeared fit and fighting at the launch of her new documentary Katie Price: Nothing To Hide.
The glamorous 74-year-old made sure she was right by her daughter’s side for her big night.
She wore a beautiful white and blue floral dress and was seen posing up for snaps with a beaming Katie.
During a podcast episode with her sister, Sophie, back in July Katie revealed she was terrified her mum was going to die while they were filming her Sky show.
“There were so many times we thought we were gonna lose mum through the filming,” admitted Katie.
Sophie agreed saying at one point, she didn’t think Amy was “going to make it.”
Katie went on: “She just keeps battling through and I never thought she’d make the BAFTAs [in February], none of us did.”
In 2023, Amy underwent a major lifesaving lung transplant after being in critical condition in a coma.
Despite the transplant, Amy’s health has remained touch-and-go with Katie noting her struggles with mobility and breathlessness.
Published on
The last major data point before the Fed meets has arrived, and it arrived while Americans were paying record prices at the pump.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday afternoon that the annual rate held steady, with core inflation, which strips out food and energy, easing to 2.4% from 2.5%.
Every figure matched the consensus of economists and the monthly number is where the pressure shows.
Prices rose 0.4% in August against 0.1% in July, a fourfold acceleration and the fastest pace in three months. The annual rate stayed flat only because it is measured against the strong summer of 2025.
Markets had largely made up their minds before the figures landed.
CME’s FedWatch tool put the probability of a quarter-point increase at the 16 September meeting at 67.4%, up sharply from around 40% before Chairman Warsh’s Jackson Hole address in late August.
Following the inflation data release, those odds moved to 91.6%.
Warsh’s first keynote as chair was the turning point as he argued the American economy had strengthened rather than weakened, that the labour market was consistent with full employment, and that he “would be hard pressed to describe broad financial conditions as restrictive.”
On inflation Warsh was blunt by stating that “we must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective, clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do.”
By that test, Friday’s numbers are ambiguous.
Core inflation has now fallen for a second month and sits within half a point of the 2% target, which is underlying inflation moving in the right direction. The monthly acceleration points the other way.
Warsh also refused to say what would trigger a move, rejecting forward guidance as a practice that “has overstayed its welcome”. The Fed has held its benchmark rate at 3.50% to 3.75% since December, though three regional presidents dissented in July in favour of an increase, the most in one direction since 2016.
The pressure is coming from energy, and it is intensifying.
US crude futures topped $100 a barrel this week as fighting between American and Iranian forces escalated around the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington striking five Iranian tankers after attempted missile attacks on a US Navy warship.
Diesel is where it bites hardest.
The US national average crossed $6 a gallon on Friday for the first time in the country’s history, at least in nominal terms, according to the American Automobile Association, and leaving truckers and farmers paying around 63% more than a year ago.
In California the average is close to $8. As for petrol, it is averaging $4.22 nationwide, against $2.98 before the war began.
Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries prompted Moscow to ban diesel exports, removing roughly 800,000 barrels a day, while disruption around Hormuz has cost another 1.2 million.
Refineries representing about 5 million barrels a day of capacity have been shut by the two wars, and close to 8% of global diesel supply is currently disrupted.
Some retailers have already added delivery surcharges, and the effect on grocery prices tends to arrive with a lag, which means the energy shock in Friday’s numbers may not yet be the whole of it.
KATIE Price has taken aim at Love Island stars after an awkward run-in at the National Television Awards on Tuesday evening.
She recalled the incident at the glitzy bash while speaking to her sister Sophie on the newest episode of her podcast, The Katie Price Show.
Katie, 48, fumed: “I’m nice to everyone, some look at me like their s**t don’t stink.
“Are you actually for real? You went on Love Island or Love Island before.
“Just in general, loads are so nice, you always get some who think their s**t don’t stink.
“As Nikki Grahame used to say, ‘who are you?’.
“It just makes me laugh, up their bloody arse.”
She debuted a dramatic new look on the red carpet as she wore a white shirt tucked into sheer black shorts with a flower-print.
Katie brought her look together with black tights and a pair of heels.
The mum-of-five went for a very bold make-up look with heavy eyeshadow and overlined lips.
She slicked her hair back in a wet-look style and wore some huge gold earrings.
Ahead of hitting the red carpet, she told fans she’d been ditched by her glam squad.
The reality star explained that her glam squad decided “to pass” on getting her red carpet ready after they had a disagreement.
She said she wanted to do something “different” with her look and her glam squad were just not on the same page.
Katie expressed: “So originally I did have a glam squad by they’ve passed on doing my glam for the NTAs, because I wouldn’t wear the outfits they wanted me to.
“They wanted to do something different. But the outfit I’ve chosen myself is still different, because I don’t like to follow what everyone else follows.
“So in a way they did me a favour by saying they’re going to pass on my glam because I wouldn’t use the whole team.
“So someone I could never even dream of working, this is beyond art, iconic.”
Earlier that day, the Celebrity Big Brother winner took to Instagram to reveal she’s been left with a swollen face, black eyes and bandaged boobs after going under the knife again.
COMEDIAN Jim Davidson has called off his sixth wedding to his fiancée Natasha after secretly separating – and exclusively revealed to The Sun the reasons behind the split.
The Celebrity Big Brother star, 72, was set to wed at Hampton Court Palace last year – and ending it all has come at quite a cost.
The palatial venue, where all six of King Henry VIII’s wives lived during their marriages, was an amusing nod to Jim’s string of failed marriages – but Davidson and Natasha, 49, have now lost their £10k deposit.
Despite plans to marry six times like the former King of England, funnyman Jim confirmed the engagement is off.
He told The Sun: “There’s no bad blood. Natasha is the most caring and dutiful person.
“It’s not like we’re splitting up because we don’t love each other anymore.
“It’s a sort of a grown-up separation. The timing’s not right because she has so much time for everybody and how can you knock that?”
Dad-of-five Jim met Natasha, who is 23 years his junior, at the Southampton Boat Show in 2023 soon after the breakdown of his fifth marriage.
The smitten comic later introduced her to pals at Reform leader Nigel Farage’s birthday party saying he was going to make her his sixth wife – despite previously admitting his divorces had cost him around £60million.
He even renamed his £350,000 yacht – previously called Princess Mitchie after his ex-wife Michelle Cotton – Lady Natasha in honour of his new love.
However, the former Big Break and Generation Game host says the couple are no longer in a relationship ahead of their third anniversary.
He told us: “We still speak every other day, but whether we’ll ever find room to see one another again, I don’t know.
“She is very dutiful. She puts family first. And of course she has three children and now a grandson as well.
“She is just so busy and so I’m very busy as well. I’ve just finished a tour and my a*** is shaped like my car seat after travelling around the country. I get out of the car and I walk like I’m still in it.
“Our busy lives mean we’ve not been seeing one another. I previously fitted into her life because I’m hardly ever around myself.
“But there’s no bad feelings. I do love her. She’s fantastic.
“She’s the best friend you could ever have. She’s the best mother you could ever have.
“She’s the best daughter you could ever have. And I’m so proud that she was my girlfriend up until now.”
Jim – who was awarded an OBE in the 2001 New Year Honours – launched the Ustreme streaming channel after a successful stint recording short videos during Covid when he was unable to perform live and had no idea how audiences would respond.
The content includes exclusive stand-up shows and in-depth interviews with the aim of “making people laugh like they used to”.
Natasha’s new series is set to air on Jim’s website, where she jokingly refers to herself as the ‘future ex Mrs Davidson’.
Jim continued: “We planned to get married last year and even booked Hampton Court Palace, which we thought was great because Natasha would be the sixth wife and she thought that was hysterical.
“But these days we just don’t have the time to see each other and split up every month.
“So going forward, we might end up seeing each other again, or we might draw a line under it because it’s not practical for the pair of us.
“I said to her, ‘Are you going to give me my jewellery back? and she told me, ‘If you want it back, I’ll just get it from someone else’,” Jim laughed.
“She’s a beautiful girl. How she found time for me, I’ve no idea. She does everything for everybody and asks nothing for herself.”
Ruling out there being another potential wife-to-be on the cards, Jim joked: “The only thing that’s in my life now is a Hyundai Santa Fe and a dressing room.”
Natasha’s new eight-part series launches in October, interviewing an array of celebrity guests.
Meanwhile Jim Davidson – The Christmas Cracker Tour – launches on December 2.
JIM married his childhood sweetheart Sue Walpole in 1971 at the age of 17 after she became pregnant with their daughter Sarah.
The marriage only lasted a year, and they divorced in 1972.
Jim wed second wife Julie Gullick in 1981 and had his second child, Cameron, but split five years later.
Jim wed TV presenter Alison Holloway in 1987, but the marriage was hit with rumours of infidelity and was over by 1989.
One of Jim’s most successful relationships was a 10-year marriage to former Page Three girl Tracy Hilton – the mum of his three youngest children – Charlie, Fred, and Elsie.
Jim married his fifth wife Michelle Cotton in 2009 with hopes that she was ‘the one’.
During an interview on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, the host asked him about his wife, and Jim replied: “She is a very nice person. She’s impatient, she’s fiery like me.
“I hope I’m with Michelle for the rest of my life, there’s no one better I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. Liz Hurley, perhaps?”
However in 2023, the comedian revealed they had split up, with their divorce finalised in 2024.
He said in an interview posted on ustreme.com: “There you go, the divorce came through today, so it’s done. I’m divorced again, my fifth divorce.
“The house has been sold and that will be going through in March, fingers crossed.
“It’s a new chapter for all of us.”
DUBAI: A late-night craving for dessert led Hasan Sarwar to leave investment banking and build Peekabox, a Dubai-founded app that sells fresh unsold food from cafes, bakeries and grocery stores at discounts of 50 to 70 percent.
Sarwar was in a Dubai cafe at about 11 p.m. when he noticed the pastry shelves were still full.
“I simply asked them, I said: ‘What do you guys actually do with these items?’ And they said, ‘We make it in the morning, and then throw it the same day,’” he told Arab News. “All of these sort of very high-end pastries are getting thrown every single day.”
He went on to develop the idea, comparing it to Too Good To Go, a model he had used while at university in the UK. “We’ve grown up in Dubai. We know the UAE. We know the F&B space,” he recalled telling his parents.
He started alone. Three months in, he asked his brother Omair to join him as co-founder. “It was way too much work for one person,” Sarwar said.
The first brand to sign was Tim Hortons, part of Dubai’s Apparel Group, after a pitch that ran three months with no app and no demo. “I didn’t leave them alone for three months,” he said. Once the contract was signed, he used the name to bring other brands on, and boxes now come from coffee chains, bakeries, restaurants, grocery stores and hotel buffets.
Customers do not choose what they get. “If you say I have this exact item that you want, people are never going to buy full price,” Sarwar said, describing the surprise box as a way to gamify the purchase without cannibalizing full-price sales. His own highlight came from The Grey, an independent Dubai cafe — a strawberry tart, his favorite dessert, with croissants and pain au chocolat.
Getting there meant fighting the same objection on two fronts. Premium brands worried that discounting would dilute their brand equity, so he pointed them to luxury department store Harrods in London, which runs similar schemes, while customers had to be persuaded the food was fresh rather than left over. Both concerns were successfully countered, he said, pointing to the app’s 45 percent repeat order rate.
Peekabox is now in talks with Ne’ma, the UAE’s national food loss and waste initiative, under the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
It plans to open in Riyadh and Jeddah next year with franchise partners that have already committed to the launch. “In terms of Saudi (Arabia) as a market, people are more price sensitive for sure, and also the density of stores is greater,” he said.
KATIE Price’s fans are convinced she’s photoshopped her latest social media photo as she posed in a skimpy outfit.
The former glamour model, 48, shared a picture of herself wearing a fluorescent yellow lace-up bodysuit.
Katie put her slim figure on display as she posed for snaps alongside a fan at Yours bar in Manchester.
The star showed off her tanned and heavily tattooed legs, but some eagle-eyed followers spotted a blunder with the photo.
Fans pointed out that Katie’s right arm looked unusually long.
One wrote: “Her arm is about 10ft long.”
A second said: “Arm extensions.”
A third commented: “Well noticed, now I can’t unsee it.”
“What’s really weird is that her foot is about 10 arms,” a fourth added.
The Sun revealed last week how Katie had finally ended her seven-month marriage to Dubai-based Lee, 43, after learning the extent of his financial deceit.
During their short-lived relationship, the former glamour model had two tattoo tributes to him.
As well as having his name inked on her hand Katie also etched the words ‘owned by Lee’ on her ribs.
Following her split from Peter Andre in 2009, the mum-of-five waited just a few weeks before inking a black cross through his name on her wrist, so it shouldn’t be long before she’s keen to get rid of every trace of Lee.
To have just the words on her ribs lasered off, Katie is looking at between eight and 10 painful sessions which could set her back upwards of £2,500.
Katie had Lee’s name tattooed on her hand days into their whirlwind romance in January.
She later revealed the shocking words ‘owned by Lee’ on her ribs in August.
The Sun revealed this week how the final straw for Katie came when she discovered Lee had just £2.22 in his crypto bank account – not the £37million he had promised.
WASHINGTON — A sporadic global trade war led by President Trump is fueling inflation across the U.S. economy, elevating prices on everyday goods, as the war with Iran sends the price of gas on a roller coaster.
Aggressive tax cuts have pushed the national debt past $40 trillion, driving a growing crisis in the bond market. And an unprecedented immigration crackdown is disrupting the labor supply in agriculture, construction, hospitality and food processing, raising prices even further.
Approaching the halfway point of Trump’s second term, a president who won reelection based on a promise to turn the economy around now faces a reckoning in the midterm elections centered largely on his economic record.
Trump’s economic agenda has emerged as an increasingly awkward liability for Republicans heading into the November elections, leaving lawmakers to defend policies that have delivered political pain at home, even as the White House argues they will pay off in the long run.
Polling on Trump’s handling of the economy has remained in precariously low territory throughout the summer, entering Labor Day weekend with less than a third of Americans supporting his job performance on their most pressing concerns. One recent poll, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, found that only 22% perceive the economy in a good or fair state.
Shoppers at Lincoln Heights Certified Farmers Market in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
And Americans’ confidence in the economy is unlikely to improve much ahead of election day, Nov. 3, in part because bad economic news has shown to sink confidence fast. Good news takes much longer to win people back, experts said.
“Voters’ opinion of the economy has mostly hardened,” said Aaron Klein, chair of economic studies at the Brookings Institution. “People vote the economy of the spring and summer, not November.”
Good news has been harder to come by.
Heading into the holiday weekend, Trump dismissed communities opposed to data-center construction as “backwards and poor.” A rapidly escalating trade dispute with Canada threatens Republican gains in battlegrounds along the northern border that could determine control of the Senate.
Sean Zabriskie, center, helps his son Connor, 7, try on hockey pants at The Ice Box Hockey shop in Harbor City. The trade war between the U.S. and Canada is affecting products like hockey gear, most of which is made in Canada and imported to the U.S.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
And fresh polling found that more than 90% of Americans believe corruption is rampant in Trump’s government, even as the president spends hundreds of millions of dollars on vanity projects across the capital.
Susan Collins, the incumbent Republican senator from Maine seeking another term in a strategically critical race, chastised the Trump administration for its latest trade spat with Ottawa as “making the job harder” of securing reelection.
“There’s just nothing good you can say about them,” Collins said of the tariffs.
Trump has pushed back on criticisms of his record, declaring the country has “the greatest economy we’ve ever had” and touting what he calls a manufacturing boom, all while distancing himself from potential midterm losses.
“I’m not affected by the election,” Trump told reporters last week. “I’m not running. But my party’s running, and I’m going to help my party.”
But Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and speaker of the House, said last week that the midterms would serve as a referendum on Trump’s presidency.
Rep. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La. ) arrive for a ceremonial swearing-in at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 2.
(Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
“Even though his name isn’t in the midterm, his legacy is,” Johnson said. “The America First priorities and principles are. His administration is.”
Several embattled incumbents fear that’s the case and are distancing themselves from the president. Several Republican lawmakers — including Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan and Zach Nunn of Iowa — plan on skipping a midterm GOP convention called by Trump for this week in Texas.
Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers, said that gas prices were a chief frustration among Americans, and found that consumer sentiment soured rapidly once it became clear the conflict in Iran would not be short-lived.
“Consumers are absolutely not feeling great about the economy right now, and the factors that are underpinning their frustrations with the economy at this time are factors that are pretty tough to turn around on short notice,” Hsu said.
Even if the Iran conflict reached a resolution, confidence in the economy is likely to change only when the prices are reflected at the gas station, she said.
“When it comes to the views of the economy, it’s really about what’s happening to my wallet,” Hsu said.
During a White House press media briefing on Thursday,Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the Iran war has led gas prices to rise and that he does not know when Americans can expect those prices to go down.
Vice President JD Vance talks to reporters during a news briefing at the White House on Sept. 3.
(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
“The reason gas prices are so high now is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping,” Vance said. “Gas, frankly, could have been much, much higher were it not for our efforts. But I am not going to make a promise about when it is going to return to $3.”
The day after Vance spoke, diesel hit a record all-time high of $5.85 a gallon. In California, it sold for as much as $7.71.
Yet Trump has tried to downplay the economic pressure the war in Iran is placing on Americans, in particular as the Strait of Hormuz — a vital shipping corridor for oil and gas — remains under threat by Iranian troops.
Diesel prices over $7 a gallon are displayed at a gas station in Los Angeles on Aug. 21.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
“We have the Strait of Hormuz in extremely good shape,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. Navy has escorted ships through the channel. “A lot of oil is coming out. That’s why you haven’t seen the price of oil going the way they thought it might have to go.”
Trump on Monday also touted an agreement with the Venezuelan government to develop a vast amount of the South American country’s oil reserves. Asked how he sees the deal affecting American consumers, Trump said: “Ultimately prices are going to come down.”
One of the Arts of War statues, newly covered in gold leaf, is visible at Arlington Memorial Bridge near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
(Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
“Now, will it happen before the election? I can’t tell you that. But I think people are very smart,” he said.
For some Americans, the economic pressures are a key driver ahead of the midterm elections.
Monica Escalante, a home care provider who is a member of the United Domestic Workers union, said she started feeling the pinch on her wallet after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on a number of products she buys at the grocery store. Gas, she noticed, became harder to cover after the Iran war started.
Escalante, who lives in Bakersfield, said she also has to drive her client to the grocery store, and that mileage reimbursements are not enough to cover her costs.
“It’s really hard when I don’t have the money for gas, and she doesn’t have the money for gas. Then it is like: What do we do?” she said. “It is either she’s borrowing or I’m trying to figure out how I can get gas in my tank.”
THE summer holidays might only just be wrapping up, but I’m already deep in the database looking at where you should be booking for Summer 2027.
Before you accuse me of wishing the year away, there’s method in the madness.
Securing your booking now gives you plenty of time to spread the cost, turning a peak summer holiday into a manageable monthly payment.
I crunched live booking numbers to track down the resort areas where early bookers are securing the lowest average monthly direct-debit payments per person.
Couples are booking breaks from an average of just £40pp a month, while family packages are getting snapped up from just £45pp a month.
So, instead of clogging the list with ten resorts on the same two Spanish islands, I’ve broken down five top spots for couples and five for families across ten completely different coastlines – counted down from five to one.
La Cala de Mijas is my top shout for families who want all the convenience of the Costa del Sol without being swallowed by the high-rise noise of the massive resorts.
It still feels like an authentic seaside town, with a wide sandy beach, a flat seafront promenade for buggies, and family tavernas that won’t cause an argument when the bill arrives.
Our booking data shows families booking in September 2026 to spread the cost until Summer 2027 are paying an average of £51pp a month for this resort.
I managed to beat that, though. I found a 7-night bed & breakfast stay at Gran Hotel Costa del Sol from £460pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that specific deal comes out at just £42pp a month.
The direct garden access onto the sand here is brilliant too, meaning you can step straight off your breakfast terrace onto the beach without navigating busy coastal roads.
Malta serves up a brilliant hybrid of sun, sea, and exploring, and Mellieha is the ultimate base if you want a proper beach holiday.
Mellieha Bay is the largest sandy stretch on the island, while the historic village sits elevated on the hill with open-air bistros overlooking the coast.
Couples booking early in September 2026 are locking in Mellieha for an average of £55pp a month.
But I found a 7-night self-catering stay at Luna Holiday Complex from £510pp, flying directly from Newcastle on 24 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that works out at just £46pp a month.
What makes this complex a steal is its rooftop panoramic pool deck – it’s a quiet, adult-friendly sanctuary looking out over Gozo, allowing you to avoid the busier beach crowds when you just want a relaxed afternoon swim.
Agadir is a fantastic shout if you want an exotic North African beach trip that remains entirely hassle-free for kids.
The broad sandy bay is backed by a wide, paved promenade custom-built for evening pushchair walks, while modern resort hotels take the stress out of daily parenting.
The data reveals families booking early in September 2026 are spreading the cost at an average of £50pp a month for Agadir.
I found a 7-night all-inclusive stay at Allegro Agadir from £625pp, flying directly from Manchester on 24 August 2027.
Split across 11 monthly payments, the deal works out at £57pp a month.
Landing a full all-inclusive stay with meals, drinks, and snacks in August for under £650pp total is a massive result.
The on-site highlight is the property’s dedicated, shaded kids’ splash park that lets younger children cool off out of the intense midday sun.
Caleta de Fuste is built for couples who want a chilled holiday without feeling stranded in the middle of nowhere.
The horseshoe bay keeps the Atlantic waters calm and flat, the marina is packed with waterside bars, and the resort sits barely 10 minutes from the airport – meaning you go from arrivals to the sunlounger in record time.
Booking data shows couples locking in summer 2027 trips this September are averaging £53pp a month here.
But I found a 7-night all-inclusive stay at SMY Tahona Fuerteventura from £570pp, flying directly from London Gatwick on 25 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that deal costs just £52pp a month.
The standout feature at this hotel is its low-rise bungalow layout built around three separate pool zones, allowing you to easily find a quiet sunbathing corner away from the main bar.
Los Cristianos is a classic for a reason: it makes family travel feel effortless.
You get a sheltered sandy beach, flat walking paths, loads of kid-friendly restaurants, and quick access to Siam Park just down the road.
Families booking in September 2026 to spread payments out until next summer are averaging £49pp a month for Los Cristianos.
I found a 7-night half-board stay at Sol Arona Tenerife from £558pp, flying directly from Bristol on 25 August 2027.
Across 11 monthly payments, that works out at £51pp a month.
For energetic kids, this place has a massive on-site climbing block and outdoor play zone, giving toddlers and kids a safe space to burn off their final energy reserves before dinner while parents grab a drink at the pool bar.
While Lloret de Mar has a famous reputation for high-energy nightlife, there is far more to the town than neon lights.
The main beach is enormous, the surrounding Costa Brava cove scenery is gorgeous, and cheap direct train links into Barcelona make day trips effortless.
Couples securing their 2027 spot in September 2026 are paying a destination average of £49pp a month.
When I went deal-hunting, I found a 7-night half-board stay at Clipper Affiliated by FERGUS from £395pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Split across 11 payments, that brings the cost down to just £36pp a month.
This hotel’s central location is perfect too – it sits tucked just two streets back from the main beach, giving you a quiet pool area during the day while keeping the coastal nightlife and seafront dining within a two-minute walk.
Sidari takes the runner-up family spot because of the sheer quality of the local beach infrastructure, offering shallow waters, traditional tavernas, and the iconic Canal d’Amour rock formations right around the corner.
Families booking early in September 2026 are locking in Sidari for a resort average of £48pp a month.
I found a 7-night self-catering stay at Megali Luxuries from £543pp, flying directly from London Gatwick on 20 August 2027.
Divided across 11 monthly payments, that deal works out at £49pp a month.
Booking self-catering here is a smart move because the property sits directly adjacent to Sidari’s main strip of family-run Greek tavernas, where you can get authentic local dinners without spending a fortune.
Hear me out: if your ideal couples’ break involves stylish beach clubs, modern seafront dining, and not being forced into bed by 9:30pm, modern Magaluf is one of the best-value options on the island.
The main beach is immaculate, high-end hotel refurbishments have elevated the waterfront, and quiet Palma Nova sits right next door.
Couples getting their 2027 plans sorted in September 2026 are averaging £47pp a month.
I spotted a 7-night bed & breakfast stay at Sol Guadalupe from £595pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that deal costs £54pp a month.
The hotel features a huge lagoon-style pool setup with underwater lounger jets, giving you a sleek, high-end resort feel just a short walk from the seafront.
Gerani takes the number one family spot on our board as an absolute value anomaly.
Tucked near Rethymnon, this peaceful Cretan village is built for families who want space, wide beaches, and a slow, authentic Greek pace away from commercialised tourist hubs.
Our booking data shows families getting in early in September 2026 pay an average of just £45pp a month to spread the cost to Summer 2027 – the single lowest family figure on the map.
And I found a 7-night bed & breakfast stay at Hotel Ideon from £575pp, flying directly from London Luton on 23 August 2027.
Divided across 11 monthly payments, that featured deal comes out at £52pp a month.
The highlight here for families is the studio room setup – every room features a wide balcony looking out over olive groves towards the sea, giving you a peaceful, spacious base for a fraction of standard hotel prices
Taking the absolute overall crown is Tholos (also known as Theologos) on the breezy west coast of Rhodes.
It is infinitely more relaxed than Faliraki or Rhodes Town, serving up traditional tavernas, uncrowded beaches, and incredible Mediterranean sunsets.
This is the single cheapest destination average in our database: couples booking in September 2026 pay an average of just £40pp a month to spread payments until Summer 2027.
I found a 7-night self-catering stay at Sunlight Studios from £365pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Across 11 monthly payments, that featured deal costs just £33pp a month.
At under £38pp a month, that is quite literally the cost of one takeaway each – and a week under the Greek sun lasts a whole lot longer.
Worawith Ounpeng/iStock via Getty Images
An Accountant in Asheville
On 31 August, in Asheville, North Carolina, Anton Siluanov sat down at a G20 finance ministers’ meeting for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine. When he tried to open a conversation about areas of mutual interest, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cut him off: nothing is possible until the war is over. European ministers refused to appear beside him in the traditional group photograph, and the photograph was taken without him.
The snub is not the story. The composition of the delegation is. Ten days earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov had told a Russian outlet that Moscow was ready to hear new ideas for ending the war, provided they aligned with the goals Putin has set and with realities on the ground. Read alongside Asheville, that statement stops looking like an opening and starts looking like an invoice. Moscow is not testing whether it can stop fighting. It is testing what stopping would be worth, and it sent its finance minister to find out.
The Missing Fifth of Donetsk
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Four and a half years in, the war has settled into an asymmetry that neither side’s rhetoric captures. Russian forces hold roughly 80 percent of Donetsk oblast and virtually all of Luhansk, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The missing fifth of Donetsk is the “fortress belt”, the fortified urban chain of Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk that has anchored Ukraine’s eastern defence since 2014. Putin has issued fifteen separate deadlines to take Donetsk since 2022 and missed all of them. The current one expires on 31 December 2026.
Diplomacy has been dormant since March, when a scheduled round collapsed as Washington went to war with Iran alongside Israel. Before that came a 28-point American framework, drafted with Russian input in late 2025, that would have recognised Crimea, Luhansk and the whole of Donetsk as de facto Russian, frozen the southern front, and phased Russia back into the global economy. Kyiv and Europe forced it into revision. In August, Volodymyr Zelensky put forward a joint Ukrainian-American-European counter-proposal built on three planks: a ceasefire, reciprocal withdrawal from the current line, and security guarantees underwritten by the EU and NATO. Moscow has not responded to it.
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RYANAIR warns the price of jet fuel could soar next summer – meaning the cost of flights could too.
The airline has warned that other competitor airlines could struggle to ‘survive’.
Conflict in Iran has caused jet fuel costs to climb due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and it will continue to affect holiday prices.
In a statement, Ryanair said: “If high oil prices continue through to S.27 (summer 2027), Ryanair believes short-haul airfares in Europe will increase materially to reflect higher oil prices as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even survive this coming winter season.”
Ryanair said it currently hedges fuel (which means it pays a set price).
The airline added that 80 per cent of its jet fuel is hedged through March 2027 at about $67 (£50) a barrel.
Currently the price of jet fuel is around $140 (£103) a barrel.
Ryanair isn’t the only airline to warn of higher costs on the horizon, easyJet has said the same.
Talking to The Times earlier this year, easyJet said it would increase minimum ticket prices of its winter 2026-27 flights “by two to three pounds” to offset higher costs and uncertainty around customer demand.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby also said he expects fares to keep rising into the first half of next year.
According to Reuters he said: “I think you’re going to still see gradual increases in fares. Not as big a jump as happened this year.”
When it comes to finding the cheapest flights right now – it’s best to use a comparison site.
Skyscanner is a great option for comparing the price of flights with various airlines – and it even have a price drop tool.
The feature claims to scour up to 80 billion prices a day and shows which destinations have seen flights that have dropped 20 per cent compared to the last week.
Google Flights is another search engine which compares flight prices and shows multiple airline options.
If you choose the ‘explore’ option, it can show the cheapest, direct flights across the world.
For even more hacks on when to fly, Expedia has put together a handy list on the cheapest days to fly – which is Friday.
Compared to travelling on a Saturday, jetting off the day before can save up to 18 per cent.
It also found that found that international travellers can save £93 on average by booking between 15 and 30 days ahead, instead of six months.
Where you fly from also makes a difference – some of the most expensive UK airports to fly from are London Heathrow, Humberside and Manchester..
For more hacks, head here.
IT’S BEEN nine months of drama for Katie Price after she said “I do” to con man Lee Andrews.
After The Sun revealed tonight that Katie, 48, is talking to top divorce lawyers, we take a look at all the signs that pointed to her secretly planning to split from her jailbird fifth husband, 43.
Katie has had a rocky year so far, with the drama surrounding her marriage to Lee, who is currently in jail.
Since trouble started brewing in May, when he was first banged up, the former pin-up has had a very on/off relationship with her wedding ring.
Just yesterday, in a clear sign that the marriage is in big trouble, the star ditched the significant piece of jewellery as she enjoyed time in Marbella.
Katie was also seen without her wedding ring as she flashed her bum while dancing on her close pal during her wild trip.
One of the biggest signs that Katie was not happy with her marriage to Lee is her refusal to go back to Dubai, where he lives.
The star hasn’t returned to the UAE since the end of June, which was just before Lee was sent back to jail, for a second time.
Previously speaking about how she would never move to Dubai to live with Lee, she said in a YouTube vlog: “I don’t know why people think I’m moving to Dubai.
“My family’s here. The husband is there, but the husband come here and I can go to Dubai when I can.”
Katie then added: “It’s a lot of hoo-ha.”
At an awards ceremony earlier this month, as Lee languished behind bars, Katie asked Jake Quickended if she was “his type”.
The star was seen publicly flirting with the former The X Factor star at The Hair and Beauty Awards.
It happened as they shared the stage to present an award, and Katie told him how This Morning host Ben Shephard had said to her that she would make a “good match” for Jake.
She then proceeded to see how Jake felt about that, and when he was left red-faced she said: “Are you blowing me out? Is that a yes or a no? I’m putting you on the spot.”
Lee was sent back to jail in July, just weeks after he was freed from prison the first time this year.
The con man was originally locked up in May for fraud, but was most recently nabbed for unpaid debts.
However, Katie has refused to pay any of the money he owes, in order for his release.
She told The Sun: “He’s in prison and the only way Lee will get out of prison, he has to sort it out himself.
“That’s the end of that. If not, he’ll be prison. There’s nothing I can do. I’m not here to pay anything for anyone. I’ve got my own life. Even though he’s part of my life.”
Last, but not least, Katie has stopped speaking about Lee on her podcast.
The star drops an episode of The Katie Price Show, which she does with her sister Sophie, every Thursday.
However, recently Katie has been very quiet on the topic of her jailbird husband.
