The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose to the highest level since late November last week, although the increase partly reflects seasonal distortions around the spring holidays.

NPR: US Futures Shave Gains After Jobless Claims Data

Many visitors find spring and summer holidays there to be the best.

CNN: Revolutionary holidays in Williamsburg

The upshot: You'll want to avoid traveling during busy periods, including weekends and holidays this spring and summer, says Anne Banas, executive editor at SmarterTravel.com.

WSJ: Plan for Bigger Travel Delays

And they're supplemented by more spontaneous acts of charity, the kind that most frequently spring to mind during the holidays.

NPR: Feeding the Homeless on L.A.'s Skid Row

Department for Education figures show 0.51% of half-days were missed in the autumn term of 2009 and spring term of 2010 because of family holidays.

BBC: Millions of school days lost to family holidays

The newly-announced strikes will see staff walk out for a total of 20 days, covering spring bank holiday and school half-term holidays.

BBC: British Airways strike dates announced

Margaret Morrissey of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations said parents would be angry because they could not take children away for holidays in term time - yet schools could spring closures on them at the last minute.

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In the autumn term of 2008, 0.73% of half-days were lost to authorised and unauthorised school holidays and 0.45% were lost in the spring term of 2009.

BBC: Millions of school days lost to family holidays

Also, many families are locked into school holidays: Christmas, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Spring Break.

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Although her family had often visited Dubai for holidays, they had never considered a permanent relocation here until the Arab Spring began.

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