Prices start at $325 for the carry-on version, $375 for the checked size, $395 for a larger checked version, or $995 for the entire family set. I am planning on using the carry-on version this weekend, and it easily paired with my iPhone. In every other respect, it’s a normal bag—it has your standard polycarbonate shell with a (I have to say) garish embossed July logo on the side; smooth-rolling wheels, bumpers, and leather finishes. There’s also an inset ejectable USB-C battery.
July’s CaseSafe makes it so you don’t have to fuss with AirTags, but that still doesn’t stop me from saying you can upgrade your current carry-on similarly with an AirTag and a power bank, and it won’t cost you anywhere near $300. —Adrienne So
Fujifilm’s New Instax Has Two Cameras
Courtesy of Fujifilm
Fujifilm announced the Instax Mini LiPlay+ this week, an update to its 2019 Mini LiPlay camera. The LiPlay+ is, like its predecessor, a hybrid camera and Instax printer. In fact, little about the main camera seems to have changed. It still has a 28-mm equivalent f/2 lens that records roughly 5-MP photos to the sensor.
Fujifilm has added a second camera on the back, though, for taking selfies. It’s a 23-mm equivalent f/2.2 lens, but what is kind of fun is the ability to create what Fujifilm calls “layered photos,” shooting both lenses at the same time, superimposing, for example, a circle of a selfie on top of a background. Alas, there does not seem to be a way to make this an actual double-exposure image, which feels like a missed opportunity (especially since Fujifilm’s other cameras, like the X100 series, have long had a double-exposure mode).
The other new feature here expands on the original LiPlay’s ability to record audio and attach it to a print via a QR code. Now it’s not just audio but an animated video with sound and music. The Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay+ will be available later this month for $235. —Scott Gilbertson
GrapheneOS Will Come to Another Phone
The security-focused, Android alternative operating system GrapheneOS has announced it will soon be available on phones other than the Google Pixel. The developers said in a post on Reddit that a “major OEM” will soon be added to GrapheneOS’s list of supported phones. No brands were mentioned, but many users are guessing it will be OnePlus, given the company’s past support for CyanogenMod, another Android alternative. The GrapheneOS developers do say that whichever phone it turns out to be, it will be similarly priced.
In a follow-up post, the developers clarified that the phone maker is “definitely serious about working with us. That’s how we have security partner access.” They also explicitly say it is not Fairphone, which sells a separate version running another Android alternative, e/OS. —Scott Gilbertson
Roku Leans Into AI for Its TV Interface
Courtesy of Roku
Roku has announced some nifty software upgrades coming soon to its popular streaming devices and TVs, and they lean heavily on artificial intelligence. Roku Voice now features AI searches, allowing you to ask things like “What’s Barbie about?” or “How scary is The Shining?” and get a helpful answer. Roku is also adding easier access to movie trailers, better searching for shows to watch, and a simpler interface to help you understand what is streaming where.
The holidays are quickly approaching, which means there is potential for record-breaking travel yet again.
NerdWallet’s annual holiday travel report expects Americans to spend $311 billion on flights and hotels this year, totaling $2,586 a person, which is up nearly $260 from last year.
“The longer you wait to book holiday travel, the more expensive it is going to get,” said Sally French, who tracks travel for NerdWallet.
“This is really the week that you want to be booking your Thanksgiving travel and we are not far out from the week that you wanna make sure you’ve got your Christmas locked in,” she said.
French advises having Christmas travel booked the first week of November. NerdWallet says at least 51 days out is the best timing for Christmas bookings – which is Nov. 4.
Meanwhile, for those driving to their Thanksgiving destination, they can expect to see lower gas prices as gas prices nationally are falling and approaching $3 per gallon. Parts of Oklahoma and Ohio could even see prices dip below $2 per gallon.
Potential record travel
Thanksgiving in 2024 was the busiest Thanksgiving ever at airports across the country, but those records could be shattered this year.
Booking data from Cirium comparing 2024 to 2025 shows holiday trips booked between June 30 and Oct. 8 are up 2.2% for Thanksgiving and up nearly 1% for the week of Christmas.
“I think the entire fourth quarter, the fall break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, they’re all likely to set records with strong demand,” United CEO Scott Kirby said.
This Thanksgiving, airlines are adding about 250,000 more seats in an effort to keep up with the growing demand.
“As long as the economy keeps growing, I think that pace can continue,” Kirby said.
KALSOY ISLAND, Faroe Islands (AP) — While once the Faroe Islands might have slipped under the radar, more tourists than ever are arriving on the remote archipelago in the north Atlantic.
According to Statistics Faroe Islands, a record 94,954 check-ins occurred last year at hotels, hostels and guesthouses.
That’s relatively small for a European destination, but authorities are already thinking about how to protect the windswept 18 islands from the tourism pressure that has led to backlash elsewhere.
Be ready for anything, especially when hiking. At some point, it will rain. Strong winds can pick up quickly, and fog can be disorienting.
The Landsverk local authority has weather cams on its site, and so does FaroeIslandsLive. The official Visit Faroe Islands site has detailed advice on safe travel, as locals are aware that people can slip off trails into the sea – and sometimes do.
“I will take photos to die for, without dying for them,” says a tourist-focused flier called “The Faroese Pledge” on the library door in the village of Fuglafjordur.
Trails marked as suitable for children may not be. Keep in mind that hiking times and difficulty levels have been estimated by locals. A few of the most heavily traveled routes ask for a fee. The popular hike to the Kallur lighthouse on Kalsoy Island is about $30. Do not miss it.
Undersea tunnels, upper-tier fees
It’s best to explore with a rental car for more flexibility. Public buses are available to many locations, but timetables are limited. They are available at the Strandfaraskip site. Multi-day travel passes can be purchased at the airport’s visitor center.
The Faroe Islands now have four undersea tunnels linking a few of the most visited islands, but prepare to pay. Fees range from over $15 for a round trip to over $27 one way. Plan day trips accordingly. Fees are paid to the rental car company at the end of a visit.
On land, some of the older tunnels are single lanes with designated passing areas. Some of the scenic “buttercup” routes are single lanes as well. Guardrails are not always present.
On one stretch of road leaving the community of Tjornuvik, a signal has been installed to limit traffic to one direction at a time along the well-battered guardrail above the sea. Tourists don’t know how to reverse, residents said.
Mind the sheep, and other details
The need for cash is almost nonexistent. The AP used it once, for a coin-operated shower in one of the public restrooms often found at camping locations or tourist-frequented villages. Pay with cards and phones.
Food is expensive, as most of it is imported.
English is widely enough spoken and displayed.
Drone use is restricted. The Visit Faroe Islands site has details.
Don’t bother the sheep. Call the police if you hit one.
KALSOY ISLAND, Faroe Islands (AP) — The tiny Faroe Islands in the north Atlantic could be a poor choice for travelers with vertigo, seasickness or a fear of enclosed spaces. There are crumbling cliffs, sudden gale-force winds and hillsides so steep that even the sheep can tumble.
Three tourists disappeared over two days in September. Police told the media their last locations were near a well-known waterfall that drops into the sea. Be careful, a shaken staffer at the site’s entrance said days later. “Come back.”
The risks come with landscapes so dramatic that one became the site for James Bond’s end in “No Time to Die.” Now the Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory under Denmark, like Greenland, are trying to handle a growing number of travelers also drawn by bird-watching, adventurous eating and “coolcations” as global temperatures rise.
Its sure-footed residents once hiked over mountain passes and maneuvered wooden boats onto rocky shores just to visit church or each other. Unlike tourists, they know when to stay away from hiking trails alongside unprotected cliffs, and how disorienting sudden fogs can be.
“When you make a mistake here, nature usually wins,” a food truck vendor at one popular site said.
It’s easier than ever to learn that lesson while exploring the Faroe Islands, which for now are largely free of the zip-lined commercialization of one of its nearest neighbors, Iceland.
A growing network of undersea tunnels, including what’s called the world’s first undersea roundabout, are helping to link the 18 islands. Rugged isolation is giving way to smooth highways, and Airbnb has hundreds of listings among a population of over 50,000 people.
Authorities are trying to both encourage tourism and protect the Faroe Islands from it. A yearly “closed for maintenance” program began in 2019, with volunteers from around the world chosen to help with anti-erosion efforts, path upkeep and other work. The national museum later launched a project to protect lands and biodiversity.
And this year, the tourism office introduced self-navigating tours that steer visitors from the churned-mud trails of the most popular spots to lesser-known areas.
Tour routes are revealed online as you go along. One sends users to a seaside village that hosts a popular music festival, followed by a tiny botanical garden, a fjord-side memorial to a deadly shipwreck and a small forest plantation enjoyed by Faroese on the otherwise treeless islands.
The last leg was along a one-lane road that at times had no guardrail between its lack of shoulder and the drop to the sea. Sheep walked along one stretch, another reason for visitors to stay alert in the stunning surroundings. (There’s a police number to call if a driver hits one.)
Visitors who love the outdoors can easily spend a week in the Faroe Islands cycling, fishing, trying an emerging sauna scene, eating sushi from locally farmed salmon and shopping for newly knitted wool sweaters. In the summer, boat tours include music concerts inside a sea cave or puffin-watching.
Winters are fierce — a ferryman said a storm two years ago ripped the roof from an old house next to the AP’s seaside rental cottage in Sydradalur — but interest in the islands is starting to extend the peak tourist season into October.
Ferocious winds and bewildered sheep
Villages, especially in the wilder northern region, can have just a handful of residents. There are few tourist-focused businesses outside the capital, Torshavn, but the village of Gjogv has a welcoming guesthouse and cafe, and the village of Fuglafjordur has a charming main street and visitors’ center. English is widely spoken and displayed.
Just be prepared for rain in the often-shifting weather, with webcams available from popular locations.
And mind the guidance, even scolding, that some Faroese have posted for tourists who overstep.
“Due to unmannerly behavior and lack of quietness on the graves, the cemetery is closed,” said a sign on the church in the village of Saksun.
“Do not wash your shoes in the sink!” said a sign at the ferry stop on Kalsoy island. A worker at the island’s unexpected Thai restaurant — a sign of the small but growing migrant population — estimated that about 200 tourists a day came to a much-photographed lighthouse there this summer.
The official Visit Faroe Islands doesn’t hold back, either, as it balances the appeal of growing tourism with the responsibility of warning travelers. Finding equilibrium is a long practice in the nation whose fishing-dominated economy requires cordial ties with a range of countries including Russia and China.
“Stormcation,” the Visit Faroe Islands site declares, but adds: “Ferocious wind can overturn cars, fling bicycles, wheelbarrows — and sheep — or anything else that’s not anchored down.”
The addition of the beloved late-night bakery is all a part of MarketPlace PHL’s “Founded in Philly” program, which highlights restaurants and shops with local origins. Organizers said the initiative is made to put Philadelphia brands front and center for airport passengers.
The most recent additions to the airport include Federal Donuts & Chicken, Elixr Coffee Roasters and Oyster House.
Organizers said the new Insomnia Cookies location will be operated by the owner of Airport Dining, Hakan Ilhan, a veteran restaurateur with experience in both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Ilhan also operates other dining establishments, including Bud & Marilyn’s, Good Luck Restaurant & Bar, and Sabrina’s Cafe.
At the new Insomnia Cookies, travelers will get their pick out of the bakery’s full lineup of warm, delicious classic cookies, deluxe cookies, and the company’s very own “Cookies IN Ice Cream” in addition to other travel-friendly treats.
The airport cookie counter will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, with hours extending to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, to “accommodate both late-night cravings and morning flights.”
“Passengers love exploring local favorite dining options when they pass through PHL, and Insomnia Cookies will be a perfect addition to our growing ‘Founded in Philly’ offerings,” Mel Hannah, Vice President and General Manager of MarketPlace PHL, said in a news release. “This new location brings one of Philly’s biggest late-night snacking traditions to the airport.”
Insomnia Cookies was founded in 2003 as a late-night college staple by University of Pennsylvania alumn Seth Berkowitz. Since the brand has grown to nearly 350 locations across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Insomnia’s headquarters remain in Philadelphia to this day and continue to expand even within the city. A new location was recently unveiled on Spruce Street, the 17th store in the Greater Philadelphia region.
“Philadelphia is our hometown, and we’re excited to bring our warm, delicious cookies to Philadelphia International Airport,” said Berkowitz. “This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in our growth trajectory, proving the success of our channel expansion strategy and our ability to reach Insomniacs in unparalleled ways. By embedding the brand deeper into travel environments, we reaffirm our commitment to satisfying the cravings of Insomniacs wherever they are and lead the industry in indulgent innovation.”
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is bracing for an influx of passengers, fueled in part by the statewide MEA week.
The ongoing government shutdown has led to delays at several airports across the country, but officials with MSP Airport say the local impact has been “minimal.”
That’ll be put to the test for MEA weekend, when the number of travelers passing through Transportation Security Administration lines is expected to increase 19% compared to average. Last year, a record 300,000 travelers went through the airport for the weekend.
Airport officials say the busiest day is forecasted to be Thursday, with 52,000 people expected to go through security. The second-busiest day will likely be Wednesday.
“While there have been minimal impacts so far at MSP, passengers may experience delays and longer wait times wherever they fly in the days ahead,” said Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP.
The airlines and the airports commission have increased staffing levels to help reduce wait times. Still, in order to make sure passengers don’t miss their flights, officials recommend arriving two hours before a domestic departure and three hours prior to an international trip.
In order to help with the rush of passengers, the airport is debuting a new drop-off and pickup lane at Terminal 1.
Dubbed the “FLEX Lane,” the route is on the left side of the Terminal 1 departures drive. Passengers can access the terminal by going through doors five through eight, traveling up a flight either by escalator or elevator, and then walking through a short skyway.
WCCO
Security wait times on Wednesday have been smooth so far.
Dylan Koncan and his family, who are traveling to Spokane, Washington, for the weekend, said they were pleasantly surprised to see the airport so calm.
“Surprisingly better than I thought,” Koncan said. “I thought it was going to be way busy so we came here a little bit earlier than normal but operation as normal it looks like.”
To make travel smooth, officials also recommend reserving a spot in the security line in advance, prebooking parking and checking security wait times for both checkpoints, as the North site often has shorter wait times.
Aer Simple Tote for $139: Have you ever hefted a nylon or leather tote in your hand and realized that slinging it over your shoulder would give you immediate scoliosis? Then you want Aer’s ultra-lightweight, simple sailcloth tote, which weighs less than a pound. Its 15 liters felt surprisingly capacious. I fit two jackets inside on a walk with my kids, and the 3-inch-wide bag tucked neatly under my arm. The two exterior drop pockets fit my Nalgene and Kinto mug, and my phone fits neatly in the exterior zip pocket. The Fidlock closure, in addition to being pretty to look at and use, provided a bit of security but was much less, er, fiddly (sorry) than having to close the bag with a zipper. This is a great upgrade if you are getting tired of carrying everything in your shredded canvas tote from Umami Mart and want a bag that’s not going to get soaked in something questionable if you put it down in the wrong place on the subway. It is a little more expensive, though. —Adrienne So
Cuyana System Tote 16-Inch for $358: The Cuyana System Tote is a modular gear-hauler that shape-shifts with your itinerary. Designed to outlast the churn of fast fashion, this travel tote starts minimal, but the genius lies in its add-ons. A laptop sleeve or insert organizer creates a structure on the go, with dedicated slots for your computer, water bottle, and other work essentials. A System Flap Bag insert doubles as a clutch or in-bag organizer, and a detachable, adjustable strap (also available in a wide model) converts the tote into a crossbody, perfect for hands-free airport sprints if you’re unintentionally trying out airport theory. Instead of stitched-on straps prone to failure, the System Tote’s handles are cut directly from its leather body, minimizing points of wear. The main compartment snaps shut rather than zips, something to know if you’re the spill-averse type.
Avoid This Tote
Calpak Diaper Tote Bag with Laptop Sleeve for $195: This bag was really puffy, but felt bulky, and space was lost to give the puffiness to the bag’s layers. It was somehow too big for everyday use, but not big enough when I needed a lot of stuff brought along for a day trip or long outings. It also didn’t really feel that diaper bag-centric; the only thing “diaper” about it was the baby wipe compartment on the outside, but I would have preferred an exterior pocket to store actual diapers along with it. You could stuff a couple of diapers in the flat front pocket, but it’s not as ideal as other designs I’ve tried. The insulated bottle pockets are handy if you travel with bottles, but feel useless after your baby graduates from bottles (which they graduate much earlier than diapers!) It’s not a bad bag, but I’d recommend a different design for parents and travelers alike. —Nena Farrell
To determine the best travel tote, we put each bag through real-world travel scenarios to see how it performs. That means packing it with laptops, chargers, clothes, and toiletries, testing comfort when worn over the shoulder or carried by hand. We’ll overstuff the totes to check durability, organization, and accessibility. We’ll evaluate how it fits under airplane seats, protects tech gear, and resists wear and weather. If it’s supposedly water-resistant, we’ll take it out in the rain to determine whether it survives without soaking its contents.
We scrutinized every pocket, compartment, and zipper for usability. When it comes to design, we paid attention to the details: interior fabric choices that make contents easy to see, convenient pocket placement, and hardware choices like zippers and zipper pulls. We also paid attention to key design elements, such as the handle length and overall structure.
We prioritized quality and sustainability, and we included eco-friendly brands for environmentally conscious consumers. We also made sure to include an array of fabrics for stylistic variability. Lastly, we considered how each bag stacked up against its price point, ensuring that the quality justified the cost.
New wine program further elevates private jet travel with personalized experiences
BOSTON, October 15, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Magellan Jets, a leader in private aviation, today announced the appointment of renowned wine expert Jesse Rodriguez as the company’s resident Sommelier. This partnership sets a new standard in luxury travel, with Rodriguez spearheading bespoke experiences for Magellan Jets Clients.
Rodriguez, a two-time James Beard Semifinalist, previously served as Head Sommelier of The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California and was part of the team that won the restaurant’s inaugural Michelin three-star award. His background also includes roles as Head Sommelier at the Michelin-starred Addison at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California, and Head of Beverage for Montage Hotels & Resorts.
Magellan Jets’ tailored wine programs will include in-flight tastings led by Rodriguez and access to private vineyards. Rodriguez will also offer at-home wine tastings and cellar consultations, extending Magellan Jets’ passion for Client care beyond the runway.
“Jesse Rodriguez’s expertise in curated hospitality and his gift for creating personalized moments make him a perfect fit for Magellan Jets,” said Josh Lesnick, Chief Commercial Officer at Magellan Jets. “Passengers fly with us to celebrate milestones, close business deals, and reconnect with the people who matter most. By bringing Jesse on board, we’re living by our belief that Every Journey is Personal.“
“Great wine tells a story – of regions, of winemaking craft, and of the people who gather to share it,” said Rodriguez. “I’m thrilled to bring that storytelling to Magellan Jets Clients, whether we’re designing a unique tasting at 40,000 feet or opening doors to hidden vineyards in Napa Valley. My goal is simple: tailor one-of-a-kind wine journeys and transform trips into memories.”
Activations created by Rodriguez will officially launch in January 2026. This announcement builds on Magellan Jets’ commitment to creating signature moments. Recent events include a private breakfast with Sam Kennedy, President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, and a behind-the-scenes invitation to New England Patriots training camp led by Head Coach Mike Vrabel.
Learn more about Magellan Jets’ curated experiences with Jesse Rodriguez on the company’s website.
About Magellan Jets
Magellan Jets is a world-class private aviation solutions provider offering Jet Cards, Private Charter Flights, Fractional Ownership, and Aircraft Sales and Management Services. With a focus on safety, hospitality, and Client care, the company is setting a new standard in private jet travel.
Magellan Jets has flown Private Clients to over 100 countries and consistently delivers exceptional service, maintaining a 4.9-out-of-5-star rating. The company has been featured on the Inc. 5000 list of “Fastest Growing Companies in America,” awarded Robb Report’s “Best of the Best,” and named Modern Luxury’s “Best Private Charter.”
Founded in Boston in 2008, Magellan Jets is headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts with a private terminal in Bedford, Massachusetts. To learn more, visit www.magellanjets.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
PARIS (AP) — When Olivier Baroin moved into an apartment in Montmartre about 15 years ago, it felt like he was living in a village in the heart of Paris. Not anymore.
Stores for residents are disappearing, along with the friendly atmosphere, he says. In their place are hordes of people taking selfies, shops selling tourist trinkets, and cafés whose seating spills into the narrow, cobbled streets as overtourism takes its toll.
Baroin has had enough. He put his apartment up for sale after local streets were designated pedestrian-only while accommodating the growing number of visitors.
“I told myself that I had no other choice but to leave since, as I have a disability, it’s even more complicated when you can no longer take your car, when you have to call a taxi from morning to night,” he told The Associated Press.
AP AUDIO: Paris residents fight overtourism and ‘Disneyfication’ of beloved Montmartre neighborhood
AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports on mass tourism affecting the Montmartre district in Paris.
Overtourism in European cities
From Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam, European cities are struggling to absorb surging numbers of tourists.
Some residents in one of Paris’ most popular tourist neighborhoods are now pushing back. A black banner strung between two balconies in Montmartre reads, in English: “Behind the postcard: locals mistreated by the Mayor.” Another, in French, says: “Montmartre residents resisting.”
Atop the hill where the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur crowns the city’s skyline, residents lament what they call the “Disneyfication” of the once-bohemian slice of Paris. The basilica says it now attracts up to 11 million people a year — even more than the Eiffel Tower — while daily life in the neighborhood has been overtaken by tuk-tuks, tour groups, photo queues and short-term rentals.
A banner reading “Montmartre under threat. Are residents being forgotten?” hangs at windows in the Montmartre district in Paris, France, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
A banner reading “Montmartre under threat. Are residents being forgotten?” hangs at windows in the Montmartre district in Paris, France, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
“Now, there are no more shops at all, there are no more food shops, so everything must be delivered,” said 56-year-old Baroin, a member of a residents’ protest group called Vivre a Montmartre, or Living in Montmartre.
The unrest echoes tensions across town at the Louvre Museum, where staff in June staged a brief wildcat strike over chronic overcrowding, understaffing and deteriorating conditions. The Louvre logged 8.7 million visitors in 2024, more than double what its infrastructure was designed to handle.
A postcard under pressure
Paris, a city of just over 2 million residents if you count its sprawling suburbs, welcomed 48.7 million tourists in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year.
Sacré-Cœur, the most visited monument in France in 2024, and the surrounding Montmartre neighborhood have turned into what some locals call an open-air theme park.
Local staples like butchers, bakeries and grocers are vanishing, replaced by ice-cream stalls, bubble-tea vendors and souvenir T-shirt stands.
Paris authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Visitors seemed largely to be enjoying the packed streets on a sunny Tuesday this week.
“For the most part, all of Paris has been pretty busy, but full of life, for sure,” said American tourist Adam Davidson. “Coming from Washington, D.C., which is a lively city as well, I would say this is definitely full of life to a different degree for sure.”
Europe’s breaking point
Tourists stroll in the Montmartre district in Paris, France, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Tourists stroll in the Montmartre district in Paris, France, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
In Barcelona, thousands have taken to the streets this year, some wielding water pistols, demanding limits on cruise ships and short-term tourist rentals. Venice now charges an entry fee for day-trippers and caps visitor numbers. And in Athens, authorities are imposing a daily limit on visitors to the Acropolis, to protect the ancient monument from record-breaking tourist crowds.
Urban planners warn that historic neighborhoods risk becoming what some critics call “zombie cities” — picturesque but lifeless, their residents displaced by short-term visitors.
Paris is trying to mitigate the problems by cracking down on short-term rentals and unlicensed properties.
But tourism pressures are growing. By 2050, the world’s population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion, according to United Nations estimates. With the global middle class expanding, low-cost flights booming and digital platforms guiding travelers to the same viral landmarks, many more visitors are expected in iconic cities like Paris.
The question now, residents say, is whether any space is left for those who call it home.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka was on a boat. She was lounging by the pool. The reigning U.S. Open champion was anywhere, it seemed, except a tennis court.
When the professional tours moved to North America for the hard-court tournaments ahead of the trip to New York — where the second round wraps up Thursday — the top-ranked Sabalenka instead was on the Greek island of Mykonos.
“It was very important, because the season had been really intense at that point, and I felt like I was really low (on) energy,” said Sabalenka, who skipped an event in Montreal in late July. “I was motivated, of course, but it felt like everything was going really tough. I couldn’t show my best, and the body was really weak. I felt like, ‘OK, I need to take a little break and a little recharge and come back stronger.’”
Many players understand. Their sport’s season is so long, and the offseason so short, that they don’t wait until the end of the year to chill.
Sometimes, they figure, vacation must come during the season.
“Because if not,” Alex de Minaur, an Australian seeded No. 8 at the U.S. Open, said of the grind, “it’s ongoing.”
The tennis calendar is so full that players need in-season vacations
De Minaur’s recent seasons didn’t end until late November because he was playing in the Davis Cup team competition — and the new seasons started in late December.
So de Minaur and his fiancée, British player Katie Boulter, have been getting away from it all, even if it’s just for a week, after Wimbledon ends in July to have what he called “a little bit of a mental reset for the second part of the year.”
Not everyone has the luxury, or even the desire, to do that, for various reasons.
Some US Open players don’t think they can afford to take a break
Sometimes, players are coming back from an injury absence and want to make up for lost time, lest their rankings drop too much. Or perhaps they’ve been playing well and want to keep the momentum going. Or find themselves in a rut they want to play their way out of.
For someone like 37-year-old Adrian Mannarino of France, who in January 2024 became the oldest man to break into the ATP top 20, there is a benefit to embracing a philosophy that essentially amounts to “all work and no play.”
“I’m the type of player who likes to (compete) a lot, so when I retire, that’s when I’m going to take a lot of vacations,” he said. “It’s sometimes hard to get out of the (playing) rhythm: Going on holiday to try to break the stress (of) mental things, then getting back to it, is not easy. And with my game, I feel like I need to play a lot to get the rhythm, and I don’t like to get out of my rhythm.
“There’s a time for work and a time for holidays — and hopefully in the next few years, I’ll have more time for holidays.”
Vacations during the season don’t exist in team sports, but they do in tennis
The idea of taking vacation during the season doesn’t exist in team sports. For players in the NFL, NBA, NHL or Major League Baseball, there is an ample offseason, even for clubs that win a championship, to travel and rest, then begin working out again.
Boulter waited and wonders if it cost her. There was a need to add a tournament this summer to meet the WTA Tour requirement of six 500-level events, knowing she was going to be short one while playing on Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team. She dropped four of five matches coming into the U.S. Open, then was eliminated in the first round.
“The times that I should have had periods of break, I don’t really feel like I chose myself,” Boulter said. “I kind of chose other things bigger than myself, and I think that’s why I kind of ended up at this point.”
US Open players can decide whether or not to hit the beach
Ajla Tomljanovic, who lost to Coco Gauff in the first round in New York on Tuesday night, said the answer is simple: “It’s your choice whether you play or not,” she said. “So for me, if I need a break, and I feel like I want to go on a vacation, I take it.”
She was planning for some practice after Wimbledon. But, like Sabalenka, Tomljanovic decided to hit the beach, instead.
“I felt like there was enough time to sneak that in,” she said. “And also, it’s very good for my body, as well. I have to be mindful of it. I wasn’t complaining about a few days off.”
___
AP Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Fallout from a cyberattack that disrupted check-in systems at several European airports extended into a second full day on Sunday, as passengers faced dozens of canceled and delayed flights — and the impact poised to worsen for at least one major airport.
Brussels Airport, seemingly the hardest hit, said it asked airlines to cancel nearly 140 departing flights scheduled for Monday because a U.S.-based software system provider “is not yet able to deliver a new secure version of the check-in system.” The airport said 25 outbound flights were canceled on Saturday and 50 on Sunday.
Starting late Friday, airports in Berlin, Brussels and London were hit by disruptions to electronic systems that snarled up check-in and sent airline staffers trying options like handwriting boarding passes or using backup laptops. Many other European airports were unaffected.
The cyberattack affected software of Collins Aerospace, whose systems help passengers check in, print boarding passes and bag tags, and dispatch their luggage. The U.S.-based company on Saturday cited a “cyber-related disruption” to its software at “select” airports in Europe.
It was not immediately clear who might be behind the cyberattack, but experts said it could turn out to be hackers, criminal organizations or state actors.
The European Commission, the executive branch of the 27-nation European Union, said that aviation safety and air traffic control were unaffected. There was currently no indication of a widespread or severe attack, while the origin of the incident remained under investigation, it added.
Half of Monday’s flights from Brussels Airport canceled
While departure boards for London’s Heathrow and Berlin’s Brandenburg airports were showing signs of smoother arrivals and departures on Sunday, Brussels Airport was still facing considerable issues.
Brussels Airport said in an email Sunday that it had asked airlines to cancel half of the 276 scheduled departing flights on Monday, “because Collins Aerospace is not yet able to deliver a new secure version of the check-in system.” Cancellations and delays will continue as long as manual check-in is necessary, it said.
RTX Corp., the parent company of Collins Aerospace, did not immediately respond to two emails Sunday seeking comment.
On Saturday, the aviation and defense technology company said in a statement that it was working to resolve the issue: “The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations.”
Brussels Airport said it nonetheless was able to maintain 85% of scheduled departures over the weekend thanks to the deployment of extra staff by airport partners “and the fact that self bag drop and online check-in are still operational.”
The cyberattack affected only computer systems at check-in desks, not self-service kiosks, airport spokesperson Ihsane Chioua Lekhli said, and teams were turning to alternative backup systems and pulling out laptop computers to help cope with the impact.
The airports advised passengers to check the status of their flights before traveling to the airports, and using alternative check-in methods.
“Work continues to resolve and recover from Friday’s outage of a Collins Aerospace airline system that impacted check-in,” a Heathrow statement said. “We apologize to those who have faced delays, but by working together with airlines, the vast majority of flights have continued to operate.”
A rolling message Sunday on the Brandenburg Airport’s web page said: “Due to a systems outage at a service provider, there are longer waiting times. Please use online check-in, self-service check-in and the fast bag drop service.”
HONOLULU (AP) — The risk of direct impacts from Hurricane Kiko decreased Monday as the tropical cyclone showed signs it would pass to the north of the Hawaiian Islands, forecasters said.
Kiko was a Category 1 hurricane and was expected to lose intensity throughout the day, according to an advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center.
With maximum sustained winds around 85 mph (140 kph), Kiko was centered roughly 350 miles (560 kilometers) east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and about 515 miles (830 kilometers) east of Honolulu.
The hurricane was traveling northwest at 15 mph (24 kph).
Kiko could still send large swells to eastern-facing shores in the island chain, with possible life-threatening surf and rip currents, forecasters said.
DIXON, Calif. (AP) — The owners of a giant Northern California corn maze once crowned the world’s largest want visitors to remember that there is fun in getting lost.
“It is confusing. It’s exciting, and in a world of GPS and constant signage, you always know where you are, where you’re going,” said Tayler Cooley, whose family owns Cool Patch Pumpkins. “When you’re in the corn, everything looks the same until you pop up on a bridge and you’re like, ‘Oh wait, I’m all the way over here. I thought I was over there.’”
The pumpkin patch and corn maze along Interstate 80 between Sacramento and San Francisco are open once again for the fall season through Halloween. Back in 2007 and again in 2014, Cool Patch Pumpkins earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest corn maze.
The maze — spread out over 40 acres (16.2 hectares) — typically takes at least 45 minutes to complete and features five different bridges that allow maze-goers to rise above the stalks. It is also known for the elaborate designs the team creates in the maze that can be seen from overhead. This year’s maze celebrates farmers. Previous seasons honored veterans and first responders with giant murals included in the maze design.
“Everything is done by hand,” Cooley said. “We want to communicate something fun and exciting, and then we build our pathways around that.”
On a recent afternoon, visitors from near and far wound their way through the maze.
“I have no sense of direction, and we could spend all day here. That’s fine. We have water. We’ll survive, three days,” said Ryan Moore, who was visiting from Hawaii.
Likewise, Shelley Tang from Redwood City, California, joked there is always corn to eat if they get lost.
“My children have a better sense of direction than me, so I’ll be following them,” she said.
A corn maze in Quebec, Canada, as well as those in Minnesota and Illinois, also boast record-breaking mazes, either by acreage or mileage.
Beyond the maze, Cool Patch features a corn bath for toddlers full of 150,000 pounds (68 kilograms) of dried corn.
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This story has been corrected to show that Cooley’s first name is spelled Tayler, not Taylor, to show that Tang’s first name is spelled Shelley, not Shelly, and to remove the incorrect pronoun “his” in the fourth paragraph. It also clarifies that Cooley is part of the family that owns Cool Patch Pumpkins, not the sole owner.
If you love a good duffle bag, this Béis The Commuter Duffle is sleek and so easy to carry. It’s made of water-resistant nylon with vegan leather detailing and metal feet to elevate it. Inside, there’s a water bottle pocket, a padded laptop sleeve, a zipper pocket, two mesh pockets, and two elastic pockets. The outside also has a zipper pocket, slip pocket, and trolly pass-through.
Editor Quote: “I am a carry-on girlie through and through, but ever since I started taking more weekend trips with my girlfriends and indulging in a slew of overnight stays (all in the same of self-care, of course), I quickly realized that my carry-on suitcase had proven to be more of a nuisance rather than a practical investment — at least for those super-short trips when I only require an outfit or two. My colleagues have long raved about Béis’s weekender bags, and after the brand debuted its newest Commuter Collection earlier this fall, I knew it was high time I gave the brand a try — and with its sleek Commuter Duffel, no less.
Despite it being a ‘weekender bag,’ the product boasts ample interior space that’s incredibly deep and functional — so much so that I’m genuinely convinced it might have more packing space than some of my hardside carry-on bags. The bag also goes far beyond your typical duffel as it’s fitted with functional exterior pockets, interior organizers (including a pocket that’s perfect for storing your laptop), adjustable leather straps, and five metal feet on the bottom, which help to keep the accessory clean — even when it’s sitting on the ground.
I love how sleek the bag looks and the fact that it’s incredibly lightweight. I took it as my plus-one on a recent trip to Sedona and managed to fit everything and more into the accessory — including seven outfits, two pairs of shoes, my toiletry bag, portable steamer, and more. Beyond making it my new go-to bag for weekend trips, I have a hunch I’ll also be using it as my personal carry-on bag moving forward, too.” – Kyley Warren, former assistant shopping editor
I’ve spent months trying to track down the best travel backpacks, and trust me, not all are created equal. Between city breaks, long-haul flights, and spontaneous weekend getaways, I’ve learned the right backpack can make or break your trip — and yes, it’s totally worth the investment.
As spacious as a suitcase but with all the added benefits of one of the best laptop backpacks, i.e. somewhere to store your devices safely and neatly, travel rucksacks are – without a doubt – a frequent jet-setter’s idea of heaven.
Forget what you thought you knew; travel backpacks are no longer reserved for those who are off to find themselves on their gap year (though, if that’s you, no judgement), but are actually a savvier way of packing everything you could possibly need into way less luggage.
SKIP TO FAQs:
What is the best backpack to take on a plane?
If you’re looking for a travel backpack that’ll fit under your seat, we can’t recommend Antler’s Discovery design enough. It’s stylish and compact, with a 16.5” laptop pocket, internal divider pockets, water bottle compartment and room enough for clothes and shoes inside. If you need something big enough for a few days but small enough to go in the overhead locker, Eastpak’s Travelpack is the one. It can be carried on your back or as a holdall/weekend bag, is water-resistant and comes with a 30-year warranty (!).
Will a 35L backpack fit under airplane seat?
It’s unlikely you’ll find a 35L backpack that’ll fit under an airplane seat, as, according to airline policy, any personal items stowed beneath seats should not exceed 18 inches x 14 inches x 8 inches – and a 35L bag would usually be bigger.
From designs that render your favourite four-wheel hard-shell case entirely redundant, to sleek cabin-sized styles that’ll see you through a long weekend away, we’ve found the best women’s travel backpacks to buy in 2025. See them all below.
How we tested
To find the best travel backpacks, we put a range of styles through their paces — from sleek city-friendly laptop backpacks to carry-ons suitable for weekend trips. A selection of these bags were tested and reviewed for comfort, capacity, and clever design details, like easy-access pockets, padded laptop sleeves, and supportive straps that don’t dig in during long days of travel. We also considered durability (can it handle being thrown into an overhead bin?) and style, because looking chic in our airport outfits is half the fun.
In fewer than 15 minutes, two separate carloads of people pulled up to the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez last Saturday. But then they turned away because the 325-acre park, with its Victorian mansion, historic pear orchard and visitor’s center, had been closed to the public without notice.
“What’s going on?” a man in one car asked. When told that the park was closed because of the federal government shutdown, he said, “I didn’t expect a historic site to be closed. I feel bad.” He had driven an hour from Santa Clara to Martinez, having heard that a famous American once lived there.
That eminent figure is Muir, the Scottish-born naturalist who founded the Sierra Club and hosted President Theodore Roosevelt on a camping trip in Yosemite in 1903. Muir is called the “father of the national parks,” in part because the writing he did in his Martinez study persuaded Americans to see their wilderness areas as treasures to preserve, not as resources to be exploited.
John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, is closed to the public due to the government shutdown. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
But since Oct. 1, Muir’s home has been shuttered, a closure Jonathan Jarvis, the director of the park service from 2009 to 2017, and Mark Rose, Sierra Nevada and clean air senior program manager of National Parks Conservation Association, said was emblematic of the murky future of the National Park Service.
Popular national parks in the Bay Area such as Alcatraz, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore remain open during the shutdown, though some of the larger open-air parks will offer bare-bones services. But three smaller, historic parks have been closed in Contra Costa County: Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial in Concord, and the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site in Danville.
Tao House, located at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site in Danville, where playwright Eugene O’Neill and his wife, Carlotta, lived from 1937 to 1944, is one of the national parks closed due to the federal government shutdown. (Cindi Christie/Staff Archives)
Jarvis and Rose said they fear the shutdown could become a pretext to drastically reduce funding for the country’s public parks, even as they broke attendance records in 2024, with 332 million visits. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump proposed $900 million in cuts to the park service — as detailed in a May 2 letter to the Senate Committee on Appropriations from Russell Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget — potentially wiping out budgets for at least 350 of the 433 parks, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.
Even though a House Appropriations Committee proposal would avert the administration’s “most damaging” cuts, the park service has still lost a quarter of its permanent staff since earlier this year, the parks association said. With the shutdown, more than 9,200 parks employees have been furloughed without pay, according to the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service Contingency Plan.
Friday, Vought announced on X that “The RIFs have begun,” referring to reductions-in-force of the 750,000 federal employees currently furloughed because of the shutdown. Politico confirmed with an OMB spokesperson that the reductions “are substantial” and “not furloughs.”
“The administration has been calling it a reduction in force, but it would just be a mass termination of potentially hundreds of thousands of additional park service staff,” Rose said.
The park service, in an email, said it “remains committed to maintaining as much access as possible to park lands during the lapse in appropriations. Critical functions that protect life, property and public health will continue to be staffed.”
The spokesperson did not respond to a question about potential layoffs, saying, “We do not have comment on personnel matters.” The White House Press Office’s automatic reply email stated media members could expect delays in responses because of the shutdown.
In contrast to the official parks service statement, Rose and Jarvis describe a more dire situation: To stay open, larger open-air national parks are relying on skeleton crews, which may be challenged to stop vandalism, harm to wildlife or damage to natural resources. Rose also said public safety is compromised, as help could be delayed if visitors get lost or injured.
This situation is the result of “a combination of incompetence and intent,” said Jarvis, who lives in Pinole. During a 2013 government shutdown, he closed all the national parks and said it’s “stupid” that parks are not all closed right now, though this move would be politically unpopular. He said the circumstances around this shutdown are unlike anything he’s seen. “It’s chaos upon chaos,” he said of the current state of the national park service.
Jarvis and Rose describe a top-down style of leadership in the U.S. Department of the Interior, which runs the park service, resulting in confusing information about what’s open, what’s closed and how the public should be notified. The national parks shutdown contingency plan stated that park websites and social media would not be updated, nor will regular notices of road or trail closures be posted.
Jarvis has raised concerns that the Trump administration is setting up national parks to fail. In a worse-case scenario he described in The Guardian, the parks’ failure would give this administration an excuse to privatize the park service’s high-visitation “cash cows,” such as Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon.
As for the hundreds of smaller parks, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in May proposed the idea of transferring them to state agencies, as recommended by the Office of Budget and Management. Jarvis said that wouldn’t be easy, given that each national park was established by Congress and new legislation would be needed to strip them of their status. It’s also questionable whether many states could step in to run these parks, he said.
The John Muir site and the other Contra Costa parks fall into that category. The park service manages more than 130 sites that highlight places related to significant figures and events in American history. This includes famous battlegrounds, presidential homes and others that have been established to elevate narratives about those sidelined in traditional texts.
Interior of the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park visitor center on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Richmond, Calif. This site is closed to the public due to the government shutdown. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
So the Bay Area is home to the Rosie the Riveter park, which spotlights women who contributed to the war effort, local Japanese Americans and Black migrants from the segregated South. World War II also provides the backdrop for Concord’s Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, which honors 320 Black soldiers killed in a 1944 explosion while unloading munitions — a tragedy that led to desegregation of the military.
Even if the Trump administration doesn’t have the legal authority to offload these sites, Jarvis expressed concern about the “moral aspect” of sending the message that they should be removed from the national park system.
“You’re basically saying that the people that the stories that these parks represent are not relevant to the American experience, and that’s just horrible,” Jarvis said.
ATLANTA – What was shaping up to be one of the busiest travel days ever at the world’s busiest airport hit a snag late Friday afternoon after the air traffic control tower was evacuated.
What we know:
According to the FAA, the tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was evacuated around 5 p.m. after a fire alarm and reports of a strong natural gas odor.
A ground stop was initially issued for all inbound flights through 6:15 p.m. but was lifted about 45 minutes later.
An FAA official told FOX 5’s Tyler Fingert that Atlanta Fire Rescue responded to investigate.
No injuries have been reported.
According to FlightAware.com, flight delays jumped from just over 280 to 360 during that time span. By the end of the night, the number of canceled flights nearly topped 600.
Ten flights were canceled for the day on Friday.
Sources told FOX 5’s Tyler Fingert that some flights were being diverted or were in a holding pattern. Radar images provided by FlightAware showed multiple flights circling near the Georgia line from various approach vectors.
Firefighter said no gas was found in the tower.
The backstory:
The Transportation Security Administration said roughly 114,000 passengers were expected to be screened in Atlanta, possibly surpassing the previous record set in May. By midday, more than 57,000 passengers had already passed through security checkpoints.
A ground stop was issued Friday afternoon at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in connection to a fire, the FAA confirmed.
Delta Airlines passenger aircraft are seen from the air at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia.(Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
CEO Ed Bastian said Delta has so far been unaffected by the U.S. government shutdown. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Between the U.S. government shutdown and ongoing economic uncertainty, it’s a turbulent time for airlines. But not for Delta, the largest American airline by market capitalization, which has emerged from the industry’s recent challenges largely unscathed as its investment in high-end travel begins to pay off.
Delta shares jumped more than 4 percent today (Oct. 9) after the Atlanta-headquartered airline reported better-than-expected revenue and profit for the July-September quarter. Quarterly sales reached $15.2 billion, up 4.1 percent year-over-year, while net income rose 11 percent to $1.42 billion. Strong demand for premium travel helped lift results: sales in Delta’s premium unit climbed 9 percent to $5.8 billion, even as main cabin revenue dipped 4 percent to $6 billion.
The airline could soon earn more from premium seating than from economy for the first time. Delta had previously forecast that milestone for 2027, but it may now happen as early as next year, according to the airline’s president, Glen Hauenstein. “We see that there are many, many more opportunities in premium in the coming years,” he told analysts today.
Some of those opportunities lie in Delta’s key markets like Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Seattle due to their concentration of a “considerable amount of premium” customers, CEO Ed Bastian said on today’s call.
The airline is also expanding its high-end offerings by outfitting nearly 1,000 aircraft with free WiFi and deepening partnerships with American Express, Uber and YouTube. Delta has even ventured into retail through collaborations like its recent lounge set project with Spanx.
Rebounding from the ‘spring swoon’
Back in March, things looked less promising when Delta slashed its profit forecast amid economic concerns tied to the Trump administration’s tariffs. The company refers to that period as the “spring swoon.” Since then, Delta has rebounded and offered stronger-than-expected guidance for the fourth quarter of 2025, projecting total revenue growth between 2 and 4 percent over the next three months.
Meanwhile, the U.S. travel industry faces headwinds from the federal government shutdown that began in early October. Flights across the country have been delayed as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facilities report staffing shortages. The country has also seen a “slight tick-up in sick calls” from air traffic controllers—who, like other essential workers, are expected to work without pay during the shutdown, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at a recent press conference.
Delta has weathered shutdowns before. During the 35-day federal shutdown that began in 2018, the airline lost about $1 million per day in revenue, Hauenstein said. This time, the impact has been smaller, in part because Delta is less dependent on the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport—one of the hubs most affected by staffing disruptions.
“While we are monitoring potential impacts from the U.S. government shutdown, we have not seen a material effect to date,” added Hauenstein.
We don’t usually associate economy class with the height of luxury.
But some airlines provide an experience that feels a cut above.
The world’s best economy class has now been revealed – and it boasts high-tech seats and Michelin-inspired meals.
Cathay Pacific Airways has been recognised as the world’s best economy class airline.
The Hong Kong-based airline also took the top spot for having the best in-flight entertainment.
What’s more, it was ranked the third best airline overall in the world.
The title was handed to Cathay Pacific by Skytrax in the World’s Best Economy Class Airlines 2025 awards.
It was closely followed by Qatar Airways in the second spot, and Singapore Airlines in third.
Cathay Pacific Airways has been recognised as the world’s best economy class airline
On its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Cathay Pacific’s economy seat includes an adjustable headrest.
It also provides a dedicated shelf to hold phones and other small devices at eye level for personal viewing.
Plus, you’ll get a personal screen from which passengers can pair their headphones and even check toilet occupancy.
The in-flight menus are also designed in partnership with Michelin-starred restaurants – complete with Hong Kong’s famous egg tarts.
Ronald Lam, Cathay Pacific’s chief executive officer, said to Travel and Leisure: ‘These accolades underscore our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and enhancing the customer experience across every part of their journey.’
He added it was ‘extremely encouraging.’
EVA Air won the award for the World’s Best Economy Class Onboard Catering.
Meanwhile, Japan Airlines won the World’s Best Economy Class Airline seat.
The Hong Kong-based airline also took the top spot for having the best in-flight entertainment
Over the past year, Cathay Pacific has continued to elevate the experience for its customers.
