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Although it was affected by the Rosh Hashanah holiday on September 23-24, the U.S. hotel industry reported negative year-over-year comparisons, according to data from CoStar Group running through 27 September. STR reported that occupancy from September 21-27 was at 65.6 percent, down 4.2 percent from the comparable week in 2024. Average daily rate was also down 2.5 percent, to $166.48. The largest declines in the country’s top 25 markets were Las Vegas (with occupancy down 23.0 percent to 66.1 percent and rate down 20.1 percent to $195.31) and New Orleans (with occupancy down 21.1 percent to 48.4 percent and rate down…

AI coding tools are getting better fast. If you don’t work in code, it can be hard to notice how much things are changing, but GPT-5 and Gemini 2.5 have made a whole new set of developer tricks possible to automate, and last week Sonnet 4.5 did it again.   At the same time, other skills are progressing more slowly. If you are using AI to write emails, you’re probably getting the same value out of it you did a year ago. Even when the model gets better, the product doesn’t always benefit — particularly when the product is a chatbot…

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for all things “future of transportation.” To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! More than a month ago, I asked you, dear reader, how you thought EV sales would play out once the $7,500 federal tax credit expired on September 30. The majority of those who responded to the poll predicted that EV sales would fall off a cliff. Now, it’s too early to tell yet; we are just a few days past the end of the quarter. But the expiring tax credit did give…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — This weekend’s box office belonged to two undeniable draws: Taylor Swift and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.It might have looked like a heavyweight matchup, but Swift’s devoted fanbase once again proved unstoppable with her film “The Official Release Party of a Show Girl,” which debuted at No. 1 with $33 million in North America, according to Sunday estimates from Comscore. The AMC Theatres release — announced only two weeks ago with minimal promotion — served as a companion piece to Swift’s 12th studio album, packaging music videos, behind-the-scenes footage and profanity-free lyric visuals into an 89-minute experience.The…

OpenAI and Jony Ive face significant technical challenges as they work to develop a screen-less, AI-powered device, according to the Financial Times. Back in May, OpenAI acquired io, the device startup founded by the legendary Apple designer with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, for $6.5 billion. At the time, Altman declared that Ive and his team would help the company “create a new generation of AI-powered computers,” while Bloomberg reported that the first devices to emerge from the deal were scheduled to launch in 2026. The FT now says that OpenAI and Ive aim to create “a palm-sized device without a…

PARIS (AP) — Against strobe lights that suggested seediness more than spectacle, Alessandro Michele’s Valentino collection showed restraint where once there was riot. Prim ’70s silhouettes — bows, ruching, velvet skirts — set a mood at Paris Fashion Week of controlled nostalgia.The high point was a draped gold gown with a feathered white collar, evoking myth and Valentino’s Roman past. A polka-dot shirt, satin skirts split with bright yellow panels, and occasional colorblocking kept the eclectic spirit alive, though without the exuberant force Michele has deployed before.That was the story of the show: less spectacle, more editing. Where Michele’s early…

by Brian Major Last updated: 3:00 PM ET, Fri October 3, 2025 Antigua and Barbuda’ s colorful culture will take center stage this fall with the return of Antigua and Barbuda Art Week, a celebration of art, fashion, music and dance.Presented by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority in partnership with the Department of Culture, the November 26 to December 2 event will blend traditional art forms with modern creativity, showcasing Antigua and Barbuda’s dynamic culture. From the historic Redcliffe Quay and Heritage Quay to the bustling arrival halls of V.C. Bird International Airport, Antigua and Barbuda Art Week will…

An app called Young Minds wants to give parents control over what their kids do on the internet, while also protecting their children’s privacy and teaching them good online habits.  The startup was founded by Nino Dvalidze (pictured), an entrepreneur and a mother of two from the United Kingdom. Dvalidze told TechCrunch that the idea for Young Minds came from conversations with fellow parents, who are also worried about how to keep their children safe, while also allowing them to have access to the internet, which, she admitted, is “enormously helpful in terms of education and exploration and connection with…

MUNICH (AP) — The 190th Oktoberfest came to a close Sunday, wrapping up the world’s largest folk festival with the traditional Bavarian marksmen’s gun salute in Munich.Roughly 6.5 million visitors attended between Sept. 20 and Sunday, German news agency dpa reported, including Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Austrian-born former governor of California spontaneously conducted a live music band and the singing crowd in a beer tent on Sept. 26.Schwarzenegger, dressed in a traditional Bavarian-style leather jacket, a buttoned-down shirt and jeans, was accompanied by his partner, Heather Milligan, and his son, Christopher.The fairgrounds were closed for hours Wednesday as police searched the…

Avelo Airlines introduced a new membership program – Avelo PLUS – which includes a considerable number of deals and amenities, at a cost of $49 for the first year.Avelo PLUS offers members lower fares, priority boarding, year-round promotions and discounts, $50 cash bonus for renewals, and the ability to share membership benefits with up to nine people. “Avelo’s new membership program, Avelo PLUS, gives our customers even more opportunities to save and experience great Avelo perks,” said Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy.“Our customers have been asking for a program for loyal customers, and we’re excited to offer Avelo…