Author: admin
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has wrapped up yet another successful exclusive event aimed at preparing advisors for the next era of travel.More than 250 U.S. travel professionals came together in Portland, Oregon, for ASTA’s 2025 Premium Business Summit last week. The two-day event was hosted at The Nines, a Luxury Collection Hotel and featured dynamic and immersive programming and learning experiences as well as lengthy conversations around the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the travel industry.Attendees delved into a plethora of important topics, from AI to the current state of commissions, among others. “The caliber…
Uber has quietly begun piloting in-app video recording for its drivers in India, TechCrunch has learned and confirmed with the company. The tool is meant to deter misconduct in a market where most drivers do not use dashcams, according to Uber. Half a dozen Uber drivers in the Delhi–NCR region told TechCrunch they sometimes face misconduct from riders and, in some cases, are threatened with false complaints about their behavior — allegations that can lead to penalties or even account suspensions. “Even female passengers traveling late at night insist that we follow the route they want instead of what’s shown…
Last updated: 11:40 AM ET, Thu November 13, 2025 West Coast fliers have a new chance to live La Dolce Vita in 2026 now that fares are officially on sale for Alaska Airlines’ upcoming route from Seattle to Rome.The new seasonal nonstop route from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) launches April 28, 2026, and fares are as low as $599 roundtrip. Due to popular demand, Alaska says it will operate daily flights on the route throughout the summer season, a significant increase from its initial announcement of just four flights per week.…
Apple on Thursday introduced a new set of App Review Guidelines for developers, which now specifically state that apps must disclose and obtain users’ permission before sharing personal data with third-party AI. The change comes ahead of the iPhone maker’s plan to introduce its own AI-upgraded version of Siri in 2026. That update will see Apple’s digital assistant offer users the ability to take actions across apps using Siri commands, and will be powered, in part, by Google’s Gemini technology, according to a recent Bloomberg report. At the same time, Apple is ensuring other apps aren’t leaking personal data to…
In the debut episode of the Build Mode podcast, host Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Deon Nicholas, co-founder of Forethought AI, to unpack what it really takes to build a lasting company with and for your customers from day one. Build Mode is TechCrunch’s new podcast that pulls back the curtain on how startups actually get built — the messy, tactical, real-talk version. Season 1: Product, Meet Market, goes beyond product-market fit to explore every aspect of getting your product into customers’ hands, from finding the right audience and earning their trust to turning early traction into lasting momentum. From…
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M University System regents on Thursday required professors to receive approval from the school president to discuss some race and gender topics, tightening rules months after a viral video of a student confronting an instructor over her lessons threw the flagship campus into upheaval.The new policy will apply to all 12 schools within the system, including at Texas A&M, the flagship campus that is one of the largest universities in the country.The new policy states that no academic course “will advocate race or gender ideology, or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity”…
by Lacey Pfalz Last updated: 8:35 AM ET, Thu November 13, 2025 Marriott Bonvoy’s Cyber Week Sale is the longest one yet, offering members more time to book and more time to stay with discounted escapes around the world. Those who book through the Marriott Bonvoy app can earn 25 percent off their next stay at eligible properties around the world from November 25 through December 2. Travelers have from November 20, 2025 through February 22, 2026 to stay. Marriott Bonvoy members who book online will enjoy 20 percent off their stays, while nonmembers can receive 15 percent off. “With our longest…
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has landed the booster of its New Glenn mega-rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean on just its second attempt — making it the second company to perform such a feat, following Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It’s an accomplishment that will help the new rocket system become an option to send larger payloads to space, the moon, and beyond. Thursday’s launch wasn’t just about the landing attempt, though. Roughly 34 minutes after takeoff, the upper stage of New Glenn successfully deployed the rocket’s first commercial payload: twin spacecraft for NASA that will travel to Mars…
Vital federal funding is on the way for Head Start centers that were thrown into crisis by the government shutdown, but it could take time before some children who rely on the federal program can return to preschool. Some centers that missed out on federal payments had to furlough staff. Others had to shut down entirely, destabilizing thousands of needy families around the country. And operators fear it could take weeks more for overdue payments to be processed.Even when agencies receive long-delayed grant money, centers will have to rehire staff members and bring back families — both of which may…
Major League Soccer is stepping onto a bigger stage next year, when all of its matches will find a new home on Apple TV.Beginning in the 2026 season, MLS games will be available on Apple’s flagship streaming platform, which currently includes Major League Baseball games as well as scripted series like “Severance.”The move marks a big shift for both the league and Apple’s media strategy, as the tech giant will end Season Pass — the separate subscription service for MLS games provided by Apple.Apple and MLS had inked a 10-year media rights deal in 2022 that saw Apple become the…