Author: Emily Harper

From February 1, 2026, air passengers in the United States who reach security without a REAL ID-compliant license or another acceptable ID will have to pay a $45 fee to travel. The policy, announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), applies to the small share of travelers who do not meet identification rules now enforced under the REAL ID Act of 2005, which became fully effective for air travel in May 2025. Currently, people who forget their wallets or present non-compliant cards may still fly after extra questioning and manual checks. That labor-intensive option will be replaced by a standardized,…

Tomlin Acknowledges Boos Pittsburgh heard something unusual inside Acrisure Stadium. Boos. After a lopsided 26-7 loss to Buffalo, some fans voiced frustration as the Steelers slipped into a pattern that feels unfamiliar for one of the most stable teams in football. Mike Tomlin did not run from that response. He embraced it. He told reporters that in a sport entertainment business, winning is the entertainment. When the Steelers fail to deliver, frustration is fair. His team surrendered 249 rushing yards, committed costly penalties and lacked rhythm on both sides of the ball. The performance left supporters upset enough to call…

Immersive Art Takes Center Stage A major public installation on Miami Beach has become one of the standout attractions during Art Week. British artist Es Devlin has unveiled “Library of Us,” a monumental rotating bookshelf surrounded by water that invites visitors to read, reflect, and reconnect with their own relationship to books. The work is located outdoors along the shoreline beside the Faena Hotel and has quickly emerged as a centerpiece for the nonprofit Faena Art, which is marking a decade of programming dedicated to creative experimentation and public access. The installation is a 50 foot wide triangular structure. It…

Hong Kong is facing difficult questions after a high-rise apartment fire killed at least 156 people at the Wang Fuk Court public housing complex in the Tai Po district. The late-November inferno, the city’s deadliest residential blaze in decades, has triggered anger over suspected construction corruption, weak enforcement of safety rules and failures in government oversight. As residents leave flowers and paper cranes near the blackened towers, frustration has mounted over reports that renovation works relied on hazardous materials and opaque contracting. Police and Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) have together arrested more than 20 people, including scaffolding…

The Prada Group has completed its acquisition of Versace in a cash deal worth about $1.375 billion, bringing one of Italy’s most flamboyant fashion houses under the same umbrella as Prada’s more restrained aesthetic and its younger label Miu Miu. The transaction, finalized after regulatory clearances in major markets, ends Versace’s six-year spell under Capri Holdings and ranks among the most closely watched shake-ups in European luxury fashion in 2025. In a brief statement, Prada confirmed that the purchase had closed, while Capri Holdings, which also owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, said it will use the proceeds primarily to…

SpaceX is preparing for another nighttime launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The mission is scheduled for Monday evening and will send a Falcon 9 rocket into low Earth orbit. If conditions allow, residents across California, including San Diego, could catch a glimpse of the bright trail produced by the rocket shortly after liftoff. Space enthusiasts have come to anticipate these launches, as they often illuminate the night sky and are clearly visible from long distances when weather is favorable. The launch is part of SpaceX’s ongoing expansion of its Starlink satellite network. Starlink has grown…

Starbucks has agreed to pay about $35 million to more than 15,000 current and former workers in New York City, resolving a multi-year investigation into claims that the company violated the city’s Fair Workweek scheduling rules. City officials said the deal is one of the largest worker-protection settlements in the city’s history and follows allegations that baristas were routinely denied predictable hours and had their shifts cut without notice. Under the agreement with the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), most hourly employees will receive $50 for every week they worked at a Starbucks store in New York…

Growing Scrutiny Over Strike in the Caribbean A U.S. naval operation in the Caribbean Sea has triggered a rare bipartisan investigation in Congress, after reports emerged that a second strike was carried out against a damaged vessel and killed survivors on board. The incident, linked to an anti-narcotics mission, has raised questions among lawmakers and legal analysts about whether the action complied with domestic and international law. Pressure intensified after reports revealed that the strike may have been authorized verbally by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and executed under his direct operational directive. Senior lawmakers on the House and Senate armed…

Rising Floods Across South and South East Asia Large parts of South and South East Asia are dealing with severe flooding that has caused widespread casualties and displacement. Recent storms have brought extraordinary rainfall to Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, overwhelming infrastructure and isolating entire communities. Indonesia was one of the first countries to feel the full impact when provinces such as North Sumatra received close to a meter of rain in just a few days. Local authorities have struggled to reach residents in rural areas where landslides and washed out roads have cut off access. Thailand has reported widespread…

Deals marketed as some of the strongest of the holiday season are expected to keep shoppers across the United States glued to their screens as Cyber Monday caps the post-Thanksgiving buying rush. Online shopping has become embedded in everyday life, and each year the holiday period pushes spending to new highs. Data from Adobe Analytics suggest that U.S. consumers will spend about $14.2 billion online this Cyber Monday, an increase of roughly 6.3% from 2024. The firm expects activity to crest between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time, when nearly $16 million per minute could be flowing through virtual…