Hamburg – October 29, 2026 -- The TITAN UPGRADE S20 carry-on trolley, priced at €259.95, shares the top spot in a Stiftung Warentest comparison of 17 carry-on suitcases. In issue 6/2026, it earned an overall grade of "Good" (1.8).

The S20 is the only suitcase rated "very good" for packing

Testers gave the trolley "very good" marks for packing comfort, effortless pushing and pulling, and for usage instructions and declaration. No other suitcase in the test reached "very good" for packing.

It also scored "very good" in the durability categories of workmanship, the caster and telescopic handle endurance test, and zippers and seams.

Memphis – October 29, 2026 -- Wearing a polyester T-shirt increased microplastic exposure in the personal breathing zone by up to 42% compared with a cotton one, according to preliminary results from a University of Memphis pilot study.

Polyester wearers breathed in nearly 2,000 particles per cubic meter

Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations near participants' breathing zones while they wore either cotton or polyester-containing T-shirts. With polyester, readings reached nearly 2,000 microplastic particles per cubic meter.

Up to 77% of the detected particles were microscopic. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polymer commonly used in polyester clothing, turned up in 99% of the airborne microplastics the team identified.

NEW YORK – October 29, 2026 -- Four runners with personal ties to autism will line up among more than 55,000 participants at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on November 1 to raise funds for services for autistic adults. The race marks the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course.

Team NEXT makes its marathon debut

NEXT for AUTISM, a nonprofit focused on transforming services for autistic adults, is an Official Charity Partner of the marathon for the first time. Its inaugural Team NEXT consists of Eric Caldwell, Holly Fowler, Elizabeth Fox and Michael Mutino. Together they will cover 104.8 miles.

Their goal is to draw attention to a gap: an estimated 5.4 million autistic adults live in the United States, yet inclusive opportunities, services and resources for adults remain significantly limited.

San Francisco – October 29, 2026 -- Wabi, a personal AI assistant designed for couples, families and friends to use together, has raised $55 million at a $1.25 billion valuation, with apps available now on iOS, Android and Mac.

IVP led the round. Andreessen (a16z), Forerunner and Amazon Alexa Fund also took part, along with angels and founders including Tobi Lütke, Marc Benioff, Marissa Mayer, Dick Costolo and Alex Pall. The company says the money will go toward product development and expansion.

Wabi targets groups instead of one person in one chat

Wabi comes from Eugenia Kuyda, who previously founded the AI companion platform Replika. Most AI assistants are built for a single person typing into a single chat. Wabi is built around people doing things together: a book club planning a themed night, a running group choosing a weekend route, or a family sharing the load of running a household.

New York – October 29, 2026 -- Air France-KLM Flying Blue has been ranked the world's best airline rewards program for the third year in a row, according to point.me's 2026 report. The award travel search platform scored 33 leading loyalty programs using more than 250 million award fares from its own pricing data.

Flying Blue wins on availability, partners and earning

Flying Blue took first place for award availability, partner opportunities and ease of earning. United MileagePlus finished second, with the best redemption experience of any program and the top mark for customer service. Air Canada Aeroplan placed third and was runner-up in availability, partners and earning.

The rest of the overall top 10: Alaska / Hawaiian Atmos Rewards, American Airlines AAdvantage, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, British Airways Club, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.

San José, Costa Rica – October 29, 2026 -- ACR Poker account holders now get a weekly newsletter from poker legend Chris Moneymaker, plus a $1 On-Demand tournament ticket with the first issue. The Moneymaker Minute debuted Wednesday, October 28, and will arrive automatically every Wednesday with no separate sign-up.

It is available only to players with an ACR Poker account. Each issue mixes player stories, tournament coverage, personal picks and occasional giveaways.

The first issue profiles a Brazilian player with $204,000 in Sunday Banana wins

The debut reviews the recent Dual Venom PKOs. It also profiles Brazilian player Gabriel "kingqueensuited" Tavares, who won back-to-back Sunday Banana titles in October for more than $204,000 in combined first-place winnings.

Hamburg – October 29, 2026 -- NDR television chef Zora Klipp starts a six-part culinary road trip through northern Germany on Friday, October 30, at 9:15 p.m. on NDR Fernsehen. The series "Zora schmeckt's – Zu Gast in ..." runs weekly and is also available in the ARD Mediathek.

Six towns, six food scenes

Klipp visits Lüneburg, St. Peter-Ording, Bad Zwischenahn, Wismar, Goslar and Nordhorn. Each 30-minute episode covers regional specialties, unusual restaurant concepts and the people who shape a town's food culture. She describes herself as a cook and a thorough northerner who loves food.

Along the way she stops at restaurants, cafés, delicatessens, coffee roasteries, smokehouses, bars and breweries. She also goes behind the scenes and cooks and works alongside the locals herself. The episodes cover sweet and savory classics, modern takes on them, the craft behind the dishes, and what gives a place its flavor.

Montego Bay – October 29, 2026 -- Families can take their Elf on the Shelf Scout Elf to the Caribbean this winter: Beaches Resorts runs Scout Elf-themed holiday programming at Beaches Turks and Caicos and Beaches Negril from November 27 through December 25, 2026. It is the fourth consecutive year the all-inclusive family resorts have carried the title of Official Caribbean Vacation of The Elf on the Shelf.

Weekly parties and movie nights fill the calendar

Both resorts host a weekly Sweet Island Soirée featuring The Elf on the Shelf, with music, dancing, sweet treats, festive crafts and Scout Elf surprises. Guests can also watch films from The Elf on the Shelf Santaverse collection under the stars each week, with popcorn and festive treats.

Scout Elf Central anchors the resort-wide activities. Other programming includes holiday scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, Christmas karaoke and Scout Elf storytime.

LISBON – October 29, 2026 -- A seven-day cycling trip through Portugal's Alentejo region has won Gold in the Tour Operators, Overall category at the 2026 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards. Operator Live Love Ride also took Silver in Tour Operators, Service, for its "Alentejo Cycling Experience: A Boutique Slow Travel Journey in Portugal."

The route starts in a medieval hilltop village

The Alentejo Heritage & Wine Country Bike Tour begins in Marvão. Cyclists then pass through cork oak forests, olive groves and vineyards, with stops in Castelo de Vide, Estremoz, Monsaraz and Évora.

Daily rides cover roughly 45 to 80 kilometers. Each day is paired with Alentejo cuisine and wines, distinctive accommodations, local producers and cultural experiences.

Wiesbaden – October 29, 2026 -- From 2027, many self-employed people in Germany can claim up to 540 euros a year in state subsidies for private retirement savings, including through the new Altersvorsorgedepot (retirement savings depot).

Eligibility covers self-employed people who pay compulsory contributions into the statutory pension insurance or who file an annual tax return. The earlier Riester subsidy was open to only a few self-employed people. Under the new rules, basically everyone with income from a trade or freelance work can be supported, provided they have filed their tax return for the contribution year.