Global

Denver – October 07, 2026 -- Globus & Cosmos have introduced Unpack and Explore Tours, a new line of trips that base travelers in one or two hotels for multiple nights instead of moving locations daily, with prices starting at $2,099 per person.

Travelers stay put while day trips do the moving

The tours let guests settle into a single destination and take included sightseeing excursions and day trips from that base, rather than packing and unpacking at a new hotel each night. Globus and Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides accompany each trip, offering recommendations while leaving free time for independent exploration.

Atlanta – October 07, 2026 -- Habitat for Humanity International has named 44 volunteers from 21 countries as its 2026 honorees, recognizing their work building homes, mobilizing communities and advocating for affordable housing during the organization's 50th anniversary year.

Twelve volunteers earned global recognition out of more than 300 regional nominations

In Jordan, Fadi Miqdady led efforts to build 78 homes, rehabilitate more than 370 others and improve water access in remote villages. In South Korea, Sean Ro organized public running and walking campaigns that engaged tens of thousands of participants and raised approximately $5.7 million to support housing for descendants of independence patriots and war veterans. In Kenya, Roseline Asena mobilized residents of the Mukuru Informal Settlement to push for adequate housing, helping bring local priorities into national policy discussions.

New York – October 07, 2026 -- The United Nations Spotlight Initiative has launched Sync or Storm, an interactive game on Roblox designed to teach young people about attitudes that contribute to violence against women and girls.

The game is part of the Spotlight Initiative's #WithHer digital advocacy campaign and is now live on the platform, targeting an audience that includes an estimated 43 million Roblox users under age 13 who play daily.

Nearly one in three women experience violence in their lifetime, prompting a push for early prevention.

Koye Adeboye, Head of Communications for the UN Spotlight Initiative, said gaming has become a space where young people shape how they see the world, and that reaching them there is critical to preventing violence before it starts.

London – October 07, 2026 -- Online broker MarketsVox now lets clients trade Gold, Silver, WTI and Brent crude CFDs around the clock, removing the traditional trading-hour restrictions that previously applied to these instruments.

The 24/7 access is available to all clients of the London-based broker, giving traders the ability to react to commodity price moves at any hour rather than waiting for a session to open.

CEO says markets don't wait for trading sessions

"Markets can react quickly to events happening anywhere in the world, and clients should not have to wait for a trading session to open," said Joe Roeder, CEO and Co-founder of MarketsVox. He added that the change gives clients "more time, more flexibility and a simpler way to stay connected to the commodities they follow."

Miami – October 06, 2026 -- Silversea has unveiled its Voyage Collection 2028-2029, a lineup of 103 voyages across 219 destinations in 56 countries timed to line up with cultural moments like Carnival in Venice and Rio de Janeiro, New Year's Eve in Funchal and Sydney, and Europe's truffle season. General sales open October 8, 2026, following a preview for Venetian Society members on October 6.

The program, spanning September 2028 to May 2029, adds 29 new ports of call across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.

New York – October 06, 2026 -- Wise has launched a combined eSIM and cross-border QR code payment feature inside its app, aiming to eliminate the mobile data and payment struggles travelers face abroad.

Survey finds travelers hunting for free Wi-Fi in awkward ways

A Wise-commissioned YouGov survey of more than 14,000 travelers across eleven countries found that 62% of international travelers in the past year relied on hotel or accommodation Wi-Fi to stay connected. Away from their hotels, 24% admitted to buying something at a café they did not want just to access free Wi-Fi, 15% have stood outside a museum or attraction to use its Wi-Fi instead of going in, and 7% have asked a stranger to share their phone's personal hotspot.

Cash management was the most commonly reported payment problem abroad, cited by 43% of respondents. Among those who faced payment issues, nearly 40% said they missed out on local experiences such as street food markets.

Aarhus, Denmark – October 06, 2026 -- Dragon Shield, a maker of premium trading card game accessories, has launched Dragonfall, a new annual celebration running October 6-11 and timed to coincide with the Draconid meteor shower.

The inaugural event brings an exclusive product release and special in-store celebrations to local game stores around the world, uniting fans in stores, online, and around the table.

The 2026 collection features stained-glass style artwork from a dedicated Arcania illustrator

The Dragon Shield Dragonfall 2026 Collection showcases exclusive artwork by Godfrey Escota, the artist behind more than 100 dragons in Arcania, Dragon Shield's fantasy universe. The stained-glass style designs depict celebrations in the mortal realm, the dragons of Arcania, and the Herald announcing this year's dragon.

Cambridge, Mass. and Salt Lake City – – October 06, 2026 -- Active-travel operator EF Adventures and outdoor retailer Backcountry have launched a four-tour collection of guided hiking and multi-adventure trips departing in 2027, pairing EF's travel-guiding expertise with Backcountry's gear know-how.

The collection opens on Backcountry's home turf in Utah

The anchor trip, American Southwest Hiking with Backcountry: Sedona, the Grand Canyon & Zion, runs 7 days (9 with a Zion extension), departs April 25, 2027, and starts at $6,190 per person, land only. Travelers descend the Bright Angel Trail into the Grand Canyon and hike Zion's slot canyons, with an optional two-day Bryce Canyon add-on.

Ta'Xbiex, Malta – October 06, 2026 -- The Swedish Academy will announce the winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, October 8, and betting company Betsson currently lists Chinese experimental writer Can Xue as the frontrunner at odds of 5.00.

Canadian poet Anne Carson follows at 7.00, with Australian novelist Gerald Murnane third at 8.00. Betsson's list covers roughly 40 authors worldwide, with Asian writers featuring prominently alongside Can Xue, including Amitav Ghosh at 9.00.

Can Xue has topped Betsson's odds before, in 2023

The author, widely considered China's leading experimental writer, has repeatedly figured among Nobel contenders over the past decade. Betsson has run odds on the Literature Prize for more than ten years.

Doetinchem – – October 05, 2026 -- Dutch sim-racing company Playseat is preparing to launch the Evolution 2, a next-generation racing cockpit the company calls the most adaptable all-round racing chair on the market today.

The Evolution 2 builds on the cockpit that started the category

The new chair is a direct successor to the original Playseat Evolution, the simulator credited with creating the home racing cockpit category in the mid-1990s. Playseat says the Evolution 2 carries that design expertise forward while adding greater versatility, expandability, and value for sim racers.