A decade ago, these 10 U.S. towns were growing on the back of coal, oil, tourism, or industry. By 2025, census counts, mine closures, storm damage, and shrinking local business districts have left each place markedly smaller or quieter.
Americans age 60 and older are becoming one of the fastest-growing solo travel groups, according to recent travel industry surveys and booking data. Companies including Road Scholar, Intrepid Travel, and Overseas Adventure Travel say older adults are booking more independent trips for flexibility, community, and timing.
Marriott agreed in 2024 to pay $52 million to settle FTC allegations that it hid mandatory resort fees from guests during booking. The case became a national marker in the long-running battle over hotel pricing that cost travelers millions.
Some U.S. travelers are already being refused entry at European borders over Schengen stay-limit checks, even though the EU’s new Entry/Exit System is now scheduled to start in 2026. The issue is not a new visa rule for Americans, but tighter enforcement of the long-standing 90-in-180-day limit.
Carnival Cruise Line has recorded more passenger overboard reports this year than any other major cruise brand, based on publicly reported incidents and Coast Guard responses. The company continues to sell tickets on its U.S. departures while investigations into individual cases remain limited.
American Airlines continues to rank among the busiest U.S. carriers even as past crash totals keep its long-term safety record under scrutiny. Federal data shows the airline also operates one of the nation’s largest networks, keeping demand high.
Three commercial flights, from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 to Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, vanished with no confirmed wreckage or final explanation. Official investigations produced findings, but key gaps remain decades later.
Newly examined records and a widely cited 2016 JAMA Internal Medicine paper renewed scrutiny of how the sugar industry funded Harvard scientists in 1967 and steered attention toward fat, not sugar. The episode is still shaping how Americans talk about diet, heart disease, and trust in nutrition research.
