Find the signal.

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Esther Dyson on the Attention Economy and the Quantification of Everything

Esther Dyson talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the market for attention and how technology has changed, how much we pay attention to others, and vice versa. Along the way Dyson reminisces about Steve Jobs, the nature of the start-up and venture capital world, and the future of space travel.

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These are the best airlines in 2026, according to The Points Guy

The Points Guy's annual ranking gives extra weight to affordability this year as higher fuel costs and airline fees squeeze travelers.

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Capitalism, Government, and the Good Society

On April 10, 2013, Liberty Fund and Butler University sponsored a symposium, "Capitalism, Government, and the Good Society." The evening began with solo presentations by the three participants--Michael Munger of Duke University, Robert Skidelsky of the University of Warwick, and Richard Epstein of New York University. (Travel complications forced the fourth invited participant, James Galbraith of the University of Texas, to cancel.) Each speaker gave his own interpretation of the appropriate role for government in the economy and in our lives. This was followed by a lively conversation on the topic moderated by Russ Roberts of Stanford University, host of the weekly podcast, EconTalk. A video of the event along with other materials is available at http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2013/09/capitalism_gove.html .

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Hundreds of flights into Newark, New York, Philadelphia disrupted after Verizon fiber line cut

An FAA equipment problem snarled air travel at Newark Liberty International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport Monday.

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Caviar and champagne: Air France’s luxury shift helps ride out Iran war impact

LONDON — With generous helpings of caviar and champagne, Air France’s costly bet on luxury appears to be paying off, helping the Paris-based carrier weather the fallout from the Iran war, Chief Executive Ben Smith told Reuters on Friday. Airlines worldwide, including parent Air France-KLM, are grappling with soaring jet fuel bills and disrupted travel patterns caused by the nearly seven-month-old Iran war, which has forced some to cut capacity and rein in spending. Air France, meanwhile, is riding things out. The airline has tapped into the buzz created by the Emily in Paris TV show and tourists’ enduring fascination with the French capital’s fashion, food and hotel scene. It has doubled down on premium offerings, upgrading onboard menus with luxury-branded products and investing heavily in its most lucrative cabins. “All the luxury brands are based in Paris. We have more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere in the world in Paris,” Mr. Smith said on the sidelines of a London awards show where Air France won best first-class cabin. “So it is a very specific city. Not only is it gorgeous as a cultural location, but as a luxury city.” Europe’s three largest airline groups, including British Airways owner IAG and Lufthansa, have all unveiled redesigned first-class cabins in recent years as they chase growing demand for premium travel, particularly from affluent US passengers. Mr. Smith said Air France’s wealthiest customers have not been put off by higher prices. Some former private jet users are even switching to first class, he said, seeking to avoid the scrutiny attached to the higher emissions associated with private flights. Premium, business and first-class cabins have all delivered growth in bookings and revenue this year, despite Air France raising fares to of

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US issues fresh Iran travel warning, urges Americans to leave immediately

The alert cited possible flight cancellations, airspace closures, border changes and threats to US interests as the regional security environment remains complex

BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS desk

PHL hopeful for positive response from US on forced-labor talks

MANILA is hopeful for a positive response from Washington as negotiations continue over the 12.5% US tariff imposed on Philippine exports due to concerns over goods allegedly tied to forced labor imports. At a news briefing ahead of the upcoming 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting held on Friday, Trade Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said the government is awaiting the evaluation of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on its recent joint administrative order (JAO) to investigate forced labor imports. “Right now, we are awaiting the evaluation of the United States Trade Representative on whether or not this will suffice as far as addressing their concern,” he said. “We are hopeful that they will positively respond because we have been very cooperative and we have been very open in engaging with them.” In July, the Philippine government issued a JAO detailing the rules for the investigation and prohibition of importing goods produced wholly or in part through forced labor. The joint order establishes a coordinated mechanism for investigation, information-sharing, and enforcement against imported goods suspected of being produced through forced labor, the Department of Finance (DoF) said in July. “The JAO reflects the Philippines’ commitment to building an economy founded on responsible business conduct, ethical sourcing, and respect for human dignity,” it said earlier. It also aligns with the Philippines’ obligations under international labor conventions, the DoF added. The JAO also created an inter-agency committee that will investigate and curb forced labor imports in the Philippines. The panel is chaired the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and vice-chaired by the DoF. Other agencies part of the committee are the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Investment

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NSCR full operations pushed back to 2033

THE North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is now targeted to be fully operational by 2033 after the Economy and Development (ED) Council approved amendments to the project, with partial operations expected to start in December 2027. The full operations of the NSCR are now targeted to start by the third quarter of 2033, later than the previous January 2032 target, after procurement challenges, tighter government spending and right-of-way issues delayed the flagship railway project. “Regarding the North-South Commuter Railway Operations and Maintenance PPP (public-private partnership) project, there were some changes to the timeline. This was due to the need for fiscal prudence and careful management of public funds, challenges in the procurement process, and right-of-way issues,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino. Under the revised schedule, the railway’s full commercial operations from Clark to Calamba are now expected by the third quarter of 2033. “The expected timeline for the first partial operation (Valenzuela to Malolos) is December 2027; the second partial operation (Malolos to Clark) is set for the fourth quarter of 2028; and the third partial operation (Clark-Solis-Alabang to Calamba) is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2031,” Ms. Castro said. The ED Council, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., had approved revisions to the parameters, terms and conditions for the NSCR project, in order to attract more bidders and encourage “competitive proposals.” “Generally, the amendments involve the timelines and slight budget adjustments,” Ms. Castro said, but did not specify the amount. The 147-kilometer elevated railway line seeks to ease travel across three regions Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon (Cavite, Lag

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Malaysia optimistic on PHL tourism market despite fuel surcharge rise

Malaysia remains optimistic about the Philippines as a key tourism source market despite higher fuel surcharges that could raise travel costs for Filipino visitors, according to a Malaysian diplomat. “For the Philippines, I think last year we touched almost 500,000. Of course, we’re looking to increase it,” Malaysian Ambassador Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony told reporters in an interview. “I’m happy to see that Malaysia and the Philippines and, of course, the other ASEAN countries are working hard to increase tourist arrivals from our countries to each other, and from global arrivals,” he added. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) recently bumped the airline fuel surcharge to Level 14 from Level 13 for the second half of September 2026 as renewed volatility in the Middle East keeps pressure on global oil markets. Under Level 14, airlines may collect an additional P457 to P1,336 per passenger for domestic flights, while the international flight surcharge ranges from P1,509.08 to P11,220.71. “We have no choice because this is something that is beyond our control,” Mr. Anthony said. “It is basically, you know, on market forces. What we can do, I think, is try to mitigate as much as possible the effect of it.” “I think the government of the Philippines and Malaysia are doing as much as we can to ensure that the prices remain at a certain level that will not impede trade and development,” he added. Data from the International Air Transport Association showed that jet fuel prices rose 6.1% to $181.46 per barrel in the week ending Sept. 11, up from $171.01 per barrel a week earlier. In June, Malaysia recorded a 1.13% year-on-year increase in inbound arrivals from the Philippines, with 299,633 Filipino tourists from 296,298 previously. About 59 flights weekly between the c

BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS desk

Africa’s air travel is reliant on distant hubs

Why it’s time to fix this.

BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS desk

US, Vietnam firms to sign agreements as To Lam travels to New York, documents show

BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS desk

Public dashboard shows PHL’s key tourism data

The Department of Tourism (DoT) said on Wednesday that it is promoting greater transparency in the tourism sector by allowing the public to access key tourism indicators through a dashboard feature. “Making this information available to the public is not just about transparency for its own sake,” Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said in a statement. “It is about giving our stakeholders, from local government units to tourism businesses to ordinary Filipinos, the tools to understand how our industry is doing and where the opportunities are,” she added. The dashboard, accessible through DoT’s official website, provides monthly and annual visitor arrival data beginning in 2010, and outbound traveler data from 2023 to 2025. A pie chart displays the country’s current leading source market, while a table shows a detailed monthly arrivals breakdown by the top 20 countries of origin. As of Aug. 31, the dashboard logged 4,415,860 visitor arrivals, up 0.78% from 4,381,585 arrivals during the same period last year. The United States ranked as the top source market, accounting for 20.98% of the total, or 926,575 arrivals. South Korea, which previously led the country’s market, trailed at 16.86%, or 744,732 arrivals, while Japan recorded 7.28%, or 321,545 arrivals. The figures available on the platform were based on eTravel records of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and records from the Bureau of Immigration (BI). The agency noted that both agencies provide a “more complete” count of international visitor arrivals for the period. Beyond traveler counts, the platform tracks Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA), based on the local statistics agency, to show which tourism sector contributed the largest share to the economy. A table comparing t

BAGANBAZAR GRAPHSource-attributed newsBUSINESS desk

Summer School 4: Banker vs president and the birth of the dollar

Episodes each Wednesday through labor day. Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow along on TikTok here for video Summer School. Planet Money Summer School has arrived at the birth of the United States and the chance to set up a whole new economy from scratch. Should there be a centralized bank? Should there be a single currency? We'll travel to two moments in the country's early history when the founders said "nope" to these questions and see what happened. First we'll witness one of the great economic battles in U.S. history – the president of the United States versus the president of the Bank of the United States – and see how the outcome ushered in an age of financial panics. Then we'll drop in on a time before the U.S. dollar existed as we know it, when you could buy things using one of about 8,000 forms of money circulating in the country. We watch as the Civil War leads to the first standard currency. Along the way, we'll learn why the cycle of economic booms and busts persists to today despite efforts to centralize America's economy throughout history. This episode was edited by Planet Money Executive Producer Alex Goldmark and fact-checked by Sofia Shchukina. Subscribe to Planet Money+ for sponsor-free episode listening in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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Richard Epstein on Cruises, First-Class Travel, and Inequality

How should we feel about cruise lines that offer special amenities for top-paying travelers, or first-class sections of airplanes? Do such consumption inequalities harm the social fabric or is there more to the story? Richard Epstein of New York University and the Hoover Institution talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about these issues arguing that these kinds of unequal treatment provide benefits beyond those who receive the top-of-the-line option. The conversation then moves on to a general discussion of inequality, taxation, and redistribution.