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Air travelers without a REAL ID or passport could be required to pay a fee to get through airport security. The Transportation Security Administration has proposed a “modernized alternative identity verification program” that would charge travelers $18 to confirm their identity if they don’t have an acceptable form of ID, such as a REAL ID or passport. The proposal was published in a notice Thursday on the Federal Register. Under the “technology-enabled” program, a traveler would be required to pay a non-refundable fee of $18 to request an alternative identity verification in order to get through airport security. Once approved, the identity verification would be valid for 10 days. But travelers who pay for the program would not be guaranteed approval. They also could be “subject to additional screening or experience delays,” according to the notice. “TSA will use the individual’s biographic and/or biometric information to verify identity and match the individual to their Secure Flight watch list result,” the notice said. “TSA anticipates that this modernized program will increase efficiency for each individual by streamlining steps taken to verify an individual’s identity and substantially increase the number of individuals for whom TSA can provide alternative identity verification by leveraging technology to significantly expand program capacity.” The fee is designed to fully recover TSA’s costs for “providing this unique security service,” the notice said. TSA “may decide in certain scenarios” to limit the number of times a traveler can use the program if they repeatedly fail to present an acceptable form of ID at security checkpoints, according to the notice. Air travel 8 hours ago ‘Dress with respect': DOT urges travelers to restore civility in the skies in new campaign Apple Inc. Nov 13 iPhone users can now add U.S. passport info to their digital wallets It was not immediately clear when TSA could roll out the program, or the ways in which travelers would be able to apply for it. The notice said the “collection of the fee will begin when TSA announces that individuals may register for the modernized alternative identity verification program on the TSA website.” TSA did not immediately respond to NBC Local’s request Thursday night seeking additional information. The REAL ID Act was signed into law in 2005, but it didn’t start being enforced until earlier this year following a series of delays. The law requires travelers to have a REAL ID-compliant license or another form of acceptable identification to get through security for a domestic flight. The TSA notice described the current alternative identity verification process for travelers as “time and resource intensive, limiting the number of individuals for whom TSA can provide the service.”

Miss USA Audrey Eckert is competing at Miss Universe, which crowns a new winner this week.Courtesy of Miss USAAudrey Eckert, 23, is competing at Miss Universe after winning Miss USA in October.The Nebraska native has been competing in pageants since she was 9 years old.Eckert told Business Insider she wants to break the "Toddlers and Tiaras" stereotype of pageant queens.Just a week after winning Miss USA, Audrey Eckert hopped on a plane to Thailand to begin competing at Miss Universe 2025.It's been a lifelong goal for the 23-year-old, who began competing in pageants when she was a child."The moment Nebraska was called as Miss USA 2025, that's when I said to myself, 'Here we go, my life has changed,'" Eckert told Business Insider after she was crowned on October 24. "I knew I was going to be ready to hit the ground running."Eckert will find out if her dream has come true at the 74th annual Miss Universe pageant in Thailand on Friday morning. Due to the time difference, the pageant will stream on Peacock in the US on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Here's how Eckert made it to the Miss Universe stage.Audrey Eckert began competing in pageants when she was 9 years old.Courtesy of Miss USAEckert told Business Insider that she began competing after she received a letter in the mail inviting her to participate in a local pageant."My mom and I wanted to do it. We were excited, but we had no clue what we were doing," she recalled with a laugh. "My first evening gown didn't even touch the floor."Eckert said pageantry changed the "trajectory of my life." That's why she's hoping to break the "Toddlers and Tiaras" image often associated with young pageant queens."I think it's extremely important to break that perception, and I think social media is helping us do that," she said. "If we can show, as titleholders, the positive impacts we're having on our community, the events we're attending, the hard work we're putting in behind the scenes, I think it helps break down those stereotypes."Eckert placed in the top five at Miss Teen USA in 2020.Courtesy of Miss UniverseEckert won Miss Nebraska Teen in 2020 and placed third runner-up at the Miss Teen USA competition that year."I was over the moon excited," Eckert recalled. "That kind of peeled back a layer and showed me I could really do this, I could be Miss USA someday, which has always been the biggest goal."The pageant queen has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.Courtesy of Miss USAEckert was also an NCAA Division I athlete and captain of the Husker Cheer Squad, receiving awards from the Big Ten Conference for her academic achievements and community service."I always said growing up that I had two sports — one being pageants and the other being cheerleading," Eckert told Business Insider.Eckert is now a competitive cheer coach, working with hundreds of athletes every week.She works for a human-rights fashion brand.Courtesy of Miss UniverseEckert is the social media and marketing coordinator for Sapahn, a company that sells leather handbags made in Thailand. The pageant queen told Business Insider she was excited to visit Thailand for Miss Universe and "really immerse myself in the culture that I've heard about for the last year and a half.""I've been communicating and working with women in Thailand, but I've never actually been," she added. "That is what I'm most excited for."Eckert is following in Sarah Rose Summers' footsteps. The fellow Miss Nebraska won Miss USA in 2018 before competing at Miss Universe in Thailand that year. Though she didn't win Miss Universe, nine other Miss USAs have claimed the title in the pageant's history. Eckert decided to enter Miss Nebraska 2025 just five weeks before the competition.Miss USA host Emmanuel Acho…

Slack has one quirk with Instagram links.Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty ImagesInstagram links won't unfurl on Slack.This is, in the grand scheme of the world, not a big deal. But to me, this is torture.I'm attempting to publicly shame both Meta and Slack into fixing this so I can enjoy my life again.I wouldn't ever actually admit to enjoying the workplace chat app Slack (that would be horrifically uncool). But the data speaks for itself.For 2024, I was Business Insider's second most prolific Slack poster, which is incredibly embarrassing and not a compliment at all.Look, I love chatting! I love sharing links and musings with my colleagues! Fire me! (To my editor reading this: Please don't, I promise I'll get back to work.)But despite this, there's one thing that stymies me over and over — and I know I'm not the only one out there who is plagued by this problem.Whenever you post a link to an Instagram or Threads post in Slack, the link doesn't "unfurl" with a preview. Basically, it looks like this:This was an amusing Reel of a state senator doing the "67" hand motions, but too bad it won't show.Business Insider / sadnessIf you're unfamiliar with Slack (or don't paste social media links into Slack because you use it like a responsible professional), the thing is that posts from X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and even BlueSky do actually work!For example, an X post unfurls like this:An X post does work in Slack.Business InsiderWhat's frustrating is that Instagram used to work on Slack. I remember those glory days! It was probably only two or so years ago — my guess here — that it stopped working.So why is this happening? If X and Bluesky can do it, why can't Instagram and Threads?I'm not sure of the answer, but I have some good guesses.First, I don't think it's a case where Slack and Meta are mad at each other and are revoking this access to spite each other. If you think that sounds ridiculous — why would a big company make things harder for its users just to settle some petty beef? — keep in mind that Instagram did exactly that when it stopped allowing Instagram posts to fully display on Twitter back in 2012.As far as I know, Meta and Slack aren't locked in a vicious fight. Meta isn't above being petty when it comes to competitors like TikTok or companies that threaten its business like Apple — but Slack, which is owned by Salesforce, isn't really an enemy or direct competitor. Sure, some people use Slack for group chats with friends, which might compete with WhatsApp, but mainly it's for workplace productivity.Slack said in response to questions from Business Insider that the issue is on Meta's end. It gave a long, technical response. When asked to respond, I didn't hear back from Meta.I am not an engineer or a computer programmer, so I am not going to pretend that I know the exact solution here.But I refuse to accept that no one has the technical expertise to come up with a solution for the thousands — millions, perhaps! — of people with fake email jobs who need to post Instagram links to their coworkers on Slack.Despite some of the terrifying and bad ways that social media and technology have affected our lives, I still maintain optimism. I believe that a repaired union between Slack and Instagram will improve my life by at least 2%! We all deserve better!Read the original article on Business Insider

Lainey Wilson onstage at the CMA Awards in Nashville.Seth Herald/ReutersThe 2025 CMA Awards were hosted in Nashville on Wednesday night.Stars like Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini impressed with bold, unique outfits.Other stars, like Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley, clashed on the red carpet.Cowboy hats, camo, and sparkles were all over the 2025 CMA Awards.Musicians gathered at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday to celebrate country music's biggest night.Attendees like Lainey Wilson delivered memorable performances onstage and had equally strong fashion moments on the red carpet. There were also a few artists who fell short with underwhelming looks.Here are the best and worst outfits from the night. Luke Combs and his wife looked like country royalty on the red carpet.Nicole Combs and Luke Combs at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville.Taylor Hill/Getty ImagesThe "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma" singer walked the red carpet in burgundy trousers, a floral-print blazer, and a black satin button-up. He completed the look with cowboy boots and a red watch.His outfit perfectly complemented the one worn by his wife. Nicole Combs, who is pregnant with their third child, wore a strapless, floor-length gown.The form-fitting piece had floral cups, a plunging neckline, and all-over sequins that matched her glowing jewelry.Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley wore opposite styles.Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville.Taylor Hill/Getty ImagesOn their own, each star looked great. Cyrus wore baggy black trousers, cowboy boots, a satin blazer, a matching shirt, sunglasses, and a few rings.Hurley wore a red evening gown with a deep V-neckline, all-over sparkles, and a thigh-high slit. It was designed by Alberto Audenino.Together, though, the outfits clashed. The couple looked like they were attending different events.Lainey Wilson took her signature style to a new level.Lainey Wilson at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville.Taylor Hill/Getty ImagesShe posed on the red carpet in a stunning Reem Acra set. It featured an ocean-blue catsuit with a plunging V-neckline, a satin waistband, and sparkle embellishments.The garment also had a teal cape attached at the shoulders, which matched her tall cowboy hat.Wilson completed the fun and slightly daring look with pointed pumps and diamond earrings.One of her stage looks, however, completely missed the mark.Lainey Wilson onstage at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville.Seth Herald/ReutersAs host of the CMA Awards, Wilson made numerous outfit changes throughout the night.One included a long-sleeved, camouflage dress with a floor-length, pleated skirt. The outfit also included a long brown belt, leather gloves, and a cowboy hat.The outfit's country vibes were strong, but it ultimately looked more like a costume than a high-fashion piece.Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter from The War and Treaty were perfectly coordinated.Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville.Emma McIntyre/Getty ImagesTrotter Jr. posed in black slacks, leather dress shoes, a black cowboy hat, a matching T-shirt, and a suede jacket embellished with white rose appliqués.Trotter, on the other hand, wore a strapless midi dress that hugged her body and flared with tulle at the knees. She paired it with black heels, lace gloves, statement earrings, and a cowboy hat.Their outfits matched, honored famous country styles, and still showed their unique fashion tastes.There were too many mismatched colors between Morgane Stapleton and Chris Stapleton.Morgane Stapleton and Chris Stapleton at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville.Tibrina Hobson/Getty ImagesThe country star kept his outfit simple. He wore dark pants and a blazer, a navy satin shirt, brown cowboy boots, and a light cowboy hat with a turquoise stone in the center.Morgane Stapleton, on the other hand, wore a plum-colored midi dress covered in sparkles. She also donned a silver necklace and black pumps…

In my opinion, Quoddy Head in Maine is one of the best US state parks to visit.Emily HartAfter visiting all 50 states, some of my favorite places to explore are state parks.I think Dead Horse Point State Park deserves just as much recognition as Utah's national parks.I also love traveling to Anza-Borrego Desert in California and Ecola State Park in Oregon.National parks are often celebrated as "America's Best Idea," safeguarding the country's most breathtaking and unique landscapes.Yet, even after exploring all 63 US national parks, some of my favorite places to explore are outside the National Park System.State parks may not often enjoy the same level of recognition as their national counterparts, but many are equally — if not more — stunning.After traveling to all 50 states and visiting hundreds of state parks, these are the ones that left the greatest impression on me.Hawaii's 'Akaka Falls State Park is a must-visit.MNStudio/ShutterstockThe Big Island of Hawaii is home to the gorgeous 'Akaka Falls State Park. Named for the dramatic 442-foot 'Akaka Falls waterfall, the park is a must-visit in the area.The small park packs a big punch, with a short trail through lush tropical greenery leading to the picturesque falls.Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah is near two popular national parks.Emily HartDead Horse Point State Park in Utah is less than 30 miles from Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. However, in my opinion, it doesn't get the recognition it deserves.The park is home to an overlook with a breathtaking view of the Colorado River, which sits 2,000 feet below the rim.Hike, bike, or camp at this International Dark Sky Park for dramatic views of the river and the surrounding canyons.Anza-Borrego Desert is California's biggest state park.Sumiko Scott/Getty ImagesCalifornia is an outdoor-lovers paradise, with nine major national parks (the most of any US state) and 280 state-park units. However, its largest state park is one you may not have heard of: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.The 600,000-acre park in Southern California, famed for its wildflower blooms, has a mix of desert landscapes, rugged mountains, palm oases, and sweeping vistas.After you're done exploring the park, head to the nearby Galleta Meadows to find 130 large metal sculptures created by artist Ricardo Breceda.Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire is home to gorgeous views.Emily HartFranconia Notch State Park is in the heart of the White Mountains, with scenic drives, challenging hikes, and gorgeous photo opportunities.I love hiking through the popular Flume Gorge, a natural chasm that extends 800 feet, with boardwalks snaking through granite cliffs, moss-covered walls, and cascading waterfalls.I recommend visiting in the fall to hike the popular Artist's Bluff Trail and enjoy the vibrant fall foliage.Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada is truly incredible.Madeleine Deaton/ShutterstockIn my opinion, Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada is the very definition of "otherworldly." It's located about an hour northeast of Las Vegas and is Nevada's oldest and largest state park.Valley of Fire, named for its stunning red-sandstone formations, is an amazing destination for a scenic drive, gorgeous photo opportunities, hiking, and camping.Visiting Oregon's Ecola State Park feels like stepping into a fairytale.Emily HartThe Oregon Coast is one of my favorite places in the country, and Ecola State Park is a big reason I love the area so much.The coastal park offers some of the most iconic views of the rugged Oregon coastline, including Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.Driving into this park, which is surrounded by temperate rainforest, feels like being transported into a fairytale.For a low-key day, I recommend visiting the beach or picnicking in the park. If you're in the mood to hike, some of my favorite trails include Clatsop Loop and Indian Beach.Maine's Quoddy Head…