In Brief: Learning From Alysa Liu; Finding the Best Time to Book Flights and Travel

When figure skater Alysa Liu became the first American woman to earn an individual figure skating gold medal at the Olympics in 24 years in February, the 20-year-old demonstrated that success can come from joy, Inc. Magazine writes. 

The adage “no pain, no gain” is especially true for Olympic skaters, who endure grueling rounds of training and competition before reaching the games. But when Liu decided to start skating again after retiring from the sport four years ago, she set her own training schedule. Her approach paid off.

Professional skaters make it look easy, but Liu’s attitude and happy expression as she skated suggested she was free of the pressure that weighs upon most Olympic athletes, especially those favored to win medals. While skating and spinning on the ice, Liu appeared relaxed and ready to enjoy the moment, whether she would win a medal or not. 

Liu invites us to be ourselves and to relish the performance itself more than the results, Inc. writes. 

Podcasts Overtake Radio as Popular Medium for Spoken-Word Audio

When video versions are included, podcasts have overtaken AM/FM talk radio as the more popular medium for spoken-word audio, according to a survey by Edison Research. 

As TechCrunch reports, this year podcasts eclipsed spoken-word radio for the first time at 40% of listening time, compared to 39% for radio. The comparison does not include listening to music. 

In the study, “podcasts” include video versions on YouTube and Spotify. YouTube said viewers watched 700 million hours of podcasts on living-room TVs each month in 2025, up from 400 million in 2024. Netflix is partnering with iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports to show video podcasts on the streaming service.

Some 80% of consumers over the age of 18 tune into both audio and video podcasts, according to a report from Triton Digital. Listening preferences vary among podcast genres. Conversations on topics like music, sports, comedy and news are more popular on video. Science, history, art, fiction and true crime are more popular on audio.

For Some Readers, Email Newsletters Provide Distinct Format for News

Email newsletters have become a familiar, if not widely read, format for news, Pew Research Center finds. In a survey, 30% of U.S. adult respondents say they get news from newsletters at least sometimes. But a majority don’t end up reading them.

Websites, search engines and social media are all more common pathways to news, but newsletters offer a distinct format for briefings, opinions and deep dives. As of last year, 6% of U.S. adults said they often get news from email newsletters, while 24% said they do sometimes. The majority either rarely (26%) or never (43%) receive news from email newsletters.

In Pew’s August 2025 survey, just 3% of Americans named newsletters as their preferred way to get news, far behind television (34%), news websites/apps (21%) and other formats. A slightly larger share (7%) said they have paid or given money to a news-oriented email newsletter in the past year, whether by subscribing, donating or becoming a member.

Expedia Analysis Shows Best Times to Fly, Book Flights

Friday is now the cheapest day of the week to fly and book flights, thanks to reduced business travel on Fridays, says Expedia’s “2026 Air Hacks Report.” 

“New opportunities are opening up for leisure travelers to save by choosing smarter travel days,” said Melanie Fish, who heads public relations for the travel-booking service. Fares for flights in July and October are priced at least 20% lower than the norm, Fish said. 

August is the most affordable month to travel, according to Expedia’s analysis, with international destinations such as Honduras, Morelia and Tokyo seeing some of the largest drops in airfares. Flights in August are 29% cheaper on average than in December, saving travelers roughly $120 per ticket.

January is the least expensive month to fly domestically, due to lower demand after the holidays. Flying on Friday instead of Sunday can save travelers up to 8%, while Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly domestically, averaging 14% less than Sunday departures.