Saudi Arabia is building up its mid- and upper-mid-range tourism options and plans to increase access to hotel accommodation for religious pilgrimages after years focused on developing expensive luxury resorts, the kingdom's tourism minister said.

Newport Harbor High is seeded No. 1 for the Southern Section Open Division playoffs, but beware of Santa Margarita.

Apple has quietly cancelled the release of The Savant, which was set to hit Apple TV+ this Friday, September 26. However, as of today, the Jessica Chastain series no longer has a release date. Apple has pulled mentions of the show’s launch from its social media channels, and if you check in the TV app itself, it now simply says “coming at a later date”. The reason why the show has been pulled from the schedule is not entirely clear. Apple has not yet officially commented on the matter. more…

In a video posted on YouTube on Wednesday, Yulia, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that laboratory results from "two countries" proved he was "poisoned". The Kremlin has previously denied that Navalny was killed on President Vladimir Putin's orders and said it was unaware of Yulia's claims.

Benjamin and Chance prepare to have their jaw dropped in the run up to the September 9 Apple event where we expect to see iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11 and maybe AirPods Pro 3. There’s an interesting report on Apple’s strategic calculus when it comes to acquiring other companies, and Gemini might become the brain of Siri. Also, Apple TV+ ups its monthly price by a hefty 30%.  And in Happy Hour Plus, we reflect on the last fifteen years of Apple event slogans, and whether there’s a trend of decline. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join. * Sponsored by Shopify: Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a $1 per month trial at shopify.com/happyhour. * Sponsored by Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/happyhour. * Sponsored by HelloFresh: America’s #1 meal kit! Get 10 Free Meals with a Free Item For Life at HelloFresh.com/happyhour10fm. more…

A new information ecosystem is on the rise, featuring closer connections, cosy media and worker-owned websites, writes Annalee Newitz