I caught the travel bug early when my parents moved our family from Sydney to Seattle for a year when I was 10. I remember being fascinated by how far we'd traveled — and how long I'd sat in economy class to get there. My love of travel, inspired partly by periods studying and working abroad in Japan, Mexico and Spain, only grew stronger over the years. So did the number of hours I spent wedged into cramped airplane seats. That changed when I discovered the world of points and miles about a decade ago. Since then, points and miles have taken me from hostel bunk beds and back-row middle seats to flying in first class across the Atlantic and soaking in an infinity pool at a luxury resort overlooking the Omani desert. Points and miles took me on a 10-day journey around Sri Lanka. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUYThat's largely thanks to credit cards — the source of about six out of every 10 frequent flyer points and miles earned in the U.S., according to industry trade organization Airlines for America. Choosing the right travel rewards credit card — or combination of cards — has been key to elevating my travels. These are my top five travel credit cards and why I keep them in my wallet. American Express Platinum CardThe American Express Platinum Card® has been a staple in my wallet for many years. Although it has the highest annual fee of any card on this list at $895 (see rates and fees), you can get more than enough value from it if you maximize the card's credits and benefits. For me, the biggest reason to keep this card is lounge access. My favorite thing during a long layover? A hot shower in an airport lounge. There's something incredibly luxurious about stepping off a red-eye and into a spotless private shower suite stocked with fluffy towels and skin care products. The airy Centurion Lounge in Seattle. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUYGiven how frequently I pass through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), I appreciate having access to Centurion Lounges. I get access regardless of the airline or class I'm traveling that day. I also love earning American Express Membership Rewards points because Amex frequently offers transfer bonuses to loyalty partners. Two of my favorites are Air Canada Aeroplan and Qatar Airways Privilege Club, the latter of which I've used to book Qsuite flights to visit family in Australia. Learn more in our full review of the American Express Platinum. Chase Sapphire ReserveWhile the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is an excellent starter travel card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is the card I reach for most often while traveling. Dining is one of my biggest spending categories, so I love earning 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide. I also use the card to book flights directly with airlines to earn elevated rewards and take advantage of the card's excellent travel protections. Those protections alone have saved me hundreds of dollars. Last year, EasyJet damaged my checked bag on a flight from Portugal to the Czech Republic. The Sapphire Reserve reimbursed me almost $200 for the replacement cost, turning a frustrating situation into a reminder of why strong travel protections matter. Skydiving over Rio de Janeiro. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUYI also regularly transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt for hotel stays. While Hyatt recently devalued parts of its award chart, I still find the program offers some of the best hotel redemption values available. The Sapphire Reserve's $300 annual travel credit is another reason why this card stays in my wallet. Between flights, trains, ride-hailing services and hotels, I usually use the full credit within the first month each anniversary year. This card also includes Priority Pass lounge access, which has come in handy in places as far-flung as Bolivia, Namibia and Vietnam. Learn more in our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium travel card I recommend most often to friends. Its $395 annual fee is significantly lower than many competing premium cards, and it's relatively easy to offset through the card's benefits. Not to mention, you receive a $300 annual travel credit to use through Capital One Travel, plus 10,000 anniversary miles every year you keep the card. I also like the simplicity of earning at least 2 miles per dollar spent on almost everything I buy. I flew business class home from the Paris Olympics thanks to Capital One miles. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUYLast year, I started getting more value from Capital One's hotel transfer partners, too. I transferred miles to Wyndham Rewards for a stay during Carnival in Barranquilla, Colombia, when hotel prices were surging, and I also redeemed Choice Privileges points for a three-night stay in Helsinki while attending a Kylie Minogue concert. I still primarily use transferable points and miles for flights, but these hotel sweet spots showed me how valuable Capital One miles can be for accommodations, too. Learn more in our full review of the Capital One Venture X. Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite credit cardThe newest addition to my wallet is the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card — and it has quickly become one of my most used cards abroad. While I still use my Sapphire Reserve for dining purchases overseas, the Summit earns 3 Atmos Rewards points per dollar spent on all foreign transactions. That makes it my go-to card for everyday spending internationally. Atmos Rewards points flew me from Madrid to Marrakech, Morocco, recently. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUYRecently, Austrian Airlines left my checked bag behind for three days while I was traveling to Eurovision in Vienna. I used this card for all the replacement purchases I needed while waiting for my luggage to arrive — clothes and essential toiletries — all charged in euros and thus earning 3 points per dollar spent. I especially like redeeming Atmos Rewards points for premium cabin flights on American Airlines, Finnair and Iberia to and from Europe. I also get solid value redeeming points for short-haul Iberia flights around Spain and Europe. Learn more in our full review of the Atmos Rewards Summit. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardMy favorite hotel credit card is the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. The Aspire Card automatically grants Diamond status in the Hilton Honors program, which regularly gets me complimentary breakfast abroad (U.S. properties offer a less valuable food-and-beverage credit), executive lounge access and room upgrades during international trips. At a recent stay at the Hilton Vienna Park, the executive lounge happy hour snacks were substantial enough to replace dinner entirely. I've also received thoughtful welcome amenities ranging from chocolates to fruit platters and bottles of port wine. I used Hilton points for six of the 15 nights I spent road tripping around my ancestral homeland of Ireland. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUYOne of my favorite perks is the annual free night reward, which can be redeemed at nearly any Hilton property worldwide. Last summer, I used mine at an abbey-turned-hotel outside Galway, Ireland — a memorable stay with ivy-covered stone walls, a roaring fireplace and a nightly cash rate north of $500. Learn more in our full review of the Hilton Aspire. Bottom linePoints and miles have completely transformed the way I travel. What once felt financially out of reach — lie-flat business-class seats, luxury hotels and spontaneous international trips — now feels genuinely attainable through the right credit card strategy. I may juggle over 25 credit cards, but these five consistently pull the most weight. They haven't just changed how I travel — they've given me more freedom, flexibility and fun. And that's the power of credit cards, points and miles. With the right card strategy, travel stops being a cost — and feels more like a reward. Related: Best travel credit cards For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. View the full article

As divers continue their search for the people trapped inside a Laos cave for 10 days, rescue crews began their operation Friday to get the five other trapped victims.View the full article

New York Giants coach John Harbaugh gets a chance to settle the controversy surrounding Jaxson Dart's appearance at a President Donald Trump rally on Friday afternoon because he will speak with reporters for the first time since the issue began to suck all the oxygen out of the team's offseason program. Harbaugh will surely be asked about his starting quarterback's apparent embrace of the president. And the coach, who is the unquestioned epicenter of power within the franchise since being hired in January, will have his say and that will be it. Because whatever he decrees, players will follow suit. The front office will follow suit. And the media, agree or not, will have to report what the most consequential voice in the organization has decided. So this saga is closing in on a climax. ABDUL CARTER DELETES CRITICISM OF JAXSON DART OVER TRUMP RALLY Got your popcorn ready? The 2:30 p.m. ET scheduled availability — yes, around lunchtime for some — might be quite satisfying. That leads to the next logical question: What's Harbaugh going to say? How is he going to handle his first crisis, small and non-football related as it might be, with his new club? We have an inkling based on experience of knowing how Harbaugh operates and what he believes. But before we share that, please understand the coach really only has a handful of options to choose from. SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JOE THEISMANN WEIGHS IMPACT OF JAXSON DART-ABDUL CARTER TRUMP CONTROVERSY ON LOCKER ROOM Harbaugh could: We're going to pick the last one. There is zero chance Harbaugh throws Dart under the bus. It is simply not going to happen. Firstly, and most importantly, he is not going to kneecap the man he most needs to succeed as a player and team leader. Secondly, Harbaugh agrees with Dart on most things Trump. People seem to forget this. JOHN HARBAUGH PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP-HATING REPORTER AFTER WHITE HOUSE VISIT Much of the Harbaugh clan — Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, their father and mother, their sister and four kids — visited Trump at the White House last year. Afterward, the Harbaughs spoke enthusiastically about the visit. And when things got a little ugly in Baltimore because a left-wing journalist accused John Harbaugh of meeting with someone who had said mean things about the city, the coach pushed back eloquently. So, that same man cannot logically criticize his starting quarterback for also meeting with Trump. It will be interesting to what degree, if any, Harbaugh is critical of Carter by name. Look, the coach almost certainly is going to preach keeping team business within the confines of the team. Carter broke that covenant by going public on social media. But there's a way to make the point without embarrassing Carter and making him out to be a villain. That wouldn't help anyone with an interest in having Carter grow and become a major contributor on defense. So the coach is almost definitely going to walk a fine line between saying team business is sacrosanct without shining an investigative light on an important player. Finally, prepare for this: If Harbaugh finds any blame in all of this, it will likely be with you — the prying public, the curious media, the opinionated influencers. Y'all the bad guys. Not his players, his team, his new family. You turned this into a thing, not the Giants. That, of course, wouldn't play well out here in the real world. But Harbaugh doesn't care about that. He cares about his world, which is where the Giants practice facility sits, where his players work, and the success or failure of Harbaugh as a coach is defined. Tune in at 2:30 p.m. FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO View the full article

Headquarters: WEST VIRGINIA URL: http://wvstateu.edu As a Live Chat Operator, you will manage real-time online conversations via the school’s website and platforms, ensuring a warm, helpful, and professional digital presence. You'll play a vital role in providing accurate information, answering questions, and directing inquiries to the appropriate departments. This position requires strong written communication skills and a positive, team-oriented attitude. Responsibilities Respond promptly and professionally to live chat messages on our website Answer general questions about school programs, admissions, campus life, and events Provide accurate information and direct complex inquiries to the appropriate departments Maintain a friendly, helpful, and inclusive tone in all written communication Log conversations and frequently asked questions for internal team use Collaborate with the Communications and Admissions teams to stay updated on current events and messaging Ensure a warm and professional digital presence during all interactions Stay organized and manage multiple conversations simultaneously Learn and adapt to new software tools as required To apply: https://weworkremotely.com/remote-jobs/wvsu-fully-remote-csr-job-live-chat-assistant-wanted-training-included View the full article

Two people died in a collision between a rider on an e-scooter and another on a bike on the bike path on a New York City bridge Thursday morning.View the full article