The Supreme Court has released a slew of opinions to mark the end of its current term, and one of them could prove to be a landmark case for personal protections. It has ruled that privacy laws must protect against widespread searches of phone location data — a decision that could have a monumental impact on future Fourth Amendment cases.

What did the justices decide?
The court’s opinion in the case, Chatrie v. United States, holds that people have an “expectation of privacy from the government as their mobile devices track them throughout their daily activities,” even if this data has already been shared with tech companies like Google and Apple, said Politico. The case stems from a 2019 armed robbery at a Virginia bank and how police tracked down the culprit.

During the hunt for the robbery suspect, police used a cellular data search warrant called a geofence warrant to “capture location data from all the phones in the vicinity of the bank for 30 minutes before and after the robbery,” said The New York Times. The eventual suspect was found using the geofence warrant. But he argued that this type of broad search was illegal under the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, because innocent people’s data could also be obtained.

The Trump administration contended that users do not have an “expectation of privacy after voluntarily sharing their location data with companies like Google,” said Politico. But the Supreme Court did not buy that argument, ruling 6-3 that “sensitive data scooped up by geofence warrants counts as a Fourth Amendment search,” said The Guardian. 

What’s the bigger picture?
The court did not completely strike down the use of geofence warrants, instead sending the matter back to the Circuit Court of Appeals. Privacy advocates call these warrants a “form of dragnet surveillance because the information is not just about one suspect,” said NBC News. These advocates warn that such warrants could be “used to target disfavored political groups, including protesters.”

The ruling “narrows the scope of what cloud-stored data the federal government can lawfully obtain without an individualized warrant,” said The Hill. And policing could also be significantly affected by the case, as geofence warrants are “typically employed by investigators when they know specific details of a crime but don’t yet have a suspect.”

The heat wave that has broken records across Europe could change travel in what seems to be the new normal of sizzling temperatures. And the impact of this extreme weather on “tourism-reliant” countries could be “huge,” said Alejandro Saez Reale, of the World Meteorological Organization, to National Geographic.

‘Coolcation’ trend
Travel could become trickier during the hottest months as heat waves, storms, flooding and wildfires cause more delays and cancellations for flights, trains, ferries and even road travel. So travelers will seek more comfortable temperatures and place greater value on destinations where the weather is steadier and therefore less likely to disrupt their holiday. 

And avoiding the peak summer months might not be enough, because heat waves are “spreading across the calendar,” said National Geographic. In May 2022, Spain endured a heat wave of “extraordinary intensity,” and the following year in France, “severe heat” extended into September. 

There's an increasing desire for “coolcations.” Eighty-one percent of Europeans are adjusting their travel habits due to the changing climate, with 15% actively seeking cooler climates and 14% avoiding locations prone to extreme heat, said a 2025 study from the European Travel Commission. Finland, Iceland, Norway and Poland are already recording double-digit growth in inbound visitors.

Numbers ‘not dropping’ yet
Despite these changes, France and Spain remain the most visited countries in the world, with 102 million and 96.8 million visitors, respectively, according to U.N. Tourism. So, while the “growth rate may have slowed,” the number of visitors to these warmer countries is “not dropping” yet.

For now, people are still “enjoying Mediterranean destinations during the summer months,” said the Association of British Travel Agents. There’s “increased interest in slightly cooler destinations,” but it “remains the exception rather than the norm.”

A man works on a Statue of Liberty costume in New York’s Battery Park ahead of the city’s two-day Semiquincentennial events that include 30 ships, 200 planes, 20,000 sailors, an aerial show, and likely millions of spectators along the East and Hudson Rivers, according to The New York Times.
Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images

After scoring tickets to see your favorite team, you are going to need to book somewhere to sleep if you don’t live nearby. And the best accommodations are always within walking distance. The hotels on this list are not just convenient, though. They are straight-up great stays.

The Anthem Hotel, Inglewood, California
This vibrant hotel is in the “lively” Stadium District, next to Intuit Dome and down the street from SoFi Stadium and Kia Forum, said The Points Guy. All of the comfortable rooms have been recently renovated and decked with blackout curtains. There are also themed suites for an immersive experience that celebrates L.A. basketball and soccer. Cool off in the “massive” pool, and enjoy cocktails at the colorful Soundwave Pool Bar or rooftop Tom’s Watch Bar. (rates from $130)

Fidelity Hotel, Cincinnati 
The sophisticated rooms and suites feel like home, with plush couches and beds. Oversize windows look over downtown, and the Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds, is right around the corner. When it’s time to eat, there are two restaurants to choose from: the full-service Gwynne and grab-and-go Cora’s All Day Café. (rates from $143)

Hotel Commonwealth, Boston
The hotel’s Fenway Park Suite is a mere 507 feet from the legendary stadium, bringing guests as close to the action as possible. Hotel Commonwealth (pictured above) occupies an entire block in Kenmore Square, said Condé Nast Traveler, and is known for having “comfy” mattresses and “warm” service. (rates from $362)