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China’s exports rebounded in November after an unexpected contraction the previous month, pushing its trade surplus past $1 trillion for the first time, according to data released Monday. Exports climbed 5.9% from a year earlier in November while imports rose just under 2%. The customs data released on Monday also showed that shipments to the U.S. dropped nearly 29% year-on-year. But as trade with the U.S. weakens, China is diversifying its export markets throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. China’s exports had contracted just over 1% in October. November’s worldwide exports of $330.3 billion exceeded economists’ estimates. Imports totaled $218.6 billion for the month. The nearly $1.08 trillion trade surplus for the first 11 months of this year is a record high, surpassing the $992 billion surplus for all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet. A year-long trade truce between China and the U.S. was reached at a meeting between U.S. President Donald The President and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in late October in South Korea. The U.S. has lowered its tariffs on China, and China has promised to halt its export controls related to rare earths. “It’s likely that November exports have yet to fully reflect the tariff cut, which should feed through in the coming months,” ING Bank chief economist for Greater China Lynn Song wrote in a report. China’s factory activity contracted for an eighth straight month in November, according to an official survey, and economists said it was still early to determine whether there was a real rebound in external demand following the U.S.-China trade truce. With exports still going strong, economists generally expect China to meet its target of around 5% annual growth for this year. Chinese leaders outlined a focus on advanced manufacturing for the next five years following a high-level meeting in October. It also highlighted the need to boost domestic consumption, which could help address trade imbalances. A meeting of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s decision-making Politburo was held on Monday, led by Xi, to discuss economic plans for 2026, according to the Xinhua state news agency. It said Chinese leaders reiterated a focus on “pursuing progress while ensuring stability.” A readout from Xinhua said China needs to better coordinate its domestic economic work in the face of global “trade struggles.” Businesses and investors are paying close attention to China’s annual Central Economic Work Conference, which is expected to take place later this month and could map out economic priorities for the next year in more detail. “Trade diversification will remain a long-term strategy for China to fight the trade war and manage external exigencies,” said Chi Lo, Global Market Strategist at BNP Paribas Asset Management. A stable global trade environment is unlikely to last long, as China-U.S. relations “remain in a stalemate” despite their temporary trade truce, he said. Still, some economists believe that China will continue to gain export market share in the coming years. Morgan Stanley predicts by 2030, China’s market share in global exports will reach 16.5%, up from about 15% currently, fueled by its edge in advanced manufacturing and high-growth sectors such as electric vehicles, robotics and batteries. “Despite persistent trade tensions, continued protectionism, and G20 economies taking up active industrial policies, we believe China will gain more share in the global goods export market,” Morgan Stanley Chief Asia Economist Chetan Ahya said in a recent note. —Chan Ho-Him, AP business writer View the full article

The long battle over control of Warner Bros. Discovery took another turn Monday when Paramount Skydance announced a hostile bid for the entertainment giant, following Warner’s acceptance of a competing offer from Netflix last week. Paramount, which many once deemed the frontrunner in the original bidding war, announced a tender offer that tops the Netflix bid by $2.25 per share, appealing directly to shareholders. That adds another layer of complexity to the deal, which will see a significant consolidation of Hollywood’s power players, no matter who ends up on top. With all the back and forth, it’s easy to have lost track of who’s proposing what. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know. What is Paramount Skydance offering for Warner Bros. Discovery? Monday’s bid, the sixth by Paramount Skydance for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), is the same one the company made in the close bidding process, it says. Paramount is offering $30 cash per share to acquire the totality of WBD, including the broadcast and cable networks, the HBO Max streaming service and the company’s extensive catalog. That works out to $18 billion more in cash than the Netflix offer. “We believe our offer will create a stronger Hollywood,” said David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance in a statement. “It is in the best interests of the creative community, consumers and the movie theater industry. We believe they will benefit from the enhanced competition, higher content spend and theatrical release output, and a greater number of movies in theaters as a result of our proposed transaction.” Who is funding Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery? While not mentioned in its press release, Paramount’s SEC filing about its tender offer noted that beyond the money that’s being supplied by the Ellison family, the deal will be partially financed by sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. In addition, Affinity Partners, the private equity firm led by Jared Kushner, is part of the bid. Paramount said each of those parties “have agreed to forgo any governance rights — including board representation — associated with their non-voting equity investments.” However, having The President’s son-in-law as part of an offer in a deal where The President has already said “I’ll be involved in that decision” raises several potential conflicts of interest. What was Netflix’s offer for Warner Bros. Discovery? In the Netflix deal, which was announced last Friday, the streamer agreed to pay $27.75 per share for the film studio and streaming divisions of WBD, putting the deal price at $82.7 billion. Netflix’s bid was mostly cash, with some Netflix stock included. Shareholders, under those terms, would receive $23.25 in cash and about $4.50 in Netflix stock per share. WBD, under that deal, would still spin off its TV networks, including CNN and TNT, into a separate company. How long do Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have to decide which offer to take? Paramount says its offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. ET on Jan. 8, 2026. That could be extended, however, Why did Warner Bros. Discovery choose Netflix’s offer instead of Paramount’s? The announcement of the Netflix deal on Friday talked about complementary strengths and assets, more value for shareholders, and more opportunities for the creative community. You might expect that sort of language in a merger agreement, especially one that faces a tough regulatory fight. With Paramount’s tender offer, though, Paramount will be required to make a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, explaining in further detail why it chose Netflix and rejected Paramount. Prior to the Friday announcement, Ellison, in a leaked letter, discussed what he called “a tilted and unfair process” in the bidding, suggesting WBD management viewed Netflix more favorably than it did Paramount. Which proposed deal has a better chance of passing review by the Federal Trade Commission? Netflix’s proposed takeover of HBO Max and the WBD catalog had been flagged by several experts as facing an uphill battle in Washington – and possibly other parts of the world. On Friday, The President himselfsaid Netflix also owning HBO Max “could be a problem.” That doesn’t mean the deal would necessarily be stopped, though. There is plenty of time for both sides to make concessions with regulators (a close date hasn’t even been announced). There will be a lot of work, however. Paramount, though, says it would be able to clear regulatory scrutiny quickly. (Larry Ellison, father of CEO David Ellison, is very close with The President.) “Paramount is highly confident in achieving expeditious regulatory clearance for its proposed offer, as it enhances competition and is pro-consumer, while creating a strong champion for creative talent and consumer choice,” it wrote. “In contrast, the Netflix transaction is predicated on the unrealistic assumption that its anticompetitive combination with WBD, which would entrench its monopoly with a 43% share of global Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) subscribers, could withstand multiple protracted regulatory challenges across the world.” Will Warner Bros. Discovery films still be released to theaters? The impact of a Netflix-WBD deal on theatrical releases is one of the big unknowns. Netflix would honor commitments previously made by Warner Bros. Discovery, but things are murkier from there as to whether it would release films in theaters before putting them on the streaming service. Paramount Skydance, via David Ellison on CNBC, said it would put 30 movies exclusively in theaters each year. View the full article

But big media tie-ups have a poor record at creating valueView the full article

The President’s security strategy is a wake-up call for Europe on defence and growthView the full article

When managing social media, choosing the right scheduling tool can greatly impact your efficiency and effectiveness. Tools like SocialBee, Pallyy, and Sendible offer various features, including content queues, visual planning grids, and integration options. These functionalities help maintain consistency, engage your audience, and streamline your workflow. As you explore these options, consider how each platform aligns with your specific needs and goals, as the right choice could improve your overall strategy. Key Takeaways SocialBee offers a Content Categories system and AI Copilot for efficient post organization and automated scheduling, starting at $29/month. Pallyy features a visual planning grid and a free plan for managing one social set, with premium plans from $25/month. Sendible is ideal for agencies, providing multiple client dashboards and content integration with Canva, with plans starting at $29/month. Viraly is budget-friendly, starting at $19/month, and supports multiple platforms with a 14-day free trial. Metricool is user-friendly and affordable, offering a free plan for up to 50 posts, with paid plans beginning at $22/month. SocialBee SocialBee stands out as a leading social media scheduling tool, starting at just $29 per month and offering a 14-day free trial for users to explore its robust features. It’s recognized as one of the best social media schedulers for your needs, supporting platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. You can efficiently manage multiple accounts during utilizing the innovative Content Categories system, which organizes your posts by themes or campaigns. Moreover, SocialBee provides social media content services through its AI Copilot, helping you generate strategies and automate scheduling. The platform also integrates with popular resources like Canva, Unsplash, and GIPHY, enhancing your visual content creation experience, making it a top contender among the best social media scheduling tools. Pallyy If you’re looking for a user-friendly social media scheduling tool, Pallyy might be the solution you need. This application social network thrives with its visual planning grid, particularly beneficial for content creators focusing on Instagram and TikTok. The generous free plan allows you to manage one social set with up to 15 scheduled posts monthly. Premium plans, starting at $25 per month, reveal additional features like drag-and-drop scheduling, media storage, and analytics tools. Plus, Pallyy offers a unified social inbox for seamless interactions across platforms. Feature Description Free Plan Manage one social set, 15 posts/month Premium Price Starts at $25/month per social set Scheduling Style Drag-and-drop functionality Media Uploads Templates and tools for easy uploads Analytics Tools Tools for tracking engagement and performance Sendible Sendible stands out as a versatile social media scheduling tool customized for both agencies and individuals seeking to streamline their social media management. This platform offers a range of features, making it user-friendly and efficient. Here’s what you can expect: Multiple client dashboards for easy management Seamless integration with Canva and Pexels for content creation Visual campaign overview to track your progress Customizable content queue to manage posts effectively With pricing starting at $29/month and a 14-day free trial, you can explore its capabilities without commitment. Although it may not have all the advanced features of its competitors, Sendible shines in providing crucial tools and a straightforward interface, making it an excellent choice for effective social media management. Viraly Viraly is a robust multi-platform social media scheduler that caters to brands eager to expand their reach across newer platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon. It features automated post queues and collaboration tools, making it easier for agencies to manage multiple clients with shared scheduling dashboards and various calendar views. With built-in editing tools and an AI generator for captions, you can create engaging content quickly. Pricing starts at $19 per month, with annual billing discounts and a 14-day free trial to explore all its capabilities. Furthermore, Viraly maximizes user engagement through analytics, allowing you to filter posts by channel and status, which simplifies tracking performance across different social networks. Metricool Metricool serves as an affordable social media scheduling tool that supports major platforms, allowing you to efficiently manage your online presence. With its user-friendly interface, you can easily navigate and utilize potent features to improve your social media strategy. Key functionalities include: A drag-and-drop planner for effortless scheduling Batch scheduling to save time on posting Integration with Canva for creating engaging visuals A free plan for up to 50 scheduled posts, perfect for small businesses Paid plans start at $22/month, offering additional features like competitor research and inbox management. This allows you to gain valuable insights into your social media performance, helping you stay ahead of the competition and effectively grow your online presence. Hootsuite When you’re looking for a robust social media management solution, Hootsuite stands out as a thorough platform that streamlines the way you schedule, engage, monitor, and analyze your social media posts. With Hootsuite, you can manage multiple networks from a single dashboard, saving you time and effort. The platform utilizes social-first AI to offer personalized strategy advice and insights based on real-time trends and performance metrics. Hootsuite integrates with over 100 tools, making it incredibly versatile. You can track hundreds of social media metrics through custom reports, allowing you to refine your strategies and improve engagement. With over 25 million users and a solid reputation built over 17 years, Hootsuite is known for its strong customer service and security features. Buffer Buffer stands out with its user-friendly interface, making it easy for you to schedule posts across various social media platforms. It not only permits multi-platform scheduling but furthermore provides valuable analytics and insights to help you track engagement and refine your strategy. With features like automated workflows through Zapier and an AI Assistant for content creation, Buffer improves your social media management experience efficiently. User-Friendly Interface A user-friendly interface is vital for anyone looking to streamline their social media scheduling, and that’s exactly what Buffer offers. With its simple and intuitive design, you can easily manage multiple social media accounts with minimal effort. Here are some features that improve your scheduling experience: Drag-and-drop calendar view: Visualize your publishing schedule effortlessly. Browser extension: Share content quickly and directly from the web. Accessible dashboard: Analyze post engagement and refine your strategy. Free plan: Ideal for individuals and small businesses with 1 user, 3 social accounts, and 10 queued posts per profile. Buffer’s user-friendly approach guarantees you can focus on creating great content as you efficiently manage your social media presence. Multi-Platform Scheduling Managing social media across different platforms can be challenging, but with Buffer’s multi-platform scheduling capabilities, you can simplify the process greatly. Buffer allows you to schedule posts on various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok, making it a versatile tool for handling different accounts. You’ll appreciate the auto-publishing feature and notifications for manual posts, ensuring timely engagement with your audience. Its user-friendly interface lets you view and manage scheduled posts in a calendar or queue format, streamlining your scheduling efforts. You can likewise customize and repurpose content for each platform, optimizing your posts for audience preferences. Plus, the free plan offers access for individuals and small businesses, making Buffer an accessible option for efficient social media management. Analytics and Insights Analytics play a crucial role in shaping your social media strategy and comprehending audience behaviors. With Buffer’s detailed analytics, you can track important metrics that inform your content decisions. Here’s what you can discover: Post performance and engagement rates to identify what resonates. Audience demographics, helping tailor your messaging effectively. Best times to post based on historical data, maximizing engagement. Customizable reports for sharing insights with team members or stakeholders. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Best Scheduling Tool for Social Media? Choosing the best scheduling tool for social media depends on your needs. If you want strong content curation, consider SocialBee. For ease of use and analytics, Buffer is great. If you need extensive management, Hootsuite offers robust features. For visual content, Later’s drag-and-drop interface is ideal, especially for Instagram. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0keUj6EoDM If affordability is key, Metricool is user-friendly and allows scheduling without credit card requirements. Evaluate your priorities to find the right fit for you. What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5 5 5 rule on social media suggests you share a balanced mix of content. For every five posts, five should be relevant to your audience’s interests, whereas five promote your brand or services. This approach improves engagement by providing valuable information and entertainment without overwhelming followers with sales pitches. Is Hootsuite Still Free? Hootsuite isn’t entirely free, but it does offer a 30-day free trial, allowing you to explore its full range of features, including scheduling and analytics. After the trial, Hootsuite’s pricing starts at $99 per month for the Professional plan. Whereas there’s a limited free version available, it offers fewer features and is mainly for basic scheduling. This setup helps you evaluate whether Hootsuite meets your social media management needs before committing financially. Which of the Following Tools Is Commonly Used for Social Media Scheduling? You’ll find several tools commonly used for social media scheduling. Hootsuite is a popular choice, offering extensive features like post scheduling and analytics. Buffer stands out for its user-friendly interface and free plans. Later shines in visual content planning, especially for platforms like Instagram. SocialBee provides robust content curation tools, whereas Agorapulse is ideal for agencies managing multiple clients. Each tool has unique strengths, catering to different needs and budgets in social media management. Conclusion In conclusion, choosing the right social media scheduling tool can greatly improve your content management and engagement strategies. Platforms like SocialBee, Pallyy, and Sendible offer unique features that cater to various needs, from visual planning to robust reporting. By utilizing these tools, you can streamline your posting schedule, maintain consistency, and collaborate effectively with your team. In the end, investing in a reliable scheduling tool is crucial for optimizing your social media presence and achieving your marketing goals. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Best Social Media Scheduling Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When managing social media, choosing the right scheduling tool can greatly impact your efficiency and effectiveness. Tools like SocialBee, Pallyy, and Sendible offer various features, including content queues, visual planning grids, and integration options. These functionalities help maintain consistency, engage your audience, and streamline your workflow. As you explore these options, consider how each platform aligns with your specific needs and goals, as the right choice could improve your overall strategy. Key Takeaways SocialBee offers a Content Categories system and AI Copilot for efficient post organization and automated scheduling, starting at $29/month. Pallyy features a visual planning grid and a free plan for managing one social set, with premium plans from $25/month. Sendible is ideal for agencies, providing multiple client dashboards and content integration with Canva, with plans starting at $29/month. Viraly is budget-friendly, starting at $19/month, and supports multiple platforms with a 14-day free trial. Metricool is user-friendly and affordable, offering a free plan for up to 50 posts, with paid plans beginning at $22/month. SocialBee SocialBee stands out as a leading social media scheduling tool, starting at just $29 per month and offering a 14-day free trial for users to explore its robust features. It’s recognized as one of the best social media schedulers for your needs, supporting platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. You can efficiently manage multiple accounts during utilizing the innovative Content Categories system, which organizes your posts by themes or campaigns. Moreover, SocialBee provides social media content services through its AI Copilot, helping you generate strategies and automate scheduling. The platform also integrates with popular resources like Canva, Unsplash, and GIPHY, enhancing your visual content creation experience, making it a top contender among the best social media scheduling tools. Pallyy If you’re looking for a user-friendly social media scheduling tool, Pallyy might be the solution you need. This application social network thrives with its visual planning grid, particularly beneficial for content creators focusing on Instagram and TikTok. The generous free plan allows you to manage one social set with up to 15 scheduled posts monthly. Premium plans, starting at $25 per month, reveal additional features like drag-and-drop scheduling, media storage, and analytics tools. Plus, Pallyy offers a unified social inbox for seamless interactions across platforms. Feature Description Free Plan Manage one social set, 15 posts/month Premium Price Starts at $25/month per social set Scheduling Style Drag-and-drop functionality Media Uploads Templates and tools for easy uploads Analytics Tools Tools for tracking engagement and performance Sendible Sendible stands out as a versatile social media scheduling tool customized for both agencies and individuals seeking to streamline their social media management. This platform offers a range of features, making it user-friendly and efficient. Here’s what you can expect: Multiple client dashboards for easy management Seamless integration with Canva and Pexels for content creation Visual campaign overview to track your progress Customizable content queue to manage posts effectively With pricing starting at $29/month and a 14-day free trial, you can explore its capabilities without commitment. Although it may not have all the advanced features of its competitors, Sendible shines in providing crucial tools and a straightforward interface, making it an excellent choice for effective social media management. Viraly Viraly is a robust multi-platform social media scheduler that caters to brands eager to expand their reach across newer platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon. It features automated post queues and collaboration tools, making it easier for agencies to manage multiple clients with shared scheduling dashboards and various calendar views. With built-in editing tools and an AI generator for captions, you can create engaging content quickly. Pricing starts at $19 per month, with annual billing discounts and a 14-day free trial to explore all its capabilities. Furthermore, Viraly maximizes user engagement through analytics, allowing you to filter posts by channel and status, which simplifies tracking performance across different social networks. Metricool Metricool serves as an affordable social media scheduling tool that supports major platforms, allowing you to efficiently manage your online presence. With its user-friendly interface, you can easily navigate and utilize potent features to improve your social media strategy. Key functionalities include: A drag-and-drop planner for effortless scheduling Batch scheduling to save time on posting Integration with Canva for creating engaging visuals A free plan for up to 50 scheduled posts, perfect for small businesses Paid plans start at $22/month, offering additional features like competitor research and inbox management. This allows you to gain valuable insights into your social media performance, helping you stay ahead of the competition and effectively grow your online presence. Hootsuite When you’re looking for a robust social media management solution, Hootsuite stands out as a thorough platform that streamlines the way you schedule, engage, monitor, and analyze your social media posts. With Hootsuite, you can manage multiple networks from a single dashboard, saving you time and effort. The platform utilizes social-first AI to offer personalized strategy advice and insights based on real-time trends and performance metrics. Hootsuite integrates with over 100 tools, making it incredibly versatile. You can track hundreds of social media metrics through custom reports, allowing you to refine your strategies and improve engagement. With over 25 million users and a solid reputation built over 17 years, Hootsuite is known for its strong customer service and security features. Buffer Buffer stands out with its user-friendly interface, making it easy for you to schedule posts across various social media platforms. It not only permits multi-platform scheduling but furthermore provides valuable analytics and insights to help you track engagement and refine your strategy. With features like automated workflows through Zapier and an AI Assistant for content creation, Buffer improves your social media management experience efficiently. User-Friendly Interface A user-friendly interface is vital for anyone looking to streamline their social media scheduling, and that’s exactly what Buffer offers. With its simple and intuitive design, you can easily manage multiple social media accounts with minimal effort. Here are some features that improve your scheduling experience: Drag-and-drop calendar view: Visualize your publishing schedule effortlessly. Browser extension: Share content quickly and directly from the web. Accessible dashboard: Analyze post engagement and refine your strategy. Free plan: Ideal for individuals and small businesses with 1 user, 3 social accounts, and 10 queued posts per profile. Buffer’s user-friendly approach guarantees you can focus on creating great content as you efficiently manage your social media presence. Multi-Platform Scheduling Managing social media across different platforms can be challenging, but with Buffer’s multi-platform scheduling capabilities, you can simplify the process greatly. Buffer allows you to schedule posts on various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok, making it a versatile tool for handling different accounts. You’ll appreciate the auto-publishing feature and notifications for manual posts, ensuring timely engagement with your audience. Its user-friendly interface lets you view and manage scheduled posts in a calendar or queue format, streamlining your scheduling efforts. You can likewise customize and repurpose content for each platform, optimizing your posts for audience preferences. Plus, the free plan offers access for individuals and small businesses, making Buffer an accessible option for efficient social media management. Analytics and Insights Analytics play a crucial role in shaping your social media strategy and comprehending audience behaviors. With Buffer’s detailed analytics, you can track important metrics that inform your content decisions. Here’s what you can discover: Post performance and engagement rates to identify what resonates. Audience demographics, helping tailor your messaging effectively. Best times to post based on historical data, maximizing engagement. Customizable reports for sharing insights with team members or stakeholders. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Best Scheduling Tool for Social Media? Choosing the best scheduling tool for social media depends on your needs. If you want strong content curation, consider SocialBee. For ease of use and analytics, Buffer is great. If you need extensive management, Hootsuite offers robust features. For visual content, Later’s drag-and-drop interface is ideal, especially for Instagram. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0keUj6EoDM If affordability is key, Metricool is user-friendly and allows scheduling without credit card requirements. Evaluate your priorities to find the right fit for you. What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5 5 5 rule on social media suggests you share a balanced mix of content. For every five posts, five should be relevant to your audience’s interests, whereas five promote your brand or services. This approach improves engagement by providing valuable information and entertainment without overwhelming followers with sales pitches. Is Hootsuite Still Free? Hootsuite isn’t entirely free, but it does offer a 30-day free trial, allowing you to explore its full range of features, including scheduling and analytics. After the trial, Hootsuite’s pricing starts at $99 per month for the Professional plan. Whereas there’s a limited free version available, it offers fewer features and is mainly for basic scheduling. This setup helps you evaluate whether Hootsuite meets your social media management needs before committing financially. Which of the Following Tools Is Commonly Used for Social Media Scheduling? You’ll find several tools commonly used for social media scheduling. Hootsuite is a popular choice, offering extensive features like post scheduling and analytics. Buffer stands out for its user-friendly interface and free plans. Later shines in visual content planning, especially for platforms like Instagram. SocialBee provides robust content curation tools, whereas Agorapulse is ideal for agencies managing multiple clients. Each tool has unique strengths, catering to different needs and budgets in social media management. Conclusion In conclusion, choosing the right social media scheduling tool can greatly improve your content management and engagement strategies. Platforms like SocialBee, Pallyy, and Sendible offer unique features that cater to various needs, from visual planning to robust reporting. By utilizing these tools, you can streamline your posting schedule, maintain consistency, and collaborate effectively with your team. In the end, investing in a reliable scheduling tool is crucial for optimizing your social media presence and achieving your marketing goals. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Best Social Media Scheduling Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The National Park Service will offer free admission to U.S. residents on President Donald The President‘s birthday next year — which also happens to be Flag Day — but is eliminating the benefit for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. The new list of free admission days for Americans is the latest example of the The President administration downplaying America’s civil rights history while also promoting the president’s image, name, and legacy. Last year, the list of free days included Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth — which is June 19 — but not June 14, The President’s birthday. The new free-admission policy takes effect Jan. 1 and was one of several changes announced by the Park Service late last month, including higher admission fees for international visitors. The other days of free park admission in 2026 are Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27) and the anniversary of the creation of the Park Service (Aug. 25). Eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans were emancipated, removes two of the nation’s most prominent civil rights holidays. Some civil rights leaders voiced opposition to the change after news about it began spreading over the weekend. “The raw & rank racism here stinks to high heaven,” Harvard Kennedy School professor Cornell William Brooks, a former president of the NAACP, wrote on social media about the new policy. Kristen Brengel, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, said that while presidential administrations have tweaked the free days in the past, the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is particularly concerning. For one, the day has become a popular day of service for community groups that use the free day to perform volunteer projects at parks. That will now be much more expensive, said Brengel, whose organization is a nonprofit that advocates for the park system. “Not only does it recognize an American hero, it’s also a day when people go into parks to clean them up,” Brengel said. “Martin Luther King Jr. deserves a day of recognition … For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn’t be.” Some Democratic lawmakers also weighed in to object to the new policy. “The President didn’t just add his own birthday to the list, he removed both of these holidays that mark Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights and freedom,” said Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. “Our country deserves better.” A spokesperson for the National Park Service did not immediately respond to questions on Saturday seeking information about the reasons behind the changes. Since taking office, The President has sought to eliminate programs seen as promoting diversity across the federal government, actions that have erased or downplayed America’s history of racism as well as the civil rights victories of Black Americans. Self-promotion is an old habit of the president’s and one he has continued in his second term. He unsuccessfully put himself forward for the Nobel Peace Prize, renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace after himself, sought to put his name on the planned NFL stadium in the nation’s capital and had a new children’s savings program named after him. Some Republican lawmakers have suggested putting his visage on Mount Rushmore and the $100 bill. —David Klepper, Associated Press View the full article

If 2024 was the year podcasts scrambled to find their footing after the massive wave of acquisitions and consolidation during the pandemic, 2025 is the year the medium truly hit its stride (and I should know...I not only write a podcast newsletter and run a podcast company, I also listen to literally thousands of hours of podcasts every year). Whatever kind of show you're seeking—from a scripted story about demon possession, to a deeply reported investigation into outlaws at sea, to a brilliantly improvised comedy series—my guide to the best podcasts of 2025 has you covered. I've divided the list into categories to help you find exactly what you’re in the mood for—and because some episodes are just too good to get buried in your queue, I’ve also highlighted two standout episodes of past favorite shows that you shouldn’t miss. Let’s get listening. The best fiction podcasts of 2025Two Thousand and Late Credit: Podcast logo This year, Lauren Shippen, the master of audio fiction and creator of The Bright Sessions, brought us Two Thousand and Late, a scripted fiction show about a woman who, on her 36th birthday, gets possessed by a demon who was supposed to visit her when she turned 16. This is a clever, tightly written, expertly produced, and endlessly fun adventure that blends corporate satire with time-travel chaos. The Harbingers Credit: Podcast logo The new audio drama from Gabriel Urbina (best known as the creator and head writer of Wolf 359), The Harbingers introduces us to two different-in-every-way grad students who eventually become the first people with genuine magical powers, making them the most powerful people in the world. This sweeping, sound-rich show is smart, unpredictable, and gripping from minute one. The best comedy podcasts of 2025Next We Have Credit: Podcast logo I love a podcast with good segments, so of course I’m going to be drawn to a podcast that is only segments. Next We Have, hosted by Gareth Reynolds (of The Dollop and We’re Here to Help), brings on the best improvisers to create segments that can be completely ridiculous because the point isn’t to make them sustainable, but to see how far a bunch of comedians can stretch the medium. (Segment examples: penning a negative Yelp review for a chain hotel on behalf of a listener, calling Gareth’s childhood friend to see if he remembers a gross sleepover incident from their past, etc.) Text Me Back Credit: Podcast logo If you have been listening to podcasts long enough to remember Call Your Girlfriend, you will appreciate the tried but true format of eavesdropping on a best friend catch-up. Text Me Back co-hosts Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays have been besties since middle school, and listening to them brings back the flavor of that beloved show. While Call Your Girlfriend leaned heavily into everyday chatter, Text Me Back feels like non-stop standup. Lindy is an author and TV writer and Meagan is a democracy policy expert, but together they are an unstoppable comedy duo. They can spin mundane moments, like ordering salad for takeout, into listening gold. This is the perfect show to binge when you need a laugh (and some validation for your own awkward moments). The best internet culture podcasts of 2025The Last Invention Credit: Podcast logo If you knew that aliens were going to take over the world in 50 years, would you be worried? The Last Invention argues that this is our reality, if you replace “aliens” with “AI.” The AI revolution, host Gregory Warner says, is already here, and The Last Invention begins with the history of machine learning and provides a thoughtful exploration of how it is being used now, before looking into the future to see what's coming, what we could gain, what we could lose, and how best to prepare ourselves. It’s fact-based rather than fear-mongering, yet it might be the most unsettling thing I listened to all year. Suspicious Minds Credit: Podcast logo Joel and Ian Gold are brothers (Joel’s a psychiatrist; Ian’s a philosopher) and co-authors of the book Suspicious Minds: How Culture Shapes Madness, which they've spun into this show (co-hosted with Sean O’Grady). It's a documentary series that tackles issues around AI-fueled delusions, and aims to understand where they fit into humanity’s history of delusional thinking in general. Using real patients’ riveting stories, it plunges listeners deep into their disturbed mental states, then follows their journeys toward managing the illness. We've read the headlines—the person who was gaslit by ChatGPT into thinking he was digital Jesus, or the man who was convinced he was a piece of software—but we don’t always get the context. Sean interviews these people with empathy to get that crucial context—and finds a troubling universality to their stories. The best culture podcasts of 2025Diabolical Lies Credit: Podcast logo Diabolical Lies is a culture and politics podcast hosted by Katie Gatti Tassin and Caro Claire Burke. Think of it as a deep dive into the ideas shaping modern America, from algorithmic media, to late-stage capitalism, to identity politics. But it's really funny. And skeptical. And backed by tons and tons of research. Because it’s listener-supported and free from corporate pressures, the hosts have the freedom to question mainstream narratives. (Every dollar earned is split between Caro, Katie, and organizations that support mutual aid in Gaza, legal representation to immigrant kids ensnared in the legal system, and other worthy causes.)​​ Pablo Torre Finds Out Credit: Podcast logo Pablo Torre is a veteran journalist and former ESPN commentator turned podcast powerhouse, and he now hosts Pablo Torre Finds Out, which uses sports as a lens through which to examine issues of culture and power. Blending investigative journalism, commentary, and personal curiosity, he goes beyond the surface to find the deeper meaning behind the headlines. His delve into a major scandal involving LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was named one of Apple Podcast’s best podcasts episodes of the year, and that's just one of dozens of compelling stories you'll explore. The best long form investigative podcasts of 2025In the Dark: Blood Relatives Credit: Podcast logo In earlier seasons, In The Dark has won awards, gotten a man released from jail, and uncovered a horrifying military conspiracy. The latest season, Blood Relatives, explores one of Britain's most notorious family massacres, revealing huge problems in the prosecution’s case against Jeremy Bamber, who is currently siting in prison for killing his parents, sister, and nephews back in 1985. Host Heidi Blake has access to sprawling case files and has talked to seemingly everyone even tangentially related to the case. What she found is astonishing, and infuriating. The Outlaw Ocean Credit: podcast logo Season one of The Outlaw Ocean, which exposed true crimes committed at sea, was some of the most dangerous audio I have ever heard. Yet in the first episode of season two, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and host Ian Urbina says that this season includes the most dangerous investigative reporting of his career. There’s a three-part series about seafaring migrants getting thrown in secret prisons (his team got jailed for reporting on that one), an exclusive profile on a guy who is either a pirate or a nautical James Bond, an expose on a massive Indian shrimp-processing plant, and an unprecedented deep dive into China’s secretive fishing practices. This is real investigative journalism, beautifully beautifully packaged but no less dangerous for it. The best true crime podcsts of 2025Beth’s Dead Credit: Podcast logo Beth’s Dead isn’t a murder investigation show. It’s a story about what happens when parasocial relationships go dangerously wrong. It all began when Monica Padman (of Armchair Expert) started looking into why her favorite podcast, hosted by Elizabeth Laime and Andy Rosen, ended years ago. For Beth’s Dead, she gets on mic with Elizabeth and Andy to explore a chilling story involving obsessive listeners, manipulation, and what happens when one super fan turns into something much darker. Wisecrack Credit: Podcast logo You don’t often see stand-up comedy blended with true crime, but that's what you get with Wisecrack. The story centers on comedian Edd Hedges, who returns to his hometown for a charity comedy gig. That night, someone he went to school with murders his family, and Edd has reason to believe that this guy almost tried to murder Edd, too. Or did he? Hosted by ​​TV crime producer Jodi Tovay, Wisecrack is about memory and trauma more than it is about a specific crime. If you liked Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, this expertly produced, genre-bending psychological puzzle is for you. The best interview podcasts of 2025Good Hang Credit: Podcast logo Amy Poehler’s Good Hang is the best hang and one of the best celebrity-hosted podcasts ever. Poehler brings on superstar comedians to talk about what makes them laugh, share stories from their lives and careers, and just generally shoot the breeze. Conversations with people like Kristin Wiig, Idris Elba, and Ina Garten swing from gut-bustingly hilarious to raw and vulnerable, offering us an inside look into the entertainment industry. The production is as casual as the vibe: Amy leaves in “mistakes” that a different show might edit out, like a guest jumping into the zoom late, or what feels like minutes of laughter, and the result is a comfort-listen that will leave you feeling like you've just been hugged. Strangers on a Bench Credit: Podcast logo Strangers on a Bench isn’t your typical interview podcast. Musician/host Tom Rosenthal goes around parks, approaches random strangers on benches, and asks to sit down with them for completely open-ended conversations that feel like meditations. The strangers are always anonymous—we don’t get names or occupations or any other specifics. This means the strangers can get real, and they do. You never know what will happen when you hit play. Some episodes are light, ordinary “slice-of-life” chats, while others dive into issues of grief, trauma, loss, longing, mental-health struggles, or life transitions. The best personal podcasts of 2025Stop Rewind: The Lost Boy Credit: Podcast logo Stop Rewind: The Lost Boy tells a true story so unbelievable I literally did not believe it—at first I assumed it was fictional. It’s the story of Taj, a child who was born in India and adopted by a family in the U.S. He had an abusive childhood, was raised in complete poverty, and had only hazy memories of that time—including some that suggested he was brought to America via a kidnapping. He spent his life trying to forget this, purposely or not, and carve his own path, until the day he found an old cassette tape filled with recordings of himself as a child that his mom recorded when he first arrived in the country, knowing he would eventually forget his native language. As an adult, long after he stopped being able to understand what his own voice was saying, Taj met someone who spoke the language, and the transcription of those tapes revealed what really happened to him. The results is a jaw-dropping story especially perfect for a podcast: it's “told through rare original recordings, immersive sound design and unforgettable first-person testimony.” You’re already dying to hear the tape, right? Alternate Realities Credit: Podcast logo Zach Mack’s Alternate Realities series, located on the Embedded feed, starts off with a bet between Zach and his dad, who each believed the other had been lost to conspiracy theories. Zach’s father had started to believe in chemtrails, that the government controls the weather, that ANTIFA staged January 6, that a cabal called the globalists is controlling the world. Zach…did not believe those things. So in early 2024 Zach’s dad made a list of 10 prophesies (such as: a bunch of democrats would be convicted of treason and/or murder, the U.S. would come under marshal law) that he was 100% sure would happen, and by Jan. 1, 2025, Zach would have to give his father $1,000 for every one that did. For every one that didn’t, Zach would get the $1,000. What starts as a strange bet develops in a beautifully depicted family tragedy that forces you to consider the depths of your own mortality. The best independent podcasts of 2025Cramped Credit: Podcast logo Kate Downey has been having debilitating period pain every month since she was 14 years old. The affliction is common, yet something nobody seems to want to talk about or research—and certainly nobody is trying to have fun with it. But Kate is doing all of the above with Cramped, which is somehow boisterous and dead serious at the same time. It's full of fascinating interviews, illuminating info, and helpful tips for anyone with a uterus. She gets smart, funny people on the mic to talk about their that-time-of-the-month experiences, what is really going on in their bodies and why nobody cares, and why Kate hasn’t been able to get answers from a doctor after 20 years of asking questions. Debt Heads Credit: Podcast logo When I heard the first episode of Debt Heads I felt like a thirsty person who had just discovered water in the desert—I don’t like talking about money, yet this show has a lot of things I didn't know I’ve been craving. Jamie Feldman and Rachel Webster approach money matters from an angle we’re not used to hearing. They joke that it’s a “true crime investigation into the murder of our bank accounts,” and the show is made with the care of one as it considers the deeply human factors that can drive people into debt. The best podcast series of 2025Clotheshorse: I'm With the Brand Credit: Podcast logo Clotheshorse’s Amanda Lee McCarty spent years working in retail and fashion as a buyer for huge brands like Urban Outfitters, before a quasi-spokesperson for debunking the glamour that obscures the real truths about the clothing we buy. Amanda’s multi-part series “I’m With the Brand” helps us begin to untangle our relationship with brands, built on both extensive research and her personal experience. You explore the history of brands, with shout-outs to several that are now just licensed zombie versions of themselves; an exposé of cause marketing; and a breakdown of the ten commandments of emotional branding, paired with specific stories about how they’ve been applied. (Careful, once you see them you cannot unsee them.) Repeat after Amanda: Brands are not your friends. Camp Swamp Road Credit: Podcast logo The Wall Street Journal's “Camp Swamp Road” is about a story that started as a road rage incident and ended up being either a stand your ground case, or a murder, depending who you ask. In 2023 on Camp Swamp Road in South Carolina, Weldon Boyd and Bradley Williams killed Scott Spivey, who they said was driving erratically and shooting his gun out his car window. Scott Spivey’s sister, who is for some reason going through all the audio of the incident, as well as audio of Weldon Boyd interacting with his family, friends, cop buddies, feels differently. The reporting here tries to get to the truth of the matter. Two must-listen podcast episodes from 2025“The Auralyn” (with Blair Braverman), You’re Wrong About Credit: Podcast logo Adventurer Blair Braverman is building a mini-survival podcast on the You’re Wrong About feed. (If stories about the lives of Baby Jessica, Chris McCandless, or the 1972 Uruguayan plane crash interest you, search her name in the archive.) “The Auralyn” is one of her best: Blair’s telling of the story of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey, a couple who in 1972 miraculously survived 118 days adrift on a tiny rubber liferaft in the Pacific Ocean after their yacht was destroyed. Obviously this is a story about survival, but more importantly, it's about what buoys us, and what gives us the strength to survive, whether that be on a raft adrift at sea, or just through the course of a regular bad day. “Kevin,” Heavyweight Credit: Podcast logo On Heavyweight, Jonathan Goldstein acts as a detective who helps people resolve issues from their past. In this episode we meet “Kevin,” who had a cinematically terrible childhood. He had two friends who kind of saved his life, or at least his sanity, during these hard years, but one day they disappeared, so Jonathan set out to find them. Are they OK? Do they even remember Kevin? This episode has all the pieces of a compelling podcast: a wonderful storyteller in Kevin, a heart-wrenching narrative, a real chance at closure, and a resolution that isn’t easy to explain. View the full article

Refinance retention hit 28% last quarter, the highest percentage in three and a half years, according to ICE Mortgage Technology. View the full article

IBM announced on Monday it is acquiring Confluent for $11 billion, sending shares of the data streaming platform up about 29% in morning trading. By midday trading, at the time of this writing, Confluent (CFLT) stock was holding steady, up 29%. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) stock was up about 1.5%. Confluent provides a leading open-source enterprise data streaming platform that connects, processes, and governs reusable and reliable data and events in real time, foundational for the deployment of AI. The deal is an example of how IBM is actively engaging in the increasingly competitive, high-stakes AI arms race that’s now dominating technology companies. Why is this a big deal? The deal is one of the largest in recent memory for IBM, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company is paying $31 a share for Confluent in an all cash deal. Confluent will continue to operate as a distinct brand and business within IBM after the close of the deal (which is subject to regulatory approval). “Data is at the heart of what companies need to do to harness AI, modernize their operations, and build the next generation of applications; and Confluent is at the heart of what companies need to harness their data,” Confluent CEO Jay Kreps said in a statement. “IBM sees the same future we do: one in which enterprises run on continuous, event-driven intelligence, with data moving freely and reliably across every part of the business.” “IBM and Confluent together will enable enterprises to deploy generative and agentic AI better and faster by providing trusted communication and data flow between environments, applications and APIs,” IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a press release. “With the acquisition of Confluent, IBM will provide the smart data platform for enterprise IT, purpose-built for AI.” IBM financials At the time of this writing midday Monday, IBM had a market capitalization of $292.12 billion, while Confluent had a $10.44 billion market cap. For the third quarter of 2025, IBM beat Wall Street’s estimates for both revenue and earnings per share (EPS). Its AI book of business surpassed $9.5 billion, up from $7.5 billion during the second quarter. View the full article

The Nordic countries are no strangers to the long, dark winter. Despite little to no daylight—plus months of frigid temperatures—people who live in northern Europe and above the Arctic Circle have learned how to cope mentally and physically with the annual onset of the winter blues, which can begin as early as October and last into April for some. The winter solstice will occur Dec. 21, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. While sunlight increases daily after that, winter won’t be over for a while yet. The Associated Press spoke to experts in Norway, Sweden, and Finland about the winter blues. Here’s how they suggest looking for light, literally and figuratively, during the darkest months of the year: Maintaining sleep and social habits are key Dr. Timo Partonen, a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, said the dark winter affects our circadian rhythm. With limited daylight, our internal body clocks cannot reset or synchronize properly and it throws off our sleep. We may sleep longer in the winter, he said, but we don’t wake up refreshed and can remain tired the rest of the day. Partonen recommended trying a dawn simulator, sometimes known as a sunrise alarm clock, to gradually light up your bedroom and ease you awake. In addition to being more tired, we’re more likely to withdraw from others socially in the wintertime. We’re more irritable, Partonen said, and more prone to fights with friends. It’s important to maintain our relationships, he said, because symptoms rarely improve in isolation. And since keeping up with exercise is also key to combating the winter blues, consider inviting a friend along for a workout. It could also help keep off the wintertime weight gain—typically 2 to 5 kilograms (4 to 11 pounds) a year, Partonen said—that’s fed by cravings for carbohydrates, especially in the evenings. Light therapy encouraged for a range of symptoms Millions of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from seasonal depression. Also known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, patients typically have episodes of depression that begin in the fall and ease in the spring or summer. A milder form, subsyndromal SAD, is recognized by medical experts, and there’s also a summer variety of seasonal depression, though less is known about it. Scientists are learning how specialized cells in our eyes turn the blue wavelength part of the light spectrum into neural signals affecting mood and alertness. Sunlight is loaded with the blue light, so when the cells absorb it, our brains’ alertness centers are activated and we feel more awake and possibly even happier. Researcher Kathryn Roecklein at the University of Pittsburgh tested people with and without SAD to see how their eyes reacted to blue light. As a group, people with SAD were less sensitive to blue light than others, especially during winter months. That suggests a cause for wintertime depression. In severe cases, people need clinical support and antidepressant medications. Christian Benedict, a pharmacology professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, suggests light therapy for people with SAD as well as those who have a milder case of the winter blues. “It’s not like it’s a fate, an annual or a seasonal fate, and you cannot do anything about it,” Benedict said. “There are possibilities to affect it.” A routine of morning light therapy, using devices that emit light about 20 times brighter than regular indoor light, can be beneficial for both people with and without SAD. The light therapy helps to kickstart your circadian rhythm and increases serotonin in your brain, Benedict said. Research supports using a light that’s about 10,000 lux, a measure of brightness, for 30 minutes every morning. Special lights run from $70 to $400, though some products marketed for SAD are not bright enough to be useful. Your insurance company might cover at least part of the cost if you’ve been diagnosed with SAD. Partonen recommended using both a dawn simulator and a light therapy device each day before noon. Yale has tested products and offers a list of recommendations, and the nonprofit Center for Environmental Therapeutics has a consumer guide to selecting a light. Prioritizing a positive outlook as a survival strategy And don’t forget to, well, look on the bright side. It’s crucial to embrace winter instead of dreading it, according to Ida Solhaug, an associate professor in psychology at the University of Tromsø, also known as the Arctic University of Norway—the world’s northernmost university. Prioritize a positive outlook as a survival strategy and learn to appreciate the change in seasons. It’s a typical Norwegian way of thinking, she said, that can make all the difference when there’s very little daylight for months. “It’s part of the culture,” she said. And don’t forget to take advantage of both outdoor and indoor hobbies, she said. Inside, channel hygge—the Danish obsession with getting cozy—and snuggle up on the couch with blankets and a movie. But don’t hibernate all winter. After the film finishes, head outside with a thermos for fika, the traditional Swedish coffee break. Even during cloudy days, a quick walk in the fresh air will help, she said. And if you’re brave enough, do a cold plunge like many people in the Nordics. Solhaug tries to jump into the frigid waters off the coast of Tromsø, an island 350 kilometers (217 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, at least once a week, adding that it makes her feel revitalized during the long winter. “Challenge yourself to look for light in the darkness,” she said. After all, as many Nordic people say, there’s no such thing as bad weather—only bad clothing. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, too, had some tips for how to tackle Nordic winters. When asked in an interview with The Associated Press last month how to survive the cold season, he had some very specific advice. “Take an ice bath and then followed up by a sauna and do one more ice bath, one more sauna, then a shower and go out there. You’ll manage,” Stubb said. —Stefanie Dazio, Associated Press View the full article

For more than half a century, audiences have been captivated by the Planet of the Apes—a sprawling sci-fi epic that spans at least three timelines, 3,000 years of history, and a franchise that includes 10 feature films, two TV series, three video games, and dozens of comics and novels. Whether you're a long-time fan trying to make sense of the lore or a newcomer wondering how a talking chimpanzee led to a post-apocalyptic planet dominated by primates, I’ve laid out the Planet of the Apes series by release order, chronological continuity, critical and commercial reception, the technological milestones of ape civilizations, and more. This is your illustrated guide to the rise (and fall... and rise again, and fall, etc.) of the Planet of the Apes. What is the Planet of the Apes?Planet of the Apes is one of the strangest, most ambitious, and longest-running film franchises in cinema history. Films in the series vary wildly in quality, ambition, competence, and style, but all Apes movies, from the 1968 original to 2024’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, share a narrative focus: a world-shaking conflict between humans and intelligent apes. Every Planet of the Apes movie, in chronological order The original saga (1968–1973)Planet of the Apes (1968): Based on Pierre Boulle’s 1963 sci-fi novel La Planète des Singes, 1968’s Planet of the Apes tells the story of astronaut George Taylor, who crash lands on what he thinks is a distant planet where apes are intelligent and in charge, and the people are dumb slaves. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970): While star Charlton Heston appears in the film briefly, Beneath the Planet of the Apes is really the story of Brent, an astronaut who’s been sent to rescue Taylor. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971): You’d think the annihilation of the entire planet would end the Planet of the Apes series, but no: In Escape, Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Milo manage to flee the planet on Taylor’s ship before the doomsday bomb explodes; the trio time-travel to 1973. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972): The last two old-school Planet of the Apes movies had lower budgets than their predecessors, and it definitely shows. Lore-wise, Conquest presents a divergent narrative path to explain the development of ape intelligence and other events. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973): In the years since the Ape rebellion in Conquest, a nuclear war has killed most humans; humans and ape relations are good enough, but the fragile detente is broken by human-hating gorilla Aldo. The Burton reboot (2001)Planet of the Apes (2001): After a nearly 30-year hiatus, 2001’s Apes is a thematically and tonally uneven summer blockbuster featuring a by-the-numbers plot, mid-tier action, and an ending that confuses everyone. (The makeup and production design are top-notch, though.) The modern quadrilogy (2011–2024)Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011): This movie blows the dust off the hoary old apes and breathes fresh creative life into a moribund franchise; Rise is a film packed with both action and dignity. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014): Dawn takes place about a decade after the events of the last movie, and apes are definitely on the come-up: It features the most nuanced (and most depressing) take on the conflict between species. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017): If the message of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is “war is inevitable…,” the message of War for the Planet of the Apes is “..and war is hell.” It's a grim movie. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024): Kingdom explores an ape-dominated world where the few humans left are brainless scavengers (or so it seems). It doesn’t break new ground the way Rise did, but Kingdom opens the way for more Planet of the Apes sequels in the future. Geographic location of each Planet of the Apes movieOver more than five decades of films, Planet of the Apes has taken audiences from the shattered ruins of New York City to the tranquil redwood forests of Northern California, and even to entirely different worlds (maybe). This map tracks the primary settings of each movie, showing how the saga’s conflicts play out across Earth. Who traveled where in time?From astronauts overshooting the present by millennia, to apes hurtling back to the 20th century’s hippy era, time travel is integral to the Planet of the Apes, so lets take a look at the franchise’s major temporal tourists, charting when they left, when they arrived, and just how far they jumped. The complicated chronology of the Planet of the ApesIf you’re considering a watch order for the Planet of the Apes, "in order by chronology" is the worst option—the Apes timeline is simply all over the place. While there are a few moments in the modern quadrilogy (2011–2024) that suggest the films are prequels to the original pentalogy (1968–1973), these are ultimately fan-service Easter eggs; the two series just don’t connect unless you get very creative with time-travel loops and offscreen assumptions. Hell, the first five films don’t connect with themselves unless you get creative with time-travel. So, I got creative with time travel to break down the major historical milestones in the Planet of the Apes Universe, across three timelines. (Four, if you count the self-contained 2001 Planet.) Here are the Planet of the Apes movies listed in order of the year that each one takes place: Critical reception of Planet of the Apes moviesCritics have a love-hate relationship with Planet of the Apes movies. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the “best” Apes movie is War for the Planet of the Apes, which was praised by 94% of critics. The “worst” is Battle for the Planet of the Apes, with only 33% positivity. That’s a big spread! How much money did each Planet of the Apes movie make? Critical acceptance is great; but in cynical Hollywood terms, the only measure of a good movie is how much money it makes. By that metric, the “best” Apes movie is the 2001 reboot, Planet of the Apes. Despite mixed review, the movie made $328,049,530.32 in domestic ticket sales (adjusted for inflation), which is even more than the original and the 2014 blockbuster Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. A who’s-who of ape leadership Any society is defined by its leaders, including ape society, so here is a breakdown of the doctors, generals, and tribal chiefs who have ruled the apes over the last 50 years. Dr. Zaius (Planet of the Apes, Beneath the Planet of the Apes): An orangutan Minister of Science and Defender of the Faith who balances political control with the fear of humanity’s return. General Ursus (Beneath the Planet of the Apes): This violent gorilla warlord never encountered a problem he couldn’t meet with violence. Dr. Zira (Escape from the Planet of the Apes, 1970): A compassionate and sharp-witted chimpanzee thrust into the role of cultural ambassador between societies on the verge of war, Dr. Zira is the defacto leader of a small band of ape time-travelers. Caesar (Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes): The original Caesar is a fiery revolutionary who transforms ape resentment into a successful uprising against humanity. General Thade (Planet of the Apes, 2001): A sadistic and cunning chimpanzee general obsessed with wiping out humanity. Caesar (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for the Planet of the Apes): A hyper-intelligent chimp raised by humans, Caesar’s combination of tactical brilliance, political savvy, raw charisma, and genuine compassion for both apes and humans make him the best overall ape leader. Koba (2014, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes): A bitter, scarred veteran of human torture and hero of the ape revolution, Koba has been through some shit. Proximus Caesar (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes): An iron-fisted militarist who twists the past to justify authoritarian rule, Proximus Caesar rules through fear and historical revisionism. Ape technological and intellectual milestones by movieAcross the Planet of the Apes films, the ever-shifting balance of power between apes and humans often comes down to brains as much as brawn. Each installment shows apes using technologies, social systems, and tactics that they’ve either developed or borrowed from humans. From crude tools and simple rules to heavy artillery and complex political structures, these milestones mark the evolving capabilities of ape society over the decades (and timelines) of the franchise. Here's a breakdown of the technological highlights of ape society in each movie. Ape-adjacent TV shows, video games, comic books and moviesIf ten feature films isn't enough Apes for you, there's plenty more material out there. The Ape-verse began with a novel, and has grown to include a live-action TV series, a cartoon series, three video games, and dozens of novelizations and comic books. View the full article

Letterboxd, the movie tracking app and social media platform for cinephiles, first announced its new online film rental platform earlier this year at Cannes Film Festival. Now, more details about the launch date and titles have been revealed. The Video Store will officially launch on Wednesday, December 10, and will feature nine films across two curated shelves, which includes titles from nine countries. Here’s some of what film fans can expect: Think a Todd Haynes deep cut, to a restored version of a Filipino classic, and more, including Chile and Indonesia’s submissions for the upcoming 98th Academy Awards, a hit from the 2025 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, and an Indian neo-noir thriller that was previously unavailable since its 2023 Cannes debut. The platform will operate on a transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) model with no subscription requirement, and the “shelves” will be programmed by the Letterboxd team using millions of watchlists, reviews, and behavioral signals. Each title was chosen based on member demand, while also leaving room for discoveries the community has yet to find. The Video Store will be available in 23 countries, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, and Cyprus. Pricing and availability vary by film and country, and will be shown directly within the Video Store at launch. Viewers will be able to watch on their TV via Apple TV 4K, Chromecast, and AirPlay, and through web, iOS, and Android. “We’re incredibly proud of what we and our community have built,” Letterboxd CEO and cofounder Matthew Buchanan said in a statement. “We take their lead, and believe that has been integral to Letterboxd’s success. They tell us what’s really happening—a 1980s action film suddenly trending, a festival title from two years ago still being added to watchlists.” A focus on film discovery While Letterboxd plans on rolling out more titles in weeks and months to come, the first two shelves made available at launch will reflect the platform’s core mission of film discovery. The first shelf, “Unreleased Gems,” features exclusive films from festivals that haven’t had releases yet in specific countries, and will only be available in the Video Store for a limited time. Those titles include Alexander Ullom’s 2025 directional debut It Ends, which made waves at this year’s SXSW, about recent graduates trapped on an infinite nightmarish background; Yandy Laurens’ 2025 sci-fi romance A Wife From The Future, about a woman who travels back in time to change her husband’s destiny, which has been selected as Indonesia’s submission for the Best International Feature Film for the upcoming Oscars; Anurag Kashyap’s 2023 neo-noir thriller Kennedy, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2023; and director Diego Céspedes’ 2025 feature film debut The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, about a young girl protecting her town’s queer community from superstitious panic, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Meanwhile, the second shelf, “Lost & Found,” features a slate of underdog films. Availability of films varies by country, with many titles exclusive to Letterboxd where they are shown. Those titles include Lau Kar-Leung’s 1988 action-comedy film Tiger on the Beat starring Chow Yun-Fat; Mike de Leon’s 1981 Filipino classic Kisapmata about a young woman living under her domineering father’s suffocating control; Elia Suleiman’s It Must Be Heaven, which won the Special Mention from the Main Competition Jury and FIPRESCI Prize at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival (but was delayed theatrically because of the COVID-19 pandemic); Todd Haynes’ 1991 Sundance Film Festival hit Poison; and Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s alien invasion film Before We Vanish, based on a cult Japanese stage play, which previously screened at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. “Video Store lets us act on [real] demand, whether it’s helping a distributor unlock value from a forgotten gem in its vault or giving a filmmaker direct access to the audience they’ve been building on our platform,” Letterboxd CEO Buchanan said. “It’s our way of saying to the industry: let’s harness this interest to get films to the people who want them most.” The launch of Letterboxd Video Store comes during a time when the platform has seen significant growth and found more of a mainstream audience over the past four years. In mid-2020, Letterboxd had 1.8 million members. Now, it currently has over 17 million, with around six million joining within the last year. View the full article

A Cinnabon worker in Wisconsin has been fired after a racist outburst directed at two customers went viral, the Georgia-based cinnamon roll chain said. Cinnabon posted a statement on social media that the worker, who it did not identify, was “immediately terminated” by the franchise owner over a “disturbing video” of the incident. “Their actions and statements are completely unacceptable and in no way reflect the values of Cinnabon, our franchisees, or the welcoming environment we expect for every guest and team member,” the company added in a follow-up statement to The Associated Press on Sunday. The video was posted on TikTok and showed a white, female employee cursing at and taunting the customers from behind the counter as one of them recorded the encounter. At one point she is seen on video uttering a racial slur and saying, “I am racist and I’ll say it to the whole entire world. Don’t be disrespectful.” The employee is also recorded giving an obscene hand gesture at customers and exchanging expletives with one of the persons at the store. The TikTok user who posted video said the incident happened while she and her husband were taking a break from shopping Friday at a mall in Ashwaubenon, a suburb of Green Bay. The customer said she ordered a caramel pecan cinnamon roll and had asked the worker to add more caramel as it didn’t appear to have enough. She said she began recording after the worker snapped at her and derided her hijab. An online fundraising campaign to support the customers described them as a “black Somali Muslim couple” that’s been “traumatized” by the incident. A competing campaign to purportedly benefit the fired worker, meanwhile, has raised tens of thousands of dollars. That effort appears on the same Christian crowdfunding platform where hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised for a Minnesota woman who admitted to using a racist slur against a Black child at a playground earlier this year. View the full article

On November 26, a water leak at Paris’ Louvre Museum damaged between 300 and 400 historical books in the Egyptology and scientific documentation section. Then, on December 8, workers at the museum voted to initiate a strike over poor working conditions. And that’s only a drop in the bucket compared to the Louvre’s overall woes so far this year. For years, the Louvre has been struggling with a combination of old, weathered infrastructure and increased foot traffic brought about by mass tourism. But in 2025, the museum has been hit by the full consequences of operating out of a relatively un-updated building to house some of the world’s most influential (and valuable) art. Here’s everything you need to know about the Louvre’s horrible, no good, very bad year. A leaked memo reveals the extent of the problem The year began with a letter that foreshadowed what was to come for the Louvre. Near the end of January, a private document, written by museum director Laurence des Cars for the French culture minister Rachida Dati, was leaked to the media. In it, des Cars described a museum struggling to accommodate its daily influx of visitors and protect its artwork due to deteriorating spaces, lack of crowd flow measures, and poor environmental controls. “Visiting the Louvre is a physical ordeal; accessing the artworks takes time and is not always easy,” des Cars wrote. “Visitors have no space to take a break.” Around the same time, the Louvre announced plans for a massive renovation designed to address these challenges. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the overhaul would include a new entrance on the Seine river, a stand-alone room to house the Mona Lisa, and several new underground rooms to control foot traffic. Changes to the museum were slated to begin in 2026 and take around a decade to complete—but, as later months would prove, the situation at the museum had already reached a boiling point. The Louvre shuts down in June The first major disturbance at the Louvre took place on June 16, when the institution’s own staff members rallied to shut it down. That day, thousands of ticketed patrons waited outside the museum’s iconic glass pyramid, to no avail. It was a rare occurrence for the Louvre, which has only closed a few other times during war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a few brief walkouts. The strike came due to staff’s concerns around mass tourism and overcrowding. A crown jewel heist fit for the big screen Perhaps the most memorable calamity at the museum came in October. In a stunt that flummoxed the public (and is likely destined for Netflix adaptation), a group of thieves broke into the Louvre in broad daylight via a basket lift, cut its window panes with a glass cutter, stole nine pieces of priceless jewelry in less than seven minutes, and escaped on motorbikes. Since the stunning scene, at least eight people have been arrested in connection with the heist, but none of the jewelry—worth more than $100 million—has been found. For obvious reasons, the event has resulted in widespread criticisms of the museum’s security measures. Water damage and yet another strike Now, the Louvre has taken two more blows just before the end of the year. On November 26, a water leak damaged between 300 and 400 books that date from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, in the museum’s Egyptology and scientific documentation section. A spokesperson for the museum told CNN that the leak happened when a valve, which forms part of a now defunct plumbing system, was opened by accident. The system was shut off earlier this year in anticipation of the coming renovations. The spokesperson added that while the books in question are used regularly by readers, they aren’t the only copies in the world. And this morning, workers at the Louvre announced that they’re planning this year’s second strike to hold the museum accountable for difficult work conditions and security weaknesses. In a letter announcing the action, addressed to Dati and viewed by the AP, the unions involved said the museum was in “crisis,” noting that “visiting the Louvre has become a real obstacle course” for millions of visitors. Fast Company has reached out to representatives from the Louvre for comment on the issue. The strike is scheduled to begin next Monday, December 15. View the full article

The National Defense Authorization Act will be voted on by the House without the housing package that passed through the Senate Banking Committee unanimously. View the full article

Prime minister told the country needs to ‘step up’ or its advantage in the Atlantic is at riskView the full article

Returns to musicians and writers are dwindling fastView the full article

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Acting Director Russell Vought has an obligation to request funding for the agency, five former Federal Reserve officials said. Plus, three nonprofits sue Vought and the CFPB. View the full article

At re:Invent 2025, Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with 123RF, a leading royalty-free stock media platform. This collaboration introduces a new generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) capability designed to enhance video comprehension and image retrieval. For small business owners who rely on high-quality media to market and illustrate their products, this development offers promising enhancements to operational efficiency and creative capacity. 123RF boasts an impressive catalog with over 230 million assets and serves more than 12.4 million users globally. By implementing Gen AI technology via AWS, the platform has achieved a remarkable increase in the accuracy of video descriptors and improved search relevance. Early testing on a sample of five million videos doubled the accuracy of content identification and streamlined the search process, enabling ecommerce clients to find and pair appropriate media with their products quickly. This directly improves the speed and volume of products they can list each day, enhancing sales opportunities. A significant benefit of this technology is its ability to deliver precise results even when traditional tagging methods fall short. For instance, when a user initiates a search for “green bag,” the AI comprehensively analyzes the visual content, returning only relevant results instead of unrelated content tagged with similar keywords. This improvement means that small business owners—including those managing ecommerce sites or digital marketing firms—can spend less time sifting through irrelevant images and videos and focus more on strategic activities that drive business growth. As Bernadine Michael, Chief Marketing Officer at 123RF, observed, the capabilities provided by AWS have transformed the company’s operations, allowing marketing teams to launch campaigns 35% faster. “The real breakthrough is how Gen AI on AWS democratizes creativity across our global subscriber base,” she remarked, emphasizing that designers and marketers can now locate the perfect assets in an instant, regardless of language or cultural context. However, the advantages extend to compliance and content verification as well. With increased scrutiny regarding copyright and licensing, 123RF employs AI to automatically detect trademarked logos and flag branded content effectively. This functionality helps small business owners ensure that the visuals they use are compliant with licensing requirements, reducing potential legal risks while streamlining their asset management workflows. Prior to implementing this AI technology, 123RF faced a significant bottleneck: a labor-intensive review process where 30-40 human reviewers evaluated around 3,000 images daily. After adopting Gen AI, the platform reduced content review times by a staggering 92%, allowing customers to find creative assets in 90% less time with improved accuracy. Phoebe Liew, Chief Technology Officer at 123RF, explained how the AI enhances content understanding: “Our AWS-powered AI technology now ‘sees’ images the way humans do.” This advanced system captures unique visual properties, allowing it to match similar images regardless of the descriptive language used. By analyzing actual visual elements rather than relying solely on keyword accuracy, small business owners benefit from a more streamlined content retrieval process that eliminates duplicates and better identifies potential copyright issues. While the potential benefits of adopting such AI capabilities are compelling, small business owners should also consider certain challenges. Implementing these advanced technologies requires upfront investment and may involve a learning curve. Furthermore, businesses must remain vigilant about evolving legal and ethical considerations surrounding AI-generated content. Moreover, small business owners must evaluate whether the existing digital infrastructure can support these new capabilities. Transitioning to an AI-powered platform may necessitate upgrades or additional training for staff to harness the full potential of these tools. AWS’s investment aligns with a broader trend of increasing AI adoption among startups. Their recent “Unlocking Ambitions” survey highlights that 48% of startups are implementing AI solutions, and nearly a third are developing entirely new AI-driven products. As noted by Hussein Mohd. Ali, AWS’s Country Manager for Malaysia, such advancements position the region as a growing hub for AI innovation, which can benefit small businesses looking to compete on a global stage. In light of these developments, small business owners should explore how integrating generative AI into their operations can enhance efficiency and foster creative growth. As the landscape continues to evolve, leveraging cloud computing and AI technologies can empower businesses to innovate, reduce operational bottlenecks, and adapt more swiftly to market demands. For further details on 123RF’s new capabilities and the technology behind it, visit the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Amazon AI Transforms Video Search for 123RF, Boosts Creativity and Efficiency" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

At re:Invent 2025, Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with 123RF, a leading royalty-free stock media platform. This collaboration introduces a new generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) capability designed to enhance video comprehension and image retrieval. For small business owners who rely on high-quality media to market and illustrate their products, this development offers promising enhancements to operational efficiency and creative capacity. 123RF boasts an impressive catalog with over 230 million assets and serves more than 12.4 million users globally. By implementing Gen AI technology via AWS, the platform has achieved a remarkable increase in the accuracy of video descriptors and improved search relevance. Early testing on a sample of five million videos doubled the accuracy of content identification and streamlined the search process, enabling ecommerce clients to find and pair appropriate media with their products quickly. This directly improves the speed and volume of products they can list each day, enhancing sales opportunities. A significant benefit of this technology is its ability to deliver precise results even when traditional tagging methods fall short. For instance, when a user initiates a search for “green bag,” the AI comprehensively analyzes the visual content, returning only relevant results instead of unrelated content tagged with similar keywords. This improvement means that small business owners—including those managing ecommerce sites or digital marketing firms—can spend less time sifting through irrelevant images and videos and focus more on strategic activities that drive business growth. As Bernadine Michael, Chief Marketing Officer at 123RF, observed, the capabilities provided by AWS have transformed the company’s operations, allowing marketing teams to launch campaigns 35% faster. “The real breakthrough is how Gen AI on AWS democratizes creativity across our global subscriber base,” she remarked, emphasizing that designers and marketers can now locate the perfect assets in an instant, regardless of language or cultural context. However, the advantages extend to compliance and content verification as well. With increased scrutiny regarding copyright and licensing, 123RF employs AI to automatically detect trademarked logos and flag branded content effectively. This functionality helps small business owners ensure that the visuals they use are compliant with licensing requirements, reducing potential legal risks while streamlining their asset management workflows. Prior to implementing this AI technology, 123RF faced a significant bottleneck: a labor-intensive review process where 30-40 human reviewers evaluated around 3,000 images daily. After adopting Gen AI, the platform reduced content review times by a staggering 92%, allowing customers to find creative assets in 90% less time with improved accuracy. Phoebe Liew, Chief Technology Officer at 123RF, explained how the AI enhances content understanding: “Our AWS-powered AI technology now ‘sees’ images the way humans do.” This advanced system captures unique visual properties, allowing it to match similar images regardless of the descriptive language used. By analyzing actual visual elements rather than relying solely on keyword accuracy, small business owners benefit from a more streamlined content retrieval process that eliminates duplicates and better identifies potential copyright issues. While the potential benefits of adopting such AI capabilities are compelling, small business owners should also consider certain challenges. Implementing these advanced technologies requires upfront investment and may involve a learning curve. Furthermore, businesses must remain vigilant about evolving legal and ethical considerations surrounding AI-generated content. Moreover, small business owners must evaluate whether the existing digital infrastructure can support these new capabilities. Transitioning to an AI-powered platform may necessitate upgrades or additional training for staff to harness the full potential of these tools. AWS’s investment aligns with a broader trend of increasing AI adoption among startups. Their recent “Unlocking Ambitions” survey highlights that 48% of startups are implementing AI solutions, and nearly a third are developing entirely new AI-driven products. As noted by Hussein Mohd. Ali, AWS’s Country Manager for Malaysia, such advancements position the region as a growing hub for AI innovation, which can benefit small businesses looking to compete on a global stage. In light of these developments, small business owners should explore how integrating generative AI into their operations can enhance efficiency and foster creative growth. As the landscape continues to evolve, leveraging cloud computing and AI technologies can empower businesses to innovate, reduce operational bottlenecks, and adapt more swiftly to market demands. For further details on 123RF’s new capabilities and the technology behind it, visit the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Amazon AI Transforms Video Search for 123RF, Boosts Creativity and Efficiency" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

President Donald The President on Sunday hosted the Kennedy Center Honors and praised Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and George Strait, the slate of honorees he helped choose, as being “legendary in so many ways.” “Billions and billions of people have watched them over the years,” The President, the first president to command the stage, said to open the show. The Republican president said the artists, recognized with tribute performances during the show, are “among the greatest artists and actors, performers, musicians, singers, songwriters ever to walk the face of the Earth.” Since returning to office in January, The President has made the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which is named after a Democratic predecessor, a touchstone in a broader attack against what he has lambasted as “woke” anti-American culture. The President said Saturday that he was hosting “at the request of a certain television network.” He predicted the broadcast scheduled for Dec. 23 on CBS and Paramount+, would have its best ratings ever. Before The President, presidents watched the show alongside the honorees. The President skipped the honors altogether during his first term. Asked how he got ready for the gig, The President said as he moved along the red carpet with his wife, first lady Melania The President, that he “didn’t really prepare very much.” “I have a good memory, so I can remember things, which is very fortunate,” the president said. “But just, I wanted to just be myself. You have to be yourself.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, one of several Cabinet secretaries attending the ceremony, said his boss “is so relaxed in front of these cameras, as you know, and so funny, I can’t wait for tonight.” Lutnick arrived with his wife, a member of the Kennedy Center’s board. The President appeared on stage three times to open and close the show, and after intermission. He also talked up each artist in prerecorded videos that played before their tributes. The President was both gracious and critical in the comments he delivered from the stage, lavishing the honorees with effusive praise but at times showing a mean streak. After returning from intermission, he said he’d toured some of the construction projects he has launched to renovate the performing arts center. And he said it was a “fantastic” night. “Well, we’re really having a good time tonight,” The President said. “So many people I know in this audience. Some good. Some bad. Some I truly love and respect. Some I just hate.” Since 1978, the honors have recognized stars for their influence on American culture and the arts. Members of this year’s class are pop-culture standouts, including Stallone for his “Rocky” and “Rambo” movies, Gaynor for her “I Will Survive” feminist anthem and Kiss for its flashy, cartoonish makeup and onstage displays of smoke and pyrotechnics. Strait is a leader in the world of country music and Crawford, a Tony Award-winning actor, is best known for starring in “Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history. The President said persistence is a trait shared by the honorees, several of whom had humble beginnings. “Some of them have had legendary setbacks, setbacks that you have to read in the papers because of their level of fame,” he said from the stage. “But in the words of Rocky Balboa, they showed us that you keep moving forward, just keep moving forward.” He said many of the politicians, celebrities, and others in the audience shared the trait, too. “I know so many of you are persistent,” The President said in his opening. “Many of you are miserable, horrible people. You are persistent. You never give up. Sometimes I wish you’d give up, but you don’t.” The ceremony was expected to be emotional for the members of Kiss. The band’s original lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, died in October after he was injured during a fall. During the tribute to Kiss, a lone red guitar that emitted smoke was placed on stage in remembrance of Frehley, who was known for having a smoke bomb in his instrument. The program closed with a rousing performance by Cheap Trick of Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite” that brought the audience to its feet. Stallone said receiving the honor was like being in the “eye of a hurricane.” “This is an amazing event,” he said on the red carpet. “But you’re caught up in the middle of it. It’s hard to take it in until the next day. ..: but I’m incredibly humbled by it.” Crawford also said it was “humbling, especially at the end of a career.” Gaynor said it “feels like a dream” to be honored. “To be recognized in this way is the pinnacle,” she said after arriving. Mike Farris, an award-winning gospel singer who performed for Gaynor, called her a dear friend. “She truly did survive,” Farris said. “What an iconic song.” The President has taken over the Kennedy Center The President upended decades of bipartisan support for the center by ousting its leadership and stacking the board of trustees with Republican supporters, who elected him chair. He has criticized the center’s programming and the building’s appearance — and has said, perhaps jokingly, that he would rename it as the “The President Kennedy Center.” He secured more than $250 million from Congress for renovations of the building. Asked Sunday night about a possible renaming, The President said it would be up to the board. Still, he joked at one point about the “The President Kennedy Center.” Presidents of each political party have at times found themselves face to face with artists of opposing political views. Republican Ronald Reagan was there for honoree Arthur Miller, a playwright who championed liberal causes. Democrat Bill Clinton, who had signed an assault weapons ban into law, marked the honors for Charlton Heston, an actor and gun rights advocate. During The President’s first term, multiple honorees were openly critical of the president. In 2017, The President’s first year in office, honors recipient and film producer Norman Lear threatened to boycott his own ceremony if The President attended. The President stayed away during that entire term. The President has said he was deeply involved in choosing the 2025 honorees and turned down some recommendations because they were “too woke.” He said Sunday that about 50 names were whittled down to five. While Stallone is one of The President’s Hollywood ”special ambassadors” and has likened The President to George Washington, the political views of Sunday’s other guests are less clear. Honorees’ views about The President Strait and Gaynor have said little about their politics, although Federal Election Commission records show that Gaynor has given money to Republican organizations in recent years. Simmons spoke favorably of The President when The President ran for president in 2016. But in 2022, Simmons told Spin magazine that The President was “out for himself” and criticized The President for encouraging conspiracy theories and public expressions of racism. Fellow Kiss member Paul Stanley denounced The President’s effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden, and said The President supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were “terrorists.” But after The President won in 2024, Stanley urged unity. “If your candidate lost, it’s time to learn from it, accept it and try to understand why,” Stanley wrote on X. “If your candidate won, it’s time to understand that those who don’t share your views also believe they are right and love this country as much as you do.” —Darlene Superville and Hillel Italie, Associated Press View the full article

President Donald The President said Sunday that a deal struck by Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. “There’s no question about it,” The President said, answering questions about the deal and various other topics as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The Republican president said he will be involved in the decision about whether the federal government should approve the $72 billion deal. If approved by regulators, the merger would put two of the world’s biggest streaming services under the same ownership and join Warner’s television and motion picture division, including DC Studios, with Netflix’s vast library and its production arm. The deal, which could reshape the entertainment industry, has to “go through a process and we’ll see what happens,” The President said. “Netflix is a great company. They’ve done a phenomenal job. Ted is a fantastic man,” he said of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, noting that they met in the Oval Office last week before the deal was announced Dec. 5. “I have a lot of respect for him but it’s a lot of market share, so we’ll have to see what happens.” Asked if Netflix should be allowed to buy the Hollywood giant behind “Harry Potter” and HBO Max, the president said, “Well that’s the question.” “They have a very big market share and when they have Warner Bros., you know, that share goes up a lot so, I don’t know,” he said. “I’ll be involved in that decision, too. But they have a very big market share” Sarandos made no guarantees at their meeting about the merger if it is approved, The President said, adding that the CEO is a “great person” who has “done one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies and other things.” He repeated that a merger would create a “big market share” for the company. “There’s no question about it. It could be a problem,” The President said. —Darlene Superville, Associated Press Associated Press writer John Carucci contributed to this report. View the full article

When you’re looking to finance a 100 percent business acquisition, it’s important to understand the key options available. You can consider debt financing, which involves securing loans from banks or lenders. On the other hand, equity financing allows you to raise capital through selling shares. Earnouts can tie part of the payment to future performance, whereas joint ventures enable shared financial responsibilities. Finally, seller financing lets you borrow directly from the seller. Each option has distinct advantages and risks that warrant careful consideration. Key Takeaways Debt Financing: Secure loans from banks or lenders, covering a significant portion of the purchase price, typically requiring a down payment of 10% to 30%. Equity Financing: Raise capital by selling shares in the company, reducing cash outlay but potentially diluting existing ownership. Earnouts: Structure payments based on future performance, linking part of the purchase price to financial goals to mitigate risk. Joint Ventures: Collaborate with partners to share financial responsibilities and resources, minimizing individual risk in the acquisition process. Seller Financing: Borrow directly from the seller, allowing for flexible negotiations and potentially lower down payments, but typically requires substantial upfront cash. Debt Financing: Leveraging Third-Party Loans Debt financing plays a crucial role in business acquisitions, allowing you to leverage third-party loans to fund your purchase. When seeking business acquisition financing, you’ll often secure loans from banks, credit unions, or online lenders with structured repayment terms. Typically, lenders require a down payment ranging from 10% to 30% of the total loan amount, favoring borrowers with strong financial backgrounds. Significantly, the Small Business Administration (SBA) offers loans covering up to 75% of the acquisition value, providing competitive interest rates and extended repayment terms. Moreover, asset-backed loans can use the business’s assets as collateral, whereas leveraged buyouts (LBOs) involve financing through the acquired assets, though they carry higher risks and necessitate thorough financial analysis. Equity Financing: Utilizing Company Shares Equity financing offers a compelling alternative for business acquisitions, enabling you to utilize company shares to raise capital during reducing the immediate cash outlay required for ownership. This approach attracts investor interest by offering them a stake in the business, enhancing its value through shared expertise. Although issuing new shares can dilute existing ownership, it avoids incurring debt obligations. A well-structured equity financing arrangement can align the interests of both buyer and seller, promoting collaboration for post-acquisition growth. Here’s a quick overview of key considerations: Pros Cons Considerations Reduces cash outlay Dilution of ownership Aligns buyer-seller interests Attracts investors Potential control issues Investor expertise benefits No debt obligations Possible loss of control Long-term growth focus Encourages collaboration Complexity in agreements Clear terms are essential Flexible payment options Market volatility impact Assess risk carefully Earnouts: Linking Payments to Future Performance When considering business acquisition financing, earnouts serve as a strategic option that links part of the purchase price to the future performance of the acquired company. These contingent payments can help you mitigate risk by connecting your acquisition loan to specific financial goals, such as revenue thresholds or profit margins. Earnouts often span one to three years, allowing sellers to remain involved and assist in achieving agreed-upon metrics. This structure can bridge valuation gaps, providing sellers with potential additional compensation if the business meets or exceeds performance targets. Nevertheless, earnouts can introduce challenges in the acquisition process, necessitating clear definitions and expectations to avoid disputes over performance measurement and guarantee a smooth transaction. Joint Ventures: Sharing Financial Responsibilities In the domain of business acquisition financing, joint ventures present a compelling alternative to earnouts by enabling two or more parties to collaborate and share financial responsibilities effectively. By pooling resources, partners can cover the full purchase price, which greatly reduces individual financial risk. The structure of a joint venture can be customized, allowing partners to agree on profit sharing, decision-making processes, and operational roles that leverage their strengths. This collaboration can likewise provide access to broader networks and expertise, enhancing the chances of successful integration and growth post-acquisition. It’s crucial to establish clear legal frameworks and agreements, outlining contributions and responsibilities, to minimize disputes and guarantee transparency, which business acquisition lenders often look for in financing proposals. Seller Financing: Directly Borrowing From the Seller Seller financing offers a unique opportunity for buyers looking to acquire a business without relying on traditional lenders. In this arrangement, you can borrow between 5% to 60% of the total asking price directly from the seller. Typically, you’ll need to make a sizeable down payment of at least one-third to demonstrate your commitment. Sellers may likewise request additional collateral, such as a personal guarantee, to mitigate their risk. This option allows for greater flexibility in negotiations, as you can discuss interest rates and repayment schedules directly with the seller. To guarantee favorable terms and navigate the intricacies of these agreements, it’s advisable to engage a financial advisor or business broker during the process of 100 percent business acquisition financing. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Finance? The 5 C’s of finance are crucial for evaluating a borrower’s creditworthiness. First, character reflects your credit history and reliability. Second, capacity assesses your ability to repay based on income and debt. Third, capital shows your investment in the business, often as a down payment. Fourth, collateral involves assets you can pledge for security. Finally, conditions consider external factors like economic trends that might impact your repayment ability. Comprehending these helps in securing financing. How to Finance the Acquisition of a Business? To finance the acquisition of a business, consider several options. You can explore business acquisition loans, which often require a down payment of 10% to 30%. Seller financing allows the seller to lend part of the purchase price, easing upfront costs. Private equity investments can provide funding without repayment but may require equity. Moreover, SBA loans offer favorable terms for qualified applicants. Utilizing personal savings or assistance from family can likewise help eliminate debt. What Is the 20% Rule for SBA? The 20% Rule for SBA loans requires you to provide an equity injection of 10% to 20% of the total project cost when acquiring a business. This down payment shows your commitment and financial stability, which lenders value. For certain acquisitions, like complete ownership changes, a 10% injection is acceptable, whereas others may require up to 20%. You can source this equity from cash, business assets, real estate, or seller financing. Is It Possible to Get 100% Financing? Yes, it’s possible to get 100% financing for a business acquisition, but it’s challenging. Most lenders typically require a down payment of 10% to 25% to reduce risk. You might explore seller financing, where the seller covers part of the purchase price, though this can likewise require a down payment. Furthermore, some online lenders offer loans with no down payment, but they often come with higher interest rates and stricter criteria. Conclusion In conclusion, when considering 100 percent business acquisition financing, you have five key options: debt financing, equity financing, earnouts, joint ventures, and seller financing. Each option carries distinct advantages and risks, so it’s crucial to evaluate your business’s specific needs and financial situation. By comprehending these financing methods, you can make informed decisions that align with your acquisition goals, ensuring a smoother transaction and better long-term outcomes for your investment. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Key Options for 100 Percent Business Acquisition Financing" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When you’re looking to finance a 100 percent business acquisition, it’s important to understand the key options available. You can consider debt financing, which involves securing loans from banks or lenders. On the other hand, equity financing allows you to raise capital through selling shares. Earnouts can tie part of the payment to future performance, whereas joint ventures enable shared financial responsibilities. Finally, seller financing lets you borrow directly from the seller. Each option has distinct advantages and risks that warrant careful consideration. Key Takeaways Debt Financing: Secure loans from banks or lenders, covering a significant portion of the purchase price, typically requiring a down payment of 10% to 30%. Equity Financing: Raise capital by selling shares in the company, reducing cash outlay but potentially diluting existing ownership. Earnouts: Structure payments based on future performance, linking part of the purchase price to financial goals to mitigate risk. Joint Ventures: Collaborate with partners to share financial responsibilities and resources, minimizing individual risk in the acquisition process. Seller Financing: Borrow directly from the seller, allowing for flexible negotiations and potentially lower down payments, but typically requires substantial upfront cash. Debt Financing: Leveraging Third-Party Loans Debt financing plays a crucial role in business acquisitions, allowing you to leverage third-party loans to fund your purchase. When seeking business acquisition financing, you’ll often secure loans from banks, credit unions, or online lenders with structured repayment terms. Typically, lenders require a down payment ranging from 10% to 30% of the total loan amount, favoring borrowers with strong financial backgrounds. Significantly, the Small Business Administration (SBA) offers loans covering up to 75% of the acquisition value, providing competitive interest rates and extended repayment terms. Moreover, asset-backed loans can use the business’s assets as collateral, whereas leveraged buyouts (LBOs) involve financing through the acquired assets, though they carry higher risks and necessitate thorough financial analysis. Equity Financing: Utilizing Company Shares Equity financing offers a compelling alternative for business acquisitions, enabling you to utilize company shares to raise capital during reducing the immediate cash outlay required for ownership. This approach attracts investor interest by offering them a stake in the business, enhancing its value through shared expertise. Although issuing new shares can dilute existing ownership, it avoids incurring debt obligations. A well-structured equity financing arrangement can align the interests of both buyer and seller, promoting collaboration for post-acquisition growth. Here’s a quick overview of key considerations: Pros Cons Considerations Reduces cash outlay Dilution of ownership Aligns buyer-seller interests Attracts investors Potential control issues Investor expertise benefits No debt obligations Possible loss of control Long-term growth focus Encourages collaboration Complexity in agreements Clear terms are essential Flexible payment options Market volatility impact Assess risk carefully Earnouts: Linking Payments to Future Performance When considering business acquisition financing, earnouts serve as a strategic option that links part of the purchase price to the future performance of the acquired company. These contingent payments can help you mitigate risk by connecting your acquisition loan to specific financial goals, such as revenue thresholds or profit margins. Earnouts often span one to three years, allowing sellers to remain involved and assist in achieving agreed-upon metrics. This structure can bridge valuation gaps, providing sellers with potential additional compensation if the business meets or exceeds performance targets. Nevertheless, earnouts can introduce challenges in the acquisition process, necessitating clear definitions and expectations to avoid disputes over performance measurement and guarantee a smooth transaction. Joint Ventures: Sharing Financial Responsibilities In the domain of business acquisition financing, joint ventures present a compelling alternative to earnouts by enabling two or more parties to collaborate and share financial responsibilities effectively. By pooling resources, partners can cover the full purchase price, which greatly reduces individual financial risk. The structure of a joint venture can be customized, allowing partners to agree on profit sharing, decision-making processes, and operational roles that leverage their strengths. This collaboration can likewise provide access to broader networks and expertise, enhancing the chances of successful integration and growth post-acquisition. It’s crucial to establish clear legal frameworks and agreements, outlining contributions and responsibilities, to minimize disputes and guarantee transparency, which business acquisition lenders often look for in financing proposals. Seller Financing: Directly Borrowing From the Seller Seller financing offers a unique opportunity for buyers looking to acquire a business without relying on traditional lenders. In this arrangement, you can borrow between 5% to 60% of the total asking price directly from the seller. Typically, you’ll need to make a sizeable down payment of at least one-third to demonstrate your commitment. Sellers may likewise request additional collateral, such as a personal guarantee, to mitigate their risk. This option allows for greater flexibility in negotiations, as you can discuss interest rates and repayment schedules directly with the seller. To guarantee favorable terms and navigate the intricacies of these agreements, it’s advisable to engage a financial advisor or business broker during the process of 100 percent business acquisition financing. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 C’s of Finance? The 5 C’s of finance are crucial for evaluating a borrower’s creditworthiness. First, character reflects your credit history and reliability. Second, capacity assesses your ability to repay based on income and debt. Third, capital shows your investment in the business, often as a down payment. Fourth, collateral involves assets you can pledge for security. Finally, conditions consider external factors like economic trends that might impact your repayment ability. Comprehending these helps in securing financing. How to Finance the Acquisition of a Business? To finance the acquisition of a business, consider several options. You can explore business acquisition loans, which often require a down payment of 10% to 30%. Seller financing allows the seller to lend part of the purchase price, easing upfront costs. Private equity investments can provide funding without repayment but may require equity. Moreover, SBA loans offer favorable terms for qualified applicants. Utilizing personal savings or assistance from family can likewise help eliminate debt. What Is the 20% Rule for SBA? The 20% Rule for SBA loans requires you to provide an equity injection of 10% to 20% of the total project cost when acquiring a business. This down payment shows your commitment and financial stability, which lenders value. For certain acquisitions, like complete ownership changes, a 10% injection is acceptable, whereas others may require up to 20%. You can source this equity from cash, business assets, real estate, or seller financing. Is It Possible to Get 100% Financing? Yes, it’s possible to get 100% financing for a business acquisition, but it’s challenging. Most lenders typically require a down payment of 10% to 25% to reduce risk. You might explore seller financing, where the seller covers part of the purchase price, though this can likewise require a down payment. Furthermore, some online lenders offer loans with no down payment, but they often come with higher interest rates and stricter criteria. Conclusion In conclusion, when considering 100 percent business acquisition financing, you have five key options: debt financing, equity financing, earnouts, joint ventures, and seller financing. Each option carries distinct advantages and risks, so it’s crucial to evaluate your business’s specific needs and financial situation. By comprehending these financing methods, you can make informed decisions that align with your acquisition goals, ensuring a smoother transaction and better long-term outcomes for your investment. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Key Options for 100 Percent Business Acquisition Financing" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article