Army-Navy game has added buzzABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. 2024 Holiday TV Roundup: Full Schedules for NBC, CBS, ABC, More Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines: ‘Firefly’ Reunion! Who Will Be at Emerald City Comic Con 2025 for ‘Serenity’s 20th Anniversary? ‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & More Snoop Dogg Gives Daughter Pre-Wedding Pep Talk in E! Docuseries Sneak Peek (VIDEO) ‘Bold and the Beautiful’ Breakup? Thorsten Kaye on Ridge’s Blowup With Brooke and If He’d Go Back to Taylor ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ Renewed for Season 3 With a New Host: All the Updates
A new wave of AI-generated influencers is taking over Instagram, built on content stolen from real porn stars and models without their consent. Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta does not appear to be taking action against the scam dubbed “AI pimping.” Wired reports that a growing industry of “AI pimping” is flooding social media with deepfake influencers, taking over platforms like Instagram with artificially generated profiles. These AI influencers are often trained on stolen photos and videos from real porn stars and Instagram models. Realistic AI-generated faces are then swapped onto the bodies of humans to create fake but convincing new content. The practice has exploded in scale in recent months, making it clear that Mark Zuckerbeg’s Instagram is either unable or unwilling to stop the deluge of AI-generated profiles. Over 1,000 such accounts were reviewed in an investigation, with 10 percent featuring deepfake videos that stole the appearance of real women. Some of these accounts self-identify as AI-generated “virtual models,” while others provide no disclosure. Porn stars say they are now directly competing with, and losing income to, the AI impersonators. Adult actress Elaina St James said her Instagram reach and views have plummeted as the number of AI accounts has surged. “It’s because I’m competing with something that’s unnatural,” she said. Creating these fake profiles is easier than ever thanks to a plethora of easily accessible AI tools and “how-to” guides being sold online. For $200 or less, anyone can buy detailed video courses on “AI pimping.” The guides recommend using various apps to generate realistic faces, bodies, and personas. Some of the apps have been available on Apple and Google’s app stores. There are even “one-stop-shop” websites that streamline the whole process of spinning up AI influencers. The people behind the accounts, mostly men, then use them to funnel followers to pay-per-view porn sites, subscription services, and “dating” chat services. Step-by-step strategies are taught for luring lonely men to spend more and more money communicating with the AI models. Some of the “AI pimps” openly brag about how lucrative the illicit cottage industry can be. “Professor EP,” the creator of one popular how-to guide, claims to have made over $1 million in less than 6 months from his AI influencer “Emily Pellegrini.” EP brazenly promotes deepfake technology in his course while maintaining a thin veneer of plausible deniability. Instagram’s drive for engagement and ad revenue seems to disincentivize a real crackdown, according to researchers. “Instagram can sell this as traffic,” said Alexios Mantzarlis of Cornell Tech. “It can sell ads against this. So, is there a future where actual, real human accounts are almost like an elite, smaller percentage of Instagram? I think yes.” St James concurs: “If all of a sudden they got rid of all the bots, the dead accounts, the fake accounts, the imposter accounts, what happens to their advertising?” Read more at Wired here. Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.ABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines:
Credit: Adobe Stock/ onephoto A study found schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD) increase the risk of constipation , but the association with schizophrenia may only have limited clinical implications. 1 “Similar to previous studies, the risk of constipation was higher in participants with severe depression than in participants with mild depression,” wrote investigators, led by Jiali Liu, from the department of anorectal surgery at Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, in People’s Republic of China. Constipation, although common, is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose and treat. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, 16% of adults face constipation. This gastrointestinal disorder has a greater prevalence in older adults, females, certain medications, and mental diseases. Observational studies have shown the link between constipation and psychiatric disorders, namely anxiety and depression, but these studies did not examine the causal effects between the conditions. 2 Thus, investigators completed a Mendelian randomization analysis to assess whether constipation and psychiatric disorders—in this case, schizophrenia and MDD—had a causal relationship. 1 The study’s exposures were schizophrenia and MDD, and constipation was the outcome. The team recruited patients with schizophrenia (30,490 cases and 312,009 controls) and MDD (170,756 cases and 329,443 controls) from Psychiatric Genomics Consortium datasets of European ancestry. Constipation genetic data (17,246 cases and 201,546 controls) was obtained from The FinnGen summary statistics. Investigators used the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method to assess the causal relationship between schizophrenia and MDD with constipation. The LD score regression showed constipation was genetically correlated with schizophrenia and MDD (both P < .05). The Mendelian randomization analysis further demonstrated that schizophrenia (IVW odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 – 1.07; P < .01) and MDD (IVW OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.10 – 1.33; P < .01) were statistically significantly causally associated with the risk of constipation. Evidence of the causal relationship between constipation and psychiatric disorders was also shown with the MR Egger ratio (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.93 – 1.16; P = .548 for schizophrenia; OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.48 – 1.76; P = .794 for MDD) and the weighted median odds ratio (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 – 1.09; P < .01 for schizophrenia; OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03 – 1.38; P = .02). “Bidirectional MR analysis revealed an obviously causal effect of depression on constipation, but no causal effect of constipation on depression,” investigators wrote. However, investigators noted that constipation could aggravate psychotic disorders, as patients with constipation were significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety, somatization, and psychotic disorders. The Cohran’s Q report did not show heterogeneity among these inverse variances for both schizophrenia ( P = .11 > .05) and MDD ( P = .09 > .05). Investigators also observed no horizontal pleiotropy in the Egger intercept test for schizophrenia ( P = .81) and MDD ( P = .39). Despite schizophrenia having a statistically significant confidence interval of 1.02 – 1.07 ( P < .01), it fell within the Region of Bayesian analysis and the Practical Equivalence (ROPE), which defines an odds ratio range of 0.83 – 1.19 as a lack of clinical significance. “This suggested that the hypothesized pathophysiological links between [schizophrenia] and constipation conditions were not substantiated by our data, prompting a reevaluation of their clinical implications,” investigators wrote. Liu and colleagues said the study was limited by only examining the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and FinnGen populations. Moreover, they added that they only examined schizophrenia and MDD due to the unavailable data on other psychiatric disorders and future studies should include other mental conditions. “In conclusion, we performed MR analysis concluding that there is suggestive evidence that [schizophrenia] and MDD potentially cause constipation,” investigators wrote. “However, [schizophrenia] and constipation, largely falling within the ROPE range, underscore a lack of clinical significance, and further confirmation is needed in conjunction with clinical studies.” References Liu J, Huang Y, Fu X, Wei J, Wei P. Associations of Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder with Constipation: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2024 Nov 26;17:349-357. doi: 10.2147/CEG.S485504. PMID: 39618883; PMCID: PMC11608058. Nellesen D, Chawla A, Oh DL, et al. Comorbidities in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation: a review of the literature from the past decade. Postgrad Med. 2013;125:40–50. doi:10.3810/pgm.2013.03.2640
With technical prowess and considerable style, Marta danced around two sliding defenders, outwitted a goalkeeper and calmly scored as another player rushed forward in desperation to stop her. It was more Marta Magic. That goal last weekend helped propel the Orlando Pride into Saturday's National Women's Soccer League championship game against the Washington Spirit. Barbra Banda also scored in the Pride's 3-2 semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current . While Banda has had an incredible first season with the Pride, captain Marta has been the talisman that has helped lead the team in its remarkable turnaround this year. The last time the Pride were in the NWSL playoffs was in 2017 — Marta's first year with the club. But this season they nearly went undefeated, going 23 games without a loss to start the season before losing 2-0 to the Portland Thorns with just two regular-season games left. “I think because of the way that we did it, during this season, from beginning to now, it’s something very special that I’ve never had before with any other club that I’ve played for," Marta said. "Plus year by year, we see in America, strong competition. This is the best league in the world. And you never know what’s going to happen, and it’s hard to keep winning the games, being in the first place almost like the whole season. That’s why it’s really different and so special.” Marta’s goal was the latest gasp-inducing moment in a stellar career filled with them. Known by just her first name, the 38-year-old is a six-time FIFA world player of the year. "Let's see if tomorrow I can do something similar — or even better," Marta said on Friday. Her teammate Kylie Strom chimed in: “That was the greatest goal I've ever witnessed, hands down." Appropriate. Earlier this year, FIFA announced that the best goal in women's soccer each year would earn the Marta Award. In a lighthearted moment the day before the title match, Marta was asked if she thought it was possible she might give the award to herself. “You guys need to decide, because who votes for the best goal in the year? It’s you. It’s the people in the public. So it should be really interesting, like Marta’s Award goes to Marta!” she said with a laugh. Marta has played in six World Cups for Brazil and played this summer in her sixth Olympics, winning a silver medal after falling in the final to the United States . She previously said this would be her final year with the national team. But since then Brazil was named the host of the 2027 Women's World Cup. "I had a conversation with my coach, the national team coach, and I was really clear about playing in 2027. I told him it’s not my goal anymore,” she said. “But I’m always available to help the national team. And if they think I still can do something during this preparation for the World Cup, yeah, I would be happy to help them." Marta's club career started in Brazil when she was just 16. She has also played in Sweden and in the U.S. professional women's leagues that came before the NWSL. With nine regular-season goals, Marta has had one of her best seasons since she joined the Pride. “I can never pick a side, I never pick favorites — but I love to see this for Marta," U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Marta is someone we all like, admire and are grateful for. And that goal was just like prime Marta at her best. And so grateful for and thankful for her that she got the opportunity with another game with her team.” The Pride went 18-2-6 this season, clinching the NWSL Shield for the first trophy in club history. Orlando also set a record with 60 regular-season points to finish atop the standings. “We are sitting top of the table, but I think there still are a lot of doubters. I think there’s people out there who say, maybe this was a one-off season,” Strom said. “But we’re here to prove them all wrong. So I think we do carry a bit of that underdog mentality still with us.” The second-seeded Spirit advanced to the title match at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium last weekend on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw against defending champions Gotham FC. The Spirit's roster includes Trinity Rodman, a standout forward who formed the so-called “Triple Espresso” trio with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith for the United States at the Olympics. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Qatar tribune Agencies Nippon Steel on Wednesday slammed the “inappropriate” role of politics after Bloomberg News reported that President Joe Biden would block its planned takeover of U.S. Steel. The deal worth $14.9 billion including debts is being reviewed by a body that audits foreign takeovers of U.S. firms, helmed by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Bloomberg cited people close to the matter as saying Biden planned to block the sale on national security grounds when the audit is finished later this month. “It is inappropriate that politics continue to outweigh true national security interests -- especially with the indispensable alliance between the U.S. and Japan as the important foundation,” a Nippon Steel statement said.“We have engaged in good faith with all parties to underscore how the transaction will bolster American economic and national security by countering the threats posed by China,” it added. “Nippon Steel still has confidence in the justice and fairness of America and its legal system, and -- if necessary -- will work with U.S. Steel to consider and take all available measures to reach a fair conclusion.” Embattled U.S. Steel argues that it needs the Nippon deal to ensure sufficient investment in its Mon Valley plants in Pennsylvania, which it says it may have to shutter if the sale is blocked. But Biden has previously expressed opposition to the takeover, which President-elect Donald Trump -- who will be inaugurated on January 20 -- has also said he would block. “I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier in December. “Through a series of Tax Incentives and Tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again, and it will happen FAST! As President, I will block this deal from happening.” In reaction to the Bloomberg report, White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said Biden would wait and see what the ongoing review of the deal by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) yields. “The president’s position since the beginning is that it is vital for U.S. steel to be domestically owned and operated,” Patterson said. “We have not received any CFIUS recommendation. The CFIUS process was and remains ongoing.” U.S. Steel shares closed down 9.7 percent Tuesday on Wall Street following the report. Nippon was down 0.1 percent in Tokyo on Wednesday. Copy 12/12/2024 10Apple CEO Tim Cook (C) laughs while inspecting a new iPhone (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) As Apple prepares to update the beloved iPhone SE , the community expects a cut-down version of the iPhone 16 to reach the mid-range price point. Tim Cook and his team have other ideas, and this iPhone SE comes with more risk than any of the previous smartphones. What Makes An iPhone An iPhone SE? The next iPhone will be the fourth generation of the SE. Launched in 2016, the SE range is Apple’s iPhone for the mid-range market. Priced around $450, it offers a significant price cut compared to the vanilla iPhone in the main range. To achieve that, Apple reduces key specifications on the handset, leans into older parts, and offers an older design, all to bring down the bill of materials while doing its best to hold on to what makes an iPhone. This year, Tim Cook and his team are taking a different approach, a riskier approach and one that could damage the brand. The iPhone SE stakes include acting as a testbed for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, cannibalizing the iPhone 16, and the Flavor du année that is generative AI. Apple’s First Modem Belongs To The iPhone SE Since the purchase of Intel's modem division for $1 billion in 2019 , Apple’s ambition is to eliminate the need to use Qualcomm’s modem technology and supply itself. Apple’s modem will arrive in the iPhone SE six years after the purchase. It’s not without compromise, though. The new 5G circuity will be limited to the Sub-6 standard, with mmWave unavailable, while only four-carrier bands will be available for carrier aggregation, compared to six bands in Qualcomm’s hardware. iOS 18.2—Update Now Warning Issued To All iPhone Users Microsoft Warns 400 Million Windows Users—Do Not Update Your PC Selena Gomez And Benny Blanco Are Engaged—And The Internet Has Opinions It also represents one of the biggest risks Apple is taking with the iPhone SE. This is the first public rollout of that modem . Apple has made the sensible decision to introduce the new technology not on the main iPhone line, but in the SE line. If there are issues that only become apparent on a mass deployment, then the main iPhone and iPhone Pro line will not be damaged... but the SE line will. Apple Intelligence’s Impact On The iPhone SE And while Apple will have tested the new iPhone SE before launch, it wouldn’t be the first time that a flaw has not become apparent till after the launch. I don’t think holding the phone wrong will disrupt the modem, but this is a new part of the iPhone package. With previous iPhone SE handsets, Apple has matched the core specifications of chipset, memory and storage to the vanilla iPhone of that year. For the iPhone SE in 2025, that means the iPhone 16 launched in September 2024. That handset already saw its memory and chipset boosted to allow it to run the awkwardly backronymed Apple Intelligence software. Given Apple's PR focus on its generative AI system, I can’t see the iPhone SE launch without support for Apple Intelligence. That choice means the specifications of the SE will have to match the already elevated iPhone 16. The iPhone SE will be smaller, cheaper, and just as powerful as the iPhone 16. Why would the market consider the iPhone 16? A significant number of consumers could switch to the smaller handset and reduce Apple’s turnover. Apple’s iPhone SE Redefined Thanks to its consistent name, the iPhone SE is a beloved variant of the iPhone, no matter the generation you started with. The same will be true in 2025 with the fourth-generation iOS smartphone. It’s rare to see Apple push the technological boundaries with the SE, yet in this brave new world of modems, AI, and matching specs, the iPhone SE has a starring role. Now read more about the new camera Apple is using in the iPhone SE...
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