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On Thursday afternoon, after agreeing to a short extension while they continued negotiations, NBCUniversal and YouTube announced a new carriage deal to keep the network’s channels live on the streaming TV service. If the process sounds familiar, it’s because the same thing happened the last time their contract was renewed in 2021. They didn’t reveal the dollars involved, but a press release mentions that it includes an agreement for some full TV shows, clips, and highlights on regular YouTube, as well as confirming the relaunch of NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) after it shut down four years ago. “We’ve secured long-term…

There's a new twist in the long and winding saga of Redbox's demise: Assets originally belonging to the company's corporate parent, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, may have finally found a buyer. But don't expect a resurrection of Redbox's red kiosks, or Chicken Soup's Crackle streaming service, any time soon. According to a late Wednesday court filing, a company called Grove Street Partners has offered $100 million for so-called "IP Litigation Assets" owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and its subsidiaries. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment owned the rights to hundreds of movies, mostly through its…

Microsoft recently announced price hikes for some tiers of Xbox Game Pass, including Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The Ultimate tier, which offers the most games and features (as well as access to PC Game Pass), went from $19.99 per month to $29.99. Those who subscribe to PC Game Pass are now being charged $16.49 per month, up from $11.99. You’ll pay those prices right now if you go through Microsoft’s retail channels to subscribe. Don’t do that! Instead, if you plan to stay with the service, you should consider buying through other retailers that are still selling access to…

Shein has announced plans to open its first physical locations in France this November, even as the country works on legislation to regulate the fast-fashion industry, as reported by Euronews and Reuters. The online retailer, which manufactures most of its ultra-cheap clothing in China, will open locations inside department stores across Dijon, Grenoble, Reims, Limoges, and Angers through a partnership with real estate company Société des Grands Magasins (SGM). Until now, Shein has only operated online, aside from the pop-up stores that have appeared in locations like New York City. Its decision to open up stores in France comes just…

The Trump administration has put up banners across federal websites blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, and in some cases, blatantly campaigning for President Donald Trump. One banner on the US Department of Agriculture’s site says, “The Radical Left Democrats shut down the government,” adding that “President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people.” Other websites display similar messages, with a banner on the Department of the Treasury stating that Democrats have shut down the government “in the name of reckless spending and obstructionism.”…

Apple is speeding up work on smart glasses that would compete with similar offerings from Meta and halting plans for a lighter Vision Pro headset, Bloomberg reports. The company is apparently working on at least two different versions: a pair without a display that it could reveal next year and launch in 2027, and a pair with a display originally planned for 2028 that the company wants to “accelerate development” on. Like Meta’s smart glasses made in partnership with Ray-Ban and Oakley, Apple’s glasses will have speakers, cameras, come in multiple styles, and “will rely heavily on voice interaction and…

New analysis of basketball players and games is coming to NBA fans live and online this 2025–2026 season thanks to Amazon Web Services’ AI and some seriously detailed movement tracking. The new stats come as part of the rollout of a new basketball intelligence platform called “NBA Inside the Game.” Fans will get more granular player metrics, like tracking individual defenders during an offensive play or quantifying how hard each shot was for a player to take.  The new tech will track 29 body parts of each player as they move across the court — although which specific body parts…

Instagram is testing a potentially major change to the app: making Reels the home tab of the app. As part of an opt-in test in India, Meta is making Reels and DMs the first two tabs on the app, according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Mosseri says that Reels and DMs have been a key driver of growth for Instagram over the past few years, which is why it’s “exploring” the change. In a video in his post, you can see how the new home tab would work. Part of the tab will look familiar, like the horizontal list of…

President Donald Trump is launching a new government-run website that he says will let Americans buy medications at lower prices. The new website, called TrumpRx, is expected to launch in 2026 and will direct consumers to discounts on drugmakers’ online stores, including Pfizer’s, as reported earlier by The New York Times and NPR. The Tuesday announcement comes as part of a deal that grants Pfizer a three-year reprieve from tariffs in exchange for investing in US-based manufacturing, according to the company’s press release. Pfizer also agreed to lower prices on the “majority” of the primary care drugs sold through state…

Bear #32, also known as Chunk, has won Fat Bear Week. | Photo: Christine Loberg via National Park Service The votes are in, and the winner of Fat Bear Week 2025 is the indomitable Bear 32, also known as Chunk. The public votes for their favorite brown bear each year in the March Madness-style tournament held by Katmai National Park and Preserve in partnership with the nonprofit Katmai Conservancy and online portal Explore.org. Weighing in at around 1,200 pounds, Chunk captured voters’ hearts this year with his perseverance. He showed up to catch salmon at the Brooks River with a…