Month: July 2026

Getty Images Abandons .7 Billion Merger With Shutterstock

Getty Images Abandons $3.7 Billion Merger With Shutterstock

Published by Daniella Wilson

Getty Images and Shutterstock, two of the top photo, video and stock image marketplaces, called off a $3.7 billion merger after hitting a regulatory roadblock in the United Kingdom. Getty, led by CEO Craig Peters, said on Tuesday that its board of directors unanimously decided to scuttle the deal to merge with its rival after the top regulator in the U.K., the Competition and Markets Authority, required the sale of Shutterstock’s editorial business from the deal. Getty’s board viewed that requirement as an apparent non-starter, per a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. The board also stated it intends to hire a financial advisor to assess “strategic financing alternatives available” in its next steps. Getty provides wire service images and video to media and businesses globally, including most red carpets and film festival premieres. A merger with rival Shutterstock, which had touted an image library of 450 million photos, was intended to consolidate the marketplace for editorial and stock visuals. The combined company, which would’ve been led by Peters, had projected …

John Cena debuts dramatic new look after emotional confession

John Cena debuts dramatic new look after emotional confession

Published by Daniella Wilson

John Cena unveiled a dramatic new look as he continues his hair restoration journey after candidly revealing that cruel comments about his thinning hair left him feeling “bullied.” The WWE legend and actor, 49, took to social media this week to reveal he had shaved his head as he underwent the second stage of his follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant procedure. Posing alongside hair restoration specialist Dr. Ken Anderson, John smiled for the camera while showing off his freshly shaved scalp. © XJohn showcases his freshly shaved head before surgery ‘I went all in’ Sharing the update with fans, the Little Brother star wrote: “Round 2 of FUE treatment and this time I went all in for best possible results. “Thank you @KenAndersonMD and the staff at Anderson Center for Hair for accompanying me on this journey!” Dr. Anderson responded with his own heartfelt message, praising John’s dedication to the process. © FilmMagicJohn said he felt ‘bullied’ by fans “Always great seeing you, my friend,” he wrote. “Your commitment to the process and long-term …

The Trump Kennedy Center ‘Foundation’ Is the Arts Complex’s Latest Mystery

The Trump Kennedy Center ‘Foundation’ Is the Arts Complex’s Latest Mystery

Published by Sam Flores

For weeks, a tarp obscuring the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center has baffled observers, prompting speculation about the Washington, D.C., arts complex following the court-ordered removal of the president’s name. But recent court filings have raised a new mystery beyond the canvas. Department of Justice lawyers representing the Kennedy Center yesterday urged a federal appeals court to restore Donald Trump’s name to the institution, arguing that taking it down jeopardizes “hundreds of millions” of dollars in gifts and pledges tied to an entity, unheard-of until this month, called the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation. Note the last word. Bylaws for the foundation (which DOJ lawyers first mentioned in a June 12 filing in the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit) require that gifts be “returned, refunded, or terminated” if the president’s name is removed from the building, its branding, or other affiliated materials, the Kennedy Center wrote in a filing yesterday. Seeking an emergency stay to restore the president’s name to the building, the center argued that …

Child star shares emotional message after Daveigh Chase’s death: ‘Please, please’

Child star shares emotional message after Daveigh Chase’s death: ‘Please, please’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Melissa Gilbert shared a deeply emotional tribute to former child actress Daveigh Chase, using the heartbreaking loss to deliver a powerful message about the pressures young performers can face in Hollywood. The Little House on the Prairie star took to Instagram to reflect on her brief time working alongside Daveigh, remembering the actress as bright, kind and professional while questioning the pressures she appeared to carry at such a young age. “I only worked with Daveigh a couple of days, but I could see she was bright both in countenance and in mind,” Melissa wrote. “She was bubbly, sweet and professional. But there was something else there, a push or need to perform… for her parents.” © InstagramMelissa posted this photo of Daveigh Chase in an emotional tribute on Instagram Melissa’s heartfelt plea to parents Melissa went on to reveal how deeply the news of Daveigh’s death had affected her, saying it had prompted her to think about the responsibilities parents have when introducing children to the entertainment industry. “I’m truly heartbroken,” she continued. “I …

The Trump Administration Is Lifting Its Export Controls on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable AI Models

The Trump Administration Is Lifting Its Export Controls on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable AI Models

Published by skeptic

The Trump administration is expected on Tuesday night to lift export controls on Anthropic’s two most powerful AI models after the company reached a deal with the Commerce Department, according to a person familiar with the matter. The department will lift restrictions on both the Fable 5 model and the more powerful Mythos 5 model, which has so far been approved for release only to select companies and government agencies, the person said. The move is expected to be communicated in a letter to Anthropic cofounder Tom Brown sent by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who has led the Trump administration’s efforts to resolve the dispute with Anthropic alongside the national cyber director Sean Cairncross. The developments come as Anthropic has been working with the Commerce Department and the White House, the people say, to strengthen safeguards against users bypassing Fable’s safety restrictions to access restricted capabilities, especially those related to cybersecurity. Anthropic originally contended that the administration’s jailbreak concerns were overblown. The company said it was impossible to ensure there were zero jailbreaks that could …

MacBook Ultra: Everything We Know About Apple’s OLED Touchscreen Mac

MacBook Ultra: Everything We Know About Apple’s OLED Touchscreen Mac

Published by skeptic

Apple is working on a high-end MacBook Pro that could be called the “MacBook Ultra.” The device will have several firsts in a Mac, including an OLED display and a touchscreen. The “Ultra” name isn’t a sure thing, and Apple could also continue to call the device the ‌MacBook Pro‌. It will be a “Pro” device in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ line. Design Apple hasn’t redesigned the ‌MacBook Pro‌ since it added Apple silicon chips in 2021, so the device is due for a new look. The MacBook Ultra could feature some design changes, including a thinner chassis. Apple could get rid of the notch on the MacBook Ultra, replacing it with an iPhone-style Dynamic Island. A ‌Dynamic Island‌ would unify the way Siri AI behaves across the iPhone and the Mac with iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate. Size Options The MacBook Ultra will be available in both 14-inch and 16-inch size options. Display Apple’s upcoming MacBook will be the first with an OLED display. OLED display technology is already used for the iPhone, Apple …

‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 has fans rooting for friendships

‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 has fans rooting for friendships

Published by skeptic

Love Island USA may still be predominately a show about dating. But as Season 8 has unfolded, viewers have cared less about romantic pairings than usual. According to online chatter, they’re invested in something that has long been controversial in the show: friendships. We’re not talking about a huge shift in the dynamic. Peacock’s reality series, which airs every night except Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET, still has all the usual ingredients: bombshells, recouplings, public votes, and the kind of villa drama that turns one conversation into a full internet investigation. And season 8’s Casa Amor episode, where couples get the chance to cheat mid-season, did still revolve around couples drama. Cast member KC returned from Casa Amor with Tierra, a.k.a. “Titi” — leaving his previous partner Aniya single. Aniya broke down in front of the group, telling KC she had picked him every time, and he had not picked her back. KC’s response was filled with attitude. But the part of the confrontation fans remembered? How fellow islander Melanie stayed by Aniya’s side as …

The Most Popular Queer Romance Audiobooks on Libby

The Most Popular Queer Romance Audiobooks on Libby

Published by Jenni Sidey

Our friends over at Libby shared which queer romance audiobooks their patrons, which stretch across more than 22,000 public libraries in the US, have been listening to the most. Unsurprisingly, Rachel Reid, author of Heated Rivalry—which was adapted into the mega-popular show—has a few books that made the list. There’s also another sports romance that seems to have Libby readers in a hold. The overall list, though, is not very diverse. If you are looking for more diverse queer romance audiobooks, make sure to check out Summer Official by Rebekah Weatherspoon, The Feywild Job by C. L. Polk, As Long as You Loathe Me by Swati Hegde, and The Celestial Seas by T. A. Chan. Below, you’ll find the most popular queer romance audiobooks on Libby—some are sporty, one royal, and one magical—all perfect for summer reading. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Source link

Four key takeaways from Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Report

Four key takeaways from Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Report

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — Almost immediately after the Trump administration’s Religious Liberty Commission released its draft 224-page report Friday (June 26), several faith and civic leaders responded with criticism. “The report and the commission behind it fail to represent and uplift the importance of religious diversity and tolerance for all faiths in our country — not just a special, chosen few,” the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, said in a statement. The report is “not a blueprint for protecting religious freedom. It is a roadmap for expanding religious privilege,” said Secular Coalition for America Executive Director Steven Emmert in a statement. The 12-member advisory commission, established by executive order in May 2025, is made up of 11 Christians, many of them allies of President Donald Trump, and one Orthodox Jew. Tasked with publishing a report on the history and state of religious liberty, the commission has held hearings in which witnesses and members spoke about religious intolerance and intimidation, primarily faced by Christians. Critics have long attacked the commission for being partisan …

Christie’s Old Masters Sale Totals .7 M. as Collectors Chase Top Pictures

Christie’s Old Masters Sale Totals $48.7 M. as Collectors Chase Top Pictures

Published by Jenni Sidey

Since Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer sold for $236.4 million last November, clinching the title of second most expensive artwork to sell at auction, the secondary market’s mantra can best be summed up as “collectors will open their hearts and their wallets for exceptional work.” On Tuesday, Christie’s put that dictum to the test with its Old Masters Evening Sale in London, a 40-lot offering that landed comfortably within its pre-sale estimate of roughly £25 million to £37.5 million (excluding fees). In total, Collectors spent £38.9 million ($51.4 million) at Christie’s Old Masters Evening Sale in London on Tuesday, pushing the auction past its pre-sale high estimate as competition for a handful of exceptional works drove a string of artist records. Related Articles Led by Sir Thomas Lawrence’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington and two still lifes by Jan van Huysum, the sale sold 96 percent by value and 90 percent by lot, underscoring continued demand for top-quality Old Master paintings. There was strong bidding for a handful of standout works—including two sumptuous still lifes by Jan …