Things To Do In SW Florida

Carnival Cruise Line is finding its groove as it announces details and continues construction of its new music-inspired ship coming to Port Canaveral in 2027.

Reservations are now open for Carnival Festivale, a 180,000-gross-ton vessel with capacity for up to 6,400 guests. The company’s fourth Excel-class ship will sail alongside its sister ship, Mardi Gras, which arrived in Port Canaveral in 2021.

The new ship will be divided into six zones, including two new immersive ones inspired by music.

“Music is the universal language that brings families and friends together, and Carnival Festivale will amplify that unique connection. The experiences we’ll deliver will appeal to every generation,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a news release. “Everyone, no matter their age or interest, will find their rhythm on this ship.”

The ship’s Grand Central atrium is the main hub of decks 6-8 with floor-to-ceiling windows, color-changing lights and a rotating selection of live entertainment. read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is calling national security and privacy concerns related to TikTok and its Chinese parent company “highly overrated” and said Friday he’ll keep extending the deadline for the popular video-sharing platform until there’s a buyer.

Congress approved a U.S. ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake. But Trump has so far extended the deadline three times during his second term — with the next one coming up on Sept. 17.

“We’re gonna watch the security concerns,” Trump told reporters, but added, “We have buyers, American-buyers,” and “until the complexity of things work out, we just extend a little bit longer.”

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By FATIMA HUSSEIN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has dropped an investigation into a buy now, pay later company with close ties to President Donald Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., saying the investigation was conducted in a biased manner and based off politics.

The CFPB on Tuesday notified Credova Financial, a subsidiary of Public Square Holdings, where Trump Jr. is a board member and investor, that it was no longer under investigation. Public Square is a directory of businesses that sell American-made products, including financing for firearms and family pets, that market to conservative-leaning customers. Credova provides buy now, pay later services to Trump Jr.’s GrabAGun firearms marketplace, which went public this year.

The agency says the investigation, initiated during Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency, was politically motivated against firearms companies and Trump Jr. However, the company has a record of dozens if not hundreds of consumer complaints and settlements over state consumer protection violations. read more

Walt Disney World is rolling out a new pirate-themed hot spot at Magic Kingdom. The Beak and Barrel, located in Adventureland, is designed as an immersive experience that serves drinks, small plates and a big serving of swashbuckling atmosphere.

Beak and Barrel, the next-door neighbor of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, officially debuts Aug. 29. Disney previewed the space for members of the media Friday.

Sea sights

The interior decor is all pirate, all over the place. Look any direction to spy multiple ships in bottles, an array of flags, a crackling faux fireplace, melting candles, skulls, squid carvings, big bells, fanciful signs (“no fowl language” and a flier for Walk the Plans Swim School), dozens of portraits of ships and people, including Captain Merry Goldwyn, who, in Disney lore, runs the place.

The tavern looks like an extension of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction queue, which resembles a fortress. The Beak ceiling is vaulted, and the floor is stone. It’s fairly dark in the two main rooms, which have a couple of subset nooks, including the map makers’ room. There are lots of two-top seating, but also big tables and heavy-duty booths. read more

By ELAINE KURTENBACH, Associated Press Business Writer

BANGKOK (AP) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Friday that the company is discussing a potential new computer chip designed for China with the Trump administration.

Huang was asked about a possible “B30A” semiconductor for artificial intelligence data centers for China while on a visit to Taiwan, where he was meeting Nvidia’s key manufacturing partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., the world’s largest chip maker.

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“I’m offering a new product to China for … AI data centers, the follow-on to H20,” Huang said. But he added that “That’s not our decision to make. It’s up to, of course, the United States government. And we’re in dialogue with them, but it’s too soon to know.” read more