Things To Do In SW Florida

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and AMANDA SEITZ

WASHINGTON (AP) — There’s bipartisan support in Congress for extending tax credits that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19 pandemic. But the credits are in danger of expiring as Republicans and Democrats clash over how to do it.

Democrats are threatening to vote to shut down the government at the end of the month if Republicans don’t extend the subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the White House. The tax credits, which are slated to expire at the end of the year, go to low- and middle-income people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Some Republicans who have opposed the health care law since it was enacted under President Barack Obama are suddenly open to keeping the tax credits. They acknowledge that many of their constituents could see steep hikes in coverage if the subsidies are allowed to lapse. read more

President Trump and his new interim head of NASA Sean Duffy are pushing for a renewed effort to shuffle off the responsibility of running the International Space Station in favor of becoming a customer of a commercial space station provider instead.

NASA first doled out funds in 2021 for several groups to pursue private stations, including Blue Origin and Voyager Space, while also supporting Axiom Space to add modules to the ISS that would eventually detach to become its own freestanding station.

But little progress has been made toward realizing a commercial replacement.

Now NASA has asked for updated feedback from American companies as part of a draft Phase 2 Announcement for Partnership Proposals. The announcement made last week called on the updates to be submitted by Sept. 12.

The ISS, which will be celebrating 25 years of continuous human presence in November, is slated to be decommissioned after 2030, but Trump’s proposed budget for NASA’s fiscal 2026 signaled shutting down American support sooner. read more

Many Florida homes have shutters for protection. One Bay Hill home uses them as a design statement, with the black, wood-grained panels altering the look of the house and the pattern of sunlight inside.

The home, which also features a nearly 100-foot-long marble swimming pool and many windows, won first place in this year’s annual Parade of Homes Orlando contest in the “custom home” category.

The 3,987-square-foot house is now on the market for nearly $4 million, according to GrowthSpotter.

“Depending on the time the day and how the sun’s rays hit the house, if you have some of the shutters closed, it creates a little light design of the sun’s rays coming through. It changes the atmosphere and the mood of the whole entire home,” said listing agent Mark Anthony with ROI Ave.

“People are calling it the 50 Shades of Grey House Orlando, and it has nothing to do with a movie, by the way,” Anthony explained with a laugh. Instead, it is about those shutters that can seem to “gray out” the house and the light from the windows. read more

By KELVIN CHAN

LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators have accepted Microsoft’s proposed changes to Teams, resolving a long-running antitrust investigation that targeted the company’s messaging and videoconferencing app.

Related Articles

• 
  The Savings Game: Young widow’s options as an IRA beneficiary

• 
  Historic Winter Park nursing home closing doors after almost 70 years

• 
  Trump calls on all NATO countries to stop buying Russian oil, threatens 50% to 100% tariffs on China

• 
  Millions face skyrocketing health insurance costs unless Congress extends subsidies

• 
  This $4M home in Bay Hill proves architecture can be sexy

The European Commission said in a statement Friday that Microsoft’s final commitments to unbundle Teams from its Office software suite, including further tweaks following a market test in May and June, are enough to satisfy competition concerns.

The legally binding commitments will remain in force for up to 10 years and allow the company to avoid a potentially hefty fine. read more

By THALIA BEATY and MATT O’BRIEN

OpenAI has reached a new tentative agreement with Microsoft and said its nonprofit, which technically controls its business, will now be given a $100 billion equity stake in its for-profit corporation.

Related Articles

• 
  The Savings Game: Young widow’s options as an IRA beneficiary

• 
  Historic Winter Park nursing home closing doors after almost 70 years

• 
  Trump calls on all NATO countries to stop buying Russian oil, threatens 50% to 100% tariffs on China

• 
  Millions face skyrocketing health insurance costs unless Congress extends subsidies

• 
  This $4M home in Bay Hill proves architecture can be sexy

The maker of ChatGPT said it had reached a new nonbinding agreement with Microsoft, its longtime partner, “for the next phase of our partnership.”

The announcements on Thursday include a few details about these new arrangements. OpenAI’s proposed changes to its corporate structure have drawn the scrutiny of regulators, competitors and advocates concerned about the impacts of artificial intelligence. read more