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At the grand opening of Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key, Shaquille O’Neal was seemingly omnipresent, and not just because at 7-foot-1, he towered above everyone.

The former NBA star and Carnival’s “Chief Fun Officer” waved at ship passengers on the Carnival Vista before they disembarked to enjoy the new exclusive destination. He joined company leaders to ceremoniously unlock the sandcastle gates, officially opening Celebration Key, then took a few selfies at the behest of fans before handlers whisked him away.

Carnival’s Celebration Key opens on Grand Bahama with Shaq sightings, colorful fanfare

He went on to high-five the first kids to race down the sandcastle’s waterslides, tossed the first shot at the basketball court, had his giant handprints encased in sand and raised a champagne glass in a toast at Pearl Cove Beach Club.

How did the 19-year career basketball player and four-time NBA champion — who played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics — wind up intertwined with Carnival Cruise Line? read more

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance, clearing the way to close a deal that combined Hollywood glitz with political intrigue.

The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump’s legal battle with “60 Minutes,” the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the specter of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount earlier this month agreed to pay a $16 million settlement with the president.

Critics of the settlement lambasted it as a veiled bribe to appease Trump, amid rising alarm over editorial independence overall. Further outrage also emerged after CBS said it was canceling Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” just days after the comedian sharply criticized the parent company’s settlement on air. Paramount cited financial reasons, but big names both within and outside the company have questioned those motives. read more

NEW YORK (AP) — About 3.6 million hoses are under recall across the U.S. because hundreds have burst while being used, resulting in at least 29 injuries, including reports of temporarily impaired hearing.

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The recall covers a range of HydroTech-branded, 5/8-inch “Expandable Burst-Proof Hoses” that were sold at major retailers — including, Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot and Target — for garden, lawn care, car washing and other uses between January 2021 and April 2025.

The company said the hoses can burst if the interior, plastic strain relief “breaks or becomes fully unthreaded.” read more

By MATT OTT

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern confirmed that they are in “advanced” merger talks that would create a single U.S railroad with service stretching from the East to the West Coast.

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The Associated Press reported last week that the companies were discussing a tie-up but neither company acknowledged that until Thursday morning.

The potential merger would combine the largest and smallest of the country’s six major freight railroads.

Independent railroad analyst Tony Hatch said that the disclosure by the railroads suggests that negotiations are further along than previously thought. read more

By Henry Payne, The Detroit News

There’s never a dull moment in the U.S. market as automakers hustle to divine consumer trends, navigate federal regulations, juggle tariff-driven plant production, and dodge activist Molotov cocktails.

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  Light reading: A watching guide for new Disney Starlight parade

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  Federal regulators approve Paramount’s $8 billion deal with Skydance, capping months of turmoil

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  Millions of HydroTech hoses recalled after hundreds burst, leaving at least 29 people injured

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  Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern confirm merger talks to create coast to coast railroad

The first six months of 2025 saw robust sales on track for an annual 16.3 million in unit sales as gas prices dropped and tariffs rose. America’s love affair with trucks and SUVs continued with sales making up 82% of the light vehicle market. Just 10 years ago, cars made up 43% of the market. This year? Just 18%. read more