Director Nicholas Bruckmans documentary offers an illuminating account of the phenomenon, which straddled the worlds of art and technology and increasingly seems like a fizzled fad.

Refrigerators and freezers typically get their cooling power from environmentally harmful fluidsMint Images Limited/AlamyA new type of crystal could enable refrigerators and air conditioners to keep us cool without warming the planet.Refrigerators and air conditioners get their cooling power by circulating a liquid through the device, which absorbs heat and causes chilling through a cycle of evaporation and condensation. But many such liquids contribute to the greenhouse effect, causing further warming when they leak. Now, Jenny Pringle at Deakin University in Australia and her colleagues have made a climate-friendly alternative to these liquids using plastic crystals crystals with molecules that can move just enough to make them pliable. AdvertisementUnder enough pressure, these plastic crystals can transform. Their molecules go from being randomly oriented to aligning themselves into a neat grid. Then, when pressure is removed, they become disordered again. As part of this disordering process, the crystals absorb heat, effectively cooling their surroundings.Such pressure-based cooling has been investigated before, but most materials capable of this transition could only do so at balmy temperatures, limiting their cooling power, says Pringle. In contrast, the heat-sucking ability of her teams crystals kicks in at temperatures from -37C (-34.6F) to 10C (50F), a suitable range for household refrigerators and freezers.However, the new crystals are not ready to leave the lab yet. Thats because the pressures needed to make them work are very high hundreds of times greater than atmospheric pressure and equivalent to being thousands of metres underwater, says Pringle.David Boldrin at the University of Glasgow, UK, says materials like those in the new study have the potential to almost completely decarbonise this huge [cooling] industry, but he shares the concern about the high pressures required.There may be another practical issue with this approach, says Bing Li at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. With every repeated use, each crystal may absorb less heat, as the grid the molecules form becomes more strained. Still, Li is optimistic and says he is confident the technology could be applied in the near future.Journal referenceScience DOI: 10.1126/science.adq8396Topics:

Christina Haack and Josh Hall are getting divorced less than three years after they got married.Hall was Haack's third husband, as she was previously married to two other HGTV stars.HGTV shared a new clip of "The Flip Off" on Thursday that showed tension between the then-couple.When Christina Haack celebrated her marriage to Josh Hall in September 2022, she said she was more certain than ever her life was on track.In a deleted Instagram post, Haack wrote, "Everything in life has led me to where I am right now, which is exactly where I want to be."Less than three years after they were legally wed, they both filed for divorce, and Haack has deleted nearly all traces of Hall from her social media.Before their split, Haack and Hall were supposed to film a new HGTV series, "The Flip Off," with Haack's ex, Tarek El Moussa, and his wife, Heather Rae El Moussa.A new clip of the series, which will premiere on January 29, 2025, appeared to offer insight into the tension that was brewing between the couple ahead of their split, with Hall saying Haack was pissing him off in the short video.Business Insider broke down the timeline of Hall and Haack's relationship, their sudden separation, and how the split impacts them professionally.When contacted for this story, a spokesperson for Hall told BI, "Josh Hall has no comment about this matter. He hopes to resolve these matters in private, not through the press."A representative for Haack declined to comment.Haack and Hall first became romantically involved in the spring of 2021According to US Weekly, Haack and Hall first met at a real-estate conference sometime in the late 2010s, but they didn't start dating until the spring of 2021.Haack was married to her "Flip or Flop" costar, Tarek El Moussa, from 2009 to 2018, and they had two children together Taylor and Brayden before they separated in 2016. She married Ant Anstead at the end of 2018, and they welcomed their son Hudson together before they separated in September 2020.Haack and Hall did not initially announce they were dating, but she shared a photo they took together in March 2021 on her Instagram in March of the following year, confirming they were an item by sometime that spring.Page Six photographed them together publicly in July 2021. On the same day the photos were published, Haack addressed their relationship in a now-deleted Instagram post, saying she wanted to keep it private from the media. Josh Hall and Christina Haack in July 2023. Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images "I met Josh when I wasn't in a state of fear or fight-or-flight," she captioned the post. "When we met this past spring, the synchronicities hit us so hard and fast they were impossible to ignore. I felt immediately crazy protective over him and wanted to keep him for myself and get to know each other before the tornado (media attention) hit.""We decided whats in the past, is in the past. We aren't looking at all the nonsense online," she added. "So yes 'another relationship' and guess what. I'm 38 I'll do what I want."The couple continued their relationship in the public eye, announcing in September 2021 that they were engaged with Instagram photos Haack shared from a trip they took to Mexico.They shared that they got married in April 2022Haack and Hall continued to share peeks at their life together on social media throughout the rest of 2021.Representatives for the couple confirmed Haack and Hall were married on April 5, 2022, after she changed her last name on social media from Haack, her maiden name, to Hall.However, according to documents reviewed by BI, both Hall and Haack listed their marriage date as October 6, 2021, when they filed for divorce in July, indicating they were married before publicly sharing the news.The couple bought a $12 million mansion in Newport Beach, California, in May 2022, which Haack called their "long-term family home" in a since-deleted Instagram.In September of the same year, they celebrated their marriage with a second wedding in Maui, Hawaii, surrounded by family and friends.Hall became more involved in Haack's professional life throughout their relationshipIn March 2022, Haack announced on Instagram in a now-deleted post that she and Hall were forming their own production company, Unbroken Productions. The name appeared to be a nod to Hall's Instagram, which has the handle @unbrokenjosh.The company took over production of "Christina on the Coast" starting with season four and produced "Christina in the Country," both of which air on HGTV. Hall has appeared in both shows.Speaking to BI in July 2023, Haack said it was an adjustment to be a producer because she had worked with her previous production company for a decade."It was a lot more work for me than anything in the past because we're co-producers. It's a lot more off-camera work than I'm used to," she said. "It's gonna be worth it, but it was a hard year."Then, on May 15, HGTV announced Haack and Hall would star in a new series called "The Flip Off" with Tarek and Heather.In its announcement, HGTV said the show would feature the couples competing against each other in "a battle to see who can find, buy, renovate, and flip a house for the biggest financial gain."The couple separated in July, and Hall filed for divorce firstAccording to paperwork reviewed by BI on July 17, Hall filed for divorce from Haack on July 12, listing their date of separation as July 8. He requested spousal support in his petition.Haack deleted several posts that featured Hall from her Instagram when news of their separation went public on July 16, and she submitted a response and her own request for the dissolution of their marriage on July 23.Haack listed their separation date as July 7, a day earlier than Hall did. Along with her divorce filing, she filed a request for order asking the court to grant her sole access to their Newport Beach home and two properties in Tennessee immediately.Haack said she wanted sole access to the Newport Beach home primarily to protect her children. Christina Haack, Josh Hall, and her children in January 2023. Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Feld Entertainment "I do not want to have a situation where there is a misunderstanding or any conflict, especially in front of my children," she said in her filing.In the RFO, Haack said that although the Newport Beach home is legally owned by both herself and Hall, it was purchased with money from the sale of her previous residence in Dana Point, California.She added that Hall came to the home unscheduled and "took items" after their separation on July 7 and that he plugged in security cameras Haack intentionally unplugged per a request from his lawyer."Josh's attorney sent a letter demanding that I preserve electronic evidence without it being automatically deleted, so I unplugged cameras so the system would not automatically overwrite the hard drive," Haack wrote in her filing. "Each time Josh has returned to the house he has plugged the cameras back in, which would allow him to keep me and my children under surveillance. I object to him having that access into my home."Haack also asked the court to make Hall return $35,000 to herHaack asked the court to instruct Hall to return $35,000 that she said he transferred on July 8 "without my authorization" to the personal account he used before their marriage."On July 21, 2024, I learned that on July 8, 2024, which is the day after I communicated to Josh that I would be filing for dissolution, Josh contacted my professional property manager via text and stated 'Hi. For June payments, can we please get it sent to a different account when it's time? Thank you,'" she said, attaching a screenshot of the message to the filing."The statement 'can we please' is not accurate as I had no personal contact with Josh on July 8, 2024," Haack said in the RFO. "I would not have asked him to send himself my money the day after I told him we are getting divorced." Christina Haack in 2019. David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images Haack also addressed Hall's request for spousal support in her RFO."I understand that at some point this Court may require that I pay some spousal support to Josh and reasonable attorney's fees to his counsel," she wrote. "However, it is my belief that this is a simple case with straightforward accounting over a short time period, any fees and costs should be minimal.""Like all hard-working mothers, my life revolves around my children and my work," she continued. "It is my understanding that Josh has his own income and therefore he should not need any spousal support from me. He has sufficient assets of his own to pay his own attorney's fees and costs."She said she was "shocked and concerned" that he transferred $35,000 of her "separate property money" to his personal account."The fact that this is the same date he now alleges to be our date of separation, even though it is actually July 07, 2024, makes it clear why he chose the next day," Haack said. "It makes me wonder what else I am not aware of as it relates to his financial situation and that is why I am having a full forensic accounting performed for the entire term of our marriage."Haack opened up about the separation on social mediaHaack shared a series of Instagram stories about her separation from Hall on July 25 and 26."Over here waiting for the typical Hired PR speech of 'how I was blindsided and how I'm working on myself and I'm taking time to heal at her ranch,'" Haack wrote in her story on July 25. "Meanwhile I'm over here not as nice and quiet as I used to be.""I have worked my ass off to build this life for myself and my children and anyone who would try and take what they do not deserve/what they did NOT work for should be ashamed. An insecure man with a large ego can sure try and derail you but 'still I rise,'" she said, appearing to quote Maya Angelou. "For those that aren't awaredivorces do not happen overnight.. & there is always a breaking point. This one is personal." Christina Haack spoke about the divorce on her Instagram. Christina Haack/Instagram Then, on July 26, Haack responded to a TMZ article that quoted "a source close to" Hall. The unnamed source told the outlet that Hall was "blindsided" when Haack said she wanted a divorce and that she "stopped speaking to him after a disagreement."Haack said in her post that Hall had not tried to contact her."I didn't block him and I didn't see any missed calls or texts the next day," Haack wrote in her story. "Which happened to be my birthday. Strange No flowers, no cards, no messages like 'Hope you have a nice birthday.'""Something's not adding up here," she added. "But I'm down to keep playing 'Christina Vs. The Victim' as I love this game."She also responded to a separate TMZ article about the $35,000 Hall transferred to his account. TMZ reported that "a source close to Josh" said he transferred the money to pay bills "for their rental properties, which they co-owned."Haack said she was the sole owner of the property in question."Pretty sure I bought this before I met you and a 1031 exchange," she wrote on Instagram. "Handled the bills? Like paid for them with your money? Uhh ya nooo. Def not."On August 2, Hall shared a now-deleted photo of himself with his dog on Instagram, saying in the caption that he would "not publicly badmouth anyone" amid the divorce."I prefer privacy, especially during something as life-changing as a divorce I did not ask for," he wrote in his caption, appearing to confirm Haack requested their separation. "I will not publicly badmouth anyone, as people have families, friends, and others who respect and love them. Unfortunately, the internet is forever.""We are real humans, this is our life and I am not here to entertain people I don't know with my private matters," Hall said. "Those details will be handled fairly behind closed doors with our respective counsels in due time. Those who know each of us, know who we are."Hall also removed posts related to "The Flip Off" from his Instagram.Hall questioned Haack's narrative in his responseHall filed a response to Haack's RFO on August 29, though it appears he signed the document on August 15. In the response reviewed by BI, Hall said he was "generally unopposed to the relief Christina has requested.''But he also accused Haack of using "scorched-earth divorce tactics." In his response, Hall said he did not transfer the $35,000 for his personal use, instead using it to manage their Franklin, Tennessee, property. However, he said a separate property manager handles day-to-day activities at the home."I made this request because I needed access to the rental income so I could continue to pay ongoing expenses and responsibilities related to the properties, which I directly handle," he said, pointing to expenses like paying housekeepers or internet services.He also said he transferred the money after Haack removed his access to their joint American Express account and his access to his LLC account for their rental properties on July 7.Hall also denied plugging in the cameras at the Newport Beach home after Haack disconnected them. In addition, he said he only went to the property twice in July to retrieve personal items. When he was there on July 15, he said he was "confronted by Christina and two of her friends.""They proceeded to follow me around while recording me with their cellphones," he said in his response. "Christina began making financial threats toward me, demanding to know how much money I intend to 'steal' from her as part of a settlement in our case."Hall's response also said that he went to the Newport home on August 2 to retrieve the remainder of his personal belongings, which he and Haack agreed upon through their lawyers."When I arrived on this date, Christina had notified the paparazzi, who were waiting for me outside the home," Hall said in his response. "Christina then spread lies through the press that she did 'not know' I would be coming to the house on that date. This can be disproved through documented communications between our lawyers, which I have reviewed.""Unfortunately, Christina has continued to litigate our divorce case through the media, while I just wish to reach an amicable resolution, devoid of the tabloid drama," Hall said.People published photos of Hall at the Newport Beach home, but the piece states the photos were taken on August 4, not August 2, as Hall's response states.The court ordered Hall to return Haack's $35,000 but also ordered her to pay him $100,000A stipulation and order filed on September 4 temporarily resolved Haack's RFO and Hall's response before their divorce hearing on October 8.The order granted Haack exclusive access to the Newport Beach and Nashville properties while allowing Hall to use their Franklin, Tennessee, home when short-term renters do not occupy it. It also gave Haack exclusive ownership over both their California and Tennessee LLCs.The stipulation said that Hall would return "the remaining funds in his possession" of the $35,000 he transferred to his account on July 8 and provide Haack with his accounting information for that date.In addition, Haack agreed to send Hall $100,000 as an "uncharacterized and unallocated sum" within 48 hours of the document's filing. The stipulation says he can use the money "for any purpose, including his interim financial needs as well as attorney's fees, costs and forensic accounting fees."Haack and Hall had three hearings in October regarding their divorce, with Hall attempting to block Haack's sale of their Franklin, Tennessee home. On November 13, People reported that Haack had taken the home back off the market, but the listing was active on Realtor again as of December 13.Haack's ex Ant Anstead is appearing on 'The Flip Off'Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa told paparazzi in July that "production is still going as planned without Josh" for "The Flip Off," according to E! News.In his response filed on August 29, Hall said he believes Haack "is also seeking to have me removed from a contractual agreement we entered into for the production of a new HGTV show, 'The Flip Off.'"On December 12, HGTV confirmed that Haack went forward competing against Heather and Tarek solo after she and Hall split.Haack, Tarek, and Heather continued to share promos for the series without Hall throughout the fall. On November 7, Haack wasphotographed on the set of "The Flip Off"with her ex-husband Ant Anstead.Haack and Anstead were estranged after their separation, going through a tumultuous custody battle over their son Hudson in 2022. But the pair seem to be on better terms following her split from Hall, with Haack re-following Anstead on Instagram in August, according to People. The outlet also reported that Haack told Backgrid she thinks Hudson "deserves" for his parents to "get along."Haack also said it would be a "genius 'ratings' idea" to have Anstead on the series after a fan suggested he replace Hall in the comments of one of her Instagram posts in August.HGTV also confirmed on December 12 that Anstead would appear on the series as a judge, along with other home improvement and reality stars like Amanza Smith from "Selling Sunset."Haack said Hall was 'insecure' in a November interviewDespite the uncertainty surrounding "The Flip Off," Hall did appear in the season two premiere of HGTV's "Christina in the Country" on November 12. The series, which Haack and Hall co-produced, was filmed before they separated.The first episode of season two opened with the then-couple speaking at their Newport Beach home, deciding to head to Franklin, Tennessee, for a bit so Haack could renovate some home. They also looked at a house to flip together and decided to buy it as they chatted at a restaurant in the episode.Haack posted about the season premiere on Instagram but didn't mention Hall as she shared her excitement for the season.In an interview with Entertainment Tonight that aired on November 15, Haack said she "did not enjoy" filming with her ex when discussing "The Flip Off," saying she was glad he was no longer part of the series."It was not fun, to be honest," Haack said of filming with Hall. "I did not enjoy filming with him. So having split up made this, to be honest, so much easier."Haack said "the show would have been hard to film" if she and Hall had stayed together partly because of his "jealousy over Tarek." "Flip or Flop." HGTV Heather echoed Haack's sentiments in a separate interview with ET."I don't want to be mean, but it was kind of nice to see him go," Heather said of Hall. Tarek added that Haack seems to have "recovered" from the split."Her energy is back," he said. "She's happy. She's excited about life. She's doing good."Haack also said in her ET interview that Hall being "insecure" caused problems in their relationship."When someone is insecure by you and doesn't like to watch you win, that really, like, puts a damper on everything," Haack said."I feel like I was not shining as bright to try to not make him feel emasculated," she added. "Who wants to live like that?"She also told ET she had been telling Hall for "at least a year" that "things were bad" despite his assertion that he was "blindsided" by their separation."For someone who says she moved on from Josh, Haack can't stop bringing him up," a source familiar with Hall told BI of the interview. "Josh has tried to move on with his life and has asked to keep the divorce private. Josh has no desire to play into any of this."Haack opened up to Tarek about the split on 'The Flip Off'HGTV announced on December 12 that "The Flip Off" will premiere on January 29, sharing a photo of Tarek, Heather, and Haack on Instagram.The network also released a clip of the series at the same time, in which Haack shares with Tarek on camera that she and Hall broke up.The scene appeared to be filmed at Haack's Newport Beach home, and she told Tarek after he arrived: "Josh and I officially split up."She details the breakup to him, saying she and Hall had a "blowup" fight during which he put his "middle fingers" in her face.A source close to Hall said he "has no public comment on private matters. Once again, Josh has moved on and does not want to live in the past. His life is not a reality show."In her conversation with Tarek, Haack said that she and Hall had been struggling "for a long time." She also told him their children spoke to her about the relationship."The kids literally asked me to leave," Haack told Tarek. "They told me he's not nice to me. Why would I stick around?""I feel like I'm in a tornado all the time, and I just can't get out of it," she added.Haack also seemed to reflect on the ups and downs of her life since she and Tarek separated in 2016 during the conversation."Everything since, like, 2016 has been so hard and so horrible," she said through tears. "It's really taken a really bad toll on me.""I'm really sorry for shit, too," she told Tarek. "I really am. I just want you to know.""I understand that feeling of being a little bit lost," Tarek responded. "And I acknowledge that I'm a big part, if not the entire part, of all of this."The tension between Hall and Haack was evident in a new clip from the showHGTV shared another clip of the premiere of "The Flip Off" on Thursday, showing an interaction between Haack and Hall as they drove to see the house they were set to flip together for the show.Hall told Haack he would do "whatever it takes to win" the competition against the El Moussas, adding "Halls rule."Haack didn't respond, leading Hall to tell her she was "rude.""Remember, you're a Hall now," he told her. "Don't get confused in this competition about what your last name is."Though he seemed frustrated she wasn't speaking, Hall also said Haack annoyed him when she did talk."You know how much shit you say and I'm just like, 'I wish you'd shut up already?'" Hall said."My wife's pissing me off already," he said before the video cut to the clip of Haack telling Tarek about the divorce.

Bernie Sanders waded into an ongoing debate between Elon Musk and some on the right over H-1B visas.Musk and the tech right generally support the visas, but some in the MAGA base oppose them.Sanders argued that the system allows corporations to exploit workers and enrich themselves.Sen. Bernie Sanders is wading into the heated debate between Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and the MAGA base over high-skilled immigration.In a statement released on Thursday, the Vermont independent and two-time Democratic presidential candidate said Musk is wrong about the H-1B visa, which is designed to bring high-skilled workers from abroad to work in the United States.Musk, Ramaswamy, and others on the "tech right" have argued that the system is necessary to compensate for a shortage of high-skilled workers in America, pitting them against more nationalist Republican voices who see the system as bringing unfair competition upon American workers.Sanders argued on Thursday that the system is used to exploit foreign workers while enriching corporations."The main function of the H-1B visa program and other guest worker initiatives is not to hire 'the best and the brightest,' but rather to replace good-paying American jobs with low-wage indentured servants from abroad," Sanders said, pointing to the fact that corporations have laid off American workers even as they've hired foreign workers through the H-1B system. "The cheaper the labor they hire, the more money the billionaires make."The Vermont senator called for a series of reforms to the system, including increasing guest worker fees for large corporations, raising the minimum wage for guest workers, and allowing them to easily switch jobs."The widespread corporate abuse of the H-1B program must be ended," Sanders said. "It should never be cheaper for a corporation to hire a guest worker from overseas than an American worker."Trump has sided with Musk, saying that he supports the H-1B visa system. That's despite him signing an executive order halting the program in 2020.Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Sanders has previously signaled a willingness to work with the billionaire businessman on cutting defense spending via the "Department of Government Efficiency" initiative, though he told BI that it remains to be seen how serious Musk is about the issue.

House Republicans could soon experience some serious dj vu. On Friday, January 3, the newly elected Congress will convene for the first time and vote for a House speaker. Like last term when it took 15 rounds for former GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy to be elected this contest could well be chaotic due to Republicans narrow majority and conservative opposition to current Speaker Mike Johnson, who is again his partys candidate for the job. At stake is Republicans ability to get pretty much anything done in the near term. The House isnt able to function without a speaker, which means that key tasks, like certifying the presidential election on January 6, are at risk of being delayed. Any speaker drama also sends a pointed message about the enduring divides within the party and how they could pose a real challenge when it comes to the GOPs attempts to pass actual policies in the coming year. RelatedRepublicans have a 219-215 majority one member less than expected since former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has said he wont be returning so Johnson can only afford to lose one GOP member if all Democrats vote against him, as theyre likely to do. (A candidate must win a majority of all votes to secure the job, so if all 434 members vote for a speaker option, Johnson will need 218 votes to win. If some members vote present, that math becomes more convoluted.)Already, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has said he wont be backing Johnson, and others, like Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX), Andy Harris (R-MD), and Scott Perry (R-PA), have refrained from committing their votes. Johnson has been scrambling to lock up the support he needs in recent weeks, including securing President-elect Donald Trumps endorsement on Monday, as well as the backing of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whos taken to weighing in on congressional infighting. Its not yet clear, however, if that backing will be sufficient to win over his skeptics, who are angry about Johnsons reliance on Democratic votes to approve funding bills and frustrated about the lack of transparency from leadership on major pieces of legislation. The House needs a speaker to functionAny speaker chaos effectively impedes the basic functions of the House. As laid out by a 1789 law, a speaker is required for everything from swearing in members to organizing committees to passing new legislation. The speaker election which takes place via a public roll call vote ultimately needs to happen prior to any other congressional business. The January 2023 fight over McCarthys election offered a preview of the potential consequences: As the voting process stretched to multiple days, members grew concerned about their inability to provide constituent services and to receive classified briefings, since they hadnt technically been sworn in yet. Unlike in 2023, however, there are also considerations beyond the day-to-day work of Congress this term. The speaker role likely needs to be filled for the House to certify the presidential election results on Monday, and a failure to do so could delay the certification of Trumps victory. As CNN reported Thursday, Johnsons allies have cited this concern as a reason for his detractors to stand down. If the House fails to elect a speaker by January 6, lawmakers could try to push the certification date to later in the month or test other unprecedented alternatives, like electing a temporary speaker, to clear this procedural hurdle. Its not certain, however, that the House parliamentarian, a nonpartisan official who advises Congress on interpreting the rules, would go along with such workarounds, according to George Washington University professor Sarah Binder, an expert on congressional rules. Binder notes that there are ways the House could utilize a temporary speaker to conduct urgent business but that the parliamentarian might advise against doing so. If they did, lawmakers would likely abide by this judgment since the parliamentarians decisions have typically held significant weight. (The parliamentarians advice isnt binding, and lawmakers have ignored it in the past, but these instances have been rare.)Possible chaos is a preview of Republican divides and the fights to comeAny speaker fight also signals just how deep Republican divides continue to go and how chaotic efforts to advance their policies are poised to be. It also shows the power of the partys right flank, which twice held the speakers contest hostage in 2023 in order to make demands about coveted positions on committees and the power to depose House leadership. Its a reflection of the underlying disagreements and factionalism within the House Republican Conference, Binder told Vox. Whether we date them to Donald Trump, whether we date it to MAGA, whether we date it to the Tea Party [movement in 2009] or beyond [or] activist conservatives versus the establishment, the Republican Party has long been wrought by this central faction.McCarthys contentious election and governance last term provided a vivid preview of these fault lines. In January 2023, it took multiple rounds of voting across four days resolving early in the morning on January 7 before McCarthy was elected speaker, thanks to conservative opposition to his leadership. To win the speakers gavel, McCarthy eventually offered significant concessions to far-right members, including seats on the Rules Committee and the ability for any Republican member to unilaterally force a vote on the removal of the speaker. The partys right flank eventually succeeded in toppling McCarthy from the speakership in October 2023, igniting another round of fighting over the position. It then took more than three weeks for Republicans to fill the position again, with multiple nominations and multiple floor votes prior to Johnsons elevation. It was McCarthys decision to work with Democrats to pass a short-term funding measure that precipitated his ouster, and on multiple occasions since then, Johnson has also had to rely on Democratic votes to keep the government open and to pass major foreign aid packages because his own conference was simply too fractured to agree on them.These splits, coupled with narrow margins in the House which will get even narrower soon, as two Republican House members join the Trump administration are set to be tested again and again in 2025. The speakers race will be Republicans first hurdle, but any GOP efforts to pursue ambitious immigration and tax bills during Trumps administration, or even to keep the government open, could prove fraught.The stakes are higher for them [now], says Binder, because theyve got Trump in the White House, and they have a policy agenda.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: Politics

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By Germain Lussier Published January 2, 2025 | Comments (0) | Andrew Garfield, seen here in Spider-Man 3, says he's not in Spider-Man 4. Image: Sony Even though Andrew Garfield was in Spider-Man: No Way Home, he was forced to deny it. Thats why he knows saying hes not in the upcoming sequel, out in 2026, really doesnt hold much weight. Im gonna disappoint you, Garfield told GQ when asked if hed signed on for the upcoming fourth Tom Holland Spider-Man. Yeah, no. But I know no ones gonna trust anything I say from now on. That odd choice of words brings us right back to 2021, one of the many times Garfield was asked about appearing in No Way Home. Listen, I cant speak for anyone else but myself, the actor said at the time. They might be doing something, but I aint got a call. Of course, we now know Garfield not only did get a call, he played a major role in the movie. It just happened to be so secretive, he was forced to lie to protect the secret. This time though, we think his statement has a bit more authority. Very little is known officially about the sequel outside of its release date (July 24, 2026), its director (Destin Daniel Cretton), and its stars (Tom Holland and Zendaya, to start). Producer Amy Pascal also confirmed itll continue the story from the end of the last film where Peter Parker (Holland) made the whole world forget about him in order to save it. So, we assume, well pick up with Peter Parker, still as Spider-Man, in a world where no one knows who Peter Parker is, or that hes Spider-Man. Which is a very blank slate. Could that story stay grounded in or around New York City? Of course. Could it be another huge multiversal adventure? Absolutely. And if its the latter, could that mean this Peter Parker reunites with his multiversal friends, Peter Two (Tobey Maguire) and Peter Three (Garfield)? Sure. But we just have a feeling, when that happensnot if, but whenitll be a little later down the line. Like maybe in Avengers: Secret Wars, which comes out the following summer.And whether it happens or not, Garfield wont be able to say. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published December 19, 2024 James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published December 11, 2024 By Sabina Graves Published December 10, 2024 By Gordon Jackson Published November 20, 2024 By Germain Lussier Published October 25, 2024 By Gordon Jackson Published October 23, 2024

By Cheryl Eddy Published January 2, 2025 | Comments (0) | Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game season two. Photo: No Ju-han/Netflix Squid Game season two hit Netflix December 26, and with a third and final season arriving later this year, its not a shock it ended on an agonizing cliffhanger. While fans wait to see whats ahead for Seong Gi-hunaka Player 456, played by Lee Jung-jaeand the other survivors, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is offering some carefully chosen words thatll probably the only clues we can nibble at until more episodes arrive. Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Hwang allowed that Squid Games final third will focus on the two characters youd most expect: Gi-hun, of course, as well as Lee Byung-huns Front Man. The latter slithered his way into the game as Player 001 and at times almost seemed to be sympathetic to Gi-huns desire to tear down the competition once and for all. However, as the season two finale amply demonstrated, hes not secretly a good guy. Hes still a cold-blooded murderer, and hes still sticking by his sinister priorities. Or is he? Asked if theres hope for the Front Man, all Hwang would say is You can see it in season three. Theres an answer to that question.Ending season two in such a bleak placeGi-huns player rebellion has been stomped out, and he still doesnt know the Front Mans been playing him all alongwas a deliberate choice to set up season three. Gi-huns failures along the way lead up to the devastating loss of his best buddy, Player 390. I wanted to end the second season at that very momentthen begin the next season from that space where hes ridden with a huge amount of guilt and defeat, Hwang said. I wanted to see where that would carry Gi-hun further on. He continued. The third season will really explore that sense of loss and failure, that guilt weighing so heavily on Gi-hun. Hows he going to navigate the story further with all of that weighing down on him? Personally, I see the third season as being the finale to this story. Thats because I believe Ive had closure to the story I wanted to tell about society through the character of Seong Gi-hun. If I ever wanted to go back to the world ofSquid Game, it would be about different characters with a different story arc. Some kind of spinoff, maybe.One character we wont be seeing again (unless theres some kind of prequel situation) is Thanos, the villainous fan favorite played by Choi Seung-hyun, also known as former K-pop star T.O.P. Hwang feels your pain, but he assured THR that Thanos wont be easily forgotten. Hes one of my favorite characters, too! I believe that was the right time to see him off it was very intense, which was the right way at just the right time for him to go. The way he leaves the story, if you watch until the third season, it will almost feel as if hes still there in some ways in terms of how he affects the plot. Squid Game seasons one and two are now on Netflix; season three is due sometime in 2025. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Germain Lussier Published January 2, 2025 By James Whitbrook Published December 30, 2024 By Justin Carter Published December 29, 2024 Germain Lussier and Cheryl Eddy Published December 26, 2024 By Justin Carter Published December 21, 2024 James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published December 20, 2024

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has warned that raw pet food products have tested positive for bird flu and sickened pet cats in the area.

Now that Attack on Titan has finally ended, half the fandom is left in awe and somewhat confused. It would be safe to say many fans had to re-watch the series for a second time in order to be truly able to understand what actually happened and catch up on all the massive foreshadowing Isayama did. With an absolute masterpiece of a finale, Hajime Isayama has truly made Attack on Titan one of the best anime of all time.