• As a frequent traveler, I've spent many days in interior staterooms on different cruise lines.
• My interior cabin on the Holland America Line's Rotterdam had a lot of amenities and felt luxurious.
• I love the beds on Princess Cruises ships, but my Norwegian Cruise Line studio was the best value.

As a frequent cruiser, I always book interior cabins. They're often the most economical option, though they aren't identical across cruise lines.

So, I compared my recent interior cabins on Holland America Line's Rotterdam, Norwegian Cruise Line's Getaway, and Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess.

Here's how the spaces stacked up — and which cruise room I liked best for its excellent value.

One of my interior cabins was on Holland America Line's Rotterdam.

Last December, I sailed on Holland America Line's Rotterdam for a 12-day Panama Canal cruise that cost $849 plus $460 for taxes, fees, and port charges.

My rate included a $25 onboard credit but no gratuities or add-ons like drink packages, specialty dining, WiFi, or excursions.

The above rate was for my half of the cabin, which I booked to share with a friend. Had my original reservation been for one person, I would've paid a higher rate for the same cabin.

The cabin had a decent amount of space, especially compared to ocean-view rooms on the ship.

My 160-square-foot cabin featured two wardrobes, a queen-size bed, a desk, and a minibar.

It was only about 15 square feet smaller than some ocean-view staterooms on the ship, which start at 175 square feet.

The large bathroom was a highlight.

This bathroom is one of the largest ones I've experienced on a cruise.

I liked that it had a walk-in glass shower as big as ones I've seen in nice hotels on land and a ton of storage around the vanity, shower, and toilet.

I had a lot of amenities and basics in my cabin.

The number of in-room amenities was impressive and included a mini refrigerator, safe, makeup mirror, hairdryer, robes, beach towels, and umbrella.

Plus, this cabin had the most electrical outlets I've seen in a cruise room thus far.

Lastly, the cabin had a well-stocked minibar.

The cabin had an expertly-curated minibar area featuring a cabinet with things like red wine, white wine, rocks glasses, and a stainless-steel ice bucket.

Bottles of Mondavi chardonnay, La Marca Prosecco, and premade On the Rocks cocktail were also available for an extra fee.

Overall, my Holland America Line room was classy, and standouts included the well-stocked minibar and massive shower.

My next cabin was on the Norwegian Cruise Line's Getaway.

In February 2023, I sailed alone in a studio cabin on Norwegian Cruise Line's Getaway on a six-day Bermuda cruise for $699 plus $283 for taxes, fees, and port charges.

The rate included free WiFi, an unlimited drink package, one specialty dining meal, and $50 toward a port excursion.

Norwegian's studio suites are designed for solo travelers, so I didn't have to pay the single-traveler supplement most lines charge cruising alone.

If I'd had a travel companion with me and we booked a non-solo interior cabin, the rate per person would've been even cheaper.

The studio felt futuristic and well-designed.

My 100-square-foot studio was packed with thoughtful and stylish futuristic decor, like cushioned wall panels along two sides of the bed back-lit with strip lighting.

I also loved my porthole "window" that could transform the room from pitch black to colorfully lit. Although I couldn't see the ocean out of it, it made the room feel larger and more cheerful than a standard interior cabin.

This was the smallest room of the three on this list, but I felt the space was used well.

The studio was filled with space-saving furnishings and designs.

For example, the handles on the wardrobes' sliding doors doubled as towel racks.

The bathroom didn't offer much privacy, but I didn't mind.

As this room is designed for solo travelers, the shower isn't separated by a door — it's just across from the bed.

The all-glass tiled shower and separate stall with a toilet felt tiny but manageable.

Lastly, I loved the perks that came with the studio.

My room came with attractive perks like access to a private lounge for cruisers in studios.

Plus, my hallway was also only accessible by keycard for other people staying in studios, which made me feel extra safe as a solo traveler.

Overall, I found my interior Norwegian Cruise Line studio to be convenient, cozy, and stylish.

I also spent 16 days in an interior cabin on the Caribbean Princess.

In August 2023, I stayed in an interior room on Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess on a 16-day sailing to Canada, New England, and Greenland for $1,863 plus $270 for taxes, fees, and port charges.

I sailed with another traveler in this interior stateroom, so this was for my half of the cabin and based on double occupancy.

This rate didn't include gratuities or add-ons like drink packages, specialty dining, WiFi, or excursions.

The room didn't feel particularly special, but it was very comfy.

My 162-square-foot cabin had one large closet, a desk, and a queen-size bed.

The highlight was its famous Princess Luxury Bed, a comfy medium-firm mattress with a plush 2-inch-thick pillow top. It's the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on while cruising.

I enjoyed the many in-room entertainment options.

I forgot to photograph it, but the cabin's compact bathroom felt nice and standard compared to others I've had on cruises.

The ship's touchless technology made it easy for me to unlock the stateroom door and request services.

Plus, the in-room entertainment was superior to what I've had on other cruise lines. I could watch movies or live satellite television or listen to music and audiobooks that were preloaded on the TV.

Overall, I found my cabin to be comfortable and quiet, with tons of options for entertainment.

If I had to pick a winner, I'd say my studio on the Norwegian Cruise Line felt like the best bang for my buck.

Holland America Line had the most luxurious furnishings and impeccable service, and Princess Cruises had the most comfortable bed and the best in-room entertainment.

For me, though, the all-around pricing and perks of Norwegian Cruise Line's stylish interior studios can't be beaten.

It was the smallest room I stayed in, but it had nearly the same furnishings and amenities as competitors' cabins. Plus, as a frequent solo traveler, the lounge access, added security, and lack of supplemental fee is music to my ears.

Still, I was happy with my cabins on Holland American Line and Princess Cruises — and I'd love to see both lines offer studios in the future.

• This summer, multiple controversies surrounding 'It Ends with Us' overshadowed the film's press tour.
• Fans criticized Blake Lively's promotion methods and speculated her and costar Justin Baldoni had fallen out.
• Four months later, Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni.

The "It Ends With Us" press tour this summer was overshadowed by rumor and speculation.

Ahead of the film's release in August, fans suspected lead star Blake Lively and her costar and director, Justin Baldoni, were feuding. Fans blamed Lively without know what cause their apparent falling out, and criticized her on social media.

The film survived the backlash, becoming one of the biggest hit movies of the summer, grossing $350 million worldwide.

Over the weekend, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni.

Here's everything we know about the situation.

Baldoni did not interact with other cast members at press events.

Fans suspected that something was amiss when Baldoni and Lively didn't interact during the press tour, despite playing partners in the film.

Lively teamed up with costars Brandon Sklenar and Isabela Ferrer for press events and with Colleen Hoover, the author of the book the film is based on, for interviews and TV spots. Meanwhile, Baldoni did a lot of solo press.

Even when they both attended the New York premiere on August 6, they were not photographed together.

Lively posed with her castmates, Hoover, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman, his "Deadpool & Wolverine" costar. Meanwhile, Baldoni was only photographed with his wife and some of the other producers who worked on the film.

While speaking to Entertainment Tonight on the carpet at the New York premiere, Baldoni explained why he was stepping back from the limelight.

"This isn't my night — this is a night for all the women who we made this movie for," he said." This is a night for Blake, this is a night for Colleen. I'm just so grateful that we're here, five years in the making."

Regardless of his comments, fans theorized about the potential drama between the two on social media.

This speculation intensified after a user on the r/ColleenHoover subreddit posted on August 6 that Lively and Hoover do not follow Baldoni on Instagram. Fans also noticed that the film's other stars, including Sklenar, Ferrer, and Jenny Slate, did not follow Baldoni either.

Business Insider could not verify whether they previously followed him.

For his part, Baldoni followed all of them except Hoover.

Fans wondered if the apparent beef was one-sided or if Baldoni was at the center of a wider fracture, especially since, during pre-production, Hoover and Baldoni appeared on each other's Instagram feeds multiple times.

Adding to this theory was a clip of Slate seemingly sidestepping a question about Baldoni at the movie's New York premiere. Asked about having Baldoni as both a scene partner and a director, she responded by not mentioning Baldoni and instead speaking about how "intense" it must be to do both jobs.

News reports fueled the speculation.

The Hollywood Reporter reported on August 8, citing unnamed sources, that the feud on set originated when two movie cuts emerged during the postproduction process.

Multiple sources told the outlet that Lively commissioned one of the cuts to be done by "Deadpool & Wolverine" editor Shane Reid. He was the same editor Lively previously used when she directed the music video for Taylor Swift's "I Bet You Think About Me."

However, the film's final cut was credited to editors Oona Flaherty and Robb Sullivan.

It's unclear if Reid's cut was used in the film version that showed in theaters, but according to one source who spoke to THR, the team agreed on the final cut.

A day later, Page Six reported, citing an anonymous source, that the two talents didn't see eye-to-eye while shooting the movie. Page Six reported that one source said Baldoni made Lively feel "uncomfortable" about her postpartum body during filming. Another source said Baldoni created an "extremely difficult" environment for the entire cast.

"It's not just Blake. None of the cast enjoyed working with Justin," the source was quoted as stating. "They certainly didn't talk to him at the premiere."

On August 13, People reported that a source close to the set said, "All is not what it seems," and the principal cast and Hoover didn't want anything to do with Baldoni.

Fans turn on Lively.

Though reports indicated that the cast had a problem with Baldoni, fans blamed Lively for the feud, accusing her of trying to take over the film.

This theory was supported by Baldoni and Lively's interviews in the lead-up to the movie's premiere.

On August 9, Baldoni told Today that Lively and Reynolds, who was not a producer on the film, contributed significantly to it.

"You can't summarize Blake's contribution in a sentence, because her energy and imprint is all over the movie and really, really made the film better, and from beginning to end," Baldoni said.

Baldoni also said he struggled to balance allowing collaboration and having his voice drowned out entirely.

He said: "You don't have to listen to everybody, and that didn't happen all the time, but there were just moments where I would get out of the way too much."

Baldoni also said that Lively should take over as director for the sequel to the "It Ends With Us" novel, "It Starts with Us."

Meanwhile, Lively told E! News on August 7 that Reynolds helped pen the opening scene of "It Ends With Us."

The film's screenwriter Christy Hal told People a day later that she wasn't aware that Reynolds had written some of the dialogue used in the final version of the script.

"When I saw a cut, I was like, 'Oh, that's cute. That must have been a cute improvised thing,'" Hall said. "So if I'm being told that Ryan wrote that, then great, how wonderful."

The film is about a florist whose husband becomes abusive, and Fans also criticized Lively for speaking about the film's romantic elements during the press tour, and less about the domestic abuse plot. This was in line with the film's marketing.

Baldoni was the only cast member who consistently spoke about the domestic abuse element.

Baldoni recruited a PR crisis manager who represented Johnny Depp during his trial with ex-wife Amber Heard.

The Hollywood Reporter reported on August 13 that the actor hired veteran PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan, who represented Johnny Depp during the Amber Heard trial in 2022.

Nathan launched her agency in 2024, specializing in crisis communications and reputation management.

A clip of Lively acting hostile toward a reporter in a 2016 interview resurfaced amid the 'It Ends With Us' drama

Journalist Kjersti Flaa released a clip of an interview with Blake Lively on August 10, titled "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job."

"It actually took me a while to get over the experience," Flaa told Business Insider in an email on August 19.

"Every time I entered a room after this I got nervous that something similar might happen again," she wrote.

Lively's costar put out a statement asking people to stop focusing on 'what may or may not have happened.'

Sklenar, who plays Lively's other love interest in "It Ends With Us," spoke out about the speculation in an Instagram post on August 20.

"I wanted to take a minute and address all this stuff swirling online," he wrote, going on to condemn people for "vilifying" women who were part of the film.

"Colleen and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves. Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about," he said.

"This film is meant to inspire. It's meant to validate and recognize," Sklenar added. "It is not meant to once again, make women the 'bad guy,' let's move beyond that together."

Representatives for Baldoni, Lively, Reynolds, Hoover, and Sklenar did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Lively files a complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment.

On December 20, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, inflicting "emotional distress," and conspiring to damage her public reputation.

The complaint also named Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni's production company, and Jamey Heath, the company's CEO, as two of the 11 defendants in the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Lively said an "all-hands" meeting about Baldoni and Heath's behavior on set was held in January 2023. She accused him of showing her nude videos and images of women, improvising kissing scenes or intimate scenes, and entering her trailer while she was naked.

Lively said she held the meeting for all the female cast members and requested an intimacy coordinator to be hired.

Lively said Heath and Baldoni retaliated against her by orchestrating a "multi-tiered" plan to "destroy" her public reputation and stop her or anyone else from speaking out about what happened on set.

Lively said Baldoni hired the crisis PR, Nathan, and a Texas-based contractor named Jed Wallace, both defendants in the lawsuit, ahead of the film's premiere to carry out this plan. She said it involved feeding theories on social media to shift the narrative against Lively.

She also claims in the lawsuit that the cast agreed to a marketing plan created by the film's distributor, Sony Pictures Entertainment, to avoid talking about the sad parts of the movie, which Baldoni broke away from.

"What the public did not know was that Mr. Baldoni and his team did so to explain why many of the Film's cast and crew had unfollowed Mr. Baldoni on social media and were not appearing with him in public," the complaint said.

Baldoni's attorney said Lively blamed Baldoni to fix her reputation.

Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, told BI in a statement: "It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation, which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions."

Freedman said Nathan was hired because Lively made multiple demands and threatened not to show up to set or promote the film if they were not met.

A representative for Lively referred BI to a statement shared with The New York Times on Saturday: "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."

Lively's costars from 2005's "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" — America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel — and Hoover have shared statements in support of Lively after she made the complaint.

• The CDC randomly inspects and scores cruise ships to prevent the spread of stomach viruses.
• The average score of vessels in 2024 is 95.9 out of 100 — 85 or less is considered failing.
• The nine dirtiest ships scored between 86 to 89. Two others failed but passed in later reviews.

A "B" is considered a passing grade on most exams.

For cruise ships, scoring an 85 out of 100 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vessel Sanitation Program review is considered a failure.

In 2024, the CDC reported 13 bacterial and viral outbreaks on ships. Most incidents were of norovirus, a highly contagious bug that quickly spreads through tainted food, water, surfaces, or people.

Best not to be a victim. Its main symptoms — vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain — can quickly ruin a vacation.

To mitigate these outbreaks, the CDC conducts random and unannounced sanitary inspections on cruise ships. The public health agency then scores the vessel from zero to 100, with outcomes of 85 or lower considered inadequate.

The review includes checking common spaces like pools and children's activity centers. Obvious issues like vermin and improperly stored food will cost points. As will subtler problems, such as buffet handwashing stations with lights less than 110 lux and produce stickers left where cleaned cooking equipment is stored.

The CDC has performed 151 inspections in 2024, including repeat inspections on 23 ships. The average score is about 95.9. 27 vessels achieved perfect marks, while two failed but later passed in later reviews.

Nine vessels didn't break into the 90s range, including Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's ultra-luxury Evrima:

1. Hanseatic Inspiration — Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, scored 89 (inspected October 28, previously received a 62 on September 29)
2. Carnival Elation — Carnival Cruise Line, scored 89 (inspected March 14)
3. Adventure of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International, scored 89 (inspected January 23)
4. National Geographic Sea Bird — Lindblad Expeditions, scored 88 (inspected July 25)
5. Carnival Miracle — Carnival Cruise Line, scored 88 (inspected April 21)
6. MSC Magnifica — MSC Cruises, scored 86 (inspected May 17)
7. Evrima — Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, scored 86 (inspected February 9)
8. Carnival Breeze — Carnival Cruise Line, scored 86 (inspected March 21)
9. Caribbean Princess — Princess Cruises, scored 86 (inspected March 20)

Crystal Serenity received an 89 on February 2 but was bumped to a 90 seven months later. Similarly, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise received a failing score of 83 on May 1 but passed a subsequent inspection with a 92 on July 2.

What the cruise lines have said

A spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd told Business Insider that Hanseatic Inspiration's initial lower score was a "very unfortunate incident" that didn't reflect the company's operational standards. "We have been consistently meeting strict hygiene requirements worldwide for many years with exemplary results," they said.

Following the inspection, the cruise line addressed the ship's "operational aspects" to meet its quality standards, as showcased in the vessel's follow-up passing score in October.

The spokesperson said lingering issues are "being addressed and will be completed in a timely manner," and the company will continue to improve its "quality management processes" particularly with regard to the requirements of the CDC."

Similarly, a spokesperson for MSC Cruises told BI in October it had implemented an "improvement plan" on MSC Magnifica according to the CDC inspector's suggestions. Many of the changes were immediate and only needed "minor" efforts, it said. The cruise line said that it believes Magnifica's score "is not a true reflection of the ship as it is today" and would "welcome any future inspection."

MSC noted that many of its ships frequently achieve above 90, including the MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seashore, which both received perfect marks in 2024.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Lindblad Expeditions, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Princess Cruises didn't respond to a request for comment.

• Gary Binkow was an Emmy award-winning and Academy Award-nominated movie producer.
• He left his multimillion-dollar career in Hollywood to pursue a new job in the longevity industry.
• Gary now makes less than he did working in Hollywood but says he's happier and wouldn't go back.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gary Binkow, a former Hollywood producer who gave up his multimillion-dollar career to start a new business in the longevity industry. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I got into the movie business because my one talent as a kid was that I was really good at watching TV and movies — I mean, I just inhaled everything I could.

The way my brain works is that I would watch TV shows and movies and try to unravel what it was about them that moved me and how the storytelling worked. And so then, when I found out you can go major in movie-making, I decided to do that. I went to Columbia University and majored in film because, frankly, I thought it would be easy. I'm always looking for the path of least resistance.

I started working for MTV in New York in 1980 and, after moving to California, worked my way up from an assistant working at 20th Century Fox to a development executive, then eventually a producer, mainly based at Miramax Films.

I had a long career in Hollywood. I made about 30 films on the independent side and had a successful run at Miramax. At the top of my career, I produced a movie called Finding Neverland, which came out in 2004, won a bunch of awards, and got nominated for several Oscars.

Even though I had been successful, I still found my creative ideas blocked by industry gatekeepers like Harvey Weinstein, who repeatedly passed on them even though they'd made millions with other studios.

I decided I didn't want to be in a system where I couldn't control my own destiny and realized I was really an entrepreneur. When you make 30 independent movies, you are essentially building 30 independent companies. So, I decided to use those skills to start my own company in 2005, Collective Digital Studios, a new media company offering services like content production, brand management, and distribution.

Everybody in the movie business told me I was an idiot and crazy for leaving. But in the early 2000s — the early days of internet virality — we worked with content creators and comedians like Logan Paul and King Bach before they'd made it big and created a massive platform leveraging their expertise in hooking audiences with short video clips. As we expanded, we helped Katt Williams license his iconic comedy special, "The Pimp Chronicles," to HBO in 2006 and produced thousands of YouTube videos, driving strong profits — but something felt like it was missing.

I decided I'd rather do something more powerful. I was good at helping people connect with audiences and telling better stories, but I wanted to do it with a purpose and a mission. So I left. In 2019, we sold the company, which is now known as Studio71, for a healthy exit to ProSieben, and I decided I wanted to use the same skill set in health and wellness.

So, my partner and I moved out of Los Angeles and onto an organic avocado farm in the beach town of Carpinteria, California. We've been working to rehabilitate it, and in 2020, I started The Swell Score, a membership-based online marketplace for holistic and clean supplements and other household products.

I've been interested in holistic health for my whole life. I'm always looking for more natural ways to stay healthy and out of the sick care system. But there is a lot of misinformation and skepticism in the wellness space — and I understand that because I'm just as skeptical. So, at The Swell Score, we partner with medical experts to review wellness and beauty products and work with customers to teach them how to improve their health and live longer, happier lives.

The Longevity Lab, which I opened in October in Carpinteria, is an expansion of that. It's a retail space where you can buy these products and see the difference for yourself. We offer everything from non-toxic mattresses and housewares to wellness supplements, beauty products, and bath items.

So far, the wellness space has been good to me — it's not nine figures good yet, but I have no interest in going back to Hollywood; the movie-making business is totally broken. I plan to keep building in this industry, and people have been really responsive. I think part of that is because I took some of the tactics of storytelling and brand building that I learned from the other company and applied them to health and wellness.

Now, when I get asked to advise people and help them hone their business stories and strategies, the one thing I tell anybody who's getting started is that I would think of yourself as a media company first, not a product company. You know, with just one video, you could create your billion-dollar business.

• As a sommelier, there are a few red wines I like to keep on hand for the holiday season.
• Sparkling reds can add a special touch to a festive gathering or big dinner.
• Cesanese and teroldego are some of my favorite Italian reds.

When I started my career in the wine industry over 15 years ago, I drank red wines I didn't enjoy just because I thought they were high quality.

Turns out I couldn't train myself to like them. Luckily, however, I eventually found a few reds that always seem to please me and any guests I'm hosting.

Here are some of the red wines I've been buying lately as a sommelier.

I live near Rome, so cesanese is plentiful.

Cesanese del Piglio is the first DOCG of Lazio, the region where Rome is located. This means it's been rated one of the highest-quality Italian wines.

The beautiful wine grape grows in the foothills of the Apennines Mountains.

Cesanese has aromas of cherry, sweet spices, roses, and often black pepper. The tannins are pretty light, too, so bottles don't have to age long to be enjoyed.

It pairs best with fresh pasta dishes, heavy meat sauces, and seasonal porcini mushrooms.

Zinfandel has a whole new image.

When most people think of zinfandel, they picture the pink-hued boxes of white zinfandel from the '80s and '90s.

This hasn't given it the best reputation among wine drinkers and professionals.

However, winemakers in California have started to reimagine zinfendel. They're making gorgeous, robust reds from the old white-zin vines.

These are well-constructed, spicy wines with lots of dark berry aromas. They're often labeled "jammy," so if you like a fruit-forward bottle, this is for you.

Teroldego reminds me of summer, even in the dead of winter.

I go to the Dolomites in the Italian Alps every summer to eat and drink the region's best food and wine.

Nothing tops a well-made glass of teroldego for me. When I open a bottle back at home near Rome, I'm immediately transported to those alpine summers. Think wild berries, pine needles, freshly turned earth, cut grass, mountain streams, and medicinal herbs.

The flavor is complex and bright, and it's perfect to pair with the region's heavier cuisine, such as polenta with chanterelle mushrooms, knödel, and fondue.

I always have a case in my cellar.

This is your sign to try some sparkling reds.

Sparkling reds aren't as well known as their white counterparts, but they are the perfect pizza wine. I like to keep some on hand for more casual dinners and gatherings.

One of the most famous sparkling reds is Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna. However, winemakers worldwide are producing delicious, naturally sparkling reds in the pet-nat style.

The best ones are made from high-acidity red-wine grapes. Look for sparkling shiraz, dry Lambrusco, Gamay-based vin du bugey, and my personal favorite, barbera frizzante. It's made from the barbera grape and is known for its high acidity and food friendliness.

Saperavi is one of the oldest domesticated red grapes.

Saperavi, originating in the country of Georgia, is one of the oldest known domesticated red grapes in the world. Today, you can find bottles from Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Australia, and even the Finger Lakes in New York.

These wines look almost black because they contain high levels of anthocyanins (water-soluble pigments).

The wine is often complex, with aromas of cassis, blackberries, spice, earthiness, cherries, leather, and licorice. A bold glass of saperavi is great on its own, but it also pairs well with lamb or game dishes and cheese-based sauces.

Rosé is popular for a reason.

Today's rosé wines go beyond the blush-pink bottles of yesteryear. I love that they can give you the flavors of beloved red-wine grapes without the heaviness.

I lean toward deep-hued rosés made from grapes like grenache, Sangiovese, teroldego, and even cabernet sauvignon. Italians also have a long history of producing darker rosato wines such as Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo and Cerasuolo di Vittoria.

If you can't decide between red and white next time you're hosting, this is a great compromise.

• Silicon Valley tech firms are reportedly looking to unite to win more defense contracts.
• Palantir and Anduril have held talks with a dozen companies to form the group, the FT reported.
• Companies that could participate include Sam Altman's OpenAI and Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Defense tech firms Palantir and Anduril are in talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX, Sam Altman's OpenAI, and others to form a new group in Silicon Valley to bid for Washington's lucrative defense contracts, according to a new report.

Palantir and Anduril, some of Silicon Valley's most notable defense companies, have held discussions with around a dozen firms to create a group that can take a larger share of the US government's roughly $850 billion defense budget, the Financial Times reported Sunday.

The group, which could announce strategic partnerships next month, would seek to bring Silicon Valley-style disruption to an industry dominated by so-called "prime" contractors, such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

Musk, who is leading a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency under the direction of President-elect Donald Trump, used X last month to criticize Lockheed Martin's crewed F-35 fighter jets. He has previously advocated for autonomous drones.

"We are working together to provide a new generation of defense contractors," one person close to the group told the Financial Times. Others involved in the group include A16z–backed startup Saronic and AI data firm Scale AI, the report said. The consortium could announce agreements with some tech firms as soon as January, the report said.

The move to form a group involving rival firms would mark one of the most coordinated efforts in Silicon Valley yet to edge further into the defense sector and shake-up a system that tech leaders have criticized for being too slow to adopt new technologies.

Palantir, cofounded in 2003 by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, has previously won several government contracts. In May, the Pentagon awarded the firm a $480 million contract to use its data analytics platform on Project Maven, an AI tool for analyzing battlefield data.

Discussing his new book in a conversation with investor Stanley Druckenmiller at JPMorgan's Asset Managers CEO Forum this month, Palantir CEO Alex Karp argued that Silicon Valley needs to work more closely with the US government.

Defense startup Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey — the tech mogul who founded and sold virtual reality startup Oculus to Meta — has also won contracts for its autonomous and air defense systems.

Palantir, Anduril, SpaceX, Saronic, Scale AI, and OpenAI did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment outside regular working hours.

• Javier Milei, the Argentine leader who has inspired Elon Musk, says he plans to cut how many taxes there are.
• He said he was planning to "eliminate 90% of taxes — not revenue, but the number of taxes."
• Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, co-heads of DOGE, are looking to radically trim the US federal government.

Argentina's President Javier Milei says he will reform the Argentine tax system to have no more than 6 taxes.

In a clip from an interview with Forbes Argentina, published on Sunday, Milei said: "We'll advance privatization, deepen labor reforms, and eliminate 90% of taxes — not revenue, but the number of taxes — moving to a simplified system with no more than six taxes at most."

It would be the latest sweeping move by a firebrand president who has inspired members of the incoming Trump administration.

Since taking power on December 10, 2023, Milei has presided over sweeping cuts. He fired tens of thousands of public employees, shut down half the country's 18 ministries, and reduced state spending by an estimated 31% in his first 10 months alone — making good on his pledge to take a "chainsaw" to the state.

Milei's actions caught the attention of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the men now charged with a similar task under President-elect Donald Trump.

Last month, Musk said Argentina had made "impressive progress,'" while Ramaswamy said that the US needed "Milei-style cuts on steroids."

In the interview, Milei said his administration had only accomplished the "first step" of its plan, and that what was coming next was the "deep chainsaw."

"It is not only a question of deregulating and removing these obstacles, but it also implies a new reform of the state to make it even smaller," he said.

Milei added that his administration has so far only implemented a quarter of the reforms it wants to pursue.

Argentina's latest economic figures suggest the country may be turning a corner after struggling economically.

Argentina's inflation dropped from 25.5% in December 2023 to 2.4% in November 2024. However, unemployment rose to 6.9% in Q3, from 5.7% in the same period last year.

Economic activity, meanwhile, grew 3.9% in Q3, compared to Q2.

According to BBVA projections, Argentina will achieve a fiscal balance in 2024 for the first time in 15 years. It also said that it expects Argentina's GDP to rebound strongly next year, from a 3.8% deficit in 2024 to 5.5% in 2025, driven by investments and private consumption.

However, Facundo Nejamkis, director of Opina Argentina, a political consultancy firm, told Reuters this month that Milei's cuts had ignited a "major" recession, and according to Argentina's statistics agency, the country's poverty rate rose to 52.9% in the first half of 2024, the highest rate in 30 years.

Speaking at an event at Argentina's Chamber of Commerce and Services last month, Milei said the recession was "over," after the country had gone through "a difficult period of effort and pain."

And in an episode of the Lex Fridman podcast last month, Milei advised Musk and Ramaswamy to go "all the way" in cutting US federal spending.

Reacting to Milei's latest interview on X, where he talked about eliminating the taxes, Musk wrote one word: "Impressive."