The company behind WordPress, Automattic Inc., and its founder, Matt Mullenweg, continue to face backlash over a "nuclear war" started with WP Engine (WPE) that allegedly messed with maintenance and security of hundreds of thousands of websites.

In a proposed class action lawsuit filed this weekend, a WPE customer, Ryan Keller, accused Automattic and Mullenweg of "deliberately abusing their power and control over the WordPress ecosystem to purposefully, deliberately, and repeatedly disrupt contracts"—all due to a supposed trademark infringement claim. If granted, the class would include "all persons in the United States who had ongoing active WPE WordPress Web Hosting Plans on or before September 24, 2024 through December 10, 2024."

WPE had previously sued Automattic and Mullenweg, alleging that the attack on WPE was actually an attempt to extort what Keller alleged was "tens of millions of dollars" in payments from WPE for using the WordPress trademark. Mullenweg made it clear that the value of the payments was "based on what he thought WPE could afford, rather than what the value of the trademark actually was," Keller's complaint alleged.

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• Donald Trump is threatening publishers again.
• A New York Times editor who's out with a new book says we need to take him seriously.
• A landmark free speech case could be at risk.

Donald Trump, who is used to suing journalists and media companies about stories he doesn't like, says he's going to do more of it.

In a post published on his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump vowed to "sue some of these dishonest authors and book publishers, or even media in general," arguing that they make up stories about him and "a big price should be paid for this blatant dishonesty."

"I'll do it as a service to our Country," Trump added. "Who knows, maybe we will create some NICE NEW LAW!!!"

Trump is presumably referring to the newest book by Michael Wolff, an author who chronicled Trump's first term and is back at it with "All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America," which is out this week. Trump complained about the book in an earlier Truth Social post this week. I've asked Wolff and the White House for comment.

Complaining about people who say or publish unflattering things about him, threatening to sue them, and actually suing them are nothing new for Trump. And up until recently, it was relatively easy for media companies and journalists to shrug off those complaints and threatened suits. Even when Trump did lodge a claim, he rarely won in court.

But in Trump 2.0, it's getting harder to dismiss a Trump rant about the media. Since his election this past fall, he has already extracted a settlement from Disney and ABC over a defamation suit he filed last year, and he's in discussions with CBS and Paramount to settle another suit, this one over allegations of "election interference" because he didn't like a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris. He has lodged a similar lawsuit against Gannett and its Des Moines Register.

How a key free speech ruling could be at risk

And while Trump's threat to create a law about defamation seems like a reach — in the US, laws are hard to pass, even when the same party controls the White House, the House, and the Senate — the direction he's headed is worth taking very seriously.

That's the underlying message of "Murder the Truth," a coming book from The New York Times' editor David Enrich, which details an ongoing push to tear down the legal underpinnings that support freedom of speech in the US. Enrich is specifically focused on New York Times v. Sullivan, a 1964 Supreme Court ruling that established the basic framework for defamation law in the US: In short, it should be very hard to successfully sue someone because you don't like what they say.

As Enrich notes in his book, this was both a landmark ruling and a popular one, cherished by free speech advocates across the political spectrum. But that has started to change in recent years.

There are multiple reasons for that, but the main one is Trump himself, Enrich told me on this week's episode of my "Channels" podcast.

On the campaign trail in 2016, Trump mused about wanting to "open up our libel laws, so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money." Which, again, was easy to dismiss at the time, for multiple reasons. But Trump kept coming back to the idea — and as we're seeing now, he has already had success on the payments front.

Next up: a potential showdown at the Supreme Court, where Justice Clarence Thomas has already said he's eager to revisit NYT v. Sullivan, as has his fellow Justice Neil Gorsuch. So Trump could end up getting his way without passing a new law.

There's been a slew of news about Trump and his allies battling with the press in recent weeks — see his fight with The Associated Press over the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America, and his dustups with the press corps over who gets to ask questions at press conferences and who gets to participate in the White House press pool.

And those stories unsettle me and other observers. But they're ultimately about access, not about limiting what the press — who, as Elon Musk likes to remind us, is everyone now — actually says, writes, and publishes. Threatening lawsuits, filing lawsuits, and extracting settlements from lawsuits are very much about that. Actually changing the law to make those suits that much more powerful is something that should alarm all of us.

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

• Wealthy people use premium cards to fast-track their way to luxurious experiences and top benefits.
• Many of the best credit cards are available to people like you and me if you meet the requirements.
• You'll typically need excellent credit and a steady income to qualify.

American Express cards have long been favored by the wealthy. Amex historically charges merchants higher transaction fees compared to other card issuers, leading many retailers to refuse Amex payments (and lower-income households to be denied for Amex cards).

While Amex cards have become more widely accepted over the years, they still have an exclusive aura that's partially based on reality. According to early-2020s statistics from American Express, Amex Platinum Card holders have an average household income of around $474,000 a year and boast a net worth of around $4.3 million.

But you don't need to earn or own millions to get this card or others like it. You'll typically need excellent credit to qualify and must be able to show a consistent history of stable income. Most premium cards also come with expensive annual fees, although the value of their included benefits can make the cost well worth it to you.

Amex Platinum Card

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the most recognizable cards worldwide. It's made of metal, lending a distinctive heft to any cardholder's wallet, and makes a satisfying "clink" when you drop it on top of the bill in a fancy restaurant.

Among its many benefits, the Amex Platinum Card unlocks complimentary access to hundreds of premium airport lounges worldwide, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounge network. Terms apply.

Cardholders can also rely on the famous Amex concierge service to help them snag coveted dining reservations, tickets to shows and sports events, and accomplish other exclusive tasks. Terms apply.

You'll need a separate category in your budget for this card's whopping annual fee of $695 (). But the Amex Platinum Card offers many statement credits worth more than a thousand dollars in products and services each year, assuming you can use them.

These annual credits include up to $200 on certain hotels booked through American Express Travel, up to $100 at Saks Fifth Avenue, up to $200 back on select airline fees, and credits for certain streaming subscriptions and Equinox fitness memberships (some credits require enrollment and terms apply). All of these benefits add up quickly to make the Amex Platinum worth it for loyal cardholders.

Delta Reserve Card

Delta Air Lines is popular with U.S. travelers for offering a top-tier flight experience even in economy class. Wealthy flyers who can afford to book business class on every flight can quickly earn their way to elite status and access to Delta Sky Clubs, the airline's proprietary network of airport lounges. Terms apply.

If you don't fly often enough with Delta to earn elite status, adding the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to your wallet can simulate the luxurious experience for a fraction of the cost and time spent midair.

Cardholders who can swing the $650 annual fee get automatic access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying with Delta, as long as they're not in basic economy (). Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card holders get up to 15 Sky Club visits a year — unless you spend $75,000 or more on eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year, which unlocks unlimited Sky Club access for the following year. Terms apply.

Better yet, travelers who buy Delta flights with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card get complimentary access to Amex Centurion Lounges and Escape Lounges as well on the day of travel. Terms apply.

Cardholders also get a 15% discount when booking flights on Delta SkyMiles, and are eligible for complimentary seat upgrades when available. Finally, they receive an annual Delta companion certificate for select flights within the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Terms apply.

Pro tip: Consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or the United Club℠ Infinite Card if you value airline lounge access but prefer American Airlines or United. Both of these premium credit cards offer access to the airline's proprietary lounge network worldwide, although neither card offers Amex Centurion lounge access like the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card does.

Hilton Aspire Card

Nothing says luxury like getting upgraded to a hotel's penthouse suite — an experience you may be able to enjoy for yourself if you have one of the best hotel credit cards around: the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

This premium credit card confers a slew of exclusive benefits that help soften the blow of its expensive $550 annual fee. Hilton Honors Aspire cardholders get a free night certificate each year on their card anniversary, valid at almost any Hilton hotel worldwide including five-star properties like the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.

If you get the Hilton Honors Aspire, it comes with complimentary Diamond status — the hotel chain's highest tier of elite status. Hilton Diamond elite members get automatic room upgrades when available, exclusive lounge access in hotels that offer this amenity, premium WiFi, early check-in and late checkout privileges when available, and free breakfast or a daily food or beverage credit, depending on what the property offers.

These benefits, and several others that come with this card, are worth thousands of dollars a year in luxury experiences and upgrades if you travel enough to justify the Hilton Honors Aspire's annual fee.

Since 2022, blogging site Tumblr has been teasing its plans to integrate with the fediverse — the open social web powered by the protocol ActivityPub also used by Mastodon, Threads, Flipboard, and others. Now, the Automattic-owned blogging platform is sharing more information about when and how that integration could actually happen. As it turns out, […]

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance will attend a two-day high-level summit focusing on artificial intelligence in Paris next week, his first scheduled trip abroad since taking office, a French diplomatic official said Tuesday.

The AI Action Summit on Feb. 10-11 will gather heads of state and top government officials, CEOs and other actors involved in the tech sector, which has been shaken up by galloping advances.

Vance has not made any official foreign trips since his inauguration last month. The White House had no immediate comment.

VP VANCE CALLS ON US 'TO DO A BETTER JOB' WITH AVIATION SAFETY AFTER 'INCREDIBLY HEARTBREAKING' DC PLANE CRASH

The French diplomatic official spoke on condition of anonymity as the list of top attendees has not been made official yet.

China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang is among those expected to attend the summit, which will be co-presided over by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The summit will take place at the Grand Palais, last year's Olympic venue for the fencing and taekwondo competitions. A dinner with top officials and CEOs is also scheduled at the Elysee presidential palace.

Vance's trip comes after U.S. President Donald Trump last month talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership of OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, Chinese AI model DeepSeek’s emergence has shaken up the tech sector, offering companies access to the technology at a fraction of the previous cost and providing the potential to push other AI companies to improve their models and bring down prices.

Vance in the past has acknowledged some harmful AI applications, but said at a July Senate hearing that he worries that concern is justifying "some preemptive overregulation attempts that would frankly entrench the tech incumbents that we already have."

• I tried orange chicken from Trader Joe's, Panda Express, and P.F. Chang's to find the best one.
• P.F. Chang's dish was my least favorite and also the most expensive. 
• Although Panda Express' was great, Trader Joe's orange chicken won based on its price.

Orange chicken is a popular dish that's been around for decades, but there's still some debate about the best place to get it. 

Panda Express' former executive chef Andy Kao is said to have premiered the Chinese-American recipe in 1987, and in 2017, over 50% of the chain's customers ordered the dish as part of their meal.

What started out as a mere addition to the Panda Express menu went on to become a food phenomenon, as restaurants and grocery chains around the world now offer their own version of the dish, with some rivaling the popularity of the original.

I decided to sample three of the most popular orange-chicken takes on the market from Trader Joe's, Panda Express, and P.F. Chang's to see which was best.

Trader Joe's award-winning Mandarin-orange chicken was just as delicious as actual takeout

Trader Joe's Mandarin-orange chicken is one of the brand's most popular items — it's so beloved by shoppers that it's earned a spot in the chain's Product Hall of Fame. After trying it for the first time last year, I could understand the hype.

But the most obvious difference between Trader Joe's orange chicken and its taste-test competitors is it's the only one that requires any actual cooking.

It's a drawback in some ways but in others, it's a plus, as you can add as little or as much sauce to the chicken as you want and choose to fry or oven-bake the dish.

You can also doctor it up with some chili oil or flakes if you favor spice. 

Trader Joe's orange chicken also had the crispiest texture

Once the Trader Joe's orange chicken was prepared, I couldn't even tell I'd cooked it from frozen. 

From bite-sized crisps to chewy mouthfuls, the fried-chicken pieces came in varying sizes, so no two scoops were identical.

The breading on this chicken's exterior was much thicker than most restaurant versions, which I found gave every bite a satisfying crunch. The meat was also surprisingly soft even after being cooked under the dry heat of the oven.

Without being super heavy or oily, this meal reminded me of a typical fried-chicken entrée.

The sauce that comes with the dish is much thinner than some others, so much so that it's more like a glaze. I combined the ingredients in a shallow mixing bowl, which left each piece nicely coated.

Good orange chicken is mostly defined by its sauce, which is why Panda Express' balanced mix of sweet, tangy, and savory remains unmatched. And although it wasn't identical, Trader Joe's orange-chicken glaze came close to mimicking the iconic combo.

Flavor-wise, the grocery chain's sauce is much less spicy than Panda Express', but it still had a nice, even blend of tangy orange flavor and a sweetness that didn't taste syrupy or artificial.

It leaned slightly more to the acidic side, which nicely cut down the sugar and created a wonderfully balanced dish. 

Panda Express' orange chicken had the most memorable flavor

According to NPR, Panda Express is believed to have invented this popular dish in the 1980s when a chef at one of the chain's Hawaii locations experimented with creating a spin on General Tso's chicken.

I've eaten this restaurant's orange chicken for as long as I can remember. Affordable, tasty, and consistent, it's pretty difficult to beat as far as fast-food dishes go.

At a glance, the order looks pretty unassuming — it's essentially bite-sized morsels of fried dark-meat chicken coated in a sticky, tangy orange sauce with no vegetables anywhere in sight.

Served in the signature red takeout box, it's a simple, no-frills option that's pretty much designed for convenient eating.

But don't let presentation fool you — this orange chicken hit all the right notes of a perfect takeout meal.

The chain's signature sauce really made this chicken a standout hit

Thick enough to cling well to every piece but not so syrupy that you have to scoop it up with a fork, this sauce balanced honeyed sweetness and tang just right.

Plus the lip-smacking umami finish lingered on the inside of my cheeks and kept me reaching for more like a bag of salty potato chips would.

The orange flavor was clearly detectable, but it didn't overpower the entire dish, which I actually prefer so my dinner doesn't taste like a mimosa. And a kick of chili came through to give each bite an extra oomph.  

Plus every chicken morsel was fried to perfection and had a tender, juicy center.

Compared to the other two dishes I tried, this one's breading-to-chicken ratio was just right, as the coating on each piece was thick enough to provide an initial crunch without tasting like fried bread.

To put it plainly, the chain's meal was perfectly balanced, and I wouldn't expect any less from a company that's had several decades to perfect its recipe.

Currently, a small order costs under $5 and gets you enough food to eat as an entrée for one or a light snack for two. This seemed like a pretty solid deal until I realized that an entire multi-serving bag of orange chicken from Trader Joe's is only $4.99. 

P.F. Chang's orange chicken had a refreshing, homemade taste

A single order from my local P.F. Chang's cost me $14.95, making it the most expensive orange chicken I tried for this taste test. But to be fair, that price gets you a more sophisticated version of this takeout classic. 

Right off the bat, I was impressed by how this meal looked. 

Garnished with fresh orange slices delicately placed around the edges and finely minced scallions speckled throughout the center, this entée consisted of several thick pieces of meat doused in a vibrant sauce.

This order also came with a side of rice at no extra cost. Compared to the others, this option had the appearance of a complete meal rather than a snack or appetizer.

Although the chicken was juicy and well-marinated, the orange-peel sauce was slightly too sweet for my liking

According to its menu, P.F. Chang's current orange chicken features a recently updated recipe. Since I've never tasted the previous version, I can't accurately speak to what's different about this new one. 

The chain describes its orange-peel chicken as "lightly battered" with a "sweet citrus-chili sauce" and "fresh orange slices" — and based on what I tried, that seems accurate.

To start, the chicken was cooked perfectly — I'm talking melt-in-your-mouth quality. 

I don't know what's in the batter, but I'd have to guess it contains some cornstarch, as each piece of chicken had a thin outer layer of breading with a delicate crisp that gave way to a tender meat interior.

It could be that I'm so used to the fast-food version of this dish, but the sauce seemed off-balance and was a little too tangy and fruity for my liking. It reminded me of an orange marmalade with the slightest whisper of chili.

The sauce's jelly-like texture oddly paired with the fried meat, and there was also way too much — the chicken was practically swimming in it.

And although I appreciated the fresh oranges, they seemingly served no real purpose beyond garnish. 

I'll give P.F. Chang's props for elevating this classic takeout dish and putting an upscale spin on it, but I can't picture myself craving orange chicken and immediately reaching for this fancier version first, especially when others exist for half the cost.

If you love traditional sweet-and-sour sauce or the "orange" half of the equation the most, you'd probably enjoy this option. But if you're looking for something with that familiar orange-and-spice combo, I'd advise ordering from elsewhere.

Still, if I went to an office party or a dinner soiree where P.F. Chang's was being catered, I definitely wouldn't turn this dish away. 

Despite having to cook it myself, Trader Joe's orange chicken may be my new go-to

P.F. Chang's meal had a yummy, fresh taste to it, but its citrus-forward sauce lacked the distinct orange-chicken seasoning found in the other versions. And although the portion size was generous, it is still much pricier than the other two options.

But when choosing a go-to orange chicken, it really comes down to preference.

If you like yours on the sweeter side, you may find P.F. Chang's meal to be just right. If you favor more of a spicy or tangy taste, you'd probably enjoy the other two.

With a winning combination of sweet, tangy, and umami, Panda Express is clearly the expert when it comes to this iconic dish. That said, Trader Joe's orange chicken left me feeling equally as satisfied.

And the fact that I can buy a 22-ounce bag of it from the store for almost the same price as a small order from Panda Express made it quite clear to me who the winner of my orange-chicken battle had to be.

Sure, eating it requires a little bit more work than simply ordering takeout. But considering I can get at least two meals out of it for the price of one, Joe can go ahead and take my money.

• Financial firms seek to hire thousands of skilled foreign workers through H-1B visas each year.
• President Trump's immigration crackdown is raising questions about the future of such visas.
• See which financial firms file for the most H-1B visas, according to publicly available data.

As President Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promises to crack down on immigration, questions remain about what might happen to skilled workers who come to the US on H-1B visas.

Trump targeted the H-1B visa program in his first term when he signed the "Buy American, Hire American" executive order to rein in potential abuses. Ahead of the second term, however, he told the New York Post that he "always liked the visas," which US companies use to hire foreign workers with specialized skills, often in science and technology.

"I've been a believer in H-1B," he told The Post in December. "I have used it many times. It's a great program."

Still, the future of the program remains very much up in the air: Last week two Republican senators introduced a joint resolution to strike down a Biden-era rule allowing such visas to be automatically extended for 540 days, instead of 180 days.

As such, Business Insider has run the numbers to find out which US financial services companies stand to be most impacted if these visas are tamped down again. BI used data from the Department of Labor and US Citizenship and Immigration data to analyze which financial giants file the most H-1B requests. The data runs through the 2024 government fiscal year (the fourth quarter of 2023 through the third quarter of 2024) and is collected from applications submitted by businesses that wish to sponsor a skilled worker's visa.

We found that some of the largest banks, credit card companies, and asset managers are among the most active sponsors of these visas, including JPMorgan and BlackRock. While many of the filings seek tech and software workers, some firms have used them to hire investment bankers or investment professionals.

Of course, not all filings lead to a foreign-worker hire and some filings may actually be for the same hire as firms will refile to reflect amendments or to extend an existing visa. Still, the publicly available data provides a good indication of the H-1B visa demand among major companies.

The firms listed either did not respond to a request for comment or declined to comment on the record.

Check out which financial firms are sponsoring the most H-1B visas, including the types of roles they are seeking to fill:

1. JPMorgan Chase

Total certified H-1B filings: 1,990

Total employees worldwide: 317,233 as of the end of 2024

Types of filings: More than 1,500 filings are for workers with "software" in their title. The firm also hired for roles like a vice president of investment banking, an executive director of liquidity risk management, and a managing director of client fraud prevention

2. Fidelity

Total certified H-1B filings: 1,839

Total employees worldwide: More than 76,000 per a January press release

Types of filings: More than 40% of filings contain the word software in their job title, and many other filings are related to tech as well, such as a director-level AI employee. The company also filed for a director of quantitative analysis and even some accounting roles through the program.

3. Goldman Sachs

Total certified H-1B filings: 1,443

Total employees worldwide: 46,500

Types of filings: Slightly more than a quarter of Goldman's filings are for roles that contain the word software. The company has also hired some divisional COO and CFOs through the program, as well as managing directors in areas like banking and financial crime control.

4. Citi

Total certified H-1B filings: 1,058

Total employees worldwide: 239,000

Types of filings: Many of the filings are for tech roles, like software engineering, application development, and information technology roles. Other filings include a regulatory risk group manager and even a trader.

5. Capital One

Total certified H-1B filings: 758

Total employees worldwide: 51,987 at the end of 2023

Types of filings: Most of Capital One's filings are for tech roles, as well as adjacent roles like a quantitative analysis manager and a range of data science roles.

6. Morgan Stanley

Total certified H-1B filings: 642

Total employees worldwide: More than 80,000 per its website

Types of filings: Morgan Stanley does not include job title information in their filings, only the level of seniority. The filings range from the associate level all the way up to managing director.

7. Barclays

Total certified H-1B filings: 609

Total employees worldwide: Approximately 85,000 per its corporate website

Types of filings: Most of Barclay's filings are for tech roles, but the company has also hired for director roles in global markets, equity derivatives structuring and for a credit desk quant role.

8. Visa

Total certified H-1B filings: 587

Total employees worldwide: 31,600 as of a December 4, 2024 report

Types of filngs: The vast majority of filings are for tech roles, like a senior machine learning engineer and a wide variety of software engineers. Other filings include a senior M&A manager and a senior finance manager.

9. American Express

Total certified H-1B filings: 575

Total employees worldwide: 74,000 per a 2024 press release

Types of filings: Nearly a third of AmEx's filings are for manager roles, the vast majority of those are in tech and data science portions of the business. The company has also filed for director roles in investment management and marketing analytics through the program.

10. Bank of America

Total certified H-1B filings: 500

Total employees worldwide: 213,193 as of the end of last year

Types of filings: Similar to others on the list, most of Bank of America's H-1B filings are for tech roles, but the company has also hired a credit senior officer at a director role, and an associate general counsel and VP who works with financial derivatives.

11. Wells Fargo

Total certified H-1B filings: 453

Total employees worldwide: 220,167 employees as of the end of Q3 2024

Types of filings: Nearly 300 of Wells Fargo's filings are for roles with software in the title, but the firm had also filed for roles like a construction management director and a lead securities trader.

12. Mastercard

Total certified H-1B filings: 447

Total employees worldwide: 33,400 employees at the end of 2023 per an annual report

Types of filings: Mastercard has made 220 H-1B filings for roles with software in the title, while another 64 include product in the name. Other filings include roles like a vice president of marketing, strategy, and operations, and a commercial counsel role.

13. Charles Schwab

Total certified H-1B filings: 429

Total employees worldwide: 32,100 employees as of the end of the third quarter of last year

Types of filing: More than 80% of roles have software in the name, though the company has also filed for director roles in business strategy, market risk management and treasury capital markets.

14. BlackRock

Total certified H-1B filings: 354

Total employees worldwide: more than 20,000 globally

Types of filings: The vast majority of BlackRock's H-1B filings only note the role level. Some specific roles were highlighted, like an external relationship management associate and a sustainable investing associate.

15. UBS

Total certified H-1B filings: 294

Total employees worldwide: 109,396 as of end of third quarter last year

Types of filing: UBS has filed for a range of tech roles as well as direct business roles, such as an alternative investments strategy director and director of investment banking.

A cybersecurity company says hackers are pushing Mac and Windows malware through sites that are using outdated versions of WordPress.

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• I've had an American Express Platinum card for over two years and find it's a good value.
• The annual fee is $695, but the card got me gold status with two hotel chains and a Priority Pass.
• I've used the card's digital-entertainment credit toward my Audible and Netflix subscriptions.

In 2023, I added a new credit card to my wallet: the American Express Platinum.

At first, I cringed at its $695 annual fee — but I realized this card is actually well worth its cost for me. The travel perks are great and, in many ways, the card helps me save on purchases I would've made anyway.

Here are some of my favorite perks of the American Express Platinum, especially as a frequent traveler.

My complimentary Priority Pass membership is one of my favorite parts of the card

One of the card's biggest perks is the complimentary Priority Pass membership, which gives me access to over 1,700 select airport lounges worldwide.

A Priority Pass membership alone can cost hundreds of dollars a year, so I love getting it for free. Plus, I make good use of it.

The city where I live has a smaller airport, which means the majority of our trips require a layover. A layover is way more comfortable when you have lounge access.

Airport lounges can be more comfortable and quiet than bigger boarding areas. Plus, most have free food and beverages, including alcohol. Not having to buy overpriced airport snacks and drinks has definitely saved me money, too.

I have lounge access with my Delta card, but I have to pay $50 each for my guests, which is not cost-effective when I'm traveling with my husband or kids.

However, with my Priority Pass, I can take three guests into a lounge with me at no extra cost. That way, my family of four can eat for free and have a nice place to wait for our flight — win!

This card also gives me access to American Express Centurion Lounges. My guests don't get free access to these, but I enjoy them when traveling solo.

I get other travel perks, too

With my card, I was able to get automatic gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton. I get accelerated points, options for upgrades or late checkouts, food and beverage credits, welcome gifts, and more.

The perks vary from hotel to hotel, but anyone who travels frequently with these hotel brands will get instant perks.

I also get an annual $199 credit to cover my CLEAR membership, which speeds up the time I spend going through airport security. It's helpful to me as a frequent traveler, but probably wouldn't be for someone who only travels occasionally.

The digital-entertainment credits save me money on my essential subscriptions

This card gives me $240 worth of digital entertainment credit a year, which I can use on select subscriptions.

The credit could be applied to subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Peacock, Disney+, Hulu, and more.

In the past, I've used this to cover a year of Audible and some of my Netflix subscription — both of these come in handy while I'm traveling and want something to watch or listen to.

Although the card has even more perks, I find it's best for travelers

The card has way more perks that I haven't touched on and don't always use, like $100 toward purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue each year, $300 toward a club membership or digital subscription at Equinox, and Uber Cash.

For me, however, its biggest benefits are tied to travel.

I travel very frequently, both for work and with my family. We live simply, but we vacation two to three times a year, and maximizing our leisure and recreation time is important to us.

Although I first became interested in the card to elevate my hotel status, I quickly discovered other money-saving benefits, tallied up the value, and decided that the annual fee was worth it.

I really scrutinized the benefits before deciding that this card was for me — and that's the best move for anyone looking to add something new to their wallet.

In a bid to make its Gemini chatbot app more of a one-stop shop, Google says it’s working with The Associated Press to build “a feed of real-time information” in Gemini. Jaffer Zaidi, Google’s VP of global news partnerships, said that the goal is to “further enhance the usefulness of results” in the Gemini experience. […]

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Automattic CEO and WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg has deactivated the accounts of several WordPress.org community members, two of whom he says planned to spearhead a new fork of the open source WordPress project. While community criticism of WordPress’s governance isn’t new, the latest brouhaha kicked off back in September when Mullenweg publicly chastised WP Engine, a […]

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• The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is among the most famous luxury overnight trains in Europe.
• The train's six grand suites start at about $30,800 and are often the first to be booked.
• The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express grand suites have private bathrooms and extravagant decor.

Forget yachting in the French Riviera and skiing in Switzerland — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express grand suites sit atop the wealthy traveler's bucket list.

The luxury travel company Belmond operates six trains. Perhaps its most famous is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, comprised of revamped 100-year-old carriages.

It's also among the most luxurious trains in Europe. The 108-guest moving hotel operates 44 routes in 17 cities, mostly in Europe. Prices start at about $8,850 for a cabin on its one-night journey from Venice, Italy, to Paris.

If you want to travel in the train's top-tier accommodation, you'll have to pay more than three times that price. A journey in a grand suite costs around £25,000, or about $30,800, Gary Franklin, Belmond's senior vice president of trains and cruises, told Business Insider.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express grand suites are the epitome of European luxury train travel.

Red carpets welcome all guests on their overnight journeys, complete with lavishly decorated vintage carriages, fine-dining restaurants, and jaw-dropping views of passing scenery.

However, only the grand suites offer guests luxurious amenities such as private showers and around-the-clock butler services.

It's worth it to many — the accommodations are "definitely a rich and famous-type bucket list item," Julie Durso, a Scott Dunn Private travel manager, told Business Insider in November.

Over the past few years, Belmond has seen a spike in demand for its trains. Franklin told BI that the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express has become especially popular, with bookings growing 10% from 2023 to 2024.

The train's flashy grand suites have concurrently piqued the interest of wealthy travelers — according to Franklin, they're often the first accommodations to be booked. And for good reason.

The train has 54 cabins, six of which are in the highest-end grand suites category.

The accommodations, first introduced in 2018, each have a unique design inspired by a city on the train's routes.

For example, the Venice, Italy-themed suite fuses Italian Baroque and Renaissance designs. Venetian furniture, vintage glass light fixtures, and a marriage of silk and woven fabrics fill the room with a historic Italian ambiance. The headboard combines arches and sharp edges, a nod to the country's Renaissance castles.

Similarly, the Budapest suite features Gothic and Ottoman architectural styles, with ornate marquetry and embroidered silk-patterned furniture. The tall, curved headboard recalls the cathedrals and mosques of the Ottoman Empire.

No matter the decor, all suites include a couch, closet, double bed, dining area, and en-suite bathroom.

Most of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express accommodations have shared restrooms without access to a shower.

But there's no need to share in the grand suites — the private bathrooms all have a rainfall showerhead, a glass-blown sink, and heated marble flooring.

The living room then separates the bathroom from the bedroom.

The train has three restaurant cars. Guests staying in these high-end accommodations can instead dine in the privacy of their suite and unwind.

Staying in the luxurious moving hotel room also includes welcome caviar, 24-hour butler service, and bottomless Champagne.

It's a good time to be in the luxury travel business.

Travelers are increasingly spending big for unique, high-end vacations.

To capitalize on this, Belmond added two grand suites to its Scottish train, the Royal Scotsman, in 2024.

The new accommodations were "exceptionally well-received," Franklin said — so much so that the company is now building more to debut in 2025.

It’s a new year, but drama in the WordPress community keeps going. Automattic, the company that runs WordPress.com, said that it would reduce its contribution to WordPress core, the open source project that acts as the backbone of most of Automattic’s products and ensures the longevity of WordPress as a technology and community. Automattic CEO […]

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• Wealthy travelers are increasingly booking luxury train vacations.
• High-end suites often include amenities like bottomless Champagne, butlers, and private bathrooms.
• A night on Belmond's iconic Venice Simplon-Orient Express starts at about $4,370 per person.

Vintage luxury is making a comeback. Not just with clothes, but with a particularly beloved mode of transit — trains.

Set to debut in April, Italy's La Dolce Vita Orient Express would offer guests luxuries like a stylish lounge, Champagne buckets from Giobagnara (which can command more than $500 each), and meals curated by the chef of Rome's three-Michelin-starred La Pergola.

Expect dishes like calamari carpaccio and lamb with artichoke and truffle shavings — for lunch, no less.

"It's all a bit pricey, but we're determined to put all the finest stuff made in Italy on board this train," Samy Ghachem, the coming train's general manager, told Business Insider.

La Dolce Vita Orient Express is not to be confused with Belmond's iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, best known for its sumptuously restored century-old carriages. Both trains are helping lay the tracks for a revitalized rail renaissance characterized by surging demand and increasingly high-end amenities.

Luxury train bookings are going loco-motive

Train-focused tour company Railbookers had been experiencing double-digital growth before 2020. However, after the pandemic and the subsequent boom in "slow travel," popularity started going express.

Frank Marini, president and CEO of Railbookers Group, told BI that 2023 and 2024 have consecutively been the company's best-performing years, with no signs of slowing down. During this period, Railbookers also saw a 68% spike in luxury-level bookings.

"It keeps snowballing," Marini said. "We see passengers that have come back traveling with us on a lot of luxury rail, and they're like, 'well, where else is there luxury rail?'"

Unlike bus tours or flights, the vacation experience doesn't begin when you arrive at your destination. Instead, like cruises, it starts when passengers board.

And unlike their at-sea counterparts, trains are one of the most eco-friendly ways to travel.

Plus, the amenities can be as lavish as a five-star hotel. Guests traveling Canadian Via Rail's Prestige Class have enhancements like a butler and a private bathroom with heated floors. Gold-level US and Canada's Rocky Mountaineer travelers get a dining room, an open-air viewing platform, and glass dome lounges.

On Belmond's Andean Explorer, based in Peru, suite guests slumber in 141-square-foot bedrooms with private bathrooms and lounges.

Such luxury comes at a cost, of course.

Andrew Channell, Railbookers Group's senior vice president of product and operation, estimates a typical multi-day luxury train trip, but not of the highest-end tier, could cost around $3,000 per person and day.

And then there's the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient Express, where a one-night journey from Venice, Italy, to Paris starts at about $4,370 per person for a basic cabin with a shared bathroom.

The train's most luxurious Grand Suites come with a private restroom (plus upgrades like bottomless bubbles) — for about four times the cost.

They are, after all, a "rich and famous-type bucket list item," Julie Durso, a travel manager for agency Scott Dunn Private, told BI.

Gary Franklin, Belmond's senior vice president of trains and cruises, told BI that reservations for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express spiked 10% from 2023 to 2024. The Grand Suites are often the first accommodations to be booked.

To adapt to this swell in demand, the train — which only accommodates about 100 passengers — now operates a longer season than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The popularity of train travel is seeing a renaissance," Franklin said, adding that bookings for Belmond's five — soon to be six — other trains also increased. This includes a 25% boost for the Royal Scotsman, which was almost fully booked through 2024. (A two-night roundtrip Edinburgh, Scotland journey on the high-end locomotive starts at about $5,940 per person.)

Full steam ahead on luxury

Popular commercial travel companies, like airlines and cruise lines, often offer cheap, low-tier options to capture more guests. Think interior cabins on cruises and basic economy seats on airlines.

Belmond is taking the opposite approach by enticing wealthy travelers with increasingly luxurious add-ons.

In 2024, the company introduced two Grand Suites to the 40-year-old Royal Scotsman. The addition was "exceptionally well-received," Franklin said — so much so that Belmond plans to add more in 2025.

The train had previously been updated in 2023 with a Dior-branded spa carriage, now also available on the recently relaunched Eastern and Oriental Express.

"We all lead these very frenetic lives," Franklin said. "This is an opportunity to slow down, look out the window at the incredible scenery, and come together with fellow travelers in a nice luxurious environment with great food and beverage."

Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars for a night on Belmond's trains. However, the financial barrier isn't deterring travelers from their luxury vacation dreams.

According to Marni, all of Railbooker's conventional train bookings now include some touch of extravagance, such as a cabin upgrade, a night's stay at a high-end hotel, or an exclusive excursion. This "little luxuries" trend, as he calls it, only started a few years ago.

Or, if you're rail-y in the mood to splurge, you could request Belmond's new L'Observatoire suite. The skylight-lit moving hotel room spans the entire carriage — hidden tearoom and marble bathroom with a tub included — all for about $101,515 a night.

Sounds pretty train-quil, doesn't it?

Days after web hosting provider WP Engine won a preliminary injunction against WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg and rival hosting provider Automattic, Mullenweg announced that WordPress.org is taking a holiday break. WordPress.org — a site that provides access to WordPress plug-ins, themes, and other artifacts to the community — will take a break from providing free […]

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• I tested a few different appliances to find the best way to make coffee.
• I brewed a cup with an Aeropress, coffee pot, French press, and Keurig and compared the results.
• The Keurig may have been the fastest, but it paled in comparison to the French press.

Being able to make a fantastic cup of coffee at home can be a real asset to my wallet. However, with so many individual brewing options and accessories, I didn't know where to start.

To see how I could make the best coffee at home, I tried making cups in an Aeropress, coffee pot, French press, and Keurig.

After brewing, I added 1 tablespoon of Chobani cinnamon-coffee-cake creamer to each glass, which gave them all a creamy layer of cinnamon-sugar flavor.

Here's how each brewing method stacked up, and which I think is the best way to make coffee.

I started with a blend I already know I love.

The perfect cup of morning coffee often revolves around the bean or blend you use.

For a bold, caramel-tinged flavor this time of year, I chose the classic Eight O'Clock Coffee dark Italian espresso roast.

The Aeropress came with everything I needed.

An Aeropress uses air pressure, fast immersion, and a micro-filter to brew a quick, full-bodied cup of coffee or tea.

The travel version I have, which costs around $50, includes the main appliance, a scoop, a stirrer, paper micro-filters, and a travel mug. Different models range between $40 and $150.

That 2-tablespoon scoop portions out the perfect amount of coffee grounds, so I really didn't need anything else from my kitchen.

First, I added the grounds and water.

To start the process, I put the plunger inside the main casing and pulled it until it was secure at the edge. Then, I flipped everything over and added one scoop of coffee grounds in the designated slot.

Hot water goes on top of the beans, then I used the stirrer to combine everything and ensure an even distribution.

The filter is definitely necessary.

The microfilter is a crucial component of this appliance because it prevents annoying coffee grounds from infiltrating your cup.

I placed one inside the filter cap before twisting it onto the top of the Aeropress. I ensured it was secure before moving on to the next step.

Once the coffee had time to steep, I plunged it.

After letting the coffee steep for about two minutes, I flipped the Aeropress over on top of the included travel mug.

You can use any mug for this, but I knew the Aeropress one would be a perfect fit, so I thought it would help reduce any user error.

Then, I pushed the plunger down until the appliance started hissing and stopped dispensing liquid.

The Aeropress coffee had a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

The coffee was smooth and caramelly, just how I like it. However, it also had a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

I'm new to using the Aeropress, so I'm not sure if this is typical or due to my own skills.

An old-fashioned coffee pot is nostalgic.

A regular coffee maker may be old-school, but it works.

I like that you can even preset it so it brews in the morning, and you can find basic models for as little as $20.

Other than the appliance itself, I just needed a filter, the grounds, and some water. For comparison's sake, I used the Aeropress 2-tablespoon scoop to add grounds to the filter.

There were easy-to-understand brew options.

Once I added the coffee grounds and filled the water compartment, I just hit the "brew" button and let it do its thing.

When my pot is finished with its magic, it sputters and steams (and stops dispensing coffee).

The roast tasted kind of weak.

This mug of coffee tasted fine, but it tasted weaker than the others — almost watered down, even though I used the same ratio of beans and water for everything.

After adding 1 tablespoon of creamer, I could visually see the difference in color compared to the other cups.

The French press seemed daunting at first.

French presses always seem fancy, but the process is relatively straightforward.

There are luxury models out there, but affordable versions of the basic appliance go for around $10 to $15.

I started by adding a 2-tablespoon scoop of coffee grounds to the bottom of the pitcher.

I heated up some water in the microwave.

Like with the Aeropress, I needed to add already hot water to the French press — 200 degrees Fahrenheit is evidently the optimal temperature for this process.

You can heat the water in a kettle, but I just used my microwave.

Once it was heated, I poured it over the coffee grounds in the pitcher.

Make sure to slowly press down the plunger.

After one minute, the grounds should float to the top of the water.

I stirred everything with a wooden spoon, then placed the lid and plunger on top and let the pitcher steep for three more minutes.

When it was ready, I slowly plunged my pitcher.

This cup of coffee came out dark, bold, and delicious.

Because this brewing process doesn't use a paper filter, the coffee bean's natural oils have more opportunity to break through, adding dimension to the flavor.

Right away, I could tell this was going to be the boldest cup. With its impressive depth of flavor, the coffee from my French press would be hard to beat.

The Keurig is the most mindless option.

If you're looking for the quickest option for coffee, a Keurig can't be beat.

The cheapest models start around $50 and larger/newer versions go up from there.

To start, I just popped the top open and added enough water to the basin.

In my experience, though, Keurig machines can be fickle. Although I put 10 ounces of water in my machine, it only dispensed about 8.

It really doesn't take much.

I had the same blend of Eight O'Clock Coffee in pod form, so the comparison should be fair.

I turned the Keurig on and popped open the pod compartment. When I closed the compartment, it secured with a click.

After putting my mug under the dispenser, I pushed the start button and walked away while it brewed.

This was my quickest cup of coffee, but not the most flavorful.

The cup of coffee from my Keurig was fine.

I didn't think I could taste the full flavor of my coffee, but I wouldn't say it tasted was watered down, either — just a little one-dimensional.

A Keurig is always going to be an easy option, but that doesn't necessarily make it the best one.

There was a clear winner for me.

For me, choosing the best at-home brew was relatively simple. The French press made the darkest cup with the boldest flavor.

I was also glad that my favorite coffee-brewing appliance was the cheapest of the bunch.

The Aeropress cup produced a near-perfect cup, but its slight bitterness landed it in second place.

The classic coffee pot wasn't as impressive, comparatively, and the Keurig was best for efficiency — less so for taste.

There are few matters in life that divide a room more than the prudence of putting pineapple on pizza. But if you’re of the persuasion that tropical fruit has no place on a pie, you’ll have to swallow a bitter pill — if you want to access the WordPress.org developer portal and forum, at least. […]

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WordPress co-founder and CEO of Automattic Matt Mullenweg is trolling contributors and users of the WordPress open-source project by requiring them to check a box that says “Pineapple is delicious on pizza.”

The change was spotted by WordPress contributors late Sunday, and is still up as of Monday morning. Trying to log in or create a new account without checking the box returns a “please try again” error. 

Last week, as part of the ongoing legal battle between WP Engine and Automattic, the company that owns WordPress.com, a judge ordered Mullenweg to remove a controversial login checkbox from WordPress.org that required users to pledge that they were not affiliated with WP Engine before logging in.