Here’s what you should know about the US TikTok deal | TechCrunch

TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has been at the center of controversy in the U.S. for four years now due to concerns about user data potentially being accessed by the Chinese government.

As a result, U.S. users have often found themselves caught in the middle of this tension. Earlier this year, the app experienced a temporary outage in the U.S. that left millions of users in suspense before it was quickly restored. TikTok returned to the App Store and Google Play Store in February.

A number of investors competed to purchase the app, and after Trump extended the TikTok ban deadline for the fourth time, the battle is finally over. As of last week, TikTok officially signed a deal to divest a portion of its U.S. entity to a group of American investors.

This comes nearly three months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that approves the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to an American investor group.

A week prior, President Trump announced that President Xi Jinping of China had given his approval of a TikTok deal, which would allow a consortium of U.S. investors to control the platform. ByteDance stated publicly that it would ensure the platform remains available to American users.

Who owns TikTok in the U.S.?

Image Credits:Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch

According to a memo viewed by TechCrunch, the investor group consists of Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, and investment firm MGX. Collectively, they will hold 45% of the U.S. operation, with ByteDance keeping nearly a 20% stake. Axios first reported the news, citing sources who estimate TikTok U.S. is valued at approximately $14 billion—a figure also mentioned by Vice President JD Vance.

In September, a report indicated that a “framework” deal was established between the U.S. and China, with a consortium of investors— including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz—overseeing TikTok’s U.S. operations. These investors were expected to hold an 80% stake, and the remaining shares would belong to Chinese stakeholders.

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The newly formed “TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC” will oversee the app’s operations, including data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance.

Oracle will serve as the trusted security partner, responsible for auditing and ensuring compliance with National Security Terms, according to the memo. The company already provides cloud services for TikTok and manages user data in the U.S. Notably, Oracle previously made a bid for TikTok back in 2020.

A White House official previously said Oracle would replicate and secure a new U.S. version of the algorithm, and the U.S.-based TikTok owners could lease the algorithm from ByteDance, which Oracle will then retrain.

ByteDance will not have access to information about TikTok’s U.S. users or any influence over the U.S. algorithm.

The deal is scheduled to close on January 22, 2026.

What users in the U.S. should know

Reports from Bloomberg indicate that when the deal is finalized, the TikTok app will be discontinued in the U.S. and users will need to transition to a new platform. However, the specifics of this platform remain largely unclear, including its features and how it will differ from the original app.

How did we get here?

To fully understand this high-stakes drama, we’ll first revisit the timeline of TikTok’s tumultuous relationship with the U.S. government, which resulted in various legal battles and negotiations.

The drama first began in August 2020, when Trump signed an executive order to ban transactions with parent company ByteDance.

A month later, Trump’s administration sought to force a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a U.S.-based company. The leading contenders included Microsoft, Oracle, and Walmart. However, a U.S. judge temporarily blocked Trump’s executive order, allowing TikTok to continue operating while the legal battle unfolded.

Things began to progress even more last year following the transition to the Biden administration. After the Senate passed the bill against TikTok, President Joe Biden signed it.

In response, TikTok sued the U.S. government, challenging the constitutionality of the ban and arguing the app and its American users were having their First Amendment rights violated. The company has consistently denied that it poses a security threat, asserting that its data stored in the U.S. complies with all local laws.

Fast-forward to today: Trump has had a change of heart since his first term and is trying to achieve a 50-50 ownership arrangement between ByteDance and a U.S. company.

There have been several contenders, including The People’s Bid for TikTok , a consortium organized by Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt. This group has the support of investment firm Guggenheim Securities and the law firm Kirkland & Ellis. Supporters include Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, TV personality and investor Kevin O’Leary, inventor of the World Wide Web Tim Berners-Lee, and senior research scientist David Clark.

**Image Credits:**Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Another group, called the American Investor Consortium, is led by Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley and includes Roblox co-founder David Baszucki, Anchorage Digital co-founder Nathan McCauley, and famous YouTuber MrBeast.

Others in the running included Amazon, AppLovin, Microsoft, Perplexity AI, Rumble, Walmart, Zoop, former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The story has been updated after publication.

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Video: Blazers narrowly defeat Mavericks in exciting duel

Deni Avdija had 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, and Shaedon Sharpe added 24 points as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 125-122 on Monday night.

Caleb Love also scored 24 for the Blazers off the bench, including six 3-pointers and the go-ahead free throws with under a minute remaining.

Klay Thompson’s 3-point attempt to tie the game at the buzzer missed as Portland avoided blowing a 17-point lead.

Max Christie led the Mavericks with 25 points and Brandon Williams scored 22. Cooper Flagg had 15 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

The teams exchanged the lead eight times in the fourth quarter.

Portland led 95-84 with 1:30 left in the third before the Mavericks went on a 9-2 run, capped by a running 3 with 0.7 seconds left by Thompson to make it 97-93.

Thompson then tied the game at 99 on a 3 with 9:35 remaining. Christie gave the Mavericks their first lead of the second half at 106-105 on a 3-pointer with 6:56 to play.

Dallas led by four before Avdija’s layup and a 3 by Love put Portland back ahead 118-117 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Christie’s 3-pointer gave Dallas a 122-121 edge with 1:09 remaining, but the Mavericks never scored again. Love sank two free throws with 53.2 seconds left, Naji Marshall missed a pair of 3s for Dallas, and Sharpe added two foul shots with three seconds remaining for the final margin.

Portland pushed its lead to 17 multiple times in the second quarter before taking a 75-63 advantage into halftime.

Up next

Dallas hosts Philadelphia on Thursday.
Portland visits Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

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Trump’s year of offshore wind carnage

When Donald Trump won the presidential election last November, it wasn’t totally clear how serious he was about dismantling offshore wind. Sure, he liked to rant about turbines making the whales crazy, and there was the infamous legal fight over a wind farm off the coast of his golf course in Scotland. But would he really try to cut down an entire energy sector? Did he even have the power to do so?

The answers, as we found out in this decisive and devastating year, are yes and pretty much.

On his first day in office, Trump issued an executive order that froze offshore wind permitting and ordered the Interior Department to review the projects it had already approved. The move immediately gummed up any developments that didn’t have federal permits, but the upshot was murkier for the nine projects with approvals in hand. (In mid-December, a federal court struck down that executive order.)

The first already-permitted undertaking to crumble was the Atlantic Shores installation in New Jersey. In late January, Shell — one of the two developers — announced it was pulling out. Then New Jersey backed away from buying power from the turbines. Weeks later came the sea salt in the wound: The Environmental Protection Agency revoked a Clean Air Act permit for Atlantic Shores.

The administration halted work on New York’s 810-megawatt Empire Wind 1 project in April; construction resumed after about a month and nearly $1 billion in costs for the developer. The budget law passed by Republicans in July killed tax credits for wind farms that don’t come online ASAP. The 704-megawatt Revolution Wind installation near Rhode Island got a stop-work order, too; that one was also lifted after about a month. The Transportation Department yanked funding for a bunch of infrastructure projects related to offshore wind in September. Then Trump told a half-dozen agencies to root around for reasons to oppose installing turbines out at sea.

Just for good measure, the administration is still trying — and sometimes failing — to revoke permits for approved but earlier-stage installations that would likely struggle to begin construction anyway, given the, uh, inhospitable climate.

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Texas officials warn of DWI dangers around holidays

Officials warn of DWI dangers around holidays

With New Year’s right around the corner, millions across Central Texas are getting ready to ring in 2026. Beyond the celebrations, this time of year is also known for a spike in DWI-related crashes. FOX 7 Austin’s Marco Bitonel reports.

AUSTIN, Texas – With New Year’s around the corner, millions across Central Texas are getting ready to ring in 2026.

Beyond the celebrations, this time of year is also known for a spike in DWI-related crashes, say state officials.

Two deadly weekend crashes

Local perspective:

Investigations continue into two deadly crashes from over the weekend in which substance use may have played a large role.

The first happened in Austin on Sunday morning in the northbound lanes of the 3100 block of South US 183.

Investigators say the crash involved an SUV, a hatchback, and a sedan. The driver of the hatchback died at the scene.

27-year-old Angelicque Bramlett was arrested for second-degree felony intoxication manslaughter for her role in the crash and is currently being held on a $50,000 bond.

Just hours later that night, San Marcos police responded to a separate DWI-related crash.

30-year-old Amy Blackwell was driving into San Marcos when she ran her SUV into a traffic pole. Her passenger got out and began walking along the highway when they were hit by a passing truck and pronounced dead at the scene.

Blackwell was taken to the hospital and later arrested for DWI for the SUV crash. She has since been released on bond.

Officials urge using rideshares, public transit, other transportation

What they’re saying:

“Too many of us perceive that drunken driving is a victimless crime. The reality is drunken driving impacts lives forever,” Stan Standridge, the Chief of the San Marcos Police Department, told FOX 7.

He says that driving under the influence seems to be a steady issue across the community.

“Cities like the city of San Marcos are experiencing a remarkable amount of fatality investigations of which many can be attributed to alcohol and/or the induction of any type of drug,” said Standridge.

Data from the Texas Department of Transportation shows that the holiday season can be an especially dangerous time to be on the roads. From December 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025, there were:

2,213 DWI-alcohol related crashes in Texas
96 fatalities and 201 serious injuries
11% decrease in DWI-related crashes from 2023

“Make sure that you plan ahead, make sure you have that plan in place,” said Jeff Barker of the Texas Department of Transportation, which has launched its ‘Drive Sober. No Regrets.’ Campaign to combat holiday impaired driving.

“It’s an important time to remind people that it’s never worth it to get behind the wheel when drinking and driving,” said Barker.

What you can do:

When talking about alternative methods. Barker says one of the best ways to stay safe is to use rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft, even if prices may be higher than normal during the holiday season.

“We promise that the shock of what you might have to pay to get home after too much drink, the cost of that will be less than the consequences,” he said.

CapMetro public transit services

CapMetro is also offering some extra incentives to make sure everyone has a choice when it comes to getting home safely.

On New Year’s Eve, CapMetro will offer free rides after 5 p.m. on all services except Bikeshare. CapMetro Rail service will also operate late on Dec. 31, running until after 2 a.m. The last train will leave Downtown Station at 2:22 a.m.

Austin’s Get Home Safely ticket waiver program

If you end up driving to your celebration and later think you may have had too much to get behind the wheel, then you might not have to worry about parking tickets.

Through the City of Austin’s Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Program, if you leave your vehicle overnight at a City of Austin parking meter and seek a responsible ride home and then receive a parking ticket, you are eligible to have the parking ticket waived.

All you have to do is upload a photo of your parking ticket and proof of a responsible ride home such as a taxi or ride-share receipt, and your ticket could be dropped.

The Source: Information in this report comes from reporting by FOX 7 Austin’s Marco Bitonel.

Crime and Public Safety San Marcos Austin Holidays Transportation Capital Metro

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Bengaluru Chose Coffee, Mumbai Chose Energy Drinks: Zepto’s 2025 City Trends

As 2024 comes to an end, Zepto’s latest data highlights how speed-driven shopping has become a part of daily life across India. From record energy drink consumption in Mumbai, where users ordered over 7.8 lakh litres, to Bengaluru’s quirky pairing of coffee and melatonin gummies, the trends reveal evolving consumer habits shaped by fast delivery, late nights, and the constant balance between productivity and rest.

Zepto’s year-end trends report for 2025 shows that milk dominated shopping carts across India, emerging as the most ordered item regardless of city. Fresh produce followed closely, with tomatoes and onions consistently ranking among the top three items in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi NCR. The data highlights how consumers are increasingly relying on instant delivery for daily kitchen essentials.

ALSO SEE: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Get Over Rs 23,000 Discount on Vijay Sales: Check Deals

At the same time, packaged snacks and beverages continued to see strong demand on the quick-commerce platform. Items like Bingo chips, Lay’s Magic Masala and Thums Up featured prominently, indicating that alongside essentials, impulse snacks and drinks remain a key part of rapid online shopping behaviour.

The scale of usage in 2025 was massive. Zepto’s app was opened over 3.46 billion times, delivery partners covered more than 2.45 billion kilometres, and the fastest delivery was completed in just 48 seconds. Consumers collectively saved an estimated ₹17,000 crore, while the highest single order placed during the year was worth ₹1.89 lakh.

City-level data revealed distinct shopping patterns. Bengaluru led with Nandini milk, tomatoes and Bingo chips, while Mumbai topped Amul milk, onions and Bisleri water—and consumed over 7.8 lakh litres of energy drinks. Delhi NCR showed strong demand for milk, onions and Lay’s, along with face masks and a split preference for guavas in North Delhi and avocados in South Delhi. Hyderabad stood out for Heritage milk, Osmania biscuits and quirky combinations such as sugar-free products ordered alongside sweets, reflecting both routine needs and unique city-specific habits.

ALSO SEE: Realme 16 Pro+ May Be More Expensive Than Expected, Leak Reveals

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Trump Was 35 When Melania Was 10: Trump Draws Gasps as Critics Examine His Marriage and a Melania Family Detail Stops Them Cold

President Donald Trump has been in Florida for the holiday hosting dinner parties and world leaders. Recently, he was spotted at a holiday gathering, but video from the evening paints a far less festive picture. The 79-year-old billionaire appeared withdrawn and visibly irritated, lingering on the sidelines as attention drifted elsewhere.

Photos and video from Mar-a-Lago show Trump seated alongside his wife, Melania Trump as they dined with a member of her immediate family. But instead of engaging with her husband, Melania appeared far more focused on a man seated nearby — someone just two years older than Trump — leaving the former president looking isolated as the moment unfolded.

‘This Clip Says Everything’: Barron Trump Humiliates Melania in Viral Video, With Fans Claiming It’s Payback for How She Treats Trump

Melania’s 81-year-old father, Viktor Knavs, sat beside her at the table that was sectioned off from other diners inside Trump’s estate. Her husband was seated across the table from Knavs and next to Barron’s mother.

Trump appeared visibly withdrawn as a smiling Melania chatted with her dad in one clip from a Fox News broadcast circulating online. He then began pumping his fist in the air, making circling motions with his hands, and waving toward the television cameras in the room.

After pausing for a moment, he leaned over in the direction of his wife and his father-in-law to start a conversation. That exchange ended with Melania nodding and Trump chuckling.

Footage and images of that awkward interaction between the Trumps quickly spread across the internet, igniting critics of the president to revel in his apparent discomfiture.

“Imagine how miserable he must be when the only folks spending the holidays with you are there to get something from you. I love this for him!” a Threads user exclaimed.

A second person replied, “All alone with a wife who hates him.” A third poster on the social media platform pointed out, “She doesn’t even sit close to him.”

“Could she get any further away?” someone jokingly asked. Another jokester wrote, “He would have been less grumpy if they had put him at the kids’ table.”

A Yahoo reader zeroed in on the small age difference between Trump and Melania’s father with a comment that read, “His father-in-law is only two years older than he is. Trump is an old, old man.”

“I bet Melania and her father were talking in their native tongue so Donnie couldn’t understand them ripping him,” suggested one commenter. However, the entire trio was blasted when an observer expressed, “What a miserable-looking group that is.”

Still others revisited the couple’s age gap, resurfacing old timelines that critics say have long made the dynamic uncomfortable. One commenter wrote, “Yikes. Donald Trump is 79 and Melania is 54. Revealing that Trump would have been 35 years old when Melania was 10 years old.

At the same time, another critic pointed out that “Trump, 79, spent Christmas Eve at Mar-a-Lago alongside Melania, 55, and her father, Viktor Knavs who is only two years older than the former president.”

The math continued to fuel debate, with one person scoffing, “Trump is 79. Melania is 55. That’s 24 years. ‘Hollywood,’ huh?” Another user even turned to X’s AI tool, Grok, to verify the ages.

The response confirmed that as of Dec. 28, 2025, Trump is 79, born June 14, 1946, while Melania is 55, born April 26, 1970 — a numerical breakdown that only reignited the long-running scrutiny

This year’s yuletide photo portrait of Trump and Melania had a dark undertone. The married couple wore Black outfits and presented straight-faced, dour expressions in the picture that some fault-finders described as having a “funeral” vibe.

Melania has faced accusations of being a Grinch when it comes to holiday decorating. The former fashion model was caught on a secret recording from 2018 saying, “Who gives a f— about the Christmas stuff and decorations?”

In 2022, Melania’s office released a statement about the leaked audio. She responded, “Christmas is an important time for me, my family, and the American people, and my devotion to the holiday is personal and profoundly serious.”

Trump made Melania his third wife when he married the European immigrant in 2005. They share a 19-year-old son, Barron Trump. Previously, the president was married to Ivana Trump from 1977 to 1992 and Marla Maples from 1993 to 1999.

Ivana is the mother of Trump’s three oldest children; Donald Trump Jr. was born in 1977, followed by Ivanka Trump in 1981 and Eric Trump in 1984. Maples gave birth to Trump’s second daughter, Tiffany Trump, in 1993. As of this writing, Trump has 11 grandchildren.

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Why Singapore is the only Southeast Asian country in Pax Silica, the U.S.’s new AI ‘inner circle’ | Fortune

With its new Pax Silica Declaration, Washington has picked its most trusted partners in the AI sector: An array of close U.S. allies, including Australia, the U.K., and Israel.

Yet despite deepening trade relations between the U.S. and ASEAN nations like Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, Singapore remains the agreement’s only Southeast Asian signatory. That decision comes even as ASEAN nations like Malaysia are investing in their own AI industries, like semiconductors and data centers.

Singapore is “precisely the kind of ‘trusted node’ the U.S. is seeking to anchor AI-era supply chains,” says Ruben Durante, a professor of economics and Provost’s Chair at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Singapore “offers strong governance, regulatory credibility, capital markets, logistics, and advanced data center and connectivity infrastructure.”

The country has a long history with chips. U.S.-based National Semiconductor set up a plant there in 1968, followed by the government’s creation of Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing in 1987. Singapore now accounts for around 10% of all chip production.

More recently, Singapore has strived to become an “AI nation,” investing in skilling programs to train its workforce and encouraging local AI development. The country has also attracted billions of dollars’ worth in cloud computing and data centers, including from Big Tech companies like Amazon and Google.

While the U.S. is trying to shore up its AI supply chain, Singapore might also benefit from being part of Pax Silica, Atreyi Kankanhalli, a computing professor from NUS, suggests. Being part of Pax Silica gives the country—which has less land area than New York City—a seat at the table when the U.S. discusses joint ventures in chip production and logistics. It also gives the resource-poor city-state a safety net to ward off future supply shocks, while enabling access to the latest AI technologies.

Both the U.S. and China are trying to leverage their dominance in particular industries against each other.

Washington has blocked the sale of advanced processors, key to training and running AI models, to China since 2022. Beijing, in turn, has slapped export controls on rare earth minerals, a crucial component used for semiconductors and magnets in the AI supply chain. (China has a stranglehold on rare earths, supplying 90% of the world’s processed rare earths and rare earth magnets.)

“The AI race is often framed as a battle over data or models, but the real constraints are increasingly physical—chips, energy and supply chains,” says Simon Chesterman, a law professor from NUS and the senior director of AI governance at research institute AI Singapore.

In addition to Singapore, the U.S. included several close allies in the Pax Silica agreement: Japan, South Korea, Australia, the U.K. and Israel.

Japan and South Korea were chosen as they anchor advanced semiconductor manufacturing, says Durante of NUS. Additionally, Australia is central for critical minerals, the U.K. contributes standards-setting and intelligence alignment, and Israel brings high-end AI and defense-related innovation.

Experts think that the U.S.’s inner circle on AI will soon expand. Durante, from NUS, argues that a small founding group will facilitate early coordination on sensitive issues. Several non-signatories, like the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates, were involved in initial discussions of the Pax Silica, which Durante sees as an “outer ring” of contributors, even if they’re not yet fully aligned with the U.S.

“Expansion will depend on whether Pax Silica develops concrete mechanisms, such as financing, standards, or procurement coordination,” he says, adding that countries which combine industrial relevance with willingness to align on economic-security priorities are the most likely candidates for addition.

While other Southeast Asia countries could eventually become important nodes in the AI supply chain, they still face constraints like a lack of infrastructure and dispersed talent, explains Anant Shivraj, a managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Yet this could soon change, as Vietnam and Malaysia strive to become key hubs in the region, particularly in semiconductors and data centers.

“Pax Silica’s first wave is more focused on countries that can anchor long-term control, governance, and security across the AI stack,” says Shivraj. “Many countries play essential roles, and even if they are not part of the inner circle yet, that circle may well expand.”

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Robinson runs for 195 yards as Falcons recover to upset Rams 27-24 on 51-yard field goal by Gonzalez

ATLANTA – A Los Angeles Rams team that spent most of the season competing for the best record in the NFL now is third in its division, saddled with a two-game losing streak and bound to open the playoffs on the road.

“This is a humbling league and we got humbled tonight,” Rams coach Sean McVay said after a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

Bijan Robinson rushed for 195 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown, and Zane Gonzalez kicked a 51-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining as the Falcons recovered after blowing two 21-point leads.

Robinson’s 93-yard touchdown run was the longest in Atlanta history and Jessie Bates III scored on a 34-yard interception return. Bolstered by those big plays, the Falcons led 21-0 at halftime and 24-3 early in the second half.

Matthew Stafford recovered from throwing three interceptions to help the Rams (11-5) pull even at 24. Stafford’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Puka Nacua with 2:46 remaining tied the game.

“I love the way that we found a way to get back in the game, but we weren’t able to close it out,” McVay said.

The Falcons (7-9) extended their winning streak to three games as Robinson also set the team record for most scrimmage yards in a season.

The Rams began the week leading the NFL in scoring and yards and were shut out in the first half. After trailing 21-0 at halftime, the Rams were kept out of the end zone until Stafford’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Ferguson late in the third quarter.

Los Angeles cut Atlanta’s lead to 24-17 when Jarred Verse blocked a 37-yard field goal attempt by Gonzalez and returned the recovery 76 yards for a touchdown. It was the Rams’ first blocked kick returned for a touchdown since 1986.

Stafford’s second interception, on a throw picked off by Atlanta rookie Xavier Watts, gave the Falcons the ball at their 7 in the second quarter. Robinson broke through the line and took off down the sideline, outrunning the Los Angeles defense for the NFL’s longest run of the season.

“He’s a special player,” Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “What he can do in both the run game and pass game is very unique.”

Watts’ second interception, the third thrown by Stafford, stopped the Rams on a fourth-down play from the Atlanta 27 with 9:04 remaining.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris credited cornerback A.J. Terrell and the defense for limiting Nacua to five catches for 47 yards.

“I think the defensive staff did a great job again, limiting a great football player,” Morris said.

Scrimmage yards record

Robinson needed 151 rushing and receiving yards to break William Andrews’ team scrimmage yards record of 2,176 set in 1983. Robinson had five catches for 34 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown reception, to finish with 229 scrimmage yards in the game and 2,255 for the year.

Sudden surge of interceptions

Stafford, who earned his third Pro Bowl honor this season, began the week leading the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards. He had thrown only five interceptions before his turnover-plagued effort against the Falcons.

Stafford completed 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a career-best 42 touchdown passes this season.

It was his first three-interception game since Week 1 of 2022.

“It boils down to execution every week, right?” Stafford said. “Either you execute and make the throws or you don’t. And I didn’t do that tonight, so it hurt us and we weren’t able to overcome it.”

Credit to the blockers

Robinson gave thanks to his line and wide receiver Drake London for the key blocks on his 93-yard scoring run. London had a downfield block on a defensive back to help clear Robinson’s path.

“It takes everybody for those kind of runs to happen,” Robinson said.

Rams starters will play

McVay didn’t hesitate when asked if his starters would rest in Sunday’s final regular-season game against Arizona.

“No, we’re playing,” McVay said. “We were playing anyway. We need to play.”

The Rams will open the playoffs on the road, an outcome that was set after NFC West rivals Seattle and San Francisco both won on Sunday. They entered the night as the No. 5 seed.

Injury report

Rams: WR Davante Adams (hamstring) and two starting offensive linemen __ RG Kevin Dotson (ankle) and LT Alaric Jackson (ankle) __ were held out. Adams participated in pregame drills. RB Blake Corum limped off with a right ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return. … S Jaylen McCollough (hip) was questionable to return. … CB Roger McCreary (hip) was active as he came off injured reserve.

Falcons: DL Brandon Dorlus (left knee) needed help leaving the field in the third quarter and did not return. … CB Mike Ford Jr. (ankle) was questionable. … CB Mike Hughes missed his second consecutive game with an ankle sprain. ILB Josh Woods was inactive due to a personal matter.

Up next

Rams: The Rams will try to build on their 6-1 home record when they play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in their final regular-season game.

Falcons: Atlanta closes its season at home on Sunday against New Orleans. The Falcons took a 24-10 win at New Orleans on Nov. 23.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Jarred Verse blocked the field goal attempt. A previous version stated that it was Emmanuel Forbes Jr.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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Daily Show for December 29, 2025

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Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you so much!

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The Best Free Voice Changers & Soundboards for Valorant – Our Culture

In the high-stakes tactical world of Valorant, communication is everything. Whether you are shot-calling as Brimstone or celebrating a clutch ace with your team, your voice is your primary tool for coordination. However, adding a layer of entertainment or anonymity can make the experience even better.

Whether you want to troll your friends with a hilarious meme soundboard, maintain your privacy, or roleplay as your favorite Agent, a high-quality voice changer is the perfect companion. In this guide, we explore the top 5 voice changers and soundboards for Valorant, with a deep dive into why EaseUS VoiceWave stands out as the premier choice.

Why Use a Voice Changer in Valorant?

Valorant is more than just a shooter; it is a social hub. Players use voice changers for several reasons:

Entertainment: Using a soundboard to play iconic “thwack” sounds or meme audio during the buy phase.
Privacy: Masking your natural voice to protect your identity in public lobbies.
Immersive Roleplay: Using high-quality filters to sound like a robot, a monster, or a specific character.

If you are also a fan of other gaming platforms, you might want to check out this guide on Roblox voice changers to keep the fun going across all your favorite titles.

Top 5 Voice Changers for Valorant

1. EaseUS VoiceWave (Recommended)

EaseUS VoiceWave is a professional-grade, AI-powered voice changer designed specifically for gamers and content creators. It offers a seamless experience with Valorant, providing real-time voice transformation without causing significant CPU lag—a crucial factor for a game that relies heavily on frame rates.

It features an intuitive interface and a massive library of voices ranging from “Male to Female” to “Deep Robot” and “Cartoon.” Its AI integration ensures that your transformed voice sounds natural and clear, avoiding the “tinny” distortion found in lesser software.

Key Features:

Real-time AI Processing: Negligible latency during live matches.
Massive Library: Over 100+ voice effects and 200+ online games supported.
Built-in Soundboard: High-quality sound packs for instant memes and reactions.
Customization: Advanced sliders to adjust pitch, tone, and timbre.

Pros:

Extremely user-friendly interface for beginners.
Crystal-clear output that doesn’t sound “robotic” unless you want it to.
Compatible with Discord, Steam, and Valorant’s in-game VC.

Cons:

Advanced AI features may require a stable internet connection for initial setup.

2. Voicemod

Voicemod is perhaps the most well-known name in the voice-changing world. It is a “freemium” software that offers a rotating selection of free voices every day. It is highly compatible with Valorant and offers a robust soundboard feature that allows you to map audio clips to your keyboard.

Key Features:

Voicelab: A workspace to create your own unique voice filters.
Meme Soundboard: Thousands of community-uploaded sounds.
Tuna Integration: Connects to a massive database of sound clips.

Pros:

Massive community support and tutorials.
Great soundboard customization options.

Cons:

The free version is quite limited, with many voices locked behind a “Pro” paywall.
Can be heavy on system resources during intense gameplay.

3. Clownfish Voice Changer

If you are looking for something lightweight and “no-frills,” Clownfish is the classic choice. Unlike other apps that act as a virtual audio device, Clownfish operates at the system level, meaning it sits on your microphone driver and changes your voice across every app automatically.

Key Features:

System-wide Integration: Works on everything from Valorant to Skype.
Music Player: Built-in player to manage background audio.
Simple Presets: Includes Alien, Atari, Clone, and Pitch Shift.

Pros:

Incredibly lightweight; won’t affect your Valorant FPS.
Completely free to use.

Cons:

Very basic interface that looks outdated.
Fewer voice options and lacks advanced AI-based filters.

4. MorphVOX Junior/Pro

MorphVOX is known for its high-quality voice-learning technology. It “learns” your voice to provide the best possible translation. The “Junior” version is free, while the “Pro” version offers more professional tools for streamers.

Key Features:

Voice Learning: Calibrates to your specific vocal frequency.
Background Cancellation: Filters out your mechanical keyboard clicks.
Quick Effects: Hotkeys for quick voice changes mid-combat.

Pros:

Excellent audio quality.
Good at removing background noise, which is great for loud gaming environments.

Cons:

The free (Junior) version is very limited.
The setup process can be slightly more complex than EaseUS VoiceWave.

5. Soundpad

While primarily a soundboard rather than a voice changer, Soundpad is an essential mention for Valorant players. It allows you to play sounds through your microphone signal in high digital quality, making it the king of “mic-spamming” (in a fun way!).

Key Features:

Audio Normalization: Ensures your sounds aren’t too loud or too quiet for your teammates.
Recorder: Record what you hear and play it back instantly.
Hotkeys: Bind sounds to your Numpad for instant access.

Pros:

Extremely stable and lightweight.
High audio fidelity.

Cons:

Does not offer actual voice transformation (pitch shifting only).
The free trial has a limit on how many sounds you can play per restart.

How to Set Up EaseUS VoiceWave for Valorant

Getting started is simple. Follow these steps to transform your Valorant experience:

Download and Install: Visit the official EaseUS website and install VoiceWave.
Configure Input: Open the software and select your main microphone as the input device and your headphones as the output.
Choose a Voice: Select a voice filter (e.g., “Dread Knight” or “Female”) and turn on the “Voice Changer” toggle at the bottom.
Launch Valorant: Open Valorant and go to Settings > Audio > Voice Chat.
Change Input Device: Set the Input Device to “EaseUS VoiceWave Virtual Microphone.”
Test: Use the “Loopback” test in Valorant to ensure your teammates hear the transformed voice.

Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?

If you want the best balance of performance, variety, and ease of use, EaseUS VoiceWave is our top recommendation. While Clownfish is great for low-end PCs and Voicemod offers a great community, EaseUS VoiceWave provides the most modern AI filters that actually sound realistic in the heat of a tactical shooter.

Whether you want to hide your identity or just bring a smile to your teammates’ faces during a stressful ranked match, these tools will help you stand out. Just remember: always use voice changers responsibly and keep the community positive!

Great Job Our Culture Mag & Partners & the Team @ Our Culture Source link for sharing this story.

#NBTXNEWSIndependent journalism for New Braunfels, Comal County, Guadalupe County, and The Texas Hill Country.

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Why Use a Voice Changer in Valorant?

Top 5 Voice Changers for Valorant

1. EaseUS VoiceWave (Recommended)

2. Voicemod

3. Clownfish Voice Changer

4. MorphVOX Junior/Pro

5. Soundpad

How to Set Up EaseUS VoiceWave for Valorant

Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?