All Split Fiction Bench Locations For Sisters: A Tale Of Two Besties Achievement Or Trophy
All Split Fiction Bench Locations For Sisters: A Tale Of Two Besties Achievement Or Trophy
While traveling throughout Mio and Zoe’s fictional worlds, you might notice benches spread across the levels. There are six benches in Split Fiction in total, and resting on all of them will give you an insight into their worlds in the form of a short conversation. It’ll also give you the Sisters: A Tale of Two Besties achievement, so they’re worth seeking out if you’re trying to get all of the trophies. Both girls must sit on the bench for it to count, and you’ll know it’s successful if the cameras pan together and the conversation begins.
Below we’ve laid out all six benches in Split Fiction and precisely where to find them. Plan ahead with our guide as some of these can be easily missed or cut off by triggering cutscenes or parts of a level.
Neon Revenge
The first bench is near the pool section, which is also the same area as the Mountain Hike side story. After landing on the hotel roof, head to the back and use the zipline to get to the next balcony across. On the left you’ll see the bench. If you jump onto the passing car to progress the level, you can’t go back, so make sure to seek this out before you go too far.
Neon Revenge
Hopes of Spring
Before completing the Ice King palace puzzle, it’s time to look for this level’s bench. Go to the back of the room, and you’ll find a balcony with a beautiful view. If you’re not already in your human forms, shapeshift into them and take a seat.
Hopes of Spring
Final Dawn
After taking off your jet packs, you’ll see a long window with a corridor ahead of you. Alongside the window you’ll find the bench. You can’t really miss this one!
Final Dawn
Rise of the Dragon Realm
In the Water Temple area of the level, Mio and Zoe need to split up to complete the water wheel puzzle. After finishing the puzzle, immediately look to the back of the area, and you’ll spot a stone bench covered in patches of moss. It does blend in and doesn’t look a whole lot like a bench, but walking towards it will bring up the prompt to sit down.
Rise of the Dragon Realm
Isolation
After controlling the raft in the sewers, you’ll find an area where Zoe has to jump into a large metal container. Before taking the plunge, though, walk around the outskirts of the huge trash piles to find this level’s bench.
Isolation
The Hollow
After jumping across the beams of light, you’ll find yourself on a ledge. Immediately to your left, the bench will look out across the landscape. This is the final bench to sit on, so you should get the achievement notification as soon as Mio and Zoe take a seat.
The Hollow
Now that you’re familiar with the areas that Mio and Zoe need to sit down to earn the achievement, take a look at how to survive the sandfish, or how to cross the piranha-infested waters of the Underlands.
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The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Caused a Valentine’s Day Stumble
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Caused a Valentine’s Day Stumble
Like most retailers, Victoria’s Secret & Co. is headed cautiously into 2025, predicting sales declines for the first quarter and then a rebound later in the year.
But as the lingerie giant negotiates around a more cautious consumer, colder weather and tariff uncertainty out of the Trump White House, Hillary Super’s longer-term plans are coming into focus.
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Super — who jumped from Savage x Fenty to become chief executive officer of Victoria’s Secret last September — said she has a lot to work with.
“We are building from a position of strength as the largest intimate apparel company in the world,” the CEO told analysts on a conference call Thursday. “In North America, we have approximately 20 percent market share, 25 million active customers, and 38 million loyalty members. We have the second-largest brand following in the world on social media with 88 million followers on Instagram alone.”
Hillary Super
And while the North American intimates market declined slightly in the fourth quarter, Super said the company outpaced the market for the second-straight quarter.
To capitalize on that momentum and the company’s leader status, Super has put the company on what she’s calling the Path to Potential.
“We are playing offense, leaning into our core strength, and unlocking new opportunities,” she said.
The plan is made up of four key strategies that has the company:
Recommitting to the Pink brand.
Reasserting the company’s authority in bras.
Looking to grow the beauty, sport and swim businesses.
And updating the company’s go-to-market approach, reducing production lead times for some categories, while also tweaking branding strategies.
“As culture, technology and shopping behaviors shift, so must our go-to-market strategy,” Super said. “By staying true to our brand DNA while adapting how we engage, inspire and serve, we will deepen connections with existing customers and attract new customers while strengthening loyalty and driving long-term growth.
“One of the ways we will do that is by creating stronger differentiation between Victoria’s Secret and Pink in everything, from product to marketing to experience,” she said. “Today, the lines between the two brands are blurred.”
The company is moving toward an org chart that has brand presidents leading product-facing functions at Victoria’s Secret, Pink and in the beauty business.
While these changes take time, the company is operating in what’s turned into a tougher environment day-to-day.
The firm forecast a roughly 2 to 4 percent decline for first-quarter sales, ramping up to a flat to up 2 percent performance for the full year, with sales of $6.2 billion to $6.3 billion.
Some of that is the consumer climate, but Super said there were also some things the company could have done better.
“We pulled marketing spend into Q3 for the fashion show” in October, she said. “One of the hindsights coming out of the fashion show is that that halo in terms of traffic was about eight to 10 weeks. I think we pulled back a little too far on marketing, and we should have had some other event, whether it was around sport or Valentine’s Day in January, to really drive that heat and awareness and traffic.
“We didn’t buy Valentine’s Day big enough,” she said. “So we blew through sleep, which was one of the big drivers of holiday. We blew through it in a couple of weeks and basically sold out by the time we got to the beginning of February.”
But building in the fashion industry is about doing, learning and moving forward.
Super said the fashion show was “a huge success” and said there would be a “spike” in marketing spending in the fall with the next iteration. But she was noncommittal on just what it will look like.
“We are still working through that,” she said. “There will be some activation of some sort that is significant in the back half of the year, and we’re working through a number of options around that. So, there’ll be more to share.”
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RoboCop: Rogue City Sequel Announced And It Launches This Summer
RoboCop: Rogue City Sequel Announced And It Launches This Summer
Nacon held its Nacon Connect 2025 event on Thursday, and with it came the reveal of a new sequel to RoboCop: Rogue City called RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business.
Releasing this summer, RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a “stand-alone follow-up” to 2023’s game that will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
“The OmniTower is their fortress, violence is their language. Face off against elite mercenaries all the way to the top of the tower and uphold the law amidst chaos!,” the game’s description reads.
It continues: “When a group of highly trained mercenaries armed with cutting-edge weapons takes control of the building and turns it into their deadly fortress, RoboCop must take action and put a stop to their plans to undermine law and order.”
Nacon says that players will have new threats in the OmniTower with every floor being “riddled with deadly traps, and heavily armed elite troops.”
“Expect to face minigun-toting armoured squads, special forces equipped with jet packs or even katana-wielding foes who look more machine than man,” the publisher said.
Additional details including features, system specs, release date and more will be revealed in the coming weeks and months.
Check out the reveal trailer for the RoboCop: Rogue City sequel yourself. And let us know what you think down below or in the official Insider Gaming forums.
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Always Pay These 7 Monthly Bills Before the First of the Month
Always Pay These 7 Monthly Bills Before the First of the Month
andresr / iStock/Getty Images
Most Americans are in debt. With cost of living still surging and lingering inflation, budgets are tight, prompting many to rely on credit cards for living expenses and groceries.
Trending Now: 4 Easiest Frugal Living Tips Perfect for Beginners in 2025
Learn More: 25 Creative Ways To Save Money
With soaring costs affecting everything from housing to cars, food, basic necessities and more, many are tackling multiple debts each month, which can make the task of paying them down seem impossible. Prioritizing which bills should be paid is key, so we’ve formulated some helpful guidance to help you strategize monthly expense payments.
Having a roof over your head should be the top priority. Pay the mortgage or rent every month to prevent being evicted or the bank taking away your home. If you’re unable to pay, contact your landlord or lender and have an honest conversation about your circumstances.
“Often, they can point you towards programs that help homeowners or renters who are in similar situations,” per American Family Insurance. The site explained, “For example, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (Opens in a new tab) has resources and programs to help if you’re having trouble keeping up with mortgage payments and can help you avoid foreclosure.”
Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On
Shelter is a necessity, but you don’t want to be in the dark. Paying the electric and water bills is also a must in order to properly function and live in your home. Programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program can assist during hard times.
It might not feel like it, but grocery prices are starting to level off. That doesn’t mean the cost of food is going down, though. It’s just not increasing at a significant rate like in previous months, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That said, many struggle to stock their fridge and pantry while juggling numerous debts. Food isn’t an option, so this bill must be paid, but there are food pantries across the U.S. that can help if needed.
Depending on where you live, you probably need a car, so this is another monthly expense to prioritize. That also includes insurance. According to Rachel Cruze from Ramsey Solutions, if you have high payments that you can’t afford or cannot pay off your car in 24-28 months, selling it for a more affordable option is worth considering. She explained, “Make sure the total value of your car or if you have a family, the total value of all the cars you own does not exceed 50% of your annual salary,” in a recent video.
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A pile of medical bills is the last thing needed when already dealing with mounting debt. If you’re self-employed or don’t have a job that covers your health insurance, this is a bill also to prioritize. A lapse in coverage can cause big problems, like avoiding the doctor because it’s unaffordable, and a health issue turns into a ******* health problem, or an accident or injury occurs. Health insurance is a must-have bill that can’t be skipped.
As tempting as it might be not to repay a student loan, Suze Orman, host of the “Women & Money” podcast, previously told GOBankigRates, “People need to remember to not put off paying your student loans. It’s not going away and it should be the first monthly bill you pay. It’s not going to disappear. You can’t bankrupt your student loan.”
To fit a student loan payment back into your budget, Orman stated, “Give up eating out or other unnecessary expenses so you can start making your payments.”
Credit cards have high interest rates, so paying the statement balance each month is better. However, if that’s not possible, talk to your credit card company and work out an affordable payment plan. You don’t want to ruin your credit and prevent qualifying for loans down the road, but “at the end of the day, it’s more important to pay bills that keep your family healthy and safe,” American Family Insurance stated.
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The MagicX Zero 40 handheld features a vertical display for DS emulation
The MagicX Zero 40 handheld features a vertical display for DS emulation
The Nintendo DS is one of the toughest consoles to emulate, for an obvious reason. It’s the two screens. This is even an issue with ports. Some developers avoid the problem by mushing everything together onto a single traditional screen, like the recently-released . However, gamers may finally have an affordable emulation solution, thanks to the .
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On its surface, it’s yet another handheld emulator, but this one features a four-inch vertically-oriented 800×480 touchscreen display. This should allow players to accurately recreate the experience of playing DS games. That’s great news, as replacement parts for any of the DS’s iterations are difficult to come by these days.
The MagicX Zero 40 runs on a 64-bit Android operating system and features 2GB of RAM and a battery that lasts for four to seven hours. As for storage, it supports flash cards up to 512GB. What about 3DS emulation? The specs sheet indicates there’s no support for Nintendo’s follow-up dual-screen handheld, but the Zero 40 will emulate games from all of the standard single-screen systems. These include the PSP, NES, SNES, Dreamcast and many more.
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The Zero 40 is expected to be released this April, . Pre-orders were open, but are sold out for the time being. There’s another option for a dual-screen emulation, if you have deep pockets. The Ayaneo Flip DS will run Nintendo DS, 3DS and Wii U games, .
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U.S. will collapse Iran’s economy by shutting down its oil industry, Treasury Secretary says
U.S. will collapse Iran’s economy by shutting down its oil industry, Treasury Secretary says
US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent addresses the Economic Club of New York on March 6, 2025.
Charly Triballeau | Afp | Getty Images
President Donald Trump’s sanctions against Iran are designed to shut down the country’s oil industry and “collapse its already buckling economy,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday.
The U.S. is deploying sanctions against Iran aggressively for “immediate maximum impact,” Bessent told the Economic Club of New York. Trump’s goal is to slash Iran’s oil exports of 1.5 million barrels per to a trickle, the Treasury secretary said.
“We are going to shut down Iran’s oil sector and drone manufacturing capabilities,” Bessent said. The administration also intends to cut off Tehran’s access to the international financial system, he said.
Prices for U.S. crude oil and the global benchmark Brent turned positive after Bessent’s comments. West Texas Intermediate rose 6 cent to $66.37 per barrel by 1:03 p.m. ET while Brent gained 16 cents to $69.46.
“Making Iran broke again will mark the beginning of our updated sanctions policy,” the Treasury secretary, a former global investment manager, said. “If I were an Iranian, I would get all my money out of the rial now,” he said.
Trump re-imposed his pressure campaign on Iran through a presidential memorandum on Feb. 4. Two days later, the Treasury Department started imposing sanctions on an international network shipping Iranian oil to China.
Oil prices fell to multiyear lows on Wednesday as Trump’s tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China raised fears among investors that economic growth will slow and crude demand will falter. OPEC+ also confirmed this week that it will gradually bring 2.2 million barrels per day back to the market starting in April.
The oil market right now sees a drop in Iranian supply as the only bullish catalyst for prices, JP Morgan analysts led by Natasha Kaneva told clients in a Thursday note.
Trump, after launching his maximum pressure campaign, has said he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran. The president said he hoped maximum pressure is “not going to have to be used in any great measure at all.”
“I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper,” Trump said in a social media post on Feb. 5. In 2018, the president withdrew the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal negotiated by former President Barack Obama.
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RoboCop: Rogue City Expansion Will Let You Play As The Fleshy Version Of The Ultimate Cop
RoboCop: Rogue City Expansion Will Let You Play As The Fleshy Version Of The Ultimate Cop
During Nacon Connect 2025, developer Teyon announced that RoboCop: Rogue City will be getting a standalone expansion. Called Unfinished Business, the new content sees RoboCop return to Omni Tower after an army of skilled mercenaries have taken over the building, and it’ll be launching in the summer for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Here’s the first trailer for it:
While it looks like you’ll have plenty of targets and challenging opponents in the expansion, it does add an interesting wrinkle in the form of flashback missions. These levels will let players step into the boots of Alex Murphy long before he had his fatal encounter with Clarence J. Boddicker and his gang in the 1987 film. Additionally, the levels featuring RoboCop will also give players access to new weapons, brutal finishers, and special missions.
RoboCop: Rogue City is admittedly a flawed game, but if you can overlook its rougher parts, you’ll find that it’s incredibly faithful to the source material and a fun blast of ’80s action. Teyon had several post-launch updates for the game, including a New Game Plus mode that fans had been requesting.
In GameSpot’s RoboCop: Rogue City review, reviewer Richard Wakeling called the game a solid–if sometimes poorly paced–shooter full of fun references that RoboCop fans will appreciate. “If you’re a fan of RoboCop, then you’ll find a lot to love in Rogue City. It’s chock full of Easter eggs and manages to capture the look and feel of the first two RoboCop movies with excellent attention to detail, even getting Peter Weller to reprise his role as the eponymous hero.”
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Rainbow Six Siege X Will Feature a 6v6 Mode, It’s Claimed
Rainbow Six Siege X Will Feature a 6v6 Mode, It’s Claimed
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March 6, 2025
New details about Rainbow Six Siege X’s beta tests have been leaked, and it seems the game might feature a new 6v6 mode.
The leaker responsible for accurately predicting the reveal date for Siege X has now provided new details about the upcoming game. According to a new X post (formerly Twitter) by fraxiswinning, Siege X will feature a new 6v6 mode, which the developers seemingly describe as “Experience the new Dual Front game mode featuring 6v6 non-stop action.”
Besides the 6v6 mode, the leaker provided new information about Siege X’s closed beta test. Per their post, the closed beta test will be hosted between March 13 and 19, beginning on the same day as the Siege X showcase. They aren’t sure how players will get access to it or whether the test will be conducted on consoles, as it will be hosted on a ‘test server’.
Siege X has been described as “not just another update” but a “major evolution” for the series. The developers are working to ensure the upcoming title remains “at the pinnacle of tactical PvP first-person shooters.” The new instalment will feature graphical and audio upgrades, a refined game feel, and new ways to enjoy it.
In other news, Rainbow Six Siege will be around for another 10 years after Siege X. Also, the game still tops the esports charts 10 years later. What are your thoughts on Siege X featuring a 6v6 mode? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum!
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France has a nuclear umbrella. Could its European allies fit under it?
France has a nuclear umbrella. Could its European allies fit under it?
Hugh Schofield
BBC News, Paris
Macron says France is open to extending nuclear deterrent to protect European Allies
So in the end Charles de Gaulle was right.
As president of France in the 1960s, it was he who launched the policy of French strategic independence.
Of course, he said, Americans were more our friends than Russians are. But the US too had interests. And one day their interests would clash with ours.
In the world of today, his warnings have never seemed more clairvoyant.
From his principle of superpower detachment, de Gaulle conjured the notion of France’s sovereign nuclear deterrent – whose existence is now at the centre of debates over European security.
France and the *** are the only two countries on the European continent who have nuclear weapons. Currently France has just short of 300 nuclear warheads, which can be fired from France-based aircraft or from submarines.
The *** has about 250. The big difference is that the French arsenal is sovereign – i.e. developed entirely by France – whereas the *** relies on US technical input.
On Wednesday President Emmanuel Macron aired the idea that France’s deterrence force (force de frappe) could – in this highly uncertain new era – be associated with the defence of other European countries.
His suggestion drew outrage from politicians of the hard right and left, who say that France is considering “sharing” its nuclear arsenal.
That – according to government officials as well as defence experts – is a falsification of the argument. Nothing is to be “shared”.
According to Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the nuclear deterrent “is French and will remain French – from its conception to its production to its operation, under a decision of the president.”
What is under discussion is not more fingers on the nuclear button. It is whether France’s nuclear protection can be explicitly extended to include other European countries.
Until now French nuclear doctrine has been built around the threat of a massive nuclear response if the president thought the “vital interests” of France were at stake.
The limits of these “vital interests” have always been left deliberately vague – ambiguity and credibility being the two watchwords of nuclear deterrence.
In fact French presidents going back to de Gaulle himself have all hinted that some European countries might de facto already be under the umbrella. In 1964 de Gaulle that France would consider itself threatened if, for example, the USSR attacked Germany.
So in one way there is nothing new in Macron suggesting a European dimension to France’s deterrent.
What is new, according to defence analysts, is that for the first time other European countries are also asking for it.
“In the past when France has made overtures [about extending nuclear protection], other countries were reluctant to respond,” says Pierre Haroche of the Catholic University of Lille.
“They didn’t want to send out the signal that they did not have complete faith in the US and Nato.”
“But Trump has clarified the debate,” Mr Laroche says. “It’s not that the Americans are talking of removing their nuclear deterrent – let’s be clear, that does not seem to be on the table right now.”
“But the credibility of US nuclear dissuasion is not what it was. That has opened the debate, and led the Germans to look more favourably on the idea of coming under a French and/or British umbrella.”
Getty Images
Two cooling towers of the Civaux nuclear power plant, in central France (file photo)
Last month the likely next ******* chancellor Friedrich Merz surprised the country’s partners by saying it might be the moment for discussion with Paris and London on the subject.
How a French or Franco-British European nuclear deterrent might operate is still far from clear.
According to Mr Haroche, one option might be to position French nuclear-armed planes in other countries, such as Germany or Poland. The decision to press the trigger would still rest entirely with the French president, but their presence would send a strong signal.
Alternatively, French bombers could patrol European borders, in the same way they regularly do French borders today. Or airfields could be developed in other countries to which French bombers could quickly deploy in an emergency.
Numbers are an issue. Are 300 French warheads enough against Russia’s thousands? Maybe not – but in an alliance with the *** 300 become 550. Also (to repeat the point) the American nuclear deterrent is still in theory in place. There are US nuclear bombs in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
Another question is whether to reformulate the French nuclear doctrine so as to state unambiguously that “vital interests” cover European allies too.
Some say there is no need, because the strategic vagueness that exists already is part of the very deterrent.
But Mr Haroche says there is a political dimension to stating more clearly that France will use its arsenal to defend other European countries.
“If the US is to be less present, then European countries will be depending much more on each other. Our strategic world becomes more horizontal,” he says.
“In this new world it is important to build trust and confidence among ourselves. For France to signal it is prepared to take on risk in support of others – that helps create a solid front.”
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How to Farm Samples Easily in Helldivers 2
How to Farm Samples Easily in Helldivers 2
If you are a new Helldivers 2 player, you may have noticed that many players work extra hard to extract more samples on missions. The samples, which are used to upgrade Ship Modules, are of three types: Common, Rare, and Super. As expected, Rare and Super samples are a little challenging to find, but some of these tips will help you out in finding them quickly.
Samples can be found scattered all over the map (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)
Initially, there was a lot of toxicity among the community because of the samples. Many players have the misconception that the player who extracts with the samples gets all of them, but all squad members get those samples at the end of the mission. Helldivers 2 strongly promotes teamwork, so you don’t have to kill your teammates to get the samples they are carrying.
What are Samples in Helldivers 2, and where to find them?
A diamond icon on the map will mark the place with samples (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)
The three types of samples, Common, Rare, and Super, are used to acquire Ship Modules. These Samples are capped at 500 for Common Samples, 250 for Rare Samples, and 100 for Super Samples. On the map, a place is marked by a diamond sign if it has valuable resources. Here is a quick guide explaining how players can identify and acquire different samples in Helldivers 2:
Common Samples
Common samples are the most abundantly available samples in the game, as they can be found on all 10 difficulty levels. On Terminid missions, players need to look for mushroom-like structures, which are often found near the base of their hives or around Spore Spewers. For Automaton missions, samples look like a box and can be found in their bases. On Illuminate missions, players must look for the Illuminate Cuboctahedron, which can often be found near ammo POIs in the city. Samples can also be found near Super Earth structures and Graves Minor POI.
Rare Samples
Rare samples can be found on Challenging difficulty or higher. Similar to Common samples, Rare samples are also found around minor POIs such as Pods, Containers, and Bunkers. Rare samples have the same appearance across all missions, irrespective of the faction that gamers are fighting against. These samples appear as Metallic Crystals, Bismuth, and Alien Flower, and are often found around objectives.
Super Samples
Super Samples, also known as Super Uranium, can only be found on Extreme difficulty or higher, so make sure that you have enough experience before starting your hunt for Super samples. These samples are not near any objectives or POIs as they are found only at a distinctive place called Super Sample Rock. Players will not have any problem locating this location as it can easily be spotted on the minimap.
How to extract successfully with Samples in Helldivers 2?
Super samples can only be found at a particular location (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)
Once you’ve collected enough samples throughout the mission, avoid dying at all costs, as you might end up dropping the samples deep into enemy territory. In case you have too many samples but also have many objectives to complete, you can always drop the samples (By holding X on PC or holding down on the D-pad on PS5) near the extraction point so you can recollect the samples later when you plan on leaving the planet.
If you are playing with a squad, the best method is to let one person carry all the samples. This way, the rest of the team can fight without worrying about dropping the samples. Don’t worry; in the end, everyone gets the samples, even if one person extracts with all the samples. A lot of new players are not aware of how sample extraction works in Helldivers 2, so don’t be that toxic teammate who tries to kill others to have all the samples.
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This Germany ETF has ‘years of upside potential,’ says chart analyst Cappelleri
This Germany ETF has ‘years of upside potential,’ says chart analyst Cappelleri
As you may have heard, international markets have been leading the global performance landscape in 2025. Of the 45 global ETFs we track closely, 22 are up at least 10% year-to-date, and seven have already gained more than 20%. Those are impressive numbers for an entire year—let alone just a few weeks. The key question now is: Are these moves sustainable? And for investors, is it still a good time to buy? While many ETFs have shown remarkable strength, today we’re focusing on the iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG) for two key reasons. First, it’s among the top performers, already up over 20% this year. Second, Germany plays a critical role in Europe’s economy, financial system, and geopolitical landscape, making it a market worth watching. Before diving in, it’s important to note that EWG differs from the local ******* DAX index because it’s priced in U.S. dollars. This means EWG benefits when the dollar weakens — and with the dollar declining for most of 2025, EWG has surged. Looking at EWG’s long-term chart, the ETF has blasted through multi-decade resistance and is making new all-time highs in March’s early trading sessions. This could mark a major breakout with years of upside potential. In other words, from a big-picture perspective, this setup looks undeniably bullish. It has taken quite a big move in a short amount of time for that breakout to take place. After flirting with its 200-day moving average since reclaiming it in late 2023, EWG finally used it as a launching pad this past December. That rally has continued uninterrupted through early March. In fact, EWG is now 20% above its 200-day moving average — the widest spread since early February 2023. While the ETF is much higher now than it was two years ago, history suggests that such an extreme move can lead to a ******* of digestion. Back in early 2023, a similar surge eventually lost momentum, with EWG stalling near new highs for months before rolling over in July. It didn’t decisively reclaim those February 2023 highs until a full year later, in February 2024. Every situation is different, of course, but the odds of EWG maintaining this pace without some sort of cooling-off ******* are low. If nothing else, patience is recommended over chasing at these levels. Given all of this, it’s no surprise that the EWG vs. S & P 500 ratio has spiked. In fact, its 14-week RSI is now at 80, one of the highest readings in EWG’s history. This is an important chart because, more often than not, an overbought RSI in the EWG/SPX ratio has marked a key top. That was the case from late 2007 through early 2023—the very ******* discussed earlier. The same pattern also played out from 2000 through 2002. The common denominator in both of those periods? The EWG/SPX relative line was in a long-term downtrend. In other words, while EWG occasionally outperformed, those rallies were just mean-reverting moves within a broader decline. However, from 2003 through most of 2007, EWG was in a long uptrend versus the S & P 500. During that stretch, the four overbought RSI readings were actually bullish signals. While short-term pullbacks followed, they produced higher lows, and EWG’s relative strength persisted. Bringing it back to today — we expect EWG’s pace to slow down, and when it does, its overbought condition relative to the S & P 500 should ease. The key question then becomes: Will buyers step in on the dip, as they did from 2003-2007? If they do, it would be a strong sign that this latest breakout could have years of upside ahead. — Frank Cappelleri Founder: DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer.
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FIFA to study idea for 64-team men's World Cup in 2030
FIFA to study idea for 64-team men's World Cup in 2030
Soccer’s governing body is looking at a proposal from South America to make the men’s 2030 centenary World Cup an expanded 64-team affair.
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Amazon Prime Members Get These 20 Free Games In March
Amazon Prime Members Get These 20 Free Games In March
Amazon has revealed all of the free PC games that’ll be coming to Prime Gaming in March, and there’s a pretty solid lineup of classic open-world, fantasy, and puzzle games to grab. In total, there’ll be 20 games offered this month, with four games available right now. As a reminder, all of the free games that you claim through Prime Gaming are yours to keep forever, even if your subscription expires. If you aren’t a member, you can sign up for Amazon Prime for as little as one month to take advantage of the subscription and the freebies offered through it.
The month kicks off with Saints Row: The Third Remastered and ****** 2: Definitive Edition. Considered to be the best in the Saints Row series, the threequel is a goofy sandbox of crime and dubstep-powered weapons, and this remastered edition features enhanced graphics and all of the post-launch DLC. ****** 2: Definitive Edition is a story-driven open-world game set in the 1940s, as war hero Vito Scaletta becomes entangled with the mob.
You can also redeem Crime Boss: Rockay City if you feel like gawking at bad gameplay and want to see Chuck Norris as the bad guy, and there’s also Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master to round out the first batch of games. March 13 will give you five more games to choose from, with the highlight here being Endling: Extinction is Forever. It’s not a game for the faint-hearted, as Endling lets you take control of the last mother fox on Earth. Driven to protect all of her cubs in a merciless world that is on the brink of destruction, Endling is a stressful and emotional survival-adventure game.
Moving ahead to March 20, the Prime Gaming library will expand with five more games. Mortal Shell is a flawed but interesting souls-like, Wolfenstein: the Old Blood is a spooky spin-off from the first Wolfenstein adventure developed by MachineGames, and you can jump into 2003’s Legacy of Kain: Defiance to check out the final game in the classic series.
Finally, March 27 will see six more games arrive to cap the month off with games like Deus Ex: Invisible War, The Forgotten City, and Session: Skate Sim.
Prime Gaming free games for March 2025
Available now
Saints Row: The Third Remastered (GOG Code)
****** 2: Definitive Edition (GOG Code)
Crime Boss: Rockay City (Epic Games Store)
Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master (Amazon Games App)
March 13
Wall World (Amazon Games App)
Syberia: The World Before (GOG Code)
Endling: Extinction is Forever (Amazon Games App)
Dark Deity: Complete Edition (GOG Code)
Beholder 3 (Amazon Games App)
March 20
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (Xbox and PC via Microsoft Store Code)
Mutazione (GOG Code)
Figment 2: Creed Valley (Amazon Games App)
Legacy of Kain: Defiance (GOG Code)
Mortal Shell (Epic Games Store)
March 27
The Forgotten City (Amazon Games App)
Deus Ex: Invisible War (GOG Code)
Session: Skate Sim (Epic Games Store)
Let’s Build A Zoo (Epic Games Store)
Gamedec – Definitive Edition (GOG Code)
The Wisbey Mystery (Legacy Games Code)
Prime subscribers will also be able to the following games in January via the Prime Gaming Luna channel:
WRC Generations: Fully Loaded Edition
Overcooked 2
Spitlings
The Jackbox Party Pack 3
Strange Horticulture
Fortnite
Fortnite Ballistic
Lego Fortnite Brick Life
Fortnite Battle Royale
Fortnite Festival
Lego Fortnite Odyssey
Rocket Racing
Fortnite
Trackmania
Fallout New Vegas: Ultimate Edition
Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition
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These stocks are best insulated from Trump tariffs, according to Barclays
These stocks are best insulated from Trump tariffs, according to Barclays
Amid heightened uncertainty from President Donald Trump’s trade war, Barclays screened for companies that are more shielded from tariff volatility. The three major stock market averages are down more than 2% so far this week as U.S. tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico took effect and those on China were raised. Stocks have seesawed daily as Trump administration officials and foreign leaders continue to talk through the tariffs and negotiate their exact conditions. With this in mind, Barclays built a list of stocks they believe are the most insulated from tariff barrier headwinds. All are rated overweight at the bank and their average average market capitalization is around $47 billion. Here are some of the names that showed up on Barclays screen: Luxury retailer Tapestry — owner of Coach and Kate Spade — is one of the stocks on the list. Shares have soared more than 20% in 2025, hitting an all-time high in February, following strong quarterly results and forward guidance. During the company’s earnings call on Feb. 6, chief financial officer Scott Roe noted that Tapestry’s internal forecasts already included the expectation of an additional 10% tariffs on goods from China coming into the U.S. Tapestry does not have any production in Canada or Mexico, he added. To be sure, Tapestry has declined more than 8% this week amid a broad drawdown in retail stocks over worries that higher prices from tariffs will pressure consumer spending. TPR YTD mountain Tapestry shares in 2025 Agriculture machinery company Deere is another company Barclays believes will fare better under tariff uncertainties. The stock took a hit earlier in the week after Trump announced that tariffs would apply to food products. However, shares reversed course and briefly jumped as much as 3.3% Thursday, putting the stock down less than 1% for the week. Shares are up 12.6% year to date, far outperforming the S & P 500. DE 1D mountain Deere & Co. on Thursday Soft drink giant Coca-Cola also made the cut. Asked about the affect of aluminum tariffs, CEO James Quincey said on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call that Atlanta-based Coke has “hedging programs in place that look to assure supply and price going out” into the future to address tariffs and other macroeconomic uncertainties. “I think we’re in danger of exaggerating the impact of the 25% increase in the aluminum price relative to the total system,” Quincey said. “It’s not insignificant, but it’s not going to radically change a multibillion dollar U.S. business. And packaging is only a small component of the total cost structure. So firstly, it’s not a multimillion dollar – billion dollar problem relative to the input cost. It’s a much more manageable number,” the CEO said. Shares are down 2.3% for the week, but remain 11.8% higher in 2025. KO YTD mountain Coca Cola shares in 2025
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What is a green data center?
What is a green data center?
A green data center is a repository for the storage, processing, management and dissemination of data in which the physical space and the mechanical and electrical subsystems are designed to maximize energy efficiency and minimize the environmental impact. The construction and operation of a green data center includes advanced technologies and strategies.
The following are examples of some of the technologies and strategies used in green data center initiatives:
Minimized building footprints with physical spaces optimized for effective airflow.
Low-emission building materials, carpets and paints.
Sustainable landscaping.
Extensive use of virtualization to maximize hardware utilization while reducing space and heat generation.
Use of AI platforms to analyze data center operations and optimize data center infrastructure management (DCIM) techniques.
E-waste recycling.
Catalytic converters on backup generators.
Alternative cooling technologies, including heat pumps, evaporative cooling, natural cooled facilities located in cold geographic locations and liquid immersion cooling for servers and other computing equipment.
Heat recovery and redirection designs that redirect and reuse heat from data center facilities to other cooler areas of the building.
Alternative and renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic technology, biofuels and wind technology.
Hybrid and electric vehicles.
Building and certifying a green data center or other facility can be expensive upfront, but long-term cost savings can be realized on operations and maintenance. Green facilities offer employees a healthy, comfortable work environment and enhance relations with local communities.
Environmentalists and, increasingly, the general public are pressuring governments to offer green incentives. Companies sometimes receive tax incentives and other monetary support for the development and use of environmentally responsible technologies.
Why do you need a green data center?
Green data centers have become essential for enterprise computing. A properly designed and well-implemented green data center design can use a range of energy-efficient technologies to do the following:
Lower power consumption, which is one of the largest data center expenses.
Reduce carbon emissions, which demonstrates environmental responsibility, improves public brand perception and helps the environment.
Conserve valuable resources, such as water and fossil fuels.
Improve the sustainability of data center operations, which is a critical concern for business continuity.
Establishing a green data center can be complex and expensive. Traditional data centers can be upgraded or retrofitted with green technologies, such as virtualization, AI-driven DCIM, and refurbishing and recycling programs. However, the deployment of a full-service green data center with a comprehensive suite of green technologies and strategies typically requires the construction of a new data center facility.
What are the benefits of a green data center?
Adopting a green approach to data center energy and environment management is a significant investment. However, over time, these data centers provide a range of advantages. Some benefits of green data centers are the following:
Lower long-term operating costs.
Reduced physical space requirements.
Less carbon emissions and a smaller carbon footprint due to fewer and more energy-efficient data center gear.
Decreased water use, expanding the range of suitable data center locations while reducing contention for water with local communities.
Reduced waste output from packaging reductions, gear redeployments and recycling.
Enhanced business continuity and regulatory compliance postures.
Reduced electricity consumption.
More emphasis on renewable and sustainable data center technology and resources.
Four ways data center operators can deal with e-waste.
Green data center performance metrics
Numerous metrics have been developed to measure energy use and sustainability. They help demonstrate and certify that buildings are using energy efficiently and don’t harm the environment. Organizations typically adopt and track several green energy metrics to provide the most complete picture of energy efficiency and sustainable practices and operation.
Power usage effectiveness. Developed in 1997 by The Green Grid, part of the Information Technology Industry Council, PUE measures the power consumption of a data center. It’s the ratio of the total power provided to the data center divided by the power the IT equipment in the data center uses. The goal is to have the ratio come as close as possible to one. A ratio of one means all of the power provided to the data center is being used by the computing equipment, effectively eliminating heat and waste. Ratios greater than one indicate lower efficiency.
Data center Infrastructure efficiency. DCiE measures how effectively a data center uses the available infrastructure. It divides the power consumed by IT gear by the total power the data center uses. DCiE is the inverse of PUE. A DCiE approaching one indicates greater energy efficiency. As with PUE, DCiE is a direct gauge of efficiency and is often used to help engineers measure the impact of infrastructure changes on efficiency.
Carbon usage effectiveness. The Green Grid also developed the CUE metric to show if a data center has attained its sustainability goals. It’s the ratio of carbon dioxide emissions the data center generates divided by the energy consumption of data center equipment. The goal is to have the lowest possible value, which indicates that the data center is effectively controlling its carbon dioxide emissions and carbon footprint.
Water usage effectiveness. The WUE metric evaluates a data center’s water consumption relative to its energy output. It’s determined by dividing the total annual water use in liters by the total annual energy use in kilowatt-hours. The result is WUE expressed in liters per kWh. WUE is most useful for facilities that rely on water-based cooling systems.
Renewable energy usage. REU is the ratio of energy derived from renewable sources, including photovoltaic, wind and hydroelectric power, divided by the total electricity used by the data center. This renders a ratio, but REU is typically expressed as a percentage. When the REU reaches 100%, all of the facility’s energy use is from renewable sources. REU is most helpful for green data centers that emphasize sustainability through renewable energy sources.
Energy reuse factor. ERF is a more exotic metric that expresses energy efficiency in terms of re-use. ERF is a ratio of the energy re-used, such as using waste heat from servers to heat other spaces, versus the total energy the data center uses. This ratio is expressed as a percentage, and is typically low, but larger percentages indicate more effective energy reuse.
Data center carbon footprint. The DCCF metric gauges the environmental impact of a data center. It’s determined by multiplying the total power the data center consumes by the carbon emission factor of the power source. A lower DCCF means a lower carbon impact. Engineers often use this metric to determine the sustainability of the data center and as justification for investments in renewable, low-carbon emission energy sources.
Power usage effectiveness is a metric used to assess the efficiency of a data center.
Energy efficiency certifications
Three certifications are available to validate that a building or IT device is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly:
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The U.S. Green Building Council created this certification. LEED certification of a building means it has satisfied a rigorous set of criteria to reduce energy consumption and be environmentally friendly.
Energy Star. Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Star designation certifies that a machine or device is energy-efficient. Use of Energy Star-certified products have saved residential and businesses users more than 5 trillion kilowatts of electricity since 1992.
Certified Energy Efficient Datacenter Award. CEEDA is a certification framework designed around a mix of standards, including ones from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers; Energy Star; the European Code of Conduct; European Telecommunications Standards Institute; Green Grid metrics; and the International Organization for Standardization. This global certification program independently recognizes the successful implementation of energy-efficiency practices in data centers across a variety of specialized disciplines.
Components of a green data center
Virtually every component of a data center, from how the building is constructed to the equipment in use, can be made more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Efficient storage technology is a key part of a green data center. See what it takes to have energy-efficient storage.
Energy efficiency and environmental considerations are essential design components when upgrading an existing data center or building a new one. Organizations planning a green data center can use a design firm with experience in designing energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.
Design considerations and components of a green data center include the following:
Cold and hot aisles. Data center servers are placed and contained in cold and hot aisles that enable hot air to be pumped to air conditioner returns and cold air from cold aisles to where it’s needed for cooling.
Free air cooling. Free cooling systems use outdoor air to cool data centers that are strategically located in cooler climates.
Liquid cooling. Immersion cooling technologies submerge data center gear in a circulated bath of nonconductive oil that contains and carries heat more efficiently than air cooling while using less power in chiller and circulation equipment than traditional heating, ventilation and air conditioning gear.
Low-power servers. These servers work well in data centers. Their low energy consumption makes them more efficient than traditional servers.
Virtualized servers. Virtualization lets a single physical server host multiple virtual server instances. One physical server can function as many different servers and reduce the total server count in the data center.
Modular data centers. These energy-efficient data centers are portable and can be quickly set up wherever they’re needed. They’re also called data centers in a box.
Evaporative cooling. Various technologies, such as evaporation pads and high-pressure spray systems, reduce heat through the evaporation of water.
Heat recovery and reuse. Waste heat from data center power use is reused to heat other facilities.
Ultrasonic humidification. Energy-efficient ultrasound is used to create the moisture needed to establish proper environmental conditions to run some devices in a data center. For example, adequate humidity reduces static accumulation and potentially damaging static discharges.
Renewable energy use. Green data centers will typically integrate one or more renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic, wind, hydroelectric or biofuel installations. This reduces their carbon footprint, improves sustainability and reduces dependence on traditional utilities.
Infrastructure monitoring and management. Software technologies such as DCIM let data center operators monitor energy use, optimize resource allocation, ensure safe operational environments, and oversee facility and IT infrastructure performance.
Building design. Factors such as building size and positioning, insulation type, natural lighting and air handling can reduce ongoing energy demands and affect data center efficiency.
Cloud computing and green data centers
The global rise of cloud computing has altered the calculus of green data center design and implementation for many organizations. In effect, cloud computing allows an organization to use computing resources and services remotely and on demand. This treats computing as if it were a utility such as electricity or water.
For most organizations, the availability of cloud computing has reduced, and even eliminated, the demand for green data center design. Cloud computing mitigates issues such as hardware counts, power supply and use, cooling needs and physical space.
For example, an organization might opt to migrate key workloads and data to a cloud provider rather than invest the time, financial capital and personnel in building and operating a green data center. Some of the most progressive businesses might forego a data center entirely and commit to a cloud-first or cloud-native posture for their business software and services.
However, for cloud computing providers with many large data centers around the world, the need to design, build and manage green data centers is more acute than ever.
Learn more about what factors to consider to run a sustainable data center.
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Government Watchdog Ends Fight to Keep His Job After Trump Firing
Government Watchdog Ends Fight to Keep His Job After Trump Firing
Hampton Dellinger, head of the federal government’s independent watchdog agency, ended his fight to keep his job on Thursday, bowing to President Trump’s effort to remove a key figure scrutinizing the recent mass firings of federal workers.
As chief of the Office of Special Counsel, Mr. Dellinger is charged with investigating appeals from federal employees who believe they have been wrongly dismissed. Less than 24 hours earlier, he had announced that his office had successfully obtained an order that temporarily allows thousands of Department of Agriculture employees swept up in Elon Musk’s government-gutting effort to get back to work.
But within hours, an appeals court ruled that Mr. Trump had a sound argument for firing him and granted the government’s request that Mr. Dellinger remain sidelined during the appeals process. Mr. Dellinger had been fighting his own dismissal ever since he received notice of it in February, and a lower court had agreed with his argument that the president had overstepped.
During his temporary reinstatement, he focused on investigating the government’s sweeping terminations of employees with probationary status and who were relatively new to their government positions.
“My fight to stay on the job was not for me, but rather for the ideal that O.S.C. should be as Congress intended: an independent watchdog and a safe, trustworthy place for whistle blowers to report wrongdoing and be protected from retaliation,” Mr. Dellinger said in a statement on Thursday. He said the appellate judges’ decision “effectively erased” the independence of that office.
It was not immediately clear what would happen to the investigations Mr. Dellinger was pursuing now that he is stepping away from the job.
Christopher Bonk, an employment lawyer with the firm Gilbert Employment Law, said he hoped the office would continue Mr. Dellinger’s work.
“Though some of that is potentially contingent upon who ends up being the next special counsel in the interim,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Mr. Bonk’s firm is representing thousands of government employees in a class-action appeals lawsuit that challenges the mass firings of probationary employees directly to the Merit Systems Protection Board, bypassing filing complaints with the Office of Special Counsel.
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Applebee’s owner Dine Brands to lean on value to reverse sales declines
Applebee’s owner Dine Brands to lean on value to reverse sales declines
Michael Siluk | UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty Images
Dine Brands hopes to boost sales this year with a wider swath of value meals and buzzier advertising after a rough 2024 for Applebee’s and IHOP.
“We had a soft year in 2024, which disappoints us, but we’re focused on improving that in 2025,” Dine Brands CEO John Peyton told CNBC. “We’ve got to have compelling messages and compelling promotions and compelling reasons to drive traffic into the restaurants.”
Dine on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter U.S. same-store sales dropped 4.7% at Applebee’s and 2.8% at IHOP, ending the year with four straight quarters of domestic same-store sales declines for its two flagship brands. Shares of Dine have fallen 50% over the last 12 months, dragging its market cap down to $386 million.
The company’s down year followed three years of strong growth for the company, driven by pent-up demand as diners returned to IHOP and Applebee’s after the pandemic. But like many restaurant companies, Dine saw a pullback last year from customers who make less than $75,000. After several years paying higher prices for groceries, rent, gas and other necessities, consumers opted to stay home to cook their meals or visit other chains that offered better deals or flashy promotions.
The slowdown in restaurant spending led a slew of casual-dining restaurant chains to file for bankruptcy over the last 12 months. Familiar names like Red Lobster and TGI Friday’s sought bankruptcy protection to reorganize their struggling businesses and offload their worst-performing restaurants. Most recently, On the Border filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday.
Applebee’s promotions have failed to cut through much of the noise from the so-called value wars that have ignited across the restaurant industry, at chains from McDonald’s to Bloomin’ Brands’ Outback Steakhouse. Even a triad of recent pop-culture moments last year couldn’t boost its profile: a pivotal cameo in the tennis drama film “Challengers,” an Applebee’s-motivated meltdown on “Survivor” and a shoutout from football legend Peyton Manning during Netflix’s roast of his former rival Tom Brady.
“You’ve got most of the restaurant companies are advertising value, and they’re advertising full meal deals, and so it’s harder to break through with a message when there are so many similar messages out there,” Dine’s Peyton said.
But it’s not impossible to break out from the pack. Chili’s, which is owned by Brinker International, won over diners with its viral Triple Dipper and $10.99 burger combo after spending months turning around its business.
In its most recent quarter, Brinker reported same-store sales growth of 27.4%. Thanks to its dramatic comeback, the company has become the rare casual-dining darling of investors. Brinker’s stock has soared over the last year, nearly tripling its value in the same ******* and raising its market cap to $6.29 billion.
For now, the star of Applebee’s value promotions, the two for $25 deal, routinely accounts for roughly a fifth of the chain’s tickets, according to Peyton. But Applebee’s is looking to add to its value offerings later this spring or in the early summer with options that appeal to larger groups or to customers who don’t want to order with their dining partner.
Dine is also trying to improve its social media presence.
“At both IHOP and Applebee’s, we know we need to do better there. We know we need to be more relevant. We know that we have to be part of the conversation and the culture,” Peyton said.
A new president for Applebee’s could help with that goal.
Peyton is currently pulling double duty serving as interim president for the chain after Tony Moralejo stepped down effective Tuesday. Peyton said the company is looking for a replacement “with a great marketing background” who understands how to connect with younger customers, on top of being a great leader with an understanding of franchising and some restaurant experience. (Yum Brands’ Lawrence Kim joined Dine as IHOP’s president in early January, succeeding Jay Johns.)
Looking to 2025, Dine is trying to communicate better with its customers and use its menu innovation to attract younger diners, according to Peyton.
But Dine’s confidence in its ability to attract customers seems shaky. For 2025, the company is projecting Applebee’s same-store sales to range between a 2% decline and a 1% increase and IHOP’s same-store sales to range between a 1% decrease and a 2% gain.
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How to Inspect Any CS2 Skin In-Game
How to Inspect Any CS2 Skin In-Game
You should always try before you buy, and when it comes to Counter-Strike 2 skins, you should definitely inspect in-game before you purchase. A CS2 pro player claims he “didn’t notice” the stickers spelling out the N-word on a Desert Eagle, and you don’t want that happening to you during a stream.
Whether you’re buying a CS2 skin straight from the Steam marketplace or from one of the dozens of third-party shops, you should take a look before your confirm your purchase.
Before you jump below, consider trying your luck on Clash.gg – you could turn your unwanted skins into something much more valuable (18+ only)
How to Inspect Any CS2 Skin
The Steam marketplace and several of the most prominent CS2 skin trading websites offer the ability to instantly inspect a skin in-game. From a listing on the Steam marketplace, simply click “Inspect in Game…” from an individual skin to inspect the model and any attached stickers. From here, you should have a clear view of the the weapon’s exterior wear and stickers. You can also recreate the first-person inspect animation you’d see in-game, and get exact stats such as wear rating.
If you’re inspecting a skin from a third-party website, most sites should have a button that you can click that lets you inspect in-game. You should have CS2 open already though to make sure the link works properly. If the website doesn’t have an inspect option, it should at least have an option to view the skin through Steam, and you can inspect it from there. If you’re on a site that doesn’t give you any option to inspect the skin at all, you probably shouldn’t buy from there, just to avoid the risk of being scammed.
There’s also servers you can hop into where you can inspect weapons you’re interested in purchasing. CS2inspects.com lets you generate and customize skins with different stickers, and also provides servers where you can inspect said items. These servers typically have other players in them, so you can share your crafts with them.
Which CS2 skin looks the nicest upon inspection? Let us know in the Insider Gaming forum.
If you want to unlock free daily cases and rewards in CS2, check out Clash.gg (18+ only)
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8 IaC configuration file editors for admins to consider
8 IaC configuration file editors for admins to consider
Infrastructure and configuration management tools use text files to document desired configurations and required settings. Admis can manage configuration files statically on a per-system basis or integrated into a larger infrastructure as code environment.
IaC environments use various configuration file formats and languages that have different features, including the following:
HCL. Human-readable, JSON-compatible, key-value pairs, hierarchical structure and focuses on Terraform (but usable with other products).
INI. Human-readable, plain-text, section-based structure, key-value pairs and simple.
JSON. Human-readable, key-value pairs and strict syntax.
TOML. Human-readable, section-based structure, key-value pairs and simple.
XML. Human and machine-readable, self-descriptive structure and platform independent.
YAML. Human-readable, whitespace for indentation and key-value pairs.
Each language uses a discrete set of rules and format instructions. Straying from rules and formats can lead to configuration problems.
This article explores the top text editors for managing configuration files. Administrators can select one or more editors to use language and format-specific features. The author selected these tools as examples based on features crucial to configuration file management, personal experience, market adoption and industry recognition. Some of the following configuration file editors are OS-specific, while others work across all platforms:
1. AWS Cloud9
The AWS Cloud9 IDE offers extensive development features, supporting programming languages such as Python, JavaScript and C++. It includes collaboration tools like editing and chat, making it easier to work with remote administrators. It also integrates into other AWS deployment and management tools.
Cloud9 supports YAML, JSON and other standard configuration file types. Because it runs in a browser, access to Cloud9 is platform independent. It primarily serves as a tool in conjunction with AWS CloudFormation.
Cloud9 is free, but only for features in the free tier. Additional resources, such as EC2 and EBS, require payment that varies per use case.
2. BBEdit
BBEdit (Bare Bones Editor) is a macOS-specific tool for coding HTML and other text. It’s not free, but it is powerful and highly configurable. This editor includes the usual array of syntax checking and code completion capabilities.
BBEdit is free, but feature use is limited. BBEdit offers a one-time license purchase that enables users to access all features. Individual plans start at $59.99.
3. CotEditor
CotEditor is an open source macOS editor. This application offers syntax highlighting, split editor screens, and extensive find and replace options. It’s available for free and distributed under the Apache 2.0 license. Contributors add configuration scripts to enhance language support, though it handles JSON and similar file types out of the box.
CotEditor is free and offers in-app purchases.
4. GitHub Codespaces
GitHub Codespaces is cloud-based, enabling access from nearly any platform. It offers code editing across various configuration files and programming languages. It includes collaboration features and a high degree of customization. GitHub Codespaces recognizes the standard group of configuration file formats.
GitHub Codespaces is free with limited storage and core hours per month. GitHub Free for personal accounts provides 120 core hours and 15 GB of storage per month. GitHub Pro provides 180 core hours and 20 GB of storage per month. Additional fees vary for extensive use and needs.
5. Notepad++
Notepad++ is a universal code editor for Windows. This free tool supports a wide variety of languages. Windows administrators use Notepad++ to manage .ini files, handle scripting tasks and program basic applications.
Notepad++ is a powerful program on its own, but it is also supported by an extensive community that creates plugins. Many of these exist for JSON, XML and others, in addition to the built-in functionality of YAML.
Notepad++ is a free and open source editor.
6. Sublime Text
Sublime Text supports Linux, macOS and Windows. Sublime’s integration with Git and cross-platform support make it a popular editor. It has innovative new features and enhancements, like multiwindow views, GPU rendering and an updated syntax definition capability. Sublime Text is best for Terraform administrators working with HCL.
Sublime Text is free to download and evaluate, but it requires a subscription for full access. Individual subscriptions are $99 and come with three years of updates.
7. Vim
The Vim text editor is a standard in the Linux world and is available for macOS and Windows. Vim is a bit of an old-school approach, but it works well with its customization options and extensibility through plugins. Community-developed plugins exist for JSON, YAML and other common configuration file languages. Admins working with JSON or YAML in Vim should look at the following plugins:
Jdaddy.vim.
Jsonyaml.vim.
Vim-json.
Vim-yaml.
Yaml-Revealer.
Vim is a free and open source editor.
8. Visual Studio Code
Microsoft Visual Studio Code offers broad language support and extensions for additional flexibility and improved features. It assists with PowerShell scripting needs and has AI coding support using GitHub Copilot and Git integration. Visual Studio Code effectively manages Azure and other cloud platforms.
Admins should check for extensions that integrate with their language preferences. Visual Studio Code is free and available for Linux, macOS, Windows and online.
Bonus: Whatever editor you have available
There’s nothing wrong with managing configuration files using an OS’ built-in text editor. These editors include Linux Nano, macOS TextEdit and Windows Notepad.
Always use a regular text editor. Avoid full word processors for coding projects, including configuration files. Tools like Microsoft Word hide additional formatting instructions and other components that interface with the plain-text requirements of configuration files.
Admins rely on text editors to author and update files. Many editors recognize the various file formats and provide basic functionality that manages configuration files in a large-scale IaC environment more easily. These features include the following:
Code completion.
Format enforcement.
IaC tool integration.
Linting and error detection.
Syntax highlighting.
Version control integration.
Damon Garn owns Cogspinner Coaction and provides freelance IT writing and editing services. He has written multiple CompTIA study guides, including the Linux+, Cloud Essentials+ and Server+ guides, and contributes extensively to Informa TechTarget, The New Stack and CompTIA Blogs.
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How to Garnish the Simplest Meal
How to Garnish the Simplest Meal
There is one detail that separates the birthday cake from the everyday cake. It is not candles. It is not layers. It is not a perfectly piped, personalized inscription. For the birthday cakes I make, anyway, it is edible glitter.
When I bestowed a birthday cake topped with shimmering potato chips upon an unsuspecting friend recently, it did all the things you hope a little glitter will do. It surprised. It delighted. It elicited oohs, ahs and at least one incredulous “Wait, is that edible glitter?”
The line of demarcation between quotidian and celebratory is made of sparkles and sprinkles. And I’m here to tell you to cross it more than just once a year. Check your pantry (and fridge). Do you see pistachios? ****** and white sesame seeds? Bread crumbs? Poppy seeds? Halloumi? You have edible glitter, savory sprinkles waiting to embellish even the simplest meal. They may lack the gleam of gold, but surprise and delight remain.
Pistachios are the sprinkle supreme of the nut world, imparting dishes with texture and color. Their softened green tones pop against the fiery orange backdrop of Hetty Lui McKinnon’s roasted spiced squash with whipped feta like nature’s Funfetti. The pistachio sprinkles are so striking that you may glance over the dish’s tangy base. But even if your eyes do, your taste buds will not.
Roasted Spiced Squash With Whipped Feta and Pistachios
View this recipe.
Almonds, less colorful but no less crunchy, are sizzled with sesame seeds and tossed with salt to scatter over Cybelle Tondu’s scrunched cabbage salad, crisp and juicy. And speaking of sesame seeds: I love white sesame seeds. I love ****** sesame seeds. But the two together? That’s a monochromatic moment of extravagance. Just look at how they glisten in Ali Slagle’s lemon-pepper tofu and snap peas.
And they bring a similar polka-dot pop to Yotam Ottolenghi’s soba noodles with ginger broth and crunchy ginger, which deploy another pillar of the savory-sprinkle pantheon: bread crumbs. The bread-crumb topping, spiked with crisped ginger and shallots, will keep in an airtight jar for seven days, so you can jazz up roasted vegetables, salads or pastas throughout the week.
You could even establish a house glitter, prep it on Sunday and never eat a boring meal again. Might I suggest Samin Nosrat’s herby fried shallot and bread crumb crunch? Brimming with crispy alliums, sage and rosemary, as well as fresh parsley and thyme, it’s a deeply flavorful addition to quite literally any dish. “This topping should always be in the pantry,” wrote one recipe commenter. I concur!
Poppy seeds look the most like a sweeter sprinkle — and they’re used like it, too, in cookies and cakes. But they’re equally great in more savory applications, like in the finishing mix of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced garlic and onion, and chopped mixed tender herbs that tops Amelia Rampe’s tomato and cottage cheese salad. I know, I know, it’s only March. But go ahead and bookmark that recipe for August, won’t you?
Perhaps the most unexpected sprinkle at your disposal, though, is a block of halloumi. Stick with me — or rather, stick with Ali. “Meet halloumi crumbs, a best-of-all-worlds garnish for salads, pastas and more,” she writes at the top of her new little gem salad recipe. The cheese is coarsely grated before it’s frizzled in a skillet alongside pistachios and fennel, cumin or coriander seeds (or a mix).
The result is salty and surprising, transforming the frying cheese into a sort of mythical cross between a bread crumb and a showering of Parm. You will ooh. You will ah. You will ask, “Wait, is that edible glitter?”
One More Thing!
Our friends over at Wirecutter came by my apartment recently to get a glimpse at the kitchen tools I swear by. Here’s the thing: I really, really hate doing dishes. (My mother, who grew up in a tiny Manhattan apartment, was shocked when I once told her that if I had to choose between an in-unit washer and dryer and a dishwasher, I’d choose the dishwasher. But it’s true. And at present, I have neither.)
So all my favorite gadgets are in service of one thing and one thing only: minimal cleanup. Give the article a read — maybe we share some favorites! I’d love to hear what you can’t cook without. And as my luck would have it, the 10-year-old mini-blender mentioned in the article broke, like, three days before that published, so I will now need to replace it with a Wirecutter recommendation.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
Email us at *****@*****.tld. Newsletters will be archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at *****@*****.tld if you have questions about your account.
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Head of federal whistleblower office drops legal battle challenging his firing
Head of federal whistleblower office drops legal battle challenging his firing
Washington — Hampton Dellinger, the former head of the office that investigates whistleblower retaliation, has dropped his legal challenge to his firing by President Trump from his role as special counsel.
Dellinger’s decision to end his legal fight comes hours after a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit cleared the way for Mr. Trump to terminate him as leader of the Office of Special Counsel.
Special Counsel of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger poses for a portrait in an undated handout image.
U.S. Office of Special Counsel/Handout via REUTERS
The D.C. Circuit granted a request from the president to halt a lower court order that blocked Dellinger’s firing. The judge in that case, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, sided with the former special counsel in his challenge to his removal and said in a ruling Saturday that he must remain in the role.
Dellinger’s decision to walk away from the case cuts off its path to the Supreme Court, which has in a pair of recent decisions reasserted the president’s power to remove executive branch officers at will.
“I’m stopping the fight because, yesterday, circuit court judges reviewing the trial court decision in my favor granted the government’s request that I be removed from office while the case continues,” Dellinger wrote in a statement obtained by CBS News. “This new ruling means that OSC will be run by someone totally beholden to the president for the months that would pass before I could get a final decision from the U.S. Supreme Court.”
The ethics watchdog warned that the harm to those dependent on the agency under a future special counsel sympathetic to the Trump administration “could be immediate, grievous, and, I fear, uncorrectable.”
“I think the circuit judges erred badly because their willingness to sign off on my ouster — even if presented as possibly temporary — immediately erases the independence Congress provided for my position, a vital protection that has been accepted as lawful for nearly fifty years. Until now,” Dellinger said. “And given the circuit court’s adverse ruling, I think my odds of ultimately prevailing before the Supreme Court are long.”
Dellinger continued to take numerous actions under the scope of his former role while the legal battle over his firing played out. He petitioned against the Trump administration’s recent mass firings of federal workers and, on Tuesday, argued to the Merit Systems Protection Board, the administrative system for federal workers to appeal employment issues, that the Department of Agriculture’s firing of over 5,000 probationary workers violated civil service protections.
Dellinger was appointed by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in February 2024 to a five-year term. But on Feb. 7, he received an email from the head of the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office informing him that “your position as Special Counsel of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service.”
Dellinger swiftly challenged his firing in federal district court, alleging that it was unlawful because federal law restricts his removal by the president only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”
Soon after, Jackson ordered Dellinger to be reinstated as special counsel while she considered his request for longer relief.
The Trump administration asked the D.C. Circuit and then the Supreme Court to intervene in the dispute during the earlier stages and greenlight the president’s firing of Dellinger. But last month, the high court declined to immediately step into the fight and instead put off a decision while the proceedings before the district court moved forward.
Then, on Saturday, Jackson ruled in favor of Dellinger and rejected the Trump administration’s claim that the removal protections laid out in the Civil Service Reform Act were unconstitutional.
The Justice Department again sought emergency relief from the D.C. Circuit, which granted its request to halt the district court’s ruling while it considered the appeal.
“This order gives effect to the removal of appellee from his position as Special Counsel of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel,” the unsigned order from the three-judge panel said.
Jacob Rosen
Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump’s 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” where he worked with Brennan for two years on the broadcast. Rosen has been a producer for several CBS News podcasts, including “The Takeout,” “The Debrief” and “Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen.”
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Gavin Newsom Splits With Democrats on Transgender Athletes: ‘It’s Deeply Unfair’ – The New York Times
Gavin Newsom Splits With Democrats on Transgender Athletes: ‘It’s Deeply Unfair’ – The New York Times
Gavin Newsom Splits With Democrats on Transgender Athletes: ‘It’s Deeply Unfair’ The New York TimesNewsom calls trans athletes in sports “unfair” in podcast with Charlie Kirk AxiosGavin Newsom on trans athletes: ‘It’s an issue of fairness’ KTLA Los AngelesLiberals torch ‘trash’ Gavin Newsom for launching podcast with Charlie Kirk interview The Independent
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How to use the Friend’s Pass in Split Fiction
How to use the Friend’s Pass in Split Fiction
Just like It Takes Two and A Way Out, Split Fiction is a co-op game where you have no choice but to play with a partner. This time around, though, the game is fully cross-platform so you can go through this adventure with a friend no matter where they are playing. As if that wasn’t good enough, it also brings back the Friend’s Pass that lets two players go through the game on their own systems with only one of them having to purchase the game. If you want to take advantage of this great deal, here’s how the Friend’s pass works.
How to use the Friend’s Pass
Considering the fact that Split Fiction cannot be played without a partner, allowing two people to play with one copy despite not being on the same system makes a lot of sense. But that is a bit more complicated than starting up a split-screen game. Here’s how to use the Friend’s Pass.
Step 1: One player must purchase a copy of Split Fiction on any platform.
Step 2: The player who did not purchase the game needs to download the Friend’s Pass on their platform by going to the game’s store page.
Step 3: Once installed, both players need to launch the game.
Step 4: The player who owns Split Fiction can send an invite to the friend with the Friend’s Pass and the two will be able to play the entire game together.
Keep in mind that the player who is only using the Friend’s Pass will not be able to play Split Fiction without another friend who owns the game inviting them to a game. There is a free trial for the game, but this only includes the first stages.
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