The pitfalls worrying officials ahead of Starmer’s US trip
The pitfalls worrying officials ahead of Starmer’s US trip
When Sir Keir Starmer touches down in Washington next week, he will be treading a fine diplomatic line.
He will want to maintain his support for President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine’s government. But he will also want to gain the ear of President Donald Trump over the talks he has begun with Russia to end the war.
All this while keeping out of the venomous verbal crossfire between Washington and Kyiv.
That will be no easy task.
Transatlantic relations are in pieces. The US president has upended America’s longstanding support for Ukraine and sidelined Europe in the process.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth says European security is no longer a US priority. Vice-President JD Vance attacks the very nature of European democracy.
It is into this cauldron of ideological enmity that Sir Keir will seek a hearing when he meets the president and his team at the White House.
So what can and should the prime minister do?
Diplomats say he has one advantage over European allies, namely his permanence. Trump, they say, knows Sir Keir is one of the few European leaders who will stay in power throughout his presidency. Trump, it is said, likes the fact the prime minister has a healthy parliamentary majority.
“I get along with him well,” Trump told the BBC a few weeks ago. “I like him a lot. He’s liberal, which is a bit different from me, but I think he’s a very good person and I think he’s done a very good job thus far.”
But warm words and familiarity do not pay for lunch along the Washington beltway.
What could Sir Keir offer the famously transactional president? He has already made a downpayment by offering to deploy British boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of a post-war reassurance force.
This angered some European leaders who thought it premature and divisive. It also risked Europe getting excluded from discussions about more fundamental issues such as Ukraine’s territory and sovereignty. But the troops offer may gain Sir Keir some diplomatic brownie points in the West Wing.
The other thing Sir Keir could offer Trump is the strongest possible language he can muster promising to increase *** defence spending. Starmer is not expected to announce when he will meet his target of spending 2.5% of national income on defence. But he may talk up both the ***’s commitment and his calls for other European allies to do likewise.
Sir Alex Younger, former chief of MI6, told BBC Two’s Newsnight: “We need to demonstrate that we are prepared to play a role, take control of our own environment, recognise that we have got to develop our power and that has got to happen quickly.”
But diplomats say the main argument Starmer must make is to convince Trump that a fast deal on Russian terms would be against his own interests. Namely that the terms of any ceasefire – its fairness, its permanence, its safeguards – were as important as any short term cessation of hostilities. In other words, that there is no point in having a triumphant ceasefire agreement which does not survive for long, risking Trump’s reputation.
“If I were Starmer, I would say to Trump that this is your chance for your place in history, the man who brought peace and ended this war,” Lord Darroch, the former *** ambassador to the US, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“But it has to be a fair deal. If it’s a bad deal, you are not going to get that praise, you are going to get a load of criticism and that will be your record in the history books.”
Key to that would be urging Trump to put pressure on Vladmir Putin by threatening to seize frozen Russian assets, increase support for Ukraine and tighten up sanctions.
But the risks of the prime minister’s trip are huge. The famously thin-skinned president could take offence at Sir Keir’s outright contradiction of his claim that Zelensky is a dictator. He could be irritated by Sir Keir’s insistence that any European reassurance force deployed to Ukraine must have a US “backstop”, expected in the form of aircover.
The diplomatic pitfalls of cross words and cancelled press conferences will be troubling the minds of British officials as they prepare for the trip. They will be acutely aware President Macron of France will be in Washington before them, competing for Mr Trump’s ear.
Sir Keir likes to say that in these troubled times, the *** can once again become a bridge between Europe and the US. France may be keen for that role too.
Another potential point of tension will be trade. Team Trump is promising to impose tariffs on *** goods entering the US that match VAT levied on American goods entering the ***. One argument the *** could make is that hitting British and European trade will make it harder for them to spend more on defence. But officials say that would be a hard argument to make to a president who thinks Europe is ripping off the US both economically and militarily.
The greatest risk, however, is that no manner of charm, politics or diplomacy will touch the sides of this new administration. There is simply no transactional offer that can bridge the vast ideological divide that now exists between Europe and the US. That may be the cold hard lesson the British delegation learns in Washington.
“We are living in a US presidency which is based on great power diplomacy,” one official said. “If we can work within that, fine. If not, God help us.”
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New kits for the Socceroos and Matildas have ditched the traditional gold for something completely different
New kits for the Socceroos and Matildas have ditched the traditional gold for something completely different
Traditional gold has been ditched and replaced by a fluro zig zag on national team shirts for the Socceroos and Matildas with a new suite of playing gear designed for the first time by a First Nations artist.
Unveiled in the hours before the Matildas were set to wear the new jerseys for the time time as they take on Japan in the SheBelieves Cup in the US, , the home and away jerseys were revealed with ****** replacing blue as the colour of choice for the secondary shirts.
For the first time, the Aboriginal Flag is also represented on both the home and away kits.
Camera IconNew Nike ad for Socceroos and Matildas playing kits Credit: Supplied
The uniforms have been designed by First Nations artist Reko Rennie with the uniforms offering what described as a “ bold, contemporary reinterpretation of Australia’s iconic green and gold”.
“It’s been incredible to work on these kits, connecting the game I love, First Nations culture and the athletes and fans who make up the *********** football community,” Rennie said.
“It’s a huge achievement and it’s so wild that I’ve had this opportunity and I’m representing my community. If someone had told 12-year-old Reko, a diehard football fan, that one day I’d have this opportunity, I would have never believed them!”
Camera IconThe Matildas and Socceroos will wear ****** away shirts. Credit: Supplied
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson said the kits mark a move to a single, unified jersey” for all national teams at all levels.
“We are particularly thrilled that both the CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos will unite under a single, unified jersey,” he said.
“This kit will be proudly worn by the CommBank Matildas from now through to 2026 including the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, and by the Subway Socceroos throughout the remainder of their AFC Asian Qualifiers as they continue their journey toward the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“More than just a jersey, this kit is a powerful symbol of Australia’s footballing identity – seamlessly blending First Nations storytelling with cutting-edge performance innovation. It ensures that when our teams take the field, they do so in a design that honours both our rich cultural heritage and our bold ambitions on the global stage.“
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Climate change is shrinking glaciers faster than ever, with 7 trillion tons lost since 2000
Climate change is shrinking glaciers faster than ever, with 7 trillion tons lost since 2000
Climate change is accelerating the melting of the world’s mountain glaciers, according to a massive new study that found them shrinking more than twice as fast as in the early 2000s.
The world’s glaciers lost ice at the rate of about 255 billion tons (231 billion metric tons) annual from 2000 to 2011, but that quickened to about 346 billion tons (314 billion metric tons) annually over about the next decade, according to the study in this week’s journal Nature.
And the last few years, the melt has accelerated even more, hitting a record 604 billion tons (548 billion metric tons) lost in 2023, the last year analyzed.
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The study drew on an international effort that included 233 estimates of changes in glacier weight. In all, the world’s glaciers have lost more than 7 trillion tons of ice (6.5 trillion metric tons) since 2000, according to the study.
“The thing that people should be aware of and perhaps worried about is that yes, the glaciers are indeed retreating and disappearing as we said they would. The rate of that loss seems to be accelerating,” said William Colgan, a glaciologist for the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland and one of about 60 authors of the study.
Glaciers in Alaska are melting at the fastest rate of any of the 19 regions studied, losing about 67 billion tons (61 billion metric tons) of ice a year, producing the biggest net ice loss, the study found.
In the past 24 years, Central Europe’s glaciers have lost the highest percentage of ice of any region, now 39% smaller than they were in 2000, the paper said. Colgan said he worries most about the Alps because “elevated summer temperatures have been hammering the Alps. ”
Fifteen years ago, scientists were worried most about the Andes and the Patagonia glaciers, but the Alps have shrunk so fast they could eventually disappear, Colgan said.
“Glaciers are apolitical and unbiased sentinels of climate change, and their decline paints a clear picture of accelerated warming,” said Gwenn Flowers, a professor of Earth Sciences at Simon Fraser University in Canada, who wasn’t part of the study.
University of Colorado ice scientist Ted Scambos, who also wasn’t part of the study, said glaciers shrank and grew in the past for local, well-understood reasons that were not climate change. What’s happening now is different and clear, he said: “It’s due to greenhouse gas increases caused directly by coal, oil, and natural gas burning. … No amount of rhetoric, tweeting, or proclamation will change that.”
Scambos, Flowers and other outside scientists called the assessment sobering and accurate but not surprising.
Colgan said that many places — such as those in the U.S. West — are seeing extra water now from fast-melting glaciers and benefiting from that boost, but that will soon disappear as the glaciers melt beyond a point of no return.
Melting glaciers contribute more to sea level rise than ice loss in either Greenland or Antarctica. Only the expansion of water as it warms plays a ******* role in sea level rise, the paper said.
The overall glacier loss rate is similar, if maybe slightly less, than that found by earlier and less comprehensive studies. But this new work will probably trigger new predictions that will be even gloomier in the future because of better information and worsening warming, Colgan said.
“If you’re losing 5.5% of the global ice volume in just over 20 years, clearly that’s not sustainable,” Colgan said. “That’s going to catch up with you.”
The more than 600 billion tons of glacier loss in 2023 “sounds incredible now, but it might sound pretty normal in 10 years from now,” Colgan said. “Mountain glaciers as a whole can flip into collective ice loss pretty darn quick.”
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Block (XYZ) earnings Q4 2024
Block (XYZ) earnings Q4 2024
Jack Dorsey creator, co-founder, and Chairman of Twitter and co-founder & CEO of Square speaks on stage at the Bitcoin 2021 Convention, a crypto-currency conference held at the Mana Convention Center in Wynwood on June 04, 2021 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
Block reported fourth-quarter results on Thursday that fell short of Wall Street expectations. The stock dropped more than 7% in extended trading.
Here is how the company did, compared to analysts’ consensus estimates from LSEG.
Earnings per share: 71 cents, adjusted vs. 87 cents expected
Revenue: $6.03 billion vs. $6.29 billion expected
Revenue increased about 4.5% from $5.77 billion a year earlier.
Block, formerly known as Square, posted $2.31 billion in gross profit, a 14% increase from $2.03 billion a yea ago. The company, which was an early leader in providing point-of-***** systems for smaller businesses, faces increased competition from the likes of Toast and Fiserv’s Clover unit.
Gross payment volume came in at $61.95 billion, beating analysts’ estimates of $61.3 billion, according to StreetAccount. Block posted adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $757 million, topping the $740 million average analyst estimate.
— CNBC’s Robert Hum contributed to this report.
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Rivian (RIVN) earnings Q4 2024
Rivian (RIVN) earnings Q4 2024
Rivian Automotive beat Wall Street’s fourth-quarter earnings expectations and achieved its first gross quarterly profit – a target closely watched by investors – but is forecasting lower sales in 2025.
The electric vehicle maker reported a gross profit, which includes production and sales but does not factor in other expenses, of $170 million during the final quarter of last year and plans to achieve another “modest gross profit” in 2025. The company has not said when it expects to be profitable on a bottom-line basis.
For 2025, Rivian also expects to narrow its adjusted losses to a range of $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion – down from a loss of $2.69 billion in 2024. The company expects deliveries of 46,000 to 51,000 units for 2025, compared with 51,579 vehicles delivered last year.
“We believe external factors could impact our 2025 expectations, including changes to government policies and regulations, and a challenging demand environment. While uncertainties persist, we remain focused on executing against our key value drivers and are confident in electrifying the world in the long term,” Rivian said Thursday in a shareholder letter.
Rivian said it expects capital expenditures this year to be between $1.6 billion and $1.7 billion, up from $1.41 billion last year as it prepares to launch its new “R2” midsize vehicles in 2026.
Here’s how the company performed in the fourth quarter, compared with average estimates compiled by LSEG:
Loss per share: 46 cents vs. a loss of 65 cents expectedRevenue: $1.73 billion vs. $1.4 billion expected
Rivian’s quarterly gross profit and revenue were helped by $299 million from the ***** of regulatory credits as well as $214 million in software and services revenue. Rivian sells regulatory credits to other automakers to help them meet emissions standards.
The company’s net loss for the fourth quarter was $743 million, or 70 cents per share, compared to a loss of $1.52 billion, or $1.58 per share, during the same ******* a year earlier.
For the full year, Rivian lost $4.75 billion, or $4.69 per share.
Rivian’s 2024 revenue was $4.97 billion, up roughly 12% from $4.43 billion in 2023. Fourth-quarter revenue was up more than 31% from the prior-year *******.
This is a developing story. Please check back for additional updates.
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Trump Meets With Tiger Woods About Merging PGA Tour with LIV Golf
Trump Meets With Tiger Woods About Merging PGA Tour with LIV Golf
Attempting to finalize long-simmering and contentious plans to unite the PGA Tour with the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf circuit, President Trump met with the leader of the kingdom’s sovereign-wealth fund at the White House on Thursday, according to five people who were briefed on the gathering.
The meeting included the wealth fund official, Yasir al-Rumayyan, and Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner, as well as the golfer Tiger Woods, said three of the people who were briefed on it.
Mr. Trump’s specific objectives for the meeting were not immediately clear, according to those people. But the president has been agitating recently to repair the divide that has shadowed professional golf for several years.
That divide led the tour and the wealth fund in June 2023 to announce half-baked plans to combine in some form. But those efforts have been stymied by, among other things, angst over regulatory review, player frustration and the future of LIV Golf itself.
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As recently as Feb. 4, Mr. Trump hosted Mr. Monahan in the Oval Office. During that meeting Mr. Trump spoke with Mr. al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and also the chairman of LIV Golf, by phone. That meeting, among some of Mr. Trump’s other recent actions, fueled misgivings about the conflicts of interest he is engaged in as president; Mr. Trump’s company has hosted multiple LIV tournaments, and the circuit will return to the Trump course in Doral, Fla., in April.
Golf executives said the Feb. 4 meeting with Mr. Trump helped propel the sides toward a resolution. Mr. al-Rumayyan, a close associate of Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, missed a day at his own investment conference in Miami Beach, known as the Future Investment Initiative, a foundation he chairs, to attend the meeting.
Early Thursday, a conference organizer announced from the dais that Mr. al-Rumayyan could not deliver his scheduled opening remarks because of a last-minute meeting in Washington. The organizer did not provide details.
Princess Reema ******* al-Saud, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, took Mr. al-Rumayyan’s place.
Sharon LaFraniere contributed reporting from Washington.
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What is Transport Layer Security (TLS)?
What is Transport Layer Security (TLS)?
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard protocol that provides authentication, privacy and data integrity between two communicating computer applications.
TLS is the most widely deployed security protocol in use today and is best suited for web browsers and other applications that require data to be securely exchanged over a network. This includes web browsing sessions, file transfers, virtual private network connections, remote desktop sessions and voice over Internet Protocol (IP). TLS is integrated into modern cellular transport technologies, including 5G, to protect core network functions throughout the radio access network.
How does Transport Layer Security work?
TLS uses a client-server handshake mechanism to establish an encrypted and secure connection and ensure the communication’s authenticity. The following is a breakdown of the process:
Communicating devices exchange encryption capabilities.
An authentication process occurs using digital certificates to help prove the server is the entity it claims to be.
A session key exchange occurs. During this process, clients and servers must agree on a key to establish the fact that the secure session is indeed between the client and server — and not something in the middle attempting to ******* the conversation.
The TLS handshake process
TLS uses a public key exchange process to establish a shared secret between the communicating devices. The two handshake methods are the Rivest-Shamir-Adleman and the Diffie-Hellman key exchange. Both methods establish a shared secret between communicating devices so the communication can’t be hijacked. Once the keys are exchanged, data transmissions between devices on the encrypted session can begin.
What is an SSL certificate?
A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is a digital authentication of a website’s identity that provides encrypted communication with the site. SSL is the predecessor to TLS. It generates an encrypted link between the user’s browser and the web server hosting the website.
What is a CA?
A certificate authority (CA) provides digital certificates that verify the public key ownership of whoever holds the certificate. It’s essentially a third party between the owner of the SSL certificate and the user who must trust its authenticity.
The CA validates the identities of companies, individuals, websites and email accounts — or any other entity that requires that validation — and binds them to cryptographic keys via the certificate. The certificate provides authentication of identity, encryption of connections over the internet and the integrity of documents signed via the certificate.
History and development of TLS
TLS evolved from Netscape Communications Corp.’s SSL protocol and has largely superseded it, although the terms SSL or SSL/TLS are still sometimes used interchangeably. IEFT officially took over the SSL protocol to standardize it with an open process and released version 3.1 of SSL in 1999 as TLS 1.0. The protocol was renamed TLS to avoid legal issues with Netscape, which developed the SSL protocol as a key part of its original web browser. According to the protocol specification, TLS is composed of two layers: the TLS record protocol and the TLS handshake protocol. The record protocol provides connection security, while the handshake protocol enables the server and client to authenticate each other and to negotiate encryption algorithms and cryptographic keys before any data is exchanged.
The most current version of TLS, 1.3, was officially finalized by IETF in 2018. The primary benefit over previous versions of the protocol is added encryption mechanisms when establishing a connection handshake between a client and server. While earlier TLS versions offer encryption as well, TLS 1.3 establishes an encrypted session earlier in the handshake process. Additionally, the number of steps required to complete a handshake is reduced, substantially lowering the amount of time it takes to complete a handshake and begin transmitting or receiving data between the client and server.
Another enhancement of TLS 1.3 is that several cryptographic algorithms used to encrypt data were removed, as they were deemed obsolete and weren’t recommended for secure transport. Additionally, some once-optional security features are now required. For example, Message-Digest Algorithm 5 cryptographic hashes are no longer supported, perfect forward secrecy is required and Rivest Cipher 4 negotiation is prohibited. This eliminates the chance that a TLS-encrypted session uses a known-insecure encryption algorithm or method in TLS version 1.3.
The benefits of Transport Layer Security
The benefits of TLS are straightforward when discussing using versus not using TLS. As noted above, a TLS-encrypted session provides a secure authentication mechanism, data encryption and data integrity checks. However, when comparing TLS to another secure authentication and encryption protocol suite, such as IP Security, TLS offers added benefits and is why IPsec is being replaced with TLS in many enterprise deployment situations. These include benefits such as the following:
Security is built directly into each application, as opposed to external software or hardware to build IPsec tunnels.
There’s end-to-end encryption between communicating devices.
There’s granular control over what can be transmitted or received on an encrypted session.
Since TLS operates within the upper layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, it doesn’t have the network address translation complications inherent with IPsec.
TLS offers logging and auditing functions built directly into the protocol.
The challenges of TLS
There are a few drawbacks when it comes to either not using secure authentication or any encryption — or when deciding between TLS and other security protocols, such as IPsec. The following are a few examples:
Because TLS operates at Layers 4 through 7 of the OSI model, as opposed to Layer 3, which is the case with IPsec, each application and each communication flow between client and server must establish its own TLS session to gain authentication and data encryption benefits.
The ability to use TLS depends on whether each application supports it.
Since TLS is implemented on an application-by-application basis to achieve improved granularity and control over encrypted sessions, it comes at the cost of increased management overhead.
Now that TLS has become popular, threat actors are more focused on discovering and exploiting potential TLS exploits that can be used to compromise data security and integrity.
Differences between TLS and SSL
As mentioned previously, SSL is the precursor to TLS. Thus, most of the differences between the two are evolutionary, as the protocol adjusts to address vulnerabilities and improve implementation and integration capabilities.
Key differences between SSL and TLS that make TLS a more secure and efficient protocol are message authentication, key material generation and the supported cipher suites, with TLS supporting newer and more secure algorithms. TLS and SSL aren’t interoperable, though TLS currently provides some backward compatibility to work with legacy systems. Additionally, TLS — especially later versions — completes the handshake process much faster than SSL. Thus, lower communication latency from an end-user perspective is noticeable.
What’s the difference between TLS and HTTPS?
This is almost a trick question, but it’s useful to understand how the pieces all fit together. TLS encryption is, abstractly, a security protocol that lives between the web browser and the web server. It is somewhat common to think that TLS and HTTPS are interchangeable because HTTPS — also a protocol — is, in fact, a combination of the two. Put another way, if a website uses HTTPS, it’s using TLS encryption — technically a TLS connection.
Attacks against TLS/SSL
Implementation flaws have always been a big problem with encryption technologies, and TLS is no exception. Even though TLS/SSL communications are considered highly secure, there have been instances where vulnerabilities were discovered and exploited. However, remember that the examples mentioned below were vulnerabilities in TLS version 1.2 and earlier. All known vulnerabilities against prior versions of TLS, such as Browser Exploit Against SSL/TLS (BEAST), Compression Ratio Info-leak Made Easy (CRIME) and protocol downgrade attacks, have been eliminated through TLS version updates. Examples of significant attacks or incidents include the following:
The infamous Heartbleed bug resulted from a surprisingly small bug vulnerability discovered in a piece of cryptographic logic related to OpenSSL’s implementation of the TLS heartbeat mechanism, which is designed to keep connections alive even when no data is being transmitted.
Although TLS isn’t vulnerable to the Padding Oracle On Downgraded Legacy Encryption (POODLE) attack because it specifies that all padding bytes must have the same value and be verified, a variant of the attack has exploited certain implementations of the TLS protocol that don’t correctly validate encryption padding byte requirements.
The BEAST attack, discovered in 2011, affected version 1.0 of TLS. The attack focused on a vulnerability in the protocol’s cipher block chaining mechanism. This vulnerability enabled an attacker to capture and decrypt data being sent and received across the secure communications channel.
An optional data compression feature found within TLS led to the vulnerability known as CRIME. This vulnerability can decrypt communication session cookies using brute-force methods. Once compromised, attackers can insert themselves into the encrypted conversation.
The Browser Reconnaissance and Exfiltration via Adaptive Compression of Hypertext (BREACH) vulnerability, like CRIME, uses compression as its exploit target. However, BREACH and CRIME differ because BREACH compromises HTTP compression instead of TLS compression. Even if TLS compression isn’t enabled, BREACH can compromise the session.
How does TLS affect web application performance?
When a TLS connection springs to life between a web browser and a web server, some computer power is used to set it up with a few messages back and forth between them before any data. The handshake takes just a few milliseconds.
Once the TLS handshake has occurred, supporting technologies keep TLS running quickly: TLS False Start, which allows the web server and client to begin pitching and catching data before the handshake completion, and TLS Session Resumption, which uses an abbreviated handshake when a previously established session is resumed. TLS 1.3 completes the handshake in a single round trip between server and client.
How do I check if a website is using TLS encryption?
Several free TLS checker tools are available to test whether a TLS connection is in place between a web browser and a web server. One example is SSL Server Test from Qualys. Browsers, including Microsoft Edge and Firefox, also include tools to check a website’s TLS version. It’s also easy to check a web browser’s supported TLS versions using SSL/TLS Client Test from BrowserLeaks.
Critical network services, such as domain name system (DNS), must be protected against security breaches. Explore best practices for securing the integrity and privacy of DNS.
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GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen hikes his personal stake in Alibaba to $1 billion, the WSJ says
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen hikes his personal stake in Alibaba to $1 billion, the WSJ says
GameStop Chairman Ryan Cohen.
CNBC
GameStop CEO and billionaire investor Ryan Cohen has increased his personal stake in ******** e-commerce giant Alibaba to roughly 7 million shares worth about $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the sizable stake in Alibaba is a bullish bet on China’s economic growth in the long run.
Cohen wasn’t immediately available when CNBC reached out for comment.
The news came after the ******** titan posted a sharp profit hike in the December quarter amid strength in its Cloud Intelligence unit and e-commerce segment. Shares of Alibaba surged 8.1% Thursday.
In 2023, the investor urged Alibaba to increase buybacks as he believed the stock was severely undervalued, the Journal said.
Alibaba’s outspoken founder Jack Ma, who has largely kept out of the public eye since 2020, was among the entrepreneurs who attended a rare closed-door meeting headed by ******** President Xi Jinping on Monday, during which the Beijing leader urged private businesses to “show their talents” and strengthen their confidence in a “new era” for their activity.
Cohen became CEO of meme stock GameStop after his involvement in the video game retailer partly triggered a historic trading mania on Wall Street in 2021. The investor, who co-founded Chewy, has been leading a turnaround in the brick-and-mortar retailer over the past few years.
Under Cohen’s leadership, GameStop has focused on cutting costs and streamlining operations to ensure the business is profitable even though it is not growing. Earlier this month, CNBC reported GameStop was considering investing in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
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2 teen girls in custody for planned mass casualty attack at Texas high school – USA TODAY
2 teen girls in custody for planned mass casualty attack at Texas high school – USA TODAY
2 teen girls in custody for planned mass casualty attack at Texas high school USA TODAY2 teenagers arrested in Texas on suspicion of plotting attack at school, FBI says CNN2 teen girls arrested for plot to attack Memorial High with guns, pipe bombs KPRC Click2Houston2 Texas teenage girls in custody after FBI, police disrupt possible ‘mass casualty’ school plot ABC NewsTeen girls planned ‘mass casualty attack’ at Houston high school, FBI says KHOU.com
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Trump Meets With Tiger Woods About Merging PGA Tour with LIV Golf
Trump Meets With Tiger Woods About Merging PGA Tour with LIV Golf
Attempting to finalize long-simmering and contentious plans to unite the PGA Tour with the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf circuit, President Trump met with the leader of the kingdom’s sovereign-wealth fund at the White House on Thursday, according to five people who were briefed on the gathering.
The meeting included the wealth fund official, Yasir al-Rumayyan, and Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner, as well as the golfer Tiger Woods, said three of the people who were briefed on it.
Mr. Trump’s specific objectives for the meeting were not immediately clear, according to those people. But the president has been agitating recently to repair the divide that has shadowed professional golf for several years.
That divide led the tour and the wealth fund in June 2023 to announce half-baked plans to combine in some form. But those efforts have been stymied by, among other things, angst over regulatory review, player frustration and the future of LIV Golf itself.
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As recently as Feb. 4, Mr. Trump hosted Mr. Monahan in the Oval Office. During that meeting Mr. Trump spoke with Mr. al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and also the chairman of LIV Golf, by phone. That meeting, among some of Mr. Trump’s other recent actions, fueled misgivings about the conflicts of interest he is engaged in as president; Mr. Trump’s company has hosted multiple LIV tournaments, and the circuit will return to the Trump course in Doral, Fla., in April.
Golf executives said the Feb. 4 meeting with Mr. Trump helped propel the sides toward a resolution. Mr. al-Rumayyan, a close associate of Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, missed a day at his own investment conference in Miami Beach, known as the Future Investment Initiative, a foundation he chairs, to attend the meeting.
Early Thursday, a conference organizer announced from the dais that Mr. al-Rumayyan could not deliver his scheduled opening remarks because of a last-minute meeting in Washington. The organizer did not provide details.
Princess Reema ******* al-Saud, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, took Mr. al-Rumayyan’s place.
Sharon LaFraniere contributed reporting from Washington.
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Queen Vic landlady on ‘exciting’ live episode
Queen Vic landlady on ‘exciting’ live episode
BBC soap EastEnders marks its 40th anniversary this week and at its centre is a special live episode.
One of the characters central to the anniversary is Queen Victoria landlady, Elaine, played by Harriet Thorpe.
She’s one of a select few British actresses to run the Queen Vic pub, joining the likes of Barbara Windsor, Letitia Dean, Linda Henry and Pam St Clement.
BBC London’s Alice Bhandhukravi has visited Walford to speak to the “Queen of the Vic” ahead of Thursday’s landmark episode.
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Zampa sees golden opportunities even without big three
Zampa sees golden opportunities even without big three
Adam Zampa is quick to concede the absence of the tried-and-trusted trio of champions Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc represents a “big loss” for Australia going into battle on their latest white-ball trophy quest in Pakistan.
But the spinner who’s happy to take on the mantle of senior bowler in their new-look attack is adamant the loss of the ‘big three’ will provide golden opportunities for new heroes to try to take the Champions Trophy back home.
“When you look at our 11 and the experience that we’ve got throughout the team, obviously there’s a bit of inexperience there,” Zampa said on Thursday from Lahore, as the team prepared for Saturday’s blockbuster opener with England.
Admitting it felt a little alien to not have so many familiar faces around, with Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Cam Green also out of the picture, Zampa said: “Most ICC events we’ve played over almost a decade, it’s been a very similar bowling attack, so to not have those guys here, it’s obviously a big loss, and we know that.
“But, there’s a next-man-in mentality, it’s obviously a great opportunity. We’ve got an ODI World Cup in a couple of years, and for guys who’ve played five to 10 games, it can be difficult to come in and feel like you’re going to be a match-winner.
“But as long as we’re kind of playing our roles and contributing, that’ll be important throughout, and then hopefully a match-winner somewhere along the way pulls it off for us.”
Approaching his 33rd birthday, Zampa, with 298 international white-ball wickets under his spinning belt, is enjoying the extra onus as one of the team’s senior players at the first ICC tournament not to feature any of Cummins, Starc or Hazlewood since 2011.
“Obviously, I’m an experienced head in the bowling attack, and we’ve still got Heady (Travis Head) and Smithy (Steve Smith) in there too. Marnus (Labuschagne) has played a lot of ODI cricket now as well, so there’s enough experience there to adapt into it,” said Zampa.
“And then the younger guys don’t have to come in and set the world on fire. It’s just kind of play a role and get used to the style of cricket that we play.”
And there’s nothing better than starting out against England too, he reckons.
“It’s nice to get them first up. Yeah, it’s always nice to beat England, one of those teams that you definitely get up a little bit more for,” he said.
“And to start the tournament, it’s one of those ones where you don’t get that leeway, like we did in the World Cup, to start slow. You need to be on from ball one, and so that’s going to be important, and there’s no better team to do it against.”
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What Walmart’s Outlook Means for the Stock
What Walmart’s Outlook Means for the Stock
Walmart (NYSE:) stock was trending lower on Thursday after the retailer fourth quarter earnings that met expectations.
However, investors were disappointed with the retail giant’s outlook for the current fiscal year. The stock price was down about 6.5% on Thursday, trading at around $97 per share. It’s a bump in the road for a stock that has returned 66% over the past 12 months and is still up nearly 8% despite Thursday’s dip.
However, dividend investors were pleased as Walmart raised its dividend by 13% to 23.5 cents per share, up from 20.75 cents per share. It is the largest dividend increase by the firm in a decade, officials said.
It also marks the 52nd straight year that Walmart has increased its annual dividend payout, which will go from 83 cents per share in 2024 to 94 cents per share this year.
That makes Walmart one of only 54 Dividend Kings, which are stocks that have raised their dividend for 50 years in a row or more. Further, only 12 other stocks in the consumer staples sector have increased their dividend annually for 52 years or more in a row.
“We’re proud to be increasing our annual dividend for the 52nd consecutive year,” John David Rainey, CFO at Walmart, said. “Dividends are part of our balanced capital returns approach and this year’s 13 percent increase is a sign of our continued confidence in sustained business performance.”
Weaker than expected outlook
Walmart barely beat earnings and revenue estimates in its fiscal fourth quarter ended January 31.
The retailer generated $180.6 billion in revenue in the quarter, up 4.5% year over year. It was slightly ahead of estimates of $180.0 billion.
Operating income was $7.9 billion, which was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter a year ago. Adjusted earnings were 66 cents per share, up 10% year over year and better than estimates of 64 cents per share.
However, the outlook for the current fiscal year, Walmart’s fiscal 2026, was somewhat disappointing.
Net sales are expected to rise 3% to 4% this year, which is below the 5% growth clip last year. This was basically on par with Wall Street analyst projections. But earning expectations fell short of estimates. Walmart expects adjusted earnings of $2.50 to $2.60 per share in fiscal 2026, which is less than the $2.76 per share analysts anticipated. First quarter EPS also fell short. Walmart is targeting 57 cents to 58 cents per share, which is below expectations of 64 cents per share.
“Our outlook assumes a relatively stable macroeconomic environment but acknowledges that there are still uncertainties related to consumer behavior and global economic and geopolitical conditions,” Rainey said on the earnings call.
Rainey said the company was confident it could navigate the uncertainties, including tariffs.
Analysts have a median price target of $110 per share for Walmart, which assumes a 13% increase over the next 12 months.
Walmart stock is a bit overvalued, trading at 42 times earnings. As the CFO said, Walmart has always been able to navigate most fiscal environments and typically does well when the economy is sluggish. It’s a good long-term stock, but the valuation should come down a bit. Today’s drop will bring it closer to a reasonable buy zone.
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Trump official calls Social Security ‘wrong’ as administration lays groundwork for massive cuts
Trump official calls Social Security ‘wrong’ as administration lays groundwork for massive cuts
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are ramping up baseless claims that tens of millions of dead people are collecting Social Security payments, laying the groundwork to cut out “waste” and “fraud” as they look to make dramatic cuts for some of the most expensive programs in the federal budget to pay for astronomical tax cuts for America’s wealthiest households.
Despite promises on the campaign trail that his administration would not touch Social Security, and claiming that his Democratic rivals are the ones trying to end it, Trump and the world’s wealthiest man and his allies are trying to justify cuts to Social Security and federal health programs Medicare and Medicaid to come up with Musk’s target figure of more than $1 trillion in savings.
On Fox News on Wednesday, recently confirmed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hailed the work of Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is “gonna cut a trillion dollars of waste fraud and abuse,” Lutnick said.
“Think about it. We have almost $4 trillion of entitlements and no one has looked at it before,” he said.
“You know Social Security is wrong, you know Medicare and Medicaid is wrong, so he’s going to cut one trillion,” Lutnick added. “Get rid of all these tax scams that hammer against Americans and we’re gonna raise a trillion dollars in revenue, and our objective, under Donald Trump, is to balance this budget.”
Lutnick also suggested Trump will create an “External Revenue Service” and abolish the IRS to let “all the outsiders pay” federal taxes for which Americans are responsible.
Howard Lutnick has said Social Security and federal health insurance programs are ‘wrong’ as the Trump administration looks to expensive entitlements to pay for tax cuts to wealthy households (AFP via Getty Images)
In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that aired Tuesday, Trump promised that “Social Security won’t be touched, other than if there’s fraud or something.”
“It’s going to be strengthened,” he said. “Medicare, Medicaid — none of that stuff is going to be touched.”
In remarks to supporters at Mar-a-Lago Wednesday, Trump returned to Musk’s bogus claims that people who are hundreds of years old are collecting Social Security.
“We have a very corrupt country. Very corrupt country. And it’s a sad thing to say, but, uh, we’re figuring it out. But the good thing about Social Security, and what I read, is, if you take all of those numbers off, because they’re obviously fraudulent, or, incompetent, but if you take all of those millions of people off Social Security, all of a sudden we have a very powerful Social Security, with people that are 80, and 70, and 90, but not 200 years old,” according to Trump. “So it’s a very positive thing.”
On Monday, Musk wrote on X that “having tens of millions of people marked in Social Security as ‘ALIVE’ when they are definitely dead is a HUGE problem.”
“Obviously. Some of these people would have been alive before America existed as a country. Think about that for a second,” he said.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump have baselessly asserted ‘millions’ of dead Americans are collecting Social Security payments (AP)
Musk’s bogus statements largely stem from Social Security running on a software that uses the COBOL programming language, which doesn’t include a date type, WIRED reported.
Social Security administrators have acknowledged, however, that less than 1 percent of its benefits are paid out improperly, according to a 2024 inspector general report. The number of beneficiaries 99 or older is less than 90,000, in a country of more than 330 million, according to figures from the administration.
Earlier this year, the government began to claw back more than $31 million federal payments — not just Social Security — that appeared to be improperly distributed to dead people. The Treasury Department estimated that a recovery process would collect $215 million within a three-year ******* up to 2026 — far below Musk’s $1 trillion goal.
Any meaningful reduction of government spending to get to Musk’s $1 trillion or $2 trillion figure would require some combination of severe cuts to expensive but critical government programs — as well as the Department of Defense — and tax increases.
The national debt is expected to increase by roughly $20 trillion within the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Trump, meanwhile, is commanding lawmakers to make massive tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest households. House Republicans are proposing a budget blueprint that would add $4.5 trillion in new deficits through tax cuts, with an additional $2 trillion in cuts to “mandatory” spending that covers programs like Medicare, Medicaid and food assistance.
A budget plan negotiated by House Speaker Mike Johnson, and approved by Trump, would cut $880 billion from Medicaid over the next decade to pay for a portion of the president’s proposed tax cuts.
Trump has separately promised to exempt Social Security benefits from income taxes, which would cost the program more than $2 trillion over the next decade, without any plan to recover those costs elsewhere.
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Meeting of key CDC vaccine advisory panel, under scrutiny by RFK Jr., is postponed – STAT
Meeting of key CDC vaccine advisory panel, under scrutiny by RFK Jr., is postponed – STAT
Meeting of key CDC vaccine advisory panel, under scrutiny by RFK Jr., is postponed STATFirst meeting of CDC vaccine advisors in the Kennedy era is postponed Endpoints NewsCDC vaccination committee meeting postponed days after RFK Jr. took over at HHS ABC News
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Ros Atkins on…the fight for Ukraine’s critical minerals
Ros Atkins on…the fight for Ukraine’s critical minerals
Donald Trump thinks Ukraine owes the US a substantial slice of its vast mineral resources in exchange for its military support during Kyiv’s war with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Trump’s demands.
The BBC’s Analysis Editor Ros Atkins looks at what the US President wants – and whether he’s likely to get it.
Produced by Catherine Karelli and Benedict Garman
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Among Us VR is getting a non-VR release called Among Us 3D
Among Us VR is getting a non-VR release called Among Us 3D
The VR version of Among Us is getting a non-VR release.
Among Us 3D will allow fans of the series to play the first-person version of the game without the need of a VR headset.
Publisher Innersloth says there’s no set release date for Among Us 3D yet, but that it will be “coming soon” on its roadmap of future plans for the Among Us series.
For those who want to try it before release, a demo of Among Us 3D will be available on Steam next week as part of Steam Next Fest.
According to Innersloth, because Among Us VR and Among Us 3D are essentially the same game in VR and ‘flatscreen’ versions, there will be cross-platfom play between each version, meaning VR and non-VR players can play together.
The VR version will also be renamed Among Us 3D, but the VR and non-VR versions will be listed as separate games on Steam despite having the same names.
“What was once Among Us VR will now become Among Us 3D, as it highlights the game’s first-person perspective and unifies VR and PC players,” the game’s project director Ryan Hall said.
“Over the next few months you’ll gradually see us rebranding Among Us VR to Among Us 3D, across store pages, websites and of course in the games.”
Among Us VR was developed by Pittsburgh studio Schell Games, which took Innersloth’s title and recreated it with a first-person perspective.
The VR version was released on Quest 2 and Steam VR in 2022, with a PlayStation VR2 version released on PS5 a year later.
Among Us VR was generally critically acclaimed with a Metacritic score of 82. According to Innersloth the VR version had sold over 1 million copies by the end of January 2023.
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Two Texas teenage girls arrested for ‘mass casualty attack’ plot
Two Texas teenage girls arrested for ‘mass casualty attack’ plot
Two teenage girls in the US state of Texas have been arrested for plotting a “mass casualty attack” with pipe bombs and guns, police say.
The girls, ages 15 and 16, were planning an attack at Memorial High School in a suburb of Houston, police told KHOU, an affiliate of the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
The plot – which was shared on social media – was detailed enough that officials deemed it to be credible, CBS reported.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said its Threat Mitigation Team was involved in the response to help local police arrest the teenagers immediately.
“We are treating this matter with the utmost urgency and commitment, as threats of violence in our schools will not be tolerated,” the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
A letter sent to Memorial High School families said police quickly arrested a student over a “potentially credible threat in the planning stages identified on social media”.
The school said it was implementing additional safety measures after the incident.
The sheriff’s office said one of the teenagers, a student at Willis High School in Conroe, Texas, was being held on unrelated charges, while the other, a student in the Spring Branch school district nearby, was in custody in a nearby county. Police have not named the two girls, as they are not adults.
The students were arrested within 30 minutes of the FBI calling to notify the school about the threat, according to ABC News.
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****** Ops 2’s Most Iconic Gameplay Element is Inspired By a Radical Warfare Strategy Israel Used Against Syria
****** Ops 2’s Most Iconic Gameplay Element is Inspired By a Radical Warfare Strategy Israel Used Against Syria
We’ve had so many different Call of Duty titles throughout the decades, but the majority of the community believes that ****** Ops 2 is the best one. The game debuted all the way back in 2012 and took a different approach compared to the rest of the shooter franchise.
****** Ops 2 redefined the Activision franchise. (Image via Microsoft)
What helped ****** Ops 2 achieve success was its branching storylines, futuristic setting, and multiplayer mechanics. However, the game’s biggest achievement was coming up with a particular gameplay element that was based on Israel’s warfare strategy against Syria.
****** Ops 2 was inspired by Israel’s warfare tactics
****** Ops 2 used modern warfare strategies to bring immersion. (Image via Microsoft)
Right before the release of Call of Duty: ****** Ops 2, Foreign Policy interviewed the game’s consultant, Peter Singer, where he opened up about the upcoming project, how Activision was planning to tackle various challenges, and the impact of these shooters on public perception.
While chatting, Singer was asked if ****** Ops 2 served as a cautionary tale as the game showcases advanced military technology being used against its very own creators. Singer explained that modern warfare isn’t just about destroying enemy equipment; it’s about forcing enemy systems to work against their owners.
The goal is not to blow up the enemy tank, but jam it, co-opt it, persuade it to do something that its owner doesn’t want it to do. This is new in war. You couldn’t persuade a spear to do something different after its owner threw it.
Spencer’s comments are in reference to Israel disabling the Syrian air defense before its 2007 airstrike and then planning the infamous Stuxnet cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities that ended up causing centrifuges to malfunction.
With these examples, Spencer suggests that modern battles aren’t just fought with traditional bombs and bullets; they are now fought through digital deception and control. It’s a recurring theme that we have to deal with in ****** Ops 2.
Another Call of Duty game is coming to Xbox Game Pass
One of the best Call of Duty titles is finally coming to Game Pass. (Image via Microsoft)
It’s been quite a while since Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In July 2023, we saw Xbox Game Pass getting its first Call of Duty title, 2023’s Modern Warfare 3, and ****** Ops 6 followed just three months later.
With that, many have been wondering if we’ll ever see ****** Ops 2 on Xbox Game Pass. While we still don’t know for sure, XboxEra has reported that Modern Warfare 2 will be making the jump to Game Pass soon.
This will be the original Modern Warfare 2 from 2009, not the one that debuted in 2022. The classic shooter is supposed to be available for Game Pass subscribers either in March or April 2025.
If these reports are true, and Microsoft is still deciding on a release between March and April for Modern Warfare 2, it’s likely that the game will hit Game Pass in March. April is going to be a packed month for the subscription service as tons of titles, such as South of Midnight and Clair Obscur: Expedition 22, are set for day-one releases.
With that said, do you think ****** Ops 2 nailed the modern-day warfare tactics? Let us know in the comments below.
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Wembanyama suffers medical condition, season in doubt
Wembanyama suffers medical condition, season in doubt
San Antonio Spurs All-Star centre Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the rest of the season with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Thrombosis occurs when blood turns into clumps inside a blood vessel, creating a blood clot. ESPN reported Spurs believe it is an isolated issue.
“The condition was discovered when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game in San Francisco,” Spurs said.
“Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. The team will provide updates as appropriate.”
Wembanyama, 21, was listed as doubtful on the injury report on Wednesday because of illness ahead of Spurs’s game Thursday against the Phoenix Suns in Austin, Texas.
He is averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a league-high 3.8 blocked shots in 46 starts this season. He also leads Spurs with 142 made 3-pointers.
“It’s tough,” Spurs guard Chris Paul told ESPN. “Tough more than anything, I think for all of us, knowing how much he means to our team, but more so knowing how much he means to the game and how much he loves to play.”
Paul said Wembanyama’s absence will be felt on and off the court.
“Aside from his basketball ability, his charisma and what he brings into the locker room I think is what we’ll miss the most,” Paul said.
Named the unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year last season, the seven-foot-three Wembanyama competed in his first All-Star Game last weekend and was the favourite for NBA Defensive Player of the Year honours this season.
Spurs selected the France native first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. In parts of two seasons, he is averaging 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.7 blocks in 117 games (all starts).
This is the second major loss for San Antonio this season. Gregg Popovich, the winningest coach in NBA history, has been on indefinite leave since November after suffering a stroke.
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Design Home Collabs With HGTV, Fixer To Fabulous Challenges Available Now
Design Home Collabs With HGTV, Fixer To Fabulous Challenges Available Now
Not only can you do it yourself in Design Home, but now the game will let you become your own DIY star for HGTV with a new collaboration. For starters, a Fixer to Fabulous crossover has already kicked off in the mobile title. Next up are weekly challenges based on House Hunters, one of the most popular shows on the network.
The Fixer to Fabulous crossover began February 19 in Design Home, with weekly challenges called Bentonville Beauty and Arkansas Amazement. The partnership will also be reciprocated. An upcoming episode of Fixer to Faborlous–set to air on March 25–will see hosts Dave and Jenny Marrs playing the mobile title.
There’s no date yet for the House Hunters challenges; EA says they will be coming soon. The company also states Design Home has seen 131 million players worldwide, and the HGTV collaboration isn’t the first partnership for the game. For example, almost a year ago, the renovation game partnered up with Sims Freeplay.
Design Home launched in 2016 and wasn’t originally under EA’s umbrella. That changed, however, when the company acquired Glu Mobile for $2.1 billion in 2021. Design Home is still free-to-play but features in-app purchases. EA touts that actual brands, such as West Elm and Pottery Barn, can be utilized to decorate interior rooms in the game.
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These Lamborghini-Driving TikTokers Are Calling Out Cybertrucks in Real Time
These Lamborghini-Driving TikTokers Are Calling Out Cybertrucks in Real Time
TikTokers Are Calling Out Cybertrucks in Real Time cybertruck_hunters / TikTok
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Some people love the Tesla Cybertruck, and plenty of others seem to hate it. It’s safe to say that the people who post to the TikTok account @Cybertruck_Hunters are firmly in the latter camp. These TikTokers drive around at night looking for examples of the hulking EV; when they spot one, they pull behind it and project anti-Elon Musk and anti-Cybertruck messages onto the tailgate, with the Tesla’s occupants presumably none the wiser.
The Cybertruck Hunters account first appeared on TikTok only about a week ago. Since then, they’ve uploaded about a dozen videos showing their work. This is no low-budget operation, either: One of the vehicles they hunt in is a ****** Lamborghini Aventador, which gives off Caped Crusader vibes — but instead of a Batman mask, the person working the projector wears a Jack Skellington disguise.
It turns out the stainless-steel tailgate on the Cybertruck works as an excellent projector screen. The imagery projected on the back of the truck is clear and crisp; if you didn’t know better, you might think it was the truck itself showcasing it — that is, if there were a reason why a Cybertruck owner would advertise that it was the most recalled truck of 2024.
As you would expect, the videos have drawn quite a few reactions and comments. The top video has been viewed more than 3 million times as of this story’s publication, and has about 4600 comments at the time of writing. The overwhelming majority of those comments are in support of what the Cybertruck Hunters are doing — and many are begging for more videos.
Road & Track reached out to the Cybertruck Hunters TikTok account for comment, but we haven’t received a reply as of this story’s Thursday afternoon publication. We’ll update this story if they respond; until then, we’ll be waiting to see if they drop more videos.
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Palworld ended its first year with over 32 million players
Palworld ended its first year with over 32 million players
Pocketpair’s Pokemon-like Palworld finished its first year on the market, capping it off with over 32 million players playing the title across all systems.
Palworld’s Twitter revealed the news, sharing that across Steam, Xbox, and PS5, after plenty of commitment to the creature collector, and some troublesome ongoing legal stuff pushed forward by Nintendo, the game is certainly still paying off. It’s currently sitting at over 53K players on Steam.
Over 32 million Pal Tamers!
It’s been a year since Palworld was released, and thanks to you our fans, Palworld has surpassed over 32 million players across all platforms! (Steam, Xbox, PS5)
Thank you so much! As always, your support means the world to us! pic.twitter.com/pSJXmLGoh8
— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) February 19, 2025
Palworld released to a ton of mixed reception, largely due to the game looking eerily similar to other games within similar genres; most notably Pokemon. In other news, you can find Pocketpair’s plans for the future of Palworld here.
In our early access review, it “far exceeded the expectations.” Also: “The exploration can feel challenging but fair, and the rewarding feeling you get from leveling up your base or catching a Pal with an extremely low catch rate is amazing.”
Gabriel Stanford-Reisinger Editor-in-Chief
Gabe has been a gamer since he was young, playing games like Pajama Sam, Freddi Fish, Guitar Hero, and whatever looked cool on GameFly. Ever since 2018, he’s been infatuated with the inner workings of the gaming and entertainment industries, covering a wide range of topics from video games to TV and film. Starting as a contributor for PSX Extreme, he’s worked his way up to its Managing Editor. Using what’s he learned over the years, he founded Smash Jump to remind everyone to smash jump.
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