Federal Reserve Chair Testifies on State of U.S. Economy – C-SPAN
Federal Reserve Chair Testifies on State of U.S. Economy – C-SPAN
Federal Reserve Chair Testifies on State of U.S. Economy C-SPAN Powell says Trump’s comments won’t affect interest rate decisions by the Fed The HillKey takeaways from Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s congressional hearing CNNWatch Fed Chair Powell speak live before House Financial Services Committee CNBC
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Modding Is Coming To Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Modding Is Coming To Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
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February 12, 2025
Official modding support is coming to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. In a post on social media on Wednesday, developer Warhorse Studios announced the new feature with a simple message.
“Bohemia is about to get even more exciting,” they said. “Official modding support is coming to [Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2] on Steamworks.”
No specific release date for when the feature will be added to the game was announced. All that was said on that front was “stay tuned”. Based on the tease, modding will be available exclusively to those with a Steam version of the game.
Since its release, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been a critical and commercial success. The game sold over one million copies in its first day, and Insider Gaming’s Grant Taylor-Hill calls it a “masterpiece”.
” From ethereal sequences packed with tearjerker scenes to a phenomenal weather engine, and from genuinely interesting side activities to a neat little photo mode, I cannot find one major fault with this game,” Taylor-Hill says in the full review.
What do you think of modding coming to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums.
For more Insider Gaming, check out what classic Call of Duty game is scheduled to come to Xbox Game Pass in the coming months, and see what studio former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick regrets acquiring. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter
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A leveraged way to play the gold breakout
A leveraged way to play the gold breakout
As gold breaks out to new all-time highs and targets $3,000 to the upside, Newmont Corporation (NEM) has emerged as a compelling opportunity in the mining sector, driven by a combination of strong performance and solid fundamentals. NEM’s recent breakout above its trading range indicates a shift in sentiment, making it an attractive choice to capture a leveraged move in gold. Gold recently broke out above its $2,800 double top level, which now targets $3,000 to the upside and provides a tailwind for mining stocks. And if we look at a chart of NEM, it declined by nearly 40% over the past 3 months, but recently bottomed and started to breakout above a major resistance level at $44. This breakout was coupled with NEM outperforming the S & P 500, which suggests potential accumulation by institutions. This chart pattern, coupled with above average volume and outperformance suggests a potential move to our $57 upside target. From a valuation perspective, NEM trades at a discount to its industry median, despite superior growth and profitability metrics. Combined with a recovery in net margins back to 20% over the last quarter, it presents a substantial upside potential for investors. Forward PE Ratio: 11.4x vs. Industry Median 12.4x Expected EPS Growth: 38% vs. Industry Median 22% Expected Revenue Growth: 17% vs. Industry Median 7% Net Margins: 20% vs. Industry Median 11.17% The trade The implied volatility of NEM options is currently extremely elevated. To leverage this bullish outlook and the high prices for options, I suggest selling a put vertical spread using the Mar 28, 2025 $45/42Put Vertical @ $1.17 Credit. This put vertical strategy provides a way to capture the higher implied volatility of NEM options with a bullish outlook and limited risk. This entails: Selling the March 28, 2025 $45 put @ $2.21 Buying the March 28, 2025 $42 put @ $1.04 View this Trade with Updated Prices at OptionsPlay The maximum reward is $117 per contract if NEM is above $45 at expiration. The maximum risk is $183 if NEM falls below $42 at expiration. The breakeven point for this trade is $43.83 With gold at all-time highs, mining stocks with high exposure to the precious metal such as NEM will see a benefit to their bottom line over the next quarter. As NEM breaks out higher, NEM represents one of the best value plays in this industry and options allows us to harness the excess volatility of the stock with limited risk. DISCLOSURES: (No disclosures) 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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Up to 140,000 blood scandal relatives may claim compensation
Up to 140,000 blood scandal relatives may claim compensation
Getty Images
As many as 140,000 bereaved parents, children and siblings of infected blood scandal victims may claim compensation under new laws laid before Parliament.
It is thought 30,000 people contracted **** and hepatitis from contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 80s.
The new laws will allow the relatives of those infected to claim full compensation in their own right for the impact on their lives.
In May 2024, a damning report found the authorities covered up the scandal and exposed victims to unacceptable risks.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in her autumn Budget that £11.8bn had been set aside for compensation, in what is thought will be the largest payment of its kind in NHS history.
The scheme is being introduced in phases.
Legislation was passed last summer to compensate individuals who contracted **** and hepatitis B or C as a result of NHS treatments.
The new laws will extend those payments to the parents, partners, children, siblings and some carers of those infected.
The final amounts paid out will depend on individual circumstances.
Draft documents published last year suggest a parent who lost a child to hepatitis C can expect to receive about £85,000, while a sibling can expect about £30,000.
The number of relatives and carers who might apply for compensation is extremely uncertain, partly because of the length of time that has elapsed since the scandal first emerged in the 1980s.
Internal government estimates suggest between 24,000 and 140,000 affected individuals might claim.
Getty Images
A van parked outside a building in Westminster when the final report of the infected blood inquiry was published in May 2024.
Cabinet office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the government is determined to deliver justice for victims of the scandal.
“I know the scale of suffering people have endured,” he said.
“These new laws will be vital to delivering compensation to people who did such a huge amount, and often suffered so much themselves, when caring for their loved ones who contracted life-changing illnesses.”
The £11.8bn total set aside by ministers is meant to cover the ******* until the next general election is due in 2029, but could increase if large numbers come forward.
The new laws will also allow some infected individuals to claim supplementary payments if extra evidence is provided.
Those who can show they were the victims of unethical research, for example, can receive an extra £10,000.
Those with the blood disorder haemophilia, who contracted **** or hepatitis C as children while at Treloar’s school in Hampshire, will receive £15,000.
The draft laws must be debated and approved by both houses of Parliament before being passed, which the government expects to happen by the end of March.
Groups representing victims and their families have already expressed concern about the length of time it has taken for the scheme to start operating.
So far, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), which administers the payments, has invited 113 infected individuals to claim, and made 23 offers of compensation.
Lawyer Des Collins, who is advising thousands of families, said the scheme is not yet able to cope with “anywhere near” the volume of applications it should be processing, and warned “many may die” while they wait.
IBCA said it was “starting small” because of the complexity of some cases, but pledged the process would speed up from April this year.
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Ahead of its network test, Elden Ring’s spin-off multiplayer game has a release date
Ahead of its network test, Elden Ring’s spin-off multiplayer game has a release date
Elden Ring Nightrein, From Software’s spin-off multiplayer game, has been given a release date of May 30, 2025.
Publisher Bandai Namco shared the news ahead of a planned network test this weekend, which is set to run for invited players from February 14 until February 16.
Pre-orders are now available on all digital platforms and at major game retailers, Bandai Namco said, and players can pick the following versions:
Standard Edition (Digital on all platforms; Physical on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S only)
Includes Base Game (physical versions of ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN are only available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S)
Deluxe Edition (Digital)
Includes Standard Edition
DLC Code
Digital Artbook
Digital Soundtrack
Seekers Edition (Physical on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S only)
Includes Deluxe Edition
Steelbook
Collector’s Edition (Physical on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam for PC)
Includes Deluxe Edition
~25 cm Wylder Nightfarer statue
Steelbook
Hard-cover Artbook
8 Nightfarer Cards
Announced on stage at The Game Awards in December, Elden Ring: Nightreign will allow multiple players to take on bosses in co-op gameplay.
Based on the world of Elden Ring, Nightreign ditches the lengthy single-player adventure for a fast-paced co-op action game with roguelike elements.
Each run takes place over three nights (meaning a total time of around 30-45 minutes) with a map that’s continually getting smaller, battle royale style. Players – either alone or in groups of three – choose one of eight classes and have to survive all three nights, culminating in a final boss fight.
The game will be published by Bandai Namco and will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, and PC.
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I can’t tell if it’s just a coincidence, but Nvidia’s RTX 5070 is now reportedly set for March alongside AMD’s RDNA 4 series launch
I can’t tell if it’s just a coincidence, but Nvidia’s RTX 5070 is now reportedly set for March alongside AMD’s RDNA 4 series launch
Nvidia’s RTX 5070 is reportedly delayed for a launch in March instead of February
There are supposedly no embargo details on the RTX 5070, but only for its RTX 5070 Ti variant
AMD’s Radeon RX 9000 series is also set to launch in early March
At CES 2025, Nvidia made its launch plans for the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 clear: both GPUs were slated for a February release – but new rumors hint at the RTX 5070’s launch being pushed back into March, in the same month that AMD plans to launch the Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs.
According to MEGAsizeGPU on X (which is reliable for GPU leaks), Nvidia now supposedly plans to launch the RTX 5070 in early March, leaving the RTX 5070 Ti to launch in February. Just recently, its rival AMD finally announced the Radeon RX 9000 series release date, which surprise, is also in early March – and this could pit both Team Green and Team Red’s midrange GPUs up against each other.
The same reports come from VideoCardz, who state that Nvidia’s embargo details given to board partners didn’t include any information on the RTX 5070, but instead details its Ti variant. Considering how close we are to the rumored February 19 and 20 review and launch dates for the RTX 5070 Ti, it wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to say that this rumor may indeed be true.
We know that there’s been limited availability for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 (both Founders Edition and third-party GPUs), so the reason for the supposed delay could hint at further stock woes – however, for some people, this move appears to prove that Nvidia is dead set on eliminating any traction the Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs could gain.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
It feels like Nvidia and AMD are playing mind games…
While AMD’s new GPU lineup was announced at CES 2025, it wasn’t fully unveiled, as we didn’t get to see any details regarding prices or a release date.
Since then, I feel like Team Red has been biding its time until its rival unveiled and launched all of its main GPU offerings, with hopes that the hype dies down.
The RDNA 4 GPUs were recently set for early March, which came shortly after speculation of Nvidia’s RTX xx60-class launch in the same month – and now, this new rumor regarding the RTX 5070 also launching in March instead of February feels like Team Green is doubling down on its stance of kicking its rival out of the race.
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It’s also worth noting that recent reports point towards AMD working on a 32GB RDNA 4 gaming GPU, despite stating its focus is on midrange GPUs. If you ask me, all of these reports (if accurate) feel like mind games being played by both parties with the attempt to one-up one another – which is great because competition is absolutely necessary. I just hope Team Red can deliver…
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Mitch McConnell warns Trump trade war, tariffs will raise prices
Mitch McConnell warns Trump trade war, tariffs will raise prices
Then President Donald Trump speaks to the media while flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after arriving at a Senate Republican weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol March 26, 2019 in Washington, DC.
Mark Wilson | Getty Images
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell is speaking out against President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff plans, warning that starting trade wars with U.S. economic partners could force higher costs on American families and businesses.
Trump’s “aggressive proposals leave big, lingering concerns for American industry and workers,” the senator from Kentucky wrote in an op-ed Wednesday in Louisville’s Courier-Journal.
The op-ed is a rare example of a senior Republican in Congress who is willing to publicly criticize the president’s economic strategy.
Trump, who has called tariff his “favorite word,” recently slapped broad import duties on Canada, Mexico and China, plus additional tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
He delayed the start of tariffs on Mexico and Canada by one month, after the two U.S. allies pledged to boost efforts to police border crossings and drug trafficking. But that pause is set to expire in the first week of March.
Read more CNBC politics coverage
In his op-ed, McConnell conceded that “it’s high time for America’s closest neighbors to take the crisis at our border seriously.”
“But no matter our best intentions, tariffs are bad policy,” he wrote.
McConnell also zeroed in on how Trump’s protectionist policies would hurt his fellow Kentuckians.
He pointed to the 75,000 Kentucky farms that sell their crops internationally, as well as the thousands of jobs in the state’s auto industry, which relies on global supply chains.
And then there is bourbon ********. In 2023, Bluegrass State distillers produced and aged an estimated 95% of the bourbon sold worldwide, according to an industry group.
The previous year, almost all of the $500 million worth of goods Kentucky exported was bourbon.
“Blanket tariffs make it more expensive to do business in America, driving up costs for consumers across the board,” he wrote.
The 82-year-old stepped down from Senate leadership in November after almost two decades in power. McConnell has been a frequent target of Trump’s ire since the two men fell out after the then-Senate majority leader refused to back Trump’s false claims about his 2020 election loss.
Four years later, McConnell nevertheless endorsed Trump for president.
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These 4 exciting indie games need to be on your radar this year
These 4 exciting indie games need to be on your radar this year
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Blue Prince
Post Trauma
Knights in Tight Spaces
Craftlings
2025 is already odd to a heck of a start. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a hit, we’re loving Civilization 7, and Avowed is just around the corner. Those aren’t the games I’m most excited about, though. My favorites games of the past month and change are all independent releases that I didn’t see coming. Rift of the Necrodancer, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, and While Waiting are all sitting at the top of my list currently. While big budget games are exciting, you should never sleep on the indies — especially because there are so many great ones coming soon.
Last week, I demoed four upcoming games from Raw Fury, most of which will launch soon. The publisher may not be a household name like Devolver, but it’s quietly given us plenty of fantastic indies over the past decade, from Sable to American Arcadia. This year, Raw Fury has a few games in the works that are worth keeping your eye on. That includes a creepy ode to Silent Hill, a medieval tactics game, and a serious game of the year contender. Don’t take your eyes off these four games.
Blue Prince
I first encountered Blue Prince last year at GDC, where I was (evidently) the first person to ever demo it. I instantly knew it would be special, something that was confirmed when it was selected for last year’s Tribeca Fest and nominated for Excellence in Design at this year’s Independent Games Festival awards. Now that I’ve tried it a second time — and realized that there’s much more to it than I initially thought — I’m confident that it’s going to be one of 2025’s most talked about indies.
Blue Prince is hard to explain. It’s sort of a roguelike, sort of a board game, sort of a puzzler. The idea is that players need to find the secret 46th room in an enormous manor, the layout of which changes every time one enters it. When I open a door, I draw three room tiles and have to choose one, shaping what the house looks like as I explore. There are secrets, items, and puzzles strewn throughout the halls that’ll help me track down the secret room. The catch is that I only have a set amount of stamina and spend some every time I walk in a new room. I knew about all that from my last demo, but this time I picked up on more details that widened its scope. From hints that different events can happen on specific days to a massive secret hiding in plain sight, Blue Prince is shaping up to be this year’s Lorelei and the Laser Eyes: a puzzle game for the sickos who pray at Myst’s altar.
Post Trauma
Post Trauma I Release Window Trailer
Last year was a fantastic one for games inspired by Silent Hill (and Silent Hill itself), and that’ll continue this year with Post Trauma. Developed by Red Soul Games, it’s an atmospheric horror game with its roots firmly in the genre’s past. When my demo begins, I’m walking through eerily silent train cars as fixed camera angles trigger. It’s classic Silent Hill right out the gate, and the comparison only gets more pronounced when I come face to face with fleshy monsters and catch glimpses of mannequins in my flashlight’s glow.
Taking notes from the series that inspired it, Post Trauma goes heavier on puzzles than combat – and those puzzles are already brain busters. The first one I found required me to carefully decode information on scattered train route maps to reverse engineer a padlock code. The second, unlocked after finding some fuses, had me rebooting a train station’s power by translating environmental clues to correct switch flips. In between those moments, I was bashing creepy monstrosities with my crowbar and walking through surreal hallways that wouldn’t look out of place in Silent Hill 2’s Otherside. That’s only a small slice of what’s to come, too. The full game sounds more ambitious, with a three character structure that switches up its gameplay. I’m excited, and a little scared, to see more.
Knights in Tight Spaces
Knights in Tight Spaces | From Training to Animation
In 2021, developer Ground Shatter released a hidden gem in the form of Fights in Tight Spaces. The clever tactics game turned fight fighting into a deckbuilder, a formula that earned it some praise. The studio will return with a follow-up this year, Knights in Tight Spaces, which builds on that foundation. The basic premise is the same. It’s a roguelike where players build a deck of attacks, movement options, and defensive capabilities. The goal is to knock out a small diorama filled with enemies, carefully playing as many cards as possible on a turn while managing resources like momentum.
The difference this time is right in its title: knights. The sequel has a medieval theme, as players control a full party of heroes rather than one action star. That opens the door for a new strategic layer, as party members can combo with one another depending on their position. If I smack an enemy into my archer’s line of sight, they’ll get hit with an arrow. Smart positioning is more important than ever as a result, as a perfectly executed turn can result in a lot of damage. With an illustrative new art style in its inventory, Knights in Tight Spaces should be a worthy successor to a cult hit.
Craftlings
As I kid, I played a lot of Lemmings at school. I was obsessed with it, delighted as I watched my virtual critter army mill around the screen. To this day, I’ve still never played something that captures its spirit. Craftlings may be the game to do it. The resource management strategy game has players overseeing a handful of creatures who aimlessly wander back and forth across a pixelated, 2D landscape. It’s my job to give them tasks. I start by commanding them to build a town hall, giving a few axes that they can use to chop down trees. That first step balloons into a large ecosystem of materials and buildings as my Craftlings autonomously build, fight enemies, and complete missions.
The slice I played is promising, though I’ll need to spend much more time with it to fully master it. There are tons of tools to work with, from lifts that can carry items to stoppers that keep my pals from wandering off cliffs. I’ve only scratched the surface of what looks like a dense, systems heavy game for the underserved Lemmings fans still out there. While Craftlings isn’t confirmed for a 2025 release, I’m sure that this retro strategy game will trigger a lot of memories when it launches.
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RTX 5090 cable melting issues haven’t been replicated — testers assess various power supplies and cable types.
RTX 5090 cable melting issues haven’t been replicated — testers assess various power supplies and cable types.
PC integrator Falcon Northwest said on X that it could not replicate the melting RTX 5090 FE power connector issue, even after testing multiple RTX 5090 F builds using different power supplies and cable types. It has even run several days of “closed chassis burn-in” and found that all temperatures and amperages stayed within their nominal range.
Popular YouTuber Der8auer had one of the cables of his RTX 5090 GPU overheat to 150 degrees Celsius when it was found to be drawing a current of 22 amps—more than double its 9.5-amp rating. This contradicts what Nvidia assured us, saying that the melting cable incidents with the RTX 4090s are unlikely to happen now.
However, this doesn’t mean that the overheating issue doesn’t occur at all. One X user pointed out that Der8auer had connected and disconnected the cable. In contrast, Falcon Northwest would likely not have done that if they had tested customer units before shipment.
HUGE respect for @der8auer ‘s testing, but we’re not seeing anything like his setup’s results.We tested many 5090 Founder’s builds with multiple PSU & cable types undergoing days of closed chassis burn-in.Temps (images in F) & amperages on all 12 wires are nominal. pic.twitter.com/oDPIUSjOOfFebruary 11, 2025
Another YouTuber, JayzTwoCents, said on X that the 12VHPWR cable on his RTX 5090 GPU was much warmer than the one he used in his RTX 4090. While the temperatures he recorded were still within spec, he wondered whether one cable pulling more power than the others would be a much more widespread issue.
One user theorized the problem could be with the cable or GPU connection, as the RTX 5090 FE’s right-angle connector combines six voltage wires into one single pin. Because of that, there’s no way for the GPU to distribute the voltage load evenly across all the pins. Since electrical current will always take the path of least resistance, imperfections in the connection or cable itself might have caused the overheating and subsequent melting. However, this is still just a theory that must be tested in lab conditions to ensure its validity.
The FE’s right angle connector on the PCB combines all 6 voltage wires into one single pin. There’s no way for the board itself to distribute the load across the 6 12V wires, current always takes the path of least Resistance. pic.twitter.com/CakKSlKLA6February 11, 2025
Some manufacturers have taken matters into their own hands to avoid a repeat of the melting RTX 5090 connector saga. MSI put yellow tips into its 16-pin power adapter to ensure PC builders knew when the connector was fully inserted into the GPU. On the other hand, Zotac implemented a Safety Light feature that indicates if the power cable is fully seated in the graphics cards and prevents it from turning on if not.
These efforts would likely solve the issue of melting connectors due to loose connections, especially on the GPU side. However, if the problem is the uneven splitting of electrical current causing one or more cables to overheat, we have a deeper issue that might require a rethink of how the RTX 5090 gets power from the power supply.
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Concern mounts over Gaza ceasefire as Israel calls up reservists – Reuters
Concern mounts over Gaza ceasefire as Israel calls up reservists – Reuters
Concern mounts over Gaza ceasefire as Israel calls up reservists ReutersGaza Truce Imperiled as Netanyahu and ****** Send Dueling Warnings The New York TimesHeadlines for February 12, 2025 Democracy Now!LIVE: Israel calls up reservists as Gaza ceasefire collapse fears grow Al Jazeera EnglishIsraeli cabinet backs Trump’s demand for ****** to release all hostages by Saturday deadline Fox News
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Pick up Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 while they’re on ***** for $169
Pick up Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 while they’re on ***** for $169
The problem with good quality earbuds is that, of course, they don’t come cheap. So, when a ***** comes along that makes them more affordable, we’re all over it. Right now, you can get the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $169, down from $249 — a 32 percent discount. They fell to a record low of $154 over the holidays, but this price is the best we’ve seen so far in 2025.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 came out in 2022 and yet we still rate them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone. At the time, we gave them a score of 88 thanks to big improvements from their predecessor, including fantastic sound and an amazing transparency mode. They’ll last you six hours at a time with ANC on or seven hours without it.
Apple
Notably, Apple’s newest generation of earbuds are also on *****. The AirPods 4 are down to a new all-time low price of $100, from $129, thanks to a 22 percent discount. We also gave the AirPods 4 an 88 in our review, noting their improved fit, comfort and sound quality. Their biggest drawback is the lack of ANC but, if you don’t need that, then this is a great deal.
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Everton’s sponsor leaves GB amid porn ad probe
Everton’s sponsor leaves GB amid porn ad probe
A front-of-shirt sponsor of Everton football club is giving up its license in Great Britain after an investigation into an ad featuring porn actress Bonnie Blue.
In the social media video shot outside Nottingham Trent University, she said she was there “as promised” to “sleep with 180 barely-legal 18 year olds”, with Stake’s logo on the screen.
Campaigners had urged the culture secretary to take action over the advert for using ******* content to promote gambling to young people.
The Gambling Commission said it will write to Everton to warn it of its responsibilities to ensure that the unlicensed gambling websites promoted on shirts cannot be accessed from Great Britain.
The regulator is also writing to Nottingham Forest, which has sponsorship from Kaiyun, and Leicester City which has a deal with BC.Game, because both sites are also unlicensed in Great Britain.
*********** online betting firm Stake decided to exit Great Britain after the Gambling Commission launched its investigation.
The BBC understands that Everton has no plans to replace Stake as a main shirt sponsor.
The English Premier League attracts a vast global audience, and clubs frequently strike sponsorship deals with firms that do no business in the ***.
Stake, whose logo appears on Everton football shirts, calls itself the “worlds leading cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook”. It allows customers to bet on sports or virtual casino games, though GB users cannot use Bitcoin and other digital currencies.
It is run under license by a firm based in the Isle of Man, TGP Europe, using a “white label” agreement, frequently used by global gambling firms that want to start up in the *** without a large initial investment in infrastructure and development.
The Gambling Commission said Stake’s GB business will stop taking new registrations and will close altogether on 11 March.
Stake said in a statement that it has “made a strategic decision in mutual agreement with TGP Europe to exit white-label agreements and focus on securing local licenses through our in-house platform and operations, building upon our growth in key regulated markets such as our recent expansions into Italy and Brazil.”
The regulator will warn the clubs that their officers could face up to 51 weeks in jail and unlimited fines if they were found guilty of promoting “unlawful gambling websites”.
It wants an assurance from the clubs that they have “carried out due diligence on their white label partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed sites,” it said.
That could involve the clubs specifying that the websites block *** users, including those using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which can allow users to access unlicensed websites by disguising which country they are accessing the internet from.
It added that customers can contact a gambling operator via the operator’s website if they still needed to obtain their funds after the firm had closed.
In January, Bonnie Blue – whose real name is Tia Billinger – tried to break the world record for sex with the largest number of men in 12 hours. She was not included in the Commission’s investigation and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing on her part.
The advert was not posted by an official Stake account and has now been deleted.
Premier League clubs have agreed to drop gambling companies as main shirt sponsors from the end of the 2025-26 season, but will still take gambling ads elsewhere, such as shirt sleeves and digital advert hoardings.
There has been increased scrutiny from both the government and campaigners about the widespread use of gambling firms to sponsor football clubs.
Research from 2024 suggested that the number of betting adverts during the opening weekend of the Premier League season almost trebled compared with the year before.
Campaigners including former Stoke City player Tony Kelly have warned about the “dark side” of sports betting, including gambling addiction.
Everton declined to comment. The BBC has contacted Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Bonnie Blue aka Tia Billinger, and TPG Europe for comment.
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The Gaming Industry Reacts To The Death Of Duo, The Duolingo Mascot
The Gaming Industry Reacts To The Death Of Duo, The Duolingo Mascot
Language-learning app Duolingo has sadly confirmed that its owl mascot has died. In a social media post, the company confirmed the expiration of Duo, the little green owl. “It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally known as the Duolingo Owl, is dead,” Duolingo posted on X.
Naturally, the gaming industry has taken this time to mourn Duo and possibly incriminate itself with images that’ll hold up quite nicely in court once the ******* case gets underway. So who is responsible for the death of Duo, a noted fan of singer-songwriter Dua Lipa? One of the suspects could be the Reaper from Vampire Survivors:
Or Keit’Ehr, the Subjugator skulking around the flagship of Oryx in Destiny 2, could also be a suspect:
Police might want to also bring in Renaissance man Ezio Auditore da Firenze in for question, as people have a tendency to suffer fatal stab wounds when they get close to him:
Or maybe Duo shouldn’t have dropped into a quick game of Rainbow Six Siege:
Some conspiracy theorists have suggested that Duo has done an Elvis and isn’t dead at all, or at the very least, might have been resurrected thanks to some gnarly viruses:
Meanwhile, some people think that Duo should have abstained from vigorous Just Dance sessions.
Is this what Master Chief meant by finishing the fight?
Like the case of Jimmy Hoffa, we’ll probably never know what really happened to Duo or why there’s a strange lump on the football field of New Jersey’s Giants Stadium. We’ve got a few more prime suspects listed below, just to cover every angle of the crime of the century:
If you do decide to visit the Duolingo social media channels, the reality of Duo’s death will be hammered home with a new app icon of a very dead-looking owl. The company says it will reveal more details this week on Duo’s untimely death and the shocking truth behind it.
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Sergeant who ‘pinned down’ soldier plans to leave Army, inquest told
Sergeant who ‘pinned down’ soldier plans to leave Army, inquest told
Bea ********
BBC News, West of England
Family Handout
Gunner Jaysley Beck was never asked to provide a written account, an inquest has been told
A senior sergeant who reportedly “pinned down and tried to kiss” a teenager solider plans to leave the Army, an inquest has been told.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire, on 15 December 2021 after a work party.
The inquest heard she had filed a complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber after the alleged incident.
Mr Webber received a minor sanction on his record, but details of the offence were omitted and a “miscommunication” meant improper legal advice was given.
Appearing at the inquest on Wednesday, Mr Webber confirmed he intended to leave the Army in April, and then declined to answer further questions surrounding the incident.
However, he did tell the hearing that he had written a letter of apology to Gunner Beck and that the letter’s content was true.
The coroner asked: “You will see in the letter you describe your behaviour as ‘absolutely unacceptable’ – what was your behaviour?”.
He then refused to answer this question.
Family Handout
The alleged ******* assault of Gunner Jaysley Beck was incorrectly categorised as a minor sanction, the inquest was told
The inquest heard he was promoted to Warrant Officer 1 rank in May 2022 – despite the minor sanction he received for the incident with Gunner Beck.
The alleged incident occurred at an adventure training exercise at Thorney Island, near Emsworth in Hampshire, in July 2021.
Gunner Beck claimed WO1 Webber told her he had been “waiting for a moment for them to be alone”, had engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing before grabbing her leg and trying to kiss her.
Shortly after, Gunner Beck called a friend “frightened and in tears” because “someone tried it on with her”, the inquest was told.
Lance Bombardier Kirsty Davis previously told the inquest: “[Webber] was trying to kiss her and she was trying to push him away, but he was pinning her down.
“Jaysley had told him ‘no’, tried to get away from him but he had persisted so she left.”
Gunner Beck was found dead in her barracks at Larkhill Camp, 10 days before Christmas
Following the incident, Major Robert Ronz was assigned to be the deciding officer in finding a consequence for Mr Webber’s behaviour.
Giving evidence at the inquest on Wednesday, he said the incident fell into “minor sanction territory” and required no formal investigation.
“My decision on whether my administrative action was appropriate was based largely on the legal advice that was received,” he said.
However, the inquest was told that there had been a “miscommunication” through the chain of command and details concerning Mr Webber’s attempt to touch Gunner Beck’s leg had been lost.
Major Ronz said he had been “unaware of any physical contact”, but admitted had he known, the outcome would likely have been very different.
Army policy states any offence which has a ******* element should be referred for legal advice and reported to Military Service Police for a formal investigation.
Instead, the only paper trail that exists of the incident is a minor sanction record- which simply cites “inappropriate behaviour unbecoming of a warrant officer”.
Major Ronz added: “There is a loss of corporate knowledge because the detail is not sufficient.”
Minor sanctions have a “shelf life” of two years, and are wiped completely if a soldier is posted elsewhere, he said.
Family Handout
Colleagues described Gunner Beck as having “a bubbly personality that really shone through”
Colonel Samantha Shepherd previously told the inquest that she took a more “victim-led” approach to Mr Webber’s disciplinary action.
“I wanted Jaysley to feel […] she was part of the process and had a degree of control over the outcome,” she explained.
Questions have been raised over whether this placed unnecessary pressure on the 19-year-old, and risked opening her up to backlash from colleagues.
An Army service inquiry report published in October 2023 said this was “possibly a factor that may have influenced her failure to report other events that happened subsequently”.
The inquest has also heard that Gunner Beck received thousands of messages from another senior colleague, Bombardier Ryan Mason, whom she described as being “psychotic and possessive”.
It detailed three more “contributory factors” to her death – including the “significant strain” of a ******* relationship with a married colleague in the last few weeks of her life; a relationship that ended in November 2021 which involved “repeated allegations of unfaithfulness on the part of the boyfriend”, and an “unhealthy approach to alcohol, with episodes of binge-drinking”.
The hearing continues.
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New Atomfall Trailer Shows Game’s Features
New Atomfall Trailer Shows Game’s Features
Developer Rebellion has released a brand new features trailer for the upcoming action survival game, Atomfall. In this trailer, players get a look at various settings and landscapes in the game while also learning about what to expect as you play.
“This slice of Northern England includes everything from open moors, rugged hills, dense woodlands and the picture-perfect English village Wyndham,” Rebellion says. “But beware, this is a dangerous and hostile landscape filled with gangs of outlaws, crazed cultists and unexplained horrors.
“Even the local wildlife poses an immense threat to your life. If you are to navigate this land and survive, you will need to fight for your life and scavenge resources.”
You can check out the full trailer for yourself below.
Atomfall launches on March 27, and will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. The game will also launch Day One on Xbox Game Pass.
In his preview of the game last summer, Insider Gaming’s Grant Taylor-Hill touched on how interacting with the game’s characters can change your overall experience.
“Get too close to a faction that doesn’t trust you, and you’ll be set upon pretty quickly,” he said. “In conversations, you can choose from what might be several choices, each of which can lead a different way. If you want to be stealthier, you’ll put enemies on edge, and if you go in guns blazing, you’ll quickly draw an entire force down upon you.”
What do you think of the latest look at Atomfall? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums.
For more Insider Gaming, check out what classic Call of Duty game is scheduled to come to Xbox Game Pass in the coming months, and see what studio former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick regrets acquiring. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter
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The Relentless Switcheroo Merry-Go-Round Call of Duty Fans Keep Riding Is Why ****** Ops 6 Never Got the Recognition It Deserved
The Relentless Switcheroo Merry-Go-Round Call of Duty Fans Keep Riding Is Why ****** Ops 6 Never Got the Recognition It Deserved
Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 came in October 2024, and since then the game has had a strange ride. Sometimes, people become hugely fond of this title, sometimes the same people are bashing this game. Initially, the game was thrashed for its new movement mechanics along with poor launch maps.
According to CoD fans, every game of the franchise is the “worst.” | Credit: Activision.
After that issues with servers, TTK/TTD, and operators continued to grow. But that didn’t stop that game from becoming the CoD title with the best-ever launch in the franchise. Even after so many controversies, people don’t just stop whining about the game. And the sad part is that this tendency sustains for every Call of Duty title.
Not the bugs and the issues, the fans are the biggest enemies of Call of Duty
Despite having a great Campaign story, fans tagged Vanguard as the “worst CoD” as well. | Credit: Activision.
There has been a tendency for years now for fans to start calling any CoD that comes out as the “worst CoD” of all time. ****** Ops 6 is not an exception as well. It would have been a lot more sensible if this remark had been made regarding a single CoD title, but it turns out fans have now started putting the same tag on every game of this franchise, that too without any solid reason.
Not only that, even after they called any particular title the “worst CoD,” that tag never stopped them from playing that game. Every game that is released is referred to as the worst by the fans. Even though Vanguard had an excellent campaign tale, they also branded it the worst when MW3 arrived. Ghosts and Advanced Warfare are similar. The list is endless.
The worst enemies of Call of Duty are the fans themselves. They will continue to complain while playing every game. For example, despite facing harsh criticism, the new Battle Pass called the BlackCell in Season 2 became the second most-sold item on Steam in the past month.
If you don’t like it, don’t play it
Call of Duty fans will play the game despite complaining about it. | Credit: Activision.
If you are whining about a game, then why play it? Yes, every game has its fair share of issues; some have more, some have less, and ****** Ops 6 is also not an exception. No game is pinpoint perfect as well. That doesn’t mean fans start howling about every aspect of the game.
And the most irritating aspect of the fans is that they don’t acknowledge what’s really good in the game. For instance, ****** Ops 6 has a really great Campaign, but you will hardly see any posts online about it. All you will see are rants about overpriced in-game items.
There is a skin for a concussion grenade in ****** Ops 6. If fans don’t think it’s useful, then it shouldn’t be bought. But what they will do is protest about it first and will eventually buy it. And this tendency has led Treyarch to put whatever in the game, because even the company knows players are going to buy those, no matter what. Now the point is, no CoD is the “worst.” It’s the toxic fans of the franchise who are actually the “worst.”
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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 review: decent laptop at a decent price
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 review: decent laptop at a decent price
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Two-minute review
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
You’re not going to be wowed by the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. But, if you’re looking for a laptop that’s “good enough,” a phrase you’ll see me use throughout this review, then you might be a fan of this laptop, especially considering that you can get it for fairly cheap.
In fact, its portability, decent enough performance, and pleasant aesthetics, particularly the Abyss Blue colorway, make it a contender for the best budget laptops out there right now. Considering that this is a slightly older model, you most likely will find it at a discount.
Being a more budget-oriented product does mean that it comes with a whole heap of compromises, from a mostly plastic built to shorter battery life and subpar audio quality. But, if you’re looking for one of the best laptops overall, you’ll probably need to spend a little more to get it.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is purely for those people who just need a laptop and want something that’s new, portable, and comes with Windows.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
How much does it cost? Starting at $539.99 / £510 / AU$1,149.00
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, ***, and Australia
The 15-inch version of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is available in the US, ***, and Australia, but, like most things Lenovo, is available in slightly different configurations per territory. For instance, the cheapest version of this laptop, which goes for $539.99 / £510 / AU$1,149.00, is available in the US, whereas the more powerful versions are available in the other territories.
While the highest configuration’s price tag is a bit exorbitant, especially since it’s mostly for more storage, the cheapest configurations make it a good idea for those looking to just get a laptop that’s thin, light, and doesn’t look cheap.
There are other options out there, such as the Acer Aspire 5, that offers a little more in terms of performance and battery life, but is a bit more limited when it comes to ports. It’s also almost half a pound heavier than the IdeaPad Slim 3.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Specs
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 may be a more budget-oriented model but it still comes with some customizations. For starters, you can choose between three CPUs: the Intel Core 3 100U, Intel Core 5 120U, and the Intel Core 7 150U. The more powerful the processor the snappier the response will be for browsing and day-to-day tasks. There’s also a choice between 8 and 16GB of RAM, though you can only get 8GB with the Intel Core 3 and 16GB with the Intel Core 7 CPU. Lastly, you can choose an SSD ranging from 256GB (there is the ability to just do a 128GB flash drive in the ***) to 1TB of space.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 base configuration
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 review configuration
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 max configuration
Price:
$539.99 / £510 / AU$1,149.00
£690.00 / AU$1,509.00 (about $890)
£900 (about $1150 / AU$1,700)
CPU:
Intel Core 3 100U
Intel Core 5 120U
Intel Core 7 150U
Graphics:
Integrated graphics
Integrated graphics
Integrated graphics
RAM:
8GB DDR5-5200
16GB DDR5-5200
16GB DDR5-5200
Screen:
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) @60Hz
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) @60Hz touchscreen
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) @60Hz touchscreen
Storage:
256GB SSD
1TB SSD
1TB SSD
Ports:
1x HDMI, 1x USB-C, 2x USB, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3.5mm audio jack
1x HDMI, 1x USB-C, 2x USB, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3.5mm audio jack
1x HDMI, 1x USB-C, 2x USB, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3.5mm audio jack
Wireless:
Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.1
Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.1
Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.1
Camera:
720p at 30 fps
720p at 30 fps
720p at 30 fps
Weight:
1.62 kg (3.57 lbs)
1.62 kg (3.57 lbs)
1.62 kg (3.57 lbs)
Dimensions:
359.3 x 235 x 17.9 mm (14.15 x 9.25 x 0.70 inches)
359.3 x 235 x 17.9 mm (14.15 x 9.25 x 0.70 inches)
359.3 x 235 x 17.9 mm (14.15 x 9.25 x 0.70 inches)
There is some light customization available outside of the internal components as well. You can upgrade from a non-touch to a touch screen. And you can choose whether to pay extra for a fingerprint reader. There’s also a color choice between Abyss Blue (reviewed here) and gray.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Design
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Is thin, light, and looks nice, though it’s not the most premium build
Keyboard and touchpad are fine
Has some appreciated security features like a webcam privacy shutter
Available in either Abyss Blue or gray, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offers up that distinctive Ultrabook aesthetic. It’s thin, light, and, from afar, looks like a MacBook competitor. Of course, upon closer look, its mid-range bones are more apparent, like the fact that its chassis is made out of plastic.
However, it’s a nice option for people who just need a computer and don’t care about getting something expensive or top-of-the-line. It comes with a decently-sized 15.6-inch display that, at 1080p, is good enough for most people. Plus, that display on upgraded models such as the one reviewed is a responsive touchscreen.
The keyboard falls into the “good enough” camp, as it does the job but isn’t particularly special. The keys are a bit stiff to the touch, so may not be a favorite of those typing out long essays. And there’s no backlighting either. At least there’s a numpad. The touchpad is equally fine; it’s accurate and responsive, but isn’t the smoothest to the touch.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Port-wise, you do get a nice assortment such as there’s an HDMI and SD card reader port, both of which you don’t always get in this caliber of computer. Of course, there’s the typical USB-C and USB-A ports as well as a headphone jack.
Lastly, there are some security features on hand that I do appreciate. Namely, there’s a fingerprint reader on the power button and privacy shutter on the webcam.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Performance
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Good enough performance for day-to-day work
Webcam is sufficient but limited
Audio is underwhelming
When it comes to performance, the bar is somewhat low for the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in that it doesn’t need to power demanding programs like games or editing software (if you’re looking for that kind of power, there are plenty of other laptops to consider as this is not one). What it needs to do and does well enough is handle day-to-day tasks such as browsing, streaming, emails, word processing, and the like. And it does those just fine. This laptop is meant for people who “just need a computer” at an affordable price.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Benchmarks
3DMark: Fire Strike: 4113; Time Spy: 1501; Night Raid: 14442
GeekBench 6.3 2469 (single-core); 8549 (multi-core)
Handbrake 1.8: 14:33
CrossMark: Overall: 1445 Productivity: 1459 Creativity: 1504 Responsiveness: 1308
Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 6:14:04
During use, I was able to use it normally with 15 tabs open in a browser, including some streaming, without much of a slowdown other than a split second refresh when switching tabs. The cheapest configuration, with its 6-core Intel Core 3 100U CPU and 8GB of RAM, will probably start to slow after just a couple years as it already has somewhat weak internals. The review configuration, however, has a 10-core CPU and 16GB of RAM, so should offer an additional year of use, in my opinion, before starting to feel slow.
Since this fits into that category of devices that look like an Ultrabook, but are more of a budget laptop, there are some compromises elsewhere. The webcam, for instance, is good enough but at 720p @ 30 fps, is not the sharpest or smoothest. Plus, it does have a little grain to the image in low light settings.
More egregiously, the audio is underwhelming. While this is somewhat typical for budget and mid-range laptops, it’s worth pointing out. There’s not much in the way of bass or high-end, leaving you with a boxy, mid-range quality, like hearing something through a phone. Considering how many people simply stream stuff onto their laptops these days, it’s surprising that this isn’t better.
Lastly, it should be mentioned that, like most budget laptops, this comes with some bloatware.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Battery life
Decent but not great battery life
Has fast charging on hand
With a benchmark of six hours and almost 15 minutes, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is not going to win any awards. That length of time is good enough if you need to do a little work on the road, but not enough to get through a full work day without a charge. And it’s pretty low compared to what a lot of thin and light laptops, particularly Ultrabooks (that happen to be a little pricier on the whole), are able to achieve. The only laptops that this really beats out are gaming laptops that have to also supply power to dedicated graphics cards and older models that you probably wouldn’t compare this to in the first place.
On the bright side, there is fast charging on hand so that you can quickly get some extra juice with a short trip to an outlet. I was able to charge back up from 55% after about 40 minutes. So, if you want to go untethered to work while in front of the TV, you have enough battery life on hand and get a quick charge for more while taking a quick break.
Should I buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, this computer offers good value, especially if you’re able to get it on *****.
4.5 / 5
Design
This laptop is thin, light, and looks nice, though it’s not the most premium build
4 / 5
Performance
While the audio is underwhelming, the general performance on tap is good enough for most people.
4 / 5
Battery life
Battery life is a bit underwhelming though not terrible, but at least fast-charging is on hand.
3.5 / 5
Average rating
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is good enough for most people, even if there are some compromises here and there.
4 / 5
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also Consider
If our Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider…
How I tested the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9
Tested for a couple weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Tested its webcam and audio
I used the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 for a couple weeks, doing some light gaming, watching some online content, and working on it. I also used it on the go and tested its various features like the webcam and audio. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 is one of those laptops meant for people who don’t need crazy powerful computers, but instead just need a decent sized screen, good portability, and enough power for normal day-to-day work without costing too much money.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
First reviewed December 2024
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Mitch McConnell warns Trump trade war, tariffs will raise prices
Mitch McConnell warns Trump trade war, tariffs will raise prices
Then President Donald Trump speaks to the media while flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after arriving at a Senate Republican weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol March 26, 2019 in Washington, DC.
Mark Wilson | Getty Images
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell is speaking out against President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff plans, warning that starting trade wars with U.S. economic partners could force higher costs on American families and businesses.
Trump’s “aggressive proposals leave big, lingering concerns for American industry and workers,” the senator from Kentucky wrote in an op-ed Wednesday in Louisville’s Courier-Journal.
The op-ed is a rare example of a senior Republican in Congress who is willing to publicly criticize the president’s economic strategy.
Trump, who has called tariff his “favorite word,” recently slapped broad import duties on Canada, Mexico and China, plus additional tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
He delayed the start of tariffs on Mexico and Canada by one month, after the two U.S. allies pledged to boost efforts to police border crossings and drug trafficking. But that pause is set to expire in the first week of March.
Read more CNBC politics coverage
In his op-ed, McConnell conceded that “it’s high time for America’s closest neighbors to take the crisis at our border seriously.”
“But no matter our best intentions, tariffs are bad policy,” he wrote.
McConnell also zeroed in on how Trump’s protectionist policies would hurt his fellow Kentuckians.
He pointed to the 75,000 Kentucky farms that sell their crops internationally, as well as the thousands of jobs in the state’s auto industry, which relies on global supply chains.
And then there is bourbon ********. In 2023, Bluegrass State distillers produced and aged an estimated 95% of the bourbon sold worldwide, according to an industry group.
The previous year, almost all of the $500 million worth of goods Kentucky exported was bourbon.
“Blanket tariffs make it more expensive to do business in America, driving up costs for consumers across the board,” he wrote.
The 82-year-old stepped down from Senate leadership in November after almost two decades in power. McConnell has been a frequent target of Trump’s ire since the two men fell out after the then-Senate majority leader refused to back Trump’s false claims about his 2020 election loss.
Four years later, McConnell nevertheless endorsed Trump for president.
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Family of Sonya Massey, ****** woman shot in home by sheriff’s deputy, accepts $10M settlement
Family of Sonya Massey, ****** woman shot in home by sheriff’s deputy, accepts $10M settlement
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — County officials in Springfield, Illinois, have agreed to pay $10 million to the family of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old ****** woman shot and killed in her home last summer by a sheriff’s deputy responding to her call for help.
The Sangamon County Board approved the settlement Tuesday night, allowing taxpayers to avoid a drawn-out and likely traumatic lawsuit over the summertime shooting by former deputy Sean Grayson.
The county maintains a settlement fund with a balance of $1.5 million. But according to local news reports, county administrator Brian McFadden said the rest of the payment will come from reserves in other county funds.
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“To pay for this particular settlement, we will not be raising taxes, we will not be issuing additional debt, we will not be cutting services,” McFadden said. “We can handle this through what is in place in those reserves.”
Massey’s family had scheduled a news conference for Wednesday morning.
Grayson, 30, is charged with first-degree ******* in Massey’s death after her exchange with Grayson over removing a hot pot from a stovetop.
The case has drawn national attention as another example of police shooting ****** people in their homes. It forced the premature retirement of Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell, who hired Grayson, and prompted an agreement with the Justice Department for more training on non-discriminatory policing, de-escalation techniques and dealing with mental health disabilities.
Massey, whose mental health issues were the subject of several 911 calls from herself and her mother in the days leading up to the shooting, called emergency responders early on July 6 to report a suspected prowler. Grayson and another deputy responded. During a conversation in her living room, Grayson noticed a pot of water on the stove and directed the other officer to remove it.
Massey retrieved the pot and joked with Grayson about how he backed away from it, then told Grayson, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson yelled at her to drop the pot and drew his weapon. Massey apologized and ducked behind a counter. Grayson fired three shots, striking her just below the left eye.
Grayson remains jailed despite a unanimous 4th District Appellate Court ruling in November that his pre-trial detention was improper because prosecutors failed to show there were no conditions under which Grayson could be released without posing a threat to the community. Illinois eliminated cash bail in a law that took effect in 2023, allowing judges to order detention only with sufficient cause.
The Illinois Supreme Court is considering an appeal of that ruling.
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Blade & Soul NEO Q&A – Ushering In A New Audience
Blade & Soul NEO Q&A – Ushering In A New Audience
Blade & Soul NEO is set to release on February 25, and the team are ready to usher in a brand new audience to the game.
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Microsoft’s February 2025 Patch Tuesday corrects 57 bugs, three critical
Microsoft’s February 2025 Patch Tuesday corrects 57 bugs, three critical
Microsoft followed up its massive January Patch Tuesday update containing fixes for 159 vulnerabilities with a more modest crop this month. This time, it released fixes for 57 new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) in its update, three of which are critical.
Dustin Childs of the Zero Day Initiative described one of the vulnerabilities as unprecedented in the wild. This is a Windows storage elevation of privilege (EOP) vulnerability, CVE-2025-21391.
In a blog post, Childs said: “This is … a type of bug we haven’t seen exploited publicly. The vulnerability allows an attacker to delete targeted files. How does this lead to privilege escalation? My colleague Simon Zuckerbraun details the technique here. While we’ve seen similar issues in the past, this does appear to be the first time the technique has been exploited in the wild. It’s also likely paired with a code execution bug to completely take over a system. Test and deploy this quickly.”
In Computer Weekly’s sister title SearchWindowsServer, Tom Walat picked out two new zero-day vulnerabilities that Microsoft has fixed in this Patch Tuesday, including the EOP that Childs highlighted.
“The first new zero-day is a Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock elevation-of-privilege vulnerability (CVE-2025-21418) rated important with a CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) score of 7.8. This bug affects all currently supported Windows desktop and server systems,” he wrote.
The second new zero-day is the storage EOP vulnerability (CVE-2025-21391) that Childs commented on, to which Walat added: “To exploit the vulnerability, the attacker only needs local access to the network with low privileges. If successful, the attacker can delete files on a system to cause service disruptions and possibly perform other actions, such as elevating their privileges.”
Childs also picked out CVE-2025-21376, a Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. “This vulnerability allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to run their code on an affected system simply by sending a maliciously crafted request to the target,” he wrote. “Since there’s no user interaction involved, that makes this bug wormable between affected LDAP servers. Microsoft lists this as ‘exploitation likely’, so even though this may be unlikely, I would treat this as an impending exploitation. Test and deploy the patch quickly.”
In the CVE notes to this “critical” vulnerability, which has a CVSS rating of 8.1, Microsoft stated: “An unauthenticated attacker could send a specially crafted request to a vulnerable LDAP server. Successful exploitation could result in a buffer overflow which could be leveraged to achieve remote code execution.”
There are also several Microsoft Excel bug fixes in this update, including CVE-2025-21387, an RCE vulnerability. “This is one of several Excel fixes where the Preview Pane is an attack vector, which is confusing as Microsoft also notes that user interaction is required,” said Childs. “They also note that multiple patches are required to address this vulnerability fully. This likely can be exploited either by opening a malicious Excel file or previewing a malicious attachment in Outlook. Either way, make sure you get all the needed patches tested and deployed.”
This vulnerability is one of six Excel flaws that Microsoft corrected this month, in what proved to be a relatively light Patch Tuesday.
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Super Bowl betting and Eagles win to boost DraftKings, Bank of America says
Super Bowl betting and Eagles win to boost DraftKings, Bank of America says
Sports betting company Draftkings could see strong gains ahead thanks to this year’s Super Bowl betting activity and the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory, according to Bank of America. Compared to last year’s Super Bowl, both FanDuel and New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement reported a 19% gain in wagering, and GeoComply reported a 14% increase in activity. Analyst Shaun Kelley said that Draftkings, whose shares have risen only around 0.5% over the past 12 months, might be poised to benefit as a result. He expect the company to bring in an additional $20 million to $25 million in EBITDA year on year. “We think the ability to grow double-digits during the biggest event of the year is impressive and could help assuage concerns of slowing handle,” Kelley wrote in a Wednesday note. “In addition to the strong handle growth, we think the books benefitted from the Eagles winning and key players including Saquon Barkley and Travis Kelce staying out of the endzone.” This comes as the company has already seen an acceleration in handle growth in the beginning of 2025. The bank noted that DraftKings’ handle, which represents the amount of money wagered in specific events, went up by an average of 19% in January. That said, Kelley doesn’t believe Draftkings will raise its 2025 guidance to reflect its strong start to the year. “We think DKNG could face > $100M of annualized headwinds from higher taxes in Maryland and Ohio and launch costs in Missouri that are not currently in their 2025 guide,” the analyst also said. “Given regulatory uncertainty, we expect DKNG to reiterate their 2025 guidance and yet factor in specific state tax changes, though they may help quantify or bridge the potential impact.” A majority of analysts on Wall Street are bullish on the name. Out of the 37 analysts covering it, 32 of them have a strong buy or buy rating, while the remaining five have a hold rating, according to LSEG data. Draftkings also has a consensus price target over the next 12 months of nearly $52. That reflects more than 19% upside from Tuesday’s close.
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Chocolate for Valentine’s Day – The New York Times
Chocolate for Valentine’s Day – The New York Times
Valentine’s Day, for those who celebrate, is just a couple days away, when legal limits on chocolate-gobbling are temporarily suspended. In anticipation, and because chocolate just happens to be next up on my BIF (Best Ingredients Forever) List, let us now explore the fudgy wiles of the divine cacao bean.
Considering going a little dark this holiday? Then give serious thought to Yossy Arefi’s new recipe for chocolate cheesecake with raspberry swirl. This dense, rich cake, with a texture somewhere between a flan and a chocolate truffle, is crowned with puddles of fruity jam. You bake the cheesecake at a low temperature, so you can skip the usual water bath without worrying about cracks on the top. This dessert keeps well in the fridge, so avoid last-minute fussing and make it tonight or tomorrow to serve on Friday. Then snack languorously all weekend long.
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Chocolate Cheesecake With Raspberry Swirl
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Still more of Yossy’s bittersweet brilliance can be found in her chocolate pound cake with strawberry whipped cream. You often see this classic V-Day pairing in chocolate-covered strawberries (check out Eric “Big Dipper” Kim’s great recipe). But Yossy flips the script by baking the chocolate into a tender-crumbed pound cake, then covers it in a drift of strawberry-flavored whipped cream. Sliced fresh berries at the peak show you what you’re in for.
For a shareable treat that scales easily, Lidey Heuck’s brownies are simple-to-make paragons of the form. Their gooey-in-the-middle, crackling-on-top texture comes from dissolving the sugar in butter before adding the chocolate. Use semisweet, bittersweet or a mix to dial in the ********** you like.
(Psst. The trick for cutting brownies neatly? Flip the pan onto a cutting board upside down, so the bottom is on top, and cut the brownies into squares before flipping them back over. Neat and clean! Then pass them out to your valentines and feel the love radiate back at you.)
Of course, unless you’re dining out for Valentine’s Day (not my thing, I’m afraid), you’ll need to make something to precede the chocolate. Oh right, like dinner.
I feel like classic and cozy is the way to go, particularly if you’re preceding that with oysters and Champagne (most definitely my thing). Perhaps a nice roast chicken and a salad? But not just any chicken — a romantic roast chicken, such as a recipe that a reader, Florence Chapgier, once sent me for her mother’s roast chicken. Stuffed with an entire bunch of tarragon and doused with Cognac, this chicken truly is one of the best birds I’ve ever roasted. Its lusciousness lies in the alchemy of the copious butter mixing with the caramelized chicken juices, the licorice-y fresh herbs and a heady dash of brandy added right at the end.
And let’s not do just any salad either, but “The Best Green Salad In The World,” as Via Carota’s insalata verde, adapted by Samin Nosrat, has been labeled. This Platonic ideal of a salad boasts a shallot-mustard vinaigrette so balanced and savory you’ll be tempted to slurp it straight. Save some for the lettuces though. There’s still a limit to drinking salad dressing.
You will need a subscription to get all these lovable recipes (along with the thousands more at New York Times Cooking.) If you need any technical help, the thoughtful people at *****@*****.tld are there for you. And I’m at *****@*****.tld if you want to say hi.
That’s all for now. I’ll see you on Monday.
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Olipop prebiotic soda valued at $1.85 billion in funding round
Olipop prebiotic soda valued at $1.85 billion in funding round
Super Bowl Ad Olipop Poppi Soda
Source: Olipop
Prebiotic soda brand Olipop said Wednesday that it was valued at $1.85 billion in its latest funding round, which raised $50 million for the company.
Founded in 2018, Olipop has helped fuel the growth of the prebiotic soda category, along with rival Poppi, which highlighted its drinks with a Super Bowl ad on Sunday. Both have attracted consumers with their claims that their drinks help with “gut health,” one of the latest wellness trends taking over food and beverage aisles.
Olipop’s Series C funding round was led by J.P. Morgan Private Capital’s Growth Equity Partners. The company plans to use the money that it raised to add to its product lineup, expand its marketing and distribute its sodas more widely.
Today, Olipop is the top non-alcoholic beverage brand in the U.S., both by dollar sales and unit growth, the company said, citing data from Circana/SPINS. Roughly half of its growth comes from legacy soda drinkers, while the other half comes from consumers entering the carbonated soft drink category. One in four Gen Z consumers drinks Olipop, according to the company.
In early 2024, Olipop reached profitability, the company said. Its annual sales surpassed $400 million last year, doubling the year prior. In 2023, Olipop founder and CEO Ben Goodwin told CNBC that soda giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola had already come knocking about a potential *****.
For its part, rival Poppi, which was founded 10 years ago, has raised $39.3 million as of 2023 at an undisclosed valuation, according to Pitchbook data. Poppi’s annual sales reportedly crossed $100 million in 2023. Its appearance during the Super Bowl was the second straight year that it paid for an ad during the big game.
Poppi has also faced some backlash for its health claims. The company is currently in talks to settle a lawsuit that argued that Poppi’s drinks aren’t as healthy as the company claims, according to court filings.
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