What is a Firewall and Why Do I Need One?
What is a Firewall and Why Do I Need One?
A firewall is a network security device that prevents unauthorized access to a network by inspecting incoming and outgoing traffic using a set of predetermined security rules.
The main purpose of a firewall is to act as a barrier between a trusted internal network, such as a home or business network and untrusted external networks, such as the internet, to help prevent unauthorized access, cyberattacks and data breaches. A firewall can be physical hardware, digital software, software as a service (SaaS) or a virtual private cloud.
Firewalls are used in both personal and enterprise settings, and many devices, including Mac, Windows and Linux computers, come with a built-in firewall. They’re widely considered an essential component of network security.
History of Firewalls
The history of firewalls mirrors the evolution of the internet and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. Here’s a timeline of the key stages of firewalls:
The origins of firewalls. In the 1980s, as networks began to connect, routers played a basic role in separating these networks and could filter packets that crossed between networks based on fundamental information. These basic systems laid the foundation for more advanced security measures in the future.
First-generation firewalls. The first dedicated firewall technologies emerged in the late 1980s. These early firewalls, known as packet filters, analyzed network traffic at the network layer by inspecting individual packets based on their source and destination IP addresses, port numbers, and protocols. They would permit or block traffic according to a predefined set of rules, called an access control list. While this was an important initial step in network security, these early firewalls were stateless, meaning they did not retain information about past traffic or the context of a connection. As a result, they were vulnerable to various attacks, as they could not inspect the actual content of the packets.
Second-generation firewalls. In the early 1990s, stateful inspection firewalls emerged as a significant advancement in network security. These firewalls maintained a table of active connections and made decisions based on the state and context of network traffic. By tracking the status of these connections, they could determine whether a packet was part of an existing, legitimate connection or a potential threat. One of the first commercially available stateful inspection firewalls was Check Point’s FireWall-1, which was released in 1993.
Third-generation firewalls. As web-based applications became increasingly prevalent and threats grew more complex, application-layer firewalls, also known as proxy firewalls, emerged. These firewalls operate at the application layer or Layer 7 of the OSI model, enabling them to analyze the actual content of network traffic. These firewalls provide more granular control and the ability to block threats specific to certain apps, such as HTTP or File Transfer Protocol (FTP). They serve as intermediaries, inspecting traffic in both directions.
Fourth-generation firewalls. Around 2008, the concept of next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) gained prominence. These firewalls combined traditional firewall functionalities with advanced security features, including deep packet inspection (DPI), intrusion prevention systems (IPS), application awareness and control, user identity awareness and URL filtering. NGFWs marked a major shift toward more proactive and comprehensive security measures.
Fifth-generation firewalls. Beginning in the early 2020s, the latest advancement in firewall technology has involved the integration of machine learning (ML) to improve threat detection and response. ML-powered firewalls analyze network traffic patterns in real time to identify anomalies and potential threats. This proactive approach enables the detection of zero-day vulnerabilities and other sophisticated threats that traditional methods might overlook.
This diagram illustrates how a traditional firewall works.
Why are firewalls important?
Firewalls serve as the first line of defense against external threats, such as hackers and malware attacks. In particular, firewalls combined with an IPS are crucial in preventing malware and certain application layer attacks.
Firewalls first emerged in the early days of the internet when networks needed new security methods that could handle increasing complexity. They’ve since become the foundation of network security in the client-server model — the central architecture of modern computing.
Overall, firewalls play an important role in preventing cyberattacks, protecting sensitive data, and maintaining the privacy and security of computer systems and networks.
How does a firewall work?
A firewall establishes a border between an external network and the network it guards. It’s inserted inline across a network connection and inspects all packets entering and leaving the guarded network. As it inspects, it uses a set of preconfigured rules to distinguish between benign and malicious traffic or packets.
The term packet refers to a piece of data formatted for internet transfer. Packets contain the data itself and information about the data, such as where it came from, source and destination IP addresses, the port numbers being used and the protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Firewalls can use this packet information to determine whether a given packet abides by the rule set. If it doesn’t, the packet is barred from entering the guarded network. Rule sets can be based on several things indicated by packet data, including source, destination and content.
These characteristics can be represented differently at different levels of the network. As a packet travels through the network, it’s reformatted several times to tell the protocol where to send it.
Different types of firewalls exist to read packets at different network levels.
Benefits of using firewalls
Firewalls are used in both corporate and consumer settings. Modern organizations incorporate them into a security information and event management strategy along with other cybersecurity devices.
Firewalls are often used alongside antivirus applications. Unlike corporate ones, personal firewalls are usually a single product rather than a collection of various products. They can be software or a device with firewall firmware embedded.
The following are some use cases of firewalls:
Threat defense. Firewalls can be installed at an organization’s network perimeter to guard against external threats, such as malware attacks or hacking attempts, or within the network to create segmentation and guard against insider threats.
Logging and audit functions. Firewalls keep a record of events that administrators can use to identify patterns and improve rule sets. Rules should be updated regularly to keep up with ever-evolving cybersecurity threats. Vendors discover new threats and develop patches to cover them as soon as possible.
Traffic filtering. In a single home network, a firewall can filter traffic and alert the user to intrusions. They’re especially useful for always-on connections, such as Digital Subscriber Line or cable modems, because those connection types use static IP addresses. A firewall ensures that only intended and nondestructive content from the internet passes through.
Controlling and blocking access. Firewalls can be used for controlling and blocking access to certain websites and online services to prevent unauthorized use. For example, an organization can use a firewall to block access to objectionable websites to ensure employees comply with company policies when browsing the internet.
Secure remote access. Firewalls can be used to grant secure remote access to a network through a virtual private network (VPN) or other secure remote access technology.
Network segmentation. Firewalls enhance security by separating different parts of a network into distinct security zones with varying access levels. This isolates sensitive data and systems from general network traffic. Virtual LANs can be employed for improved network management.
Types of firewalls
Firewalls are either categorized by the way they filter data or by the system they protect.
When categorized by what they protect, the two types are network-based and host-based. Network-based firewalls guard entire networks and are often hardware. Host-based firewalls guard individual devices — known as hosts — and are often software.
When categorizing by filtering method, the main types are as follows:
Packet-filtering firewalls. For examining data packets in isolation and don’t know the packet’s context.
Stateful inspection firewalls. For examining network traffic to determine whether one packet is related to another packet.
Circuit-level gateway firewalls. For providing security by monitoring TCP handshaking between packets from trusted clients or servers to untrusted hosts and vice versa.
Proxy firewalls, or application-level gateways. For inspecting packets at the application layer of the OSI reference model.
NGFWs. They use a multilayered approach to integrate enterprise firewall capabilities with an IPS and application control.
Threat-focused NGFWs. For combining traditional firewall technology with enhanced functionality to thwart modern threats, including application layer and advanced malware attacks.
Virtual firewalls. Also known as cloud firewalls, they provide traffic filtering and monitoring for virtual machines (VMs) in a virtualized environment.
Cloud-native firewalls. For automated scaling features that enable networking and security operations teams to run at fast speeds.
Web application firewall. WAF protects web applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP/HTTPS traffic between a web application and the internet.
This chart illustrates the different firewall types and their advantages and disadvantages.
Each type of firewall in the list above examines traffic with a higher level of context than the one before; for example, a stateful firewall has more context than a packet-filtering firewall.
Packet-filtering and network layer firewalls
When a packet passes through a packet-filtering firewall, its source and destination address, protocol and destination port number are checked. The packet is dropped, meaning it isn’t forwarded to its destination if it doesn’t comply with the firewall’s rule set. For example, if a firewall is configured with a rule to block Telnet access, then the firewall drops packets destined for TCP port number 23, the port where a Telnet server application would be listening.
A packet-filtering firewall works mainly on the network layer of the OSI reference model, although the transport layer is used to obtain the source and destination port numbers. It examines each packet independently and doesn’t know whether any given packet is part of an existing stream of traffic.
The packet-filtering firewall is effective, but because it processes each packet in isolation, it can be vulnerable to IP spoofing attacks and has largely been replaced by stateful inspection firewalls.
Stateful inspection firewalls
Stateful inspection firewalls — also known as dynamic packet-filtering firewalls — monitor communication packets over time and examine both incoming and outgoing packets.
This type of firewall maintains a table that keeps track of all open connections. When a new packet arrives, it compares information in the packet header to the state table — its list of valid connections — and determines whether the packet is part of an established connection. If it is, the packet is let through without further analysis. But, if the packet doesn’t match an existing connection, it’s evaluated according to the rule set for new connections.
Although stateful inspection firewalls are quite effective, they can be vulnerable to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. DoS attacks take advantage of established connections that this type of firewall generally assumes are safe.
Circuit-level gateway firewalls
When a trusted client or server sends a packet to an untrusted host and vice versa, a circuit-level gateway firewall examines the TCP handshaking between the two packets. It controls network traffic at the session level and keeps track of the OSI model’s session layer. Instead of examining the content of the packets, this firewall inspects the protocol headers of the packets to determine if a session is legitimate.
Whenever a circuit-level gateway firewall receives a request from a trusted client or server to connect to an untrusted host, it starts a three-way handshake with the destination host to establish a session. It then forwards the packets between the two hosts without further inspecting the content of the packets.
This type of firewall can provide a higher level of security than packet-filtering firewalls because it can detect and prevent certain attacks, such as port scanning and DoS attacks. However, because it doesn’t examine the packet content, a circuit-level gateway firewall can’t offer the same level of security as an application layer firewall.
Application layer and proxy firewalls
This type of firewall is referred to as a proxy-based or reverse-proxy firewall. They provide application layer filtering and can examine the payload of a packet to distinguish valid requests from malicious code disguised as a valid request for data. As attacks against web servers became more prevalent, so did the need for firewalls to protect networks from attacks at the application layer. Packet-filtering and stateful inspection firewalls can’t do this at the application layer.
Since this type of firewall examines the payload’s content, it gives security engineers more granular control over network traffic. For example, it can allow or deny a specific incoming Telnet command from a particular user, whereas other types of firewalls can only control general incoming requests from a particular host.
When this type of firewall lives on a proxy server — making it a proxy firewall — it becomes harder for an attacker to discover where the network is and creates yet another layer of security. Both the client and the server are forced to conduct the session through an intermediary — the proxy server that hosts an application layer firewall. Each time an external client requests a connection to an internal network server or vice versa, the client opens a connection with the proxy instead. If the connection request meets the criteria in the firewall rule base, the proxy firewall opens the connection.
The key benefit of application layer filtering is the ability to block specific content, such as known malware or certain websites, and recognize when certain applications and protocols, such as HTTP, FTP and domain name system, are being misused. Application layer firewall rules can also be used to control the execution of files or the handling of data by specific applications.
Next-generation firewalls
This type of firewall is a combination of the other types with additional security software and devices bundled in. The benefit of an NGFW is that it combines the strengths of each type of firewall to cover each type’s weaknesses. An NGFW is often a bundle of technologies under one name, as opposed to a single component.
Modern network perimeters have so many entry points and different types of users that stronger access control and security at the host are required. This need for a multilayer approach led to the emergence of NGFWs.
An NGFW integrates three key assets: traditional firewall capabilities, application awareness and an IPS. Similar to the introduction of stateful inspection to first-generation firewalls, NGFWs bring additional context to the firewall’s decision-making process.
NGFWs combine the capabilities of traditional enterprise firewalls, including network address translation, URL blocking and VPNs, with quality of service functionality and features not traditionally found in first-generation products. NGFWs support intent-based networking by including Secure Sockets Layer and Secure Shell inspection and reputation-based malware detection. NGFWs also use DPI to check the contents of packets and prevent malware.
When an NGFW, or any firewall, is used in conjunction with other devices, it’s termed unified threat management.
Virtual firewalls
A virtual firewall runs entirely within a virtualized environment and provides the same security and inspection capabilities as a hardware firewall.
It monitors and inspects network traffic between VMs and between VMs and the outside world. The firewall is situated between the VMs and the hypervisor that provides the virtualization layer and inspects traffic at the network layer to determine whether to allow or block packets based on a set of predefined rules.
Virtual firewalls can filter traffic based on IP address, ports, protocols and other factors and provide the same security and inspection capabilities as physical firewalls. Some virtual firewalls also offer security capabilities, including application-level security, intrusion detection and intrusion prevention. SonicWall NSv Series and Juniper vSRX Virtual Firewall are examples of virtual firewalls.
Cloud-native firewalls
A cloud-native firewall is a type of virtual firewall that’s specifically designed to operate within a cloud-based infrastructure. It’s a network firewall security system that provides traffic filtering and monitoring for VMs and containers running in a cloud environment.
Cloud-native firewalls provide the same security and inspection capabilities as traditional virtual firewalls but are optimized for the dynamic and scalable nature of cloud-based environments. They’re designed to integrate with cloud orchestration platforms, such as Kubernetes, and provide automated security policy enforcement across a large number of cloud resources.
Web application firewall
A WAF is designed to protect web applications by filtering, monitoring and blocking malicious HTTP/HTTPS traffic between a web application and the internet. Unlike traditional firewalls that operate at lower layers of the OSI model, WAFs function at the application layer, enabling them to identify and mitigate threats that target specific vulnerabilities in web applications. Common threats blocked by WAFs include SQL injection, cross-site scripting, cross-site request forgery and file inclusion attacks.
WAFs inspect incoming and outgoing HTTP requests and apply a set of predefined rules or policies to determine whether the traffic is benign or malicious. These rules can be based on known attack patterns, anomaly detection, or behavioral analysis.
WAFs can be deployed in various forms, including network-based appliances, host-based software, or cloud-based services, providing flexibility to match an organization’s infrastructure and security needs.
Understanding firewall vulnerabilities
Less advanced firewalls — packet-filtering firewalls, for example — are vulnerable to higher-level attacks because they don’t use DPI to fully examine packets. NGFWs were introduced to address that vulnerability. But NGFWs still face challenges and are vulnerable to evolving threats. For this reason, organizations should pair them with other security components, such as intrusion detection systems and intrusion prevention systems. Examples of modern threats that a firewall can be vulnerable to include the following:
Insider attacks. Organizations can use an internal firewall on top of a perimeter firewall to segment the network and provide internal protection. If an attack is suspected, organizations can audit sensitive data using NGFW features. All the audits should measure up to baseline documentation within the organization that outlines best practices for using the organization’s network. Examples of behavior that might indicate an insider threat include the following:
Transmission of sensitive data in plain text.
Resource access outside of business hours.
Sensitive resource access failure by the user.
Third-party users accessing network resources.
Distributed DoS attacks. A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of traffic. It uses multiple compromised computer systems as sources of attack traffic. Exploited machines can include computers and other networked resources, such as internet of things (IoT) devices. A DDoS attack is similar to a traffic jam preventing regular traffic from arriving at its destination. The key concern in mitigating a DDoS attack is differentiating between the attack and normal traffic. Many times, the traffic in this attack type can come from seemingly legitimate sources and requires cross-checking and auditing from several security components.
Malware. Malware threats are varied, complex and constantly evolving alongside security technology and the networks it protects. As networks become more complex and dynamic with the rise of IoT, it becomes more difficult for firewalls to defend them. Firewalls are also susceptible to fileless malware attacks that operate in memory and use legitimate system tools to execute malicious activities, making it difficult for traditional firewalls to detect.
Patching and configuration. A poorly configured firewall or a missed vendor update can be detrimental to network security. IT admins should be proactive in maintaining their security components.
Exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities. Attackers can exploit unknown vulnerabilities in firewall software before vendors release patches. For example, the ArcaneDoor campaign targeted Cisco’s Adaptive Security Appliances by exploiting two zero-day vulnerabilities, enabling attackers to execute malicious code and maintain access even after reboots or updates. This campaign compromised numerous global government networks, highlighting the dangers of unpatched firewall devices.
Supply chain attacks. Supply chain attacks represent a sophisticated cyberthreat where attackers bypass traditional firewall defenses by compromising trusted third-party vendors and their software distribution channels. Instead of directly attacking an organization’s network, cybercriminals infiltrate the trusted vendors’ systems and insert malicious code into legitimate software updates. The SolarWinds incident of 2020 exemplifies this approach, where attackers successfully embedded malicious code into routine software updates, which were then distributed to thousands of organizations worldwide through authorized channels.
Firewall vendors
Enterprises looking to purchase a firewall should understand their needs and network architecture. There are many different types of firewall vendors offering a range of features. According to Gartner Peer Insights and Informa TechTarget’s independent research, the following NGFW vendors are recognized for their performance and market presence:
Check Point Quantum. It delivers advanced, AI-powered threat prevention, unified policy management, and scalable performance to protect enterprise networks, data centers and remote users from sophisticated cyber threats.
Fortinet FortiGate. It offers intrusion protection and other AI-powered services designed for smaller organizations, as well as enterprise data centers.
Palo Alto Networks PA Series. With ML-based threat detection and intrusion, it offers options for small and medium-sized businesses, large enterprises and managed service providers.
SonicWall Network Security appliance Series. It offers advanced threat protection, as well as URL filtering, malware detection and intrusion protection.
HUAWEI Unified Security Gateway. USG combines advanced firewall protection, high-performance routing, and seamless integration with UniFi’s centralized management system to deliver secure and efficient network operations.
Firewall best practices
The following are some common firewall best practices that most organizations should follow:
Block all traffic by default and only permit specific traffic.
Follow the principle of least privilege, and grant users only the minimal level of access required to complete their duties.
Perform regular security audits to check for any vulnerabilities.
Administer firewall change control to manage and track changes to firewall rules.
Keep the firewall software current to ensure it can detect and block any new threats.
Optimize firewall rules to reduce unnecessary processing and boost performance.
Divide the network into distinct segments, such as internal, external or guest, to contain potential breaches and enforce tailored security policies for each zone.
Protect the firewall with strong passwords, multifactor authentication and role-based access control, and limit who can make changes to the firewall configuration.
Bring security awareness to the users by educating them about phishing, social engineering and other threats that might try to bypass the firewall.
This diagram illustrates the placement of multiple firewalls in an enterprise network.
Controversial uses of firewalls
While firewalls are primarily seen as security tools, their capabilities can be used in ways that raise ethical, political or social concerns. Here are some controversial uses of firewalls:
Government censorship and control. By restricting access to particular websites or content based on political or ideological goals, as in the case of government censorship, firewalls can be used for control or other unethical ends. The Great Firewall of China is an example of how firewalls can be used for ethically questionable purposes. The ******** government uses the Great Firewall to block access to specific websites and restrict access to content deemed politically or socially sensitive. The Great Firewall also monitors online activity and collects personal information, leading to concerns about privacy and individual freedoms.
Corporate surveillance and employee monitoring. Some companies have also come under scrutiny for using firewalls to restrict access to lawful websites for employees or to keep tabs on their online activities. Typically, DPI features of firewalls can be used to monitor online activity and collect personal information to infringe on the privacy and personal freedom of internet users.
Geo-blocking and market segmentation. Geo-blocking is the practice of using firewalls to control geographic access. While organizations employ it for digital rights management and regional licensing compliance, this practice raises significant concerns about digital equality and fair access. By creating digital borders, geo-blocking restricts users in specific locations from content and services available elsewhere. This disparity affects user experience and fuels worry about digital discrimination and location-based price variations.
Weaponization in cyber warfare. Nation-states or malicious actors could potentially manipulate firewall configurations as part of a cyberattack. This could involve creating backdoors, disrupting legitimate traffic, or using the firewall as a point of control within a compromised network.
Restricting political dissent. Authoritarian regimes often use firewalls to block activist websites and protest platforms, silencing opposition and limiting political dissent. While justified by claims of national security, these measures are criticized for undermining democratic freedoms.
Future of network security
In the early days of the internet, when AT&T’s Steven M. Bellovin first used the firewall metaphor, network traffic primarily flowed north-south. This simply means that most of the traffic in a data center flowed from client to server and server to client. In the past few years, however, virtualization and trends such as converged infrastructure have created more east-west traffic, which means that, sometimes, the largest volume of traffic in a data center is moving from server to server.
To deal with this change, some enterprises have migrated from the traditional three-layer data center architecture to various forms of leaf-spine architecture. This change in architecture has caused some security experts to warn that, while firewalls still have an important role to play in keeping a network secure, they risk becoming less effective. Some experts even predict a departure from the client-server model altogether.
The following are some emerging trends in network security worth exploring:
Software-defined perimeter. The use of an SDP is more aptly suited to virtual and cloud-based architectures because it has less latency than a firewall. It also works better within increasingly identity-centric security models because it focuses on securing user access rather than IP address-based access. An SDP is based on a zero-trust framework.
Secure Access Service Edge. SASE is becoming increasingly important for protecting networks against new and evolving threats.
Firewall as a service. FwaaS resides in the cloud and continues to gain popularity, as it examines traffic for remote employees and servers, while using standard cloud service advantages, such as ready scalability and flexibility.
Zero-trust policy. The zero-rust policy assumes that all access requests are potentially malicious and that access is only granted on an as-needed basis. The zero-trust approach is critical to network security going forward.
AI and automation. AI and automation are likely to play a greater role in network security, both in terms of threat detection and response.
Post-quantum cryptography. With the advent of quantum computing, traditional encryption methods are at risk of becoming obsolete. Post-quantum cryptography focuses on developing encryption algorithms that are resistant to quantum attacks. Many organizations are already integrating post-quantum cryptographic protocols into their services to future-proof data security. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is leading efforts to standardize these algorithms, with a transition target set for 2030.
Fifth-generation network security. The arrival of 5G networks will drive a stronger focus on their security. The increased speeds and reduced latency of 5G present new security hurdles, especially concerning connected IoT devices and the integrity of critical infrastructure.
Extended detection and response. XDR platforms offer a centralized method for detecting and responding to threats by consolidating data from diverse security layers such as networks, endpoints, and the cloud. This comprehensive visibility empowers organizations to identify and neutralize threats more efficiently, leading to faster response times and a stronger overall security stance.
Hybrid mesh firewalls. Organizations are increasingly interested in hybrid mesh firewalls, a new category of unified security platforms that can be deployed as appliances, virtual instances, cloud-native solutions, or as FWaaS. This growing demand is driven by the continued expansion of hybrid environments, where businesses require network firewalls that operate seamlessly across various locations, including cloud infrastructures. According to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls, this trend is notable, with projections indicating that more than 60% of organizations will have diverse firewall deployments by 2026.
As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, organizations need to stay proactive in adopting innovative services for mitigating threats and ensuring network security.
Given the wide variety of firewalls available on the market, it can be overwhelming to differentiate between them. Explore the distinctions and similarities between the basic categories of firewalls.
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Trump and Putin to speak today
Trump and Putin to speak today
Trump holding Putin, Zelenskyy calls
Trump holding calls with Putin, Zelenskyy to push for ceasefire in Ukraine
03:20
President Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday morning about the war in Ukraine and will then talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders.
In a post on Truth Social, the president said, “THE SUBJECTS OF THE CALL WILL BE, STOPPING THE ‘BLOODBATH’ THAT IS KILLING, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN 5000 RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS A WEEK, AND TRADE.”
The president is speaking with Putin at 10 a.m. ET, and then with Zelenskyy when the call concludes, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump said he and Putin would discuss the “bloodbath” in Ukraine. Vice President JD Vance met Sunday in Rome with Zelenskyy, their first face-to-face conversation since their explosive February Oval Office meeting.
“I don’t want to get ahead of those very important conversations, but of course, you will hear directly from the president or me after those calls conclude today, so you can expect that” Leavitt said in a Monday morning press briefing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview that aired Sunday on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that “one of the things that could help break this log jam — perhaps the only thing that can — is a direct conversation between President Trump and Vladimir Putin.”
Kathryn Watson
Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
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What Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Championship celebration tells us about the man – The New York Times
What Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Championship celebration tells us about the man – The New York Times
What Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Championship celebration tells us about the man The New York TimesThe PGA Championship was a reminder that Scottie Scheffler is still on top of the golf world ESPNWith emphasis at PGA, Scottie Scheffler reminds golf world who’s No. 1 NBC Sports2025 PGA Championship prize money, purse: Payouts for winner Scottie Scheffler, golfers from $19 million pool CBS Sports2025 PGA Championship: Nike drops hilarious ad referencing Scottie Scheffler’s arrest after his win at Quail Hollow Yahoo Sports
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Wyndham scores big with new oval upgrades
Wyndham scores big with new oval upgrades
There were cheers all round in Wyndham last week as the town officially unveiled new change rooms and lighting towers at Clarrie Cassidy Oval — a major win for sport in the East Kimberley community.
Member for Kimberley Divina D’Anna was on hand for the ribbon-cutting and said the upgrades were about more than just bricks and lights.
“This project addressed a need for upgraded all-access change room facilities and improved sports lighting on the oval,” Ms D’Anna said.
“It highlights a commitment to continuing to provide accessible sporting opportunities in small regional towns.”
The state-of-the-art overhaul was made possible through a joint funding push from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, the Kimberley Development Commission and the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley.
And speaking of goals, it didn’t take long for the oval to be put to good use. The Port Wyndham Crocs held their first official training session under the new lights on the same night, giving the shiny new set-up a proper workout.
“A big shout-out to the mighty Port Wyndham Crocs for celebrating this event with us,” Ms D’Anna said. “
“We hope you enjoy the new facilities at your oval!”
With modern, accessible change rooms now in place and lighting that lets teams train and play into the evening, local clubs and athletes are set to benefit for years to come.
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Hideo Kojima Says Stealth-Action Game Physint Isn’t Coming Any Time Soon
Hideo Kojima Says Stealth-Action Game Physint Isn’t Coming Any Time Soon
With Death Stranding 2: On The Beach due next month, and multiple other projects announced like the Death Stranding movie and OD, it’s not surprising to hear that Hideo Kojima is a little bit busy these days. There’s one future Kojima project fans are particularly interested in–Physint, the Metal Gear Solid creator’s return to the stealth-action genre–but Kojima himself says that one is going to take a while.
Speaking with French outlet Le Film Francais and spotted by VGC, Kojima was talking about all of the different projects he’s currently working on in reference to the Death Stranding film, which is currently in production with A24. Specifically, he was asked if he’d like to work on more film-based projects, and his response will not be music to the ears of those looking to play Physint–it’s still “five or six years” away.
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Now Playing: Physint – Hideo Kojima’s New Action-Espionage Game Announcment Trailer
“Besides Death Stranding 2, there is Physint in development. That will take me another five or six years,” Kojima said in the interview. “Maybe after that, I could finally decide to tackle a film. I grew up with cinema. Directing would be a kind of homage to it. Besides, I’m getting older, and I would prefer to do it while still young.”
Physint was one of multiple announcements made by Kojima during a PlayStation State of Play livestream held in January 2024, along with a gameplay trailer for Death Stranding 2. No other information has been shared about the espionage project since that State of Play.
Kojima’s next project, meanwhile, is Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, and it launches June 26 on PlayStation 5. Preorders are available now for both the standard and Collector’s Edition, which comes with a 15-inch Magellan Man statue, bonus in-game items, and more.
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Honor 400 Series China Launch Date Revealed; Confirmed to Offer Battery Upgrade Over Predecessors
Honor 400 Series China Launch Date Revealed; Confirmed to Offer Battery Upgrade Over Predecessors
Honor has disclosed the launch date of Honor 400 and Honor 400 Pro in China. The ******** tech brand has shared new teasers online, revealing the battery and chipset details of the series. Both smartphones will offer significantly larger capacity batteries than their predecessors and will run on Snapdragon chipsets. The Honor 400 series launch will take place on May 22 in markets outside China. They are teased to feature 200-megapixel rear cameras.
As per the recent Weibo posts by Honor, the Honor 400 series will be unveiled in China on May 28 at 7:30pm (5:00pm IST). The new lineup is confirmed to feature a metal middle frame and Snapdragon chipsets. The vanilla Honor 400 will run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The Honor 400 Pro is teased to be equipped with the “new generation of Snapdragon flagship chip”; this could be a reference to the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 SoC.
Both Honor 400 and Honor 400 Pro will be backed by a 7,200mAh battery. This would be a notable upgrade from the 5,300mAh battery of last year’s Honor 300 series.
Honor 400 Series Specifications (Global Variants)
The global variants of the Honor 400 series have different battery capacities. As per the listing on Honor *** webiste, the Honor 400 and Honor 400 Pro have 6,000mAh batteries. The Pro model supports 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, while the vanilla model supports 80W wired charging.
Honor 400 Pro is listed in Lunar Grey, Midnight ******, and Tidal Blue colour options. It has a triple rear camera unit featuring a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel telephoto camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. It gets a 50-megapixel front camera. The phone is IP68 + IP69 certified for dust and water resistance. It will run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
As per the listing, the Honor 400 will be available in Desert Gold, Midnight ******, and Meteor Silver shades. It has a dual rear camera setup including a 200-megapixel main sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. It boasts a 50-megapixel selfie shooter and is listed with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC. The handset has an IP66-certified build.
The Honor 400 series phones are listed to have displays with 5,000-nit peak brightness, 1,280×2,800 pixels resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and 460ppi pixel density.
Honor 400 and Honor 400 Pro will go official in European markets on May 22.
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Trump Demands Investigation Into Beyoncé and Three Other Major Stars
Trump Demands Investigation Into Beyoncé and Three Other Major Stars
President Trump wants to investigate Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, and Oprah Winfrey.
“HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT? WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN’T THAT A MAJOR AND ******** CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO??? I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter,” he wrote on Truth Social at 1:34 a.m. on Monday.
“Candidates aren’t allowed to pay for ENDORSEMENTS, which is what Kamala did, under the guise of paying for entertainment. In addition, this was a very expensive and desperate effort to artificially build up her sparse crowds. IT’S NOT LEGAL! For these unpatriotic ‘entertainers,’ this was just a CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL way to capitalize on a broken system. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!”
This is an incredibly useless thing to post so late at night. Trump is irked at Bruce Springsteen talking about how much he dislikes him on tour, so he goes on an unhinged rant calling for a Justice Department investigation that would do nothing for anyone, especially not anyone who actually needs help. It’s rich to read a man who is making shady billion-dollar crypto deals and who just accepted a luxury jumbo jet from the Qatari government speak about what is “CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL.”
For what it’s worth, the Harris campaign did come under scrutiny for making some large checks to the production companies of Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé, especially after she was defeated so resoundingly. The Harris campaign paid $165,000 to Beyoncé’s Parkwood Production Media LLC on November 19, and $1 million to Oprah’s Harpo Productions.
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Slip! – Sliding Logic Puzzles is a relaxing puzzler with over 400 hand-crafted levels
Slip! – Sliding Logic Puzzles is a relaxing puzzler with over 400 hand-crafted levels
Simple and easy swipe controls to complete puzzles
Unlock the Infinite Mode after completing 400 levels
Watch ads only to gain hints
If you’re into logic puzzles and hate getting interrupted by ads every two swipes, Slip! could become your next go-to brain teaser. Now available on iOS and Android, Slip! is a sleek, minimalist sliding puzzle experience packed with 400 handcrafted levels, and if that’s not enough, it doesn’t stop there.
Once you conquer the main set of puzzles, Slip! lets you unlock Infinite Mode, where you can generate new challenges endlessly. It’s logic puzzle heaven, especially for fans of games like Sudoku or the old-school sliding tiles. You’ll start with simple moves, then progress into puzzles where one wrong swipe can ruin a perfect three-star finish.
The vibe here is clean and chill. No flashing colours, no loud noises, just satisfying swipes and carefully crafted levels that increase in complexity. And yes, it works offline, so it’s perfect for flights, subways, or ghost signal zones.
The best part is that there are no forced ads. You only watch them if you want extra hints or golden tickets, and even then, it’s entirely optional. You’ll earn stars by solving levels cleanly, and if you’re really clever, gold stars are waiting if you can pull off a no-hint, no-reset clear.
Looking for something similar to enjoy? Here’s a list of the best puzzlers to play on iOS right now!
Themes, rewards, and optional mechanics keep things fresh. Plus, if you end up reading the app store description all the way to the bottom, there’s a cheeky secret waiting for you.
Speaking of which… I did read the entire thing for you, so here’s your reward: From the main menu, swipe up up down down left right left right and you’ll get 10 free hints. Yup. You’re welcome.
Exercise those neurons by downloading Slip! – Sliding Logic Puzzles now by clicking on your preferred link below. It is free-to-play with in-app purchases.
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E-commerce logistics startup Stord acquires UPS subsidiary
E-commerce logistics startup Stord acquires UPS subsidiary
Imaginima | E+ | Getty Images
Logistics startup Stord said Monday that it’s buying UPS subsidiary Ware2Go as it looks to expand its footprint in the e-commerce space.
The company declined to provide specifics on the purchase price of the deal.
The Atlanta-based company founded by former Thiel Fellow Sean Henry said the acquisition will boost Stord’s competitive edge as it looks to chip away at the e-commerce space dominated by the likes of Amazon.
Ware2Go is a third-party delivery company that looks to make quick delivery more accessible for merchants, according to its website.
Henry told CNBC the acquisition builds on the company’s push to “level the playing field” against companies like Amazon’s Prime for checkout and fulfillment services for smaller businesses.
“The hardest problem for all these independent merchants across the rest of the internet and trying to compete with Prime is really scale,” he said. “Logistics is still a physical world where you need a lot of packages, a lot of inventory spread very close to a lot of consumers to be able to offer that level of rapid delivery.”
Stord said the acquisition adds 2.5 million square feet to the company’s existing network of 13 facilities in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Netherlands and over 70 partner sites worldwide.
The e-commerce logistics company founded in 2015 has been on an acquisition spree in recent months as it looks to expand its full-cycle fulfillment and shipping services. It scooped up Pitney Bowes’ e-commerce fulfillment business and freight and logistics platform ProPack in 2024.
Stord’s backers include Kleiner Perkins, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, Franklin Templeton and Strike Capital.
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Dow Jones Slides On U.S. Credit Downgrade; Apple, Nvidia, Tesla Sell Off
Dow Jones Slides On U.S. Credit Downgrade; Apple, Nvidia, Tesla Sell Off
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and other major stock indexes dropped Monday, as Wall Street reacted to Moody’s downgrade of the U.S. government credit rating. Among the losers, Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA) and Tesla (TSLA) all sold off on the stock market today. Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones futures dropped 0.6%. S&P 500 futures lost 1%.…
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Bath & Body Works names recent Nike executive as its new CEO, effective immediately – CNBC
Bath & Body Works names recent Nike executive as its new CEO, effective immediately – CNBC
Bath & Body Works names recent Nike executive as its new CEO, effective immediately CNBCBBWI Appoints New CEO as It Reaffirms 2025 Financial Expectations | BBWI Stock News GuruFocusBath & Body Works Appoints Daniel Heaf as Chief Executive Officer The Globe and MailBath & Body Works Names Daniel Heaf CEO; Fiscal Q1 Preliminary Earnings, Net Sales Rise marketscreener.comBath & Body Works names Daniel Heaf as new CEO Investing.com
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37 minutes of Switch 2 Cyberpunk 2077 footage has been posted online
37 minutes of Switch 2 Cyberpunk 2077 footage has been posted online
37 minutes of footage taken from the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 has been shared online.
The footage, which can be seen embedded above, is a compilation of B-roll footage distributed by CD Projekt Red.
The clips show various aspects of the game in action on Switch 2, including driving through the city, combat with enemies and various cutscenes.
Early hands-on reports with a preview build of the game at Switch 2 preview events suggested that there were some performance issues that were affecting the frame rate, which had to be addressed before it was ready for release.
This new round of footage appears to suggest that many of these reported issues may have been ironed out, with gameplay generally running at a steady 30 frames per second.
Part of this may be down to the Switch 2 version’s use of Nvidia‘s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) tech, which is used to upscale the game to allow it to run at a higher resolution with less strain on processing power.
Last month CD Projekt Red engineer Tim Green said the Switch 2 hardware had enabled the studio to create a more capable version of Cyberpunk 2077 than was possible on PS4 and Xbox One.
“Cyberpunk 2077 has seen a tremendous amount of ongoing love as we’ve continued to improve the game,” Green told Game File. “In bringing the Ultimate Edition to Nintendo Switch 2 we were able to build on top of that already solid base.
“Development still had challenges, of course, as any development process does, but we’ve been careful in picking tradeoffs to not compromise the game’s vision.
“We haven’t had to fight with fitting into memory,” he added, “And the speed of the data storage has helped alleviate some of those early streaming problems. This has allowed us to focus our attention on improving other things, and we’re very happy with the result.”
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is one of the few third-party Switch 2 games at launch that will contain the whole game on the cartridge, as opposed to the Game-Key Cards being used by other publishers, which essentially have nothing on the cartridge other than a ‘key’ which triggers an online download.
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Acer Swift Go 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI Copilot+ PCs Launched at Computex 2025 Alongside Swift Edge 14 AI
Acer Swift Go 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI Copilot+ PCs Launched at Computex 2025 Alongside Swift Edge 14 AI
Acer launched several Copilot+ PCs at Computex 2025 in Taiwan on Monday. The company has introduced three laptops as part of its lineup — Acer Swift Go 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI, and Swift Edge 14 AI, powered by up to Intel Core Ultra 9 processors. The Swift Go 16 AI and Swift Go 14 AI are introduced as thin-and-light laptops with features like improved Acer Multi-Control Touchpad for enhanced control. Meanwhile, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI sports a 14-inch 3K OLED edge-to-edge glass display and comes with Corning Gorilla Matte Pro surface treatment on top.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI, Swift Edge 14 AI Price, Availability
Acer Swift Edge 14 AI price starts at EUR 1,599 (roughly Rs. 1,54,000) and will be available for purchase in a single Pearl White colourway starting June in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
The Swift Go 16 AI (Titanium Grey) and Swift Go 14 AI (Steam Blue) Copilot+ PCs are priced at EUR 1,299 (roughly Rs. 1,25,000) and EUR 1,199 (roughly Rs. 1,15,600), respectively. Their availability in the EMEA regions will begin in August and July, respectively.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI Specifications
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI Copilot+ PC sports a 14-inch WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200 pixels) OLED screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the Swift Go 16 AI has a larger 16-inch 2K (2,048 x 1,280 pixels) WUXGA+ display. Both models come with VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 and Eyesafe 2.0 certifications, and offer 100 percent coverage of DCI-P3 colour gamut. They have a 15.9mm thickness and are advertised as thin and light models, weighing 1.39kg and 1.6kg, respectively.
Buyers can equip the Swift Go AI Copilot+ PCs with up to Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor, paired with an Intel Core Ultra Boost NPU which delivers up to 47 tera operations per second (TOPS) of computational power. The company also equips the laptops with up to Intel Arc Graphics 140V for handling graphic-intensive tasks. The chipsets are complemented by up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD storage.
Connectivity options on the Acer Swift Go 14 AI and Swift Go 16 AI Copilot+ PCs include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of I/O ports, the laptops feature two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, an HDMI port, and a microSD card reader. Acer has equipped both models with a 1080p full HD IR camera with Windows Hello facial recognition support and a privacy shutter. Other features include a Kensington lock, activity indicator on touchpad, backlit keyboard, and 180-degree hinge.
Both the Acer Swift Go 14 AI and Swift Go 16 AI pack a 64Wh Lithium-ion battery which is claimed to deliver up to 16 hours of battery life.
Acer Swift Edge 14 AI Specifications
The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI Copilot+ PC features a 14-inch 3K (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) OLED screen with DisplayHDR True ****** 600 certification, 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage, and Corning Gorilla Matte Pro treatment. It has a Magnesium-Aluminum chassis, weighs 0.99kg, and has MIL-STD 810H military-grade durability.
The laptop is powered by up to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chipset with Intel AI Boost capable of delivering 48 TOPS performance, and Intel Arc Graphics 140V. It can be equipped with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD storage. Acer also provides the Microsoft Pluto crypto-processor for enhanced security. It has a 1080p FHD IR camera and dual speakers with DTS:X Ultra audio.
Connectivity options on the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI Copilot+ PC include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, two USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The laptop is backed by a 65Wh 3-cell Li-ion battery which can deliver up to 21 hours of video playback.
Dubbed Copilot+ PCs, all models in the new Acer Swift lineup come with a dedicated Copilot+ hotkey. It brings features such as Recall and Click-to-Do, both of which are currently available in preview. There are improvements to Windows search, Cocreator in Paint, Live Captions, and Windows Studio Effects too.
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Controlling the Feed: How Reddit’s Fundamentals Justify Its High P/E
Controlling the Feed: How Reddit’s Fundamentals Justify Its High P/E
Even before Reddit (NYSE:) became a publicly traded company in March 2024, internet searches were often more effective when including the term “reddit.” Aggregating user input across many subreddits on a single site has been Reddit’s core value since its launch in 2005.
It’s understandable, then, why RDDT stock generated so much hype, having reported over 108 million daily active users as of March 2025. Over the past year, RDDT shareholders have seen a 101% return on their investment. However, latecomers who acquired RDDT shares at the beginning of the year are facing a nearly 32% decline in value.
That is, if they failed to lock in profits in early February 2025, when RDDT stock reached an all-time high of $225.23 per share. Currently priced at $113, RDDT shares remain slightly above the 52-week average of $108.31.The question is, will there be a repeat of Reddit’s ATH given the reception of May’s Q1 earnings?
Recap of Reddit’s Financial Performance
Since going public, Reddit announced its first profitable quarter in Q1 2024 at $10 million, but only on an adjusted EBITDA basis. When accounting for IPO-driven losses, Reddit suffered a $575.1 million net loss in that quarter.
Nonetheless, the adjusted EBITDA basis was an improvement over the $50.2 million loss in the year-ago quarter. After another net loss in Q2 ‘24, Reddit reported its first net income of $29.9 million in Q3 ‘24, compared to the net loss of $7.4 million in the year-ago quarter .
But on a yearly basis, Reddit’s sustained profitability remains in question:
2022: $158.55 million net loss
2023: $90.82 million net loss
2024: $484.28 million net loss
In the latest earnings for Q1 2025 delivered on May 1st, Reddit reported revenue growth of 61% year-over-year to $392.4 million, with a net income of $26.2 million. The bulk of that revenue came from ads, at $358.6 million. Likewise, most of the revenue is still coming from the US, at $313.9 million.
However, international revenue saw a much greater 82% yearly boost, at $78.5 million. Exiting the quarter, Reddit has $126.6 million free cash flow at its disposal, a significant improvement from just $29.2 million in Q1 2024.
Overall, Reddit managed to drastically beat analyst expectations for Q1, delivering $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) vs the forecasted $0.02 EPS, making for a 550% positive surprise. Lastly, the company holds $186.8 million in current liabilities and $219.9 million in total liabilities.
Over a month, RDDT stock is now up 19%, following a price correction over the week. Similarly to memecoins, it seems that shareholders are eagerly waiting for profit-clearing opportunities. When RDDT shares climbed to $130 on Wednesday, the price level soon collapsed and now holds at $113 per share.
But when taking Reddit’s financial performance into account so far, is there another narrative to boost investor confidence?
How Reddit Stands Out from the Social Media Crowd
Across the social media landscape, from YouTube and TikTok to Reddit, discerning users may have noticed a persistent trend – auto-removal of posts. As we’ve explained in the recent coverage of AI investments into Saudi Arabia, as well as the nature of Palantir (NASDAQ:), algorithmic interception of content is becoming a norm as a prerequisite for global governance.
But this bodes well for Reddit’s bottom line. By becoming the “front page of the internet”, Reddit secured its network effect. Although individuals, organizations, and communities make X accounts thanks to Twitter’s own network effect, Reddit offers greater content permanence and participation.
To manage the constant influx of new users, new subreddits are created. And to reduce the flood of new posts, Reddit introduced karma points. In turn, karma thresholds provide a bulwark against demoralizing spam. But more importantly, users learn which kind of attitudes and ideologies are amenable to receiving karma points.
Via downvote suppression, Reddit then facilitates soft ideological control. Although this may discourage participation, it is a moot point given the overarching algorithmic interception across all social media platforms.
And although there is political bias in Reddit’s moderation practices, this is also moot because people always seek the least line of resistance. In turn, this benefits Reddit as a global content aggregator because:
There is friction when people go the extra mile to create their own forums – only a ********* will attempt.
There is friction when people try to drive traffic to their personal website.
There is friction when people need to create new accounts for individual websites.
Across product deployments, apps and payment fees, if any axiom is true, it is that people move away from friction. And Reddit’s single-account accessibility welcomes users despite the aforementioned moderator issues or ideological capture.
In fact, by facilitating soft ideological control via karma points, Reddit aligns with the world’s power nodes and access to capital. Likewise, this is why OpenAI and Reddit formed a partnership last May, as Reddit’s content control matches ChatGPT’s ideological proclivities.
This not only bolsters the company’s bottom line but it guards it from financial and regulatory deplatforming.
What Can RDDT Shareholders Expect from Reddit?
As a global content aggregator, Reddit will maintain its relevance for AI model training. Not only does the company have a partnership with OpenAI but a long-standing one with Alphabet (Google) (NASDAQ:) as well.
In the recent Q1 shareholder letter, the company expects further content licensing opportunities to leverage “Reddit’s vast and unmatched archive of real, timely, and relevant human conversation on literally any topic”, as Reddit CEO Steve Huffman noted in February 2024.
It is also notable that Reddit maintains a high gross margin, beating the average gross profit margin of 64.1% in the internet content & information sector.
At the same time, Reddit has an exceedingly high price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 173.94 against the aforementioned sector at 33.62. However, stock price forecasting suggests that Reddit’s fundamentals justify such high valuation.
According to WSJ’s forecasting data, the average RDDT price target is significantly higher than the present level, at $161.36 per share. The bottom estimate is $75, while the ceiling price target for RDDT stock is $244.
Overwhelming number of analysts suggest buying at current price level, 16, while 9 analysts suggest holding. Only one analyst thinks RDDT stock should be sold at this point in time.
***
Neither the author, Tim Fries, nor this website, The Tokenist, provide financial advice. Please consult our website policy prior to making financial decisions.
This article was originally published on The Tokenist. Check out The Tokenist’s free newsletter, Five Minute Finance, for weekly analysis of the biggest trends in finance and technology.
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A sorry end to a BBC career
A sorry end to a BBC career
This is a sorry end to a long BBC career. Gary Lineker was among the corporation’s highest-paid presenters for a reason – he is popular with audiences, knowledgeable and brilliant at his job.
But it’s an understatement to suggest he has also caused problems for his BBC bosses over the years, as their high-profile football host began to morph into a presenter with opinions that he voiced on social media.
In the end, those two things were increasingly in conflict.
This has always been about reputation management for the BBC. Lineker had already, in the eyes of BBC bosses, caused the corporation damage with previous social media posts. Mistakenly sharing a video about Zionism which included a rat emoji was the final straw.
It was difficult to see how he could continue presenting for the corporation, particularly at a time when the BBC is enmeshed in another controversy surrounding a documentary about Gaza, which it pulled after discovering the child narrator was the son of a ****** official.
I think what’s different is that on this occasion, Lineker regrets his actions. He has appeared bullish about previous posts, saying that while he regretted damaging the BBC, he didn’t believe, for example, that comparing the language of a Conservative asylum policy to that of 1930s Germany was wrong.
But last week he crossed the line.
Lineker is genuinely upset by what happened. He is mortified that he reposted the video. His relationship with the BBC is coming to an end in circumstances nobody would have wanted, but some might have predicted.
He seemed unable or unwilling to accept that his high profile might prevent him from voicing strongly-held views that many believed had an impact on the BBC’s need for impartiality.
We live increasingly in an age when people want to express their opinions, and often do. Social media has given everyone a platform, and high-profile media figures have huge followings.
He could not keep quiet. In the end, it brought him down.
But he is a successful podcast entrepreneur, owning a third of the shares in Goalhanger, the company behind hit shows including The Rest is History and The Rest is Politics.
I would also not be surprised if he does appear in the future on TV, perhaps even as a presenter of the World Cup for another outlet.
He has shown contrition, but it has been a damaging few days.
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Star Wars Zero Company Puts the Ball in XCOM’s Court
Star Wars Zero Company Puts the Ball in XCOM’s Court
Vits14d ago
It’s the current logic. People are paying more, for less.
If that “saved” money were actually spent on improving the single-player experience, that’d be one thing. But anyone who actually plays games knows that’s not what happens. We’re in the era of “safe” games, stripped-down, polished packages full of shiny lighting, big setpieces, and all the interactivity of a NES-era background.
Multiplayer modes, extra features, modding tools, things that used to add value for players, keep getting cut. Why? Because they don’t add value for the company. And, as always, the useful idiots will cheer, pay more all while getting less than before. So of course companies will keep doing it.
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Cervix-on-a-chip inspires potential new treatment for preterm birth
Cervix-on-a-chip inspires potential new treatment for preterm birth
Health
Using human cells, researchers were able to create a novel cervix-on-a-chip model to study how the ******** microbiome affects pregnancy
By Grace Wade
A section of the cervix
OVERSEAS/COLLECTION CNRI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Scientists have coaxed human cells to form a miniature replica of the cervix during pregnancy. This so-called cervix-on-a-chip reveals how inflammation and the ******** microbiome can contribute to premature birth – and identifies a possible treatment to prevent it.
Premature birth – when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy – affects more than 13 million infants each year and is the second leading cause of childhood mortality and disability. Yet there are no effective…
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Magnificent 7 Stocks Shift Toward Stability and Selective Growth
Magnificent 7 Stocks Shift Toward Stability and Selective Growth
Financial markets often operate in cycles of hype and hesitation. At times, investor sentiment pushes a handful of stocks into the spotlight, only for uncertainty or macroeconomic shifts to temper expectations. Today, we’re witnessing a renewed surge of interest in the “Magnificent Seven“, the seven dominant tech-oriented companies that have become pillars of the and . After a ******* of volatility, these stocks are staging a notable comeback.
This group, Microsoft (NASDAQ:), Alphabet (NASDAQ:), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:), Apple (NASDAQ:), Tesla (NASDAQ:), and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:), represents a blend of digital software giants, retail and cloud leaders, hardware innovators, and semiconductor powerhouses.
Together, they offer a window into the broader digital economy and investor psychology alike.
Rebounding From a Volatile Stretch
The comeback story starts with a recent bout of volatility that tested investor confidence. The announcement of new U.S. trade tariffs, dubbed “Liberation Day” by some, triggered a sharp market correction. Tech stocks, in particular, suffered as rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty led to a rush of selling, pushing many down by 20% or more from their 52-week highs. By definition, these declines marked a bear market phase for several of the Magnificent Seven.
This 20% drop threshold is more than just a psychological marker. It often triggers changes in margin requirements and risk exposure, prompting many institutional investors to reassess or rebalance portfolios. However, it also tends to act as a pivot point. A sharp rebound followed once the market absorbed the shock and capital stepped in to meet margin calls.
Now, the price action shows signs of resilience. Microsoft, for example, is trading at 96% of its 52-week high, a level few large-cap tech stocks have reclaimed so quickly. As a core software provider to enterprises and governments alike, Microsoft has emerged as a defensive play within the group. In contrast, Tesla remains under the 80% threshold — yet analysts see this as a sign of potential, not weakness.
A Divergence Within the Group
One key theme in this rebound is divergence. Not all Magnificent Seven stocks are recovering at the same pace, which tells a broader story. Investors appear to be distinguishing between stability-driven leaders and high-volatility growth names.
Microsoft and Apple fall squarely into the former category. Their steady earnings, sticky customer bases, and diversified revenue streams make them attractive in a climate where safety is in vogue.
Alphabet and Meta offer similar defensiveness, bolstered by dominant positions in online advertising and artificial intelligence initiatives.
Amazon.com also deserves mention as it bridges both defensive and growth characteristics. The company’s cloud segment, AWS, continues to deliver steady growth, even as its retail operations benefit from increased logistics efficiency and scale.
With new AI-powered logistics systems and ongoing cost management across its e-commerce network, Amazon is reinforcing its long-term margin profile. Analysts have taken note, with many revising price targets upward, highlighting its balanced exposure to growth and resilience.
Tesla and NVIDIA, by contrast, represent the more speculative end of the spectrum.
While NVIDIA has rallied significantly recently thanks to its AI-driven growth narrative, Tesla continues to trade at a relative discount. However, that dynamic could change.
Piper Sandler recently issued a bullish $400 price target on Tesla, implying a potential 16% upside from current levels. This contrasts with Microsoft’s 13% upside forecast, underscoring the difference between recovery potential and current momentum.
The Market’s Message: Selective Optimism
What this comeback reveals isn’t just a renewed appetite for tech, it’s a preference for stability and selectivity. Investors are not blindly chasing growth or hype. Instead, capital is flowing toward stocks with proven fundamentals, dependable cash flows, and a lower beta profile.
That said, the divergence within the Magnificent Seven creates opportunities. For those seeking momentum and safety, names like Microsoft and Apple appear to offer solid near-term performance. For those with a higher risk tolerance, laggards like Tesla and NVIDIA may offer asymmetric upside as sentiment and fundamentals align.
This theme of selective optimism is also reflected in Wall Street’s broader positioning. Analysts aren’t throwing out inflated targets for every name in the group. Instead, they’re making distinctions, favoring steady compounders sometimes and calling out deep-value potential in others.
A Disciplined Rally Led by Fundamentals, Not Frenzy
The Magnificent Seven are making a clear comeback, but it’s more measured this time. The hype has cooled, and in its place is a more grounded view that prioritizes earnings consistency, macro resilience, and strategic positioning.
Investors watching this trend unfold should note the group’s internal dynamics. It’s not enough to broadly bet on the tech sector; the new cycle demands discernment. The next leg of the bull run may be led by names that can balance innovation and dependability.
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Regeneron, A Leading U.S. Biotechnology Company, to Acquire 23andMe in Court-Supervised ***** – GlobeNewswire
Regeneron, A Leading U.S. Biotechnology Company, to Acquire 23andMe in Court-Supervised ***** – GlobeNewswire
Regeneron, A Leading U.S. Biotechnology Company, to Acquire 23andMe in Court-Supervised ***** GlobeNewswireRegeneron to buy bankrupt DNA testing firm 23andMe for $256 million CNNRegeneron to Buy 23andMe Out of Bankruptcy for $256 Million WSJ23andMe assets being sold to Regeneron Pharma for $256M AxiosRegeneron plans to buy 23andMe for $256M Endpoints News
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Some $80 Games Are A “Steal” Based On What They Offer, Former PlayStation Exec Says
Some $80 Games Are A “Steal” Based On What They Offer, Former PlayStation Exec Says
Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida has sounded off on increasing game prices, saying he questions why people are complaining about $80 games when that price is actually a “steal” in terms of what’s being offered, at least for some games. He said this in an interview with Critical Hits Games, stating that many products in regular life have gone up in price over the years, so it was only a matter of time before video games did as well.
“I think it was almost too late for the video game companies to start looking at the pricing structure,” he said, as reported by GamesRadar.
In the ’90s, many new releases sold for $60 USD. Adjusted for inflation, that’s around $80 today, which is the price that Nintendo and Xbox will charge for some games this year. Sony, for its part, has said it might increase prices, too.
Not every game will become more expensive, though. Variable pricing in gaming has existed since the beginning, and it’s going to continue into the future. As an example, 2K is charging $50 for ******: The Old Country to help the game reach the widest possible audience. Yoshida said every game has a “different value [that] it provides,” so a game company will decide how to price their product based on the “value that they believe they are bringing in.”
He went on to say that a “really great” game that’s priced at $70 or $80 would be a “steal in terms of the amount of entertainment” provided, and the quality of the experience compared to other forms of entertainment.
“As long as people choose carefully how they spend their money, I don’t think they should be complaining,” he said.
Nintendo defended Mario Kart World’s $80 price point by stating that the game is simply worth that much given what it offers. MK World is the only confirmed $80 game so far, from Nintendo or anyone else, but Microsoft has said it will charge $80 for some Xbox games later this year. Electronic Arts, for its part, has said it will not charge $80 for new games, at least not yet.
Data shows that people are ready and willing to spend $80 or more on new games.
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Israel orders Khan Younis evacuation ahead of ‘unprecedented attack’
Israel orders Khan Younis evacuation ahead of ‘unprecedented attack’
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has ordered residents of Khan Younis to evacuate as it prepares to launch an “unprecedented attack”.
People were ordered to move towards al-Mawasi in the west of the strip, in one of the largest evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military in recent months.
An Arabic statement shared by IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the area “will be considered a dangerous combat zone”, adding: “Terrorist organizations have brought you disaster. For your safety, evacuate immediately.”
The IDF launched a major new Gaza offensive on Saturday named Operation Gideon’s Chariots. Hospitals have said more than 100 people have been killed in the last 24 hours.
One woman from Khan Younis told BBC News that the new evacuation order – which also covers the areas of Bani Suhaila and Abasan – was her “worst nightmare”.
Another woman, who is already living under an evacuation order in central Gaza, said she would not move “because there is no place to go”.
The IDF said its aim was to “destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations in this area”.
Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would “take control” of the whole of Gaza.
In a video posted on social media, he said: “We are engaged in massive fighting – intense and substantial – and there is progress.
“We are going to take control of all areas of the Strip, that’s what we’re going to do.”
The IDF said it had struck 160 targets across the strip in the last 24 hours.
A warehouse containing medical supplies at the Nasser Hospital was hit by an Israeli strike overnight, Gaza’s ******-run ministry of health reported.
British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians said the strike happened “as Palestinians who were killed and wounded from other attacks were being brought to the hospital”.
“We are just seeing all our work being burned to ashes,” a spokesman for the charity said.
Separately, ************ media reported that Israeli special forces troops dressed in women’s clothing had entered a Khan Younis home undercover and killed one man on Monday morning, before arresting his wife and child.
Israeli media named him as Ahmad Sarhan, and reported he was a senior member of the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees – a ************ militant group aligned with ******.
The IDF has previously said the expanded Gaza operations are aimed at “achieving all the war’s objectives”, including releasing hostages and “the defeat of ******”.
But a group representing many of the hostage’s families said the operation posed “grave and escalating dangers” to hostages still held in Gaza.
“Testimonies from released hostages describe significantly worsened treatment following military strikes, including physical abuse, restraint and reduced food,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.
On Sunday, Israel announced it would allow a “basic amount of food” to enter Gaza to ensure that “no starvation crisis develops” after blockading the territory for 10 weeks.
The war was triggered by the ******-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which saw about 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage.
Some 58 hostages remain in Gaza, up to 23 of whom are believed to be alive.
More than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
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Yakuza 0 comparison video shows the Switch 2 and PS4 versions side-by-side
Yakuza 0 comparison video shows the Switch 2 and PS4 versions side-by-side
A new comparison video shows how the Switch 2 version of Yakuza 0 looks compared to the PS4 version.
***** recently posted a number of short videos to its YouTube channel highlighting the new English voice dub for the Switch 2 ‘Director’s Cut’ of the game.
YouTube user Cycu1 has taken these clips and put them side-by-side with the corresponding moments in the PS4 version of the game, allowing for a direct comparison between the two. This video can be seen embedded at the top of this article.
Because both versions are taken from online videos and weren’t both captured by the user with the same capture equipment, the comparison is subject to potential caveats (one version might be more compressed than the other, for example).
As a rough comparison, however, it’s appears that the Nintendo Switch 2 version at least holds its own against the PS4 version.
The Director’s Cut version of Yakuza 0, which will be exclusive to Switch 2 and is released on the console’s launch date of June 5, features new, never-before-seen cutscenes along with a new English dub (the original game only had a Japanese dub with English subtitles. It also includes a new Red Light Raid online four-player mode with up to 60 playable characters.
Although Yakuza 0 was the sixth main entry in the Yakuza / Like a Dragon game to be released, it’s set chronologically before any other game in the series.
As such, while the original Yakuza is technically the starting point for anyone new to the series, some fans recommend that newcomers start with Yakuza 0 first because it’s the first game in the timeline.
Yakuza 0 was originally released on PS3 and PS4 in Japan back in 2015, before the PS4 version got a worldwide release in 2017. This was followed by a PC port in 2018 and an Xbox One version in 2020.
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More Games Can Learn From Doom: The Dark Ages’ Fight Over Flight Approach
More Games Can Learn From Doom: The Dark Ages’ Fight Over Flight Approach
DigitalFoundry: Want to know more about Doom: The Dark Ages and the technical make-up of the new id Tech 8? John Linneman has this extensive interview with id Software’s Director of Engine Technology, Billy Khan. Every key aspect of the new technology is discussed here, along with answers to key questions like why The Dark Ages simply isn’t possible without hardware accelerated ray tracing.
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Israel allowing in food after pressure from allies, PM says
Israel allowing in food after pressure from allies, PM says
Israel’s prime minister has said his decision to allow a “minimal” amount of food into Gaza after 11 weeks of blockade followed pressure from allies in the US Senate.
“We must not reach a situation of famine, both from a practical and a diplomatic standpoint,” Benjamin Netanyahu stressed in a video in response to criticism of the move in Israel.
He said food deliveries would continue only until Israel’s military and American companies had set up hubs to distribute aid under US-backed plan that the UN has rejected.
Netanyahu also declared that Israeli forces would “take control of all areas” of Gaza as part of the expanded ground offensive against ****** that the Israeli military began on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes killed at least 20 people across the territory on Monday, according to first responders and hospitals.
The Israeli military said it had struck more than 160 targets over the past day.
It also ordered the evacuation of the southern city of Khan Younis and its eastern suburbs, warning residents that it was about to launch an “unprecedented attack” there.
Israel stopped all deliveries of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies to Gaza on 2 March and resumed its military offensive two weeks later, ending a two-month ceasefire with ******.
It said the steps were meant to put pressure on the armed group to release the hostages still held in Gaza.
The resumed Israeli bombardment and ground operation have reportedly killed more than 3,000 people and displaced 400,000 others, and the UN says that the blockade has caused severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel.
Last week, the ******-run health ministry reported that 57 children had died from the effects of malnutrition over the past 11 weeks, and an assessment by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that half a million people – one in five Gazans – faced starvation.
The UN said Israel was obliged under international law to ensure food and medical supplies for Gaza’s population. But Israeli officials repeatedly said there was no shortage of aid because thousands of lorry loads had gone into Gaza during the ceasefire, and accused ****** of stealing supplies.
But after pressure from its allies increased, the Israeli prime minister’s office announced on Sunday night that it would “allow a basic quantity of food to be brought in for the population in order to make certain that no starvation crisis develops in the Gaza Strip”.
Key members of the cabinet strongly opposed the move. Among them were far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called it a “grave mistake” that would “fuel ****** and give it oxygen while our hostages languish in tunnels”.
In a video posted on social media on Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu defended himself from the criticism.
“Since the beginning of the war, we said that in order to achieve victory – to defeat ****** and to free all our hostages, two missions that are intertwined – there is one necessary condition: We must not reach a situation of famine, both from a practical and a diplomatic standpoint,” he said.
The prime minister said he had blocked aid deliveries via the UN and other humanitarian organisations because of looting by ******, and that he was now pursuing a “different method” involving American companies distributing aid from hubs secured by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
However, he warned that a “red line” was now approaching and “our best friends in the world, [US] senators whom I know as passionate supporters of Israel” had expressed concern about a looming famine.
“They come to me and say this: ‘We’re giving you all the support to achieve victory… But there’s one thing we cannot accept. We cannot handle images of starvation.'”
“And so, in order to achieve victory, we must somehow solve this problem. Until we establish those distribution points, and until we build a sterile area under IDF control for distributing food and medicine, we need to provide a minimal, basic bridge – just enough to prevent hunger,” he added.
Israeli Army Radio reported that nine lorries carrying humanitarian aid, including baby food, would cross into Gaza on Monday, but there was no immediate confirmation from Cogat, the Israeli military body that controls crossings.
The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) meanwhile said it had been “approached by Israeli authorities to resume limited aid delivery, and we are in discussions with them now on how this would take place given the conditions on the ground”.
UN and other aid agencies have insisted they will not co-operate with the Israeli-US plan to distribute aid, saying it contradicted fundamental humanitarian principles.
Netanyahu also said Israeli forces were engaged in “massive fighting” in Gaza and were making progress.
“We are going to take control of all areas of the Strip, that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.
He said the “main objective” of the expanded offensive was to defeat ****** and that it would lead to the release of the 58 remaining hostages, up to 23 of whom are believed to be alive.
While negotiators for Israel and ****** remain in Qatar, both sides say there has been no breakthrough in a new round of indirect talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response ******’s cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 53,475 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 3,340 since the Israeli offensive resumed, according to the territory’s health ministry.
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