Exclusive-Musk took leased cars back so Tesla could use them as “robotaxis.” Instead, Tesla sold them
Exclusive-Musk took leased cars back so Tesla could use them as “robotaxis.” Instead, Tesla sold them
By Chris Kirkham and Abhirup Roy
(REUTERS) –Tesla last November ended an unusual policy that prohibited U.S. leasing customers from buying their cars at lease-end.
The policy started in 2019, when Tesla announced that customers could lease its mass-market Model 3 sedans but would have to return them, at the end of the lease, for use in Tesla‘s planned “robotaxi” network.
“You don’t have the option of buying,” Chief Executive Elon Musk said at an investor gathering in California in April 2019. “We want them back.”
“Next year, for sure,” he added, “we’ll have over 1 million robotaxis on the road.”
None of that would prove true. Despite repeated promises, the robotaxis never came. Tesla instead found an unusually lucrative way to make money by flipping many of the off-lease cars to new buyers, according to four people familiar with Tesla‘s retail operations.
Rather than storing the used cars – a fast-depreciating asset – Tesla started adding features to them through software upgrades. It then sold the vehicles to new customers who would pay thousands more than lease-end buyers would have, the people said.
The practice was an easy way to “jack up the price” of the used vehicles, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified.
Tesla and Musk didn’t respond to requests for comment for this story.
Although counter to what Musk said publicly – and descriptions Tesla gave on its website regarding lease terms – the tactic appears to have been legal. Still, the practice denied lessees the industry-standard option of buying their vehicles and misled them for years about why.
It also perpetuated the myth among investors that Tesla was near fully autonomous driving technology. That belief has helped buoy Tesla stock, whose value has far outpaced current earnings and made it the world’s most valuable automaker.
Throughout the industry, lease contracts typically allow customers to pay monthly to drive a new car for a specified ******* of time, often between two and four years. The lessee doesn’t own the vehicle and must return it to the dealer when the lease expires. In almost all cases, customers can choose to buy the vehicle at lease-end or earlier.
Since 2019, Tesla financial statements show, the company has leased to customers worldwide more than 314,000 vehicles, or 4.4% of its total deliveries. It isn’t clear whether the no-buy policy applied anywhere outside the United States.
The policy was well suited for the years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when vehicle inventories tightened and car prices spiked. More recently, as demand has plummeted – in part because of some consumers’ distaste for Musk’s right-wing political activities – buyers aren’t as enthusiastic for used Teslas.
In making upgrades to its off-lease vehicles, the people familiar with Tesla‘s retail operations told Reuters, the company often added “Full Self-Driving” software, which it has sold separately for up to $15,000 and now sells for $8,000. It also added “acceleration boost,” an update that can make the car speed up faster, which it sells separately for $2,000.
After starting the no-purchase policy with Model 3 leases, Tesla expanded it to leases for all models. Until the recent reversal, its web site said Tesla vehicles delivered after April 15, 2022 “are not eligible for purchase,” and that “Model 3 and Model Y leases are not eligible for purchase regardless of delivery date.”
Then, last November 27, Tesla‘s North America account posted on X, Musk’s social media platform: “Lease buyout now available” for new contracts. The company also updated its leasing webpage to say leased vehicles “may be eligible for purchase.”
For some former lessees, the discovery has been disappointing.
At the start and end of his three-year Model Y lease, Joe Mendenhall told Reuters, Tesla staff said they needed the car back for the robotaxi fleet. But last year he learned Tesla sold the car once he returned it.
“Lies about not being able to buy out my lease,” the Indianapolis marketing entrepreneur wrote on X. “The car gets sold at auction, not turned into a robotaxi like I was told. Slow clap @elonmusk.”
“CAUGHT HOLDING THE BAG”
Tesla‘s story about keeping used cars for robotaxis fits a long pattern of unfulfilled promises to deploy self-driving vehicles – most recently announced for June in Austin, Texas.
Every year since 2016, Musk has promised self-driving Teslas would arrive no later than the following year. In 2019, when Tesla first offered leasing for the Model 3, Musk told podcast host Lex Fridman that the ability to add autonomous-driving software would make every used Tesla an “appreciating asset.”
Some investors have referenced the alleged inventory of leased vehicles as a promising strategy. As recently as October – ahead of a Hollywood event where Tesla displayed a concept “Cybercab” robotaxi – Ark Investment Management, long bullish on Tesla stock, said the off-lease inventory could help quickly ramp-up an autonomous ride-hailing service.
“To jumpstart the service, it could deploy a fleet of existing Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, including those coming off lease,” Ark said in a research note at the time. Sam Korus, a director of research at Ark, this week said that Tesla, even without the off-lease cars, could still have other options, including new or third-party vehicles.
Others have long had doubts. When Tesla in 2019 announced it was prohibiting lease purchases because of its robotaxi plans, Evercore ISI analysts reacted in a research note: “uhmmm, what??” The announcement “is an indication that Tesla believes their ride-hailing network is going to be a viable business in three years,” the analysts added. “Put us in the extremely skeptical camp.”
As a rule, auto dealers avoid holding used inventory because used cars generally depreciate rapidly. Michael Minick, a former Tesla sales representative and one of the people familiar with the ***** of formerly leased cars, told Reuters the company wouldn’t allow cars to “just sit on lots and lose value.”
“I knew that wasn’t true,” added Minick, who was among thousands of Tesla employees laid off during a restructuring last year.
For most car companies, offering lease buyouts is a “no-brainer” because dealers don’t have to find a new buyer when a lease ends, said Joseph Yoon, consumer insights analyst at automotive data provider Edmunds. Now that used Tesla values are “kind of tanking,” Yoon said, the company most likely ended the lease-end-purchase ban to avoid being “caught holding the bag.”
As Tesla models age and face rising competition from other electric vehicle makers, the cars now lose value faster than almost any other vehicle. An analysis by CarGurus, a used-car sales and data service, found average selling prices of used Teslas have fallen 7.6% over the last year, compared to a decline of 0.8% for a composite index of all brands. Prices for Tesla‘s Cybertruck have plunged 46% over the last year, while Model Y prices fell 14.1%.
During Tesla‘s January earnings call, Vaibhav Taneja, the company’s chief financial officer, blamed “lower profit from used car business” as a reason for declining margins at one of its units. Unlike almost all other automakers with U.S. sales, Tesla owns and operates its own dealerships.
At dealerships before the lease policy changed, one of the people familiar with Tesla‘s retail operations said, customers sometimes asked why used prices were so similar to those of some new models. Salespeople would cite the software upgrades to those interested in buying.
For those seeking leases, they continued saying the cars would be used for robotaxis at lease-end. The explanation never changed, the person added, because until November the company never deviated from it.
Marshall Distel, a transportation planner from Vermont who leased a Model 3 in 2023, said he understood from researching Tesla‘s policies that he would have to return the car. At the time, he said, he thought a buyout option would have been nice.
Now, he has no interest in buying anything from Musk, whose high-profile activities as an advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump have alienated some consumers. “I love the car, I just don’t like what has been going on at the top with the CEO,” Distel said. “I don’t want to be associated with that any more.”
(Edited by Brian Thevenot and Paulo Prada.)
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The Dark Ages Chose a Medieval Setting Due to Lord of the Rings and George Lucas
The Dark Ages Chose a Medieval Setting Due to Lord of the Rings and George Lucas
It’s fair to say that Doom: The Dark Ages is shaping up to be the top contender for Game of the Year 2025. Any player who has grabbed a copy of the game would be able to vouch for it and accept that it captures the essence of classic Doom gameplay perfectly, while still improving upon ways to smash and terrorize enemies.
One thing everyone can’t help but wonder is why Doom: The Dark Ages has gone for a medieval fantasy setting. After all, it’s a franchise that’s known for its fast-paced action in a blend of sci-fi and demonic horror. According to the developers, the reason behind this drastic shift was The Lord of the Rings and George Lucas.
The reason behind Doom: The Dark Ages‘ shift to a medieval era
A few months ago, GamingBolt got an opportunity to sit down with Doom: The Dark Ages game director Hugo Martin and executive producer Marty Stratton. The lead developers gave an insight into the game’s development, narrative, and how it’s evolving from previous entries in the Doom franchise.
As we’ve already stated before, Doom is a franchise known for its sci-fi setting. So, when asked why id Software decided to switch to a medieval setting with Doom: The Dark Ages, here’s what Martin had to say;
We wanted to do it from the beginning. When we started out rebooting the franchise, there’s kind of like a how-to book on creating IPs, sort of established by great brands like Lord of the Rings and directors like George Lucas
The developers had always wanted to explore a medieval setting, as it was a part of their vision while rebooting the Doom franchise. They were inspired by tactics used in iconic works such as The Lord of the Rings and by directors such as George Lucas. The developers wanted to create a rich universe that has a deep history.
Doom: The Dark Ages is taking a brand new approach. (Image via Microsoft)
Martin talked about the importance of crafting a world that’s filled with rich history and iconic characters. If fans connect with such worlds, developers get the opportunity to explore deeper lore in future entries. According to him, Doom: The Dark Ages is a full realization of that dream, exploring the Slayer’s origins.
Doom: The Dark Ages has nerfed a crucial mechanic
Glory Kills have been nerfed in Doom: The Dark Ages. (Image via Microsoft)
Doom: The Dark Ages takes us back in time in a medieval setting, and it seems that’s the case with some gameplay features as well. We all know that all Glory Kills have been an essential part of the franchise since 2016, when they were added as a satisfying way to regain health and ammo through brutal finishing moves.
Glory Kills certainly enhanced the previous entries’ aggressive combat loop by pushing players into a close-quarters fight. Beyond just that, it reinforced the brutality of the Doom Slayer, making him look powerful and deadly.
However, in Doom: The Dark Ages, it seems like Glory Kills have been significantly toned down. id Software has removed the cinematic and gore-filled animations from the previous game. Now, Glory Kills are a direct part of the real-time combat. Players can now use weapons such as the flail to perform Glory Kills and collect health and ammo without having to trigger a dramatic sequel.
Sure, it makes the gameplay smoother, but it ends the satisfying impact that made Glory Kills so great. It’s less brutal, and certainly doesn’t feel the Doom way.
Doom: The Dark Ages is available to play on Xbox Series S/X, PS5, and PC.
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Why Bill Gates’ pledge to donate his money is harder than it seems
Why Bill Gates’ pledge to donate his money is harder than it seems
A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates announced one week ago that he would give away “virtually all” of his wealth over the next 20 years through his namesake philanthropy. At the end of 2045, the Gates Foundation will close its doors after disbursing all its assets. Gates estimated that the sum would exceed $200 billion, including his wealth and the foundation’s endowment of $77.2 billion as of the end of 2024. Previously, the foundation was slated to close 20 years after the death of 69-year-old Gates. However, the billionaire faces an enviable problem: He can’t give his money away fast enough. The foundation plans to increase its annual payout starting in 2026 to $9 billion to $10 billion. It is doubtful that the foundation would be able to spend down its assets by sticking to that budget, according to John Seitz of data firm FoundationMark. He told CNBC the returns on investment would likely outpace the rate of giving, leaving the foundation with a multibillion-dollar remainder. “It’s mathematically crazy to think that he’s only going to give away $10 billion a year if he really wants to get to zero in 20 years,” said Seitz, whose firm tracks the investment performance of private foundations. “One of two things is going to have to happen: Either he’s going to have to be in cash – in a non interest-bearing account – or he’ll have to give more money away.” The Gates Foundation told CNBC that it would spend down its assets by 2045 but declined to specify how it would get there beyond the $9 billion-plus annual budget. According to FoundationMark’s estimate, even if the Gates Foundation invested conservatively with 4.5% Treasurys and adjusted its $10 billion payouts for inflation of 3%, it would be left with nearly $14 billion at the beginning of 2046. It’s more likely that the foundation will increase its giving beyond inflation as it has in the past, Seitz said. Assuming the foundation’s giving grows at a 6% annual rate and notches 7% investment returns, the foundation would spend down its assets in 2046, giving away more than $30 billion in its final year. In all, the foundation’s two-decade giving would amount to $400 billion, including $220 billion of projected investment gains. “If you have been growing giving at 5.7% for 20 years and now you announce you are planning on spending down, that tells me [there will be] an acceleration of giving growth, not a deceleration,” Seitz said. These jumbo payouts may be used to endow operating charities after the Gates Foundation ceases to exist, he added. While Gates has been commended for his vow to not die rich, the foundation’s timeline raises concerns about how global health efforts will fare in its absence. “The decision to sunset the foundation in only 20 years is stunning,” said Renée Irvin, professor of nonprofit management and philanthropy at the University of Oregon. “The Foundation already has an immense global impact on children’s’ health, for example, and this decision, while targeting the next two decades, will have effects that ripple across many generations beyond that.”
Bill Gates arrives for a press conference to launch the Global Polio Eradication Initiative at the European Commission’s Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels on October 11, 2023.
Simon Wohlfahrt | Afp | Getty Images
A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates announced one week ago that he would give away “virtually all” of his wealth over the next 20 years through his namesake philanthropy. At the end of 2045, the Gates Foundation will close its doors after disbursing all its assets.
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Trump: India has offered US a trade deal with no tariffs – Reuters
Trump: India has offered US a trade deal with no tariffs – Reuters
Trump: India has offered US a trade deal with no tariffs ReutersTrump says India has offered America ‘no tariffs’ CNNTrump says he doesn’t want Apple building products in India: ‘I had a little problem with Tim Cook’ CNBCStock Market Today: Dow Futures, What to Watch — Live Updates WSJTrump Tells Apple to Stop Moving iPhone Production to India Bloomberg.com
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Liverpool trio lead Premier League player of the season nominees
Liverpool trio lead Premier League player of the season nominees
Three members of Liverpool’s title-winning squad have been nominated for the Premier League’s player of the season award.
Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Ryan Gravenberch lead the eight-player shortlist after helping the Reds to a 20th league title.
Captain Van Dijk has played every game for Liverpool this season, helping the club record 14 clean sheets, while midfielder Gravenberch has only missed one match.
Salah, meanwhile, has registered a league-high 46 goal contributions, including 28 goals.
Nottingham Forest are the only other club with more than one nominee, with Morgan Gibbs-White included alongside Chris Wood, who is enjoying his most prolific Premier League campaign with 20 goals in 34 matches.
Also nominated are Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, who sits second in the scoring charts with 23 goals, and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who has 18 goals and seven assists to his name – the third-most goal contributions in the league.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice completes the list.
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What is a ping and how does it work?
What is a ping and how does it work?
Ping (Packet InterNet Groper) is a basic internet program that enables a user to test and verify if a particular destination Internet Protocol (IP) address is reachable and can respond to network requests. Ping is based on Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and is one of the most widely used tools for diagnosing internet and network problems.
The ping utility was created in 1983 by computer scientist Mike Muuss. He was inspired by the principle of echolocation, and ping is named after the sonar echoes that submarines use to detect objects and measure their distance underwater. In computer network administration, ping can be used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, ping refers to the utility program Muuss developed. As a verb, ping refers to the act of using the program to troubleshoot network connectivity issues.
The term ping has also entered everyday speech to mean sending a quick message. This usage evolved from the way ping works — it sends a message and waits for a reply, much like people do when communicating online. Over time, tech professionals began using ping informally to mean “I’ll get back to you.” The phrase caught on outside the IT world, and today, “I’ll ping you” is widely understood across different industries and age groups to mean “I’ll message you.”
How does ping work?
Ping works by sending an ICMP echo request to a specified device on the network and waiting for a reply. If the targeted device is available, it responds by immediately sending an echo reply packet.
Ping uses ICMP echo requests and replies to test network connectivity.
The ping command usually sends multiple ICMP echo requests to a remote host to assess its availability and responsiveness. If the host is reachable, each reply includes information about the number of bytes received and the round-trip time (RTT) for the response. Ping also provides a time to live (TTL) value. This indicates how many network hops a packet can traverse before it is discarded.
After the requests are sent, ping displays a summary that includes the total number of packets sent and received, the percentage of packets lost and the average RTT values. This information helps users troubleshoot connectivity and performance issues.
Ping is a simple way to assess network connectivity and measure the time it takes for data packets to travel back and forth over a network.
If the target device is unavailable, is unresponsive or is blocking ICMP traffic, the sender may receive a “Request timed out” message, a “Destination host unreachable” message or a “General failure” message. In some cases, the sender may receive no response at all.
How to run ping
Ping can be run from a command-line interface (CLI) or terminal prompt. To begin, the user enters the word ping followed by the destination domain name or IP address.
Most operating systems (OSes) support options to modify how ping behaves. For example, users can specify the number of echo requests to send, or they can have ping run continuously until it is manually stopped.
This is a comparison table that shows how to use the ping command with different OSes.
What is ping used for?
Ping is used for basic tasks related to network connectivity and network performance:
Ping can verify whether a remote server, router, website or other network device is reachable over a network.
The program can also be used to measure a packet’s RTT and evaluate network latency. Latency describes how long it takes for a data packet to travel back and forth across a network.
Because ping typically sends multiple packets, it can be used to report on packet loss. Packet loss occurs when data packets traveling across a network fail to reach their destination. Packet loss may be the result of an unreliable network connection, network congestion, firewall restriction or hardware failure.
Ping can also be used to test the IPv4 loopback address (127.0.0.1) and verify that the local TCP/IP stack is functioning properly on the host machine.
Since ping is a simple, straightforward program, it is easy to incorporate into scripts for automated testing and diagnostics. If the pings are successful but the response time is slow, a speed test can provide more information.
Ping and speed tests
A speed test is a diagnostic tool that can be used to check how fast an internet connection is. It measures three things: how quickly data can be downloaded, how quickly data can be uploaded and the RTT for a device to talk to a server and get a response. The time between sending the request and receiving the reply is measured in milliseconds (ms).
Speed test services often have a network of servers around the world. Before performing the download and upload speed tests, they typically ping several nearby servers to identify the one with the lowest latency. This ensures that the subsequent speed measurements are as accurate as possible for the user’s location.
It’s important to understand, however, that, while a speed test can reveal that latency is a problem, it doesn’t show where in the network the delay is occurring. For that level of detail, traceroute is the preferred tool.
Ping and traceroute
Traceroute is a diagnostic tool that maps the path a packet takes through the network. It shows each hop along the route and measures how long it takes for a packet to reach each one.
Traceroute can be used with ping to pinpoint where latency or packet loss is occurring. This information can be especially valuable when latency is high or when ping results are inconsistent. Essentially, traceroute helps identify the segment of the network where the slowdown begins.
How to use ping in troubleshooting
When used together, speed tests, ping and traceroute create a three-pronged approach to troubleshooting. The speed test can confirm that a problem exists, ping can measure device responsiveness and traceroute can identify where the issue lies in the network path.
For example, if a user can’t access a website, ping can determine whether the destination server is reachable. If it is reachable, a speed test can be used to evaluate network connection speeds, and traceroute can show if a connection is failing at a specific hop between the user’s device and the website’s server.
Today, virtually every OS with network support includes ping for troubleshooting purposes. However, the exact implementation varies slightly among manufacturers. Windows includes ping.exe in the command prompt by default. MacOS comes with the ping utility in the terminal, and Linux/Unix distributions typically have ping in /bin or /usr/bin.
Troubleshooting is one of 10 essential network management tasks.
While ping is not included in the standard user interface for most mobile OSes, ping functionality can be acquired through a dedicated mobile app or terminal emulator. For added convenience, many network appliances and routers include a built-in ping feature that’s accessible through either a CLI or a web-based management interface. This enables administrators to test connectivity directly from the device.
What is ping spoofing?
Ping spoofing, also known as IP spoofing, is a type of network attack in which threat actors falsify the source IP address in ICMP echo request packets to disguise the sender’s identity and/or redirect responses to another device.
In a legitimate ping interaction, the source IP address in the ICMP echo request packet is that of the sender, and the destination device replies directly to the sender’s address with an echo reply. In a spoofed ping, the attacker modifies the packet header to make it appear as though the request came from a different IP address. This way, the target’s replies are misdirected to the spoofed (fake) IP address.
Effects of ping spoofing
Ping spoofing is often used as part of larger attack strategy, where the main goal is to overwhelm the victim’s server by sending it an extremely large number of echo request packets within a short ******* of time. The resulting responses tie up the server’s resources and can make the server inaccessible to legitimate users.
Historically, ping spoofing was used in amplification-based attacks, like ping of death. Ping of death is a type of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack in which an attacker sends oversized ping packets to ****** a targeted system.
How to detect ping spoofing
Ping spoofing can be difficult to detect because fraudulent echo request packets are designed to appear as if they come from a legitimate source.
To identify suspicious or spoofed ping traffic, one of the first things to look for is an unusually high number of ICMP echo requests that target the same host and are sent from the same IP address.
To investigate further, network administrators can analyze network logs and packet headers and look for anomalies such as malformed ICMP packets, inconsistent TTL values or improbable source IP locations. These signs, especially when seen in large volumes, may also indicate spoofing attempts.
How to defend against ping spoofing
In the past, one of the most common ways for admins to defend against ping spoofing was to use a firewall. Firewalls, along with access control lists on routers or switches, can filter incoming ICMP packets and apply rules that block traffic appearing to originate from forged or invalid source IP addresses.
Today, detecting ping spoofing is easier than it was in the past. Modern network monitoring tools and intrusion detection systems — especially those enhanced with AI and machine learning capabilities — can be configured to programmatically identify abnormal ICMP traffic patterns and alert administrators to potential spoofing activity. These advanced systems are also capable of recognizing subtle anomalies that probably would have gone unnoticed by traditional rule-based security tools.
What is ping in gaming?
Ping is a useful tool for online gaming because it measures latency, and latency can directly affect how an online game behaves during real-time play. Low latency has less delay between a player’s action, like moving or shooting, and the server’s response. High latency can result in noticeable lag, delayed actions or desynchronization between the player and the game server.
Many factors can affect the ping rate in gaming, including the following:
Physical distance between the user’s gaming system and the gaming server.
The amount of network traffic at a specific point in time.
The available bandwidth and how it is distributed over a shared network connection.
Most multiplayer games display ping values in their interface to help players monitor connection quality, and many matchmaking systems use ping to pair players with game servers that are geographically close or have low latency for all participants. This helps to minimize lag and ensure a more synchronized and responsive gameplay experience for everyone involved.
A ping rate over 150 ms typically results in noticeable lag that can negatively affect gameplay, especially in real-time games. Professional gamers and serious players generally consider a ping rate under 50 ms to be optimal. Some competitive players even aim for RTT values in the 15-20 ms range.
It should be noted that the easiest way for gamers to improve latency is to sign up for a dedicated internet access (DIA) line. Unlike a shared connection, DIA allows a gamer to connect directly to the internet service provider’s network. This eliminates the need to share network bandwidth with other users, which, in turn, reduces latency.
Ping in Discord
Discord is a chat and video app that’s popular with gamers. In the context of this app, the term ping is used to describe a notification that’s generated by Discord when someone tags another user. When one user sends a ping to another user, the sender uses the @ symbol before the receiver’s nickname (e.g., @TechTargetWhiz) or role (e.g., @Admin). The ping then pops up on the receiver’s screen and notifies them of the message.
Pings can be directed to individual users or groups of people assigned to specific roles. Discord also supports mass pings using @here, which notifies all online users in a channel, and @everyone, which notifies all members of the server, regardless of their online status. Because excessive pinging can be distracting, it’s considered good etiquette to use pings sparingly and post in the appropriate channel.
Now that you’re familiar with the definition of ping and know what this utility program is used for, it’s time to learn more about other network issues and how to troubleshoot them.
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Kernick stars as Blues claim women’s Origin series
Kernick stars as Blues claim women’s Origin series
Olivia Kernick has helped NSW claim the women’s State of Origin series with a game to spare after powering the Blues to a 26-6 victory over Queensland.
Kernick, who was controversially overlooked for the *********** Test team after winning the 2024 NRLW Dally M Medal, scored two tries and set up another on Thursday night as the Blues inflicted more misery on the Maroons to win game two.
After the Blues opened the series with a 32-12 win over Queensland in Brisbane, John Strange’s side can look to seal a 3-0 whitewash in the game-three dead rubber at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium on May 29.
Kernick came to the ***** on a dour, rain-soaked night in front of 16,026 fans at Allianz Stadium.
The lock forward led from the front, clocking up a game-high 169 metres and, while her night didn’t get off to a great start, she more than made amends.
Fighting to keep their hopes of retaining the series alive, the Maroons got an early break when Lauren Brown dabbed a grubberkick into the NSW in-goal.
Kernick failed to gather the ball cleanly and Tamika Upton was on hand to touch down for Queensland with an easy kick that Brown converted.
But Kernick picked her moments for revenge and when she struck she did with both power and panache.
First she set up an on-rushing Simaima Taufa, who ran a sharp line and bumped off a host of covering Maroons to draw the Blues level.
Then Kernick went herself, crashing through three tackles and palming off Upton to score under the posts to give NSW a 12-6 halftime lead.
Halfback Jesse Southwell was a major reason the Blues were able to turn the ****** in the second half.
The playmaker trapped Queensland in-goal with a crossfield kick early in the stanza and off the ensuing set Southwell’s cutout was the catalyst for winger Jayme Fressard to score in the corner.
Then the Blues other winger Jaime Chapman breezed in on the right flank to put NSW on the brink of a series crown.
Any chance Queensland had of clawing their way back into the game evaporated when Upton hobbled off.
The fullback tried to play on after suffering a hamstring injury as she came across to prevent Chapman’s try but eventually succumbed to the pain.
Kernick then crashed in for her second try during with eight minutes left to put the game beyond Queensland’s reach.
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OnePlus 13s Colour Options Teased Ahead of Upcoming Launch in India
OnePlus 13s Colour Options Teased Ahead of Upcoming Launch in India
OnePlus 13s is set to launch in India soon. Although the company has yet to announce the exact launch date, several key features of the upcoming handset have been revealed. Its customisable “Plus Key” feature, expected to replace the Alert Slider, was confirmed recently. Now, the company has teased the colour options of the phone. The OnePlus 13s is expected to be a rebrand of the OnePlus 13T, which was unveiled in China in April.
OnePlus 13s Colour Options, Other Features
The OnePlus 13s is teased to come in three colour options. The company shared a video teaser in an X post, which suggested that the handset will likely be offered in ******, green, and pink colour options. The marketing names for these shades have not yet been confirmed.
Previously, the company confirmed that the OnePlus 13s will feature a customisable Plus Key. The new button is expected to replace the Alert Slider, which we have been used to seeing on OnePlus handsets on the left edge. Alongside offering the same functionality as the slider, the new button is teased to let users access AI features, manage brightness level and more. It can also be used as a camera capture or a recording button, or to take a screenshot with a single click.
The OnePlus 13s is set to come with a 6.32-inch display and the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. A live Amazon microsite and the official landing page suggest that the phone will be available for purchase in the country via the e-commerce site and the OnePlus India e-store. The design of the handset is similar to that of the OnePlus 13T handset.
The OnePlus 13T launched in China with a 6,260mAh battery with 80W fast charging support and a 50-megapixel dual rear camera sensor, including a 50-megapixel telephoto shooter with up to 2x optical zoom. The handset carries a 16-megapixel selfie camera and an IP65-rated dust and splash-resistant build.
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S&P 500: Bulls in Wait-and-See Mode, but Overall Trend Still Favors Upside
S&P 500: Bulls in Wait-and-See Mode, but Overall Trend Still Favors Upside
Global markets were trading a little on the defensive first thing this Thursday morning. Investor enthusiasm faded a little after a strong Wall Street rally earlier in the week, when news of the US-China trade truce trigged a big rally across the global stock markets. equity futures were down about 0.44% this morning, while the , which had been riding high on chipmaker strength and trade optimism, also eased off, along with European indices.
However, this remains a “dip-buying” market, and with major indices making significant progress in recent weeks, the path of least resistance is still clearly to the upside. I would therefore expect a resumption of the bullish trend, possibly as early as later today, unless some major bearish catalyst comes into play.
What to Watch Out for Today?
Well, the economic calendar is quite busy today, which could help support the recovery if we don’t see any further stagflation signs. We have already had stronger-than-expected from the *** (+0.7% q/q vs. +0.6% q/q expected) this morning, while from the eurozone (+0.3% q/q vs. +0.1%) and data (+2.6% m/m vs. +1.9% expected) both topped expectations although was a little on the softer side (+0.3% q/q vs. +0.4% q/q).
Today’s US data dump — including , , , and the Empire State and Philly Fed manufacturing indices — looms large. With sentiment largely positive, any positive surprises in the data could lead to renewed optimism.
Judging by weaker US index futures, it looked like investors were not in a hurry or otherwise unwilling to extend risk exposure ahead of these releases, marking a subtle shift from the aggressive dip-buying seen earlier in the week.
Will AI Optimism Continue to Support Markets?
After the likes of Nvidia (NASDAQ:) and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:) helped lead tech stocks higher on Tuesday thanks to AI deals in the Middle East, the momentum has tempered somewhat with many tech names finding themselves in the red in pre-market trading.
That said, the recent trend for the sector has been positive and with gross shorts on Nasdaq futures having been reduced last week, traders are hesitant to bet against tech. There is also the possibility of foreign investment pouring back into US tech names now that we have a much calmer macro backdrop.
For now, the Nasdaq 100 forecast remains tilted to the upside, but with the caveat that near-term consolidation is probable. Traders may want to wait for pullbacks to key support levels before reloading long positions.
Meanwhile, the pullback in tech coincides with oil prices falling — has dropped to $64 after President Trump claimed the US is nearing a nuclear deal with Iran, raising the prospect of increased oil supply. also fell, suggesting the risk-off tone is not wholesale, but rather selective.
Technical Picture Still Bullish for S&P 500
Technically, the S&P 500 remains in an uptrend. After recovering more than 20% from its April lows, the index has firmly reclaimed moving averages and cleared several prior resistance zones. The recent buying has lifted the daily RSI to flirt with overbought territory of 70.
While a cooling-off phase wouldn’t be entirely surprising, the breakaway rally from the weekend gap suggests the bears continue to be the trapped traders and we may instead see the market continue to squeeze this group of market players. Thus, a quick resumption of the bullish trend heading towards the business end of the week is something I would be expecting to see, than a correction first.
Key Levels to Watch
Immediate support lies in around 5876 on the S&P 500 futures daily chart. This level marks the high from Monday, when the index broke firmly above old resistance of 5873, which will now be the next key support level to watch should we see a slightly deeper dip.
Below that, the 5678 – 5721 zone — a former resistance area where we also have the bullish trend line and 21-day exponential moving average convergence – is now the most important support area to watch. A retest could attract fresh buyers, especially if today’s data doesn’t derail the soft-landing narrative.
On the upside, potential resistance looms around 6,000 — a psychological level and the last major support before the start of the sell-off that began in February. Above it, the all-time high at 6166 is the next bullish target and beyond that is clear blue skies.
***
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Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only; it does not constitute a solicitation, offer, advice, counsel or recommendation to invest as such it is not intended to incentivize the purchase of assets in any way. I would like to remind you that any type of asset, is evaluated from multiple perspectives and is highly risky and therefore, any investment decision and the associated risk remains with the investor.
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Severe weather warning issued for Appleton area, including hail and damaging winds
Severe weather warning issued for Appleton area, including hail and damaging winds
After a ******* of dry and warm weather, a severe weather warning is being issued for the Appleton area. According to the National Weather Service Green Bay, the Appleton area is at an enhanced risk for severe weather May 15.
The forecast says storms will form over western Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota between 1 and 4 p.m., before pushing into central and northeast Wisconsin between 4 and 9 p.m.
“Six to 7 o’clock looks to be the target time for Green Bay and Appleton to see the strongest of severe storms,” said Scott Berschback, meteorologist for the National Weather Service Green Bay. “And then they quickly move out there, very quickly. They’re quick-moving storms, so once they get here, they’ll race through the area within an hour or two, so they’re gone by 8 o’clock.”
All hazards for severe weather are possible, including tornadoes, 2-inch large hail, and strong, damaging winds.
The Appleton area currently has a 80% chance of precipitation May 15. Berschback also said the area could get “a quick” half inch of rain.
Appleton received a combined 1.14 inches of rain during the first three days of May, but nothing in the next 12 days.
The severe weather outlook and thunderstorm timeline for northeastern Wisconsin on Thursday, May 15.
What’s the forecast?
Expect high temperatures to peak around 5 p.m. May 15 before temperatures cool down to around 60 by 5 a.m.. Expect sunshine as well. Here’s the forecast:
Thursday: High of 79, low of 60
Friday: High of 78, low of 53
Appleton weather radar
Rashad Alexander can be reached at *****@*****.tld and 920-431-8214.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton forecast for May 15 calls for severe weather, hail
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Valve confirms your Steam data wasn’t breached in major hack – here’s how to keep your account safe
Valve confirms your Steam data wasn’t breached in major hack – here’s how to keep your account safe
A hacker claimed to have 89 million records of Steam users for *****
Steam has denied that any of its systems were hacked
The data probably isn’t as damaging as was originally feared
Recently, it was claimed that gaming platform Steam suffered a major security breach, with up to 89 million user accounts supposedly having their credentials sold on the dark web. But new information has come to light that shows this wasn’t a hack at all – but there are still things you can do to keep your account safe.
As we reported initially, a known cybercriminal had claimed to be in possession of a database consisting of 89 million Steam user records, including phone numbers and one-time access codes. The hacker was attempting to sell the database for $5,000, which is a strangely low sum for such a large amount of data.
It had been suggested that Twilio might have been the source of the hack, and the company does provide one-time passcode services – yet Twilio denied that it had been breached. And now, Steam itself has confirmed that it wasn’t hacked either.
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In a news posting on its website, Steam stated that “We have examined the leak sample and have determined this was NOT a breach of Steam systems.” What’s more, Steam added that “The leaked data did not associate the phone numbers with a Steam account, password information, payment information or other personal data.”
How to improve your account security
(Image credit: Valve)
It’s still unknown exactly where the leaked data came from, but it seems like it’s much less of a serious situation than initially feared.
The one-time passcodes are only valid for 15 minutes, and once that time ******* has expired, they can’t be used. And without knowing which Steam accounts the phone numbers are linked to, intruders can’t do much with them. That means the data in the leak isn’t of much use now, especially since the breach did not contain any vital account data or personally identifiable information.
Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about toughening up the security of your Steam account. If you’re using a weak password – or one that you’ve used for other accounts – it’s time to change that to something more secure. Enlist the help of one of the best password managers and you don’t even need to think up or remember a password yourself, as the password manager handles that for you.
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As well as that, you can enable two-factor authentication on your Steam account by logging in, selecting your username in the top-right corner of the Steam website, then selecting Account Details. From there, pick Security & Devices in the left-hand sidebar and choose an authentication method. You can either have a code sent to your email address or use the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, which can be accessed from the Steam mobile app.
Although this incident is not as damaging as was feared, it’s still a good reminder to improve the security of all your online accounts. A breach can prove to be devastating, even if this one wasn’t a disaster in the end.
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Cyber firm Proofpoint to buy Europe’s Hornetsecurity as it eyes IPO
Cyber firm Proofpoint to buy Europe’s Hornetsecurity as it eyes IPO
Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint announced Thursday it will acquire Germany-based competitor Hornetsecurity for $1 billion to strengthen its European presence as it explores a return to public markets.
The deal marks the largest single acquisition in Proofpoint’s history.
The Sunnyvale, California-based company, which is currently owned by private equity giant Thoma Bravo, said the deal to buy Hornetsecurity would help deepen its expertise in the managed service provider (MSP) ecosystem.
Headquartered in Hannover, Germany, Hornetsecurity specializes in managed cloud-based email security services to help protect firms from cyberattacks, data loss, and compliance risks associated with Microsoft 365 and other IT infrastructure.
Proofpoint CEO Sumit Dhawan told CNBC the deal will help “consolidate fragmented security tools into a unified platform that protects people and defends data across the global threat landscape.”
“Generative AI has fundamentally changed the threat landscape, enabling faster, more targeted, and more complex attacks,” Dhawan said in an interview. Small and medium-sized firms “are increasingly in the crosshairs” of hackers and require “integrated, high-efficacy” solutions, he added.
Path to IPO
Proofpoint’s boss told CNBC in October last year that the company was exploring external funding as well as mergers and acquisitions of smaller cybersecurity firms with an aim to return to the public markets in 2026. The company went private in 2021 in a $12.3 billion acquisition by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
“Hornetsecurity brings very strong business to Proofpoint targeting a new market segment of MSPs and diversifies our routes to market,” Dhawan said.
“It contributes significantly to our earnings and cash flow going forward, which makes us an even stronger company and business as we explore a return to public markets,” he added.
Dhawan said that while there is “nothing new” to share on Proofpoint’s IPO plans for now, “we remain interested in the IPO market and will explore public markets when we feel the time is right.”
Hornetsecurity serves more than 125,000 small to medium-sized businesses and has more than 700 employees, according to a press release. Proofpoint has over 4,500 employees and counts 85% of the Fortune 100 as customers.
The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.
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Lenovo unveils compact AI workstation equipped with Nvidia GB10 and 128 GB of system memory
Lenovo unveils compact AI workstation equipped with Nvidia GB10 and 128 GB of system memory
Lenovo just announced an AI mini supercomputer designed to work straight out of the box. The ThinkStation PGX, which Lenovo calls “a compact, personal AI developer workstation”, is powered by an Nvidia GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip and has 128 GB of coherent unified system memory.
This delivers up to 1 PetaFLOP or 1000 TOPS of performance, allowing users to work on models with up to 200 billion parameters. If you need more power, Lenovo lets you connect two PGXs, increasing the parameter count to 405 billion parameters.
The mini workstation is powered by the Nvidia DGX operating system and comes with the standard Nvidia software stack for AI development. Lenovo also added common tools like PyTorch and Jupyter, allowing developers to work locally instead of relying on on-prem clusters or cloud computing environments. The company says that it will launch the PGX in 3Q25, but we don’t have pricing details for it yet.
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The ThinkStation PGX seems to be Lenovo’s take on Nvidia’s Project Digits. The AI chip giant launched this desktop AI supercomputer at CES 2025 and priced it at around $3,000 per unit. So, we expect the PGX to hover at around the same cost.
This isn’t the first third-party AI mini supercomputer to hit the market. Asus launched the Ascent GX10 in March 2025 at GTC 2025, while MSI has already teased its own version that it will reveal at Computex 2025. These units got some enthusiasts excited, but others were a bit more skeptical. Tiny Corp, the startup behind the TinyBox AI accelerator, said that users should “just buy a gaming PC” instead of dropping that amount of cash on a dedicated AI PC.
According to the company, the AI mini PC’s 1 PFLOP of performance is pegged at FP4, which is practically unusable. This means that the PGX (and all other Project Digits systems) will only deliver 500 TFLOPS of performance at FP8.
By comparison, tinybox green, which is now powered by four RTX 5090 GPUs, delivers 1,492 FP16 TFLOPS. This converts to 2,992 FP8 TFLOPS, or around 3 PFLOPS at FP8, making it around six times more powerful than Nvidia’s Project Digits. However, the tinybox green starts at $29,000, which is substantially higher than the around $3,000 asking price of the tiny AI workstation.
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TD Cowen downgrades *****’s Sporting Goods, calls Foot Locker acquisition a ‘strategic mistake’
TD Cowen downgrades *****’s Sporting Goods, calls Foot Locker acquisition a ‘strategic mistake’
*****’s Sporting Goods ‘ acquisition of Foot Locker is a “strategic mistake” for the retailer, according to TD Cowen. The bank downgraded shares of *****’s to hold from buy. Analyst John Kernan also lowered his price target to $216 from $245, implying just 3% from Wednesday’s close. *****’s announced it would buy Foot Locker for $2.4 billion , in a deal expected to close in the second half of this year. Shares of Foot Locker rallied more than 80% on the news, while *****’s fell 8%. DKS YTD mountain DKS YTD chart But Kernan said this deal is “likely to produce low returns” and present clear risks to synergies, integration and the structural foundation of Foot Locker’s business. Meanwhile, the return on capital is likely to be low, while raising balance sheet risks. He called the deal a strategic mistake and a “misallocation of capital” in a note released ahead of the transaction’s official announcement. “There is little to no precedence of M & A at scale creating value for shareholders within Softlines Retail. In our view, there are countless examples of M & A destroying billions of dollars in value since we have covered the sector.” This acquisition could also threaten the product portfolio at *****’s Sporting Goods, such as by raising the company’s exposure to Nike to 38% of inventory purchases from 24%. “With FL *****’s would be more exposed to Streetwear and lifestyle fashion trends, mall-based retail, and will be competing with smaller, more nimble sneaker retailers and marketplaces that are gaining share,” Kernan added. “We would prefer management to focus on the House of Sport, Next Gen Stores, and Gamechanger opportunities, which were lower risk and higher return on capital investments than purchasing Foot Locker.” *****’s didn’t immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
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Israeli military strikes kill scores in Gaza, as Trump visits the region – Reuters
Israeli military strikes kill scores in Gaza, as Trump visits the region – Reuters
Israeli military strikes kill scores in Gaza, as Trump visits the region ReutersIsraeli strikes across Gaza kill 80, hospitals and rescuers say BBCDozens are killed in overnight airstrikes on southern Gaza city, hospital says NPRIsrael kills dozens in Gaza as Palestinians mark 77 years since the Nakba Al JazeeraGaza Hospital Strike Draws New Attention to Israel’s Medical Facility Attacks The New York Times
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MEPs back new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods | News
MEPs back new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods | News
MEPs in the International Trade Committee have backed a Commission proposal to increase EU tariffs by 50% on those agricultural products from Russia and Belarus that are still excluded from other customs duties. The aim is to reduce EU dependency on the two countries still further. Products to be hit by the new tariffs include sugars, vinegar, flour and animal feed.
The approved text also provides *******. The latter duties would rise to €430 per tonne by 2028. Income from Russian and Belarusian fertilisers is seen as contributing directly to the war against Ukraine.
The proposed measures will significantly reduce imports into the EU of the goods concerned originating in or exported directly or indirectly from Russia and Belarus. This should result in further diversification of EU fertiliser production, a sector that is currently suffering from the low prices of imported goods.
The legislation also tasks the Commission with monitoring and acting to mitigate price increases that could damage the internal market and the EU agriculture sector.
The draft regulation was adopted by 29 votes in favour, 6 against and 2 abstentions.
Quote
The standing rapporteur for Russia Inese Vaidere (EPP, LV) said: “This regulation to gradually increase customs duties for products from Russia and Belarus will help to prevent Russia from using the EU market to finance its war machine. It is not acceptable that three years after Russia launched its full-scale war, the EU is still buying critical products in large volumes; in fact, these imports have significantly increased.
The proposal will also boost EU fertiliser production, which has taken a hit from cheap Russian imports, while giving farmers time to adjust.”
Next steps
The proposal will now be put to a vote in Parliament’s next plenary session, which will take place in Brussels, on Thursday 22 May.
Background
Imports into the EU of urea and nitrogen-based fertilisers from Russia, already high in 2023, increased significantly in 2024. According to the Commission, imports of the fertilisers covered by this regulation reflect a situation of economic dependence on Russia. If left unchecked, the situation could harm EU food security and, especially in the case of fertilisers, make the EU vulnerable to possible coercive measures by Russia.
To tackle these issues, on 28 January 2025, the Commission presented its proposal to impose tariffs on fertilisers and certain agricultural products originating in Russia and Belarus.
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Ex-Boks winger Hendricks, 37, dies after heart attack
Ex-Boks winger Hendricks, 37, dies after heart attack
Cornal Hendricks, a South African rugby player who made 12 appearances for the Springboks and was a star for his country at sevens, has died. He was 37.
Hendricks died on Wednesday after a heart attack, SA Rugby said on Thursday. He was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2015 and retired from professional rugby on medical advice, before making a comeback in 2019.
Mark Alexander, president of SA Rugby, said he was “deeply saddened” by the sudden death of Hendricks, who he described as a “remarkable athlete who represented his country in sevens and fifteen-man rugby with distinction.”
The Bulls, where he played the final years of his career, remembered Hendricks’ “zeal for life” and for him being a “gentleman on and off the field.”
Hendricks played 12 Tests as a winger for the Boks in 2014 and ’15 — scoring five tries — and represented South Africa sevens from 2011-14, winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2014. He played at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2013, the same year he was voted as South Africa’s player of the year in the format.
In a 17-year club career, during which he also played at centre, Hendricks represented the Cheetahs and the Bulls in Super Rugby and the United Rugby Championship.
“Cornal was one of those players who loved the game and he worked extremely hard, but he always did so with a smile on his face, treating all people with respect,” Alexander said. “His energy and love of life, on and off the field, lifted his teammates and those around him.”
The Bulls, where he played from 2019-24, allowed Hendricks to make “a remarkable use of his second lease in professional rugby,” its director of rugby, Jake White, said.
“We all witnessed him leave no stone unturned as he inspired his teammates and the South African community through his story of hope and courage,” White said.
“It was a privilege and honor to have been his coach, a fantastic role model for the next generation and his appetite for life was infectious. Rugby has lost one of the good ones today.”
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Estonia warns Russia may use military force to defend its shadow fleet of tankers dodging sanctions
Estonia warns Russia may use military force to defend its shadow fleet of tankers dodging sanctions
ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Estonia warned on Thursday that Russia appears willing to defend with military force its shadow fleet of aging tankers dodging international sanctions to keep oil revenue and equipment flowing, even through the territorial waters of European countries.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that a Russian fighter jet entered NATO airspace in recent days after Estonia’s navy had intercepted a suspected shadow fleet ship in its waters.
Tsahkna said the navy stopped the ship, the Jaguar, because it was flying no flag and apparently had no insurance. The Russian warplane appeared on the scene while the ship was stopped.
“This fighter jet violated NATO territory, for one minute. This is something very new,” he told reporters at a NATO meeting in Antalya, Turkey. He said that NATO aircraft scrambled to intercept the Russian fighter.
“We need to understand that Russia has officially tied and connected itself to the Russian shadow fleet,” Tsahkna said, and underlined the importance of air patrols over the Baltic Sea, saying that “we need to understand that the situation is really serious.”
The shadow fleet is made up of aging tankers bought used, often by nontransparent entities with addresses in non-sanctioning countries such as the United Arab Emirates or the Marshall Islands, and flagged in places like Gabon or the Cook Islands.
Some of the vessels are owned by the Russian state Sovcomflot shipping company. Their role is to help Russia’s oil exporters avoid the $60 per barrel price cap imposed by Ukraine’s allies.
The European Union has been targeting the ships, which sometimes also carry stolen Ukrainian grain, with sanctions. In February, 70 vessels believed to be part of the shadow fleet were added to more than 50 already listed.
EU foreign ministers are expected next week to slap sanctions on dozens more.
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TikTok charged with breaching EU online content rules
TikTok charged with breaching EU online content rules
The TikTok logo is seen outside the ******** video app company’s Los Angeles offices on April 4, 2025 in Culver City, California.
Robyn Beck | AFP via Getty Images
Social media app TikTok was charged by EU tech regulators on Thursday with breaching EU online content rules, putting its owner ByteDance at risk of a fine of as much as 6% of its global turnover.
The European Commission said it had sent its preliminary findings to TikTok following an investigation launched in February last year.
The EU executive said TikTok has failed to comply with the Digital Services Act’s obligation to publish an advertisement repository which allows researchers and people to detect scam advertisements.
The DSA requires online platforms to do more to tackle ******** and harmful content as well as provide information on advertisements.
The Commission said the company does not provide the necessary information about the content of advertisements, the targeted users and who paid for the advertisements.
“Transparency in online advertising — who pays and how audiences are targeted — is essential to safeguarding the public interest,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement.
TikTok, which also faces a second DSA investigation into its management of risks related to elections, did not respond immediately to an emailed request for comment.
The social media platform can be asked to see the Commission’s documents and provide a written response before the watchdog issues a decision.
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Epic CEO says Apple still hasn’t approved its Fortnite iOS submission, suggests it’s obstructing the process
Epic CEO says Apple still hasn’t approved its Fortnite iOS submission, suggests it’s obstructing the process
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says Apple has still yet to approve the addition of Fortnite to the iOS App Store, and has suggested it’s obstructing the process.
The game was submitted to Apple for review on May 9, but on May 14 Sweeney told followers on X that Apple still hadn’t approved the game’s release.
After one follower asked Sweeney where the game was, he replied: “No news from Apple yet. They’ve had it since last Friday.”
When another follower asked if Epic had reached out to Apple to find out what was going on, he replied: “We emailed yesterday but haven’t heard back.”
Apple’s official Developer site states that “on average, 90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours”.
Sweeney then noted that because Fortnite regularly updates its content and has to feature the same version across all formats to ensure cross-platform compatibility, the version of Fortnite submitted to Apple was due to be out of date by May 16, meaning on May 14 – five days after submitting the game – Epic had to resubmit it with the new content included.
“We need to release a weekly Fortnite update with new content this Friday, and all platforms must update simultaneously,” he told one user. “So we have pulled the previous Fortnite version submitted to Apple App Review last Friday, and we have submitted a new version for review.”
When asked by another follower why Epic didn’t plan for this possibility, Sweeney explained that platform holders are expected to support the release of apps and regular updates when it comes to continually evolving live service games, and that if a company like Apple “obstructs” the process it hinders the game’s ability to work.
“Our release planning relies on platforms supporting app developers like us releasing apps,” he said. “There is no way a rapidly evolving multi-platform game like Fortnite can operate if platforms use their power or processes to obstruct.”
Update: We need to release a weekly Fortnite update with new content this Friday, and all platforms must update simultaneously. So we have pulled the previous Fortnite version submitted to Apple App Review last Friday, and we have submitted a new version for review.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 14, 2025
Apple’s apparent delay in approving Fortnite for iOS release is the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between Epic and Apple.
Apple had previously been sued by Epic in 2020 for taking a 30% cut on all in-app purchases while also banning any alternative ways of making payments outside of Apple’s ecosystem.
Epic tried to bypass Apple’s platform fees later in 2020 by adding a new direct payment option in Fortnite, but this led to Apple removing the game from the App Store and terminating Epic’s developer account. Apple was then ordered in 2021 to allow iOS developers to link to external payment options in their apps.
Apple started allowing developers to offer external payment options, but also forced a 27% commission on purchases made through web links in apps, and also showed prompts that appeared to dissuade users from using web link purchases.
Should Fortnite return to iOS it will let players choose how to make purchases, a choice previously blocked by Apple but now ordered by US courts.
Earlier this month a US judge ordered Apple to stop forcing the 27% commission and using its prompts, stating that the Apple had violated a 2021 injunction and that VP Alex Roman had “outright lied under oath”, meaning the company could now face criminal contempt charges.
Following the ruling Epic said that if Apple agreed to apply the ruling globally, it would drop all ongoing and future litigation, including its fight to bring its own store to iOS, and would bring Fortnite back to the platform in May.
Epic also introduced a change to its Epic Rewards plan, which usually lets players earn 5% back in rewards any time they make a purchase on the Epic Games Store. In a permanent change, players who make purchases for Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guys will now get 20% rewards instead, a move seemingly made to convince players to buy in-app purchases through Epic instead of Apple when (or if) Fortnite finally returns to iOS.
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Qualcomm confirms it is re-entering the data center CPU market, starting with Saudi Arabia’s AI cloud project
Qualcomm confirms it is re-entering the data center CPU market, starting with Saudi Arabia’s AI cloud project
Qualcomm has confirmed its long-rumored data center CPU rollout will start in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s state-backed AI cloud infrastructure project, in partnership with HUMAIN AI. In a press release, the company confirmed it has signed a memorandum of understanding with HUMAIN, a new Saudi Arabian venture backed by the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The move represents a return to making data center CPUs after Qualcomm’s first failed initiative. Qualcomm famously developed Centriq data center CPUs in 2017 but then canceled the project in 2019. The company later purchased the startup Nuvia, which was designing Arm-based data center CPUs. Qualcomm repurposed the tech for its Snapdragon processors for Windows machines, but speculation has continued that the company would re-enter the data center CPU market with Nuvia’s tech under the hood.
Qualcomm and HUMAIN AI say they will partner in developing next-generation AI data centers, infrastructure, and cloud-to-edge services. Specifically, Qualcomm says it intends to develop and build “cutting-edge AI data centers in Saudi Arabia designed to deliver highly efficient, scalable cloud-to-edge hybrid AI inferencing solutions for local and international customers based on Qualcomm Technologies’ edge and data center solutions.”
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Qualcomm says it will also develop and supply state-of-the-art data center CPU and AI solutions to HUMAIN’s data centers and speed up the use of the infrastructure by leveraging Snapdragon and Dragonwing processors.
Qualcomm and HUMAIN say their data centers “are intended to provide both government and enterprise organizations with access to high-performance and power efficient CPU and AI cloud infrastructure and cloud-to-edge services.”
As part of the agreement, Qualcomm will also establish a Qualcomm Design Center in Saudi Arabia for semiconductor technology.
Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated, said Qualcomm was “pleased to be working with HUMAIN to support the realization” of its goal to become a global AI leader.
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Qualcomm hinted at plans to develop server CPUs earlier this year when it hired Sailesh Kottapalli, former chief architect of Intel’s Xeon server processors. Kottapalli’s tenure included projects such as x86, Itanium, and multiple Xeon generations.
The news follows Nvidia’s own announcement that it will send 18,000 AI GPUs to the country, which will be used to build a 500-megawatt data center. It follows the Trump administration’s official scrapping of the AI Diffusion Rule, which restricted the export of AI chips to most countries.
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Dow Futures Fall On Giant, Hot IPO; Bullish Trend Intact – Investor's Business Daily
Dow Futures Fall On Giant, Hot IPO; Bullish Trend Intact – Investor's Business Daily
Dow Futures Fall On Giant, Hot IPO; Bullish Trend Intact Investor’s Business DailyStock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures fall with Walmart and Powell on deck Yahoo FinanceU.S. stock futures retreat ahead of key economic data, Powell speech Investing.comStocks Slip Before the Open With Focus on U.S. Retail Sales Data and Powell’s Remarks, Walmart Earnings on Tap MSNStock Market Today: S&P 500 and Nasdaq to ease back as rally fades, while Dow to dip on fresh UnitedHealth plunge; Retail sales, Walmart results on tap. MarketWatch
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Death Stranding is getting a 12-city world tour with special guests and events
Death Stranding is getting a 12-city world tour with special guests and events
Kojima Productions has announced a 12-city World Tour to celebrate the release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
The Death Stranding World Strand Tour 2 will kick off in Los Angeles on 8 June, during Summer Game Fest, and will travel across the world before ending in Lucca in Italy in November.
The game itself will be released on PS5 on June 26, meaning most of the dates in the tour will take place when the game is already out.
The full list of locations and dates is as follows:
Death Stranding World Strand Tour 2 schedule
June 8 – Los Angeles, USA
June 14 – Sydney, Australia
June 26 – Tokyo, Japan
June 28 – Paris, France
June 30 – London, ***
July 4 – Seoul, South Korea
July 6 – Taipei, Taiwan
July 9 – Hong Kong
July 12 – Shanghai, China
August – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
October – Sao Paulo, Brazil
November – Lucca, Italy
According to Kojima Productions, additional details about each stop on the tour will be revealed later.
Each stop will feature “special guests and events” but it’s not yet confirmed exactly what that will entail, or whether the list of guests will be the same at every location (including Hideo Kojima himself).
Last month PlayStation confirmed that a special edition Death Stranding DualSense controller will release alongside the game on June 26.
VGC recently travelled to Kojima Productions in Tokyo, Japan, for an extensive Death Stranding 2 preview and interviews with the game’s development team, including director Hideo Kojima.
“As I sniped a guard from a watch tower, equipped a silenced rifle, and planned a sneaky infiltration into an enemy base to extract a prisoner, it was impossible to escape the thought that ‘oh wow, this really does feel like Metal Gear’,” we wrote.
“Instead of running from Mules with their electric sticks, you’re frequently blasting through them with a shotgun or grenade launcher. And rather than awkwardly stumbling across a rocky ravine, dropping packages as you go, more often I was cruising in my tricked-out vehicle with two automatic turrets blasting anyone who dared impede my delivery.”
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Cyber firm Proofpoint to buy Europe’s Hornetsecurity as it eyes IPO
Cyber firm Proofpoint to buy Europe’s Hornetsecurity as it eyes IPO
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Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint announced Thursday it will acquire Germany-based competitor Hornetsecurity for $1 billion to strengthen its European presence as it explores a return to public markets.
The deal marks the largest single acquisition in Proofpoint’s history.
The Sunnyvale, California-based company, which is currently owned by private equity giant Thoma Bravo, said the deal to buy Hornetsecurity would help deepen its expertise in the managed service provider (MSP) ecosystem.
Headquartered in Hannover, Germany, Hornetsecurity specializes in managed cloud-based email security services to help protect firms from cyberattacks, data loss, and compliance risks associated with Microsoft 365 and other IT infrastructure.
Proofpoint CEO Sumit Dhawan told CNBC the deal will help “consolidate fragmented security tools into a unified platform that protects people and defends data across the global threat landscape.”
“Generative AI has fundamentally changed the threat landscape, enabling faster, more targeted, and more complex attacks,” Dhawan said in an interview. Small and medium-sized firms “are increasingly in the crosshairs” of hackers and require “integrated, high-efficacy” solutions, he added.
Path to IPO
Proofpoint’s boss told CNBC in October last year that the company was exploring external funding as well as mergers and acquisitions of smaller cybersecurity firms with an aim to return to the public markets in 2026. The company went private in 2021 in a $12.3 billion acquisition by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
“Hornetsecurity brings very strong business to Proofpoint targeting a new market segment of MSPs and diversifies our routes to market,” Dhawan said.
“It contributes significantly to our earnings and cash flow going forward, which makes us an even stronger company and business as we explore a return to public markets,” he added.
Dhawan said that while there is “nothing new” to share on Proofpoint’s IPO plans for now, “we remain interested in the IPO market and will explore public markets when we feel the time is right.”
Hornetsecurity serves more than 125,000 small to medium-sized businesses and has more than 700 employees, according to a press release. Proofpoint has over 4,500 employees and counts 85% of the Fortune 100 as customers.
The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.
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