Jim Cramer Says You Should Buy UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Jim Cramer Says You Should Buy UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
We recently published a list of Top 10 Buzzing Stocks in May. In this article, we are going to take a look at where UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) stands against other top buzzing stocks in May.
The latest quarterly results from a couple of major technology companies have soothed concerns about AI demand that prevailed in the market following the launch of DeepSeek. Storm Uru, Manager at Liontrust Global Dividend Fund, said while talking to CNBC that the Satya Nadella-led tech giant’s results were “extraordinary.”
“50% of that growth came from AI revenue, and that’s an important marker for us going forward. Because after Deepseek about four months ago now, the debate really was around as digital intelligence gets smarter and as it gets cheaper, what is going to be the impact on demand. And what we found out last night was that demand is accelerating,” he said.
David Grain, Founder & CEO of Grain Management, also believes AI demand could be strong amid a variety of factors.
“The advent of AI has created this explosion of demand for data centers and compute power, but the drivers of where it makes sense to actually build these data centers has a lot to do with the availability of reliable and high quantity of electricity. So I think there’s definitely no slowdown in the demand side of the equation,” he said during an interview with CNBC.
READ ALSO: 7 Best Stocks to Buy For Long-Term and 8 Cheap Jim Cramer Stocks to Invest In.
For this article, we picked 10 stocks making moves these days. With each stock, we have mentioned the number of hedge fund investors. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
Jim Cramer Says You Should Buy UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 112
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) was falling after the company announced a CEO transition and suspended its guidance amid rising medical costs. A few days ago, Jim Cramer had talked about the stock and gave some bullish comments about it on CNBC.
“It’s going to be under pressure for some time because a lot of companies, really a lot of big pension funds and mutual fund managers, thought everything was perfect. But I am going to say today at $400, I would indeed start a position. I have been very negative on UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) from 6:30 down to this caller right here. I would start a position at 400 bucks. That’s a big change for me.”
Story Continues
Parnassus Growth Equity Fund stated the following regarding UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:
“We sold two Health Care positions during the quarter, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and insurerUnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH). UnitedHealth’s business model is becoming higher-risk, which coupled with slowing Medicare Advantage growth and regulatory uncertainty led to us exiting the position.
Overall, UNH ranks 5th on our list of top buzzing stocks in May. While we acknowledge the potential of UNH, our conviction lies in the belief that under the radar AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than UNH but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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Sen. Klobuchar, potential 2028 candidate, to accuse Trump of “unprecedented overreach” in speech tonight
Sen. Klobuchar, potential 2028 candidate, to accuse Trump of “unprecedented overreach” in speech tonight
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar is set to give a speech on the rule of law and what she paints as President Trump’s overreach on Wednesday night, as Democrats look to find effective messaging that will resonate with voters about the early days of the Republican’s second term in the White House.
Excerpts obtained by CBS News ahead of the event hosted by The New Republic show Klobuchar, a leading Senate Democrat who has not ruled out a 2028 presidential run, plans to make the case that “Donald Trump is trying to remake the executive office into one that is immune from outside accountability.”
“He’s engaging in unprecedented overreach that disregards the rule of law and pretends as if the independent judiciary is a bug rather than a feature of our system,” the Minnesota senator plans to say, according to the excerpts.
Mr. Trump’s first months since he returned to the White House have found the president and his allies leaning heavily on executive power. His administration has clashed with Democrats over its attempts at curtailing spending already approved by Congress and has tangled with multiple federal judges over immigration.
Mr. Trump appeared to further underscore the tension between branches of government on Monday, when he posted on social media, “if we’re not allowed to send the murderers and other criminals of every type, size, and shape, IMMEDIATELY out of our Country, we aren’t going to have a Country anymore. Radical Left Judges and politicians don’t care, but 90% of the people in the U.S.A. do. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will agree with this and, SAVE AMERICA!”
Klobuchar, who is the leading Democrat on the Senate’s agriculture committee and served as the Hennepin County Attorney in Minnesota before being elected to Washington, is also expected to try to put a real-world face on what she views as the impact of tariffs during Mr. Trump’s second term.
“Who’s the roadkill with Trump’s tariffs?” Klobuchar’s excerpts show. “The small businesses. The small farmers. The consumers who are facing a $4,000 tariff tax.”
Mr. Trump recently took to social media and defended his tariff policy, writing that “the very STUPID Democrats are doing everything within their power to disparage what is happening. They are totally unhinged, and have lost all levels of Confidence. It is a financial REVOLUTION, and they are being Crushed.”
Minnesota’s senior senator is viewed as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, after a 2020 primary run that saw her finish a strong and surprising third in the New Hampshire primary only to face struggles expanding her base of support shortly afterward. Klobuchar has not indicated whether she will seek the presidency in 2028, but did not explicitly rule out running when asked by “Meet The Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday.
Since her 2020 campaign, Klobuchar’s political power has risen in Washington while she’s also maintained a major focus on antitrust issues, a topic that is also interwoven into her approach during her upcoming remarks on Wednesday.
“We hear that phrase a lot these days – the rule of law. With our economy heading toward a cliff, you may ask – “Why is this important to me?” It’s a legitimate question,” Klobuchar is set to say Wednesday. “My answer? Everything we hold faith in across this country — including our economy — is glued together by law.”
Klobuchar’s speech comes as intrigue continues to swirl about who truly is the leader of the Democratic party after the setbacks the left faced in the 2024 election. Democrats are looking to chart a path forward after last fall’s election saw the party lose the White House and Senate and fail to retake the House. At the same time, there’s clear tension within the base of the party about the best way to politically challenge Mr. Trump after his convincing win in November.
Even though national Democrats struggled in 2024, the Minnesota senator is fresh off a strong political performance in her home state.
Last year, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris won Minnesota by more than 4 points, in what amounted to a surprisingly close result in a state that has not voted for a Republican for president since Richard Nixon in 1972. Klobuchar in turn performed far better than the top of the Democratic ticket in Minnesota as she successfully ran for a fourth term, winning around 135,000 more votes than Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Hunter Woodall
Hunter Woodall is a political editorial producer for CBS News. He covered the 2020 New Hampshire primary for The Associated Press and has also worked as a Kansas statehouse reporter for The Kansas City Star and the Washington correspondent for Minnesota’s Star Tribune.
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As eyes turn toward Turkey, a question looms: Who will show up for Russia-Ukraine peace talks? – AP News
As eyes turn toward Turkey, a question looms: Who will show up for Russia-Ukraine peace talks? – AP News
As eyes turn toward Turkey, a question looms: Who will show up for Russia-Ukraine peace talks? AP NewsTaking Inches in Battle, Russia Demands Miles in Talks The New York TimesDiverting Trump’s Middle East trip to Turkey would be a logistical nightmare. Trump says it’s still ‘a possibility.’ CNNPutin and Trump still ‘maybes’ for Ukraine peace talks that Russian leader proposed ReutersKremlin declines to say if Putin will meet Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in Istanbul Al Jazeera
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Afro Samurai Series & Movie Steelbook Collection Gets Great Discount
Afro Samurai Series & Movie Steelbook Collection Gets Great Discount
Amazon has a great deal on the collectible Blu-ray box set featuring Afro Samurai: The Complete Series and the 2009 sequel film, Afro Samurai: Resurrection. Released last November with a retail price of $40, Afro Samurai’s Steelbook Blu-ray bundle is discounted to $28 right now.
Afro Samurai is one of the coolest anime of all time, and the recently released edition comes with an appropriately stylish steelbook case featuring artwork for the show on one side and the film on the other. This Director’s Cut features interviews with the cast, discussions with RZA, behind-the-scenes features, and more. You can also grab The Complete Afro Samurai Manga Slipcase Set for only $25 (was $40) at Amazon.
Afro Samurai – Complete Series + Resurrection
Adapted from the aforementioned manga written and illustrated by manga artist Takashi Okazaki, Afro Samurai tells the story of a lone samurai out for revenge. A tale about warriors fighting to possess the Number 1 headband–which is said to grant god-like powers and immortality–the only way to obtain it is to challenge and defeat its current owner in combat. Only the wearer of the Number 2 headband may challenge Number 1, and naturally, fighters from across the land regularly battle one another for the magical scrap of cloth.
The first Afro Samurai mini-series was animated by powerhouse studio Gonzo all the way back in 2007 and starred Samuel L. Jackson as the voice of Afro. The Wu-***** Clan’s RZA was the music composer, and with the miniseries featuring incredible and brutal animation, it quickly became a cult-classic.
Resurrection followed up the series in 2009. This Director’s Cut version of the film includes more behind-the-scenes documentaries, interviews, and a look at the Afro Samurai video game that was released that same year.
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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim: ‘I’m far from quitting’
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim: ‘I’m far from quitting’
The aftermath of the West Ham defeat has been filled with stories about the plans United’s hierarchy have put in place around the final.
Limits have been placed on the number of tickets players are allowed – and what staff are entitled to.
There will be no parade in the event of a win against Tottenham. Instead celebrations will be restricted to a low-key barbeque at the club’s Carrington training ground when Amorim’s squad return on Thursday.
Evidently, Amorim and his players have the financial muscle to pay for their friends and family to get to Bilbao if needed.
However, others who work closely with the first team are not in the same fortunate financial position.
So, at a time when a second round of up to 200 redundancies are planned following the 250 jobs that were axed last year, Amorim and his players have decided to help out by paying for some tickets for the backroom team’s families.
“The situation is simple,” he said. “We have a lot of things, with people leaving and a lot of changes in the staff, so at this moment in our club sometimes it is hard to know when to give and when to take.
“We have to respect the people whose jobs are being taken to survive and rebuild.
“It is complicated for the club to start giving to other members of staff, which makes it a really hard position.
“That situation was explained so my reaction was to help.
“It is not going to change my life [financially]. To help the staff be there and comfortable means they will be better staff for the final.
“We talk to the players and the players have the same reaction – everybody wants their families there.”
Amorim has his own experience of a Europa League final, as a player in the Benfica side beaten on penalties by Sevilla in Turin in 2014.
Aside from the £100m financial windfall that qualification for the Champions League would bring, as a straightforward football match Amorim knows next week is not a game to lose.
“I will never say I was a finalist,” he said. “The feeling has to be ‘what a waste of time’.
“My message to the players is we have to win or it doesn’t matter.”
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Devolver Digital Announces Shroom And Gloom, A First-Person ‘Double-Deckbuilder’ Roguelike With A Demo Out Now
Devolver Digital Announces Shroom And Gloom, A First-Person ‘Double-Deckbuilder’ Roguelike With A Demo Out Now
Devolver Digital, as a publisher, has quite an eye for games that fall somewhere between strange, fun, odd, and charming, and the latest game it has announced, Shroom and Gloom, fits right in. Developer Team Lazerbeam describes the game as a first-person roguelike double-deckbuilder. Players must work through mysterious fungi-filled dungeons that combine hand-drawn 2D art and animations with 3D exploration.
The reveal trailer shows how the game’s mechanics work, including why Shroom and Gloom is a “double deck-builder.” The first deck players build is one for exploration, with different cards serving as tools to help advance through dungeons. Then, when it’s time to fight, players use a separate combat deck to take down fungal enemies.
Check out the double-deck action in the trailer below:
Shroom and Gloom allows players to collect new cards and upgrade and modify them “infinitely,” suggesting a lot of customization for players’ decks. After defeating these mushroom foes, you can season, skewer, roast, and ultimately eat them to restore health.
Team Lazerbeam says its dream version of Shroom and Gloom features “hundreds of cards, deep meta-progression and scores of unique enemies, spread across a dense network of caves and tunnels.” It also says the game is in an early stage of development, but it encourages players to check out the demo on Steam.
While waiting to learn more about Shroom and Gloom, check out this fresh batch of screenshots below:
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Buy these dividend-paying regional bank stocks, Truist says
Buy these dividend-paying regional bank stocks, Truist says
Large banks have many advantages over smaller counterparts, but several regional bank stocks remain standouts, according to Truist. Plus, they pay solid dividends. Bank stocks have largely reversed course after sinking on President Donald Trump ‘s tariff policy announcement in early April. The SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF has seen four consecutive weeks of gains and is up about 5% so far this week. Yet the ETF is still down nearly 2% year to date. KRE YTD mountain SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF in 2025. In this environment, Truist is being selective when it comes to small- and mid-cap (SMID) banks. “Amidst the uncertain macro backdrop, we favor a mix of names with outsize[d] organic growth opportunities driven by differentiated business models and/or footprint, potential to be disciplined participants in an eventual M & A revival, and leverage to positive cyclical trends as balance sheets turn over,” a team of analysts led by David Smith wrote in a note on Monday. Since SMID-cap banks rely on customer relationships within a smaller geographic footprint, investors can look at differing economic conditions across the country, the analysts said. Here are four names Truist rates a buy, one in each geographic region. Old National Bancorp , in the Midwest, has a 2.49% dividend yield. The Evansville, Indiana-based bank recently closed its merger with Bremer Financial, expanding its footprint into new markets across Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota, analyst Brian Foran said. “The bank has a good track record on meeting and beating targets of previous large deals, and we see a path of maintaining mid-to-high teens [return on tangible common equity] and getting efficiency ratio below 50s, with more than 20% EPS accretion in 2026 generated from Bremer integration,” he wrote. Shares are up 4% so far this year. Foran’s $26 price target suggests nearly 16% upside from Tuesday’s close. In the Northeast, Webster Financial is one bank that Smith likes. He has a price target of $61 on the stock, implying 15% upside. Headquartered in Stamford, Conn., the bank’s footprint spans from New York to Massachusetts, he noted. It is one of the more profitable in his research universe, with its efficient operations and low-cost, diversified funding base, he said. “Webster also boasts some niche lending businesses and high capital levels, though we expect more focus on organic growth or buybacks near term,” Smith wrote. “Although higher [commercial real estate] concentration and slower growth markets are concerns, we view them as offering diversification and see a compelling valuation.” The stock yields 3.03% and has lost 3% year to date. With Synovus Financial , investors get a dividend equal to a current yield of 3.15%. The bank, headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, is in the middle innings of a self-improvement journey, analyst John McDonald said. It has an attractive footprint across five states in the Southeast, with 70% of its markets in high growth areas, he said. “The bank has streamlined its structure and slimmed exposures, and is now executing on organic expansion while delivering more consistent credit quality,” McDonald wrote. “Stock trades at a valuation discount, and current profitability/franchise value offers an opportunity to shed legacy perceptions through consistent execution.” He has a $56 price target on Synovus, suggesting it can move 13% above Tuesday’s close. Synovus Financial is down 3% so far this year. Lastly, Western Alliance Bancorp , whose dividend equals a 1.91% dividend yield, is one of the fastest growing banks based on internal growth rather than mergers and acqusitions, Smith said. Headquartered in Phoenix, Western Alliance has shifted from a real-estate heavy, community bank to a diversified commercial bank with numerous niche businesses that provide attractive profit margins, he noted. “While above-average CRE and office concentration, coupled with a poor [global financial crisis] loan loss performance, give some investors concern on credit, WAL has transformed its balance sheet,” Smith wrote. “Following a considerable liquidity & capital build after the bank was caught up in the March Madness of ’23 that saw its industry-leading returns dip, Western Alliance is poised to once again be among the more profitable midsize banks.” Truist’s 12-month price target of $92 suggests 15.5% upside from Tuesday’s close. The stock has slipped 4% year to date.
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In pictures: Mother’s Day annual buffet breakfast at the Sanctuary Golf Resort
In pictures: Mother’s Day annual buffet breakfast at the Sanctuary Golf Resort
Mums were treated to a buffet breakfast at the weekend in honour of Mother’s Day.
Community members gathered at Sanctuary Golf Resort with their matriarchs for a big breakfast complete with tea, coffee and sweet treats along with all the usual breakfast fixings.
Event co-ordinator Ally Hudson said it had been a “beautiful day” with a “great turnout”.
The special breakfast has been running since 2017 and takes eight months of planning, and Ms Hudson said they usually seat about 300 people.
Camera IconCasey, ***** and Charlie Ritchie at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconAudrey and Tracy Whiffin at the annual Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconJan Decatania and Mike and Joy Wernham at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconThe Riches and Upson families at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconJosh, Savannah, Georgia and Charlotte Bylund with Sharni Bennell at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconRyan and Nicole Jewell at the annual Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconStella, Shane, Charlee and Caleb Baggetta at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconThe Stott and Nielson families at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconDante and Amanda Wornum at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconAdam and Fallon King with Tanner, Ace and Tate at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconJake, Andrea, Ivy and Kodie Ellis at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconJoel and Dean McCracken with Cathy Fulford at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconLachlan, Vanessa, Riley and Sharon Hamilton at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconBethany Eggling and James and Scarlett Chambers at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western TimesCamera IconWiki and Pam Marks at the Mother’s Day buffet breakfast. Credit: Sofia Fimognari/South Western Times
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I’m already having a blast with FBC: Firebreak’s creative co-op action
I’m already having a blast with FBC: Firebreak’s creative co-op action
As I fought a giant sticky note monster deep within the executive offices of the Federal Bureau of Control, I found quiet solace in the fact that Remedy Entertainment hadn’t lost any of its quirky, wildly creative charm with its new cooperative first-person shooter FBC: Firebreak.
Whenever a studio known for excellent single-player adventures branches out and tries something different, it always feels like a toss-up as to whether or not it’ll succeed. Situations like Rare and Sea of Thieves stand as success stories, while disasters like Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League serve as cautionary tales. Fortunately, after going hands-on with the game for three hours, it feels like FBC: Firebreak is going to be the former, not the latter.
The studio’s lack of experience with the genre can be seen in things like UI clarity, but for the most part, this is a cooperative shooter that thrives thanks to satisfying gun play and creative mission design that takes full advantage of Remedy’s wacky connected universe. FBC: Firebreak is a game I already want to go back and play more of, which is a good sign after just a few hours of hands-on.
In FBC: Firebreak, players control volunteers clearing out supernatural threats that have overtaken The Oldest House. Players complete different jobs in teams of three, completing special mission-specific objectives before returning to the elevator and leaving. It occupies the same space as games like Left 4 Dead and Deep Rock Galactic, which is a smart move for Remedy rather than trying to make a name for itself in the competitive extraction shooter or battle royale spaces.
Each player can equip a different kit associated with a different element. I used the Jump Kit, which centers around electrocuting enemies. A good team composition would also include a kit that could get enemies wet, as that increased the area of effect for my electrical abilities. Different situations in each of FBC’s levels impact the elements at play. A fiery grenade can set off a sprinkler, staying near a furnace for too long can cause heat damage, or holding radiated leech pearls for too long could poison me. A lot of the fun in FBC comes from the interplay of all these elements, and I was cheering when my squad could pull off a devastating enemy combo.
The gunplay of FBC also feels tight so far, with the machine gun becoming a favorite of mine due to how the gun animated as I fired it. As someone who was disappointed by only being able to wield a pistol in Control, I appreciate that FBC lets me use some of the other weapons I’ve seen in that world. FBC is at its strongest when it leans into the Remedy of it all. Exploring the furnace from a new angle made me more intimately familiar with the area, while level conceits like sticky note monsters or growths on a wall that drop radioactive pearls are supernatural in a way that only quite works in Remedy’s Connected Universe.
Remedy Entertainment
I’m also grateful that this hands-on affirmed that FBC has strong mission design. The weakness of many co-op shooters, like Suicide Squad, is that missions often just boil down to killing a certain number of enemies and moving on. FBC is never quite that simple, having players move a shuttle along a track as they collect pearls or run around the furnace activating generators as hordes of enemies charge at players. The objectives change as players increase the difficulty, which should add some more replay value.
FBC isn’t like other cooperative shooters, and that’s its greatest strength. It’s also why I hope it’ll allow me to overlook some of Remedy’s growing pains as it enters the multiplayer space with a new interpretation on the world of Control. During my time with FBC, there were some UI and UX clarity issues. For instance, I had trouble understanding which enemies were damaging me. One objective, which had my team filling barrels with a substance before throwing them into a giant furnace, was confusing because it wasn’t completely clear which barrels were filled or where we could fill them.
In a debrief before my demo, Remedy said it was working on making features, systems, and UI clearer, so hopefully some of that will be resolved before launch. If it can clean all of that up, though, Remedy has what could be a gem of a multiplayer shooter on its hands. As someone subscribed to both of the services FBC is launching onto, I’m eager to give it another shot when it comes out.
FBC: Firebreak launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on June 17 and will be available from day one as part of the PS Plus Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate catalogs.
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DoorDash delivery driver pleads guilty to stealing $2.5 million in deliveries scam
DoorDash delivery driver pleads guilty to stealing $2.5 million in deliveries scam
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former food delivery driver pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to steal more than $2.5 million from DoorDash by getting the company to pay for deliveries that never occurred, federal prosecutors said.
Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in San Jose to a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Devagiri, 30, of Newport Beach, California, admitted to working with three others in 2020 and 2021 to defraud the San Francisco-based delivery company, federal prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Devagiri used customer accounts to place high-value orders and then used an employee’s credential to gain access to DoorDash software and manually reassign the orders to driver accounts that he and others controlled. He then caused the fraudulent driver accounts to report that the orders had been delivered when they had not, and manipulated DoorDash’s computer systems to pay the fraudulent driver accounts for the nonexistent deliveries, officials said.
Devagiri would then use DoorDash software to change the orders from “delivered” status to “in process” status and manually reassign the orders to driver accounts he and others controlled, beginning the process again, prosecutors said.
Devagiri is the third defendant to be convicted of his role in this conspiracy. Two co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, authorities said.
Devagiri faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 16, 2025.
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How to Make a Saddle in Minecraft
How to Make a Saddle in Minecraft
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How to craft a saddle
How to trade for a saddle
How to find saddles in chests
How to get a saddle from fishing
How to use a saddle
You tamed a horse in Minecraft, but the beast still has a mind of its own — it absolutely will not follow your lead. You can corral it inside a fence, but trying to ride it isn’t working like you hoped. Aside from flying, horses are one of the fastest ways to travel, but to take control of your mount, you need a saddle. Previously, you weren’t able to craft a saddle and would have to get one in other ways, including trades at villages, exploration, and fishing. However, after many years, we are finally able to make a saddle for ourselves and we will show you exactly how to do it.
Mojang
How to craft a saddle
As of May 2025, crafting a saddle in Minecraft is only an option in the snapshot test version of the game. However, it is expected to be included into the full game this summer. Either way, this is how making a saddle will work.
Step 1: Collect three leather.
Step 2: Collect one iron ingot.
Step 3: At a crafting table, place the iron ingot in the bottom middle square and the three leather pieces above and beside it as shown in the picture above.
Step 4: Take the saddle from the output.
Step 5: You can now put your saddle on any compatible animal you wish, but there’s also a new feature where you can remove it from a pig without resorting to killing it. If you have some sheers, you can safely remove it from a pig by using them on the pig to collect the saddle and use it on another mount.
Mojang
How to trade for a saddle
While crafting a saddle is still the easiest way to get them, you can still obtain one via trading.
Step 1: Find a village and look for the leatherworker.
Step 2: You’ll need to level up the villager, however, as it won’t offer a saddle until it reaches Level 3. This is accomplished by trading emeralds, leather, rabbit hide, flint, and whatever else the villager wants.
Mojang
Step 3: Once you get the leatherworker to Level 5 (Master), your chance of acquiring a saddle jumps up to 50%.
Mojang
How to find saddles in chests
If you don’t want to craft or spend the time to level up a Leatherworker, your next best bet is to head out and find a saddle packed into a chest. Luckily for you, there are plenty of places to look. Unfortunately, you’re not guaranteed a saddle each time you crack open a chest. Below we provide the locations and your chances of finding a saddle in percentages.
Abandoned mineshafts (percentage unknown)
Desert temples (23.5%)
Dungeons (27.9%)
End City (13.3%)
Jungle temples (12.9%)
Nether Fortress (35.3%)
Strongholds (2.5%)
Mojang
How to get a saddle from fishing
This is the least likely method to produce a saddle, with a 0.8% chance. Simply fish like you would for a normal fish and just hope that you end up pulling a saddle out of the water.
Mojang
How to use a saddle
You didn’t go through all this trouble just for a conversation piece. Slap that saddle on a horse and giddy-up!
Step 1: Make sure you are empty-handed and interact with the horse.
Step 2: The horse may or may not try to buck you off. If it does, repeat step 1 until the horse gives up.
Step 3: While still sitting on the horse, open your inventory. You should see the horse’s inventory combined with yours. Drag the saddle from your inventory up into the top square with a gray saddle icon. Once it’s applied, the horse icon will change.
Now that you have a saddle on the horse, you can steer it wherever you like.
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Judge Orders Georgetown Academic Released From Immigration Detention – The New York Times
Judge Orders Georgetown Academic Released From Immigration Detention – The New York Times
Judge Orders Georgetown Academic Released From Immigration Detention The New York TimesJudge orders release of Georgetown researcher arrested by ICE after allegedly spreading ****** propaganda Fox NewsJudge orders release of Indian academic detained by Ice over pro-************ views The GuardianJudge releases Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri to return to Virginia after ICE detention in Texas CNNGeorgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri released after months in ICE detention NBC News
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The Switch 2’s official specs have dropped, and it’s a huge upgrade
The Switch 2’s official specs have dropped, and it’s a huge upgrade
After much speculation, we finally know the exact hardware specs for the Nintendo Switch 2, and they offer a massive upgrade over its predecessor. Eurogamer revealed the specs, courtesy of Digital Foundry’s Richard Leadbetter, and the numbers show a system significantly more powerful than the original Nintendo Switch, but one that still has certain limitations that developers will need to work around.
First up, the Nintendo Switch 2 has double the cores of the original, sporting a total of eight with two reserved for system operations and six available to developers. It also features six times the number of CUDA cores, at 1536 compared to its predecessor’s 256.
The Switch 2’s listed CPU clock speed is actually lower than the Switch’s, but the other hardware upgrades mean you won’t feel a drop in performance. The differences are negligible, though, with a speed of 998MHz while docked versus the Switch’s 1020MHz. The Switch 2 has a maximum clock speed of 1.7GHz, while the original had a maximum clock speed of 1.785GHz.
The GPU clock speed is nothing to scoff at, either, maxing out at 1.4GHz where the original maxed out at 921MHz. The system will have lower speeds while in handheld mode (as expected), but will still outperform the Switch in every measurable way.
Beyond that, the Switch 2’s memory is greatly improved at 128-bit DDR5 with four times the bandwidth while docked. That’s 102GB per second compared to the original Switch’s 25.6GB per second, and you will absolutely feel that difference in gameplay. Without an upgrade like this, the Switch wouldn’t be able to scale games up 4K resolution.
Finally, the system will reserve 3GB of memory for itself, leaving 9GB available for games.
These are a lot of numbers (and you can get an even more technical deep dive by watching Digital Foundry’s video), but it boils down this: the Nintendo Switch 2 presents a generational leap in power. Its final performance will come down to the individual games, however, and how the developers optimize the titles for this new platform. The Nintendo Switch 2 won’t be on par with the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, but it’s a lot closer than it was.
The upgraded power is necessary, especially with the inclusion of Game Chat. Nintendo expects the service to have an impact on performance, and some of that has been visible in the teaser videos so far (the cameras had noticeable lag). That said, Nintendo has pulled off something of an engineering marvel with the Switch 2, packing the console full of high-end specs that make it a worthwhile competitor to other handhelds like the Steam Deck.
Getting a look at the specs makes it clear how Nintendo was able to get demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 to not only run on the console but look good doing it, avoiding the issues that sprang up with ports like The Witcher 3 on the original Switch.
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Intel teases a new gaming GPU, and it’s one many thought was canceled
Intel teases a new gaming GPU, and it’s one many thought was canceled
Intel’s best graphics card right now is the Arc B580, a midrange card that rivals Nvidia’s RTX 4060. However, it’s long been rumored that Intel might have more up its sleeve, and fans are waiting for it. Could an Arc B770 be in the works? We just got our first solid sign of it being real, and it might be closer than we thought. What a turn of events, given that we thought it might never see light of day!
Intel’s Battlemage lineup is quite modest so far, with only two GPUs out and (sort of) available: The B580 and the B570. However, in the previous generation of GPUs, Intel’s flagship was the Arc A770, so it’s really no wonder that gamers are asking for an update as to whether we can expect one to appear in this generation.
Despite the expectation, Intel has only announced an Arc Pro GPU, soon to be revealed at Computex. As the name suggests, this graphics card — whatever it might turn out to be — won’t be a gaming product. VideoCardz says that we’re looking at an Arc Pro A60 with 24GB of VRAM. However, Intel has more up its sleeve.
Gamers flooded the comment section of the Arc Pro announcement, inquiring after a B770 GPU. Instead of ignoring these comments (which is what I would’ve expected), Intel replied along the lines of: “Stay tuned.”
Now that’s a gamer with great taste. Stay tuned!
— Intel (@intel) May 13, 2025
This puts many previous leaks into perspective. In the last few days, we’ve heard of an Arc B580 with 24GB of VRAM, but also a dual-GPU version of that card that would sport a whopping 48GB of video memory. While I could see the 24GB version being aimed at gamers, it’s hard to imagine that the 48GB version would be.
Now, the question is: Are those Arc B580 leaks really all just about the Arc B770 and the Arc Pro, or are there even more GPUs coming up soon? It’s possible that all three of those things are true. Intel very well might announce a B770 during Computex, as rumor has it that the BMG-G21 GPU that powers the B580 is not the top chip in the lineup — Intel reportedly also has the BMG-G31, a flagship GPU that’d fit nicely in a potential B770. Many said it was canceled, but Intel’s never officially said anything about it.
The high-memory Arc B580 designs are said to be made by one of Intel’s partners, so that could still happen. And, of course, the Arc Pro GPU is all but confirmed.
It sounds like this year’s Computex will be an interesting one for Intel. Stay tuned — we’ll keep you posted.
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Boeing wins Qatar Airways order of up to 210 jets
Boeing wins Qatar Airways order of up to 210 jets
Qatar Airways has agreed to buy up to 210 jets from American manufacturing giant Boeing, according to US President Donald Trump, who announced the $96bn order as part of his tour of the Middle East.
The White House said the deal would support 154,000 jobs in the US each year of production and marked the largest-ever order of 787 Dreamliners, a wide-body jet used for longer flights.
Qatar Airways and Boeing did not immediately comment.
It is the second deal involving Boeing to be announced as part of Trump’s trip, marking a win for the company as it tries to rebuild its business after a series of manufacturing and safety issues.
The blow-out of a panel on one of its planes in January 2024 forced a dramatic slowdown in its manufacturing operations and sparked a more than $10bn loss last year.
But shares in the company, which was also hurt by a seven-week strike by some of its workers, have climbed roughly 20% since January, an indication of increased optimism about the firm’s prospects.
Boss Kelly Ortberg told investors in April that the firm’s recovery plan was in “full swing” after the firm delivered a greater-than-expected 130 aircraft in the first three months of the year.
Executives said the firm still had a backlog of 5,600 planes, amounting to more than seven years of production.
The Qatar Airways deal, which includes 777X aircraft as well as Dreamliners, was part of more than $240bn in “economic deals” between the US and Qatar that the White House announced as part of the trip.
It would deepen a longstanding relationship between Boeing and the state-owned airline, which already had 150 Boeing airplanes in its fleet and more than 130 jets on order, according to Boeing’s website.
“It’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing, that’s good,” Trump said at the signing “So that’s a record, Kelly, and congratulations to Boeing. Get those planes out there, get them out there.”
As part of Trump’s trip, Boeing had previously announced it had won a commitment from Saudia Arabia’s Avilease, which leases planes to airlines, to buy 20 737 MAX planes, with options for 10 more.
British Airways owner IAG also said earlier this month that it had placed an order for 32 787-10 aircraft worth $13bn, a deal Trump previewed as part of his US-*** trade announcement. Those are set to start being delivered in 2028.
The trade truce between the US and China has also helped to ease a challenge for the firm, whose customers in China had stopped accepting planes as tariffs escalated.
“Boeing’s turnaround has been fraught with difficulties, not least last year’s strike, so this deal will feel like a significant win coming hot on the heels of China’s decision to allow its airlines to bring in planes that are currently on order, at least for now,” said AJ Bell head of financial analysis Danni Hewson.
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Mortal Kombat 1 Gets The Definitive Edition Treatment And It’s Out Now
Mortal Kombat 1 Gets The Definitive Edition Treatment And It’s Out Now
Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition has been announced by its developer NetherRealm Studios. Similar to its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition, this bundles the main game together with a ton of DLC, including costumes based on the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 movie. This will be a digital-only release for PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and it’s now available.
The Switch version is priced at $60, while you can pick this up on other platforms for $70. If you already own Mortal Kombat 1, a Definitive Edition upgrade is available, but it carries a steep price: $60 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and $50 on PC.
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Now Playing: Mortal Kombat 1 Video Review
Inside, you’ll find the base Mortal Kombat 1 game, the Khaos Reigns story expansion, the two Kombat Packs that introduced several new characters to the roster, and Mortal Kombat movie character skins for Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, Kitana, Liu Kang, and Shao Kahn.
While the game wasn’t quite as good as Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1 is still a fun brawler that took the series in an interesting new direction. Set in a rebooted universe watched over by Liu Kang following his ascension to the rank of Elder God, Mortal Kombat 1 introduced quite a few twists to the lore of the series and it changed up backstories for several characters. It was followed by the Aftermath expansion that reintroduced several elements from the older games, including the return of gruesome Animality finishers as a freebie for all players.
Here’s the full list of everything included in the Definitive Edition:
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns story expansion
Kombat Pack Fighters: Quan Chi, Ermac, Takeda Takahashi, Omni-Man, Peacemaker, and Homelander
Kombat Pack Kameo Fighters: Tremor, Khameleon, Janet Cage, Mavado, and Ferra
Kombat Pack 2 Fighters: Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, Conan the Barbarian, and T-1000 Terminator
Kombat Pack 2 Kameo Fighter: Madam Bo
Shang Tsung fighter
Mortal Kombat 2 (2025) movie skins: Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana, and Scorpion
Mortal Kombat (2021) movie skin: Sub-Zero
Tournament Liu Kang character skin
Jean-Claude Van Damme Character skin (voice, likeness, outfit) for Johnny Cage
Wedding Scorpion and Empress Mileena character skins
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 character skins for Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot
Animality finishing moves
1,250 Dragon Krystals
The Kombat Packs were a big highlight, as the new fighters added to the game included fan-favorites like Cyrax, Sektor, and Noob Saibot alongside crossover characters like Peacemaker, Homelander, and the T-1000 Terminator. “Great mechanics and a wild story make a solid first impression, but a shallow selection of modes keeps MK1 from a flawless victory,” Jason Fanelli wrote in GameSpot’s Mortal Kombat 1 review.
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Nvidia’s RTX 5080 Super could be coming much sooner than expected
Nvidia’s RTX 5080 Super could be coming much sooner than expected
All eyes are on Nvidia and AMD as they get ready to launch some of the best graphics cards for the mainstream market, meaning the RTX 5060 and the RX 9060 XT. However, a new leak tells us that Nvidia is working on a GPU that’s set to come out later this year, and it’s one that might finally live up to the expectations. I’m talking about the RTX 5080 Super (or Ti).
The tantalizing leak comes from Baidu and was first shared by Wccftech. According to the leaker, who is a moderator on the Baidu forums, Nvidia will launch the RTX 5080S or the RTX 5080 Ti at the end of the year. Spec-wise, we don’t know much, but the leaker says it’s “basically certain” that the new graphics card will sport 24GB of VRAM, which marks an 8GB upgrade over the RTX 5080. That kind of memory capacity would also put the GPU on par with the RTX 4090.
Upon launch of the RTX 5080, many were hoping that it’d replace the last-gen RTX 4090. Unfortunately, the card never made it to that level, and even overclocking can’t bring it on par with the Ada flagship. However, depending on the specs of the rumored RTX 5080 Super, we might see the two cards battle it out on more even ground.
Jacob ****** / Digital Trends
Memory alone won’t be enough to boost the bandwidth significantly; the GPU would also need a wider memory bus to match, and ideally, more CUDA cores. In the RTX 40-series, the RTX 4080 and the RTX 4080 Super were practically the same GPU in terms of specs, with a minor uplift in CUDA cores for the Super card and no changes to the memory interface. As a result, the GPU was around 1-3% faster than its predecessor.
The exciting thing here is that the RTX 5080 Super/Ti might arrive sooner than expected. If Nvidia does launch it at the end of 2025, it’ll change things up compared to its previous release cycle, where the Super refresh came at the beginning of the year, meaning a bit over a year after the initial launch of the RTX 4080.
Even if the above turns out to be true, I wouldn’t expect any announcements from Nvidia until the final quarter of the year, so we’ll just have to be patient.
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How will Stephen Fry, Alan Carr, Cat Burns and others fare in new reality show?
How will Stephen Fry, Alan Carr, Cat Burns and others fare in new reality show?
BBC/Studio Lambert/Peacock/Euan Cherry
The roundtable of stars joining Claudia Winkleman on Celebrity Traitors boasts household names
The line-up for ***’s celebrity edition of The Traitors has finally been revealed – with enough star power to rival Graham Norton’s chat show sofa.
The 19-strong roundtable of stars joining Claudia Winkleman at Ardross Castle in Scotland boasts household names across sport and the arts.
Among them are comedians Stephen Fry and Alan Carr, chat show host Jonathan Ross and Olympic diver Tom Daley – all vying to win the game of deception.
Singers Paloma Faith, Cat Burns and Charlotte Church will also be there, alongside others including historian David Olusoga, broadcaster Clare Balding, actress Celia Imrie and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed.
The third series of The Traitors, which aired in January, attracted more than 10 million viewers with its opening episode and 7.4m for its live finale.
The show’s format is deceptively simple. A handful of contestants, known as traitors, pick off their castmates, the faithful, with nightly “murders” – while the faithful try to work out their identity. If any traitors remain at the end, they nab the cash prize (though this time the money goes to a charity of the winner’s choosing).
The celebrity season, which airs this autumn, will bring a unique mix of fame, ego and public image to the popular format. BBC News speaks to psychologists to uncover likely faithfuls, traitors and frontrunners.
The comediansGetty Images
Alan Carr hosts numerous TV shows
Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry, Joe Wilkinson and Lucy Beaumont
Comedians are likely to be “the obvious frontrunners to go the distance”, says Susie Masterson, a psychotherapist registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Humour can be a highly adapted defence mechanism, she says, which can make comedians more opaque than other contestants.
Comics are also quick on their feet, used to presenting a persona and masking in public – this makes them well-equipped traitors, notes Masterson.
“I think Alan Carr could well be a frontrunner,” she says. “There is an affability about him, but he’s also not afraid of stirring the pot. He’s very authentic and has a big personality without necessarily dominating the space.”
But fame could disadvantage the high-profile names in the group, like Jonathan Ross. Status, explains consultant counselling psychologist Dr Ritika Suk Birah, can create a power imbalance.
“It can make others feel threatened or suspicious of their motives, even when there’s no evidence,” she says.
This may be a particular challenge for those understood as both intelligent and articulate, like Stephen Fry.
This perception can lead others to assume strategic manipulation, potentially forcing early elimination out of fear rather than logic, adds Dr Birah.
Unfortunately, Masterson also believes Fry could fit into the category of contestants who “struggle with criticism or scrutiny”.
“He might struggle with banishing people as well as any potential heat he might receive,” she says.
The singersGetty Images
Welsh singer Charlotte Church
Paloma Faith, Cat Burns and Charlotte Church
Stage performers like Cat Burns are used to high-pressure situations, interacting with a variety of people in a live environment. “This could help at the round table,” says Masterson.
She adds that Paloma Faith and Charlotte Church are both “big personalities and have direct communication styles”. While this may make them good motivators, Masterson is unsure whether they can appear contained or measured enough to endure as traitors.
The sports starsGetty Images
Tom Daley is Britain’s most decorated diver
Tom Daley, Joe Marler and Clare Balding
Sports people will likely make good faithfuls, says Masterson, as strong physical types tend to do better in most of the challenges and can also both lead and motivate the rest of the group. They are also usually goal-driven and able to handle pressure.
“They are quite different personalities in this group, and I’m interested to see how it might play out,” says Masterson.
“Clare Balding is very practical and pragmatic, but we have also seen her emotional side on TV recently”.
She feels Tom Daley, and to a lesser extent Balding, could well be “golden retriever types” – loyal and supportive – whereas rugby star Joe Marler may be less likely to want to talk things through.
As for the in-built competitive edge, she says success depends on whether they can “play as a team rather than against each other.”
The actorsGetty Images
Celia Imrie’s long screen career includes Absolutely Fabulous and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Nick Mohammad, Mark Bonnar, Tameka Empson, Ruth Codd, Celia Imrie
Actors, like comics, may also face distrust depending on how much their castmates expect them to be naturally deceptive.
However, among the group of actors, there is a good mix of ages, types of acting and levels of fame – from soap star Tameka Empson to established film names like Mark Bonnar and Celia Imrie. This could “balance out this superficial disadvantage” by muddying the threat level, says Masterson.
She says cast members with lesser-known personalities, like Ruth Codd and Nick Mohammed, might be harder to read.
The media personalities Getty Images
Historian and author David Olusoga has presented numerous documentaries
David Olusoga, Niko Omilana and Kate Garraway
Presenters like Kate Garraway will be used to live interactions, giving them a potential advantage at the roundtable, notes Masterson.
Historian David Olusoga, as a heavyweight intellect, will likely face the same preconception struggle as Fry, she says.
Masterson also adds that quiet people can struggle to go the distance on the show, as they can either be perceived as threatening or unsupportive by the group.
But the show’s history has shown this isn’t always the case. Last year’s contestant Francesca was hardly visible in the first few episodes, even prompting memes about her supposed irrelevancy, before growing into the show and making it to the final.
One dark horse is YouTube prankster Niko Omilana, says author Eloise Skinner, who holds a diploma in psychotherapy.
His career in social media and online content might offer an edge in the game, as someone fluent in an online world that is hyper-aware of perception.
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The best games we played at PAX East 2025
The best games we played at PAX East 2025
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Fresh Tracks
Battle Train
Tunnels
Let Them Trade
VILE: Exhumed
Pigface
Nocturne
The Lacerator
Heartworm
PAX EAST returned to Boston this year with nearly three hundred exhibitors for four days of video games and gamer culture. With over 100,000 attendees, it was a weekend full of games to play, people to meet, and spectacular cosplays to marvel at. Digital Trends attended this year’s show and went hands-on with several upcoming games that should be on your radar. From an RPG about exploring the digital afterlife to a roguelite about exploring trains, here are the most must see games we played at PAX East 2025.
Fresh Tracks
Buffalo Buffalo
Fresh Tracks, from developer Buffalo Buffalo, was one of those games I just couldn’t stop talking about. At first glance it’s a rhythm based, skiing roguelite, but you only need to watch for a few minutes to see it’s so much more than that. Under gorgeous Nordic skies, with skis underfoot and sword in hand, you are on an adventure to stop Mar, the Queen of Terror. As you move, jump, lean, and slash to the rhythm of all original songs it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of it all, though the gameplay was challenging enough to keep me on my toes. As it’s a roguelite, you take on multiple runs, with and learning the patterns like an expert Guitar Hero player seems like great fun. The mix a heavy emphasis on a mythological story with gorgeously intertwined sites and sounds felt like it married some of the best parts of Hades and Sayonara Wild Hearts, and put this squarely on my Steam Wishlist. ~ Justin Koreis
Battle Train
Bandai Namco
Battle Train is a turn-based deck builder and roguelite from Nerd Ninjas and Terrible Posture Games where players build their ultimate train, all while competing on a game show to become the Supreme Conductor. In an interview with Digital Trends, Jessica Woodard, producer at Terrible Posture Games, described it best: “Have you ever in your life felt the deep and abiding urge to take a super-powered steam train, pack it full of explosives, and run it as fast as you can into someone or something?” That’s Battle Train in a nutshell. In each run, players are tasked with ensuring they have enough resources to spend their cards, properly place tracks so they can destroy their opponent, and save up enough money to purchase upgrades. On top of that, each map will have specific cards unique to each level, so it’s always a surprise what you’ll get. ~ Luis Gutierrez
Tunnels
Nomad Monkey
I’m not a big fan of horror games, but in my defense I have a good reason: They scare me. That said, the idea of Tunnels, a terrifyingly immersive VR adventure into claustrophobic caves filled with monsters, was just too interesting to pass up. The demo began with a simple descent into some caves, as I climbed down hand-over-hand from the view of a Meta Quest 3. After a simple tutorial walked me through the basics of running, crawling, and using my flashlight, I was soon squeezing my way through narrow passages and spelunking through the darkness. Suddenly, a strange snarling and crawling shape darting out of view set the hair on the back of my next standing. What followed was a tense cat and mouse game as I tried to evade the creature. The only thing that could keep it at bay was my flashlight, and just thinking about it now the paranoia of hearing it echoing in the distance, and wondering if it was coming up right behind me has my pulse racing. If you have the constitution to handle that, there will be both a full single player story mode and a free-to-play multiplayer option. If you are going to be eaten by monsters in an abandoned mine, may as well do it with friends, right? You can find out when Tunnels launches exclusively for the Meta Quest 2 and 3 on May 15th. ~ Justin Koreis
Let Them Trade
ByteRockers’ Games
It’s hard to go wrong with a chill city builder and Let Them Trade from Byterockers has coziness in spades. Like an adorable and streamlined Civilization, you work on behalf of your kingdom creating towns and industry. Everything drops onto hexagonal tiles in a grid, with an adorable woodcraft aesthetic, and zooming out the camera to reveal it all takes place on a kitchen table was a fun touch. You work for the king, and each city you construct has it’s own economy that can be largely left alone, or micromanaged if you are the sort that likes to tinker on a granular level.
My first goal was to build a few simple townships, one with a potato farm based economy, the other a lumber industry, and connect them so they could open up commerce and trade. I loved watching the little units rolling their cards from town to town, and upgrade trees to unlock things like sawmills created opportunities to branch into different strategies, though without the complexity of the most hardcore games of the genre. Another scenario asked me to build a fishing village then, in a surprise twist, the king dropped an extra and unexpected construction project for some sort of tower. This came with a list of materials needed, but no clear directions on how to get them, creating a nice (but reasonable) puzzle to solve to advance. Let Them Trade oozes charm, with a demo out now and a planned full release later this year. ~ Justin Koreis
VILE: Exhumed
Final Girl Games
I’m not sure if a video game can ever truly capture the struggles that many women face daily, but Vile: Exhumed aims to do just that in visceral fashion. Developed by Final Girl Games, Vile: Exhumed has players uncovering what happened to a female actress. To discover it, you’re forced to explore some dark parts of the internet and interact with truly horrible folks. After I was done with my demo, I felt as if I needed to take a shower to wash all the grime away and collect my thoughts. That’s precisely why this game is on our list. Vile: Exhumed aims to provoke strong emotions in players and leave them with a better understanding of struggles they may not experience in their own lives. It’s already had an impact on me after one demo. ~ Luis Gutierrez
Pigface
titolovesyou
Pigface from developer titolovesyou is a grimy throwback to the PS2 era games that your parents warned you about. The setup is simple: You wake up in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse, while a Jigsaw-like voice explains that there is a bomb drilled into your skull, and if you don’t follow his demands, you die. Your first order of business? Kill the people coming in to kill you. This first person shooter seems equal parts Condemned and Manhunt, as my demo had me picking up any weapon I could find, like guns, hammers, and throwing axes, with sprays of blood and severed heads flying as we tore through the nameless enemies. With a sizable body count already, I’m then introduced to the big picture: Whether I like it or not, I am a hitman, and I can either take on missions or die. ~ Justin Koreis
Nocturne
Pracy Studios
One of the most eye-catching games at PAX East was Pracy Studio’s Nocturne, part of the featured PAX Rising showcase. Gorgeous 16-bit inspired pixel graphics harken back to the SNES era in this story heavy RPG. The setup is intriguing: When people die, their consciousness gets uploaded to Maya, a digital afterlife. As someone who is deceased, you arrive looking for your brother. He has been uploaded, but no one has any idea where he is. You’re left searching in a world that seems to be teetering on the edge of corruption as AI takes control, and the few with admin powers fight among themselves in a story that has the potential to fit in perfect with the classic fantasy RPGs that so clearly inspired it. In a unique twist, battles play out as rhythm games, with perfectly timed button presses helping you build up attacks. If you time it just right you can even interrupt incoming attacks, adding a layer of thoughtfulness to the rhythm. Between the catchy beats, gorgeous graphics, and thoughtful story about what it means to be alive, this has all the makings of one of the year’s most intriguing games when it releases in early 2026. ~ Justin Koreis
The Lacerator
Games from the Abyss
The Lacerator, by Games from the Abyss, clearly takes inspiration from retro games from the PS2 era, and that’s great because I missed out on many of those games (I was no older than 3 years old during the original PS2 era). You play as an adult movie star who wakes up in some kind of horror building filled with people and traps waiting to kill you. I was caught by surprise early in my demo when character’s hand was suddenly cut off when I reached for a pistol. I didn’t die; the game just kept going. The catch was that my aim was off, and I couldn’t throw as many punches, creating a hurdle for me to overcome. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it far and ended up dying rather quickly, but the humor mixed with the dark tone created something rather unique. If I hadn’t been playing a demo, I would have started over and kept trying new methods to get further. That’s how fast it got its hooks in me. ~ Luis Gutierrez
Heartworm
Vincent Adinolfi
Heartworm is another game that takes huge inspiration from the PS2 horror era, as evidenced by its fixed camera angles. This one stood out to me for one huge reason: The primary weapon in this game is a film camera you use to fight off static monsters. Whenever you use the camera to defend yourself, the game will immediately switch to a 3rd person angle so you can properly aim and snap some pictures of these monsters before they kill you. Heartworm isn’t afraid to get weird with itself either. There were a couple of moments where I found myself walking through a floating street, just to end up in a flooded house up to my knees. Set pieces like that kept my demo interesting, but I was more so happy to have my creative muscles exercised here. I genuinely wanted to take some good pictures! ~ Luis Gutierrez
Honorable Mentions
Devolver had a great showcase this year, featuring Botsu, a hilarious robot-sports party game with more than a little Gang Beasts style, and the Helldivers inspired, ******* planet assaulting first-poerson shooter Mycopunk.
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer is a cute and cozy Paperboy/Tony Hawk hybrid where you play as an adorable Tanuki on a BMX delivering mail, and taking on all sorts of challenges like a Sumo Wrestling minigame.
Be My Horde is a Vampire Survivors-like where you control a sassy necromancer, battling the living and raising the dead to create an unstoppable army.
Our Shadow Labyrinth demo really hammered home the fact that the dark Pac-Man spinoff feels like something special.
Fatal Run 2089 is like the perfect marriage of Burnout and Twisted Metal, and yet another in what has been a series of impressive titles from Atari.
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Trump says Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon” but adds he wants to “make a deal”
Trump says Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon” but adds he wants to “make a deal”
President Trump on Wednesday told Gulf leaders he urgently wants “to make a deal” with Iran to wind down its nuclear program but said Tehran must end its support of proxy groups throughout the region as part of any potential agreement.
Iran “must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons,” Trump said in remarks at a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital. “They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
The U.S. and Iran have engaged in four rounds of talks since early last month focused on Iran’s nuclear program. Mr. Trump has repeatedly said that he believes brokering a deal is possible but that the window is closing.
The president’s strongly worded push on Iran to cease support of ****** in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen come as its proxy network has faced significant setbacks in the 19 months since ******-led militants launched the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and 251 were taken as hostages back into Gaza. Some of those hostages have been killed or have been released as part of deals, but there are still some 58 hostages being held by ******.
In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Mr. Trump’s remarks “deceitful” but did not directly address his call on Iran to cease support of proxy groups.
Later, Mr. Trump, in an exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One, urged Iran “to make the right decision” about its nuclear program “because something’s going to happen one way or the other.”
“So we’ll either do it friendly or we’ll do it very unfriendly,” Mr. Trump warned. “And that won’t be pleasant.”
Mr. Trump said that he believed the moment was ripe “for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah terrorists.” Hezbollah is severely weakened after its war last year with Israel in which much of its top leadership was killed, and after losing a key ally with the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a conduit for Iran to send arms.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright told CBS News’ Weijia Jiang that he anticipates a deal with Iran by the end of the year, calling it a “very active dialogue in all of my travels in the Middle East.”
“I think sometime later this year, and hopefully on the sooner, and hopefully much sooner than late this year, we’ll see large breakthroughs in Iran,” Wright said. “Look, this is a win, win deal. Iran agrees to completely give up their nuclear program. They can have trade, they can have engagement with the rest of the world. They can bring down rampant inflation. They can bring investment, make their society better, and the rest of the region can thrive, if it’s not constantly under bombardment by Iranian proxies or the threat of a nuclear armed Iran This is by far the biggest security issue in the Middle East.”
Lifting sanctions on Syria
Mr. Trump’s comments on Iran came after he met Wednesday with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a face-to-face engagement with the onetime insurgent leader who spent years imprisoned by U.S. forces after being captured in Iraq.
In a readout on the two leaders’ meeting in Saudi Arabia, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump had told the Syrian leader that “he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,” and urged him to join Saudi Arabia in signing onto the U.S.-backed Abraham Accords, to normalize ties with Israel.
Mr. Trump agreed to meet al-Sharaa at the end of his stay in Saudi Arabia. The president then headed to Qatar, where he is being honored with a state visit. His ******** tour also will take him to the United Arab Emirates later this week.
Al-Sharaa was named president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by insurgent groups led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, stormed Damascus and ended the 54-year rule of the Assad family.
Mr. Trump said he decided to meet with al-Sharaa after being encouraged to do so by Prince Mohammed and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The president also pledged to lift yearslong sanctions on Syria.
Mr. Trump told reporters that the meeting with al-Sharaa went “great” and described him as a “young, attractive guy” with a “very strong past.”
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Mr. Trump said.
Prince Mohammed joined Trump and al-Sharaa for the meeting, which lasted 33 minutes. Erdogan also took part in the talks via video conference.
The prince said Mr. Trump’s decision to engage with al-Sharaa and lift the sanctions will “alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people” and spur a “new chapter” for the nation.
Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion. He still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. The U.S. once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaida.
Al-Sharaa returned to his home country of Syria after the conflict began in 2011 and led al-Qaida’s branch called the Nusra Front. He changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and cut links with al-Qaida.
The U.S. sanctions go back to the rule of Assad, who was ousted in December, and were intended to inflict major pain on the Syrian economy.
Both the Biden and Trump administrations left the sanctions in place after Assad’s fall as they sought to take the measure of al-Sharaa.
State visit to Qatar
After meeting with members of the GCC — which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — Mr. Trump flew to Qatar, the second stop in his ******** tour.
Like the Saudis did a day earlier, Qatar rolled out the red carpet for Trump. Trump was greeted at the airport by Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim Al Thani, and Air Force One was escorted by Qatari F-15 jets as it neared the capital city of Doha.
As he sat down for talks with the emir at the Royal Court told the Qatari leader, he Mr Trump said he was impressed with the “perfecto” marble as well as the camels that took part in his grand arrival ceremony.
Al Thani, for his part, said he had high hopes for Mr. Trump’s efforts at ending the grinding war in Gaza.
“I know that you are a man of peace,” he said. “I know that you want to bring peace to this region.”
Qatar, like the other Gulf Arab states, is an autocratic nation where political parties are banned and speech is tightly controlled. It is overseen by its ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Sheikh Tamim took power in June 2013 when his father stepped down.
Qatar has also been linked to several high-profile pay-to-play-style scandals around the globe.
Two European Union lawmakers were accused of taking money from Doha in a scandal dubbed “Qatar-gate.” U.S. prosecutors in 2020 accused Qatar of bribing FIFA executive committee members to secure the tournament in the country in 2022.
In 2024, RTX Corp., the defense contractor formerly known as Raytheon, agreed to pay more than $950 million to resolve allegations that it defrauded the U.S. government and paid bribes to secure business with Qatar. Doha always has denied any wrongdoing.
Qatar also has served as a key mediator, particularly with the militant terrorist group ****** as the international community pursues a ceasefire for in the Israel-****** war in the Gaza Strip. Qatar also served as host of the negotiations between the United States and the Taliban that led to America’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Qatar is home to Al-Udeid Air Base, a sprawling facility that hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command.
The oil-and-gas rich country is also in the center of a controversy over its offer to give Mr. Trump a luxury $400 million Boeing 747-8 to be used as Air Force One. The president has said the plane is “a gift from the Nation to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense” and not him.
The Qatari government has said a final decision hasn’t been made. But Trump has defended the idea even as critics argue it would amount to a president accepting an astonishingly valuable gift from a foreign government.
Mr. Trump said after he leaves office the plane would reside at his library and not be used.
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Trump marvels at wealth of his Arab hosts while he eyes White House and Air Force One upgrades
Trump marvels at wealth of his Arab hosts while he eyes White House and Air Force One upgrades
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Donald Trump is the most powerful and famous person on the planet, at the helm of the biggest economy and the strongest military.
But on his trip to the Middle East this week, the American president is sounding more than a little envious of his Arab hosts.
He admired the marble in the Qatari palace as “perfecto” and “very hard to buy.” He praised the “gleaming marvels” of the skyline in Saudi Arabia. And he groused about the “much smaller” and “much less impressive” plane that is Air Force One.
On his flight to the region, Trump said the Gulf states all have “these brand-new Boeing 747s,” while he was stuck using a version nearly 4 decades old.
The president is so impatient for a replacement plane that he is considering accepting a donated model from Qatar, despite concerns that it could be less secure, costly to retrofit and a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on foreign gifts. He presented no national security imperative for a swift upgrade rather than waiting for Boeing to finish new Air Force One jets that have been in the works for years.
It sounded like a case of keeping up with the Joneses, only in this case the Joneses are oil-rich leaders of Middle Eastern autocracies. For a former real estate developer with flamboyant tastes, Trump’s trip has been a tantalizing peek into the lives of his more opulent counterparts.
“The job you’ve done is second to none,” Trump told Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, gazing up at his surroundings in the palace known as the Amiri Diwan. “You look at this, it’s so beautiful. As a construction person, I’m seeing perfect marble. This is what they call perfecto.”
There have been other lavish touches on the trip, which will wind up with a stop in the United Arab Emirates. Air Force One received fighter jet escorts, honor guards stood by with golden swords in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the presidential limousine was welcomed by riders on camelback in Doha, Qatar.
“We appreciate those camels,” Trump told Al Thani. “I haven’t seen camels like that in a long time. That was some greeting.”
The Republican president’s admiration reflects an aesthetic and political vision at odds with American tradition. After declaring independence from the British monarchy, the Founding Fathers wanted to eschew anything that suggested royalty. Even as the United States emerged as the global superpower, the country and its leaders emphasized a facade of humility.
But that’s never been Trump’s style. The billionaire’s New York City ********** is embellished with gold and marble, and parts of his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida are modeled after France’s Palace of Versailles.
After winning a second term last year, Trump is eager to bring the same approach to the presidency, and it’s likely that his visit to the Middle East will fuel his desire for renovations. The White House, despite is grandeur, can be quite cramped. Office space is limited and state dinners are sometimes held in a fancy tent to accommodate enough guests.
Trump said he wants to build “a beautiful, beautiful ballroom like I have at Mar-a-Lago, as beautiful as can be.” He promised to foot the $100 million bill.
“I think we’ve outgrown the tent stuff, right, don’t you think?” he said recently.
Trump has also talked about paving over the lawn in the Rose Garden, turning it into a patio with “gorgeous stone” that would be easier for holding events.
Some upgrades have already taken place, particularly in the Oval Office. There are gold accents to the fireplace, doorway arches, walls and other areas of the room. The walls have become increasingly packed with portraits of past presidents. A model of a new Air Force One — complete with a paint scheme that echoes his personal jet — sits on a table in the center of the room.
One prized addition is a copy of the Declaration of Independence, which is concealed behind a curtain to protect it from sunlight. He sometimes dramatically unveils the document for guests.
“You see the new and improved Oval Office as it becomes more and more beautiful,” the president told ********* Prime Minister Mark Carney during a recent visit. He said it’s been renovated “with great love and 24 karat gold — that always helps too.”
____ Megerian reported from Washington.
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Infinity Bullets brings the bullet hell to the bullet heaven genre
Infinity Bullets brings the bullet hell to the bullet heaven genre
Infinity Bullets is a new bullet heaven release from Hexadrive
It’s slated for a summer 2025 release, and brings a 90s-inspired arcade vibe to the genre
Take on hordes of enemies and play multiple, distinct characters with their own abilities
Before the survivor-like took hold of us, the term bullet heaven was a complete misnomer. No, it was all about bullet hell, and dodging metric tons of projectiles as they attempted to knock you out of the sky. Now, developer Hexadrive is looking to translate the retro vibes of the classic bullet hell genre to mobile with Infinity Bullet.
Gameplay-wise, Infinity Bullet is exactly what you’d expect from a mashup of the original bullet hell and heaven genres. You’ll play a pixelated commando side-scrolling through space, blasting away hordes of enemies and taking on enormous bosses as you slowly upgrade your arsenal to truly ridiculous levels.
What’s more, Infinity Bullet also boasts multiple characters to pick from. Each with their seemingly own distinctive weapons and abilities. These range from familiar space-suit wearing warriors to cyborg ninjas and Egyptian sorcerers. So if you’re looking for realism, then you might not find it in Infinity Bullet.
Safety off
But at the same time, if you’re looking for fun, it seems that Infinity Bullet is intent on delivering. Slated for a 2025 release date, it looks set to offer the kind of space-based blasting familiar to arcade players of the older generation.
But for younger players, or those coming fresh to the genre, Infinity Bullets could be an entry-level way to get into the survivors niche with a fresh new take. And since it’s set to be free-to-play (albeit ad-supported), there’s not all that much at risk to give it a go.
However, if you’re still sceptical, there’s still a way off until Infinity Bullets arrives. So, if you want to look into the genre further and see if it clicks for you, why not check out our list of the best mobile games like Vampire Survivors to see our top picks of bullet heaven releases!
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Trump Calls Syria’s New President ‘Attractive’ and ‘Tough’
Trump Calls Syria’s New President ‘Attractive’ and ‘Tough’
President Trump met with the president of Syria, Ahmed al-Shara, an ex-militant who led the rebel alliance that ousted Bashar al-Assad, and who once led a branch of Al Qaeda before he broke ties with the jihadist group.
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