Squid Game entered its second season with sky-high expectations. The first season was a runaway success for its mix of dark humor, trenchant commentary, and surprisingly brutal violence. With all the hype, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk had a seemingly impossible task with his return: to give audiences all the elements that made the first season such a sensation, without falling into repetition.

Black Ops 6 kicks Call of Duty multiplayer into overdrive with the introduction of omnimovement, all-new modes like Kill Order, and a selection of unique Perks and Wildcards that add extra customization to player loadouts. In addition to these new features, Black Ops 6 also includes a roster of familiar weapons from the 90s, each carving out its own niche in the overall meta.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.If one of your New Year's resolutions is to have a cleaner home, you'll need the right tools for the job. There are some things, like your basic rags and cleaning solutions, that you can get away with cheaping out on, but there are other tidying implements that are worth a little more investment. Dyson vacuums, as effective as they are, are usually one of the more expensive optionsbut right now, a powerful, popular Dyson vacuum is on sale at Walmart and on the Dyson website for just $199.99.The Dyson V7 Advanced cordless vacuum Dyson V7 Advanced Origin Cordless Vacuum $199.99 at Walmart $399.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.99 at Walmart $399.99 Save $200.00 If you've long admired the sleek, powerful Dyson vacuums but shied away from their high price point, this is your moment, because this vacuum is usually $399.99.I'm a big fan of Dyson in general, both its hairstyling products and the vacuums I've tried out. This one is especially good for someone looking to ease into the high-end vacuum world, as it comes with all the best features that Dysons tend to boast: It's cordless and can run for about 40 minutes on a full charge, it converts from a full-sized vacuum to a handheld one, and it features a detangling cleaner head that is perfect for plush carpets or homes with pets (and/or inhabitants with long hair that seems to end up everywhere). One thing I've always liked about using a Dyson vacuum is the power trigger, which the V7 Advanced also has. Instead of just flicking the vacuum on and using up power nonstop, you have to engage the trigger to turn on the suction. I love this for spot cleaning or taking the time to make the adjustments I need when I'm trying to angle my machine under furniture. They're lightweight, too, with this one coming in just over 5.5 pounds, which is a lifesaver if you have a large home or a lot of stairs to climb up and down. Dysons maneuver well, suck up a lot of dust, aren't too noisy, and are, basically, worthy of the hype around them. Start 2025 off with a cleaner home and use the $200 you save to do something fun.

If youre renting, you know that the security deposit is a big dealthe moment you decide to move out, the top priority is getting that money back. While this is usually a pretty straightforward processyou move your stuff out, give the place a solid cleaning, and you get your money back.Unfortunately, things dont always go so smoothly. There are plenty of bad landlords out there, and you might get a nasty surprise when you move out in the form of surprise cleaning fees: Youre all moved out and the apartment appears to be in fine shape, but your landlord deducts several hundred dollars from your security deposit for cleaning anyway.Landlords have the ability to deduct reasonable costs from your security depositthats why it exists. But that doesnt mean they can just invent reasons to charge you. Heres what you can do if that happensand what you should do when you move into your next rental to make sure it doesnt happen again.Know that you're not responsible for wear and tearAs a tenant youre generally not responsible for whats known as normal wear and tear on the living space. This is the normal damage that occurs just from a space being occupied, like peeling paint, cracks from settling, or carpets thinning from use. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a formal list of wear and tear items, and states explicitly that the costs an owner incurs for the basic cleaning and repairing of such items necessary to make a unit ready for occupancy by the next tenant are part of the costs of doing business. This is in contrast to whats considered tenant damages, which include things like holes in the walls, gouged floors, or missing fixtures.That said, always read your lease carefully and understand the specifics surrounding your security deposit and the fees the landlord might charge for cleaningand how they define wear and tear. Generally, your landlord cant simply deduct a routine cleaning fee from your security deposit, but the language you agreed to in your lease may complicate the matter. Being aware of any potentially problematic language in the lease before you move out can help you avoid problems.Document and cleanOnce you know the different between wear and tear and tenant damages, your next step is to document the condition of your apartment. The best-case scenario is to begin this process before you actually move in by creating a detailed video of the home that shows the condition of every aspect of the space. If the walls are scuffed, for instance, having proof that they were like that before you moved in will be crucial.Once youve documented the condition of the place, the best way to ensure you avoid surprise cleaning fees is to clean. Cleaning on a regular schedule prevents dirt from building up and turning into a monumental chore, which will make it a lot easier to get the space into presentable shape when you move out.If you hire cleaning professionals or have to go above and beyond in any way to clean the place, continue to document your effortskeep receipts and copies of any correspondence with your landlord related to cleaning issues. If you note any wear-and-tear items or pre-existing cleanliness issues that you shouldnt be responsible for, make sure you communicate that to your landlord and keep records of that communication.Finally, when youre moving out, document your cleaning and the final condition of the apartment as you leave it in another video.If you're charged with a cleaning feeIf, despite your best efforts, you still get socked with a surprise cleaning fee when you move out that you believe is unfair, here are a few steps you can take:Gather evidence. Make sure you have access to your evidence of the original and final condition of the space, and gather any receipts or communications related to cleaning.Request details. Ask your landlord for a breakdown of costs and ask for copies of receipts if they claim to have hired cleaners.Write a dispute letter. Send your landlord a letter by certified mail that details the improper charges. Include specifics like the amount of your total security deposit, the amount deducted for cleaning, why the amount is unjustified, and a deadline for receiving the money. It helps if you research your states laws around the return of security deposits and include those details as well. You can see a sample letter here.Contact a tenants rights organization. Theres probably a local tenants rights organization in your area that can help you navigate the situation by providing advice and resources. If you can't find one, Renters Rising can help identify a local group.Small claims court or mediation. If all else fails, you can take your landlord to small claims court unless your security deposit is astronomically high (more than $10,000). You could also locate a professional mediator to help you come to an agreement over the dispute (the American Arbitration Association can help you find one in your area) if your landlord is agreeable.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.As Lifehackers food editor, Im proud to be your doorway to interesting cooking tips, useful cookbooks, and fancy-shmancy appliances, but there are some things that dont fit into those categories that Im dying to tell you about. There are snacks, kitchen accessories, and even apps that have made my relationship with food better. Here are my favorite food finds from the past year.Edible findsLets start with the most notable finds that you can actually eat. These products made my list because they topped the charts in flavor.Ona cookiesAll store-bought cookies are loved by someone, but lets be real, some are better than others. Ona cookies are the best bagged cookies Ive had all year, and theyre gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly. I identify as having none of these restrictions or diets and I couldnt get enough of these tiny bite-sized cookies. I loved the chocolate flavor best for its fudginess, and the oatmeal flavor as a runner up for its warming spice and knobbly oat texture. Ona Cookies Top Variety 4-pack, Ready to eat, Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Paleo $39.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $39.99 at Amazon Bettr BowlFrozen meals can be hit or miss, but Bettr Bowl pretty much knocked it out of the park in my book. Both the Birria Rice Bowl and Chipotle Chicken Bowl were easily revived in the microwave and served up a solid portion for a decent price of $3.99 each. The most notable thing is that the flavors were incredible. You can find Bettr Bowls sold at Aldi, and on Instacart.True primal soupsWhen youve got big canned brands to compete with, you cant win everyone over with just another soup. True Primal soups definitely give the eater something special to come back for. The flavors are savory and filling, and manage to avoid being bland without relying on a ton of salt. The same folks who make Ona cookies, these soups are also gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly. True Primal Souper Chicken Variety 8-pack, Ready to eat, Gluten free, Paleo, Pastured chicken, Whole30, Keto, Bone broth $57.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $57.99 at Amazon Big Picture Farm goat milk caramelsI mentioned these caramels in My Favorite Food Gifts article, and theyre worth mentioning again because the flavor and texture of these caramels is perfect. The flavors, like Maple Cream or Cocoa Latte, arent overpowering or artificial tasting, but subtle and authentic. The caramel itself is soft, not the type you need to gnaw through. Plus, this farm in Vermont gives each goat loving credit for the milk they produce to make their signature chocolates and caramels.Incredible, inedible food findsThese are my favorite helpful tools to make food more accessible and reduce wasteplus a fun appliance I've been enjoying all year for good measure. Too Good To GoToo Good To Go is an app that links you up with restaurants, bakeries, fast food chains, and grocery stores in your area that are selling their excess or soon-to-be-tossed (but not spoiled!) product at a steep discount. It started as a sustainability effort in Copenhagen, and is (fingers crossed) ever-expanding as more businesses sign up. Read more about it here. The app is free, so check it out.Dreo BaristaMaker Milk FrotherI always make room for coffee in my mornings and while I usually keep it simple, sometimes I want foamed milk. Not just agitated milk from one of those whisk-y things, but heated and foamed. The problem with steamer wands is that they can overcook plant-milk (which is what I use). The Dreo BaristaMaker, however, has presets that make perfect microfoam milk, plant or otherwise. My partner is absolutely smitten with it and uses it nearly every day. Dreo BaristaMaker Milk Frother, All-in-1, 27oz/800ml Hot/Cold Electric Foam Maker for Coffee, Latte Art-level Microfoam, Automatic Milk Warmer, Dairy/Plant-Based Milk, 30+ Drinks, Dishwasher Safe $99.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $99.99 at Amazon A reusable beeswax bread bagThese bread bags from Keeki (pictured above) are made of natural linen fabric with a special moisture-saving feature: the inside is coated with beeswax. If I have a large loaf of bread that I know Ill be snacking on, I can just pop it into the Keeki bag and pull the drawstring tight. The beeswax lining helps retain the breads moisture, extending its life more than a paper bag, and preventing mold, which can happen easily in a plastic bag. Simply knock out the crumbs and wipe out the interior and this environmentally-friendly bread bag is infinitely reusable.Reusable cheese bagsI love cheese all year, but from November to February I end up acquiring quite the collection. Ive given up using the crumpled up original plastic wrapping as a storage method for these Formaticum reusable cheese storage bags. Theyre designed to regulate the moisture in the bag so your cheese keeps fresher longer. Besides all that, they sure look a lot tidier than a drawer full of half-dried out bundles of plastic wrapped cheese. Formaticum Reusable Cheese Storage Bags | Size 5" x 11" | Professional-Grade Cheese Strorage Bag | Store Cheese, Sandwiches, and Charcuterie | Kitchen Organization | Manufactured in Germany | 10 Bags $19.50 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $19.50 at Amazon

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

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Chinese hackers remotely accessed several U.S. Treasury Department workstations and unclassified documents after compromising a third-party software service provider, the agency said Monday.The department did not provide details on how many workstations had been accessed or what sort of documents the hackers may have obtained, but it said in a letter to lawmakers revealing the breach that at this time there is no evidence indicating the threat actor has continued access to Treasury information. The hack was being investigated as a major cybersecurity incident, it added.Treasury takes very seriously all threats against our systems, and the data it holds, a department spokesperson said in a separate statement. Over the last four years, Treasury has significantly bolstered its cyber defense, and we will continue to work with both private and public sector partners to protect our financial system from threat actors.In Beijing, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson gave Chinas standard response to hacking allegations.We have repeatedly stated our position on such groundless accusations that lack evidence, Mao Ning said at a daily briefing. China consistently opposes all forms of hacking, and we are even more opposed to the dissemination of false information against China for political purposes.The incident comes as U.S. officials are continuing to grapple with the fallout of a massive Chinese cyberespionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. A senior White House official said Friday that the number of telecommunications companies confirmed to have been affected by the hack has now risen to nine.The Treasury Department said it learned of the latest problem on Dec. 8, when a third-party software service provider, BeyondTrust, flagged that hackers had stolen a key used by the vendor to secure a cloud-based service used to remotely provide technical support to workers. That key helped the hackers override the services security and gain remote access to several employee workstations.The compromised service has since been taken offline, and theres no evidence that the hackers still have access to department information, Aditi Hardikar, an assistant Treasury secretary, said in the letter Monday to leaders of the Senate Banking Committee.The department said it was working with the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and others to investigate the impact of the hack, and that the hack had been attributed to Chinese state-sponsored culprits. It did not elaborate.By Eric Tucker, Associated Press. Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. It is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest and most massive of its four rocky planets. About 29 percent of Earth's surface is land, with the remaining 71 percent covered with water and much of Earth's polar regions covered in ice. Earth's interior is active with a solid-iron inner core, a liquid outer core that generates Earth's magnetic field, and a convective mantle that drives plate tectonics. Earth formed more than 4.5billion years ago. Within the first billion years of Earth's history, life appeared in the oceans and began to affect Earth's atmosphere and surface. Since then, the combination of Earth's distance from the Sun, its physical properties and its geological history have allowed life to evolve and thrive, including more than 8billion humans as of 2024. Earth is orbited by one permanent natural satellite, the Moon, which orbits Earth at a radius of 384,400km (238,900mi) and is roughly a quarter as wide as Earth. This photograph of Earth straddling the lunar horizon was taken in 2015 by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter while located 134km (83mi) above the crater Compton, visible in the foreground. To capture the image, the spacecraft had to be rolled 67 degrees to its side, and slewed with the direction of travel to maximize the width of the lunar horizon, while traveling more than 1600m/s (3600mph) relative to the surface.Photograph credit: NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center / Arizona State University; edited by BammeskRecently featured: Shah Jahan MosqueBathymetryCinnamon hummingbirdArchiveMore featured pictures