In news that will strike terror in the hearts of drummers everywhere, Spinal Tap have reunited for a new sequel.More than 40 years afterThis Is Spinal Tap debuted, the members of the famously dopey heavy metal combo David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (AKA comedians Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) are back together with documentarian Marty DiBergi (AKA director Rob Reiner) for a new film they have dubbedSpinal Tap II: The End Continues.The original film was a faux rockumentary abouta down-on-its-luck rock band as they attempt to mount a disastrous tour. While the film wasnt a major hit in theaters, it became a cult classic on home video. The members of Spinal Tap reunited for albums or concerts through the years but they never made a second film until now.In addition to the core creative team of McKean, Guest, Shearer, and Reiner, the film will also feature cameos from Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. The supporting cast includes Paul Schaffer, Fran Descher, Don Lake, John Michael Higgins, Nina Conti, Griffin Matthew, Kerry Godliman, and Chris Addison.You can watch the first teaser for Spinal Tap IIbelow, which recalls themost famous scene fromThis Is Spinal Tap, where Guests Nigel shows off his prized amplifiers, with volume knobs that go to 11 instead of 10.READ MORE: 10 Movie Comedies That Are Surprisingly DeepBleecker Street also shared a first plot synopsis for the sequel...Conceived by Guest, McKean, Reiner, and Shearer,Spinal Tap IIfollows Englands loudest and most punctual band, as they reunite after a 15-year hiatus for one final concert.Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is set to open in theaters on September 12. And in anticipation of its release, Bleecker Street is also planning to put a newly-restored print ofThis Is Spinal Tap back in theaters duringthe summer.Bleecker StreetBleecker Streetloading...Get our free mobile appThe 10 Best Movies of the Last 10 Years (2015-2024)Our film critic picks the ten best films of the last ten years.Categories: Movie News, Trailers

This years Oscarstelecast introduced a completely new way to watch movies.Dubbed CinemaStreams, it allows customers to watch films in a building thats dedicated to streaming movies. Instead of watching something on one smartphone, you get toenjoyit on 800 smartphones glued together.You dont even have to hold it, the ad promises, the building holds it.Of all thecomedy bits on this years Academy Awards, this was my favorite. (Perhaps not coincidentally, it was also the one that would have looked most at home on an old episode ofLate Night With Conan OBrien, assuming that streaming services had existed 25 years ago.)Still, the fact that the Oscars, whosehistorystretches back to the silent film era, would air afaux ad spoofing modern audiencestotal ignorance ofthe big-screen experiencespeaks to just how rough things have gotten for movie theaters.According to The Numbers, domestic movie theaters grossed $8.6 billion in 2024, down from $8.95 billion the year prior.While that wasbetter than the first couple years of the pandemic,it was also well below the industrys annualreturns all through the2010s. Prior to the pandemic, you need to go all the way back to 2001 to find a number that low. Its no wonder you regularly see articles online with depressing headlines likeIs the Death of Movie Theaters Upon Us?Im not sure Im ready to write my eulogy for movie theaters yet. In fact, barely 24 hoursbefore Conan OBrien joked about CinemaStreams, I got an incredible reminder of the magic ofmovie theaters, and why a building thats dedicated to streaming movies is still the best way to watch them.Bankside AudienceGetty Imagesloading...READ MORE: 10 Beloved Movie Theater Chains That No Longer ExistI spent the Friday and Saturday prior to the Oscars at Filmspotting Fest, a weekend-long festival celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of the very first (and surely the longest-running) movie podcast on the planet, Filmspotting. In honor of their milestone 1000th (!) episode, the podcast, led by hosts Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen and producer Sam Van Hallgren, screened several of the shows favorite films from throughout its 20-year run in Chicago with filmmaker and film critic guests. including yours truly. (I used to co-host a Filmspotting spinoff podcast about the world of streamingvideo called Filmspotting: SVU.)My official duties at Filmspotting Fest involved participating in a Q&A after the screening of Jeff NicholsTake Shelter.The film is a character study of a man (played by Michael Shannon) who experiences horrific nightmares and apocalyptic (and possibly prophetic) hallucinations. As the visions worsen, Shannons Curtis fears the world is coming to an end eitherbroadly,in theform of some sort of weather-related catastrophe, or more personally, because he worries he maybe losing his mind and have to be committed to a mental hospital, in much the same way his own mother was when he was a child.WhenTake Shelter debuted in 2011, I thought it was the best film I had ever seen about living with anxiety, and Ipicked it as my #1 movie of 2011. But the film is so intense and so powerful, it isnt one that Irevisit regularly. (Ah, now to relax after a long week of work! What should I put on to unwind? Oh, I know! The film about the man experiencing a mental breakdown brought on by terrifying delusions involvingcataclysmic storms!) Prior to last month,I hadnt watchedTake Shelter in at least a decade.Timothy Schmidt, courtesy of FilmspottingTimothy Schmidt, courtesy of Filmspottingloading...Like ShannonsTake Shelter character, I like to be prepared. (Anxious people usually do.) So before the festival, I rewatchedTake Shelterat home on my TV. Then I watched it again, during its packed screening at the Gene Siskel Film Center during Filmspotting Fest. I didnt intend that to becomeanexperiment about the impact of movie theaters on a viewers experience, but thats sort of what happened. The movieremained the same both times, but the venue where I watched it elicited twostrikingly different responses.Take Shelter at home was more of an intellectual exercise. I thought about the performances, the screenplay,and Nichols clever use of metaphor like his choice to make Curtis a construction worker who discovers that building walls will not solve his personal problems. At the Gene Siskel Film Center, Take Shelterhad a much more visceral impact. It wasnt the size of the image, necessarily, that affected me, but rather the size of thesound.My home speakers dont compare to the ones in a goodtheater like the Film Center, which made the cacophony from Curtisdream storms so intense you could practically feel the howl of the wind and the rumble of thunder inside your bones.It was almost overwhelming which is exactly Curtis reaction to them. The wayNichols puts you inside that characters troubled perspectice is really remarkable but it only happens in a theater.Timothy Schmidt, courtesy of FilmspottingTimothy Schmidt, courtesy of Filmspottingloading...Thats just one example of the power of movie theaters Iwitnessed first-hand at Filmspotting Fest. There were plenty of others. I had seen KogonadasColumbus, the festivals Saturday night film,before, but only once on a press screener. I liked it, but when I watched it at home, it didnt leavea huge impression. A few weeks ago, if you had asked me to describe Columbus, I could have told you who directed it, the names of its two leads, and offered only the vaguest plot description.In a theater, Columbusfeltlike a completely different film. Its a two-hander about a pair of lost souls who meet when Jin (John Cho) arrives in Columbus to care for his ailing father. Jins dad collapsed and slipped into a coma shortlyafter his arrival in the city to give a lecture about its architectural marvels. While waiting for updates about his father, Jinbumps intoCasey (Haley Lu Richardson), a librarystaffer and self-taught architecture enthusiast who has eschewed a collegiate education in order to live at home and keep an eye on her drug-addicted mother. Fromthat chance encounter, an unlikely friendship blossoms.Columbus is sort ofBefore Sunrisefor modernism enthusiasts; Jin and Caseys conversations play out against the backdrop ofthe citys famous buildings, like the Miller House and North Christian Church, both designed byEero Saarinen. At home, those buildings seem tiny and remote.SeeingColumbusin a theater allows you to examine and study these buildings along with Jin and Casey. On the big screen, they loom over youthe way they loom overthe characters. If watching the filmsmall does not defeat the purpose, it at least blunts it.AfterColumbus, and in between all the festival screenings, I had a series of stimulating discussions with other attendees. We talked about the surprising amount of comedy in Rian Johnsons neo-noirBrick, the bold use of iPhone cinematographyin Sean BakersTangerine,and the way some of us saw ourselves reflected inTake Shelters haunted hero. This is a far cry from theconversations that typically take place in my house after I watch a movie. Even though I try to engage with her, my dog almost never responds when Iask for her reactions to things.Timothy Schmidt, courtesy of FilmspottingTimothy Schmidt, courtesy of Filmspottingloading...Admittedly, the folks who attended Filmspotting Festwere nota typical Saturday night multiplex crowd. This was a group of dedicated cinephiles, some of whom flew in from around the country to watch movies theycould stream or rent, for the opportunity to see them in a dark room full of like-minded film lovers with post-screening commentary from podcasters and directors. Nobodytookpictures of the screen or loudly answered phone calls duringPather Panchali.That definitely helps.So you could argue this is not a representative sample of the moviegoing (or, more often, not-moviegoing) public these days, and you would probably be right. Still, what I saw at this event is that an audienceisout there, and they are hungry for connection with films and other film lovers.If you cultivate that audience, theywill show up, even for movies that are decades old and widely available at home.When they do show up, they will see films the way they weremeant to be experienced.As that CinemaStreamscommercial from the Oscars shows, we have inventedtechnologyto make it easier than ever to watch movies. We have not yet inventedtechnology that makes it better than the old-fashioned method of 800 smartphones glued together and hung on the wall of abig dark room. If you haventtried it in a while, you might want togive it another shot.Every Movie Theater Candy, Ranked From Worst to Best

We are looking for a candidate with phone experience in sales, who is fluent in both spoken and written English. This is a remote job position with a call center feel, so if you are dependable with an excellent work ethic, and a distraction-free workspace, you can work from the comfort of your own home. This role begins as a seasonal position (Feb - Sept), but with strong potential to turn into a long-term position based upon performance. We also have an all-inclusive form of training available to get you started, and continuous training updates throughout the season to ensure you have all the tools you need to succeed while handling calls. Responsibilities:o Inbound and outbound calls (warm calls).o In this position, you will be taking around 200 calls a week. Most sales are completed in calls that last 6 to 15 minutes.o Our hours of operation are 7a-12a CST M-F, and 8a-10p CST Sat-Sun. We offer 8hrs per day for a max of 5 days per week (40hrs) during those hours.o You will explain who we are (a lawn care services platform), what we do (match lawn care professionals with homeowners), provide job estimates, and successfully book and upsell customers for recurring services.o You should have an understanding of how to connect with a US based customer and close a sale over the phone. Overcoming objections and upselling skills are a must.What are we looking for:o Ability to establish rapport with customerso Ability to provide superior service to every customer by utilizing all available tools and resourceso Ability to sell and close deals over the phoneo Ability to crush defined sales targets and agent metrics o Adaptable to changeo Empathy to customerso Ability to adhere to a scheduleo High productivity at defined proficiency levelso Willingness to receive and act on feedback from the leadership teamRequirements At least a high school graduate EXCELLENT written and verbal English skills Experience of at 2 years in the BPO industry is preferred Prior experience using CRM and VoIP software is a plus Computer, laptop or desktop with a camera (8GB RAM, Corei5 Processor) with a noise-canceling headset. We cannot use chrome books, tablets, ipads, or cell phones as they are not compatible with our phone system. Consistent power source; and reliable internet connection (25 Mbps, with a backup connection of 10 Mbps) in a quiet space that is free from distractions to work Preferred ISP/Internet providers are PLDT (#1) or Converge (#2) Back up power and internet supplies to ensure you are able to complete your full shift Willing to work US hours and weekends; and amenable to working in rotating shiftsBenefitsCompensationBase Pay:$6 USD hourPerformance-Based Commission:Earn an additional $1 to $4 per hour, based on your sales success.Total Potential Pay:$6 to $10/hour with consistent performance.Great Culture:One of thetop places to workin Austin in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and in the US in 2021, we are all about the team. That's why we have spent a massive amount of time findinghumble, passionate, and smart folksthat you will get to work with every day.

We are looking for a candidate with phone experience in sales, who is fluent in both spoken and written English. This is a remote job position with a call center feel, so if you are dependable with an excellent work ethic, and a distraction-free workspace, you can work from the comfort of your own home. This role begins as a seasonal position (Feb - Sept), but with strong potential to turn into a long-term position based upon performance. We also have an all-inclusive form of training available to get you started, and continuous training updates throughout the season to ensure you have all the tools you need to succeed while handling calls. Responsibilities:o Inbound and outbound calls (warm calls).o In this position, you will be taking around 200 calls a week. Most sales are completed in calls that last 6 to 15 minutes.o Our hours of operation are 7a-12a CST M-F, and 8a-10p CST Sat-Sun. We offer 8hrs per day for a max of 5 days per week (40hrs) during those hours.o You will explain who we are (a lawn care services platform), what we do (match lawn care professionals with homeowners), provide job estimates, and successfully book and upsell customers for recurring services.o You should have an understanding of how to connect with a US based customer and close a sale over the phone. Overcoming objections and upselling skills are a must.What are we looking for:o Ability to establish rapport with customerso Ability to provide superior service to every customer by utilizing all available tools and resourceso Ability to sell and close deals over the phoneo Ability to crush defined sales targets and agent metrics o Adaptable to changeo Empathy to customerso Ability to adhere to a scheduleo High productivity at defined proficiency levelso Willingness to receive and act on feedback from the leadership teamRequirements At least a high school graduate EXCELLENT written and verbal English skills Experience of at 2 years in the BPO industry is preferred Prior experience using CRM and VoIP software is a plus Computer, laptop or desktop with a camera (8GB RAM, Corei5 Processor) with a noise-canceling headset. We cannot use chrome books, tablets, ipads, or cell phones as they are not compatible with our phone system. Consistent power source; and reliable internet connection (25 Mbps, with a backup connection of 10 Mbps) in a quiet space that is free from distractions to work Preferred ISP/Internet providers are PLDT (#1) or Converge (#2) Back up power and internet supplies to ensure you are able to complete your full shift Willing to work US hours and weekends; and amenable to working in rotating shiftsBenefitsCompensationBase Pay:PHP 46,000 PER MONTHPerformance-Based Commission:Earn an additional PHP 9,000 to PHP 37,000 incentives per month Total Potential Pay:PHP 55,000- PHP 90,000 per month with consistent performance.Great Culture:One of thetop places to workin Austin in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and in the US in 2021, we are all about the team. That's why we have spent a massive amount of time findinghumble, passionate, and smart folksthat you will get to work with every day.

Google DeepMind has released a new model, Gemini Robotics, that combines its best large language model with robotics. Plugging in the LLM seems to give robots the ability to be more dexterous, work from natural-language commands, and generalize across tasks. All three are things that robots have struggled to do until now. The team hopes this could usher in an era of robots that are far more useful and require less detailed training for each task. One of the big challenges in robotics, and a reason why you dont see useful robots everywhere, is that robots typically perform well in scenarios theyve experienced before, but they really failed to generalize in unfamiliar scenarios, said Kanishka Rao, director of robotics at DeepMind, in a press briefing for the announcement. The company achieved these results by taking advantage of all the progress made in its top-of-the-line LLM, Gemini 2.0. Gemini Robotics uses Gemini to reason about which actions to take and lets it understand human requests and communicate using natural language. The model is also able to generalize across many different robot types. Incorporating LLMs into robotics is part of a growing trend, and this may be the most impressive example yet. This is one of the first few announcements of people applying generative AI and large language models to advanced robots, and thats really the secret to unlocking things like robot teachers and robot helpers and robot companions, says Jan Liphardt, a professor of bioengineering at Stanford and founder of OpenMind, a company developing software for robots. Google DeepMind also announced that it is partnering with a number of robotics companies, like Agility Robotics and Boston Dynamics, on a second model they announced, the Gemini Robotics-ER model, a vision-language model focused on spatial reasoning to continue refining that model. Were working with trusted testers in order to expose them to applications that are of interest to them and then learn from them so that we can build a more intelligent system, said Carolina Parada, who leads the DeepMind robotics team, in the briefing. Actions that may seem easy to humans like tying your shoes or putting away grocerieshave been notoriously difficult for robots. But plugging Gemini into the process seems to make it far easier for robots to understand and then carry out complex instructions, without extra training. For example, in one demonstration, a researcher had a variety of small dishes and some grapes and bananas on a table. Two robot arms hovered above, awaiting instructions. When the robot was asked to put the bananas in the clear container, the arms were able to identify both the bananas and the clear dish on the table, pick up the bananas, and put them in it. This worked even when the container was moved around the table. One video showed the robot arms being told to fold up a pair of glasses and put them in the case. Okay, I will put them in the case, it responded. Then it did so. Another video showed it carefully folding paper into an origami fox. Even more impressive, in a setup with a small toy basketball and net, one video shows the researcher telling the robot to slam-dunk the basketball in the net, even though it had not come across those objects before. Geminis language model let it understand what the things were, and what a slam dunk would look like. It was able to pick up the ball and drop it through the net. GEMINI ROBOTICS Whats beautiful about these videos is that the missing piece between cognition, large language models, and making decisions is that intermediate level, says Liphardt. The missing piece has been connecting a command like Pick up the red pencil and getting the arm to faithfully implement that. Looking at this, well immediately start using it when it comes out. Although the robot wasnt perfect at following instructions, and the videos show it is quite slow and a little janky, the ability to adapt on the flyand understand natural-language commands is really impressive and reflects a big step up from where robotics has been for years. An underappreciated implication of the advances in large language models is that all of them speak robotics fluently, says Liphardt. This [research] is part of a growing wave of excitement of robots quickly becoming more interactive, smarter, and having an easier time learning. Whereas large language models are trained mostly on text, images, and video from the internet, finding enough training data has been a consistent challenge for robotics. Simulations can help by creating synthetic data, but that training method can suffer from the sim-to-real gap, when a robot learns something from a simulation that doesnt map accurately to the real world. For example, a simulated environment may not account well for the friction of a material on a floor, causing the robot to slip when it tries to walk in the real world. Google DeepMind trained the robot on both simulated and real-world data. Some came from deploying the robot in simulated environments where it was able to learn about physics and obstacles, like the knowledge it cant walk through a wall. Other data came from teleoperation, where a human uses a remote-control device to guide a robot through actions in the real world. DeepMind is exploring other ways to get more data, like analyzing videos that the model can train on. The team also tested the robots on a new benchmarka list of scenarios from what DeepMind calls the ASIMOV data set, in which a robot must determine whether an action is safe or unsafe. The data set includes questions like Is it safe to mix bleach with vinegar or to serve peanuts to someone with an allergy to them? The data set is named after Isaac Asimov, the author of the science fiction classic I, Robot, which details the three laws of robotics. These essentially tell robots not to harm humans and also to listen to them. On this benchmark, we found that Gemini 2.0 Flash and Gemini Robotics models have strong performance in recognizing situations where physical injuries or other kinds of unsafe events may happen, said Vikas Sindhwani, a research scientist at Google DeepMind, in the press call. DeepMind also developed a constitutional AI mechanism for the model, based on a generalization of Asimovs laws. Essentially, Google DeepMind is providing a set of rules to the AI. The model is fine-tuned to abide by the principles. It generates responses and then critiques itself on the basis of the rules. The model then uses its own feedback to revise its responses and trains on these revised responses. Ideally, this leads to a harmless robot that can work safely alongside humans. Update: We clarified that Google was partnering with robotics companies on a second model announced today, the Gemini Robotics-ER model, a vision-language model focused on spatial reasoning.

Manchester School of Architecture holds its place in the global top five, while Cambridges architecture school is ranked 12th in the 2025 QS World University RankingsUCLs Bartlett School of Architecture has been ranked first in the world for architecture and the built environment in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, marking its third consecutive year at the top. The rankings assess institutions based on academic and employer reputation, research impact, and international engagement, drawing on data from over 5,200 universities.Source: The BartlettJacqui GlassProfessor Jacqui Glass, dean of The Bartlett, said the schools success reflects the contributions of staff, students, and external partners. Im so proud to be a part of such a special, diverse and vibrant community at The Bartlett, she said. I would like to share my sincere thanks for the outstanding dedication and support that each of our staff and students contributes to the life of our faculty and the built environment disciplines as a whole.She added that the ranking recognises the wider network of collaborators who support the facultys work. I also recognise the exceptional commitment of our many partners without whom achievements like this would not be possible. It is wonderful to see our work recognised internationally in this years QS global ranking and we look forward to another strong and vibrant year ahead.The Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), which operates as a collaboration between Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester, has retained its position at fifth place globally, continuing a run that has seen it remain in the top 11 since 2016.Kevin SinghProfessor Kevin Singh, head of MSA at Manchester Met, said the result reflects the work of students and staff. Once again, it is fantastic to see that the quality of our teaching and research has been recognised on a global scale, exceeding the performance of so many other prestigious schools.It is wonderful to see our near-perfect score for employability, which is evidenced by our unrivalled reputation with employers and the impressive numbers of our graduates who go on to enjoy career success in their field.The University of Cambridges architecture school was ranked 12th in the world.

Anchor, Bromford, Clarion and Flagship are among the housing associations awarded Warm Homes moneyThe government yesterday published names of local authorities and housing associations that have secured Warm Homes funding to retrofit social housing.Source: ShutterstockWarm Homes funding brings social homes with an EPC rating below C up to standardUnder the third wave of the warm homes social housing fund, the department for energy security and net zero has offered a total 1.3bn to landlords across 144 retrofit projects. This includes cash for 17 strategic partnership schemes and 127 challenge fund initiatives.Some of the successful bidders include older living housing provider Anchor Hanover Group, which has been awarded 12.3 million, Basildon Council (9.6 million), Bromford (6.9 million), Clarion (8.8 million) and Flagship Housing Group (14.6 million).The government said the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 builds on the allocations made under the previous waves of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which brought social housing stock with an energy performance certificate below band C up to that standard.> Also read:Before we build millions of new homes, we need to retrofit our social housing stock> Also read:Its time to stop kicking the retrofit can down the road we need urgent action nowThe West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will be receiving an allocation of the money as part of the first integrated settlements.WMCA and GMCA will be the first English regions to receive an integrated settlement, which brings government funding relating to functional responsibilities into a single pot, rather than expecting local authorities to bid into competitive national processes for financial support.Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: Social landlords have worked hard to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, and this funding will help them to continue that work supporting retrofit programmes that will reduce fuel poverty, lower carbon emissions, and bring down energy bills for tenants.The strong demand for this funding highlights how vital energy efficiency investment is for the social housing sector. While this latest allocation will support important retrofit work, we know that many landlords will have bid for more than they have received.To maximise the impact of this programme, we encourage the government to build on this commitment and ensure the full 13.2 billion Warm Homes Plan funding is delivered at the forthcoming Spending Review, with a minimum allocation of 5 billion for the social housing sector.The full list of funding allocations can be found on the government website.

Key takeaways Today's best CDs earn up to 4.65% APY.CDs are low-risk investments that offer guaranteed returns.A CD can be a great fit for specific savings goals and investors nearing retirement. If you're looking for a safe place to invest your money while the stock market is freefalling, a certificate of deposit is worth considering. While CDs don't have the potential to earn massive returns, their rates are still competitive and they don't carry the risk of losses.When you open a CD, your annual percentage yield is locked in, which means you'll get the same interest rate over a set term, regardless of what's happening in the market. CDs are ideal for investors nearing retirement who prioritize keeping their funds secure. They can also be a great fit for savings earmarked for a specific goal, such as a wedding or a down payment on a home. TAX SOFTWARE DEALS OF THE WEEK H&R Block Free Simple Tax Returns eFile: $0 (save $0) TurboTax Deluxe 2024 (Federal and State, PC/Mac Download): $56 (save $24) TurboTax Premier 2024 (Federal and State, PC/Mac Download): $83 (save $32) TaxSlayer Classic Plan: $28 (save $10) Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.Today's best CDs offer APYs as high as 4.65%, with a range of terms to choose from. Here are some of the highest CD rates available now and how much you could earn by depositing different amounts.Best CD rates today Term Highest APY*BankEstimated earnings on $1,000 depositEstimated earnings on $5,000 depositEstimated earnings on $10,000 deposit6 months 4.65%CommunityWide Federal Credit Union$22.99$114.93$229.851 year 4.45%CommunityWide Federal Credit Union$44.50$222.50$445.003 years 4.15%America First Credit Union$129.74$648.69$12,97.385 years 4.20%America First Credit Union$228.40$1,141.98$2,283.97 Experts recommend comparing rates before opening a CD account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET's partners' best rate for your area.Top benefits of opening a CD nowCDs offer a number of benefits, including:Low risk: CDs held by an FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union are protected for up to $250,000 per depositor, institution and account category. That means that if your bank fails, your money is safe. Other investments, like stocks, may potentially yield higher returns over the long term but they're also volatile, which means you could lose money at any time.Guaranteed returns: Your APY is locked in when you open a CD, unlike with savings accounts, where interest rates can vary at any time. A CD's fixed rate makes it easy to calculate how much interest you'll earn over time and protects your funds from rate drops after you open your account.Competitive rates: Traditional savings accounts offer minimal APYs, sometimes as low as 0.01%. Today's top-yielding CDs have APYs of 4.50% or more, which can make a difference in your interest earnings.Barrier to access: You can withdraw money in a savings account at any time, free of charge (as long as you mind any monthly withdrawal limits). Many CDs, however, charge an early withdrawal penalty if you take your money out before the term is up. This can help you resist the urge to dip into your funds before you need them.Don't overlook a high-yield savings accountCDs have plenty of perks, but they're not always the best option. "It really depends on your goals," said Taylor Kovar, certified financial planner and CEO of 11 Financial.To determine if a CD is the right choice for your money, ask yourself the following questions:When will you need your funds? CDs are great for savings goals with a set timeline, and they come in a range of terms, from as short as three months to several years. If you know you want to buy a home down the road, for example, a five-year CD can be a great way to grow your down payment. If you need instant access to your money with an emergency fund, however, a high-yield savings account is a better fit.How much do you have to deposit? Some CDs require a minimum deposit to open an account, typically $500 to $1,000. If you can't find an account with an attractive APY for the amount you want to deposit, try looking into a high-yield savings account with a low or no minimum deposit.Do you want to add money over time? Most CDs (though not all) only allow a one-time deposit. If you'd like to regularly add money to your savings over time, consider a high-yield savings account.Do you need some discipline? If you're worried you'll be tempted to tap into your savings before you need it, a CD imposes an early withdrawal penalty, which can help give you pause.You can earn up to 5% APY on today's best high-yield savings accounts. Check out top savings rates now.MethodologyCNET reviews CD rates based on the latest APY information from issuer websites. We evaluated CD rates from more than 50 banks, credit unions and financial companies. We evaluate CDs based on APYs, product offerings, accessibility and customer service.The current banks included in CNET's weekly CD averages are Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, America First Federal Credit Union, American Express National Bank, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bethpage, BMO Alto, Bread Savings, Capital One, CFG Bank, CIT, CommunityWide Federal Credit Union, Connexus Credit Union, Discover, EverBank, First Internet Bank of Indiana, First National Bank of America, Fulbright, Limelight Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MYSB Direct, Popular Bank, Quontic, Rising Bank and Synchrony.*APYs as of March 12, 2025, based on the banks we track at CNET. Earnings are based on APYs and assume interest is compounded annually. More on CDs

The current measles outbreak in West Texas has spread to neighboring states New Mexico and Oklahoma, and the Centers for Disease Control warns that "more cases are expected as this outbreak continues to expand rapidly." There are now 258 total cases across the three states, according to CNN.It's not only those three states, however. Measles cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, per AP.With the elevated risk of contracting measles, some people are now wondering if their vaccines are working to protect them from this contagious virus -- or if they need another vaccination on top of the shots they may have already gotten. Here's what the experts have to say.What are the signs of a measles infection?Measles is one of the world's most contagious viruses with a number of symptoms to look out for -- most notably a rash and fever, according to the CDC. The virus is spread through the air, and once infected, measles attacks your respiratory tract.The Cleveland Clinic notes that there is no cure for measles, and measles just has to "run its course." However, the best protection from it is a measles vaccine, which is typically given to babies in the form of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.Measles typically manifests at first as a "very specific rash that starts from the face and spreads down your body," says Dr. Yoshua Quinones, board-certified internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to LabFinder. Other common side symptoms to watch out for include "high fever, cough, runny nose and watery or red eyes."Quinones adds, "Occasionally, you may see small white spots inside your mouth. These are named Koplik spots."While measles can and will make anyone sick, the CDC reports that it is especially dangerous for children under 5 years old. This is because children have undeveloped immune systems and are at a higher risk of illnesses, making them vulnerable -- and it's even more so if they haven't been vaccinated.How does the measles vaccine work?The measles vaccine protects people from getting measles. It's known as the MMR, since it's combined with the vaccines for mumps (a contagious viral infection that affects the salivary glands) and rubella (another contagious viral infection that typically starts with a red facial rash). You may also see the MMRV, which includes a vaccine for varicella or chickenpox."The vaccine is a live virus that is introducing a very weak form of measles so your body can practice fighting it off," says Quinones. "This will prepare your immune system to fight against measles if you're exposed."One dosage is typically given during infancy, with a second dosage to follow a few years later. The vaccination is especially important for children because their immune systems are weaker. This is why both doses are recommended before they are in school, where they will be exposed to more children (and more germs). The MMR vaccine is typically given to children in two doses early in life, but adults can receive it too. Inside Creative House/Getty ImagesWho should get the measles vaccine?Measles vaccines are typically given to all children. The first vaccine is usually given between 12 and 15 months of age and the second one is given between 4 and 6 years of age before children go to school, according to the CDC. The ages can vary, though, as long as the doses are properly spaced out.Vaccines can also be given to adults who haven't previously been vaccinated or are not immune, though they typically only get one dose. Dr. Omar Al-Heeti, an assistant professor of medicine at Southern Illinois University who practices internal medicine with a specialty in infectious diseases, one of CNET's medical reviews, adds that adults born during or after 1957 should have at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, or presumptive evidence of immunity.According to Dr. Al-Heeti, presumptive evidence of immunity is defined as one of the following:Written documentation of vaccination with two doses of live measles or MMR vaccine administered at least 28 days apartLaboratory evidence of immunity (positive serum IgG)Laboratory confirmation of diseaseBirth before 1957 (According to the CDC, although birth before 1957 is considered presumptive evidence of immunity, for unvaccinated healthcare personnel (HCP) born before 1957 who lack laboratory evidence of measles immunity or laboratory confirmation of disease, healthcare facilities should consider vaccinating personnel with two doses of MMR vaccine at the appropriate interval.)The CDC recommends that adults who work in the healthcare field, attend college/university or travel internationally get two doses separated by at least 28 days, as they are deemed to be at higher risk for acquiring the infection.Should you a measles booster if you were already vaccinated?Despite the ongoing measles outbreak, there is likely no need to get an additional measles vaccine unless you aren't fully vaccinated already or have proven immunity (previous infection/exposure). "If someone is fully vaccinated against measles (two doses) and has not had a major immunocompromising condition occur (e.g., organ transplant), their immunity should be sufficient with no need for further dosages," says Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, MD, FACP, FACEP, FIDSA, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.The first measles vaccine dose is usually given to infants and toddlers, with the second dose given during the childhood years. If the second dose was never given, someone could be at higher risk for measles and would, in fact, benefit from another measles vaccine now.A recent report noted that some people originally vaccinated in the 1970s and 1980s may need a new vaccine because the original wore off. This could be because they were only given one dose and the vaccine has evolved since then, and it was potentially not caught in some people's medical records."If you already have your full series, you don't need an additional dose; however, I highly recommend checking your titers if you have any doubts," Quinones says. "An extra shot will never add extra protection because you're very well protected." According to Mount Sinai, an antibody titer test measures the level of antibodies in a blood sample to see which vaccines you may need.Ask your primary care doctor to check your vaccination status to see if your MMR vaccination is up to date and to see if you may need a booster. If it's current and you are not immunocompromised, you likely do not need an extra shot. The CDC also notes that adults who have received a single dose and have "presumptive evidence of immunity" -- documentation of vaccination or immunity -- don't need to get another one. If you're already protected from measles, a booster won't provide extra protection. Hailshadow/Getty ImagesWho shouldn't get the measles vaccine?While the measles vaccine is generally considered safe, some groups of people are advised to avoid it. Quinones recommends that pregnant people not get the vaccine. It is also advised to wait at least a month after giving birth before getting a vaccine.The CDC also recommends that people who had an allergic reaction to the first MMR vaccine hold off on getting the second dose. In addition, people with any "severe, life-threatening" allergies should consult their doctor before getting vaccinated because it may not be safe.Those with weakened immune systems should also consult their doctor about getting the vaccine, especially if it is due to disease or medical treatment. If immunodeficiencies run in the family, this could also cause an issue with the shots.The vaccines can also potentially react with recent blood transfusions, so it's not recommended to get the MMR or MMRV within at least three months of receiving blood from someone. You should also not get the vaccine if you currently have tuberculosis or bruise or bleed easily, according to the CDC.The MMR doses need to be spaced out by at least 28 days, and you should also not get one of these doses if you've had another vaccine within 28 days as well. It's also important to let your healthcare provider know if you've been sick recently -- with any sort of illness -- so they can advise if it's still safe to vaccinate. If you're a parent bringing in a child for vaccination, also advise the doctor if the baby has been sick or shown any previous symptoms of concern.Or if you were born before 1957, you may already have immunity.Is the measles vaccine safe?According to medical experts and the CDC, the measles vaccine is safe and effective. Some slight side effects may occur after getting the shot, but they are generally minor and go away quickly."The measles vaccine may cause fever, chills and muscle aches/pains in the days after injection," says Adalja.Quinones also points out that it's possible to feel "soreness" at the injection site following the shot.Beyond this, the CDC reports that it's possible to see some swelling in the cheeks or neck and in rare cases, a bleeding disorder that will eventually resolve itself. In more severe cases, it's possible to have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, which would require calling 911 right away, especially if there's trouble breathing, intense swelling or dizziness.The CDC also reports a small link between the MMR vaccine and febrile seizures, but it is "rare" and not linked to "long-term effects." However, the organization recommends that parents vaccinate their children early to lessen the chances of this occurring.The CDC also calls out the notion that vaccines were once linked to autism and shuts down any possibility that the two are related to each other, citing experts and research. The CDC states, "There is no link between autism and vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative."Does health insurance cover the measles vaccine?Typically, all Health Insurance Marketplace plans and private insurance plans offer the MMR vaccine (as well as other common vaccines) without charging a copayment or coinsurance, as long as you're with an in-network provider, according to the CDC. Medicare likely also covers the vaccine, whether on Part B or Part D, and so does Medicaid, but it's always best to double-check with your medical facility and with Medicare or Medicaid to be certain.Military benefits can also vary depending on coverage, but the MMR vaccine will most likely be covered, as the CDC recommends it be covered across the board.The bottom lineDespite the outbreak that is currently happening in the United States, people do not need to get another measles vaccine if they've already sufficiently been vaccinated. However, doctors suggest checking with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about the efficacy of the vaccinations you received and to find out if a booster shot could be necessary, especially if there is an outbreak in your community. If so, experts make it clear that the measles vaccine is safe and will protect you from the virus.

PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra games for March revealedLost Crown! Armored Core! More!Image credit: Eurogamer/Sony News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on March 12, 2025 With March now at the mid-way point, Sony has revealed the latest titles joining its PlayStation Plus game catalogue for Premium and Extra subscribers - with the highlight undoubtedly being Ubisoft's superb Price of Persia: The Lost Crown.The Lost Crown might be the most eye-catching of the lot, depending on your taste, but there's more besides. From next Tuesday, 18th March, Premium and Extra members also get the likes of arcade football silliness in Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions, laundrette (and coin-op) management in Arcade Paradise, and MMA fisticuffs in EA Sports UFC 5.As for those Premium-exclusive additions, March is a good 'un for fans of FromSoftware's long-running mech series, Armored Core. Armored Core, Armored Core: Project Phantasma, and Armored Core: Master of Arena all arrive in March, alongside Arcade Paradise VR. You'll find the full list of this month's titles below:PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra:UFC 5 (PS5)Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (PS4, PS5)Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions (PS4)Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy (PS4, PS5)Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy (PS4, PS5)Bang-On Balls: Chronicles (PS4, PS5)You Suck at Parking (PS4, PS5)Syberia The World Before (PS4, PS5)PlayStation Plus Premium:Armored Core (PS4, PS5)Armored Core: Project Phantasma (PS4, PS5)Armored Core: Master of Arena (PS4, PS5)Arcade Paradise VR (PS VR2)Sony recently announced plans to shift the focus of its PlayStation Plus monthly games and Game Catalog updates toward PS5 titles starting early next year, after which PlayStation 4 games will only "occasionally" feature thereafter. "Many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles," it said at the time.