• Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's relationship goes back decades, when their moms introduced them as kids.
• Affleck told BI at the "The Accountant 2" premiere that he doesn't have many close friends.
• "You don't need a million friends. You need a few," Affleck said.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's decadeslong friendship is precious — just ask Affleck.

"It's a beautiful thing," Affleck told reporters at the red carpet premiere of "The Accountant 2" at the SXSW Film & TV Festival Saturday. "You know, I don't have very many — none of us really have very many friends. You don't need a million friends. You need a few. You need good ones."

"I'm really lucky to have had a friend in Matt," he added.

Affleck and Damon's friendship extends back to their childhood, when their moms introduced them as kids in the 1980s. They've come a long way since working as uncredited extras together on the 1989 Kevin Costner movie "Field of Dreams," including winning an Oscar together for writing "Good Will Hunting" in 1998.

It's not just Affleck who's gushed about their friendship. In 2023, Damon reflected on how his bond with Affleck changed after his dad died in 2017, calling his friendship with Affleck one of "the three most significant partnerships" in his life.

In addition to their busy acting careers — Damon can next be seen leading the stacked cast of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," while Affleck returns for "The Accountant 2" in April — both have thriving behind-the-scenes careers as producers.

In 2022, they founded Artists Equity together, and "The Accountant 2" is one of the films they've produced. It's a far cry from their days sharing a bank account and hoping their power wouldn't get turned off.

"It's been very rewarding to create an opportunity for other people, directors and artists, to kind of be able to take responsibility for and manage and have a more creative say in their projects," Affleck said, adding that "The Accountant 2" director Gavin O'Connor had a strong vision for the film. "We wanted to set him up to succeed, and I feel like this movie, frankly, really validates that approach."

"The Accountant 2" is in theaters April 25.

• I went to Outback Steakhouse to try its Aussie three-course meal deal in the $15 tier.
• I got a baked-potato soup, a Bloomin' burger with a side of broccoli, and a slice of cheesecake.
• With tax, my bill came to just $16.28, which I think is more than worth it for the food I got.

I have no illusions about what to expect when I walk into an Outback Steakhouse.

At the chain, I assume I'll get food that tastes good though probably not great. It's comfort dining: the menu is vast, the calorie count is often pretty high, and the flavors are familiar.

However, at Outback, like at many chain restaurants these days, the food isn't exactly cheap. An appetizer of those famous Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie, for example, will run you about $16, a steakhouse salad $18, and a 13-ounce ribeye nearly $30.

With that in mind, I was skeptical of its limited-time Aussie three-course meal deal, which comes in three tiers: $15, $19, or $22. It's only available for dine-in customers and can vary by location.

On a recent visit to Outback, I went with the $15 meal. Here's how it went.

• Donatella Versace is stepping down as creative director of Versace after 28 years.
• Dario Vitale, former design director of Miu Miu, will take over her role in April.
• Versace has faced challenges with declining revenue and a potential acquisition by Prada.

Donatella Versace is stepping down as chief creative officer of Versace after running the fashion house for nearly 30 years.

On Thursday, Capri Holdings, which owns Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Michael Kors, said that she will transition to the role of chief brand ambassador of Versace in April.

It will be the first time in the brand's history that a non-family member will lead its creative vision.

Dario Vitale, the former design director of Miu Miu, will take her position at the Italian fashion house.

Dario Vitale is taking over as creative director of Versace

Born in 1983 near Naples, Italy, Vitale graduated from Istituto Marangoni in 2006 and worked with Dsquared2 for a year, followed by Bottega Veneta, Vogue reported.

He joined Miu Miu in 2010 as a fashion designer and became the ready-to-wear design director. His departure from the brand was announced in January.

Miu Miu saw impressive growth with Vitale's help, as revenue grew by 97.3% in 2024. It's consistently been named a top brand in recent years, becoming a major trendsetter in everything from ballet flats to underwear as outerwear and the viral micro-miniskirt.

Miu Miu has also been a major factor in helping its parent company, Prada, avoid the luxury slump.

Vitale has remained relatively under the radar compared to his Versace predecessor, having confirmed his latest career move in the bio of his Instagram account, which has zero posts so far.

On Thursday, Versace CEO Emmanuel Gintzburger said, "Vitale is a rare talent who deeply respects the essences and values of Versace," and "his experience and vision will bring a new perspective to the brand."

Addressing his new role, Vitale said, "I am truly honored to join Versace as the Chief Creative Officer and be a part of this special and powerful fashion luxury House created by Gianni and Donatella. The House of Versace has a unique heritage that has spanned decades and has shaped the history of fashion."

"It is a privilege to contribute to the future growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise, and dedication," Vitale added.

Donatella Versace's legacy

Donatella Versace took over as creative director after her brother Gianni Versace, who founded the fashion house in 1978, died in 1997. In his will, Gianni Versace left his sister a 20% stake in the company.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni's legacy," Donatella Versace said in a statement on Thursday.

In her new role as chief brand ambassador, she said she will "remain Versace's most passionate supporter," adding that "Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart."

The designer also confirmed the news on Instagram, posting a montage of iconic Versace moments, which she captioned, "I hope I've made you proud so far."

Versace has been known for its maximalist style, vibrant prints, and, of course, Jennifer Lopez's "jungle dress," which was so iconic that it inspired the creation of Google Images.

"Versace is what it is today because of Donatella Versace," Gintzburger said in his statement on Thursday.

Donatella Versace expanded the fashion house into a globally recognized brand, which was acquired by Capri Holdings in 2018 for about $2.12 billion.

In 2023, Tapestry, which owns Coach and Kate Spade, announced it would acquire Capri Holdings for $8.5 billion, but the Federal Trade Commission blocked the merger in 2024.

Versace has continued to struggle with sales. In February, BI reported that the brand's revenue had dropped 15% compared to the previous year. The CEO of Capri Holdings, John Idol, cited its move toward quiet luxury and fewer entry-level priced goods as reasons for the dip.

Now, Donatella Versace's departure comes amid reports that Prada could buy Versace from Capri Holdings for $1.6 billion.

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• The Kia Sorento is a smaller midsize family SUV that comes standard with a third row.
• I recently drove a fully loaded Sorento in X-Line SX Prestige trim.
• I was impressed by the Sorento's peppy driving dynamics, rugged styling, and well-executed tech.

I recently tested a fully loaded Kia Sorento and was impressed by the family SUV's peppy driving, rugged looks and suite of tech features.

The smaller midsize splits the difference between compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V and larger, three-row midsize SUVs like its bigger brother, the Kia Telluride.

The 2025 Sorento starts at $31,990 and is pretty much unchanged from previous years. The most significant update is the use of black instead of silver badging on X-Line trim models.

With fees, my Georgia-made X-Line SX-Prestige test car came out to $48,285.

12 features jumped out to me that helped make the Sorento a great family SUV that's practical, fun to drive, and packed with cool tech.

• My family and I moved from Texas to Las Vegas in 2014.
• The major tourist destination has been a surprisingly great place to raise a family.
• Here in Vegas, we have access to great entertainment, outdoor adventures, and a major airport.

Before moving to Las Vegas in 2014, my wife and I had been wrestling with the idea of leaving Texas for a while. We spent 30 years in Beaumont, a small city in the southeast part of the state, and craved a fresh start.

So, we set our sights on Vegas, a place we had vacationed to and enjoyed. It seemed like a bold change, and the city's energy was infectious every time we visited.

Making the move wasn't easy. We didn't have a safety net of friends or family in Vegas, and our two children had to stay behind with their grandparents for a bit to finish their school year. It was an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved.

But now, more than a decade after our move, we can confidently say that our decision to uproot our family was the best thing we've ever done.

Here are just a few of the many reasons we enjoy living in Sin City.

Outdoor adventures are surprisingly easy to find in Vegas

When friends ask about our lives in Vegas, most are surprised at how often we go on outdoor adventures.

Of course, there were plenty of opportunities to get outside in Texas, but very few of the major destinations were near our home.

Here in Vegas, however, we have access to plenty of national forests, state parks, and national parks. For example, in 45 minutes, we can visit Valley of Fire State Park, home to 40,000 acres of bright-red Aztec sandstone.

And in 15 minutes, we can travel to Red Rock Canyon, a gorgeous conservation area with a 13-mile scenic drive, rock climbing, and hiking trails.

Las Vegas is an excellent base for travel

Before our move, I never realized how strategically placed Sin City is for road trips. While living in Beaumont, driving 11 hours west meant we were still in Texas.

Now, we spend lots of time in cities like Phoenix, San Diego, and Los Angeles, all within a few hours' drive from home.

Living close to Harry Reid International Airport has been another incredible convenience, with affordable flights to destinations across the West Coast, Mexico, and Hawaii.

Back in Texas, with only a small regional airport in our immediate area, traveling out of state was a chore. Sure, we could head further east along the Gulf Coast, but it was more of the same landscape.

World-class entertainment is always minutes away

The closest entertainment options in Beaumont were typically a two-hour drive to Houston. Although artists sometimes swung through, we often found ourselves without any viable concert options.

Now that we're in Vegas, however, we're spoiled when it comes to entertainment. When the best musical acts in the world announce a tour, we typically don't have to hope they include our city.

Vegas also has several major-league sports teams and has hosted massive events like the Super Bowl, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, NASCAR races, and rodeo championships.

Away from the Strip, the Las Vegas suburbs have a small-town vibe

When I lived in Texas, I thought a city like Las Vegas would be sensory overload and a terrible place to raise a family.

It's true that if you spend most of your time on the Strip, the crowds, noise, and constant barrage of lights and music can lead to overstimulation.

However, when you step away from those areas, you discover that Las Vegas and its suburbs have small-town charm. For example, throughout the year, we enjoy community Christmas parades, Fourth of July celebrations, and cultural festivals scattered across the city.

We've found it easy to carve out a peaceful but fulfilling life here, a few minutes from one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

It may not be perfect, but for anyone willing to look beyond the bright lights, the city shows itself as a diverse and welcoming community.

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Wholesale egg prices are starting to drift lower amid signs that the bird flu is easing, but don't expect to find lower prices at grocery stores yet.

Why it matters: Even as President Trump is claiming victory, his administration is acknowledging that the upcoming Easter holiday could cause prices to jump again.

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The big picture: The highly pathogenic avian influenza has led to tens of millions of chickens being culled, triggering shortages and price spikes.

• Many stores are limiting how many eggs shoppers can buy and some restaurants have added temporary egg surcharges.
• Trump on Wednesday took credit for falling prices, saying "we did a lot of things that got the cost of eggs down, very substantially."
• But while wholesale prices have started to tick down, grocery shoppers are still paying more than ever for a dozen eggs.

When are egg prices coming down?

Wholesale egg prices fell by $1.20 to $6.85 per dozen last week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's March 7 report.

• The department noted that flu outbreaks had slowed over the past two weeks and been "localized, which is providing producers in unaffected regions with an opportunity to make progress in reducing the egg deficit problem the market has been experiencing."
• The latest: The price of Midwest large eggs was $5.23 per dozen on Thursday, down 39% from its peak two weeks earlier, according to Karyn Rispoli, managing editor for eggs in the Americas for price-reporting service Expana.

Yes, but: The price consumers are actually paying still rose 10% from January to February, according to the latest Consumer Price Index released Wednesday.

• Egg prices were up 59% from February 2024 to February 2025.
• The USDA said in a recent report that egg prices are expected to rise by 41.1% this year.

Between the lines: Consumers often don't see wholesale price drops reflected at the grocery store — at least not immediately.

• "There's usually (at least) a two-to-three-week lag between wholesale and retail pricing, and since the market only started correcting last Monday, shoppers haven't seen the impact of these lower prices at the grocery store just yet," Rispoli said Thursday.
• "The main driver behind this drop is weakened demand, largely due to widespread purchasing restrictions and elevated shelf prices," she said. "Right now, consumers are still experiencing the peak of the market in terms of what they're paying at checkout."

Easter could cause egg prices to soar

State of play: Easter is traditionally one of the highest demand periods for eggs with eggs playing a big part of Easter traditions and the Jewish holiday of Passover.

• This year, Easter is April 20, the latest date since 2019. Passover starts April 12.
• "We're going into Easter season. This is always the highest price for eggs," Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins said Tuesday. "We expect it to perhaps inch back up."

What they're saying: Kevin Bergquist, Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute sector manager, said in a new report that egg prices "will likely remain highly variable for the near future, but at a higher-than-usual level."

• "In the short term, we will likely see a continuation of high egg prices," Bergquist said. "The Easter season is just around the corner, and the demand for eggs is not abating."

The bottom line: If egg prices are still high for Easter, expect families to turn to alternatives like painting and hiding potatoes, an idea that sprouted in 2023 because of high prices.

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