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Adjustable-rate mortgage loans were risky during the housing crisis. Here's why people are choosing them now.

Reid's book, Medgar and Myrlie, tells the stories of the civil rights leader from Mississippi and his wife, who became an activist after Medgar's 1963 assassination. Originally broadcast Feb. 7, 2024.

While Food and Drug Administration inspectors who make sure food and drugs meet quality standards were spared in recent cuts, key support staffers were dismissed.

(Image credit: Stefani Reynolds)

• TDK’s Spin Photo Detector pushes AI data speeds ten times beyond today’s tech
• AI bottlenecks may vanish as TDK shifts focus from GPU to data transfer
• Spin Photo Detector uses laser-induced magnetism for ultrafast photoelectric conversion

Japanese manufacturer TDK has claimed it has achieved a major breakthrough in solving one of the most pressing problems in artificial intelligence. No, not GPU performance, but rather data transfer.

Its innovation, called the Spin Photo Detector, combines magnetic, optical, and electronic technologies to move data at speeds up to ten times faster than existing semiconductor-based photodetectors can offer.

TDK’s device reaches response speeds of just 20 picoseconds - or 20 trillionths of a second - using light at a wavelength of 800 nanometers.

TDK’s Spin Photo Detector

“This data transfer is the biggest bottleneck for AI rather than the semiconductor GPU performance,” said Hideaki Fukuzawa, senior manager of the company’s next-generation product development center.

“Since we can break through many of the current bottlenecks, we think this technology will be a game-changer for the AI and data center industry."

To achieve this, TDK re-engineered its magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) technology, previously used in billions of hard disk drive heads.

The MTJ structure is only 200 nanometers wide and integrates a single CoFeB free layer that responds to laser pulses. It allows switching from parallel to antiparallel magnetic states with 100% reliability under defined conditions.

Unlike semiconductors that rely on carrier generation and face limitations at short wavelengths, Spin Photo Detectors use electron heating, enabling faster speeds and broader spectral coverage. The MTJ elements are also resistant to cosmic rays, making them ideal for aerospace applications.

“The Spin Photo Detector holds remarkable promise, both from a scientific and technological perspective,” said Arata Tsukamoto, a professor of electrical engineering at Nihon University who collaborated with TDK on validation.

TDK’s device demonstrated effective operation across a wide range of wavelengths, from 300 nm to 1.6 µm. Its ultrafast analog light detection capability, energy efficiency, and compact size open up potential applications in AR/VR smart glasses, high-speed imaging, and space systems. This development could also help address power consumption issues in AI deployment.

The technology could serve markets where fast, low-latency data transfer is crucial for AI workloads and graphics-heavy tasks.

TDK expects to supply samples by March 2026 and is aiming for mass production within five years. Thanks to the few processing steps required, it expects to maintain a cost advantage and challenge major chipmakers like TSMC and Nvidia, who are investing heavily in silicon photonics.

Via Financial Times

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• Intel sells majority of its FPGA business to Silver Lake

• Huawei launches CloudMatrix 384 Supernode to rival Nvidia’s NVL72 AI
• CloudMatrix 384 delivers nearly double the compute power with superior memory and bandwidth
• Consumes almost four times the power but system efficiency is less critical in China

Huawei has been positioning itself as the Chinese Nvidia for some time, and now, the South China Morning Post reports the company has launched a new AI infrastructure architecture set to rival the US chip giant’s NVL72 system.

Nvidia’s NVL72 links 72 GPUs using NVLink technology, allowing them to function as a single, powerful GPU. Built for trillion-parameter AI models, it delivers real-time inference at speeds up to 30 times faster than previous systems by avoiding traditional data transfer bottlenecks.

SCMP said Huawei’s rival to this, the CloudMatrix 384 Supernode, has been described as a "nuclear-level product" by unnamed Huawei sources. According to reports, it uses 384 Ascend 910C chips to deliver 300 petaflops of dense BF16 compute, that's almost double the 180 petaflops offered by Nvidia’s NVL72.

Power hungry

The CloudMatrix 384 Supernode has so far been deployed at Huawei’s data centers in Wuhu, a city in central Anhui province, the report says.

Writing about the new product, SemiAnalysis confirms this rack-scale solution competes directly with Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72 and, in some metrics, outperforms it. The site says that despite sanctions, China’s domestic semiconductor capabilities are growing and Huawei’s strength lies in system-level engineering, including networking, optics, and software.

While the Ascend chips rely heavily on foreign supply chains, such as HBM from Samsung and wafers from TSMC, Huawei has managed to skirt export controls through complex sourcing strategies.

The CloudMatrix 384 doesn’t only outperform the NVL72 in terms of compute, it also offers 3.6x aggregate memory capacity and 2.1x more memory bandwidth. However, something Huawei is likely less keen to shout about is that it consumes nearly four times the power.

SemiAnalysis points out that in China this is less of an issue than you might think. Abundant power generation means efficiency is less of a constraint compared to in the West, and China is expanding its energy grid rapidly, supporting such power-hungry AI infrastructure, even when supply outstrips demand.

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The Razer Blade 16 has reappeared online, but only in one configuration.

We've come to notice that whenever Hulu prepares to remove titles from the platform, its list is very condensed and doesn't seem to have any impact on the best Hulu movies. When it comes to Hulu's May 2025 schedule, it's the same protocol.

Just because its best movies and shows are here to stay for another month on one of the best streaming services, that doesn't mean that there aren't any titles worth bingeing before they get the chop, one of them being the drama/ thriller movie Italian Studies (2021) starring Vanessa Kirby and Maya Hawke.

Hulu is also cracking down on removing some of its highest-rated documentaries from The Last Tourist (2021) and The Capote Tapes (2019). So take if from me, if you're a fan of a good documentary movie now is the perfect time to knuckle down on checking them off your watchlist before Hulu removes them.

Everything leaving Hulu in May 2025

Leaving on May 3

Both Sides of the Blade (movie)
Last Survivors (movie)

Leaving on May 8

The Last Warrior (movie)

Leaving on May 10

Bar Fight! (movie)
Murder at Yellowstone City (movie)

Leaving on May 11

A Cops and Robbers Story (movie)
Italian Studies (movie)

Leaving on May 12

Not Going Quietly (documentary)

Leaving on May 13

The Capote Tapes (documentary)

Leaving on May 14

All the Streets Are Silent: The Convergence of Hip Hop and Skateboarding (1987-1997) (documentary)

Leaving on May 16

Kandahar (movie)
Sundown (movie)
The Immaculate Room (movie)

Leaving on May 17

Slash/Back (movie)

Leaving on May 19

President (documentary)

Leaving on May 25

A Taste of Hunger (movie)

Leaving on May 27

The Requin (movie)

Leaving on May 28

Intrigo: Death Of An Author (movie)

Leaving on May 31

Gamestop: Rise of the Players (documentary)
Mob Land (movie)
The Last Tourist (documentary)
Try Harder! (movie)

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An increasing number of cheap true-wireless earbuds deliver surprisingly good performance. Based on my extensive hands-on testing, these are my current top bargain earbuds picks that cost less than $100.

• Proofpoint says multiple state-sponsored groups seen using ClickFix attack technique
• Russians, North Koreans, and Iranians all involved
• State-sponsored actors are mostly engaged in cyber-espionage

The ClickFix attack technique has gotten so popular that even state-sponsored threat actors are using it, research from Proofpoint claims, having observed at least three groups leveraging the method in the final quarter of 2024.

In an in-depth report, Proofpoint said it saw Kimsuky, MuddyWater, UNK_RemoteRogue, and APT28, all using ClickFix in their attack chains.

Kimsuky is a known North Korean threat actor, MuddyWater is Iranian, while UNK_RemoteRogue and APT28 are allegedly Russian. Aside from North Korea’s Lazarus Group, state-sponsored threat actors are mostly engaged in cyber-espionage, stealing sensitive information from diplomats, critical infrastructure organizations, think tanks, and similar organizations from adversary states.

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No revolution

"The incorporation of ClickFix is not revolutionizing the campaigns carried out by TA427, TA450, UNK_RemoteRogue, and TA422 but instead is replacing the installation and execution stages in existing infection chains," Proofpoint explained.

ClickFix has been making headlines for months now. It is a social engineering tactic similar to ancient “You’ve got a virus” popups that used to plague internet sites two decades ago.

Originally, the popup would invite the visitor to download and run an antivirus program which was, in fact, just malware.

When the industry addressed this attack by striking the infrastructure, crooks pivoted to leaving a phone number for alleged IT support.

Victims calling this number would be tricked into installing remote desktop programs, giving crooks the ability to download and run malware on their devices.

The ClickFix attack takes this method and gives it a unique spin. It still starts with a popup but sometimes the victims are also asked to “complete a CAPTCHA”, “verify their identity”, or similar. The process doesn’t require them clicking on a download button, but instead asks them to copy and paste a command in their Run program.

While it sounds far-fetched, it’s been quite successful, proven by nation-states’ adoption, as well.

Via The Hacker News

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It's almost time to welcome Andor back to our screens.

The highly-rated Star Wars TV show is about to return for its second and final season. And with plenty of new and familiar faces set to appear, you'll want to know who'll feature in the Disney+ series' next installment.

Below, I'll run you through the main characters in Andor season 2, the actors portraying them, and where you might have seen them before.

While there are no cast or plot-based spoilers for season 2 from this point on, there are major spoilers for Andor season 1. Proceed with caution if you're still watching it.

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor

Luna will return as Andor's protagonist (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

The titular character, once again played by Luna, heads up Andor's talented cast.

In the season 1 finale, Cassian Andor became a fully-fledged member of the nascent Rebel Alliance. In season 2, he'll carry out numerous covert missions for the rebellion's de facto leader Luthen Rael – one of which will see Luna uncover the Empire's terrifying plans to unleash the Death Star on planets that oppose their totalitarian rule.

Luna is best known for playing Andor in this program and 2016 Star Wars film Rogue One, which is actually a sequel to Andor even though it was released six years before the show's first season. Luna has also appeared in DC League of Super-Pets, La Maquina on Hulu, and Narcos: Mexico on Netflix, among other projects.

Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma

Mon Mothma is considered to be the deuteragonist of this Star Wars TV show (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Andor may bear the titular hero's name, but it's very much an ensemble piece. For one, Mon Mothma is as integral to the story told in one of the best Disney+ shows as Cassian is.

Last season saw the soon-to-be-Rebel Alliance's commander make some shady deals to not only help fund its operations but also ensure monetary transactions couldn't be traced back to her by the Empire. Expect season 2 to depict the fallout from these incidents as the Chandrila-born Senator slowly transforms into the leader she must become.

Having played Mothma in four projects prior to Andor, O'Reilly also returns for the series' next installment. Viewers may recognize her from bit-part roles in The Matrix movie series and The Legend of Tarzan, as well as bigger roles in Tolkien, Glitch, and Tin Star.

Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael

Luthen Rael will continue to operate from the shadows in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

The main fulcrum of this embryonic rebellion, Luthen Rael, will continue to play the role of puppet master in Andor's second season. He'll be portrayed by Skarsgård again, too.

Skarsgård will be familiar to fans who've watched the Thor films – the beloved actor played Erik Selvig in the God of Thunder's first two standalone flicks. Away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), he's appeared in fan-favorite and/or acclaimed productions including Good Will Hunting, The Hunt for Red October, Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies, and HBO's award-winning dramatization of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Adria Arjona as Bix Caleen

Bix escaped to whereabouts unknown in season 1's final episode (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Arjona returns for season 2, too, with the Puerto Rican actor stepping back into the shoes of Andor's ex-girlfriend, who's also a talented mechanic and black market dealer.

When we last saw Bix, she was traveling to pastures new after being rescued by Cassian following her imprisonment by, and psychological torture at the hands of, the Empire. With this season featuring some "very sexy" time jumps throughout its 12-episode run, we'll see how Bix deals with that trauma and how it impacts her relationship with the show's protagonist.

With appearances in Netflix projects like Hit-Man and 6 Underground, as well as roles in Morbius, Emerald City, and Prime Video's Good Omens, Arjona is a talented star you'll have seen in at least one other film or TV series.

Denise Gough as Dedra Meero

Meero's pursuit of Andor will continue in the hit show's next chapter (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

After trying (and failing!) to catch Cassian last season, Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) officer Dedra Meero is back on the case in season 2. However, after events that transpired in last season's finale, a fledgling relationship with one of her fellow Empire workers may force her to take her eye off the ball...

Denise Gough, who most recently starred in The Stolen Girl on Hulu and Disney+, aka two of the world's best streaming services, will portray Meero once more. Primarily a TV actor, Gough has starred in other shows, such as Titanic: Blood and Steel, Stella, Guerilla, and Under the Banner of Heaven.

Kyle Soller as Syril Karn

Syril Karn has seemingly moved on from pursuing Cassia in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

The man who initially led the charge in trying to track down and arrest Cassian, former security service employee Syril Karn, will also return this season. Just as he was last time around, he'll be played by Kyle Soller.

Fans of Lucasfilm's legendary galaxy far, far away have wondered what's in store for the morally complex Empire worker this time around. Obviously, I won't spoil anything here, but let's just say the series' most complicated character will be tested in more ways than one when Andor's second chapter premieres.

As for where you might have seen Soller before, he's appeared in Poldark, Bodies, and Monsters: Dark Continent, among others.

Faye Marsay as Vel Sartha

Vel, seen here in season 1, is largely absent from Andor 2's trailers... (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

One of Luthen's most trusted individuals, Vel Sartha's faith in the shadowy operator may be wavering somewhat in the wake of season 1's final episode. Nevertheless, her loyalty to the cause, as well as those she's closest to, has never diminished.

Season 2 will find Vel back on her homeworld of Chandrila after her reunion with her cousin – that being none other than Mon Mothma. As for what else lies in store for her this season? That would be telling.

Marsay was most recently seen in Netflix's emotionally powerful and politically topical Adolescence miniseries, but she's also had roles in Ten Pound Poms, Game of Thrones, Avocado Toast, and Lady Chatterley's Lover, to name just four.

Varada Sethu as Cinta Kaz

...As is Vel's fellow Luthen disciple and love interest Cinta (pictured) (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Until recently, it was unclear if Varada Sethu would return as Cinta Kaz. Thanks to Andor season 2's official trailer, though, we know another of Luther's acolytes and Vel's love interest will be back for more secret missions as part of the Rebel Alliance.

Like Marsay, Sethu's face will be instantly recognizable to any TV aficionado. Indeed, she's playing the new companion – Belinda 'Bel' Chandra – in Doctor Who season 2, which recently debuted on Disney+ (internationally) and BBC One/BBC iPlayer (UK). She's also appeared in other shows, such as Annika, Hard Sun, and the Strike Back TV franchise.

Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya Marki

Luthen's multi-talented assistant will have a more prominent role in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Every leader needs a good assistant – and Luthen certainly has one in the form of Kleya. Unwaveringly loyal to the Rebel Alliance's founder, Kleya is Luthen's second-in-command when it comes to rebellion affairs and those concerning his Coruscant-located antiques shop, which is a front for the rebels' secret headquarters.

Kleya proved to be a breakout role for Dulau, whose star has risen since she played the character in Andor's debut season. Since then, she's had roles in Maternal, All the Light We Cannot See, and one of the best movies of 2024 in Wicked.

Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic

The man overseeing the Death Star's development will appear in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

I couldn't have been more excited for Ben Mendelsohn's return as Orson Krennic when it was first teased in June 2024. The Galactic Empire's Director of Advanced Weapons Research was not only the primary (and incredibly sinister!) villain in Rogue One but also the man responsible for overseeing the Death Star's creation.

Again, spoilers notwithstanding, he'll have a pretty fairly large role in season 2. That's particularly true towards its end as Andor's sophomore outing eventually leads into Rogue One's first act.

Mendelsohn's most recent role saw him play legendary fashion designer Christian Dior in Apple TV+'s The New Look. Other significant roles of his include Talos in the MCU, Danny Rayburn on Bloodline, Nolan Sorrento in Ready Player One, and John Daggett in The Dark Knight Rises.

Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera

The Partisan Group leader has had a complicated relationship with Rael over the years (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Saw Gerrera, commander of the rebel militia group known as The Partisans, is set to appear in season 2. Just as he did in Rogue One and Andor season 1, Forest Whitaker will portray the insurgent group's leader. Expect him to butt heads with the likes of Rael whenever he appears.

Whitaker needs no introduction. The Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe winner has appeared in numerous fan-favorite and acclaimed projects over the years. From Black Panther and The Last King of Scotland to Bird and Roots, to ER and Sorry to Bother You, and many besides, you'll have seen Whitaker in any number of film and TV productions over the decades.

Alan Tudyk as K-2SO

K-2SO is Cassian's android bestie in Rogue One, but how did the pair meet? (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

K-2SO was conspicuous by his absence in Andor's first season. Considering he's Cassian's android bestie in Rogue One, fans were baffled over his lack of inclusion last time out. However, if further evidence was needed that he's in its sequel, Andor season 2's first trailer confirmed it.

Again, no spoilers, but you'll finally learn how he and the titular character came to be best buds in season 2. Just don't be surprised if you have to wait a while for that encounter to play out.

Tudyk, who was the mocap actor and voice for K-2SO in Rogue One, reprises his role as the reprogrammed imperial security droid. Tudyk was last seen (or, rather, heard) in Creature Commandos' first season on Max, but his list of credits is a lengthy one that includes Resident Alien, Wish, The Electric State, Moana, Frozen, MODOK, Harley Quinn, and The Santa Clarita Diet, to name a few.

The workaholic actor will next appear in James Gunn's Superman movie, with Tudyk set to voice another android character in Kelex.

Muhannad Bhaier as Wilmon

Wilmon is another of Cassian's friends who escaped to regions unknown after the season 1 finale (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

A character with a small but important part to play in season 1, Wilmon will have an expanded role in its follow-up chapter. We last saw him leaving Ferrix alongside Bix and Brasso (more on him shortly) in the season 1 finale.

Like Dulau, one of the latest new Star Wars movies and TV shows represented a breakthrough moment for Bhaier. Before it began airing in mid-2022, he'd only appeared in 2018 TV movie Mariah: The Diva, the Demons, the Drama.

Joplin Sibtain as Brasso

Brasso also fled Ferrix in season 1's final chapter (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

The third and final Ferrix dweller to leave seeking refuge on another world, Brasso is a long-time friend of Cassian, Bix, and Wilmon's. Sibtain, who's appeared in Hard Sun, Doctors, and EastEnders among other TV shows, will portray Brasso once more.

With Brasso being held at gunpoint by stormtroopers in both trailers for season 2, Star Wars fans are understandably concerned for his welfare. I'm keeping mum on what becomes of him, though, because, you know, spoilers and all that.

Kathryn Hunter as Eedy Karn

Everyone's favorite overbearing mom is back in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

If Syril, not to mention Andor's fanbase, thought they'd seen the last of Eedy Karn, they'd be sorely mistaken. That's right, everyone's favorite overbearing mom is back to molly-coddle her only child in the popular series' final chapter.

Most recently, Hunter played a supporting role in Black Doves, aka one of the best Netflix shows of 2024. Other famous roles of hers include The Tragedy of Macbeth, Megalopolis, the Harry Potter film franchise, and Rome.

There are plenty of other supporting characters who'll have roles in season 2. That includes Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie), Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser), Tay Kolma (Ben Miles), Davo Sculdun (Richard Dillane), B2EMO (voiced by Dave Chapman), Leida (Bronte Carmichael), and Lonnie Jung (Robert Emms).

However, this article would be three times as long as it is if I included everyone. If any of the above end up having sizable parts to play this season, I'll add them to the main cast roster.

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claimed he had intelligence that China was sending weapons, including gunpowder and artillery, to Russia.'/>

The sanctions mean the companies will not be able to do business with Ukraine and any assets they have in the country will be frozen.

(Image credit: JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty Images)

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• INC Ransom recently added Ahold Delhaize to its data leak site
• The company confirmed losing sensitive data in the attack
• The investigation is still ongoing, so users should be wary

Ahold Delhaize, one of the world's largest food retail groups, has confirmed it lost sensitive data from its US business in a November 2024 cyberattack.

The confirmation came after the threat actor responsible, INC Ransom, added the company to its data leak website, sharing sample documents they claim were stolen in the attack.

"Based on our investigation to date, certain files were taken from some of our internal U.S. business systems," an Ahold Delhaize spokesperson told BleepingComputer. "Since the incident was detected, our teams have been working diligently to determine what information may have been affected."

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Under investigation

In early November 2024, Ahold Delhaize disclosed a cybersecurity incident which forced it to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure.

"This issue and subsequent mitigating actions have affected certain Ahold Delhaize USA brands and services including a number of pharmacies and certain e-commerce operations," the company said back then.

The company said that it was still investigating the incident, and if it determines that customer data was taken, it would notify affected individuals.

"If we determine that personal data was impacted, we will notify affected individuals as appropriate. In addition, we have notified and updated law enforcement," Ahold Delhaize added.

Until the investigation concludes, we won’t know how many (if any) customers are at risk, but it’s worth mentioning that Ahold Delhaize is a Dutch-Belgian multinational retail and wholesale holding company, operating some 7,910 stores across Europe, the United States, and Indonesia, and serving around 72 million customers weekly.

The company’s spokesperson told the publication that all of its stores and e-commerce services are open and operational, and that customers should not face any problems as a result of the breach.

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Between the slate of tariffs currently in effect and proposed tariffs on car parts, the cost of car ownership is rising. And that's true even if you're not in the market for a vehicle.

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

• Legends International releases a data breach notification letter
• It says it suffered a cyberattack and data breach in November 2024
• The investigation into the nature of the stolen data is ongoing

Legends International, a company providing premium services for sports and entertainment venues, has confirmed suffering a cyberattack and losing sensitive data.

In a sample data breach notification letter, the company said that it identified “unauthorized activity” on its IT systems in early November, 2024.

After taking parts of its infrastructure down and running an investigation, it discovered that “certain Legends files” had been accessed and exfiltrated during the attack.

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Under investigation

The letter does not discuss the nature of the data stolen, so we don’t know if it’s the usual (names, email addresses, postal addresses), or if it includes more sensitive information (payment data, driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, etc.).

Basic information, belonging to former employees and customers, is most likely taken, given how Legends worded it in the letter: “It appears that Legends had your personal information in these files because you either worked at or visited a venue managed by Legends.”

The company offered 24 months of free identity theft services to affected individuals, through Experian. Victims have until July 31, 2025, to sign up.

This, CyberInsider argues, could mean that "highly sensitive personal data" was taken, as well.

The investigation seems to be ongoing, and law enforcement has been notified. Therefore, we still don’t know how many people might have been affected. However, since the organization is rather large, it could be a major incident.

Legends International employs roughly 5,800 people across six continents and recently reported an estimated annual revenue of $1.7 billion for the period ending March 31, 2024.​

At press time, no threat actors assumed responsibility for the attack, and Legends hasn’t found the data being shared anywhere online just yet.

Still, the company urged its former employees and customers to remain vigilant and keep a close eye on their account statements and credit history for any signs of unauthorized transactions.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, April 18 (game #1180).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1181) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1181) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1181) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1181) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1181) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• G

• L

• R

• E

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1181) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1181, are…

• GRADE
• LAUGH
• RAINY
• EXULT

Today’s challenge was like freewheeling downhill thanks to my start words turning over a big crop of correct letters.

My only pause was for EXULT. Even though I had the U,L, and T in the correct positions and knew there was only one option I still had that moment of trepidation when using a rarely used letter. X marks the spot.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1181) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1181, are…

• PIXEL
• MAYBE
• FLUTE
• ROWER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTO
• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT
• Quordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUT
• Quordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAY
• Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCE
• Quordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOP
• Quordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THING
• Quordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLY
• Quordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSE
• Quordle #1171, Wednesday 9 April: LITHE, LEFTY, KNOLL, MULCH
• Quordle #1170, Tuesday 8 April: WIDTH, VISOR, MEDAL, BROOK
• Quordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABIN
• Quordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICK
• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT
• Quordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE
• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, April 18 (game #411).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #412) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… ___ a ___

NYT Strands today (game #412) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• NICE 
• BRAT
• MEAN
• BEAN
• TRUE
• BREAK

NYT Strands today (game #412) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #412) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 2nd column

Last side: bottom, 5th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #412) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #412, are…

• HINT
• CHANCE
• HIKE
• GANDER
• NUMBER
• SELFIE
• BREATHER
• SPANGRAM: TAKE THAT

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

A great theme today and one that was originally a mystery until it revealed itself with HINT. A nice in-joke from team Strands.

I used to work for a British tabloid magazine called Take a Break, whose pages were divided between puzzles and real life stories — plastic surgery that had gone wrong, love rats cheating people out of their life savings.

It was a great magazine to work on, in part because it was so loved by its readers. So, obviously, I was hoping it would make an appearance in today’s “take a ____” search?

Interestingly it is in the grid, but it didn’t make the cut to become an actual answer. 

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, 18 April, game #411)

• TILE
• DOMINO
• TOKEN
• CHECKER
• KNIGHT
• BATTLESHIP
• SPANGRAM: GAME PIECES

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, April 18 (game #676).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #678) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HOT
• DEVIL
• GOLDEN
• INTRO CLASS
• LAB
• BULLY
• SANDY
• ADDRESS
• DRY
• CANNABIS
• LECTURE
• JAMES BOND
• TALK
• CHOW
• VAST
• SPEECH

NYT Connections today (game #678) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Speaking to a group
• GREEN: Describing the Sahara
• BLUE: Casual canines 
• PURPLE: Numeral alternatives

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #678) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: SPOKEN PRESENTATION
• GREEN: ADJECTIVES FOR A DESERT 
• BLUE: DOG BREEDS, INFORMALLY 
• PURPLE: REPRESENTED BY THREE-DIGIT NUMBERS 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #678) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #678, are…

• YELLOW: SPOKEN PRESENTATION ADDRESS, LECTURE, SPEECH, TALK
• GREEN: ADJECTIVES FOR A DESERT DRY, HOT, SANDY, VAST
• BLUE: DOG BREEDS, INFORMALLY BULLY, CHOW, GOLDEN, LAB
• PURPLE: REPRESENTED BY THREE-DIGIT NUMBERS CANNABIS, DEVIL, INTRO CLASS, JAMES BOND

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

Today was a day where I got three in every group (well, apart from purple obviously) and took a chance on the fourth each time.

For SPOKEN PRESENTATION I originally had INTRO instead of ADDRESS. Then for ADJECTIVES FOR A DESERT I thought we were looking for words that describe a beach, so I went with GOLDEN rather than VAST.

That’s where my mistakes ended, but I still struggled to get the last dog breed. BULLY, CHOW and LAB were locked in but the fourth eluded me – so I gambled with Golden.

Meanwhile, I had no idea CANNABIS was represented by a number, although I should have seen the pattern with JAMES BOND (007), DEVIL (666), and INTRO CLASS (101). 

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 18 April, game #677)

• YELLOW: INTERJECTIONS BOY, GOODNESS, MAN, WOW
• GREEN: HORROR MOVIES, WITH "THE" BIRDS, EXORCIST, HAUNTING, SHINING
• BLUE: THINGS YOU CAN PICK APPLE, BANJO, CARD, NOSE
• PURPLE: PERSONAL PROPERTY MINUS "S" BELONGING, EFFECT, GOOD, POSSESSION

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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At the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites, Mike Huckabee said he'd brought a note with a prayer for peace handwritten by President Trump, who had instructed him to insert it into the wall.

(Image credit: Gil Cohen-Magen)