Feed aggregator

The chain's bankruptcy filing is the second in seven years. Its troubles include unwieldy debt, shoppers' changing habits and new tariff costs.

(Image credit: Seth Wenig)

White House envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in a last-ditch effort to convince him to make peace in Ukraine or face punishing new economic penalties by Friday.

(Image credit: Gavriil Grigorov)

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international correspondents share snapshots of moments from their lives and work around the world.

• Microsoft reveals it is developing an AI threat detection tool
• Project Ire has so far scored well in accuracy testing
• The tool has the potential to meet the 'gold standard' for malware classification

Microsoft has introduced a new AI tool it says has the ability to meet the “gold standard” of malware detection, identification, and classification.

While still only a working prototype, Project Ire has shown great promise in its ability to detect and reverse engineer malware without any context of the file’s origin or purpose.

Microsoft plans for Project Ire to be incorporated into Microsoft Defender as a ‘Binary Analyzer’ used to identify malware in memory from any source at first encounter.

Autonomous AI malware detection

The tool is still very much in the early stages of development, but in Microsoft’s own real-world scenario testing, Project Ire managed to detect almost 9 out of 10 malicious files correctly in precision tests, but only managed to detect just over one quarter of malware in recall tests. However, in these initial tests, there was a false positive rate of 4%.

“While overall performance was moderate, this combination of accuracy and a low error rate suggests real potential for future deployment,” Microsoft said in a blog post. Additionally, in this testing, the AI tool had no knowledge of nor had it faced any of the 4,000 files it scanned.

The tool generates a report on each potentially malicious file it identifies, summarizing why certain parts of the file could indicate it as malware.

In a separate test against a public dataset of a mix of legitimate and malicious Windows drivers the tool again detected 9 out of 10 malicious files correctly with a false positive rate of 2%. The recall rate was also significantly higher, scoring 0.83 in this test.

Looking ahead, Microsoft will continue to work on improving Project Ire’s ability to detect malware at scale rapidly and precisely, and hopefully include the AI within Microsoft Defender as a threat detection and software classification tool.

Threat actors are increasingly leveraging AI tools to generate malicious files at scale, but cybersecurity organizations are also leveraging AI technology to fight back.

You might also like

• Take a look at my picks for the best antivirus software
• Here are our picks for the best firewall software around today
• Google Cloud's newest AI agents want to boost data science and engineering in your business

With the number of survivors rapidly declining and their average age now exceeding 86, this year's anniversary is considered the last milestone event for many of them.

(Image credit: Louise Delmotte)

• ESPN is acquiring the NFL Network and other media assets, including the linear rights to the RedZone channel and NFL Fantasy
• The NFL Network will be part of ESPN's new streaming service that's launching on August 21
• DirecTV customers will be able to get the new service's 'Unlimited' plan for no additional cost

Walt Disney's ESPN will soon become the home for NFL coverage, following a landmark deal that sees the sport network acquire the NFL Network and other media assets including he RedZone Channel and NFL Fantasy, so football fans will want to sign up to its new streaming service (not ESPN+) when it arrives.

The new streaming service (simply referred to as ESPN) launches on August 21, and will bring "the full suite of ESPN networks and services within an enhanced ESPN App with new, personalized features and functionality", according to the company.

Thanks to the deal between ESPN and NFL, the new streaming service will also see the NFL Network's content integrated into the platform, making it even more tempting for sports fans.

“By combining these NFL media assets with ESPN’s reach and innovation, we’re creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game – anytime, anywhere," ESPN's chairman Jimmy Pitaro said.

How much will ESPN's subscription service cost?

(Image credit: rafapress / Shutterstock)

At launch, ESPN's streaming service will have two subscription plans to choose from: 'Unlimited' and 'Select'.

The 'Unlimited' plan will include access to 47,000 live events through various ESPN channels, studio shows and more, and will cost $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year. This plan will also be available to bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for $35.99 (ads) or $44.99 (ad-free) per month.

The 'Select' plan, meanwhile, includes over 32,000 live events that are available on ESPN+, studio shows and more, and costs $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year. Again, this can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for $16.99 (ads) per month or $26.99 (ad-free).

If you're excited to try out ESPN's new subscription service, then the good news is that you'll be able to for free if you're a DirecTV customer. Those who are subscribed to DirecTV or its 'MySports' package will get access to the new ESPN service at no extra cost when it launches. Meanwhile, if you're a satellite or U-verse customer of DirecTV, you'll have to wait until later in 2025.

You might also like

• Roku has unveiled a new streaming service that’s cheaper than Netflix, Disney+ and more – here’s everything we know so far about Howdy
• ESPN creates new AI-powered football analyst that could be the future of watching live sport
• Best streaming deals: current savings for Disney+, Hulu, Sling TV and more

Meta’s move to take a significant stake in Scale AI isn’t just another strategic investment. It’s an admission: human data is the critical infrastructure needed to build better AI, faster.

For years, model architecture and compute have dominated the conversation. But we’re entering a new era, one where the differentiator isn’t how novel your transformer is, but how well your model reflects and responds to real human experience. That demands high-quality, diverse, and continuous human input throughout the development lifecycle.

A vote of confidence in human data

Scale’s primary service—labelling data outputs using human annotators—has long been essential to AI. But it hasn’t always been glamorous. Data preparation was often seen as a backroom task, while shiny model architectures stole the limelight.

Meta’s investment sends a clear message. The training and evaluation of AI models depend on data that is not just abundant, but accurate, representative, and human-validated. It’s a strategic move that gives Meta both privileged access to Scale’s data infrastructure and a highly influential stake in a key player in the data annotation space.

But therein lies a broader concern: when a major tech company takes a significant stake in a service provider, potential conflicts of interest arise. For organizations in the same competitive landscape, this can raise doubts about alignment, priorities, and incentives, making continued reliance on that provider increasingly difficult to justify.

One thing’s for certain: your data partner has never mattered more. We’re entering a period of market shake-up, where diversification of suppliers and specialization in services will become increasingly valuable to AI builders.

Enter the experience era

Beyond the boardroom maneuvers, something much more fundamental is happening in AI development. We’ve entered the era of experience. It’s not enough for models to be technically sophisticated or capable of passing abstract benchmark tests. What matters now is how models perform in the real world, across diverse user groups and tasks. Are they trustworthy? Are they usable? Do they meet people’s expectations?

This shift is being driven by an awakening among model developers: in a competitive landscape, it’s not just about who can build the most advanced model, but whose model people choose to use. The new frontier isn’t measured solely in benchmark scores or inference speed—it’s measured in experience quality.

That means the success of an AI model is increasingly dependent on human input throughout its lifecycle. We’re seeing a surge in demand for real-time, continuous human evaluations across multiple demographics and use cases.

Evaluating models in the lab is no longer enough. The real world, with all its complexity and nuance, is now the benchmark.

Why synthetic data isn’t the answer—at least, not yet

Some may argue that synthetic data will eventually replace the need for human annotators. While synthetic data has a role to play, particularly in cost-efficient scalability or simulating rare edge cases, it falls short in one critical area: representing human experience. Human values, cultural nuances, and unpredictable behavior patterns cannot be easily simulated.

As we grapple with AI safety, bias, and alignment, we need human perspectives to guide us. Human intelligence, in all its diversity, is the only way to meaningfully test whether AI systems behave appropriately in real-world contexts.

That’s why the demand for real-world, high-fidelity human data is accelerating. It’s not a nice-to-have. It’s essential infrastructure for the next wave of AI.

The humans behind AI

If human feedback is the engine powering better AI, then the workforce behind that feedback is its beating heart. The industry must recognize the people providing this essential input as co-creators of AI.

This begins with diversity. If AI is going to serve the world, it must be evaluated by people who reflect the world—the best and the breadth of humanity. That means including people from different cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, and educational levels. It also means ensuring geographic diversity so models don’t just perform well in Silicon Valley but also in Nairobi, Jakarta, or Birmingham.

Equally important is expertise. As AI becomes more specialized, so too must its human evaluators. Educational AI systems should be evaluated by experienced teachers. Financial tools require scrutiny by economists or accountants. Subject matter experts bring context and domain-specific insight that generic crowd work can’t replicate.

But building this kind of human intelligence layer doesn’t just happen. It requires thoughtful infrastructure, ethical foundations, and a commitment to the people behind the data.

That means fair pay, transparency, and a smooth user experience that gives people easy access to interesting and engaging tasks. When contributors feel respected and empowered, the quality of insight they provide is deeper, richer, and ultimately more valuable. Treating evaluators well leads to better data—and better AI.

A turning point for the market

Meta’s investment in Scale may appear like another play in a long series of tech consolidations, but it’s something more: a signal that the era of human data as critical infrastructure for AI has truly begun.

For model developers, this is a call to action. Relying on one provider—or one type of data—no longer cuts it. Specialization and trust in your human data partners will define the winners in this next phase of AI development.

For the broader industry, this moment is an invitation to rethink how we build and evaluate AI. The technical challenges are no longer the only obstacle. Now we must consider the social contract: How do people experience AI? Do they feel heard, understood, and respected by the systems we build?

And for many, this moment validates the belief that human intelligence is not a constraint on AI progress, but one of its greatest enablers.

Looking ahead

The Meta/Scale deal will likely catalyze further consolidation in the human data space. But it also opens the door for more specialized and transparent providers to shine. We anticipate a surge in demand for high-integrity, experience-focused data partners—those who can provide rich, real-world feedback loops without compromising trust.

Ultimately, this isn’t just about who builds the most powerful model. It’s about who builds the most useful, trusted, and human-centric model. The future of AI is intuitive, inclusive, and deeply human. And that future is already taking shape.

We've featured the best AI website builder.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• New probe into DeepSeek has been requested by a group of US Senators
• The Senators cite national security concerns around Chinese firm
• Many US Government departments have already banned the chatbot

The ongoing dispute between China tech firms and the US Government continues, after a group of seven Republican Senators asked the Department of Commerce to evaluate data security risks that models from Chinese companies pose, specifically the AI chatbot DeepSeek.

Chinese tech companies are facing huge barriers to enter the US market due to the tensions between the two countries, but DeepSeek's revolutionary open source model has sent waves through the AI landscape, thanks to the speed and low cost of development.

However, security concerns have been raised, prompting multiple US Government departments to ban the use of the model, with one study even claiming DeepSeek is 11 times more dangerous than competitor AI chatbots.

Secrets at risk

The senators, John Justed, Tedd Budd, John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, Bill Cassidy, John Curtis, and Todd Young all signed a letter outlining the need to prioritise home-grown AI models, as well as the ‘deeply troubling allegations’ that DeepSeek feeds sensitive information back to servers with links to the Chinese government.

“DeepSeek’s R1’s model release in late January demonstrated the aptitude of People’s Republic of China (PRC) national AI talent and the progress their home-grown models have made relative to leading U.S. products,“ the letter explains.

“The Trump Administration has rightly emphasized winning the AI competition against the PRC, and the development of AI use case applications for businesses and consumers is an important facet of that competition. Ensuring that such applications are secure and not prone to leaking secure information and malign exploitation is paramount.”

The Chinese government has always denied such allegations, and all other accusations of cyber espionage, and reiterated the state has no direct ties to Chinese tech firms operating overseas.

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best firewall software around
• Check out our choice for best endpoint protection software to keep you safe
• US government wants to ban Chinese technology in submarine cables

A new era of intelligent automation is underway. We are seeing digital agents take on responsibilities that once required constant human supervision. Today, these systems, can make independent decisions, implement them, and continuously learn from their experiences.

Simply put, agentic AI listens, learns, and develops strategies capable of revolutionizing how we work, especially in network operations where it shifts from reactive to proactive, improving resilience and security. It can automate network management, real-time threat detection, and traffic optimization, enhancing efficiency, strengthening security, and boosting network performance for seamless and secure operations.

But how can it be implemented, where can it have the biggest benefit, what is the role of human oversight and what lessons can we learn from the introduction of agentic AI? In this article, I’ll cover these key points and give advice to businesses looking to harness its potential.

Competitive advantage through strategic agentic design

The successful implementation of agent-based AI systems requires careful planning.

Firstly, it is important to clearly define goals and key performance indicators for their use. Then, a major challenge is the seamless integration of the solutions into the existing IT network infrastructure. Training and operation of the systems also require the availability of sufficient and high-quality data. Finally, there are ethical considerations of implementing agentic AI that companies need to address from the outset, such as data privacy, protection, governance, human oversight and transparency, to ensure trust is built.

Agentic AI requires guidelines over which data it can access, from where, and whether it is able to share certain data externally. This is imperative to consider within an AI strategy to ensure that your customers and your organization are protected from data and regulatory breaches, such as the EU AI Act.

If your implementation plan takes these considerations into account, nothing stands in the way of the effective use of agentic AI. With digital agents, businesses can streamline their operations, meeting rising customer service expectations. A report by Gartner predicts that by 2029, AI will resolve 80% of common customer service issues without human intervention. These agents analyze customer sentiment in real time and provide tailored responses enhancing customer engagement.

Accelerated operations

Agentic AI is now playing a pivotal role in network infrastructure and cybersecurity, helping organizations move beyond traditional, rule-based systems. Unlike conventional tools that passively monitor and alert, digital agents can actively observe network behavior, identify anomalies in real time, and take autonomous action to resolve emerging threats. This enables a faster response to incidents, reducing downtime, and therefore helps avoid costly disruptions.

Agentic AI is already being embedded across networking and security infrastructure to deliver real-time, measurable value. The NSaaS model (Networking and Security as a Service) is evolving into something more dynamic, where agentic capabilities enable smart routing, adaptive policy enforcement, and predictive resource allocation. These enhancements ensure better performance, greater visibility, and stronger protection for global customers operating in complex conditions.

Meeting demand for adaptive, resilient solutions

There is growing demand for integrated cybersecurity and networking solutions from cloud providers, with many organizations viewing this convergence as essential to enterprise resilience. In this setting, agentic AI offers a unique advantage; it blends machine learning with autonomous decision-making, allowing digital agents to adapt in real time while maintaining stable and efficient network operations. This shift from static systems to intelligent, self-improving agents is reshaping how businesses think about their digital foundations. With this strategic mindset, early adoption of agentic AI gives network providers a chance to get ahead of the curve with smarter services, improved reliability, and a more personalized customer experience.

Unlocking new value

While we are still at the beginning of the AI journey and its potential is yet to be fully realized, McKinsey found that 77% of companies are either using AI or exploring its potential. It has already changed workflows, it still requires a level of human management, but agentic AI enables new possibilities. It can become more than a support tool. It can become an active participant in business operations, freeing up resources and creating greater efficiency. In networking specifically, the benefits are becoming clear. While machine learning has been used for tasks like digital twins and anomaly detection, agentic AI can manage these processes autonomously. This reduces the need for human intervention at every step and enables networks to become more resilient, secure, and adaptive to real-time demands.

Nevertheless, learning and development around AI in the workforce remains a business imperative. Counterintuitively, while flawed data is often tolerated in human decision-making, we don’t have the same leniency with AI. According to Gartner, 30% of generative AI projects are abandoned after the proof-of-concept stage, primarily due to issues related to data quality, risk management or high costs, highlighting the difficulty organizations face in AI initiatives and importance of getting implementation right from the off.

For some companies, agentic AI could mark a shift from promise to performance - where AI becomes not just an experiment, but a business-critical capability aligned to strategic goals.

Looking ahead

As businesses advance their AI capabilities, agentic systems offer a strategic step forward. They enable organizations to align automation with core objectives, turning networks into adaptive ecosystems. For organizations moving from passive AI and aiming to build intelligent, responsive systems, agentic AI is the key enabler. This is not just a technological shift, but a reimagining of what network infrastructure can achieve when paired with AI designed to think, act, and adapt.

We've featured the best AI chatbot for business.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

With prices starting at just $30 and including content from NFL Network and WWE, ESPN's service looks like a tempting offer for sports fans.

The Gunners return to north London for their penultimate warm up match before the new season.

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, August 6 (game #521).

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 #522) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rock solid

NYT Strands today (game #522) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• READ
• DOVE
• DRIVE
• WAIN
• TRAINS
• SING

NYT Strands today (game #522) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #522) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #522) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #522, are…

• STEADY
• SOUND
• DEVOTED
• FIRM
• CONSTANT
• UNWAVERING
• SPANGRAM: HOLD FAST

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

An appropriately “rock solid” search today, with little to test newcomers or experienced Strands players.

The only word I struggled to see as I roared through the search was UNWAVERING, which I left until last.

The spangram HOLD FAST did of course make me think of Hodor in Game of Thrones, whose name derived from his predetermined ability to hold a door. Now there was someone DEVOTED to a cause.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, August 6, game #521)

• GUITAR
• BOOK
• SUNFLOWERS
• FRUIT
• JEWELRY
• PITCHER
• SPANGRAM: STILL LIFE

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.

• Sony has trademarked the name '1000X THE COLLEXION'
• The trademark was filed end of June, in both Japan and Canada
• The listing also notes 'portable audio players; radios; loudspeakers; amplifiers'

Sony has filed a trademark for the name '1000X The Collexion', and if the company thinks I’m buying ‘Collexion 1000X’ headphones after all these years, it can think again.

Why? First, because after years of getting our heads around the seemingly random selection of numbers and letters that comprise Sony's flagship 1000X range (over-ears start with a 'WH-' and end with 'M4, M5 or M6'; earbuds start with 'WF-' and end in the same way, except we're only up to 'M5' there) I think we've all finally cracked it. And we don't want you to simplify the naming of the best Sony headphones now, thank you very much.

What was my second reason? I find it impossible to say the word 'Collexion' without affecting a problematic French accent like something from the well-known and very much of its time 1980s British comedy 'Allo 'Allo! – and if you need a third, the non-word 'Collexion' also reminds me of young persons' advice centers called Connexions in the UK (although admittedly these closed in 2012).

But Sony's gone and done it. As of late June, in both Canada and Japan, the trademark name '1000X The Collexion' officially exists for Sony. And despite any nagging inkling that this was a brainstorming session everyone should have slept on before making any big decisions, we all know about it now, thanks to The Walkman Blog.

I shouldn't make this just about Sony. No, there are plenty of headphones and earbuds monikers out there that make me feel as if I'm writing out a WiFi password every time I name-check them – see the Technics EAH-AZ100, the Denon AH-C840NCW, the Panasonic RP-TCM225 and the Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW (all earbuds) for starters – why yes, your migraine will be with you presently. Now, imagine discussing which products should go into our respective earbuds buying guides, and welcome to my life…

(Image credit: Future)1000X the Collexion: it's not just earbuds and headphones

Is Sony perhaps just seeking to avoid WH-1000XM4 versus WH-1000XM5 versus WH-1000XM6 confusion here? It's a valid point – although do check out our explainer on the three models too – since the newest XM6 still can't seem to topple the twice-superseded XM4s off their perch as our recommended buy for most people.

Or maybe the Sony WF-1000XM5 have been ordered one too many times in error, by buyers looking for over-ears who ultimately received in-ears? Possibly, but there's more going on here.

The published description for Sony's 1000X The Collection includes a list of products that might become part of it. The listing reads: "Headphones; earphones; portable audio players; radios; loudspeakers; amplifiers; television receivers; telecommunication machines and apparatus".

The keen-eyed will note the inclusion of portable audio players there – and here's an idea I can get behind. The original Sony Walkman arrived the same year I did (I'm not telling you the precise year), and it holds a special place in my heart. A 1000X Walkman may well work for me.

Cast your minds back to Sony's April 2024 release ULT range (billed as the bass-response option), including the ULT Wear headphones, several ULT Field Bluetooth speakers, and an ULT Tower bigger speaker beast. Those names were all trademarked ahead of the ULT brand release, so it's highly possible a full lineup of audio products is in the cards.

Of course, Sony might (just might) be planning some sort of special edition boxed set of 1000X The Collexion headphones and/or earbuds, as it seeks to finally consign the five-year-old WH-1000XM4 to the big gig in the sky – because the excellent WF-1000XM4 have already gone that way. Probably not, but it's not impossible.

As always, when we know more, so shall you.

You might also like

• USB-C audio in AirPods Max doesn't just sound great on paper: for me, Lossless audio quality finally makes them worth it
• Apple AirPods 5: everything we know so far about the unreleased earbuds
• AptX unpacked: your guide to using Qualcomm’s Bluetooth codecs (and the devices that support them)

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, August 6 (game #787).

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 #788) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BORE
• BORG
• POKE
• DEVIL
• SCROLL
• VULCAN
• DRAG
• KING
• ELF
• PUNCH
• BATMAN
• SINNER
• GRAF
• CLICK
• PIERCE
• HOVER

NYT Connections today (game #788) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Computer activity
• GREEN: Make some holes 
• BLUE: A body part in common
• PURPLE: Grand Slam champs

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 #788) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: MOUSE ACTIONS 
• GREEN: PERFORATE 
• BLUE: ONES WITH POINTY EARS
• PURPLE: WIMBLEDON WINNERS

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

NYT Connections today (game #788) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #788, are…

• YELLOW: MOUSE ACTIONS CLICK, DRAG, HOVER, SCROLL
• GREEN: PERFORATE BORE, PIERCE, POKE, PUNCH
• BLUE: ONES WITH POINTY EARS BATMAN, DEVIL, ELF, VULCAN
• PURPLE: WIMBLEDON WINNERS BORG, GRAF, KING, SINNER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

Yesterday I was excited at the prospect of getting all four groups in difficulty order for the third day in a row. Sadly, I failed in my mission.

After getting the yellow and green groups fairly quickly I was left with 16 words and only one idea of what the connection could be – Star Trek.

Showing my utter lack of knowledge on this topic, I thought that we were looking for species that featured in the long-running franchise, but knowing only VULCAN this was a pointless (no pun intended) task.

Instead, I saw the tennis players. BORG had been one of my Star Trek possibilities but I soon remembered Bjorn, the excellent Fila-attired 1970s superstar whose life took an unexpected detour into the world of underwear design.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, August 6, game #787)

• YELLOW: ACCESSORY WITH A POINTY FASTENER BADGE, BROOCH, BUTTON, PIN
• GREEN: TEASE BAIT, NEEDLE, RAG, RIB
• BLUE: BOXING PUNCHES CROSS, HOOK, JAB, UPPERCUT
• PURPLE: MUSCLE NICKNAMES PLUS "S" SHAMMY, SPEC, SQUAD, STRAP

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.

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, August 6 (game #1290).

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 #1291) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1291) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1291) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1291) - 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 3.

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 #1291) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• P

• C

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1291) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1291, are…

• PLUNK
• PROXY
• CURVY
• PEARL

I have been on an incredibly long winning streak, so I'm choosing to be not too disheartened by today’s loss.

I got off to a terrible start, with just two correct letters from my usually reliable starter words and I’m actually pretty pleased that I came so close, especially as we had a rare letter.

It is a bit annoying, though, that I guessed “curry” when a word containing the letter V was what I was looking for. Quordle absolutely adores the letter V.

Daily Sequence today (game #1291) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1291, are…

• GLORY
• FUZZY
• SMILE
• GROWN

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
• Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST
• Quordle #1286, Saturday, 2 August: WARTY, PUPAL, CLEAR, SLICE
• Quordle #1285, Friday, 1 August: ACTOR, MEALY, WIDTH, ADOBE
• Quordle #1284, Thursday, 31 July: STYLE, VALET, AGONY, ALLOY
• Quordle #1283, Wednesday, 30 July: DEBAR, ADMIN, FOLIO, USAGE
• Quordle #1282, Tuesday, 29 July: BATCH, TOPIC, MURKY, BUNCH
• Quordle #1281, Monday, 28 July: CANDY, TRYST, SHIRT, FORGO
• Quordle #1280, Sunday, 27 July: TRAWL, BALER, PIANO, MINCE
• Quordle #1279, Saturday, 26 July: MUDDY, SAINT, KINKY, POLAR
• Quordle #1278, Friday, 25 July: BONUS, RESIN, CEDAR, MADAM
• Quordle #1277, Thursday, 24 July: AGONY, VERVE, GLEAN, MINUS
• Quordle #1276, Wednesday, 23 July: OZONE, PENCE, ROOMY, WIDER
• Quordle #1275, Tuesday, 22 July: OPTIC, GIDDY, VOCAL, ADULT
• Quordle #1274, Monday, 21 July: KNEED, SNAIL, PINTO, FEAST
• Quordle #1273, Sunday, 20 July: GRACE, COUNT, EGRET, GIANT
• Quordle #1272, Saturday, 19 July: EARLY, CLICK, TRITE, SPREE

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day will feature practical web-swinging
• It's the first time it's been used in one of the webslinger's solo MCU movies
• Marvel fans think a Wolverine foe might join the film's extensive rogues gallery

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is bringing back one of the best aspects of the Andrew Garfield-led films – but some fans are more concerned about yet another villain who might appear in the Marvel movie.

With filming in full, erm, swing on the wallcrawler's next big-screen outing in Glasgow, which is being used as a stand-in for New York City (NYC), Spider-Man devotees have flocked to the Scottish city to catch a glimpse of the fan-favorite superhero. Just days into the Marvel Phase 6 film's lengthy shoot, we've got confirmation that it'll feature the long-overdue return of practical web-swinging.

A post shared by Movies Effects (@movies.effects)

A photo posted by on

As you'll see from the fan-shot footage above – thanks to Movie Effects for rounding up said footage into a single video – at least one Brand New Day set-piece will include Spidey physically swinging through NYC.

Here's another angle, courtesy of YouTube user Jack Lewis, of one of Spider-Man 4's action sequences being filmed:

Practical web-swinging was used in Garfield's two outings as the iconic webhead. However, that changed when Tom Holland's version of the character was introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2016's Captain America: Civil War.

Since then, Spider-Man's solo movies and appearances in the two latest Avengers flicks have featured CGI recreations of Peter Parker's alter-ego swinging through his home city. Thankfully, Brand New Day director Daniel Destin Cretton wants to bring back that feeling of Spidey traversing NYC as practically as possible. That's a far cry from Jon Watts' stance on the matter, with the filmmaker behind the hero's first three MCU movies telling Collider that physical web-swinging is "boring" and "looks dumb".

Is Spider-Man 4 teasing a Silver Samurai appearance or an armored Mr. Negative?

Hugh Jackman's iconic mutant faced a version of Silver Samurai in 2013's The Wolverine movie (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

As you'd expect, most Marvel fans are delighted to see practical web-swinging return in Brand New Day. There's a small contingent, though, who are fiercely debating the potential appearance from Silver Samurai, a villain more commonly associated with iconic X-Men character Wolverine, is Spider-Man's fourth standalone MCU flick.

Yesterday (August 5), screenshots of the Pinterest account owned by Brand New Day costume designer Monica Avitto showed an image album labeled 'Spider-Man'. In it, numerous photographs of ancient Japanese attire can be seen, including samurai armor, Edo period hachi-gane, and ninja-inspired costumes.

Monica Avitto, the costume prop modeler for ‘SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY’, has created a moodboard for the film’s villain. pic.twitter.com/unYZGfRy9SAugust 5, 2025

Predictably, some observers immediately suggested that Silver Samurai is set to appear. After all, this villain is the most recognizable shogunate-influenced character in Marvel Comics, so it has to be him, right?

If you believe a fair number of commentators on this Reddit thread, yes – but not everyone thinks that'll be the case. Indeed, some think Mister Negative, a relatively recent addition to Spider-Man's rogues gallery who's rumored to make his live-action debut in Brand New Day, is the reason for Avitto's research. As Redditor Strong_Salad3460 rightly points out in the aforementioned thread: "It couldn't possibly have anything to do with Mr. Negative and the Inner Demons [the name of Mr. Negative's gang] who are known to wear Samurai inspired masks and wield katanas."

Until Marvel and/or Sony give us more official details, or more set leaks hit the internet, this debate will rage on for a while yet. But, what do you think? Could we see Silver Samurai in Spider-Man 4? Or is an armored Mr. Negative going to show up instead? Let me know in the comments.

For now, read my dedicated guide on Spider-Man: Brand New Day and check out the section below for the latest news on one of next year's most exciting new movies, which arrives in theaters on July 31, 2026.

You might also like

• 'We ready?': Marvel star Tom Holland reveals full look at Spider-Man: Brand New Day suit – and it's a moving tribute to the webslinger's other live-action costumes
• New Marvel report about its X-Men movie reboot might have dispelled a big cast rumor about Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day behind the scenes look appears to confirm two of the Marvel movie's villains – and a possible Venom cameo

Our sister site Tom's Hardware has long been one of the premier online destinations for news, reviews and analysis around the PC and semiconductor industry – and it's now had a major upgrade to make it even better.

For a small fee, Tom's Hardware Premium will offer members a wealth of extra content including exclusive features and interviews, hardware roadmaps and the new member-only newsletter Uptime.

You'll also get access to the site's new Bench feature; this is a seriously powerful new benchmarking tool that covers categories such as CPUs, GPUs, and laptops and that enables readers to explore individual test results and directly compare products.

What's more, the brand's commitment to free-to-consume tech journalism remains; nothing that already exists on the site is being put behind the paywall, and Tom's Hardware reviews will remain free.

How much will all of this goodness cost? A mere $69 for a one-year subscription right now as an introductory offer.

"For nearly three decades, Tom’s Hardware has served the enthusiast community with authoritative advice and insights based on years of experience and in-depth knowledge, and testing," says Paul Alcorn, Interim Editor-in-Chief, Tom’s Hardware. "Now we aim to take it to the next level"

"Think of our subscription service as a backstage pass that will give you a new level of access and insight into the inner workings of the tech world. Our Tom’s Hardware Premium subscription will provide you with even deeper analysis and perspective on the latest news and features, along with access to the most comprehensive and up-to-date benchmarking database available.

"This service will ultimately enable us to invest more time in the painstaking analysis and data collection that define our brand, while also enabling us to expand the scope and depth of our coverage, bringing you along with us as we explore the latest and greatest in the industry.

"We’re incredibly excited to launch Tom’s Hardware Premium and share it with the community that’s been with us every step of the way. We can’t wait for you to experience what we’ve been building and to continue shaping the future of Tom’s Hardware with you."

Tom's Hardware Premium has launched in Beta mode today, and to give it a look you can sign up here.

Tom's Hardware Premium: what you get

(Image credit: Future)

• Dedicated news analysis
• Exclusive features & interviews
• Uncut Q&A sessions with industry execs
• Access to Uptime, a brand-new member newsletter
• Unlocked access to Bench, a tool built on TH's benchmarking database

Disney's streaming businesses will merge next year.

• PBS confirms a data leak affecting almost 4,000 people
• Someone shared a database on Discord, apparently to act "cool"
• The potential for abuse is there, so users should beware

Iconic US television network PBS has been hacked, and lost valuable contact information on its employees and affiliates.

However, the attack doesn’t seem to have been done out of malice, but rather curiosity, and the desire to be “cool”.

Recently, a database started circulating on Discord servers, allegedly containing PBS corporate contact information. The database was not present on any dark web forums, data extortion sites, or anything similar, but was being shared on a channel “PBS Kids”, where fans of PBS children’s shows get together to chat.

"Rebellious curiosity"

BleepingComputer investigated the database, and confirmed it contained information on almost 4,000 PBS employees and affiliates.

It came in the form of a JSON file, with each record containing an employee name, corporate email, title, timezone, department, location, job function, hobbies, and the name of the supervisor.

PBS confirmed the authenticity of the leak, saying young adults, teenagers, and kids, are sharing it “more out of a sense of novelty, rebellious curiosity, or simply to gain a bit of notoriety within their peer groups."

"It's less about exploiting the data for financial gain and more about the 'cool factor' of possessing it,” the company said.

That doesn’t mean the archives can’t be picked up by actual malicious actors and used for devastating phishing attacks.

PBS seems to be well aware of the potential for abuse, and has reached out to affected individuals to warn them about potential attacks, scams, and incoming fraud.

PBS, or Public Broadcasting Service, is a non-profit, public television network in the United States. It doesn’t produce shows itself, but rather distributes content created by member stations and independent producers.

One of its most famous programs is Sesame Street which, in the meantime, migrated to HBO and Max.

You might also like

• Over 16 billion records leaked in "unimaginable" major data breach – here's what we know
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

Catch the original Naked Gun, classics like Serpico and Stalker and dozens of other titles, all for free this month.