Technology

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, June 30 (game #1253).

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 #1254) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1254) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1254) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1254) - 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 #1254) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• Y

• F

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1254) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1254, are…

• REBAR
• YEARN
• FORTH
• CROWD

An easy round made easier by some very familiar words.

The longer you play Quordle the more you spot some answers because they’ve appeared in Quordle before.

This is the second time REBAR has appeared in the last month and the third time this year, while the most recent appearance of YEARN was last month. Would I have solved them without that familiarity? It's impossible to say – but it can't have hurt.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1254) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1254, are…

• FLESH
• ABLED
• QUIET
• SNIDE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY
• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, June 30 (game #750).

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 #751) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• NICK
• SHAVE
• DRESS
• POCKET
• TIDY
• BRUSH
• SMART
• KEY
• TOUCH
• SHOWER
• PALM
• SHARP
• PINCH
• MILE
• NEAT
• BIRTH

NYT Connections today (game #751) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Thievery
• GREEN: Handsome 
• BLUE: Look after yourself
• PURPLE: add a word that rhymes with “loan”

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 #751) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: STEAL 
• GREEN: DAPPER 
• BLUE: DO SOME GROOMING 
• PURPLE: ___STONE 

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

NYT Connections today (game #751) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #751, are…

• YELLOW: STEAL NICK, PALM, PINCH, POCKET
• GREEN: DAPPER NEAT, SHARP, SMART, TIDY
• BLUE: DO SOME GROOMING BRUSH, DRESS, SHAVE, SHOWER
• PURPLE: ___STONE BIRTH, KEY, MILE, TOUCH

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

My mistake today came in thinking that there was a group linked by being scraped, so I had NICK, SHAVE, BRUSH, and PINCH together – but quickly realized I was on the wrong track.

Two of the groups had a link, with DO SOME GROOMING essential to achieving a DAPPER look. That said, some people are born dapper and probably need to do less of the grooming than most mortals.

These are the kind of people who own a pocket square and know 13 different ways to wear a cravat. And yes, I am thinking of George Clooney.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, June 30, game #750)

• YELLOW: DENTAL ADDITIONS BRIDGE, CROWN, FILLING, VENEER
• GREEN: METAPHORS FOR A DRAMATIC AND CHAOTIC EVENT CIRCUS, ROLLER COASTER, SOAP OPERA, WHIRLWIND
• BLUE: SECOND WORDS IN DAVID LYNCH TITLES DRIVE, HIGHWAY, PEAKS, VELVET
• PURPLE: WHAT "JET" MIGHT REFER TO AIRPLANE, BLACK, HOT TUB NOZZLE, NFL PLAYER

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 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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, June 30 (game #484).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… ... Center of attraction

NYT Strands today (game #485) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• LIKE
• SLICE
• HOUR
• AROUSE
• PUSH
• BLAME

NYT Strands today (game #485) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #485) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 6th row

Last side: right, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #485) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #485, are…

• SLIDE
• CAROUSEL
• TRAIN
• FUNHOUSE
• SCRAMBLER
• SPANGRAM: AMUSEMENT PARK

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

I struggled with today’s word search, mainly due to so many of these words having one than one meaning.

A hint at the start gave me SLIDE, but the theme clue of 'Center of attraction' didn't give me any hint as to what the overall concept was. I went in search of more random words to earn me another hint and stumbled across CAROUSEL after getting non-game word 'arouse'.

That gave me an idea of what I needed to do, finally, but I couldn't work out what the last answer was. Eventually I managed to fashion it into SCRAMBLER – but without knowing what it meant.

I thought a scrambler was a type of motorcycle. Instead it’s one of those rides that has different names around the world – in the UK we cause it a twister, but Australians are going to be equally puzzled as they call it a cha cha, according to Wikipedia.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, June 30, game #484)

• JASMINE
• CLEMATIS
• WISTERIA
• SWEETPEA
• MOONFLOWER
• SPANGRAM: CLIMBER

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.

• Spotify is celebrating 10 years of Discover Weekly by rolling out two new big upgrades
• Along with a fresh design revamp, Discover Weekly playlists now have genre control functions
• The new upgrades have started rolling out

Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist was the platform’s first personalized music discovery feature, and it’s just got two brand new upgrades for Premium subscribers to celebrate its 10th anniversary – including a much-needed genre filter function.

Since 2015, Discover Weekly has been one of the music streaming service’s most-used features for new music discovery, and has been Spotify’s landmark feature, paving the way for functions such as Daylists and AI DJ.

With weekly updates that show you a range of new songs and artists, Spotify has described it as ‘the playlist that makes Mondays something to look forward to’. While Discover Weekly has never been my go-to feature, there’s no denying that it has changed the game with new music discovery on Spotify, and its new upgrade makes it even more of a personal experience.

New look, new genre filters

For starters, Discover Weekly has got a new visual upgrade that stands out from other playlists in your Made For You hub, such as your Release Radar. In addition to the playlist’s weekly updates, its graphics will also be updated every Monday, giving you a new look each time – but this isn’t the only exciting upgrade.

Prior to rolling out in Discover Weekly, Spotify brought sub-genre filter functions to Liked Songs, Offline Backup playlist, and New Releases hub. Now Discover Weekly is getting the same treatment.

In the new upgrade, you’ll now be able to use new control functions at the top of your Discover Weekly playlist, allowing you to search through up to five different genres based on your listening history. Based on which genre you select, this will generate a 30-track playlist to bring you one step closer to your next favorite song or artist.

(Image credit: Spotify)

As mentioned, Discover Weekly isn’t one of those features in Spotify that's been able to entice me – I don’t think I’ve used it since it was first launched 10 years ago.

But one of my favorite additions to Spotify is the sub-genre control function, which I use constantly in other playlists and hubs, and now that it’s found a new home in Discover Weekly, I’m going to have to do some rethinking.

How to find Discover Weekly

(Image credit: Future)

Before you dive into your newly upgraded Discover Weekly playlist, make sure that you have the latest version of the Spotify app installed. If you do, you’re free to dive right in.

Go to the Search hub in the Spotify app, and from there, scroll down slightly and tap your Made For You hub. Once you’re in, scroll down again until you see the section titled Discover New Music, which will show your Release Radar and Discover Weekly playlists. Tap Discover Weekly, and start your journey into new music discovery.

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Netflix (aka one of the best streaming services) knows how to keep us movie and TV buffs on our toes by bringing a wave of fresh titles each month – and now it's time for its July schedule.

Last month, we saw the final season of Squid Game, one of the best Netflix shows, as well as its usual array of blockbusters. July looks no different, with 48 brand new movies, including a handful of new Netflix Originals like the long-awaited comeback of Happy Gilmore. We're excited to see the return of original cast members Adam Sandler and Julie Bowen, as well as newcomers Margaret Qualley and Ben Stiller.

Netflix is also doubling down on its Trainwreck series of documentary features following the success of Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, which was one of my June 2025 streaming picks. Over the next few weeks Netflix is releasing an additional five new Trainwreck documentary movies and since I thoroughly enjoyed its account of the Astroworld tragedy, I can't wait to binge them all.

Everything new on Netflix in July 2025

Arriving on July 1

17 Again (movie)
Annie (movie)
Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers (Netflix original documentary)
Blow (movie)
Born on the Fourth of July (movie)
Captain Phillips (movie)
The Deer Hunter (movie)
Friday Night Lights (movie)
Here Comes the Boom (movie)
The Hitman’s Bodyguard (movie)
The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (movie)
Horrible Bosses (movie)
The Karate Kid (movie)
The Karate Kid (movie)
The Karate Kid Part II (movie)
The Karate Kid Part III (movie)
Mission: Impossible (movie)
Mission: Impossible II (movie)
Mission: Impossible III (movie)
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (movie)
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (movie)
Mom seasons 1-8 (TV show)
The Notebook (movie)
Pacific Rim (movie)
PAW Patrol seasons 2-3 (TV show)
Portlandia seasons 1-8 (TV show)
The Sweetest Thing (movie)
Tangerine (movie)
Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel (Netflix original documentary)
V for Vendetta (movie)
White Chicks (movie)
Yellowjackets season 2 (TV show)
Zathura: A Space Adventure (movie)

Arriving on July 2

The Old Guard 2 (Netflix original movie)
Tour de France: Unchained season 3 (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on July 3

Countdown: Taylor vs. Serrano (Netflix original series)
Mr. Robot seasons 1-4 (TV show)
The Sandman season 2 volume 1 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 4

All the Sharks (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on July 5

The Summer Hikaru Died (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 8

A Star Is Born (movie)
Better Late Than Single (Netflix original series)
Nate Jackson: Super Funny (Netflix original comedy)
Quarterback season 2 (Netflix original series)
Sullivan's Crossing seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Trainwreck: The Real Project X (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on July 9

Building The Band (Netflix original series)
The Gringo Hunters (Netflix original series)
Mad Max: Fury Road (movie)
Under a Dark Sun (Netflix original series)
Ziam (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on July 10

7 Bears (Netflix original series)
Brick (Netflix original movie)
Leviathan (Netflix original series)
Off Road (Netflix original series)
Sneaky Pete seasons 1-3 (TV show)
Too Much (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 11

Aap Jaisa Koi (Netflix original movie)
Almost Cops (Netflix original movie)
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 (Netflix live event)
Tyler Perry's Madea's Destination Wedding (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on July 14

Apocalypse in the Tropics (Netflix original documentary)
SAKAMOTO DAYS season 1 part 2 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 15

Entitled season 1 (TV show)
Jaws (movie)
Jaws 2 (movie)
Jaws 3 (movie)
Jaws: The Revenge (movie)
Trainwreck: Balloon Boy (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on July 16

Amy Bradley Is Missing (Netflix original documentary)
Mamma Mia! (movie)
Wanted (movie)

Arriving on July 17

Catalog (Netflix original series)
Community Squad season 2 (Netflix original series)
UNTAMED (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 18

Almost Family (Netflix original movie)
Delirium (Netflix original series)
I’m Still a Superstar (Netflix original documentary)
Superstar (Netflix original series)
Vir Das: Fool Volume (Netflix original comedy)
Wall to Wall (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on July 19

Eight for Silver (movie)

Arriving on July 21

The Hunting Wives season 1 (TV show)
The Steve Harvey Show seasons 1-6 (TV show)

Arriving on July 22

Trainwreck: P.I. Moms (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on July 23

Critical: Between Life and Death (Netflix original documentary)
Hightown seasons 1-3 (TV show)
House of Lies seasons 1-5 (TV show)
Letters From The Past (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 24

A Normal Woman (Netflix original movie)
Hitmakers (Netflix original series)
My Melody & Kuromi (Netflix original series)
The Sandman season 2 volume 2 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 25

Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix original movie)
Trigger (Netflix original series)
The Winning Try (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 28

The Lazarus Project seasons 1-2 (TV show)

Arriving on July 29

Dusty Slay: Wet Heat (Netflix original comedy)
Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 (Netflix original documentary)
WWE: Unreal (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 30

Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (Netflix original documentary)
Unspeakable Sins (Netflix original series)

Arriving on July 31

An Honest Life (Netflix original movie)
Glass Heart (Netflix original series)
Leanne (Netflix original series)
Marked (Netflix original series)
The Sandman season 2 (Netflix original series)

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• Scattered Spider may be moving its focus to the US
• The FBI has warned the airline and transport industry to remain vigilant
• Two airlines have already been breached in June 2025

The Scattered Spider cybercriminals are now targeting US airlines and transportation after moving its crosshairs from UK retailers, the FBI and security firms are warning.

The group previously hit Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods causing widespread system outages and empty shelves.

The FBI advisory warns it had “recently observed” cyberattacks that shared similarities with the aforementioned attacks, with Google’s Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 echoing the bureaus’ warning.

Scattered Spider switches targets

The group’s members include English speaking young adults who are financially motivated. The group uses phishing and social engineering techniques to gain access to networks where they wreak havoc, steal data, and deploy ransomware. There is no organized structure to the group with the members being part of a wider organization known as “the Com”.

The FBI’s warning follows two cyber incidents affecting airlines this month. Hawaiian Airlines reported a cyberattack on June 26, and Canada’s WestJet released a notice that it had detected a cyber incident on June 13. The group could target other organizations directly, or breach third-parties in the supply chain to gain access.

“Anyone in the airline ecosystem, including trusted vendors and contractors, could be at risk,” the FBI statement warns.

“The FBI is actively working with aviation and industry partners to address this activity and assist victims. Early reporting allows the FBI to engage promptly, share intelligence across the industry, and prevent further compromise. If you suspect your organization has been targeted, please contact your local FBI office,” the statement says.

Back in May 2025, Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (TIG) also warned that Scattered Spider was starting to move its focus over to the US.

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• Project Hail Mary's first trailer has been released
• It shows Ryan Gosling as a 6th-grade science teacher who "can't even moonwalk" sent to save Earth
• Amazon MGM Studios will release the movie in March 2026

The first trailer for Project Hail Mary is here, giving us our first look at what the new sci-fi action-adventure film has in store for us and it looks like everything I could have hoped for from this book adaptation.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, and products of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), the upcoming movie will see Ryan Gosling (Barbie) play confused science teacher Ryland Grace who wakes up in spaceship light years away from Earth without any memory of how he got there.

As Grace slowly regains his memory, he begins to piece together that he's been sent on a last-ditch mission to find out what's been making our galaxy's sun die. But there's still a lot of unanswered questions like, why has a science teacher been sent to rescue the planet? Can he solve the world-ending problem in time? And what is the unknown life form that's in space with him?

Drew Goddard has adapted the screenplay from Andy Weir's novel, which is the second Weir adaptation following The Martian – and looking at the trailer, it seems like a lot of the book's comedy elements have been kept in the script, which is great to see as Gosling's sly sense of humor is ideal for this role.

Going by the brief clips we have of Gosling in the trailer, it looks like the wry comedy from the diary cams that we saw in The Martian will also be a part of Project Hail Mary.

This marks the first trailer for Project Hail Mary to be released as part of the movie's promotion. Amazon MGM Studios previously revealed that the new Ryan Gosling sci-fi movie will be released on March 20, 2026, in a poster it unveiled last Friday (June 27), ramping up even more excitement for this sci-fi spectacle.

The big sci-fi movies coming in 2026

It's not just Project Hail Mary that sci-fi fans have to look forward to next year. From, Dune: Messiah – Denis Villeneuve's final movie in the blockbuster trilogy – to Jon Favreau's big-screen version of Star Wars' The Mandalorian, 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for new movies in the genre.

Marvel theoretically has two films from Marvel Phase 6 coming throughout the year, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day in July and Avengers: Doomsday in December – though we'll see if anything changes there, since originally Doomsday was supposed to come out first.

In June, DC will take centre stage as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is expected to fly into cinemas along with another superhero flick inspired by a DC comic book, Masters of the Universe. Amazon MGM Studios' live-action adaptation of the He-Man world is being directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee).

In fact, it seems Amazon's movie-making business is behind a lot of the new sci-fi offerings that are coming to theaters in 2026, as it's also involved in Timur Bekmambetov's (Wanted) upcoming sci-fi thriller Mercy starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson.

Even Steven Spielberg is stepping back into the genre with a new film that many reportedly speculate will be a UFO adventure. All we know so far is that the untitled project is due to be released in 2026 and that it will star Emily Blunt, Domingo, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and Eve Hewson.

Looking at the schedule of what's been announced so far, Project Hail Mary will be among the first new sci-fi movies to watch in 2026 (Mercy is lined up for a January release), kicking off a space opera feast for the eyes.

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The movie lands in theaters March 20.

• Still no confirmation if the data breach affected customers
• Data stolen varies from person to person but generally includes sensitive PII
• INC Ransom assumed responsibility for the attack

When cybercriminals struck Ahold Delhaize in November 2024, they stole sensitive data on more than 2.2 million people, the company has revealed.

The food retail behemoth confirmed the news in a new form, recently filed with the Maine Attorney General’s Office, which did not specify if, among the stolen documents, was information belonging to its customers.

However, it did say they may have included internal employment records for both current and former employees. The combination of stolen data varies from person to person, but generally, it includes full names, postal addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, government-issued ID numbers, bank account numbers, health information, and other employment-related information.

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Customer concerns

Ahold Delhaize confirmed suffering a cyberattack which forced it to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure.

As a result, some of its grocery stores and pharmacies, mainly those in the United States, could not service their customers properly. The company operates a variety of supermarket, convenience store, and online grocery brands across Europe and the United States, including brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, and Giant.

It operates some 7,910 stores across Europe, the United States, and Indonesia, and serves around 72 million customers weekly. In late April 2025, it confirmed the attackers stole sensitive files, and said it was investigating the matter.

The company never announced the name of the attackers, but a group calling itself INC Ransom added Ahold Delhaize to its dark web extortion page in April 2025

At that time, it leaked a sample of documents, confirming the authenticity of the breach and suggesting that the negotiations about a ransom payment were under way.

Besides announcing the theft, the company also said it would be offering 24 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to affected individuals through Experian, which includes $1 million in identity theft insurance coverage.

Via BleepingComputer

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• You can get access to Google's Veo 3 for free with this simple trick
• Sign up for a Google Cloud free trial with $300/£222 of credit and use Veo 3 directly from Vertex AI
• Generate 8-second clips with audio without spending a penny

Google's Veo 3 is everywhere, making it nearly impossible to tell what videos are real on social media anymore.

The clips may be limited to 8 seconds, but with the ability to generate audio too, and stitch multiple clips together, Veo 3 is well and truly the best AI video generator.

To use Veo 3, you normally need access to a paid Google AI subscription, but this neat workaround using a Google Cloud trial gives you $300 /£222 worth of Cloud Billing credits and a way to use Veo 3 through Vertex AI.

Sound complicated? Don't worry, it's super easy to set up, and you'll be generating AI video in no time without opening your wallet.

How to get access to Veo 3 for free

(Image credit: Future)

Head to the Google Cloud website and sign up for a free $300 credit trial to unlock higher limits in Vertex AI. You'll need to enter a billing address, and the credits will last for 90 days, but don't worry, you won't be charged unless you actively choose to subscribe.

Once you've signed up for your free Google Cloud trial, head to Vertex AI and select Media Studio. You'll now be able to generate Veo 3 videos without spending any money at all.

While Veo 3 is seriously impressive, it's worth noting that AI video generation uses a lot of energy, so if you're aiming to be sustainable with your AI usage, you may want to limit this tool to necessity, rather than generate AI slop.

That said, you're free to use Veo 3 how you please, it's really that simple - no purchase necessary.

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Dust on the Wind, Drift Beyond the Flame, and End the Pain, are all songs by the hot new band The Velvet Sundown, who are blowing up on Spotify with over 470,000 monthly listeners. There’s only one problem. It doesn’t look like the band actually exists, and the music appears to have been created by AI.

While the band appears as a Verified Artist on Spotify, the bio says an incredible amount of nondescript things about the band, like “There’s something quite spellbinding about The Velvet Sundown. You don’t just listen to them, you drift into them”.

The bio lists the band members as singer and mellotron player Gabe Farrow, guitarist Lennie West, Milo Raines, who "crafts the band's textured synth sounds," and "free-spirited" percussionist Orion “Rio” Del Mar. No amount of digging that I (or the music press) have been able to do has persuaded me that any of these people are real.

The music itself sounds to me like a kind of mash-up of various mellow, country-influenced, rock bands like The Eagles, JJ Cale, and The Allman Brothers. I can also detect an element of another Texas band, Khruangbin, in their sound.

(Image credit: The Velvet Sundown)Dust and Silence

The Velvet Sundown already has one album out, Dust and Silence, which you can listen to right now, and another, Paper Sun Rebellion, is set for release in 13 days on July 14, but the signs of AI are all over everything to do with them.

For instance, both album covers look like two versions of the same AI-generated design. Both are surrealism scenes of a floating eye and a staircase in a desert landscape with mountains in the background. It looks like what happens when AI generates two or more versions of an image for you to choose between.

Then take a look at pictures of the band - they look like they’ve been created by ChatGPT to me. If you look at the band’s Instagram account, you’ll see what obviously looks like AI-generated photos of the band.

With powerful AI music creation tools like Suno available online, it’s quite possible that the particular blend of easy-listening, middle-of-the-road, rock that The Velvet Sundown specializes in is AI-created too. Another giveaway for me is that the singer’s voice sounds slightly different on each track the band plays, and the music has a soulless, generic quality to it, even if it makes for pleasant and inoffensive background listening. There’s nothing cohesive between the tracks that makes me think they’re played by the same people.

Hard times

As we reported in February, since 2024, Spotify has demonetized songs that don't get 1,000 streams a year – by some estimates, 86% of music on the platform – making it even harder for musicians to make a living.

In a time when the big streaming services are reaping vast profits and artists who aren't in the top percentage of streamers are struggling, the fact that an AI band is grabbing the ears of listeners away from real human-generated music, while not being labelled as AI, is proving divisive.

Many people are understandably unhappy that what appears to be an entirely AI-generated band is getting plays and being supported by Spotify.

“Just looked them up, and the description on Spotify doesn't make any mention of them being AI. This honestly is making me lean towards cancelling my Spotify subscription”, said Reddit user blyzo.

“Yeah, that's what people are today; all frauds, and all supporters of the fake. Milli Vanilli came out decades too early!”, commented Reddit user Big-Rabbit9119

However, Reddit user AnyPomegranate4981 said, "ngl the songs are fire".

We reached out to Spotify for comment on how this band had achieved Verified status and if it thought The Velvet Sundown was a real band, despite all the obvious evidence, but they haven't responded. We'll update this article if we get a response.

One thing that did occur to me was that if it is a real band, then this could be a very clever marketing campaign. Generating controversy by appearing to be a fake AI band would be a great way to get yourself noticed.

If The Velvet Sunset is indeed an AI band, though, one thing is for sure – we’re unlikely to ever see them play live.

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• Hawaiian Airlines files 8-K form with the SEC
• It claims to have observed an attack, but it didn't affect flights or their safety
• Security researchers believe the attack was done by Scattered Spider

Hawaiian Airlines has said it recently suffered a cyberattack, but stressed the incident didn’t affect any flights.

In a new 8-K form filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the airline said it identified a “security incident affecting certain information technology systems”, on June 23, 2025.

The company responded by “taking steps to safeguard the operations and systems”, bringing in external third-party cybersecurity experts to investigate the attack, and notifying relevant authorities about the incident.

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Scattered Spider's fingerprints

Other details are unknown at the time, but security experts and the media are speculating this might have been the work of Scattered Spider, a hacking collective that’s been targeting US-based retailers lately.

In fact, Charles Carmakal, the CTO of Google's Mandiant Consulting security research arm, told The Register this attack “bears the hallmarks” of that particular threat actor.

"Mandiant is aware of multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector which resemble the operations of UNC3944 or Scattered Spider. We are still working on attribution and analysis, but given the habit of this actor to focus on a single sector we suggest that the industry take steps immediately to harden systems," said Carmakal.

"The actor's core tactics, techniques, and procedures have remained consistent. This means that organizations can take proactive steps like training their help desk staff to enforce robust identity verification processes and deploying phishing-resistant MFA to defend against these intrusions. Additional advice can be found in our previous hardening guide."

Hawaiian adds its flights are operating safely and as per schedule.

“The company has not yet determined whether the incident is reasonably likely to materially impact the company’s financial condition or results of operations,” the filing concluded.

Since the company did not take down its IT network, it’s safe to assume that this wasn’t a ransomware attack, but these details could be known in the coming weeks.

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• A range of new security features arrived with One UI 7
• Samsung is recommending users turn them on
• They'll help to protect your data if someone swipes your phone

Samsung is rather proud of some of the anti-theft features it's recently rolled out with One UI 7 (based on Android 15), so much so that the company has issued a press release strongly advising users to turn on these new features.

"Samsung is calling on Galaxy users to activate the latest anti-theft features now available on their devices," reads the directive (via Android Authority). "These updates reflect Samsung's commitment to delivering smarter, stronger protection – helping users safeguard their data and stay in control, even in high-risk situations."

There are five features mentioned, though they're not all brand new. First up is Theft Detection Lock, which uses the sensors on your phone to detect when it might have been snatched, and automatically locks the screen.

There's also Offline Device Lock, which locks the phone after it's been offline for an extended period, and Remote Lock – the ability for users to lock a phone remotely from a different device if its been lost or stolen.

Where to find these features

You can find these features in the Security and privacy section of Settings (Image credit: Future)

Samsung One UI 7 also offers Identity Check, which means biometric authentication is needed for changing security settings, and Security Delay: a one-hour waiting period that's enforced if the biometric data is reset on a phone.

If you have had your phone taken from you, that waiting period should give you time to remotely lock it and take whatever other steps are needed, before the person who's trying to reset it can gain full access.

All of these features can be found and enabled through the Settings panel in One UI 7: Tap Security and privacy > Lost device protection, and you'll find options for registering your device with the Find My Mobile service (for locking it remotely), and for managing the other security features flagged up by Samsung.

it's also worth mentioning that these aren't Samsung exclusives: you can find these features, such as Theft Detection Lock, on other phones running Google's Android 15 software (including the best Pixel phones).

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• Microsoft has confirmed Windows 11 25H2 is the update for this year
• The upgrade is now officially in testing
• It'll be a more minor update delivered as an 'enablement package' and that's a good thing as we're likely to see fewer bugs than with 24H2

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 25H2 is the next update for its desktop operating system, arriving later this year.

That ends whispers that we might just see the release of Windows 12 - or whatever the next incarnation of the OS will be called - later this year. However, hope of that had already dwindled to pretty much dying embers in all honesty.

The announcement came in an IT Pro blog post from Microsoft that Tom's Hardware flagged.

Microsoft told us: "Today, Windows 11, version 25H2 became available to the Windows Insider community, in advance of broader availability planned for the second half of 2025."

The Windows Insider community is the formal name for those who are testing Windows 11, running preview versions of the OS (in various channels, from the earliest builds in the Canary channel to the Release Preview channel, which, as the name suggests, is one step away from release).

So, some of those testers are now officially using Windows 11 25H2, and Microsoft further confirmed another suspicion that's been previously aired about the next big update for the operating system - that it's what's known as an 'enablement package' or 'eKB' for short.

This means that the move to 25H2 will be a swift upgrade for those who are on Windows 11 24H2, and as Microsoft puts it, the update will be "as easy as a quick restart".

The 25H2 update would typically be expected to arrive in September or October, and I wouldn't expect it any sooner - neither would I rule out the possibility of a November release. As ever, it'll be an ongoing rollout, so it could take some time to reach your PC.

Analysis: Fewer features, but fewer problems?

(Image credit: MAYA LAB / Shutterstock)

How does the enablement package delivery method Microsoft is employing here help to ensure a speedy and simple update? It's because 25H2 is built on the same 'servicing branch' as 24H2, meaning that they use the same code. They are, for all intents and purposes, the same, except 25H2 has some extra features added on top - and because these versions of Windows 11 are the same codebase, those features can effectively be preloaded to devices running 24H2.

What this means is that when it comes to applying the update, it's already in place, and it just has to be enabled. Hence the phrase 'enablement package', and with just a simple switch being flicked to turn on 25H2's features when the update is sent live, it's basically just a quick reboot, and you're done. At least in theory, anyway, barring any issues.

However, what this also means is that there'll be no major changes with Windows 11 25H2. An enablement package release is a fast and quick deployment, but doesn't change anything major with Windows 11's code, as noted, and so we will likely get a fairly limited dollop of new features with 25H2.

In short, don't get your hopes up for anything earthshaking this year regarding Microsoft's changes to Windows 11. However, the flipside is that without any major moves, there's far less chance of any nasty bugs popping up.

Windows 11 24H2 brought in a new underlying platform - Germanium - which was a huge shift, and my theory has long been that this is why we've seen more than the usual helping of critters skittering about in the works of the OS (and some very strange glitches, too). In 2025, that shouldn't happen, and hopefully, Microsoft will get back on course with ensuring Windows 11 runs more smoothly (knock on wood, fingers crossed, etc.).

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• Kansas man hacked health club, nonprofit and former employer to promote his services
• He claimed responsibility and offered remedial support
• He could face up to five years in prison and more

A Kansas man has plead guilty to hacking multiple organizations only to promote his own cybersecurity services.

Nicholas Michael Kloster, a 32-year-old from Kansas City, was indicted in 2024 for breaching three organizations, including a health club and a Missouri nonprofit organization.

During the incident, Kloster emailed business owners claiming responsibility for the attacks, and offering consulting services to prevent future cyberattacks, and his fate will soon be determined.

Cyberattacker admits to pushing his own consulting services

In one case, Kloster accessed a gym's systems by breaching a restricted area. He manipulated the system to remove his own photo from the member database before reducing his monthly membership fee to $1. He then explained to the business owner that he had bypassed login credentials for security cameras and accessed router settings.

In a separate incident, Kloster used a boot disk to bypass authentication into a nonprofit's systems, stealing sensitive data, installing a VPN and changing user passwords.

A press release from the US Attorney's Office of Western District of Missouri explains that "the company has sustained significant losses in an attempt to remediate the effects from this intrusion."

Furthermore, Kloster is said to have stolen credit card data from a former employer to buy hacking tools (including a thumb drive advertised as a tool for hacking into vulnerable computers) after being fired from the company in April 2024.

The Attorney's Office explained that Kloster's actions deserve him up to five years' imprisonment in federal prison without parole, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and an order of restitution. A jury will decide the exact consequences he will face, but the involvement of the FBI suggests Kloster could face some pretty serious punishments.

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• US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says every American should own a wearable
• The plan could bring major benefits, but also comes with risks
• We don't have much information about what the plan entails

The best smartwatches and other fitness wearables offer huge potential when it comes to helping us manage and improve our health – and now US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he'd like to see every American wearing some form of health or fitness device.

“My vision is that every American is wearing a wearable within four years,” he said at a congressional hearing last week. To that end, his department will soon begin one of “the biggest campaigns in HHS history” that it says will help Americans “take control over their own health.”

Right now, the plan is short on specifics. We don’t know, for example, if it will involve the government promoting the benefits of wearables, federal bodies partnering with or subsidizing existing devices, or even the release of a Trump-branded health tracker (akin to the recent Trump Phone). A major campaign to promote the use of wearables, however, seems likely.

During the congressional hearing, Kennedy Jr. – who's helped to inspire the 'Make America Healthy Again', or MAHA, movement, said that while blood glucose monitors can cost $100 to $300 a month, his agency is “exploring ways of making sure that those costs can be paid for.”

He also suggested that an $80 wearable might be a better solution to the weight-loss drug Ozempic – which can cost over $1,000 a month – for controlling diabetes and weight.

More info is needed

(Image credit: Future)

On the surface, a campaign promoting the use of health wearables sounds like a good idea. These devices are tuned to nudge you towards healthier habits, such as exercising regularly and understanding your sleep patterns.

But questions are likely to be raised over Kennedy Jr.’s role in this, given his past promotion of some medical practices that are considered dubious by experts, and his skepticism over some vaccines.

Wearables also come with potential issues, regardless of who's promoting them. Your medical data is some of the most sensitive information about you, and if it were to be stolen, sold to advertisers without your knowledge, or otherwise fall into the wrong hands, it could have serious implications for you. That makes it a juicy target for hackers and identity thieves.

It’s also worth adding that wearables are not a cure-all solution. While they can provide important health information, including, for example, warnings about irregular heart rhythm, they can also fuel health anxiety and lead to unsafe self-medication.

Ultimately, they’re only one piece of the puzzle, and should be accompanied by other healthy actions and habits, as well as input from health professionals.

It sounds like a worthy endeavor, and one that could both improve American's health and save billions of dollars on healthcare costs over the long term – but right now we have more questions about RFK Jr.’s wearables plan than we do answers.

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