News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
Why Anthropic's New Claude Design is Already Disrupting the UI/UX Industry
Anthropic's "Claude Design" offers a structured approach to creating visual assets by integrating AI-driven features with collaborative workflows. Built on the Claude Opus 47 model, it supports tasks like wireframing, prototyping and animation while maintaining alignment with brand guidelines. According to Prompt Engineering, one standout feature is Claude Code, which facilitates direct handoff between design and development teams, minimizing friction and improving project coordination. Discover how to refine layouts, adjust styles and provide input to guide the AI in shaping your creative output. Gain insight into its export capabilities, including formats like PDF and HTML, which accommodate various project needs. Dive into its collaborative features that help teams iterate efficiently and produce polished results across different stages of the design process. Claude Design offers a rich suite of features tailored to meet the diverse needs of modern design teams. Its capabilities extend across various asset types, including: The platform ensures that outputs align with your brand's visual identity by integrating directly with your company's design systems. It supports exporting in multiple formats, such as ZIP, PDF, PPT, Canva and HTML, offering versatility for different workflows. For engineering teams, the Claude Code feature bridges the gap between design and development, allowing direct handoff and fostering smoother collaboration. This integration reduces friction between teams, making sure that creative visions are effectively translated into functional outputs. One of Claude Design's standout features is its emphasis on interactive and collaborative workflows. The platform allows you to guide the AI by providing prompts, offering feedback and refining designs in real time. For example, you can adjust layouts, modify styles, or comment on specific elements to ensure the final output aligns with your vision. Additionally, the ability to import visual references enables the AI to tailor its outputs to match your existing assets or inspiration. This dynamic interaction creates a more intuitive and efficient design process, empowering teams to iterate quickly and achieve high-quality results. By fostering real-time collaboration, Claude Design not only enhances productivity but also ensures that creative goals are met with precision. Here are more detailed guides and articles that you may find helpful on Claude Design. The flexibility of Claude Design makes it a valuable tool across various industries and use cases. Whether you're working on UI/UX concepts, marketing campaigns, or corporate presentations, the platform provides a strong foundation for your projects. Its ability to generate high-quality assets quickly is particularly beneficial for: Moreover, its seamless integration with engineering workflows ensures that designs can be implemented without unnecessary delays. By reducing friction between design and development teams, Claude Design enhances overall productivity and enables faster project completion. This adaptability makes it an essential tool for professionals across fields, from designers and marketers to developers and project managers. Since its launch, Claude Design has made waves in the design industry. Its announcement led to an 8% drop in Figma's stock, highlighting the market's recognition of Anthropic's potential to disrupt the space. While it is still early to gauge the long-term implications, the tool's advanced capabilities position it as a formidable competitor in the design software market. The platform's ability to streamline workflows and foster collaboration has resonated with users, particularly in industries where speed and precision are critical. As more companies adopt AI-driven tools like Claude Design, the competitive landscape of design software is likely to evolve significantly. Despite its innovative features, Claude Design is not without its challenges. Some users have reported difficulties with the user interface, citing issues with navigation and a lack of clarity in certain options. These concerns highlight the need for further refinement to ensure a seamless user experience. Additionally, there are questions about Anthropic's broader focus as the company expands into app development. This diversification could potentially divert attention from enhancing Claude Design. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for maintaining the platform's competitive edge and making sure it continues to meet user expectations. Claude Design represents a significant advancement in AI-assisted design, offering a glimpse into the future of collaborative creativity. By streamlining workflows and bridging the gap between design and engineering, it has the potential to transform how industries approach visual asset creation. As the platform evolves, you can expect further enhancements that will solidify its role in modern design processes. Whether you're a designer, marketer, or developer, Claude Design is poised to become an essential tool for driving innovation and productivity. Its ability to adapt to diverse needs and foster collaboration ensures that it will remain a valuable asset in the ever-changing landscape of design technology. Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Polymarket In Negotiations To Raise New Money At $15 Billion Valuation: Report - Intercontinental Exchang
Prediction market giant Polymarket is exploring a capital raise, valuing it at around $15 billion, according to a report published Sunday. New Funding Secured? The cryptocurrency-based platform is in talks to raise $400 million in new funding, The Information reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Benzinga reached out to Polymarket to confirm the capital raise. The article will be updated once they respond. Polymarket Trails Kalshi Polymarket's reported valuation came in significantly below that of rival Kalshi, which raised more than $1 billion last month at a $22 billion valuation. Prediction Market Boom The prediction markets industry has witnessed rapid growth lately. Bernstein analysts project that prediction market volumes will reach approximately $240 billion in 2026 and hit $1 trillion by 2030. Polymarket and Kalshi dominate the space. Kalshi took a regulated approach, operating under CFTC oversight right from its inception. Polymarket, based on Polygon (CRYPTO: POL), acquired CFTC-licensed exchange QCEX and relaunched in the U.S. last year. According to Dune Analytics, the two platforms accounted for more than 80% of the prediction industry, with each hitting monthly notional volumes above $10 billion last month. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.
Banks in close contact with European regulator on Anthropic's Mythos, banker says
FRANKFURT, April 20 (Reuters) - Banks are in close contact with their European regulators regarding Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model Mythos, Christian Sewing, president of the German banking association and CEO of Deutsche Bank, said on Monday. He said that the banking association would further discuss the topic later on Monday after talks last week. "It's certainly not something that's causing panic or setting off any alarm bells on our end right now, but it's definitely something we need to keep in mind in our day-to-day risk management -- and that's exactly what we're doing," he told journalists. The vast capabilities of Mythos to code at a high level have given it a potentially unprecedented ability to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities, experts say, prompting greater scrutiny from some regulators globally.
Anthropic says will put AI risks 'on the table' with Mythos model
American AI developer Anthropic plans to "lay the risks out on the table" even as it restricts deployment of a new model dubbed Mythos, whose powerful cybersecurity capabilities raise stark questions for companies and governments. "We have a model that's beginning to outstrip human capabilities in the cyber world," Anthropic's Paris-based chief of relations with startups and tech firms Guillaume Princen told AFP in an interview. Mythos is "capable of spotting security holes that have existed for decades, in systems tested by both human experts and automated tools, that have never been discovered before," he added. Anthropic has delayed a general release of Mythos, sharing it first with a few dozen key American tech and financial services players -- such as Nvidia, Amazon, Apple and JP Morgan Chase -- to allow them to test and improve their security infrastructure. But the company has also been accused of overhyping the powers of a technology which is its stock in trade -- and the subject of fierce competition with rival OpenAI. The Mythos news broke as rumours grow that Anthropic will list on the stock market this year. - Safety first? - "We prefer to be transparent and lay these risks out on the table," Princen said, adding that AI safety concerns are "central to Anthropic's DNA". "We don't have all the answers, this has to be a conversation between tech actors like us who have the data, the academic world, the political world and the world of economists," he added. Mythos' reported capabilities have unsettled the American financial sector and the European Union, which requested more information from Anthropic. In an open letter to businesses, the British government said that Mythos "highlights the speed at which AI capabilities are increasing and the threats they potentially pose". No European company is part of Anthropic's "Project Glasswing" consortium for shoring up cyber defences using Mythos' findings. That has raised questions about how prepared the rest of the world will be for the offensive capabilities of US-owned AI. Mythos is "certainly not a model that will soon be opened to the public at large, for obvious reasons," Princen said. Anthropic is nevertheless "thinking about the next waves of opening up," he added. - European growth - Europe is the region where Anthropic sees the fastest growth. Its Claude Code software development tool generates around $2.5 billion in annualised revenue -- a figure based on extrapolating from a few recent weeks of sales.
European Banks Monitor Anthropic Mythos AI Security Risks - News Directory 3
"It's certainly not something that's causing panic or setting off any alarm bells on our end right now, but it's definitely something we need to keep in mind... European banks are maintaining close contact with financial regulators regarding the potential risks posed by Anthropic's new AI model, Mythos, citing concerns over its advanced coding capabilities and implications for cybersecurity in the financial sector. Christian Sewing, president of the German Banking Association and chief executive officer of Deutsche Bank, confirmed on April 20, 2025, that banks are actively discussing the model with regulators as part of ongoing risk management efforts. He emphasized that while the situation does not currently warrant alarm, the technology's ability to identify software vulnerabilities at scale necessitates careful monitoring. "It's certainly not something that's causing panic or setting off any alarm bells on our end right now, but it's definitely something we need to keep in mind in our day-to-day risk management -- and that's exactly what we're doing," Sewing told journalists following internal discussions last week and a scheduled follow-up meeting later on Monday. The heightened attention stems from Mythos's demonstrated capacity to generate and analyze code at a level that experts say could significantly accelerate the discovery of cybersecurity weaknesses in software systems. While Anthropic has positioned Mythos as a tool for improving software reliability and security through advanced reasoning, financial institutions and regulators are assessing whether such capabilities could also be misused to exploit vulnerabilities in banking infrastructure. European banking supervisors, including the European Central Bank and national authorities in Germany, France, and the Netherlands, have increased scrutiny of generative AI models deployed or tested within financial services, particularly those with strong reasoning and code-generation functions. The concerns are part of a broader regulatory push to ensure that AI systems used in or interfacing with critical financial infrastructure meet stringent safety, transparency, and resilience standards. Banks are responding by strengthening internal AI governance frameworks, conducting specialized risk assessments on third-party AI tools, and enhancing collaboration with regulators to share insights on emerging threats. Rather than imposing blanket restrictions, financial institutions are focusing on understanding the specific use cases and limitations of models like Mythos within controlled environments. Sewing noted that the German Banking Association plans to continue these discussions beyond the initial talks, aiming to develop coordinated guidance for member banks on evaluating AI-related operational and security risks. The association has previously issued advisories on generative AI use in areas such as customer service automation, fraud detection, and internal software development, stressing the need for human oversight and rigorous testing. Anthropic, the AI safety-focused company behind the Claude series of models, introduced Mythos as a research-oriented system designed to excel in complex reasoning, software engineering, and strategic planning tasks. While not yet released for broad commercial use, Mythos has drawn attention in technical circles for its performance on coding benchmarks and its ability to identify logical flaws in codebases. The model's capabilities have reignited debates about the dual-use nature of advanced AI systems -- tools intended to improve security could also be repurposed to uncover weaknesses for malicious ends. Regulators and industry groups are increasingly calling for transparency around training data, model behavior, and safeguards, particularly when such systems are accessed by or integrated into financial technology workflows. As of April 2025, no formal restrictions have been placed on Mythos by European financial authorities, but ongoing dialogue suggests that supervisory expectations around AI risk management in banking are evolving rapidly. Banks are expected to incorporate these developments into their internal control frameworks, with particular attention to third-party AI dependencies and cyber resilience testing.
London Underground drivers to strike over four day week proposal causing travel chaos
Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. London Underground drivers are set to stage strikes this week, threatening significant travel disruption for commuters and visitors across the capital. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for 24 hours from 12pm on both Tuesday and Thursday. The union confirmed the industrial action, accusing Transport for London (TfL) of attempting to impose a new four-day working week. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey expressed frustration, stating: "We have approached negotiations with TfL in good faith throughout this entire process, but despite our best efforts, TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions in a bid to avert strike action." Mr Dempsey added: "This is extremely disappointing and has baffled our negotiators. The approach of TfL is not one which leads to industrial peace and will infuriate our members who want to see a negotiated settlement to this avoidable dispute." In response, TfL advised passengers that services would vary across lines and urged them to check before travelling. Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer, addressed the union's claims, confirming: "We have set out proposals to the RMT for a four-day working week." She elaborated on the rationale behind the proposal: "This allows us to offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost. The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so." Adding to the capital's transport woes, some bus routes operated by Stagecoach will also face disruption due to a separate 24-hour strike commencing at 5am on Friday. TfL says strikes will affect the whole Tube network, but a reduced service will still run on most lines with significant disruption. However, there will be no service on the: Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, and tram services will be running normally on strike days, but are likely to be very busy.
How Anthropic's Claude Design Has Already Saved Me 10 Hours of Work
Design has been my biggest time suck. I've either used tools like Nano Banana Pro or Gamma that spit out subpar outputs and need a lot of tweaking, or I manually built everything in Canva, hunched over my laptop, swearing at it every five minutes because I forgot to lock something or the tool couldn't do what I envisioned. Claude Design has let me speed up my design workflow. You can hand off basic design work to an AI model while keeping the customization and flexibility that image-only AI tools can't match. It's not a replacement for a professional designer, but it can provide a good starting point to work from. Here's how I've used it so far. 1. Presentations I used Gamma before, but the design was weak and the points always felt generic. I tried putting Claude's output into Gamma, but the design was still pretty basic. You can tell when someone's phoned it in and used a Gamma deck.
London Underground drivers to strike over four day week proposal causing travel chaos
Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. London Underground drivers are set to stage strikes this week, threatening significant travel disruption for commuters and visitors across the capital. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for 24 hours from 12pm on both Tuesday and Thursday. The union confirmed the industrial action, accusing Transport for London (TfL) of attempting to impose a new four-day working week. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey expressed frustration, stating: "We have approached negotiations with TfL in good faith throughout this entire process, but despite our best efforts, TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions in a bid to avert strike action." Mr Dempsey added: "This is extremely disappointing and has baffled our negotiators. The approach of TfL is not one which leads to industrial peace and will infuriate our members who want to see a negotiated settlement to this avoidable dispute." In response, TfL advised passengers that services would vary across lines and urged them to check before travelling. Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer, addressed the union's claims, confirming: "We have set out proposals to the RMT for a four-day working week." She elaborated on the rationale behind the proposal: "This allows us to offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost. The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so." Adding to the capital's transport woes, some bus routes operated by Stagecoach will also face disruption due to a separate 24-hour strike commencing at 5am on Friday. TfL says strikes will affect the whole Tube network, but a reduced service will still run on most lines with significant disruption. However, there will be no service on the: Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, and tram services will be running normally on strike days, but are likely to be very busy.
Cerebras Systems Targets IPO After Posting $510 Million in 2025 Revenue
Microsoft Corporation is the world's leader in the design, development and marketing of operating systems and software programs for PC's and servers. The group also builds and sells computer equipment. Net sales break down by activity as follows: - sale of operating systems and application development tools (42.9%): primarily for servers (Azure, SQL Server, Windows Server, Visual Studio, System Center, GitHub, etc.) and (Windows); - development of cloud-based software applications (37.7%): programs for productivity (Microsoft 365; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher and Access), integrated management and customer relationship management (Dynamics 365), online file sharing and management (OneDrive), and unified and collaborative communications (Microsoft Teams); - other (19.4%): primarily sale of software licenses (Windows), tablets (Microsoft Surface), video game consoles and software (Xbox), computer accessories, etc. The United States accounts for 51.3% of net sales.
London Underground drivers to strike over four day week proposal causing travel chaos
London Underground drivers are set to stage strikes this week, threatening significant travel disruption for commuters and visitors across the capital. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for 24 hours from 12pm on both Tuesday and Thursday. The union confirmed the industrial action, accusing Transport for London (TfL) of attempting to impose a new four-day working week. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey expressed frustration, stating: "We have approached negotiations with TfL in good faith throughout this entire process, but despite our best efforts, TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions in a bid to avert strike action." Mr Dempsey added: "This is extremely disappointing and has baffled our negotiators. The approach of TfL is not one which leads to industrial peace and will infuriate our members who want to see a negotiated settlement to this avoidable dispute." In response, TfL advised passengers that services would vary across lines and urged them to check before travelling. Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer, addressed the union's claims, confirming: "We have set out proposals to the RMT for a four-day working week." She elaborated on the rationale behind the proposal: "This allows us to offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost. The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so." Adding to the capital's transport woes, some bus routes operated by Stagecoach will also face disruption due to a separate 24-hour strike commencing at 5am on Friday. TfL says strikes will affect the whole Tube network, but a reduced service will still run on most lines with significant disruption. However, there will be no service on the: Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, and tram services will be running normally on strike days, but are likely to be very busy.
Banks in close contact with European regulator on Anthropic's Mythos, banker says
FRANKFURT, April 20 (Reuters) - Banks are in close contact with their European regulators regarding Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model Mythos, Christian Sewing, president of the German banking association and CEO of Deutsche Bank, said on Monday. He said that the banking association would further discuss the topic later on Monday after talks last week. "It's certainly not something that's causing panic or setting off any alarm bells on our end right now, but it's definitely something we need to keep in mind in our day-to-day risk management -- and that's exactly what we're doing," he told journalists. The vast capabilities of Mythos to code at a high level have given it a potentially unprecedented ability to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities, experts say, prompting greater scrutiny from some regulators globally. Reporting by Tom Sims, editing by Thomas Seythal Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Vercel April 2026 Incident: Non-Sensitive Environment Variables Need Investigation Too
The post Vercel April 2026 Incident: Non-Sensitive Environment Variables Need Investigation Too appeared first on GitGuardian Blog - Take Control of Your Secrets Security. An attacker compromised the tool's Google Workspace OAuth app, hijacked a Vercel employee's account, then accessed environment variables that weren't marked "sensitive." Vercel is now asking customers to rotate those secrets, even though they were classified as non-sensitive. Vercel contacted the limited subset of customers whose credentials were confirmed compromised. But the broader lesson applies to any organization: a third-party OAuth compromise can cascade into internal systems fast. Vercel called the attacker "highly sophisticated" based on their speed and detailed knowledge of Vercel's systems. Assume any related secret is at risk until you've investigated it. Identify every exposed credential, check where it's used, and confirm whether it's active or already abused. Then revoke or rotate it, redeploy, and verify dependent services. Vercel's guidance is direct: use the "sensitive" flag for environment variables that contain API keys, tokens, database credentials, or signing keys. Sensitive variables are stored in a way that prevents them from being read. If you're a Vercel customer responding to this incident, start by pulling your environment variables locally and scanning them for exposed secrets. Pull your environment variables for each project: Then scan the file with GitGuardian: GitGuardian will identify which variables contain valid secrets, such as API keys, tokens, or database credentials, signing keys. This gives you a prioritized list of what to rotate first. You can also scan across multiple projects by pulling each environment file and scanning the directory: Once you've identified exposed secrets, rotate them in your upstream services (like AWS, Stripe, or database providers) before updating the values in Vercel. Vercel published the following guidance for customers: *** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from GitGuardian Blog - Take Control of Your Secrets Security authored by Guillaume Valadon. Read the original post at: https://blog.gitguardian.com/vercel-april-2026-incident-non-sensitive-environment-variables-need-investigation-too/
Anthropic says will put AI risks 'on the table' with Mythos model
Paris (France) (AFP) - American AI developer Anthropic plans to "lay the risks out on the table" even as it restricts deployment of a new model dubbed Mythos, whose powerful cybersecurity capabilities raise stark questions for companies and governments. "We have a model that's beginning to outstrip human capabilities in the cyber world," Anthropic's Paris-based chief of relations with startups and tech firms Guillaume Princen told AFP in an interview. Mythos is "capable of spotting security holes that have existed for decades, in systems tested by both human experts and automated tools, that have never been discovered before," he added. Anthropic has delayed a general release of Mythos, sharing it first with a few dozen key American tech and financial services players -- such as Nvidia, Amazon, Apple and JP Morgan Chase -- to allow them to test and improve their security infrastructure. But the company has also been accused of overhyping the powers of a technology which is its stock in trade -- and the subject of fierce competition with rival OpenAI. The Mythos news broke as rumours grow that Anthropic will list on the stock market this year. Safety first? "We prefer to be transparent and lay these risks out on the table," Princen said, adding that AI safety concerns are "central to Anthropic's DNA". "We don't have all the answers, this has to be a conversation between tech actors like us who have the data, the academic world, the political world and the world of economists," he added. Mythos' reported capabilities have unsettled the American financial sector and the European Union, which requested more information from Anthropic. In an open letter to businesses, the British government said that Mythos "highlights the speed at which AI capabilities are increasing and the threats they potentially pose". No European company is part of Anthropic's "Project Glasswing" consortium for shoring up cyber defences using Mythos' findings. That has raised questions about how prepared the rest of the world will be for the offensive capabilities of US-owned AI. Mythos is "certainly not a model that will soon be opened to the public at large, for obvious reasons," Princen said. Anthropic is nevertheless "thinking about the next waves of opening up," he added. European growth Europe is the region where Anthropic sees the fastest growth. Its Claude Code software development tool generates around $2.5 billion in annualised revenue -- a figure based on extrapolating from a few recent weeks of sales. Much of that expansion comes from "European firms riding the wave" of AI, Princen said. The company has opened offices in Dublin, London, Paris and Munich, and wants to keep investing across the continent. "We go where the demand is," Princen said, pointing to partnerships with European firms like Swedish coding startup Lovable or Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk. Relatively unknown to the wider public until recently, Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI staff and makes around 80 percent of its revenue from business-to-business sales. The company and its Claude chatbot surged in prominence in late February, when bosses refused to allow its AI tools to be used by the Pentagon for mass surveillance of American citizens or fully autonomous weapons. The Trump administration responded by designating Anthropic a so-called "supply chain risk" to national security -- a decision being contested in multiple legal cases. In legal documents seen by AFP, Anthropic finance chief Krishna Rao warned that Washington's move could cost the firm multiple billions in revenue this year. On the other hand, "there are a lot of people who started using Claude precisely because of the position we took on that question," Princen said. Anthropic said in early April that it had tripled its annualised revenues quarter-on-quarter to over $30 billion -- outpacing OpenAI for the first time.
Vercel breach linked to third-party tool as hackers claim data theft
Cloud development platform Vercel has confirmed it suffered a security breach, after a threat actor claimed to be selling access to allegedly stolen company data. The firm said the incident involved "unauthorised access to certain internal Vercel systems" and affected a "limited subset of customers". It added that it is working with cybersecurity specialists, including Mandiant, and has notified law enforcement. The company stressed that its core services remain operational and that there is no evidence of widespread compromise. Vercel created and maintains Next.js, a web development framework for React that adds server-side rendering, routing and optimisation to React applications. It is widely adopted - about two-thirds of Javascript developers use Next.js, as well as companies like Uber, Netflix and TikTok. Customers believed to be affected have been contacted and advised to rotate credentials. "If you have not been contacted, we do not have reason to believe that your Vercel credentials or personal data have been compromised at this time," the company said. According to Vercel, the breach originated from a compromised Google Workspace account linked to a third-party AI tool, Context.ai. Chief executive Guillermo Rauch wrote on X that the attacker gained initial access via this account before escalating access into Vercel internal systems. The intruder was then able to access certain environment variables that had not been marked as "sensitive," meaning they were not encrypted at rest. These variables were intended to contain non-sensitive data, but the attacker used them to gain deeper access to Vercel's systems. Vercel described the attacker as "sophisticated," citing their speed and apparent familiarity with the company's infrastructure. The firm said its open-source projects, including Next.js and Turbopack, were not affected. The disclosure follows claims by a single hacker using the name "ShinyHunters" on an online forum, alleging they had breached Vercel and were selling stolen data. The individual claimed to possess access keys, source code, database information and internal deployment systems. "This is just from Linear as proof, but the access I'm about to give you includes multiple employee accounts with access to several internal deployments [and] API keys (including some NPM tokens and some GitHub tokens)," reads the forum post, according to BleepingComputer. A sample dataset shared online included details of 580 Vercel employee accounts, such as names, email addresses and activity records. Screenshots said to show internal dashboards were also circulated. In separate messages, the attacker claimed to have discussed a ransom demand of $2m with the company. The authenticity of the leaked data has not been verified, and the group known as ShinyHunters has reportedly denied involvement in this incident. Vercel has urged users to take precautionary steps, including reviewing activity logs, rotating environment variables and ensuring sensitive data is properly encrypted. It has also introduced updates to its dashboard to improve visibility and management of environment variables. "My advice to everyone is to follow the best practices of security response: secret rotation, monitoring access to your Vercel environments and linked services and ensuring the proper use of the sensitive env variables feature," Rauch said. "It's my mission to turn this attack into the most formidable security response imaginable," he added. Vercel says it continues to investigate the full scope of the breach and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
London Underground drivers to strike over four day week proposal causing travel chaos
London Underground drivers are set to stage strikes this week, threatening significant travel disruption for commuters and visitors across the capital. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for 24 hours from 12pm on both Tuesday and Thursday. The union confirmed the industrial action, accusing Transport for London (TfL) of attempting to impose a new four-day working week. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey expressed frustration, stating: "We have approached negotiations with TfL in good faith throughout this entire process, but despite our best efforts, TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions in a bid to avert strike action." Mr Dempsey added: "This is extremely disappointing and has baffled our negotiators. The approach of TfL is not one which leads to industrial peace and will infuriate our members who want to see a negotiated settlement to this avoidable dispute." In response, TfL advised passengers that services would vary across lines and urged them to check before travelling. Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer, addressed the union's claims, confirming: "We have set out proposals to the RMT for a four-day working week." She elaborated on the rationale behind the proposal: "This allows us to offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost. The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so." Adding to the capital's transport woes, some bus routes operated by Stagecoach will also face disruption due to a separate 24-hour strike commencing at 5am on Friday. TfL says strikes will affect the whole Tube network, but a reduced service will still run on most lines with significant disruption. However, there will be no service on the: Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, and tram services will be running normally on strike days, but are likely to be very busy.
Hormuz shipping chaos returns as Iran reverses transit reopening
The brief glimmer of hope for a resumption of normal energy transit through the Strait of Hormuz has been abruptly extinguished, as Iran once again reimposed strict controls over the critical maritime chokepoint just hours after declaring it open. A reversal of fortunes The strategic waterway, which carries approximately one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, saw a wave of tankers attempt to transit on Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's Friday announcement that the strait was "completely open" in line with a ceasefire in Lebanon had triggered the attempted crossings. However, the optimism proved short-lived. Shipping data and maritime security reports confirmed that Iranian gunboats intercepted and fired upon several commercial vessels, including at least one container ship and a tanker, without prior radio challenge. The sudden pivot came after U.S. President Donald Trump clarified that, despite the diplomatic overtures, the American naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain "in full force." Tehran swiftly retaliated, with Iranian security officials stating that they would regard the continued U.S. blockade as a breach of the truce, effectively voiding the temporary reopening of the strait. Supply chains stalled The resulting confusion has forced several LNG tankers that had loaded in Qatar to reverse course or idle in the Persian Gulf, stalling what would have been the first significant transit of gas cargoes since the onset of the conflict in late February. The effective closure of the waterway continues to create severe supply bottlenecks, particularly for emerging Asian markets that rely heavily on the oil and gas shipments for their energy security. Analysts warn that the contradictory signals from Washington and Tehran are exacerbating an already volatile environment. With insurance providers remaining wary of the persistent threat of attacks, mines, and interception, the "high-risk" status of the strait remains, leaving global energy markets and the supply of essential fuels in a state of profound uncertainty. Source: Investing.com
Banks in close contact with European regulator on Anthropic's Mythos, banker says
FRANKFURT, April 20 (Reuters) - Banks are in close contact with their European regulators regarding Anthropic's new artificial intelligence model Mythos, Christian Sewing, president of the German banking association and CEO of Deutsche Bank, said on Monday. He said that the banking association would further discuss the topic later on Monday after talks last week. "It's certainly not something that's causing panic or setting off any alarm bells on our end right now, but it's definitely something we need to keep in mind in our day-to-day risk management -- and that's exactly what we're doing," he told journalists. The vast capabilities of Mythos to code at a high level have given it a potentially unprecedented ability to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities, experts say, prompting greater scrutiny from some regulators globally.
Iran Travel Chaos: How Are Passengers Protected Amid Flight Cancellations?
Airlines cancel flights and adjust routes as jet fuel shortages hit Europe The ongoing conflict in Iran has greatly affected the global aviation industry due to fuel shortage, prompting airlines to cancel flights. Aside from cancellations, passengers are also experiencing delays and rerouting. In particular, European countries have been mostly hit as the continent relies heavily on imported jet fuel, with around 75% coming from external supplies. International Energy Agency (IEA) director Fatih Birol warned that Europe has only about 'six weeks' of jet fuel left, with some countries holding several months' worth of jet fuel inventory at a time, describing the situation as the largest energy crisis we have ever faced in history', The Associated Press reported. Airlines and aviation bodies, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA), also said that Europe could face widespread summer flight cancellations in late May as shortages persist. The current situation has prompted several airlines to cut routes this summer due to fuel shortages. On Thursday, German carrier Lufthansa announced that it is closing its regional unit, CityLine, citing the impact of surging fuel costs and strikes, 'in order to reduce further losses of the loss-making airline'. On Friday, Delta Airlines said it is cutting four routes this summer, as part of its 'normal planning process'. Air Canada, meanwhile, announced that it is cutting routes from Toronto and Montreal to New York's JFK Airport from 1 June through 25 October due to rising jet fuel costs. In addition, KLM Dutch Airlines also cited rising costs for adjusting its flight schedule this month as certain routes are 'no longer financially viable to operate'. While airlines are greatly hit by rising jet fuel costs, passengers are also at risk of experiencing cancelled or delayed flights. What are the rights of passengers when this occurs, and how do airlines provide remedies in this situation? According to the EU Air Passenger Rights, when flights from the EU to the Middle East countries and from the Middle East countries to the EU with EU airlines get cancelled, passengers are always entitled to assistance or care, such as refreshments, meals, and hotel accommodation. In addition, the carrier has to let passengers choose between reimbursing the ticket or rerouting to the passenger's final destination. Under the rule, the reimbursement can be made either in cash or in the form of a voucher. For airlines not covered by UK or EU rules, passengers are advised to look at the terms and conditions of the flight, which usually include a replacement flight or a refund for a cancellation. For travellers on packaged holidays, passengers are protected under the Package and Linked Travel Arrangements, where the operator is responsible for the whole trip. If a flight gets cancelled, the travel operator has to offer either an alternative holiday of the same value or a refund. To further protect passengers, the IEA advised travellers to stay flexible, monitor flight updates closely, and prepare for last-minute changes during the peak travel season.
Anthropic says will put AI risks 'on the table' with Mythos model
Claude Mythos' release has been restricted to a small number of partners - Copyright AFP/File Joel Saget American AI developer Anthropic plans to "lay the risks out on the table" even as it restricts deployment of a new model dubbed Mythos, whose powerful cybersecurity capabilities raise stark questions for companies and governments. "We have a model that's beginning to outstrip human capabilities in the cyber world," Anthropic's Paris-based chief of relations with startups and tech firms Guillaume Princen told AFP in an interview. Mythos is "capable of spotting security holes that have existed for decades, in systems tested by both human experts and automated tools, that have never been discovered before," he added. Anthropic has delayed a general release of Mythos, sharing it first with a few dozen key American tech and financial services players -- such as Nvidia, Amazon, Apple and JP Morgan Chase -- to allow them to test and improve their security infrastructure. But the company has also been accused of overhyping the powers of a technology which is its stock in trade -- and the subject of fierce competition with rival OpenAI. The Mythos news broke as rumours grow that Anthropic will list on the stock market this year. - Safety first? - "We prefer to be transparent and lay these risks out on the table," Princen said, adding that AI safety concerns are "central to Anthropic's DNA". "We don't have all the answers, this has to be a conversation between tech actors like us who have the data, the academic world, the political world and the world of economists," he added. Mythos' reported capabilities have unsettled the American financial sector and the European Union, which requested more information from Anthropic. In an open letter to businesses, the British government said that Mythos "highlights the speed at which AI capabilities are increasing and the threats they potentially pose". No European company is part of Anthropic's "Project Glasswing" consortium for shoring up cyber defences using Mythos' findings. That has raised questions about how prepared the rest of the world will be for the offensive capabilities of US-owned AI. Mythos is "certainly not a model that will soon be opened to the public at large, for obvious reasons," Princen said. Anthropic is nevertheless "thinking about the next waves of opening up," he added. - European growth - Europe is the region where Anthropic sees the fastest growth. Its Claude Code software development tool generates around $2.5 billion in annualised revenue -- a figure based on extrapolating from a few recent weeks of sales. Much of that expansion comes from "European firms riding the wave" of AI, Princen said. The company has opened offices in Dublin, London, Paris and Munich, and wants to keep investing across the continent. "We go where the demand is," Princen said, pointing to partnerships with European firms like Swedish coding startup Lovable or Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk. Relatively unknown to the wider public until recently, Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI staff and makes around 80 percent of its revenue from business-to-business sales. The company and its Claude chatbot surged in prominence in late February, when bosses refused to allow its AI tools to be used by the Pentagon for mass surveillance of American citizens or fully autonomous weapons. The Trump administration responded by designating Anthropic a so-called "supply chain risk" to national security -- a decision being contested in multiple legal cases. In legal documents seen by AFP, Anthropic finance chief Krishna Rao warned that Washington's move could cost the firm multiple billions in revenue this year. On the other hand, "there are a lot of people who started using Claude precisely because of the position we took on that question," Princen said. Anthropic said in early April that it had tripled its annualised revenues quarter-on-quarter to over $30 billion -- outpacing OpenAI for the first time.
Anthropic says will put AI risks 'on the table' with Mythos model
Anthropic's AI assistant Claude vies with rival chatbots from OpenAI, Google and others to be the "agent" relied upon by businesses to independently get jobs done American AI developer Anthropic plans to "lay the risks out on the table" even as it restricts deployment of a new model dubbed Mythos, whose powerful cybersecurity capabilities raise stark questions for companies and governments. "We have a model that's beginning to outstrip human capabilities in the cyber world," Anthropic's Paris-based chief of relations with startups and tech firms Guillaume Princen told AFP in an interview. Mythos is "capable of spotting security holes that have existed for decades, in systems tested by both human experts and automated tools, that have never been discovered before," he added. Anthropic has delayed a general release of Mythos, sharing it first with a few dozen key American tech and financial services players -- such as Nvidia, Amazon, Apple and JP Morgan Chase -- to allow them to test and improve their security infrastructure. But the company has also been accused of overhyping the powers of a technology which is its stock in trade -- and the subject of fierce competition with rival OpenAI. The Mythos news broke as rumours grow that Anthropic will list on the stock market this year. "We prefer to be transparent and lay these risks out on the table," Princen said, adding that AI safety concerns are "central to Anthropic's DNA". "We don't have all the answers, this has to be a conversation between tech actors like us who have the data, the academic world, the political world and the world of economists," he added. Mythos' reported capabilities have unsettled the American financial sector and the European Union, which requested more information from Anthropic. In an open letter to businesses, the British government said that Mythos "highlights the speed at which AI capabilities are increasing and the threats they potentially pose". No European company is part of Anthropic's "Project Glasswing" consortium for shoring up cyber defences using Mythos' findings. That has raised questions about how prepared the rest of the world will be for the offensive capabilities of US-owned AI. Mythos is "certainly not a model that will soon be opened to the public at large, for obvious reasons," Princen said. Anthropic is nevertheless "thinking about the next waves of opening up," he added. Europe is the region where Anthropic sees the fastest growth. Its Claude Code software development tool generates around $2.5 billion in annualised revenue -- a figure based on extrapolating from a few recent weeks of sales. Much of that expansion comes from "European firms riding the wave" of AI, Princen said. The company has opened offices in Dublin, London, Paris and Munich, and wants to keep investing across the continent. "We go where the demand is," Princen said, pointing to partnerships with European firms like Swedish coding startup Lovable or Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk. Relatively unknown to the wider public until recently, Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI staff and makes around 80 percent of its revenue from business-to-business sales. The company and its Claude chatbot surged in prominence in late February, when bosses refused to allow its AI tools to be used by the Pentagon for mass surveillance of American citizens or fully autonomous weapons. The Trump administration responded by designating Anthropic a so-called "supply chain risk" to national security -- a decision being contested in multiple legal cases. In legal documents seen by AFP, Anthropic finance chief Krishna Rao warned that Washington's move could cost the firm multiple billions in revenue this year. On the other hand, "there are a lot of people who started using Claude precisely because of the position we took on that question," Princen said. Anthropic said in early April that it had tripled its annualised revenues quarter-on-quarter to over $30 billion -- outpacing OpenAI for the first time.
