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Outlander: Blood of my Blood has burst onto Starz and Amazon MGM+ with all the vim and vigor of its predecessor Outlander, and we’ve only seen three out of 10 episodes. If you haven’t caught up yet, Blood of my Blood acts as a prequel to the main series, following Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) parents, from World War I to the rugged Highlands of 18th century Scotland. They’re separate yet connected, in even more ways than we’re currently aware of.
As it stands, we’ve seen both pairs fall in love and l into their respective time travel journeys, but it’s Claire’s parents that I’m the most interested in. Henry (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia (Hermione Corfield) have fallen in love through a beautiful written correspondence before being brutally thrown back in time. They’ve been split up from one another along the way, finding their way back to each other while talking themselves into rewriting history in the process.
While I’m enjoying the hunt for Outlander Easter eggs (and there are a lot of those), I just can’t predict what we’re about to see in the next episode, let alone how the season will wrap up. But keeping one eye on the season 1 finale is exactly how my mind works, so I had to ask Irvine and Corfield about it when I had the chance. So, imagine my surprise when they told me they also have no idea what’s coming, and frankly, the reason why is an incredibly smart move from the producers.
Out of four potential endings, we have no idea which will air in the Outlander: Blood of My Blood season 1 finale“We get given our scripts while we're filming the block before,” Corfield tells me, fresh from the set of Outlander: Blood of My Blood season 2. “We're currently doing block one and two [of season 2], and we won’t start to see scripts for block three until we're nearly done with block two, so you're constantly learning where your character is going as well. We actually have no clue what’s really coming.”
Irvine adds the punch: “We filmed about four different endings for season one, so we still haven't seen which one they've gone for in the final edit.” It’s the sort of thing RuPaul’s Drag Race would do to keep a season’s eventual winner a secret, filming every queen sobbing on the runway with a crown a sceptre.
This means that outside of the editing room, absolutely nobody knows how season 1 will end, and that’s refreshing. Alongside my fellow press chums, I’ve been lucky enough to have advanced Outlander: Blood of My Blood access, but that left us about four episodes short. In a time when we’re desperate to work out what’s coming, have all information at our fingertips and uncover leaks and spoilers before they hit the small screen, a move like this is now the only foolproof way to keep us in suspense, providing the watercooler moment that’s working so well for weekly releases. And for that, I tip my hat in respect to Starz.
Obviously, we can try to work out what’s coming thanks to the seven existing seasons of Outlander, clearly having to directly intersect with Outlander: Blood of My Blood at some point (especially if Claire is as close in time to her parents as we think). But Irvine didn’t realize the level of pressure that would come with that until season 1 started airing.
“Not until we started doing press,” he tells me about the comparison pressure. “We film it in this little bubble in Scotland, so it's very easy to forget that anyone's ever going to watch it. Now that we're promoting it, and we're filming season two, I'm looking at my scripts for season two going ‘Geez, gotta make sure I do a good job of that,’ because of the fan base.”
So, will there be any real clues to hang onto following the ending of Outlander: Blood of My Blood until we’re into the second season? Only time (travel) will tell.
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- Microsoft Teams adding new Chat Notes feature
- New addition should help users collaborate better
- Only desktop Microsoft Teams users will initially get the new tool
Your workplace Microsoft Teams chats could soon actually be productive, thanks to a new service coming to the video conferencing platform.
The company has announced Chat notes, a "new collaborative space" where users will be able to share ideas and collaborate on work without having to leave Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft says the new feature will allow not just real-time online collaboration, but also will help keep your communications in check, and increase productivity across the board.
Microsoft Teams Chat NotesIn a Microsoft 365 roadmap post announcing the news, the company says Chat Notes will be all about, "enabling real-time collaboration, organization of key information, and streamlined communications."
The tool will be available in group chats along with 1:1 conversations, with the ability to add in extra team members when required.
The update post does not go into a whole lot of detail about what Chat Notes will look like, but does mention a few features, including the ability to add images, format text, share Loop components, and mention chat members when you require their attention.
Chat Notes is still listed as being in development for now, but has an expected release date of September 2025, so users should not have too long to wait to super-charge their productivity tools.
Upon release, Microsoft says Chat Notes will be available for Teams users on Desktop to begin with, with users across the world able to access it.
The launch will be the latest in a series of recent releases aimed at making Microsoft Teams users more productive when using the service.
This includes adding the ability for users to save messages in their conversations and chats, meaning users no longer have to trawl back manually through long conversations to find the message they need.
The company also revealed configurable keyboard shortcuts are finally coming to Microsoft Teams soon, giving users quick and easy access the symbols, icons, and others they may use regularly on a daily basis, but sometime are not close at hand when typing in a work environment.
You might also likeA single missile can cost millions of dollars and only hit a single critical target. A low-equity, AI-powered cyberattack costs next to nothing and can disrupt entire economies, degrading national power and eroding strategic advantage.
The rules have changed: the future of warfare is a series of asynchronous, covert cyber operations carried out below the threshold of kinetic conflict. Battles will still be fought over land, sea, and sky, but what happens in the cyber domain could have a greater bearing on their outcome than how troops maneuver on the battlefield.
We were always heading in this direction, but AI has proven a dangerous accelerant. The entire military industrial base must become fortified against these risks, and that starts with continuous, autonomous validation of its cyber security defenses.
Today’s adversaries, whether state-sponsored actors or independent cybercrime syndicates, are deploying AI-driven agents to handicap critical systems across the entire military supply chain.
Stop them with our cybersecurity tools now.
The Case for Autonomous ResilienceToday’s adversaries, whether state-sponsored actors or independent cybercrime syndicates, are deploying AI-driven agents to handicap critical systems across the entire military supply chain. These attackers aren’t focused on headline-making digital bombs, but a slow attrition, applying continuous pressure to degrade functionality over time. They’re also working anonymously: AI-enabled cyberattacks are executed by autonomous agents or proxies, making attribution slow or impossible.
Consider a hypothetical attack on the U.S. Navy. The Navy depends on a vast, decentralized web of small and mid-sized suppliers for everything from propulsion components to shipboard software systems. While these systems and suppliers may coalesce into the most technologically advanced Navy in the world, their interdependence is almost akin to human biology, in the way that a hit to one system can thoroughly destabilize another.
An adversary doesn’t need to breach the Navy directly. Instead, they can launch persistent cyberattacks on the long tail of maritime subcontractors, degrading national capability over time instead of in one massive, headline-making blow.
Third-party vendors, which often lack the financial resources to properly patch vulnerabilities, may be riddled with unsewn wounds that attackers can use as an entry point. But major security vulnerabilities aren’t the only way in. AI-driven agents can autonomously compromise outdated email systems, misconfigured cloud services, or exposed remote access portals across hundreds of these suppliers.
The impacts of these attacks can look like “normal” disruptions, the result of human error or some missing piece of code: delayed component deliveries, corrupted design files, and general operational uncertainty. However, the ill effects accumulate over time, delaying shipbuilding schedules and weakening overall fleet readiness.
Emerging threatsThat’s not even accounting for sanctions. If equipment is damaged, and replacement parts or skilled maintenance teams are restricted, one attack has just crippled a nation’s chip manufacturing capacity—potentially for months or years.
These attacks also get smarter over time. AI agents are designed for continuous improvement, and as they sink deeper into a system, they become more adept at uncovering and exploiting weaknesses. The cascading damage limits recovery efforts, further delaying defense production timelines and dragging entire economies backwards.
Despite these emerging threats, most defense and industrial organizations still rely on traditional concepts of deterrents, built around visible threats and proportional response: think static defenses, annual audits, and reactive incident response. Meanwhile, adversaries are running autonomous campaigns that learn, adapt, and evolve faster than human defenders can respond. You cannot deter what you cannot detect, and you cannot retaliate against what you cannot attribute.
Facing such dire stakes, defense contractors must exploit their own environments before attackers do. That means deploying AI-powered agents across critical infrastructure—breaking in, chaining weaknesses, and fixing them—to achieve true resilience. If the window for exploitation narrows, and the cost of action rises. “Low equity” means little against a high chance of failure.
Leveraging AI in Proactive DefenseFighting fire with fire sounds simple enough, but there are serious risks involved. The same AI tools that bolster organizations’ defenses against smarter, more covert attacks can also create new vulnerabilities. Large language models (LLMs) may cache critical weaknesses in their model architecture, and third-party components that contribute to the models’ effectiveness can also introduce new vulnerabilities.
Any AI-powered security tools should undergo a comprehensive vetting process to identify potential risks and weaknesses. Model architecture and history, data pipeline hygiene, and infrastructural requirements–such as digital sovereignty compliance–are all factors to consider when augmenting security with AI-enabled tools.
Even the cleanest, most secure AI program is not a failsafe. Defenders that rely too heavily on AI will find themselves facing many of the same problems that plague their counterparts who use outdated scanners.
A mix of false confidence and alert fatigue from automated risk notifications can lead to missed critical vulnerabilities. In a national security scenario, that can lose a battle. That can lose a war. Real, attack-driven testing makes up for where AI lacks, and when used in tandem with it, creates an ironclad shield against AI-enabled adversaries.
Artificial intelligence is a boon for society and industry—but it is also a weapon, and a dangerous one at that. Fortunately, it’s one that we can wield for ourselves.
- HBO Max has released one final trailer for Peacemaker season 2
- The latest teaser is full of gory and raunchy moments
- It includes a clip that appears to spoil a key story moment
Peacemaker season 2 is less than a week from premiering on our screens and, to celebrate its impending release, HBO Max has unveiled one final trailer that's definitely not suitable to watch in public.
Released yesterday (August 14), the red band trailer is full of the gruesome action and raunchy humor we've come to expect from R-rated projects with DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn at the helm. Indeed, from mutilated bodies and numerous swear words, to an orgy that looks like it'll rival The Boys season 3's 'Herogasm' episode for the amount of nudity on show, it's a sizzle reel that's best seen in private. (Warning: viewer discretion is advised).
With Peacemaker season 2 set to arrive on August 21 (North and South America) and August 22 (everywhere else), this is the last piece of footage-based promotional material we're likely to see.
It's full of interesting clips, too. The returning hit show's first two teasers put this season's multiversal elements at the forefront – and, in the process, did little to address DC fans' concerns over its place in Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC Universe (DCU). The adult-oriented TV Original's final trailer doesn't ignore those aspects, either, but it emphasises Rick Flag Sr's pursuit of the titular character – real name Chris Smith – who, spoiler, killed Flag Sr's son in 2021's The Suicide Squad.
References to Gunn's Superman movie, such as Lex Luthor's near-world-ending plan and the threat that metahumans (read: superpowered beings) pose, are also placed front and center. It seems, then, that the plot of Peacemaker's second season will split its time between the dimension known as the DCU and whatever parallel realities its cast discover via the Quantum Unfolding Chamber (QUC) – i.e. the interdimensional storage unit found in the home of Smith's dead father.
Does Peacemaker season 2's final trailer ruin a major plot point ahead of the show's return?Well, this doesn't look good... (Image credit: HBO Max/DC Studios)All in all, the third DCU Chapter One project's final round of footage is getting a lot of love from viewers. However, I think a lot of people have skipped over the fact that Peacemaker 2's latest teaser appears to spoil a huge moment that could have a major impact on its story.
Potentially big spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 2.
The trailer's final clip begins with a four-eyed alien, which appears to be carrying a dead, hairless cast, opening its own interdimensional door to the QUC. As it enters this seemingly infinite realm, it sees Smith and his self-installed bestie Adrian Chase/Vigilante burning... something. Long story short: Smith crudely tells the alien to leave, which sparks a somewhat amusing conversation between Smith and Chase.
...this isn't what it looks like, promise! (Image credit: HBO Max/DC Studios)Now, we don't know what the pair are doing, but I don't think they're having an interdimensional barbeque. In fact, I believe they're destroying evidence that could implicate them in someone's murder.
Think about it. The duo are wearing aprons and hazmat-style gloves covered in blood. As we learned time and again in season 1, Smith only asks for Chase's help when there's some form of dirty work to be done. Furthermore, the official trailer for Peacemaker season 2 showed Smith leading Chase through the QUC as the latter carried equipment that's usually reserved for cleaning, as well as a tense showdown with an alternate reality's Peacemaker.
To me, all of this evidence suggests Smith has accidentally killed someone. My belief is it's not just an ordinary person, either – indeed, I think it's the aforementioned Peacemaker.
Am I reading too much into this single clip? Perhaps but, before you dismiss the idea completely, let me show you part of the official logline for one of the best HBO Max shows' next entry: "In season 2, Peacemaker discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be."
As it's implied, this other Smith/Peacemaker's life is markedly better than the DCU's version. The Smith we know could get jealous and, whether accidental or not, kill his multiversal variant, thereby allowing him to take the place of this parallel world's Smith, which is what season 2's various trailers have hinted at.
I guess we'll find out for sure once Peacemaker 2 launches with a two-episode premiere on HBO Max and more of the world's best streaming services in the near future. For now, get the lowdown on the series' return via my dedicated guide to Peacemaker season 2.
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- They claim it was taken from multiple hotels in Italy
- The country's digital transformation agency confirmed the breach
A cybercriminal has managed to break into the booking system used by numerous hotels in Italy and steal highly sensitive information on thousands of guests, experts have warned.
Recently, a threat actor with the alias mydocs took to underground hacking forums to advertise the sale of roughly 100,000 individual identity documents, including passport scans, ID cards, and more, which they claimed to have stolen it from multiple hotels across Italy.
At first, the claims were met with skepticism from the wider cybersecurity industry, however Italy’s technical agency for digital transformation, AGID, has now confirmed the authenticity of the breach.
Abusing stolen dataAt least ten hotels were struck, with the number possibly increasing in the coming weeks, AGID said, hinting it had “intercepted” an illegal sale of the documents.
"This data, once stolen, can be used for fraudulent purposes: from the creation of false documents to the opening of bank accounts, up to social engineering attacks and digital identity theft, with consequences for victims that can also be serious, both from an economic and legal point of view,” AGID said in a press release (machine translated) posted on its website.
It is possible that mydocs either inflated the numbers, or managed to steal years’ worth of sensitive data, since some of the hotels compromised have just a few dozen rooms. In any case, an official investigation is now under way.
The hospitality industry, given that it handles highly sensitive data, continues to be among the most targeted ones out there. Hotels and lodging, restaurants, event planning agencies, and tourism companies, are frequent victims of ransomware, impersonation, and data theft.
Victims are urged to remain vigilant with incoming communications, especially emails claiming to be coming from Italian hotels.
Via The Register
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- The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is again tipped to be IP68 rated
- It would be the first foldable to reach the standard
- The Pixel 10 phones are getting unveiled on August 20
We're patiently counting down the days until the big Google Pixel 10 showcase on August 20, and ahead of the launch event there's a rumor that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be the first foldable to launch with an IP68 rating for dust and water protection.
This comes from WinFuture, in an article where most of the handset's technical details are presented, and it's the IP68 rating that really stands out. No other foldable on the market can match it, not even the IP48-rated Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.
An IP68 phone is completely protected against dust getting in, and is watertight too: the exact definition depends on the phone and the manufacturer, but being able to survive for 30 minutes in water at a depth of 1.5 meters (nearly five feet) is typical.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers IPX8 protection, like foldables such as the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra: this means a high level of waterproofing, but no guarantee that specks of dust and dirt aren't going to find their way into the housing.
A repeating rumorOf course, a foldable phone with a flexible screen and a hinge presents some very specific challenges when it comes to keeping out dust and water, and it will be quite the feat if Google has managed to get the Pixel 10 Pro Fold up to the required standard.
Given that we heard the same rumor from separate sources in June and in July, it's looking more and more likely that Google has indeed pulled off that feat – and it's going to be one of the major selling points of the handset, on top of whatever other upgrades we get treated to.
Another interesting tidbit from this report is that the storage will be upgraded from UFS 3.1 to UFS 4.0. It won't make a huge difference, but it will mean a speed increase, and should make the foldable phone feel snappier overall.
We will of course be covering the launch of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the other handsets in the series live on August 20, and we're expecting Google to provide a livestream of some description, so you'll be able to watch along wherever you are in the world.
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