Qualloy, a digital marketplace for metal powder trading, and Rosswag Engineering, a German metal 3D printing service bureau, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding Qualloys metal powder marketplace. The collaboration comes with a Series Seed investment from Rosswag Engineering, which will enable Qualloy to enhance its sourcing platform and expand its business capabilities.With Rosswag, we have found a partner that complements our vision for advancing metal powder procurement. Their industry expertise and network will support us as we look toward expanding our offerings and capabilities in the market, said Yannik Wilkens, CEO and Co-founder of Qualloy.Partnership between Qualloy and Rosswag Engineering. Image via: Rosswag EngineeringQualloys Digital MarketplaceQualloy provides an online platform that connects buyers and sellers, offering a streamlined process for sourcing metal powders. Through an intelligent search algorithm, users can find the most suitable powders for their specific machines and specifications from a range of certified global suppliers. The platform allows flexibility in choosing between different manufacturers, optimizing for factors such as price, delivery time, and quality, while maintaining transparency and efficiency in procurement.In the coming months, Qualloy plans to expand its marketplace by offering its own line of internationally sourced powders, which will be qualified in Germany with the assistance of Rosswag Engineerings expertise. Rosswag will manage the qualification process to meet industry standards, and customers will be able to access these powders through Qualloys procurement system, supported by local representatives.Online platforms and marketplaces offer significant potential in the B2B sector by simplifying procurement and improving efficiency. Through our partnership with Qualloy, we aim to provide a competitive price-quality ratio for metal powders and contribute to the ongoing growth of the additive manufacturing market, said Dr.-Ing. Gregor Graf, Head of Technology at Rosswag.Rosswag and Qualloy: Collaborative EffortsIn 2022, Rosswag Engineering launched the beta version of what is considered the worlds first marketplace for trading laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process parameters. The initiative, known as the AddiMap project, was started in 2020 in collaboration with the software company NuCOS. The goal was to create a centralized B2B platform where companies in the additive manufacturing sector could share materials, parameters, data, and services, with the aim of accelerating the industrialization of the technology.In 2023, AddiMap announced a new partnership with Qualloy, merging their platforms into a unified solution that integrates metal powder sourcing with access to validated 3D printing parameters. Both companies emphasized that this collaboration marked a major advancement in simplifying additive manufacturing processes. By optimizing metal powder procurement and offering access to a comprehensive database of 3D printing parameters, the partnership aimed to foster the growth and innovation of additive manufacturing, supporting its continued industrialization and wider accessibility.qualloy and AddiMap partnership banner. Image via Rosswag GmbH.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image showsPartnership between Qualloy and Rosswag Engineering. Image via: Rosswag Engineering

Triastek, a Chinese 3D printing pharmaceutical company, has announced that its proprietary 3D printed non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), T20G, has received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as of February 27, 2025. This regulatory achievement follows an earlier IND approval from Chinas National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in January 2024.With T20Gs IND clearance in both China and the U.S., Triastek has reached a significant milestone in the field of gastric retention drug delivery, said Dr. Feihuang Deng, VP of Technology at Triastek. These dual regulatory approvals will help accelerate T20Gs development and enable us to deliver high-quality pharmaceutical solutions to patients worldwide.Triastek sT19 drug for rheumatoid arthritis. Photo via Triastek.Atrial Fibrillation and Advancements in 3D Printed Drug DeliveryAtrial fibrillation, the most prevalent type of heart arrhythmia, affects approximately 1%2% of the global population, with an estimated 30 million to 100 million cases worldwide. Anticoagulation therapy plays a vital role in preventing strokes in AF patients. NOACs have become the preferred treatment option due to their superior safety and efficacy over traditional therapies. As a result, major medical organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS) recommend NOACs as first-line treatments for stroke prevention in AF patients.T20G is being developed utilizing an advanced drug delivery system under the U.S. FDAs 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) pathway. Triastek holds exclusive global rights for both the intellectual property and commercialization of the T20G.T20G is developed using Triasteks Melt Extrusion Deposition with Micro-Injection Molding (MED&MIM) process, incorporating the 3D Microstructure for Gastric Retention (3DS-GR) platform to enable once-daily oral dosing. This design differs from the twice-daily regimen of the reference listed drug (RLD) and is intended to improve patient adherence and dosing convenience. During its gastric retention phase, T20G facilitates the sustained release of the active ingredient, aiming to optimize absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract and enhance oral bioavailability.MED 3D Printing TechnologySince 2015, Triastek has focused on developing 3D printed solid dosage forms, filing 213 patent applications across 10 countries, with 68 patents granted. Its MED 3D printing technology, combined with 3D microstructure design, provides precise control over drug release characteristics, including delay layer materials, thickness, and composition. This method allows for varied drug release profilesimmediate, sustained, or pulsedoffering flexibility compared to conventional tablet formulation approaches.Triasteks MED 3D printing technology. Image via Triastek.Innovations in 3D Printed Drug ProductionIn addition to T20G, Triastek continues to make strides in the 3D printed pharmaceutical drug delivery space. Last year, in collaboration with Eli Lilly, Triastek advanced the development of 3D printed oral drugs for the gastrointestinal tract. This collaboration utilized Triasteks MED technology to create drug release profiles tailored to specific areas of the digestive system.Elsewhere, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Saarbrcken, Germany, and the University of California at Davis have developed 3D printed pills capable of releasing drugs at controlled speeds. The team demonstrated how altering the pills shapes could control their dissolution rate in the body, opening new possibilities for targeted and controlled drug delivery.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image showsTriastek sT19 drug for rheumatoid arthritis. Photo via Triastek.Paloma DuranPaloma Duran holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Journalism. Specializing in writing, podcasting, and content and event creation, she works across politics, energy, mining, and technology. With a passion for global trends, Paloma is particularly interested in the impact of technology like 3D printing on shaping our future.

The Van Alen Institute announced today its next executive director will be Hayley Eber.Eber will take the helm at the urban design nonprofit following a three-year stint as acting dean of the Cooper Unions Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture. Eber follows the tenure of previous Van Alen executive director Deborah Marton, who announced in July 2024 she would depart from the position after five years on the job. Under Martons leadership the organization tweaked its mission and moved its operations to a former garage in Gowanus, Brooklyn.At Cooper Union, Eber centered accessibility and equity in an educational realm, a mission equally important to the community-focused work of Van Alen.Theres a lot of alignment with the missions and the ethos of the two institutions, Eber told AN. So when my term was coming to an end, this opportunity was super exciting for me to re-pivot and align with an institute that is similarly engaged in the mission.In a statement, R. May Lee, Van Alen Board Chair, said Ebers keen ability to foster a welcoming culture builds on Van Alens history of convening people across disciplines. She brings a depth of design expertise and intellectual rigor that will be invaluable as Van Alen continues its 130-year commitment to design and its impact on the public realm in New York City.Looking back at her time leading the architecture school at Cooper Union, Eber remarked on the partnerships forged between the school and local institutionsnamely the Met, Museum of Modern Art, Storefront Gallery for Art and Architecture, and a83. Under her stead, changes were made to the schools pedagogy and core coursework to promote diversity and inclusion; she also helped secure funding for fellowships, scholarships, and research initiatives. At Van Alen, Eber hopes to deepen the organizations community engagement work and foster more interdisciplinary collaboration. She hopes to relaunch the Van Alens Paris Prize, a competition from the nonprofit that champions bold ideas for civic spaces. Eber first connected with the Van Alen Institute as a practicing architect by participating in the nonprofits public space competitions.My hope is that Van Alen will be acknowledged as a leading Institute for innovative design solutions, as they once were, that addresses key local and global challenges we face today around social justice, technology, and environments, Eber added.Eber will continue working at Cooper Union through the end of the spring semester and assume her new role at Van Alen in June.

Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Architects & Engineers (FSB), an Oklahoma City office, has filed a lawsuit against a number of partiesincluding clients and former employeesin the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma. The case was filed on March 11 and involves two Oklahoma City developments: Boulevard Place, an 8-story mixed use development, and Alleys End, a multifamily housing complex. FSB has brought state and federal charges against: John Bernard Semtner and Isaac Malcolm Hines of Tradesman Architectural Studios, William Tim Strange and Steven Watts of Rose Rock Development Partners, Red River Development, Boulevard Place OKC, Alleys End OKC GP, Belmont Development Company, Johnson & Associates, 360 Engineering Group, and R3P Engineering.In regard to state charges, FSB claims that the defendants engaged in tortious business interference, breach of contract, and civil conspiracy. In regard to federal charges, FSB claims the aforementioned parties violated the Copyright Act, and Digital Millennium Copyright Act.This case involves not only copyright law but also the deliberate misuse of FSBs copyrighted works by a former FSB Principal and engineer and a former FSB architect, the court document stated.Tradesman Architecture Studio stands accused of creating derivative works based on designs by FSB. (Courtesy U.S. District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma)These individuals unlawfully used FSBs designs, interfered with its contracts, and disrupted its business relationships, the court document continued. Former clients, enticed away by the engineer and architect, knowingly continued using FSBs copyrighted works without permission. They then enlisted otherswho were aware of the infringementto assist in constructing a multi-million-dollar project without authorization. Given their direct involvement, these additional individuals and companies are indispensable parties to this case. What Happened?John Bernard Semtner and Isaac Malcolm Hines are both former employees of FSB. On January 28, 2019, Semtner signed a Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation and Non-Disparagement Agreement with FSB, in which Semtner was prohibited from soliciting FSBs clients and employees for three years, a contract he allegedly violated. Semtner was a principal at FSB, but formally started his own competing company on July 27, 2021, Tradesman Architectural Studios, together with Hines. Semtner was ordered to return all proprietary materials to FSB by July 29, 2022. On July 31, 2022, Semtner left FSB.William Tim Strange is chairman of Rose Rock Development Partners, the firm behind both Boulevard Place and Alleys End. Steven Watts is CEO of Rose Rock. Together, Strange and Watts manage four Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) under the Rose Rock Development Partners brand name. Red River Development is another defendant based in Texas.The Boulevard Place project (Courtesy U.S. District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma)FSB was officially contracted by Watts on October 31, 2018, for architecture and engineering work on the Boulevard Place project. The contract was for $2 million. Three years later, FSB issued Rose Rock an invoice for $1,584,826. On May 11, 2022, Watts and Strange urged FSB to remain patient regarding unpaid past sums, indicating the invoice had not been paid.On January 5, 2021, FSB signed a contract with Rose Rock for the Alleys End project. That contract was for $2,023,500, and was negotiated by Semtner and Hines, both still FSB employees at that time. Between April and August of that year, FSB issued invoices to Rose Rock for Alleys End, which has only been partially paid off. On October 27, 2023, after Semtner and Hines had started Tradesman Architecture Studio, Semtner and Strange confirmed Rose Rock had been creating derivative works of the Boulevard Place design and value engineering in order to reduce costs. FSB never granted Tradesman Architecture Studio and Rose Rock permission to do so. Strange and Semtner indicated a desire to license and create derivatives from FSBs work relating to the Alleys End Project during a meeting with FSB partners, the court document said. FSB however rejected that proposition.Semtner proceeded to list Boulevard Place and Alleys End on Tradesman Architecture Studios website, albeit without FSBs permission; he then took the projects down from his website after FSB asked him to do so. Semtner also allegedly solicited Sarah Freeman, an FSB employee, to work for him on the Boulevard Place and Alleys End projects, a violation of the contract he signed in 2019. Moreover, Tradesman, Semtner, and Hines intentionally interfered with FSBs contract on the Alleys End Project having an agreed fee of $2,023,500, the plaintiff argued.The Alleys End project (Courtesy U.S. District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma)On April 9, 2024, Tradesman Architecture Studio presented its design for Alleys End to Oklahoma City Council. An FSB employee then confronted Semtner about the presentation; Semtner allegedly shrugged it off, and then asked the FSB employee: Are you going to sue me?On June 26, 2024, Tradesman Architecture Studio submitted formal drawings of Alleys End to the City of Oklahoma for approval, a drawing set that was signed by Hines. On August 6, 2024, Strange falsely denied using FSBs design: Just to clarify, we are not using your drawings for Alleys End, Strange relayed to FSB over email. The ChargesToday, FSB is owed $1,722,151.03, a number which includes interest, for the Boulevard Place project, it claimed. FSB has since prohibited Rose Rock from using its materials in promotion materials for Boulevard Place, but Rose Rock has not complied; it continues to advertise and display FSBs copyrighted works despite FSBs repeated demands for payment.There are a total of nine counts that FSB has brought against the defendants. FSB claims, due to the defendants actions, it has suffered significant damages, including but not limited to financial losses, harm to business relationships, competitive disadvantage, and reputational injury.Tradesman Architectural Studio allegedly presented renderings derivative of FSBs design in April 2024. (Courtesy U.S. District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma)The damages incurred by FSB as a result of Semtners breach are concrete, quantifiable, and supported by documentary evidence, including materials attached to this complaint and those that will be exchanged in discovery, the court document states.As a result of Semtners contract breach, and the other aforementioned actions, FSB argues it is entitled to a recovery of its damages, plus prejudgement and post judgment interest. FSB also argues it is entitled to an injunction to prevent further misappropriation by Tradesman Architecture Studio and Rose Rock.

An ideas competition is being held to rethink a soon-to-be-demolished flyover in Newcastle, England (Deadline: 28 April)The contest organised by Newcastles Farrell Centre with support from the Northern Architectural Association seeks concepts to transform the A167 Gateshead flyover which closed amid safety concerns at the end of last year and is now expected to be demolished.The competition invites participants to put forward bold, original and compelling solutions to transform the raised road running between St Edmunds Road and Gateshead Foodbank into a new accessible destination which serves as a connector for the local area.The Gateshead flyoverCredit:Image by the Farrell CentreAccording to the brief: This ideas competition looks beyond demolition to explore the possibilities for re-using, re-imagining and re-constituting the Gateshead flyover and what that could offer the city and the region: from the environmental and economic upsides, to the opportunities for supporting health, wellbeing and civic pride by creating a new green space in the heart of Gateshead.Entries will be reviewed by a panel of experts who will select four winning projects, which will be displayed in a small exhibition at the Farrell Centre in May 2025.Gateshead is large town of around 200,000 inhabitants located on the south banks of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle. Local landmarks include the Anthony Gormley-designed Angel of the North sculpture on the town's fringes.The Flyover Futures contest focusses on transforming the elevated Gateshead flyover which closed to traffic in December 2024 following the discovery of structural defects that could have led to its collapse.The Gateshead flyoverCredit:Image by the Farrell CentreThe structure is expected to be demolished and replaced with a new surface-level boulevard however the contest organisers are seeking surprising and transformative ideas to re-use the structure as an ecologically vibrant destination for pedestrians and active travel.Participants are encouraged to consider new ways of accessing the structure and also the inclusive re-development of the immediate environment. The competition is open to everyone with multidisciplinary teams encouraged.Applications should include a maximum of three images and a short 300-text of description. The four winning teams due to be announced on 21 May will each receive a 250 honorarium.How to applyDeadline: 28 AprilCompetition funding source: Northern Architectural AssociationProject funding source: N/AOwner of site(s): Gateshead CouncilContact details: hello@farrellcentre.org.ukVisit the competition website for more information

15-17 Years Winner: Ben Lucas, Street Cleaners. Feral pigeon (Columba livia domestica), Essex, England. All images the photographers, courtesy of BWPA, shared with permissionFeral Pigeons and a Feisty Fox Take Top Honors in the 2025 British Wildlife Photography AwardsMarch 25, 2025NaturePhotographyKate MothesFrom swimming guillemots and sun-dappled Scots pines to a coy seal and ravenous pigeons, the winners of this years British Wildlife Photography Awards celebrate the diversity of animal life across Great Britain.Jurors considered more than 13,000 images submitted by amateurs and professionals alike, with the top award going to Simon Withyman, who captured a striking portrait of a female fox in his hometown of Bristol.British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 and Winner of Urban Wildlife: Simon Withyman, Urban Explorer. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Bristol, EnglandI had been photographing this vixen for three years, Withyman says. This streetwise fox was a successful mother and had a family of young mouths to feed. I was instantly drawn to the interesting perspective effect of these railings and wanted to showcase some beauty in this everyday urban scene.Additional impressive images include Drew Buckleys dramatic view of Scotlands Monadhliath Mountains with a white hare in the foreground and a troupe of ravenous pigeons headed for a bag of chips, captured on a GoPro by teenager Ben Lucas. See even more in the BWPA 2025 winners gallery.Wild Woods Winner: James Roddie, Storm Light Over the Caledonian Forest. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Glen Strathfarrar, ScotlandHabitat Winner: Drew Buckley, Kingdom of the Hare. Mountain hare (Lepus timidus), Highlands, ScotlandCoast and Marine Runner-up: Ben Porter, The Seal Cave. Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), Bardsey Island, WalesUrban Wildlife Runner-up: Paul Goldstein, Bus Pass. Swan (Cygnus olor), Mitcham, EnglandAnimal Behaviour Runner-up: Paul Browning, The Rain-Deer. Red deer (Cervus elaphus), Surrey, EnglandBlack-and-White Winner:Mark Kirkland, Guillemot Kingdom. Guillemot (Uria aalge), St. Abbs, ScotlandCoast and Marine Winner: Nicholas More: Blue Shark. Blue shark (Prionace glauca), Penzance, Cornwall, EnglandAnimal Portraits Runner-up: Ben Hall, Red Grouse Coming in to Land. Red grouse (Lagopus lagopus), Yorkshire Dales National Park, EnglandNext article

ZDNET's key takeaways The iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum and mop's full price is $1,400, but it's on sale. This multifunctional Roomba vacuums exhaustively, mobs well, and keeps your carpets dry by lifting the mop pad completely above the robot. While iRobot is a renowned robot vacuum brand, its app is not as intuitive as those of other robot vacuum makers. more buying choices TheiRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum and mop is typically $1,399, but it's 44% off during the Amazon Big Spring Sale, at only $789.As a robot vacuum tester, my home is full of constant whirring sounds from robots meandering around, and I was convinced nothing could surprise me. My anxious dog has become surprisingly accustomed to the robotic intruders in his home while his shedding coat continues to challenge each one. Pet hair is an issue for most dog and cat owners, as it is for me, so I always watch how each robot vacuum performs against it.Also: This smart home accessory made the biggest difference to my kitchen decor - and it's not what you'd expectI'm glad to report that the Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum and mop demolished this fuzzy task. I've tested many robot vacuums, from Eufy to Eureka, Dreame to Yeedi, Ecovacs to Roborock -- yet the latest flagship Roomba was the one that best removed pet hair from both my carpet and hard floors. details View at Amazon The Roomba Combo 10 Max is so strong that you can see how well it suctions the very short pile of my entryway rug, which is also my dog's favorite napping spot. This robot leaves carpet lines on a rug on which I'd rarely seen carpet lines, not even after cleaning it with my traditional upright vacuum. This effectiveness results from the combination of iRobot's dual rubber brush rollers and -- according to the company -- 100% stronger suction than the previous flagship.In its wake, the Combo 10 Max left visually hair-free rugs, becoming the best one I've seen at removing the nuisance from carpets. This is a hard balance for robot vacuums. If a robot vacuum's suction power is too strong, it'll get stuck on the rug. If you've ever pushed an upright vacuum over a rug on a very high suction level, you've likely realized it takes significant strength to push it forward and back. Robot vacuums don't have a person pushing them, so they must balance suction power with thrust force. Maria Diaz/ZDNETGetting the Roomba Combo 10 Max up and running took me a while. Although I've been using robot vacuums daily for over five years, I only began seriously testing them two years ago and hadn't used a Roomba before. The iRobot app has a lot of customization options, but it isn't super intuitive, which is made more obvious after testing at least 10 competitor apps.Also: The best robot vacuums for pet hair: Expert tested and reviewedI encountered many errors during the first two weeks of using the Roomba Combo 10 Max. The app repeatedly told me either the dirty or clean water tanks weren't properly installed or the dust collection bag was clogged. After successfully saving a map and running the robot to vacuum only a few times, the Roomba Combo 10 Max and I were finally on the same page.Since then, I've run it repeatedly in my home and run it automatically on a schedule every other day. I really like that iRobot packs the sensors into the robot, so there's no LiDAR sensor array sticking out of the top. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThe robot expertly avoids obstacles and objects on the floor, like paper towels and toys, to avoid getting its brush rollers stuck. It has powerful enough suction to remove pet hair from rugs. It keeps rugs dry by lifting the mop pad above the robot. It offers a hands-free cleaning experience by self-emptying and washing its mop pad.Also: The best robot vacuum mops: Expert tested and reviewedThe mopping feature is one of the few reasons this isn't the best device on the market. While I love the robotic mechanism that lifts the mop pad on top of the robot to keep my rugs dry, I found that the robot leaves streaks behind after mopping, likely due to the pumps that drip water onto the mop pad.The Roomba Combo 10 Max also doesn't seem to follow its map very efficiently. I've had other robots, like the Eufy S1 Pro and Dreame X40 Ultra, vacuum and mop in rows and follow a neat pattern when mopping each room, but this Roomba doesn't, as you can see in the picture below. That said, it still cleans very well and mops better than even the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. As you can see above, the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max navigates to the beat of its own drum, and the mop lines can dry streaky. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThis machine produces great results, is precise, and features strong suction power. You can tell that iRobot thought of every detail when building the Roomba Combo 10 Max, such as making the cleaning basin for the self-washing mop out of antimicrobial plastic and making the dock double as a side table with a front opening rather than a lid.ZDNET's buying adviceI can confidently say this is one of the best robot vacuum and mop combinations I've tested, but it is a bit high maintenance by multifunctional robot vacuum standards. Yes, the Roomba Combo 10 Max self-empties its dustbin and autonomously washes and dries its mop, but mine constantly asks me for intervention and maintenance. I've had it running for about a month and have had to do more maintenance than is required with other models in three months -- like cleaning the dustbin sensor and checking why it shows an error in the dustbag, water tank placement, or a clog in the dock.Also:3 robot vacuum shopping tips I wish I knew before buying oneThe Roomba Combo 10 Max is top-tier when it doesn't demand intervention. It also has one increasingly rare attribute in the robot vacuum market: It seems to be worth every penny. This vacuum performs better than more expensive models and is one robot you can trust not to get caught on every little object or cable on your floors. This is especially true when the Combo 10 Max is on sale, which is currently featuring a deal price of $999, a 29% discount. When will this deal expire? While many sales events feature deals for a specific length of time, deals are on a limited-time basis, making them subject to expire anytime. ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best offers to help you maximize your savings so you can feel as confident in your purchases as we feel in our recommendations. Our ZDNET team of experts constantly monitors the deals we feature to keep our stories up-to-date. If you missed out on this deal, don't worry -- we're always sourcing new savings opportunities atZDNET.com. Show more Featured reviews

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Defense chief Pete Hegseth and others on a leaked Signal chat are being called on to resign. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe stunning news that a journalist was accidentally included on a Signal chat where Trump defense and intelligence officials including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed U.S. military strikes in Yemen has shocked the cybersecurity community, including staff in Trumps own administration.The leak was absolutely ridiculous on so many levels, said one official at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Department of Homeland Securitys digital safety arm.They are discussing classified material on an unsanctioned platform, which should result in someone being in jail, the CISA official told Forbes. Such discussions should only happen on a government phone in a Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF), which are designed to be secure from outside interference, under a 2009 executive order. Mishandling classified information is a potential breach of the Espionage Act. Individuals in this administration think they are playing James Bond, but they have the skills of a Dr. Evil.Discussing classified intelligence over personal devices is terrible.Another CISA staffer told Forbes that Signal is not an officially sanctioned app for coordinating government operations, though CISA has recommended it for at-risk officials for private communications. Signal is great, its how its used is where the problem lies, they said. If Hegseth and crew were using Signal on their personal devices, which are unlikely to have the same level of security as government-monitored phones, its more likely hackers could have broken in and are able to spy on their chats. Discussing classified intelligence over personal devices is terrible, the staffer said.Worse, Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg reported in a widely discussed story about how hed been added to the sensitive chat that messages in the chat were set to auto-delete after four weeks. That ostensibly violates government retention laws, which require that official records be maintained for either freedom of information requests or for future hearings or inquiries; how long depends on the kind of information. If its deemed of permanent value, the information should be maintained indefinitely. On Monday, 14 senators including Elizabeth Warren, Tim Kaine and Cory Booker wrote to President Trump to note that the fact that messages were set to disappear on the Signal chat was a violation of the Presidential Records Act, a further egregious breach of public trust.One of the CISA staffers told Forbes that using Signal to avoid government retention laws would have been reason enough to remove those implicated from office entirely in previous administrations. Tod Beardsley, a CISA staffer until he departed in January, added that this appeared to be a pretty serious security breach.And thats all before you consider the fact that a journalist was somehow added to this Signal chat without anyone knowing who he was, or why he was there. If anyone I knew with clearance discussed active top secret intelligence in a Signal chat with uncleared individuals, everyone involved would likely, and quickly, lose their clearances and jobs, Beardsley added. Trump officials in the chat, like Hegseth, had previously called for Hillary Clinton to go to jail after her emails were leaked from a private server.According to Goldbergs account, he was invited to the chat by an account that looks to belong to national security advisor Michael Waltz. Other officials who appeared to have been on the Signal channel alongside Vance and Hegseth were secretary of state Marco Rubio, Trump advisor Stephen Miller, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.In the leaked chat, Hegseth talked up his own personal security skills, instructing the group to prevent a leak of information about any possible pause on strikes against Houthis. I will do all we can to enforce 100% OPSEC [operational security]. But Goldberg was already in the chat.Both the White House and Hegseth have maintained that there was no leak of classified information. Nobody was texting war plans, Hegseth said on Tuesday. Trump has so far publicly defended Waltz, saying hed learned his lesson, while the White House said he had confidence in his national security team. The Wall Street Journal reported, however, that the president was privately frustrated and angry with Waltz. Waltz has not yet commented.Hegseth has previously suggested that Hilary Clinton should be prosecuted for her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state. In 2016, he said on Fox Business, Any security professional military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot for this type of conduct and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information.Despite not being a sanctioned app for government comms, Signal is widely used across different departments, including by intelligence agencies. In a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday about the leak, CIA director John Ratcliffe said that he and most of his staff use the app to coordinate more sensitive conversations. My communications, to be clear, in a Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information, he said during the hearing.Unlike other messaging apps, Signal offers full encryption, meaning that communications over the app are only accessible to the sender and the receiver (Signal itself does not retain message content or much metadata that could be used to identify a user). But the app is vulnerable if a targets phone has been hacked. A wily hacker could also try to trick targets into including them on sensitive Signal chats, or convince them to join the hackers own channels. As Google researchers recently detailed, Russian hackers have been trying to do the latter in Ukraine. Signal did not respond to a comment request on the Atlantic leak.Theres also the possibility of someone physically snooping on a Signal chat, added Beardsley. Its not hard to peek on a Signal chatters screen, and we dont know who else was in eyeball range when these messages were written, he said. This is why people discussing classified info are only supposed to do it inside the walls of a SCIF.MORE ON FORBES

Updated March 25 with further analysis of exactly when iOS 18.4 is likely to be released. Apples next big iPhone update will be iOS 18.4, unless theres a bug-squishing exercise to sort out a recent software problem, an iPhone 16e issue or a mild nuisance with Apple Intelligence before then. Apple almost never says when an update is coming, but this time around, its dropped a lot of hints. And now the Release Candidate of the software had landed, which may clarify things further: details below.As pointed out by Ryan Christoffel at 9to5Mac, the last big software release for iPhone was iOS 18.3 back in January, so weve been waiting a while here. Of course, there were smaller updates, iOS 18.3.1 and the most recent iOS 18.3.2, squishing bugs in the meantime.Apple iPhone 16NurPhoto via Getty ImagesFirst The Month: AprilI broke the news in February that Apple had quietly revealed that iOS 18.4 would be released in April, through a Newsroom update about another product, Apple Vision Pro. One element of that release confirmed the iPhone software was set for release in April.Now, Which PartWe can pin it down further. Apple had previously said that extra languages would be supported for Apple Intelligence, but hadnt said which release would include it.However, the iOS 18 page at apple.com has information, buried in a footnote: Additional features and Chinese (Simplified), English (India, Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish language support available in early April, with more languages coming over the course of the year, including Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages, it says.Early April, huh? Surely, this must mean the first half of the month, no? I mean, Id say anything from about April 12 onwards would count as mid-April, but lets not be picky. Which means what, exactly?Apple iOS 18.4 Release DateThis is a big, scheduled mid-cycle update and Apple always plans to release these on a Monday or Tuesday. The company has tended towards Mondays recently, which gives us a tight range of dates.Earliest would be Tuesday, April 1, which is less than two weeks away, but were not quite as advanced in terms of beta versions to suggest thisthe fourth public beta is the current state of affairs.Which leaves Monday, April 7, Tuesday, April 8, Monday, April 14 or Tuesday, April 15.Things have now slightly changed as on Monday, March 24, Apple gave us whats called the Release Candidate, likely the last update before the general release. That makes the very first of those dates, Tuesday, April 1, suddenly more likelyif the release candidate wasnt here now, it would probably have arrived next week.While its always more than a few days between release candidate and general availability, its often as little as a week or so, hence the reappearance of Tuesday, April 1 in the list of possible dates.The joys of not making an announcement is that Apple has the wiggle room to move things up to and including the release date, so things could change.However, while the prospect of iOS 18.4 as soon as April 1 is an enticing one, I still think the week after is the most likely. In other words, though this could chance, for now I believe Apple will release iOS 18.4 on Monday, April 7 or the day after, Tuesday, April 8.Back at 9to5Mac, Christoffel has pointed in the same direction The week of April 7 seems most likely, but Apple could potentially target a Monday, April 14 launch and technically still consider that early April. In any case, iOS 18.4s release will be here pretty soon, he says.Theres a lot coming in the update. Sure, the transformational upgrade to Siri has been put back, so we know thats not coming, but there are sweeping changes to notifications, to prioritize the ones that matter to you, a new style added to Image Playground, those languages mentioned above, Apple Intelligence finally arriving in EU countries, seven brand-new emoji (eight if you include the flag for the Isle of Sark), the new Apple Vision app, Visual Intelligence coming to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max and upgrades to the Control Center.And thats before we get to improvements to the Photos app, the capability to pause App Store downloads, Apple Maps improvements for EV routes and lots of small tweaks.Needless to say there will be security updates and fixes for bugs. It seems that the addition of iPhone mirroring will not come to EU users as part of Apples response to the Digital Markets Act, and the same exclusion will apply to SharePlay screen sharing, apparently.More as we have it.