For those first venturing into sailing, it can be overwhelming since the experience is thick with jargon and skills that don’t often show up in life ashore. With endless choices, including monohulls versus catamarans, fiberglass versus wood, fractional versus masthead rigs, and sloops versus ketches, a new sailor risks doing something like single-handing a staysail schooner when they should have started on a Bermuda-rigged dinghy without a spinnaker. Luckily, there are some shortcuts to picking up the hobby, like the venerable Sunfish or Hobie ships. It’s also possible to build a simple sailing vessel completely out of materials from a local hardware store, as [Cumberland Rover] has been demonstrating.

[Cumberland Rover] has a number of homemade vessels under his belt, from various kayaks and rowboats. His latest project is a 12-foot rowboat, which has the option to add a mast and sail. The hull is made from two 1×12 pieces of lumber, bent around a frame and secured. Plywood makes the bottom, and a few seats finish out the build. He’s also using standard hardware to fasten everything together, which helps with maintenance. It came in handy when he recently added some height to the bow of the boat to improve seaworthiness.

For sailing, the mast is made out of two pieces of 2x lumber glued together and then worked into a more cylindrical shape. It’s unstayed, reducing complexity, and although he broke one in extremely high winds, it is more than strong enough for most of his sailing. The ship is gaff-rigged, with a square sail hoisted up the mast by a wooden spar. All of these design choices make it quick and easy to set the sail up when the wind is good or pack it away fast when it’s time to row.

Although there are paid plans available on his website, the methods used in the video show how simple it can be to get into rowing or sailing with a minimal cost. You’ll still want to learn the basics of sailing before taking one of these out into open water. DIY speedboats are also possible and accessible as well, but there’s the added complexity of a motor here to think about, as well as registration requirements that often accompany powered craft.

X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, has officially launched its standalone messaging app, XChat, on iOS. The move marks a significant step in the company’s broader push to evolve beyond a traditional social network and into a more expansive communication ecosystem.

A Messaging App That Signals X’s Bigger “Everything App” Strategy

At launch, XChat brings a familiar but feature-rich messaging experience. Users can connect directly with their existing X contacts, send messages, share files, and make audio or video calls, along with participating in group chats.

The app also leans heavily into privacy-focused features. It supports disappearing messages, the ability to edit or delete messages for everyone in a chat, and even includes protections like blocking screenshots. X has also claimed that the app does not include ads or tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a cleaner alternative to traditional messaging platforms.

This launch is important because it reflects a broader strategic shift. X is no longer trying to keep everything inside a single app. Instead, it is beginning to break out core features – like messaging – into standalone experiences. That approach aligns with Elon Musk’s long-stated ambition to turn X into an “everything app,” similar to China’s WeChat, but executed through a modular ecosystem.

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Why This Move Matters In The Messaging Landscape

The messaging space is already crowded, dominated by platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. X entering this space with a standalone app signals that it wants to compete more directly, rather than treating messaging as a secondary feature.

What makes XChat notable is its integration with the existing X network. Unlike most messaging apps that rely on phone numbers or contact syncing, XChat leverages social graph connections already built within the platform. That lowers friction for users and could make onboarding significantly easier.

At the same time, the app’s privacy claims and features suggest X is trying to position itself as a more secure alternative. However, questions remain about how robust those protections are, especially compared to established end-to-end encrypted platforms.

Why You Should Pay Attention As A User

For users, XChat introduces a different way to think about messaging. Instead of being tied to phone numbers, communication becomes account-based, similar to social media interactions but in a private setting.

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This could simplify how you connect with people online, particularly if you already use X regularly. It also means fewer apps competing for attention, as conversations tied to your social presence move into a dedicated space.

However, it also raises practical considerations. Adopting a new messaging app requires network effects – your contacts need to be there. Without that, even feature-rich apps struggle to gain traction.

What Comes Next For XChat

The iOS launch is just the beginning. Reports suggest that an Android version is expected soon, which will be critical for broader adoption. X is also restructuring other parts of its platform, including shutting down underperforming features like Communities, as it shifts focus toward messaging and AI-driven experiences.

If successful, XChat could become a central pillar of the platform’s future. If not, it risks becoming another entrant in an already saturated market. Either way, the direction is clear. X is no longer just a place to post – it wants to be where conversations happen.

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Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc’s Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

I was using the iPhone 17 when I picked up my iPhone 16 to look at an older video, and it led to an epiphany: nothing about the iPhone 16 felt any worse than its successor. It wasn’t any slower, the design didn’t feel dramatically different, and nothing about it screamed “old” or “outdated.” That feeling stuck with me for a few days.

Over the years, the smartphone industry has trained us to treat one year of upgrades (no matter how incremental) as something that should feel significant, but upon switching back to the iPhone 16 after using the iPhone 17 for over six months, I realized that wasn’t the case. We’re so stuck in finding the smallest changes in the spec sheet that we forget that a company’s product cycle isn’t a measure of obsolescence.

A phone that doesn’t feel outdated next to its predecessor

The moment I picked up the iPhone 16 (which was resting without a case in my drawer), I couldn’t help but notice its cool aluminum frame and the matte glass back in the Teal finish, and it brought a smile to my face. The next moment, I took out my iPhone 17 and held it side-by-side. 

If you leave out the larger form factor (due to a bigger screen) and the different finishes, the iPhone 16 shares all its design elements, including the Dynamic Island on the front, the vertical camera layout on the back, and the buttons (including the Action button and Camera Control), with the iPhone 17.

And that’s when it hit me: the iPhone 16 doesn’t feel all that old, even next to its successor. 

The chip gap isn’t as wide as the ProMotion display makes it feel

Over the next couple of days, I started using the phone as my daily driver, just to check whether there were any noticeable differences in the performance, and I came to a rather nuanced conclusion.

Had Apple equipped the iPhone 16 with a 120Hz ProMotion display, it would have felt as smooth as the newer iPhone 17. This is the reason why the Pixel 10a feels so smooth despite featuring a less powerful chipset. 

But even otherwise, in third-party apps that only support a 60Hz refresh rate, it was quite hard to differentiate between the phones in terms of performance (unless you time the export of the same video via a third-party editing app).

The A19 chip on the iPhone 17 is barely 8-10% faster than the A18 chip on the iPhone 16; that’s a difference most users will never notice with their day-to-day tasks.

4,000 photos later, the main camera still holds its ground

More importantly, both the phones fully support iOS 26 and run all the available Apple Intelligence features. Another major similarity between the phones is their primary camera.

I’ve taken over 4,000 photos and 800 videos on my iPhone 16 as a daily driver for months, and the 48MP holds up really well, even next to those from the iPhone 17. Color science and skin tones remain accurate, dynamic range rarely disappoints, plus there’s plenty of detail in pictures. 

I’d say that the 12MP ultrawide and the 12MP selfie cameras sound like the iPhone 16’s weak spots, especially since Apple upgraded the camera hardware on the iPhone 17, but how much it bothers you depends on how frequently you use these cameras and for what purposes. What’s more important is that the iPhone 16 has a Camera Control button, something that I personally find very useful. 

All-day battery and MagSafe convenience at an affordable price 

The battery on my iPhone 16, even though it’s at 91% battery health, still lasts an entire day on a charge, and supports the same MagSafe accessories (wireless powerbank and wallet) I use with my iPhone 17. All these things made me realize how Apple’s latest iPhone is based on some useful but mostly incremental updates, and how the overall experience could feel awfully similar, barring a few things. 

All these realizations, along with the fact that the iPhone 16 currently costs $699 for the baseline variant with 128GB of storage, made me arrive at a solid conclusion: the iPhone 16 isn’t last year’s baseline iPhone, but it’s this year’s most sensible iPhone, for most users who’re aware of the compromises and aren’t bothered by them. 

If you’re upgrading from an ancient Android phone, or an iPhone 11 or iPhone 12, the iPhone 16 could strike the perfect balance between a meaningful and affordable upgrade.  

That said, there are some solid reasons why you still might want to upgrade to the iPhone 17. If a smoother 120Hz display, a brighter screen, better ultrawide and front cameras, and a longer-lasting battery matter to you, and you’re upgrading from a relatively newer model, like the iPhone 14 or iPhone 15, the iPhone 17 could provide a better sense of upgrade for you. 

Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a formal condemnation on Saturday after the European Union included approximately 27 Chinese and Hong Kong entities in its 20th sanctions package against Russia, the largest round of listings in two years. Beijing said the move “runs counter to the spirit of the consensus reached between Chinese and EU leaders, and seriously undermines mutual trust and the overall stability of bilateral relations,” and warned that China would “take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises” with “the EU side bearing all consequences.” Within 24 hours of the sanctions’ adoption on April 23, China placed seven EU entities on its own export control list, banning all dual-use exports to them. The retaliatory designations targeted defence firms in Belgium, Germany, and the Czech Republic, but Beijing framed the restrictions not as a response to the Russia sanctions but as punishment for “arms sales to or collusion with Taiwan,” a diplomatic sleight of hand that allows China to escalate without acknowledging the underlying dispute.

The package

The EU’s 20th sanctions package was adopted on April 23 after a two-month delay caused by vetoes from Hungary and Slovakia, which had linked their approval to the resumption of Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline. When flows resumed, both countries dropped their objections. The package adds 120 new individual and entity listings, targets 56 entities in Russia’s military and energy sectors, imposes transaction bans on 20 Russian banks and four third-country financial institutions involved in circumvention, lists 46 additional shadow fleet vessels for a total of 632, introduces new restrictions on cryptocurrency platforms and digital ruble transactions, and, for the first time, designates an entire jurisdiction, the Kyrgyz Republic, as a “systematic and persistent circumvention risk.” Alongside the sanctions, the EU adopted a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, announced that work on the 21st package had already begun.

The Chinese entities were sanctioned across two categories. Sixteen entities in third countries, including China, the UAE, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, were designated under asset freezes for providing dual-use goods or weapons systems to the Russian military-industrial complex. Twenty-eight of 60 entities added to the enhanced export restrictions list are located in China and Hong Kong, facing tighter controls on dual-use technology exports. China Space Sanjiang Group, a state-owned enterprise, was sanctioned under the Belarus sanctions regime for the first time as co-founder of Volat-Sanjiang, which produces wheeled chassis for military equipment including multiple launch rocket systems. The escalation is clear: the 16th package in February 2025 hit 7 Chinese entities; the 17th added 5; the 18th added 2 financial institutions; the 19th targeted 12, including Chinese refineries buying Russian crude; and the 20th reaches 27. Each package goes further, and each response from Beijing grows sharper.

The trade

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China-Russia bilateral trade stabilised at $245 billion in 2024, more than double the 2020 level, before declining 6.9% in 2025 as financial sanctions complicated payment channels and Chinese banks grew cautious about secondary sanctions exposure. The decline did not extend to the goods that matter most to the sanctions debate. China exported $1.9 billion in “high priority” dual-use items to Russia in the first half of 2025 alone. Full-year dual-use shipments exceeded $4 billion in both 2024 and 2025. Manganese ore exports to Russia surged from 42 tonnes in 2023 to 47,000 tonnes in 2024 to 126,000 tonnes in the first half of 2025. Chinese turbojet engine exports to Russia in the first half of 2025 exceeded the combined total for 2023 and 2024 by 37%. Prices for export-controlled Chinese goods shipped to Russia rose by an average of 87% between 2021 and 2024, compared with 9% for the same goods shipped to other countries. The premium reflects the risk and the leverage: Chinese suppliers know the goods are scarce and charge accordingly.

The United States has been sanctioning Chinese firms for Russia support since 2024, earlier and more aggressively than the EU. In October 2024, the Treasury Department sanctioned two Chinese drone companies for producing long-range attack drones for the Russian Air Force, the first US designations of Chinese firms for directly manufacturing weapons for Russia. In 2025, more than 20 Chinese and Hong Kong companies were sanctioned for providing critical inputs to Russia’s defence industry. The Commerce Department blacklisted Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics for technology transfers. Congress introduced the STOP China and Russia Act to codify sanctions against mutual military support. The EU’s 20th package brings European policy closer to the American posture, which Beijing views as coordinated containment. Escalating chip export controls targeting China, including the MATCH Act advancing through Congress, reinforce Beijing’s narrative that Western technology restrictions are designed to suppress Chinese industrial capacity, not merely to enforce sanctions on Russia.

The retaliation

China’s response was immediate and calibrated. The seven EU entities placed on China’s export control list are all defence firms: FN Herstal and FN Browning in Belgium, HENSOLDT AG in Germany, and OMNIPOL, EXCALIBUR ARMY, SPACEKNOW, and VZLU AEROSPACE in the Czech Republic. All are banned from receiving any Chinese dual-use exports, and overseas organisations are prohibited from transferring China-origin dual-use items to them. The framing as a Taiwan matter rather than a Russia matter is diplomatically useful for Beijing because it avoids legitimising the premise that Chinese firms are materially supporting Russia’s war effort while still imposing costs on European industry.

The broader retaliation operates through China’s rare earth export controls. The EU imports 98% of its rare earth magnets from China. Licensing approvals for European firms have fallen below 25% in some sectors. Rare earth prices have spiked up to six times higher outside China than within it. European carmakers, semiconductor fabs, and defence companies have been forced to cut utilisation rates or temporarily shut production lines. Record defence tech investment across Europe, which saw nearly $1 billion flow into European defence startups in the first half of 2025 alone under the EU’s ReArm Europe plan, depends on the very rare earth supply chains that Beijing can restrict. Europe’s booming dual-use technology sector, exemplified by German drone makers reaching unicorn valuations on the strength of battlefield-tested products, relies on components that trace back through supply chains Beijing controls. The sanctions target China’s role in arming Russia. China’s retaliation targets Europe’s ability to arm itself.

The trap

The EU is caught in a structural contradiction. Its sanctions policy against Russia requires restricting Chinese entities that supply dual-use technology to the Russian military-industrial complex. Its defence policy requires rare earth magnets, critical minerals, and electronic components that China dominates. Its trade relationship with China, worth 759 billion euros in bilateral goods trade in 2025 with a 360 billion euro deficit in China’s favour, creates dependencies that limit the EU’s willingness to escalate. Ukraine’s emergence as a defence tech powerhouse, with an 800-fold increase in drone production since the invasion, demonstrates why cutting off Russian access to Chinese dual-use goods matters militarily. But every sanctions package that hits Chinese firms moves Beijing closer to a retaliatory threshold that could damage European industry more than it damages Russian supply chains.

The EU’s broader decoupling from China in sensitive technology areas, including blocking Chinese institutions from core Horizon Europe research grants in AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and biotech, shows that the sanctions on Russia-linked Chinese firms are not isolated measures but part of a systematic rebalancing. The EU-China relationship has entered what European diplomats describe as a “do no harm” phase, which in practice means both sides are doing incremental harm while trying to avoid a rupture. The 20th sanctions package advanced that incremental process. The 21st, which Kallas has already announced, will advance it further. Beijing’s warning that the EU will “bear all consequences” is a statement about the trajectory, not the current moment. The consequences are cumulative. Each package adds designations. Each response adds export controls. Each round of retaliation narrows the space for the trade relationship that both sides publicly claim to value. The question is not whether the EU-China relationship can survive another sanctions package. It is how many packages it can absorb before the incremental damage becomes structural, and which side reaches that threshold first.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Yer out!

Green group hint: And the Oscar goes to…

Blue group hint: High draft picks.

Purple group hint: It was always burning, since the world’s been turning.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Types of outs in baseball.

Green group: Sports films nominated for best picture.

Blue group: Running backs drafted in top 10.

Purple group: Mentioned in “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is types of outs in baseball. The four answers are fly, force, strike and tag.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is sports films nominated for best picture. The four answers are Marty Supreme, Moneyball, Rocky and Seabiscuit.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is running backs drafted in top 10. The four answers are Bush, Jeanty, Love and Spiller.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is mentioned in “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” The four answers are California baseball, DiMaggio, Marciano and Sugar Ray.