The Guardian

President Nayib Bukele entrusting chatbot known for calling itself ‘MechaHitler’ to create ‘AI-powered’ curricula Elon Musk is partnering with the government of El Salvador to bring his artificial intelligence company’s chatbot, Grok, to more than 1 million students across the country, according to a Thursday announcement by xAI. Over the next two years, the plan is to “deploy” the chatbot to mor…

Case filed Friday morning in Australia, two days after world-leading ban came into effect Reddit has filed a challenge against Australia’s under-16s social media ban in the high court, lodging its case two days after implementing age restrictions on its website. The company said in a post on Friday that while Reddit agreed with protecting people under 16, “this law has the unfortunate effect of f…

Bridget Phillipson says £3bn scheme focussed on local state schools will ‘transform lives’, after rise in parent appeals The government is to invest £3bn in creating bespoke places within local state schools for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), a crucial part of its efforts to grapple with England’s rising numbers of children facing social and mental health problems.…

Measure to redistrict, which would add two GOP-friendly seats, failed 19-31 after 21 Republicans joined 10 Democrats Indiana Republicans rejected an effort to redraw the state’s congressional map on Thursday, a stunning and blunt rebuke of Donald Trump and Republican efforts to reconfigure the state’s congressional districts to add two more Republican-friendly seats. The measure failed 19-31, wit…

Explosion led to three-alarm blaze in Hayward, California, neighborhood after construction crew damaged a gas pipe A big explosion erupted in a San Francisco Bay Area neighborhood of Hayward, California, after a gas line rupture on Thursday, injuring at least six people, according to local news reports . The explosion broke out around 9.30am local time, several hours after a construction crew dam…

Private investigator Jonathan Rees denies telling Doreen Lawrence he was involved in bugging her A key whistleblower supporting a legal claim headed by Prince Harry and Doreen Lawrence against the publisher of the Daily Mail appears to have dealt a last-minute blow to the case against the media group. Just weeks ahead of a high court trial, Jonathan Rees, a private investigator who has supported …

UC Berkeley apologizes to Israeli sociologist and dance teacher and Pomona to create taskforce on Jewish life Two California colleges have reached settlements with Jewish organizations and individuals who filed complaints alleging antisemitism arising from pro-Palestinian campus protests, including a $60,000 payment to an Israeli sociologist and dance researcher who says she was not rehired by th…

Lindell, an election conspiracist who still maintains the 2020 election was stolen, joins a crowded Republican field Mike Lindell, a pillow salesman and election conspiracist, is running for governor of Minnesota , he announced on Thursday. Lindell, an ally of Donald Trump ’s and major player in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, joins a crowded Republican primary in the left-leaning …

Health secretary announces investigation into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys trust that has seen young patients take their own lives A public inquiry will be held into the failures of a north-east NHS foundation after the deaths of several patients, Wes Streeting has confirmed. The health secretary made the announcement in Darlington, speaking to the families of patients who died while receiving trea…

David McCann, 43, was arrested after police searched his flat in Edinburgh The editor of the Times and Sunday Times in Scotland has been suspended and charged over “indecent online communications”. News UK, which owns the newspapers, announced that David McCann had been suspended after he was “made the subject of a criminal investigation unrelated to his work”. Continue reading...

Board warns anything less than maximum 5% council tax rise will put financial viability of council at risk Reform UK has been accused of making “rash promises” after a local authority led by the party has been told it will have to increase council tax by the maximum amount, despite its election promises to cut costs. Warwickshire county council has been warned by its executives that anything less…

Albanese government expected to offer $20bn to settle funding dispute. Follow updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Convicted rapist Tom Silvagni will face court today for the first time since a suppression over his identity was lifted. The 23-year-old son of AFL great Stephen Silvagni and television personality Jo Silvagni was found guilty of two counts of rape on …

Move interpreted as escalation of US policy as Vladimir Putin ‘reaffirms’ support for South American dictator Diplomatic pressure on Nicolás Maduro has grown after the US interdicted a “dark fleet” tanker off the coast of Venezuela in a move that has been interpreted as an escalation of the Trump administration’s pressure on the South American dictator. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, call…

‘Clear conflict’ between Eurovision ideals of ‘inclusion and dignity for all’ and decision to let Israel compete, says 2024 winner Nemo, the Swiss singer who won the 2024 Eurovision song contest , has said they are handing back their trophy in protest over Israel’s participation in next year’s event. The 26-year-old, the first non-binary winner of the contest, said on Thursday there was “a clear …

Confusion over diplomatic standoff deepens after conflicting reports about the soldiers’ whereabouts Eleven Nigerian military personnel are reportedly still in Burkina Faso days after their plane made an “unauthorised” landing in the south-west city of Bobo Dioulasso, despite earlier suggestions they had been freed, deepening confusion about the diplomatic standoff. Burkinabé authorities told the…