Jim Lovell dead: Legendary NASA astronaut who nearly died during lunar landing passes away at 97
A legendary astronaut who commanded the almost doomed lunar mission has passed away at the age of 97.
Inside Nicola and Brooklyn's secret SECOND wedding. Beckhams not invited to 'do-over' ceremony with 200 guests, speeches and dress. It comes as insiders tell of Victoria's fury with 'viper' Nicola
A friend of the couple says: 'Nicola may post a picture at some point, but they are in no rush. This was done for their friends and family to enjoy themselves. That's why she didn't post right away.'
Popular car dealership goes bust leaving thousands of drivers with 'faulty' motors
Customers have told of their frustration - and hundreds of pounds in debts - after the collapse of a motor trading firm.
I blame the school where my son was stabbed to death more than his own killer: Harvey Willgoose's mother says teachers failed to act when troubled teen brought knives and axe into class
Caroline Willgoose has told the Mail she blames All Saints Catholic High School for failing to act on a series of red flags before her 15-year-old son Harvey was stabbed.
AI Industry Horrified To Face Largest Copyright Class Action Ever Certified
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: AI industry groups are urging an appeals court to block what they say is the largest copyright class action ever certified. They've warned that a single lawsuit raised by three authors over Anthropic's AI training now threatens to "financially ruin" the entire AI industry if up to 7 million claimants end up joining the litigation and forcing a settlement. Last week, Anthropic petitioned (PDF) to appeal the class certification, urging the court to weigh questions that the district court judge, William Alsup, seemingly did not. Alsup allegedly failed to conduct a "rigorous analysis" of the potential class and instead based his judgment on his "50 years" of experience, Anthropic said.
If the appeals court denies the petition, Anthropic argued, the emerging company may be doomed. As Anthropic argued, it now "faces hundreds of billions of dollars in potential damages liability at trial in four months" based on a class certification rushed at "warp speed" that involves "up to seven million potential claimants, whose works span a century of publishing history," each possibly triggering a $150,000 fine. Confronted with such extreme potential damages, Anthropic may lose its rights to raise valid defenses of its AI training, deciding it would be more prudent to settle, the company argued. And that could set an alarming precedent, considering all the other lawsuits generative AI (GenAI) companies face over training on copyrighted materials, Anthropic argued. "One district court's errors should not be allowed to decide the fate of a transformational GenAI company like Anthropic or so heavily influence the future of the GenAI industry generally," Anthropic wrote. "This Court can and should intervene now."
In a court filing Thursday, the Consumer Technology Association and the Computer and Communications Industry Association backed Anthropic, warning the appeals court that "the district court's erroneous class certification" would threaten "immense harm not only to a single AI company, but to the entire fledgling AI industry and to America's global technological competitiveness." According to the groups, allowing copyright class actions in AI training cases will result in a future where copyright questions remain unresolved and the risk of "emboldened" claimants forcing enormous settlements will chill investments in AI. "Such potential liability in this case exerts incredibly coercive settlement pressure for Anthropic," industry groups argued, concluding that "as generative AI begins to shape the trajectory of the global economy, the technology industry cannot withstand such devastating litigation. The United States currently may be the global leader in AI development, but that could change if litigation stymies investment by imposing excessive damages on AI companies."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
South Korea Postpones Decision To Let Google Maps Work Properly - Again
South Korea postponed a decision for the second time this year on Friday regarding Google's request to export detailed mapping data to overseas servers, which would enable full Google Maps functionality in the country. The inter-agency committee extended the deadline from August to October to allow further review of security concerns and consultations with industry stakeholders.
South Korea remains one of only a handful of countries alongside China and North Korea where Google Maps fails to function properly, unable to provide directions despite displaying landmarks and businesses. Tourism complaints increased 71% last year, with Google Maps accounting for 30% of all app-related grievances, while local industry groups representing 2,600 companies report 90% opposition to Google's request due to fears of market domination by the US tech company.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Drugmaker GSK lands £372m in Covid jab pact
The tussle had centred on the development of mRNA jab technology, which was at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19.
Trade taxes halve profits at Jaguar Land Rover
Profits fell 49 per cent to £351m in the second quarter of the year. Sales fell 9 per cent to £6.6billion.
Donald Trump tariff sends gold to record high
US gold futures hit a record of 3.535 per troy ounce in Friday trading after an FT report revealed the plans.
Fasten your seatbelts for automotive adventures
You won't have far to look if you're hoping to enjoy a lazy summer staycation but want to add some automotive sparkle.
ALEX BRUMMER: Labour should put Thames Water into special administration regime
The ultimate opponents are the Treasury. It is understood to be fearful of taking new obligations on to the books.
ANNE ASHWORTH checks out the shares of soar-away airline companies
If you want to jump on board, these are the airlines that the experts think are worth backing.
Britain's FBI takes over probe into police officers accused of historic sex abuse of Rotherham girls
An investigation into allegations police officers took part in historical sexual abuse in Rotherham is to be taken over by the National Crime Agency (NCA) - Britain's equivalent to the FBI.
Oasis fever grips Edinburgh as 70,000 fans cram into the city for the band's first Scottish show in 16 years
Oasis fever has gripped Edinburgh as 70,000 fans crammed into the city for the Gallagher brothers' first Scots show together in 16 years.
Tinder Swindler victim exposes similar men using dating apps to scam women in wild new Netflix show
Entitled Love Con Revenge, the series will follow Cecilie Fjellhøy as she sets out on a quest to 'unmask other scammers' and help victims 'reclaim their lives.'
The FCC Will Review Emergency Alert Systems in the US
An anonymous reader shares a report: The Federal Communications Commission is planning a review of the US emergency alert systems. Both the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WAS) will be subject to a "re-examination" by the agency. "We want to ensure that these programs deliver the results that Americans want and need," FCC Chairman Brendan Carr posted on X.
The announcement of this plan notes that the infrastructure underlying the EAS -- which includes radio, television, satellite and cable systems -- is 31 years old, while the framework underpinning the WAS mobile device alerts is 13 years old. The FCC review will also assess what entities should be able to send alerts on those systems, as well as topics such as geographic targeting and security.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Trump escalates war on Mexico with secret directive to the military to target deadly cartels
President Trump asks the Pentagon to use the US military against drug cartels.
UK secretly allows facial recognition scans of passport, immigration databases
Campaigners brand Home Office’s lack of transparency as ‘astonishing’ and ‘dangerous’
updated Privacy groups report a surge in UK police facial recognition scans of databases secretly stocked with passport photos lacking parliamentary oversight.…
JOANNA CHERRY: She's promised to tell the unadorned truth... but will Nicola Sturgeon's book answer any of the embarrassing questions that REALLY matter? Frankly, I doubt it
It's billed as the 'revelatory' memoir of Scotland's first female First Minister, the inside story of almost a decade at the top of government.
The little known HMRC rule that could leave some with £70,000 tax bill
Some are calling for reform that would avoid this happening