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Apple has acknowledged an inner-display fault affecting a small number of iPhone Duo units sold since the device launched on 23 October. Early owners have reported cracks, bright lines and crunching noises when unfolding the phone. Apple has said affected customers should contact AppleCare for replacements and that most units are not affected.
A new Empower analysis shows Americans’ net worth rises with age, reaching into the trillions for Silent and Baby Boomer generations. Younger generations trail, though 401(k) saving and IRA contributions are increasing. The shift signals a historic intergenerational wealth transfer that funds consumption and retirement across decades.
Anthropic has begun embedding an imperceptible, machine-detectable watermark into Claude-generated text and files to comply with the EU AI Act’s Transparency Code. The mark travels with copied text, can persist through light editing, and will be applied globally to models released after Aug. 2. Users and developers have criticised the change and tools to remove marks have appeared online.
Kroger has been consolidating its store footprint, closing around 60 underperforming locations over 18 months as part of a broader restructuring. The company is accelerating moves after acquiring Giant Eagle, with some stores shifting to Kroger Marketplace formats and others staying market-adjusted.
A coalition of 29 state attorneys general has opened a federal trial in Oakland against Meta, arguing the company designed Facebook and Instagram features that addict children and illegally collected data on under‑13s. Four states — California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey — are leading the case, which seeks operational changes and financial penalties that plaintiffs have estimated could total as much as $1.4 trillion.
France’s Constitutional Council has ruled that the law banning under-15s from opening social media accounts is unconstitutional, finding the bill fails to set limits for age verification and disproportionately infringes freedom of expression and privacy. President Emmanuel Macron has asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to draft a revised, legally robust proposal before spring 2027.
A collage of recent pieces shows how people treat pets as family, how pet influencers are rising, and how animals appear in public events—ranging from dog festivals in Northumberland to cathedral blessings and Downing Street lore. The coverage highlights evolving human-animal relationships and the social roles animals play.
Reddit has been added to the S&P 500 ahead of trading on Aug. 18, replacing AvalonBay Communities as the index rebalances. The move comes amid Reddit’s expanding data-licensing and AI-related partnerships, which have helped drive revenue growth and position the platform as a valuable data source for tech firms and advertisers.
Alibaba has released open weights for Qwen3.8 and Qwen3.8 Max, aiming to lead open-weight AI and enable on-device models on laptops. Meta counters with Muse Glimmer, expanding open-source options for edge devices. The moves signal a race to dominate on-device AI and reduce reliance on data centers.
OpenAI has added an Apple Messages plugin to ChatGPT for Mac that can read, search, summarise, draft and send iMessages. The feature is optional, runs on the desktop app and requires user permission; OpenAI says processing happens locally on the Mac but privacy experts, Apple’s on-device privacy stance and some users have raised concerns about message access and authenticity.
France’s constitutional council has struck down core provisions of a 2026 bill aiming to bar under-15s from opening social media accounts, citing infringements on freedom of expression and privacy. Macron asks for a revised draft, with the reform expected to proceed by early 2027 after further scrutiny.
The Guardian reports on multiple cultural releases this week, including new sci-fi and horror films, a romcom, and live events across the UK. The pieces highlight a mix of big-name talent and emerging artists, with festival announcements and gallery shows in major cities.
A federal trial in Oakland has opened in which California and 28 other states have accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to hook children, harvesting their data and hiding internal research. The states are seeking damages that could reach roughly $200 billion and court-ordered product redesigns to protect under-13s.
Plaud has unveiled the Plaud One Explorer Edition earbuds, a wearable AI-enabled device that promises hands-free interaction with Plaud Agent across Calendar, Notion and Slack. The device offers developer credits, eSIM connectivity, and ongoing plans to expand agent capabilities, amid a crowded AI wearables market.
Apple’s Siri AI is rolling out with third‑party app integration; success hinges on developers enabling access to apps like Gmail and WhatsApp, and on the willingness of major brands to participate. The move could reshape how AI assistants operate on iOS devices and influence the broader app ecosystem.
Apple has unveiled the iPhone Duo, a foldable handset with a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display, the largest ever on an iPhone. The device features a titanium chassis and a 100+ part hinge, running a modified iOS 27. Pre-orders start October 16 in the UK, with prices ranging from £1,999 for 256GB to £3,199 for 2TB.
World Athletics’ Ultimate Championship is running Budapest’s three-day event with a $10m prize pot and a winner’s share of $150,000, aiming to give track and field a new, spectator-friendly format. Top athletes from around the world are competing; the event seeks to sustain interest between Olympics and Worlds.
Joanna Wietrzyk has faced backlash after competing in Beijing while fecal matter ran down her legs. Hyrox has apologised and introduced rule changes to address bio-contamination and safety. The incident has reignited debate about extreme training culture and athlete welfare at hybrid fitness events.
The Thirlwall Inquiry into the Countess of Chester Hospital has published findings on how safeguarding failures on the neonatal unit occurred and what reforms are proposed, with ongoing attention from the Criminal Cases Review Commission. The report does not reopen Lucy Letby’s convictions but signals potential changes in hospital safeguarding and oversight.
Leading AI executives and regulators have debated whether to slow development after incidents involving autonomous agents. Anthropic and OpenAI have called for coordinated standards and independent testing, while Meta and Nvidia argue industry incentives and liability will enforce safety. U.S. political leaders have pushed back against formal global controls, complicating plans for international oversight.
Industry figures including Amodei, Altman and Musk have urged a slowdown in AI progress amid safety fears, while regulators and politicians push for guardrails. The debate centers on whether frontier labs should be able to pause progress, with OpenAI planning a public listing and all sides weighing regulatory paths.
Northern Ireland is weighing stronger protections for children by potentially stripping parental responsibility from those convicted of child-related sex offences. The move mirrors England and Wales’ Jade’s Law but remains under consideration as consultations begin and safeguarding experts call for bespoke risk assessments.
Britain has announced a National Centre for Information Defence to detect, attribute and disrupt AI-enabled disinformation campaigns. The move follows a UN address by Prime Minister Burnham warning of an industrial-scale information assault and calls for closer cooperation with tech platforms and allies. The effort aims to shield the UK from foreign interference and bolster national resilience.
Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently shuttered the X2 roller coaster after multiple brain-injury lawsuits, including a 2022 fatality. The park says safety confidence has been shaken and is closing the ride. New lawsuits are anticipated as plaintiffs allege traumatic brain injuries from rides dating back to the past two years.
Amazon’s About You page has become a viral topic as users discover personalized inferences drawn from purchases, Alexa conversations, and reviews. The pages mix accurate details with surprising guesses, prompting debate over data privacy and user control. Shoppers can edit or remove details, but underlying history may remain.
Xbox announces a centralized XP division to broaden its footprint into film, TV, consumer products and live experiences, led by Kayleen Walters. Mojang overseer changes accompany the restructure, as Xbox accelerates its strategy to integrate games with broader media and real-world experiences.
The Federal Trade Commission and seven states have asked a federal judge to hold ex-pharma executive Martin Shkreli in contempt for allegedly violating a 2022 lifetime ban by trading pharmaceutical stocks and discussing the industry in livestreams since his release from prison.
Leaders of the world’s timekeeping bodies have voted to replace leap seconds with a leap hour, aiming to reduce glitches in computers and infrastructure. The move, supported by delegates from 69 countries, would shift UTC adjustments from occasional seconds to occasional hours, with implementation possible next year and effects unlikely to materialize for thousands of years.
BioWare has closed after 31 years and Electronic Arts has canceled early development on the next Mass Effect title while cutting roughly 400 jobs across the company, including about 50 at BioWare. The decision follows years of commercial misfires, a costly takeover that left EA with heavy debt, and shifting corporate priorities toward live services.
Reports from Bloomberg, The Japan Times and TechCrunch describe early Duo units cracking along the center crease with audible crunches and display malfunctions after hours or days of use. Apple acknowledges an inner-display issue affecting a small number of units.
Reddit has confirmed a shift to a largely logged‑in experience, testing outside the U.S. this quarter. The move aims to protect data from AI scraping, bolster ad targeting and deepen user engagement, even as search referrals decline and daily active users face pressure. The company says the homepage will remain accessible to non‑logged‑in visitors, with personalized feeds for logged‑in users.