Author: BBC

Microsoft is being investigated in the UK over whether it has effectively merged with an artificial intelligence (AI) start-up firm by hiring its staff.Key employees at Inflection AI left the company in March to join the tech giant, with co-founder Mustafa Suleyman becoming head of its new AI division.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it would investigate whether this constituted a merger, and if so, whether it could lessen competition.”We are confident that the hiring of talent promotes competition and should not be treated as a merger,” a Microsoft spokesperson told the BBC.The CMA also said Microsoft had entered into a…

A member of production staff will be in all rehearsals following complaints about two former dancers.

Anti-government protesters in Kenya have returned to the streets stepping up demands for President William Ruto to resign, despite his recent concessions.One man has been shot dead during a confrontation between protesters and security forces on the outskirts of the capital, a BBC reporter on the ground says.In central Nairobi, shops have been closed as police fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators.The protests began last month against an unpopular tax bill, which has since been withdrawn by the president.But they have continued, morphing in to broader anger over bad governance, corruption and police accountability over the deaths of…

Countries including the UK and the US are “seeing some persistence” in inflation that might mean interest rates have to stay “higher for even longer”, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned. The body also said elections across the world had increased “uncertainty” over economic growth amid concerns over “significant swings” in policy from new governments.The IMF maintained its forecast that the world economy will grow by 3.2% in 2024, but pointed towards slightly stronger growth in 2025 at 3.3%.It also confirmed an upgrade to the UK’s outlook for 2024 to 0.7%, but kept its forecast for 2025 unchanged. It…

5 hours agoBy Riyah Collins, BBC NewsbeatGetty ImagesTrixie Mattel first appeared on the seventh series of Ru Paul’s Drag Race in 2015Drag queen Trixie Mattel will be taking a break from work after “struggling” for more than a year.Trixie became a world renowned star after first appearing on Ru Paul’s Drag Race in 2015.Since then, the queen returned for the All Stars version and as host of the spin-off show The Pit Stop, as well as running a YouTube channel and make-up business. Trixie told fans in a video that all the work was “not sustainable” and there would be “a hiatus”…

At least six people have been found dead at a hotel in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. A spokesperson for the Thai government said that the dead were all Vietnamese-American nationals.Local media initially suggested there had been a shooting at the five-star Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, but police dismissed these reports and said there was no evidence of a shooting.Local media are now reporting that the victims may have been poisoned, however this has not been confirmed.Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has ordered an investigation into the deaths, saying he does not want the case to affect the country’s image or have…

3 hours agoBy Kevin Peachey, Cost of living correspondentGetty ImagesThe battle for savers has intensified with the choice of products at its highest level for 12 years, according to analysis.UK savers have a choice of 2,014 savings deals – the highest number since 2012, the financial information service Moneyfacts says.However, people may have to shop around for the best deals, with loyalty often bringing the lowest returns.In addition, interest rates may drop if the Bank of England decides to cut the benchmark rate in August.Key decisionMoneyfacts said the choice of accounts was greater than anything seen since May 2012. The number of…

Jack Black has said he’s cancelled the rest of the Tenacious D world tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass sparked an outcry with a comment about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.The comedy rock group were on stage in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday when Gass was asked to make a wish after being presented with a cake for his 64th birthday.He appeared to reply: “Don’t miss Trump next time.”In a statement on Instagram, Black said he was “blindsided” by the comment.”I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” the comedian and actor wrote.He said he…

Spain’s football team chanted “Gibraltar is Spanish” towards a vast crowd of supporters while on stage in Madrid. The team was greeted by a huge crowd of fans at a celebration event in Spain’s capital city, after winning the Euros against England on Sunday. At the event, team member Alvaro Morata took the opportunity to lead the crowd in a chant about British overseas territory Gibraltar. Gibraltar has been under British rule since 1713, but Spain continues to claim sovereignty of the territory. Source link

All 11 water and wastewater companies in England and Wales are now under scrutiny over sewage spills, after the regulator said it was expanding its investigation.On Tuesday, Ofwat opened enforcement cases into four more firms – Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Severn Trent and United Utilities – as part of its probe into how companies manage their sewage treatment works and networks.It began its investigation in 2021 and if found in breach the companies face being fined.Ofwat chief executive David Black said the latest move showed “how concerned we are about the sector’s environmental performance”.It comes a week after…