Author: BBC

Chris BaraniukTechnology ReporterMcConnell FamilyThe McConnell family home was left partially destroyed by fireThe school run was over and laundry was in the tumble dryer. Mum and step-mum of four Liz McConnell was about to sit down to work at her Dover home last September. But that’s when the sound of a fire alarm cut through her morning.She walked towards it and eventually found smoke billowing out of the tumble dryer. Touching the machine, she realised it was hot and, looking closer, she saw that part of it was on fire.”At that point I called the fire brigade,” she remembers. They…

Caroline StaffordTry hard enough, we are often told, and eventually you’ll get what you want.But sometimes the hardest – and bravest – thing to do, is to stop trying.After years of hoping to start a family, including the painful rollercoaster of fertility treatment and a devastating miscarriage on Christmas day, Caroline Stafford, found the only way to find some kind of peace again was to accept it was not going to happen and to build a different future. But that meant overcoming what she calls the “don’t give up” narrative. Like many people, Caroline and her husband Gareth, who she…

Lori CarnochanDumfries and Galloway reporterBBCThe Johnstone family say if they cannot find a way to make their milk production profitable, then they will be forced to sell their farmWhen Adam and Lucy Johnstone took over a dairy farm in the south-west of Scotland two years ago, they were able to make a comfortable profit from the milk produced from their herd of 60 cows. But over the last three months the price they receive for each litre of milk from dairy giant Arla has tumbled by 25% – below the cost of production. They are now considering selling their milk…

Christal HayesandOsmond ChiaGetty ImagesElon Musk launched Grok on social media platform X in 2023Elon Musk’s AI model Grok will no longer be able to edit photos of real people to show them in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal, after widespread concern over sexualised AI deepfakes.”We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing,” reads an announcement on X.Reacting to the ban, the UK government claimed “vindication” after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called on X to control its AI tool. A spokesperson for UK…

Chris YoungLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceGetty ImagesThe customer had a nut allergy and was served a dessert with a chocolate hazelnut topping instead of Belgian chocolateA business is under investigation by trading standards officers after a woman was hospitalised when the firm used a chocolate hazelnut dessert topping instead of chocolate.West Yorkshire Trading Standards said the business in Bradford had served the topping on a dessert despite the customer informing staff they had a nut allergy.Another investigation by the organisation looked into a separate firm in the city which had served an undercover officer gluten-free food that was later found to…

Getty ImagesSouth East Water is set to operate bottled water stations again on ThursdayRegulator Ofwat has opened an investigation into South East Water (SEW) after repeated loss of water supplies across Kent and Sussex.At the height of the problem, 30,000 people had no water and about 10,000 properties remain without a supply.The Ofwat investigation will consider whether the company has complied with its licence condition to provide high standards of customer service and support.SEW said: “The company will always fully co-operate with any investigation by our regulators and provide any information required.”Lynn Parker, Ofwat’s senior director for enforcement, said: “The…

Zoe KleinmanTechnology editorAFP via Getty ImagesLarge numbers of vast data centres continue to be build around the worldOne day the mighty data centre could be toppled into obsolescence by the humble smartphone, said Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on a recent podcast.Speaking to host Prakhar Gupta, the AI chief argued that people will eventually use powerful, personalised AI tools that will be able to run on the hardware already inside their devices.This will be instead of the AI relying on transmitting data to and from enormous data centres, and using remote computers to function, as is generally the case now.Apple’s AI…

Fergus WalshMedical editorBBCOscar Murphy has now finished his CAR-T therapy and is hopeful for his futureThe first leukaemia patient to receive a breakthrough treatment since it was made available on the NHS has said it was “fantastic” and “very sci-fi”.Oscar Murphy, 28, who has an aggressive form of the blood cancer, was given the “living drug”, called CAR-T therapy, at Manchester Royal Infirmary.BBC News was present on 2 January when Oscar received the first of two infusions of his own immune cells, which had been genetically modified to recognise and target his cancer.NHS England has agreed to fund the immunotherapy…

The government has dropped plans requiring workers to sign up to its digital ID scheme in order to prove their right to work in the UK. By 2029, right to work checks will be done digitally – for example by using biometric passports – but registering with the new digital ID programme will be optional.This marks a shift from last year when the government first announced the policy and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told an audience: “You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID. It’s as simple as that.”Conservative…

Laura CressTechnology reporterBBCThe UK will bring into force a law which will make it illegal to create non-consensual intimate images, following widespread concerns over Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot.Speaking to Labour MPs on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer warned X could lose the “right to self regulate”. “If X cannot control Grok, we will,” he said, adding the government would act quickly in response to the issue. The government also plans to unveil legislation to make it illegal to supply online tools used to create such images.The BBC has approached X for comment. It previously said: “Anyone using or prompting Grok…