Africa
Google to pay 68m to settle lawsuit claiming it recorded private conversations
Google has agreed to pay $68m (£51m) to settle a lawsuit claiming it secretly listened to people's private conversations through their phones. Users accused Google Assistant - a virtual assistant present on many Android devices - of recording private conversations after it was inadvertently triggered on their devices. They claimed the recordings were then shared with advertisers in order to send them targeted advertising. The BBC has contacted Google for comment. But in a filing seeking to settle the case, it denied wrongdoing and said it was seeking to avoid litigation.
Map reveals 23 US states under hypothermia warnings as historic deep freeze grips millions
Republican Governor rips Trump for'MURDER' in Minneapolis as GOP erupts at ICE scandal Seven dead in private jet crash as audio reveals voice said'Let there be light' seconds before tragedy at snowy Maine airport Is Angelina Jolie quitting America? Private struggles emerge... as actress weighs major lifestyle that threatens to rupture her family Inside the secret double life of a beloved neurosurgeon whose gay love triangle ended... in an execution at his $2.5M mansion Queer Eye snitch reveals exactly what was said about Karamo Brown in a hot mic moment... that's torn the cast apart Kate Hudson's Oscar nomination torched as an'abomination' amid toxic family feud over Song Sung Blue Mystery of Egypt's Giza pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure 4,000 feet below is revealed America's best and worst states to retire revealed - and why Florida is no longer the obvious winner Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Sundance screening sparks online row: 'Sussex Squad' brand claims event failed to sell out as'lies' despite photos showing'rows of empty seats' Kristi Noem's VERY unfortunate post shortly before Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to clean up mess after she lied about protester shot dead by her DHS officers NFL's'scripted' conspiracy theory resurfaces as fans find five-month old post hinting at Super Bowl 60 matchup Forensic video analysis of Alex Pretti's final 30 seconds exposes'John Wayne gun' question that can't be ignored Victoria and David Beckham make first public appearance together since son Brooklyn's damning statement as children Cruz, Romeo and Harper turn up to support her as she becomes a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters Kristi Noem is dealt hammer blow live on Fox News as Trump lawyer trashes claim Minneapolis victim Alex Pretti was'domestic terrorist' Lauren Sanchez turns heads in a red skirt suit as she holds hands with billionaire husband Jeff Bezos at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show An'extreme cold warning' has been issued in more than 20 states as temperatures are expected to remain so low that it could be deadly to go outside in many areas. The National Weather Service (NWS) said a stretch of the US from Texas to New York will experience bone-chilling temperatures and even colder wind chills on Monday and into Tuesday following the weekend's historic winter storm. Areas as far south as the Florida panhandle and southern Georgia will see morning wild chills reach the teens and single digits, with prolonged exposure to this cold potentially causing hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin within minutes. States throughout the Gulf, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, will see wild chills drop to 10 degrees below zero, cold enough to cause frostbite in just 30 minutes.
Massive overhaul of England and Wales policing announced
The home secretary has announced a blueprint for reforming what she called the broken policing model in England and Wales. Shabana Mahmood confirmed the shake-up will create a new National Police Service (NPS) to fight the most complex cross-border crime and could also see the number of local forces in England and Wales cut by around two-thirds. She told the House of Commons she also intends to make better use of technology - including the largest-ever rollout of facial recognition. This government's reforms will ensure we have the right policing in the right place, Mahmood said. I set out reforms that are long overdue and define a new model for policing in this country, with local policing that protects our communities and national policing that protects us all.
When will 'Q-Day' arrive? Scientists predict the date when quantum computing will crack all of Earth's digital encryption - with terrifying consequences
Republican Governor rips Trump for'MURDER' in Minneapolis as GOP erupts at ICE scandal Seven dead in private jet crash as audio reveals voice said'Let there be light' seconds before tragedy at snowy Maine airport Is Angelina Jolie quitting America? Private struggles emerge... as actress weighs major lifestyle that threatens to rupture her family Inside the secret double life of a beloved neurosurgeon whose gay love triangle ended... in an execution at his $2.5M mansion Queer Eye snitch reveals exactly what was said about Karamo Brown in a hot mic moment... that's torn the cast apart Kate Hudson's Oscar nomination torched as an'abomination' amid toxic family feud over Song Sung Blue Mystery of Egypt's Giza pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure 4,000 feet below is revealed America's best and worst states to retire revealed - and why Florida is no longer the obvious winner Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Sundance screening sparks online row: 'Sussex Squad' brand claims event failed to sell out as'lies' despite photos showing'rows of empty seats' Kristi Noem's VERY unfortunate post shortly before Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to clean up mess after she lied about protester shot dead by her DHS officers NFL's'scripted' conspiracy theory resurfaces as fans find five-month old post hinting at Super Bowl 60 matchup Forensic video analysis of Alex Pretti's final 30 seconds exposes'John Wayne gun' question that can't be ignored Victoria and David Beckham make first public appearance together since son Brooklyn's damning statement as children Cruz, Romeo and Harper turn up to support her as she becomes a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters Kristi Noem is dealt hammer blow live on Fox News as Trump lawyer trashes claim Minneapolis victim Alex Pretti was'domestic terrorist' Lauren Sanchez turns heads in a red skirt suit as she holds hands with billionaire husband Jeff Bezos at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show Scientists predict the date when quantum computing will crack all of Earth's digital encryption - with terrifying consequences READ MORE: Why'Q-DAY' could upend the world as we know it As terrifying as it might sound, experts believe the world will soon face a technological crisis that threatens to fundamentally overthrow digital secrecy. Known as'Q-Day', this is the moment when quantum computers will crack open all of Earth's digital encryption. From then, any information not secured by'post-quantum' protection will be laid bare - including financial transactions and military communications . So, when will this world-shattering moment arrive?
EU launches probe into Grok AI feature creating deepfakes of women, minors
The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, regarding the creation of sexually explicit fake images of women and minors. The commission announced on Monday that its investigation would examine whether the AI tool used on X has met its legal obligations under the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires social media companies to address illegal and harmful online content. In a statement to the AFP news agency, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe will not "tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children". "It is simple - we will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetise. The harm caused by illegal images is very real," she added.
Three charged over alleged intifada chants at pro-Palestinian protest
Three pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been charged with stirring up racial hatred over alleged chants calling for an intifada at a protest in central London last month. The man and two women charged are Abdallah Alanzi, 24, Haya Adam, 21, and Azza Zaki, 60. They were charged on Monday with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour intended to stir up racial hatred or where it was likely to be stirred up. The trio were arrested on 17 December 2025 at a protest outside the Ministry of Justice. They will appear at Westminster Magistrate's Court on 23 February.
See dark matter like NEVER before: NASA reveals one of the most detailed maps of the elusive substance yet - confirming its vital influence on the universe
Republican Governor rips Trump for'MURDER' in Minneapolis as GOP erupts at ICE scandal Seven dead in private jet crash as audio reveals voice said'Let there be light' seconds before tragedy at snowy Maine airport Is Angelina Jolie quitting America? Private struggles emerge... as actress weighs major lifestyle that threatens to rupture her family Inside the secret double life of a beloved neurosurgeon whose gay love triangle ended... in an execution at his $2.5M mansion Queer Eye snitch reveals exactly what was said about Karamo Brown in a hot mic moment... that's torn the cast apart Kate Hudson's Oscar nomination torched as an'abomination' amid toxic family feud over Song Sung Blue Mystery of Egypt's Giza pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure 4,000 feet below is revealed America's best and worst states to retire revealed - and why Florida is no longer the obvious winner Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Sundance screening sparks online row: 'Sussex Squad' brand claims event failed to sell out as'lies' despite photos showing'rows of empty seats' Kristi Noem's VERY unfortunate post shortly before Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to clean up mess after she lied about protester shot dead by her DHS officers NFL's'scripted' conspiracy theory resurfaces as fans find five-month old post hinting at Super Bowl 60 matchup Forensic video analysis of Alex Pretti's final 30 seconds exposes'John Wayne gun' question that can't be ignored Victoria and David Beckham make first public appearance together since son Brooklyn's damning statement as children Cruz, Romeo and Harper turn up to support her as she becomes a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters Kristi Noem is dealt hammer blow live on Fox News as Trump lawyer trashes claim Minneapolis victim Alex Pretti was'domestic terrorist' Lauren Sanchez turns heads in a red skirt suit as she holds hands with billionaire husband Jeff Bezos at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show NASA has revealed one of the most detailed maps of dark matter yet. Taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, the map suggests the elusive substance acts as a hidden framework on which entire galaxies are built. According to researchers from Durham University, it could help to unravel the mystery of the formation of our Milky Way - as well as planet Earth. 'Wherever you find normal matter in the Universe today, you also find dark matter,' explained Professor Richard Massey, co-author of the study.
Mystery of Egypt's Giza pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure 4,000 feet below is revealed
Republican Governor rips Trump for'MURDER' in Minneapolis as GOP erupts at ICE scandal Seven dead in private jet crash as audio reveals voice said'Let there be light' seconds before tragedy at snowy Maine airport Is Angelina Jolie quitting America? Private struggles emerge... as actress weighs major lifestyle that threatens to rupture her family Inside the secret double life of a beloved neurosurgeon whose gay love triangle ended... in an execution at his $2.5M mansion Queer Eye snitch reveals exactly what was said about Karamo Brown in a hot mic moment... that's torn the cast apart Kate Hudson's Oscar nomination torched as an'abomination' amid toxic family feud over Song Sung Blue Mystery of Egypt's Giza pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure 4,000 feet below is revealed America's best and worst states to retire revealed - and why Florida is no longer the obvious winner Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Sundance screening sparks online row: 'Sussex Squad' brand claims event failed to sell out as'lies' despite photos showing'rows of empty seats' Kristi Noem's VERY unfortunate post shortly before Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to clean up mess after she lied about protester shot dead by her DHS officers NFL's'scripted' conspiracy theory resurfaces as fans find five-month old post hinting at Super Bowl 60 matchup Forensic video analysis of Alex Pretti's final 30 seconds exposes'John Wayne gun' question that can't be ignored Victoria and David Beckham make first public appearance together since son Brooklyn's damning statement as children Cruz, Romeo and Harper turn up to support her as she becomes a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters Kristi Noem is dealt hammer blow live on Fox News as Trump lawyer trashes claim Minneapolis victim Alex Pretti was'domestic terrorist' Lauren Sanchez turns heads in a red skirt suit as she holds hands with billionaire husband Jeff Bezos at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show Mystery of Egypt's Giza pyramids deepens as hidden megastructure 4,000 feet below is revealed READ MORE: I interviewed Joe Rogan's'worst guest ever'... then a controversial question stopped everything Joe Rogan's latest podcast guest delved into controversial scans showing an enormous underground structure beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza, potentially rewriting ancient history. The scans were conducted by Italian scientist Filippo Biondi and the Khafre Project team using synthetic aperture radar. More than 200 scans from multiple satellites, including Italy's Cosmo-SkyMed and the US-based Capella Space, showed uniform results suggesting massive pillars about 65 feet in diameter wrapped in spirals and plunging nearly 4,000 feet deep. Those pillars appear to end in 260-foot cubic chambers beneath all three pyramids and the Sphinx, which Biondi described as'huge chambers' measuring roughly 260 feet in length and width.
The 'discombobulator': Did US use 'secret weapon' in Maduro abduction?
Why is the US Fed chair criminal probe causing alarm? Venezuela's defence minister has accused the United States of using the country as a "weapons laboratory" during the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3. Vladimir Padrino Lopez said last week that the US had used Venezuela as a testing ground for "advanced military technologies" that rely on artificial intelligence and weaponry never used before, according to the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump told the New York Post that US forces had indeed used a weapon he referred to as "the discombobulator". "I'm not allowed to talk about it," he said, adding that the weapon "made equipment not work" during the operation. Details of the US military mission to abduct Maduro have not been made public, but the US has been known to use weapons to disorient soldiers and guards or disable equipment and infrastructure in the past.
Lab-grown LIFE takes a major step forward - as scientists use AI to create a virus never seen before
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Sundance screening sparks online row: 'Sussex Squad' brand claims event failed to sell out as'lies' despite photos showing'rows of empty seats' Mick Jagger's family launch desperate hunt for missing relative: His granddaughter's partner vanishes in Cornwall after wandering streets Forensic video analysis of Alex Pretti's final 30 seconds exposes'John Wayne gun' question that can't be ignored Sinister truth about Celine Dion's song All By Myself: Singer's producer reveals bombshell secrets of her 26-year age gap marriage... that he swore not to tell until her husband René died The nastiest clique in Hollywood have had their dirty secret outed... there's no coming back from this: MAUREEN CALLAHAN Death toll climbs as monster Arctic storm paralyzes 17 states... and US faces brutal freeze warning Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo'creeped a lot of people out' says anonymous Oscar voter amid Wicked snubs John Fetterman's own WIFE turns on him over ICE as Senator comes under fire for his silence on shooting of Alex Pretti Olivia Wilde blasts'inauthentic and unrealistic' sex in modern film and claims it has'been that way for a long time' - despite featuring racy scenes in Don't Worry Darling NFL's beloved grandfather QB Philip Rivers, 44, makes final decision on Buffalo Bills head coach job Lauren Sanchez turns heads in a red skirt suit as she holds hands with billionaire husband Jeff Bezos at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show Sandra Bullock's Blind Side costar Quinton Aaron is'fighting for his life' in hospital after falling at home Seedy underbelly of America's exclusive golf clubs... as cart girls expose ultra-rich world of sex scandals and drunken debauchery Real estate mogul is sensationally found GUILTY of murdering football coach's son outside mall Kelly Clarkson on verge of QUITTING: Staff are all starting to say same thing backstage... as friends let slip the only way she could be convinced to stay READ MORE: Scientists warn lab-made'mirror bacteria' could wipe out mankind Lab-grown life has taken a major leap forward as scientists use AI to create a new virus that has never been seen before. The virus, dubbed Evo-Φ2147, was created by scientists from scratch using new technologies that could revolutionise the course of evolution. With just 11 genes, compared to the 200,000 in the human genome, this virus is among the simplest forms of life. However, scientists believe that the same tools could one day create entire living organisms or resurrect long-extinct species. This artificial virus was specifically created to kill infectious and potentially deadly E. Coli bacteria.