Antarctica
Fujitsu 'not a parasite' over Horizon scandal
Fujitsu is not a parasite for continuing to profit from government contracts in the wake of the Post Office Horizon scandal, its boss told MPs. European chief executive Paul Patterson said Fujitsu had been given £500m of contract extensions despite its faulty software being at the centre of the huge miscarriage of justice. We are not a parasite, the government has got an option as to whether they wish to extend those contracts or not, he said, adding it would not bid for new business. Patterson also repeatedly refused to say how much Fujitsu would contribute to the £1.8bn redress scheme for victims of the scandal, currently funded by taxpayers. More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted after the faulty Horizon computer system made it look like money was missing from their branch accounts.
Elon Musk's X should deal with 'appalling' Grok AI deepfakes, government demands
Government demands Musk's X deals with'appalling' Grok AI deepfakes Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has called on Elon Musk's X to urgently deal with its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok being used to create non-consensual sexualised deepfake images of women and girls. The BBC has seen several examples on X of people asking the bot to digitally undress people to make them appear in bikinis without their consent, as well as putting them in sexual situations. Kendall said the situation was absolutely appalling, adding we cannot and will not allow the proliferation of these degrading images. It is absolutely right that Ofcom is looking into this as a matter of urgency and it has my full backing to take any enforcement action it deems necessary. On Monday, regulator Ofcom said it had made urgent contact with Elon Musk's company xAI and was investigating concerns Grok has been producing undressed images of people.
Is AI taking the fun out of fantasy football?
Is AI taking the fun out of fantasy football? For years, fantasy football has given every armchair manager the space to back up claims they could do a better job than the real thing. Whether you're competing against workmates, family members or strangers, the ability to pull together your own dream team is irresistible to millions of football fans. The competitive pastime has spawned a whole industry of content creators offering weekly tips for anyone looking to gain an edge as they sift through stats and manage transfers. Recently, more players have been turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for advice - but not everyone agrees they have a place in the virtual dugout.
US action in Venezuela morally right, Badenoch says
The US military action in Venezuela was the right thing to do morally, Kemi Badenoch has said. The Conservative leader told the BBC that while she did not understand the legal basis for Donald Trump's operation to remove President Nicolás Maduro from the country, he was overseeing a brutal regime and she was glad he's gone. However, she added that the move did raise serious questions about the rules-based order. The UK government has so far avoided criticising the US move or saying whether it breached international law, instead arguing that Maduro was an illegitimate president. However, some Labour MPs and opposition parties including the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and SNP have called on the government to condemn Trump's actions and brand them illegal.
Skiers create heart-shaped tribute for Switzerland fire victims
Dozens of skiers created a heart shape on the slopes of Crans-Montana to mourn the victims of the deadly bar fire on New Year's Eve. Forty people were killed at the bar where the fire began, while 119 others were injured. Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the managers of Le Constellation bar. The annual food fight festival ''Els Enfarinats'' has left the Spanish town of Ibi covered in flour and egg shells. The French model and actress has died at the age of 91.
Nvidia unveils 'reasoning' AI technology for self-driving cars
Nvidia unveils'reasoning' AI technology for self-driving cars Nvidia boss Jensen Huang on Monday announced Alpamayo, a tech platform the company says will help self-driving cars think like humans. Alpamayo brings reasoning to autonomous vehicles, allowing them to think through rare scenarios, drive safely in complex environments, and explain their driving decisions, Huang said on stage at the annual CES technology conference in Las Vegas. Huang also said Nvidia has begun producing a driverless car powered by its technology, the Mercedes-Benz CLA, in partnership with the German automaker. The vehicle will be released in the US in the coming months before being rolled out in Europe and Asia. Wearing his trademark black leather jacket, Huang told an audience of hundreds that the project has taught Nvidia an enormous amount about how to help partners build robotic systems. Analysts say the announcement reinforces Nvidia's leadership in integrating AI hardware and software, deepening its push into physical AI.
Car giant Hyundai to use human-like robots in factories
Hyundai Motor Group says it will roll out human-like robots in its factories from 2028, as major companies race to use the new technology. The South Korean firm showed off Atlas, a humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Monday. Hyundai says it plans to integrate Atlas across its global network, including a plant in the US state of Georgia that was involved in a massive immigration raid in 2025 . Other firms that have said they will use humanoid robots in their operations include Amazon, Tesla and Chinese car making giant BYD. The Atlas robots will gradually take on more tasks, said Hyundai.
Ofcom asks X about reports its Grok AI makes sexualised images of children
Ofcom has made urgent contact with Elon Musk's company xAI following reports its AI tool Grok can be used to make sexualised images of children and undress women. A spokesperson for the regulator said it was also investigating concerns Grok has been producing undressed images of people. The BBC has seen several examples on the social media platform X of people asking the chatbot to alter real images to make women appear in bikinis without their consent, as well as putting them in sexual situations. X has not responded to a request for comment. On Sunday, it issued a warning to users not to use Grok to generate illegal content including child sexual abuse material.
US action in Venezuela not legal, senior Labour MP says
The US military action in Venezuela breaches international law and the UK should make clear it is unacceptable, the chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has said. Dame Emily Thornberry is the most senior Labour MP so far to criticise Donald Trump's strikes on the country over the weekend, which saw President Nicolas Maduro and his wife captured. The UK government has so far refused to say whether the move was illegal, insisting it is for the Americans to lay out the legal basis for the action. But the US president's actions have been criticised by some Labour MPs, as well as the leaders of the Lib Dems, Greens and the SNP. Dame Emily told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour the strikes were not a legal action and she cannot think of anything that could be a proper justification.