Britain is to develop new air defence weapons alongside the EU's four biggest military powers, deepening ties with the European defence sector. The project will invite manufacturers in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Poland to submit plans to build low-cost missiles and autonomous drones. The allies are pledging a speedy process to build the weapons together, inspired by Ukraine's development of cheap drones to counter attacks from Russia. The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) says the programme will prioritise a lightweight, affordable surface-to-air weapon, with the first project to be delivered by next year. The plan, announced at a meeting of the five countries' defence ministers in the Polish city of Krakow, marks a boost to UK-Europe ties after the failure of talks last year over UK participation in the EU's new €150bn (£130bn) defence fund.

Don't make us security guards, says teacher stabbed by pupil A teacher who thought she was going to die when she was stabbed by a 13-year-old pupil in the schoolyard has said giving staff handheld scanners will not stop violence in schools. Liz Hopkin, who was attacked at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in 2024, said she felt really worried after the Welsh government announced it would offer school staff more guidance on what to do if they suspected a pupil had brought a weapon into school. It comes as a 15-year-old boy was charged with attempted murder after a teacher was stabbed at a school in the neighbouring county. Hopkin said teachers aren't security, while the Welsh government said the resources were about prevention, building on existing guidance. Hopkin, her colleague Fiona Elias and a pupil were attacked at the school where she worked in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, by a girl who had previously been found with a knife.

Starmer'appeasing' big tech firms, says online safety campaigner A leading campaigner has accused the prime minister of appeasing big tech companies and being late to the party in regulating social media and artificial intelligence. Crossbench peer Baroness Kidron told the BBC Sir Keir Starmer needed to get on with it rather than launching more consultations. She also criticised the PM for citing his own experience as a father of two teenage children on social media, arguing that this did not make him an expert on the subject and that his family were sheltered compared to others. The government rejected the claims, with a spokesperson saying it had already introduced some of the strongest online safety protections in the world. Sir Keir has launched a consultation on banning under-16s from social media and promised to crackdown on the addictive elements of the apps.

The Guardian revealed how people were being put at risk of harm by false and misleading health information in Google AI Overviews. The Guardian revealed how people were being put at risk of harm by false and misleading health information in Google AI Overviews. Exclusive: England and Wales charity to examine safeguards after Guardian exposed'very dangerous' advice on Google AI Overviews'Very dangerous': a Mind mental health expert on Google's AI summaries Mind is launching a significant inquiry into artificial intelligence and mental health after a Guardian investigation exposed how Google's AI Overviews gave people "very dangerous" medical advice. In a year-long commission, the mental health charity, which operates in England and Wales, will examine the risks and safeguards required as AI increasingly influences the lives of millions of people affected by mental health issues worldwide. The inquiry - the first of its kind globally - will bring together the world's leading doctors and mental health professionals, as well as people with lived experience, health providers, policymakers and tech companies.

A new artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by the Chinese company behind TikTok rocked Hollywood this week - not just because of what it can do, but what it could mean for creative industries. Created by tech giant ByteDance, Seedance 2.0 can generate cinema-quality video, complete with sound effects and dialogue, from just a few written prompts. Many of the clips said to have been made using Seedance, and featuring popular characters like Spider-Man and Deadpool, went viral. What is Seedance - and why the stir? Seedance was launched to little fanfare in June 2025 but it is the second version that came eight months later that has caused a major stir.

When a SpaceX rocket failure set the skies aflame over western Europe last February, no-one was sure if the debris was also polluting our atmosphere. Now scientists are directly linking the uncontrolled rocket re-entry to a plume of lithium measured less than 100km above Earth. It is the first time researchers have drawn a direct link between a known piece of space debris crashing to Earth and pollution levels. They warn that as SpaceX chief Elon Musk pledges to launch one million satellites in the coming years, this contamination could be the tip of the iceberg. The scientists were already investigating the problem of pollution from space debris when they realised a SpaceX Falcon 9 had failed in flight.

Trump rushed into Iran crisis meeting as insider warns'strike within hours' 'Deeply concerned' King Charles backs Andrew investigation after royal's arrest and says the'law must take its course' Model agency boss who'scouted' victims for Epstein was secretly planning to testify against him... only to suddenly change his mind before meeting chillingly similar fate to notorious pedophile The monarchy has survived wars and countless crises... but this is why it may not survive Andrew's arrest - and why the rift at the heart of the family is about to get so much worse: ROBERT JOBSON Widower whose wife set herself on fire after alleged affair with married congressman finally breaks silence to reveal their texts... and heartbreaking video of her death Whereabouts of Andrew's ex-wife and daughters remain unknown as former prince is arrested over public misconduct claims Andrew'pushed through' appointment of Jeffery Epstein's fixer to board of Windsor Castle trust despite opposition Virginia Giuffre's family hail Andrew's arrest and say'he was never a prince' But countless women (and some husbands) are secretly getting it for thrilling sex side effects... risking a truly putrid complication FBI'has names and photos of people who may be masked suspect caught on surveillance video outside Nancy Guthrie's home' How DID Beatrice afford her 20s jet-set lifestyle? US assembles the most aerial firepower since Iraq War as Trump prepares to strike Iran'in just DAYS'... and president is'choosing between two devastating options of attack' The side-effects were unbearable and I swore off the drug forever. This is the simple diet that helped me shed the pounds... and I'm not alone. The Prince and Princess of Wales express support for King Charles' statement after Andrew's arrest Jason Bateman says he quit cocaine and alcohol to ease'tension' in his marriage Humiliating real reason Mia Goth left Shia LaBeouf: What'friends and lovers' are all saying behind his back... after Mardi Gras brawl What happens now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested? I went into early menopause in my 30s.

Bill Gates pulls out of India's AI summit amid Epstein files controversy Bill Gates will not deliver his keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, his philanthropic organisation said hours before the Microsoft co-founder was due to speak. The Gates Foundation said the decision was made after careful consideration and to ensure the focus remains on the [summit's] key priorities, but did not elaborate. Gates's withdrawal comes amid a controversy over his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was named in new files released by the US Department of Justice in January. Gates's spokesperson has called the claims in the files absolutely absurd and completely false, and the billionaire has said he regretted spending time with Epstein . Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein's victims and the appearance of his name in the files does not imply criminal activity of any kind.

Evidence is mounting that Elon Musk's decision to deny Russian forces access to his Starlink satellite-based internet service has blunted Moscow's advance, caused confusion among Russian soldiers and handed an advantage to Ukraine's defenders. And what can Ukraine's military achieve in the meantime? The Russians lost their ability to control the field, a Ukrainian drone operator who goes by the callsign Giovanni told us. I think they lost 50% of their capacity for offence, he said. That's what the numbers show.

Tech platforms would have to remove intimate images which have been shared without consent within 48 hours, under a proposed UK law. The government said tackling intimate image abuse should be treated with the same severity as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and terrorist content. Failure to abide by the rules could result in companies being fined up to 10% of their global sales or have their services blocked in the UK. Janaya Walker, interim director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said the welcome and powerful move... rightly places the responsibility on tech companies to act. The proposals are being made through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which is making its way through the House of Lords.