Thames Water lenders offer'golden share' to head off nationalisation Image caption, Thames Water's lenders want to let local authorities have more involvement Thames Water's main lenders are offering the government a golden share and more control for local authorities in a bid to stop the troubled supplier from being nationalised. The government recently rejected a previous rescue proposal, and the BBC understands the lenders are preparing a legal challenge in case the new Andy Burnham-led government takes the firm into public hands. In his first speech as prime minister on Monday, Burnham said he wanted to see greater public control of life's essentials. The new proposal offers local authorities greater involvement in the firm, similar to the relationship between United Utilities and Greater Manchester agreed when Burnham was the city's mayor. The London & Valley Water (L&VW) consortium of lenders had already proposed a £10bn deal to prevent Thames Water from entering administration.

The UK government borrowed slightly less than expected in June, according to official figures published as new prime minister Andy Burnham began setting out measures to cut living costs for households. Borrowing - the difference between spending and income from taxes - was £16bn last month, £7.9bn lower than at the same point last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Separate figures also showed the unemployment rate remained unchanged between March and May, with the UK statistics body saying the labour market was relatively steady. However while the borrowing figures were better than forecast, the UK is still carrying significant public debt. 'I made £100,000 of TikTok sales in one day': The business of live shopping The Papers: 'Burnham era begins' and'King Kev' Your tips on getting a fussy child to eat, and six recipes they'll love Mum's'tears of joy' as daughter released from hospital What will Andy Burnham's first day be like?

A collection of speeches and writings by Pope Leo XIV has been certified by Australian company Proudly Human as having been written by people, not AI. A collection of speeches and writings by Pope Leo XIV has been certified by Australian company Proudly Human as having been written by people, not AI. A collection of speeches and writings by Pope Leo XIV has been certified as human-authored less than two months after Leo declared artificial intelligence the greatest threat to humanity. Proudly Human, the Australian company spearheaded by Australia's former chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, undertook a review of a collection of writings and speeches by the pope, in collaboration with the publisher, the Australian Catholic University and cardinals in the Vatican . Maps of Hope was published in the same week in May that Leo's first encyclical,, warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence and the risks of the power of the technology being concentrated in the hands of a few .

Nine's managing director of publishing, Tory Maguire, told staff the cuts at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age come amid an AI-based disruption to the industry. Nine's managing director of publishing, Tory Maguire, told staff the cuts at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age come amid an AI-based disruption to the industry. Staff told positions will be cut via voluntary and targeted redundancies as part of'evolution' Australia's biggest media company, Nine Entertainment, has blamed the "extreme state of disruption" from AI for its decision to cut another 30 newsroom jobs at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. On Tuesday, the managing director of publishing, Tory Maguire, told staff the company was looking to cut "around 30" positions, made up of voluntary and targeted redundancies. Maguire said the exercise was not simply a matter of cutting costs, but was an "evolution" to adapt to structural change.

A polling station in Budapest during Hungary's elections in April, on which the research was based. A polling station in Budapest during Hungary's elections in April, on which the research was based. AI chatbots provide inaccurate, inconsistent and unreliable guidance to voters asking which party they should back, a study suggests, often recommending the wrong party, not mentioning the right one, or listing parties not even running. "The results raise serious concerns about the reliability of general-purpose AI systems in electoral contexts," the study, published by the civil liberties group Liberties and based on research during this year's Hungarian parliamentary elections, concluded. "They misclassified profiles, omitted relevant parties and included parties not running in the election," said the report, shared with the Guardian.

Follow this section to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Follow this tag to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW?

They may understand shapes as well as your toddler. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Human understanding of geometry may stretch deep into our evolutionary past. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

FIFA launch investigation into Argentina's shocking World Cup final post-match behaviour... as new footage shows what really sparked final-whistle brawl Scandal engulfs'it girl' fashion empire Set Active: Explosive claims about influencer founder's desperate fixation... 'inappropriate' texts that went ignored... and why employees wanted to stay on her'good side' How to lose a stone in 16 days WITHOUT weight-loss jabs: I was mortified to put on 23lb in my 50s. Here's the exact diet I used to lose it - and it will help you too No one's shocked Harry wants to reverse Megxit. Actress Mia Farrow, 81, learns the hard way that you'll never be woke enough for the transgender community Car experts reveal the little-known stereotypes that are actually TRUE... What does your vehicle really say about you? MAGA-friendly Fox News star Maria Bartiromo hints she's losing patience with Trump by asking VERY pointed question to ex-White House aide Shakira fans marvel over her'ageless' appearance at World Cup final as her ex-husband watches on from the stands with their sons'People hate her': KENNEDY's Hollywood mole unleashes on Angelina Jolie... as two more of her kids publicly humiliate dad Brat Pitt Ever since I went on Vyvanse for ADHD, my marriage has felt different. A comment from my husband made me realise why women are calling it the'divorce drug': ASK JANA Mystery over what REALLY caused'explosive diarrhea' parasite as FDA admits lettuce that was first to blame was a'false positive' Nicola Peltz's unravelling: New feuds, her acting career in freefall and the snub that left Harper Beckham'devastated'... insiders tell KATIE HIND: 'She hasn't come out of this looking very good at all.

FIFA launch investigation into Argentina's shocking World Cup final post-match behaviour... as new footage shows what really sparked final-whistle brawl Trump's cringe World Cup cameo was a fitting finale to a tournament blighted by excess, greed and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's twisted dreams'People hate her': KENNEDY's Hollywood mole unleashes on Angelina Jolie... as two more of her kids publicly humiliate dad Brat Pitt Car experts reveal the little-known stereotypes that are actually TRUE... What does your vehicle really say about you? No one's shocked Harry wants to reverse Megxit. Actress Mia Farrow, 81, learns the hard way that you'll never be woke enough for the transgender community MAGA-friendly Fox News star Maria Bartiromo hints she's losing patience with Trump by asking VERY pointed question to ex-White House aide Shakira fans marvel over her'ageless' appearance at World Cup final as her ex-husband watches on from the stands with their sons Mystery over what REALLY caused'explosive diarrhea' parasite as FDA admits lettuce that was first to blame was a'false positive' Ever since I went on Vyvanse for ADHD, my marriage has felt different. A comment from my husband made me realise why women are calling it the'divorce drug': ASK JANA Scandal engulfs'it girl' fashion empire Set Active: Explosive claims about influencer founder's desperate fixation... 'inappropriate' texts that went ignored... and why employees wanted to stay on her'good side' Republican defies Trump to enter race to replace Lindsey Graham in the Senate... in move that could backfire on GOP Inside Luke Wilson's reclusive life with decades-younger girlfriend Kendall Yates: Friends reveal new details about their'secretive' romance after birth of their child... as unseen pictures of her emerge Hollywood's new youth elixir: Wealthy women are hooked on secret holy grail said to banish wrinkles and plump skin... but doctors warn of shock risk Inside the'pure evil' Ohio'House of Horrors': Forensic psychologists analyze every disturbing detail about the 16 children found living in squalor Bitter Argentina players turn their backs to Spain's World Cup trophy lift after violence marred winners' celebrations - as lip-reader reveals what furious star said to winning captain Rodri during brawl READ MORE: I worked for Apple. These secret iPhone tricks can save you from spending $1,000 on an upgrade... and the one fix that will make your device feel'like brand new' A billion-dollar milk company has been forced to halt production following a devastating cyberattack.

Is the war entering a new phase? A Russian strike on a ship near the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa has killed at least 10 people, while Ukraine has launched hundreds of drones to attack Moscow, a day after Kyiv was hit by one of the heaviest barrages of ballistic missiles of the war. Russia struck a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship carrying corn with a crew from India and Syria, Ukraine's seaports authority said on Monday. Officials said eight crew members had been rescued. "Since the beginning of July, the Odesa region was under constant daily shelling. There were days when 13 to 15 air raid alerts had been announced in the region," Kiper told Ukrainian television.