2 h. ago ‘I love you too!’ My family’s creepy, unsettling week with an AI toy

The cuddly chatbot Grem is designed to ‘learn’ your child’s personality, while every conversation they have is recorded, then transcribed by a third party. It wasn’t long before I wanted this experiment to be over ...‘I’m going to throw that thing into a river!” my wife says as she comes down the stairs looking frazzled after putting our four-year-old daughter to bed.To be clear, “that thing” is not our daughter, Emma*. It’s Grem, an AI-powered stuffed alien toy that the musician Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, helped develop with toy company Curio. Designed for kids aged three and over and built with OpenAI’s technology, the toy is supposed to “learn” your child’s personality and have fun, educational conversations with them. It’s advertised as a healthier alternative to screen time and is part of a growing market of AI-powered toys. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Americans have 400 days to save their democracy | Timothy Garton Ash

I never thought I’d see fear spread so far and fast. Next year’s midterm elections are now crucial for the Democratic party – and for democrats everywhereI return to Europe from the US with a clear conclusion: American democrats (lowercase d) have 400 days to start saving US democracy. If next autumn’s midterm elections produce a Congress that begins to constrain Donald Trump there will then be a further 700 days to prepare the peaceful transfer of executive power that alone will secure the future of this republic. Operation Save US Democracy, stages 1 and 2.Hysterical hyperbole? I would love to think so. But during seven weeks in the US this summer, I was shaken every day by the speed and executive brutality of President Trump’s assault on what had seemed settled norms of US democracy and by the desperate weakness of resistance to that assault. There’s a growing body of international evidence to suggest that once a liberal democracy has been eroded, it’s very difficult to restore i...

Politics

6 h. ago Fears grow that other senior Tory MPs will join Reform as defector Danny Kruger declares the Conservatives are over

Fears of a Conservative exodus are growing within the party after one of its key thinkers quit to join Reform UK.

Politics

6 h. ago Lawsuit dismissed in funding dispute over kinship caregiver law in Kentucky

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's administration over a kinship caregiver law funding dispute

Politics

7 h. ago Potential Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham says Sir Keir Starmer must not 'water down' long

The Mayor of Greater Manchester - backed by some Labour rebels as a potential replacement for the under-fire PM - said he would be 'unflinching' in speaking out for the much-delayed legislation.

Politics

7 h. ago Bill to scrap not proven verdict will lead to ‘clearer’ system for Scotland

Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance spoke out ahead of ‘landmark’ legislation to abolish the controversial verdict facing its final hurdle.

Politics

9 h. ago Jimmy Thelin tells misfiring Aberdeen stars what needs to come now as quality not the issue

The Dons have been anything but dandy this season, failing to score a league goal, sitting bottom and putting just one point on board

Politics

10 h. ago Rangers board stance on Russell Martin could unravel as Andy Halliday reveals how fans could force change

Martin has endured a nightmare start to life at Ibrox and fans already want him out after just 12 games

Politics

11 h. ago Within hours of coming down with flu, little Lorelei succumbed to a deadly brain condition

A healthy girl who doted on her cuddly Winnie-the-Pooh bear, Lorelei Cowmeadow seemed 'a bit under the weather' last November. She died a few days later - just before her second birthday.

Events

11 h. ago Sue Cleaver reveals 'constant worry' as she makes rare comments about son

Sue Cleaver has admitted she faces "constant worry" as she opened up in a rare admission about her son, who is celebrating a huge birthday this week

Politics

12 h. ago Royal Family 'snubs' Prince Harry on his 41st birthday days after reunion with King Charles

The Palace appeared to snub the Duke of Sussex's birthday celebrations by failing to publicly acknowledge his 41st. The Royal Family Instagram account was abuzz with updates on Trump's arrival

Politics

12 h. ago ‘Prime minister Andy Burnham’ is not the answer to Labour’s woes

Editorial: Keir Starmer’s government may have broken the spirit of what it pledged in its winning election manifesto, but an alternative administration led by the soft-left mayor of Greater Manchester would represent a repudiation of it. The parliamentary party needs to calm down

Politics

13 h. ago Meghan shares throwback photo of Prince Harry to mark his birthday

“Oh hi, Birthday Boy,” the duchess captioned the post

Politics

13 h. ago Who could be the next Prime Minister? Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting among bookies' favourites

Should Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership topple, Streeting and Burnham are just two of the names being thrown in the hat to proceed him

Politics

13 h. ago Rasmus Hojlund supported by Marcus Rashford and Man United stars after eight

Marcus Rashford assisted a first Barcelona goal this weekend, while Rasmus Hojlund scored 14 minutes into his Napoli debut, firing past Fiorentina's David de Gea.

Politics

13 h. ago Meghan shares image of Harry from before they met to mark his 41st birthday

The Duchess of Sussex shared a photograph of her husband from his 31st birthday, a year before they met.

Politics

14 h. ago Andy Cohen signs new deal with SiriusXM a week after pranking Howard Stern listeners

The ‘Watch What Happens Live’ host has signed a three year extension

Economics

14 h. ago Within hours of coming down with flu, little Lorelei was dead. Her parents had no idea what was wrong, until they discovered she had this deadly, little

A healthy girl who doted on her cuddly Winnie-the-Pooh bear, Lorelei Cowmeadow seemed 'a bit under the weather' last November. She died a few days later - just before her second birthday.

Events

14 h. ago ‘Oh hi, Birthday Boy’: Meghan shares throwback picture of young Prince Harry as he turns 41

Meghan shared a picture of Harry from just after he had left the army, along with the caption: ‘Oh hi, Birthday Boy’

Politics

15 h. ago Who are the other potential Tory defectors to Reform UK? Other top Conservatives are tipped to join Nigel Farage's party following Danny Kruger's switch

Reform leader Nigel Farage said Danny Kruger would head up his party's efforts to prepare for Government.

Economics