News worth talking about.
The day’s news from outlets across the spectrum, side by side. Follow what you care about, vote on what matters and have your say.
iPhones can flag saved passwords found in leaked data
- An iPhone warning does not prove an account was hacked.
- Apple checks saved passwords for leaks, weakness and reuse.
- Change affected passwords on the websites and across reused accounts.
Apple’s iPhone can warn users when saved passwords match credentials found in leaked data or are weak or reused. An alert does not mean the iPhone was hacked or that an account was accessed, but it signals that the password could put an account at risk. The Passwords…
Private school teacher defends giving pupil book containing sex, nudity and drugs pictures saying A-level students are ‘young adults’
- Teacher gave a vulnerable pupil books with graphic images.
- Panel found three instances of unacceptable professional conduct.
- She was not banned from teaching, but the panel warned of repeat risk.
A Teaching Regulation Agency panel found private school photography teacher Fiona Simpson guilty of unacceptable professional conduct after she gave a vulnerable A-level pupil books containing graphic images of sex, nudity and drug use. The panel said the central concern was her apparent disregard for the pupil’s needs,…
National Trust members back search for bank aligned with climate commitments
- National Trust members backed a search for a new bank.
- The motion passed by 53,256 votes to 4,094.
- Major UK banks can still bid, and the process may take a year to begin.
The National Trust has voted overwhelmingly to start a competitive process to find a new banking partner, following years of criticism over Barclays’ financing of fossil fuel expansion. The decision matters because the charity says climate change and nature loss threaten the places it cares for, and members…
US midterms: Not even Trump’s Israel aid stunt could rescue the Republicans
- Trump’s Israel aid announcement failed to turn the midterms for Republicans.
- 52 per cent of adults said US aid to Israel is too high.
- The annual package is only part of wider US military support.
Donald Trump announced on US election day that the country would end its annual military aid to Israel, a move the article describes as an attempt to help Republicans facing difficult midterm races. The announcement did not prevent major Democratic gains, and the result suggests that support for…
Ivy League daughter sparks fury for flaunting cruel ‘Tax the Poor’ shirt during economic crisis
- A “Tax The Poor” shirt worn by Constanza Peña went viral.
- The backlash came as Ueno Bank customers struggled to access funds.
- Paraguay’s Senate removed her father, Santiago Peña, from office.
Constanza Peña, the 21-year-old daughter of Paraguay’s former president, drew criticism after a photo showed her wearing a “Tax The Poor” T-shirt. The image spread online amid a financial crisis in Paraguay and anger over the collapse of Ueno Bank, whose customers have been unable to access their…
Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc to have penalties
- Verstappen starts from the back in São Paulo.
- Hamilton and Leclerc each receive 10-place penalties.
- Interlagos will host F1 until 2035.
Max Verstappen will start the São Paulo Grand Prix from the back of the grid, while Ferrari team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc each face a 10-place drop. The penalties follow changes to engine components and could shape the race, with rain also forecast at Interlagos. Mercedes driver…
Vetting candidates is a tricky process but Reform can’t seem to get it right
- Reform faces fresh scrutiny over vetting.
- Several party-linked people have faced charges.
- The party says its checks include interviews and speeches.
Reform UK is facing renewed questions about its candidate and staff vetting after several people linked to the party have faced serious charges or scrutiny over past remarks. The cases have highlighted the difficulty of building reliable internal checks while expanding quickly, and have frustrated Nigel Farage, who…
LA’s newer, bluer wave: Nithya Raman leads way as city’s progressives make their mark
- Nithya Raman defeated Karen Bass to become Los Angeles mayor.
- DSA-backed candidates won offices across the region.
- Volunteers canvassed more than 110,000 doors.
Nithya Raman won the Los Angeles mayoral race, defeating incumbent Karen Bass in a major victory for the city’s progressive wing. Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates also gained posts across the area, extending the group’s influence in local and national politics. The group said it secured its largest-ever…
‘Life-changing’: parents welcome £10m UK play centre for disabled children
- Gympanzees is a new specialist play centre near Bristol.
- The £10m project has £400,000 left to raise.
- Its facilities are designed around disabled children’s needs.
Gympanzees, a £10m purpose-built play and leisure centre near Bristol, is preparing to open for disabled children who often cannot use ordinary playgrounds. Founder Stephanie Wheen says the centre is designed to give families access to exercise, play and social activities that are frequently unavailable to them. The…
Jason Statham’s Leaked Action Movie Officially Goes From Box Office Flop to No. 1
- *Mutiny* earned $30 million at the global box office.
- The film has spent over 50 days on Amazon’s domestic chart.
- Its audience score is 85%, compared with 49% from critics.
Jason Statham’s action film *Mutiny* underperformed in cinemas but has since found a substantial audience on Prime Video. The contrast highlights how a film’s fortunes can change after its cinema run, despite a pre-release leak that may have affected its box office. Directed by Jean-François Richet and also…
AI is accelerating attacks as companies struggle to secure systems
- AI is helping attackers find and exploit vulnerabilities.
- A compromised plugin reached 5,000 companies.
- Stamos expects a difficult transition as defences catch up.
Cybersecurity expert Alex Stamos says AI is helping both private and state-backed attackers find and exploit weaknesses faster, while companies struggle to defend their systems. He warns that the industry is entering a disruptive period, likening it to the early days of the internet, when many systems were…
Most homes can manage with a budget router, depending on broadband and needs
- A router cannot exceed the speed of your broadband plan.
- Wi-Fi 6 suits many homes with several users and devices.
- Wi-Fi 7 is most useful with compatible devices and fast fibre.
Most households can use a router costing under $100, as buying a high-end model will not make an internet connection faster than the broadband plan allows. The choice matters because advertised top speeds are often theoretical, and many devices cannot use the newest Wi-Fi standards. The article says…
Mass Effect composer Sam Hulick releases his ‘re-scored’ trailer for N7 Day, ‘my way of saying goodbye… at least for now’
- Sam Hulick released his own score for a leaked Mass Effect trailer.
- The music blends familiar trilogy sounds with new approaches.
- BioWare asked him to work on an internal demo, with no further commitment.
Sam Hulick has released a re-scored version of a leaked trailer for Mass Effect: Universe, using it to show how he might approach music for a new game. The project is a personal interpretation rather than an official soundtrack, but it matters because BioWare previously invited Hulick to…
Linux on the desktop marches on as GOG announces its Galaxy client is getting a revamp headed to Windows, macOS, and your distro of choice
- GOG Galaxy is due for a revamp in 2027.
- The updated client is coming to Linux, Windows and macOS.
- Offline installers will remain available, and GOG also announced GOG Social.
GOG has announced that it will revamp its Galaxy game launcher in 2027 and bring it to Linux, alongside updated versions for Windows and macOS. The move could make the client more useful across PC platforms, while adding a prominent games storefront to Linux’s growing set of gaming…
GTA 6’s PS5 Physical Edition Revealed in First Photo
- GTA 6’s PS5 case contains a download code, not a disc.
- Boxed copies go on sale 12 November.
- The game’s pre-load is 212GB.
A first photo of GTA 6’s PS5 boxed edition has appeared online, revealing that the case will contain a download code rather than a disc. The format lets buyers have a physical case, but its use of plastic without a disc raises questions about packaging waste as games…
In 1980, John Lennon wrote his final song. Decades later, Ringo Starr finally finished it
- Lennon left a demo of “Grow Old With Me”.
- Ringo Starr recorded it in 2019.
- Starr said hearing Lennon’s voice moved him.
John Lennon left a demo of “Grow Old With Me”, a tender song about lasting love, before his death in 1980. Decades later, Ringo Starr recorded it, completing a song Lennon had intended for him and giving listeners a new way to hear Lennon’s unfinished work. Starr said…
3 Classic Pop Songs That Remind 70s Teens of Being Young
- Three hits evoke teenage life in the 1970s.
- “ABC” sold two million copies in its first US week.
- “Silly Love Songs” was Paul McCartney’s 27th US No. 1.
The article revisits three pop hits associated with teenagers growing up in the 1970s: “ABC” by the Jackson 5, “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest and “Silly Love Songs” by Wings. Their chart success and lasting popularity show how these songs became part of the era’s youth…
Fireworks says routing tasks across models can reduce AI costs
- Fireworks advocates routing tasks across multiple AI models.
- It says better GPU utilisation can reduce inference costs.
- Its router weighs task difficulty and model strengths.
Fireworks AI says companies can cut AI inference costs by routing requests to a portfolio of models, matching each task to the model best suited to handle it. Its VP, Rob Ferguson, argues that this managed approach can make better use of costly computing hardware than running a…
BetMGM bonus code POSTBET: Get up to $1,500 back in bonus bets for Kentucky vs. Tennessee
- BetMGM offers up to $1,500 in bonus bets for a first losing wager.
- Use code POSTBET; the offer is for new customers in eligible locations.
- Kentucky is ranked No. 8 ahead of its game against Tennessee.
BetMGM is promoting a sign-up offer for new customers ahead of Saturday’s college football game between Kentucky and Tennessee. The promotion refunds a first losing bet as bonus bets, while the article also highlights Kentucky’s strong season and Tennessee’s recent results. Eligible first-time users can wager between $10…
Social Security’s dirty secret: You weren’t supposed to live long enough to collect it
- Germany introduced a fixed-age state pension in 1889.
- Bismarck used pensions to ease fears about old age.
- The article links the policy to countering socialism.
The article traces the origins of state pensions to Germany in 1889, when Chancellor Otto von Bismarck established a fixed age for receiving payments. It argues that pensions helped ease worries about old age and weaken support for socialist policies. Bismarck led Germany during its rise as the…