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Republican bill would order ISPs, DNS providers, and VPNs to block piracy sites
US Republican Representative Darrell Issa has proposed legislation requiring major internet service providers, DNS providers and VPNs to block foreign websites primarily associated with copyright piracy. The bill would make it easier for copyright holders to obtain court orders, addressing complaints that existing notice-and-takedown procedures are too slow—particularly during live sports broadcasts and other time-sensitive…
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Candy Crush developers are planning a strike for next week
Staff at King, the developer of Candy Crush Saga, have issued a strike notice for 25 September following years of unsuccessful union contract negotiations. Swedish labour unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer notified management that unless a mediated agreement is reached, workers will strike. The action comes after King’s leadership rejected the unions’ proposed collective bargaining…
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IV drips used for “detoxification” actually filled with toxins; dozens poisoned
More than 30 people across four US states have been poisoned by bacterial endotoxins after receiving intravenous drips containing glutathione at wellness clinics, according to health authorities. The issue highlights the dangers of unregulated supplement practices in medical settings, particularly the use of glutathione marketed without scientific evidence for “detoxification” and other health claims, despite…
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Xbox’s clever disc-to-digital feature was 15 years in the making
Xbox has launched a disc-to-digital feature allowing users to convert physical game discs into digital copies, a capability that has taken 15 years to develop. The feature represents a significant shift as both major console makers move towards all-digital ecosystems, particularly following Sony’s announcement that it will discontinue PlayStation discs in 2028. It also underscores…
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Sandbanks property developer is cleared of strangling ‘Amazonian’ wife after she drew up divorce wish-list of £1m home, £35,000 Range Rover and £60,000 a year
Paul Pressland, a Sandbanks property developer, has been acquitted by a jury at Salisbury Crown Court of strangling his estranged wife Gemma Martin during a domestic row on 1 December 2024. The case centred on a dispute arising from the couple’s divorce proceedings, which became heated after hosting Martin’s parents for Sunday lunch. The jury…
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Afghan migrant who raped two 14-year-old girls at his flat after grooming them on Snapchat and plying them with vodka is jailed for 14 years
Sultani Bakatash, a 29-year-old Afghan migrant, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment at Bolton Crown Court following his conviction for raping two 14-year-old girls. He groomed one girl via Snapchat over three months before inviting both teenagers to his flat in Bolton on 6 December, where he plied them with vodka until they were unconscious…
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Microsoft configuration change leaves SharePoint pages drawing a blank
Microsoft rolled back a configuration change after it stopped some users loading SharePoint Online sites and pages on 16 September. The incident highlights the risks of deploying unvalidated changes to business-critical cloud services, particularly as Microsoft has experienced similar failures across Azure and Microsoft 365. The disruption lasted from 1604 to 1730 GMT and produced…
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A dolphin named Bubbles makes other fish vomit, then eats it
A male bottlenose dolphin named Bubbles at Lady Elliott Island off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has developed an unusual hunting strategy: he chases bigeye trevally fish, deliberately stressing them until they regurgitate their recently consumed meals, which he then eats. Researchers documented this behaviour in a new study published in Ecology and Evolution, finding that…
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Burnham’s talk of ‘breathing space’ at odds with reality of future Bank rate rises
Andy Burnham’s promise of “breathing space” for households is threatened by the prospect of higher Bank of England interest rates. Although the Bank held rates at 3.75%, Governor Andrew Bailey warned that prolonged conflict in the Middle East could force policymakers to tighten monetary policy as rising oil prices drive inflation higher. UK inflation reached…
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Homeowner whose views have been blocked by an illegal brick wall hits out as developer says he’ll replace it with frosted glass – meaning she still won’t be able to see the sea
Liz Bates has criticised a developer’s proposal to replace an unauthorised brick wall blocking her sea view with frosted glass. She says the alternative would still obstruct the view and that the development has reduced her flat’s value by about £50,000, while also affecting residents’ living conditions through noise, smells and overlooking concerns. The 16ft…