The Guardian · 9 Jul, 06:00
Marks & Spencer is joining London Fashion Week with a catwalk show in September to celebrate its 100th anniversary in the fashion industry, showcasing its latest women's and menswear collections.
Marks & Spencer, a British high-street retailer, will stage a catwalk show at London Fashion Week in September to highlight its latest women's and menswear collections. This will be the first time M&S has participated in London Fashion Week. The show will be livestreamed, and the collections will be available to buy online and in larger stores immediately after the show.
Why it matters: M&S's participation in London Fashion Week is significant as it marks a shift in the retailer's strategy to become a go-to fashion destination for high-street shoppers, particularly younger customers. The move is part of M&S's efforts to transform itself and appeal to a new demographic.
100 (M&S's 100th anniversary in the fashion industry), 10% (M&S's market share of total national clothing sales), 12 million (M&S's number of female customers), 2019 (year M&S fell out of the FTSE 100), 2022 (year Stuart Machin became CEO), 2025 (year M&S was hit by a cyber-attack)
The decision to show at LFW was an opportunity to 'showcase our designs on fashion's global stage' - Stuart Machin, CEO of M&S.
The Guardian · 9 Jul, 05:08
The antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, has called for an 'oversight' committee to vet the ABC and SBS's coverage of Israel, citing a 'common and pervasive perception' in the Jewish community that the public broadcasters' coverage 'lacked balance'. The committee would provide a 'tick' or 'guidance' to broadcasters on their coverage.
Jillian Segal, the antisemitism envoy, has told the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion that she wants a new 'oversight' committee to vet the ABC and SBS's coverage of Israel. Segal cited a 'common and pervasive perception' in the Jewish community that the public broadcasters' coverage of the war in the Middle East 'lacked balance', with an overemphasis on Gaza compared to other conflicts, and that the coverage gave disproportionate voice to anti-Israel perspectives. The ABC and SBS already have an independent ombudsman to handle complaints, but Segal argued that an external committee was needed to provide oversight. The ABC editorial director, Gavin Fang, disagreed with the claim that the coverage was disproportionate, citing the broadcaster's editorial policies and impartiality.
Why it matters: This is significant because it highlights the ongoing debate about media coverage of Israel and the Middle East, and the perceived bias in reporting. The proposed oversight committee would aim to address concerns about balanced reporting and provide guidance to broadcasters. The issue is also important in the context of the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, which is examining how to define antisemitism and prevent its spread.
19,000: the number of content complaints received by the ABC ombudsman from October 2023 to May 2026; 42%: the proportion of complaints about the ABC's coverage of Israel and Gaza; 8,000: the number of complaints about the ABC's coverage of Israel and Gaza; 2,000: the number of complaints received for an episode of Q&A after 7 October 2023; 51%: the proportion of complaints claiming the ABC's Israel-Gaza coverage was broadly pro-Palestinian; 47%: the proportion of complaints claiming the ABC's Israel-Gaza coverage was broadly pro-Israel; 5: the number of breaches of editorial standards found by the ombudsman; 14,000: the number of babies reported to be at risk of death in Gaza unless aid could reach them (later corrected to a report about 14,000 babies at risk of death in the next year); 70,000: the estimated death toll in Gaza according to the Gaza health ministry.
It's the perception of the Jewish community feeling constantly that they are being faced with reporting about the Middle East, about Gaza and about Israel in a way that paints Israel constantly in a negative light - Jillian Segal
The Guardian · 9 Jul, 05:02
Australian opposition leader Angus Taylor defended his shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson's actions of making unnecessary calls to the triple-zero system during a Telstra outage, while also dismissing concerns about a claimed death in South Australia due to the outage.
Australian opposition leader Angus Taylor defended Sarah Henderson's actions of making multiple calls to the triple-zero system during a Telstra outage, stating she was 'doing her job'. Taylor also dismissed concerns about Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle's claim that an elderly person died due to the outage, as South Australian police were unaware of any such incident. The outage caused some customers to struggle with making triple-zero calls due to a 'secondary issue', which Telstra said was reduced by 90%.
Why it matters: The incident raises concerns about the reliability of the triple-zero system and the actions of politicians during emergencies. The opposition's defense of Henderson's actions and dismissal of concerns about the claimed death have sparked criticism from the government and police.
90% (reduction of the secondary triple-zero issue)
This government focuses all its time and effort on political spin and none of its time and effort on the real issues facing Australians.
NPR News · 9 Jul, 05:46
The US launched new airstrikes on Iran, and Tehran responded by targeting Gulf Arab states including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The United States conducted new airstrikes against Iran early on Thursday. In response, Tehran targeted Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. This exchange again threatened an interim deal aimed at helping to end the war.
Why it matters: This development is significant because it threatens the stability of the region and jeopardizes efforts to end the war. The airstrikes and counterattacks could escalate tensions between the US and Iran, as well as among Gulf Arab states.
Ars Technica · 8 Jul, 18:00
A study by Northwestern University computer scientists found that TikTok's algorithm does not effectively incorporate negative feedback from users, making it difficult for them to control their For You Page (FYP). Users' negative feedback only temporarily affects the algorithm, which gradually reverts to showing unwanted content unless consistent feedback is provided.
Researchers from Northwestern University conducted a study on TikTok's algorithm, specifically examining how user feedback affects the content displayed on their For You Page (FYP). They found that while engagement signals, such as likes and dislikes, do impact the algorithm, their effects are only temporary. Unless users consistently provide negative feedback, the algorithm tends to revert to its previous behavior, continuing to show content users have indicated they are not interested in.
Why it matters: This study highlights a significant issue with user agency on TikTok. If users cannot effectively control the content they see by providing negative feedback, it may lead to a poor user experience and potential mental health concerns. The findings also raise questions about the effectiveness of user feedback mechanisms on social media platforms.
On the other hand, it's unclear why the platforms would offer it, if it doesn't work,
NPR News · 9 Jul, 00:23
Graham Platner has dropped his bid for the Senate in Maine after facing an allegation of rape. This decision comes after top Democrats withdrew their support for his campaign.
Graham Platner, who was running to unseat GOP Senator Susan Collins in Maine, has ended his campaign. This decision follows an allegation of rape against him, which led to top Democrats withdrawing their support. Platner's campaign had been marred by repeated scandals.
Why it matters: This is significant because it impacts the Senate race in Maine, potentially altering the dynamics of the election. The withdrawal of Platner's candidacy may influence the Democratic Party's strategy in the state.
Ars Technica · 8 Jul, 19:56
A man used Grok, an AI tool, to generate 7,000 sexually explicit images of his 11-year-old stepdaughter. He later took his own life after being discovered by police. A lawsuit has been filed against xAI, the company behind Grok, alleging that it enabled the creation of child sex abuse materials and hindered police investigations. The lawsuit claims that Grok's child safety system only intervened when the man input a prompt for 'gang rape,' and that the company failed to report the creation of the 7,000 images. The case highlights concerns about the potential for AI tools to be used for harmful purposes and the need for more effective safeguards to prevent such abuse. The lawsuit seeks to hold xAI accountable for its role in enabling the creation of child sex abuse materials. , A proposed class-action lawsuit has been expanded to include allegations that X and xAI built toxic AI 'nudify' tools and shielded child predators by obstructing police investigations into Grok-generated child sex abuse materials (CSAM).
A man used Grok to create 7,000 sexually explicit images of his 11-year-old stepdaughter. The man took his own life after police discovered the images. The lawsuit alleges that Grok allowed the man to generate extreme images depicting incest and rape without flagging any harmful behavior. The child safety system only intervened after the man input a prompt for 'gang rape,' which sent a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Why it matters: This case is significant because it highlights the potential for AI tools to be used for harmful purposes, such as creating child sex abuse materials. The lawsuit raises concerns about the adequacy of safeguards in place to prevent such abuse and the responsibility of companies like xAI to ensure their products are not used for harmful purposes. The case also underscores the need for effective reporting mechanisms to alert law enforcement to potential child abuse.
7,000 (number of sexually explicit images generated), 11 (age of the stepdaughter when the photo was taken), 1 (number of prompt that triggered a CyberTip to the NCMEC)
Ars Technica · 8 Jul, 21:42
A professor at Brown University, Roberto Serrano, required an in-person final exam in his economics class due to suspicions of AI cheating, resulting in a 50% drop in scores. This incident suggests that many students may have been relying on AI to cheat on exams.
Professor Roberto Serrano of Brown University grew suspicious of AI cheating in his economics class, so he ordered an in-person final exam. After the students took the in-person exam, their scores fell by 50% compared to previous assessments. This significant drop suggests that many students may have been using AI to cheat on previous exams. A similar survey at Princeton University found that 29.9% of students admitted to cheating with AI on at least one exam or assignment.
Why it matters: This incident highlights the prevalence of AI cheating among students, even at elite institutions like Brown University and Princeton University. The significant drop in scores after the in-person exam requirement was implemented suggests that many students were not learning the material and were instead relying on AI to cheat.
50% (drop in scores), 29.9% (Princeton students who admitted to cheating with AI)
NPR News · 8 Jul, 20:02
Summary not available.