‘Alright mate?’: Amazon pins UK hopes on AI upgrade of Alexa
Photograph: Amazon View image in fullscreen Alexa+ is launching in the UK for a limited time for eight years of compatible devices. Photograph: Amazon ‘Alright mate?’: Amazon pins UK hopes on AI upgrade of Alexa Long-awaited Alexa+ aims to get...
These roaches form exclusive long-term relationships after eating each other's wings
NPR Science LISTEN & FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link Science These roaches form exclusive long-term relationships after eating each other's wings March 18, 2026 9:21 AM ET Ari Daniel A new...
HelloFresh hit by sales slump as people lose appetite for meal kits
Total orders slumped 12% last year compared with 2024 as the number of meals HelloFresh delivered tumbled by more than 100m. Photograph: Kristoffer Tripplaar/Alamy View image in fullscreen Total orders slumped 12% last year compared with 2024 as the number...
Ad for AI editing app which said it could 'remove anything' banned
Ad for AI editing app which said it could 'remove anything' banned 15 minutes ago Share Save Daniel Thomas Senior tech reporter Share Save Getty Images An advert for a video and image editing tool that implied viewers could digitally...
Triple-junction solar cells with improved carrier and photon management | Nature
Sargent Authors Kerem Artuk View author publications Search author on: PubMed Google Scholar Deniz Turkay View author publications Search author on: PubMed Google Scholar Austin Kuba View author publications Search author on: PubMed Google Scholar Stefan Riemelmoser View author publications...
Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones
Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones March 17, 2026 1:06 PM ET Eleanor Beardsley Ukrainian towns turn to drone nets to try stop deaths Listen · 3:49 3:49 Transcript Toggle more options Download...
The Guardian view on SUVs: London’s mayor is right to push back on supersize cars
‘For those inside SUVs, they offer more space and a higher vantage point. But for those on the outside, they have obvious downsides.’ Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian View image in fullscreen ‘For those inside SUVs, they offer more space and...
Nvidia faces gamer backlash over 'breakthrough' AI graphics feature
Nvidia faces gamer backlash over 'breakthrough' AI graphics feature Just now Share Save Daniel Thomas Senior tech reporter Share Save Nvidia A new feature from chip-maker Nvidia that promises cinematic-quality graphics using AI has prompted a backlash online, despite the...
Chris Bowen declares rush on jerry cans ‘un-Australian’ as he urges end to panic buying of petrol
Australia’s energy minister Chris Bowen says panic buying petrol should stop and the country’s fuel supplies have yet to be affected by the conflict in the Middle East. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP View image in fullscreen Australia’s energy minister Chris Bowen...
Tennessee teens sue Elon Musk's xAI over AI-generated child sexual abuse material
Technology Tennessee teens sue Elon Musk's xAI over AI-generated child sexual abuse material March 16, 2026 9:02 PM ET By Huo Jingnan Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, which makes the Grok chatbot, is being sued by teenagers who say...
UK housing costs rise 41% over five years for renters and owners, study shows
Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer View image in fullscreen Savills identified a large increase in sums being paid in mortgage interest, which grew by 9% in 2025 to £53.6bn. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer UK housing costs rise 41% over five years...
The women bringing chess into the 21st Century - with 'bullet' matches and viral videos
The women bringing chess into the 21st Century - with 'bullet' matches and viral videos 35 minutes ago Share Save Olga Sawczuk BBC World Service Share Save BBC Sarah El Barbry became a chess streamer in 2025 and has more...
Ukraine peace talks fizzle out as Trump’s focus shifts to Iran
Keep reading for ₩1000 What’s included Global news & analysis Expert opinion FT App on Android & iOS First FT: the day’s biggest stories 20+ curated newsletters Follow topics & set alerts with myFT FT Videos & Podcasts 10 additional...
Oscars 2026: What to expect, how to watch and who will win
Oscars 2026: What to expect, how to watch and who will win 14 minutes ago Share Save Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter Share Save Getty Images Irish actress Jessie Buckley is the favourite to win best actress for her performance in...
Queensland arts minister ignored recommendation that new theatre be named after poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal
Photograph: Darren England/AAP View image in fullscreen The arts minister, John-Paul Langbroek, said the government put the decision of what to call the new theatre ‘in the hands of Queenslanders’. Photograph: Darren England/AAP Queensland arts minister ignored recommendation that new...
The Guardian view on changes to copyright laws: authors should be protected over big tech
The back cover states: ‘The UK government must not legalise book theft to benefit AI companies.’ Photograph: Matthew Chattle/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen The back cover states: ‘The UK government must not legalise book theft to benefit AI companies.’ Photograph:...
Is Dubai's glossy image under threat? Not everyone thinks so
Not everyone thinks so 14 hours ago Share Save Sameer Hashmi Share Save AFP Dubai has built an appeal for being a stable oasis in a turbulent region Stephanie Baker had been celebrating her birthday with friends at a bar...
Sadiq Khan may give up armoured car as part of clampdown on SUVs in London
Sadiq Khan says large cars such as SUVs pose a greater danger to pedestrians, particularly children Photograph: Crispin Hughes/Alamy View image in fullscreen Sadiq Khan says large cars such as SUVs pose a greater danger to pedestrians, particularly children Photograph:...
Former Iranian diplomat was granted asylum in Australia after defecting
Mohammad Pournajaf was Tehran’s charge d’affaires in Canberra until at least 2023. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP View image in fullscreen Mohammad Pournajaf was Tehran’s charge d’affaires in Canberra until at least 2023. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Former Iranian diplomat was granted asylum...
'I missed my chemo and have a £12,000 hotel bill': British holidaymakers stranded by Iran war
'I missed my chemo and have a £12,000 hotel bill': British holidaymakers stranded by Iran war 59 minutes ago Share Save Danielle Codd , Business reporter and Jennifer Meierhans , Business reporter Share Save Andrea Pendrey Andrea Pendrey has missed...
Redress schemes for Post Office Horizon scandal have serious failings, MPs find
The MPs found offers for redress from the Horizon shortfall scheme, which is the largest of the three and administered by the Post Office, were routinely overturned and increased after an appeal. Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock View image in...
Estée Lauder sues Jo Malone over use of her name on Zara fragrance
Jo Malone has described her decision to sell the rights to her name as ‘biggest mistake of my life’. Photograph: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Jo Malone has described her decision to sell the rights to her name as...
More airlines hike flight prices as Iran war continues to disrupt oil supply
Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images More airlines hike flight prices as Iran war continues to disrupt oil supply Cathay Pacific, AirAsia and Thai Airways join Qantas in increasing prices, as travellers flock to airlines that don’t have Middle East stopovers Cathay...
No Nobles Day: Britain's Parliament boots its last hereditary Lords after 700 years
Europe No Nobles Day: Britain's Parliament boots its last hereditary Lords after 700 years March 11, 2026 12:56 PM ET By The Associated Press King Charles III reads the King's Speech in July 2024 as Queen Camilla sits beside him...
The article signals a symbolic shift in UK governance by eliminating hereditary Lords after 700 years, reinforcing merit-based representation and diminishing aristocratic influence in legislative oversight. While not directly IP-related, the reform underscores evolving democratic principles that may indirectly affect IP policy frameworks by promoting transparency and accountability in legislative processes. The compromise allowing some hereditary members to transition to life peers reflects a gradual, incremental reform trend that could inform broader institutional modernization debates, including potential parallels in IP governance reforms.
The removal of hereditary Lords in Britain marks a significant symbolic shift toward democratizing legislative representation, akin to evolving norms in intellectual property where merit-based recognition increasingly supplants historical privilege. In IP practice, the U.S. emphasizes patent eligibility and procedural fairness through administrative tribunals like the PTAB, while Korea prioritizes rapid examination and enforcement via specialized IP courts, aligning with global trends favoring efficiency and accessibility. Internationally, the trend mirrors broader democratic reforms: just as hereditary titles are being replaced by merit-based participation in governance, IP systems are adapting to prioritize equitable access, transparency, and performance-driven outcomes over entrenched institutional legacies. Each jurisdiction reflects a parallel evolution—from structural reform in governance to procedural recalibration in IP—toward institutional legitimacy grounded in merit rather than historical accident.
The article’s implications for practitioners extend beyond constitutional symbolism, as it reflects a broader shift toward merit-based governance frameworks—a principle applicable to IP systems where expertise and innovation merit, not inherited status, should dictate influence. Statutorily, this aligns with evolving interpretations of democratic participation under UK constitutional law, echoing analogous tensions in patent jurisprudence where procedural equity (e.g., USPTO’s PTAB reforms) balances historical precedent with modern fairness. Practitioners should monitor analogous shifts in IP procedural authority as institutional reforms redefine legitimacy and participation criteria.
Mother given wrong antibiotics died from sepsis
Mother given wrong antibiotics died from sepsis 7 hours ago Share Save Share Save PA Media Aleisha's mother said she was "an amazing mummy" to Xavier A young mother died from sepsis contributed to by NHS neglect after she was...
G7 welcomes potential record release of oil reserves in bid to curb soaring prices
G7 welcomes potential record release of oil reserves in bid to curb soaring prices 7 minutes ago Share Save Mitchell Labiak Business reporter Share Save Getty Images G7 nations have said they would support the collective release of oil from...
Wildlife to replace historical characters on banknotes
Wildlife to replace historical characters on banknotes 8 minutes ago Share Save Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent Share Save Getty Images British wildlife will replace historical characters on the next series of Bank of England banknotes - and the...
Two robodebt officials engaged in serious corrupt conduct, Nacc finds, but Scott Morrison cleared
Former Australian prime minister and social services minister Scott Morrison has been cleared of serious corrupt conduct over the robodebt scandal by the national anti-corruption commission. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP View image in fullscreen Former Australian prime minister and social services...
Keep calm and be transparent: advice from scientists who retracted their papers
Nature reached out to scientists who have openly retracted their studies, and asked about their experiences and lessons learnt. “I completely understand why people are scared about it,” but correcting the scientific literature is important, says Ivan Oransky, co-founder of...
