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Jack Clark describes ‘vertiginous sense of progress’ and ‘profound changes’ to society alongside risks of technologyAn AI system will work with humans to make a Nobel prize-winning discovery within 12 months and tradespeople will be helped by bipedal robots in two years, according to the co-founder of Anthropic.Jack Clark described a “vertiginous sense of progress” in the technology and made a series of predictions, including that companies run solely by AIs would be generating millions of dollars in revenue within 18 months, and that by the end of 2028, AI systems would be able to design their own successors. Continue reading...

Water minister Rose Jackson calls drying in Gwydir region ‘devastating’ as bill passes upper house Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereWater flows to parched New South Wales wetlands where an urgent rescue mission to save dying wildlife unfolded are a step closer to resuming after legislation passed the state parliament’s upper house.The water minister, Rose Jackson, told the parliament on Thursday night the impact of a halt to water flows in the internationally significant Gwydir region had been “devastating” as she introduced legislative amendments she said would allow flows to resume.Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...

• A Northwestern University study tracked 130,267 babies born in Georgia in 2017, finding 796 fathers died within five years through 2022, with 60% of deaths preventable. • Preventable causes included homicide (143 deaths), accidental injury (142), suicide (102), and overdose (93), compared to 296 natural cause deaths, disproportionately affecting men in their 20s to early 40s. • Researchers highlight paternal mortality as a neglected crisis tied to parenthood transition, calling it a 'huge, missed opportunity' for intervention.

• The United States national debt has reached $38,967,833,861,543 as of May 1, 2026, driven by continued spending by the White House and Congress. • The debt is on track to double over the next three decades amid fiscal pressures and ongoing government expenditures. • This trajectory reflects a critical macroeconomic challenge as American taxpayers face increasing obligations tied to the nation's long-term fiscal sustainability.

Exclusive: Greater Manchester mayor said to have identified seats where MPs would step aside to allow leadership bidAndy Burnham has a credible plan to return to Westminster “within weeks”, his allies have said, with the Greater Manchester mayor expected to use a byelection fight to set out a new agenda for government.Burnham, who was blocked by Labour’s ruling body from running in February’s Gorton and Denton byelection, has identified several seats where MPs are prepared to step aside for his leadership bid. Continue reading...

Long-running dispute could be resolved as improved offer is made to workers, who first began strike in January 2025The end of the year-long Birmingham bin strike is now “within sight”, the city council leader has said after committing to an improved offer for refuse workers.On Monday, John Cotton, the Labour leader of Birmingham city council, said a new, improved offer could be made to workers that he hoped would “end the strike once and for all”. Continue reading...

Summer flights and holidays may also be at risk, says the Airports Council International European airports have said jet fuel shortages could hit the summer holiday season, if oil supplies do not start to flow through the strait of Hormuz within the next three weeks.Airports Council International (ACI) Europe wrote to Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU transport commissioner, saying the bloc is three weeks away from shortages. Continue reading...