Marks and Spencer resumes online clothing orders after 46-day cyberattack disruption
Shares in the British retailer rose 3 per cent after it restarted standard home delivery in England, Scotland and Wales for most of its clothing range.
M&S had initially disclosed on April 22 that it was managing a 'cyber incident'.
MARKS AND SPENCER (M&S) resumed online clothing orders on Tuesday, 46 days after suspending services due to a cyberattack.
Shares in the British retailer rose 3 per cent after it restarted standard home delivery in England, Scotland and Wales for most of its clothing range.
"It's not the full range at the moment, we've focused on best sellers and newness," an M&S spokesperson said. "We'll be bringing product online everyday so customers will see that grow over the coming days."
M&S said delivery to Northern Ireland will resume in the "coming weeks", along with click and collect, next-day delivery, nominated-day delivery and international ordering.
The company had stopped taking clothing and home orders on April 25 through its website and app after technical issues affected contactless payments and click and collect services during the Easter holiday weekend.
M&S had initially disclosed on April 22 that it was managing a "cyber incident".
Last month, the retailer said it expected online disruptions to continue into July and projected the cyberattack would lead to a loss of around 300 million pounds in operating profit in its 2025/26 financial year. It said it hopes to reduce the impact by half through insurance claims and cost controls.
The company said hackers accessed its systems by deceiving employees at a third-party contractor, bypassing its digital defences to carry out the attack.
Arora’s plan could involve a shorter runway, potentially avoiding the need to divert the M25 motorway and significantly reducing costs and time. (Photo: LinkedIn/Surinder Arora)
BILLIONAIRE hotel entrepreneur Surinder Arora has announced plans for a cheaper alternative to Heathrow Airport’s third runway, claiming he can deliver it for a third less than the airport’s own estimate.
Arora, one of Heathrow’s largest landowners, is partnering with US engineering company Bechtel to submit a proposal after aviation minister Mike Kane said the Government was open to alternative bids.
“The Government has asked for submissions this summer and we will be there,” Arora told The Telegraph. He said, “We can deliver the whole thing, and without a shadow of a doubt, we’d build it cheaper than Heathrow Airport Limited.”
Heathrow’s official proposal, based on the 2018 Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), would include a full-length 3,500m runway, with costs reported to have increased from £14 billion to between £42bn and £63bn.
Arora’s plan could involve a shorter runway, potentially avoiding the need to divert the M25 motorway and significantly reducing costs and time.
Airline executives have voiced concerns about the full-scale plan. A UK airline boss said the cost could raise ticket prices by £75 to £100.
Sir Tim Clark of Emirates supported the idea of a shorter runway and said he was against diverting the M25.
Heathrow Reimagined, a campaign including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, welcomed competition and alternative proposals.
The Department for Transport confirmed that no live planning application exists but stated it remains open-minded and will assess any new plans fairly.
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This event has also raised concerns about the reliability of AI tools like Grok
Elon Musk was forced to step in on Sunday after his artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, falsely claimed he had “taken” the wife of former Trump adviser Stephen Miller. The misleading statement came after a doctored screenshot circulated on X, formerly Twitter, appearing to show a personal exchange between Musk and Miller.
The fabricated post, supposedly from Miller, read: “We will take back America,” to which Musk allegedly replied, “Just like I took your wife.” The image was shared by a user on X, prompting them to ask Grok whether the exchange was real.
Grok misidentifies fake content
In response, Grok stated the post likely did exist but was deleted. It explained, “The engagement metrics and context align with Musk’s behaviour, but its deletion means direct verification is unavailable.” The chatbot concluded that while a fabricated screenshot was possible, “the evidence leans toward the post being real but removed, consistent with Musk’s pattern of deleting controversial posts.”
— (@)
Musk quickly responded to the thread to clarify the situation. “No, it’s fake ffs. I never posted this,” he wrote, dismissing Grok’s assessment.
Background on Katie Miller and DOGE
Katie Miller, who is married to Stephen Miller, previously served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security and worked as an aide to former Vice President Mike Pence. She also briefly held a position in Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a now-defunct political advisory unit.
While in DOGE, Katie Miller was said to have played a significant role in shaping Musk’s political messaging and media strategy. Her appointment marked a rare overlap between the worlds of Silicon Valley and Washington politics. Reports suggest that the Millers and Musk had a close working relationship during that time and socialised outside of work as well.
However, the relationship appears to have cooled, particularly after Musk’s public rift with former US president Donald Trump.
Tensions between Musk and Trump
The feud between Musk and Trump began when Trump criticised Musk for opposing his legislative proposal, referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill”, which aimed to cut subsidies for electric vehicles. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said he was “disappointed in Elon” and accused him of acting out due to the financial impact the bill would have on Tesla.
Musk retaliated by posting on X that Trump would have lost the last election without his support, claiming Democrats would control the House and Republicans would only have a 51–49 margin in the Senate. In a further post, Musk referenced the Epstein files, suggesting that Trump’s connections might be one reason why those documents have not been released publicly.
Musk unfollows Miller amid ongoing fallout
Amid the ongoing tension, Musk has reportedly unfollowed Stephen Miller on X. The incident involving Grok and the fabricated screenshot has only added fuel to the speculation that political alliances between Musk and former Trump allies are weakening.
This event has also raised concerns about the reliability of AI tools like Grok in verifying online information, especially when used by the public to assess political or personal claims involving high-profile individuals.
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Apple researchers evaluated several prominent generative AI systems
A new research paper from Apple has exposed serious shortcomings in the reasoning abilities of some of today’s most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Despite being marketed as powerful tools capable of solving complex problems, the study shows that these models still struggle with basic logical tasks, raising questions about the real capabilities of large language and reasoning models.
AI models fail child-level logic tests
Apple researchers evaluated several prominent generative AI systems, including ChatGPT, Claude, and DeepSeek, using classic problem-solving tasks. One of the tests was the well-known Tower of Hanoi puzzle, which requires moving discs across pegs while following specific rules.
While the puzzle is simple enough for a bright child to solve, most AI models failed when asked to handle scenarios involving more than seven discs. Accuracy fell below 80% with seven discs, and performance dropped even further with eight. According to co-lead author Iman Mirzadeh, the issue wasn't just solving the puzzle — it was that the models couldn’t follow a logical thought process even when given the solution algorithm.
“They fail to reason in a step-by-step, structured way,” he said, noting that the models’ approach was neither logical nor intelligent.
The myth of scaling exposed
The results challenge one of the AI industry’s most commonly held beliefs: that simply scaling models — making them larger and feeding them more data — will lead to better performance. Apple’s research provides strong evidence that this is not always true.
Gary Marcus, a well-known AI researcher and commentator, called the findings a reality check. Venture capitalist Josh Wolfe even coined a new verb, “to GaryMarcus”, meaning to critically debunk exaggerated claims about AI. The Apple study, Wolfe argued, had done exactly that by revealing the real limits of model reasoning.
Marcus has long argued that AI systems, particularly those based on neural networks, can only generalise within the data they’ve seen before. Once asked to work beyond that training distribution, they often break down — a pattern clearly confirmed in Apple’s tests.
AI is not yet a substitute for human logic
To be clear, even humans make errors on the more complex versions of the Tower of Hanoi. However, AI systems were supposed to improve on this, not replicate human flaws. As Marcus points out, artificial general intelligence (AGI) should combine human creativity with machine-level precision. But instead of outperforming people in logic and reliability, today’s large models still make basic errors.
Most AI models failed when asked to handle scenarios involving more than seven discsiStock
Apple’s results also support concerns raised by Arizona State University’s Subbarao Kambhampati, who has cautioned against assuming AI models reason like humans. In reality, they often skip steps or fail to understand the underlying principles of a problem, despite producing convincing-sounding answers.
Caution urged for businesses and society
The implications are significant for businesses looking to integrate AI into their operations. While models such as GPT-4, Claude, and others perform well in areas like writing, coding, and brainstorming, they remain unreliable for high-stakes decision-making. As Marcus points out, these systems can’t yet outperform classical algorithms in areas like database management, protein folding, or strategic games like chess.
This unpredictability limits how much society can rely on generative AI. While the technology will continue to be useful in supporting human tasks, it is far from being a replacement for human judgement or traditional rule-based systems in critical contexts.
The illusion of intelligence
Perhaps most concerning is how easily these models can appear more capable than they are. If an AI performs well on an easy test, users may assume it can handle more complex problems too. But Apple’s study shows this confidence can be misplaced. The same model that solves a four-disc puzzle may completely fail when asked to solve one with eight.
This illusion of intelligence could lead to overtrust in AI systems — something experts warn must be avoided if the technology is to be used responsibly.
Rethinking the future of AI
Despite the findings, Marcus remains optimistic about AI’s future, just not in its current form. He believes that hybrid approaches, combining classical logic with modern computing power, could eventually produce more reliable systems. But he is sceptical that current LLM-based systems are the answer.
The Apple paper shows that hype around generative AI has outpaced its real-world abilities. Until AI can reason in a consistent, logical manner — not just produce convincing text — it will remain limited in scope.
As researchers and developers reflect on these findings, one thing is clear: the path to truly intelligent machines will require more than just scaling up. It will demand smarter, better-designed models that prioritise reliability over illusion.
ChatGPT has experienced a significant outage, with OpenAI confirming widespread service disruptions affecting users. The chatbot, known for generating human-like responses and assisting with various queries, has grown rapidly since its launch in November 2022, becoming a widely used AI tool with approximately 500 million users globally.
The issue was first investigated at 7:36 am on Tuesday, with OpenAI later acknowledging the problem on its website at 11:30 am, stating: "Some users are experiencing elevated error rates and latency across the listed services. We are continuing to investigate this issue."
OpenAI addresses technical failure
Two hours after its initial statement, OpenAI reported that the root cause of the outage had been identified and that work was underway to implement a fix.
During the disruption, users encountered various error messages, including "Hmmm... something seems to have gone wrong," while others saw notifications stating "A network error occurred. Please check your connection and try again."
Many users also complained of longer response times, making interactions with the chatbot frustrating.
A growing AI powerhouse
OpenAI, currently valued at $300 billion, is among the world’s most valuable private companies. The firm reported in February 2025 that it had more than 400 million weekly active users, including 10 million paying subscribers on ChatGPT Plus.
Recently, OpenAI launched GPT-4o, an AI image-generation feature, which became available to free-tier users.
AI’s increasing role in society
The rise of AI has sparked ongoing debates about its impact on society. While some argue that it enhances efficiency by reducing time-consuming tasks, others worry that it could replace jobs and profit from human creativity.
There has also been concern over AI use in education, with reports of students using platforms like ChatGPT to assist with school and university work, raising academic integrity issues.
Preparing for an AI-driven future
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced new educational initiatives aimed at equipping secondary school students with AI-related skills to help them secure jobs in the evolving digital economy.
According to research by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), AI is projected to play a role in the jobs of around 10 million workers by 2035.
OpenAI continues to monitor the situation as it works on restoring ChatGPT's services for its global user base.
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At the heart of this redesign is a newly developed material called Liquid Glass
Apple has introduced a new software design across its platforms, aimed at making apps and system interactions more expressive, seamless, and engaging. The update brings a cohesive visual experience that spans across iOS 26 beta, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 261, providing users with a more fluid and immersive digital environment.
At the heart of this redesign is a newly developed material called Liquid Glass, which enhances the visual dynamism of apps, system elements, and user interfaces. This translucent material intelligently reflects and refracts surrounding content, creating a more vivid and intuitive experience while ensuring focus on essential elements.
Introducing Liquid Glass
Liquid Glass is inspired by Apple’s work on visionOS and incorporates advancements in hardware, silicon, and graphics technologies. The material is designed to mimic real-world glass, dynamically adapting to surrounding colours and transitioning seamlessly between light and dark environments.
Developed through collaboration between Apple’s design and engineering teams, Liquid Glass utilises real-time rendering, adjusting to movement with specular highlights that enhance visual depth. This results in a more immersive and responsive experience, whether using an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or Apple TV.
Apple introduces a delightful and elegant new software design
Apple previewed a new software design, crafted with Liquid Glass, that makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful.
- YouTubeYouTube/ Apple
The Liquid Glass aesthetic extends to small interactive elements, including buttons, sliders, switches, and text fields, as well as larger UI components, such as tab bars and sidebars. Users will notice these refinements in system experiences like the Lock Screen, Home Screen, notifications, and Control Centre.
Refinements to app design
Apple’s design update also brings a modernised approach to app layouts, ensuring greater harmony between hardware and software. The redesign eliminates rigid rectangular formatting in favour of soft, rounded edges, aligning app elements with the curved contours of modern Apple devices.
Navigation components, including toolbars, tab bars, and sidebars, have been refreshed using Liquid Glass, offering a layered visual effect that enhances interaction. When scrolling in iOS 26 beta, for example, tab bars seamlessly shrink to emphasise content, only expanding when users scroll back up.
In iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, sidebars now reflect and refract surrounding content, ensuring users maintain a sense of context while navigating apps. These refinements extend to core apps such as Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts, making interactions more intuitive and visually appealing.
System-wide enhancements
The new software design is integrated into core system elements across iOS 26 beta and Apple’s wider ecosystem. Updates to the Lock Screen, Home Screen, Dock, and widgets improve personalisation and accessibility, with Liquid Glass introducing specular highlights and dynamic colour adaptation.
On iPhones and iPads, the Lock Screen’s time display is now crafted from Liquid Glass, allowing it to fluidly adapt and fit elegantly behind wallpaper subjects.
On Macs, macOS Tahoe 26 enhances personalisation with widgets and app icons that adjust to light and dark appearances, custom tints, and a clear, refined look. The menu bar is now completely transparent, increasing the sense of screen space and visual depth.
A new opportunity for developers
For developers working with SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, Apple has introduced updated APIs to facilitate the integration of Liquid Glass into third-party apps.
These tools allow developers to leverage the new design elements, making interactions more fluid and engaging while preserving familiarity for users. With this update, Apple is encouraging developers to refresh their app designs, ensuring consistency with the next-generation interface introduced in iOS 26 beta.
The latest
Apple’s latest design update represents a significant leap forward in user interface aesthetics and functionality. With Liquid Glass at the core of iOS 26 beta and its companion platforms, the visual experience is more immersive, adaptive, and dynamic than ever before.
By combining seamless transitions, refined navigation, and optimised system elements, Apple has crafted a modern and visually engaging software design, reinforcing its commitment to delivering elegant and intuitive digital experiences.