Oil prices rise amid fears of US strikes on Iran – as it happened

Oil prices are on the rise as traders react to growing concerns that the US could launch military action against Iran.Both the US and Iran embark on military posturing despite trying to de-escalate a standoff over Tehran’s nuclear programme.Brent crude is up 1.55% at $71.44 a barrelWTI is up 1

Is Tim Wilson an ‘inflation nutter’? Why the new shadow treasurer’s RBA comments are making waves

There was good news on Thursday.Another solid month of jobs growth left the unemployment rate steady at 4.1% in January.The impressive resilience of Australia’s jobs market has been the positive story of the post-pandemic economy.We have come out the other side of the global health crisis and a once-in-a-generation inflationary event with a jobless rate that has tracked consistently one percentage point below where it was through the dog days of the late 2010s

Tell us: have you ever used AI to navigate everyday life and social relationships?

Lots of people now use chatbots as personal assistants, not just for work but in everyday life and social interactions. We want to hear your stories about the ways you’re using chatbots to navigate your social life or significant life decisions.Have you ever drafted a breakup text using AI? Or crafted a message to delicately cancel plans? Have you consulted AI on whether to take, or quit, a job? Or sought advice from a chatbot on a tricky friendship or relationship?Did that advice work, or backfire?Tell us about it in the form below or by messaging us. Please include as much detail as possible. Please include as much detail as possible

Digital blackface flourishes under Trump and AI: ‘The state is bending reality’

Late last year, as a US government shutdown cut off the Snap benefits that low-income families rely on for groceries, videos on social media cast the fallout in frantic scenes. “Imma keep it real with you,” a Black woman said in a viral TikTok post, “I get over $2,500 a month in stamps. I sell ’em, $2,000 worth, for about $1,200-$1,500 cash.” Another Black woman ranted about taxpayers’ responsibility to her seven children with seven men, and yet another melted down after her food stamps were rejected at a corn-dog counter.Visible watermarks stamped some videos as AI-generated – apparently, too faintly for the racist commentators and hustlers more than happy to believe the frenzy was real

Itoje warns against ‘corrosive’ social media after racist abuse of Edogbo

The England captain, Maro Itoje, has warned of the corrosive effect of social media on professional athletes and wider society before the crucial Six Nations encounter with Ireland on Saturday.Itoje will win his 100th England cap at Twickenham in what has become a must-win game for the hosts after last weekend’s deflating defeat by Scotland at Murrayfield. The buildup has been marred by racist abuse on social media of the Ireland second row Edwin Edogbo, after the 23-year-old made his debut from the replacements’ bench in their win against Italy in round two.Itoje said the abuse of Edogbo was “incredibly sad” and spelled out the danger of the online world, explaining why he believes the wider damage it is causing will become clear. “Social media has been a force for good in many ways but it’s also been a force for negativity in a lot of other ways,” Itoje said

Jordan Stolz’s bid for four speed-skating golds crumbles in 1500m as Ning Zhongyan shines

On an afternoon when the Olympic record kept falling, Jordan Stolz skated fast enough to win the gold at any other Winter Games. Just not this one.The 21-year-old American was foiled in his bid for a third gold medal in eight days on Thursday, winning silver in the 1500m in a time of 1:42.75 after lowering the Olympic marks in the 1000m last Wednesday and the 500m on Saturday and threatening to become only the second American to win more than two golds in any sport at a single Winter Games.China’s Ning Zhongyan was the surprise gold medalist, crossing in an Olympic-record time of 1:41