The court documents relating to the Anthropic case revealed the project of ingesting old books was referred to in internal company communications as “Project Panama.”

The documents indicated the company’s aim was to “destructively scan all the books in the world”.

Destructive scanning is the process of shipping books to locations where they can be digitised at an industrial scale.

It includes removing a book’s spine so all the pages can be scanned rapidly – and the remains recycled.

“A lot of mystery surrounds Project Panama,” Manley, from Barter Books, says.

“The name is new to me, but the reality of the project is not, and has been the subject of much discussion on the bookseller forums.”

He does not know that his books are being bought for it or similar projects by other AI firms.

But he says it’s also difficult to account for the sales, which appear random with “no rhyme or reason.”

They have varied from obscure Latin texts to cowboy novels.

Experts say the diverse subject matter also points to AI, as unusual and rare texts could provide fresh material to improve the training of large language models, the tech which underpins generative AI tools like chatbots.

Professor Emily Hudson, intellectual property specialist at Oxford University, says copyright laws in the UK are different to those in the US.

“The starting point in the UK is that all these acts of copying – creating the training library and doing the training – require the permission of the copyright owner,” she says.

The hot dog stand is offering 50% off its hot dogs during its anniversary week

While Cambridge has a range of independent and chain restaurants, there are also food vans and stalls dotted around the city. Hundreds of people walk past these food vans everyday, but many of those simply keep walking.

One of those has been running for nearly 40 years – far longer than I’ve been alive. To me, this means the food must be stellar for people to keep coming back – so I had to give it a go.

I spotted the cute little red van of the Hot Sausage Company parked up next to the Holy Trinity Church. I looked over the menu, which offered a regular hot dog and a regular with cheese and onion. You could also get larger hot dogs with the same fillings, or even a footlong if you’re feeling extra hungry.

For Cambridge, the food wasn’t badly priced either. A regular was £3.50 on its own, or £3.80 with cheese. It then cost £4.70 for a large sausage, or £5.40 for a footlong.

I went for the regular with cheese and onion. I went to order and the friendly owner said if I was in Cambridge the week starting August 17, he was offering 50 per cent off orders as the stall was celebrating its 40th anniversary – so if you’re around, you can snap up a discount.

The owner was very chatty while I waited, watching the hot dogs cooking on the steaming grill. When I got my hot dog, I sat on a small bench right opposite the stall and tucked in.

The sausage had a smoky taste to it, and the American-style cheese literally melted on my tongue. The onions added a crisp and sweet taste. Once I finished my hot dog, I wished I’d opted for the large sausage, or even a footlong, as it was simply so delicious.

To go with my hot dog, I enjoyed a crisp cold orange Tango, which cost £1.50. It was just what I needed on a 30C day. Altogether, my meal cost £5.30. I thought this was a reasonable and great price for a small but satisfying lunch.

What made it feel even better was that I was eating from a long-established Cambridge business. The Hot Sausage Company is a part of Cambridge’s modern history, and I’m glad I could experience its tasty hot dogs.

All of our food reviews are paid for by the writer. The establishments do not know we will be reviewing their food, allowing us to make fair judgements on each place.

They were left badly shaken by the ordeal

A member of staff was “dragged to the rear” of an off-licence during a robbery in South Belfast.

Police are investigating the incident which was reported at around 4pm on Friday, August 14, in the Sunnyside Street area when two men, believed to be in their 20s, entered an off-licence and ordered a member of staff to open the tills. A sum of money was taken during the robbery with the men fleeing the scene on foot towards Ava Drive.

A member of staff was left badly shaken and was “dragged to the rear of the premises” during the ordeal.

One of the men has been described as around 6ft in height, well-built and wearing light grey tracksuit bottoms and a tracksuit top. The second man was described as being thin and was wearing light grey tracksuit bottoms and a tracksuit top which was light grey at the top half and dark grey at the bottom half.

Detective Sergeant Faulkner said: “At around 4pm, it was reported to police that two men entered an off-licence in the area. It was reported the men then went behind the till and ordered a member of staff to open the tills. It was reported that a sum of money was taken during the incident, as the men made off on foot via the front of the premises towards the Ava Drive area.

“The staff member, who was dragged to the rear of the premises during the incident, was not injured but left badly shaken.

“One of the males is described as being around 6ft in height, well-built and wearing light grey tracksuit bottoms and a light grey tracksuit top with dark grey patches on the side. The second man is described as being of thin build and wearing light grey tracksuit bottoms and a tracksuit top which was light grey at the top half and dark grey at the bottom half of the top. Both men are described as being aged in their 20s with their hoods up around their faces during the incident.

“Enquiries are continuing and police would ask anyone who might have any information which could assist to contact police using our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals quoting reference 1132 14/08/26 or call us on 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

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If you’re a cat owner, one of the biggest questions you face is whether your kitty will be allowed to roam outside or kept safely indoors.

This is a debate that has left pet owners divided, with some claiming it is cruel to confine a cat indoors while others worry about an outdoor cat’s safety.

Now, a group of scientists have put this question to the test.

And their findings suggest that letting your cat roam outdoors could help curb some of its more destructive habits. 

In a paper, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, researchers discovered that cats who were allowed unsupervised outside time had lower levels of disruptive behaviour.

While the results were modified by other factors, like the presence of other cats in the house, outdoor cats were much less likely to ruin your furniture by scratching.

Lead author Dr Lee Neil, a a behavioural biologist from the University of Guelph, Canada, told the Daily Mail: ‘One possibility is that cats who scratch household items have not been provided with their preferred options for scratching indoors.

‘Cats with outdoor access have more opportunities to find these preferred options when outside which might give them an outlet that prevents the behaviour indoors.’ 

As Dr Neil acknowledges, uncontrolled outdoor access for cats is a ‘controversial topic’.

Recent studies suggest that 31 per cent of cats in the UK are exclusively kept indoors, but owners are divided over whether this is healthy. 

One one hand, many cat owners point out that the life expectancy of indoor cats is significantly higher than for outdoor cats, due to the risk of injury and illness.

The lifespan of an indoor cat is 15 to 17 years, while an outdoor cat’s lifespan is two to five years, according to researchers at the University of California-Davis. 

In a post on TikTok, one user said: ‘I don’t want to answer the door to someone telling me he’s been run over.’

‘My baby has always been indoors as she’s safe and happy. I think people who let their cat free roam unsupervised are the neglectful and irresponsible ones,’ added another commenter.

While one cat owner posted: ‘I can’t help but feel bad for having so much control over him but I’ve taken the responsibility to make sure he is safe.’

However, recent research suggests that exclusive indoor cats have higher rates of bad behaviour.

Recent studies suggest that 31 per cent of cats in the UK are exclusively kept indoors, but owners are divided over whether this is healthy

One Spanish study found that indoor cats had a higher risk for owner-reported aggression and were more likely to go to the bathroom outside of the litter tray.

Likewise, many pet owners on social media complain that it is ‘cruel’ or ‘unnatural’ to keep cats indoors.

In this new study, scientist surveyed 7,793 cat owners in America and Canada about their pets habits and behaviour.

Overall, indoor cats had the highest rates of scratching, with 48.5 per cent of owners  reporting that their cat scratched the furniture.

According to Dr Neil, this is likely because indoor cats aren’t finding the right places to work out their natural scratching behaviours.

Dr Neil says: ‘We know that cats need to scratch to condition their nails, to stretch and to leave markings for communication.’

Cats with uncontrolled outdoor access, by contrast, had the lowest reports of scratching and night-time activity, such as running around, and excessive vocalisations, such as yowling.

However, the researchers caution that outdoor access isn’t a ‘fix-all’ for behaviour issues.

Research found that uncontrolled outdoor access reduced scratching and yowling, but experts warn this is not a ‘fix all’ for bad behaviour 

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Dr Neil says: ‘Our data does not support the idea that cats with outdoor access are necessarily better behaved.’

Some negative behaviours decrease as cats spend more time outdoors but other can increase in some situations.

These effects also usually occur through interactions with other factors, such as type of outdoor access, sex of the cat, number of cats in the home and medical issues.

‘The general consensus among cat behaviour experts is that cats have numerous opportunities for natural behaviours when outdoors – but many of these opportunities can also be offered indoors through appropriate enrichment,’ says Dr Neil.

‘It might be easier to meet cats’ needs through outdoor access, but we can also create appropriate indoor spaces and allow controlled outdoor access to meet their needs.’

The researchers, therefore, advise that cat owners try to understand their pets individual needs and find ways to meet them.

That could be through letting them roam outside, if the area is safe, or by providing play and exploration opportunities indoors.

Dr Neil concludes: ‘Uncontrolled outdoor access for cats is a controversial topic with lots of differing opinions and no clear solution, and this study is just one more part of the puzzle.’ 

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CAT? THE 13 SECRET SIGNALS FELINES GIVE THEIR OWNERS

Cats are often branded aloof and solitary creatures who spend their days plotting their human owner’s demise, but such characterisations could not be further from the truth.

In fact, our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language.

In her eye-opening new book Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat, author Lili Chin – with the help of animal behaviourists – explains how to interpret your pet’s movements.

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Below are some of the most common behaviours and what they could signal.

Our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language

Speaking at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event – where the trailer was released, Bettany said: “It’s been an enormous joy playing the Vision as he’s evolved over the years, he’s been an Avenger, a father, a partner to Wanda, and he’s helped turned the tide in some fairly enormous battles.

A yellow heat health alert has been issued for the UK by the government and will now run until Tuesday for parts of the country as extreme temperatures continue

Fresh yellow heat health alerts have been issued for parts of the country as scorching temperatures continue.

The UK has been sweltering under its fifth heatwave of the year with the country seeing its hottest day of the year of 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday, while tinder dry vegetation has led to major wildfires.

Now the government has issued a fresh yellow heat alert which running until 9am on Tuesday for the south east and south west of England and London.

Temperatures are becoming more bearable this weekend and it has led to the end of the UKHSA’s amber alerts for healthcare workers today which covered London, South East, South West, East Midlands, West Midlands and East of England.

The amber alerts meant that significant impacts were likely across health and social care services due to high temperatures. But new yellow alerts mean impacts are still likely across health and social care services, states the UKHSA.

These include increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people, greater risk to life of vulnerable people, increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm and water-related incidents may increase, including risks from cold-water shock and drowning.

With record dry conditions in July and a dry start to August, nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment.

Millions of people have been warned not to light anything that could spark a wildfire, including barbecues and garden incinerators, in “the most extensive use” of the UK’s mobile phone alert system.

The Government sent the emergency alert on Friday evening, which began appearing on mobile devices from 7pm.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has told members of the public to take the warning “seriously”, and said it was triggered at the request of firefighters.

Mr Burnham had earlier visited Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where a wildfire destroyed 19 homes on Thursday, the hottest day of the year so far.

The Stourbridge blaze spread across more than 500 acres, with the West Midlands Fire Service summoned to “hundreds and hundreds of incidents” throughout its patch, according to the area’s chief fire officer Simon Tuhill.

Friday is provisionally a record-breaking 10th day in 2026 where temperatures have exceeded 35C or more, according to the Met Office.

Frittenden, near Ashford in Kent, was among the hottest places, where temperatures reached 35.3C. In the West Midlands, Mr Burnham described Britain as “a tinderbox right now” with “37 fires smouldering around the country”.

A rescue mission is currently underway.

At least 38 people have been killed after a massive earthquake struck a popular tourist spot in Indonesia.

The 7.7-magnitude tremor struck off the country’s Flores Island, to the east of Bali and a tourist destination known for its stunning scenery, shortly before 5am local time (11pm UK time) on Saturday. The tremor had a recorded depth of 10 kilometres, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

A rescue mission is currently underway. Rescue official Fathur Rahman told AFP the people confirmed dead so far are from four different towns on the island.

As reported by the Mirror, he said: “Our focus will be on locating the victims who are buried under the rubble” said Fathur, adding that the rescue effort had been complicated by landslides cutting off roads.

Following the quake, the country’s Weather, Climate, and Earthquake Information office (BMKG) issued an early tsunami warning which has now been lifted. Local resident of Sikka, Yohanna Embu, said a number of buildings were damaged by the strong shaking and panicked people ran to higher ground.

She said: “Many buildings here were damaged … I saw that the waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere had collapsed.”

Rescue official Fathur Rahman says teams are now desperately working to free those trapped under rubble.

He said: “From the reports we have received, 20 people have died, six are injured, and two are still buried. Our focus will be on locating the victims who are buried under the rubble.”

The nation’s disaster mitigation agency has since said the death toll has risen as search and rescue teams probe rubble.

Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, governor of East Nusa Tenggara province, told a news conference people were killed in their sleep by collapsing rubble.

Video taken at the port in Maumere showed large chunks of concrete breaking off the terminal building onto passengers waiting to board an inter-island ferry. Some were thrown into the sea when the gangway to a ship collapsed.

Officials have said the death toll is expected to climb as emergency teams work through the aftermath.

The fifth season of Ghosts US has landed on BBC iPlayer, a remake of the original UK version, which faced tough criticism when it first came out in 2021.

The British comedy, helmed by the Horrible Histories and Yonderland stars, landed in 2019, about a gaggle of eccentric ghosts haunting a large manor inherited by unassuming couple Alison and Mike, ran for five seasons and will return for a feature-length movie.

It was met with widespread praise during its run on TV, but there was far more scepticism when its American counterpart (starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar as our central couple) aired.

It was dubbed everything from a ‘poor copy of the original’ to a ‘cheap knockoff’ to a ‘flawed remake’.

But it seems to have proved the haters wrong and, with 22-episode-long seasons to tuck into – considerably more than the British show’s modest six-episode stints – it’s comfortably hit its stride, already eyeing up a sixth season which will land in the US this autumn.

The show is not a beat-for-beat rehash of the original, with its own unique ghosts and storylines, and by season five, we’ve long strayed from any recognisable plotlines as it goes totally in its own direction.

In fact, the new series seems to have impressed fans who have already watched it.

‘The American version is consistent, pretty good with some bright moments,’ Blanca M praised on Rotten Tomatoes, averaging an impressive 87% audience score for the show as a whole.

‘Well if the last season was the best yet then this is better. It’s also the funniest season in the entire show. There are episodes in this season that will keep you laughing throughout,’ Zane T hailed.

‘First half of this season has the old magic back,’ Jen N reflected.

Metro TV writer Asyia Iftikhar on what she loves about Ghosts US

Like many other Ghosts UK fans I originally groaned at the idea of a US version of the show, and was sure it was a mistake.

Nevertheless, as someone who loves the premise of a household of kooky ghosts (and Rose McIver) I decided to give the show a chance and I’m glad I did.

Yes, there were times where the American humour didn’t quite land for me, but more often than not, the show has made me laugh out loud and I have grown quite fond of the eccentric band of spirits conjured up in this new version.

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There’s a gay Revolutionary War veteran, Isaac, a forever high 60s hippie called Flower and a self-obsessed jazz singer, Alberta. What’s not to love?

The fact that there are so many episodes in every season is the cherry on top, and it fills a void left by the UK version of giving us even more time with our resident ghosts.

For fellow sceptics, take the new season landing as your sign to give the show a try.

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‘The series manages to keep itself fresh with new situations, ghosts and stunts. The feel of an old sitcom is to be cherished. There aren’t many shows that manage to accomplish what Ghosts does in this day and age,’ Cin C echoed.

Phillip A agreed that it was ‘such a fun show’ and ‘binge-worthy’.

‘Ghosts Season 5 continues to ensure that the series remains the best sitcom on TV.’ Fangirlish declared.

‘From new ghost powers to saving Jay from a Hell-ish fate, it’s always fun to see what shenanigans this found family gets up to. A top-tier cast that continues to deliver!’ Pop Culture Planet teased.

In fact, Ghosts US has paved the way for more remakes to be made, and Australia just launched their own spin-off, following the UK with a traditional six-episode format.

The Australian version is also a bucket of fun with its own culturally and historically specific ghosts roaming the halls of the Aussie couple’s home.

But if you’ve already binged the new remake and are getting withdrawals, then look no further. This is your sign to binge-watch Ghosts US.

Ghosts US seasons one to five are now streaming on BBC iPlayer.

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Officers were first called to the street on Thursday evening

A man on the roof of a building in Salford has now been in a stand-off with police for more than 36 hours.

Local residents reported that the man has been on the roof of a terraced property in Ash Street near the town centre since Thursday evening (August 13). A huge emergency response descended on the area including police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

A local resident told the M.E.N on Friday that the incident was ‘getting worse’ with the man allegedly ‘throwing people’s tiles off their roofs at the police’. This morning (Saturday), the man remained on the roof of the building with the stand-off ongoing.

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Pictures showed riot police on the scene wearing protective gear. They appeared to enter the property but as of 11am, the man was still on the roof.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said officers are working to get the man down ‘as soon as possible’. A cordon remains in place as crews work in the area.

The spokesperson said the incident is ‘in relation to an arrest attempt’ for the man from another police force. “Specialist officers and partners remain on scene, with a cordon in place,” the force spokesperson added.

It has not yet been confirmed which force the arrest attempt relates to, or what the man is due to be arrested for.