Category: News

Character.AI, a leading chatbot platform facing lawsuits related to youth safety issues, introduced a new supervision tool designed to give parents a peek into how their children are using the product.

The “parental insights” feature is meant for caregivers whose children are younger than 18. The tool is accessible via the child’s account preferences. From there, the user must add the adult’s email address and then invite them to receive a weekly activity report compiled by Character.AI.

The report includes daily average time spent on the platform, on both mobile and the web; a list of top characters that the teen engages with frequently; and the time spent with each character. The report doesn’t include a transcript of the user’s chat with their companions.

If the teen decides to revoke their parents’ access to this data, they can do so through their account but that request must be confirmed by the adult.

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Character.AI described the feature as a “first step” toward providing parents with information about their child’s activity on the platform. In recent months, the company has implemented a number of new safety efforts, including a separate model for teens, as well as disclosures that characters are not real people.

The changes come in the wake of two lawsuits against Character.AI, alleging that the product uniquely harmed children who engaged with it.

In October, bereaved mother Megan Garcia filed a lawsuit after her son, Sewell Setzer III, died by suicide following intense communications with a character on the platform. In December, two mothers in Texas filed another lawsuit against Character.AI alleging that the company knowingly exposed their children to harmful and sexualized content.

The company said in its announcement about the parental insights feature that it would keep refining the tool: “We will continue to listen to teens, their parents, and leading teen safety organizations as we evolve our parental insights tool to most effectively meet our community’s needs.”

A popular baby bassinet company has apologized to a grieving mom after they demanded she return a product following the death of her child as she was left unable to ‘deliver content.’

Influencer Brooklyn Larsen unexpectedly lost newborn baby boy Rocky in November of last year. 

She had originally received a $1,700 SNOO bassinet from Happiest Baby in exchange for creating content featuring the item but, in the aftermath of her son’s death, was asked to return the product since she had not posted.

The demand sparked fierce backlash from social media users berating the company for their allegedly insensitive handling of their partnership. 

But a spokesperson for Happiest Baby has since told Today that the company ‘sincerely’ apologizes for the ‘misguided and ill-conceived communication’ sent to Brooklyn’s management from one of its team members.

‘We cannot express more emphatically our deepest sympathy for what she and her family have been through following the loss of her son,’ the statement published on the Today website reads.

‘What was intended to be an effort to provide assistance clearly was a mistake that added to Brooklyn’s grief, for which we are truly sorry. 

‘We have taken internal steps to make sure it never happens again,’ they continued.

The statement concluded: ‘What Brooklyn faced was a tragedy beyond comprehension, and we are heartbroken for her loss.’

Happiest Baby faced backlash from social media users last week, after Brooklyn’s sister, Kenna Bangerter, posted on Instagram that she was ‘super disappointed’ in the brand during the ‘unimaginable time’ her sister is experiencing. 

The influencer’s sister claimed the brand demanded the bassinet back because she didn’t ‘deliver the content.’ 

Users took to online platforms to berate the company for their allegedly insensitive handling of their partnership with the influencer.

‘Boycott Happiest Baby. Case closed,’ one user commented. 

‘Telling her management “Hey, we will take it back if having it there is too much on her” is different than demanding it back six times lmao they messed up and now they’re doing damage control,’ another said.  

‘Namely @happiest_baby – who sent my sister a baby bassinet after my sister said she would tag them in content with her newborn baby. After sending an email regarding the content she wasn’t able to send – because her baby passed away – they demanded she send the bassinet back. the empty bassinet, still sitting next to her bed,’ Bangerter wrote. 

‘I want you to think about why she couldn’t deliver the content. I’m absolutely disgusted by a BABY brand who promotes support for moms and babies – that doesn’t have the decency to give her the space to grieve the bassinet she never got to fill,’ Bangerter continued. 

‘It’s all business for brands like these, you know? I used and have promoted this company for years & now I feel regretful I ever did,’ she added, praising companies who have supported her sister despite being unable to deliver content during her grief. 

The brand commented a statement on Instagram and said: ‘We were devastated to learn of Rocky’s passing. In December, we sent flowers to Brooklyn’s home, and shared our condolences in a note to her manager (with whom we communicated). Content was never a consideration, and at no time did we mention anything about content or obligations since her loss. 

‘We offered her team (not her directly, to respect her privacy) to set up a courier pickup to help alleviate a potentially painful trigger. In our experience, some grieving families prefer to have certain items removed from their homes. 

‘Our entire mission is to support families, and it pains us to know that Brooklyn’s experience with us did not reflect that. 

‘We have apologized directly to Brooklyn for any additional hurt we may have caused. The well-being of families is and always will be out utmost priority.’ 

However, Bangerter commented on a TikTok video and claimed, ‘SIX e-mails demanding the bassinet back isn’t an offer…’ 

One user commented on TikTok that the company’s ‘apology’ was ‘basically saying the sister is lying and overreacting.’ 

‘Some people may want to remove things when they grieve, but if she wanted to remove/return it, I’m sure she would have told the company. they should have let her make that decision, not made it for her,’ another said. 

Another user wrote: ‘I’m sorry SIX EMAILS? Six??? All because they “wanted to help remove potential triggers for her” like they would know how she was feeling??’  

‘As someone who lost a child this is so wrong I still have ALL my daughter[s] stuff untouched not all grieving parents get rid of stuff after passing,’ another wrote. 

Brooklyn posted on Instagram a series of photos and a long heartfelt message of her baby boy Rocky’s funeral. 

‘Two months without our boy, Rocky. Two months of sleepless nights and more tears than I’ve ever cried. Two months spent wondering what milestones he would’ve hit by now and how many rolls he’d have on his precious body,’ Brooklyn wrote. 

‘Two months of trying to explain to Rome why his little brother passed just hours before he was in my arms, while still grappling with that reality myself. Two months of asking, why us? Why him? The ache hasn’t gotten any lighter.’

Happiest Baby commented with two white hearts, which one user responded with, ‘a heart but send the bassinet back? shame shame on you guys.’  

Earlier in the year, Dani Olmo was the talking point at Barcelona in the wake of his registration woes.

After multiple legal battles, Barça ultimately had to rely on CSD’s precautionary relief to register Olmo to the squad.

However, that precautionary measure is now under review, and the final decision from the CSD is expected by April 7.

If the decision does not favour Barcelona, the club are prepared to take the matter to the ordinary courts and request a precautionary measure that would allow Olmo to continue playing until the end of the season.

Olmo’s father admits tension over registration

Speaking to RAC1 (h/t SPORT), Dani Olmo’s father, Miguel Olmo, has recently admitted that he is indeed tensed over the registration situation.

“Yes, of course, I would be deceiving you if I said that it is not a concern, but we trust that good work will be done,” he said.

Needless to say, Olmo and his family had to endure a difficult period in January when his registration was delayed, with Barcelona going through numerous legal routes.

Olmo’s father on scheduling woes

Apart from addressing Olmo’s registration, Miguel also criticised La Liga for their scheduling, namely fixing Barcelona’s game against Osasuna on Thursday.

“They have shoehorned us a game this Thursday, and in practically eight days they will play four games, things in the League,” he said.

That said, Miguel went on to hail Hansi Flick for the way he has managed such a tough fixture list, but admitted that La Liga has made Barcelona’s life difficult through the Osasuna fixture.

“The coach is managing it well, the management of who plays and who does not play and when it is their turn.

“What happens is that it is true that it is difficult to find a game on Thursday when you have players like Araujo or Raphinha who have to return on a private flight to try to be in the game,” he concluded.

A seven-year-old boy lost his arm after a crocodile ripped it off as he splashed in shallow water during a fishing trip last Friday.

Johandre Blom was playing in the water with a friend, just a few feet from their parents, when he was attacked by the large reptile in Roodekoppies Dam, located on the Crocodile River, South Africa.

His friend, named only as Dylan, 9, screamed and tried to help him before Johandre’s dad, Corne, ran from the caravan onshore.

Dylan’s father, Jannie Bekker, told local media: ‘The next moment my little boy screamed. I saw him grab Johandre by the arm, but there was a big jerk and then Johandre was away from Dylan.

‘Dylan shouted, ‘There’s a crocodile here’, and Corne and I immediately ran to the water.’

Johandre was thrown around by the crocodile before his dad managed to pull him free.

They managed to pull him from the water while risking being attacked by the crocodile still circling nearby, but he was missing his left arm.

They applied towels to the wound before rushing him to the hospital by car.

Medics managed to stabilise Johandre before flying him to another hospital in Alberton.

Johandre is now fighting for his life in an induced coma but has been stabilised.

The young boy’s family have started a fundraiser on BackaBuddy Fund to raise cash for his rehabilitation and medical bills.

The crocodile believed to have attacked the boy was spotted in the grass near the bank, with witnesses saying it pestered a boat and people at a nearby resort that evening.

Last summer, the ‘gruesome’ remains of a 12-year-old girl who went missing after a suspected crocodile attack were found by police.

The victim went missing after going swimming in Mango Creek in Palumpa, a remote town in the Northern Territory of Australia.

The remains of the 12-year-old were recovered after a 36-hour search effort by police and locals.

Though Australia and South Africa have higher levels of crocodile attacks, Indonesia takes the cake.

Indonesia has seen the most crocodile attacks in the world over the past decade – with a reported 1,000 separate incidents recorded.

A shocking 450 people were killed by crocodiles in the same period.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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She may only be 18-years-old, but this dark-haired daughter of a mega rock star and a British model is already making waves in the fashion world.

Having modeled for the likes of KHAITE, Anna Sui, and W Magazine, her latest campaign is with Spanish brand Zara and she looks incredible in a snap released this week.

Sporting an embellished two-piece from the new ZARA X STEVEN MEISEL campaign, this brunette looks totally at ease in front of the camera as she stares down the lens posing with her hands in her pockets.

‘So grateful to have been asked to join this shoot, thank you so so much,’ she captioned the black and white photo when she posted it on Instagram on March 24.

It’s no surprise that this particular individual is already being snapped up by some of the industry’s biggest names as her own mother was discovered at the age of 16 by Debra Burns, the owner of Boss Model Management.

Her only daughter is currently signed to dna Model Management, but can you guess who the nepo baby is?

It’s Scarlett Teresa White! The only daughter and eldest child of Karen Elson and The White Stripes rocker Jack White.

Scarlett was born in 2006 and is older sister to Karen and Jack’s son Henry Lee, who they welcomed in 2007.

Jack, 49, was married to Oldham-born Karen from 2005 until 2013, and the duo decided to co-parent their two children following their split.

Scarlett, who has shared several snaps of her with her guitarist dad on Instagram, appears to have a good relationship with both her mother and father.

Most recently she attended SNL50: The Homecoming Concert in New York City with Jack on February 14.

Scarlett looked chic in a black off-the-shoulder dress as she held hands with her father while they posed for photos on the blue carpet at Radio City Music Hall. 

She was pictured with her mom Karen, 46, during Paris Fashion Week in September 2024 when they attended the Valentino Pavillon des Folies Show together. 

Reposting the snap of her daughter in the Zara campaign, Karen wrote on Instagram last week: ‘There is something serendipitous about Scarlett walking down her own path as a young adult and coming into contact with the incredible people who changed my life when I was her age. Full circle moment.’

Six years ago, Karen opened up about motherhood during an interview with Maisonette and revealed: ‘For me, becoming a parent is really what made me a woman.

‘Up until then, my whole world had been about me. And then Scarlett came along. It was the most humbling experience.’

She continued: ‘As parents, we’ve all had those nights lying awake with a sick child, going on a couple hours of sleep, having to rally the next day to get to work.

‘You can’t ever switch off, in the most wonderful way. I think becoming a mother really made me grow up,’ Karen added.

While Scarlett has seemingly followed in her mother’s modelling footsteps, she appears to have an interest in music too.

Not only is she credited on Jack’s 2022 album Fear of the Dawn, she also joined him onstage to perform The White Stripes song The Hardest Button to Button back in January 2023.

Posting several pictures from the big moment on social media at the time, Karen wrote: ‘Miss Scarlett Teresa White. My beautiful, kind, never wants to be the center of attention with a heart of solid gold daughter.

‘What a sweet moment with her papa bear @officialjackwhite Thank you for all the videos and pics Jack, @oliviajeanmusic @davidjamesswanson. I’ll stop embarrassing you now Scarlett,’ she added.

As well as being into music and modelling, Scarlett is also studying and was joined by both her mom and dad when she moved into her college dorm room in August 2024.

Karen shared some personal photos from the bittersweet day on Instagram and captioned the post: ‘Big Day, Big Feelings.’ 

In one snap, Jack is seen sitting on a bunk bed with his daughter, and in another, they’re seen side-by-side at her bedroom desk enjoying a FaceTime call with an elderly female, perhaps a relative.

Scarlett is also an avid TikTok user and regularly posts videos of herself modelling different outfits.

DEEPALPUR:

The mystery behind a murder case in Deepalpur’s Kari Wala Jagir has been unravelled, revealing that the victim’s own daughter was responsible for his killing.

The revelation emerged after police investigations found that the 14-year-old accused shot her father and staged the crime as a robbery.

The motive behind the murder was the victim’s opposition to his daughter’s love affair and her wish to marry against his will.

According to officials, on March 18, Allah Ditta, a resident of Kari Wala Jagir, was shot dead under mysterious circumstances.

His brother, Amanat Ali, reported the incident to the police, stating that unknown assailants had attacked and killed his brother.

The case was registered at the Saddar Deepalpur Police Station against four unidentified suspects.

Given the complexity of the case, police launched an extensive investigation using modern technology.

Geo-fencing of the crime scene was conducted, and the victim’s mobile phone data was analysed. Statements from neighbours and suspicious individuals were recorded.

As inconsistencies emerged, investigators widened their scope and examined the mobile data of the victim’s family. Several suspicious calls led them to interrogate the victim’s wife and daughter, Umm Habiba.

During questioning, Umm Habiba confessed to the crime, revealing that she had been in a relationship with a man named Umar Bhutta.

Her father had repeatedly scolded and beaten her for this, leading to frequent family disputes.

As tensions escalated, the victim moved his family from Bhooman Shah to Kari Wala Jagir in an attempt to distance his daughter from Umar.

On the night of the incident, Allah Ditta once again confronted Umm Habiba, forbidding her from meeting Umar.

Enraged, she decided to end the conflict once and for all.

She laced the family’s food with sedatives, ensuring they were asleep, then retrieved her father’s pistol from a trunk, which she had hidden under her pillow earlier.

Around 1:00am, she shot her father while he was sleeping in the courtyard and quickly ran back to her room.

Upon hearing the gunshot, her mother woke up and raised an alarm. Umm Habiba then pretended to be shocked and joined the commotion, screaming for help.

Neighbours and relatives, including her uncle, rushed to the scene and informed the police. Meanwhile, she hid the murder weapon in a pile of dung, which was later recovered by the police.

Saddar Deepalpur Police Station’s SHO, Fakhar Hayat Wattoo, confirmed that scientific methods, including forensic analysis, helped solve the blind murder within 72 hours. He emphasized that mobile phone data played a crucial role in identifying the perpetrator.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, District Police Officer (DPO) Okara, Muhammad Rashid Hidayat, assured that a strong case would be built to ensure the accused is held accountable.

“No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. A solid evidence-based case will be presented in court to secure justice,” he stated.

Police have launched an investigation after a newborn baby was found dead inside a bag outside a church in west London.

The tragic discovery was made just before 1pm today along Talbot Road in Notting Hill as officers launched an urgent appeal to find the baby’s mother, who they believe may need medical attention.

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At this stage, police have not established the baby’s gender or exact age.

Superintendent Owen Renowden said Scotland Yard’s immediate priority is to locate the baby’s mother, whom authorities believe might have very recently given birth.

The superintendent said: “This is an extremely sad and shocking matter and officers are working hard to establish the circumstances around what has taken place.

“This investigation is in the early stages and our immediate priority is to locate the baby’s mother, who we believe may have very recently given birth.”

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Officers are appealing directly to anyone who might have information about the incident.

In a direct appeal to the mother, Superintendent Renowden said: “If you are the baby’s mother and are reading this, please come forward to police or medical professionals.”

The police are urgently appealing for the mother to come forward “for her own welfare”.

Officers are appealing directly to anyone who might have information about the incident

PA

“You must feel very frightened but please let us help – we are really worried about you and it is vitally important you get medical assistance and support. You can walk into any hospital, or a police station.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD 3431/25March.

The Metropolitan Police are treating the matter with urgency as they continue their investigation in the Notting Hill area while residents with any knowledge of the situation are encouraged to come forward.