Top UK artists urge Starmer to protect their work on eve of Trump visit
Leading British artists including Mick Jagger, Kate Bush and Paul McCartney have urged Keir Starmer to stand up for creators’ human rights and protect their work ahead of a UK-US tech deal during Donald Trump’s visit.In a letter to the prime minister, they argued Labour had failed to defend artists’ basic rights by blocking attempts to force artificial intelligence firms to reveal what copyrighted material they have used in their systems.Senior figures in US tech are accompanying the US president on his state visit, where an announcement is expected on a UK-US tech pact covering areas including AI.Elton John, one of the letter’s signatories, said government proposals to let AI companies train their systems on copyright-protected work without permission “leaves the door wide open for an artist’s life work to be stolen”.“We will not accept this,” he added.
“And we will not let the government forget their election promises to support our creative industries.”Other signatories include Annie Lennox, the writer Antonia Fraser, and the actor and playwright Kwame Kwei Armah.Creative organisations backing the letter include the News Media Association, which represents news publishers including the Guardian’s owner the Guardian Media Group, the Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, and Mumsnet.There are more than 70 signatories in total.The letter claims that copyright law is being flouted “en masse” by tech companies to build AI models and raises the government’s refusal to accept amendments to the recent data (use and access) bill that would have forced AI firms to reveal what copyrighted material they have used in their systems.
Such a move “actively stood in the way” of creators exercising their human rights, the letter adds, referring to the UN’s international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights (ICESCR), the Berne convention for the protection of literary and artistic works and the European convention on human rights – the latter enforceable in the UK through the Human Rights Act,The letter points to a provision in the ECHR stating that “no one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest”, adding that removing the amendments breached UK citizens’ rights, under the ICESCR, to “the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is author”,“The government’s formal position has exhibited a shocking indifference to mass theft, and a complete unwillingness to enforce the existing law to uphold the human rights stipulated by the ICESCR, the Berne Convention and the ECHR,” said the letter,Labour has been at loggerheads with the UK’s creative community ever since launching a consultation on reforming copyright law, with the preferred option of letting AI companies use copyright-protected work without seeking the owner’s permission – unless they signal a desire to opt out of the process,The government has said this is no longer its preferred option and has convened working groups – drawn from the creative and AI sectors – to come up with solutions to the issue.
Beeban Kidron, the crossbench peer who tabled the data bill amendments, said the working groups were “packed” with US interests – members include ChatGPT developer OpenAI and Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta – and pointed to recent government deals with Google and OpenAI as evidence of a continuing close relationship with US tech.Kidron said failure to protect copyright contravened artists’ human rights.“It’s deeply regrettable that it has come to this, but by prioritising the short-term optics of data centre announcements and trade deals, they are knowingly undermining the foundations of the UK’s creative industries,” said Lady Kidron.A UK government spokesperson said the the creative industries’ concerns over copyright were being taken “seriously” and a report into the impact of potential changes would be published by the end of March next year.“No decisions have been taken, but our focus is on both supporting rights holders and creatives, while making sure AI models can be trained on high-quality material in the UK,” said the spokesperson.
Berthoumieu banned for biting Wafer in blow to France before England clash
The France flanker Axelle Berthoumieu has been banned for biting the Ireland back-row Aoife Wafer in their Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter‑final and the flanker will miss the semi‑final against England on Saturday.Manaé Feleu, the France captain, will also miss the England clash as she has been banned for a high tackle in the Ireland game. Both players are appealing against the sanctions.The pair were cited on Sunday evening and faced disciplinary panels on Monday. Berthoumieu was handed a 12-match ban which was reduced from 18, while Feleu was given a three-match suspension which could be reduced to two if she completes the coaching intervention programme
Cycling teams could boycott races involving Israel-Premier Tech after Vuelta chaos
World Tour cycling teams may refuse to race against Israel-Premier Tech following the multiple protests during the Vuelta a España that exploded into street violence in central Madrid on Sunday.Sources within rival teams have expressed their dismay to the Guardian at the refusal of the team to withdraw from the Vuelta and the lack of protection from the International Cycling Union (UCI) for its own commercial and sporting interests.Michal Kwiatkowski of Ineos Grenadiers was among those to publicly criticise the UCI for its lack of action during the Vuelta. The former world road race champion posted on social media: “If the UCI and the responsible bodies couldn’t make the right decisions early enough, then long‑term it’s very bad for cycling that the protesters managed to get what they wanted.“From now on, it’s clear that a cycling race can be used as an effective stage for protests and next time it will only get worse, because someone allowed it to happen and looked the other way
Kurtis Marschall shines light on pole vault camaraderie in epic Tokyo final
Armand Duplantis’s world record rightfully stole the spotlight, but the true nature of pole vaulting revealed itself in a brief moment from Monday’s epic men’s final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Kurtis Marschall was moments away from his second world championship medal, and Australia’s first in Tokyo. It was 10.09pm, and his final rival for bronze stood at the top of the runway. American Sam Kendricks – then in fourth behind the Australian – had his pole over his shoulder eyeing a clearance that would slide Marschall off the podium
Football agent Kia Joorabchian’s big racing spend needs to start paying off
The first of the four weekends that will decide the champions of the 2025 Flat season in the northern hemisphere passed in a blur of Classic and Group One action at Doncaster, Leopardstown and the Curragh, and while Aidan O’Brien, as ever, emerged with a lion’s share of the spoils, there were also hints that he will not have things all his own way as the cavalcade moves on towards Paris, Ascot and finally the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in California.It was encouraging too – since variety, after all, is the spice – that it was not the usual suspects from Godolphin and Juddmonte that were giving Ballydoyle the most to do.Karl Burke and Eve Johnson Houghton were the only British-based trainers to saddle a winner at the two-day Irish Champions Weekend meeting at Leopardstown and the Curragh, and both returned home with a Group One success – just the second of her career in the case of Johnson Houghton, who took the National Stakes with Zavateri. Burke, meanwhile, sent out a treble from just seven runners over the two afternoons, highlighted by Fallen Angel’s victory in the Group One Matron Stakes on Saturday.And there was a confidence-boosting Group One winner too for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation, to kick off a vital period for the owner after a substantial eight-figure investment in both bloodstock and property ahead of the 2025 campaign
‘A nobody who became really good’: Gout Gout takes his bow on the world stage
The Australian sprint sensation charms international media ahead of his senior competition debut on WednesdayThe subways and shopping malls in Tokyo were busy on Monday for the national public holiday to celebrate “respect for the aged day”. Four storeys up, inside Adidas’ hospitality fortress a walk from Japan’s National Stadium, the sentiment was different. Here, a room filled with international press bowed at the altar of athletics’ new prodigy.Gout Gout, the 17-year-old Australian who will compete in the 200m at the World Athletics Championships on Wednesday, is faster than Usain Bolt was at the same age. His spectacular performances and gleaming grin have swamped social media
AFL finals: where the Geelong v Hawthorn preliminary final will be won and lost | Martin Pegan
The Geelong and Hawthorn rivalry will be reignited when the heavyweight duo meet in a final for the first time in nine years on Friday with a spot in the 2025 AFL decider up for grabs. The Cats have recent history on their side with six wins in their past seven matches against the Hawks, though the balance has been tipped the other way when the clubs have met in cut-throat finals over more than five decades.The Hawks have knocked out the Cats in all four finals clashes since 1963 when there is no second chance for the loser. That streak most memorably includes the Hawks’ premiership triumphs in the all-time classic 1989 grand final and the 2008 upset-for-the-ages, both at the Cats’ expense.Geelong have gone a long way to easing the pain of those defeats as they have become one of the powerhouses of the AFL
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