British-based activists reveal a rise in violence and harassment – and say police are ignoring their concerns

A businessman from Tunbridge Wells is accused of leading a double life. He's secretly recorded planning a brutal attack with ice picks on behalf of the Chinese state. His story takes a dramatic turn with a high-stakes escape.

In a new podcast, The Observer takes a closer look at one of the Trump administration’s most divisive figures

American citizens are recruited to carry out Beijing's dirty work on home soil. A Florida correctional officer poses as an art dealer, exposing the murky world of transnational repression and China's shadow war.

Today on the Sensemaker podcast, Jonathan Lewis charts the dangerous rise of nitazene, and asks why the UK has become a hotspot for the extremely potent opioid

Alexi goes in search of the “long arm” of the Chinese state following a series of attacks and bounties on British soil. He uncovers a coordinated campaign of fear that has left dissidents feeling unsafe in the UK – and asks what British authorities are doing to protect them. 

As Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Cuba, the island is facing fuel shortages, economic collapse and mass emigration. Will this mean regime change in the communist country?  Credits: The New York Times, The New Yorker and WNYC Studios

The Ambanis say they are rescuing animals from mistreatment

Last week, Anthropic entered a legal battle with the US government after refusing to comply with terms related to the military use of its AI. As a result, the company is being cast as the “good guy” in the AI race - but is that reputation deserved?

Senior members slam internal investigations into misconduct claims, including alleged head-butting

Youth unemployment in the UK is now higher than the European Union average for the first time since records began. Why are young people finding it so hard to get a job?

After three weeks of protest, the military has now seized power in Madagascar

Stephen Miller is the United States Homeland Security Advisor. But the vague sounding title belies his immense influence with Donald Trump behind the scenes. He's better understood as the architect of some of the US's most audacious recent policies - the capturing of Venezuelan President Maduro, the rollout of ICE enforcement through communities, and a threat to capture Greenland. So what can he tell us about what America will do next?   Credits:  Reporter: Stephen Armstrong Reporter/Producers: Madeleine Parr, Poppy Bullard, Jonathan Lewis Sound design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lucy Stevenson Executive Producer: Matt Russell Editor: Jasper Corbett Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to: Our podcasts before anyone else A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword Recipes for every occasion Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online Click here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month.  

For global domination, the NFL must ensure the quality on the pitch matches the hype off it

According to a King's College London report published last week the UK has been underreporting nitazene-related deaths by up to a third. Why has the UK become a hotspot for the extremely potent opioid?

Will the controversial founder of the Free Press website be the ogre that liberals fear?

Last week an illegal waste dump was found on the outskirts of Liverpool. It's believed to be one of the biggest of its kind ever found in the UK. But who is behind it? Writer: Jonathan Lewis Producer: Amalie Sortland Host: Ada Barumé Episode photography: Sofia Fenton  Executive Producer: Matt Russell

Row over ‘phoney’ Heathrow job continues as watchdog investigates claims that union failed to keep proper accounting records

Why the rising cost of repaying student debt could become a big problem for the government?

Union gave a Heathrow baggage handler a ‘ghost post’ and let him keep his first job, according to claim

The dating app Bumble built its identity on a promise: women make the first move. In this episode, The Observer uncovers a legal campaign by men's rights activists that helped dismantle that premise. Correction: A previous version of this episode stated that the Los Angeles Angels baseball case settled for $500,000. That case did not settle and was dismissed in court. It was a separate case involving the Oakland Athletics baseball team that settled for $500,000. This episode has been updated.

A glance at earnings of the footwear giants shows how the battle over aerated footwear is changing

Waymo plans to roll out its driverless taxi service in London by the end of this year. But there are still obstacles the company needs to overcome to put autonomous vehicles on the road.    Writer: Jonathan Lewis Producer: Amalie Sortland Host: Casey Magloire Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett

The US secretary of health’s policies, the rise of wellness influencers and a lack of doctors have caused a shift from traditional pharmaceuticals to other remedies

The assisted dying bill could be thrown out if it is not passed in the House of Lords by the end of this parliamentary session. Why is it taking so long to be voted through?

Since the pandemic, online chess has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity. Now tensions are rising between new personalities and an old guard who want to protect the game's traditional format.

This week, the government is expected to decide whether to approve plans for a new Chinese embassy in London. Critics warn it could be used for cyber attacks or as a base for espionage. Could it pose a threat to national security?

Last week the US inverted its food pyramid, placing high protein foods like meat and dairy at the top. How did we get here and is this good food guidance?

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok has been generating sexualised images of women and children on X. Can anything be done about it?

Donald Trump is facing an unexpected fallout as one of his most loyal supporters has resigned from Congress and turned against him. With divisions widening after the attack on Venezuela, is there a split in the broader MAGA movement?

China has started construction of what will become the world's largest hydropower dam in Tibetan territory.    Writer: Jonathan Lewis   Producer: Poppy Bullard   Host: Andrew Butler   Episode photography: Joe Mee   Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore  

In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die.