In the rush to embrace AI, some firms are risking ‘catastrophic’ errors – but at least the chatbots are owning up to them

With young people in Nepal using social media sites like Discord to organise protests, are we witnessing the South Asian Spring? How influential is Elon Musk in British politics following his message to the Unite the Kingdom protestors? And how did the Assad regime systematically steal hundreds of children from their families?    Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Patricia Clarke, Chloe Hadjimatheou and Stephen Armstrong, as they each try to pitch the top story of the day.  

Now more valuable than the German economy, the chipmaker has invested in AI ventures with unclear returns

A  city in Honduras is home to a start-up selling experimental gene therapies for $25,000 a dose. Now, those radical ideas are reaching the United States. What happens when biohacking leaves the libertarian fringes and reaches Capitol Hill?

The US messageboard is openly defying British regulators and refusing to comply with the Online Safety Act

As the UK Parliament takes its summer break, has Reform seized the media spotlight and emerged as a viable third-party contender? What are the risks of uploading ID to age-restricted websites under the Online Safety Act? Will Trump impose his peace deal deadline on Russia if Putin refuses negotiations?   Rebecca Moore is joined by The New Statesman's Associate Political Editor, Rachel Cunliffe. Plus the Observer's Poppy Bullard and Patricia Clarke, as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day.  

Waymo will launch robotaxi service in 2026 while UK rival Wayve plans autonomous trials next spring

Is Keir Starmer facing his most significant rebellion yet? Why is Chinese billionaire Justin Sun being accused of buying access to Donald Trump? And what should Health Secretary Wes Streeting focus on if he wants to fix the NHS? Rebecca Moore is joined by host of the Westminster Insider podcast Sascha O’Sullivan, alongside The Observer’s Patricia Clarke and Jon Ungoed-Thomas, as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day.

One of Silicon Valley’s most influential donors rails against ‘legionnaires of the antichrist’

Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper’s book, Original Sin alleges that officials working for Biden’s administration tried to keep what they describe as the president’s mental decline hidden. Is the media guilty of sensationalising Cassie Ventura’s testimony and the trial involving Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs? Why are changes to the fisheries policies between the EU and UK causing such a fuss? Giles Whittell is joined by Anu Anand, Stephen Armstrong and Patricia Clarke as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.

Billions of dollars are being poured into the longevity industry, with investors rapidly warming to cryonics

The presidency and personal gain now go hand in hand – and no one has been able to do anything about it.

Warning of vast demands on water and energy if AI infrastructure expands in UK with new projects

How will Labour’s immigration legislation affect the UK’s care sector? What are the potential conflicts of interests if Trump accepts a jet from Qatar? The Indian Premier League is set to return after the competition was suspended amid rising tension in Kashmir, but what does this tell us about India's power in international cricket? Rebecca Moore is joined by Orwell Prize winning Pete Apps, alongside The Observer’s Patricia Clarke and Jessy Parker Humphreys, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.

Uncensored viral footage of Charlie Kirk’s murder has created a febrile and divisive mood online, experts say

Since December 2024, a run of scientific papers has illustrated AI’s capacity for deception. Deep learning pioneer Yoshua Bengio says the consequences could be existential. Writer: Patricia Clarke Producer: Ada Barumé Host: Tomini Babs Photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore

Firms offering untested ‘longevity’ jabs and therapies were once based in offshore free zones. Now a US state is relaxing the rules

A few hours before he announced a 90-day pause on tariffs, the president posted “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT” on social media. Why has this led to accusations he manipulated the market for his own gain? The popularity of companion AI chatbots is rapidly increasing, but what safety nets are in place to protect young people? How have Big Law firms in America reacted to Trump 2.0? Rebecca Moore is joined by Hashi Mohamad, Patricia Clarke and Katie Riley, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.

Three sudden exits from the top of science and investment have raised fresh questions about Britain’s abilities to attract talent and capital

The British army has never faced more serious allegations of wrongdoing; that the SAS committed multiple war crimes in Afghanistan. A public inquiry is beginning to reveal a troubling picture of UK special forces beyond the control of their military and political bosses.

Struggling companies the world over are praying that a risky cryptocurrency strategy is the answer to their problems

Ministers are worried, partners are mulling legal action, and top managers are accused of losing their grip

US tech companies are betting big on charismatic leaders – and the UK is starting to follow suit

The top two tech firms are worth twice the rest of the FTSE 100 combined but valuations haven’t turned into revenues

The Chinese billionaire Justin Sun has been accused of buying access to the US president and using his influence to thwart the securities regulator

Predatory Sparrow group that targeted Iran’s largest crypto exchange may be sponsored by Israel as part of country’s political war

The future of technology was on display in London last week – as were parts of the industry still stuck in the past

People are starting to say ‘I ChatGPT-ed it’ instead of ‘I Googled it’. This new level of competition is just one of the threats facing the internet giant

New UK police guidance suggests officers can check menstrual-cycle tracking apps after pregnancy loss

Hiring is slowing but AI may not be up to the task of fully replacing workers