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Could AI really wipe out humanity and hijack the internet?
The Guardian examines a series of high-profile claims about AI safety risks made in recent days, including warnings that AI poses a 10% “chance of doom” to humanity, that it is more dangerous than nuclear weapons, and that a rogue AI “botnet” could hijack the entire internet. Experts quoted in the piece push back strongly…
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DOJ says companies used Binance to funnel $1.5 billion in crypto to Iran
The US Department of Justice has accused several companies of using the cryptocurrency exchange Binance to funnel roughly $1.5 billion to Iran, allegedly to help fund the country’s military, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Prosecutors disclosed the scheme in a forfeiture complaint seeking to seize $61 million in cryptocurrency, and the allegations mark the…
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X-viewing services Nitter and XCancel shut down after threats of legal action
X has apparently succeeded in shutting down Nitter and XCancel, two services that let people read posts from the platform without logging in or holding an account. The move follows a cease-and-desist letter X sent to Nitter last month, accusing it of “unlawful use and circumvention” of X’s API and data, and marks a further…
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Meta expands subscription push with new AI-focused plans
Meta has launched Meta One, a new subscription tier offering expanded access to its AI tools across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, alongside separate plans aimed at businesses and creators. The move is designed to help Meta monetise its Muse AI models, following its $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI in 2025, which brought in Scale’s…
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As the politicians play catchup the tech bros agree: we may only have a decade left | John Crace
In this satirical Guardian column, John Crace mocks Donald Trump for dismissing AI extinction warnings as a “hoax”, contrasting the president’s bravado with a growing consensus among tech leaders that artificial intelligence could pose an existential threat within a decade. The piece skewers the disconnect between Trump’s claim that his own intelligence can keep AI…
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Scotch whisky makers fear reputation could be at stake after English single malts given same protected status
The UK government has granted English single malt whisky protected Geographical Indication (GI) status for the first time, giving it legal recognition alongside Scotch, Welsh and Irish whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) says it is “profoundly concerned” by the decision, arguing the English rules are looser than those governing Scotch and could undermine the…
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Bristol becomes first British city to ban advertisements for fast fashion
Bristol has become the first British city to ban advertisements for fast fashion, with the Green-run council also imposing new restrictions on adverts for SUVs, airlines, cruises and fossil fuels. The policy, passed by the council’s strategy and resources committee on an eight-to-one vote, applies to all council-owned advertising space, including billboards, bus shelters, and…
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Lindsay Clancy holdout juror’s family break silence and reveal that religion DIDN’T impact his decision to trigger mistrial
The family of the anonymous holdout juror who caused a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy’s murder case have spoken out, saying their lives have been upended by harassment since he was revealed as the single juror who refused to acquit her. His brother told the New York Post the decision was based purely on the evidence,…
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Melania Trump wades into political showdown during rare official trip as Republicans scramble to save crucial Senate seat
US First Lady Melania Trump made a rare public appearance at a school in North Carolina, encouraging children to embrace artificial intelligence and gifting AI development kits to students. The visit, framed as promoting community resilience and educational technology, comes amid growing national anxiety over AI regulation and follows the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene…
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The sinister influence of crypto billionaires on our politics | Letters
Three Guardian readers respond to the disclosure that Christopher Harborne has donated £36m to Reform UK, matching an earlier gift from Ben Delo, both fortunes built on cryptocurrency. The letters argue that crypto wealth concentrates in the hands of early insiders rather than being genuinely decentralised, and warn that a party presenting itself as pro-ordinary-people…