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Why the real AI apocalypse is already here – Stateside with Kai and Carter

A former Anthropic researcher’s apocalyptic declaration about artificial intelligence has led to a global panic that the technology might be the end of us all. At an event in Washington today to warn about the dangers of AI, US senator Bernie Sanders said that Congress has been ‘asleep at the wheel'. Oddly, Steve Bannon appeared at the same event. But is this response a distraction from the more immediate problems AI is already causing? Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are joined by Guardian tech reporter Johana Bhuyian to put this moment in context, and she explains why we should be cynical about industry calls for regulation Continue reading...

The Guardian•Hosted by Kai Wright and Carter Sherman with Johana Bhuiyan . Produced by Tiara Chiaramonte engineered by Ivan Kuraev executive producers Jonathan Menjivar and Rachel Humphreys15 Sept

Kennedy Center to close as Trump threatens to block repairs over name dispute

President says he will block renovation project unless court decision to bar his name from being added is overturned Kennedy Center leaders say Trump’s name on building may avoid ‘fiscal collapse’ Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the Kennedy Center would close “immediately” and threatened to cancel a planned renovation of the institution if federal courts did not allow his name to be placed on the front of the building. Trump’s ultimatum came shortly after the president’s handpicked board voted, again, to close the institution’s performing arts building in Washington, citing safety and financial concerns. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Joseph Gedeon in Washington15 Sept

Lionel Messi called up by Argentina to make farewell ⁠appearance in friendly

Argentina will host Benin in October in Buenos Aires AFA president invites Messi to enjoy ‘deserved farewell’ Lionel Messi has been called up by Argentina to make a farewell ⁠appearance in a home friendly in October following his international retirement, the Argentinian football association (AFA) has confirmed. “We invited ⁠the best player in ⁠the world to play, the icon of our selection, our captain Lionel Andrés Messi, to have a deserved farewell on 6 October, here in Argentina,” the AFA president, Claudio Tapia, said on social media. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Reuters15 Sept

Mail-in disaster averted as Trump in angry froth after court defeat

Election officials continue push to assure Americans mail ballots are safe after supreme court rules against president After the US supreme court halted Donald Trump’s efforts to make it significantly harder to vote by mail in the midterms, US election officials are redoubling their efforts to convince Americans it is safe to cast their ballots by mail. The supreme court’s Monday ruling, which sent Trump into an angry froth on Truth Social, averted what election officials of both parties said would be an administrative disaster for this year’s elections. Trump’s order would have required states to comply with cumbersome new rules, including redesigning mail-in envelopes and uploading lists of voters to the USPS, that were not feasible to implement before ballots started going out. The effort was seen as a push by the government to change voting policy as well as one to weaken confidence in voting by mail. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Sam Levine in New York15 Sept

Reader Q&A: how united are the Democrats ahead of the midterms? Post your questions now

Who are the Democrats running in the midterms, and where do they stand? Our political reporters will be hosting a series of conversations on the critical issues ahead of November. First up: the state of the Democrats, the party’s moderate and leftwing candidates and key races to watch. Drop your questions and join us live at 12pm (EDT) on 16 September Sign up or sign in to post a question We’re less than two months from the midterm elections that could have an outsized impact on the future of the United States. With the primaries wrapped, our reporting team is fanned out across the country to tell the stories behind the horse race, from Washington to the Midwest and along the West Coast. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Guardian moderators (now); Shrai Popat, David Smith, Alice Speri, Joseph Gedeon and Rachel Leingang (later)15 Sept

A Talent for Murder review – Helen Mirren is a viperous Patricia Highsmith in hit-and-miss thriller

Toronto film festival: A fictionalised version of the cantankerous crime author plots a murder with an ambitious editor in a story in need of a sharper edge The restrictions of Covid led to an inevitable rise in safely contained chamber-piece movies, where a handful of characters find themselves in a usually remote house, dialogue taking obvious precedence over action. There were some highlights, such Kevin Williamson’s timely slasher Sick , and some considerable low points, such as Sam Levinson’s vapid drama Malcolm & Marie , but while we had plenty of them, none of them rivalled some of the greatest and smartest pre-pandemic examples. The very best tended to be based on plays and quite often starred Michael Caine. He was in Anthony Shaffer’s Sleuth, which went from Tony to Oscar success back in the 1970s, and then the arguably even better Deathtrap in the decade after, which Sidney Lumet adapted from Ira Levin’s deviously plotted play. In between there was also an under-seen TV movie called One of My Wives Is Missing , based on 60s play Trap for a Single Man, which was notably lesser but still delivered a similarly specific brand of twisty, talky thrills. There would be secrets, surprises, reversals and usually at least one dead body by the end of it, a subgenre entirely indebted to the work of Agatha Christie (who reportedly loved Sleuth on stage so much that she dedicated a picture of herself to be hung in the house used in the big screen adaptation). The bar is therefore held rather high, a puzzle that requires an ingenious level of writing that needs to be smart without smug and shocking without feeling cheap. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Benjamin Lee in Toronto15 Sept

House committee recommends Leon Black be held in contempt of Congress over Epstein inquiry subpoenas

Financier refused to comply with subpoenas seeking his testimony for the investigation into the late sex offender The House oversight committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend that the House of Representatives hold Leon Black, the billionaire financier, in contempt of Congress, after he refused to comply with subpoenas seeking his testimony and nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) sought by the panel as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein . Black contends the subpoenas are “invalid” and he is suing to block them. “Subpoenas are not suggestions; they carry the force of law and require full compliance” the representative James Comer, who chairs the committee, said in the chamber on Tuesday afternoon before the voting began. “Mr Black’s testimony is crucial to our investigation because he maintained a close personal relationship with Epstein for years during the time when Epstein was engaged in sex trafficking. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Anna Betts15 Sept

Iran war cost US $38bn and significantly depleted missile stockpile, report finds

Damaging budget report estimates cost would grow $3bn per month and stockpile could take five years to rebuild The war in Iran has cost the US at least $38bn and left its stockpile of defensive missiles so depleted it could take five years to rebuild, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found, in a damaging report less than two months before midterm elections where the war and the cost of living crisis will likely hurt Republicans at the polls. The economic report comes one day after the Pentagon’s inspector general finally released its own first review of the war, saying that the US spent $22.3bn on munitions alone through 30 June, put total spending at $33.4bn and found the fighting had “resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply”. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Joseph Gedeon and Andrew Roth in Washington15 Sept

All supporting acts withdraw from Ed Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore

Three openers and live band for Sheeran’s tour depart after removal of Macklemore over ‘free Palestine’ comments All four supporting acts for upcoming dates of Ed Sheeran ’s Loop tour have withdrawn in solidarity with fellow opening act Macklemore , as backlash grows to his removal from the tour over onstage comments in support of Palestine . Finneas, the singer who was scheduled to open for Sheeran on six South American dates in November, withdrew from the tour on Tuesday afternoon, hours after Sheeran posted his own lengthy statement to Instagram explaining pressure from venue owners to remove Macklemore for pro-Palestine comments made during two shows at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Adrian Horton15 Sept

Search under way for three-year-old boy missing from Suffolk playground

More than 100 people reported to have joined search for Noah, who is autistic, non-verbal and has partial hearing loss Police are urging people to check their gardens and sheds for a three-year-old boy who went missing on Tuesday during a visit to a playground near the Suffolk-Essex border. The boy, named Noah, was last seen at 3pm in Merriam Close in Brantham, near Manningtree, before being separated from a relative. Officers from Suffolk constabulary said Noah was reported to have run down an alleyway near the playground towards a housing estate. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Yassin El-Moudden15 Sept

Air pollution linked to higher suicide risk, international research suggests

Analysis of 29 studies highlights potentially heightened danger from small particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide Air pollution is associated with an increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts, according to research. Environmental pollution is known to be associated with poorer mental health but its role in suicide risk is less well understood. Scientists at Queen’s University Belfast examined whether air, noise, light, and water pollution could influence the risk of death by suicide and suicidal behaviours. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent15 Sept

70 Up review – a deeply moving conclusion for the 63-year-long TV experiment

The landmark documentary series looked like it was done for good – until one participant was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Asif Kapadia takes the helm for its most elegiac, thoughtful outing ever Tell us your highlights from the documentary series 7 Up And so the great experiment begun by Granada Television in 1964 is over. That year, Seven Up! introduced the viewing public to 14 primary school children – 10 boys and four girls from a range of backgrounds – who would become part of an ongoing documentary project that returned to film them at regular intervals and interrogate the truth of the Jesuitical motto “Give me the child for the first seven years and I will give you the man”. Seven Up!, part of ITV’s flagship World in Action series, was directed by Paul Almond but thereafter the enterprise became synonymous with Michael Apted, who originally helped find the children and took over the making of the programmes. He died in 2021 , two years after completing 63 Up. It had been thought the series would end there but when one of the participants, Nick Hitchon – a Yorkshire farmer’s son who grew up to be a nuclear scientist – called one of the team to say that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and wanted to give one last interview, a final episode was commissioned. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Lucy Mangan15 Sept

Pocock says Labor easing copyright protections for AI datacentre investment would throw creatives ‘under the bus’

Proposals revealed as senior personnel from OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, met with Albanese ministers The Albanese government is considering giving AI companies access to Australian creatives’ works by default as its pursues a compromise with American tech giants. The proposals were revealed as senior personnel from OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, met with Labor ministers and warned Australia’s copyright laws were preventing the company training models locally. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Luca Ittimani and Caitlin Cassidy15 Sept

Max Dowman doubles up for Arsenal’s back-ups to beat Ipswich in Carabao Cup

The bad news for everyone else is that Arsenal’s next generation is already here. Two mesmerising goals in a man-of-the-match display from Max Dowman underlined why the 16-year-old has been compared to a certain Lionel Messi by his manager, Mikel Arteta, as Ipswich were swatted aside with ease. Almost as impressive was the performance of 17-year-old Marli Salmon, who oozed class in central defence on only the second senior start of his career. Ipswich won here the last time these two sides met in this competition , in 2011, but lost 3-0 in the second leg of the semi-final at the Emirates before Arsenal infamously lost to Birmingham in the final . Fifteen years on, Gary O’Neil’s heavily rotated side stood no chance here against last year’s runners up after Dowman’s brilliant opening goal. Noni Madueke and the stand-in skipper Mikel Merino were also on target as Arsenal made it seven wins out of seven to start the new campaign. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Ed Aarons at Portman Road15 Sept

Szoboszlai screamer seals Liverpool’s progress as De Zerbi’s Spurs woes grow

Tottenham scored a consolation goal but consolation was otherwise absent for Roberto De Zerbi at Anfield. Spurs’ miserable start to the season continued as they were soundly beaten by a much-changed Liverpool side and a quality of finishing that De Zerbi can only dream of. Alexis Mac Allister, for the second midweek running, Cody Gakpo and the substitute Dominik Szoboszlai each produced an outstanding finish – especially Szoboszlai – as Liverpool advanced into round four. Spurs had moments but fleeting moments are not enough. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Andy Hunter at Anfield15 Sept

England thrash Sri Lanka following brilliant Harry Brook century

England captain hits unbeaten 114 off 49 balls in first T20 Sonny Baker claims three wickets in 119-run victory As he nears the end of a hectic summer Harry Brook was offered the chance to rest rather than play this series and how Sri Lanka must wish Pakistan’s red-ball side had extended him enough to force a lay-off. As it turned out the 27-year-old could hardly have looked fresher as he inspired his side to an overwhelming win over emphatically outclassed opponents, a brilliant century powering them to a 19th victory in just 22 games since he took over the captaincy, secured by the margin of 119 runs. It was Brook’s second T20 century, making him the third Englishman to score more than one. He cavorted to triple figures off 42 balls of which precisely a third were dispatched to the boundary, six of them beyond it, and ended unbeaten on 114. But as much as his power impressed, using the size of the ground and manipulation of angles to maximum advantage, aided occasionally by the tourists’ imperfection in the field, he also scurried a succession of twos. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Simon Burnton at the Utilita Bowl15 Sept

3M, DuPont and more to face lawsuit on Pfas in US firefighters’ protective gear

Connecticut plaintiffs say ‘forever chemicals’ in turnout gear increase risk of cancer by absorption and inhalation A federal judge on Tuesday said more than 20 defendants including 3M , DuPont and Honeywell must ⁠face claims by Connecticut firefighters who said their protective gear was contaminated by toxic “forever chemicals” that increased their risk of cancer. Lawyers ⁠for 13 firefighter union ⁠organizations and 12 individual firefighters said “turnout gear” that shields against extreme heat and flames leached the chemicals through absorption into skin, ingestion and inhalation. ⁠They have called the proposed class action the first to exclusively target firefighter gear containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or Pfas . Continue reading...

The Guardian•Reuters15 Sept

Anthropic’s CEO calls for AI slowdown as Nvidia’s urges acceleration

At San Francisco conference Dario Amodei reiterates need for AI slowdown as Jensen Huang says argued against it Anthropic’s CEO took to the stage at a conference in San Francisco on Tuesday to reiterate his call for a slowdown of AI development. Following shortly after, Nvidia’s CEO argued against such deceleration. Dario Amodei used an automotive analogy to make his point: when a competing car company has a safety incident like brake failures, it is a moment for all car companies to stop and review their own practices, he said at Salesforce’s Dreamforce convention on Tuesday. “It’s very tempting to attack your competitor and say these guys are unsafe,” he said. “But I think the more responsible way to respond to it is to say, let’s look at our own record. We may not have had this big, high-profile incident, but I’m sure we’re not perfect.” Continue reading...

The Guardian•Danielle Abril15 Sept

Oscar Bobb takes Fulham past stubborn West Ham and into Carabao Cup last 16

Fulham got the job done but it was far from convincing. Álvaro Arbeloa’s ideas are still taking hold and his side will suffer if they do not improve in defence. West Ham were beaten but far from cowed and will not mind refocusing on their promotion push. Fulham twice squandered leads against opponents riding high in the Championship and a penalty shootout beckoned before Premier League resources told during the dying stages. Arbeloa used his bench well and Oscar Bobb sent Fulham through to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup after a telling contribution from another substitute, Josh King. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Jacob Steinberg at London Stadium15 Sept

Australian politics live: Lambie compares ‘dangerous’ Hanson to Trump; NSW One Nation leader wants abortion ‘stopped’

Follow the day’s news live Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast The head of One Nation in New South Wales has fronted a rally opposing “abortion up to birth” ahead of an expected vote in the upper house on Libertarian member John Ruddick’s bill to ban “sex-selective abortions” during private member’s business today. Mike Newman appeared alongside members of fringe parties outside the state’s parliament house on Tuesday evening, where he claimed One Nation wanted to “stop” abortion rights. Stumbling upon his words, he told the crowd: We want to stop it. We want to make sure that same-sex-, sorry, abortion is stopped. We want to make sure that people have the right to life, and we will vote for you in favour of that. The ultimate number of submarines is not the key issue here, the key issue is the development of the design, the pace of that which is happening. The UK is on track to cut steel in respect of its first SSN Aukus submarine next year. It’s on track to have that submarine come off the production line in the UK in the late 2030s. That’s perfect timing in respect of what we’re doing … We are really comfortable with what is happening there. Continue reading...

The Guardian•Martin Farrer15 Sept