Safety fears as scientists make first viruses designed by AIResearchers say breakthrough offers hope for new medicines but also raises urgent biosecurity questionsWire*·August 6, 2026
A 17-year-old built a parking app. Now an investment fund wants its data.Seventeen-year-old David Rabinow sold Parklyo, his iPhone parking app, to a private investment fund exploring alternative data for hedge funds.August 6, 2026
Lloyds Bank should publish the human cost of its AI savingsLetter: Banks should factor in the time spent by humans checking invented facts, writes Dr Gleb TsipurskyWire*·August 6, 2026
Tell us: do you believe you have been filmed by Meta’s smartglasses without your consent? Have you - or a child in your care - been filmed by Meta’s smartglasses without your consent? We would like to hear from youWire*·August 6, 2026
Diageo to nearly double Guinness production and cut jobs in turnaround planNew CEO Dave Lewis lifts investors’ spirits by promising strategic overhaul worthy of his nickname ‘Drastic Dave’Wire*·August 6, 2026
‘We expected it, but now it’s here’: on the frontline of Australia’s bird flu outbreak, people are distressed As Australia prepares for the H5 bird flu to potentially rip through hundreds of species, residents of the Limestone Coast are already seeing the impactsWire*·August 6, 2026
E-scooters far more dangerous than motorbikes or cycles, analysis suggests Study of accidents in England and Wales shows e-scooter riders three times more likely to suffer traumatic brain injury than bikersWire*·August 6, 2026
Paramount concessions lead UK to approve takeover of Warner Bros Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says she will not intervene in £85bn deal after securing guarantees on Channel 5Wire*·August 6, 2026
EasyJet agrees to £5.7bn takeover by US private equity firmAirline says it has accepted offer from Apollo Global Management after rival bidder Castlelake walks awayWire*·August 6, 2026
Castlelake walks away from easyJet, clearing way for Apollo Global – as it happenedEurozone construction downturn also eases while in financial markets, European shares rise and Brent crude hovers around $80 a barrelWire*·August 6, 2026
Octopus Energy denies it is anti-union as GMB pushes for recognition for workersUnion says that as a top-rated ethical company, UK’s largest energy firm should welcome its involvementWire*·August 6, 2026
Raleigh bike brand faces chop after owner begins insolvency proceedingsFate of historic bicycle name in hands of administrators after Netherlands-based Accell Group fails to find buyerWire*·August 6, 2026
Danish pupils will have to orally defend essays in attempt to combat AI cheatingGovernment introduces several measures, including monitoring of computers, for pupils aged 16 to 19Wire*·August 6, 2026
Most Americans view rising living costs as biggest barrier to a better life, survey findsWhen asked to detail what would make a better life in three to five years, 60% of US adults said greater financial securityWire*·August 6, 2026
‘Like a jet taking off’: the cicada that can top 120 decibels and nearly break the pain thresholdThe palm-sized greengrocer comes in many colours and has long been a collectible item for Australian childrenWire*·August 6, 2026
Revealed: the top 10 invertebrates of the yearAt last! It’s time for our invertebrate of the year competition as voted for by you. Today it’s the greengrocer cicada – come back Friday at noon (BST) to find out who else made the top 10Wire*·August 6, 2026
Sir Ian Wood obituaryAberdonian businessman whose company became one of the biggest players in the offshore oil and gas industryWire*·August 6, 2026
Positive Persimmon looks to tap into ‘Burnham bounce’ on housebuildingFirm lifts outlook, saying it is well placed to benefit from PM’s focus on new homes despite cost pressures from Iran warWire*·August 6, 2026
All bodies of water in England polluted with toxic chemicals, official data showsEnvironment Agency assessments find just 14.3% of country’s surface waters in good ecological statusWire*·August 6, 2026
Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta’s ‘spy glasses’ over privacy fearsMeta says safeguards are in place to prevent surreptitious filming, but some UK venues now prohibit them from being worn at allWire*·August 6, 2026
Healey urged to be bold on borrowing in first test of Burnham’s growth pledgeSome want the chancellor to exploit newly flexible fiscal rules – others want a more creative approach, such as borrowing from marketsWire*·August 6, 2026
Council wants pubs in London’s Soho and West End to limit standingSadiq Khan criticises Westminster council’s ‘anti-growth policies’ after it recommends stopping ‘vertical drinking’Wire*·August 6, 2026
‘Spectral lines’ and a giant plume: what science saw when the SpaceX rocket hit the moonSodium and lithium gas was detected in a plume thought to span tens of kilometres, created when part of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the lunar surfaceWire*·August 6, 2026
Country diary: Even in a heatwave, signs of last winter storms still linger<strong>South Devon:</strong> On holiday in deeply familiar places, we swim fully clothed, snack on overhanging cherries and see the fallen Teignmouth pierWire*·August 6, 2026
‘I’m not spying’: how Meta’s smartglasses have divided opinionWhile some users say the wearables have changed their lives, critics voice fears over safety and privacyWire*·August 6, 2026
