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Battling UK extremism & social media disinformation
Emergency services report almost 40 police officers were injured as riots hit Southport after three girls were killed in a devastating knife attack.
Violence on Tuesday flared as crowds gathered in the north-west seaside town for a vigil honouring Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, who were all fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club on Monday.
Tensions were already running high in the wake of the tragedy, which escalated into violence.
A police van was torched and a mosque attacked by a far-right mob after false rumours circulated on social media about the identity of the 17-year-old male suspect arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder at the dance studio.
In this episode of the Standard podcast, with our home affairs editor Martin Bentham, we examine how social media disinformation is fanning the flames of extremism.
Plus, why the British legal process won’t give you a suspect’s name or crime scene evidence immediately.
In part two, reporter Robert Dex with Paris Olympics 2024 analysis as Great Britain leap to fourth in the medal table with two more golds, in the men’s triathlon and women’s quadruple sculls.
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AI Action Summit Paris: security, humanity & agentic tech
15:15||Season 1Are you ready for next generation agentic artificial intelligence?The Standard podcast is joined from the AI Action Summit in Paris by Andrew Strait, associate director at the Ada Lovelace Institute and former ethics researcher at Google’s DeepMind AI spin-off.We look at the self-thinking technology’s latest developments, concerns over replacement of human workers, quantum computing and AI’s impact on our cognitive ability.MPs’ WhatsApp messages & Freedom of Information Act
14:06||Season 1Labour party officials are investigating alleged racist and sexist comments in leaked WhatsApp group chat messages that culminated in the sacking of health minister Andrew Gwynne.Following the latest messaging-based scandal to hit the authorities, The Standard podcast is joined by Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, to discuss the public’s right know.In part two, World Monuments Fund’s UK chief executive John Darlington discusses how heritage campaigners are helping boost their local economies.Knife crime: jump in under-18s hospitalised with stab wounds
11:45||Season 1Hospital admissions data suggests a growing proportion of patients admitted to wards in England after being stabbed are under 18 years old.It comes amid growing calls to finally crack down on online blade sales and London actor Idris Elba backing the blunting of sharp tips on kitchen knives.The Standard podcast is joined by Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, which was founded in honour of a 16-year-old Londoner stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack in 2008 after celebrating finishing his GCSEs with friends.The charity and Elba are working with the government’s Coalition To Tackle Knife Crime initiative, which aims to halve Britain’s blades menace within a decade.In part two, Network Rail has sparked a commuter backlash over train times ‘vanishing’ from information boards three minutes before departure - but could the nudge tactic improve disabled access and service punctuality?We speak with Michael Solomon Williams, head of campaigns at the Campaign for Better Transport.Fabric of London
09:53||Season 1What is London’s heartbeat? Rachelle Abbott joins Emma Strain, customer director at Transport for London, to discuss how important diverse communities are to the capital. Emma also reveals their award-winning animated moquette design, titled ‘Fabric of London’, which tells real stories shared by Londoners, reflecting the vital role TfL plays in bringing people from all backgrounds together. Transport for London, VCCP and Wavemaker UK’s design is now available to view at Outernet, in this week’s edition of our newspaper, and online at standard.co.uk.Women’s ‘unsafe’ London night-time cycling routes revealed
11:08||Season 1Research by the London Cycling Campaign has found more than half of the capital’s official cycleways include sections that are unsafe for women to use at night.The London Standard’s transport editor Ross Lydall joins us to discuss his report on the LCC’s Women’s Network study, which found 52 of the 89 cycleways had at least one “socially unsafe” section after dark - and that seven cycleways were considered risky along the entire route.In part two, we speak with the charity’s senior campaigns officer Clare Rogers, about the LCC’s data-gathering process for the research, titled Women’s Freedom After Dark, and the shocking experiences of female cyclists in London after sunset.Transport for London said its “working to better understand how our schemes affect the safety, and feeling of safety, for women and girls”, including a “new women’s safety auditing process” to improve cycling infrastructure.Council tax hikes confirmed amid boroughs’ bankruptcy bailouts
10:22||Season 1Half a dozen cash-strapped local authorities in England have been told they will be allowed to raise council tax by more than five per cent this year in a bid to stave off bankruptcy.The London Standard’s chief political correspondent Rachael Burford reports the government signed off its final funding settlements for town halls and announced six authorities have been given permission to increase bills by larger than normal amounts - without holding a referendum.She joins us to discuss councils’ financial outlook for the year ahead as London boroughs say they still face a £500 million shortfall.In part two, The London Standard’s business editor Jonathan Prynn on reasons behind an exodus of millionaires from the capital - and how countries including Abu Dhabi want a slice of the financial action.Trump Sparks a Global Trade War
16:01||Season 1Britain rejects Donald Trump’s claim that trade between the US and UK is “out of line”. The president has hit several other countries with hefty tariffs.It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Brussels to meet with EU leaders on Monday - a first for a British leader since Brexit.Has Trump sparked a trade war? We're joined by The London Standard's political editor, Nicholas Cecil, for the latest.In part two, Beyoncé extends run as most Grammy-awarded artist - wins include best album and best country album - plus, singer Chappell Roan’s success and tributes to late One Direction star Liam Payne.Awards and ceremony news with The London Standard culture and lifestyle writer India Block.Hayley Quinn: Finding the love of your life in real life
14:42||Season 1Join host Nicola Barron in conversation with Hayley Quinn, the London-based dating coach who has helped thousands of singles break out of dating ruts, build confidence, and enjoy meeting new people again. In this insightful episode, Hayley shares expert advice on how to approach dating in real life, avoid common first-date mistakes, and create genuine connections beyond the apps.Don't miss Hayley’s live online masterclass, How to Find the Love of Your Life – In Real Life, on Wednesday, 5th February 2025. Book now at standard.co.uk/masterclasses.Part of The Bigger Life Festival, brought to you by Masterclasses from The Standard.Brexit fifth anniversary: how happy is UK with outcome?
10:45||Season 1It has been half a decade since the United Kingdom exited the European Union.But now, on Brexit’s fifth anniversary, a YouGov survey suggests 53 per cent of adults in Britain support going back into the European Union, with 36 per cent opposed - which in London grows to 64 per cent of respondents backing rejoining versus 25 per cent opposed.To discuss the UK’s national circumstances five years on, we’re joined by The London Standard’s political editor, Nicholas Cecil.In part two, scientists discover salt fragments in Nasa’s Bennu asteroid sample that will add to our understanding of how the universe formed - with Dr Ashley King, from the London Natural History Museum’s department of earth sciences.