World Business Report - Social media on trial in LA

A landmark US trial begins today in Los Angeles, where plaintiffs say Instagram and YouTube were built to addict kids. We hear from our North America Technololgy Correspondent on what the families said today in court.

Then to Japan, where Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election win is being read by markets positively - sending the Nikkei to record highs. We’ll hear from Tokyo and the US on what her strengthened mandate could mean for the Japan-US relationship.

And there's a major pharma-versus-telehealth clash: Novo Nordisk is suing Hims & Hers, accusing it of patent infringement linked to semaglutide - seeking to halt sales of unapproved compounded versions and pursuing damages, in a case that could ripple through the booming online weight-loss market.

(Photo: Parents who lost children to alleged social media–related harms hold a vigil ahead of a social media addiction trial in Los Angeles on February 5, 2026. Credit: Jill Connelly/Reuters).

Published on Monday, 9th February 2026.

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