Author: Andrew Rogers

The world’s oceans have crossed a critical boundary for marine life, according to the latest annual assessment from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. The 2025 Planetary Health Check found that ocean acidity has risen by 30-40% since the industrial era, largely due to fossil fuel emissions. This marks the seventh of nine planetary boundaries now breached, alongside climate change, land use, and freshwater stress. Scientists warn that cold-water corals, tropical reefs, and Arctic ecosystems are particularly at risk. Acidification weakens marine organisms’ ability to build shells and skeletons, threatening oysters, molluscs, clams, and indirectly species like salmon and…

Amazon will shut all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after opening the first in London. Five of the outlets will be converted into Whole Foods Market stores, as the company shifts its focus to the organic grocery chain it acquired in 2017. The Fresh concept, launched in Ealing in 2021, allowed shoppers to leave without using tills by tracking items with cameras and sensors. But demand waned after the pandemic, and Amazon failed to compete with established supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The company did not confirm how many staff will be…

Vodafone franchisees warned in 2020 that commission cuts were affecting their mental health, four years before a group of 62 launched a £120m high court claim. A survey of 119 franchisees revealed stress, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and low trust in the company. The claim alleges Vodafone “unjustly enriched” itself at the expense of small business owners, some of whom reported personal debts over £100,000 and suicidal thoughts. Vodafone says it “strongly refutes” the allegations and describes the case as a “commercial dispute,” while also launching a fourth investigation into its franchising division.

Europe is considering a “drone wall” along its eastern flank to counter Russian aerial threats, particularly in the Baltic region. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius have emphasized the project as critical for credible defence, with talks planned among EU defence ministers to coordinate implementation. The initiative involves Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, aiming to integrate multilayered anti-drone systems into national and NATO defences. At the core of the project is Eirshield, developed by Estonian company DefSecIntel and Latvia’s Origin Robotics. The system combines radars, cameras, and AI-driven automation to detect and…

Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek investing €600m (£520m) in the military AI company Helsing. Ek’s firm, Prima Materia, led Helsing’s latest funding round, with the company developing AI technology for battlefield analysis and military drones. The band said the decision was driven by a “moral and ethical burden,” arguing that revenue from their work on the platform ultimately funds lethal technologies. The announcement coincided with their support of the No Music for Genocide initiative, a campaign where over 400 artists and labels block music from streaming services in Israel. Massive Attack…

Donald Trump announced on Friday that Chinese president Xi Jinping had agreed to approve a deal over TikTok, though no specifics of the agreement or signing timeline were disclosed. The announcement followed a phone call between the two leaders, their first direct contact since June, amid heightened tensions over trade and technology. Trump said earlier this week that Washington and Beijing had reached a deal to place TikTok’s US operations under American control, with Oracle among the investors in talks to take a significant stake. Reports suggest the framework is still incomplete, and negotiations continue over compliance with laws passed…

A major Swedish trial has found that taking a low dose of aspirin daily after surgery can cut the risk of some colorectal cancers returning by more than half in patients with specific genetic mutations. The study, led by Prof Anna Martling at the Karolinska Institute, involved over 3,500 patients in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Genetic testing revealed that around 37% of patients had mutations in the PI3K pathway, a key biological route implicated in colorectal cancer. These patients were given 160mg of aspirin daily or a placebo for three years. Those on aspirin were 55% less likely to…

A new daily pill called orforglipron has shown promise in helping people with obesity lose up to 20% of their body weight, according to a trial by Eli Lilly. In a study of 3,127 adults over 72 weeks, one in five participants taking the pill lost a fifth of their weight or more. Orforglipron targets GLP-1 receptors, similar to weight-loss injections like Mounjaro and Wegovy, but in a tablet form that is easier to take, store, and distribute. Patients on the highest dose, 36mg daily, lost an average of 11.2% of their weight, while over half reduced their weight by…

Beijing’s real estate market has recorded a dramatic rebound, with property transactions jumping by 40% after accommodative government policies were introduced to stabilize the sector. The surge marks one of the most significant turnarounds in China’s housing market in recent years and signals renewed buyer interest in the capital. The increase follows a series of measures aimed at easing restrictions on home purchases, lowering borrowing costs, and supporting developers struggling under heavy debt. Officials confirmed that these steps have triggered a wave of demand, particularly among first-time buyers and families seeking upgrades. Industry data show that both new and second-hand…

Sky has placed 900 UK roles at risk as part of a restructuring aimed at competing with US streaming services. The consultation process is expected to cut around 600 positions, with 300 redeployed, affecting technology, product, and corporate teams. The broadcaster, which employs roughly 23,000 staff, has already cut nearly 3,500 roles since early 2023 as it transitions from traditional satellite pay-TV to internet-based products like Sky Glass and Sky Stream, which account for more than 90% of new subscriptions. Recent product launches, including Sky Glass Air, and a deal with Warner Bros Discovery, bringing HBO Max to Sky, reflect…