Author: Andrew Rogers

Larry Ellison overtook Elon Musk as the world’s richest after Oracle shares jumped 40% in early trading.Ellison’s 41% stake in Oracle is now worth $393bn, slightly ahead of Musk’s $384bn.The rise marked Oracle’s largest single-day increase and the biggest one-day wealth gain on Bloomberg’s index.Other Ellison assets include Tesla shares, a sailing team, the Indian Wells Open, and a Hawaiian island.Ellison mentored Musk, joined Tesla’s board from 2018 to 2022, and invested $1bn in Musk’s Twitter purchase.Musk frequently visits Ellison’s Hawaiian island, Lanai, and both have previously aligned with Donald Trump.Oracle’s growth is driven by AI companies using its cloud…

Apple will unveil its thinnest iPhone at Tuesday’s “awe-dropping” event in Cupertino.The iPhone 17 lineup includes standard, Pro, Pro Max, and the new iPhone Air.iPhone Air is expected to be Apple’s lightest flagship, following the slim MacBook design style.Apple will also introduce Apple Watch series 11 and updated AirPods earbuds.Rumors say AirPods may gain live translation, catching up with Google’s Pixel Buds.Apple plans to announce launch dates for iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe.Trump’s tariffs could disrupt Apple’s supply chain and raise iPhone prices.Tim Cook moved production to India and shipped iPhones to the US ahead of tariffs.Apple Intelligence, its generative…

US President Donald Trump faced a surprising moment outside the White House on Sunday. An NBC News reporter asked if he planned to “go to war with Chicago.” The question followed a recent post by Trump featuring a meme. The meme suggested the city would soon hear about the newly renamed “Department of War.” Trump appeared puzzled by the question. He responded sharply, saying, “Darling, that’s common sense.” His brief reply left reporters and bystanders unsure if he was joking or serious. The exchange occurred just as Trump was leaving the White House grounds. Cameras captured the tense moment, highlighting…

Volkswagen is close to securing a US tariff deal, CEO Oliver Blume said, as the company targets the European electric vehicle market. Trump’s trade tariffs, combined with a weak market, have already cost Volkswagen “several billions.” Even with a proposed reduction from 27.5% to 15%, Blume called the tariffs a “burden.” The automaker plans major US investments and may localize Audi production. Porsche is especially affected due to its US-made cars and a struggling Chinese market. Blume also unveiled a small, affordable electric vehicle to capture a fifth of Europe’s compact EV market. BMW is preparing a Chinese-made iX3 for…

This Sunday, 7 September, much of Europe will witness a blood-red full moon, a total lunar eclipse lasting about 82 minutes—the longest since 2022. During the event, the Earth will pass directly between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow and allowing only refracted red light to reach the lunar surface, creating the iconic “blood moon” effect. Historically, blood moons carried deep symbolic weight. Across cultures—from Babylon to China to Central America—they were often seen as omens of death, war, or divine retribution. In contrast, some African traditions, like the Batammaliba of Togo and Benin, interpret the eclipse as…

Max Verstappen claimed a sensational pole for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, setting the fastest lap in F1 history with a 1:18.792, averaging over 164mph, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The result marked a striking turnaround for Verstappen, who struggled at the same track last year, calling his car “undriveable.” Red Bull’s new leadership under Laurent Mekies appears to be yielding results after Christian Horner’s departure. Ferrari impressed too, with Lewis Hamilton making his Monza debut for the Scuderia and qualifying fifth behind Charles Leclerc, though a grid penalty will drop him to 10th. Norris’s second-place…

A new ultrasound “helmet” could offer a non-invasive alternative to deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treating Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions, a study shows. The device can target brain regions 1,000 times smaller than conventional ultrasound, delivering precise mechanical pulses without the need for implanted electrodes. It may also help with Tourette syndrome, Alzheimer’s, depression, chronic pain, and addiction. The study, published in Nature Communications, tested the system on seven volunteers. Researchers directed ultrasound waves at the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)—a tiny brain region about the size of a grain of rice—and achieved remarkable accuracy. Modulating the LGN produced…

Labour could halt badger culling, but only with a Covid-style focus on testing and vaccination, according to a new government-commissioned report. The review, led by Sir Charles Godfray, warns ministers have a “small chance” of eradicating bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in England by 2038 without increased investment. Badgers are culled because they can spread bTB to cattle, a disease costing taxpayers and farmers around £150m annually. Over 210,000 badgers have been killed since 2013. Godfray said evidence confirms badgers can transmit bTB to cattle, but stopping culling is possible with greater investment in vaccination, cattle tracking, and testing. He cited Covid-19…

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) has launched a project to bring back three rare species once common on the region’s peat bogs: the large heath butterfly, bog bush cricket, and white-faced darter dragonfly. These insects all rely on lowland peatlands, 96% of which have been lost due to human activity. LWT has restored habitats by rebuilding water systems and replanting specialist vegetation, and is now appealing for £20,000 to complete the work. The charity highlighted the ecological roles of the species: the butterfly pollinates plants, the cricket breaks down plant matter and feeds birds, and the dragonfly preys on smaller…

New Zealand is racing to protect its critically endangered birds, including the kākāpō, from the deadly H5N1 avian influenza before migratory seabirds potentially introduce the virus. With fewer than 250 kākāpō remaining, even a single outbreak could be catastrophic. In a world-first trial, the Department of Conservation vaccinated up to 10 captive birds from five species with fewer than 500 individuals. Using a licensed poultry vaccine, four species developed strong antibodies lasting at least six months, offering hope for safeguarding captive breeding populations and future wild releases. Timing is crucial. “If we start too soon, we’re going to lose that…