Author: Andrew Rogers

Colourful cans promising calm, focus and energy have become staples in supermarket aisles, as functional drinks surge in popularity. Packed with ingredients like ashwagandha, lion’s mane mushrooms, L-theanine and magnesium, these beverages tap into wellness culture and the growing shift away from alcohol, especially among younger generations. But how effective are they really? Experts say the evidence is mixed. “Ashwagandha and L-theanine have shown benefits in randomised trials, particularly for stress and attention,” says Nicolle Cucco, a registered dietitian. “Magnesium is well studied too, but supplementation only helps if you’re deficient. If your levels are normal, more isn’t likely to…

Jennifer Lawrence received the prestigious Premio Donostia 2025 Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, becoming the youngest performer ever to win it. At 35, the Oscar-winning actress reflected on her career and used her platform to issue a warning about cultural freedom in the United States. “Our freedom of speech is under attack in America, including in the world of film,” she told reporters before the ceremony, urging empathy and creative independence. Lawrence also encouraged young filmmakers to persevere with auditions, learning, and above all, watching films. Presenting her new project Kill Me Love, in which she stars…

A Cambridge-led trial has raised hopes of a new class of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments after finding that a diabetes drug combined with an antihistamine can partially repair nerve damage. The CCMR Two trial tested metformin, a common diabetes medication, alongside clemastine, an antihistamine shown to stimulate myelin repair. In MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths that insulate nerves, disrupting signals in the brain and spinal cord and leading to progressive disability. Seventy patients with relapsing MS took part in the study. After six months, researchers observed faster nerve signal transmission in those given the drug combination compared…

Women who skip their first breast cancer screening are at a 40% greater risk of dying from the disease, according to a major study of half a million women in Sweden. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute tracked women invited to their first mammogram between 1991 and 2020, monitoring them for up to 25 years. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that 32% did not attend their initial appointment. Non-attendees were more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer and less likely to attend future screenings. Over 25 years, they experienced 9.9 deaths per 1,000 women compared with…

The world’s oceans have crossed a critical threshold for acidity, failing a planetary health check for the first time. According to the 2025 Planetary Health Check by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, ocean surface pH has dropped by 0.1 units since the industrial era, representing a 30-40% increase in acidity. This shift threatens coral reefs, Arctic ecosystems, and marine organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to form shells and skeletons. The report warns that rising acidity, caused by carbon dioxide from burning oil, gas, and coal, endangers species at the base of the food chain, including oysters and…

Amazon will shut all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after launching the format. Five of the outlets will be converted into Whole Foods Market shops, the US organic chain Amazon bought in 2017. The first Fresh store opened in Ealing in 2021, allowing customers to walk out without using a till, with purchases tracked by sensors and cameras. But demand for contactless shopping fell after the pandemic, and the concept failed to compete with established grocers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Amazon has not confirmed how many staff will be affected, though it…

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.

European leaders are exploring a “drone wall” along the EU’s eastern border to protect against Russian drone incursions, a proposal championed by the Baltic states and backed by the European Commission. The initiative, involving Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, centers on a multilayered defence system called Eirshield, developed by Estonian company DefSecIntel and Latvian firm Origin Robotics. Eirshield combines radars, cameras, radio frequency detectors, and AI automation to detect and neutralise hostile drones. The system can jam or block signals, intercept with drones, or deploy third-party gun systems, and is capable of engaging fast-moving targets carrying warheads at speeds…

Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek’s €600m (£520m) investment in Helsing, a military AI company. Helsing’s technology uses artificial intelligence to analyse battlefield data and inform real-time military decisions, and the company also produces the HX-2 drone. Ek serves as chairman of Helsing. The band cited a “moral and ethical burden” in which artists’ earnings could indirectly fund lethal technologies. Massive Attack’s move coincides with their support for the No Music for Genocide initiative, a campaign involving over 400 artists blocking their music from streaming services in Israel. In a statement, the…

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…