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Homeowners in England urged to check flood risk: ‘A third of people don’t realise’
More than two million people in England are unaware that their properties are at risk of flooding, according to the Environment Agency. As the UK braces for a wet and stormy start to winter, the agency is urging residents to check their flood risk and prepare accordingly. This warning comes at a critical time, with…
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Five emerging composers shortlisted for World Soundtrack Awards discovery prize
The World Soundtrack Awards’ Discovery of the Year prize has consistently identified emerging talent who reshape modern film scoring, with past winners including Gustavo Santaolalla, Michael Giacchino and Nicholas Britell. The 2026 shortlist features several innovative composers with diverse backgrounds and compositional philosophies: – Mari Fukuhara, trained in classical music at Tokyo’s Toho Gakuen School…
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Airbnb adds a social travel map and AI-powered discovery features
Airbnb has announced a significant autumn update featuring social and AI-powered capabilities designed to enhance discovery and user experience. The platform is introducing features that allow users to view where their connections have stayed, share their own travel experiences with customizable privacy controls, and access a new Travel Map to explore friends’ bookings and Airbnb…
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UK banks are Europe’s biggest coal financiers, report finds
UK banks were Europe’s largest providers of finance to the coal industry in the four years after the 2021 Cop26 summit, according to a study by environmental and human rights group Urgewald. Their reported financing totalled $8.3bn, despite banks’ climate commitments, while overall coal financing from EU banks fell. Barclays and HSBC drove much of…
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Chinese AI tool told researchers how to make biological weapons and carry out assassinations
Researchers at AI security company Mindgard say they got two Moonshot AI tools, Kimi K2.6 and K3 Swarm, to bypass their safety limits and produce guidance for dangerous activities. The findings matter because they suggest that capable AI systems could help criminals or hackers work faster, even when developers have put safeguards in place. In…
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Zaporizhstal forced to close; Australian rates hit 15-year peak; UK terror arrests
Russia’s sustained missile campaign has forced indefinite closure of Ukraine’s Zaporizhstal steelworks. Australia’s central bank raises rates to 15-year highs amid inflation concerns, whilst UK authorities arrest five men in counter-terrorism operation near RAF Fairford.
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Young minds develop ideas to tackle climate change
Sixteen young people in Ipswich took part in a climate-focused hackathon, creating posters with ideas to address light pollution, wildfires, ocean damage and poor water quality. The event was part of a free touring exhibition, and its organisers said the activity was intended to show young people that individual action can help tackle climate change.…
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UK-linked energy and food fortunes outpace other billionaires since 2022
Analysis has revealed that billionaire families with fortunes in energy and food production have amassed vastly more wealth since 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered a global cost of living crisis. Their wealth has grown four times faster for energy sectors and three times faster for food production compared to other super-rich families, raising…
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Scientists create anti-aging holy grail drug that extends lifespan by 25% in some animals – and they say it could work in humans too
UK scientists have developed an experimental drug called 991 that extends the lifespan of yeast, worms and flies by up to 25 per cent. The drug works by activating a protein called AMPK, which acts as the body’s “fuel gauge” and helps cells conserve and produce energy during stress, exercise or fasting. The breakthrough raises…
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Spectre bug is back, this time to haunt JIT engines
Researchers in the Netherlands and Italy have identified Branch Target Reuse (BTR), a new Spectre variant that can target just-in-time (JIT) compilers. It exploits old indirect branch prediction entries left behind when JIT code is replaced, potentially allowing an attacker to infer sensitive data through speculative execution. The researchers demonstrated proof-of-concept attacks on an Intel-based…