Author: Andrew Rogers

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply warned consumer prices could rise sharply as shipping costs surge.Rising transport, energy, and raw material costs are straining global supply chains.Procurement leaders reported growing disruption concerns at a two-year high.Shipping and logistics face the steepest increases, with many costs rising over 10%.Computers, electrical machinery, and transport equipment already show price pressure.CIPS said volatility may become a permanent feature of global trade.

West Ham United banned a season-ticket holder after he helped hold up an anti-board banner at a home match.Joshua Wood received a five-game ban for breaching stadium rules on banner size.The banner called on owners to sell and targeted David Sullivan and Karren Brady.West Ham said the punishment related only to safety regulations, not protest content.Wood denied bringing the banner into the stadium and plans to appeal the decision.

A Swedish trial found AI-supported breast screening cut later cancer diagnoses by 12% and increased early detection.Researchers studied 100,000 women using AI-assisted mammography or standard double readings by radiologists.The AI system flagged high-risk scans and reduced radiologist workload.More cancers were detected during screening, including fewer aggressive subtypes.The study, published in The Lancet, suggests AI can safely support doctors.Experts stressed AI should assist, not replace, human radiologists.

Google DeepMind launched AlphaGenome, an AI tool that predicts how DNA mutations disrupt gene regulation.The system analyses up to one million DNA letters at once.It helps identify genetic changes linked to cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders.Researchers trained AlphaGenome on large human and mouse genetics databases.The AI predicts when genes switch on, in which cells, and at what intensity.Scientists say the tool could accelerate drug discovery and gene therapy design.Experts at University of British Columbia and University College London called it a major advance in understanding non-coding DNA.

Amazon revealed a fresh round of global job cuts after an internal email was sent in error.Workers at Amazon Web Services received a cancelled meeting invite containing a draft redundancy message.The email wrongly stated affected staff in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica had already been informed.It was signed by Colleen Aubrey, a senior vice-president at AWS, and referenced layoffs called Project Dawn.Amazon announced 14,000 corporate job cuts in October and continues to reduce pandemic-era hiring.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI may replace some white-collar roles.Amazon declined to comment, as United Parcel Service also announced up to 30,000 job…

Scientists have launched DinoTracker, an AI-powered app that identifies dinosaurs from fossilized footprints.Researchers trained the system using 2,000 unlabeled footprint silhouettes to avoid inherited classification errors.The AI groups prints by shared shape features such as toe spread, heel position, and ground contact.It matches expert human classifications about 90% of the time.The study was led by Prof Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh and Dr Gregor Hartmann from Helmholtz-Zentrum.The findings appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.The system supports evidence that some ancient tracks appear birdlike, long before known bird fossils.Researchers say the app will help scientists…

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has agreed to dismiss its enforcement lawsuit against the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, founded by billionaire twins Tyler Winklevoss and Cameron Winklevoss, after investors in its lending program recovered their assets in full. Court filings in Manhattan show the SEC and the exchange, formally known as Gemini Space Station, jointly moved to end the case, citing the complete return of crypto assets to Gemini Earn customers through the Genesis Global Capital bankruptcy process in 2024. The regulator had already signalled last year that it intended to resolve the matter once investors were made whole. The…

Coca-Cola has sued Vue after the cinema operator ended a 25-year partnership and moved to PepsiCo as its exclusive soft drink supplier. Vue, which runs more than 220 cinemas across Europe, selected PepsiCo last year on a deal lasting until at least 2030. The switch followed a competitive tender process and ended Coca-Cola’s long-standing supply agreement. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain has filed legal action to recover alleged unpaid debts dating from the contract’s termination. Vue said Coca-Cola also owed it money but confirmed the dispute has since been resolved. Vue’s chief executive, Tim Richards, criticised the legal move, saying…

Google’s AI Overviews cite YouTube more often than any medical website when answering health-related search queries, according to new research that has raised concerns about the reliability of information seen by billions of users each month. The study, conducted by researchers at SE Ranking, analysed responses to more than 50,000 health queries made in Germany. It found that YouTube accounted for 4.43% of all sources cited by AI Overviews, making it the single most referenced domain. No hospital network, government health body or academic institution came close. YouTube is owned by Google. By comparison, the next most cited sources were…

Japan is developing the L0 Series, a next-generation maglev train expected to reach speeds of up to 603.5km/h, making it the fastest train in the world. The project is led by Central Japan Railway Company and will operate on the new Chuo-Shinkansen line. By using magnetic levitation, the train floats above the track, eliminating friction and allowing extreme speeds. Once operational, it is expected to cut the journey between Tokyo and Nagoya to about 40 minutes, and Tokyo to Osaka to around one hour. The project has already cost roughly £52bn (€59.9bn) and, after delays, is now expected to open…