Author: Andrew Rogers

George Russell underlined his value to Mercedes with a stunning pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix, strengthening his case as contract extension talks continue. The Briton produced a flawless lap to finish almost two-tenths clear of Max Verstappen, a remarkable margin around the Marina Bay street circuit. Verstappen, however, was left frustrated, claiming his final attempt was ruined when he lost downforce behind Lando Norris’s McLaren on an in-lap. The world champion, who aborted his lap, gestured angrily and later suggested the incident would be “remembered.” Norris dismissed the criticism, saying: “They always complain … I didn’t even know,…

Berlin’s thriving urban goshawk population could serve as the model for a new rewilding project in Britain, with conservationists planning to introduce the apex predator to Chester and London. Dr Paul O’Donoghue, director of Rewilding UK, aims to release 15 goshawks into each city, sourced from wild European nests and UK breeders. The project, due to be submitted to Natural England, is intended to restore balance by preying on mesopredators such as crows, magpies and jackdaws, whose numbers have grown unchecked and put pressure on smaller garden birds. Goshawks, once virtually extinct in the UK due to hunting, have flourished…

Ryanair has warned that up to 600 flights a day could be cancelled next week as French air traffic controllers prepare to strike, potentially affecting 100,000 passengers. The walkout, led by the SNCTA union, is scheduled for 7–10 October and is expected to reduce capacity across western European airspace. Routes from the UK to France, Spain, Italy and Greece are likely to be disrupted, as many flights pass over France. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary called on the European Commission to protect overflights, arguing that non-French routes should not be grounded when French unions strike. “They have the right to strike,…

Autism should not be regarded as one condition with a single underlying cause, according to an international team of scientists who have identified distinct genetic differences between people diagnosed in early childhood and those diagnosed later in life. The study, which analysed genetic data from more than 45,000 autistic people in Europe and the US, found that children diagnosed before the age of six often displayed early behavioural and social difficulties that remained relatively stable. By contrast, individuals diagnosed after the age of 10 were more likely to develop increasing social and behavioural challenges during adolescence and had a higher…

Scientists have successfully created human eggs from skin cells, a development that could transform fertility treatment for people who currently have no other options. The research, led by Prof Shoukhrat Mitalipov at Oregon Health and Science University, offers hope to older women, cancer survivors, and potentially same-sex male couples. “The largest group of patients who might benefit would be women of advanced maternal age,” Mitalipov said, noting the technique could also apply to men’s cells. The method adapts somatic cell nuclear transfer, first used to create Dolly the sheep in the 1990s. Researchers replaced the nucleus of donor eggs with…

New Zealand’s only falcon, the kārearea, has been voted bird of the year in the country’s long-running conservation poll – without the scandals that have often marked the competition. The small, tawny falcon, capable of reaching speeds of 200km/h when hunting, triumphed in a field of 73 native contenders. With only 5,000–8,000 left in the wild, the kārearea is classed as threatened, its ground-nesting eggs vulnerable to introduced predators such as stoats, cats and hedgehogs, while habitat loss and collisions with power lines and nets also take their toll. “The kārearea is just a stunning bird,” said Emma Blackburn of…

Brightly coloured cans boasting words like calm and focus are now a common sight in supermarket aisles. Known as functional beverages, these drinks promise more than refreshment, featuring trendy ingredients such as ashwagandha, lion’s mane mushrooms, L-theanine and magnesium. Their market is booming, with global sales projected to reach €212 billion by 2030, driven by a generation moving away from alcohol and towards wellness-focused alternatives. “These products fit perfectly into today’s wellness culture, where people are seeking convenient solutions,” said Nicolle Cucco, a registered dietitian and trainer at Muscle Booster. She notes that clever branding and rising stress levels make…

Jennifer Lawrence became the youngest performer to receive the Premio Donostia at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, where she used her platform to speak out about cultural and political concerns. The 35-year-old Oscar winner, honoured for a career that includes The Hunger Games, Don’t Look Up and Joy, told reporters before the ceremony: “Our freedom of speech is under attack in America, including in the world of film, where we realise that we are all connected and need empathy and freedom.” Lawrence also presented her new film Kill Me Love, in which she stars and produces, and encouraged young…

A Cambridge-led clinical trial has shown that a diabetes drug combined with an antihistamine can partially repair nerve damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The CCMR Two study tested metformin, a common diabetes medication, alongside clemastine, an antihistamine previously linked to stimulating myelin repair. Seventy patients with relapsing MS took part, with half receiving the drug combination and half a placebo for six months. Results showed modest improvements in nerve function, with electrical signals between the eye and brain travelling 1.3 milliseconds faster in the treatment group. However, patients did not experience noticeable improvements in vision or disability over…

Women who skip their first breast cancer screening appointment are 40% more likely to die from the disease, according to new research from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, tracked around 500,000 women who received their first screening invitation between 1991 and 2020. Almost one in three (32%) did not attend their initial mammogram, and those women were less likely to attend future screenings, more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and had a significantly higher mortality rate. Researchers found 9.9 breast cancer deaths per 1,000 women over 25 years among those who…