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Concerns from regulators about the dominance of Amazon and Microsoft in Britain’s cloud computing market have triggered an investigation into the competitiveness of the key industry

Stopping the nation from smoking has long been a top priority for medical experts, families and governments, and PM Rishi Sunak has made his plans for the issues clear. At the 2023 Conservative Party Conference, Sunak said that the legal age for buying tobacco should rise every year from those born in 2009 in a bid to “try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place”. He said: “A 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette” under new legislation he is proposing for England. The Prime Minister also said more must be done to “restrict the availability” of vapes to children, but what can be done by parents in the meantime? Here are the conversations to have with your children… The dangers of smoking “Starting smoking and vaping at a young age can have serious and long-lasting health consequences,” explains Dr Chun Tang, medical director and GP at Pall Mall Medical. “Nicotine is particularly harmful to developing brains. Young people are more vulnerable to nicotine addiction, which can lead to a lifetime of tobacco dependence. Nicotine impacts cognitive function and memory, potentially affecting academic performance. “Aside from the detrimental effect on cognitive ability as outlined above, smoking is, of course, a leading cause of various health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and many others,” he says. “Smoking during adolescence can also interfere with the growth and development of the lungs, leading to reduced lung function. This can result in breathing difficulties and decreased physical performance.” The dangers of vaping Vaping isn’t a safe alternative, yet he sweet-smelling, plastic steam machines are rife. “Vaping is a relatively new phenomenon, and the long-term health effects are still not fully understood,” says Tang. “There is ongoing research to assess the potential long-term risks, including the development of chronic health conditions.” Vaping has been associated with various adverse health effects, including lung injuries, respiratory problems, and cardiovascular issues, he notes. “Some of the chemicals found in vaping aerosols can be harmful when inhaled into the lungs. “If a smoker takes approximately 15 puffs of a cigarette before putting it out, then we can safely assume that a 600-puff disposable vape is equivalent to around two packs of cigarettes. “Some reports suggest young people can get through as many as 7 vapes a week, the equivalent of 14 packets of cigarettes. “That is an enormous amount of nicotine and so we can expect to see the health risks posed by nicotine to be [more] exacerbated in vapers than smokers – which could be severely impacting cognitive function and affecting academic performance.” It’s essential, he says, for parents, educators, and healthcare professionals “to educate young people about the potential risks of vaping and smoking and provide support and resources for those who want to quit”. Don’t lecture them Try to be open and curious rather than defensive and angry if your child is smoking or vaping. Dr Kerry Irving, senior clinical psychologist at online mental health platform Kooth, says: “Approach any conversation to understand why the young person smokes or vapes rather than to lecture, as the latter can cause people to shut down.” Consider available supportThere may be resources online and in person that might help your child, from the NHS to TikTok creators tracking their quitting journey. “Suggest accessing external support – encourage the young person to see their GP or to make use of some of the free Stop Smoking initiatives online or in your local community,” Irving says. Be sympathetic to relapse Expect wobbles. If your teen or child is quitting smoking or vaping try to stop accept that overcoming an addiction is not easy and recovery is not linear. “Relapses are an important part of changing any behaviour long term,” says Irving. “You can help the young person learn from these by gently encouraging them to reflect on what went wrong and helping them plan for how to try again.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 4 must-have denim trends for autumn, from wide-leg jeans to split skirts Doorscaping: How to create a fabulous front door display for autumn More than a quarter of middle-aged women living with ‘metabolically healthy obesity’ – study

WASHINGTON A key Senate Republican said Thursday he plans to support the White House nominee to head the

Ukraine has reportedly developed a real-life “invisibility cloak” that can hide soldiers from Russian thermal cameras thanks to its unique properties that block heat signature radiation. The images show two men standing next to each other, with a third, on the left, barely visible at all thanks to the new cloak. Mykhailo Fedorov, minister of digital transformation of Ukraine, shared the footage on Wednesday 4 October. “Have you ever read about invisibility cloaks in fairy tales? Well, Ukrainians made it,” a statement read. “The cloak blocks heat radiation and makes defenders invisible to Russian thermal cameras. It will help our soldiers work effectively during the night.” Read More

(Reuters) -Shares in Puma fell 8.4% on Thursday after analysts said the sportswear company's third-quarter earnings might fall short of

Vikings had windows — usually only associated with medieval churches and castles — meaning Norsemen dignitaries sat in rooms lit up by apertures with glass

The makers of the latest in the stealth action series have put Arabic front and centre of the project.

For centuries we’ve been told that the Moon is made of cheese but now, it turns out, the Earth is more like butter. Or, at least, its inner core is. A new study led by experts at the University of Texas (UT) and collaborators in China found that iron atoms at the very centre of our world move around much more than previously thought, and the implications could be huge. Scientists have long sought to dissect the insides of our planet but it isn’t easy, given that we have no way of directly exploring its core. The deepest hole humans have ever dug – branded the "entrance to hell" – extended an impressive 12,263m (40,230ft) down, but even that doesn’t come close to breaking through the crust to the layers beneath. Still, thanks to techniques like seismic tomography – which analyses how waves of energy travel through different materials during earthquakes – we’ve been able to map out the world’s interior. Now, researchers have used lab experiments and AI algorithms to shed a striking new light on the heart of the planet. "Seismologists have found that the centre of the Earth, called the inner core, is surprisingly soft, kind of like how butter is soft in your kitchen," Youjun Zhang, a Sichuan University professor who co-led the investigation, said in a statement shared with Phys.org. "The big discovery that we've found is that solid iron becomes surprisingly soft deep inside the Earth because its atoms can move much more than we ever imagined. This increased movement makes the inner core less rigid, weaker against shear forces." The findings are significant because they could help explain the role that the inner core plays in generating the world’s magnetic field. They could also help us understand a number of the inner core’s key properties, which have long flummoxed experts. "Now, we know about the fundamental mechanism that will help us with understanding the dynamic processes and evolution of the Earth's inner core," Jung-Fu Lin, one of the study's lead authors, explained. Given that it is impossible for scientists to directly extract specimens from the inner core, Lin and his colleagues recreated it in miniature. They took a small iron plate, shot it with a fast-moving projectile, and collected the resulting temperature, pressure and velocity data, which they then fed into an AI computer model. Using this machine learning system, they were able to scale up the sample iron atoms configuration to mimic the atomic environment within the inner core. At this beefed-up scale, the researchers observed groups of atoms moving about while still maintaining their overall structure. Inner Core iron atom motion model University of Texas This movement could explain why seismic measurements of the inner core reveal an environment that's softer and more malleable than would be expected at such pressures, Prof Zhang explained. Around half of the energy that goes into generating the Earth's magnetic field can be attributed to the inner core, with the rest coming from the outer core, according to the UT team. Thanks to Zhang, Lin and their colleagues, we now have a clearer understanding of the inner core’s machinations at an atomic level, which could help inform how energy and heat are generated at the heart of the planet. This could also shed light on how the inner and outer core work together to generate the Earth’s magnetic field – a key ingredient in making a planet habitable. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

By Paul Lienert German automaker Porsche and investor UP.Partners have launched Sensigo, a California-based startup using artificial intelligence

The bond market is back in the doldrums after a promising start to 2023.

A social media account claiming to be run by YouTuber Lord Miles, who is in the custody of the Taliban, claims he is alive, but others are unconvinced. British YouTuber Miles made a name for himself travelling to dangerous places “for fun”. But his daring acts caught up with him in March 2023 when it is believed he was captured by the Taliban, becoming a “missing person” in Afghanistan. Since then, speculation has swirled about his well-being and location as an anonymous “friend” of Lord Miles has been updating his X/Twitter account. Various tweets from other sources have periodically claimed to have evidence that the YouTuber is actually “thriving” while living in a Taliban guesthouse. But, confusion has spread over the last few days as the friend posting on his behalf claimed that Miles’ Patreon account was suspended and that he had lost thousands of pounds worth of donations that had been sent from concerned fans. Some remain unconvinced that Miles is alive as photographs or proof of life have not been forthcoming. Others have suggested that he is dead and his so-called “friends” are using his status to “scam” people out of money. One person wrote: “Just admit he's dead and you are looting his finances. Some ‘friends’ you are.” Another said: “Either he’s the deadest anyone has ever been dead or this is a scam for the ages.” The person posting on Miles’ account wrote: “Give us around 2 weeks and you will have solid proof. We expect an apology when it comes however. You guys have no idea the stuff you're putting Miles through.” Internet personality Justin Whang also got involved in the discussion, claiming to know for sure that Miles is alive. He claimed: “I know this is the same s*** everyone says and nobody believes but Miles is alive and I can’t say how I know.” One person argued: “Honestly if he does end up being alive I’m not gonna feel that silly, you have done a comically bad job of running his account (+ Patreon never would’ve been suspended but for you). “I honestly thought he was more likely to be alive when he wasn’t tweeting than since you took over.” For now, the well-being of Lord Miles appears to remain a mystery. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

BEIRUT At least eight people have been killed in Turkish drone strikes on Thursday on the Kurdish-held zone