Author: SKYNEWS

Decades after the first demonstration of brain computer interfaces, we have reached a “tipping point” in creating the first reliable devices that can read our thoughts, according to the man who pioneered the technology.Professor John Donoghue, who developed BrainGate – the first “brain chip” – at Brown University in Rhode Island, has just shared in the Queen Elizabeth Prize, the world’s preeminent engineering award, in recognition of his work to “unlock” the minds of people with paralysis. “If you want to control a computer, or you want to be able to restore speech, I think there’s no reason why we…

The Prince of Wales has visited a nature reserve on the final day of his first tour of Saudi Arabia to learn about a programme reintroducing endangered species.The future king toured the Sharaan Nature Reserve in the east of the country to hear about ongoing conservation initiatives aimed at protecting and reintroducing native species such as gazelles and the Arabian oryx.He was also told about a flagship programme to bring back the critically endangered Arabian leopard.The prince planted an acacia tree at the reserve as he was given details about ongoing efforts to protect its natural wildlife and landscape. Image: William plants…

Millions more workers could be indirectly affected by changes to the salary sacrifice scheme announced in the November budget, a former pensions minister has warned.Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that from April 2029 only the first £2,000 of pension contributions made through salary sacrifice will be exempt from National Insurance. Contributions above £2,000 will, from that date, be subject to employer and employee National Insurance.HMRC estimates that 7.7 million employees use salary sacrifice to make pension contributions – 3.3 million of whom sacrifice more than £2,000.But Steve Webb, a former pensions minister and a partner at LCP, says the number of…

Half a dozen beavers have been legally released at two sites in Somerset in a bid to restore a river and wetland. The releases, one involving a mother and her three children and another involving a pair of Eurasian beavers, took place at spots across the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate on Exmoor on Tuesday. It is the second time the charity has been granted a licence by Natural England to release beavers into the wild after the first release on the Purbeck Estate in Dorset in March last year. The species was previously released into enclosed areas of the Holnicote Estate…

US singer Chappell Roan has announced she is leaving her talent agency, after emails between its founder and Ghislaine Maxwell were featured in the Epstein files.The Grammy-winning star shared a statement on social media announcing her departure from Wasserman, led by Casey Wasserman, saying she holds her teams “to the highest standards” and has “a duty to protect them” as well. “No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values,” she added. Image: Casey Wasserman is chairman of organising the Olympics in 2028. Pic: AP/ Damian…

BP has reported a 16% drop in annual profits following the slump in wholesale oil prices towards the end of 2025.The company, which is awaiting the arrival of a new chief executive in April amid its renewed drive for oil and gas earnings, reported net profits of $7.5bn (£5.5bn). BP said it had made progress against its four main objectives, including growing cash flow and reducing costs, but was going further.It suspended share buybacks to help unlock more cash for oil and gas opportunities.Money latest: Illegal supplements for sale Interim chief executive Carol Howle told investors: “With a continued emphasis…

When leading AI company Anthropic launched its latest AI model, Claude Opus 4.6, at the end of last week, it broke many measures of intelligence and effectiveness – including one crucial benchmark: the vending machine test.Yes, AIs run vending machines now, under the watchful eyes of researchers at Anthropic and AI thinktank Andon Labs. The idea is to test the AI’s ability to coordinate multiple different logistical and strategic challenges over a long period.As AI shifts from talking to performing increasingly complex tasks, this is more and more important.A previous vending machine experiment, where Anthropic installed a vending machine in…

Bad Bunny has made history by becoming the first Super Bowl half-time show headliner to perform entirely in Spanish – and to host a wedding during the performance.Already a controversial pick to the main event, drawing criticism from Donald Trump, the rapper breezed through an eight-song set mostly made up of his latest album Debi Tirar Mas Fotos at the 60th edition of the NFL’s biggest event. Image: Fireworks at Levi’s Stadium after the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots. Pic: San Francisco Chronicle/AP Image: Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald (right) and quarterback Sam Darnold (left) hold the…

Social media is on trial in Los Angeles. What happens next could change the way they operate.Inside LA’s superior court, a landmark trial is getting under way. Social media companies are being accused of being addictive by design, a bit like tobacco and cigarettes were in the 1980s. They’ll face around 22 “bellwether” lawsuits, i.e. test cases, with lawyers considering the testimonies of more than 1,500 people when launching the action. Image: Shares in Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta tumbled after the closing bell. AP file pic Opening statements for the first lawsuit will start on Monday, with Meta chief executive Mark…

The face of a “vampire” whose remains were posthumously mutilated to prevent them rising from the dead can be seen for the first time in more than 400 years.Discovered in a grave at Racesa, a fortress in eastern Croatia, the body had been exhumed, beheaded and reburied face down beneath heavy stones. And since the desecration cannot be explained by environmental factors, experts believe it was done to stop the dead man returning as a vampire.Now the face of the deceased can be seen for the first time in centuries, after scientists rebuilt his likeness from his skull. Image: The…