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The Festival's Evolution: From 80s Giants to New BloodNot long ago, it was a running joke that Download, the biggest rock and metal festival in the UK, kept overlooking new blood and digging up the same 80s giants. But recent editions have finally started emphasising first-time headliners and making at least minor strides in representation. This year, four-decade veterans Guns N' Roses return, while Limp Bizkit make their headlining debut and Linkin Park, now co-fronted by Emily Armstrong, become the first band with a female singer to top the bill. It only took 23 years.Day One Highlights: Deathcore and Nu-Metal ResurgenceOn Friday, Swiss deathcore upstarts Paleface Swiss dominate the second stage early. Frontman Marc Zellweger is furious that the festival will only let him have one free hot meal, and he unloads his anger over a torrent of hellacious breakdowns. German party-starters Electric Callboy command one of the weekend's biggest crowds on the main stage before before hip-hop legends – and noted nu-metal inspirations – Cypress Hill slide seamlessly from classic to classic. Limp Bizkit dedicate their performance to late bassist Sam Rivers and friend Dougie Miller, and turn their set into karaoke night, putting every lyric on the video screen behind them. Take out the samples of Soft Cell and Spandau Ballet shoehorned in between their nu-metal ragers and the show would be considerably shorter, but that does nothing to upset the heaving crowd. Tens of thousands – many sporting Fred Durst's signature red cap – gleefully bounce, yell and mosh.Day Two: Cultural Fusion and Metal's FutureOn Saturday morning, British-Iranian trio Lowen bewitch the fourth stage with their Middle Eastern prog metal. Frontwoman Nina Saeidi invokes Iranian tradition using her piercing vocals, not to mention her ritualistic dress. British sludge-metallers Conjurer play material from their latest album, Unself, about singer/guitarist Dani Nightingale's experiences as a neurodivergent non-binary person. Let Us Live, which roars for the protection of the trans community, is a sledgehammer-heavy highlight. Trivium are reliably explosive on the main stage, tearing through 20 years of melodic yet ferocious hits in just over an hour, but the energy doesn't spill over for Guns N' Roses.The Main Stage: Expectations vs. RealityTime has robbed Axl Rose's voice of its rasp, and he barely interacts with his thin audience. There's no between-song chat – he doesn't even offer as much as a song title – whereas his bandmates' playing is spotless but lifeless. Midway through what's been promoted as a 200-minute set by GnR, Blood Incantation offer a reprieve on the fourth stage, their death-metal/kosmische mashup rocketing the tent to the outer reaches. Those who return for the headliners witness them finish 40 minutes earlier than planned.Day Three: Avant-Rock and Festival StealersSunday morning begins with screeching guitar feedback from rising UK avant-rockers Unpeople, who can lay claim to the loudest performance of the weekend. Led by Wolfgang Van Halen (son of guitar great Eddie), Mammoth deliver an understated show that owes more to Foo Fighters and Alter Bridge than his dad's 70s flair. Indian metal band Bloodywood are the best main-stage act of the weekend, their tight jams loaded with motivational messaging and vibrant folk, but US rock band Letlive steal the whole festival from the third stage. Singer Jason Aalon Butler leads an incendiary, interactive rally, then rips the drum riser apart and climbs the scaffolding. It feels righteous and dangerous in all the ways rock should.Linkin Park's New Chapter: Honoring the Past, Embracing the FutureLinkin Park's Chester Bennington is still missed nine years after his death, but his band refuse to wallow in grief. Their performances of One Step Closer, Crawling and In the End reaffirm their status as generation-defining songs, uniting Donington in singalong, and Armstrong and co-vocalist Mike Shinoda are all smiles throughout. Faint blasts the audience home on one last wave of 2000s angst, ending a comparatively diverse Download in triumphant form.

The Breakthrough in Lupus Treatment Five lupus patients in England are in remission after being treated with a revolutionary therapy that genetically modifies their own cells, in a medical breakthrough that could offer people a cure, doctors have said. Understanding CAR T-cell Therapy CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy involves removing a type of white blood cell also called T lymphocytes, which are crucial for hunting out infected or damaged cells, and engineering them to spot and destroy disease. The T-cells are then fed back into the patient via an infusion to reset their immune system. The NHS Trial In an NHS trial led by University College London hospitals foundation trust (UCLH) and University College London (UCL), nine patients with severe lupus were recruited. They had not previously responded to any treatments. Most had lupus nephritis, a serious complication involving the kidneys. Six patients received a lower dose of CAR-T and three got a higher dose. Five of those on the lower dose, who were followed up for an average of 11 months, went into remission within just a few months. The Impact on Patients One of the five patients, Katie Tinkler, said she no longer had any of the main symptoms of the disease more than three decades after her diagnosis. She has also skied for the first time in a decade and was able to dance at her daughter’s wedding. The Future of Lupus Treatment Prof Karl Peggs, the director of UCLH’s biomedical research centre, said that while larger studies were needed, CAR T-cell therapy could offer people the chance of a cure. “These findings are truly groundbreaking and offer fresh hope to people living with lupus,” he said.

The Energy Advantage In the race against China for AI supremacy, the United States dominates when it comes to access to the most cutting-edge semiconductors. But when it comes to powering the huge data centres that run on AI chips, China holds the clear advantage. That's because data centres, the sprawling computing facilities needed to train and run AI models, require vast amounts of energy. A typical data centre can consume as much electricity as 100,000 households, while next-generation “hyperscale” facilities can gobble up as much power as two million homes, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). China's Renewable Energy Push China already generates more than twice as much electricity as the US, a lead that is expected to widen amid an aggressive state-led investment in the country’s energy grid. BloombergNEF, a research provider, estimates that China will add more than six times as much electricity generation capacity as the US over the next five years. Much of that extra capacity will be in the form of renewables such as solar and wind. In 2025 alone, China increased its wind and solar power capacity by more than 430 gigawatts, accounting for more than half of the additional capacity in the renewables added globally that year. The Data Centre Boom China's access to an abundant supply of cheap electricity places it in the ideal position to meet such colossal energy demands. Under the “East Data, West Computing” initiative, China’s government is concentrating the construction of new data centres in the country’s sparsely populated interior, where land and renewable energy sources are abundant compared with the heavily built-up eastern seaboard. Earlier this month, Beijing announced the start of operations at the country’s first “large-scale” renewable energy project to be linked directly to a data centre. Narrowing the Gap For now, the US still has the largest data centre footprint by a wide margin. According to Stanford University’s AI Index, the US had an estimated 5,427 data centres in 2025, compared with 449 in China. But as China constructs data centres at a blistering pace – its number of data centre racks grew 30 percent annually from 2016 to 2023, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology – the gap between the superpowers is rapidly narrowing. Power Grids Under Strain Meanwhile, there are already signs that the AI rollout in the US is bumping up against power constraints. Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said earlier this year that the limitations of the US energy grid had resulted in a 50 percent quarter on quarter drop in new data centre projects at the end of 2025. Technical limitations have been compounded by a growing backlash against data centres within communities across the US – driven partly by the strain the facilities place on local grids – a challenge not faced by China, where opposition to the government is heavily restricted.

OpenAI's Historic IPO FilingChatGPT-maker OpenAI has confidentially filed for a United States initial public offering (IPO), joining rival Anthropic in a push towards the stock market as investors seek exposure to the artificial intelligence boom. The company did not disclose the size or terms of the offering, noting that a timeline has not yet been determined, with the statement suggesting "it may be a while because there are things we want to do that are likely easier as a private company."The $1 Trillion Valuation TargetAccording to Reuters, the AI giant is targeting a valuation of up to $1 trillion in a stock market debut that could come as early as September. At that valuation, OpenAI would set the stage for a trio of trillion-dollar valuation companies debuting rapidly, seen as the most consequential test of investor appetite for high-growth technology stocks in the recent decade.Elon Musk's SpaceX was the first off the block, filing for an IPO that would rank as the largest in history if completed, with the company pursuing a $75bn offering at a $1.75 trillion valuation.Explosive Growth MetricsOpenAI's financial performance has been remarkable, with the company reporting $2bn in monthly revenue in March 2026, growing roughly four times faster than companies that defined the internet and mobile eras, including Alphabet and Meta. This compares with about $1bn in quarterly revenue at the end of 2024.The company also disclosed that ChatGPT had more than 900 million weekly active users and more than 50 million consumer subscribers. Earlier this year, OpenAI was raising $110bn at an $840bn valuation from a roster of heavyweight backers, including SoftBank, Amazon and Nvidia.Reshaping the AI Investment LandscapeThe IPOs from Anthropic and OpenAI would crystallize a transformative period for the technology industry and global markets, with AI rapidly emerging as the defining investment theme of the decade. The filing follows OpenAI renegotiating its partnership with Microsoft, one of its earliest investors, which allowed the AI pioneer to forge new partnerships with firms such as Amazon.com and Alphabet's Google unit.The Windows maker's early investment, totaling $13 billion since 2019, helped pave the way for OpenAI's rapid rise and powered growth at the software major's Azure cloud-computing business.The Future of AI in Public MarketsOpenAI's unusual structure, which gives a nonprofit control over the for-profit entity, came under intense scrutiny in late 2023 when CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted before returning days later after employees revolted. In December 2024, OpenAI unveiled plans to overhaul its structure by creating a public benefit corporation.The company faced legal challenges from early backer Elon Musk, who sued OpenAI and accused Altman and other executives of turning the nonprofit into a vehicle for private enrichment. However, a US jury in May ruled against Musk, finding the AI company not liable, which removed a key overhang on the IPO and cleared a major legal hurdle for public market investors.

The Lead Starbucks stores in South Korea will close early next week so employees can receive history instruction after a botched marketing campaign triggered a public backlash, the US coffee chain's local operator has said. The Event Details The move comes after Starbucks Korea provoked a furore last month with a marketing campaign that evoked one of the most painful chapters in the country's march to democracy. The coffee giant's use of the wording 'Tank Day' and '5/18' to promote a range of coffee tumblers outraged South Koreans by evoking a military crackdown on May 18, 1980, against a pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju. The Data Analysis Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun was fired over his role in the PR disaster. Starbucks's global headquarters said the campaign was 'unintentional' but 'never should have happened'. South Korea is home to more than 2,000 Starbucks outlets, making the country the second biggest overseas market for the Seattle-based chain after China. The Impact Analysis The Gwangju Uprising was a major catalyst in the democratisation of South Korea, which held its first free elections in decades in 1987 after a succession of military-led administrations. The incident has led to a significant backlash against Starbucks Korea, prompting the company to take measures to prevent similar cases in the future. The Prediction In a statement on Monday, Starbucks Korea operator Shinsegae Group said all outlets nationwide will close at 3pm (06:00 GMT) on Monday next week so employees can participate in 'historical awareness and social sensitivity' training. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and top executives will separately undergo training on Wednesday, the retail conglomerate said. The move is intended to take the incident as a lesson and prevent similar cases from recurring across the group in the future.

The Downward Trend Continues Snap's long-awaited AR glasses, Specs, didn't have the best debut. The company's stock hasn't been on the healthiest trajectory lately, dropping 30% over the past year. Following Specs' launch, it sank more than 5% — falling from $5.86 a share on Tuesday to a low of $4.83 on Wednesday morning. The High Price Point The big concern surrounding Snap's new smart glasses — which the company has been working on for over a decade — is the cost: The company maintains they will retail at nearly $2,200 apiece. It's worthy of note that Snap's core user demographic — teenagers — are not typically equipped with that kind of pocket change, leading onlookers to question the profitability path for the new product. CEO's Justification Snap's CEO, Evan Spiegel, did an interview with CNBC on Tuesday (during which he sported the new glasses) and, when questioned about the hefty price, responded: "The most important way to think of Specs is as a computer, and so they're comparably priced to other high-end computers or high-end laptops." Spiegel further justified the cost by saying that Specs occupies a unique space in the AR market between glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans — which cost a lot less but provide significantly less compute power — and bulkier headsets like the Apple Vision Pro, which are powerful but very expensive. The Future Outlook Snap's stock still hasn't recovered the position it held prior to the announcement. The company's ability to justify the high price point will be crucial in determining the product's success.

The LeadCristiano Ronaldo's record-equalling sixth World Cup got off to a disappointing start as the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured their first ever point at the finals, drawing 1-1 with Portugal in their Group K match.Historic Draw for DR CongoYoane Wissa's header cancelled out Joao Neves's early goal on Wednesday and the African side – appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 when it was known as Zaire – more than held their own against the European powerhouse.Ronaldo's Underwhelming PerformanceRonaldo, 41, was largely a peripheral figure throughout the match – failing to make the impact his great rival Lionel Messi had done on Tuesday in scoring a hat-trick against Algeria. The Portuguese captain had two clear chances but fluffed his lines on both occasions, sending the ball wide of the post.DR Congo's Resilient DisplayThe DRC's achievement was even greater given their preparations had been disrupted by the Ebola outbreak back in their country. Despite facing a more experienced Portugal side, they matched their opponents throughout and celebrated wildly when Wissa scored his country's first ever World Cup goal.Tribute and TransitionsSome Portugal players were wearing wrist bands, given to them by their Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, in tribute to late teammate Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car crash last year. Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva had started the day by joining Real Madrid on a free transfer but he ended it by watching from the bench after Martinez took him off at half-time.What's Next for Both TeamsPortugal will look to regroup in their next Group K match, knowing they need to secure a victory to maintain their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages. For DR Congo, this historic result provides a massive confidence boost as they prepare to face their other group opponents in their first World Cup appearance in over five decades.

Stokes and McCullum Under the MicroscopeThe England camp is awash with speculation as the Ben Stokes curfew breach continues to dominate headlines and Brendon McCullum appears reluctant to publicly back his captain. The lack of clear communication from the ECB has left fans and pundits guessing about the internal dynamics of the side ahead of the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.ECB Investigation and Unsettled Captaincy After Night‑Club Curfew BreachIt has been nine days since Stokes was photographed at a Kings Road nightclub, violating the team curfew. The Cricket Regulator’s inquiry is progressing at a “molasses‑in‑January” pace, and neither McCullum nor his boss Rob Key have offered unequivocal support for Stokes as captain. The prolonged silence fuels rumours of a power struggle among the three senior figures.Selection Stats Reveal England’s Most Inexperienced XI Since 2009McCullum’s side for the second Test is arguably the most inexperienced England has fielded in over a decade. Key statistics include:Five players with one Test cap or fewer – a record not seen since 2009.Four bowlers, two of whom are rookies; the attack is the “rawest” in 23 years.No specialist spinner selected, despite typical English conditions favouring spin.Only one of England’s eight leading wicket‑takers remains available (Brydon Carse), with Stuart Broad retired and James Anderson, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir dropped.Veteran Joe Root is the sole experienced player, outscoring the combined runs of the other ten men.Potential Fallout for England’s Test Prospects and Coaching CohesionThe combination of a thin bowling unit and a batting line‑up lacking depth could jeopardise England’s ability to compete on a batting‑friendly Oval pitch. Moreover, the apparent rift between McCullum, Key and Stokes may erode team morale, especially after the recent incident where Harry Brook played immediately after being assaulted in Wellington. Former captain Michael Vaughan warned that the coach‑captain relationship could become “irretrievably broken”.Outlook: How the Next Weeks May Redefine England’s Test CampaignIf the curfew saga resolves quickly and Stokes regains his mental focus – a factor he has previously highlighted after a five‑month break – England could stabilise its performance at Trent Bridge. Conversely, continued discord may see further changes to the squad, potentially accelerating the transition to a new era of English cricket. The next two weeks will be decisive in determining whether the current experiment pays off or triggers a broader reshuffle.

The AI Access Conundrum At the G7 Summit on Wednesday, world leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced concerns that the U.S. could cut off their countries' access to top American AI models at any time. Macron's Warning to G7 Leaders Macron warned G7 leaders and top AI executives — including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman — over lunch that if the U.S. 'from one day to the next can turn off the switch,' it could not only harm the economies of European customers but also damage the AI firms themselves. The Impact of US Export Restrictions The comments come a few days after the Trump administration blocked Anthropic from exporting its newest Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models on national security grounds. The episode has exposed a risk that many international companies have been grappling with: any company or government that builds on U.S. AI infrastructure now has to reckon with the possibility that access can be revoked overnight, for reasons they may never be told. The Call for Digital Sovereignty Prime Minister Modi also said he was concerned about Trump's move to block Anthropic's model, adding that democratic nations must have unfettered access to top AI models to protect critical infrastructure. Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of Canadian enterprise AI firm Cohere, said in a statement that 'digital sovereignty is not just about market competition or any one company or nation. It's about who controls the foundational technology that will shape our economic security and national sovereignty for decades to come.' The Proposed Solution During the meeting, G7 leaders also discussed the creation of a 'trusted partners' scheme that would grant access for non-U.S. nations to advanced AI models from firms like Anthropic and OpenAI. The goal is to maintain a sort of open trade network that bypasses U.S. restrictions. The Future of AI Access Regardless, Macron noted that it would make sense for Washington to back such a scheme and to ensure Mythos access was granted more broadly. Nobody would want to buy U.S. AI access if it could disappear overnight. The comments were made even as Europe and other non-U.S. countries attempt to push for AI sovereignty — an increasingly difficult case to make when American models keep pulling ahead and nobody wants to be left out.