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  • Microplastics found in all popular UK drinks, with hot beverages worst offenders

    Microplastics found in all popular UK drinks, with hot beverages worst offenders

    From your morning tea to a cold soft drink, UK beverages carry hidden microplastic loads, and hot drinks could be giving you an even bigger dose.

    Study: Synthetic microplastics in hot and cold beverages from the UK market: Comprehensive assessment of human exposure via total beverage intake. Image Credit: SAG stock / Shutterstock

    In a recent article published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, researchers assessed the levels of microplastics (MPs) that people are exposed to through their daily intake of fluids using survey data and laboratory analysis in the UK.

    They detected MPs in all the beverages that people reported consuming and noted higher concentrations in hot drinks like tea, probably due to leaching from plastic packaging induced by heat, with average concentrations expressed in MPs per litre also reported for direct comparison.

    Background

    MPs, defined as synthetic particles between 1 μm and five mm in size, are persistent environmental contaminants found in marine, freshwater, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments. In practice, this study’s detection threshold was >10 μm due to μ-FTIR analytical limits. They can carry toxic chemicals, enter the food chain, and pose potential risks to human health.

    Human exposure occurs through food, water, air, and consumer products, but drinking water studies dominate the research, showing variable MP concentrations across countries. Evidence also shows MPs in beverages like beer, tea, coffee, and soft drinks, with possible sources including the water used, packaging materials, manufacturing processes, and preparation methods.

    While some studies report MPs in individual beverage types, no comprehensive assessment exists for a broad range of hot and cold beverages from one country. Furthermore, most exposure estimates consider only water intake, overlooking the role of other drinks in total fluid consumption.

    Given that beverage choices vary socially and culturally, excluding them may underestimate exposure. Researchers addressed this gap by establishing baseline MPs data for widely consumed UK beverages, surveying daily beverage intake among UK adults, and combining this data to estimate MPs exposure from total fluid intake to provide a more realistic assessment essential for evaluating potential health risks.

    About the Study

    In this study, researchers analyzed MPs in 155 samples comprising 5 samples from 31 beverage types from popular UK brands, collected from supermarkets and coffee shops in 2024. Beverages included hot and iced coffee, hot and iced tea, juices, energy drinks, and soft drinks.

    Samples were processed in a clean room under strict contamination controls. Cold drinks were filtered immediately, while hot drinks were cooled for 30 minutes before filtration. MPs were extracted by vacuum filtration through 0.45 μm silver membrane filters, followed by digestion of organic matter using hydrogen peroxide at 60 °C for 24 hours.

    Analysis was performed using spectroscopy methods to identify polymer types and particle characteristics with a 70% or more spectral match. Shapes, sizes, and counts were determined via microscope imaging.

    An online survey of 201 adults recorded daily beverage intake, which was combined with MPs concentration data (expressed in MPs/L in the primary results and in MPs/cup for product-specific discussion) from this study and previous UK water studies to estimate exposure in MPs/kg body weight/day. Quality control included blank samples and recovery tests. Statistical analyses assessed differences between beverage types.

    Key Findings

    MPs were detected in all 155 beverage samples analyzed. In MPs/L terms, hot coffee averaged 43 ± 14 MPs/L, iced coffee 37 ± 6 MPs/L, hot tea 60 ± 21 MPs/L, iced tea 31 ± 7 MPs/L, fruit juice 30 ± 11 MPs/L, energy drinks 25 ± 11 MPs/L, and soft drinks 17 ± 4 MPs/L.

    For product-specific serving comparisons, hot coffee in disposable paper cups averaged 16 MPs/cup, much lower than some previous studies, as they excluded cellulose-based particles and focused only on synthetic polymers thicker than 10 μm. Coffee in glass cups had fewer MPs, while older coffee machines released more MPs, likely from material degradation. Iced coffee in cups made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) averaged 11 MPs/cup, mostly PET, with possible contributions from ice. Ice used in iced coffee has previously been identified as a potential MP source. Hot coffee contained significantly more MPs than iced coffee.

    Hot tea in paper cups averaged 22 MPs/cup, higher than tea in glass cups (14 MPs/cup). The most expensive tea bags had the highest MP counts, averaging 27 ± 3 MPs/cup. Iced tea in PET bottles had fewer MPs than hot tea, reinforcing heat’s role in MP release.

    Fruit juice in PET bottles had higher MP levels (42 ± 4 MPs/L) than carton packs (23 ± 3 MPs/L). Energy drinks in plastic packaging contained more MPs (40 ± 7 MPs/L) than canned versions (18 ± 3 MPs/L). Soft drinks in plastic bottles averaged 17 ± 4 MPs/L, in line with international studies.

    Particle sizes ranged mostly from 10–200 μm, with iced tea having the smallest particles and hot tea the largest. Across all beverages, fragments dominated (72–93%) over fibres. Polymer types matched packaging materials, with polypropylene (PP) the most abundant overall, followed by polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene (PE). Detection of polyamide (PA) and polylactic acid (PLA) in some tea and coffee sachets was linked to intentional inclusion for texture. This confirmed packaging as a major MP source, with additional contributions from production processes, air, and water, including atmospheric deposition and wear from plastic machinery parts.

    Conclusions

    In this study, researchers revealed widespread MP contamination across popular UK beverages, with higher levels in hot drinks, underscoring the role of temperature in accelerating MP release from packaging.

    Polymer composition largely reflected packaging materials, but secondary sources, such as contaminated water, atmospheric fallout, and production equipment, also contribute. Estimated daily intakes from all beverages were 1.7 MPs/kg body weight/day for females and 1.6 MPs/kg body weight/day for males, exceeding UK drinking-water-only estimates, suggesting that water-based exposure assessments underestimate true intake.

    Strengths include a large sample size across multiple brands, focus on synthetic polymers, and polymer-type identification. The inclusion of a local consumption survey allowed estimation of real-world exposure.

    Limitations involve the use of regional consumption data rather than national statistics, potential market representation gaps, and a detection limit excluding MPs less than 10 μm. This size restriction may underestimate the total MP burden.

    Overall, the findings provide robust evidence that beverage consumption contributes significantly to microplastic ingestion. The research team highlighted the need for more comprehensive monitoring, improved packaging materials, and public awareness, in line with the discussion in the paper.

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  • Kodak warns investors it might not be around much longer

    Kodak warns investors it might not be around much longer

    By Claudia Assis

    Going-concern warning comes as Kodak reports second-quarter results

    A vintage Kodak camera and box. The company, which diversified its business to include chemicals and printing, spooked investors Monday.

    It’s the Kodak moment no one wanted to see again.

    Eastman Kodak Co. (KODK) late Monday warned investors that it runs the risk of not being around much longer.

    Similar warnings have plagued the company, an undisputable household name in the U.S. and abroad, in the past, most recently around 2019. A year later, it got a $765 million government loan to produce domestic ingredients for generic drugs in order to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign-made ones.

    Kodak has pivoted to other industries, including industrial printing and chemicals, and has offered nods to technology a little closer to its roots, including offering a Barbie-branded mini photo printer.

    The going-concern language was added to Kodak’s second-quarter results Monday. A plan to use excess funds from the end of a pension plan to pay down debt and remain afloat is “progressing as planned,” the company said.

    The company expects to have “a clear understanding” of how it will satisfy its obligations to plan participants this week; it says it expects to complete the funds reversion by December.

    The focus for the second half of the year is on continuing to reduce costs and on converting investments into “long-term growth,” Kodak said.

    After initially dropping nearly 20% in the extended session Monday, the stock ended the after-hours session down 6.6%.

    So far this year, the shares have gained about 3%, which compares with an advance of around 8% for the S&P 500 index SPX. The stock last ended in the black for the year in 2016, when it rose 24%. It lost 48% last year.

    Kodak reported second-quarter sales of $263 million, down 1% compared with the same period in 2024. It swung to a GAAP net loss of $26 million for the quarter, compared with a profit of $26 million in the year-ago quarter.

    Kodak ended the quarter with $155 million in cash, a drop of $46 million from Dec. 31. That’s mostly due to capital expenses to fund its growth plans, changes in working capital, higher costs and lower profitability from operations, the company said.

    The focus remains on improving “the efficiency of our operations and investing in growth initiatives in our [advanced materials and chemicals] group,” Chief Financial Officer David Bullwinkle said in a statement.

    -Claudia Assis

    This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. 

    
  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
    

    
  08-11-25 2022ET
    

    Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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  • ‘Saiyaara’ Stars Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda Win IMDb Breakout Awards

    ‘Saiyaara’ Stars Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda Win IMDb Breakout Awards

    Two emerging talents from Bollywood romantic drama “Saiyaara” have earned IMDb Breakout Star STARmeter Awards, marking a significant milestone in their burgeoning careers.

    Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda received the honors based on their exceptional performance on IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities rankings, which measures engagement from the platform’s global user base. The recognition spotlights performers who demonstrate strong audience appeal and suggests promising career trajectories ahead.

    In “Saiyaara,” helmed by Mohit Suri and backed by Yash Raj Films, Panday makes his film debut portraying musician Krish Kapoor, while Padda takes on the role of journalist and songwriter Vaani Batra. Both actors have navigated complex character arcs involving personal redemption and inner conflict.

    “Saiyaara” released worldwide July 18 and has become the highest grossing Bollywood romance of all time with $62 million. It is also the second highest Indian grosser of 2025 after “Chhaava.”

    The pair has dominated IMDb’s popularity metrics in remarkable fashion, each securing the top position on India’s celebrity rankings in back-to-back weeks. Their appeal has transcended local boundaries, with both performers landing in the global top 100 — Padda at 64 and Panday at 75.

    Panday said: “The IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award is the first award of my acting career, and the fact that it comes directly from audiences makes it all the more special. I spent my whole childhood scouring IMDb, seeing different polls, watching the rise and fall of various movies and shows. IMDb was a portal for me to lose myself into world cinema. To be mentioned on it, to be a part of it, to be honored by it, and to know that I’m up there somewhere, would have been something that that a 12-year-old on his box computer could never have fathomed, but always dreamed of.”

    The actor also acknowledged key industry figures: “I’d like to thank Adi sir [Yash Raj Films chair and MD Aditya Chopra] for believing in me and Mohit sir for being the best mentor I could have asked for in this journey of ‘Saiyaara’. Sharing this award with my co-star Aneet makes this achievement even more special. She deserves not only this but the world. For now, I want to focus on my journey ahead. I want to focus on my next film and work twice as hard to deliver another performance that I can be proud of. I’m overwhelmed to have received this unanimous love from people, it still shocks me to this day, and honestly, I think the only way to go forward is keep my head low and keep working.”

    Padda added: “I’m delighted that ‘Saiyaara’ and my performance in it has resonated with audiences worldwide, which has led to my winning the IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award. Winning an accolade that is driven by audiences makes this truly a meaningful recognition. I’m thrilled to have entertained people with a performance that has touched them. I’d like to dedicate my first award to the entire cast and crew of the film, and to Adi sir and Mohit sir for their belief in someone like me, and to my co-star Ahaan. It’s been an absolute joy to share the screen and this journey with him. It is truly precious when people believe in your skills and give you that one chance you need. Playing Vaani has been one of the most joyful and intense experiences of my life. I can’t wait to be back on screen soon and do what I love most, bringing stories and incredible characters to life. I want to focus on my next film, take all this love and channelize it to do even better on screen next time.”

    The STARmeter system analyzes page view data from IMDb’s 250 million-plus monthly visitors worldwide, creating rankings that industry observers have found to be reliable indicators of emerging talent. The awards program has previously spotlighted actors including Monika Panwar, Zahan Kapoor, Kani Kusruti, Sharvari, Nitanshi Goel, Adarsh Gourav, Ayo Edebiri, and Regé-Jean Page.

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  • Park Chan-wook Can Keep Writing Despite Expulsion From WGA

    Park Chan-wook Can Keep Writing Despite Expulsion From WGA

    Park Chan-wook is among the deans of Korean cinema, famous for writing and directing “Oldboy,” among other films, and producing “Snowpiercer.” He also has a new film premiering later this month at Venice, “No Other Choice.”

    So when it was announced Friday that Park and his writing partner, Don McKellar, had been expelled from the Writers Guild of America, it naturally raised a question about what it would mean for his career.

    The answer is: Almost nothing.

    “It has absolutely no impact on employability,” said Adam Levin, a partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp. “Neither the union nor the producers can discriminate against you based on your non-union status.”

    Park can still write, produce and direct movies and TV shows, either overseas or in the U.S. Companies that are signatories to the WGA contract are free to hire him in whatever capacity they want, or to buy his finished films. He can also work for non-signatory companies, domestically or abroad, without a waiver from the WGA.

    And if there’s another writer’s strike, he can keep on writing.

    Park and McKellar were disciplined for writing their HBO mini-series “The Sympathizer” during the 2023 strike. The WGA considers such conduct “scab writing,” and punishes it in order to deter future strike-breaking and to maintain a credible strike threat.

    According to a source familiar with the situation, “The Sympathizer” had been written and shot and was in post-production when the writers’ strike began in May 2023. Park and McKellar worked to complete the show, believing they were following the strike rules, which forbid members from performing “writing services” for a struck company.

    The question of what constitutes “writing services” is the source of a multi-decade dispute, with the WGA and the Directors Guild of America offering conflicting advice. Under the DGA interpretation, members are allowed to do things like cut existing material for time or make minor adjustments in dialogue. The WGA sees those actions as “writing” and forbids them.

    According to the source, Park is adamant that he did not write during the strike. A WGA trial committee recommended a censure, but the board increased the discipline to expulsion, the source said.

    The WGA did not respond to a request for comment.

    Park only joined the WGA in order to work on “The Sympathizer,” as his previous work was not governed by the contract. He opted not to appeal the board’s decision.

    Expulsion is the most severe form of punishment the guild can mete out. But the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 outlawed the “closed shop,” meaning that the union cannot limit job opportunities solely to its own members.

    The WGA can require that non-members who work under its contract pay a fee to compensate for the cost of union representation. So if Park or McKellar wanted to write another prestige cable drama, they could do so, but would have to pay the “financial core” rate to the union. The rate is currently 4.21% less than standard WGA dues.

    Signatory employers would also have to abide by the minimum terms of the WGA contract, and would have to pay pension and health contributions on their behalf. Park and McKellar would also be eligible for benefits on the same terms as members are, and would also be entitled to union representation in disputes with the employer.

    The effects of the expulsion are limited. Park cannot vote in WGA elections, serve in WGA offices, attend WGA events, or be eligible for WGA awards.

    The most significant effect may be the public stigma. The WGA maintains a website listing ex-members who have elected to take “fi-core” status or who have been kicked out. For an early-career writer, that could hinder job opportunities even if, legally, it shouldn’t.

    But Park will be in good company on the list, along with other big names who have voluntarily opted out of WGA membership. Those names include George Clooney, Sylvester Stallone and George Lucas.

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  • Intel Releases LLM-Scaler 1.0 As Part Of Project Battlematrix

    Intel Releases LLM-Scaler 1.0 As Part Of Project Battlematrix

    Intel today announced their August 2025 Software Update to Project Battlematrix and the release of the LLM-Scaler 1.0 container for optimized AI inference support on Intel Arc B-Series graphics hardware.

    Back in May Intel announced Project Battlematrix for supporting up to eight Intel Arc Pro GPUs for AI inference, SR-IOV support, improved vLLM performance, and a variety of other new features for their graphics stack on Linux. Their goal at the time was to have Q3 availability and full feature enablement by the end of the year.

    Project Battlematrix slide

    Today they announced the LLM Scaler 1.0 container release for furthering this effort. LLM-Scaler 1.0 is described as:

    “A new containerized solution built for Linux environment, optimized to deliver incredible inference performance with multi-GPU scaling and PCIe P2P data transfers, and designed to include enterprise-class reliability and manageability features such as ECC, SRIOV, telemetry and remote firmware updates.”

    The 1.0 release incorporates new vLLM performance optimizations, various new vLLM features, better multi-modal model support, and more. The container also has oneCCL benchmark support, XPU manager integration for various GPU telemetry features, and other enhancements.

    More details on the Intel LLM-Scaler 1.0 container via GitHub.

    Within the Intel.com announcement for their August 2025 software update they note up next will be a hardened version of LLM Scaler and other features by the end of Q3. The full feature release is still on track for the fourth quarter.

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  • Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato Have ‘Camp Rock’ Reunion at Band’s Tour

    Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato Have ‘Camp Rock’ Reunion at Band’s Tour

    The Jonas Brothers were determined to make the opening night of the band’s Jonas20: Greetings from Your Hometown Tour one to remember.

    The band — consisting of brothers Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas — kicked off their 20th anniversary tour on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in their home state of New Jersey. But to make it more special, they surprised their fans with some special guests throughout the show, including Demi Lovato.

    The Jonas Brothers and Lovato previously starred in the 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock, which saw Joe and Lovato play love interests onscreen as well as have a real-life romance in 2010. They also reprised their characters in the sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.

    During Sunday’s show, they performed “This Is Me” and “Wouldn’t Change a Thing” from the movie, with clips from the concert quickly going viral on social media. Lovato later shared an Instagram carousel to reminisce on the special performance, writing, “Hey siri play this is me by mitchie torres.”

    Camp Rock followed Mitchie Torres (Lovato), a teen girl who desperately wants to spend her summer at a music camp, but the only way she can attend is by working in the kitchen to help her mom. But when popular teen idol, Shane Gray (Joe Jonas), overhears her singing, he sets out to find the girl behind the voice.

    Lovato wasn’t the only surprise guest at the opening night of Jonas20. The band also brought out Switchfoot to perform “Meant to Live” and “Hold On,” Jesse McCartney to sing “Beautiful Soul” and Dean Lewis to perform “Loved You Better.” At the end of the show, they also welcomed their family to the stage, including youngest brother Franklin Jonas, mom Denise Jonas and dad Kevin Jonas Sr., to perform their 2007 song “When You Look Me in the Eyes.”


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  • Asian Stocks Rise on China Tariff Truce Extension: Markets Wrap

    Asian Stocks Rise on China Tariff Truce Extension: Markets Wrap


    This content was published on

    (Bloomberg) — Asian stocks rose after the US and China agreed to extend their tariff truce, offering relief to markets ahead of a key US inflation report expected to shape the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate path.

    The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.5% as the Nikkei-225 index soared to a record high with Japan returning from a holiday Monday. Shares in Shanghai rose 0.3% while those in Hong Kong were flat. The yen weakened against the dollar for a third consecutive session. Gold gained 0.3%.

    Chinese shares are in focus after President Donald Trump extended the pause on tariffs for another 90 days, pushing the deadline into early November. The move removes one source of uncertainty for markets, which are now turning to economic data for clues on whether tariffs are affecting prices and what the Fed will do at its September meeting.

    “For now, the markets are pleased that progress is being made to extend the August 12 deadline, but this is by no means certain and no deal has been signed,” said Seb Mullins, Schroders’ head of multi-asset and fixed income in Australia. “The China trade deal is the most likely to flare up again, which will have the greatest impact on total US tariffs.”

    Trump extended a pause of sky-high tariffs on Chinese goods, stabilizing trade ties between the world’s two largest economies. Trump signed an order extending the truce through Nov. 10, deferring a tariff hike set for Tuesday.

    The de-escalation first took effect when the US and China agreed to reduce tit-for-tat tariff hikes and ease export restrictions on rare earth magnets and certain technologies.

    “All other elements of the Agreement will remain the same,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

    Micron Technology Inc. raising its revenue and earnings outlook and Trump signaling that he’d be open to allowing Nvidia Corp. to sell a scaled-back version of its most advanced AI chip to China also lifted sentiment Tuesday.

    Chip shares in Asia rose led by Advantest Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co.

    Attention will shift to inflation data later Tuesday, which is forecast to show American consumers saw a slight pickup in inflation as retailers gradually raised prices on a variety of items subject to higher import duties.

    “The market’s reaction to any surprises in the numbers could be exaggerated — especially if a significantly hotter-than-expected CPI print leads traders to believe the Fed may not cut rates at its next meeting,” said Chris Larkin at E*Trade from Morgan Stanley.

    The core consumer price index in the US, regarded as a measure of underlying inflation because it strips out volatile food and energy costs, will show a 0.3% increase for July, according to the median projection in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

    Money markets show traders have priced in more than two rate reductions by December, with about a 90% probability of a quarter-point Fed cut next month. The latest jobs report also pointed to a sharp cooling in the labor market over the last few months. Policymakers left rates unchanged at the end of July.

    Markets Live Strategist Garfield Reynolds says:

    Global equities look nervous heading into Tuesday’s US CPI release, given the potential the data could disrupt expectations for Fed interest-rate cuts that have helped to prop up risk appetite in the US and beyond. Asian stocks may face a more perilous risk-reward set up given this local investor hesitance.

    Meanwhile, the Fed’s two vice chairs, Michelle Bowman and Philip Jefferson, and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan are under consideration to serve as chair of the central bank when the position opens next year, according to two administration officials. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will interview additional candidates in the coming weeks, said the officials.

    Trump named EJ Antoni, chief economist of the conservative Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics after firing the former head of the agency earlier this month.

    Gold held a loss after Trump said imports of bullion won’t be subject to US tariffs, although traders were still waiting for formal clarification over the policy following a federal ruling last week that sowed chaos and confusion across the market.

    Elsewhere, Australia’s central bank is poised to deliver its third interest-rate cut this year on Tuesday as inflationary pressures ebb, while Governor Michele Bullock is expected to stick with her cautious stance on the monetary policy outlook.

    On the geopolitical front, Trump downplayed expectations for his upcoming meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as he seeks to end the war in Ukraine. Trump cast it as a “feel-out meeting” and saying he would confer with Ukrainian and European leaders after the sitdown.

    Some of the main moves in markets:

    Stocks

    S&P 500 futures were little changed as of 10:57 a.m. Tokyo time Japan’s Topix rose 1.4% Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.1% Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.1% The Shanghai Composite rose 0.3% Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.2% Currencies

    The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1620 The Japanese yen was little changed at 148.28 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.1906 per dollar Cryptocurrencies

    Bitcoin rose 0.1% to $119,014.36 Ether rose 0.6% to $4,270.71 Bonds

    The yield on 10-year Treasuries was little changed at 4.28% Japan’s 10-year yield was unchanged at 1.485% Australia’s 10-year yield advanced two basis points to 4.26% Commodities

    West Texas Intermediate crude was little changed Spot gold rose 0.2% to $3,350.08 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.

    –With assistance from Carmeli Argana and Winnie Hsu.

    (An earlier version was corrected to show that soybean exports referred to soybean oil)

    ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • KFC will bring back two discontinued fan favorites but which ones?

    KFC will bring back two discontinued fan favorites but which ones?

    Kentucky Fried Chicken will bring back some oldies, but goodies, to their latest menu offerings.

    The fast-food chain announced Aug. 11 that potato wedges and hot & spicy wings are “officially back by obsessive demand.” Both returning menu items will be available for purchase at KFC restaurants nationwide starting next week.

    KFC couldn’t keep the good news to themselves, writing “HERE, DAMN.” in an X post that has now been viewed over ten million times.

    “you asked (a lot), and we listened. wedges are back,” KFC wrote.

    According to KFC, they’ve heard fans “clamoring” for a chance to taste their potato wedges (again) via thousands of social media comments and petition signatures – for years.

    “When KFC fired up a surprise drop of wedges in the Tampa, Fla. market, local fans were elated, leading to an early sellout in some restaurants,” the fast-food chain said. “KFC first introduced Potato Wedges in the mid-1990s as a menu staple, earning cult status in the late 1990s and early 2000s, before a hotly debated discontinuation in 2020.”

    The wait for KFC’s potato wedges (and wings) is now over. Here’s what to know about their long-awaited return, including how to get them.

    Potato wedges, wings back at KFC soon

    KFC’s potato wedges, in addition to the hot & spicy wings, will return to the menu on Monday, Aug. 18.

    “While wedges make a comeback after five years, wings make their triumphant return after nearly two years—both are available while supplies last, so get them while they’re hot and crispy,” KFC said.

    Customers will either be able to purchase a side of wedges, substitute any side for wedges, or try them in a new six-piece wings and wedges combo. (FYI: Secret Recipe Fries will still be available on KFC menus.)

    In addition to the returning menu items, KFC is serving up “crave-worthy deals” designed to bring big flavor without breaking the bank this season:

    • $3.99 KFC Chicken Sandwich: An Extra Crispy™ chicken breast filet on a toasted brioche bun, topped with pickles and the Colonel’s real mayo or spicy mayo (Deal starts Aug. 18)
    • $20 Wings & Wedges Fan Favorites Box: Weeknight dinners just got easier—10 Hot & Spicy Wings, 12 KFC Chicken Nuggets, Potato Wedges, four biscuits and four dipping sauces, offering something for everyone in the family (Deal starts Aug. 18)
    • 20 Wings for $20: Your game day group meal unlocked—enjoy 20 Hot & Spicy Wings and four dipping sauces of your choice for just $20 (a KFC digital exclusive offer that kicks off Sept. 4)
    • $10 Tuesdays: KFC’s popular deal continues—your choice of eight pieces of classic fried chicken or eight Original Recipe® Tenders for just $10 on Tuesday

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  • Deloitte Australia announces $2.55 billion revenue and positions for FY26 growth

    Deloitte Australia announces $2.55 billion revenue and positions for FY26 growth

    12 August 2025: Deloitte Australia has recorded revenue of $2.55 billion for Financial Year 2025 (FY25), which ended on the 31st of May. In the context of challenging global and domestic conditions, this performance underscores the resilience of the firm’s diversified portfolio and strategic focus.

    While revenue softened by 8.3 per cent versus FY24, Deloitte’s ongoing investment in the skills and capability of our people, alongside strengthening macroeconomic tailwinds and an accelerating Australian economy, positions the firm on a clear trajectory back to growth in FY26. This growth is expected across both its high-growth practices and cyclical portfolios.

    Strong demand continued across core practices, including business and private tax advisory, regulatory services and technology modernisation, as well as within the banking, capital markets, investment management and technology sectors. Deloitte’s Operate service, which manages end-to-end business operations and processes, achieved double-digit growth, with this momentum expected to continue.

    A dedicated workforce of 12,080 professionals delivered these outcomes. Deloitte continues to attract exceptional and diverse talent, welcoming 35 new Partners and hiring 655 graduates. The firm completed the strategic acquisition of Efficientia Solutions, bolstering its industrial and manufacturing technology integration and support capabilities.

    Deloitte Australia CEO Jo Gorton said: “Evolving client needs, heightened global volatility and the accelerating pace of technological advancement have all contributed to a complex operating environment throughout FY25. While these factors have undoubtedly impacted business outcomes, they have also created significant opportunities for people to work alongside our clients on transformational projects.

    “I want to express my deep appreciation to our clients for their trust and collaboration, and to our people for their dedication and expertise. Together, we have navigated these changes with agility and purpose.

    “Our priority has been positioning ourselves for long-term success in FY26 and beyond by taking deliberate, strategic steps to navigate this landscape. This requires identifying the opportunities that matter and driving meaningful, tangible change. As we look towards FY26, we do so with optimism and confidence and a commitment to maintaining our position as Australia’s leading professional services firm.”

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  • Researchers jailbreak GPT-5 with multi-turn Echo Chamber storytelling

    Researchers jailbreak GPT-5 with multi-turn Echo Chamber storytelling

    Security researchers have revealed that OpenAI’s recently released GPT-5 model can be jailbroken using a multi-turn manipulation technique that blends the “Echo Chamber” method with narrative storytelling.

    Jailbreaking a GPT model is a way of manipulating prompts or conversation flows to bypass built-in safety and content restrictions. The methodology involves crafting inputs over multiple turns to trick the model into producing responses it would normally refuse to generate.

    As detailed by Dark Reading, researchers from NeuralTrust Inc. used a blend of the Echo Chamber technique and narrative storytelling to gradually steer GPT-5 into providing step-by-step instructions for making a Molotov cocktail, all without issuing an overtly malicious prompt.

    The exploit, in this case, worked by subtly poisoning the conversation over multiple turns. The researchers started by giving GPT-5 requests to use certain words together in a sentence, including “cocktail,” “survival” and “Molotov,” within a fictional survival scenario. Subsequent interactions then built on the story and reinforced the poisoned context while encouraging continuity and detail.

    In the end, the model responded to the flow of the narrative rather than perceiving the request as a policy violation, including delivering harmful instructions.

    NeuralTrust’s findings align with separate red-teaming results from SplxAI Inc., which showed GPT-5 to be more capable than its predecessors but still less robust than GPT-4o when tested against sophisticated prompt attacks.

    “GPT-5’s alleged vulnerabilities boil down to three things: it can be steered over multiple turns by context poisoning and storytelling, it’s still tripped by simple obfuscation tricks and it inherits agent/tool risks when links and functions get pulled into the loop,” J Stephen Kowski, field chief technology officer at SlashNext Email Security+, told SiliconANGLE via email. “These gaps appear when safety checks judge prompts one-by-one while attackers work the whole conversation, nudging the model to keep a story consistent until it outputs something it shouldn’t.”

    Satyam Sinha, chief executive officer and founder at generative artificial intelligence security and governance company Acuvity Inc., commented that “these findings highlight a reality we’re seeing more often in AI security: model capability is advancing faster than our ability to harden it against incidents. GPT-5’s vulnerabilities aren’t surprising, they’re a reminder that security isn’t something you ‘ship’ once.”

    “Attacks like the Echo Chamber exploit the model’s own conversational memory and the SPLX results underscore how dependent GPT-5’s defenses are on external scaffolding like prompts and runtime filters,” added Sinha.

    Image: SiliconANGLE/Reve

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