Women who have had early breast cancer have a lower risk of developing a second cancer than previously thought, a new study has found.
The research was led by the University of Oxford’s Population Health department, and was recently published in the British Medical Journal.
It found that 20 years after an original breast cancer diagnosis women were 2% more likely than the general population to develop a second cancer – a much lower figure than previously thought.
Dr David Dodwell said the findings could “reassure” women diagnosed with breast cancer and “help them to plan their future”.
“Our study confirms that the risks of new cancers are higher for breast cancer survivors than for other women in the general population,” Dr Dodwell, a senior clinical research fellow at Oxford Population Health, said.
“However, these additional risks are small in comparison to the risks of recurrence and breast cancer death in the great majority of women diagnosed with early invasive breast cancer.”
In compiling the study, researchers analysed data recorded in England’s national cancer registry for women diagnosed with early invasive breast cancer, to determine whether any of them had been diagnosed with a second cancer.
Researchers found that 13.6% of the women studied developed a second primary non-breast cancer – a figure only marginally higher than the general population.
Caroline Geraghty, from Cancer Research UK, said: “This research should provide some reassurance to women who have had early invasive breast cancer.
“We’ve known for a while that having breast cancer increases a person’s chance of developing a different, unrelated cancer but until now we haven’t known how much higher this chance was.
“These findings, that the risk is only marginally higher, are very promising.”
The 14th match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) saw the Trinbago Knight Riders secure an eight-wicket victory over the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in their first home game of the season. A superb bowling display followed by fifties from Alex Hales and Kacey Carty was enough to set up the win and see Knight Riders move to second place on the table.
The Falcons were two wickets down in the first over after Mohammad Amir dismissed both Rahkeem Cornwall and Karima Gore for ducks as he started the game with a double wicket maiden. They then lost four wickets without adding to the score to go from 71/2 to 71/6 thanks in part to Andre Russell taking two wickets without conceding a run in the second double wicket maiden of the Falcons innings.
Pakistani duo Imad Wasim and Usama Mir put together a recovery with a partnership of 64 which brought the Falcons back into the contest ending on a respectable score of 146/7. While the innings from Imad was hugely important in keeping the Falcons in this game, he left the field injured and took no further part in the contest, which will be a major concern for the Falcons who will have to worry over availability of a key player and their captain.
A steady Power-Play saw the Knight Riders reach 42/1 with Colin Munro the only wicket to fall. A partnership of 87 between Carty and Hales took any remaining drama out of the contest as the two right handers calmly put their team in complete control.
There were a few chances to break the second wicket stand, not least when Andries Gous missed a stumping off the bowling of Karima Gore when Hales was on 33. The stand was eventually broken when Carty edged the ball on to his stumps off the bowling of Jayden Seales for 60.
Hales passed fifty from 44 balls but it was Knight Riders’ captain Nicholas Pooran who sealed the victory with a big six as the home side ran out winners with eight balls remaining.
Amir was named Player of the Match for his 3/22 but this was a very impressive all-round win from the Knight Riders who have started their home leg of the 2025 tournament in fine fashion.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un are among the world leaders who will attend a military parade with President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week, in a show of collective defiance amid western pressure.
No western leaders will be among the 26 foreign heads of state and government attending the parade next week – with the exception of Robert Fico, prime minister of Slovakia, a member of the European Union – according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Against the backdrop of China’s growing military might during the Victory Day parade on 3 September, the three leaders will project a major show of solidarity.
Russia, which Beijing counts as a strategic partner, has been battered by multiple rounds of western sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with its economy on the brink of slipping into recession. Putin, wanted by the international criminal court, last travelled in China in 2024.
North Korea, a formal treaty ally of China’s, has been under UN security council sanctions since 2006 over its development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Kim last visited China in January 2019.
Those attending the parade marking the formal surrender of Japan during the second world war will include Belarus president Aleksandr Lukashenko, Iran’s president Masoud Pezashkian, Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto and South Korea’s National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik, said Chinese assistant foreign minister Hong Lei at a news conference.
Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vucic will also attend the parade.
The United Nations will be represented by under secretary general Li Junhua, who previously served in various capacities at the Chinese foreign ministry, including time as the Chinese ambassador to Italy, San Marino and Myanmar.
On the day, President Xi Jinping will survey tens of thousands of troops at Tiananmen Square alongside the foreign dignitaries and senior Chinese leaders.
The highly choreographed parade, to be one of China’s largest in years, will showcase cutting-edge equipment like fighter jets, missile defence systems and hypersonic weapons.
Millions of Chinese people were killed during a prolonged war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, which became part of a global conflict following Tokyo’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Beijing’s Communist Party has held a series of blockbuster events in recent years to commemorate its wartime resistance, vowing that China will never be brought to its knees in such a way again.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold banners and signs as they protest outside the Microsoft Build conference at the Seattle Convention Center in Seattle, Washington on May 19, 2025.
Jason Redmond | Afp | Getty Images
Microsoft on Thursday said that it had terminated two employees who broke into President Brad Smith’s office earlier this week.
The news comes after seven current and former Microsoft employees on Tuesday held a protest in the company’s building in Redmond, Washington, in opposition to the Israeli military’s alleged use of the company’s software as part of its invasion of Gaza.
The protesters, affiliated with the group No Azure for Apartheid, gained entry into Smith’s office and had demanded that Microsoft end its direct and indirect support to Israel.
In a post on Instagram, No Azure for Apartheid said Riki Fameli and Anna Hattle had been fired by the company.
“Two employees were terminated today following serious breaches of company policies and our code of conduct,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement, noting unlawful break-ins at the executive offices.
“These incidents are inconsistent with the expectations we maintain for our employees. The company is continuing to investigate and is cooperating fully with law enforcement regarding these matters,” the statement added.
In the aftermath of the protests, Smith claimed that the protestors had blocked people out of the office, planted listening devices in the form of phones, and refused to leave until they were removed by police.
No Azure For Apartheid defines itself as “a movement of Microsoft workers demanding that Microsoft end its direct and indirect complicity in Israeli apartheid and genocide.”
The Guardian earlier this month reported that the Israeli military had used Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure to store the phone calls of Palestinians, leading the company to authorize a third-party investigation into whether its technology has been used in surveillance.
Smith said on Tuesday that the company would “investigate and get to the truth” of how services are being used.
According to Smith, No Azure For Apartheid also mounted protests around the company’s campus last week, leading to 20 arrests in one day, with 16 having never worked at Microsoft.
No Azure for Apartheid has held a series of actions this year, including at Microsoft’s Build developer conference and at a celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that a Microsoft director had reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the protests.
Microsoft’s actions come after tech giant Google fired 28 employees last year following a series of protests against labor conditions and the company’s contract with the Israeli government and military for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services. In that case, some employees had gained access to the office of Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google’s cloud unit.
China has released its VAT rebate policy update in 2025, reducing eligibility for most industries, with only manufacturing, research, IT services, and ecological protection retaining full refunds. Businesses in other sectors face partial refunds and need to reassess their tax strategies.
On August 22, the State Tax Administration (STA) and Ministry of Finance (MOF) issued a notice revising the value-added tax (VAT) credit rebate policy in order to adjust tax incentives and increase fiscal revenue.
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From September 2025 onward, only eligible taxpayers in the manufacturing industry, the scientific research and technical services industry, the software and IT services industry, and the ecological protection and environmental management industry (hereinafter “the four industries”) will be able to apply for a full refund of their end-of-period VAT credits. Companies in the real estate development industry, as well as in other industries, may still apply for rebates, but the refundable proportion will be lower than what was previously allowed.
VAT credits represent the excess of input VAT (paid on purchases) over output VAT (collected on sales). When input VAT is higher than output VAT, the excess is usually carried forward to offset future tax liabilities. The rebate policy allows certain companies to convert these unused credits into cash refunds in the current taxable period, improving liquidity.
This change marks a significant narrowing of the industries eligible for VAT credit rebates. The rebate system, first introduced in 2019, was broadened in 2022 to ease pressure on companies’ cash flows during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Read more: China’s VAT Rebates Policy: Eligibility, Timeline, and Procedures)
Companies that have been relying on VAT credit refunds should therefore reassess the potential impact of these changes on their cash flow and consider strategies such as adjusting investment schedules, restructuring supply chains, or exploring alternative financing to mitigate reduced access to rebates.
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What are the changes to the VAT rebate policy?
1. Four key industries (Rule 1)
Taxpayers in the four industries can still apply every month (or every quarter for companies paying quarterly) to get a full refund of their unused VAT credit (the balance left at the end of the monthly or quarterly period).
The four industries are:
The manufacturing industry;
The scientific research and technical services industry;
The software and IT services industry; and
The ecological protection and environmental management industry.
Previously, taxpayers in 13 industries could apply for the full refund.
2. Real estate developers and operators (Rule 2)
Taxpayers in the real estate development industry can apply for a refund of 60 percent of the increase in the sixth month if:
For six months in a row (or two consecutive quarters for quarterly taxpayers), their end-of-period input VAT credit kept increasing (that is, was always higher than zero).
In the sixth month (or the second quarter for quarterly taxpayers), the increase is at least RMB 500,000 (US$69,901).
Real estate developers and operators that don’t meet these conditions can still apply for a refund under the “all other taxpayers” rules (see below).
3. All other taxpayers (Rule 3)
Companies that are not in the four industries or real estate, or real estate developers that do not meet the requirements outlined above, can now apply for a refund if:
For six months in a row, their end-of-period input VAT credit kept increasing.
In the sixth month, the end-of-period input VAT credits are at least RMB 500,000 higher than for the tax period immediately preceding the year to which the refund is applied.
The refund ratio depends on the size of the increase:
If the increase is up to and including RMB 100 million (US$14 million), companies can apply for a 60 percent refund.
If the increase is over RMB 100 million, companies can apply for a 30 percent refund for the portion exceeding RMB 100 million.
Previously, all companies that were not in one of the 13 industries (now four) were permitted to apply for refunds under Rule 2, without any limit on the amount. However, this rule is now limited solely to property developers. This means other companies are not able to claim back as much of the VAT credits as they previously could in the current period.
Who are eligible taxpayers?
The general eligibility criteria for companies within the four industries remain unchanged from the previous system. To qualify, companies must meet all of the following criteria:
Have an A or B tax credit rating.
Have not fraudulently obtained tax refunds for remaining credits, fraudulently obtained export tax refunds, or falsely issued special VAT invoices in the 36 months prior to the application.
Have not been punished twice or more by the tax authority for tax evasion within 36 months of applying for the tax refund.
Have not enjoyed other preferential VAT policies (i.e., “refund upon payment” and “refund after payment” policies) since April 1, 2019.
Companies operating within one of the four industries or real estate must also meet certain VAT sales thresholds in order to be eligible for the corresponding VAT refund rate. These criteria are summarized in the table below.
Category
Criteria
Manufacturing, scientific research and technical services, software and IT services, ecological protection and environmental governance)
Taxpayers whose VAT sales from these industries ≥ 50% of their total VAT sales, calculated over the 12 months before the refund application (or actual operating period if between 3-12 months).
Real estate developers and operators
Taxpayers whose VAT sales + advance payments from real estate projects ≥ 50% of their total VAT sales + advance payments, calculated over the 12 months before the refund application (or actual operating period if between 3-12 months). Advance payments already counted in the ratio cannot be double-counted as sales.
Other industries
Taxpayers not included in the above two categories.
Mixed businesses (real estate + others)
If a taxpayer has both real estate VAT sales/advance payments and other VAT sales, and the real estate portion meets the ≥50% threshold, they are classified as real estate taxpayers for refund purposes.
Note that VAT sales referred to in the table above include sales reported for tax purposes, sales recovered through audits, and sales adjusted through tax assessments. Where the VAT differential taxation policy applies, the amount before the differential is used to determine the ratio.
How do you calculate the refund amount?
The amount of VAT credits that can be refunded should be calculated according to the following formulae:
Refund amount = (Increase in VAT credit compared with March 31, 2019) × Input credit composition ratio × 60%
For other industries
Refund amount =
(Increase in VAT credit up to RMB 100 million compared with December 31 of prior year) × Input credit composition ratio × 60% plus
(Increase in VAT credit above RMB 100 million) × Input credit composition ratio × 30%
For rules 1 and 2, the “input credit composition ratio” is calculated based on VAT amounts shown on the seven types of deductible documents (special VAT invoices, customs import VAT payment certificates, tax payment receipts, motor vehicle invoices, toll electronic invoices, air ticket e-invoices, railway e-invoices) from April 2019 up to the tax period before applying for refund, divided by the total deductible input VAT in that period.
For Rule 3, the same method applies, but the time period is from January of the current year up until the tax period before applying for the refund.
Can you apply for both export VAT and credit rebate?
Yes, eligible companies can apply for both the export VAT exemption and rebate policy and the VAT credit rebate policy. However, as stipulated in the notice, companies should first apply for the export VAT exemption and refund. Only after this refund has been completed, if they still meet the criteria for the VAT credit rebate, can they apply for the rebate. Where the exemption and refund method is applicable, the corresponding input tax may not be used to refund retained VAT.
Can you carry forward the remaining VAT credits for deduction?
Yes, if a company does not apply for a refund, the remaining VAT credits at the end of the period can be rolled over to the next period and used to offset future VAT payable. If a company applies for a refund and the tax bureau approves it, the refunded amount is deducted from the VAT credit balance. If, later, it turns out the refund was claimed incorrectly, the company must pay it back in the next filing period. If the refund was obtained by fraud, the tax authorities will recover the money and deal with it according to tax law.
Why has China updated the VAT credit rebate policy?
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China has revised the VAT credit rebate policy in response to mounting pressures on tax revenue in recent years. According to data from the MOF, in the first half of 2025, total national general public budget revenue amounted to RMB 11.6 trillion (US$1.6 trillion), representing a slight decline of 0.3 percent year-on-year. Tax revenue specifically decreased by 1.2 percent to RMB 9.29 trillion (US$1.3 trillion), with notable contractions observed in corporate income tax (down 1.9 percent), import VAT and consumption taxes (down 6.1 percent), and tariffs (down 7.7 percent), while export tax rebates increased by 11.6 percent.
VAT also represents the largest share of the country’s tax regime, accounting for 38 percent of total tax revenue in 2024, meaning adjusting VAT rebate policies could have a considerable impact on increasing fiscal revenue.
Declining tax revenue constrains the government’s capacity to finance public services, social programs, and infrastructure development. The narrowing of the scope of VAT credit rebates seeks to limit the outflow of tax refunds and bolster fiscal revenue, thereby safeguarding stable government funding amid challenges arising from the real estate sector slowdown and subdued domestic consumption.
Next steps for impacted companies
Companies that are no longer fully eligible for the VAT credit rebate as a result of the changes should thoroughly review their current entitlements under the updated policy. This includes assessing which portions of the VAT rebate remain accessible and calculating the precise amounts that can be recovered. It is also important to evaluate the potential impact of these changes on their cash flow and overall liquidity, as reduced refunds may affect operational funding and financial planning.
Companies can also consider conducting a comprehensive review of other VAT-related policies and incentives to determine whether they qualify for alternative relief mechanisms. Many VAT policies introduced as fiscal relief for small companies during the COVID-19 pandemic have been extended until the end of 2027. These include VAT deductions for small-scale taxpayers, VAT refunds for hiring disabled employees, export VAT rebates, and other applicable tax incentives.
If your company may be impacted by the China VAT rebate policy update 2025, contact our tax advisors to review your eligibility and optimize your refund strategy. For any other support, please email China@dezshira.com.
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A 42-year-old female power plant worker was admitted to our respiratory department on August 1, 2021, due to a recurrent cough and sputum production that had persisted for over eight years and worsened in the past week. One week prior to admission, following a common cold, the patient experienced a recurrence of symptoms accompanied by a low-grade afternoon fever ranging from 37.5 to 37.8 °C. She reported occasional chest tightness, dyspnea, and palpitations, which were relieved by rest.
On physical examination, bilateral coarse breath sounds were noted, with a few moist rales in the lower lung fields. Laboratory investigations revealed no significant abnormalities in routine blood tests, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin. Initial bacterial smears showed Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative bacilli, but no acid-fast bacilli were detected. The tuberculosis γ-interferon test was negative. Thyroid function tests revealed elevated thyroid peroxidase antibodies (398.1 U/mL), an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 22 mm/h, and a positive purified protein derivative (PPD) test with a 10 mm induration. Thyroid ultrasound indicated diffuse thyroid disease suggestive of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Chest CT demonstrated scattered nodules and high-density spots in both lungs, along with traction bronchiectasis in the right middle lobe (Fig. 1A).
Fig. 1
Views of computed tomographic scan of the chest at different stages of disease. Chest computed tomography (CT) scans show multiple centrilobular nodules in both lungs, with some presenting a tree-in-bud appearance and some presenting as patchy ground-glass opacities, and traction bronchiectasis in the middle lobe of the right lung on July 26, 2021 (A); new patchy ground-glass opacity in the upper lobe of the right lung on April 3, 2023 (B); multiple centrilobular nodules in both lower lungs on July 28, 2023, with significant reduction compared to previous images (C); multiple centrilobular nodules in both lower lungs further reduced and absorbed, along with a decrease in traction bronchiectasis in the right middle lobe on June 18, 2024 (D).
The patient was treated with clarithromycin (1,000 mg every other day), rifampin (600 mg every other day), and ethambutol (750 mg every other day), as the mNGS on August 6, 2021 (refer to the mNGS analysis section) indicated the presence of NTM. The treatment continued for 17 months. In April 2023, chest CT revealed new patchy ground-glass opacities in the right upper lobe and increased bilateral lung inflammation (Fig. 1B). T cell subsets in the blood showed increased helper T lymphocytes (45.14%) and decreased cytotoxic T lymphocytes (12.93%), with the absolute count of cytotoxic T lymphocytes being 258.69 cells/µL. CD3 + CD4+/CD3 + CD8 + ratio was 3.49 (normal 0.7–2.8). Considering the absence of significant clinical improvement after a 17-month antibiotic regimen, and in light of recommendations from clinical practice guidelines of leading international respiratory medicine and infectious diseases societies39 as well as empirical regimens for Mycobacterium paraffinicum40the treatment was subsequently was adjusted to include amikacin (0.4 g daily, IV), azithromycin (0.5 g daily), ciprofloxacin (1,000 mg daily), and linezolid (600 mg twice daily). By July 28, 2023, the patient’s symptoms had improved, with significant absorption of lung lesions on chest CT, though right middle lobe bronchiectasis persisted (Fig. 1C). The treatment regimen was continued with azithromycin (0.5 g daily), ciprofloxacin (1,000 mg daily), and linezolid (300 mg twice daily), which has been ongoing for a year. The most recent CT scan on June 18, 2024, showed further reduction and absorption of multiple centrilobular nodules in both lower lungs, along with a reduction in traction bronchiectasis in the right middle lobe (Fig. 1D).
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing analysis
We performed three rounds of mNGS, with total nucleic acids for each analysis independently extracted from freshly collected BALF samples at the respective time points. In the initial round of mNGS of BALF (SRA accession number SRR30415380) conducted on August 6, 2021, we detected one sequence attributed to Mycobacterium intracellulare (M. intracellulare). It is crucial to note that this sequence is not exclusive to M. intracellulare but is also common among other species of NTM. A repeat BALF mNGS on April 25, 2023, identified Nocardia cyriacigeorgica (171 sequences), Mycobacterium paraffinicum (M. paraffinicum, 41 sequences), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (2 sequences). Although a relatively high sequence count of Nocardia cyriacigeorgica was detected, metagenomic sequencing cannot distinguish colonization from infection. Given that Nocardia species are common environmental saprophytes and transient colonizers in immunocompromised hosts, combined with the absence of typical nocardiosis symptoms or radiological features and the patient’s improvement with NTM-targeted therapy alone, we interpreted its detection as incidental colonization rather than active infection. Notably, a total of 676 sequences were classified at the genus level as Mycobacterium, suggesting the potential presence of a novel species that could not be confidently assigned to any known species (SRA accession number SRR30415381). On June 20, 2023, another mNGS of BALF detected M. paraffinicum (110 sequences), while 1,181 sequences were identified at the genus level as Mycobacterium (SRA accession number SRR30415382). The classification of some sequences as M. paraffinicum suggests that this potential new NTM species may be highly similar to M. paraffinicum, further complicating precise species-level identification.
Results of rapid genetic detection and bacterial isolation and characterization
Rapid genetic detection of TB/NTM infections and screening for drug resistance genes, conducted on BALF using the DNA microarray method, also confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium species, but Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not detected. Additionally, no resistance genes for isoniazid or rifampin were identified. A mycobacterial strain was successfully isolated from BALF and subsequently subjected to further characterization on July 13, 2023. The Mycobacterium culture showed growth of smooth colonies with yellow pigmentation on Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium regardless of light exposure, indicative of carotenoid production, a characteristic feature of certain scotochromogenic NTM species (Fig. 2A). Acid-fast staining was positive, revealing pink or red rod-shaped bacilli (Fig. 2B).
Fig. 2
Colonial morphology (A) and acid-fast staining property (B) of Mycobacterium hainanense. (A) Yellow-pigmented colonies of Mycobacterium hainanense HNNTM2301 grown on Löwenstein-Jensen medium. The colonies exhibit characteristic slow growth and pigmentation typical of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). (B) Acid-fast staining of HNNTM2301 reveals typical pink or red rod-shaped bacteria. This staining method confirms the presence of mycobacteria due to their mycolic acid-rich cell walls, which retain the dye.
Phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity
The whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the isolated strain HNNTM2301 was conducted, and the raw sequencing reads and assembled genome were uploaded to the NCBI SRA database (accession number SRR33114765 and SRR33114766) and RefSeq database (accession number GCF_041890355.1) respectively. The values of digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI), along with phylogenetic analysis, were then used to compare our isolated strain with 103 representative genomes of the genus Mycobacterium in the RefSeq database to confirm the species (Fig. 3). The whole-genome phylogenetic tree grouped our strain with M. paraffinicum and Mycobacterium nebraskense (M. nebraskense) in the same subcluster. Pairwise comparisons showed dDDH (d4) and ANI values between our strain and the representative genomes of Mycobacterium, with both the highest values observed for M. nebraskense (accession number GCF_001021495.1): 34.3% for dDDH and 88.07% for ANI (Fig. 3). These values are below the thresholds of 70% for dDDH and 95–96% for ANI, which are used for bacterial species delineation32,41. The dDDH and ANI values between strain HNNTM2301 and the remaining closest five type strains M. paraffinicum, M. seoulense, M. parascrofulaceum, M. paraseoulense, and M. scrofulaceum, were all approximately 33.3% and 87.8%, respectively (Fig. 3). A further ANI comparison of our strain with a total of 8,139 Mycobacterium genomes available in the RefSeq database showed the highest value to M. paraffinicum (accession number GCF_001907675.1) and M. scrofulaceum (accession number GCF_001667885.1), with similarities of 92.06% and 91.74%, respectively.
Fig. 3
Phylogenetic tree and pairwise comparisons of genome size, GC content, dDDH (d4) and ANI values between Mycobacterium hainanense HNNTM2301 and type strains of Mycobacterium. The phylogenetic tree was inferred using EasyCGTree software based on 120 single-copy protein-coding genes and rooted at the midpoint. The strain we isolated in this study was named Mycobacterium hainanense. The genomes of 103 type strains of Mycobacterium were downloaded from the RefSeq database accessed on March 26, 2024. The maximum-likelihood phylogeny shows the genome size, GC content, and pairwise comparisons of dDDH (d4) and ANI values between M. hainanense and other Mycobacterium species.
Identification of isolates by multilocus analysis
The gene sequences of 16 S rRNA (1493 bp), hsp65 (441 bp), rpoB (752 bp) and sodA (464 bp) were aligned separately for strain HNNTM2301 and the 103 reference mycobacterial strains using a multiple alignment algorithm, followed by the construction of phylogenetic trees. The phylogenetic tree based on the 16 S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolated strain HNNTM2301 was most closely related to type strain of M. scrofulaceum and M. paraffinicum with a bootstrap value of 80 (Fig. 4A). Additionally, the online BLAST analysis results for the 16 S rRNA of strain HNNTM2301 showed the closest match (99.8%) with M. paraffinicum strain ATCC 12670.
Fig. 4
Phylogenetic relationships of strain HNNTM2301 with other species of the genus Mycobacterium based on the 16 S rRNA gene (A), rpoB gene (B), hsp65 gene (C) and sodA gene (D). These trees were reconstructed using the neighbor-joining method with the Kimura 2-parameter distance correction model. Bootstrap values were calculated from 1,000 replications. Bootstrap values below 50% are not shown. Subtrees that are collapsed are represented as filled circles, with the circle size indicating the number of strains in each subtree. The 16 S rRNA gene was not detected in the genome of the type strain of Mycobacterium uberis (GCF_003408705.1), while the sodA gene was absent in the type strain of Mycobacterium gallinarum (GCF_010726765.1), Mycobacterium barrassiae (GCF_025822765.1) and Mycobacterium neglectum (GCF_002591975.1).
The phylogenetic analysis based on the partial rpoB gene sequences supported the grouping of strain HNNTM2301, M. nebraskense and M. paraffinicum in the rpoB gene-based tree with a bootstrap value of 91 (Fig. 4B). Sequence similarities for rpoB between strain HNNTM2301 and the representative M. nebraskense and M. paraffinicum were 96.54% and 95.48%, respectively.
In the hsp65-sequence-based phylogenetic analysis, strain HNNTM2301 was clustered with M. palustre, M. paraense, M. parmense and M. alsense. However, the bootstrap value of the group was below 50 (Fig. 4C). Sequence similarities for hsp65 between strain HNNTM2301 and type strain of M. palustre, M. paraense, M. parmense and M. alsense were 95.92%, 96.37%, 96.15%, and 96.83%, respectively. Based on a further online BLAST analysis, we found that the highest similarities to HNNTM2301 were with M. scrofulaceum (GenBank: GQ478700.1) and M. parascrofulaceum (GenBank: HM454226.1), at 99.55% and 99.32% respectively.
Also, a phylogenetic tree based on sodA gene sequences revealed that strain HNNTM2301 clustered together with M. scrofulaceum, M. paraseoulense, M. seoulense, M. nebraskense, and M. paraffinicum (Fig. 4D). Gene sequence similarities among these strains showed that the closest phylogenetic relationship was between strain HNNTM2301 and M. seoulense (93.75% sequence similarity).
Taken together, the uniqueness of four independent gene sequences (16 S rRNA, rpoB, hsp65, and sodA) together with the lower DNA-DNA relatedness and whole genomic similarity support the suggestion that strain HNNTM2301 is delineated from M. paraffinicum, M. nebraskense and M. scrofulaceum which are the most closely related species (Table 1). It was concluded that the strain represents a novel species for which the name Mycobacterium hainanense sp. nov. is proposed with type strain HNNTM2301.
Table 1 ANI, dDDH and marker gene sequence similarity between M. hainanense and seven most related species of nontuberculous Mycobacterium.
Genome characterization and functional analysis
The genome of strain HNNTM2301 was sequenced and assembled into a 5,800,079 bp circular chromosome with a GC content of 67.88% (Fig. 5). The genome contained 5,396 coding sequences, 47 tRNA genes, 3 rRNA genes (including 23 S rRNA, 16 S rRNA, and 5 S rRNA), and 3 ncRNAs genes. The genome sequence and its annotation information were submitted to the NCBI database under accession number NZ_CP169059. Based on the WGS-predicted phenotype, no resistance was detected against streptomycin, amikacin, bedaquiline, ethambutol, isoniazid, rifampicin, or linezolid.
Fig. 5
Circular representation of the genome of Mycobacterium hainanense HNNTM2301. This circular genome map comprises six concentric rings: the first and fourth rings represent coding sequences (CDS) on the forward and reverse strands, with colors denoting COG functional categories; the second and third rings display CDS, tRNA, and rRNA genes on the forward and reverse strands; the fifth ring depicts GC content, where outward peaks indicate regions with higher GC content and inward peaks denote lower GC content relative to the genome average; the sixth ring presents GC-Skew values, calculated as (G − C)/(G + C), which reflect strand-specific GC composition.
COG analysis annotated 4,228 genes, categorized into 23 functional groups. The majority of genes were involved in the pathways of lipid transport and metabolism, transcription, coenzyme transport and metabolism, and energy production and conversion (Fig. 6A). A total of 3,869 genes were annotated in the GO database, with the most enriched pathways being the integral component of the membrane (881 genes) and the cytoplasm (275 genes) in cellular components. DNA binding and ATP binding were the most enriched molecular functions, with 359 and 302 genes, respectively. Biological processes related to the regulation of DNA-templated transcription (149 genes) and methylation (104 genes) showed the highest gene counts (Fig. 6B). Furthermore, 2,243 orthologous protein-coding genes were assigned to 43 KEGG metabolic pathways, with the highest gene enrichment observed in global and overview maps, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism and lipid metabolism, which are critical for bacterial metabolism (Fig. 6C). These findings align with the COG metabolic pathway analysis, revealing that many genes contribute to essential bacterial metabolic processes.
Fig. 6
Functional annotation of Mycobacterium hainanense HNNTM2301 based on COG (A), GO (B), and KEGG (C) classifications. (A) COG functional classification of strain HNNTM2301, with 4,228 genes categorized into 23 COG types. (B) GO classification of strain HNNTM2301, with 3,869 genes assigned to 42 subcategories across three primary GO domains. (C) KEGG classification of strain HNNTM2301, with 2,243 genes mapped to 43 KEGG pathways.
Table 1 shows the chemical composition of essential oils extracted from R. officinalis and P. anisum using GC-MS. Based on a fresh plant of R. officinalis weight of extract part, the hydro-distillation yielded about 0.3% w/w. Twenty compounds have been identified, representing 97.23% of the essential oil. These compounds were divided into 43.11% monoterpene hydrocarbons (α-thujene, α-pinene, Camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, γ-terpinene, terpinolene, α-phellandrene, and cymene); 47.81% oxygenated monoterpenes (1,8-cineole, linalool, trans-pinocarveol, Camphor, borneol, terpinen-4-ol, and α-terpineol); 4.59% of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (caryophyllene, aromadendrene, and humulene); 1.72% of ketone (3-octanone). The major compounds of R. officinalis essential oil were 1,8-cineole (25.36%), α-pinene (23.75%), Camphor (12.66%), and Camphene (8.19%). For P. anisum essential oil, with a yield of 0.35% w/w based on the sample’s fresh weight, twenty-one compounds were recorded, accounting for 96.45%. The essential oil analysis revealed that the oil had a lower quantity of monoterpene hydrocarbons of 3.95% (pinene, carene, limonene, ocimene, and terpinene). The essential oil had rich amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes of 74.71% (linalool, Methyl chavicol, Z-anethole, and E-anethole). The amount of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons was 15.62% (isoledene, longifolene, cedrene, thujopsene, gurjunene, elemene, guaiene, himachalane, and E-isoeugenol), while the oxygenated sesquiterpenes recorded 2.17% (cis-sesquisabinene hydrate, spathulenol, and geranyl isovalerate). P. anisum essential oil contained a high percentage of E-anethole (64.23%), followed by methyl chavicol (8.69%) and longifolene (5.08%). The two oils also differed in their terpene hydrocarbon content. R. officinalis had a higher proportion of monoterpene hydrocarbons (43.11%) than P. anisum (3.95%). In contrast, P. anisum has a higher percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes (74.71%) than R. officinalis (47.81%).
Table 1 Chemical composition of Rosmarinus officinalis and Pimpinella anisum essential oils.
Characterizations of the synthetic zeolites
Figure 1A and B presents the parent zeolite (zeolite-A and zeolite-X). Zeolites mineral profiles were compared to the XRD database and showed perfect matching with PDF card # 73-2340, with Na12Al12Si12O48.27H2O for zeolite-A (Fig. 1A), and PDF # 39-1380 (1), with Na2Al2Si4O12.8H2O composition for zeolite-X (Fig. 1B), in respective order. The distinct, sharp, and complete set of both zeolites’ peaks implied good crystallinity. Notably, the synthetic product contains some residue of quartz mineral, which was traced back to the kaolin precursor from which they were formed. Meanwhile, Faujasite-NaX showed a small number of nanoparticle zeolite peaks that seemed to accompany the originally developed zeolite-X material, and this could be seen in light of the similarity in preparation conditions of both zeolites.
Figure 1C and D shows XRD details for Zn-doped zeolites. Both charts compared to the standard references of the PDF-2 database and confirmed the evolution of Zn-doped types of Zn-zeolite-A and Zn-zeolite-X, having respective chemical compositions of Na50Zn23Al96Si96O384.216H2O (Fig. 1C) and (Zn, Na)2Al2Si2.5O9.72H2O (Fig. 1D), respectively. As shown in Fig. 1 (C-D) the XRD patterns for Zn-containing phases indicated sharper peaks with higher intensities than those recorded for their un-doped forms (Fig. 1A and B). In addition, zeolite-X implies the presence of minor amounts of zeolite nanoparticles as a secondary accompanying phase that can develop in the zeolite mixtures. This indicates very high crystallinity of many pure phases with no residues of the amorphous metakaolin precursor, which was preserved within the synthetic zeolite powders and appeared in the XRD patterns in the form of a humpy background in Fig. 1 (A and B).
Internal structure testing (SEM and EDS)
Fig. 1
XRD for the synthetic zeolites before and after ZnO functionalization.
The internal textural analysis of zeolite product and its chemical microanalysis give a clear idea about the characteristic morphology and elemental contents of the contained crystals. The internal crystalline texture and the elemental micro-chemical analysis of the dry, unfunctionalized zeolite-A and zeolite-X products were examined using the SEM and EDS tools. The obtained data are given in Fig. 2A and B and Table 2. As can be noticed from Fig. 2A, zeolite-A exhibited its distinctive cubic-shaped crystal form with uniform grain particles in the range of 1–3 μm in size.
Fig. 2
SEM and EDS for the as-synthesized zeolites. (A). zeolite-A, and (B) zeolite-X.
Table 2 Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy micro-chemical analysis for Zn-doped products.
Figure 2B presents the obtained product of Faujasite-NaX (zeolite-X). The micrograph monitors large crystals with pyramidal epics of less than 1 μm in size, accompanied by an ample amount of zeolite nanoparticles (10–15%) and some scattered quartz particles (< 5%). The former SEM result for both zeolites is consistent with the previous XRD data. Table 2 demonstrates the elemental composition of the un-doped zeolites, where the calculated average Si/Al ratios of the crystal composition were 1.11 and 1.75 for zeolite-A and zeolite-X, respectively. Figure 3A and B monitors the SEM morphologies of the obtained zeolite-produced powders after the exchange of their sodium constituents by zinc. The micro-chemical composition is given in Table 2. Obviously, there were no destructive changes in the crystal configuration for both zeolites after doping since the crystal identities were preserved without shape alteration. The only notice was the clear crystal faces and edges. The results of the EDS analysis were collected from an average of three measurement detections for the crystal surfaces of three different crystal generations of the same zeolite species. The respective atomic ratio of Si/Al for zeolite-A was 1.07, and for zeolite-X was 1.6 (Table 2).
Efficiency of zeolite nanoparticles on C. maculatus
The mortality of C. maculatus treated with zeolites at different durations is presented in Table 3. The mortality of the beetles increased with increasing concentration and duration of exposure for all treatments. The results also showed significant differences in mortality between the different types and concentrations of zeolites at each time interval.
Fig. 3
SEM and EDS microanalysis for the synthetic zeolites after Zn-functionalization. (A) Zn-zeolite-A, (B) Zn-zeolite-X.
The highest mortality rate achieved by zeolite-X was 48.3% after 7 days at 1000 mg/kg, while it was 43.3% for zeolite-A at the same concentration and time interval. The highest mortality was observed for Zn-zeolite-A (51.7%) at 1000 mg/kg after 7 days. Zeolite-X outperformed zeolite-A in insecticidal activity against C. maculatus, while zeolite-A loaded with zinc surpassed Zn-zeolite-X in insecticidal efficacy.
Table 3 Mortality of Callosobruchus maculatus exposed for 2, 5, and 7 days to Cowpea treated with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc-loaded zeolite) at different concentrations.
Efficiency of zeolite nanoparticles and R. officinalis combinations on C. maculatus
The mortality of zeolite and R. officinalis combinations after 2, 5, and 7 days against the tested insect is elucidated in Table 4. The concentration- and time-dependent mortality was evident in all treatments compared to the control group that had minimal mortality (3.3%) even after seven days of exposure. Use of R. officinalis essential oil at a single dose produced moderate insecticidal activity with the higher dose (200 mg/kg) causing a higher mortality of 63.3% on the seventh day, compared to 43.3% at the lower concentration (100 mg/kg). When R. officinalis essential oil was used together with zeolites, a high improvement in insecticidal activity was observed. In most cases, the higher the concentration of the essential oil and the zeolites, the higher the mortality. The mixtures of the high concentration of R. officinalis (200 mg/kg) with any of the tested zeolites at 750 or 1000 mg/kg were the most effective. Interestingly, several treatments (R. officinalis (200 mg/kg) combined with Zeolite-X (both 750 and 1000 mg/kg), Zeolite-A (1000 mg/kg), Zn-zeolite-X (1000 mg/kg), and Zn-zeolite-A (both 750 and 1000 mg/kg)) reached 100% mortality by day seven. The fastest and most efficient treatment was the combination of R. officinalis (200 mg/kg) and Zn-zeolite-A (1000 mg/kg) that led to 100% mortality in only five days of exposure.
Table 4 Mortality of Callosobruchus maculatus exposed for 2, 5, and 7 days to Cowpea treated with R. officinalis essential oil applied alone and in combinations with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc-loaded zeolite) at different concentrations.
Efficiency of zeolite nanoparticles and P. anisum combinations on C. maculatus
The mortality of zeolite and P. anisum combinations after 2, 5, and 7 days against the tested insect is presented in Table 5. The findings indicate that P. anisum and R. officinalis essential oils alone or in combination with zeolites were found to significantly increase the mortality of C. maculatus compared to the control. P. anisum was more effective than R. officinalis at the same concentrations. For example, P. anisum (200 mg/kg) produced 63.3% mortality after 2 days, compared to 43.3% in R. officinalis (200 mg/kg). This was consistent throughout the exposure periods, and the P. anisum treatments tended to produce more rapid and more severe lethal effects. The synergistic mixtures of P. anisum or R. officinalis with zeolites also increased the mortality, especially at increased concentrations (1000 mg/kg). It is worth noting that P. anisum-based formulations, such as P. anisum (200) + Zn-zeolite-A (1000) was able to kill 100% of the larvae in 5 days whereas the most effective R. officinalis combination, R. officinalis (200) + Zn-zeolite-A (1000) took 7 days to kill the larvae to the same extent.
Table 5 Mortality of Callosobruchus maculatus exposed for 2, 5, and 7 days to Cowpea treated with Pimpinella anisum essential oil applied alone and in combinations with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc loaded zeolite) at different concentrations.
Effect of zeolite nanoparticles on progeny production
The mortality of progeny of C. maculatus exposed to zeolites with and without loaded zinc is recorded in Table 6. The results showed that all zeolite treatments caused a significant increase in the mortality of C. maculatus offspring compared to the control. As the concentration of zeolite increases, the mean number of progeny decreases. None of the concentrations applied could suppress the progeny production. All zeolite treatments showed moderate effects on the mortality of progeny of C. maculatus. Zeolite-X and zeolite-A loaded zinc were the most effective treatments with mortality of offspring of 48.43 and 49.64%, respectively at the highest application rate of 1000 mg/kg.
Table 6 Mortality of progeny of Callosobruchus maculatus treated with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc-loaded zeolite) at different concentrations.
Effect of zeolite nanoparticles and R. officinalis combinations on progeny production
Data presented in Table 7 show the mortality of progeny of C. maculatus treated with zeolite and R. officinalis combinations. All treatments significantly reduced the mean number of progeny and increased the percentage of offspring mortality of C. maculatus compared to the control. The treatment with R. officinalis essential oil (RO) alone at 100 mg/kg resulted in a mean number of progeny of 42, which is significantly lower than the control group (129). Additionally, the mortality of the progeny under this treatment was 35.7%. Increasing the concentration of R. officinalis essential oil to 200 mg/kg further reduced the mean number of progeny to 21 and increased the mortality percentage to 55.2%. The combination of zeolite and R. officinalis essential oil increased the mortality of progeny compared with zeolite alone. Zeolites loaded with zinc and R. officinalis oil mixtures could suppress progeny production at 200 mg/kg of the essential oil and 1000 mg/kg of zeolite.
Table 7 Mortality of progeny of Callosobruchus maculatus treated with R. officinalis essential oil applied alone and in combinations with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc-loaded zeolite) at different concentrations.
Effect of zeolite nanoparticles and P. anisum oil combinations on progeny production
The results of Table 8 demonstrate that the progeny of C. maculatus mortality was greatly affected using P. anisum essential oil, either alone or in combination with various zeolites. The progeny mortality rate of the control group was low at 2.1%. On the other hand, the mortality rate was significantly higher when P. anisum essential oil at 100 and 200 mg/kg was used alone (55.0 and 64.6%, respectively). An interesting synergistic effect was also found when P. anisum essential oil was used together with zeolites. The combination of P. anisum at 200 mg/kg with different zeolites was the most effective treatments. A complete mortality was observed with P. anisum (200 mg/kg) and Zeolite-A (750 mg/kg). Moreover, a number of combinations such as P. anisum (200 mg/kg) and either Zeolite-X (750 and 1000 mg/kg), Zeolite-A (1000 mg/kg), or zinc-loaded zeolites (both 750 and 1000 mg/kg) totally inhibited the development of insect progeny.
Table 8 Mortality of progeny of Callosobruchus maculatus treated with P. anisum essential oil applied alone and in combinations with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc-loaded zeolite) at different concentrations.
Toxicity of zeolites, essential oils, and their combinations on C. maculatus
The results of contact toxicity of zeolites, essential oils, and their combinations against C. maculatus are recorded in Table 9. P. anisum oil exhibited higher toxicity than R. officinalis oil against the tested insect, with LC50 values of 126 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Zeolite-X and zeolite-A had high LC50 values (1407 and 1658 mg/kg, respectively), suggesting lower toxicity than essential oils. Zinc loading in zeolite-X and zeolite-A showed a slight increase in toxicity. The combinations of essential oils (R. officinalis and P. anisum) with zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, zeolite-X loaded with zinc, and zeolite-A loaded with zinc) significantly lowered LC50 and LC95 values compared to the individual components alone. The LC50 values for the combinations ranged from 161 to 306 mg/kg. The combination of P. anisum oil with zeolite-A loaded with zinc exhibited the lowest LC50 value (161 mg/kg), suggesting the highest toxicity among the tested combinations..
Table 9 Toxicity of zeolites (zeolite-X, zeolite-A, and zinc-loaded zeolite), essential oils, and their combinations against Callosobruchus maculatus.
Combined toxic effect of essential oils and zeolites
The results in Table 10 show the effectiveness of two essential oils, R. officinalis and P. anisum, in combination with different zeolite substrates (natural and Zn-loaded Zeolite). All the binary combinations showed positive co-toxicity factors of 20.9 to 30.0, which is a.
sign of synergism. The combination P. anisum + Zn-zeolite-A was the one that produced the highest observed mortality (65%), and the highest co-toxicity factor (30), thus indicating a very strong joint effect. As a rule, the Zn-modified zeolites proved to be more effective in enhancing mortality compared to their non-modified counterparts. Moreover, mixtures of P. anisum oil always had greater co-toxicity factors than the respective combinations of R. officinalis essential oil, indicating greater synergistic effects.
Table 10 Joint action of the essential oils and zeolite mixtures to C. maculatus adults.
Effect of zeolite nanoparticles on C. maculatus morphology examined by SEM
The SEM images of untreated and treated adults exposed to cowpea seeds treated with zeolite compounds (1000 mg/kg) are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Zeolite particles revealed a homogeneous distribution of zeolite particles on the cuticle of C. maculatus adults and aggregation between the thorax and abdomen joints compared with untreated adults. Image analysis showed that zeolite particles adhered to all body parts. The results also showed that zeolite treatments induced scratches on the elytra and clear damage in sensilla scatters in some points and absent in others, leaving spaces between these parts in the ventral surface, compared with the normal cuticle shape in untreated beetles of C. maculatus. Zeolite treatments revealed scratches and splits on the cuticle, leading to water loss through dehydration as the water barrier was damaged and died out of desiccation.
Fig. 4
SEM images of Callosobruchus maculatus adults. (A) and (B) Untreated adults’ dorsal and ventral surfaces showing normal cuticle and sensilla shapes. (C) The dorsal surface of adults treated with zeolite-A shows desiccation areas (arrows). (D) The vertical surface shows the aggregation of zeolite-A particles (arrow 1) and desiccation areas (arrow 2). (E) The dorsal surface of adults treated with zeolite-X shows the absence and reduction of the number of sensilla (arrow 1) and desiccation areas on the pronotum (arrow 2). (F) Ventral surface showing aggregation of zeolite-X particles on all body surface.
Fig. 5
SEM images of Callosobruchus maculatus adults. (A) The dorsal surface of adults treated with Zn-zeolite-A showed abrasion and distribution of zeolite on the elytra surface and antennae (arrows). (B) The ventral surface shows an aggregation of Zn-zeolite-A particles and desiccation areas on the abdomen (arrows). (C) The head surface shows an aggregation of Zn-zeolite-X particles. (D) The ventral surface of an adult treated with Zn-zeolite-X particles shows the absence and reduction of the number of sensilla (arrows) on the abdomen cuticle.
US chipmaker reports revenue of $46.74bn for second quarter, defying fears that AI may be overhyped.
Published On 28 Aug 202528 Aug 2025
Chip giant Nvidia has set a new sales record, a sign that demand for artificial intelligence remains strong despite fearsthe technology may be overhyped.
Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, on Wednesday reported revenue of $46.74bn for the three months that ended in July, a rise of 56 percent year-on-year.
Profit for the quarter was $26.42bn, a yearly rise of 59 percent.
Nvidia’s latest earnings report had been hotly anticipated as the tech giant is widely seen as a barometer of the AI boom, which has lifted the US stock market from all-time high to all-time high.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that production of Blackwell Ultra, Nvidia’s latest platform using its most advanced chips, was ramping up “at full speed” and demand for the company’s products was “extraordinary”.
“The AI race is on, and Blackwell is the platform at its centre,” Jensen said.
Looking ahead, the Santa Clara, California-based tech giant predicted revenue of $54bn, plus or minus 2 percent, for the July-September quarter, which would be slightly above market expectations.
Despite the robust results, Nvidia’s stock price fell more than 3 percent in after-hours trading, an indication of the sky-high expectations attached to the chipmaker, which is valued at more than $4.4 trillion.
Nvidia’s sales notably did not include any shipments to China, whose market is subject to US government export controls intended to blunt Beijing’s ability to develop AI.
US President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this month lifted a ban on sales of Nvidia’s H20 chip, which was designed specifically for the Chinese market, following concerted lobbying by Huang.
As part of its agreement with the Trump administration, Nvidia agreed to pay the US government 15 percent of revenues from chip sales in China.
The lifting of the ban on the H20 raises the possibility that Nvidia could have potentially enormous untapped sales potential in the world’s second-largest economy, though its prospects have been complicated by a recent directive by Beijing urging local firms against doing business with the company.
“Just imagine what will happen to this stock if the China business even comes half back to life,” The Kobeissi Letter, a newsletter following capital markets, said.
“Jensen Huang will undoubtedly be working overtime on the China situation. The AI Revolution is in full swing.”
Fuelled by explosive demand for its AI, Nvidia’s revenue has grown at breakneck speed over the past two years.
The company posted triple-digit revenue growth for five straight quarters between mid-2023 and 2024.
Since the start of 2023, the price of Nvidia shares has multiplied more than 11 times over, with the stock up more than 30 percent so far this year.
The firm’s stellar performance, underpinned by multibillion-dollar AI investments by tech giants including Microsoft, Meta and Amazon, has stoked discussion about whether AI could be in a bubble.
In an interview with The Verge earlier this month, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who oversaw the release of the groundbreaking AI model ChatGPT, said he believed that investors were “overexcited” about the technology.
Apple recently announced the launch date for its much-awaited fall event. The company revealed that it will hold the fall event on September 9, 2025, dubbed ‘Awe Dropping’ at 10:30 PM IST. The event will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, and the company is expected to announce the new iPhones, Watches and more While Apple’s official invitation remains characteristically cryptic, the company drops subtle hints about what to expect. The invite for ‘Awe Dropping’ shows a glowing Apple logo with vibrant blue and yellow energy waves. Now an online report suggests that the Apple invite is hinting towards two major features expected to come in the Apple iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
New colour options
As reported by MacRumours, the ‘Awe Dropping’ Apple invite hints towards new colour options and a vapour chamber cooling system. The stylized event logo blends hues of dark blue and orange. This hints that this year Apple may bring five rumoured colour variants for the iPhone 17 Pro. As per the online rumours, the full palette for iPhone 17 Pro may include black, white, gray, dark blue, and a bold orange.
Vapour chamber cooling system
As per the report, apart from the colour variants, the logo also indicate towards an inclusion on a vapour cooling chamber. The thermal heat map like design in the Apple logo suggest that the upcoming iPhone lineup may come with an internal cooling system. Rumours suggest that the yet to launch iPhone 17 Pro may house a vapour chamber — a thin, sealed metal structure which will contain liquid that evaporates and condenses to dissipate heat. The vapour cooling chamber may help in preventing overheating during intensive tasks such as gaming or video editing.
Apple iPhone 17 series: What to expect
Apple is expected to unveil its complete iPhone 17 lineup, including the standard iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air model. The iPhone 17 Air represents Apple’s newest design direction, potentially replacing the Plus model with a device as thin as 5.5mm, featuring a 6.6-inch display and pill-shaped camera design similar to Google’s Pixel series.The upcoming iPhone models are rumored to receive camera upgrades across the board, with the iPhone 17 featuring an improved 24-megapixel selfie camera, up from the iPhone 16’s 12-megapixel front-facing camera. The Pro models are expected to include 8x optical zoom telephoto lenses and 48-megapixel telephoto cameras, substantial improvements over previous generations.iOS 26 will power the new iPhones, introducing the Liquid Glass design language that offers a transparent interface alternative to traditional light and dark modes. Key features coming to iPhones include call screening for unknown numbers, live translation for calls and texts, and a dedicated Games app.
