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By Will Dunham WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Astronomers for the first time have identified a green star, documenting a dense stellar remnant called a white dwarf that became a ghostly shade of chartreuse after ingesting rocky debris from planets that once had orbited it. A star’s color typically is governed by its temperature, with cooler stars appearing orange, the sun and stars similar to it appearing white, and the hottest ones appearing a pale blue. But the formula is different for a white dwarf, which is the leftover core of a low- to medium-mass star that burned through its nuclear fuel and blew off its outer layers. Most white dwarfs have colors similar to other stars, and their average color is white. But changes in their chemistry over time can turn some of them into rarer colors. The newly identified green one, named WD J1330+6435, is a white dwarf in the Milky Way galaxy that is located about 280 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km). “We first became interested in this white dwarf because bits of planetary material have fallen onto its surface, enriching its outer layers in elements including calcium, lithium and, in particular, sodium,” said astrophysicist Mark Hollands of the University of Warwick in England, lead author of the study published in the journal RAS Techniques and Instruments. In normal stars, sodium absorbs a very specific wavelength of orange — the same orange that gives sodium street lamps their characteristic color. “In this particular white dwarf, however, the density is so high that the sodium atoms are constantly being bombarded by surrounding helium atoms, which alters the sodium atomic energy levels,” Hollands said. “The end result is that the sodium atoms no longer absorb one very narrow wavelength of orange — they absorb the yellows, oranges and some of the red wavelengths. And what you’re left with is a star that has a beautiful chartreuse green glow, something that wouldn’t be possible for sun-like stars,” Hollands said. The discovery was part of a project assessing the color of white dwarfs as human eyes would see them. A white dwarf typically has half the mass of the sun compacted into the size of Earth. “Because white dwarfs are super-dense stars — they are roughly the size of the Earth, but contain about 165,000 times its mass — even a small amount of sodium blocks out a large amount of the orange light coming out of the star,” University of Warwick astrophysicist and study co-author Boris Gänsicke said. “In the end, it’s all very similar to the mixing of colors in the palette of a painter. They start with a few basic colors, then mix them together to form any color they need for their painting. Take away some of the color going into the mix, and the output will change,” Gänsicke said. A STAR THAT IS SALMON PINK The researchers studied 151 white dwarfs located within about 65 light-years of Earth, with white the average color. One showed perhaps the reddest hue of any known star, a salmon pink. Named WD J1011+2845, it is located 48 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. This time, it was not sodium that was changing the palette, but carbon. “Rather than something hitting the star, in this case the carbon comes out from its deep interior,” Gänsicke said. Data used by the researchers included light spectrum observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using a telescope in New Mexico, as well as white dwarf spectrum models they developed. They found that white dwarf colors divide into distinct groups based on atmospheric composition. Carbon-rich white dwarfs usually were pink or purple. Those enriched with debris from shattered remnants of planetary systems leaned toward yellow. Lower-temperature white dwarfs with mixed hydrogen and helium atmospheres tended toward a cyan or pale blue hue. In all, they spanned almost every color of the spectrum. While WD J1330+6435 was the first documented example of a green star in the real world, green stars have existed in science fiction, including in the recent comic book movie “Supergirl.” “It does show that the universe is sometimes just as weird as anything science fiction can conjure up,” Hollands said. (Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

SOFIA, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Bulgaria has formally asked NATO to deploy combat aircraft and anti-drone systems to bolster its defences after a series of drone attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on Friday. Drones hit two ships which caught fire off Romania’s Black Sea coast this week. On Tuesday, a commercial vessel sank off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast following a drone attack, prompting Sofia to summon Russia’s ambassador. The attacks have highlighted the growing threat that drone warfare linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict poses to commercial shipping near NATO’s southeastern flank, prompting Bulgaria to push for stronger alliance defences in the Black Sea. “We have sent letters and a request to the NATO Secretary General and the Supreme Allied Commander, urging them to strengthen our capabilities, which also means deploying additional forces on our territory. We are awaiting their decision,” Stoyanov said. NATO did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Stoyanov said he planned to meet his Romanian and Turkish counterparts soon to discuss coordinating action and a common approach to the situation in the Black Sea. Bulgaria, which has proposed a moratorium on attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea, also expects to join a NATO anti-drone initiative by the end of October.  (Reporting by Stoyan Nenov; additional reporting by Lili Bayer in Brussels; Writing by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Ros Russell) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

By Nick Carey and Christina Amann PARIS, Oct 16 (Reuters) – China’s automakers are betting European drivers will embrace a new form of premium motoring centred on technology rather than heritage, with brands such as Changan’s Avatr and BYD’s Denza pitching what they call “intelligent luxury”. Having rapidly gained share in Europe’s mainstream car market with affordable models and the latest tech, Chinese carmakers now have their sights on a bigger prize: the continent’s highly lucrative premium segment. At this week’s Paris car show, Chinese brands showcased premium vehicles packed with advanced driver-assistance systems, rapid charging and comfort features, hoping to persuade buyers to choose unfamiliar Chinese badges over established luxury names. But winning over Europe’s premium buyers is likely to take time. “You need to be in this market long enough to build up your presence and credibility,” said Zheng Yeqing, a vice president at Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, which launched in Europe in 2020 and saw its sales there more than double to more than 29,000 cars in the first eight months of 2026. “It takes persistence.” Europe’s premium segment is dominated by Germany’s BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen’s Audi, whose decades of brand heritage carry far more weight with European buyers than they do in China, where consumers place greater emphasis on technology features. With domestic vehicle sales in China falling 20% in the first half of 2026 and competition intensifying, Chinese automakers increasingly need the margins that premium vehicles can deliver. Europe is the obvious battleground. Chinese brands are effectively shut out of the US, the world’s most lucrative car market, while BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Porsche sold almost 2 million vehicles in Europe in the first nine months of this year alone. Chinese brands such as Geely’s Zeekr have already gained share from German premium rivals in China with lower-priced models packed with technology features. Avatr unveiled an electric premium sedan and SUV in Paris that will start at around €60,000 ($67,400) and feature rapid charging and comfort extras including a massager in every seat. Justin Li, who heads the all-electric brand’s overseas expansion, said Avatr estimates that Europe represents 72% of sales of cars priced above $50,000 outside the US market. “If we want to be a premium brand, if we don’t enter Europe … we don’t really win,” Li said. REDEFINING LUXURY? Typically, a German premium car launch includes images celebrating a brand’s heritage, such as an early 20th-century craftsman carefully shaping an elegant piece of wood trim. The Chinese premium car launches in Paris were different. During Aito’s unveiling of four electric SUVs, Seres Vice President Clifford Kang, representing the brand’s parent company, highlighted its “intelligent technology”. An accompanying video showed Aito vehicles automatically swerving to avoid obstacles or carrying a tower of full champagne glasses on the hood without spilling a drop. Aito’s philosophy, Kang said, is “intelligence redefining luxury”. Brad Kuntz, a partner at consultancy Grant Thornton Stax, said Chinese automakers are reshaping what luxury means for some consumers. “You’ve got that old bespoke luxury of European cars of years ago,” he said. “But in the EV world you’ve got more of the elegance being built in from a technology standpoint.” European premium brands are watching the newcomers closely. “Audi is confidently embracing growing international competition, including from China,” a spokesperson said. “It is the task of European policymakers to ensure fair competitive conditions in Europe.” Top-end brands such as Volkswagen’s Bentley appear unfazed. During the unveiling of Bentley’s first EV last month, CEO Frank‑Steffen Walliser told reporters that real luxury comes from the “heart of Europe” and is irreplaceable. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an executive at a major Chinese automaker acknowledged the challenge. “Deep down in my heart, we still have a gap between us and those European luxury brands,” he said. But he added that Chinese automakers should be able to catch up “within a decade or two”. For now, Chinese premium sales remain a tiny share of Europe’s market, though they are growing rapidly. Zeekr’s European sales more than tripled to 9,525 vehicles in the first nine months of 2026 from 3,025 a year earlier. Having entered 22 European markets, Zeekr plans to expand into another eight this year, European CEO Lothar Schupet said. “Our starting point where we are now is very strong and we will keep on accelerating,” he said. Avatr’s Li said the brand plans a gradual expansion across Europe, starting with Spain, Britain and Denmark in 2027, followed by Germany and a handful of other countries in 2028. “We have only one chance to get this right,” he said. ($1 = 0.8904 euros) (Reporting by Nick Carey. Editing by Mark Potter) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

By Leika Kihara BANGKOK, Oct 16 (Reuters) – The Bank of Japan may face renewed pressure to increase the pace of interest rate hikes ahead of a key rate review this month, after global inflationary pressures from the Iran war and AI-driven demand shock dominated discussions at this week’s IMF meetings. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda will bring home insights from his discussions with G7 and G20 colleagues in Bangkok, including what his US counterpart Kevin Warsh described as a “common challenge” among global policymakers of dealing with inflation. “We have different tools, different sequences, but I would say if I look back over the last few months … it was a synchronous tightening in monetary policy in most places around the world, and that means there’s no free riders,” Warsh said. Having just raised interest rates in September, many in the BOJ prefer to stand pat at its October 29-30 meeting to await more data on how past rate hikes have affected economic and financial conditions, sources have told Reuters. Even so, the BOJ is likely to drop hawkish signals on the policy outlook that leave scope for a December hike, with the AI demand shock adding to inflationary pressures from high energy costs and rising import prices due to a weak yen, analysts say. Ueda will likely hold a news briefing later on Friday in Bangkok, which will be closely watched for clues on the pace and timing of future interest rate hikes. UPSIDE RISKS TO INFLATION During this week’s annual meetings, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) highlighted the resilience of the global economy against external shocks such as the Middle East war, with the pain mitigated by brisk AI-related demand. Global policymakers, however, also warned of the inflationary pressure from the AI boom that could warrant further monetary tightening – a message particularly relevant to the BOJ given its still-low borrowing costs. Such discussions may affect the BOJ’s new quarterly growth and inflation projections due at this month’s rate review, which may offer clues on how quickly it could raise rates ahead. Already, the BOJ has pivoted away from its cautious approach towards a policy more focused on combatting inflationary risks by hiking rates in June and September. And yet, at 1.25%, its policy rate means real borrowing costs are negative with inflation hovering around its 2% target and seen accelerating as firms pass on input costs to households. US Treasury Undersecretary Erin Browne kept pressure on the BOJ to continue tightening to prevent disorderly yen falls, saying on Friday Japan must adjust its monetary policy to reflect that it no longer faces a deflationary environment. The US Federal Reserve’s rate decision at its October 27-28 meeting could also affect the BOJ’s debate through any impact on the yen, as the still-wide US-Japan rate divergence has caused the currency to weaken and increased import costs. BOJ board member Junko Koeda said on Thursday the central bank should not become overly cautious about raising interest rates given considerable upside risks to inflation, signalling the chance of a near-term hike in borrowing costs. (Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by John Mair) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

BEIJING, Oct 16 (Reuters) – China has proposed adding 40 technologies across the artificial intelligence, biomedicine and photovoltaic sectors to its catalogue of technologies prohibited or restricted from export, the commerce ministry announced on Friday. Public opinions are now being sought on the proposed revision until November 15 and China is simultaneously implementing interim pre-export registration management for the relevant technologies. Those included in the proposed revision are AI models, intelligent agents and computing clusters, which are the three fundamental building blocks of China’s AI industry, at a time of increasing competition and geopolitical tensions with the United States over the technology’s frontier development. In a separate statement, the ministry said the revision was proposed as applications of related technologies in sensitive fields are constantly expanding and that the move was routine and does not target any specific country, region or entity. (Reporting by Shi Bu, Liz Lee and Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Alison Williams and Philippa Fletcher) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com