In this context, non-German individuals are those possessing foreign citizenship, are without nationality, or have uncertain nationality. Individuals who hold both German citizenship and another nationality are classified as German in these figures, and a general migration background is not included in the records.
Its newest AI music generation model can be customized using your own vocals and tracks.
Its newest AI music generation model can be customized using your own vocals and tracks.
Suno has just unveiled one of its most significant updates with v5.5 of its AI music model. Prior updates primarily focused on enhancing sound quality and producing more lifelike vocals, but v5.5 emphasizes empowering users with greater control. It features three new capabilities: Voices, My Taste, and Custom Models.
According to the release notes, Voices is the feature most requested by users. It enables individuals to train the vocal model using their voice. Users can submit clean acapellas, fully produced tracks with instrumental backgrounds, or simply sing into the microphone on their phone or laptop. The higher the quality of the recording, the less data is needed. To ensure that voices aren’t easily stolen, Suno mandates that users also state a verification phrase. However, this could potentially be circumvented using existing AI models of celebrity voices.
After training the Voices feature, users can have an AI representation of themselves sing over uploaded music or AI-created content.
Furthermore, Custom Models permits users to refine Suno using their personal tracks. Users must upload a minimum of six songs from their collection and assign a name to the custom model. They will then be able to utilize it to influence v5.5’s responses to prompts.
Lastly, My Taste adapts to user preferences and styles over time. It tracks the genres, moods, and artists that users frequently select while generating prompts, and applies this information when the magic wand is in use to automatically create styles.
While My Taste will be accessible to all users, Voices and Custom Models are exclusive to Pro and Premier subscribers.
“Although we reaffirm our earlier comments made in the submissions for this case, including that Bank of America did not aid in sex trafficking offenses, this agreement enables us to move forward and offers additional resolution for the plaintiffs,” Bank of America stated to the BBC on Saturday.
$299.99 is the lowest price we’ve observed to date in 2026. It’s only $25 shy of the all-time lowest price.
$299.99 is the lowest price we’ve observed to date in 2026. It’s only $25 shy of the all-time lowest price.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless was released nearly four years ago, yet it remains one of the top gaming headsets available. It seems other brands struggle to emulate everything SteelSeries accomplished with this headset — combining various audio inputs, active noise cancellation, a retractable microphone, swappable batteries, and more. Regularly priced at $379.99, it is now available for $299.99 at Amazon during the company’s Big Spring Sale, which runs until April 1st at 2:59 AM ET. This offer can also be found at Best Buy and directly through SteelSeries.
The Nova Pro Wireless stands out as a unique offering since it was tested by two Verge employees upon release. Sean Hollister and I were each provided units and jointly published a comprehensive review because there was a significant number of features to discuss and an abundance of praise for this remarkable headset.
In late 2025, SteelSeries introduced a higher-end variant of this model called the Nova Pro Elite. Besides its superior construction materials, enhanced wireless connectivity, and high-resolution audio capabilities, there isn’t much else to warrant the hefty $599.99 price tag. We believe the Nova Pro Wireless, priced at literally half, is already sufficiently expensive and certainly adequate for the majority of users.
About 300 million years ago, the skies of the late Palaeozoic teemed with massive insects. Meganeuropsis permiana, a predatory species similar to a modern dragonfly, had a wingspan topping 70 centimetres and weighed roughly 100 grams. Scientists studying these prehistoric giants wondered why insects no longer reach such sizes. Three decades ago they proposed an answer, the so-called “oxygen constraint hypothesis.”
For many years the prevailing view was that dragonfly-sized insects required an atmosphere richer in oxygen to survive because insect respiratory systems are less efficient than those of mammals, birds, or reptiles. As atmospheric oxygen fell, the theory went, the conditions could no longer sustain gigantic bugs. “It’s a simple, elegant explanation,” said Edward Snelling, a professor of veterinary science at the University of Pretoria. “But it’s wrong.”
Unlike mammals, insects lack a central pair of lungs and a closed circulatory network that transports oxygenated blood to tissues. “They respire through an internal network of tubes called the tracheal system,” Snelling explained.
Air gets into an insect’s body through small openings in the exoskeleton called spiracles. From there it moves into larger tubes, the tracheae, which branch repeatedly into very fine, blind-ending tracheoles. Those tracheoles extend into the tissues, and mitochondria in adjacent cells often sit close to them.
Insects can actively move air through the larger tracheae by flexing their bodies, but this active ventilation does not reach the tiny tracheoles. At that final stage, oxygen must cross into tissue by passive diffusion.
Diffusion is slow, which is the central problem. The oxygen constraint hypothesis argued that as an insect grows, oxygen must travel farther to reach inner tissues.
“As the insects get bigger and bigger, the challenge of diffusion becomes greater,” Snelling said.
To keep muscles from suffocating, a larger insect would need much wider or many more tracheoles to sustain oxygen delivery, implying a structural limit. If an insect became too large, the volume of air tubes required to oxygenate its muscles would occupy too much space, crowding the very muscle fibers they were meant to feed and greatly reducing flight capability.
The findings differed by 18 standard deviations from the predictions of Bell’s theorem, strongly indicating that a superposition of temporal order is an intrinsic feature of quantum mechanics.
Yet the experiment is at a stage similar to early entanglement work: numerous loopholes remain. For example, most photons are lost during the procedure (only about 1 percent of those injected emerge on the other side to be measured). It is technically possible that those losses were biased toward a subset of photons that would otherwise display correlations compatible with hidden-variable explanations.
The team also didn’t separate the equipment by sufficient distances to exclude influences traveling slower than light, and indefinite causal-order experiments introduce a few other peculiarities. Still, the study points toward follow-up experiments that could seal these gaps, and past progress shows such loopholes can be closed.
Usually, when reporting on something this strange, all we can do is marvel at how odd reality is compared with our expectations. This instance is different: the physics involved is already known to have many practical uses.
“The [device used in this work] could also be of interest for applications, as it has been shown to outperform causally ordered processes across a wide range of tasks such as channel discrimination, promise problems, communication complexity, noise mitigation, various thermodynamic applications, quantum metrology, quantum key distribution, entanglement generation, and distillation, among others,” the authors note.
Put another way, being uncertain about the order of time may actually prove useful.
* I wouldn’t have known this work existed if I hadn’t read an excellent summary of it on the American Physical Society news site.
PRX Quantum, 2026. DOI: 10.1103/5t2y-ddmt (About DOIs).
(This is the Warren Buffett Watch newsletter, delivering updates and insights on everything related to Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. You can subscribe here to receive it each Friday night directly in your inbox.)
Shares of Berkshire Hathaway have witnessed a decline for eight trading sessions in a row.
This marks their longest losing spell since eight consecutive days of losses in December 2018.
The Class A stocks have decreased by 4.7%, while the Class B stocks have fallen by 4.9% since their last daily rise on March 17.
Berkshire is declining alongside the broader market, which has been impacted by increasing energy costs and global instability related to the Iran conflict.
Although the S&P 500 index has not experienced a series of daily losses, it is down by 5.2% during the same timeframe.
Berkshire’s losses for the year are nearing the S&P’s 7% decrease. The benchmark index is currently on a five-week downward trend.
Berkshire’s stock has dropped over 13% since Warren Buffett announced during last year’s shareholders’ meeting that he would step down as CEO at the end of 2025.
Current prices are about 2% above the lows seen in August but have dipped below two subsequent lows in early November and late January.
Berkshire Hathaway’s recent investment in Japan is showing promising results.
Shares of Tokio Marine Holdings skyrocketed by over 24% this week following Monday’s announcement that Berkshire’s National Indemnity is investing $1.8 billion for nearly 2.5% of Japan’s oldest insurance firm, which Barron’s describes as “one of the finest-managed property and casualty insurers globally.”
As of today, Berkshire’s new investment holds a market value close to $2.3 billion.
The two companies are also set to collaborate on reinsurance and pursue strategic investments on a global scale.
In a press release from Tokio Marine, the company mentioned Berkshire’s corporate ethos and principles “are closely aligned with our own.”
It further stated, “Significantly, this is not just a business arrangement. We believe it forms a long-lasting strategic partnership rooted in an equity stake that will act as a powerful driving force for the medium- to long-term development of both organizations.”
Berkshire’s insurance head Ajit Jain remarked, “We anticipate this Strategic Partnership will generate outstanding long-term prospects for both entities.”
Barron’s notes that Jain managed the investment “and likely involved former CEO Warren Buffett, who is now serving as chairman of the board.”
“This arrangement demonstrates Berkshire’s capability to make insurance agreements remains strong even as Buffett has transitioned out of the CEO role for Greg Abel. This is a positive indication for Berkshire, given the critical importance of insurance to the $1 trillion market-valued firm.”
Tokio Marine issued new shares for Berkshire to acquire. The company intends to repurchase an equal amount of its previously issued stock to forestall dilution for current shareholders.
Berkshire will be permitted to raise its ownership stake to just under 10% through open-market activities, but approval from Tokio Marine’s board would be required for any amount exceeding that.
Insurance Business highlights that Tokio Marine has invested over $17 billion over the last 20 years for acquisitions in the U.S., including Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Delphi Insurance Group.
It anticipates that the newly formed partnership “could expedite that momentum through Berkshire’s deal-sourcing expertise and reinsurance capacity.”
Berkshire is likely aiming to replicate the immense success seen from its investments in five Japanese trading companies: Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi (with an all-time high closing on Friday), Mitsui, and Sumitomo.
The firm had been accumulating its stakes for twelve months before Buffett disclosed the investments in August 2020. It has been continuing to increase its stakes since then.
In the past year alone, their values have surged between 42% and 124%, totaling more than $44 billion in market capitalization.
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Four weeks
12 months
BRK.A stock price: $703,700.00
BRK.B stock price: $468.49
BRK.B P/E (TTM): 15.09
Berkshire market value: $1,010,965,573,250
Berkshire Cash as of December 31: $373.3 billion (a decrease of 2.2% from September 30)
Excluding Rail Cash and subtracting T-Bills Payable: $369.0 billion (an increase of 4.1% from September 30)
Berkshire resumed its stock buybacks on March 4, 2026.
(All numbers are accurate as of the publication date, unless stated otherwise)
Berkshire’s principal holdings in publicly traded stocks in the U.S. and Japan, ranked by market capitalization, according to the latest closing prices.
Holdings data reflects September 30, 2025, from Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F filing dated November 14, 2025, with exceptions for:
The complete list of holdings and their current market values is available at CNBC.com’s Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Tracker.
If you are not yet subscribed to this newsletter, you may register here.
Additionally, Buffett’s annual letters to shareholders are highly recommended materials. They can be found here on Berkshire’s website.
— Alex Crippen, Editor, Warren Buffett Watch
It’s unfortunate that this 500W N-Type panel isn’t bifacial and is not (yet) offered in the US.
While we don’t often evaluate solar panels at The Verge, the technology within Bluetti’s highly portable Sora 500 panel warrants further investigation. The newly developed N-Type panels from Bluetti and others offer better value in terms of power, weight, and area. This is particularly crucial for vanlifers like myself who rely on robust portable solar solutions for prolonged off-grid periods.
During practical testing, I noted that Bluetti’s 500W panel achieved an output of 509W to my van’s power station, enabling me to generate over 800W when paired with the three underwhelming 140W monocrystalline panels installed on my van’s roof. That stationary performance is impressive. With a daily consumption of around 1.6kWh, this setup allows me to recharge fully in just two hours. I just wish that Bluetti had opted for a bifacial design like Jackery and newcomer Zoupw with their lighter, higher-output N-Type panels meant for suboptimal conditions.
The Sora 500 is listed at €849 in Europe — it’s not yet available in the US. Bluetti spokesperson Ellen Lee mentioned that the company aims to launch it in the US market but is currently “addressing some evolving regional policies and trade issues.” Matters that Zoupw and Jackery have already navigated successfully.
8
Verge Score
Bluetti’s single-sided Sora 500 panel incorporates TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) cells, a newer N-Type technology which is supplanting older PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) technology. TOPCon panels generally outperform PERC in low-light conditions, manage high temperatures more effectively, and experience slower degradation. Efficiency levels for TOPCon panels can reach as high as 23–25 percent compared to typical PERC panels, which hover around 20–23 percent, depending on how they are implemented.
These advantages indicate that you’ll gain more value, especially once you fully deploy all 12 panels of the Sora 500 and throughout their operational lifespan. Additionally, the panel boasts an IP67 rating against dust and water, along with an ETFE coating that facilitates the removal of dirt which may obstruct solar absorption.
During my mid-March evaluations in southern France at an elevation of around 600 meters, I consistently observed the Sora 500 delivering more power than its rated specifications, reaching up to 509W on a cool, clear day. It can also effectively manage when the sun is partially obstructed.
For instance, on a bright sunny day when the twelve panels that make up the Sora 500 were generating over 500W, the output dropped to 412W when one corner panel was mildly shaded, and 390W when two panels on the far right side were partially shaded. Shading the four panels just right of the center reduced output to 276W.
When I obstructed the center four panels, output fell sharply to just 50W. This dramatic drop likely occurred due to severing the connection across all four parallel zones. Bluetti employs a half-cut cell structure and a 3-series, 4-parallel (3S4P) circuit design for the Sora 500. This approach creates multiple independent power zones by splitting the cells into smaller sections and distributing them across four parallel pathways. It aids in preventing a shaded area from affecting overall panel performance, which is common in cheaper alternatives.
Regrettably, Bluetti opted to utilize fabric on the rear of its panels, along with a complicated system of kickstands and straps. By comparison, the Zoupw 480W and Jackery SolarSage 500 X N-Type panels feature bifacial designs, enabling them to capture ambient light from the rear when positioned on reflective surfaces such as snow, sand, concrete, and, to a lesser extent, grass.
I haven’t personally tested these panels, but I have come across unverified user reports claiming the Zoupw exceeds 525W in output. Notably, both panels weigh in at just 22lb (10kg), making them lighter than the 28.4lb (12.9kg) Bluetti Sora 500.
Solar Panel |
Base Power |
Weight |
Unfolded Area (sq in) |
Watts per lb |
Watts per sq in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetti SORA 500 | 500W | 28.40 lbs | ~4,510 sq in (100.0” x 45.1”) | 17.61 W/lb | 0.110 W/sq in |
| Jackery SolarSaga 500 X | 500W | 22.05 lbs | ~3,848 sq in (98.1” x 39.2”) | 22.68 W/lb | 0.130 W/sq in |
| Zoupw 480W | 480W | 22.49 lbs | ~4,512 sq in (138.6” x 32.6”) | 21.34 W/lb | 0.106 W/sq in |
While weight is certainly a critical factor for portability, it’s worth mentioning that these panels can easily blow away in windy conditions. Thankfully, the Bluetti model I’ve been testing includes tie-down points for windy days. All three panels are significantly lighter than the robust 400W PERC behemoth from EcoFlow that I’ve carried for the past four years, which weighs in at 35.3lbs (16kg) and is still retailing at $599.
For those living in vans, the Bluetti Sora 500 excels when it comes to stowing the panel in an RV, van, or cupboard. Both Zoupw and Jackery utilize standard four-section or six-section “slab” folds, whereas Bluetti employs a 12-section grid folding design that allows it to reduce to a much more compact, briefcase-like form. Even in a folded state, the Bluetti measures 3.3 inches thick, making it slimmer than both the 3.35-inch thick Zoupw panel and the 3.82-inch thick Jackery.
Solar Panel |
Base Power |
Folded Dimensions (L × W) |
Folded Area (sq in) |
Watts per Folded sq in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetti SORA 500 | 500W | 22.4” × 17.5” | 392 sq in | 1.28 W/sq in |
| Jackery SolarSaga 500 X | 500W | 39.2” × 20.7” | 812 sq in | 0.62 W/sq in |
| Zoupw 480W | 480W | 34.7” × 32.6” | 1,131 sq in | 0.42 W/sq in |
Though weight plays a vital role in enhancing portability, it’s worth noting that these panels risk being blown away with increasing wind. Thankfully, the Bluetti model I’m testing comes with tie-down options for windy occasions. All three panels weigh significantly less than the reliable 400W PERC unit from EcoFlow, which I’ve been lugging around for four years and tips the scales at 35.3lbs (16kg), still retailing for $599.
For vanlifers, the Bluetti Sora 500 truly stands out when it comes to packing it into an RV, van, or storage space. The Zoupw and Jackery utilize conventional four-section or six-section “slab” folding techniques, while Bluetti opts for a 12-section grid fold, allowing for significant compression to a more manageable, briefcase-like size. Even in its folded state, the Bluetti’s width measures at just 3.3 inches, making it thinner than both the 3.35-inch Zoupw and the 3.82-inch Jackery panels.
Solar Panel |
Base Power |
Folded Dimensions (L × W) |
Folded Area (sq in) |
Watts per Folded sq in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetti SORA 500 | 500W | 22.4” × 17.5” | 392 sq in | 1.28 W/sq in |
| Jackery SolarSaga 500 X | 500W | 39.2” × 20.7” | 812 sq in | 0.62 W/sq in |
| Zoupw 480W | 480W | 34.7” × 32.6” | 1,131 sq in | 0.42 W/sq in |
Conversely, the Sora 500 can be somewhat cumbersome to assemble due to the various hinges and straps that support its numerous segments. I largely got the hang of the process after my third attempt, but adjusting the panel to track the sun throughout the day requires considerable patience.
Without official US pricing for the Sora 500 panel, making a direct price-per-watt comparison with the $649.99 Zoupw 480W and the $999 (often reduced to $799) Jackery SolarSage 500 X is difficult. However, if we exclude the European VAT from its €849 price and convert it, the Sora 500 comes to approximately $820. While that’s competitive, it still puts the Zoupw 480W ahead in terms of price-per-watt performance among its peers.
Although Bluetti’s Sora 500 falls short in weight compared to the Zoupw 480W and Jackery SolarSage 500 X, it significantly excels in Watt density per square inch when in its folded form. It’s the sole 500W panel that can effectively vanish into a small cupboard or beneath a van bench. Therefore, it justifies its higher price for those like me who have limited storage for an extra solar panel needed for occasional deployment.
Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
Golf icon Tiger Woods has been granted bail after being apprehended for driving under the influence following a vehicle accident in Florida.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the 15-time major champion was additionally charged with damaging property and refusal to take a lawful test.
The 50-year-old Woods overturned his Land Rover after grazing a truck in Jupiter Island on Friday afternoon, as reported by Sheriff John Budensiek, who mentioned that officers did not suspect alcohol impairment but possibly an unknown substance.
Woods had to exit through the passenger side, successfully passed a breathalyzer test post-crash, but declined a urine test. Fortunately, no injuries occurred.
He spent eight hours in jail—the minimum duration as per state law—before being released on bail.
According to Budensiek, the accident occurred after Woods allegedly tried to pass a pressure cleaner truck at a “high rate of speed”.
DUI investigators arrived at the scene and Budensiek stated “Mr. Woods did show signs of impairment”.
“They conducted multiple tests on him,” Budensiek affirmed. “He clarified the injuries and surgeries he has undergone, and we considered that, but they performed some thorough roadside assessments.”
Woods was arrested following the incident, which transpired on Beach Road shortly before 2 PM local time (7 PM GMT).
Budensiek mentioned that investigators at the scene and in the jail were “not particularly suspicious of alcohol involvement” as Woods passed a breathalyzer test with “triple zeros”.
Budensiek stated Woods was “cooperative but was trying not to self-incriminate”.
“He is entitled to refuse that test,” Budensiek explained.
“There is a statute he will be charged with for declining that test, but we will never ascertain definite results concerning what he was impaired by during the crash.”
US President Donald Trump remarked: “I feel terrible. He is facing some challenges. There was an accident. That’s all I know.”
“He is a very close friend of mine. He’s an extraordinary person – an incredible man.”
The allegations against Woods are misdemeanors, rather than felonies.
The BBC has reached out to his representatives for a statement.
Woods has had a restricted schedule since the severe car accident in 2021 that caused him significant injuries and left him fortunate to survive.
In 2009, he crashed into a fire hydrant, a tree, and various hedges in a peculiar collision near his residence.
That incident led to allegations of extramarital relationships, resulting in the dissolution of his seven-year marriage and the loss of lucrative sponsorship contracts.
In 2017, police discovered Woods slumped over the steering wheel of his parked Mercedes-Benz close to his residence in Florida.
A toxicology test indicated several legal medications in his body alongside the active ingredient of marijuana.
He received a year-long probation after pleading guilty to reckless driving.
Woods has been in recovery since rupturing an Achilles tendon in March 2025 and undergoing back surgery in October.
Earlier this week, he competed in the TGL indoor league finals – marking his first competitive golf appearance in over a year – and he has not dismissed the possibility of participating in next month’s Masters, a tournament he holds a deep connection to.
Woods has achieved victory five times at Augusta National, which was the venue for his inaugural major title in 1997 and his most recent in 2019.
That win is arguably regarded as his most significant achievement in golf due to the numerous injuries he had to navigate.
However, the image of him perseveringly limping through four rounds on the same course in 2022, just 14 months post a life-threatening accident, remains vivid.
Woods, who shares the PGA Tour record of 82 career wins with Sam Snead, has not participated in a major since he missed the cut at The Open in July 2024.
His last made cut was at the 2024 Masters, where he concluded in 60th place.
This serves as yet another significant drawback for one of the greatest sporting personalities ever, who has been confronting major injury issues for nearly two decades.
Woods is attempting to be prepared for the Masters, which commences in under two weeks.
We witnessed him striking golf shots competitively in the TGL league at the beginning of this week—his first appearance in competitive golf since July 2024.
He did not appear overly optimistic regarding his fitness, but he genuinely aimed to attend Augusta for the Masters.
Given the unfolding scenario in Florida, that ambition looks increasingly unlikely.
It is significant that even Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States, did not actively advocate for, suggest, or back any reparations initiative during his eight years in office. In a 2016 conversation with author and activist Ta-Nehisi Coates shortly before his departure from the presidency, Obama expressed his view that the nation’s political framework rendered reparations nearly impossible to implement.
