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  • Why Football Manager 26 has improved its graphics… with the help of VAR

    Why Football Manager 26 has improved its graphics… with the help of VAR

    Football Manager 26 launches next month, graphics greatly improved from the last release two years ago.

    But while most games will use motion capture to get the most realistic gameplay, the team behind Football Manager have gone leftfield when it…

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  • PPP decides to give PML-N ‘more time’ to fulfil demands – Dawn

    1. PPP decides to give PML-N ‘more time’ to fulfil demands  Dawn
    2. PPP gives govt one-month deadline to fulfill coalition promises  The Express Tribune
    3. PML-N, PPP agree to resolve differences via dialogue, end political bickering  Geo.tv
    4. Coalition…

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  • Devs working on Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble join 1900 other Activision Blizzard staff in unionising

    Devs working on Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble join 1900 other Activision Blizzard staff in unionising

    Workers in Blizzard’s Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble teams have voted to unionise with the Communications Workers of America.

    Over 100 software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers, and producers voted to join…

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  • 8BitDo drops an NES-inspired collection for the console’s 40th anniversary

    8BitDo drops an NES-inspired collection for the console’s 40th anniversary

    It’s been 40 years to the day since the Nintendo Entertainment System made its US debut, and to celebrate, gaming accessory maker 8BitDo has unveiled a line of NES-themed products. The includes a limited edition version of the company’s that…

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  • Gold prices soar to record highs, mark biggest weekly gain since 2020

    Gold prices soar to record highs, mark biggest weekly gain since 2020

    Gold price fell slightly on Friday, October 17, but ended the week with the biggest rise since 2020. Gold futures dropped over 1% to around $4,260 an ounce after hitting an intraday high of $4,380. Despite the dip, gold was up 7% for the week as investors bought the precious metal amid uncertainty, Yahoo Finance reported.

    Gold futures dropped more than 1% to around $4,260 an ounce after hitting an intraday high of $4,380. (Bloomberg)

    A ‘perfect storm’ lifts gold

    Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst, said a “perfect storm” of global factors has pushed gold prices higher. Rising trade tensions between the United States and China, expectations of another Federal Reserve rate cut, and worries about regional banks have all driven investors toward safe-haven assets like gold.

    Rodda, who is a market analyst at Capital.com, described the surge as “parabolic,” noting that prices have risen unusually fast. “Gold is sending an ominous message about the future,” he said. “It could be pointing to global instability or a sign of speculation that might burst later.”

    Central banks and ETFs fuel demand

    Gold’s year-to-date performance has been remarkable, up nearly 59%. Central banks worldwide have been buying gold at record levels, while a weaker US dollar and falling interest rates have made holding gold more attractive than cash or bonds.

    At the same time, gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw record inflows last quarter, highlighting strong appetite from both retail and institutional investors.

    Why investors are buying gold

    A Bank of America Fund Managers Survey recently found that gold is the most crowded trade in the market, beating out the “Magnificent Seven” tech stocks. 39% of fund managers have no gold, 35% have 2-4% of their portfolio in gold.

    Also Read: Gold, silver prices hit records on US credit fears and ‘US-China trade war’

    Wall Street raises its price forecasts

    Several major banks have lifted their gold price targets. BofA analysts reiterated their “long gold” call, predicting prices could reach $6,000 per ounce by mid-2026. Goldman Sachs raised its forecast to $4,900 by the end of next year, and JPMorgan expects prices could climb to $6,000 by 2029.

    For now, gold’s upsurge is due to global uncertainty and investor nervousness. Whether it continues or becomes a bubble will depend on how central banks and the world economies react to inflation, rate cuts and geopolitical risks in the coming months.

    Also Read: No Kings protests to sweep US as millions plan to march against Trump’s policies

    FAQs:

    Why did gold prices rise so much this week?

    Gold prices rose due to trade tensions, rate-cut expectations, and worries about banks, making investors buy gold as a safe option.

    How high did gold prices go?

    Gold futures reached an intraday high of around $4,380 an ounce before ending the week near $4,260.

    Will gold prices keep rising?

    Experts say prices may rise further if global uncertainty, inflation, and interest rate cuts continue, but some warn it could become a bubble.

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  • No Kings protest live updates: thousands march against Trump in nationwide day of protest | Trump administration

    No Kings protest live updates: thousands march against Trump in nationwide day of protest | Trump administration

    What to know about the anti-Trump No Kings protests

    Rachel Leingang

    Millions are expected to show out for protests on Saturday at more than 2,500 locations across America, from small towns to large cities, to speak against the Trump administration.

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  • EDGE Gastric Study at ESMO 2025: Domvanalimab + Zimberelimab Plus FOLFOX Shows Durable Survival

    EDGE Gastric Study at ESMO 2025: Domvanalimab + Zimberelimab Plus FOLFOX Shows Durable Survival

    At the ESMO Congress 2025 in Berlin, Dr. Yelena Y. Janjigian (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA) presented updated long-term results from the Phase II EDGE Gastric study (NCT05329766), sponsored by Arcus Biosciences and Gilead Sciences. The trial evaluated the dual immune checkpoint blockade of domvanalimab (Dom)—an Fc-silent anti-TIGIT antibody developed by Arcus—and zimberelimab (Zim)—an anti–PD-1 antibody—in combination with FOLFOX chemotherapy in the first-line (1L) treatment of HER2-negative advanced gastric (GC), gastroesophageal junction (GEJC), and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).

    At a 26-month follow-up, the combination demonstrated durable efficacy, achieving a median overall survival (OS) of 26.7 months and median progression-free survival (PFS) of 13.2 months, reinforcing dual PD-1/TIGIT blockade as a promising next-generation immunotherapy strategy for upper gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas.

    Background

    Despite advances in immunotherapy, long-term outcomes for patients with advanced gastric and GEJ cancers remain poor. While PD-1 inhibitors have become a mainstay of first-line therapy, resistance and limited response durability remain major challenges.

    The TIGIT pathway, a key regulator of T-cell exhaustion, has emerged as a complementary target to PD-1, with potential to deepen and sustain immune responses.
    The EDGE-Gastric trial (Arm A1) was designed to assess whether dual inhibition of PD-1 and TIGIT, combined with chemotherapy, could enhance anti-tumor immunity and improve survival outcomes in this population.

    Methods

    Patients received:

    • Domvanalimab 1600 mg IV every 4 weeks (Q4W),
    • Zimberelimab 480 mg IV Q4W, and
    • FOLFOX chemotherapy (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, fluorouracil) every 2 weeks (Q2W).

    Primary endpoints included safety and objective response rate (ORR) by RECIST v1.1, while secondary endpoints assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

    A total of 41 patients were enrolled, 63% of whom had gastric cancer.
    The median follow-up at data cutoff (March 3, 2025) was 26.4 months.

    Results

    The combination of Dom + Zim + FOLFOX continued to yield durable and consistent efficacy:

    • Confirmed ORR: 59% (90% CI: 45–72)
    • Median PFS: 13.2 months (90% CI: 9.8–13.8)
    • Median OS: 26.7 months (90% CI: 18.4–not estimable)
    • 24-month PFS rate: 25.9% (90% CI: 14.8–38.5)
    • 24-month OS rate: 50.2% (90% CI: 36.3–62.6)

    The benefit was consistent across PD-L1 subgroups:

    • PD-L1 positive (TAP ≥1%): ORR 62%, median OS 26.7 months
    • PD-L1 high (TAP ≥5%): ORR 69%, median PFS 14.5 months, median OS not yet reached

    These findings highlight robust, long-lasting responses, particularly in PD-L1–high tumors, with durable benefit extending beyond two years.

    Safety

    The safety profile of Dom + Zim + FOLFOX remained manageable and comparable to PD-1–based chemotherapy regimens.

    • Immune-mediated TEAEs: 22%
    • Infusion-related reactions: 7%
    • Grade ≥3 TEAEs: consistent with prior reports
      No new safety signals or TIGIT-specific toxicities were observed.
      Overall, the regimen was well tolerated, supporting its feasibility in frontline management.Conclusions
      At 26 months of follow-up, dual PD-1/TIGIT blockade with domvanalimab and zimberelimab plus FOLFOX achieved prolonged survival outcomes—with a median OS of 26.7 months—and sustained responses in patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric, GEJ, and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

    The regimen demonstrated a favorable safety profile and consistent benefit across PD-L1 subgroups, establishing a strong rationale for phase III validation.
    The ongoing STAR-221 trial (NCT05568095) will compare Dom + Zim + chemotherapy directly with nivolumab + chemotherapy in the same setting.

    You Can Also Raed INTEGRATE IIb Trial at ESMO 2025: Regorafenib Plus Nivolumab vs Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric and GEJ Cancer by OncoDaily

    You can read the full abstract here

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  • Gaza-Egypt border crossing will remain closed, Netanyahu says – Reuters

    1. Gaza-Egypt border crossing will remain closed, Netanyahu says  Reuters
    2. Gaza’s Rafah border crossing to reopen on Monday, Palestinian embassy in Egypt says  Dawn
    3. Gaza aid deliveries still face Israeli roadblocks a week into ceasefire  Al Jazeera

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