Bridgetown, Barbados, 5 September 2025 (PAHO/WHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched the Suzan McLennon-Miguel Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Leadership Award, a new regional honor recognizing exceptional leadership in the fight against antimicrobial resistance—a growing global health threat often referred to as the “silent pandemic.”
The award celebrates the legacy of Dr. Suzan McLennon-Miguel, a Jamaican veterinarian whose three-decades career spanned veterinary public health, disaster response, food safety, and AMR advocacy. Affectionately known as “Doc Sue,” she was a passionate champion of the One Health approach, which unites human, animal, and environmental health to tackle complex health challenges like AMR.
PAHO welcomes the nominations of individuals or organizations from across the Caribbean who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to addressing AMR. Eligible nominees may include those who have led impactful community-based AMR initiatives; contributed to education, policy, or public health solutions; or advanced research or innovation using a One Health lens. Self-nominations are encouraged.
Nominations are open until 30 September 2025, and the winner will be announced on 18 November 2025, during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week.
Celebrating a legacy of Caribbean leadership
Dr. McLennon-Miguel passed away in July 2023 after a battle with cancer, but her influence continues to shape public health in the Caribbean. She led animal health responses during the 2021 volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and served as a food safety specialist at the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) in Suriname.
Her impact extended beyond science and policy. In Jamaica, she created “Doc Sue’s Happy Rooms”—colorful spaces in hospitals where sick children could play, learn, and dream. “It’s more than a playroom,” she said. “It’s a place where children can start dreaming of what they want to be in the future.”
The awardee will be invited to PAHO’s Headquarters in Washington, D.C. for meetings with regional experts, participation in strategic AMR discussions, and the opportunity to showcase their work. They will also receive a commemorative plaque.
“AMR threatens lives across the Caribbean, from routine infections to critical treatments like cancer care,” said Pilar Ramon-Pardo, Chief, Antimicrobial Resistance Special Program at PAHO. “This award celebrates Dr. McLennon-Miguel’s legacy by recognizing leaders who are building a healthier future.”
A panel of experts from PAHO and international partners will select the winner based on impact, innovation, collaboration, and sustainable contributions to AMR efforts.
Why AMR matters
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites stop responding to the medicines used to treat them. This makes common infections harder—and sometimes impossible—to cure. In the Caribbean, AMR threatens everything from routine infections to surgeries and cancer care, placing decades of public health progress at risk.
PAHO is stepping up its efforts to combat AMR in the Caribbean by strengthening surveillance, expanding laboratory capacity, promoting responsible use of antibiotics, and fostering One Health partnerships. These efforts are supported by the UK Government’s Fleming Fund and new South-South cooperation initiatives.
By honoring leaders like Dr. McLennon-Miguel, this award aims to inspire bold action to curb superbugs and safeguard the region’s health.
Download the nomination form (PDF) and read the full call for nominations (PDF).
For questions or to submit a nomination, please contact Franka Des Vignes at desvigfra@paho.org or Nathalie El Omeiri at elomeirin@paho.org, using the subject line: Suzan McLennon-Miguel Award nomination.
It has been hailed as the most important TV show of the second Trump presidency. It’s currently in the form of its life and clocking up record ratings. Not bad for a cartoon about four potty-mouthed Colorado schoolboys.
NSFW sitcom South Park might have been been on air since 1997, but it has never been more relevant. In an era when satirical talkshows are being axed, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s creation fulfils a vital function as it mercilessly mocks both sides of the political spectrum. Written and made the week of transmission, it has been able to incorporate topical stories and hold power to account. No wonder parent company Paramount recently won a $1.5bn bidding war for a five-year, 50-episode deal.
South Park’s no-holds-barred approach to hot-button issues has made it the most controversial American comedy of all time, animated or not. Here’s our potted history of its scandals, rated in order of explosiveness.
15. Meghan and Harry’s privacy pleas (2023)
The Worldwide Privacy Tour, 2023. Photograph: Comedy Central
Royal feathers were ruffled by this slice of Sussex baiting. The Prince of Canada and his wife embark on a “Worldwide Privacy Tour”. When their private jet lands in South Park, they wave “Stop looking at us!” placards. The prince plugs his tell-all memoir, titled Waaagh, with monarchy-bashing interviews. Described in the episode as “sorority girl, actress, influencer, victim”, Meghan Markle was reportedly “upset and overwhelmed”. Rumours swirled that the pair were planning legal action. A spokesperson dismissed this as “baseless, boring nonsense”. Bit rude.
14. Steve Irwin’s fishy fate (2006)
When Satan throws a Halloween party in Hollywood, Australian naturalist Steve Irwin is among the celebrity guests. The croc-hunting cult hero was depicted with a stingray barb through his chest, having died in that manner just two months before broadcast. Fans slated it as “grossly insensitive timing”. Irwin’s widow Terri said she was “devastated by Steve being mocked in such a cruel way”, worrying that their children could one day see it.
13. The ‘kick a ginger’ craze (2005)
Ginger Kids, 2005. Photograph: Comedy Central
Hitler allegory Ginger Kids sees Cartman wage war on red-haired people. When Kyle tricks him into thinking he’s caught “gingervitis”, Cartman switches sides and rallies them to rise up as a master race. Cue real-life controversy when the storyline inspired the infamous “National Kick a Ginger Day” meme. Actual violent attacks included one treated as a hate crime in Canada and bullying at a Rotherham school. Copper-topped troubadour Ed Sheeran joked that the episode “ruined my life”.
12. Isaac Hayes’s resurrection (2006)
Isaac Hayes in The Return of Chef, 2006. Photograph: Comedy Central
Soul legend Isaac Hayes voiced Chef for nearly a decade, serving up home-spun wisdom and crooning about chocolate salty balls. Following the Trapped in the Closet episode (more of which shortly), the Scientologist singer resigned in protest. In retaliation, the next season sees Chef return to South Park after travelling the world with the cult-like “Super Adventure Club”, which brainwashes members into child abuse. Chef’s dialogue was spliced from old episodes, hence the uneasy spectacle of Hayes singing about “making love” to the kids, before soiling himself. Poignantly, Hayes’s son later claimed that his entourage made the decision to quit on Hayes’s behalf, with the man himself unable to speak after a stroke.
11. Holy inappropriate (2005)
Religion is one of the show’s regular targets, and the Bloody Mary episode was particularly inflammatory. When a statue of the Virgin Mary begins “bleeding out its ass”, the pope dispatches a cardinal to decide if it qualifies as a miracle. Catholic campaign groups in the US, New Zealand and Australia declared it “disgusting”, demanded apologies and unsuccessfully lobbied for it never to be rerun.
10. King of pop dethroned (2004)
Michael Jackson in The Jeffersons, 2004. Photograph: Comedy Central
Five years before his death, Michael Jackson got the South Park treatment. When eccentric millionaire Mr Jefferson moves into a local mansion with a funfair in the garden, the kids investigate whether he is a child abuser or the victim of society’s prejudice against rich Black men. When caught sleeping in Stan’s bed, Jefferson pays off his parents to keep quiet. He dresses as Peter Pan, dangles his son over a balcony and at one point his surgery-addled face falls off. Subtle.
9. Great brawl of China (2019)
Having already rattled China’s cage with its depiction of the Dalai Lama and deliberate deployment of Asian stereotypes, the episode named Band in China proved the last straw. It took aim at Hollywood’s expansion into the lucrative Chinese market, despite the country’s strict censorship and repressive political regime. Mickey Mouse’s presence made it clear that Disney was one target. In response, the Chinese government banned the show entirely – scrubbing it from streaming and social media platforms – which only proved Parker and Stone’s point. The unrepentant pair issued a sarcastic apology, comparing President Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh and saying: “We too love money more than freedom and democracy … We good now, China?”
8. Green around the gills (2006)
Al Gore gets an apology in the episode Time to Get Cereal, 2018. Photograph: Comedy Central
South Park has repeatedly mocked the concept of climate change. Its denialism peaked with ManBearPig, in which Al Gore lectures children about a mysterious new environmental threat: a cryptid described as “half man, half bear, half pig”. The show was slammed as “irresponsible” for equating eco-warnings with scares about mythical monsters. Twelve years later, it reverse-ferreted by having the boys realise that ManBearPig actually did exist and grudgingly apologise to Gore. “Time to get cereal”, indeed.
7. Toilet humour (2001)
The fifth season opened with the profanity-packed It Hits the Fan. When a character says “shit” on a TV cop drama called, well, Cop Drama, it normalises the swearword. This brings on a plague that makes citizens vomit up their intestines, while awakening the ancient Knights of Standards and Practices. The episode parodied CBS medical soap Chicago Hope, which broke ground two years before by having actor Mark Harmon say “shit” for the first time on network TV. South Park went way further, dropping the s-bomb 162 times, averaging once every eight seconds – handily totted up by an onscreen counter. Comedy Central received 5,000 complaints.
6. If you tolerate this … (2002)
The Death Camp of Tolerance, 2002. Photograph: Comedy Central
Many rate The Death Camp of Tolerance as one of the all-time great episodes. In a typically outrageous storyline, teacher Mr Garrison tries to get himself sacked for being gay so he can launch a $25m anti-discrimination lawsuit. When he inserts Lemmiwinks the class gerbil somewhere intimate, pupils protest. Paranoid they are homophobic, parents send them to Tolerance Camp, where Nazi-esque guards force them to draw pictures of “people of all colours and creeds holding hands beneath a rainbow”. Lemmiwinks’s journey through Mr Slave’s rectum became a Hobbit spoof. You shall not pass.
5. Slur causes a stir (2007)
Inspired by Seinfeld star Michael “Kramer” Richards’s offensive outburst the previous year, With Apologies to Jesse Jackson satirises both racism and meaningless mea culpas which fail to address the underlying issues. When Stan’s father Randy uses the N-word on Wheel of Fortune, a national scandal erupts. Seeking forgiveness, Randy kisses the backside of Rev Jesse Jackson, AKA “the Emperor of Black People”. The uncensored epithet is uttered 42 times. Black communities and civil rights organisations praised this nuanced take on hate speech.
4. Too cruel for school (2018)
Season 22 begins with gunfire ringing out at South Park Elementary. Yet the staff and students calmly carry on as if school massacres are an everyday event – because in the US they are. As metal detectors are installed and hall monitors armed with rifles, authorities still fail to address the root cause. It aired soon after similar shootings in Parkland and Santa Fe claimed 27 lives. As a takedown of desensitisation to gun violence, the daringly dark Dead Kids was incendiary stuff.
3. In bed with Satan (2025)
Sermon on the Mount, 2025. Photograph: Comedy Central
This summer’s season premiere came out swinging with Sermon on the Mount, satirising Trump’s attacks on free speech by having the president sue the entire town of South Park. Biting the hand that feeds, it also lampooned Paramount’s capitulation to him. He is painted as a predatory tyrant, overcompensating for his micropenis. He hops into bed with Satan, who lambasts Trump about the Epstein files. It sparked a Maga-hatted backlash, while the furious White House said the show “hadn’t been relevant for 20 years”. It doubled down a week later with savage anti-deportation episode Got a Nut, telling conservative critics to “#eatabagofdicks”.
2. Hubbard in the cupboard (2005)
Trapped in the Closet, 2005. Photograph: Comedy Central
South Park’s most notorious instalment, Trapped in the Closet, uses the ludicrous R Kelly opus to take aim at A-list Thetans Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Scientology is skewered as “a big fat global scam”, and it animates in unsparing detail the alien lore at the heart of L Ron Hubbard’s religion – accompanied by the onscreen caption “THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE”. Because the church is so litigious, everyone who worked on the episode is credited as John or Jane Smith. Conspiracy theories abounded that transmission was delayed at Cruise’s behest to avoid overshadowing Mission: Impossible III (also produced by South Park’s parent company Paramount). What’s beyond dispute is that Parker and Stone threatened to quit if it wasn’t aired. Hail Xenu!
1. Prophet and loss (2006)
The episode 200, 2010. Photograph: Comedy Central
Potshots at Mormonism and Catholicism caused a kerfuffle but were a storm in a teacup compared to Cartoon Wars. With Islamist extremists increasingly angered by satirical depictions of the prophet Muhammad, South Park weighed in. When citizens hear that rival series Family Guy is breaking the taboo, they literally buried their heads in the sand to avoid seeing it. The boys embark on a mission to get the episode pulled – Kyle because he fears terrorist reprisals, Cartman because he just hates Family Guy. Paramount censored the scenes anyway, covering them with a black title card, citing concerns for public safety. Parker and Stone condemned the move as hypocritical. When they revisited the topic in 2010, mentions of Muhammad were bleeped out, as was Kyle’s closing speech about the perils of giving in to violent threats. A radical Muslim blogger still wrote that he prayed for Allah to kill the show’s creators and “burn them in Hell for all eternity”. The Simpsons’ next chalkboard gag saw Bart write: “South Park, We’d Stand Beside You If We Weren’t So Scared”. The episodes remain banned on streaming services to this day.
South Park streams on Paramount+ on Wednesdays in the US and Thursdays in the UK.
A newly published pair of studies from researchers at the University of Florida, Hokkaido University, and partners in Thailand and Japan has shed light on how Burkholderia pseudomallei—the bacterium responsible for the often-deadly disease melioidosis—can outsmart one of the most important drugs used to treat it.
The work, appearing in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and Microbiology Resource Announcements, examined dozens of drug-resistant bacterial samples from patients in northeast Thailand and mapped the entire genome of a particularly important strain. The research uncovers both a brand-new genetic mutation and a structural quirk in the bacterium’s DNA that allow it to survive treatment with ceftazidime (CAZ), a critical antibiotic in many parts of the world.
A New Mutation with Big Consequences
The team discovered a previously unknown genetic change, called A172T, in a gene named penA. This gene produces an enzyme that can break down certain antibiotics before they can work. The A172T mutation alters the enzyme in a way that makes the bacteria up to 16 times more resistant to ceftazidime.
In lab tests, simply adding this mutation to an otherwise drug-sensitive strain was enough to make it highly resistant—strong evidence that A172T is a key driver of treatment failure.
DNA “Copy-and-Paste” Resistance
Beyond single-letter mutations, the studies also revealed another clever survival tactic: gene duplication and amplification. In some resistant strains, the bacteria carried multiple extra copies of the penA gene—sometimes as many as nine. More copies mean more of the antibiotic-destroying enzyme.
Researchers traced this to unusual palindromic GC-rich repeat sequences in the DNA. These repetitive patterns seem to act like “genetic Velcro,” causing the DNA to fold and recombine under drug pressure, effectively copy-pasting penA over and over.
One fully mapped strain, called 490f, carried three penA copies inside a large and complex repeat section of its DNA. Untangling this section required high-tech genome sequencing and painstaking manual assembly.
Other Routes to Resistance
The team also identified changes in the penA promoter region—essentially the gene’s “on/off” switch—that cranked up enzyme production. And in some cases, combinations of mutations subtly altered the enzyme’s shape, allowing it to resist multiple drugs in the same family.
While B. pseudomallei does not typically pick up resistance genes from other bacteria via plasmids (a common route in many pathogens), its ability to mutate and rearrange its own DNA gives it plenty of evolutionary flexibility.
Why It Matters Beyond the Lab
Melioidosis is a serious public health challenge in tropical regions, causing high death rates even with treatment. It’s also considered a Tier 1 select agent in the United States because of its potential misuse as a biothreat. Losing ceftazidime as a reliable treatment option would complicate outbreak control and put both local communities and global health security at greater risk.
For everyday public health, this means that drug resistance in B. pseudomallei is not just an abstract lab problem—it has direct implications for the safety of drinking water, soil contact in rural communities, and medical preparedness for travelers and military personnel in affected areas.
Looking Ahead
The authors suggest several steps:
Surveillance to spot A172T and similar mutations early.
Faster diagnostics that can detect known resistance markers right in the clinic.
Deeper research into the DNA structures that drive gene duplication.
Lab simulations to see how resistance emerges under incomplete or incorrect dosing.
By understanding how this bacterium develops resistance, scientists and public health agencies can better protect the antibiotics we have—and buy time to develop new ones.
Sources and Further Reading:
Tuanyok A, Nakajima C, Noll T, et al. Genomic insights into ceftazidime resistance in Burkholderia pseudomallei: discovery of A172T mutation and palindromic GC-rich repeat sequences facilitating penA duplication and amplification.Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 21 July 2025.
Khrongsee P, Subramaniam K, Mergia A, Tuanyok A. Complete genome sequence of ceftazidime-resistant Burkholderia pseudomallei strain 490f reveals a complex long repeat region. Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 11 August 2025
The lightsaber used by Darth Vader in the original Star Wars film has sold for £2.7m at auction in Los Angeles.
The prop, which also featured in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, was sold on Thursday, and is one of more than 400 authentic film props auctioned by Propstore, a movie memorabilia outlet, as part of their “entertainment memorabilia live auction”.
The lightsaber was one of several props from science fiction films sold for a large sum during the auctions first day, with the Ressikan flute played by Sir Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard in the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series going for £299,400 and the mind-wiping “neuralyzer” device used by the agents in Men in Black fetching £233,900.
Items from fantasy media also attracted large price tags, with the Platform 9 3/4 sign used in the Harry Potter films and a wand used by Daniel Radcliffe in the Prisoner of Azkaban being auctioned off for £102,900 and £60,800 each, and Longclaw, the Valyrian steel bastard sword used by Kit Harington’s Jon Snow in the Game of Thrones series fetching £70,170.
Other items auctioned included the Spider-Man suit worn by Tobey Maguire in the eponymous 2002 film, which was sold for £215,190, and the whip used by Harrison Ford’s title character in the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which went for £360,260.
Brandon Alinger, the chief operating officer of Propstore, called the sale of the lightsaber “a landmark moment not just for Propstore, but for the entire world of film collecting.
The lightsaber on display last month at the Dorchester in London before Thursday’s auction in Los Angeles. Photograph: James Manning/PA
“To see a Star Wars lightsaber – the symbol of one of cinema’s greatest sagas – become the highest-valued piece of the franchise ever sold at auction is incredibly special.
“It speaks to the enduring cultural power of Star Wars and the passion of fans and collectors who see these artefacts as touchstones of modern mythology.”
In all, the 433 auction lots sold on the first day of the auction sold for a grand total of £10,618,530, buyers premium included. The auction is scheduled to continue on Friday and Saturday, with a further 600 items listed for sale.
Cha Junhwan waltzed to the men’s short program lead of the inaugural Kinoshita Group Cup 2025 with a 87.76 in Osaka on Friday (5 September).
The Republic of Korea star fell on a quad toe early in the skate but otherwise was commanding in the first Challenger Series competition being held on Japanese soil.
The 2023 world silver medallist put almost three points on second-place Tomono Kazuki, who led the hosts with an 85.08. Yamamoto Sota checked in at third.
“It’s an Olympic year so I think it’s very important but it’s going to be a long journey,” said Cha, a two-time Olympian. “So at this competition, it’s more like a chance to check out where I’m at now and then checking out the new programs and then compete and perform in front of audience and judges.
“This is the first time that Japan opened up the Challenger Series, which I’m happy because all the Challenger Series are in the US, Canada or Europe.
“But for us who trains in Asia, I think there are many good points if we have a Challenger Series in Asia because shorter flights, easier traveling, etc.”
Cha said his programs are 60, 70 per cent complete and is hoping he can shake off the early-season cobwebs and nerves in Japan before heading into the Grand Prix Series. The men’s free skating is on Sunday.
“Like the trainings in Korea and like even the yesterday practice was really good,” Cha said.
“But you know, like at the very beginning of the season, the first competition always gives us the nerves and the pressure. We want to like kind of warm up our bodies.
“I think those kind of things were the challenges but those kind of feelings are very natural. So I think it was good.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson may or may not have looked slightly slimmer in a slew of recent viral photos, but have we not learned our lesson when it comes to preemptively speculating on the dramatic weight loss of Hollywood stars?
In 2020, Chadwick Boseman died aged 43, having suffered with colon cancer for four years. He kept the diagnosis a secret from all but a few friends and family, however, continuing to act in a number of different films, including Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, 21 Bridges and Da 5 Bloods. During that period, Boseman faced ridicule and mocking online and in the media as he noticeably lost weight, with speculation rife over his change in appearance.
Plenty of introspection followed after his passing, with Boseman’s life and death reminding everyone that we never truly know what someone is going through. And yet, just five years later, those learnings have seemingly been forgotten as the Rock now faces derision from all corners, even pithily being re-nicknamed ‘the Pebble’ as his supposedly smaller appearance becomes a public source of interest.
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Why People Think Dwayne Johnson Has Lost Weight
After stepping onto the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival, fans were quick to remark upon Johnson’s aesthetic. Unverified reports even claim he has lost 60lbs – directly contradicting director Benny Safdie’s desire for Johnson to get ‘bigger’ and ‘puffier’ for The Smashing Machine. Surely the grandad glasses and oversized shirt covering most of his bulk haven’t influenced such a snap judgement… or have they?
Famed for his monster cheat meals and hardcore strength sessions, the Hollywood star has always valued staying in incredible shape. That discipline in the gym translated into his latest acting role for The Smashing Machine, in which he plays MMA legend Mark Kerr, with his four-hour training days helping him to master martial arts while also achieving a slightly different physique.
Set for release on October 3, the film earned a 15-minute standing ovation in Venice and has received high praise, with critics commending Johnson for stepping out of his comfort zone. He has also noted how moving away from blockbusters was something he was ‘really hungry to do’. He added, ‘I’ve been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity to do this.
‘I have wanted this for a long time. When you’re in Hollywood, as we all know, it had become about box office and you chase the box office. And the box office in our business is very loud, it can be very [overwhelming]. It can push you into a category and a corner – “This is your lane and this is what you do and this is what Hollywood wants you to be”. I just had this burning desire and voice that was saying, “What if there is more and what if I can?” Sometimes it’s hard for us to know what we’re capable of when we’ve been pigeonholed into something.’
Those comments have also led to assumptions that the 53-year-old is purposefully losing weight because he wants to be taken more seriously as an actor. Previously, Arnold Schwarzenegger lost his Mr Olympia muscles in order to star in Hollywood. Chris Hemsworth has even suggested he isn’t taken seriously because of his muscles.
Don’t be Too Quick to Jump to Conclusions
But what if Johnson’s weight loss has nothing to do with any of that? Indeed, after starring in Knock at the Cabin, Dave Bautista highlighted how he lost 75lbs following the movie in a bid to feel more comfortable in his own body. ‘I started trimming down for a particular reason: one, I started slimming down because I… was uncomfortably big. Now looking back at it, I probably overdid it,’ he told Today.
Johnson, meanwhile, has spent time addressing areas of his health. After learning his gut lining had been damaged following two rounds of antibiotics, leaving him with nutritional deficiencies and digestive issues, he worked with Dr Mark Hyman to fix things. ‘We basically rehabbed your gut,’ Hyman said. ‘Gave you probiotics and plant compounds –pomegranate, green tea, cranberry – to help rebuild it. And we made you this amazing gut health shake with 10-plus ingredients personalised for you.’
That’s all to say, no one knows for certain if he has lost weight, why he might have lost it, or any other factors we’re not privy to. In that sense, the Rock definitely shouldn’t have to face jokes or speculation about his appearance. And the whole situation raises a pertinent question: should we even be talking about this until we know all the facts?
Based on past events, the answer is a resounding no.
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s HealthUK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
Matthew Breetzke became the first batsman in one-day international history to start his career with five consecutive scores of fifty or more as South Africa beat England by just five runs at Lord’s on Thursday for a series-clinching win.
Victory gave South Africa an unbeatable 2-0 lead in a three-match contest, with Breetzke’s 85 the cornerstone of their imposing 330-8.
But England kept hitting down the order and started the last over on 315-9, needing 16 to win.
Jofra Archer (27 not out) struck two fours off spinner Senuran Muthusamy, but that wasn’t enough as England finished on 325-9 following fifties from Joe Root and Jos Buttler (who both made 61) and Jacob Bethell (58).
The combined 655 runs scored was a record for an ODI at Lord’s, with several South Africa players enjoying another dramatic success at the ‘Home of Cricket’ after their World Test Championship final win over Australia in June.
South Africa fast bowler Nandre Burger took 3-63 as England, skittled out for just 131 in Tuesday’s series opener in Leeds, a game completed inside 46 overs, at least ensured this match went the distance.
Breetze and Tristan Stubbs (58) shared a century partnership in just 101 balls, with their stand eventually worth 147 after they came together when South Africa were faltering at 93-3.
The 26-year-old Breetzke was only playing after Tony de Zorzi was ruled out by a hamstring injury suffered while fielding at Headingley.
– South Africa’s ‘old-school cricket’ –
Breetzke had already begun his ODI career with four successive scores in excess of 50, including 150 on debut against New Zealand in February and 88 during South Africa’s recent series-clinching win in Australia.
“We found it quite tricky and thought a good score was 280 but the longer we batted, it got a lot easier,” player of the match Breetzke told Sky Sports.
“It was old-school cricket and batsmanship to start — we want to play positive but we read conditions — and then more aggressive at the end.”
England captain Harry Brook was proud of his side’s chase.
“South Africa probably got 10-15 too many runs so to get to within one blow of their score was a great effort from us,” he said.
England needed a record-breaking chase to triumph on Thursday, with India’s 326-8 in 2002 the highest score by a team batting second to win a Lord’s ODI.
Their pursuit got off to the worst possible start when opener Jamie Smith, England’s top-scorer on Tuesday with 54, fell for a golden duck, caught behind off an inside-edge against left-arm quick Burger.
Root and Bethell revived England’s hopes with a third-wicket partnership of 77 against a Proteas attack once again without four first-choice fast bowlers in Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee.
The 21-year-old Bethell, promoted to number four, took 20 runs off an over from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, the world’s top-ranked ODI bowler, on his way to a sparkling 28-ball fifty.
But Bethell and Root fell in quick succession to leave England 147-4.
Bethell slashed Corbin Bosch to backward point before Maharaj had England great Root stumped by Ryan Rickelton.
Brook (33) and former captain Buttler tried to salvage the situation.
But when Buttler was bowled by an excellent slow yorker from Lungi Ngidi to end a dashing 51-ball innings, England were 256-6 in the 43rd over.
England kept coming, with Will Jacks making 39, but the task was beyond them.
Earlier, Breetzke’s latest whirlwind display included seven fours and three sixes before a slower-ball yorker from fast bowler Archer ended his 77-ball innings.
Breetzke has now scored 463 ODI runs in five innings at a colossal average of 92.6.
Archer (4-62) and leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2-33) were England’s leading bowlers.
But spinners Bethell and Jacks — between them England’s fifth bowler — conceded a costly 112 runs in their combined 10 overs.
As BioDlink, a leading global CDMO, affirms its commitment to strategic alliances to support biotech innovation worldwide as it marks 15 years of operations. Alliances are gaining momentum across the APAC region, where the first half of 2025 has seen a sharp rise in collaboration—24 new regional partnerships and counting—signaling a shift toward quality, speed, and cost efficiency.
Dr. Jun Liu, CEO and Executive Director of BioDlink, notes that biotech companies are increasingly joining trusted ecosystems like BioDlink’s to accelerate development and manufacturing to grow the market together in their globalization strategy. These companies demand not only high quality and fast delivery, but also a blend between quality, speed, and cost. Complex therapies such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) demand meticulous fine-tuning to optimize combinations and targets, making reliable, agile partnerships essential.
For ADCs, we can complete the entire process from DNA synthesis to toxicology study material release in just 7 months, and the full IND application within 11 months. For monoclonal antibodies, the timelines are 6 months and 10 months, respectively.
In the face of global competition, it is more important to build a win-win global ecosystem than go for the lowest price. Driven by customer needs, we strive to balance quality, speed, and cost to maximize value.”
Dr. Jun Liu, CEO and Executive Director, BioDlink
BioDlink’s ongoing collaboration with GlycanLink exemplifies this approach, developing the GL-DisacLink® platform, an advanced site-specific conjugation (1-enzyme 1-step) technology that enhances ADC stability and efficacy beyond conventional linker methods. BDKcell®, BioDlink’s proprietary cell line construction platform, has a rapid development cycle of 14 weeks. These innovations offer significant process advantages, including high uniformity, simplified workflows, short reaction times, reduced off-target effects, and reduced overall production costs.
For global biotech companies seeking to develop new ADC targets, bispecific ADCs, dual-payload ADCs, PDCs, TCE-ADCs, non-internalizing ADCs and novel format ADCs, success also hinges on the ability to scale projects under stringent regulatory frameworks. Their evaluation includes whether alliance partners bring robust capabilities and a verifiable regulatory track record, including delivery reliability, process patents, and end-to-end chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) systems.
Building on a strong foundation of 107 pre-clinical studies, 38 clinical studies and 8 pre-BLA studies (as of December 31, 2024), BioDlink’s global growth strategy is laser-focused on leveraging key areas such as ADCs, providing differentiated value to alliance partners, and unlocking ecosystem synergy, for instance, Kexing Biopharm covers global licensing, while BioDlink focuses on commercial supply.
Partnering with innovative biotechs like MediLink Therapeutics, Escugen, and Smart Nuclide, BioDlink has emerged as the go-to CDMO for ADC and RDC projects. Furthermore, BioDlink’s comprehensive CDMO platform for antibody drugs (mAbs/BsAbs), ADCs, fusion proteins, and other bioconjugates delivers:
Production capacity flexibility: Operates four commercial production lines, with 20,000 L antibody drug substance capacity and annual output exceeding 150 batches. It also supports ADC payload production of 960 kg annually, across two independent production centers.
Professional team: A seasoned CMC team and customer-focused PM group bringing late-stage CMC project expertise, supporting eight pre-BLA projects and two commercial products, ensuring a smooth clinical-to-commercial transition.
International quality management system and good audit record: GMP-certified in multiple countries and regions, including the U.S., EU and China. Passed almost 100 official and client audits globally, including 4 FDA IND approvals without additional data requests and 5 successful EU-QP audits (including zero-defect) until now.
Proven commercialization capabilities: The manufacturing facilities have passed GMP audits of NMPA and Brazil (PIC/S member country), Indonesia, Egypt, Colombia, Argentina, and Pakistan. BioDlink has obtained marketing authorization in China, Nigeria, and Pakistan, as well as PMDA certification in Japan. Biosimilars are produced and supplied to many countries around the world.
BioDlink’s competitive edge stems from its one-base, end-to-end streamlined platform for antibody drugs, ADCs, fusion proteins and other bioconjugates focused on three core customer needs: quality, speed, and cost-efficiency. Dr. Jun Liualso highlights: “Within China, we were among the first CDMOs to focus on antibodies and ADC-based antibodies and retain a first-mover advantage. We are going global with like-minded clients and alliance partners, with a commitment to sustainable success.”
