Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface is on the brink of completing a loan move to AC Milan that could end Rasmus Hojlund’s chances of joining the Serie A giants.
Milan had been keen to sign Hojlund on loan from Manchester United.
However, the Denmark forward, 22, has stalled on a deal because the structure being negotiated did not include an obligation to buy.
Milan have now moved for Boniface with a similar deal, but it is only set to contain an option to turn the move for the Nigerian into a permanent transfer next summer.
Napoli are also on the hunt for a number nine after Romelu Lukaku suffered a thigh injury that could rule him out for up to four months.
Earlier this month, Hojlund declared his intention to remain at United after an inconsistent first couple of seasons.
Since then, his club has signed Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko in a £73.7m deal.
Hojlund was then left on the bench throughout United’s final pre-season match against Fiorentina, then was omitted from Ruben Amorim’s squad completely for the Premier League defeat by Arsenal.
Amorim said he had taken the decision because Hojlund “had similar characteristics” to Sesko, who made his debut against the Gunners as a substitute.
India has said that it has successfully test-fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile which, when operational, should be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to any part of China.
The Agni-5 missile was successfully launched in India’s eastern Odisha state on Wednesday, and authorities said it “validated all operational and technical parameters”.
India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are intense rivals competing for influence across south Asia and relations plummeted in 2020 after a deadly border clash.
India is also part of the Quad security alliance with the US, Australia and Japan, which is seen as a counter to China.
India’s bitter rival, Pakistan, has nuclear weapons as well and the two countries came to close to war in May after militants killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, an attack New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan denied any involvement.
Caught in global trade and geopolitical turbulence triggered by Donald Trump’s tariff war, Delhi and Beijing have moved to mend ties.
Last October, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, met the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia.
Modi is expected to make his first visit to China since 2018 later this month to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation – a regional security bloc.
Ties between New Delhi and Washington, meanwhile, have been strained by Trump’s ultimatum that India end its purchases of Russian oil, a key source of revenue for Moscow as it wages its military offensive in Ukraine.
The US says it will double new import tariffs on India from 25% to 50% by 27 August if New Delhi does not switch crude suppliers.
The Agni-5 is one of a number of indigenously produced short- and medium-range Indian ballistic missiles aimed at boosting its defence posture against Pakistan, as well as China.
Cynthia is a Microsoft MVP, consultant and owner of MGC Group, LLC where she focuses on Sharing the Righter WayTM of working with and improving process efficiency in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Cynthia is recognized for her ability to look at operational and reporting challenges with a fresh take and propose solutions using core features and functionality. Focused for close to 20 years on Dynamics NAV and now D365 Business Central, she adores helping clients and partners solve problems, enhance productivity, and find the best of the many ways to work in Business Central.
She is a regular presenter at industry conferences including DirectionsNA, DynamicsCon and Community Summit. On the original team to write the MB-800 Micrsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant certification exam, a member of the DUG Mentorship Meetup Group, on the Programming Committee for Community Summit 2024, a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and a certified Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant, Cynthia enjoys giving back to the community in thanks for all it has given to her.
You can reach Cynthia through LinkedIn.
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Skipping the use of a nasogastric (NG) tube after esophageal cancer surgery may not be as safe as the routine five-day decompression, according to results published in The Lancet Regional Health that suggest using the tube could lower the risk of anastomotic leaks.
Esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers are among the deadliest cancers worldwide, responsible for more than 500,000 deaths each year, according to the study’s authors. Surgical removal of the esophagus, or esophagectomy, remains the primary treatment option for patients with curable disease.
While this procedure increases the chance of long-term survival, it carries a high risk of serious complications. Pneumonia is the most common postoperative issue, but an anastomotic leak—when the surgical connection between the esophagus and stomach fails—is often the most dangerous.
To lower these risks, surgeons in many centers continue to use NG tubes after surgery. The tube drains and decompresses the stomach, with the goal of reducing pressure on the surgical joint, limiting the chance of leaks and preventing aspiration into the lungs.
At the same time, NG tubes are increasingly being questioned. They are one of the last areas in gastrointestinal surgery where routine use persists, even as other surgical fields have moved toward minimizing or eliminating them.
Additional studies have also raised questions on the use.
For instance, research published in the Journal of Thoracic Disease reported that routine NG decompression after gastrointestinal surgery did not significantly lower the risk of leaks or pulmonary complications. In addition, studies in gastric cancer surgery, including those cited in the International Surgery Journal, found that early removal of NG tubes can be safe and may help speed recovery.
Patient comfort has also emerged as an important factor.
A review in the World Journal of Gastroenterology noted that NG tubes are consistently associated with discomfort and can even raise the risk of respiratory problems. In addition, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines recommend avoiding routine NG tube placement after esophagectomy unless there is a specific clinical need.
However, many surgeons have been reluctant to abandon NG tubes without stronger evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
The new Lancet study aimed to fill that gap by providing high-quality data on the risks and benefits of omitting NG decompression after esophagectomy.
The trial was a multicenter RCT conducted at 12 university hospitals across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Eligible patients were adults with resectable, or removable, esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer who were scheduled for surgery with a gastric tube.
After giving consent, patients were randomized 1:1 into two groups: immediate removal of the NG tube after surgery (intervention group) or routine NG decompression for five days (control group).
Randomization was grouped by sex, neoadjuvant therapy, anastomotic site and hospital. Surgeries were performed by experienced oncologic surgeons following local standards.
The primary outcome was the rate of anastomotic leaks. The secondary outcomes included complication severity, pneumonia, length of hospital stay, intensive care use and both 30- and 90-day mortality.
CT scans were also performed on day seven and were reviewed by blinded radiologists to ensure objective detection of leaks.
Between January 2022 and March 2024, 564 patients were screened, and 448 were enrolled in the trial. Out of these patients, 217 were assigned to immediate NG-tube removal and 231 to standard five-day decompression. Most participants were men (82%) with an average age of 67.5, and a majority had locally advanced disease.
Data revealed that 95 patients in the control group did not complete the full five days of decompression, often due to discomfort or accidental removal. In the intervention group, 9 patients required NG tube placement after surgery because of bloating or poor emptying.
Anastomotic leaks occurred in 83 patients. Rates were higher in the no-tube group (22.1%) compared with the NG-tube group (15.2%). This difference This difference meant the study could not prove that taking the tube out right away was just as safe. Most leaks were managed with endoscopic or interventional treatments, and survival outcomes remained similar between groups.
Serious complications occurred in about 42% of patients, and pneumonia was slightly more common in the no-tube group, though the difference was not statistically significant. Thirty- and 90-day mortality rates were low and comparable across both arms.
The trial’s strengths stand out for a number of reasons.
It was large and conducted across multiple centers, making the findings more relatable of real-world practice. Patient follow-up was also strong, and blinded radiologist review of CT scans strengthened the reliability of leak detection.
Additionally, the intervention was simple—NG tube or no NG tube—without altering other forms of care.
However, limitations exist.
A significant number of patients in the control group did not complete the full five-day NG tube protocol, potentially weakening the comparison. The study also did not address the optimal duration of NG tube use, leaving uncertainty about whether shorter decompression might be safe. The open-label design could have introduced bias, although the blinded imaging review helps mitigate this risk.
The authors of the study advise caution before changing clinical practice. While ERAS guidelines favor avoiding routine NG tube use, this trial suggests that immediate removal may increase the risk of leaks, even if other outcomes remain similar. Until more research clarifies the safest approach, the authors stated that routine NG tube decompression after esophagectomy should continue.
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, August 20, 2025 – CME Group (NASDAQ: CME), the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, and FanDuel, America’s premier online gaming company, part of Flutter Entertainment (NYSE: FLUT, LSE: FLTR), today announced a groundbreaking alliance that will launch new products and expand access to financial markets for millions of FanDuel customers in the United States.
This innovative partnership will build on CME Group’s long track record of developing regulated, transparent markets, and FanDuel’s vast customer reach. Together, the companies will develop new fully funded, event-based contracts with defined risk. Customers will be able to express their views multiple times a day on a wide range of markets with simple “yes” or “no” positions for as little as $1.
Expected to launch later this year, the products will include benchmarks such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100, prices of oil and gas, gold, cryptocurrencies, and key economic indicators such as GDP and CPI, with further details of additional offerings to be determined in the coming months.
“Individual investors are increasingly sophisticated and continually pursuing new financial opportunities,” said Terry Duffy, CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “To meet this demand, we have created this innovative partnership, which will operate a non-clearing FCM. Together, our event-based products will appeal to the growing public interest in markets, and we will provide education to attract a new generation of potential traders not active in derivatives today.”
“Partnering with CME Group will unlock our ability to bring even more new and engaging products to FanDuel’s fast-growing customer base,” said Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel Group. “We believe there is potentially a wide audience for trading event-based markets and we want to provide a platform that allows our customers to engage in this activity. We are excited to be partnering with CME Group to design new and engaging products, combining innovation with best-in-class regulatory compliance and consumer protections.”
As part of the partnership, CME Group and FanDuel will form a new joint venture, under which they will operate a non-clearing futures commission merchant (FCM) that will facilitate access to these event-based contracts through FanDuel.
Pending CFTC regulatory review, event contracts will be listed on and subject to the rules of CME Group exchanges and available through all participating FCMs.
Forward looking statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect current expectations as to future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook”, “believe(s)”, ”expect(s)”, “potential”, “continue(s)”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “seek(s)”, “predict(s)”, “intend(s)”, “trends”, “plan(s)”, “estimate(s)”, “anticipates”, “projection”, “goal”, “target”, “aspire”, “will likely result”, and or the negative version of these words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. These factors include, among others: the launch and success of the new joint venture and product is subject to various risks and uncertainties related to, among other things, the receipt of certain regulatory approvals, to the extent required, and the timing and conditions for such approvals; its terms, timing, structure, benefits, costs and completion; and the satisfaction of other conditions. The ability to predict results or actual effects of our plans and strategies is inherently uncertain. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. In addition, we may incur additional or unexpected costs in connection with the matters discussed in this press release.
FanDuel Group and CME Group undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
About CME Group
As the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products and metals. The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform. In addition, it operates one of the world’s leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing.
CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P DJI”). “S&P®”, “S&P 500®”, “SPY®”, “SPX®”, US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About FanDuel
FanDuel Group is America’s premier mobile gaming company, consisting of a portfolio of leading brands across mobile wagering including America’s #1 Sportsbook FanDuel Sportsbook, its leading iGaming platform FanDuel Casino, the industry leader in horseracing and advance-deposit wagering FanDuel Racing, and its daily fantasy sports product. In addition, FanDuel Group operates FanDuel TV, its broadly distributed linear cable television network, and FanDuel TV+, its leading direct-to-consumer OTT platform. FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states with approximately 17 million customers and 25 retail locations. The company is based in New York with offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Jersey City.
Share on PinterestNew AHA hypertension guidelines suggest diet is key to control. Image credit: alyfromuk2us/Getty Images
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects around one in every three adults worldwide.
It is a risk factor for several health conditions, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney damage.
The American Ηeart Association has recently updated its 2017 guidelines on the prevention and management of hypertension, including new research information for the 2025 guidelines.
It advises that anyone can develop high blood pressure but that diet and lifestyle modifications can prevent or control the condition for many people.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that one in three adults, or 1.3 billion people, around the world have hypertension, so preventing, detecting and treating it could prevent 76 million deaths worldwide between now and 2050.
Blood pressure is recorded as systolic, referring to the maximum pressure when the heart contracts, over diastolic — the minimum pressure just before the next contraction. Ideally, it should be 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or below.
The full guidelines, published in the journal Hypertension, aim to help medical practitioners detect and treat hypertension, but also contain valuable advice to help people control and manage their own blood pressure.
Cheng-Han Chen, MD, board certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, who was not involved in developing the guidelines, told Medical News Today that:
“The new blood pressure guidelines have several changes that emphasize earlier assessment and intervention of elevated blood pressure. In particular, it affirms the importance of lifestyle changes to help control blood pressure, such as with limiting sodium and alcohol intake, eating a heart healthy diet, maintaining physical activity, and managing weight and stress. This is a welcome message that will hopefully help us manage hypertension before it contributes to more serious cardiovascular disease.”
To update their guidelines, the AHA carried out a comprehensive review of clinical studies, reviews and other evidence about hypertension published since February 2015.
They describe the guidelines as a “living, working document updating current knowledge in the field of high blood pressure aimed at all practicing primary care and specialty clinicians who manage patients with hypertension.”
Daniel W. Jones, MD, FAHA, volunteer chair of the guideline writing committee and a past-president of the AHA (2007-2008), dean and professor emeritus of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, MS, and a member of the writing committee for the 2017 high blood pressure guideline, told MNT that:
“All adults should have their blood pressure measured at least once a year, more often for patients with any level of high blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure who have a reading above 180/120 mmHg should seek advice from their clinician, urgently if there are symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, paralysis or speech difficulty.”
As part of the update, the AHA has also published a summary for patients of the top 10 things that people should know about high blood pressure.
Jones highlighted the key updates for 2025, which include:
the goal of achieving a systolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or below, and ideally of 120 mmHg, for adults with high blood pressure
more clear and robust evidence that intensive lowering of blood pressure reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia
“in adults with an average blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg [or more], and at lower 10-year cardiovascular disease risk defined by the PREVENT risk calculator of <7.5%, initiation of medication therapy to lower blood pressure in addition to lifestyle modification are recommended if average blood pressure remains 130/80 mmHg [or more] after an initial 3- to 6-month trial of lifestyle modification only”
recommendations of “moving toward an ideal limit of 1500 mg/day [milligrams per day]” for sodium consumption
the advice to stop consuming, “or at least to reduce alcohol intake to [less than] 1 drink/day for women and [less than] 2 drinks/day for men to prevent or treat elevated blood pressure and hypertension.”
To this he added that “patients with high blood pressure who have a reading above 180/120 mmHg should seek advice from their clinician, urgently if there are symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, paralysis or speech difficulty,” Jones advised.
The AHA advises that anyone can develop high blood pressure, so it is important to have it checked regularly. It also states that although lifestyle and dietary changes can be effective in reducing blood pressure, many people will also need medications to get their blood pressure down to healthy levels.
“These new guidelines will hopefully encourage clinicians to further recommend lifestyle changes to patients with elevated blood pressure. They also promote the use of a specific risk calculator to help us determine which patients may benefit most from medical therapy for hypertension,” Chen told MNT.
“Some lifestyle recommendations for people trying to reduce blood pressure on their own include eating a heart healthy diet low in sodium, avoiding/eliminating alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular physical activity, and managing their stress levels,” he added.
The guidelines also emphasize that losing at least 5% of your body weight if you have overweight or obesity can help lower or prevent hypertension, and advise that people can learn more about how to improve their heart and brain health from Life’s Essential 8, which is also published by the AHA.
“Nearly one of every two adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure, and it is the [number] one modifiable risk factor for [cardiovascular disease]. Every person has the opportunity to change the course of their future, their health — annual screening, prevention and early treatment for high blood pressure are the keys to a longer, healthier life.”
Positive overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QOL) data with fruquintinib (Fruzaqla) in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) have positioned the agent as a valuable later-line therapy. The agent also serves as an important option to use as maintenance therapy as early as possible in each patient’s personalized treatment sequence, according to John Marshall, MD.
“You want to use this drug at some point in your patients [with CRC], because it [offers a] survival advantage,” Marshall said about fruquintinib in an interview with OncLive®. “Don’t leave it on the table.”
Fruquintinib was FDA approved in November 2023 for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) who have previously received fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy; VEGF-directed therapy, and, if RAS wild-type and medically appropriate, an anti-EGFR therapy.1 The regulatory decision was backed by data from 2 pivotal clinical trials. In the phase 3 FRESCO-2 trial (NCT04322539), the median OS was 7.4 months (95% CI, 6.7-8.2) with fruquintinib plus best supportive care (BSC; n = 461) vs 4.8 months (95% CI, 4.0-5.8) with placebo plus BSC (n = 230; HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.55-0.80; P < .001).1,2 In the phase 3 FRESCO trial (NCT02314819), the median OS was 9.3 months (95% CI, 8.2-10.5) in the fruquintinib arm (n = 278) vs 6.6 months (95% CI, 5.9-8.1) in the placebo arm (n = 138; HR, 0.65, 95% CI, 0.51-0.83; P < .001).
In the interview, Marshall contextualized these fruquintinib data in the mCRC treatment paradigm, which also includes trifluridine/tipiracil (Lonsurf; TAS-102) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) for the same indication as fruquintinib. This regimen was FDA approved in August 2023 based on data from the phase 3 SUNLIGHT trial (NCT04737187), in which TAS-102 plus bevacizumab (n = 246) elicited a median OS of 10.8 months (95% CI, 9.4-11.8) compared with 7.5 months (95% CI, 6.3-8.6) with TAS-102 alone (n = 246; HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.49-0.77; P < .001).3,4
In the interview, Marshall also explained the agent’s efficacy in later lines of CRC therapy based on clinical trial data, advocated for the agent’s use as maintenance therapy to avoid overtreatment, and stressed the importance of molecular profiling in patients at diagnosis in conjunction with robust multidisciplinary care during treatment.
Marshall is chief of Hematology and Oncology, a professor of medicine and oncology, and director of the Otto J Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, DC.
OncLive: What is the mechanism of action of fruquintinib?
Marshall: Fruquintinib targets VEGF receptors. A lot of drugs do that. This [drug] targets VEGF receptors 1, 2, and 3. The whole VEGF receptor pathway is important for angiogenesis, and maybe immunotherapy, [although the field is] skeptical on that end. [Fruquintinib has] tight binding to the receptor, blocking signaling, [similar to a] TKI.
Where does fruquintinib currently fit into the CRC treatment paradigm?
We know fruquintinib works because of the big, randomized studies that were done.
We know that some patients [will have] minor responses, but mostly a stable disease [SD] benefit is what you see from the drug. It’s oral, which makes for a nice break from intravenous [IV] therapy. [The data with this agent support the] VEGF [inhibition] beyond progression idea. [Fruquintinib is] approved in the third- or later-line settings.
What might be the role of fruquintinib earlier in the treatment paradigm?
I am a big believer in the concept of maintenance therapy. There are only a few drugs in the CRC treatment continuum that cause a regression: [certain chemotherapy regimens] and sometimes EGFR-directed therapies. Almost everything else is maintenance [therapy], or [treatments that elicit] SD.
Every chance I get to switch from the more intensive IV approaches to oral maintenance, I do it. I make sure to use fruquintinib before the patient is too burnt out. The one mistake oncologists make with this drug is holding off on it too long until the patient is too ill.
Which [regimen] you use first between TAS-102/bevacizumab and fruquintinib has a lot to do with the patient in front of you. There are patients in whom TAS-102/bevacizumab is the right [subsequent treatment], [and other times it’s] fruquintinib. [This decision is related to] tumor burden and the last treatment the patient received. There is no one right answer for that.
What clinical trial data help you decide when to use fruquintinib?
[In the FRESCO and FRESCO-2 trials], fruquintinib was tested against placebo [in patients with mCRC] and proved positive. [In the SUNLIGHT trial], TAS-102/bevacizumab was [tested] against TAS-102 alone [in patients with mCRC], and the TAS-102/bevacizumab combination showed positive data as well. We have these 2 strong choices for patients in the more refractory setting.
Do [patients] want to avoid coming into the clinic? How bad is their bone marrow? The adverse effects [AEs] associated with these medicines are different [from each other]. I try to pick the optimal treatment for the patient in front of me.
What QOL data have been reported with fruquintinib that may play a role in your treatment decision-making?
With all these drugs, we give high doses. The recommended phase 2 dose is often the maximum tolerated dose. At 5 mg daily with fruquintinib, most patients [tolerate the agent] well.
[AEs like] hypertension and fatigue happen [with fruquintinib]. Often, as with many drugs, some patients start at a lower dose [of fruquintinib] and inch their way up vs starting high and de-escalating. When you’re dosing this medicine, you want [to schedule a] quick follow-up with that patient [to make sure] you get the dose right.
Based on the available efficacy, safety, and QOL data with fruquintinib, how do you explain treatment goals to patients and approach shared decision-making with patients who may be eligible for this agent?
By the time you’re making these kinds of decisions, you know the patient well. You know their family. You know their priorities. They know your style. You know theirs.
Describe this treatment [the same way] you’ve already [described other treatments] before with them. Sometimes they’ve already done the research themselves. Sometimes you’re the first one to introduce it. Take your time. Give them the best information available. There are web-based resources as well. The patient [should become] the best consumer.
What unmet needs persist for patients with CRC?
The biggest new development in CRC is we have to perform molecular profiling in all patients from the beginning. We have [biomarkers including] BRAF, HER2, and microsatellite instability, and soon we may have RAS. We have to know [the patient’s] molecular profiling from the start.
A high percentage of patients don’t have a targetable lesion or will eventually need some of these serious [treatments] we’re talking about that are not targeted to a precision medicine target. You have to know what’s going on there. You have to [see whether] the patient has a surgical option, even in the metastatic setting. Different centers have different levels of expertise and comfort about [treating] and removing [tumors]. You want good, solid, multidisciplinary care.
Importantly, there is nothing magical. You don’t get an award for giving 12 cycles of chemotherapy. That’s a completely made-up number, and yet we feel like we have to give 12 cycles. All 12 cycles [results in] is [more] toxicity. Stop [chemotherapy] sooner. You’re not going to get an ongoing response; the response is going to stay stable. Switch to one of these other medicines. Use maintenance therapies more.
References
FDA approves fruquintinib in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. FDA. November 8, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-fruquintinib-refractory-metastatic-colorectal-cancer
Fruzaqla. Prescribing information. Takeda; 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.fruzaqlahcp.com/sites/default/files/resources/fruzaqla-prescribing-information.pdf
FDA approves trifluridine and tipiracil with bevacizumab for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer. FDA. August 2, 2023. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-trifluridine-and-tipiracil-bevacizumab-previously-treated-metastatic-colorectal-cancer
Sony is increasing the price of the PlayStation 5 in the U.S. as of tomorrow, August 21.
In a brief statement posted to the PlayStation Blog during Gamescom, the megacorp said that from tomorrow, the updated recommended retail price for all variations of the PS5 — base, digital edition, and PS5 Pro — will increase to:
PlayStation 5 – $549.99
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – $499.99
PlayStation 5 Pro – $749.99
Previously, the PS5 retailed for $499.99, the digital edition $449.99, and the PS5 Pro for $699.99.
“Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment. As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on August 21.”
Accessory prices remain unchanged, and Sony confirmed it had “no other price changes to announce for additional markets.”
We recently learned that Forza Horizon 5’s PS5 port has surpassed three million copies sold, making it the top new PS5 game of 2025 thus far.
US Navy sailor are seen holding American flags, waving to USNS Harvey Milk in 2024. — Reuters
NEW YORK: During a US naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon’s top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly.
As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat’s starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water – an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters.
The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by US defence tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagon’s push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the programme.
Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defence Scoop.
Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information.
The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents.
The videos showing the drone crash were verified by two Reuters sources, the landscape matching terrain imagery, the GARC-096 name ID and structure of the boat matching file imagery of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC).
US military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its maritime drones.
The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 – making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralised Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
The US, meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command – a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat.
The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy’s effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its “tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they can’t do.”
But the Navy’s problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the programme in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found.
Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract valued close to $20 million with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported.
A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a “competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry.”
L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment.
“L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product,” said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris’ autonomous software products.
Rise of sea drones
To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator programme, through which branches like the US Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this programme are due to be announced this month.
The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records.
Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but has yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements.
“These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness,” acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSea’s facility in June.
Navy turmoil
Since returning to the office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems.
But, so far, the Navy’s approach has faced scepticism under the new administration.
In April, the Navy’s key drone boat procurement unit – known as Programme Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) – touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSea’s vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as “a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy.”
In response, Colin Carroll, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defence Steven Feinberg, suggested the programme was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. “I have a feeling that there are changes in this programme’s future,” he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carroll, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further.
The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down.
This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the unit’s leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith.
During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said.
A Pentagon spokesperson said, “We’re not going to comment on private internal meetings” and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy.
The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernisation of unmanned maritime systems.
The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships.
Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes.
TX Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed.
“You’ve got a system that’s used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly you’re asking them to move fast,” he said.
