The blue banner that Elgendy raised after completing the laser run on 10 August is now kept in his home in Egypt. It features the words ‘Paris 2024’ next to the Olympic rings and became a popular photo backdrop when he hosted a party at his home five days after returning from the French capital.
This was just one of many celebrations that the Olympic champion was swept up in from the moment he landed in Cairo International Airport.
When Elgendy’s final was broadcast on television, thousands of people in the country tuned in to see if this could be their golden moment.
“People now knew that I’m competing, so they were all watching it,” the athlete said. “They saw what I’m doing, so they felt the win, they felt the achievement here.”
Ultimately, it turned into a double celebration as Elgendy and weightlifter Sara Ahmed won gold and silver medals, respectively, within hours of each other.
“There were many people in the airport when we got back, fireworks, many interviews, many things we did,” Elgendy said. “Actually after, now you are a celebrity in Egypt, so you have to deal with it but it’s a good thing.”
Elgendy’s achievement also got the attention of another sporting hero in Egypt – Mo Salah. The Liverpool striker first reached out to Elgendy in 2018, calling on the phone to congratulate him for the double victory at the Youth Olympic Games. He also congratulated him after Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
The two met in person several times, including six months before Paris 2024. Mindset was the topic of conversation with Salah especially curious how Elgendy mentally prepares to compete in the five diverse sports that make up modern pentathlon: swimming, equestrian, shooting, fencing and running.
“When he asked me about how you prepare mentally for the competition, I knew that it’s the most important thing because it’s the first thing that he asked me,” Elgendy said.
“The main thing that he’s concentrating on is the mindset, how you work mentally, not only physically, because all people are training hard. All people do well in training, but the difference is their mindset. That’s what he told me, so I knew that it’s very important and I worked on it very hard.”
Howden, the global insurance and reinsurance broking group, has acquired a majority stake (68.3%) in Holos Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holos), a Kyoto-headquartered retail insurance broker.
Founded in 2001 by Kei Horii, Holos is a privately owned retail insurance broker with over 400 employees across 20 locations in Japan.
The acquisition marks a significant milestone in Howden’s strategy to scale its business in Japan. Since establishing operations in the country in 2024, Howden now employs more than 450 people. The deal enhances the credibility, relevance, and capabilities of Howden’s service offering in the Japanese market.
With this acquisition, Howden is well positioned to deliver high-quality services across both life and non-life insurance segments to a broad range of clients, from individuals to SMEs and corporates.
The deal follows a series of strategic initiatives by Howden Japan in 2024, including the launch of Howden Re Japan, a partnership with Keystone ILS Capital, and entry into the Japanese retail insurance market through the acquisition of the Foresight Group.
David Howden CBE, CEO of Howden, said, “Right from the very start we’ve known that to provide the best services to clients you must have strong local expertise on the ground. Holos has incredible know-how and like us they have a rich history in the market. And joining forces now gives us strength-in-depth across Japan, enabling us to provide individuals, SMEs, corporates, and insurers with a full suite of services from reinsurance to retail. This is a transformational move for us, and it shows that our commitment to this dynamic market is truly for the long-term.”
Kei Horii, CEO of Holos Holdings, commented, “For the past 25 years, Holos has grown its business with the strong support of our employees and clients. As the Japanese insurance industry enters a new phase, we have decided to join Howden. By combining Holos’ deep experience in the life insurance sector with Howden’s global resources and advanced expertise in the corporate general insurance field, we aim to grow into a trusted and valued insurance group, even more loved by our clients.”
Kentaro Tada, CEO of Howden Japan, added, “Holos and Howden share similar corporate cultures in that we value the independence of each employee and aim to deliver optimal insurance solutions that bring satisfaction to clients. I look forward to working together with the team at Holos to grow our business while continuing to earn the trust of our clients.”
A technician works on porcelain insulators on power transmission tower in Karachi. — Reuters/File
Protected consumers with 100 units to pay at rate of Rs10.54/unit.
A rate of Rs13 per unit will apply to those consuming 200 units.
Average basic tariff for commercial users set at Rs45.43 per unit.
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), in a move to ensure uniform power tariff across the country, has reduced the electricity rate by Rs1.15 per unit for all but lifeline consumers with the change also applicable to K-Electric consumers.
The development follows Nepra’s hearing of the Power Division’s motion seeking a uniform basic tariff, contending that tariff rationalisation is not aimed at raising any revenues for the federal government but in fact enables the fulfilment of parameters set forth in the Constitution as well as the policy.
In its decision, the regulator has maintained the tariff for lifeline consumers using 50 units at Rs3.95 per unit, whereas those using 100 units will continue to pay Rs7.74 per unit.
Protected consumers with 100 units on their bill will now pay at rate of Rs10.54 per unit, whereas an Rs13 per unit rate will apply to those consuming 200 units a month.
Breakdown of change in electricity tariff. — Nepra
With regards to non-protected consumers, the electricity tariff has been slashed by Rs1.15 per unit for all categories — and the same reduction is applicable on commercial consumers as well, bringing their new average basic tariff to Rs45.43 per unit.
The Rs1.15 per unit reduction also applies to the general services whose existing rate now stands at Rs43.17 per unit.
For industries, the new electricity tariff is now fixed at Rs33.48 per unit after the Rs1.15 per unit reduction. Meanwhile, the new basic tariff for bulk electricity consumers has been set at Rs41.76 per unit.
Agricultural consumers on the other hand will also benefit from the reduction and will now pay at a rate of Rs30.75 per unit.
During the Nepra hearing a day earlier, the government as per The News had attributed the reduction to rupee stability, falling capacity payments, and declining global fuel prices — offering rare fiscal relief amid ongoing economic challenges.
Interestingly, the government’s renegotiated deal with independent power producers (IPPs) would help shave Rs236 billion off capacity payments in FY26.
During the hearing Power Division officials estimated that national electricity consumption in FY2025-26 will hover around 103 billion units, slightly lower than the 106 billion units projected for the current fiscal year. The revenue requirement for FY26 has also been revised down to Rs3.521 trillion, from Rs3.768 trillion a year earlier, documents presented at the hearing show.
“The decline in power generation costs by Rs1.27 per unit and capacity charges by Rs1.34 per unit has created room for tariff reduction,” a Power Division official told Nepra.
Despite the proposed tariff cut, capacity payments — fixed payments to power producers — will remain a heavy burden on consumers. The total capacity payments for FY26 are projected at Rs1.766 trillion, translating into Rs17.06 per unit.
On an annual basis, it is a Rs1.34 per unit cut in these charges. In the FY 2024-25 the total capacity payments were Rs1.952 trillion, the official added. When asked about the impact of terminating/hybrid Take & Pay agreement with the IPPs on the capacity payments, the official said that the total reduction in capacity payments will be Rs236 billion.
Terrorists have blown up main transmission gas pipeline in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, which was supplying gas to Punjab, local police said on Wednesday.
Lakki Marwat police said that the terrorists again detonated explosives to blow up the gas pipeline near Wandah Ameer in Torwah area of Saddar police jurisdiction.
The pipeline blast suspended gas supply to Punjab, police said.
The police personnel and the gas company officials have reached to the spot and the pipeline’s repair work has been initiated.
Terrorists had detonated the gas pipeline, carrying gas to Punjab, at the same spot around a week ago.
Earlier, saboteurs had targeted the gas pipeline several times at different points.
The police earlier said that the terrorists have targeted a key gas pipeline from the Bettani Gas Field to Punjab, using explosives to destroy a main section of the line.
Police have started investigation to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack.
$100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: As of July 2, Amazon is offering a free $100 gift card when you preorder the Samsung 32-inch Smart Monitor M7 (M70F), now priced at $399.99. The monitor officially releases on July 8.
Amazon is heating up its early Prime Day deals, and Samsung fans have another reason to be excited.
For a limited time, you can preorder the brand-new 32-inch M7 Samsung smart monitor (M70F) for just $399.99 — a full $100 off its regular price of $499.99 — and Amazon will throw in a free $100 gift card to sweeten the deal. Just make sure to select the gift card bundle at checkout.
The monitor officially launches on July 8, and this offer ends that same day.
SEE ALSO:
How to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Day
Available in black and white, the 2025 model of Samsung’s M7 smart monitor is a versatile 4K UHD display that’s more than just a screen. With Samsung Vision AI, the monitor automatically adjusts visuals for optimal clarity whether you’re working, gaming, or binge-watching. It even includes an AI-powered voice amplifier that bumps up dialogue when your environment gets loud — perfect for those noisy home offices or dorm rooms.
Like Samsung’s higher-end smart displays — such as the M9 version of the monitor also on sale — the M7 features built-in streaming apps, access to Samsung TV Plus, and a surprisingly rich Gaming Hub that supports cloud-based play with no console required. You’ll also get access to Samsung’s 3D SmartThings map view to manage your smart home devices — and Samsung Knox for extra data security.
And if you’re looking to go bigger, the same $100 gift card plus $100 off deal is also available with the 43-inch version of the monitor.
Mashable Deals
This is one of the best early Prime Day monitor deals we’ve seen under $500, especially with the added Amazon credit. Don’t wait — this launch bundle is only good through July 8.
For more on what’s coming from Prime Day as we build up to the full event, take a look at everything there is to know about Amazon Prime Day 2025 — covering start dates and times, what’s new from past events, and the best early deals.
The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable’s team of experts
In 2024, according to preliminary data, the supply of renewable energy in the EU increased by 3.4% compared with 2023, amounting to around 11.3 million terajoules (TJ) in 2024.
In contrast, the supply of coal continued to decrease. Brown coal supply decreased by 10% to 199 302 thousand tonnes, while hard coal supply dropped by 13.8% to 110 924 thousand tonnes. Both figures are the lowest recorded since the data series began.
After a sharp drop in the EU’s natural gas supply in 2023, 2024 recorded a very modest increase of 0.3% compared with 2023, reaching a value of 12.8 million TJ.
In terms of oil and petroleum products, the supply totalled 454 038 thousand tonnes, indicating a 1.2% drop compared with 2023.
Source datasets: nrg_cb_sff, nrg_cb_gas, nrg_cb_oil, nrg_cb_rw and nrg_ind_pehnf
This information comes from data on energy production and imports published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on energy production and imports.
Renewables made up 47.3% of EU electricity production
In 2024, renewable energy was the leading source of electricity in the EU, accounting for 47.3% of all electricity production. Renewables generated 1.31 million Gigawatt-hour (GWh), marking an increase of 7.7% compared with 2023.
Conversely, electricity generated from fossil fuels decreased by 7.2% compared with the previous year, contributing 0.81 million GWh, or 29.2% of the total electricity production.
Nuclear plants produced 0.65 million GWh or 23.4% of the EU electricity production, reflecting a 4.8% increase in production compared with 2023.
A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First
In cult clown duo Xhloe and Natasha’s two-hander, we are swiftly in the US of LBJ, Beatlemania and Tom Sawyer-style outdoor adventuring. The pair portray muddy-kneed boy scouts who, against a backdrop of chirping insects and with the sole prop of a tyre, recount their hijinks with an emotional impact that sneaks up on you. Read the review. Chris Wiegand theSpace @ Niddry St, 2-23 August
Abby Wambaugh: The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows
As directed by Lara Ricote, Abby Wambaugh’s show is a masterpiece of construction, an anthology of dotty creative ideas that resolves into an affecting story of the comic’s miscarriage and of the value of beginnings that never reach a middle and an end. Read the review. Brian Logan Pleasance Courtyard, 12-25 August
Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway?
Conti’s signature trick is turning volunteers into human ventriloquist’s dummies and animating them in improvised scenes on stage. Her touring show reveals a master at work, elevating her brand of off-the-cuff voice-throwing and organised havoc to a state of near comedy grace. Read the review. BL Underbelly, Bristo Square, 7-15 August
300 Paintings
The title of Sam Kissajukian’s show alludes to the surfeit of artwork that the former standup produced during his mental-health crisis. In a self-directed production, he talks us through his output with a slideshow. It’s a funny and fascinating study of the mysteries of the mind. Read the review. Mark Fisher Summerhall, 31 July to 25 August
Audacious … Khalid Abdalla in Nowhere. Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian
Nowhere
In an audacious avant garde solo show, with its multimedia depths of images, audio voiceovers, personal stories, song and dance, Khalid Abdalla asks where you belong when the country in which you were born or raised does not want you or has become too dangerous for you to stay. How does it feel to belong in Nowhere-land? Read the review. Arifa Akbar Traverse, 12-24 August
Nick Mohammed is Mr Swallow: Show Pony
A deliriously enjoyable hour of comedy meets magic meets more of the real Mohammed than we’ve ever before seen on stage. He’s in character as his alter ego, the camp and bumptious northern know-it-all Mr Swallow, but it’s as if this were a coming out party for a comedian who has remained incognito until now. Read the review. BL Playhouse, 22 August
Shamilton! The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical
An extension of the Baby Wants Candy! improvisation franchise, this show inspired by audience suggestions has a cast breezily adept not only at making up lyrics on the fly (naturally, there is a rap battle) but also at ad-libbing harmonies, backing vocals and basic choreography. Read the review. MF Assembly George Square Studios, 30 July to 24 August
Tricksy … Stevie Martin
Stevie Martin: Clout
Stevie Martin’s show weighs up the differences between live and online comedy. It’s a tricksy and silly hour buoyed by arch good humour and high-quality gags tightly packed inside other gags, ready to jack-in-the-box out and multiply the surprise. Read the review. BL Monkey Barrel, 1-8 August
Nish Kumar: Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe
He is the pre-eminent comic polemicist of our age, the joker to whom lefties turn, and others revile, for his righteous tirades against racism, neoliberalism and the Tories. But what drove Kumar to this, where has it left him – and what good does it do? This state of the nation comedy explores the state of Nish too. Read the review. BL Assembly George Square, 1-10 August
Last Rites
This collaboration between performer Ramesh Meyyappan and director George Mann describes a man’s final parting with his late father. That could have been sentimental but it is invested with rage, making a knotty mix of love and recrimination in which the personal and the political collide. Read the review. MF Pleasance Courtyard, 18-24 August
Dry eye is top of mind for optometrists year-round, but Prevent Blindness has declared July as Dry Eye Month in hopes to raise awareness among the public and the eye care industry. To support this, Prevent Blindness has created a variety of free dry eye resources: a dedicated webpage about the etiology and treatment of dry eye, fact sheets and social media graphics in both English and Spanish for distribution, and how-to videos about how to apply eye drops and other tips and tricks for dry eye relief. For the fifth year in a row, OCuSOFT is partnering with Prevent Blindness in support of Dry Eye Month.1
“A number of treatment options are available for dry eye that can help address symptoms and save sight,” Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, said in a press release. “We invite everyone to check out our free dry eye resources and make an appointment with an eye doctor to find out what type of treatment is best for them.”
The National Eye Institute reports nearly 16.4 million Americans live with dry eye.2 Here are some risk factors for dry eye that eye care providers see regularly in their chairs:
Being over 50 years old
Hormonal changes or medications that impact hormone levels
History of refractive eye surgery (such as LASIK)
Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis)
Environmental factors, including allergies, smoke exposure, or dry climates
Wearing contact lenses
Poor makeup hygiene practices
Medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, rosacea, Sjögren’s syndrome, and other autoimmune diseases
Reduced blink rate, often due to prolonged screen use or certain neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease
Eyelid disorders that prevent complete eyelid closure
Excessive use of digital devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones
Certain medicines that may decrease tear production, including antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, birth control, acne prescriptions, and Parkinson disease therapies
To learn more about Prevent Blindness’s dry eye resources, visit their website. You can download printouts in both English and Spanish, and view patient educational videos. Additionally, there are interviews about dry eye with April Jasper, OD, FAAO, and Stephanie Jones Marioneaux, MD.
References
Prevent Blindness Provides a Variety of Free Dry Eye Educational Resources including a dedicated Webpage, Fact Sheets and Graphics in English and Spanish, Expert Interviews and Informative Videos. Prevent Blindness. Press release. Published June 25, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://preventblindness.org/dry-eye-month-2025/
Dry eye. National Eye Institute. Last updated February 18, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/dry-eye
I bristle at the expression “bridal makeup”, because it encourages the slightly weird idea that women’s faces should look very different on their wedding days. Brides these days might be wearing black or red, hair up, hair down, hi-top trainers or Dr Martens boots. Similarly, bride-appropriate makeup is however one feels most attractive, comfortable, confident and oneself.
But what I will concede is that the big day often calls for a new foundation. Rarely will you be photographed as much, over so many hours, and be faced with the outcome for so many years, so it’s worth wearing something a little higher-coverage and longer-lasting than for a day at the office.
Something semi-matte is ideal, since the opportunities to powder down shine will be scant and the risk of colour transfer on to a gown is higher with dewy formulas. My most commonly recommended is Lisa Eldridge’s Seamless Skin Foundation (£44), which comes in 40 thoughtfully chosen shades and gives a pretty eggshell sheen to the skin. I’ve never received any negative feedback after the big day.
Similarly versatile is Dior’s Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick (£48). If your bridesmaid has room in her bag for anything more than mints and a lipstick, fill it with this, an exceptional medium-coverage solid foundation that melts silkily upon blending, laminating the face in soft, blurry, lasting coverage that can be sheered down or dialled up according to taste. It’s also excellent for any fingertip touch-ups after the ceremony or wedding breakfast.
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On dry skins, it’s hard to beat the makeup artist’s favourite, Armani’s Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation (£47), which makes skin even, glowy (without any flatness or sparkle) and is deceptively natural-looking. That price tag is hefty, but a very similar look is delivered by True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum (£14.99) from Armani stablemate, L’Oréal Paris.
For problem skins where redness, acne or scarring are an issue, proceed directly to Estée Lauder for the peerlessly camouflaging DoubleWear Stay-in-place Foundation (£39.50), which not only builds up seamlessly to cover anything, but has phenomenal staying power (add setting spray and it could outlast some marriages).
For oily skin types who’d like a soft matte finish with more vim, I enthusiastically recommend Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Impeccable Blurring Second Skin Matte Foundation (£39, pictured above). I didn’t expect to love this, but even my own parched skin looks great in it, thanks to its flattering, almost vellum paper-like finish.
While searching for gold in the dingy mines of Ingot Isle, a severe storm sweeps dungaree-donning hero Donkey Kong into a vast underground world. You think he’d be distraught, yet with the subterranean depths apparently rich in banana-shaped gemstones, DK gleefully uses his furry fists to pummel and burrow his way towards treasure. From here, the first Donkey Kong platformer since 2014 is a dirt-filled journey to the centre of the Earth.
Much like the Battlefield games of old, Bananza is built to let you pulverise its destructible environments as you see fit. That seemingly enclosed starting area? You can burrow your way through the floor. Bored with jumping through a cave? Batter your way through the wall instead. There’s a cathartic mindlessness to smashing seven shades of stone out of every inch of the ground beneath you, pushing the physics tech to its limits and seeing what hidden collectibles and passageways you unearth.
In order to add an element of humanity to all the destruction, a young girl named Pauline (whom players may recognise from classic DK games) joins Donkers for the ride, perching on his simian shoulders while singing, like a Brit School-trained parrot.
Like a Brit School-trained parrot … Pauline joins DK for the ride in Donkey Kong Bananza. Photograph: Nintendo
In a welcome nod to the jazz-filled refrains of Super Mario Odyssey, Pauline sends DK into a frenzy by warbling like Mariah Carey. As DK locks into a gorilla groove by thumping on his chest, Pauline steps up to the mic and sings her heart out, powering him up to new hulking heights – his Bananza form – allowing him to smash through concrete as he glows red and embarks on a rhythmic rampage. As DK’s journey progresses, you unlock additional animal-themed transformations, with one later level seeing DK flutter through the air as a pretty bizarre-looking Ostrich.
As it’s 2025, there’s now a skill tree, enabling players to upgrade DK’s moves, raise his health and even teach him new attacks and tricks. Continuing the RPG-lite approach, collectible hidden fossils are also carefully scattered across each new level, a currency used to buy new stat-boosting outfits. More importantly, these outfits are a huge amount of fun, allowing you to swap DK’s default crimson fur for a more gothic black-furred Kong – along with a pair of blue denim dungarees and a yellow tie of course.
Thanks to its 3D hub worlds, ranged projectiles and wacky transformations, there’s more than a whiff of Rare’s seminal N64 Donkey Kong platformer to Bananza. Part Banjo-Kazooie, part Incredible Hulk simulator, the destruction-led chaos is a world away from the pristine Super Mario Odyssey. If you get tired of punching, you can opt to chuck objects at your surroundings instead. Donkey Kong can hurl slabs of stone and granite at foes, walls and … well, anything really, even launching a special glowing material to destroy cursed structures and unlock one-off challenge areas. Some NPCs are even made out of gems, allowing you to pulverise them mid-conversation before they slowly reassemble, feigning nonchalance with a dead-eyed look in their shimmering crystallised irises.
An eyeball-straining degree of carnage … Donkey Kong Bananza. Photograph: Nintendo
The development team seems to have had fun coming up with new fearsome foes for DK to face off against. From being bombarded by hordes of tiny angry blobs, to battering a golden skeletal pterodactyl or fleeing a hopping stone alligator head, the slightly nightmarish threats that you pulverise match Bananza’s off-kilter tone, looking pleasingly distinct from the usual Mario fare.
Bosses promise to be a big part of Bananza too, with DK clashing with the nefarious VoidCo, a brooding gang of villainous apes who steal DK’s much-coveted Banandium Gems. Grumpy Kong, for example, pilots a towering concrete mech which you have to chip into layers, eventually lowering him to ground level and doing what DK now apparently does best – delivering a brutal beating.
Mine kart sections make a welcome return, seeing you leap between rails to dodge obstacles and take out enemies and structures alike by chucking glowing rocks into them until they explode. In a bid to keep the frame-rate solid while you chisel the landscapes around you in real time, the visuals take a slight hit. While character models look great, certain environments and areas look a little bland – but most of the time, you’re moving too swiftly to truly care. While we start off in a dingy mine, we travel through a luscious lagoon and find our way leaping out of deadly rivers of toxins in a poison-filled swamp.
Like Odyssey, there’s a half-hearted co-op mode in Bananza. Put in the sulky boots of Pauline, a second player can click and chip away at the environment via the Joy-Con mouse. Each click chucks or destroys bits of the environment, with both players reaching a screen-filling, eyeball-straining degree of carnage. Give this to a young’un and furious-click induced chaos will no doubt ensue. You have been warned.
Donkey Kong Bananza is weird, a little janky at the moment and more chaotic than Nintendo platformers of old. It’s the playable equivalent of Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit, big, brash and impossibly enjoyable. While the Switch 2 has been accused of being iterative rather than innovative, for his first Switch 2 appearance, it seems that the iconic ape is burrowing his way towards a new type of fun.
