ISLAMABAD, JUL 9: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has provided no evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in Pahalgam attack.
Talking to Indian journalist Karan Thapar, the former foreign minister said, “Our [Pakistan] hands were clean that is why we offered a transparent probe into the Pahalgam attack. Why don’t the names of the terrorists surface if they were Pakistanis?”
“I don’t want to see the youth of both the nations [Pakistan and India] remaining stuck in the past. The roots of the terrorism in the subcontinent trace back to Afghanistan’s past,” said Bhutto-Zardari.
He said, “Pakistan has not allowed any one of the groups to attack India. Pakistan is battling the world’s biggest war against terrorism. About 92,000 Pakistanis embraced martyrdom in the war against terrorism.”
Bhutto-Zardari added, “Over 1,000 Pakistanis lost their lives only in a previous year. We [Pakistan] ourselves have been affected by terrorism; that is why we can feel the pain of the Pahalgam attack.”
Bhutto-Zardari said, “The international community has acknowledged the measures taken by Pakistan in ending the menace of terrorism.”
Recalling the 2007 Samjhauta Express incident, Bhutto-Zardari said, “I would like you to revisit what happened in 2007 and the 40 Pakistanis killed on Indian soil.”
“India not only failed to bring the culprits of the incident to justice. But the confessing statements made by the accused had also been tampered with,” he said.
Subsequently, taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bhutto-Zardari said: “My interview with Karan Thapar should be out later today. We are not afraid of putting our case to the Indian public via Indian media. I chose to give an interview to Indian media, not because I expected a fair platform, but because I believe in the people of India, especially the youth.”
“The case for peace in our region is not just a Pakistani cause, it is a shared mission for both our peoples. I believe the new generation of Indians and Pakistanis can chart a new destiny. We will be the generation that breaks the shackles of history, that defies the war-mongers, the cynics, and the peddlers of hate,” he said.
The former foreign minister said, “Together, we will face the real challenges of our time together, from terrorism to climate change to inequality. This is my promise to the young people of both India and Pakistan: our future will be defined not by the conflicts of the past, but by a new destiny defined by peaceful co-existence, cooperation and prosperity.”
Editors’ Highlights are summaries of recent papers by AGU’s journal editors.
Source: AGU Advances
Over two-thirds of Earth’s surface lies underwater, and the boundary of the hydrosphere and the lithosphere at the seafloor represents an important area of study of both materials–rock, sediment, fluid, and gas– and ecosystems for scientists studying Earth and ocean processes.
In a new commentary, FUTURE 2024 PI-team et al. [2025] report on the U.S. Seafloor Sampling Capabilities 2024 Workshop, which assessed the current state and future needs for U.S. oceanographic assets, including the evolution and design of multiscale science infrastructure. A key finding of the workshop is that future study of science at the seafloor interface will be severely limited by recent reductions in the oceanographic infrastructure available in the U.S.
Such infrastructure includes, among others, scientific deep drilling platforms, which enable human access to ice-covered seas in the polar regions; an expansion of ships in the U.S.-Academic Research Fleet that can handle heavy over-the-side shipboard coring and deeper rock dredging; and sample repository infrastructure that maximizes the value of returned samples by better supporting discoverability and accessibility of archived materials. The authors also emphasize the importance of workforce training and knowledge transfer through inclusive educational and professional development opportunities, particularly for early-career researchers.
Citation: FUTURE 2024 PI-team, Appelgate, B., Dugan, B., Eguchi, N., Fornari, D., Freudenthal, T., et al. (2025). The FUTURE of the US marine seafloor and subseafloor sampling capabilities. AGU Advances, 6, e2024AV001560. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024AV001560
Prince George latest setback laid bare after William’s crucial move
Prince George’s fans have received upsetting update about the young royal ahead of a major event.
Prince William and Princess Kate’s eldest son will miss out on royal engagement as the future king headed to Zurich to attend the second Women’s Euro 2025 group stage match between England and the Netherlands.
George, second in line to the British throne, is not expected to join his father Prince William in Switzerland to support England’s Lionesses at Euro 2025.
The Prince of Wales attended several Euro 2024 England matches during last summer’s tournament when he supported the men’s national team. He was joined by George in Germany to watch England suffer a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of the tournament.
The trip to Switzerland comes just one day after Prince William took centre stage in welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte for their State Visit to the UK on Tuesday.
Last week, Prince William visited St. George’s Park to meet the England Women’s football team. In his role as Patron of The Football Association, he arrived at England’s national football centre to wish the squad luck for the tournament.
Prince William’s children are huge fans of football, and they often join their dad at important matches.
It’s full Moon week, which always means a flurry of excitement online and across social media, as stargazers and astrophotographers prepare to catch a glimpse of our natural satellite looking big and beautiful.
Between 9–11 July, the 2025 Buck Moon rises in the southeast, poking its head above the horizon around 10pm.
It’s located in the constellation Sagittarius, which never rises very high in the sky for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.
More on seeing the Space Station
Credit: Jonas Forsbäck
That means the Buck Moon will be a low, horizon-grazing full Moon, and also, incidentally, the furthest Moon from the Sun of the year.
If you get your timing right, and you happen to be in a favourable location, you might be able to spot the International Space Station in the sky on the same night that the Buck Moon rises.
Can you see the Buck Moon and the Space Station on the same night? This fish-eye lens image shows the International Space Station passing overhead, 5 October 2017, with the full Moon rising in the east, left of the image. Photo by Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG via Getty Images
Seeing the International Space Station
Did you know it’s possible to see the International Space Station with the naked eye?
The ISS is certainly visible without the need for binoculars or a telescope, if you know when and where to look.
In fact, the Space Station’s orbit means it passes over about 90% of the world’s population, so it’s likely flown above your head multiple times without you even knowing.
It circles Earth every 90 minutes, giving astronauts on board 16 sunrises and sunsets every day, and giving us down on the ground the chance to see a bright overhead pass.
The July full Moon, known as the ‘Buck Moon’, doesn’t rise very high above the horizon. This image shows it above Split, Croatia on 3 July 2023. Photo: Zvonimir Barisin/PIXSELL/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Space Station and the Buck Moon?
The Buck Moon rises this week, 9–11 July, and is visible in the southeast from about 10pm, drifting towards the south and then setting in the southwest in the early hours.
This full Moon in July won’t rise very much above the southern horizon, meaning you’ll need a clear, flat horizon to see it.
Get yourself a view unspoiled by tall buildings and trees etc.
The further south in the Northern Hemisphere you are, however, the easier it will be to see the Buck Moon rise.
Star trails and the trails of lights on Earth, as seen from the Space Station by NASA astronaut Don Pettit. Credit: NASA/Don Pettit
And if you do manage to see the Buck Moon, you may also see the International Space Station on the same night.
The International Space Station is visible from Earth because sunlight reflects off it and bounces back down to the ground.
This means that, in order to see the ISS, you need a good, dark sky.
International Space Station over Ribblehead Viaduct, by Pete Collins, Yorkshire Dales, UK.
And because we’re largely reliant on sunlight to give us a view of the ISS, it can normally only be seen just after sunset or just before sunrise.
This Buck Moon rises just after sunset, meaning you may be able to catch a glimpse of it and the Space Station in the same evening.
Each June and December, the Sun, the Earth and the orbit of the Space Station are aligned as such that the ISS doesn’t pass through Earth’s shadow, according to the European Space Agency.
This means that, around the summer solstice period, the ISS can be seen up to four times a night, depending on your location and the weather.
ISS passing near the Moon, captured by Nick Lucas, Dorset, UK
What’s more, according to Sky and Telescope, the Space Station can be seen multiple times a night around the 4th July holiday, including a week or so either side.
That could be good news for anyone wanting to try and catch a glimpse of the ISS and the Buck Moon in the same night.
You may even be lucky enough to see – or photograph – it passing in front of the Moon, in an event known as a ‘transit’.
You can input your data into the online Transit Finder and it will calculate when the next lunar transit of the Space Station will occur from your location.
ISS passing across the face of the Moon, captured by Andrei Dumitriu, Bucharest, Romania, 1 November 2020
Online resources for spotting the ISS
Here is a selection of websites that will help you calculate when the International Space Station is next making a pass over your location.
If you do manage to see or photograph the International Space Station, get in touch by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
With another successful edition of Bike to Work drawing to a close, the 2025 campaign has once again demonstrated the CERN community’s commitment to the environment, health and camaraderie. Involving the largest number of cyclists to date, this year’s initiative renewed a sense of collective motivation, setting the stage for an even more exciting 2026.
2025 in numbers and spirit
Over the course of the two-month campaign, more than 1161 CERN colleagues signed up and cycled their way to work, joining over 100 000 participants across Switzerland. CERN teams collectively logged over 306 129 kilometres – the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe nearly eight times and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 44 000 kg. Whether commuting from neighbouring France or from nearby Swiss villages, participants embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and energy.
This year the weather helped boost numbers, with unusually warm and sunny mornings encouraging even hesitant cyclists to leave the car at home. Team spirit helped motivate newcomers and seasoned cyclists alike, with a large turnout for the traditional Critical Mass event. Participants also responded well to the encouragement to commute by bike consistently, far surpassing the 50% minimum threshold for successful completion of the challenge.
More than just a ride
Alongside seeking to improve well-being and nurture community spirit, Bike to Work plays an important role in the broader push towards sustainable transport at CERN. With increased facilities for cyclists – including additional covered bike shelters, air pumps, and improved shower and changing areas – the Organization is continuing its efforts to make cycling a viable, safe and attractive option year-round. Many participants indicated that they plan to continue cycling beyond the official campaign, a great indicator of long-term behavioural change.
Momentum is already building for next year, and whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or have never considered commuting by bike, we encourage you to join the ride in 2026. You don’t need Lycra or a fancy road bike – just a helmet, a bit of curiosity and a willingness to try something new.
Let’s keep the wheels turning, keep on cycling, and for those who have not yet started, see you in the saddle next year!
Cannabis use for medical purposes is on the rise, especially for the management of chronic pain. Marco Ternelli, MSc Pharm, a compounding pharmacist in Bibbiano, Italy, fields a steady stream of about 1000 such prescription requests every month, he told Medscape Medical News.
Marco Ternelli, MSc Pharm
Yet despite the surge in demand, the scientific evidence supporting their use for pain management remains a complex and often contradictory picture, making it difficult for clinicians to know how to advise their patients.
“There is strong evidence from preclinical research that supports the hypothesis of cannabinoid-induced analgesia,” David Finn, PhD, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Galway, Galway, Ireland, told Medscape Medical News. “But the clinical evidence is weaker, in large part due to low quality studies with low sample size or short duration of treatment and sometimes patient population not well-defined.”
Medical Cannabis in Europe
The regulatory landscape for medical cannabis is undergoing a significant transformation in Europe.
In Italy, authorized cannabis-based medicines can be prescribed to patients using a special form approved by the Ministry of Health.
Two cannabis-based medicines have received UK marketing authorization and can be prescribed there by specialist doctors.
Germany legalized recreational cannabis in 2024, a move that also broadened access to medical cannabis.
Other countries like France, Spain, and Denmark are in the process of establishing or expanding their medical cannabis programs.
Slovenia has also moved to regulate medical cannabis, and the Netherlands is set to break its state monopoly on its production.
Figures of medical cannabis use in Europe are difficult to find, but a recent Prohibition Partners European Cannabis Report suggested that almost half a million people had obtained it through legal routes by the end of 2024.
In 2019, the European Parliament and the European Medicinal Cannabis Association, a Brussels-based industry body representing the interests of European medicinal cannabis suppliers and manufacturers, called for unified rules and more research. Since then, more countries have regulated cannabis use for medical purposes, but gray areas remain and the regulatory landscape remains fragmented.
What Is Medical Cannabis and How Does It Work?
The Cannabis sativa plant contains more than 100 cannabinoids that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The two most well-known and studied cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Minor cannabinoids include cannabigerol), cannabichromene, and cannabinol. Additionally, other compounds, such as terpenes like limonene, pinene, and beta-caryophyllene, as well as flavonoids, may have a role in the overall efficacy of medical cannabis.
THC is a partial agonist of CB1 receptors, which are highly concentrated throughout the central nervous system in areas related to pain modulation. This interaction is responsible for not only the main analgesic effects but also psychotomimetic properties of cannabis.
CBD acts as a negative allosteric modulator of CB1 and CB2 receptors, dampening their response to agonists like THC and natural endocannabinoids. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychotomimetic, so it does not give the “high” and it can help reduce THC’s psychotomimetic properties when used in combination. Its therapeutic potential is likely due to its influence on a broad range of molecular targets, including serotonin 1A receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. It also exhibits antioxidant properties and can reduce proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, and TNF-alpha.
Kent Vrana, PhD
Minor cannabinoids are non-psychotomimetic and bind to multiple receptors. “These are not selective compounds. They are very promiscuous. But many of these receptors are implicated in pain,” Kent Vrana, PhD, a professor in pharmacology at the Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceutics at Penn State Neuroscience Institute, Pennsylvania, told Medscape Medical News.
The varying ratios of THC, CBD, and minor compounds in different products factor in their therapeutic effects and side effect profiles. Products with a higher percentage of THC are generally considered more effective for pain relief but carry a higher risk for psychotomimetic side effects. Products containing mainly or solely CBD are often favored for inflammatory conditions and are generally better tolerated.
What Does the Evidence Say About Cannabinoids for Chronic Pain?
In 2021, the International Association for the Study of Pain gathered 20 international pain researchers to systematically analyze the available evidence on the use of cannabis in pain management. They found that, overall, numerous knowledge gaps exist and that the quality of the research is flawed.
Other reviews published in 2021 found the evidence was inconsistent, with some studies showing a slight improvement in pain relief compared with placebo and side effects that included dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, cognitive impairment, and impaired attention.
Two recent reviews, both published in February this year, have suggested that cannabis may be a promising alternative or adjunct to opioids, with some studies showing that its use can lead to a reduction or cessation of opioid prescriptions.
Emily M. Lindley, PhD
In the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, researchers found convincing evidence that cannabinoids are often beneficial. Sativex, a spray with equal parts THC and CBD, for example, has been shown to reduce neuropathic pain. It is approved in Canada and Europe for cancer-related pain, often used as an adjuvant to manage pain caused by cancer or its treatments. “That is probably the one product for which we have good data,” said Emily M. Lindley, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. “Aside from that, I would be hard-pressed to find probably more than one, maybe two studies using the exact same product in trials.”
Another group of researchers reported in the journal Biomedicines that the evidence for cannabinoids is mixed across conditions. Some randomized controlled trials showed moderate evidence of cannabinoid efficacy in relieving neuropathic pain and reasonable evidence for symptom relief in multiple sclerosis. Weaker evidence was found for the relief of headache and migraine. The evidence remains inconsistent for pain relief in fibromyalgia, cancer-related pain, and musculoskeletal pain. The main risks and side effects linked to the use of cannabinoids are addiction and tolerance, especially with THC. Some patients report increased levels of anxiety, psychosis, and cognitive impairment. Other risks include drug interactions, particularly with medications metabolized by cytochromes P450, a family of enzymes involved in the oxidation and reduction of lipid-soluble compounds.
Rachael Rzasa Lynn, MD
Some studies included in the Biomedicines review showed that many patients view cannabis to be safer than opioids and report subjective improvement in quality of life despite the level of their pain remaining the same. “Are we conflating the euphoria with the analgesia?” Vrana asked. Or maybe cannabinoids have a holistic effect, said Rachael Rzasa Lynn, MD, an anesthesiologist and pain management expert at UCHealth Pain Management Clinic at Anschutz Medical Campus.
This potential holistic effect was examined in a small study published in 2023 in Journal of Cannabis Research. That study compared the holistic effects of medical cannabis with those of opioids on the pain experience of Finnish patients with chronic pain. It found that both substances were perceived as equally effective in reducing pain intensity, but cannabinoids were associated with more positive emotional and holistic effects and an overall sense of well-being. The authors suggested that the psychoactive effects of medical cannabis, rather than being solely negative, may be a part of its therapeutic mechanism.
Lindley and Rzasa Lynn have also compared the short-term acute effects of a THC and minimal CBD vaporized combination with those of placebo and oxycodone. The study, which is yet to be published, showed that cannabis provided a significant relief in chronic back pain, more than both placebo and oxycodone.
Why Is It Hard to Find Agreement?
C sativa has been used as a remedy for millennia. But the classification of cannabis as a narcotic drug has severely hampered research into its therapeutic potential, explained Rzasa Lynn. Beyond the regulatory hurdles, there are several inherent challenges in conducting high-quality clinical trials on medical cannabis, particularly for chronic pain, she said.
Cannabis is not a single compound but a complex plant. Treatments are nuanced, with significant variations in routes of administration such as oils, flowers, and edibles. Different growth conditions produce different cannabinoid profiles, and there can be high batch-to-batch inconsistency. This makes it difficult to standardize interventions and compare results across studies. “It’s not like a single pill at a couple of doses. It’s so much more complicated,” Lindley said.
The plant extract contains hundreds of pharmacologically active molecules, explained Finn. This complexity makes pharmacokinetics challenging. He added that different people might respond differently to the same extract. “To some extent, cannabis is used by patients as a personalized medicine. They’re choosing the THC and CBD concentrations that work for them. They’re titrating those to suit their needs. But randomized controlled trials often aren’t configured in that sort of a way,” he said.
Synthetic products might solve this problem, but the experts agreed that it is likely the combination of the wide range of compounds in the plant working together that enhances the overall therapeutic impact. “We don’t know what we might be losing if we use a pure product,” Rzasa Lynn said.
Also, pain is a complex and subjective experience that varies widely between patients and even within the same patient over time. “Chronic pain is distinct from what most people experience day to day with acute pain. It behaves a little bit differently in the face of treatment over prolonged periods,” said Rzasa Lynn. “This creates limitations for measuring outcomes.”
Another challenge is to find a “good patient population,” she said. “When you’re running a clinical trial, you want the human equivalent of a lab rat, but pain can be really difficult to narrow in a way that you can easily compare one patient to another, not only because it’s subjective but also because there are so many different physiological pathologies that can lead to pain as the outcome, and they all may respond very differently to different types of treatment.”
What Should Clinicians Know?
Lindley said clinicians should create an environment where patients feel comfortable discussing their interest in the use of cannabis. Many patients are exploring cannabis on their own, and even if a clinician is not an expert, expressing a willingness to learn with the patient can be a productive approach, she said. “Too often it’s just swept under the rug.”
Rzasa Lynn said it is important to evaluate if cannabis is truly providing a functional benefit. “We got so focused on pain as this unidimensional number, 0-10, and that is our success,” she said. “But the goal of any pain-reducing treatment is to improve global function. And that’s not just physical function, but that’s social engagement, and that’s work around the house, and that’s sleeping well, and everything that goes into quality of life.”
If a patient is using high doses of cannabis but still reports inadequate pain control and poor function, the use of these products should be questioned, she explained. This conversation should be framed around the patient’s goals and their perception of how cannabis helps achieve them. “Is it really making you better? Because if it was that effective, I think you probably wouldn’t be here right now.”
Ternelli, Finn, Lindley, and Rzasa Lynn reported having no relevant financial relationships. Vrana reported receiving an unrestricted research grant from Pennsylvania Options for Wellness.
Manuela Callari is a freelance science journalist specializing in human and planetary health. Her work has been published in The Medical Republic, Rare Disease Advisor, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, and others.
Nasa has suffered a major set back in a plan to stop apocalyptic asteroids from smashing into Earth.
Astronomers believe boulders ejected when a Nasa spacecraft collided with an asteroid almost three years ago “could complicate” future missions.
The spacecraft, known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), hit the asteroid Dimorphos on September 26, 2022.
At the time, Nasa said the spacecraft’s kinetic impact with the asteroid altered its orbit, marking humanity’s first time purposely changing the motion of a celestial object and the first full-scale demonstration of asteroid deflection technology.
Picture taken by a satellite after the DART made impact with the asteroid in 2022
ASI/NASA
A team of astronomers at the University of Maryland have now discovered when DART hit the asteroid, the space rocks ejected carried three times more momentum than the spacecraft itself.
The ejected boulders then created forces in “unexpected directions” that “could complicate future deflection efforts”, according to experts at university.
The astronomers used images recorded by DART’s companion spacecraft which was separated from the spacecraft 15 days before the impact to help track the boulders in the aftermath of the event.
As a result of the discovery, Research Scientist at the university’s Department of Astronomy, Tony Farnham, believes that more factors may need to be considered when planning missions like Nasa’s DART mission in 2022.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Imagery taken from Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope in 2022 shows debris blasted from the surface of the asteroid around 11 days after impact
NASA/ESA/STScI/Hubble
“Our research shows that while the direct impact of the DART spacecraft caused this change, the boulders ejected gave an additional kick that was almost as big, Farnham stated on the university’s website.
“That additional factor changes the physics we need to consider when planning these types of missions.”
In the weeks following the DART mission in 2022, Nasa Administrator, Bill Nelson, said: “All of us have a responsibility to protect our home planet. After all, it’s the only one we have.
“This mission shows that Nasa is trying to be ready for whatever the universe throws at us. Nasa has proven we are serious as a defender of the planet.
“This is a watershed moment for planetary defence and all of humanity, demonstrating commitment from Nasa’s exceptional team and partners from around the world.”
Nasa confirmed in 2022 the Dimorphos asteroid did not pose any hazard to Earth before or after the controlled collision.
