Wales’ men qualifying for Euro 2016, their first major finals in 58-years, has transformed the way football has been viewed in Wales ever since.
Once undisputedly a rugby country, Wales’ men’s side are more than used to seeing ‘sold out’ signs at the Cardiff City Stadium and it is now more of a talking point when Wales don’t qualify for a major finals than when they do.
The fervour of that support has not, however, translated to the women’s side, until now.
Wales sold more tickets than two of their Euro 2025 Group D opponents, Netherlands and France, with the Red Wall showing a commitment to Rhian Wilkinson’s side that has previously been missing.
Many supporters in Switzerland have attended their first women’s football matches and the hope is that the visibility of the tournament will add interest in the women’s game, with boss Rhian Wilkinson previously expressing disappointment that supporters prioritise watching the men’s side.
The Welsh support in Switzerland has caught people’s attention, both inside and outside of the Wales camp.
“The fans have been loving it, they have been superb this whole journey, they have been our 12th person,” captain Angharad James reflected.
“The fans have given us so many special moments with the noise they have created, there have been times when all we’ve seen and heard is that Red Wall, just a sea of red.
“Wales have been by far the best crowd that I’ve seen out in this Euros.”
Wales’ cap centurion Sophie Ingle revealed that after Wales defeat by the Netherlands, her former Chelsea team-mate, Wieke Kaptein, messaged her to say how moving she found the rendition of Hen Wlad fy Nhadau.
Wales will now hope that support will translate to bigger crowds for home matches, with Wales’ record attendance still not having even reached the 20,000 mark.
“Hopefully that’s what it’s going to do in so many ways,” former Wales defender Danny Gabbidon said.
“The game is growing. Football now is the most popular sport that girls are playing in Wales.
“That process has started, but it needs to continue. This is just the start for this team.”
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Bitcoin crossed the $120,000 level for the first time on Monday, marking a major milestone for the world’s largest cryptocurrency as investors bet on long-sought policy wins for the industry this week.
Starting on Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives will debate a series of bills to provide the digital asset industry with the nation’s regulatory framework it has long demanded.
Those demands have resonated with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called himself the “crypto president” and urged policymakers to revamp rules in favor of the industry.
Expectations of further tailwinds for the industry helped propel bitcoin to yet another record high of $121,207.55 in the Asian session on Monday. It last traded 1.5% higher at $120,856.34.
The surge in bitcoin, which is up 29% for the year thus far, has sparked a broader rally across other cryptocurrencies over the past few weeks even in the face of Trump’s chaotic tariffs.
Ether, the second-largest token, scaled an over five-month top of $3,048.23 on Monday and last stood at $3,036.24.
The sector’s total market value has swelled to about $3.78 trillion, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
(Reporting by Rae Wee; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Kim Coghill)
At least 30 people have been killed in clashes in southern Syria as authorities sent forces to de-escalate the situation.
Scores of people were also injured in the violence between Bedouin Sunni tribes and fighters from the Druze religious minority in the city of Sweida.
Syria’s interior ministry said at least 30 people were killed, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, put the death toll at 37.
Fighting between different minority groups has escalated since the collapse of the Assad regime in December.
A new Islamic-led government is working to establish control within the country, which remains in a fragile situation.
At the end of last year, Sunni Islamist-rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) stormed Damascus. They toppled President Bashar al-Assad, whose family had ruled the country for 54 years.
Syria’s interior ministry said early on Monday its forces would directly intervene to resolve the conflict and halt the clashes, which it said had left 100 injured.
The governor of Sweida, Mustapha al-Bakur, called on his constituents to “exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform”.
Spiritual leaders have also called for calm.
In April and May clashes between the new security forces and Druze fighters killed dozens of people.
The Druze faith is an off-shoot of Shia Islam, with sizeable communities also in Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. Under the Assad regime, many were quietly loyal to the state in the hope it would offer protection during the 13-year-long civil war.
Earlier this month, people from the Druze community told the BBC they were not only worried about physical attacks but also not being protected by the new government.
In recent months, hundreds of people have also been killed from the Alawite minority, a branch of Shia Islam, and worshippers inside a church in Damascus have also been attacked.
Western countries have sought to reset relations with Syria. The US took HTS off its list of foreign terrorist organisations this month, while Foreign Secretary David Lammy become the first UK minister to visit Syria since the uprising that led to the country’s civil war began 14 years ago.
Huawei debuted its Pura 80 phone series in Dubai, extending its global push amid US sanctions. The lineup features upgraded cameras, the Celia AI agent, and runs EMUI without Google apps. While chip details remain undisclosed, third-party analysis suggests Chinese models use the Kirin 9020. Pro and Ultra models are priced at EUR 1,099 and EUR 1,499, respectively.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — With over 1,100 Nutrition Clubs nationwide, Herbalife plays a crucial role in enabling Malaysians to achieve their health goals, including weight loss, through community support.
Herbalife Nutrition Clubs – which are community-based health and wellness hubs operated by independent distributors – offer personalised coaching, nutritional education, and a supportive environment for members to pursue healthier lifestyles.
Activities include body composition evaluations, meal planning guidance, and group fitness sessions.
“Our Herbalife Nutrition Club operators are role models for healthy, active lifestyles, having gone through positive health outcomes themselves.
“They have gone on to help many others to achieve their health goals,” Steven Chin, senior director and general manager of Herbalife Malaysia and Singapore, told CodeBlue.
“Coupled with the motivation of being part of a likeminded community pursuing the same goals, our customer testimonials span across people from all walks of life.
“This includes professionals, homemakers, students, the elderly, many who frequently exercise or work out at gyms, and countless others.”
The need for better awareness and education about eating healthily and exercising regularly becomes more important given a recent report by the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2024: Nutrition report which reveals just how bad Malaysian diets are: eating late at night; too much sugar, salt, and fat; barely any milk; and insufficient fruits and vegetables and most food groups except grains.
Many Malaysians also do not engage in physical exercise. Three in five adolescents and one in three adults in the country are not physically active, according to the NHMS 2024: Nutrition study.
Going Beyond Short-Term Health Goals: Forming Healthy Habits
Herbalife Nutrition Clubs go beyond enabling members to achieve their health goals through nutrition education, physical exercise, and personalised coaching. Community support in these groups help Malaysians to form healthy habits – the key to sustaining healthier lifestyles amid the country’s battle against a non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis.
According to the NHMS 2024: Nutrition study, 53.6 per cent of Malaysian adults (aged 18 years and above) are either overweight (30.5 per cent) or obese (23.1 per cent). Abdominal obesity affected 52.1 per cent of adults.
“We know that forming healthy habits is tough, and having a community that provides consistent support, guidance, and encouragement can make all the difference,” said Chin.
“What makes Herbalife Nutrition Clubs even more impactful is their ability to cater to different forms of support. Whether it’s in-person coaching, group activities such as fit clubs and shake parties, or even engagement through social media, these communities offer members the encouragement and accountability they need to stay motivated.”
“Appealing to also the younger members of Gen Z, the result isn’t just about short-term weight loss; it’s about helping people shift their lifestyles in meaningful, lasting ways—fostering healthier, happier lives anchored in supportive community environments.”
Making Friends, Opening Own Herbalife Nutrition Clubs
Each Herbalife Nutrition Club typically has a community of customers or members and is led by trained independent coaches.
The clubs usually cater to breakfast hours and are in or near neighbourhoods for customers who typically stop by for a healthy nutritious morning start before heading to work.
Depending on the demand of their locality, Herbalife distributors can also independently determine to operate at different hours or provide additional activities, such as exercising together.
Herbalife currently has 1,118 registered Nutrition Clubs across Malaysia: Central (399 clubs), north (295 clubs), south (241 clubs), east coast (97 clubs), and east Malaysia (86 clubs).
“Malaysians appreciate the widespread accessibility of Herbalife’s Nutrition Clubs, making community wellness support available across the country – from big cities to smaller towns,” said Chin.
“Our members and their customers generally find success in achieving their weight management goals, which could either be shedding weight and a smaller minority looking to gain weight which is more challenging.
“Importantly, the weight improvement journey should be conducted in a healthy sustainable way as it is not just about losing weight but staying in optimal health condition.”
Besides personalised coaching and nutrition education, the Herbalife Nutrition Club also offers a unique, individual, single-serving product option created and prepared by the club operator that provides a balanced nutrition. This includes protein shakes, herbal beverages, aloe drink and supplements.
According to Herbalife Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training senior director Susan Bowerman, combining healthy foods and supplements to meet your daily needs and finding the right calorie balance can help you lose, gain, or maintain your body weight.
She recommended aiming for a diet comprising 40 per cent carbohydrates, 30 per cent protein, and 30 per cent healthy fats. Bowerman explained that whole and nutrient-dense foods include proteins (lean meats, dairy, legumes, tofu); carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables); fats (nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil); phytonutrients (colourful fruits and vegetables); and fibre (fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans) .
Chin related how many Malaysians who began as customers became steadfast friends, with some even pursuing to open their own Herbalife Nutrition Club that comes with a structured start-up and training programme.
“Independent studies also show that higher levels of social support are strongly linked to greater success in achieving and maintaining weight loss,” he noted.
“But the power of peer support goes beyond the scale – it helps individuals become more self-accepting, develop interpersonal skills, and discover healthier ways to cope with stress. These improvements contribute to wellness and weight management as positive secondary effects.”
Survey: 92% Of Malaysians Recognise Importance Of Community Support For Health
According to the 2023 APAC Power of Community Report, 92 per cent of Malaysian respondents feel that community support is important in their health and wellness journey.
About 82 per cent of Malaysian consumers agree that community support mobilises a network of like-minded individuals, while 81 per cent of Malaysians who joined a nutrition/ fitness/ wellness group experienced a positive impact on their life.
“From the survey findings, we know that Malaysians understands the importance of community support to make healthy lifestyle changes. Our Herbalife Nutrition Clubs are well positioned to help, providing the encouragement, motivation, and at times, the needed discipline to stay on track,” Chin said.
Herbalife’s National Wellness ‘Check In’ Campaign
Herbalife Malaysia launched a National Wellness “Check In” Campaign in May to build stronger communities through wellness education and engagement.
Running till end July, the campaign includes nationwide roadshows, offering free body analyses, meal planning guidance, and wellness evaluations.
Expo carnivals scheduled this month (July) will feature health talks, blood donation drives, and interactive wellness activities.
Herbalife Malaysia is also introducing a “Flex 45” challenge, encouraging people to commit to 45 days of healthier living.
“The campaign underscores Herbalife’s commitment to community-based wellness and its role in fostering healthier lifestyles nationwide. We look to complement our government’s ongoing drive to improve the health and well-being of Malaysians, with one of the key initiatives being getting a check-up,” said Chin.
“Our campaign mobilises our Herbalife Independent Distributors to reach out to their communities to check in on their body composition numbers, which usually brings awareness on their health condition that we hope sparks Malaysians to adopt better lifestyle options and toward a healthier outcome.”
With a proven community-driven approach and science-backed support, Herbalife has earned global recognition as the #1 active and lifestyle nutrition brand and the #1 brand in weight management and well-being (Euromonitor International, 2024), empowering Malaysians to build lasting healthy habits, one community at a time.
JERUSALEM: At least eight Palestinians, most of them children, were killed and more than a dozen others were wounded in central Gaza Sunday, officials said, in a missile strike which Israel said missed its intended target. The Israeli military said it had intended to hit an Islamic Jihad militant in the area but that a malfunction had caused the missile to fall “dozens of metres from the target”. “The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians,” it said, adding that the incident was under review. The strike hit a water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp, killing six children and injuring 17 others, said Ahmed Abu Saifan, an emergency physician at Al-Awda Hospital. Water shortage in Gaza has worsened sharply in recent weeks, with fuel shortages causing desalination and sanitation facilities to close, making people dependent on collection centres where they can fill up their plastic containers. In another attack, Palestinian media said a prominent hospital consultant was among 12 people killed by an Israeli strike mid-morning on a busy market in Gaza City. Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday that more than 58,000 people had been killed since the start of the war in October 2023, with 139 people added to the toll over the past 24 hours. The ministry says over half of those killed are women and children. Talks aimed at securing a ceasefire appeared to be deadlocked, with the two sides divided over the extent of an eventual Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave, Palestinian and Israeli sources said at the weekend. The indirect talks over a US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire were continuing in Doha, but optimism that surfaced last week of a possible deal has largely faded, with both sides accusing each other of intransigence. REUTERS
A recent review by researchers at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) shows Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) and SARS-CoV-2 infections may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, the review highlights that both infections increase levels of substances in the brain called cytokines, especially IL-6 and CCL2, which cause inflammation. This ongoing inflammation can harm brain cells and may help speed up the buildup of harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer’s.
The review shows that Cpn and SARS-CoV-2 can invade the central nervous system through both the blood brain barrier and potentially more importantly the olfactory route, which is responsible for our sense of smell. The olfactory system is lined with a specialized neuroepithelium that can serve as an entry point for pathogens to the brain. After initial infection, these microbes can travel along the olfactory nerves, ultimately reaching the brain’s olfactory bulbs, which are linked to areas of the brain for memory and cognition. This pathway is particularly relevant given that loss of smell is an early symptom in both COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease.
The research examined peer-reviewed studies on the associations of Cpn and SARS-CoV-2 with Alzheimer’s, coupled with a special consideration for genetic risk factors such as APOEε4, biomarkers (IL-6, CCL2, NRP1), and the structural and functional aspects of infection and neuroinflammation. PCOM researchers documented that individuals carrying this gene variant appear to be more susceptible to both Cpn and SARS-CoV-2 infections, potentially amplifying their risk for developing the disease.
“These findings bring us one step closer to understanding the complex interactions between infections and Alzheimer’s disease,” said PCOM’s Brian J. Balin, PhD, a professor of Neuroscience and Neuropathology and director of the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging (CCDA), who co-authored the report. “As we continue to learn more about the role infectious agents play in the development of this disease, we hope to create new avenues for prevention and treatment.”
Balin and his team have dedicated over two decades working under the hypothesis that infectious agents could be a trigger for the process that causes the accumulation of amyloid and tau build-up, which are key indicators of Alzheimer’s disease. Most recently, he helped establish PCOM’s Pathobiome Research Center to further examine the connections between infectious processes and other chronic disorders in addition to Alzheimer’s disease.
Source:
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
Journal reference:
Romanella, A., et al. (2025). Infections with Chlamydia pneumoniae and SARS-CoV-2 and Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1587782.
Kanye “Ye” West’s return to live performance is off to a rocky start. The errant rapper, producer and mogul’s concert in Shanghai, China on Friday night was beset by technical problems, terrible weather and thousands of people chanting for a refund after he began the show over 40 minutes late.
Ye, who rarely plays live these days due to an ongoing struggle to find willing concert partners not turned off by his many swirling controversies, returned to China last week after conducting a lucrative and highly viral listening party at the Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou, Hainan Province in September 2024. His hotly anticipated gig at Shanghai Stadium, planned in support of his forthcoming album Bully, was sold out within minutes, according to local reports, suggesting that the rapper’s various racism and social media controversies have not dimmed the enthusiasm of his Chinese fans.
The Global Times, a state-backed Chinese news outlet known for its nationalistic stance, reports that Ye’s gig was promoted as “an immersive, multisensory experience, promising innovative stage design, upgraded setlists, and international production teams.” The paper added that “promotional materials highlighted the show as a ‘comprehensive, genre-defying journey through Ye’s musical career, combining sound, light, visuals, and installations.’”
From the outset, the mood was challenged in Shanghai Stadium Friday night by heavy rain, which poured down upon the stage and the crowd through the arena’s open roof. The crowd grew increasingly restless at some point past the gig’s scheduled 7:30pm start time, with thousands eventually chanting for refunds. Ye finally arrived at around 8:10pm, walking out onto the stadium’s vast gray stage solo, wearing black leather pants and a gray hoodie with “China” written across the back. Fog, projections and spotlights set an austere mood reminiscent of some of his Donda stage design, but with even fewer visual elements. Occasionally, an enormous projection of Ye was beamed across the stage, while overhead screens featured additional reworked footage.
According to the Global Times, tickets to the gig were pricey by Chinese standards, ranging from 980 yuan (about $135) to 2,680 yuan ($375).
Videos circulating online in China show moments of Ye seemingly giving the performance his all despite the tough circumstances, throwing his body around to the beat and waving his arms wildly as he raps along to his hits. At other moments, he looks utterly defeated, such as when his most recent single, Losing Your Mind, booms through the stadium’s sound system, and he stops signing altogether and slowly walks off the stage. Local reports suggest the sound quality throughout the show was inconsistent at best.
Even while the concert was still underway, Ye became a trending topic on Chinese social media, sparking intense debate among fans. Some defended the rapper and blamed the setbacks on the weather, while others argued it was all a lazy display — or even a cynical ploy to cash in on China at a time when the rapper’s brand remains diminished throughout the West.
In a career marked out by an uncanny ability to stay in the news, Ye has upped the ante in 2025, seemingly leaning into his pariah status in the entertainment industry, and pop culture generally, with a series of hugely controversial music releases and public stunts. In March, the rapper released a track that credited vocals to Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was about to begin a federal sex trafficking trial. On June 13, Ye, who has been an outspoken defender of Combs, would also appear briefly at Combs’ trial and later that month he released Never Stop, an EP by Combs’ son Christian “King” Combs.
On the music side, in March, Ye revealed he would release an album titled WW3, which was subsequently changed to Cuck and later A Perfect World. The first single off his upcoming 13th studio album, was the single “WW3” with a cover image featuring a Ku Klux Klan hood. The second single “Cousins” was also controversial as its music video feature KKK iconography and a swastika. And finally, the third single was titled “Heil Hitler.”
LONDON — Jannik Sinner defeated two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first Wimbledon championship and reverse the result of their epic French Open final five weeks ago.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner earned his fourth Grand Slam title overall, moving him one away from No. 2 Alcaraz’s total as the two young rivals separate themselves from the rest of the pack in men’s tennis.
This victory also allowed Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, to put an end to several streaks for Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard.
Alcaraz had won the past five head-to-head matches between the pair, most recently across five sets and nearly 5 1/2 hours at Roland-Garros on June 8. Sinner took a two-set lead in that one, then held a trio of match points, but couldn’t close the deal. That made Alcaraz 5-0 in major finals.
In addition to ending that piece of perfection, Sinner asserted himself in a match that featured moments of terrific play by both men, but also the occasional lapses.
Alcaraz stepped into the sunlight bathing Centre Court as the owner of a career-best 24-match unbeaten run. He had won 20 matches in a row at the All England Club, including victories against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals.
The last man to beat Alcaraz at Wimbledon? Sinner, in the fourth round in 2022.
So this served as a bookend win for Sinner, who proved what he kept telling anyone who asked: No, there would be no carryover from his heartbreak in Paris. Hard to imagine, though, that that collapse wasn’t on his mind at least a little on Sunday, especially when he faced two break points while serving at 4-3, 15-40 in the fourth set.
But he calmly took the next four points to hold there, and soon was serving out the win. When it ended, Sinner put both hands on his white hat. After embracing Alcaraz at the net, Sinner crouched on court with his head bowed, then pounded his right palm on the grass.
Yes, Sinner put the French Open behind him in the best way possible and demonstrated that his matchups with Alcaraz could delight tennis fans for years to come.
They have divvied up the past seven Grand Slam trophies, and nine of the last 12.
Fittingly, this marked the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches on the clay at Roland-Garros and the grass at the All England Club in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008. It hadn’t happened for more than a half-century before that trilogy.
Sinner has participated in each of the last four major finals, a stretch that began with a triumph at the U.S. Open last September and was followed by another at the Australian Open this January.
Wearing the same tape job and white arm sleeve to protect his right elbow that he has been using since falling in the opening game of his fourth-round win on Monday, Sinner never showed any issues, just as he had not while eliminating 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
