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Texan communities reel as holiday idyll becomes a disaster zone – Financial Times
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Tidings from my stock market humble pie
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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
It is time for me to eat some humble pie. Just the one slice, mind you. This also involves a doff of the cap to Graham from Portadown.
I don’t know Graham personally, but our paths crossed during the ugliest days of the global markets shake-out in early April, when US stocks plunged in response to Donald Trump’s supercharged global trade tariffs.
BBC Radio Ulster kindly asked me on air to explain to the masses what was going on. First question: “So Katie, what is a stock market?” (For the record, I unironically love that. There’s genuinely no such thing as a silly question in financial markets.)
Anyway, Graham called in to share his view, which, to paraphrase, was that he didn’t know in any kind of detail how the tariffs would pan out, but he did know that whenever there’s a dip in the US stock market, you should buy it, and he was doing precisely that. If I remember rightly, this was at lunch time in London on April 9. US stocks were down 13 per cent in just a few days at this point and global markets were bleeding out.
Now, I didn’t tell Graham he was wrong. But I did say, while stressing that I was not giving investment advice and never would, that he was braver than I am. Buying the dip is, indeed, a tried and tested tactic with a good record of success but, at that point, let’s just euphemistically say things were not looking great.
We all know what happened hours later. Trump backtracked, stocks exploded higher. If Graham from Portadown was true to his word, and he really did pluck up the courage to buy (he sounded very determined), then he’s up by about 25 per cent on those US stocks since our brief chat. Kudos, Graham.
Even after that point, I didn’t see that the coast was clear, writing a few days later that the case for the buying the dip was just too shaky for me. Hindsight is the most wonderful thing, especially in markets, but in retrospect, Trump really did chicken out, and that changed everything. US stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 blue-chip index, have sprung back to record highs and are up by around 7 per cent so far this year.
“We have this divide,” said Vincenzo Vedda, chief investment officer at Germany’s DWS. “The experts are looking at this and saying ‘this is wrong’ and retail is saying ‘you experts have said for the last 10 years to buy the dip so we’re buying the dip’.”
In any case, they were right. So, one slice of humble pie is duly consumed. Delicious.
I’m not eating the rest of it yet, though. Since that April shake-out in markets, and indeed even before it, most big investment houses outside the US have been taking a fresh and critical look at their US exposure. This is the number-one topic of conversation among institutional investors right now, and it will take considerable time, possibly even years, for it fully to play out.
Each week, men in Florida with Hotmail addresses email to tell me I’m an idiot with, as one charming recent correspondent put it, a “stupid face”, for suggesting this phenomenon is real. No serious money manager, they say, will sell their US stocks and bonds.
But this remains a misreading of the situation. It is not that big investors are unlikely to sell US assets in meaningful volumes. The question is whether they will continue to buy them on the scale we have become accustomed to in a world where US stocks account for something like 70 per cent of developed-market indices. Maybe of every new pound that flows in to a stocks portion pension now, we won’t see 70p head to the US in five years’ time, but something more like 65p or even 60p.
That means a bigger chunk heads to Asia and to Europe — much smaller markets that many global investors have shunned for years. Little wonder, then, that many of them have comfortably outstripped the performance of US stocks in 2025. Several European indices are up by more than 20 per cent this year. Meanwhile, for euro-based investors, the steady drop in the dollar has eaten up any gains. They are still down by some 6.5 per cent on US stocks so far this year in euro terms.
Any big asset manager who is not thinking about how to avoid or at the very least hedge this pain is not doing their job properly, hence the global popularity of building defences against damage from a sliding dollar and the newfound introspection around whether already rather expensive US stocks are really worth the volatility or the political risk.
“We have to break free from the mindset we have had for the past 20 years,” said Talib Sheikh, a portfolio manager at Fidelity International. “Why can’t we have Asia ex-China ex-Japan being a greater part of your portfolio than the US? Why can’t we have Europe as a bigger part? Fads come and go but I think this has more staying power.”
Much of the market disruption from the opening months of 2025 has passed now that we are in the second half of the year, and Graham from Portadown is taking a well-earned victory lap. But the oldest certainties in finance are crumbling.
katie.martin@ft.com
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Pak rupee sees gains against Saudi Riyal – 12 July 2025 exchange rate
KARACHI – Saudi Riyal (SAR) registered slight decline against Pakistani rupee in open market on Saturday as 1 SAR dropped to Rs75.84.
The selling rate of Saudi Riyal also plunged by two paisa and settled at Rs76.19, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan.
The exchange rate of Saudi Riyal is closely monitored by overseas Pakistanis who are employed in Saudi Arabia and send remittances every month.
1,000 Saudi Riyal to Pak Rupee Today
As the SAR buying rate stood at Rs75.84, 1,000 Saudi Riyals can be exchanged for Rs75,840 in open market.
Meanwhile, Pakistan recorded workers’ remittances inflow of $3.4 billion in June 2025, according to the data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday.
It showed workers’ remittances increased by 7.9 per cent on a year-on-year basis.
During fiscal year 2024-25, workers’ remittances rose by 26.6 per cent to $38.3 billion as compared with $30.3 billion in 2023-24.
During June 2025, Saudi Arabia led the chart as $823.2 million were sent in remittances by overseas Pakistanis from the Kingdom.
It is followed by United Arab Emirates with $717.2 million, United Kingdom with $537.6 million and United States of America with $281.2 million.
On the other hand, the price of 24 karat per tola gold increased by Rs2,300 to climb to Rs357,000 as compared to its sale at Rs354,700 on the last trading day.
The prices of 10 grams of 24 karat also surged by Rs1,971 to Rs306,069 from Rs304,098.
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A mobile app intervention to support nutrition education for heart failure management: co-design, development and user-testing | BMC Nutrition
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Crypto investors look ahead to policy wins, propelling bitcoin to record high
Crypto investors are betting that a slew of long-sought policy wins for the industry, expected next week, could invite new investment in the asset class.Those hopes helped propel bitcoin to another high on Friday and gave a boost to U.S.-listed crypto stocks.
Starting on Monday, the House of Representatives will debate a series of crypto bills to provide the digital asset industry with the U.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.
Crypto Tracker
Trump himself is involved in several crypto ventures, including World Liberty Financial, a platform that his sons Eric and Don Jr. run. Members of Congress are set to vote on the Genius Act, the Clarity Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act during “crypto week,” as the industry’s strained ties with Washington continue to thaw. The most significant bill is the Genius Act, which would create federal rules for stablecoins.
“Even if final passage stalls, the optics of legislative engagement are bullish,” said Jag Kooner, head of derivatives at crypto exchange Bitfinex. Bitcoin’s surge has triggered a broader rally in the crypto market, with strong and sustained inflows into the related spot exchange-traded funds driving prices higher, said Nicolai Sondergaard, research analyst at Nansen. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was last up 3.3% at $117,333.32, taking its gains for the year to 26%. The digital asset has surged nearly 41% in the last three months.Bitcoin buyer and holder Strategy rose 1.9%, while crypto miners Riot Platforms, Hut 8, and Mara Holdings gained between 0.7% and 1.6%.
“Investors are racing to take positions ahead of the extra publicity this event could attract,” said Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, referring to “crypto week.”
Rising confidence in bitcoin is resulting in investors chasing higher returns in smaller tokens. Ether, the second-largest token, was last up 5.13%, while XRP and solana gained 9.7% and 0.8%, respectively.
The sector’s total market value has swelled to about $3.67 trillion, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
CRYPTO WEEK
The House of Representatives is set to pass a series of crypto-related bills next week, including a bill that would establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins after Trump subsequently approves it.
Stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a constant value, usually a 1:1 dollar peg, are commonly used by crypto traders to move funds between tokens. Their use has grown rapidly in recent years, and proponents say they could be used to send payments instantly. The bill, dubbed the Genius Act, received bipartisan support in the Senate, with several Democrats joining most Republicans to back the proposed federal rules. It is expected to pass the House and would then head to Trump, who has said he will sign the bill into law.
The bill would require tokens to be backed by liquid assets – such as U.S. dollars and short-term Treasury bills – and for issuers to publicly disclose the composition of their reserves on a monthly basis.
Crypto proponents say those rules could legitimize stablecoins, making banks, retailers, and consumers more comfortable with using them to transfer funds.
The House next week is also expected to pass a bill that aims to develop a regulatory regime for cryptocurrencies and would expand the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s oversight of the digital asset industry.
That bill, called the Clarity Act, has yet to be considered in the Senate, where it would need to pass before heading to Trump for final approval.
If signed into law, the bill would define when a cryptocurrency is a security or a commodity and clarify the Securities and Exchange Commission’s jurisdiction over the sector, something crypto companies disputed during the Biden administration.
Crypto companies have argued that most crypto tokens should be classified as commodities instead of securities, which would enable platforms to more easily offer those tokens to their customers.
SKEPTICS RAISE RED FLAGS
Bitcoin’s sharp rally has drawn caution from some corners of the market.
As crypto gets embedded in the traditional financial system, some analysts warned the hype may be outpacing reality.
“The (regulatory) backdrop has supported prices, and attention has turned to bitcoin’s role in portfolios, with some likening the crypto-asset to ‘digital gold.’ This moniker is likely premature,” said Dirk Willer, Citi’s global head of macro, asset allocation, and emerging market strategy.
With likely volatility ahead, some analysts have cautioned investors to pause and weigh their time horizons before jumping in.
“It’s hard not to be optimistic about bitcoin at this moment in time, but the risk of a fall in price or short-term pullback still exists,” said Simon Peters, crypto analyst at online brokerage eToro.
Critics have argued the Trump administration is conceding too much to the crypto industry at the expense of protecting consumers and retail investors.
“I’m concerned that what my Republican colleagues are aiming for is another industry handout that gives the crypto lobby exactly its wish list,” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said this week. Trump has faced criticism from political rivals and ethics experts over the potential for conflicts of interest regarding his family’s crypto ventures.
The White House has said there are no conflicts of interest present for Trump and that his assets are in a trust managed by his children.
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More details emerge about the iQOO 15
Back in May we heard that the iQOO 15 would have a 6.85-inch QHD+ Samsung-made flat LIPO OLED screen, and today the same prolific leaker going by Digital Chat Station on Weibo is back with more details.
The phone will have a 50 MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, something the iQOO 12 had but the iQOO 13 gave up on, sadly (it only had a non-periscope 2x optical zoom telephoto).
iQOO 13
The iQOO 15 also has an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, vivo’s self-developed independent display chip, as well as support for 100W wired charging. iQOO is apparently still deciding whether to include wireless charging as well, but it does seem to be leaning towards adding this feature according to DCS.
Alongside the periscope, it was one of the few things missing from the iQOO 13 if one wanted to declare it a true all-out flagship device. Of course, the iQOO 15 is expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 SoC, due to be made official in September.
vivo iQOO 12
vivo iQOO 13
Source (in Chinese)
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NBA 2K26 Summer League: Liam McNeeley explodes off bench to lead Hornets
The Hornets fend off the Jazz to claim victory on Friday in Las Vegas.
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• Summer League: Complete Coverage• Hornets 111, Jazz 105: Box Score | Game Detail
LAS VEGAS – The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Utah Jazz, 111-105, in the NBA 2K26 Summer League at Thomas & Mack Center on Friday.
While there were five ties and six lead changes in this closely fought battle, Charlotte held the lead for all but a few minutes. A 60-48 first half set the foundation for that lead, with the Hornets maintaining the lead for the entirety of the fourth quarter. The Hornets shot 50.6% from the field while holding the Jazz to 48.1% shooting. Charlotte also out-rebounded Utah, 40-34, while outscoring them in fastbreak points, 17-11. The Hornets’ bench came up big, outscoring the Jazz’s bench, 47-10.
The Hornets (1-0) were led by Liam McNeeley, providing 22 points, 12 rebounds and six assists off the bench. KJ Simpson led the starters with 21 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals. Tidjane Salaun totaled 20 points and seven boards, while Ryan Kalkbrenner had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The Jazz (0-1) were led by Kyle Filipowski, finishing with 32 points, six rebounds and five assists on 12-of-17 shooting. Cody Williams collected 21 points and three boards. Walter Clayton Jr compiled 21 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Isaiah Collier tallied 16 points, six rebounds, nine assists and two steals.
On deck for Charlotte is a matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday (6:30 ET, ESPN2). As for Utah, they return to action on Sunday in a matchup with the Golden State Warriors (10 ET, ESPN2).
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Last chance: get AirPods Pro 2 at the lowest price ever before Prime Day ends
With less than five hours left for Prime Day 2025, it’s time to take one last look at the deals, see what’s in the cart, and check out if you want to score those sweet, sweet sales. And that countdown is especially important if you have your eyes on exceptionally good deals like Apple’s AirPods Pro 2.
These true wireless earbuds are some of the best around and carry an MSRP of $249.99, but for Prime Day, Amazon’s knocked these well below past discounts and chopped a full $100 off the price. That’s right, AirPods Pro 2 hit $149 and are still available at that record-low price as Prime Day nears it close.
I use my AirPods Pro 2 every day for listening to music, making phone calls, watching videos, and even enjoying podcasts. I’ve also gone through more pairs than I’d like to admit since AirPods first hit the scene.
This is an exceptional deal on a pair of earbuds that have routinely received new features through software updates, a trend that will continue later in 2025. At $149, there’s never been a better time to get AirPods Pro 2.
Prime Day deal: Apple AirPods Pro 2
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are simply great earbuds and make a ton of sense if you’re in the broader ecosystem. From the moment you unbox them and flip open the case, these will fast pair with your iPhone, sync with your iCloud, and enable easy usage with any of your Apple devices. That includes the Mac, Apple TV 4K, the Apple Watch, iPads, and even the Apple Vision Pro.
These boast a wide soundstage with excellent audio reproduction and solid bass for a robust listening experience that works for nearly any genre. I especially like classic rock and pop on these as I spin the latest from Bruce Springsteen or Olivia Rodrigo.
AirPods Pro 2 even feature a hearing-aid mode and can, in conjunction with your iPhone or Apple Watch, let you know if you need to turn down the volume to protect your hearing. The onboard microphones do an excellent job of picking up your voice and not the noise around you for clear calls. Battery life is another strong area, and in the case that doubles as a charger for each bud, is loaded with other tech, including FindMy support so you don’t end up losing it.
Whether you need a new pair, want a second pair, or have been waiting for the right time to get AirPods Pro 2, there’s never been a better time thanks to this sharp 40% discount. Just don’t wait too long and get it before Prime Day wraps.
You can read TechRadar’s full review of Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 here.
Amazon’s Prime Day sale – quick links
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‘Reality hits like never before’: Novak Djokovic addresses retirement after Wimbledon exit; Sinner vs Alcaraz in final | Tennis News
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, 38, was defeated by world number one Jannik Sinner in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday, acknowledging that age and physical limitations are impacting his performance more than ever before.The Serbian tennis star was aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown that would have matched Roger Federer’s record of eight men’s titles at the All England Club.Instead, Sinner, 23, will now face two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final.Djokovic appeared physically limited during the match, following a leg injury sustained during his quarter-final victory over Flavio Cobolli.
“It wasn’t really a pleasant feeling on the court. I don’t want to talk, in details, about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best. I want to congratulate Jannik for another great performance. That’s it. He’s in the finals. He was too strong.”This setback follows Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Australian Open earlier this year, where he suffered a muscle tear during his semi-final against Alexander Zverev.“It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest. It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year.”“But I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes the worse the condition gets. I reach the final stages, I reached the semis of every Slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with the tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that.”Novak Djokovic on retirementDespite the defeat, Djokovic plans to return to Wimbledon next year. “I think, regardless of the fact that I haven’t won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams. Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most.”The Serbian champion emphasised his dedication to maintaining his physical condition.“The amount of hours that I spend on a daily basis to take care of myself, I’d like to challenge everyone who is out there on the tour to see if anybody takes care of themselves more than me. And I, unfortunately, don’t get rewarded for that right now, with injuries at the later stages of Slams. But I was rewarded for many, many years.”“I’m just trying to make, I guess, the maximum out of what I have left. Again, I just got off the court, so of course, I’m upset and disappointed, mostly not for the loss, because obviously even if I was fit, I wasn’t a favourite to win against Sinner, I know that, but I think I had good chances if I was fit.”Regarding Sunday’s final, Djokovic offered his prediction.“I think I will give a slight edge to Carlos as a favourite because of the two titles he’s won here and the way he’s playing and the confidence he has right now. But it’s just a slight advantage because Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well. I think it’s going to be, again, a very close match-up like they had in Paris.”This will be the first Wimbledon final without Djokovic since 2017.
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Intermittent fasting vs traditional calorie-restrictive diet: Which is better for weight loss, according to experts |
One of the biggest challenges for people on a weight loss diet is picking the right diet. With a plethora of trending diets available online, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Intermittent fasting is one of the most talked-about diet patterns when it comes to weight loss. But is it any better than our traditional diet plans? A recent comprehensive study has looked at this. A new study has compared the benefits of intermittent fasting vs traditional diets apropos weight loss. The findings are published in The BMJ.Global obesity epidemic awaits
Obesity rates are rising across the globe. In 2022, approximately 2.5 billion adults, 43% of the global adult population, were overweight, and about 890 million (16%) lived with obesity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Overweight and obesity are the major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, which are the leading causes of death worldwide. Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight can reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.What is intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is favoured by many people who are on a weight loss. This eating pattern cycles between periods of eating and fasting on a regular schedule. Many are replacing traditional calorie-restricted diets, which are unsustainable in the long term, with intermittent diets. There are several types of intermittent fasting, which fall under three broad categories.
- Time-restricted eating: It could be a 16:8 diet, which involves a 16-hour fasting period followed by an 8-hour eating window.
- Alternate day fasting: This method is a 24-hour fast on alternate days
- Whole day fasting: Also known as a 5:2 diet, which means five days of unrestricted eating and two days of fasting.
Health effects of intermittent fasting
As the health effects of intermittent fasting compared with continuous caloric restriction or an unrestricted (ad-libitum) diet remain unclear, the researchers looked into it. They analysed the results of 99 randomised clinical trials involving 6,582 adults (average age 45; 66% female) to compare the effect of intermittent fasting diets with continuous energy restriction or unrestricted diets on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors.The participants of the study had an average body mass index (BMI) of 31, and almost 90% had existing health conditions. The trial ran for periods between 3-52 weeks (average 12 weeks. They found that all intermittent diets and continuous energy restriction diets resulted in small reductions in body weight when compared with an unrestricted diet. The study showed that alternate-day fasting was the only intermittent fasting diet strategy to show a small benefit in body weight reduction compared with continuous energy restriction (mean difference -1.29 kg). This fasting pattern also showed a small reduction in body weight compared with both time-restricted eating and whole day fasting (mean difference -1.69 kg and -1.05 kg, respectively). However, this difference was not significant, as the clinical threshold is at least 2 kg.
They also found that alternate-day fasting was linked to lower levels of total and ‘bad’ cholesterol when compared with time-restricted eating. Compared with whole-day fasting, however, time-restricted eating resulted in a small increase in cholesterol levels. There was, however, no benefit when it came to blood sugar or ‘good’ cholesterol levels in any diet strategy comparison.“The current evidence provides some indication that intermittent fasting diets have similar benefits to continuous energy restriction for weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors. Longer duration trials are needed to further substantiate these findings,” the researchers said. “Intermittent fasting does not aim to replace other dietary strategies but to integrate and complement them within a comprehensive, patient-centred nutritional care model,” they added.
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