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  • ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women and girls

    ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women and girls

    THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Tuesday for the Taliban’s supreme leader and the head of Afghanistan’s Supreme Court on charges of persecuting women and girls since seizing power nearly four years ago.

    The warrants also accuse the leaders of persecuting “other persons nonconforming with the Taliban’s policy on gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as ‘allies of girls and women.’”

    The warrants were issued against Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhunzada and the head of the Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

    The court’s prosecution office called the decision to issue warrants “an important vindication and acknowledgment of the rights of Afghan women and girls.”

    It added that the judges’ ruling “also recognizes the rights and lived experiences of persons whom the Taliban perceived as not conforming with their ideological expectations of gender identity or expression, such as members of the LGBTQI+ community, and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women.”

    Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Taliban government, rejected the court’s authority.

    He said in a statement that the court’s decision reflected “open hostility and hatred toward the holy religion of Islam and Shariah law,” and is “an insult to the beliefs of all Muslims.”

    The warrants came just hours after the United Nations adopted a resolution Monday over U.S. objections that called on the Taliban to reverse their worsening oppression of women and girls and eliminate all terrorist organizations.

    They are the latest high-profile suspects named in arrest warrants issued by The Hague-based court that also has sought the arrest of other leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Since returning to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures, banning women from public places and girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade. Last week, Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s government.

    The court said in a statement that the Taliban have “severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.”

    The court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, sought the warrants in January, saying that they recognized that “Afghan women and girls as well as the LGBTQI+ community are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution by the Taliban.”

    Global advocacy group Human Rights Watch welcomed the decision, and urged the international community to help enforce the court’s warrants.

    “Senior Taliban leaders are now wanted men for their alleged persecution of women, girls, and gender-nonconforming people,” Liz Evenson, the group’s international justice director, said in a statement.

    ICC judges approved a request in 2022 from the prosecutor to reopen an investigation into Afghanistan. The probe was shelved after Kabul said it could handle the investigation.

    Khan said he wanted to reopen the inquiry because under the Taliban, there was “no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations” in Afghanistan.

    Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, got approval in 2020 to start looking at offenses allegedly committed by Afghan government forces, the Taliban, American troops and U.S. foreign intelligence operatives dating back to 2002.

    When Khan reopened the probe, he said he would focus on crimes committed by the Taliban and the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group. He said he would “deprioritize” other aspects of the investigation, such as crimes committed by Americans.

    The warrants for Taliban leaders were issued while Khan has stepped down temporarily pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Khan has categorically denied accusations that he tried for more than a year to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her against her will.

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  • Nature retracts paper on novel brain cell type

    Nature retracts paper on novel brain cell type

    Over the objections of the authors, the editors of Nature have retracted a 2022 paper on the cellular origins of medulloblastoma after an independent team’s reanalysis questioned the paper’s key findings. The reanalysis was published as a Matters Arising article today in Nature at the same time as the retraction notice.

    The 2022 paper, led by Q. Richard Lu, professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, identified a previously unknown transitional cerebellar progenitor (TCP) cell type via single-cell sequencing of human fetal cerebella. Single-cell profiling of medulloblastoma samples showed a “substantial increase in the proportion of transitional TCP-cells,” suggesting that these cells could be involved in cancer development, the authors wrote in the paper. The work has been cited 27 times, according to Clarivate’s Web of Science.

    This cell type may not exist at all, though, according to the reanalysis, which was led by Paul Northcott, a faculty member at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The team could not find evidence of the cells in an independent cerebellar atlas, and they detected the proposed marker genes for TCP cells—HNRNPH1, SOX11 and CTNNB1—“in similar proportions of both TCP and non-TCP cells” in Lu’s original atlas, Northcott and his colleagues wrote in their paper.

    What’s more, the purported TCP cells in the 2022 study had “a low nuclear fraction of detected transcripts” and low unique molecular identifier counts, which are “consistent with ambient RNA contamination predominantly contributed by a single donor,” the reanalysis says. Northcott did not respond to multiple email requests for comment by the time of publication.

    The retraction notice states that “concerns that there was insufficient evidence for the transitional cerebellar progenitor (TCP) population were brought to the attention of the editors” after the publication of Lu’s paper in 2022. Post-publication peer review cast “doubt on a key novel conclusion of the paper,” leading to the retraction, the notice says.

    Lu says he and the other authors of the original paper do not agree with the findings of the Matters Arising article or the retraction by Nature. The dispute over his work falls “within the realm of scholarly norm” but does not rise to the level of needing a retraction, Lu says, adding that his comments on this matter represent his personal view and not that of his employer. “I really believe this is a debate, not an error we made,” he says.

    L

    u says Nature informed him of the Matters Arising article disputing his findings in April 2023. He and his colleagues then did further experiments and analyses and submitted a Reply to the Matters Arising paper for publication in Nature. In November 2024, though, he says, Nature informed him that it would not publish the Reply and planned to retract the 2022 paper. Lu posted the Reply as a preprint on bioRxiv last month.

    The preprint suggests that the independent cerebellar atlas does verify the existence of TCP cells. Lu and his co-authors analyzed the same atlas as Northcott’s team and identified cell types highly enriched in SOX11 and HNRNPH1, which “corroborates the presence of a TCP-like population,” according to the preprint.

    And when Lu’s team reanalyzed their original dataset using a more stringent data cutoff to exclude ambient RNA contamination, they still concluded that the TCP cells “possess a distinct transcriptional identity characterized by a set of significantly enriched marker genes,” the preprint says.

    Last month, Lu filed a complaint with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ask the committee to conduct an independent review to determine if Nature “followed COPE guidelines and best editorial practices” during this process, he wrote in the letter. There is not “clear evidence” of an error that warrants retraction, Lu says, adding that he would retract the study if there was a mistake that changed the conclusions.

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  • Can US President Donald Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize? – World

    Can US President Donald Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize? – World

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday nominated United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, the highest-profile international award given to an individual or organisation deemed to have done the most to “advance fellowship between nations”.

    In his letter to the Nobel Committee, which he shared online, Netanyahu said Trump had “demonstrated steadfast and exceptional dedication to promoting peace, security and stability around the world”.

    Trump, who is trying to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, has been nominated before. Pakistan said in June it would recommend Trump for the prize for his work in helping to resolve the conflict with India.

    Netanyahu’s nomination of Trump has generated scepticism in some quarters, including from former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, who said on X that Netanyahu was seeking to flatter Trump.

    If Trump won the prize, he would be the fifth US president to do so, after Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.

    Here is a look at how the award works:

    Who is eligible to win?

    According to the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, the prize should go to the person “who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses”.

    All living persons or active institutions are eligible.

    In an introduction on the Nobel website, Chair of the Peace Prize Committee Jorgen Watne Frydnes says, “In practice, anyone can be the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. The history of the prize shows clearly it’s given to people from all layers of society from all over the world.”

    The Nobel Prizes are announced in October each year, but nominations close the previous January, meaning Netanyahu’s nomination of Trump could not be considered this year.

    Who can nominate?

    Thousands of people can propose names: members of governments and parliaments; current heads of state; university professors of history, social sciences, law, and philosophy; and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, among others. You cannot nominate yourself.

    Nominee lists are kept secret for 50 years, though there is nothing to stop those who make nominations from disclosing their choices.

    Who decides the winner?

    The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which consists of five individuals appointed by the Norwegian parliament, is the arbiter. Members are often retired politicians, but not always. The current committee is led by the head of the Norwegian branch of PEN International, a group defending freedom of expression.

    They are all put forward by Norwegian political parties and their appointments reflect the balance of power in Norway’s parliament.

    How does the committee decide the winner?

    The first meeting of the committee takes place in February of each year, when committee members can make their own nominations to add to the list.

    Last year, there were 286 nominees, and in 2025, there are 338 candidates nominated for the prize — 244 individuals and 94 organisations.

    The committee whittles the nominations down to make a shortlist, and each nominee is then assessed by a group of permanent advisers and other experts.

    The committee aims for unanimity but can decide by majority vote. A final decision is often only made a few days before the prize is announced.

    Controversies

    The Nobel Peace Prize has often been seen as having a political message. The Nobel website says some recipients have been “highly controversial political actors”, while the prize has also increased public focus on international or national conflicts.

    Obama won the award just a few months after taking office. Two members of the committee stepped down over the decision in 1973 to award the Peace Prize to US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho for negotiating an end to the Vietnam War.

    One member quit in 1994 when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shared the prize with Israel’s Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.

    What does the Laureate get?

    A medal, a diploma, 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.15m) and immediate global attention, if they are not already famous.

    When are the announcement and the ceremony?

    The announcement of this year’s prize will be made on October 10 at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo.

    The ceremony will take place at the Oslo City Hall on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

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  • Mattel Introduces Barbie with Type 1 Diabetes

    Mattel Introduces Barbie with Type 1 Diabetes

    Mattel, along with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), has introduced a Barbie with Type 1 diabetes.

    “Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love,” Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls, said in a news release.

    Barbie wears a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm to help manage her Type 1 diabetes, and she has a phone that displays a CGM app to help track her blood sugar levels throughout the day. The doll also wears an insulin pump that allows for automated insulin dosing.

    The blue polka dot top and matching skirt the doll wears represent diabetes awareness. The Barbie with Type 1 diabetes is available for $10.99 at Walmart and Amazon, but both sites indicate the doll is currently not available.

    “Visibility matters for everyone facing type 1 diabetes,” Emily Mazreku, director of marketing strategy at Breakthrough T1D, said in a news release. “As a mom living with T1D, it means everything to have Barbie helping the world see T1D and the incredible people who live with it.”

    The Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes was introduced at the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress, held July 7 to July 9 in Washington, D.C., to advocate for continued federal research funding. Youth delegates from all 50 states and Breakthrough T1D’s international affiliates in the United Kingdom, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, and Canada received their own dolls.

    Mattel also honored two global role models and Type 1 diabetes advocates—Peloton instructor Robin Arzón in the United States and model Lila Moss in the United Kingdom—with their own one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls.

    “Receiving messages from people who see my patches and feel represented means everything to me. To be able to now see Barbie dolls with T1D, and to receive a Barbie doll that visibly looks like me, even wearing her patches, is both surreal and special,” Moss said.

    The Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes is part of the Barbie Fashionista series. As the brand’s most diverse doll line, the Barbie Fashionistas series offers more than 175 looks in a variety of skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashions.

    Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system destroys insulin-producing beta cells in pancreatic islets. Patients rely on insulin and careful monitoring of blood glucose levels. About 2 million Americans have type 1 diabetes.

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  • Bencic edges Andreeva in two tiebreaks to reach Wimbledon semifinals

    Bencic edges Andreeva in two tiebreaks to reach Wimbledon semifinals

    Belinda Bencic’s comeback from maternity leave to another massive step forward on Wednesday at Wimbledon, as the former Top 10 player ousted No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva in a pair of tiebreaks to reach her second career Grand Slam semifinal. 

    Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws

    The 28-year-old Swiss needed 2 hours and 7 minutes to score her 38th career Top 10 win — but just her second at Wimbledon — to match her deepest-ever run at a Grand Slam event. In her first meeting with Andreeva, who is 10 years her junior, the former World No. 4 lost serve only once — and it came when she first attempted to seal victory at 5-4 in the second set.

    Bencic’s first major semifinal — a loss to Bianca Andreescu at the 2019 US Open — came five years and 309 days ago, making her run to the last four at The Championships the fifth-longest gap between Grand Slam semifinals in the Open Era. 

    More to come…

     

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  • Hidden Sources of Marine Pollution

    Hidden Sources of Marine Pollution

    Plastic waste pollutes oceans across all regions of the world. Marine animals may become entangled in larger plastic debris such as nets and bags or mistake smaller pieces for food. Ingested plastic can block or injure the gastrointestinal tract. The smallest plastic particles in the micro and nano range are mostly excreted, but a small proportion can pass through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream.

    So how much nanoplastic is actually present in the oceans? Most scientific attention has so far been focussed on macro- and microplastic because their larger size makes them easier to study. Quantitative data on the pollution of the oceans by nanoplastic particles smaller than 1 µm have been scarce until now because the particles are very small, prone to change, and often difficult to distinguish from other environmental particles using standard methods.

    During a 2020 expedition aboard the RV Pelagia, the largest Dutch research vessel and flagship of the NIOZ, researchers from the UFZ and Utrecht University recorded the occurrence of nanoplastic along a transect from the European continental shelf to the subtropical North Atlantic Gyre. Samples were taken at 12 measuring points: in the uppermost water layer at around 10 m, in the intermediate layer at around 1,000 m, and 30 m above the seabed. “With the data from these measuring points, we can make statements about the vertical and horizontal distribution of nanoplastic in the North Atlantic”, says Dr Dušan Materić, chemist at the UFZ and lead author of the study.

    Led by Materić, the scientists used a high-resolution proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) coupled with thermal desorption (TD) to measure the concentrations of organic trace gases. With this TD-PTR-MS, the tiny plastic particles in the samples can be combusted. By heating them, gases are released; these can then be quantified in the mass spectrometer. According to Materić, who developed the method in 2020 while working at Utrecht University, because each polymer produces a distinct chemical fingerprint, its identity and concentration can be reliably determined.

    The researchers detected nanoplastic at all depths analysed across the 12 measurement sites. “They are present everywhere in such large quantities that we can no longer neglect them ecologically”, says Materić. The research team most frequently found nanoparticles of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which are commonly used in disposable and reusable plastic bottles, films, drinking cups, and cutlery. At nearly all measuring points, the researchers detected these types of plastic in the uppermost water layer. “This is because, on the one hand, the redistribution from the atmosphere occurs via the sea surface and, on the other hand, a lot of plastic is introduced via the estuaries of rivers”, says Materić. The intermediate layer (i.e. the layer between the oxygen-rich surface water and the oxygen-depleted deep water) is dominated by PET nanoparticles. According to Materić, a higher concentration of nanoplastic was found in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, an area where surface microplastics are known to accumulate because of ocean currents.

    The researchers found the lowest concentrations of nanoplastic in the water layer near the sea floor. They detected PET nanoplastic at all measuring points there – even at depths of more than 4,500 m. This nanoplastic most likely originated from the fragmentation of synthetic clothing fibres but possibly also from previously unknown processes. “Nanoplastic and nanoparticles are so small that the physical laws governing larger particles often no longer apply”, says Materić.

    The research team were surprised to find no polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) at any of the measuring points. Both PE and PP are commonly used in bags and packaging, which often end up as marine plastic waste. “There is a lot of PE/PP microplastic on the sea surface, but we did not find any PE/PP nanoparticles that could have been formed as a result of solar radiation or abrasion by the waves”, says Materić. The PE and PP nanoplastic may be mineralised or molecularly altered to such an extent that they are no longer detected as plastic by the PTR-MS, or there might be some other dynamic sedimentation and removal processes we are not yet aware of.

    The scientists extrapolated the mass of nanoplastic in the North Atlantic from the concentration measurements. Based on these results, around 27 million tonnes of nanoplastic – 12.0 million tonnes of PET, 6.5 million tonnes of PS, and 8.5 million tonnes of PVC – are stored in the uppermost water layer of the North Atlantic, up to 200 m deep, from the temperate to the subtropical zone. “This is in the same order of magnitude as the estimated mass of macro- and microplastics for the entire Atlantic”, says Materić. This means that nanoplastic accounts for a large proportion of plastic pollution in the oceans and has not yet been factored into current assessments of the marine plastic balance. “Only a couple of years ago, there was still debate over whether nanoplastic even exists. Many scholars continue to believe that nanoplastics are thermodynamically unlikely to persist in nature, as their formation requires high energy. Our findings show that, by mass, the amount of nanoplastic is comparable to what was previously found for macro- and microplastic – at least in this ocean system”, says Materić.

    /Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.

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  • Rahm, Garcia in search of Spanish glory at Valderrama – LIV Golf

    Rahm, Garcia in search of Spanish glory at Valderrama – LIV Golf

    1. Rahm, Garcia in search of Spanish glory at Valderrama  LIV Golf
    2. LIV Golf Andalucia 2025 Odds, Predictions And Picks To Win  Golf Monthly
    3. How to watch 2025 LIV Golf Andalucía: Livestream, start time, TV Channels, tee times and schedule  Goal.com
    4. LIV Golf Andalucia Preview: Sergio Garcia Eyes Repeat At ‘My Favorite Course’  FOX Sports
    5. LIV Golf Andalucia prize money 2025: How much they are playing for  Golfmagic

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  • Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH)

    Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH)





    Season Includes 19 Maiden Ports of Call, 3 Immersive Overnight Itineraries, 5 Grand Voyages, and a 133-Night World Cruise

    A New Legacy Begins as Seven Seas Prestige™ Sets Sail on Its First Full Season

    MIAMI, July 9, 2025: Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the world’s leading ultra luxury cruise line, has unveiled its 2027-2028 Voyage Collection featuring 234 new sailings that invite discerning travelers to explore the globe through immersive experiences that are Unrivaled at Sea™.

    The new season spans Africa & Arabia, Alaska, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Canada & New England, the Caribbean & Panama Canal, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America and the South Pacific, offering guests endless opportunities to craft their own unforgettable memories. Guests can pre-register now at RSSC.com/2027-2028-voyage-collection, with reservations officially opening on July 23, 2025. Guests in the US and Canada who book by August 6 will enjoy a 50% reduced deposit. 

    “Our 2027-2028 Voyage Collection is a celebration of discovery, delivering 234 new adventures for travelers to experience the world in truly immersive and meaningful ways,” said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “From shorter escapes to epic journeys, every sailing is designed to offer the perfect balance of enriching destination experiences and the unrivaled luxury of life on board—from spacious all-suite accommodations and personalized service to unlimited shore excursions, gourmet dining, and fine wines and spirits.”

    Among the standout features of the collection are 19 new ports of call, 5 epic Grand Voyages, and the 133-night 2028 World Cruise which will sail aboard Seven Seas Splendor® once more. Also included are 3 Immersive Overnight European itineraries—where every port of call offers an overnight stay—designed to provide deeper cultural connection and unhurried exploration.

    Additional highlights include 6 roundtrip Tokyo sailings and 1 roundtrip voyage from Hong Kong, as well as a complete 32-night circumnavigation of Australia aboard Seven Seas Mariner®. The collection also features 3 fascinating journeys through Africa and Arabia, and 10 transoceanic crossings for those seeking a classic seafaring experience with luxurious, uninterrupted days at sea.

    The collection boasts 60 overnight stays in captivating destinations such as Lima (Callao), Peru; Reykjavík, Iceland; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Guests will also have the opportunity to explore 19 new ports of call, including Nanaimo, British Columbia; Yeosu, South Korea; San Andrés, Colombia; and Scrabster, Scotland.

    The 2027-2028 Voyage Collection will mark new ship Seven Seas Prestige’s™ first full season at sea, offering luxury travelers 44 unforgettable journeys through Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. The ship will sail from iconic ports including Barcelona, Spain; London (Southampton), England; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Miami, Florida; New York; Los Angeles, California; and Panama City, Panama.

    Set for delivery in late 2026, Seven Seas Prestige marks Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ first new ship class in a decade. The 77,000-ton vessel is 40% larger than previous ships yet accommodates just 10% more guests—hosting 822 guests with 630 crew for exceptional space and service. All-balcony suites span 12 categories, including four new designs such as the 8,794 sq. ft. Skyview Regent Suite—the largest all-inclusive, ultra luxury, cruise ship suite in history. Guests will enjoy cuisine across 11 dining experiences, including the new Mediterranean specialty restaurant, Azure.

    Regent Seven Seas Cruises is The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience®, offering guests a seamless and indulgent experience from start to finish. The line’s ever-expanding array of included luxuries includes unlimited shore excursions in every port of call, exquisite cuisine across specialty restaurants and al fresco venues, fine wines and premium spirits, in-suite liquor with a daily replenished mini-bar, unlimited internet access, valet laundry service, onboard entertainment, pre-paid gratuities, and a one-night pre-cruise hotel package for guests in Concierge Suites and above. For those seeking an elevated experience, Regent’s Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare includes air travel, transfers between airport and ship, and Blacklane’s private executive chauffeur service—allowing for a personalized journey from door to deck. Onboard, guests revel in Unrivaled Space at Sea®, with some of the most spacious accommodations and highest crew-to-guest ratios in the industry.

    For more information, please visit RSSC.com/2027-2028-voyage-collection, call 1-844-4REGENT (1-844-473-4368) or contact your preferred travel advisor.

    CONTINUES…

    2027-2028 Voyage Collection Highlights by Destination

    Africa & Arabia
    Seven Seas Mariner®

    Guests can choose from 3 captivating voyages across Africa & Arabia, ranging from 14 to 21 nights in length. These sailings showcase the region’s beautiful landscapes, diverse cultures and histories, and unforgettable natural wonders, with calls in destinations such as Walvis Bay, Namibia; Luanda, Angola; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Nosy Be, Madagascar; and Pointe des Galets, Réunion Island. Overnight stays in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, South Africa, offer even deeper immersion into this remarkable corner of the world.

    Alaska
    Seven Seas Explorer®, Seven Seas Splendor®

    The majestic wilderness of Alaska will be explored on 16 sailings aboard Seven Seas Explorer, offering guests the most luxurious way to experience the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes, wildlife, and natural wonders. Each 7-night open-jaw voyage either begins or ends in Vancouver, British Columbia or Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska. Highlights include calls to iconic ports such as Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, Klawock, and Ketchikan, along with unforgettable scenic cruising through the Inside Passage and past the towering ice of Hubbard Glacier. Seven Seas Splendor visits the region as part of the 2028 World Cruise itinerary, which will visit the maiden port of Nanaimo, British Columbia.

    Asia
    Seven Seas Explorer®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Splendor®
    Asia’s rich tapestry of cultures will be showcased across 22 voyages ranging from 8 to 19 nights in length. The collection features 6 port-intensive Japan sailings roundtrip from Tokyo, as well as a festive roundtrip Holiday Cruise from Hong Kong touring Vietnam, Brunei, and the Philippines. Guests will enjoy overnight stays in vibrant destinations including Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Bali (Benoa), and Mumbai, India. Additional highlights include calls to South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Maldives, along with three exciting new ports: Tokushima, Japan; Probolinggo, Indonesia; and Yeosu, South Korea.

    Australia & New Zealand
    Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Splendor®

    Guests can explore the wonders of Australia and New Zealand on voyages ranging from 14 nights to an extraordinary 32-night circumnavigation of Australia, roundtrip from Sydney. Across the six voyages, guests will encounter a diverse array of unforgettable destinations, including Darwin and Perth (Fremantle) in Australia, the wildlife haven of Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island, and cultural hubs such as Wellington, Christchurch, and Rotorua in New Zealand. The majestic fjords of New Zealand’s Milford, Dusky, and Doubtful Sounds—some of the region’s most breathtaking natural wonders—are also showcased.

    Canada & New England
    Seven Seas Grandeur®

    Canada & New England’s charm comes to life across five enriching 11-night voyages, perfectly timed to capture the region’s vibrant fall foliage. These sailings appeal to those eager to explore America’s colonial heritage, take in spectacular coastal scenery, or indulge in the region’s famed shellfish. Ports of call include Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Halifax and Gaspé in Canada’s Nova Scotia and Québec provinces; as well as Saguenay, Montréal, and the historic streets of Québec City. 

    Caribbean & Panama Canal
    Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Prestige™, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®

    Luxury travelers can experience the warmth and vibrancy of the Caribbean and Panama Canal across 30 voyages, departing from Miami, Florida, as well as Panama City, New York, and Bridgetown, Barbados. Spanning 7 to 25 nights, the collection includes 5 festive Holiday Cruises and 7 sailings featuring full or partial transits of the iconic Panama Canal. Itineraries explore both the eastern and western Caribbean, along with the Mexican Riviera, and include calls to idyllic destinations such as private island Harvest Caye, Belize; Gustavia, St. Barts; Falmouth, Jamaica; Puerto Limón, Costa Rica; Cartagena, Colombia; Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines; and the ABC Islands. Guests will also enjoy two exciting new ports of call: Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic, and San Andrés, Colombia.

    Mediterranean
    Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Prestige™, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®

    The ever-alluring Mediterranean invites guests to explore its fascinating blend of cultures, flavors, and history on 48 captivating voyages. Spanning 7 to 14 nights, the collection includes 2 Immersive Overnight sailings, allowing for deeper discovery with multiple days in select ports. Guests will visit storied destinations such as Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Italy; Venice (Fusina), Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Tangier, Morocco. The season also introduces 6 enticing new ports of call: Rovinj, Croatia; Reggio Calabria and Piombino, Italy; Milos, Greece; Canakkale (Dardanelles), Turkey; and Savona, Italy.

    Northern Europe
    Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Prestige™, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®

    Northern Europe unfolds across 31 enriching voyages – including an Immersive Overnight sailing – encompassing the storybook charm of the United Kingdom, the cultural intrigue of the Baltics, the dramatic beauty of the Norwegian Fjords, and the allure of Western France. Ranging from 8 to 18 nights, itineraries feature visits to captivating ports such as Liverpool, England; Reykjavík, Iceland; Paris (Honfleur), France; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Edinburgh, Scotland; Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Copenhagen, Denmark; North Cape (Honningsvåg), Norway; and Tallinn, Estonia. This season also welcomes four new ports of call to the Regent portfolio: Scrabster and Aberdeen in Scotland, Hamina in Finland, and Greencastle in Ireland. 

    South America
    Seven Seas Voyager®

    South America invites Regent guests to discover the spirited cultures, vibrant rhythms, and exquisite flavors that define the continent. Across 3 voyages ranging from 14 to 21 nights, travelers will experience once-in-a-lifetime adventures along the Amazon River, the Antarctic Peninsula, Drake Passage, and the Chilean Fjords. Destinations include Lima (Callao), Peru; Recife and Manaus in Brazil; Montevideo, Uruguay; as well as overnight stays in the iconic cities of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    South Pacific

    Seven Seas Splendor®

    The idyllic islands of the South Pacific are showcased on four extraordinary voyages ranging from 14 to 26 nights, offering guests the chance to explore this enchanting region. From the lush volcanic peaks of Tahiti and Bora Bora to the vibrant coral reefs of Fiji and the cultural richness of Tonga and Vanuatu, each itinerary promises unforgettable discovery. One sailing also visits the serene shores of Hawaii. New ports of call in the region include Alofi, Niue; Vava’u (Neiafu), Tonga; and Port Denarau, Fiji.

    Transoceanic Voyages
    Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Prestige™, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®

    Guests can enjoy multiple opportunities to cross the Atlantic Ocean in unparalleled luxury. Spanning 14 to 16 nights, these 10 voyages depart from and arrive at iconic American and European cities, featuring leisurely days at sea and captivating stops at scenic Atlantic islands.

    ENDS

    About Regent Seven Seas Cruises® 

    Unrivaled at Sea™ for over 30 years, Regent Seven Seas Cruises® is the world’s leading ultra luxury cruise line. Carrying between 496 and no more than 822 guests, the line’s spacious and stylish ships - Seven Seas Explorer®, Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Navigator®, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®, and Seven Seas Prestige™, which is scheduled to be delivered in 2026 – form The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet®. Offering Immersive Exploration™ in more than 550 destinations globally, guests travel the world in Luxurious Space featuring sumptuous all-suite accommodations, nearly all with private balconies, which are among the largest at sea. Regent’s signature Heartfelt Hospitality™ can be found throughout lavish public areas and expansive outdoor spaces, or while savoring Epicurean Perfection™ in a range of specialty restaurants and al-fresco dining venues. Delivering The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience® Regent’s All-Inclusive Cruise Fares offer amenities such as unlimited complimentary shore excursions, exquisite cuisine, beverages including fine wines and spirits, entertainment, Starlink Wi-Fi, free valet laundry, gratuities, a one-night, pre-cruise hotel package for guests staying in Concierge-level suites and higher, and more. In addition, Ultimate All-Inclusive Fares include roundtrip flights with the flexibility to choose desired air class, transfers between airport and ship, and exclusive Blacklane private executive chauffeur service for guests to personalize their journeys. For more information, please visit RSSC.com, call 1-844-4REGENT (1-844-473-4368) or contact a professional travel advisor. Regent Seven Seas Cruises® is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.

    Notes to editor: Images can be found here. Please use ©RSSC or “Images were provided by Regent Seven Seas Cruises®”

    Quinn PR Media Contact

    Loren Duran

    917-353-0949

    lduran@quinn.pr

    Regent Seven Seas Cruises Media Contact

    James Arnold

    Senior Director Communications, Public Relations, and Organic Social Media
    Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    +44 (0)7408 956315
    jarnold@rssc.com

    Released July 9, 2025

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  • Bangladesh recordings suggest ex-PM Hasina ordered deadly crackdown – World

    Bangladesh recordings suggest ex-PM Hasina ordered deadly crackdown – World

    Audio recordings analysed by the BBC suggest Bangladesh’s fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina ordered a deadly crackdown on protests last year, allegations for which she is on trial.

    Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations, when Hasina’s government ordered a crackdown on protesters in a failed bid to cling to power.

    Hasina, 77, fled to India at the culmination of the student-led uprising and has defied orders to return to Dhaka, where her trial in absentia for charges amounting to crimes against humanity opened on June 1.

    The BBC Eye Investigations team analysed audio alleged to be of Hasina — and which forms a key plank of the evidence for the prosecution — which was leaked online.

    In the recording, dated July 18, 2024, a voice alleged to be Hasina is heard authorising security forces to “use lethal weapons” against protesters and that “wherever they find [them], they will shoot”.

    The BBC said audio forensics experts had found no evidence that the speech had been edited or manipulated, and that it was “highly unlikely to have been synthetically generated”.

    Bangladesh police have also matched the audio with verified recordings of Hasina.

    ‘Denies the charges’

    Protests began on July 1, 2024, with university students calling for reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs.

    Student ambitions to topple Hasina’s iron-fisted rule seemed a fantasy, just months after she won her fourth consecutive election in a vote without genuine opposition.

    But protests gathered pace and a fuse was lit when police launched a deadly crackdown on July 16.

    Hasina’s state-appointed lawyer — who says they have not been in contact with her — has sought to throw out the charges.

    Her now-banned Awami League party said it “categorically denies the charges that its senior leaders, and the prime minister personally, directed the use of lethal force against crowds during the protests of last summer”.

    It instead said that “breakdowns in discipline among some members of the security forces on the ground in response to instances of violence led to (a) regrettable loss of life”.

    Hasina was already convicted of contempt of court in a separate case on July 2, receiving a six-month sentence. She remains in India.

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  • Alex Albon ‘very happy’ to return to points at Silverstone as Carlos Sainz rues ‘really frustrating’ run of bad luck

    Alex Albon ‘very happy’ to return to points at Silverstone as Carlos Sainz rues ‘really frustrating’ run of bad luck

    There were mixed emotions across the Williams garage after the British Grand Prix, with Alex Albon thrilled to return to the points in P8 following a string of retirements while Carlos Sainz was left “frustrated” by his continued run of “bad luck”.

    After lining up in P13 amid mixed conditions, Albon found himself running in third place at one stage of the race due to being one of the last to switch to fresh intermediate tyres when the rain became heavier.

    While he then dropped down the order following his stop, the Thai driver displayed good pace on the slick tyres later on and ultimately crossed the line in eighth place, bringing an end to his three-race run of DNFs.

    “[It was] a lot of fun, actually,” Albon said of his afternoon at Silverstone. “I think it was looking a little bit doom and gloom at some points of the race – we had some moments where we were looking out of the points.

    “And then in a weird way Carlos and I were together on track, which was making it worse because the stop laps were always on one lap and we were always – as Carlos was in front of me for most of the race – we ended up being out of sync and pitting a lap later every time and losing some track position.

    “But on that last set on the slick tyres the car came alive and it really got quick. We got Fernando [Alonso] on the last lap which was fun, had a good battle with him and, P8, I think after a few DNFs is… [I’m] very happy.”

    Asked if the result had acted as a good boost for the team on home soil prior to the next round on the calendar in Belgium, Albon responded: “Yeah, I think so. I think we needed that, the momentum and the general direction of flow was not with us. It was nice to get a race back on the board and get the motivation back and get the vibes up for the next race.”

    It proved to be a tougher day for Albon’s Williams team mate Sainz. The Spaniard had started from P9 on the grid and looked to be having a decent race, but contact with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc saw him slip backwards, meaning that he eventually ended the event in P12.

    Sainz explained later on: “I had a good race, I was having a very solid race, staying out of trouble, survival mode, and then when we went onto the slicks I was P8, fighting for P7 I think.

    “Charles was the car in Turn 15, and when he lost it he crashed into me and went backwards from there with damage.

    “Story of my season, every time we’re on to score good points and having a solid weekend, something out of our control happens and [I’m] getting a bit frustrated, tired with this season because every time there’s something different when we’re about to get good points.”

    With a short break until F1 heads to Spa-Francorchamps on the weekend of July 25-27, Sainz is glad to have the chance to pause before hoping for better luck in the second half of the campaign.

    “I’m driving well, doing everything I can,” the four-time race winner said. “But when there’s so many things happening out of your control, it makes you want to have a bit of a break to see if this run of bad luck and things that keep happening to us stop somehow and we start having a cleaner second half of the season.

    “I’ve never had such a run of so many bad things happening to you consecutively in a run of five, six, seven, eight races like we’ve been [experiencing]. It starts to be really frustrating.”

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