Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to take immediate and practical steps to promote tourism in the country.
“Public and private sectors should work together to facilitate international tourists’ visits to Pakistan’s tourist destinations,” the prime minister said while chairing a meeting to review efforts for the development of the tourism sector.
He further stressed the need for special measures to boost domestic tourism by encouraging local travelers to explore the country’s recreational sites. He also called for strategic planning to attract long-term investment in the tourism sector.
He said there is vast potential to earn foreign exchange by promoting tourism in the country.
“Almighty has blessed Pakistan with abundant natural resources and timeless beauty,” he remarked, adding that with its snow-capped mountains, lush forests, rivers, plains, deserts, and other natural wonders – especially in the northern areas – Pakistan is in no way behind any other nation in terms of tourism potential.
The prime minister further instructed that Pakistan should be introduced abroad as a tourism brand.
“With cooperation from the provinces, steps should be taken across the country to promote tourism,” he noted, adding that “under the vision for national development, we will make Pakistan one of the leading tourist destinations in the world”.
During the meeting, the prime minister was presented with proposals on how to harness the full potential of Pakistan’s tourism sector.
To promote tourism, steps such as the promotion of northern tourist destinations, medical tourism, and other initiatives can be taken, the meeting was informed.
The meeting was attended by minister for information and broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, minister for railways Hanif Abbasi, Minister for Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan Affairs Amir Muqam, Minister for National heritage Aurangzeb Kitchi, Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant Huzaifa Rehman and senior government officials.
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All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is wary of France’s under-strength side for the Lipovitan-D three-Test series that starts in Dunedin on Saturday.
Some of France’s top players have been left at home, having met the FFR’s 2000-minute mark of rugby played during the season.
Robertson said, “One thing with the French, they’ve got depth.
“He’s [coach Fabien Galthie] created depth over the last six years that he’s had the squad, and all those young, exciting players that come through. French rugby is in good stead, in a good position.
“And this is when they’re probably at their most dangerous, when they’re underestimated.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had success so our focus is on ourselves.”
They came close last year, losing by one point in Paris.
Robertson said in their off-season review that the game featured because the All Blacks had given themselves so many opportunities to win.
“We felt we probably had our best two weeks with the Irish and the French, and we probably didn’t get the result we deserved. Sometimes you don’t get that in Test matches and a couple of bounces of the ball didn’t go our way.”
Robertson said France comes to New Zealand with the ability to play and without too much weight of expectation on their shoulders. That made them dangerous.
“The biggest thing is we respect them with our preparation and understand those strengths, but also with the ability that we’ve been together for a year, our cohesion’s high and we trust ourselves. They will respect this team.”
Having seen the effect of refereeing emphasis on more ball-in-play time, Robertson is keen for the All Blacks to take advantage.
“We want to play fast. We think the game’s in a great place for us, quick scrums, quick lineouts, these taps. Our skill set trends to us playing fast and keep creating, so that’s what we’ll push all week.”
Discipline is an area the All Blacks need to improve, as it cost them last year. It is something they need to understand as individuals and as a team.
Robertson said loosehead prop Tamaiti Williams would be out for six to eight weeks after surgery. Robertson wouldn’t be drawn on his decision to play the Super Rugby Pacific final, after he suffered the injury in the quarterfinal.
George Bower has been called in as his replacement. He was one of the tough calls made when he didn’t make the squad, but the management is pleased to have him available.
With Ethan de Groot and Bower, there was experience in the role, while Ollie Norris was being given a chance in top company.
“That’s why we picked him, to find out about him.”
They would miss loose forward Wallace Sititi, who, while named, was forced to withdraw for surgery for an upper ankle injury.
“It’s tough for Wally, but he’s a great rehaber, He came back last time amazingly, and he will again.”
Find out where to watch All Blacks v France around the world HERE.
Pakistan is set to assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of July 2025 on Tuesday (today), with Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad pledging to uphold multilateralism and international law while steering the 15-member body’s work.
“Pakistan’s Presidency will be transparent, inclusive and responsive,” the Pakistani envoy told APP correspondent at the UN, as he prepares to face the challenges ahead.
The presidency of the Security Council – the world body’s power centre – is part of Pakistan’s two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, which began in January 2025. The presidency rotates monthly among its 15 members, in alphabetical order.
Pakistan’s earlier terms on the Council were in 2012-13, 2003-04, 1993-94, 1983-84, 1976- 77, 1968-69 and 1952-53.
Ambassador Iftikhar, who will preside over the Council meetings on key global issues in July, said he was fully aware of complex geo-political scenario, growing instability and threats to international peace and security, marked by rising conflicts and deepening humanitarian crises.
During this July presidency, Pakistan is scheduled to host two high-level signature events on multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes, and on UN-OIC cooperation.
These topics, he said, were reflective of shared priorities – multilateralism, preventive diplomacy and cooperation with regional organizations in promoting international peace and security.
At the same time, the focus will remain on key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East and developments in Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar has already met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and briefed him on the Council’ s programme of work in July.
“As a country that has consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomacy, Pakistan brings a principled and balanced perspective to the Security Council’s work shaped by its own experience, and longstanding contribution to UN’s peacekeeping and peace-building efforts,” the Pakistani envoy said in the interview.
“We look forward to working with all Council members for collective, timely action by the Council in line with its primary responsibility under the Charter and expectations of broader UN membership,” he added.
Pakistan was elected as a non-permanent member with overwhelming support of the UN membership, securing 182 votes out of 193.
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care.
Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found.
There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK.
Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020.
They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys.
Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest.
And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers.
Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted.
“We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,” said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study.
“It’s not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place.
“Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.”
When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025.
Dr James added: “It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS.
“The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.”
On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: “The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes.
“There may also be social factors influencing clinicians’ assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process.
“While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.”
Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: “This research is shocking and it’s not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life.
“There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK.
“This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people.
“But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure.
“More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.”
Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: “These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue.
“NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation.
“The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do.
“Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match.
“There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.”
An NHS England spokesperson said: “The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan.
“More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.”
Donald Trump has signed an executive order to end US sanctions against Syria, which the White House said was a move to support the country’s “path to stability and peace”.
The sanctions, which blocked any foreign financing, were imposed on the government of Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by rebels in December.
The White House said it would monitor the new Syrian government’s actions including “taking concrete steps toward normalising ties with Israel” as well as “addressing foreign terrorists” and “banning Palestinian terrorist groups”.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said the move would “lift the obstacle” to economic recovery and open the country to the international community.
However the US has maintained sanctions on Assad and his associates as well as the Islamic State group and Iranian proxies.
Trump said he would lift sanctions on Syria in May, before he met the country’s new president, former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh. The announcement sparked celebrations in the streets of Damascus.
Sharaa’s Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – which led the overthrow of Assad – was al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria until he severed ties in 2016. HTS is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US and UK.
Monday’s executive order directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio “to review” HTS’s designation. It also says that the US wants the new Syrian government to take over responsibility for detention camps in north-eastern Syria where Islamic State prisoners are being held.
Earlier this year, Rubio called for Syria’s transitional authorities to be supported, warning that a failure to achieve economic progress could lead to a “full-scale civil war of epic proportions”.
Ninety percent of Syria’s population were left under the poverty line when the Assad regime was ousted at the end of 13 years of devastating civil war.
Syria’s new leader has promised to protect the country’s ethnic minorities. However, the mass killings of hundreds of civilians from Assad’s minority Alawite sect in the western coastal region in March, during clashes between the new security forces and Assad loyalists, has hardened fears among minority communities.
There have also been deadly clashes between Islamist armed factions, security forces and fighters from the Druze religious minority. And in June at least 25 people were killed in a suicide attack on a church in Damascus.
Ahead of Monday’s signing, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters it Trump was making good on his commitment to support Syria’s stability and peace.
“This is another promise made and promise kept by this president to promote peace and stability in the region,” she added.
The US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack told reporters that cancelling the sanctions regime had been the “culmination of a very tedious, detailed, excruciating process of, how do you unwrap these sanctions.”
“Syria needs to be given a chance, and that’s what’s happened,” he added.
More than 600,000 people were killed and 12 million others forced from their homes during former president Assad’s rule.
The streaming giant announced Monday that it “is teaming up with NASA to bring space a little closer to home” by streaming live launches into subscribers’ homes later this summer.
The move continues Netflix’s voyage into live streaming content, which has proved to be successful so far. Millions tuned in to Netflix on Christmas Day for a livestream of NFL games, as well as a halftime show concert headlined by Beyoncé. Even though it was plagued by reports of problems with the video quality, a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul streamed on Netflix in November was viewed in 60 million households. Netflix also dived into the talk show realm this year with “Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney.”
Now, Netflix thinks “the next giant leap for humankind might just start with you pressing play,” according to an article on its editorial site, Tudum.
NASA+, which launched in 2023 as a way for the public to get easier access to space content, is already free on NASA’s app and NASA.gov. But the space agency is hoping that it can tap in some of Netflix’s 700 million+ subscribers and generate even more interest in space exploration.
“Audiences now will have another option to stream rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, mission coverage, and breathtaking live views of Earth from the International Space Station,” the space agency said in its news release.
The goal, NASA’s news release stated, is “to bring the excitement of the agency’s discoveries, inventions, and space exploration to people, wherever they are.”
“The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience,” Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+ at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, said in a statement. “Together, we’re committed to a Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration — inspiring new generations — right from the comfort of their couch or in the palm of their hand from their phone.”
Netflix is also capitalizing on a broader interest in space — 2025 has been a big year for space exploration so far, as NBC News reported. In April, many tuned in as pop artist Katy Perry and five other celebrities launched into space on a short flight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket and capsule.
NASA+ live feeds will live on the Netflix’s platform alongside series, according to Tudum. Detailed schedules are expected to be shared closer to launch day, the platform said.
A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has found that MDMA’s mood-enhancing effects may be partly driven by changes in brain systems related to serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin—neurochemical pathways that are involved in emotional and social behavior. The results support the growing interest in MDMA as a possible treatment for mental health conditions.
MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic stimulant with both energizing and hallucinogenic properties. In recent years, researchers have been exploring whether MDMA can be used in controlled therapeutic settings to help people with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder or social anxiety. Its ability to reduce fear and increase feelings of connection makes it especially promising for patients who struggle with interpersonal difficulties. However, scientists still know relatively little about how MDMA produces these effects in the brain, or how these effects vary depending on dosage.
To explore these questions, researchers from the Medical University of Lublin and the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Poland tested the effects of MDMA on 3-week-old zebrafish. This developmental stage is roughly equivalent to adolescence in humans and represents a time when social behaviors are emerging and brain systems involved in emotion are still developing.
Zebrafish are small freshwater fish native to South Asia that have become widely used in biomedical research. They develop rapidly, are transparent in early stages, and share a high degree of genetic and physiological similarity with humans. Because their brains contain many of the same neurotransmitter systems as mammals, and their behavior can be easily observed and quantified, zebrafish are especially valuable for studying brain development, drug effects, and psychiatric disorders.
The researchers were particularly interested in how MDMA influences anxiety and sociability, and whether these effects could be linked to oxytocin—a hormone involved in social bonding and emotional regulation.
The scientists conducted several behavioral tests to assess anxiety and social behavior in the zebrafish. One test measured how closely the fish stuck to the edges of a new environment—a behavior known as thigmotaxis, which is often used as an indicator of anxiety in animals. Another test evaluated how much time the fish spent in a light versus dark area, since zebrafish tend to avoid darkness when they feel safe. Finally, a social preference test measured whether the fish were more likely to spend time near familiar conspecifics, or members of their species.
The zebrafish were divided into groups and exposed to various concentrations of MDMA. They were also treated with either an oxytocin receptor agonist, which mimics the effects of oxytocin, or an antagonist, which blocks those effects. For comparison, some fish were given diazepam, a known anti-anxiety medication. After behavioral testing, the researchers examined the expression of several genes in the fish’s brains, looking at those related to serotonin signaling, oxytocin, and vasopressin. They also analyzed how MDMA affected specific intracellular pathways involved in mood and behavior, such as AKT and ERK1/2 signaling.
The researchers found that MDMA had a dose-dependent effect on anxiety. At very low doses, it appeared to increase anxiety-like behavior. But at moderate doses, particularly 2.5 micromolar, MDMA reduced signs of anxiety. Fish at this dose spent more time in the center of a new environment and were quicker to explore dark areas—both behaviors associated with lower anxiety. However, at higher doses, MDMA began to reduce locomotion and showed signs of possible toxicity, suggesting that the therapeutic range is narrow.
In terms of social behavior, the lowest dose of MDMA (0.5 micromolar) increased the time fish spent near their peers, suggesting enhanced sociability. Interestingly, this prosocial effect was most noticeable at doses that increased anxiety, indicating a complex relationship between emotional and social responses. The oxytocin receptor agonist also promoted social interaction and showed anti-anxiety effects, but only under certain conditions.
In contrast, the antagonist had no noticeable effect on behavior, which may indicate that blocking the oxytocin system is not enough on its own to alter emotional or social responses in zebrafish.
On the molecular level, MDMA exposure led to reduced expression of genes involved in serotonin signaling, including two types of serotonin receptors and the serotonin transporter. These changes may reflect the compound’s action on serotonin release, which is known to be one of MDMA’s main effects in the brain.
At the same time, MDMA increased the expression of genes for oxytocin receptors and reduced the expression of vasopressin receptor genes. While MDMA did not appear to increase actual oxytocin levels in the brain, the changes in receptor expression suggest that it may make brain regions more sensitive to oxytocin’s effects.
The researchers also found that different doses of MDMA affected specific signaling pathways in the brain. At the lowest tested dose, MDMA reduced activation of the AKT pathway, which has been linked to social behavior in other animals. The oxytocin agonist, on the other hand, increased activity in the ERK1/2 pathway, which is known to be involved in anxiety regulation. These findings suggest that different aspects of MDMA’s effects—its influence on anxiety versus social behavior—may be driven by distinct biological mechanisms.
As with any study, there are caveats to consider. Most importantly, the study was conducted in zebrafish, whose brains are simpler than those of mammals and lack some structures found in humans. Although zebrafish share many of the same neurotransmitter systems and genetic pathways, findings in fish may not always translate directly to human biology. Additionally, the study only looked at the short-term effects of MDMA, and more work is needed to understand how repeated or long-term exposure might influence behavior or brain function.
Future research could build on these findings by examining how MDMA affects brain circuits at different developmental stages or by testing how the compound interacts with stress. The researchers also suggested that genetic tools such as CRISPR could be used to further investigate the role of specific receptors in mediating MDMA’s effects. As scientists work toward better treatments for conditions like social anxiety and post-traumatic stress, studies like this one offer a window into how compounds like MDMA could be used not just as recreational drugs, but as tools for healing.
The study, “Exploring the impact of MDMA and oxytocin ligands on anxiety and social responses: A comprehensive behavioural and molecular study in the zebrafish model,” was authored by Monika Maciag, Olga Doszyn, Artur Wnorowski, Justyna Zmorzynska, and Barbara Budzynska.
Prolonged emergency department (ED) length of stays and boarding times for older adults significantly increased between 2017 and 2024, highlighting systemic challenges for hospitals across the US, according to a research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine.1
The researchers noted that extended ED stays in older adults are associated with a higher risk of adverse events, such as mortality and delirium, as well as treatment delays, worse patient experiences, and loss of privacy. To improve care for this population, CMS implemented the Age-Friendly Hospital Measure in January 2025.2
This policy requires hospitals to limit total ED length of stay to under 8 hours and ensure admission to occur within 3 hours of the decision to admit. However, national data on these measures have been lacking.1 To address this gap, the researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to establish national benchmarks.
The recent increase in prolonged emergency department (ED) stays and boarding times for older adults reveals systemic challenges in US hospital care. | Image Credit: chrisdorney – stock.adobe.com
Using the Epic Cosmos health records database, which includes data from 1633 hospitals, 295 million patients, and 78 million admissions, they analyzed ED encounters from January 2017 to December 2024.3 They focused on 2 key metrics for patients aged 65 and older, namely the proportion with an ED length of stay over 8 hours and the proportion of admitted patients waiting more than 3 hours from bed request to admission.1
In 2017, 12% of 4,564,359 ED encounters involved a length of stay over 8 hours. By 2024, this rose to 20% of 12,392,737 encounters. The largest increase occurred in academic hospitals, where prolonged stays grew from 22% of 1,787,179 encounters in 2017 to 36% of 4,311,417 encounters in 2024.
During the same period, boarding times over 3 hours increased from 22% of 1,787,179 encounters in 2017 to 36% of 4,311,417 encounters in 2024. Again, the largest increase was seen in academic hospitals, where boarding rose from 31% in 2017 to 45% in 2024.
Trend analyses showed small annual increases in both measures from 2017 to 2020 (length of stay, 1.1% [95% CI, 0.6-1.6]; boarding, 2.8% [95% CI, 1.5-4.0]), followed by sharper rises from 2020 to 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic (length of stay, 4.2% [95% CI, 1.7-6.7]; boarding, 6.1% [95% CI, 2.5-9.8]). In contrast, from 2022 to 2024, both trends slightly declined (length of stay, –1.7% [95% CI, –2.3 to –1.1]; boarding, –3.2% [95% CI, –4.5 to –1.9]).
Although further investigation is needed, the researchers suggested the increases may be driven by growing patient complexity, increased demand, and ongoing staffing and resource shortages.
Lastly, they acknowledged the study’s limitations, one being that Epic overrepresents larger and academic hospitals. Also, not all hospitals that use Epic contribute to Cosmos. Despite this, the researchers expressed confidence in their findings and emphasized the need to address the declining ED experience for older US adults.
“Worsening ED LOSs [lengths of stay] and boarding contribute to ED crowding, reflect systemic health care dysfunction, and, most importantly, harm individual patients,” the authors concluded. “Addressing these trends is critical to safeguarding both the health of older adults and the health systems caring for them.”
References
Haimovich AD, Berry SD, Landon BE. Prolonged emergency department stays for older US adults. JAMA Intern Med. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.2006
FY 2025 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) proposed rule—CMS-1808-P fact sheet. CMS. April 10, 2024. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/fy-2025-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-system-ipps-and-long-term-care-hospital-prospective
Fast facts on US hospitals, 2024. American Hospital Association. 2024. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2024/01/fast-facts-on-us-hospitals-2024-20240112.pdf
