Author: admin

  • De Minaur’s British summer: Wimbledon goals, Boulter by his side – ATP Tour

    1. De Minaur’s British summer: Wimbledon goals, Boulter by his side  ATP Tour
    2. Katie Boulter reveals the one ‘rarity’ putting her at an advantage this Wimbledon  Yahoo
    3. Katie Boulter’s age, net worth, height, boyfriend and Instagram revealed  Heart
    4. Alex de Minaur reveals all on his wedding plans with Katie Boulter  Daily Mail
    5. De Minaur and Boulter’s life off court during Wimbledon as Aussie ‘sneaks’ around house  Daily Express

    Continue Reading

  • 21-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Exhibits Consistent Safety and Immunogenicity Across Manufacturing Lots

    21-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Exhibits Consistent Safety and Immunogenicity Across Manufacturing Lots

    V116, a 21-valent, adult-specific pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV21; Merck) indicated for protection against pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), was found to exhibit consistent immunogenicity and safety profiles across 3 different manufacturing lots, according to investigators of a study published in Med.1

    Image Credit: © Tatiana Shepeleva – stock.adobe.com

    Importance of Vaccine Lot Consistency

    Ensuring that vaccine efficacy, potency, and safety are consistent across manufacturing lots is critical. Vaccine production is a complex process that can occur over multiple sites and involve numerous stakeholders, with myriad opportunities for mistakes that could impact the health of patients. Investigators say that even subtle changes in the production process can alter the purity, efficacy, or safety of a vaccine lot. These risks are compounded with ever-present barriers in procuring necessary supplies for vaccines and navigating shortages.2

    “This compounded risk of biological and physical variability makes vaccine manufacturing more challenging than typical small molecule pharmaceuticals and is a primary root cause of the high proportion of vaccine manufacturing failures and supply shortages,” the authors of a review of the vaccine manufacturing process published in Vaccine wrote.2

    Vaccines to protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) infection, which can lead to community-acquired pneumonia and IPD, have been increasingly manufactured and proliferated across the globe. These conditions lead to significant morbidity and mortality, especially among older adults and those with risk factors that would cause severe disease. Several vaccines targeting S pneumoniae have been developed, most prominently PCVs, which target multiple pneumococcal-causing serotypes that circulate in the community.1,3

    V116 (PCV21) was approved by the FDA in 2024 for the prevention of invasive disease and pneumonia caused by S pneumoniae for patients aged 18 years and older. According to a series of clinical trial data from the STRIDE family of trials, V116 was found to elicit higher immune responses than a comparator vaccine for serotypes unique to V116. Furthermore, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that adults 65 years and older who had not previously received a pneumococcal vaccine and those 16 to 64 years with known risk factors receive PCV21.3,4

    V116 is Similarly Efficacious Across Vaccine Lots

    Although the efficacy of V116 has been proven, the lot consistency of V116—how similar the potency and efficacy of the vaccine is across manufacturing lots—has yet to be determined. These insights could serve as critical indications of the strength of V116’s manufacturing process and identify areas where refinements to the process are necessary. Therefore, investigators of a global phase 3 trial (STRIDE-4; NCT05464420) sought to evaluate the manufacturing consistency of V116.1

    Participants were randomly assigned to receive a single dose of V116 from 1 of 3 lots or the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). Thirty days post-vaccination, investigators associated geometric mean titers (GMTs) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) for patients. In addition, systemic and injection-site adverse events (AEs) were examined for 5 days postvaccination, according to the investigators.1

    Results from the analysis indicate that all 3 lots of V116 met equivalence criteria based on GMTs for all 21 serotypes included in the vaccine. GMTs and GMCs were found to be comparable between the combined V116 lots and PPSV23 for shared serotypes and were higher in the combined V116 lots for serotypes unique to V116, reaffirming the superior efficacy of V116 versus PPSV23. Importantly, the AE profiles were similar across the 3 V116 lots, and between the combined V116 lots and PPSV23, the study authors found.1

    Ultimately, these results both reinforce the strong protection provided against S pneumoniae from V116 and solidify the consistent safety and efficacy across vaccine lots of V116. Recipients of V116 can be assured that there are no significant differences between their vaccine and another, with the same protection provided regardless of lot. Pharmacists can discuss a typical vaccine manufacturing process with their patients to address any lingering concerns regarding safety and efficacy.1

    REFERENCES
    1. Scott P, Ukkonen B, Caraco Y, et al. A phase 3, randomized trial to evaluate lot-to-lot consistency of V116, an adult-specific pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (STRIDE-4). Med. 2025;100748. doi:10.1016/j.medj.2025.100748
    2. Plotkin S, Robinson JM, Cunningham G, Iqbal R, Larsen S. The complexity and cost of vaccine manufacturing—An overview. Vaccine. 2017;35(33):4064-4071.
    3. Halpern L. Pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine generates positive response in adults at increased risk of disease. Pharmacy Times. Published October 21, 2024. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/pneumococcal-21-valent-conjugate-vaccine-generates-positive-response-in-adults-at-increased-risk-of-disease
    4. Gallagher A. FDA approves V116 for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia. Pharmacy Times. Published June 18, 2024. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/fda-approves-v116-for-prevention-of-invasive-pneumococcal-disease-and-pneumonia

    Continue Reading

  • Study of Combined TIGIT/PD-1 Blockade Signals Potential Shift in Gastric Cancer Management

    Study of Combined TIGIT/PD-1 Blockade Signals Potential Shift in Gastric Cancer Management

    As the first phase 3 trial to investigate an Fc-silent, anti-TIGIT agent in patients with solid tumors, the STAR-221 study (NCT05568095) may further clarify the therapeutic role of domvanalimab plus zimberelimab (Sepalizumab) and chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancers, potentially reshaping first-line treatment paradigms, particularly for PD-L1–positive disease, according to Kohei Shitara, MD.

    STAR-221 is investigating the combination of the TIGIT monoclonal antibody domvanalimab, the PD-1 inhibitor zimberelimab, and FOLFOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) or CAPOX (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) vs nivolumab (Opdivo) plus FOLFOX or CAPOX in the first-line setting for patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), and esophageal adenocarcinoma.1 Overall survival (OS) serves as the primary end point. Secondary end points include progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), safety, and quality of life outcomes.

    The initiation of STAR-221 is based on positive findings from the phase 2 EDGE-Gastric trial (NCT05329766).2 Updated findings from arm A1 of the study showed that in all evaluable patients with first-line, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric/GEJ/esophageal adenocarcinoma (n = 41), at a median follow-up of 13.9 months, the confirmed ORR with domvanalimab plus zimberelimab and FOLFOX was 59% (95% CI, 42%-74%). Among patients with a PD-L1 tumor activity positivity (TAP) score of at least 5% (n = 16), this rate was 69% (95% CI, 41%-89%). Among those with a TAP score of less than 5%, the ORR was 50% (95% CI, 29%-71%).

    “Maybe the benefit [will be limited to] patients in the PD-L1–high population, but we should see the actual data [from STAR-221],” Shitara said in an interview with OncLive®. “If we have positive findings, this may give us important insight about the structure of the antibody and whether Fc-silent or Fc-activated [agents] give us different stories [in the context of] past negative trials.”

    In the interview, Shitara discussed the mechanism of action and clinical activity of the TIGIT-targeted agent domvanalimab; preclinical and phase 2 data that support the continued investigation of domvanalimab plus zimberelimab and chemotherapy in patients with gastric/GEJ/esophageal cancers; and the potential clinical implications of results from STAR-221, which may be influenced by PD-L1 status.

    Shitara is the director of the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology at the National Cancer Center Hospital East in Kashiwa, Japan.

    OncLive: How do domvanalimab and zimberelimab work alongside chemotherapy to elicit antitumor responses?

    Shitara: The important target molecule is TIGIT, especially for this combination. TIGIT is an inhibitory checkpoint receptor expressed on various types of immune cells, especially exhausted CD8 cells and regulatory T cells [Tregs], where it usually competes with activating molecules, such as CD20 and CD26, for binding its ligands. If there is TIGIT expression, this usually leads to inhibition of a specific immunophenotype like T cells, Tregs, and natural killer cells. Importantly, [TIGIT] is usually observed with other immune checkpoint molecules, such as PD-1 and LAG-3 [inhibitors]. It is expressed at a relatively later stage of exhaustion. That’s why blocking TIGIT has emerged as an attractive strategy in cancer immunotherapy. This is usually combined with anti–PD-1 and –PD-L1 agents.

    An important aspect [of some] TIGIT antibodies is [the] Fc-maintained or Fc-activated [state, which] retains Fc receptor binding capabilities, leading to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity or complement-dependent cytotoxicity to deplete TIGIT-expressing immune cells. For example, an Fc-maintained IgG1 antibody may deplete Tregs. This may be good for antitumor response, but it may also increase autoimmune toxicity because of the depletion of Tregs.

    Another class of agents is the Fc-silent TIGIT antibody, which is engineered to lack Fc receptor engagement. It doesn’t deplete Tregs—instead, it [mainly] enhances the expansion of effector cells. On the other hand, if Fc is maintained, there is also a risk of depletion of activated effector cells. There are always pros and cons for this kind of structure.

    In preclinical studies, there’s a good paper for both classification of Fc-silent and Fc-maintained antibodies. This was published in Cancer Research and supports that Fc-silent IgG1 antibodies for TIGIT may be better compared with Fc-maintained [agents]. However, another group published a different paper in Nature that supports that Fc-activated TIGIT antibodies are better, especially regarding depletion of immunosuppressive cells, like Tregs.

    Based on these preclinical studies, TIGIT inhibition is attractive. However, there are 2 types of anti-TIGIT antibodies. Domvanalimab is mainly an Fc-silent IgG1 antibody. This may not deplete inhibitory cells, but [it may] mainly activate exhausted effector cells. Because of its lack of depletion of Tregs, the toxicity profile is expected to be feasible. This is usually combined with the anti–PD-1 [agent] zimberelimab. Zimberelimab is an IgG4 monoclonal antibody [with a mechanism of action] similar to that of nivolumab and pembrolizumab [Keytruda]. This combination has been tested in various clinical trials.

    What phase 2 data contributed to the rationale for STAR-221?

    This combination’s development is further supported by results from the ongoing EDGE-Gastric trial. This is a first-line gastric cancer trial [planning] to enroll approximately 40 patients to test domvanalimab and zimberelimab in combination with a cytotoxic FOLFOX regimen. Initial data were presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting and showed an ORR of 59% in the entire population, with a median PFS of 12.9 months. Although the small sample size is a relatively major limitation of the study, [the findings], in direct comparison with [those from] previous pivotal trials like the phase 3 CheckMate 649 [NCT02872116] and KEYNOTE-859 [NCT03675737] studies, suggested an increased ORR and longer median PFS.

    The subgroup analysis [data] also support [population] enrichment by PD-L1 status. This TIGIT-directed domvanalimab/zimberelimab/chemotherapy combination seemed to work better in patients with high PD-L1 expression, such as a combined positive score [CPS] or TAP score of 5% or higher. This is in line with our expectations, because TIGIT is usually co-expressed with other checkpoints like PD-1 [T] effector cells. Additionally, the safety profile looks manageable; because of a lack of Treg depletion, autoimmune reactions seem to not be increased.

    The phase 3 STAR-221 trial is ongoing to test domvanalimab/zimberelimab in combination with first-line FOLFOX or CAPOX vs the current standard of chemotherapy plus nivolumab in the first-line setting. We needed to test PD-L1 status before patient enrollment. Patients could be enrolled regardless of PD-L1 status, but stratification by PD-L1 status was important, considering the mode of action [of the combination demonstrated in] the subgroup analysis of the phase 2 study. That’s why PD-L1 TAP score was included as one of the stratification factors for the primary end point for OS in this study. Subgroups will also be tested according to TAP score or CPS status. Enrollment [to STAR-221] is completed, and we are waiting for survival follow-up and analysis.

    Concerning the current other trials for TIGIT-targeted therapy, unfortunately, no phase 3 trial has shown the benefit of TIGIT inhibitors in any solid tumors. For example, there were negative trials in melanoma, gynecological cancer, and lung cancer. The lung cancer trial showed a borderline benefit of TIGIT inhibition, especially in the PD-L1–positive population.

    Although all trials [with TIGIT inhibition] have been negative, there [are opportunities to use TIGIT inhibitors with] different modes of action, especially [regarding] the Fc portion. Previously reported phase 3 trials have almost always applied Fc-maintained or Fc-activated TIGIT inhibitors. STAR-221 is the first study to test an Fc-silent anti-TIGIT antibody. [Therefore], we may observe a difference [in outcomes from this trial] compared with previous negative trials.

    How might positive results from STAR-221 affect the development of domvanalimab and the placement of the investigational combination among current chemoimmunotherapy regimens for gastric cancers?

    It should depend on the result. If [domvanalimab/zimberelimab/chemotherapy] shows an OS benefit compared with chemotherapy plus nivolumab, it should be at least the standard in some populations. However, this depends on the subgroup analysis [where patients are stratified] by PD-L1 status. If it only shows a benefit in the PD-L1–high population, it should be the treatment used for that population [only].

    However, if [the combination] shows an [OS] benefit regardless of PD-L1 status, this is also attractive, because usually patients with low PD-L1 status achieve limited benefit with chemotherapy plus a PD-[L]1 inhibitor. If this trial turns out to be positive, why not test this agent in other types of tumors [beyond those] where previous anti-TIGIT therapy failed to show a survival benefit? It should be interesting.

    Chemotherapy/nivolumab is standard, especially for patients with a PD-L1 CPS of 1 or higher. [In patients with a] CPS less than 1, [this combination] didn’t show benefit, but there’s no detrimental effect. The [STAR-221] trial was started before the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee meeting about the restriction of [frontline PD-1 inhibitors to patients with HER2-negative, microsatellite-stable gastric/GEJ adenocarcinoma with a PD-L1 CPS greater than 1]. I don’t expect any large barriers or any differences in this [trial] population compared with the general gastric cancer population regarding CPS frequency.

    Additionally, the main objective in this study is to see the treatment effect, especially in patients with a CPS or a TAP score of 5% or higher. [CPS] is being monitored during the trial. It does not seem different from the usual frequency [seen in this population], but the exact results should be reported after the analysis.

    References

    1. A clinical trial of a new combination treatment, domvanalimab and zimberelimab, plus chemotherapy, for people with an upper gastrointestinal tract cancer that cannot be removed with surgery that has spread to other parts of the body (STAR-221). ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated June 26, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05568095
    2. Janjigian Y, Oh D, Pelster M, et al. Updates on abstract 433248: EDGE-Gastric arm a1: phase 2 study of domvanalimab, zimberelimab, and FOLFOX in first-line (1l) advanced gastroesophageal cancer. Presented at: 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting. May 31-June 4, 2024. Chicago, IL.

    Continue Reading

  • Macquarie Asset Management Launches Health Wave Partners, a Senior Housing Platform

    Macquarie Asset Management Launches Health Wave Partners, a Senior Housing Platform

    • Health Wave Partners strategy will focus on compelling investment opportunities in the senior housing sector
    • Strategic partnership with Macquarie Asset Management enables investment in high-quality properties and partnerships with experienced operators in regions with strong demographic and economic fundamentals

    Today, Macquarie Asset Management announced the launch of Health Wave Partners, a senior housing platform with a strategy aimed at targeting investments in modern senior housing assets alongside established operators.

    The platform will be led by a management team that comprises:

    • John Cobb, Chief Executive Officer
    • Philip Kayden, Chief Investment Officer
    • Elliot Pessis, Chief Operating Officer
    • Sean O’Malley, Managing Director, Finance
    • Holden Torrens, Director of Investments.

    The management team collectively brings more than 75 years of experience in the senior housing sector and has collectively been involved in over $US50 billion worth of healthcare real estate transactions.

    Health Wave Partners will aim to capitalize on the strength of Macquarie Asset Management’s extensive experience and demonstrated track record of growing and institutionalizing specialist operators by partnering with global institutions in an effort to seize this opportunity and deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns. Macquarie Asset Management’s real estate team believes the senior housing sector is poised for growth given a shift in demographics driving demand and a current undersupply. In the U.S., the aging baby boomer generation is set to expand the population aged 80+ at the fastest pace in history, materially outpacing new senior housing supply. This shift comes as higher interest rates and building costs have led to a rapid deceleration in construction.

    “We have extensive experience in targeting sectors bolstered by structural tailwinds and selecting the optimal team within those sectors to partner with,” said Eric Wurtzebach, Head of Real Estate for Macquarie Asset Management. “We believe Health Wave Partners is uniquely positioned to access pipeline and mitigate execution risks.”

    “Health Wave Partners will focus on investing in what it views to be high-quality properties and partner with experienced operators in regions with strong demographic and economic fundamentals,” said John Cobb, CEO of Health Wave Partners. “We believe our team’s expertise and strategic partnership with Macquarie Asset Management positions us for success and are excited to pursue what we believe is a strong opportunity in the market.”

    Macquarie Asset Management has over 35 years of experience in the real estate sector and a current network of 15 specialist operator investments globally, offering clients access to a differentiated approach and local market expertise by investing in and partnering with specialist operators to create opportunities in hard-to-access sectors.

     

    About Health Wave Partners

    Health Wave Partners is a Chicago-based housing platform, investing to deliver modern, best-in-class accommodation for seniors alongside experienced operators. It is supported in this goal through its strategic partnership with Macquarie Asset Management (MAM). MAM’s differentiated real estate strategy focuses on investing into specialist operating platforms. Through the partnership, Health Wave Partners is supported by access to MAM’s deep resources and expertise.

    Health Wave Partners’ highly experienced team invests in high-quality properties and experienced operators in regions with strong demographic and economic fundamentals to deliver compelling risk-adjusted returns.

    Continue Reading

  • Raducanu defeats teenager Xu in all-British opener at Wimbledon

    Raducanu defeats teenager Xu in all-British opener at Wimbledon

    Emma Raducanu’s latest Wimbledon campaign started off without a hitch, as the Grand Slam champion eased past one of her rising compatriots who hopes to follow in her footsteps.

    Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws

    In an opening-day clash on Court No. 1, former Top 10 player Raducanu moved past 17-year-old wild card Mingge (Mimi) Xu 6-3, 6-3, booking a spot in the second round of her home Grand Slam for the fourth time in her four main-draw appearances.

    Raducanu needed 1 hour and 25 minutes to prevail in Monday’s battle of the Britons. It was the first time two British women faced off in the first round of Wimbledon since Anne Keothavong (now the current Billie Jean King Cup captain for Great Britain) defeated Naomi Broady in 2011.

    Grand Slam experience pays off: Raducanu knows what it’s like to have career breakthroughs as a teenager. At age 18, she made her Grand Slam main-draw debut here on home soil at 2021 Wimbledon, and raced to the Round of 16.

    Her teenage dream reached a fever pitch in her second Grand Slam main draw at the 2021 US Open. There, still only 18 years old, she won 10 straight matches to become the first qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles title.

    World No. 40 Raducanu continues to excel when kicking off majors. She is now 11-2 in Grand Slam first-round matches throughout her young career.

    Tale of the match: Raducanu was in charge from the jump on Monday, bookending the first set with service breaks in the first and last games. Raducanu never faced a break point and hit only four unforced errors in the opening frame.

    World No. 318 Xu, making her Grand Slam main-draw debut, found more winners in the second set (13, compared to her eight in the first set). Xu broke her more experienced countrywoman two times in that set.

    However, Raducanu ended a flurry of five straight breaks with a forehand winner down the line to lead 4-2, and she was untroubled on serve after that.

    Raducanu slammed an unreturned serve to close out her first match point and return to the second round. All told, she won three-quarters of her first-service points, and she finished the match with 25 winners to 12 unforced errors.

    Vondrousova ousts Raducanu in Abu Dhabi clash between Grand Slam champions

    Vondrousova awaits: Raducanu will face a fellow Grand Slam champion in the second round, and a Wimbledon titlist to boot — 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.

    In one of the trickiest first-round draws of the event, Vondrousova of the Czech Republic ousted No. 32 seed McCartney Kessler of the United States 6-1, 7-6(3) in 1 hour and 25 minutes — the same length as Raducanu’s win.

    This was a tough draw because both Vondrousova and Kessler won grass-court titles exactly eight days ago — Vondrousova took the title at WTA 500 Berlin (her first title since 2023 Wimbledon) and Kessler prevailed at WTA 250 Nottingham.

    In the clash between grass-court champions, former Top 10 player Vondrousova raced to a 6-1, 5-1 lead before Kessler (seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time) stormed back to force a tiebreak.

    Despite her big lead, Vondrousova never had match point until the breaker, but she eventually closed out her first Wimbledon win since she beat Ons Jabeur in the 2023 final.

    Rivalry breakdown: Vondrousova leads Raducanu 2-1 in their head-to-head. Interestingly, Raducanu’s win came right here during her breakthrough run at 2021 Wimbledon, when she beat Vondrousova in the second round.

    Vondrousova, though, avenged that loss at 2022 Billie Jean King Cup. She then beat Raducanu earlier this year in Abu Dhabi.

    More to come…

    Continue Reading

  • County Championship: Bracey ton boosts Glos before Glam fightback

    County Championship: Bracey ton boosts Glos before Glam fightback

    Gloucestershire resumed on 279-7 but quickly lost Todd Murphy without scoring and Ajeet Singh Dale for two, as Van der Gugten twice found the edge.

    Bracey farmed the strike effectively and punished the odd bad ball with the second batting point coming up in the 104th over, while Archie Bailey finally got his first Championship runs in his fifth match and third innings to earn a few cheers.

    Bracey was dropped at deep mid-wicket on 87 off Van der Gugten, and that proved costly as he moved to a third century of the season.

    Glamorgan’s frustration grew as fielders moved in and out, Bailey (19 not out) increased in confidence, and Bracey laid about him hitting 13 fours and four sixes, before lofting Crane to long-off.

    The economical Ajeet Singh Dale made the first visitors’ breakthrough in scorching afternoon heat as Zain Ul Hassan hooked to fine leg on nine, while Asa Tribe looked in good shape for 35 before edging Bailey to Bracey.

    Bailey then induced Kiran Carlson (14) to flick to fine leg, while Sam Northeast (48) seemed on the way to a big score before left-arm spinner Graeme van Buuren got one through his defences to nudge one bail off to the batter’s bewilderment.

    At 121-4, Glamorgan had work to do as the ball went soft, after some self-inflicted damage.

    Ingram and Kellaway applied themselves studiously in the evening session, despite the dual distractions of hundreds of swooping gulls, and the distant strains of Oasis sound-checking at the nearby Principality Stadium.

    Kellaway reached his half-century off 83 balls with seven fours, while Ingram passed the landmark off 103 balls in the final over, but Glamorgan were content to see out the day without too much aggression against some tidy bowling.

    Gloucestershire’s James Bracey told BBC Bristol Sport:

    “I’ve just got to stay in rhythm and keep contributing with the bat, making the most of favourable conditions this morning, and it’s good to be in a vein of form still.

    “It was a really crucial partnership to get us up to 380, we needed that or a few more, and it was good fun batting with Archie.

    “I was guiding him through it and he seemed to enjoy it, his batting’s come on so much and the extra 90 runs or whatever come in really handy.

    “When the ball goes soft, (the game) becomes a bit slow but that’s where you’ve got to be creative and use your spinners to full effect. Both teams have bowled well so far, hence the slower pace.”

    Glamorgan’s Timm van der Gugten told BBC Sport Wales:

    “We’re pretty happy with how the day ended though they got a few too many when they batted, we probably dropped a few chances and let a few run-outs go.

    “The way Kellers and Colin batted at the end swung it back into a good day at the end.

    “I’m not a massive fan of the Kookaburra ball though I get where they’re coming from in introducing them. They play very differently here than they do in Australia though I guess it creates opportunities for different types of bowling.

    “Everyone’s in the mix (for promotion), but we’re pretty happy with how we’ve been playing after the first three games. We weren’t at our best at times at Leicester but it feels like we’ve clicked back into it again this week.”

    Continue Reading

  • UK police say pro-Palestine performances at Glastonbury subject to probe | Gaza News

    UK police say pro-Palestine performances at Glastonbury subject to probe | Gaza News

    British police have announced that the weekend performances by rap-punk duo Bob Vylan and the Irish-language band Kneecap at the Glastonbury Festival are subject to a criminal investigation after they led crowds in chants calling for “death” to the Israeli military and a “free Palestine”.

    Police on Monday said the performances at the United Kingdom’s largest summer music festival “have been recorded as a public order incident”.

    Rapper Bobby Vylan, who until the weekend was relatively unknown, led crowds in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death” to the Israeli military.

    The BBC said it regretted livestreaming the performance and it should have pulled it off the air.

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other UK politicians condemned the chants, saying there was no excuse for such “appalling hate speech”. Starmer added that the BBC must explain “how these scenes came to be broadcast”.

    Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, said it was “very concerned” about the BBC livestream and said the broadcaster “clearly has questions to answer”.

    Meanwhile, the United States Department of State said it has revoked the visas for Bob Vylan to perform in the US after its “hateful tirade at Glastonbury”.

    “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a social media post.

    Israel’s genocidal assault in Gaza has inflamed tensions around the world, triggering pro-Palestinian protests in many capitals and on college campuses. Israel and some of its supporters have described the protests as anti-Semitic while critics said Israel uses such descriptions to silence its opponents.

     

    Glastonbury Festivalgoers watch as Kneecap performs in Pilton, Somerset, England [Jaimi Joy/Reuters]

    While maintaining a crippling siege on the bombarded enclave, Israeli forces have killed at least 56,531 people and wounded 133,642, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

    Bob Vylan, known for mixing grime and punk rock, tackles a range of issues in its lyrics, including racism, homophobia and the class divide, and has previously voiced support for Palestinians.

    Its lead vocalist, who goes by the stage name Bobby Vylan, appeared to refer to the weekend performance in a post on Instagram, writing: “I said what I said.”

    “Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” he added.

    The duo played Saturday afternoon right before Kneecap, whose set was not livestreamed by the BBC but still found a huge online audience via TikTok. It is another band that has drawn controversy previously over its strongly pro-Palestine stance.

    Kneecap led a crowd of tens of thousands in chants of “Free Palestine” at the festival. It also aimed an expletive-laden chant at Starmer, who had said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury after one of its members was charged under the Terrorism Act.

    Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who is also known as Liam O’Hanna and performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged with supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London last year.

    Israel has faced sustained international opprobrium for the conduct of its war in Gaza. Weekly protests draw thousands of people around Europe and across the world in support of Palestinians.

    Public pressure, in part, seemed to prompt the Israeli allies France, Canada and the UK to issue a sharply worded statement in May calling for Israel to stop its “egregious” military actions in Gaza and criticising Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.

    Continue Reading

  • Jury deliberates in Sean “Diddy” Combs sex-trafficking trial – live updates

    Jury deliberates in Sean “Diddy” Combs sex-trafficking trial – live updates

    Inner life of one of hip hop’s biggest stars on display in this trial

    Nada Tawfik
    New York correspondent

    This Manhattan courthouse has pulled back the curtain on the private life of one of hip hop’s biggest icons.

    The mogul and producer admits that he beat his partners – had a drug problem – and that he enjoyed so-called “freak offs” – or prolonged sexual encounters between his girlfriends and male prostitutes.

    But Sean “Diddy” Combs insists the sex was consensual. So is he guilty of running a criminal enterprise and sex trafficking?

    The jury will need to weigh the evidence to decide if he’s just a flawed individual being unfairly targeted by overzealous prosecutors and women after money. Or if he’s someone who used his vast wealth, power and influence to manipulate, trap and force women to fulfil his sexual desires.

    There’s video and photo evidence – text messages – hotel and financial records – flight logs. But ultimately this case hinges on who the jury believes.

    Cassie Ventura and Jane spoke in harrowing detail about the physical toll the “freak offs” and drugs took on their bodies – how Diddy controlled every aspect of their life – and his threats including blackmail.

    Diddy didn’t testify and jurors can’t hold that against him, because the burden is on the government to prove its case. But his lawyers said the women were free to leave at any time – and when they did – nothing happened.

    The defence claimed the women were just as enthusiastic about the “swinger” lifestyle. So – was there a power imbalance? Was every “freak off” consensual – or did they eventually turn into sex trafficking when the women told him they didn’t want to do them anymore?

    Those are all important questions in this case.

    Here’s what the jury in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial is considering

    Continue Reading

  • IDK, Cordae, Tink, Bryson Tiller & LUCKI

    IDK, Cordae, Tink, Bryson Tiller & LUCKI

    Between Drake flaunting his abs on Instagram and Beyoncé tippin’ on 44s while mid-air during her first hometown Cowboy Carter Tour stop in Houston, Texas, June certainly went out with a bang in the worlds of hip-hop and R&B.

    Drizzy’s and Queen Bey’s late-stage entries were the perfect closer to a month that also included the announcement of Brandy and Monica’s forthcoming first-ever co-headlining tour (alongside Kelly Rowland, Muni Long, and American Idol champ Jamal Roberts), a fiery Glastonbury debut from Doechii and a puzzling new EP from Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and King Combs, Diddy’s eldest child.

    This week, the news cycle’s biggest story will undoubtedly be the jury deliberations — which began on Monday (June 30) — in Diddy’s ongoing sex trafficking trial. Last week (June 24), the disgraced mogul opted not to take the stand in his own defense, telling the judge, “That is solely my decision… I wanted to tell you, thank you, you’re doing an excellent job.” No one can claim to know how long it will take the jury to land on a unanimous verdict, but Monday’s proceedings confirm that this month-long legal and cultural saga is nearing its end. Diddy, who maintains his innocence, could face a potential life sentence if convicted on all counts.

    The end of the Diddy trial could also coincide with another major hip-hop moment. On July 11, Clipse will release their highly anticipated Let God Sort Em Out album. Serving as their first new set in 16 years, Let God Sort Em Out has routinely dominated social media with each new single — and Kendrick Lamar’s much-buzzed-about guest verse.

    With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Tink and Bryson Tiller’s new duet to Dess Dior’s new summer anthem. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

    Continue Reading

  • All the key moments from the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix as the McLarens duel, Red Bull suffer and stars hit the paddock

    All the key moments from the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix as the McLarens duel, Red Bull suffer and stars hit the paddock

    The Austrian Grand Prix provided a thrilling weekend of action for Round 11 of the 2025 F1 season, with plenty of big talking points emerging from the Red Bull Ring.

    Lando Norris bounced back from his Canada crash to seal victory, coming out on top after another nail-biting scrap with McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri – while, behind them, Red Bull endured a nightmare outing at their home event, Gabriel Bortoleto broke his points duck and several famous faces watched on. Here’s our round up of all the highlights from the Austrian Grand Prix weekend…

    An epic McLaren battle for the win

    A badly judged overtake attempt last time out in Canada saw Norris and Piastri clash, with the former retiring from the race while Piastri’s eight-race streak of podium finishes also came to an end.

    The pair reset for another round at the Red Bull Ring, with Norris clearly meaning business as he established a comprehensive gap over his team mate in Qualifying, but Piastri was far from fazed, declaring he was “not planning on finishing third”.

    He quickly followed through on his words at lights out, charging past Charles Leclerc and immediately launching a challenge on Norris for the lead of the race. In possibly one of the most thrilling intra-team battles of the last few years, the two engaged in a race-long fight that involved each side of the McLaren garage going head-to-head, bringing strategy and tyre management into the on-track contest.

    Norris had the clear advantage of starting on pole position, but Piastri rapidly shut down the gap and pursued the Briton with DRS for the entirety of the first stint.

    In a moment that surely saw the team pit wall hold their breath, Piastri darted past Norris on Lap 11, snatching the lead albeit for only a short time. The original leader remained by his side and prevented him from edging further ahead, reclaiming first place as quickly as he’d lost it.

    The tension didn’t end there as the Australian endured another heart-in-mouth move soon afterwards – closing in on Norris once again, he locked up just behind and came agonisingly close to colliding with the rear of his car, but fortunately only emerged with an uncomfortable flat spot.

    With the first round of pit stops beginning to kick off, the pair never got quite as near each other on track again, as Piastri’s choice to stay out for four laps longer than Norris led to a six-second gap between them. A seemingly endless stream of backmarkers, including Franco Colapinto who forced Piastri off onto the grass unaware he was behind, further halted the Australian’s ambition to return into DRS range, and Norris was able to endure the constant pressure until the chequered flag fell.

    A nightmare home race for Red Bull

    Looking at past results, this weekend should have been a return to glory for the Milton Keynes-based outfit – Max Verstappen holds the most pole positions and most victories in Austria and, of course, the circuit itself bears Red Bull’s name in the team’s home country.

    Hordes of people rocked up in orange for the occasion, ready for another Verstappen masterclass in the Styrian hills. But they were swiftly disappointed by the conclusion of Qualifying as the Dutchman ended up in P7, deterred from setting a second flying lap due to the yellow flags shown whilst Pierre Gasly recovered from a late spin.

    The session was similarly, if not more, disastrous for Yuki Tsunoda, who failed to progress to Q2 for the second time in the last three rounds and was resigned to start the race from P18 on the grid.

    While Verstappen labelled the result “painful”, he also admitted that there could be “some surprises in the race”, which certainly proved to be accurate. Maybe he was expecting some drama at the front that he could capitalise on, but the drama actually ended up involving him.

    Just a few corners into the opening lap, Kimi Antonelli locked up his rear tyres and found himself unable to make the corner, instead plunging straight on into the lead Red Bull to take both himself and Verstappen out of the race.

    His remorse was evident as the two were seen talking whilst their cars were recovered, and the rookie confirmed that he had apologised immediately after the incident that caused the reigning World Champion’s first DNF since the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. Antonelli still received a three-place grid drop for the upcoming round at Silverstone for causing a collision.

    Tsunoda was forced to take on the role of the sole remaining Red Bull, but little went well for him. On Lap 30, he was passed by Colapinto’s Alpine and, determined to reclaim the position, he threw caution to the wind and ended up clipping the Argentine’s right rear tyre to send him into a spin.

    He then headed to the pits to replace his damaged front wing and dropped to last in the order, with things going from bad to worse as he was handed a 10-second time penalty for the collision, well and truly confirming his P16 result.

    Bortoleto takes his first points and Lawson shines

    Amid a wealth of collisions and mechanical failures, it’s nice that at least one driver experienced the best weekend of their F1 career so far – enter Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto.

    The combination of returning to a circuit he performed superbly at in his junior career and finding the rhythm he has been searching for in the C45 came together to produce the rookie’s first F1 points.

    After making it into Q3 for the first time this season, Bortoleto raced those around him masterfully, including his manager/mentor Fernando Alonso – the two engaged in a heartwarming battle for P7 in the final laps of the Grand Prix, with the former World Champion clinging onto the position.

    He was later seen hugging the Brazilian and congratulating him on defending his Qualifying position to finish in eighth place, just ahead of his team mate Nico Hulkenberg.

    Aside from Alonso, another driver to make the one-stop strategy work was Liam Lawson, who achieved his best Qualifying result so far (P6), in a similar vein to Bortoleto. He started and finished as the lead Red Bull-backed racer, securing an important six points for Racing Bulls as he escaped up the road from the Alonso-Bortoleto battle on the penultimate lap.

    The biggest pole margin of the season so far

    Saturday’s Qualifying was an exciting affair, with Norris grabbing pole for Mclaren. Having sat out FP1, Norris topped FP2, FP3, Q1 and Q2 – so it was no surprise when he grabbed the P1 grid slot.

    What was a surprise was the margin, the biggest of the season so far at 0.521s. That is a mighty gap at any circuit, but at Austria where the track is one of the shortest of the calendar, it laid down a form marker that Norris is back in business.

    Yes, there was the caveat that a few drivers including Piastri did not get to complete – or even start – their second runs in Q3 thanks to yellow flags, but even so, Norris looked untouchable over one-lap.

    It was the perfect response to some Q3 mistakes earlier this season, and his race-ending collision with his team mate in Canada.

    Stars turn out for Austria, with the race here to stay

    News broke on Sunday that Austria has been handed a contract extension and will be on the calendar until 2041. It is a firm favourite with fans and drivers alike, and one of the most picturesque tracks the F1 circus visits.

    Plenty of stars wanted to judge that for themselves, with Liverpool’s former manager Jurgen Klopp attending the race on Sunday. He spent time in the Racing Bulls garage and perhaps that was what inspired such a strong performance from the team, with Liam Lawson grabbing a brilliant sixth-place finish.

    Eric Bana was also spotted in the Austria paddock, the actor no stranger to the world of F1 as a big sports fan.

    It remains to be seen if Pierre Gasly approached him for tips – after F1 The Movie star Brad Pitt cited Gasly as the driver most likely to make it in Hollywood, Gasly joked he might have to turn to acting as a second career unless he started scoring points.

    And what did he fail to do in the race? Score points. Hollywood might beckon for Pierre.

    Continue Reading