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  • Yuki Tsunoda insists he feels support ‘more than ever’ from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko as he takes blame for Austria struggles

    Yuki Tsunoda insists he feels support ‘more than ever’ from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko as he takes blame for Austria struggles

    Yuki Tsunoda has insisted that he feels support from Red Bull boss Christian Horner and team advisor Helmut Marko “more than ever”, despite his tough run for the squad continuing last time out in Austria.

    A tough Saturday at Spielberg saw Tsunoda exit Qualifying in Q1, resulting in the Japanese driver lining up in P18 on the grid. The troubles continued on Sunday, with Tsunoda picking up a 10-second time penalty following a collision with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto before ending the race down in 16th and last place.

    Pushed on whether he understood the issues that affected him at the Red Bull Ring ahead of the weekend’s upcoming British Grand Prix, Tsunoda took the blame for his tough outing as he explained: “The issue in the race was me.

    “Trying to overtake [Colapinto], I could have just waited one more lap probably. It was a bit unnecessary to push flat out that much in that situation. The race craft wasn’t ideal from myself. The pace itself after that, [having] changed the front wing and everything, it’s not really probably the best reference I’ll get.

    “But it’s still the session I’m working on really hard so far, especially the long run is the stint I’m normally struggling at. We worked so hard the last couple of days coming into here, what we can do better or not, and we’ve got to try a couple of [things].

    “I’m looking forward to it, I’m feeling strong, and I think in the short run hopefully it will come soon in terms of the confidence that level I want.”

    When quizzed on whether he still feels full support from the Red Bull team, Tsunoda responded: “Definitely, yeah. I feel support more than ever, from Christian and Helmut. I went to the south of the UK with a physio in Red Bull Racing to kind of reset myself, and that was coming from them.

    “They just wanted [me] to have the fresh air and everything, so that helps a lot for me to build up in a way with my rhythm, and also we’re going to try a couple of things.”

    Tsunoda acknowledged that having Marko’s support – amid the advisor recently suggesting that another driver change is not immediately on the cards at Red Bull – is helpful going forward.

    “Yes, rather than him saying I’m going to switch in two races or whatever!” the 25-year-old joked. “Yeah, for sure. Him and Christian are very supportive. He was obviously not happy with my race in Austria, but at the same time he’s still willing to continuously help and support me.

    “He still trusts my talent and the speed, I just have to prove at the track that I can do it. Helmut is just a direct guy, some races if [I] do bad he’ll tell me what was wrong or what was right.

    “It’s the kind of pressure that he gives me, to really be at the level that I never think about or extract from me some performance. It’s just the way that he works from when I was a junior, and I appreciate from how much support I’m getting.”

    Tsunoda is not the first driver to struggle to match Max Verstappen’s performance in the Red Bull and, when asked if he believes that it can take almost a full season or longer for anyone other than Verstappen to adapt to the car, the Japanese racer said: “I don’t know, it depends on the driver.

    “I didn’t see yet a driver that got used to it in that car straight away, so that’s probably a fact but at the same time I feel I’m in the right direction, at least in the short run. I missed out in Q1 in Austria, but at the same time the gap was pretty small.

    “Also in terms of the whole package, I know there is something to come as well into this year compared to Max. Once I get the full package, I still have good confidence that I can be in the level that they want, and also that’s what I’m working hard on.

    “In terms of long run, it’s exactly the place that I’m still probably struggling at, but I’ll find a way. I saw a couple of driving styles I can try, that I never tried in my career in Formula 1, so it’s just learning stuff.”

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  • July 2025 skywatching: Bright planets and a summer constellation 

    July 2025 skywatching: Bright planets and a summer constellation 

    From bright planets to a mythological bird soaring among the stars, July 2025 has an exciting show lined up in the night sky. 

    NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has shared its skywatching highlights – revealing what to watch for this month from sunset to sunrise.

    Planets in motion


    Venus reigns in the morning sky all month, shining brightly in the east during the hours before sunrise. Look for it near the Pleiades star cluster and two brilliant stars – Aldebaran and Capella.

    Mars is visible in the western sky shortly after sunset, glowing about 20 degrees above the horizon before it sets a couple of hours later. On July 28, it forms a striking pair with the crescent Moon.

    Jupiter begins to climb into the morning sky after mid-month. Initially low on the eastern horizon, it rises higher each day, heading toward a dramatic August conjunction with Venus.

    Mercury is visible only briefly – watch for it in the west during the first week of July, beginning about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset. It stays close to the horizon and sets quickly, so timing and a clear view are key.

    Saturn makes its entrance around midnight and climbs high in the southern sky by dawn, offering a glimpse of the planet for early risers.

    What are some skywatching highlights in July 2025? Look for Mars in the evening, Venus and Jupiter in the morning, and find the eagle constellation, Aquila, soaring overhead.

    The first successful Mars mission

    July 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of NASA’s Mariner 4 mission, which performed the first successful Mars flyby in 1965.

    The spacecraft sent back the first close-up images of the Martian surface and revealed that the planet’s atmosphere was thin, cold, and not as Earth-like as once imagined. 

    Before Mariner 4, many scientists and the public still held out hope that Mars might resemble a second Earth – perhaps even supporting vegetation or signs of life. 

    However, the grainy black-and-white images, showing a cratered, barren landscape, were a sobering reality check that reshaped our understanding of the Red Planet.

    Despite dashing earlier hopes, Mariner 4 paved the way for decades of Mars exploration. It was the first time humans had seen another planet up close. The mission proved that long-distance robotic exploration was not only possible, but essential. 

    Spotting Aquila in the July sky

    July is also the ideal time to view Aquila, the Eagle constellation, in the eastern sky during the first half of the night. Its brightest star, Altair, is easy to spot and forms part of the Summer Triangle, along with Vega and Deneb.

    Aquila represents the eagle of Zeus in Greek mythology – a powerful messenger and symbol of divine strength.

    Altair marks the eagle’s heart, with its wings stretching wide across the night sky. To find it, look for the triangle-shaped pattern and note that Altair sits at the southern point.

    While Aquila’s other stars aren’t as bright, they’re easier to trace under dark skies. The second half of July is especially good for observing this constellation, as the Moon rises later and leaves the early night sky darker.

    For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Aquila is a summer favorite. Once you’ve located Altair, try to follow the eagle’s full wingspan across the sky. It appears to fly northward with its wings outstretched.

    Key dates for July skywatching 

    • July 1–7: Mercury is bright and easy to spot in the west after sunset – if you catch it in time. It vanishes within an hour of sundown.
    • July 21–22: Look east before sunrise to see Venus and Jupiter joined by a crescent Moon, along with several bright stars.
    • July 28: In the evening sky, the Moon passes close to Mars, offering a beautiful pairing.

    Whether you’re watching Mars fade into the west or spotting Venus and Jupiter at dawn, July will be a rewarding month to keep an eye on the sky. 

    NASA’s monthly “What’s Up” guide helps us stay connected to the ever-changing night sky. To explore more about NASA’s space missions and skywatching tools, visit science.nasa.gov.

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  • Statement on behalf of Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon

    Statement on behalf of Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon

    This tragic situation and the reality of it is truly shocking, devastating and has left us numb with grief. We therefore cannot imagine how the immediate and wider family of these remarkable brothers must be feeling. Our thoughts, prayers and support are with them all.

    We all know what Diogo could do on the field of play and the vital role he played in our successes since he joined this club in 2020. How he quickly became a firm fan favourite, and his song reverberated around Anfield and in stadiums across the world.

    So many special moments, so many special memories.

    But beyond the player that we all knew was a wonderfully humble human being, he was sincere, intelligent, funny, tough and created connections with people everywhere he went. He had a zest for life that was utterly contagious. Diogo was a loving father, son, husband and brother, and we, and everyone who knew him, will miss him deeply as we all try to process the enormity of today.

    Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. You Will Never Walk Alone.

    Billy, John, Tom, Mike.

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  • See the bright star Spica close to the waxing gibbous moon on July 3

    See the bright star Spica close to the waxing gibbous moon on July 3

    The moon will ride close to the bright star Spica above the southwestern horizon tonight (July 3) — and some well-placed viewers will see the lunar disk pass directly in front of the bright stellar body, occulting its light.

    Stargazers in the U.S. will find the waxing gibbous moon above the southwestern horizon as the sun sets on July 3, with Spica — the brightest star in the constellation Virgo — visible less than 2 degrees to the upper right of the lunar disk.

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  • Statement from the EBU on Eurovision Song Contest General Assembly Discussion – Eurovision Song Contest

    1. Statement from the EBU on Eurovision Song Contest General Assembly Discussion  Eurovision Song Contest
    2. Israeli artists should compete in Eurovision under a neutral flag, Icelandic official suggests  The Jerusalem Post
    3. Israel narrowly avoids Eurovision suspension: ‘If war drags on, staying in will be difficult’  Ynetnews
    4. Iceland calls for stripping Israeli symbols from Eurovision  www.israelhayom.com
    5. Will EBU kick Israel out of Eurovision?  Yahoo

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  • Plant-Based Diet May Improve Stress-Related Metrics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Plant-Based Diet May Improve Stress-Related Metrics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    A plant-based lifestyle program that previously showed benefits for joint pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis may also help ease stress, according to a secondary analysis of the Plants for Joints (PFJ) randomized controlled trial.1 However, researchers did not see the same stress-related effects in participants with metabolic syndrome–associated osteoarthritis (MSOA).

    The 16-week PFJ program combined a whole-food, plant-based diet with physical activity, sleep hygiene, and stress management techniques. In earlier results, the intervention reduced disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis and improved pain and physical function in MSOA.2 Published in Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, this follow-up analysis looked at whether the program also affected stress markers, including heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol levels, and perceived stress.

    Participants with RA who followed the program showed greater signs of reduced stress compared with those receiving usual care. | Image credit: Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com

    Evidence Linking Stress Management to Outcomes

    Prior studies have shown that stress management and mindfulness-based interventions can improve psychological well-being and reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like pain, anxiety, and depressive mood, even if they do not always lower disease activity scores such as DAS28. Yoga-based interventions, however, have demonstrated reductions in DAS28, the number of inflamed joints, and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate compared with usual care.3

    Yoga has also been shown to positively influence HRV, cortisol levels, and other markers of autonomic function. Additional evidence suggests practices like deep breathing or electrical vagus nerve stimulation can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reduce cytokine production, and help modulate immune activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

    Modest But Measurable Stress Reductions in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Among 77 participants with rheumatoid arthritis, those who followed the PFJ program showed greater signs of reduced stress compared with those receiving usual care.1 One key finding was a significant increase in normalized high-frequency HRV (HFnorm) among those following the program, which signals stronger parasympathetic nervous system activity (between-group difference, 6.6; 95% CI, 0.5-12.6). These patients also saw a trend toward improved root square mean of successive differences, another HRV measure related to stress recovery (between-group difference, 4.3; 95% CI, –1.5 to 10.1).

    Compared with usual care, the lifestyle intervention was also tied to nonsignificant reductions in heart rate (between-group difference, 3.1; 95% CI, –3.9 to 10.1), salivary cortisol (1.3; 95% CI, –0.6 to 3.1), and perceived stress (–2.0; 95% CI, –4.4 to 0.3). Measured via the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), subjective stress declined by 2 points more in the PFJ group than in the control.

    Importantly, participants who reported spending more time on stress-reducing activities like breathing exercises or meditation experienced greater improvements in HFnorm. However, engagement with these activities was short-lived, peaking at 8 weeks and returning to baseline levels by week 16. While this was not reflected in the activity data, the authors said participants may have become more aware of stressors and used techniques that were not quantifiable for the study but still had an effect on their stress levels. According to them, this short-term increase in stress-reducing activity could have longer-term impacts worth investigating. On the other hand, they said the intervention as a whole could have contributed to stress reduction.

    No Observed Effect for Osteoarthritis

    In contrast with the rheumatoid arthritis group, participants with MSOA did not experience any meaningful changes in stress-related measures. This group, which had a higher baseline body mass index and older mean age than the rheumatoid arthritis cohort, showed no differences in heart rate, HRV, cortisol, or perceived stress compared with controls after the intervention.

    Physical activity had a different relationship with stress between groups. Higher activity levels were tied to slightly higher stress levels in rheumatoid arthritis, with a mean of 139 minutes of activity per week (β, 0.022; P = .025), but lower levels in the MSOA group, which averaged 119 minutes a week (β, −0.025; P = .038).

    “While the effects of individual lifestyle components cannot be isolated, the associations suggest that greater engagement in stress-reduction activities and physical activity were most linked to improvements in stress outcomes,” the authors said. “However, these associations should be interpreted with caution, as adherence data was self-reported, the effects were small and potentially clinically insignificant, the sample size was limited, and baseline physical activity levels were already high.”

    References

    1. Wagenaar CA, Christiaans J, Hermans V, et al. Effect of a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention on stress-related parameters in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: secondary analysis of the “Plants for Joints” randomized controlled trial. Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2025;23:100298. doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2025.100298
    2. Walrabenstein W, Wagenaar CA, van de Put M, et al. A multidisciplinary lifestyle program for metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis: the “Plants for Joints” randomized controlled trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2023;31(11):1491-1500. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2023.05.014
    3. Slagter L, Demyttenaere K, Verschueren P, De Cock D. The effect of meditation, mindfulness, and yoga in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Pers Med. 2022;12(11):1905. doi:10.3390/jpm12111905

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  • Xbox was funding Romero Games’ new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisis

    Xbox was funding Romero Games’ new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisis

    Microsoft was rocked by more than 9,000 job cuts this week. A significant number have come from its gaming division, resulting in the closure of multiple game studios and the cancellation of numerous in-development projects at Xbox and its contracted studios. We’ve already learned that Microsoft has closed the studio that was developing the much-anticipated Perfect Dark reboot, and Rare’s Everwild has also been sunsetted. And now Romero Games — the studio headed up by Doom creator and veteran developer John Romero — is another major casualty of the sweeping cuts.

    The news was initially confirmed in a statement signed by Brenda Romero and posted on X. “Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios,” it said. “This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control.” It went on to say that the studio was powerless to change the outcome, and that the decision was not reflective of the quality of work its team has produced.

    Ireland-based Romero Games is not owned by Microsoft, but it appears the company’s financial support was crucial to keeping the studio alive — a fact that wasn’t publicly known until the shutdown occurred. IGN is now reporting that the entire Romero Games workforce has been let go, and many Romero Games employees confirm on Linkedin that they no longer have jobs.

    According to the company website, Romero Games was founded by John and Brenda Romero in 2014, and had more than 100 developers on its staff. Its most recent release was 2023’s Sigil II, the unofficial sixth episode in the Doom series, which John Romero co-created in 1993 with id Software, the studio he also co-founded. The upcoming game was described by Romero Games as an “all-new FPS with an original, new IP working with a major publisher.”

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  • Incidence of Symptomatic Gallstone Disease in Bariatric Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy, and the Dilemma of Prophylactic Cholecystectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

    Incidence of Symptomatic Gallstone Disease in Bariatric Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy, and the Dilemma of Prophylactic Cholecystectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study


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  • Swiatek battles past McNally in Wimbledon Centre Court showdown

    Swiatek battles past McNally in Wimbledon Centre Court showdown

    Iga Swiatek continued to avoid the upset bug at Wimbledon on Thursday, but the five-time Grand Slam champion had to escape from a one-set deficit to do so.

    Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws

    No. 8 seed Swiatek of Poland overcame Caty McNally of the United States 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in a second-round showdown on Centre Court. Swiatek needed a grueling 2 hours and 25 minutes to defeat her former junior teammate and opponent McNally.

    With the win, Swiatek becomes the third player this century to reach the third round at 22 consecutive Slam appearances, joining Amelie Mauresmo and Serena Williams.

    Former World No. 1 Swiatek has still not lost before the third round of a Grand Slam since the 2019 US Open, and she is now 23-2 in Grand Slam second-round matches.

    Collins awaits: Swiatek will now take on another American in the third round: former Top 10 player Danielle Collins.

    Swiatek leads Collins 7-2 in their head-to-head, but Collins won their most recent meeting on the clay of 2025 Rome in straight sets. Also, Collins’ other win over Swiatek came in a huge Slam meeting: the 2022 Australian Open semifinals.

    Junior days redux: The Swiatek-McNally history dates back to juniors, with the 2018 Junior French Open being a pivotal moment. They teamed up to win the doubles title at that event, but McNally also got a big win over Swiatek in the singles semifinals.

    McNally would go on to the 2018 Junior Roland Garros singles final, where she finished runner-up to another rising star — Coco Gauff. Swiatek rebounded and won the very next junior Grand Slam singles title at 2018 Junior Wimbledon.

    They had only previously played once on the pro tour, where Swiatek topped McNally at 2022 Ostrava in two close sets. McNally took a set from Swiatek this time, but the former World No. 1 regrouped to take the victory.

    Ostrava: Swiatek survives challenge of former junior rival McNally

    More to come…

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  • Interstellar comet is only third known object to visit from beyond our solar system

    Interstellar comet is only third known object to visit from beyond our solar system

    Astronomers are rolling out a welcome mat for a newly identified visitor from beyond our solar system.

    The object — thought to be a comet — is only the third-ever confirmed interstellar visitor to pass through our cosmic neighborhood.

    Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the comet poses no danger to Earth and will remain roughly 150 million miles away as it speeds by, according to NASA.

    The interstellar comet was first spotted on Tuesday by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Rio Hurtado, Chile. The NASA-funded survey telescope — which is actually made up of two telescopes in Hawaii, one in Chile and a fourth in South Africa — is designed to scan the entire sky several times each night, searching for asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth.

    Researchers combed through archival data from three different ATLAS telescopes and the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in California, and found corresponding observations that helped confirm the discovery. Other telescopes around the world also joined the effort, according to NASA.

    “ESA’s Planetary Defenders are observing the object, provisionally known as #A11pl3Z, right now using telescopes around the world,” the European Space Agency said Wednesday in a post on X.

    Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.David Rankin / Saguaro Observatory

    The comet is currently about 420 million miles away, moving quickly from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, NASA said in a blog post about the discovery. Sagittarius is a prominent constellation in the Southern Hemisphere that points toward the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

    The agency said 3I/ATLAS will swing closest to the sun around Oct. 30, passing at a distance of approximately 130 million miles, or just inside the orbit of Mars.

    NASA said the comet should be visible to ground-based observatories through September, allowing time for scientists to glean additional details about the cosmic interloper, including its size. After September, 3I/ATLAS will be too close to the sun to observe with telescopes, but the object is expected to be visible again in early December, when it emerges on the other side of the sun.

    The months ahead offer a rare opportunity to study a celestial tourist from beyond our solar system. The first confirmed interstellar object seen passing through the solar system was discovered in 2017 by the University of Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS1 telescope. The rocky object, named Oumuamua (Hawaiian for “a messenger from afar arriving first”), has a reddish hue and is elongated like a cigar, according to NASA.

    The only other known interstellar object to pay a visit is 21/Borisov, a comet that was discovered in 2019 by an amateur astronomer named Gennady Borisov.

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