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  • Trump announces US-Vietnam trade deal

    Trump announces US-Vietnam trade deal

    President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US will charge 20% tariffs on imports from Vietnam under a new trade deal reached during last-minute negotiations.

    A much higher levy of 46% was set to go into effect next week as part of the global tariff plan Trump announced in April. Dozens of other economies, including the European Union and Japan, are still scrambling to make their own deals with the US before the planned increases.

    Under the agreement, Vietnam will charge no tariffs on US products, Trump said in a social media post.

    Tariffs typically push up the prices that shoppers are charged, which in turn can drive down demand.

    The “Great Deal of Cooperation”, as Trump called it, will also impose a steeper tariff of 40% on goods that pass through Vietnam in a process known as “transshipping”.

    “Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

    “In other words, they will ‘OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,’ meaning that we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff,” he added.

    The president said he believed US-made SUVs, “which do so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam”.

    Shares in clothing companies and sport equipment manufacturers – which have a large footprint in Vietnam – rose on the news a deal had been reached, but later declined sharply after the president released details, including the continued tariffs.

    Trump initially imposed steep levies on trading partners around the world in April , citing a lack of “reciprocity”, but then announced a pause where they were all lowered to 10%.

    Many countries then approached the US to negotiate trade deals, according to the White House.

    Since April, Washington had so far only announced a pact with Britain and a deal to temporarily lower retaliatory duties with China.

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  • X Years From Today… the Age of Revelation

    X Years From Today… the Age of Revelation

    Grab these comics and more at your local comic book shop! Or redeem then read your digital copy on the Marvel Unlimited app by using the code found in your print comic. Find and support your local comic book shop at ComicShopLocator.com.

    To read your Marvel comics digitally, download the Marvel Unlimited app for iOS and Android devices. Gain an expansive catalog of 30,000+ comics spanning Marvel Comics history, plus access your entire digital library including comics redeemed from print.

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  • Amazon is offering a like-new Kindle Paperwhite 2024 for just $107

    Amazon is offering a like-new Kindle Paperwhite 2024 for just $107

    With less than a week until Prime Day kicks off, we’re already seeing some exciting early deals pop up. And now we can add two more great discounts to the list: the refurbished ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite is down to $106.99 ($37 off) at Amazon, while the refurbished Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is $126.99 ($53 off) at Amazon. Both discounts bring the like-new e-readers to all-time lows — just in time to read Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary before the movie adaptation hits theaters next year.

    The Kindle Paperwhite is one of our favorite e-readers, especially for those who are already in the Kindle ecosystem. It offers a large 7-inch display, sharp 300ppi resolution, and an adjustable warm white front light, making it more comfortable to read in different environments. It’s also waterproof, so you can read while lounging by the pool, which I plan to do a lot of this summer. Meanwhile, the battery is rated to last for up to 12 weeks on a single charge, though your mileage may vary depending on your reading habits.

    If you don’t want ads on your e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition offers an ad-free experience — plus a few other goodies that the standard Kindle Paperwhite doesn’t. For starters, the Signature Edition has double the storage, so you can download even more books, PDFs, and audiobooks, which you can listen to with Bluetooth headphones or speakers. It also features an auto-adjusting front light, so you don’t have to constantly adjust the brightness throughout the day. Finally, the Signature Edition supports wireless charging, a feature you don’t often see in this space.

    Both models are faster than the last-gen iterations thanks to a dual-core processor, so turning pages, highlighting text, and looking up words is more responsive. Amazon says its refurbished products are thoroughly inspected, cleaned, and tested to ensure they’re fully functional, and you get the same one-year limited warranty as new products. If you need a break from games, movies, and podcasts, we have plenty of great book recommendations to check out.

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  • Knowledge Group Consulting buys learning & development business Biz Group

    Knowledge Group Consulting buys learning & development business Biz Group

    Knowledge Group Consulting has acquired Biz Group, one of the UAE’s well-established learning and development firms. 

    Founded over three decades ago, Biz Group is a learning and development company that helps its client equip their people with the skills, mindset, and tools needed to perform at their best. The Dubai-headquartered firm has served hundreds of organisations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and wider Middle East since its inception, providing corporate training, teambuilding, and learning technology services.

    With the addition of Biz Group, Knowledge Group expands its learning & development offerings, one of its four core lines of business alongside strategic HR consulting, talent assessment, and organisational development. The bolt-on also deepens its expertise in learning technologies, including in digital learning, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.

    “We are proud to combine our efforts with Biz Group to expand our training offerings and deliver client-centric, innovative solutions through technology, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence, while enhancing the efficiency and impact of our services for both public and private sector partners,” said Ahmad Badr, CEO of Knowledge Group.

    The deal has been closed by Nema Education, the parent of Knowledge Group Consulting, for an undisclosed sum. Following the acquisition, the two companies will continue operating under their respective brands names, ensuring business continuity for all clients and partners.

    Ali Saeed bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Nema Education, stated: “Our investment in Biz Group is aligned with our long-term vision to shape the future of workforce development in the region. By combining our strategic capabilities and scale with Biz Group’s strong legacy and innovative learning experiences, we are building a powerful platform to empower individuals and organizations to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.”

    Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri (Nema Education) and Hazel Jackson (Biz Group)

    Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri (Nema Education) and Hazel Jackson (Biz Group)

    Meanwhile, for Biz Group, the joining of forces with the award-winning will enable the firm to scale its reach and impact for clients and staff, said Founder and CEO Hazel Jackson. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Biz Group over the past 30 years. Joining forces with Knowledge Group represents a powerful next step allowing us to scale our purpose, expand our reach, and continue delivering transformational learning experiences.”

    “Our teams are united by a shared vision for the future of learning, and I’m excited to see the new possibilities this brings.”

    Since its inception in 2006, Knowledge Group Consulting has trained more than 160,000 employees in around 20 countries around the world. The company is mostly active in the Middle East and North Africa.

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  • The adverse effects of metabolic disorder on left ventricular myocardial mechano-energetic efficiency and dysfunction in ischemic cardiomyopathy: insight from a cardiac MRI study | Cardiovascular Diabetology

    The adverse effects of metabolic disorder on left ventricular myocardial mechano-energetic efficiency and dysfunction in ischemic cardiomyopathy: insight from a cardiac MRI study | Cardiovascular Diabetology

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  • Association of prediabetes and insulin resistance on prognosis of patients with moderate-to-severe coronary artery calcification: a prospective cohort study | Cardiovascular Diabetology

    Association of prediabetes and insulin resistance on prognosis of patients with moderate-to-severe coronary artery calcification: a prospective cohort study | Cardiovascular Diabetology

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  • Spotted | New Cervélo R5 hiding in plain sight at the 2025 Tour de France

    Spotted | New Cervélo R5 hiding in plain sight at the 2025 Tour de France

    An unreleased version of Cervélo’s R5 climbing bike has been spotted by BikeRadar at the 2025 Tour de France Grand Départ in Lille.

    While much of the focus in recent weeks has been on what appears to be a new S5 aero bike, the American brand admits the new R5 was hiding in plain sight at this year’s Criterium du Dauphiné.

    Claimed to be capable of hitting the UCI’s minimum bike weight limit of 6.8kg ready-to-ride, the new R5 doubles down on weight savings and ride quality.

    Spotted at the Visma–Lease a Bike team hotel, ahead of the 2025 Tour de France, the bike we saw belonged to Matteo Jorgenson, the team’s American rising-star.

    Let’s take a look at what’s changed for this latest version of Cervélo’s iconic climbing bike – and reveal how much a pro-spec build actually weighs.

    Lighter everywhere

    We went to see the new S5 but stumbled across a new R5… Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    While we still believe aero bikes will dominate the opening part of the 2025 Tour de France, the second half of this year’s race is packed with climbing – including a mountain time trial on stage 13.

    With this in mind, Cervélo has given the R5 an even purer focus on weight than before, aiming to have it hit the UCI’s 6.8kg limit with all the accessories needed to make it race-ready (such as pedals, bottle cages, bike computer mounts and so on).

    The new R5 retains its classic silhouette and Cervélo’s signature squoval (square-oval) aero tube shapes – because unlike the Specialized S-Works Aethos, the R5 remains a designated ‘race bike’ – but the brand nevertheless says “every single piece [of the bike] has been changed”.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The seat stays are as thin as possible – both to save weight and improve compliance. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    The tube shapes of the frame, fork and seatpost have all been slimmed down, for example.

    According to the brand, the pencil-thin seat stays are designed to be slimmer than the UCI’s minimum tube thickness of 10mm when unpainted, with the knowledge a coat of lightweight paint will add the required extra millimetre on.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The new seatpost uses a thin D-shape. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    Up front, the R5’s fork no longer flows as smoothly into the down tube, as it did previously.

    It’s possible there’s an aerodynamic penalty for this, but Cervélo said no stone was left unturned in the pursuit of cutting weight.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The front brake caliper now mounts via bolts that go directly through the left fork leg. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    This included remodelling the fork brake mounting area, which now sees bolts go straight through the fork (from the front) and directly into the brake caliper. According to Cervélo, this change negates the need for a flat mount brake adaptor, and for a threaded insert inside the fork – which saves around 30g of weight.

    The brand has also developed a new one-piece integrated handlebar for the new R5.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The new R5 gets a one-piece cockpit. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    It features an aerodynamic profile but also contributes to the goal of saving weight, through the elimination of unnecessary hardware at the stem clamp and the use of a more traditional shape compared to the S5’s cockpit.

    Scores on the doors

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    Weighing bikes isn’t too difficult when they’re this light. Kyle Dewick / Our Media

    While some Tour de France teams are cautious about letting us weigh their bikes, Visma-Lease a Bike was more than happy for us to do so.

    All-in, including two (empty) water bottles, Jorgenson’s new Cervélo R5 weighed 7.03kg, according to our scales – just 200g more than the UCI weight limit.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    Jorgenson’s bike was specced with mid-depth wheels and all-rounder racing tyres. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    The bike we saw was a size 58cm, set up with mid-depth Reserve 42/49 wheels and 29c Vittoria Corsa Pro ‘Wide Rim Optimised’ tubeless tyres.

    Jorgenson’s bike featured a SRAM Red AXS groupset – the lightest electronic road bike groupset with disc brakes until recently (when Campagnolo launched it’s new Super Record 13 groupset) – in 2x form, with a 54/41t crankset and a wide-ranging 10-36t cassette out back.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    Jorgenson’s bike features SRAM Red AXS groupset with 2x 54/41t chainrings.

    Notably, the bike was also specced with 165mm cranks – an extremely short crank length for a rider as rangy as Jorgenson (the American is reportedly 190cm-tall).

    In contrast, Jorgenson had a lengthy stem measuring around 150mm, paired with a relatively narrow, 380mm handlebar width (measured centre-to-centre at the brake hoods).

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The rangy American rider is using 165mm cranks at this year’s Tour. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    Jorgenson’s bike was completed with Tacx Ciro bottle cages, a Prologo Nago C3 saddle, Wahoo Speedplay Aero pedals and a tiny Garmin Edge 130 bike computer (clearly the weight weenie’s choice).

    As at last year’s Tour, Jorgenson’s bike also had a waxed chain, for improved cleanliness and drivetrain efficiency.

    Additional weight savings could doubtless be found with a 1x drivetrain or a shallower set of wheels, should Jorgenson wish the shed every last possible gram.

    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The Edge 130 is Garmin’s lightest bike computer. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

    Even a simple swap to Vittoria’s time trial-specific Corsa Pro Speed TLR tyres would save around 90g (per pair of tyres) – which we’ve no doubt he’ll do if he uses this bike for the Tour’s mountain TT on stage 13.

    Specs | Matteo Jorgenson’s new Cervélo R5 for the 2025 Tour de France

    • Frameset: Cervélo R5
    • Groupset: SRAM Red AXS
    • Wheelset: Reserve 42/49
    • Power meter: SRAM Red AXS
    • Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR, 700x29c
    • Handlebar: Cervélo integrated, 150x380mm
    • Seatpost: Cervélo R5
    • Saddle: Prologo Nago C3
    • Bottle cages: Tacx Ciro
    • Pedals: Wahoo Speedplay Aero
    • Weight: 7.03kg
    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    The new integrated cockpit features minimal hardware at the clamping area. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    This bike could clearly be even lighter with a set of TT-specific tyres and shallower rims. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    Jorgenson uses a narrow, but not extreme, 380mm handlebar width. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media
    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    His 150mm stem length, on the other hand, probably won’t be a stock option for everyday riders. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media
    Matteo Jorgenson's new Cervélo R5 at the 2025 Tour de France
    Visma-Lease a Bike is still using waxed chains this season. Simon von Bromley / Our Media

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  • How Spain became tournament favourites, on the cusp of an international clean sweep

    How Spain became tournament favourites, on the cusp of an international clean sweep

    Emphasis on youth teams

    Just as Barca pride themselves on La Masia, and bringing top talents through the ranks, Spain have a knack for doing something similar at different youth levels.

    So many of the senior stars of today have crafted their game from the under-17s to under-23s, before making that crucial step up.

    It does not matter which level of football the Spaniards play at; they have become synonymous with success.

    The under-17s side have finished in the top three in each of the six youth World Cups they qualified for, winning two in 2018 and 2022. In the youth European Championships, they have been successful on five occasions, coming second six times.

    The under-19s side are on an unprecedented run of dominance in their edition of the Euros. Just last month, they won their fourth consecutive title with a resounding 4-0 win over France in the final.

    “There’s huge potential in the age groups in Spain, as we’ve been showing over the last few years at World Cups and Euros,” said senior star Bonmati.

    “All we needed to do was achieve something big at the senior level. We finally did that, and I think it [was] a turning point for us.

    “I think we’re world leaders, with very gifted players who are uniquely talented but can also compete against anyone.”

    As the profile of women’s football grows in Spain, the more likely these players are to succeed both domestically and internationally.

    With that, the Spanish supremacy will likely continue – but EURO 2025 will be a true test of whether or not they can sustain it.

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  • PLATO Space Telescope’s Cameras Have Been Integrated – astrobiology.com

    1. PLATO Space Telescope’s Cameras Have Been Integrated  astrobiology.com
    2. In the clean room – PLATO in OHB’s integration facility  Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
    3. ESA Television – Videos – 2025 – 06 – Plato’s eyes meet brain  European Space Agency
    4. New ESA Space Telescope Successfully Assembled • Office of Communication and Marketing  Freie Universität Berlin

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  • Bioplastics for Life Beyond Earth

    Key takeaways

    • SEAS researchers grew green algae inside shelters that recreated pressure conditions on Mars.
    • The shelters were made from bioplastics derived from algae.
    • The experiments demonstrate the possibility of closed-loop, sustainable habitats in space.

    If humans are ever going to live beyond Earth, they’ll need to construct habitats. But transporting enough industrial material to create livable spaces would be incredibly challenging and expensive. Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) think there’s a better way, through biology. 

    An international team of researchers led by Robin Wordsworth, the Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, have demonstrated that they can grow green algae inside shelters made out of bioplastics in Mars-like conditions. The experiments are a first step toward designing sustainable habitats in space that won’t require bringing materials from Earth.

    “If you have a habitat that is composed of bioplastic, and it grows algae within it, that algae could produce more bioplastic,” explained Wordsworth. “So you start to have a closed-loop system that can sustain itself and even grow through time.”

    The research is published in Science Advances.

    Growing algae in Mars-like conditions

    In lab experiments that recreated the thin atmosphere of Mars, Wordsworth’s team grew a common type of green algae called Dunaliella tertiolecta. The algae thrived inside a 3D-printed growth chamber made from a bioplastic called polylactic acid, which was able to block UV radiation while transmitting enough light to allow the algae to photosynthesize.

    The algae was kept under a Mars-like 600 Pascals of atmospheric pressure – over 100 times lower than Earth’s — and in a carbon dioxide-rich environment, as opposed to mostly nitrogen and oxygen like on Earth. Liquid water cannot exist at such low pressures, but the bioplastic chamber created a pressure gradient that stabilized water within it. The experiments point to bioplastics as potentially key to creating renewable systems for maintaining life in a lifeless environment.

    The concept the researchers demonstrated is closer to how organisms grow naturally on Earth, and it contrasts with an industrial approach using materials that are costly to manufacture and recycle.

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