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  • 20 books in our travel bags this summer

    20 books in our travel bags this summer

    One might think that working at a guidebook company would exhaust our staff from reading when we’re off the clock, but au contraire. We’re constantly reaching for our next great reads, both on and off the road, not only to get lost in fascinating stories but also to visit incredible places with no plane ticket required.

    Here are the books our staff are reading on the road this summer, and the travel-worthy destinations they’re set in.

    The 12th arrondissement of Paris. Kate Devine for Lonely Planet

    Citizens by Simon Schama

    Set in: France

    An in-depth history of the French Revolution – a lovely, long read for sitting out in the sun.

    – Amy Lynch, Destination Editor for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia

    View of buildings around Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Buildings around Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires. Brester Irina/Shutterstock

    Nueva correspondencia (1955-1972) by Alejandra Pizarnik 

    Set in: Buenos Aires, Paris and New York City

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    I bought this for the beautiful cover, and also because I’m trying to brush up on my Spanish this summer. I also love books of letters — it’s so close to being inside someone’s brain and so close to their emotions. It’s also a voyeuristic read. Pizarnik lived between Argentina and Paris, which is great travel inspiration for me as well.

    – Pia Peterson Haggarty, Photo Director

    View of modern architecture and mountains at The Getty Center, in Los Angeles, California
    The Getty Center in Los Angeles. Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

    Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz

    Set in: Los Angeles

    My tried-and-true summer read. This book oozes sweltering, dreamy summer vibes. It has everything you could ever want: glimmering 1960s LA, unrequited love, glamorous parties, surfing on crashing West Coast waves and chaotic dinner parties where everyone is in a miniskirt and has sandy hair. Babitz’s prose is hilarious, heartfelt and captivating. I reread this novel nearly every summer, and it never disappoints.

    Chamidae Ford, Digital Editor

    The US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City
    The US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock

    The Racket by Conor Niland

    Set in: Ireland, and Grand Slam tournaments across the globe

    An inside look at the lives of pro tennis players who aren’t part of the 1%. Few people travel as much as tennis players, but it’s hardly glamorous for anyone not named Roger or Serena. I’m an avid tennis fan, and reading about what most players sacrifice just to have a shot at being a tennis pro is an eye-opener.

    – James Pham, Destination Editor for Southeast Asia

    Cottage on a rocky island in Ontario
    A lakeside cottage in Ontario. LesPalenik/Shutterstock

    One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

    Set in: Ontario’s countryside

    In the fourth book by this Canadian author, Fortune shows she understands exactly what makes for the perfect beach read: exclusively summer settings (think: Ontario’s cottage country); deeply relatable female protagonists; a plot that’s light enough to keep you turning pages without feeling like you’re eating junk food; and just the right amount of spice.

    – Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania

    Panoramic view of coast on easternmost point of New Zealand, with grass, hills and vegetation near East Cape Lighthouse, Te Araroa
    The easternmost point of New Zealand on Te Araroa. maphke/Shutterstock

    Northbound: Four seasons of solitude on Te Araroa by Naomi Arnold

    Set in: New Zealand

    Last year, Arnold walked the entirety of Te Araroa – a 3000km (1850-mile) trail that spans the length of New Zealand – taking notes along the way that would eventually become this book. If Arnold’s book makes you want to hike across NZ but you don’t have months to spare, she’s also shared some of her favorite day hikes with us in Lonely Planet’s forthcoming Best Day Hikes New Zealand, which will be published in September 2025.

    – Jessica Lockhart, Destination Editor for Oceania

    Cottage in Chiltern hills, England, with trees, grass and sky all around
    A cottage in England’s Chiltern hills. Pawel Piotr/Shutterstock

    Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner

    Set in: England’s countryside

    A woman in early 20th-century England moves to the countryside from London after buying a guidebook to the Chilterns at her florist’s. She eventually becomes a little bit witchy and finds her familiar in a cat named Vinegar. (And you know how LP’s resident cat lady feels about books with cat characters!)

    – Akanksha Singh, Destination Editor for Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

    Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia
    Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. ciapix/Shutterstock

    Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan

    Set in: Atlanta

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    The final book in the Skyland series (which follows three friends in Atlanta navigating life in their 40s) is a little spicy. Kennedy creates a world and characters that are not free of hardships but filled with love and support to tackle them.

    – Alicia Johnson, Destination Editor for South America and the Caribbean

    Three workers behind the counter at Cafe de L'ambre in Tokyo
    Cafe de L’ambre in Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

    Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

    Set in: Tokyo

    The chapters in this book about a time-traveling cafe are each dedicated to a different patron’s journey. The premise is kooky enough to be fun, but the short chapters have surprising emotional depth.

    – Selena Takigawa Hoy, Destination Editor for Northeast Asia

    Grotta della Poesia (Cave of Poetry), a famous hot spot at the coast of Puglia
    Grotta della Poesia (Cave of Poetry) on the coast of Puglia, Italy. LauraVl/Shutterstock

    Difficult Loves by Italo Calvino

    Set in: Italy

    Always charming, often funny and occasionally heartbreaking tales about love and the illusion of love. The characters are wacky yet real, from two strangers on a beach (beach crush is the new airport crush) to a couple seeking compromise over an unsolvable ant infestation. It’s set in multiple destinations in Italy and some others across Europe. Most of the tales are brief, perfect for squeezing in between vacation activities – or in my case, on subway commutes.

    – Ann Douglas Lott, Digital Editor

    View of Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) from inside Sensō-ji in Tokyo
    View of Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) from inside Sensō-ji in Tokyo. Rintaro Kanemoto for Lonely Planet

    Butter by Asako Yuzuki

    Set in: Tokyo

    It’s about a Tokyo-based journalist who starts to interview Manako Kajii, a woman convicted of being a serial killer who has been accused of seducing her victims with her cooking. The book is inspired by a real-life serial murder case in Japan. It explores various themes, like identity, body image, loneliness, gender stereotypes, sexism and misogyny.

    – Zara Sekhavati, Destination Editor for the Middle East & Africa

    Historic Portsmouth alley featuring brick sidewalks
    Ocean Vuong’s latest novel takes place in a fictional small New England town. Pictured here, real-life New England town Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Brester Irina/Shutterstock

    The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

    Set in: New England

    I’m a big fan of novelist Ocean Vuong, so I had to read his latest book about life in a small Connecticut town where an unlikely friendship forms between an elderly widow with dementia and a young suicidal man.

    – Matt Paco, Senior Producer

    Outside a cafe on main square in Malfa, Sicily, with chairs, tables and potted plants
    The main square in Malfa, Sicily. Adrienne Pitts for Lonely Planet

    Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante 

    Set in: Sicily

    It’s an Italian family saga that made Natalia Ginzburg (one of my favorite authors) declare Morante “the greatest writer of the century” after reading it in one sitting, and it also inspired My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, so I can’t wait to get stuck in it. At over 800 pages, it’ll keep me occupied during more than one sitting at the beach; I’ll be lost in it for days! The book follows three generations of Sicilian women through bad marriages and family secrets, all narrated by a reclusive woman spinning what she calls her own “outlandish epic.” It was first published in 1948, but we’re only getting the full English translation now.

    – Sasha Brady, Digital Editor

    The Bluff on Isle of Hope, Savannah, GA, with boats, water and trees
    The Bluff on Isle of Hope, Savannah, GA. Ethan Payne for Lonely Planet

    Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

    Set in: Coastal Georgia

    By the queen of solid, literary-esque beach reads (Happy Place is my favorite book), Great Big Beautiful Life follows two writers on a fictional island off the coast of Georgia who are competing to tell the story of a woman with a secret. Perfect mix of love and mystery. It’s hard to go wrong with Emily Henry, even if contemporary romance isn’t your typical genre.

    – Rachel Lewis, Senior Social Media Manager

    Cityscape of downtown Chicago over the water during sunset
    Downtown Chicago. Brester Irina/Shutterstock

    My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine 

    Set in: Chicago

    As a Twilight girlie, this one grabbed me immediately: a struggling artist in modern-day Chicago moves into an apartment only to find out her new roommate is a sexy vampire. It’s the perfect sort of book for flying through a long flight or car ride. Not exactly seasonally appropriate, but very, very fun. And hot. So there’s that.

    – Rachel Lewis, Senior Social Media Manager

    Professional tennis player Coco Gauff in action at the French Open
    Professional tennis player Coco Gauff at the French Open. Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock

    Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

    Set in: multiple locations, including Grand Slam tournaments

    The second tennis-related book on this list, this one’s historical fiction about a pro tennis player who comes out of retirement to defend her Grand Slam record. 

    – Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada

    Houses in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York
    Brownstones in Brooklyn Heights. Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

    Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González

    Set in: New York City

    Fun, sharp, witty, smart. I couldn’t put it down. Set between New York and Puerto Rico, two successful Brooklyn-based siblings navigate the distinctions between material success and personal happiness in their adult lives. A lively tale about the search for authentic identity while confronting the truths about the people and places that raised you. Plus, the book jacket is bright and colorful and looks like cool art.

    – Nitya Chambers, Senior VP of Digital Content

    Boats and water at Gig Harbor with Mt Rainier and sky in the background
    Mt Rainier looms over the town of Gig Harbor, Washington. GSD Photography/Shutterstock

    Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

    Set in: Washington’s Puget Sound

    This is a tender story about the unlikely friendship of a woman and an octopus in a fictional town in Puget Sound. It’s way deeper than you would anticipate with this description.

    – Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for Western USA and Canada

    Montjuic Castle in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, with lush greenery in the foreground
    Montjuic Castle is an old military fortress built on top of Montjuic hill in Barcelona, Spain. ColorMaker/Shutterstock

    Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 

    Set in: A fictional land with various kingdoms and castles

    A high fantasy series that follows a teenage assassin seeking her freedom in a corrupt kingdom. Because there’s something about dipping into a little escapism while you’re en route to/in the middle of/returning from your latest IRL escape.

    – Shalayne Pulia, Social Contributor Manager

    Diners outside Jeffrey's Grocery restaurant and bar in New York City
    Diners outside Jeffrey’s Grocery restaurant and bar in New York City. Ann Douglas Lott/Lonely Planet

    Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever

    Set in: New York City

    Woolever is a food writer who worked with Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali. In this memoir, she writes about restaurants, chefs and life in NYC. It’s absolutely delicious.

    – Caroline Trefler, Destination Editor for Eastern US and Canada

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  • Aromatic benzaldehyde inhibits growth of therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer

    Aromatic benzaldehyde inhibits growth of therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer

    During therapy, some cancer cells evolve to escape elimination. Newer anticancer drugs that can overcome this resistance are necessary. Now, researchers from Japan demonstrate that aromatic benzaldehyde inhibits the growth of therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. By preventing various signaling proteins and histone modifiers like Ser28-phosphorylated histone H3 (H3S28ph) from binding to 14-3-3ζ protein, benzaldehyde overcomes therapy resistance and blocks plasticity to prevent the spread of cancer. These findings highlight its potential in cancer treatment.

    Cancer cells have the capacity to multiply rapidly. The aggressive cancer cells undergo conversion from their tightly connected epithelial state into a mesenchymal state, which lacks contact restrictions and spreads easily to other parts of the body. Such epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity also makes the cancer cells resistant to elimination by anticancer therapies.

    The search is ongoing for newer anticancer agents that can overcome this acquired resistance to therapy and destroy the ‘rogue’ cancer cells. A group of researchers led by Dr. Hideyuki Saya, Director of the Oncology Innovation Center, Fujita Health University, Japan, has uncovered the mechanism of the anticancer activity of benzaldehyde, a compound responsible for the aroma of almonds, apricots, and figs.

    Giving insights into their motivation for this study, Dr. Saya explains, “In the 1980s, researchers demonstrated the anticancer activity of benzaldehyde and its derivatives. The first author of our study, Dr. Jun Saito, is the daughter of one of the researchers involved in those early studies, and she was driven by a strong desire to uncover the mechanism behind benzaldehyde’s anticancer effects.” This study, published online in the British Journal of Cancer on May 02, 2025, shows the impact of benzaldehyde on key signaling protein interactions within the cancer cells and the resulting cytotoxicity.

    Early studies reported the ability of benzaldehyde to inhibit the progressive development of mouse embryonic cells, indicating its potential in preventing rapid cell proliferation. Here, the anticancer effects of benzaldehyde were studied by using a mouse model grafted to have a growing pancreatic cancer.

    In cell culture studies, benzaldehyde inhibited the growth of cancer cells resistant to radiation therapy and also those resistant to treatment with osimertinib, an agent blocking tyrosine kinases in growth factor signaling. Benzaldehyde synergized with radiation to eliminate previously radiation-resistant cancer cells.

    The study findings revealed that benzaldehyde exerted its anticancer effects by preventing interactions of the signaling protein 14-3-3ζ with the Ser28-phosphorylated form of histone H3 (H3S28ph). This interaction, key to cancer cell survival, was also responsible for treatment resistance and the expression of genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity.

    Here, benzaldehyde prevented 14-3-3ζ-dependent phosphorylation of the serine28 amino acid of histone H3. Consequently, benzaldehyde treatment reduced the expression of genes responsible for treatment resistance. Treatment of mice with a benzaldehyde derivative inhibited the growth of pancreatic tumors and suppressed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity, thus preventing the spread of cancer to distant organs like the lungs.

    By blocking an interaction key to cancer cell survival, benzaldehyde overcomes therapy resistance and prevents metastasis. Sharing the implications of their findings, Dr. Saya concludes, “The 14-3-3ζ protein has long been considered a target for cancer therapy, but its direct inhibition is not feasible due to its important functions in normal cells. Our results suggest that inhibition of the interaction between 14-3-3ζ and its client proteins by benzaldehyde has the potential to overcome the problem.

    The present study shows benzaldehyde is effective against cancer cells that have acquired resistance to radiation and tyrosine kinase inhibitors commonly used in cancer treatment. In the long term, this study suggests its potential as a combinatorial anticancer agent, alongside molecular-targeted therapies.

    Source:

    Journal reference:

    Saito, J., et al. (2025). Benzaldehyde suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and overcomes treatment resistance in cancer by targeting the interaction of 14-3-3ζ with H3S28ph. British Journal of Cancer. doi.org/10.1038/s41416-025-03006-4.

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  • Pakistan stun Indonesia 2-0 in AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers

    Pakistan stun Indonesia 2-0 in AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers

    Pakistan players celebrate after defeating Indonesia during the AFC Women’s Asia Cup match at the Stadium Sport Centre in Tangerang Agency on July 2, 2025. — Reporter

    Pakistan’s women’s football team pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory against higher-ranked Indonesia in their Group D match of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers in Tangerang on Wednesday. 

    The win marks Pakistan’s first international triumph since September 2023.

    Nadia Khan opened the scoring in the eighth minute, netting her fifth international goal and giving Pakistan an early lead. Suha Hirani doubled the advantage in the 18th minute by converting a penalty, securing a commanding position for her side.

    Despite being ranked 157th by FIFA, 62 places below 95th-ranked Indonesia, Pakistan displayed resilience, particularly in defense. Goalkeeper Zeeyana Jivraj played a crucial role, denying multiple Indonesian attacks to preserve the clean sheet. Indonesia had at least 8 shots on target.

    Statistically, Indonesia dominated possession (63%) and outshot Pakistan 20-5, but Pakistan’s disciplined defending and clinical finishing proved decisive. The hosts also had a shot hit the post, while Pakistan managed three shots on target from five attempts.

    Pakistan’s final group stage match will be against Kyrgyzstan on July 5.

    Their last international win before this came in September 2023, when they defeated Laos on penalties.

    The victory provides a significant morale boost for Pakistan’s women’s football program as they aim to make further progress in continental competitions.


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  • iPhone Fold reportedly enters prototype testing phase

    iPhone Fold reportedly enters prototype testing phase

    The long-rumored foldable iPhone is expected to launch next year, and a new report from Digitimes suggests that the device has entered its prototype testing phase last month. Based on info from supply chain sources, Apple already has a functioning prototype of its first foldable phone.

    The prototype testing phase is expected to finish by the end of this year. From there, the device will enter its Engineering Verification Test (EVT) phase, and if everything goes as planned, we should see it announced alongside the iPhone 18 series in September 2026.

    The new report also mentions that Apple has paused development of its foldable iPad due to a mix of manufacturing difficulties and weak consumer demand.

    According to the latest rumors, the foldable iPhone is expected to feature a Samsung-made 7.8-inch main OLED display with an under-display camera and a side-mounted Touch ID scanner and no Face ID. It will reportedly feature an “almost invisible” crease, and the whole device will be extremely slim at around 9–9.5mm when folded.

    Apple is expected to use a titanium alloy chassis and a liquid metal hinge that would offer unparalleled durability for a foldable. As you might expect, this device won’t come cheap with rumors pointing to a launch price in the $2,100 – $2,300> range.

    Source (paywalled)

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  • Online Gambling and Italian Digital Services Tax – Clarifications on how to determine revenues

    With Ruling No. 6 of 3 June 2025, the Italian Tax Authority provided important clarification on determining taxable revenues for digital services tax (Digital Services Tax, or DST) purposes for operators in the online betting and gambling sector. Among the most significant aspects, we note the exclusion of bonuses granted to players from the calculation of the DST tax base.

    Before examining the clarifications introduced by the interpretative ruling, it should be noted that the digital services tax – governed by Article 1, paragraphs 35 to 50, of Law No. 145/2018, as subsequently amended – applies at a rate of 3% to revenues deriving from specific services provided in Italy, namely:

    • the provision of digital interfaces for the delivery of targeted advertising messages based on the analysis of data collected during users’ browsing (Article 1, paragraph 37, letter a), Law No. 145/2018);
    • the management of multilateral digital interfaces that enable interaction between users and the sale of goods and services between them (Article 1, paragraph 37, letter b), Law No. 145/2018);
    • the transmission to third parties of data generated by users’ activities on digital platforms (Art. 1, paragraph 37, letter c), Law No. 145/2018).

    In its original wording, the DST applied only to entities which, individually or as a group, simultaneously achieved:

    1. global revenues of at least EUR750 million;
    2. revenues from digital services in Italy of at least EUR5.5 million.

    However, as of 1 January 2025, pursuant to the provisions of Article 1, paragraph 21, of Law No. 207/2024 (2025 Budget Law), requirement (ii) has been repealed. Consequently, the DST now applies to all entities providing the above-mentioned digital services in Italy, provided that their global revenues – including at group level – exceed the threshold of EUR750 million.

    With specific reference to the online betting and gambling sector, Circular No. 3/E of 2021 (which provides general guidelines for the application of the Italian digital tax) had already clarified that, although the sums represented by “bets” are excluded from the scope of the tax, for the purposes of applying the DST, it is important to draw a distinction based on the role of the gaming platform operator:

    • ‘where the entity operates as a bookmaker (ie as an entity that accepts bets from players by setting odds, such as in the case of sports or other event betting) or a banker (ie as an entity against which players bet, such as in the case of online poker or roulette), the entity assumes risks on its own account and the proceeds are therefore excluded under Art. 37-bis, lett. b)’;
    • “where it operates as an entity that allows players (users) to bet or gamble against each other, the entity does not bear any risk associated with the betting or gaming, but acts as an intermediary Although the sums represented by ‘wagers’ are excluded under subparagraph 37(a) or (b), the interface operator ‘commission is instead digital revenue within the meaning of subparagraph 37(b), realised as an intermediary in transactions between users.”

    Interpretative Ruling No. 6/2025 confirms this approach and provides useful operational guidance on determining the revenues from Italian digital services provided in Italy that constitute the taxable base for DST purposes for gambling operators. In particular, the tax shall apply exclusively to the portion actually retained by the operator, ie the amount remaining after deducting the prize money paid to players and any single tax on gambling from the payments made by users. This criterion also applies where, in a single tournament, the winnings distributed exceed the bets collected, confirming that the taxable base coincides with the actual margin retained by the platform, which varies according to the type of game and the specific contractual conditions. Incidentally, reference is made to “tournament” as the game mode that falls within the scope of the DST, as it is clear that the role played by the platform managed by the concessionaire is to allow users to play against each other in return for remuneration in the form of a commission.

    Particular attention is paid to the treatment of bonuses granted to players (eg welcome bonuses, free plays). As these amounts are granted free of charge and without consideration, they do not generate actual revenue for the operator and must therefore be excluded from the calculation of the taxable base for DST purposes. It follows that, in determining the commission subject to tax, the gross gaming revenue must be adjusted by subtracting the value of any bonuses paid. The dual track system for bonuses under the DST and the single tax on gaming is clear: while the document in question clarifies that bonuses do not contribute to the taxable base for the DST, the same does not apply for gaming tax purposes. In fact, as clarified by the provision of 10 June 2011 (Prot. 2011/20659/Giochi/GAD), bonuses are generally included in the collection.

    In light of these clarifications, gambling operators who, in previous tax periods, falling within the scope of application of the Italian digital tax, included the bonuses granted to users in the calculation of the taxable base, or adopted criteria that differed from the approach outlined by the Italian Tax Authority, may have made an excessive payment. In such cases, it will be necessary to assess, on a case-by-case basis, the most appropriate methods for recovering the excess amount paid.

    You can have an outline on the Italian gambling law regime in DLA Piper’s Gambling Laws of the World Guide available here.

     

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  • Reed making his bid for Ryder Cup 

    Reed making his bid for Ryder Cup 

    Reed, dubbed “Captain America” for his past Ryder Cup heroics, has already proven he has the grit to thrive in such a test. His 7-3-2 record across three Ryder Cups, including a perfect 3-0-0 in singles, are evidence that he’s built for match play. At Hazeltine in 2016, he outdueled Rory McIlroy in a Sunday showdown that still echoes in golf lore. Reed made birdie after birdie with fist pumps that ignited the crowd. New York golf fans, known for being loud and raucous, would embrace Reed’s fire and flare for the dramatic. They don’t want golf claps; they want a fighter who thrives under pressure.  

    Reed’s LIV Golf breakthrough in Dallas, which moved him into fourth in the league’s season-long individual race, should come as no surprise. Starting with his win last November at the Hong Kong Open, he’s made 19 worldwide starts, with nine top 10s and 15 top 25s. In those eight months, just two other Americans on the major tours have won multiple individual stroke-play tournaments – Scottie Scheffler and athis year’s U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley.

    On golf’s biggest stages, he finished 3rd at the Masters and T23 at the U.S. Open. In major championships this season, he ranks 9th among all players who’ve played at least 8 major rounds in strokes gained total per round.  

    The 34-year-old is showcasing a resurgent all-around game in 2025, averaging 1.01 strokes gained total per round – the highest in four years. As one of the world’s top scramblers and putters, Reed’s skills are tailor-made for the Ryder Cup, with his short-game prowess evidenced by his strokes gained around the green (+0.24) this season, which is consistent with his elite numbers over multiple years.

    Bethpage Black’s punishing rough and demanding greens require finesse, versatility, and the ability to get up-and-down from tricky lies. Statistically, Reed’s best putting surface throughout his career has been Poa annua, the same grass used on Bethpage Black’s greens. In his two starts at the course in his career, he’s gained an average of 0.38 strokes per round putting.  

    Over the past three months, Reed has quietly played his way into peak form.  His iron play has been a standout, gaining nearly 0.92 strokes per round on approach. Last week in Dallas, he gained 1.90 strokes per round on approach. He also hit 72.2% of his greens in regulation, which ranked 3rd in the field.

    But it’s Reed’s mentality that seals the case. Bethpage doesn’t reward saints. It rewards those who deliver, and Reed always does. 

    His recent form, highlighted by his playoff victory at LIV Golf Dallas last week, signals his readiness for the Ryder Cup, an event he admitted is important to him. “It’s always on your mind,” Reed said. “Anytime I get to represent our country, it means a lot to me. For me personally, I’m always thinking about trying to make every team. Obviously being a part of LIV where we don’t get points, it’s an uphill battle, but really for me it’s focused on playing great golf and having a chance. It’s really going to come down to the Open Championship, having a chance to win there.”

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  • Fears AI factcheckers on X could increase promotion of conspiracy theories | X

    Fears AI factcheckers on X could increase promotion of conspiracy theories | X

    A decision by Elon Musk’s X social media platform to enlist artificial intelligence chatbots to draft factchecks risks increasing the promotion of “lies and conspiracy theories”, a former UK technology minister has warned.

    Damian Collins accused Musk’s firm of “leaving it to bots to edit the news” after X announced on Tuesday that it would allow large language modelsto write community notes to clarify or correct contentious posts, before they are approved for publication by users. The notes have previously been written by humans.

    X said using AI to write factchecking notes – which sit beneath some X posts – “advances the state of the art in improving information quality on the internet”.

    Keith Coleman, the vice president of product at X, said humans would review AI-generated notes and the note would appear only if people with a variety of viewpoints found it useful.

    “We designed this pilot to be AI helping humans, with humans deciding,” he said. “We believe this can deliver both high quality and high trust. Additionally we published a paper along with the launch of our pilot, co-authored with professors and researchers from MIT, University of Washington, Harvard and Stanford laying out why this combination of AI and humans is such a promising direction.”

    But Collins said the system was already open to abuse and that AI agents working on community notes could allow “the industrial manipulation of what people see and decide to trust” on the platform, which has about 600 million users.

    It is the latest pushback against human factcheckers by US tech firms. Last month Google said user-created fact checks, including by professional factchecking organisations, would be deprioritised in its search results. It said such checks were “no longer providing significant additional value for users”. In January, Meta announced it was scrapping human factcheckers in the US and would adopt its own community notes system on Instagram, Facebook and Threads.

    X’s research paper outlining its new factchecking system criticised professional factchecking as often slow and limited in scale and said it “lacks trust by large sections of the public”.

    AI-created community notes “have the potential to be faster to produce, less effort to generate, and of high quality”, it said. Human and AI-written notes would be submitted into the same pool and X users would vote for which were most useful and should appear on the platform.

    AI would draft “a neutral well-evidenced summary”, the research paper said. Trust in community notes “stems not from who drafts the notes, but from the people that evaluate them,” it said.

    But Andy Dudfield, the head of AI at the UK factchecking organisation Full Fact, said: “These plans risk increasing the already significant burden on human reviewers to check even more draft Notes, opening the door to a worrying and plausible situation in which Notes could be drafted, reviewed, and published entirely by AI without the careful consideration that human input provides.”

    Samuel Stockwell, a research associate at the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security at the Alan Turing Institute, said: “AI can help factcheckers process the huge volumes of claims flowing daily through social media, but much will depend on the quality of safeguards X puts in place against the risk that these AI ‘note writers’ could hallucinate and amplify misinformation in their outputs. AI chatbots often struggle with nuance and context, but are good at confidently providing answers that sound persuasive even when untrue. That could be a dangerous combination if not effectively addressed by the platform.”

    Researchers have found that people perceived human-authored community notes as significantly more trustworthy than simple misinformation flags.

    An analysis of several hundred misleading posts on X in the run up to last year’s presidential election found that in three-quarters of cases, accurate community notes were not being displayed, indicating they were not being upvoted by users. These misleading posts, including claims that Democrats were importing illegal voters and the 2020 presidential election was stolen, amassed more than 2bn views, according to the Centre for Countering Digital Hate.

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  • Pakistan backs regional trade corridors, urges SCO unity amid India’s absence

    Pakistan backs regional trade corridors, urges SCO unity amid India’s absence

    Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding regional trade and connectivity through enhanced rail, road, and air links, as he addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Ministerial Summit in Tianjin, China.

    In his remarks, the minister emphasized Pakistan’s strategic position in facilitating regional commerce and expressed strong interest in building trade corridors via China, Afghanistan, and Iran. According to an official statement released Wednesday, he also underscored Pakistan’s growing role in advancing connectivity across the SCO region.

    Abdul Aleem Khan highlighted the progress made under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), especially in the development of road infrastructure. “Our focus now is to expand trade beyond the borders of Afghanistan and Iran with fully functional international-standard cargo ports in Gwadar and Karachi,” he said.

    He further stressed the strategic importance of Khunjerab Pass in the north and Pakistan’s coastal gateways as integral to the country’s trade expansion strategy.

    Turning to broader regional initiatives, the minister cited the proposed Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Railway Project as a transformative development and confirmed Pakistan’s support for Silk Road Stations in cooperation with China. He also announced that the Khunjerab–Sust Route would now remain operational year-round from 2023 onward, further enhancing regional connectivity.

    The summit brought together ministers from 10 SCO member countries, though India once again chose not to attend. Indian delegate Anand Prakash, who was officially listed, remained absent and his seat was left vacant.

    Commenting on this, Abdul Aleem Khan described India’s no-show as “irresponsible behavior” and a missed opportunity for regional engagement. “Pakistan has always advocated for mutual respect and cooperation. As a nuclear power, India must behave responsibly and act like a good neighbour,” he stated.

    Delegates from several other member states reportedly expressed surprise and disappointment over India’s absence during the session.

    The federal minister also briefed participants on Pakistan’s transport modernization efforts, including the digitalization of its transport systems and the adoption of smart mobility solutions. He noted that Pakistan has launched a visa-on-arrival policy for 126 countries, issuing over 20,000 visas to date under the initiative.

    Expressing satisfaction with the conference proceedings, Abdul Aleem Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s dedication to fully implementing SCO decisions, and stressed that the region’s development depends on mutual trust, coordinated action, and integrated transport networks. As a permanent SCO member since 2017, Pakistan remains committed to strengthening communication infrastructure and deepening collaboration with fellow member states.


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  • Scarlett Johansson Is Hollywood’s True Movie-Star Successor to Tom Cruise

    Scarlett Johansson Is Hollywood’s True Movie-Star Successor to Tom Cruise

    Hollywood is starving for new movie stars.

    The 2010s brought with it the absolute domination of IP and franchises over all else, but the studios still yearn for the days when one name could get millions of people to the cinema without a second thought.

    The arrival of the last Mission: Impossible movie, Final Reckoning, brought with it yet another round of discourse over whether or not Tom Cruise was The Last Movie Star.

    Who were the undisputed A-List icons who could follow in his footsteps and headline blockbusters that would delight audiences and accrue immense profits? Who could replace the genre’s most iconic face and performer of terrifying stunts?

    Certainly, many have tried to replicate the magic over the past 15 or so years (most of them tall hunky white guys named Chris). Glen Powell is eager to claim the crown. Cruise himself put forward Sinners star Michael B. Jordan as a contender. The true heir, however, has been proving herself as such for most of her life and has the box office receipts to prove it.

    Now headlining the latest Jurassic World movie, Rebirth, Scarlett Johansson is here to remind us that she is a true movie star.

    The multi-award-winning actress has been in the business since she was a child, earning raves in films like The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World, before graduating to worldwide acclaim before she was even old enough to drink.

    For close to two decades now, she’s modelled herself into both a critic’s favorite and a money-making powerhouse. She’s the second highest-grossing leading actor of all-time and the highest-grossing woman, well ahead of Cruise as well as Bradley Cooper and Chrises Evans, Pratt, and Hemsworth. Even accounting for all roles, she’s comfortably in the top ten with well over $15.4 billion to her name. Add to that two Oscar nominations, a Tony, an honorary César, seven stints hosting Saturday Night Live, and a Time Magazine honor as one of the most influential people in the world. Ethan Hunt who?

    In terms of pure savviness, Johansson is second to none. She has a sharp eye for projects and a distinct lack of snobbery. Yes, she’s got those prestige indie titles, like her work with Wes Anderson, but she’s also happy to do kids movies like Sing or Transformers One. She does comedies (Rough Night), rom-coms (Fly Me To the Moon), biopics (Hitchcock), period pieces (Hail, Caesar!)… oh, and there’s also the highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

    Giphy

    Being Black Widow, one of the first generation Avengers, has certainly helped to keep her in the public eye over the years. She came to the franchise already a star and one could argue that she didn’t need the Marvel boost since she had a highly enviable filmography that included works with Sofia Coppola, Michael Bay, and SpongeBob SquarePants. But the MCU put her front and center as an action star and one of the few women in such a position at that time.

    As Natasha Romanoff, she was the girl with a gun in the boys club that featured robot suits, genetic engineering, and literal gods. She outsmarted Loki, maced goons, and provided a much-needed emotional grounding amid the gymnastics and explosions. It’s a testament to Johansson’s commitment to the character that she was able to rise above some of the more sexist writing she was saddled with (hello, Avengers: Age of Ultron and that Hulk boob fall scene.)

    A lot of MCU actors seemed to struggle to find ways to use their new star power, but Johansson, by that point a veteran of film, made fascinating choices.

    2014’s Lucy, directed by Luc Besson, proved that she could headline an action movie without a superhero name in the title (a pointed move from her given that Marvel took way too long to greenlight a Black Widow due to CEO sexism.) Marriage Story gave her one of her greatest roles as a woman dealing with the traumatic fallout of a divorce. In Under the Skin, she disguised herself to drive around Glasgow in a white van and pick up strangers for this unnerving sci-fi that deliberately played around with Johansson’s image as a sex symbol.

    A still from 'Jurassic World Rebirth' / Universal Pictures and Amblin En / Universal Pictures

    A still from ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ / Universal Pictures and Amblin En / Universal Pictures

    Not every movie was a major hit or even a wise decision, as the total red flag that was the Ghost in the Shell adaptation proves, but the strategy behind each choice is evident. It’s about building a sturdy foundation of stardom with four quadrant appeal: be a financial hit, win awards, be known to people of all ages, and have the power to do whatever the hell you want. She’s putting her range to good use, not being constricted by the narrow boundaries of the A-List. ScarJo could and would do Top Gun: Maverick, but Tom Cruise couldn’t do Under the Skin.

    But box office and reviews only tell half the story when it comes to Hollywood power. What is a greater sign of your strength and nerve than suing the hell out of Disney?

    Johansson took on the House of Mouse, alleging breach of contract over their decision to release Black Widow simultaneously in cinemas and on Disney+. The case was settled and Johansson reportedly walked away with $40 million. She could have risked killing her lucrative relationship with the corporate giant by doing this, but she came out of it stronger, with plans to keep working with Disney (including a Tower of Terror movie.)

    She also called out Sam Altman of OpenAI when he launched a chat bot with a voice that was undeniably intended to invoke comparisons with Johansson’s. This came after she declined the company’s offer to formally work with them on the project, taking inspiration from her role in Spike Jonze’s AI romance Her. It was symbolic of a major problem Johansson’s faced throughout her career: leering sexism and objectification.

    A still from 'Marriage Story' / Netflix

    A still from ‘Marriage Story’ / Netflix

    A still from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' / Jay Maidment/Marvel

    A still from ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ / Jay Maidment/Marvel

    A still from 'Lucy' / Universal Pictures

    A still from ‘Lucy’ / Universal Pictures

    In a 2022 interview with the Armchair Expert podcast, she talked about how she was “kind of pigeonholed into this weird hypersexualized thing” for much of her career. It’s not tough to find interviews or profiles where people talk about her as if she’s a piece of meat. In one infamous red carpet interview, she was groped. Even as she became one of the biggest stars on the planet, a tech bro felt entitled to steal her voice. But Johansson didn’t take that insult lying down. She worked too hard for that, and Altman paused the project.

    Jurassic World Rebirth will surely make all of the money and keep Johansson’s star power sturdy. Up next, she will wield her clout in a whole new way by releasing her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, which premiered at Cannes and has already been cued up for an Oscar campaign for its lead actress, June Squibb.

    Johansson shared with The Hollywood Reporter that her dream co-star was Tom Cruise, and Cruise in return told Entertainment Tonight that he would love to work with her. What better way to truly pass the gauntlet than with a ScarJo-Cruise team-up?

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  • Healthcare insurers fall sharply as patient care costs jump – Financial Times

    Healthcare insurers fall sharply as patient care costs jump – Financial Times

    1. Healthcare insurers fall sharply as patient care costs jump  Financial Times
    2. Centene’s Medicaid business and healthcare costs are a problem, and its stock plunges  MarketWatch
    3. S&P 500 Health Insurer Crashes On ACA Exchange, Medicaid Woes  MSN
    4. Centene’s Financial Outlook Challenged by Marketplace and Medicaid Trends, Hold Rating Issued  TipRanks
    5. Centene’s stock plummets as health insurance giant scraps 2025 financial outlook  STAT

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