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  • A Spacecraft Carrying Human Remains and Cannabis Crashes into the Ocean

    A Spacecraft Carrying Human Remains and Cannabis Crashes into the Ocean

    We’ve sent some pretty interesting payloads to space since the first satellite (Sputnik 1) launched on October 4th, 1957. As access to space has increased, thanks largely to the commercial space industry, so too have the types of payloads we are sending. Consider the Nyx capsule created by German aerospace startup The Exploration Company, which launched on June 23rd from the Vandenberg Space Force Base atop a Falcon-9 rocket as part of a rideshare mission (Transporter-14). The payload for this flight (dubbed “Mission Possible”) included the ashes and DNA of more than 166 deceased people provided by Celestis, a Texas-based memorial spaceflight company.

    While the mission achieved orbit and a controlled reentry, the capsule’s landing parachutes failed to deploy before landing. This caused the Nyx capsule to crash in the Pacific Ocean on June 24th, causing all of its cargo to be lost at sea. This was the first time The Exploration Company sent customer payloads to space, equivalent to roughly 300 kg (660 lbs) of cargo. In a statement posted on LinkedIn, the company described the flight as a “partial success (partial failure).” Per their statement:

    The capsule was launched successfully, powered the payloads nominally in-orbit, stabilized itself after separation with the launcher, re-entered and re-established communication after black out. But it encountered an issue afterwards, based on our current best knowledge, and we lost communication a few minutes before splashdown. We are still investigating the root causes and will share more information soon. We apologize to all our clients who entrusted us with their payloads.

    We thank our teams for their hard work and their dedication to success. We have been pushing boundaries in record time and cost. This partial success reflects both ambition and the inherent risks of innovation. Leveraging the technical milestones achieved yesterday and the lessons we will extract from our ongoing investigation, we will then prepare to re-fly as soon as possible.

    Artist’s impression of The Exploration Company’s Nyx capsule in orbit. Credit: The Exploration Company

    This is also the second time Celestis has lost a payload, the previous having taken place in 2023 when a rocket containing the cremated remains of the late NASA astronaut Philip K. Chapman exploded over New Mexico. Celestis also released a statement of condolences to the families of the people whose remains were lost:

    In the coming days, our team will reach out to each family individually to offer support and discuss possible next steps. Though we currently believe that we cannot return the flight capsules, we hope families will find some peace in knowing their loved ones were part of a historic journey, launched into space, orbited Earth, and are now resting in the vastness of the Pacific, akin to a traditional and honored sea scattering.

    In addition to the human remains and other payloads, Nyx also carried cannabis plant matter and seeds provided by Martian Grow, an open-source citizen science project. The purpose was to study the effects of microgravity on the germination and resilience, potentially providing insight into how life could adapt and fare in the Martian environment. The first, Mission Bikini, launched a smaller reentry capsule in July 2024 atop an Ariane 6 rocket, but the capsule remained in orbit after the rocket’s upper stage failed to launch it on its reentry trajectory.

    This latest mission aimed to test key technologies and verify the Nyx capsule’s ability to transport cargo to space. It is hoped that future iterations of the capsule will fly spacecraft to destinations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), including the International Space Station (ISS) and/or its successor stations. To this end, the company plans to conduct a demonstration flight to the ISS in 2028, which is pending support from the European Space Agency. In the meantime, the company plans to move forward and incorporate the lessons of this latest mission.

    Further Reading: Gizmodo

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  • Levothyroxine’s Role in Mild Pregnancy Hypothyroidism Queried

    Levothyroxine’s Role in Mild Pregnancy Hypothyroidism Queried

    (Boston)—While severe maternal hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels) in pregnancy is known to increase risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, it is unclear whether mild (subclinical) hypothyroidism causes similarly adverse pregnancy complications. It is also not clear whether maternal hypothyroidism in pregnancy increases risks of gestational diabetes.

    A new study in the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology (Osinga et al “Association of gestational thyroid function and thyroid autoimmunity with gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and individual-participant meta-analysis”) investigated a potential association between maternal thyroid function in pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes. The study, which used data from a large sample of patients from several different studies, found low free thyroxine (FT4) levels in pregnancy was associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes (6.5% vs 3.5% in those with normal FT4 levels). However, patients with mild subclinical hypothyroidism (high thyrotropin, or TSH, and normal FT4 level) were not at increased risk of gestational diabetes.

    “Since TSH is used as the screening test for thyroid dysfunction, it is unclear whether these new findings should change the current practice of thyroid function screening in pregnancy,” says Sun Young Lee MD, MSc, assistant professor of medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in an accompanying commentary, (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(25)00126-3/fulltext). “Currently available laboratory tests can also result in falsely low FT4 levels in pregnancy because of interference from normal changes in protein levels in pregnancy,” adds Lee who also is an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center.

    Presently, routinely checking thyroid hormone levels in pregnancy is not recommended. In her commentary, Lee points out that other clinical trials have not shown that treatment of mild maternal hypothyroidism in pregnancy decreases risks of pregnancy complications. “It is unclear whether the findings of this study would advocate for universal screening and treatment of mild subclinical maternal hypothyroidism.”

    Lee believes further clinical trials are needed to study the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of low FT4 levels in pregnancy in decreasing risks of pregnancy. In the meantime, she feels more vigilant screening of gestational diabetes in patients with known thyroid disease is important.

    /Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.

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  • New Statistical Method Identifies Hidden Gene Programs Linked to Poor Survival in Aggressive Pancreatic Cancer

    New Statistical Method Identifies Hidden Gene Programs Linked to Poor Survival in Aggressive Pancreatic Cancer

    Newswise — Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, known for its aggressive behavior and resistance to treatment. Treating PDAC is challenging because the tumors are extraordinarily complex, with a chaotic mix of cells with different behaviors, vulnerabilities, and gene expression patterns.

    In a study published in Nature Genetics, researchers from the University of Chicago developed a powerful statistical method called Generalized Binary Covariance Decomposition (GBCD) to better understand this complexity. This method enables researchers to analyze massive single-cell RNA sequencing datasets and uncover recurring patterns of gene activity across diverse patient tumors.

    By applying GBCD to thousands of individual cancer cells from multiple studies, the team discovered previously hidden gene expression programs, particularly a stress-response signature that is linked to poor survival outcomes. This new method could be a powerful tool for identifying high-risk patients and developing more personalized treatment strategies.

    Understanding tumors’ mixed make-up through variations in gene expression

    Genetic and epigenetic alterations are major drivers of fatal diseases like cancer. These alterations impact cellular function by changing gene expression and leading to transcriptional heterogeneity—a phenomenon in which patterns of gene activity differ across cells. Every tumor contains a complicated mix of cell types and states. Some cells grow rapidly, others remain dormant; Some respond to drugs, others are resistant to treatment.

    “A big question in cancer is, how does gene expression predict or causally impact the way a tumor develops or how patients respond to therapy?” said senior author Matthew Stephens, PhD, FRS, Professor and Chair of the Department of Statistics and Professor of Human Genetics at UChicago. “If we understood how transcriptional variation predicts prognosis and therapy response, then we could improve therapies because transcriptional variation is relatively easy to measure.”

    Sometimes it is not just a single gene, but a set of genes that exhibit coordinated transcriptional changes. These are known as gene expression programs, which can characterize cancer molecular subtypes, influence tumor progression, and affect therapy response.

    Revealing layers within tumor complexity

    Historically, most transcriptomic data came from bulk RNA sequencing, which measures gene expression in a group of cells rather than in individual cells. The issue with bulk transcriptomic data is that it provides measurement at the patient level. In contrast, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data measures gene expression at single-cell resolution, revealing transcriptional heterogeneity among cells from the same patient.

    Modern technologies like scRNA-seq allow researchers to measure the activity of thousands of genes in individual cancer cells, offering much higher resolution of the transcriptional heterogeneity within tumors. However, the resulting massive datasets pose a challenge: distinguishing meaningful signals from noise.

    In the current study, the team focused on analyzing transcriptional variation using scRNA-seq data. “Studying single-cell data allows us to see much more structure than what we can observe with bulk RNA-seq,” said Yusha Liu, PhD, a former postdoctoral researcher in the Stephens lab who led the study. Unified analysis of scRNA-seq data from multiple studies and patients can identify recurrent patterns of transcriptional variation related to cancer etiology, such as molecular subtypes. There may also be other biological activities or cellular processes occurring in tumor cells that aren’t directly tied to known molecular subtypes but still have significant implications for patient outcomes.

    “Although tumor subtype identification is helpful in guiding treatment choices, the molecular landscape is very complex,” Stephens said. “We are trying to identify gene expression programs using Generalized Binary Covariance Decomposition (GBCD), a statistical method designed to analyze transcriptional heterogeneity in single-cell RNA data and detect patterns beyond known subtypes.” This method allows researchers to break down the complex variation in gene activity into distinct, interpretable components.

    Stress response signature offers clues to pancreatic cancer survival

    To test the new GBCD method, researchers analyzed 35,000 cancer cells from 59 patients with PDAC. GBCD not only identified the well-known “classical” and “basal” PDAC subtypes but also uncovered a previously underappreciated stress-response program strongly associated with poor survival.

    They found that many critical genes in this stress-response program are regulated by ATF4, a key transcription factor involved in the “integrated stress response,” a survival mechanism exploited by cancer cells under harsh conditions. Importantly, this stress program predicted worse outcomes in cancer patients independent of tumor stage or known subtype. Identifying this signature could help explain PDAC’s aggressive nature and inform treatment strategies.

    “The benefit of our approach is that we can perform a unified or integrative analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data from multiple samples across studies,” Liu said. “This greatly increases the number of patient samples and cells, enhancing our power to identify shared transcriptional patterns. The challenge, however, is the high degree of variability between patients, which can mask these subtle shared patterns and that is what GBCD is designed to tackle.”

    According to researchers, the GBCD approach offers a deeper characterization of the transcriptional landscape in pancreatic cancer and could be applied to other cancer types. They hope the tool will advance understanding of cancer biology and etiology, while offering valuable insights to study tumor progression and metastasis.

    The study “Dissecting tumor transcriptional heterogeneity from single-cell RNA-seq data by generalized binary covariance decomposition” was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation, an Ullman Family Dream Team Award, and the Government of Ontario.

    Additional authors included Scott A. Oakes and Kay F. Macleod from the University of Chicago, and Jason Willwerscheid from Providence College, RI.


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  • Accelerant Holdings Announces Public Filing of Registration Statement for Initial Public Offering – Business Wire

    1. Accelerant Holdings Announces Public Filing of Registration Statement for Initial Public Offering  Business Wire
    2. ARX IPO News – Specialty insurance marketplace Accelerant Holdings files for a $100 million IPO  renaissancecapital.com
    3. Accelerant files for IPO  businessinsurance.com
    4. Todd Boehly-backed Accelerant files for NYSE listing as IPO market gathers steam  MSN
    5. Todd Boehly-backed Accelerant files for US IPO By Reuters  Investing.com

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  • Squid Game season three divides viewers as bleak themes hit home

    Squid Game season three divides viewers as bleak themes hit home

    Koh Ewe, Juna Moon and Rachel Lee

    BBC News

    Reporting fromSingapore and Seoul
    Getty Images A giant sculpture of a doll from the show Squid Game stands in front of a Korean temple, holding what appears to be a tug-o-war rope, next to a sign of the word NetflixGetty Images

    A giant killer doll, among other motifs of Squid Game, were part of a parade celebrating the show’s final season

    Warning: This article contains spoilers.

    Millions of fans are bidding farewell to Squid Game, the Emmy award-winning TV series that has topped Netflix’s charts and become a symbol of South Korea’s ascendance in Hollywood.

    The fictional show follows cash-strapped players as they battle it out in a series of traditional Korean children’s games – with a gory twist, as losers are killed in every round.

    Squid Game has sucked in viewers since 2021 with its candy-coloured sets and bleak messages about capitalism and humanity. And with its third and final season released last Friday, fans across the world are returning to reality.

    Some South Koreans, however, have found themselves reflecting on the society that inspired the dystopian series.

    “I feel like Squid Game 3 revealed the true feelings and raw inner thoughts of Korean people,” reads one YouTube comment under a clip from season three.

    “It reflected reality so well like how in real life, at work, it’s just full of ruthless people ready to crush you. This show nailed it.”

    Relatable struggles

    Squid Game was born against the backdrop of cut-throat competition and widening inequality in South Korean society – where people are too stressed to have children and a university placement exam is seen as the defining moment of a person’s life.

    The diverse characters of the show – which include a salaryman, a migrant factory worker and a cryptocurrency scammer – are drawn from figures many South Koreans would find familiar.

    The backstory of protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a car factory worker who was laid off and later went on strike, was also inspired by a real-life event: a 2009 strike at the SsangYong Motor factory, where workers clashed with riot police over widespread layoffs. It’s remembered today as one of the country’s largest labour confrontations.

    “The drama may be fictional, but it feels more realistic than reality itself,” Jeong Cheol Sang, a film enthusiast, wrote in his review of Squid Game’s final season.

    “Precarious labour, youth unemployment, broken families – these aren’t just plot devices, but the very struggles we face every day.”

    Getty Images Pink Guards of Squid Game pose for a photograph with a fan during a parade eventGetty Images

    Squid Game has become a symbol of K-drama’s prowess on the global stage

    Those darker messages seemed to be brushed to the side on Saturday night, as a massive parade celebrated the release of the blockbuster’s final season. A giant killer doll and dozens of faceless guards in tracksuits – among other motifs of the deadly games – marched down central Seoul to much fanfare.

    For South Korea’s leaders, Squid Game has become a symbol of K-drama’s success on the global stage. It is also part of a string of successes – along with K-pop act BTS and Oscar-winning film Parasite – on which newly elected president Lee Jae Myung wants to capitalise as he sets his sights on exporting K-culture far and wide.

    There are signs the Squid Game hype may even go further: the show’s final scene, where Cate Blanchett plays a Korean game with a man in a Los Angeles alley, has fuelled rumours of an American spinoff.

    The series ended on an “open-ended” note, Lee Jung-jae, the star of the series, told the BBC. “So it poses a lot of questions to the audience. I hope people will talk about those questions, ponder upon themselves about the questions and try to find an answer.”

    What can fans expect from Squid Game series three?

    Mixed reactions

    In the show’s later seasons, viewers follow Gi-hun’s quest to bring down the eponymous games, which are packaged as entertainment for a group of wealthy VIPs.

    But his rebellion fails, and by the end Gi-hun is forced to sacrifice himself to save another player’s baby – an ending that has polarised viewers.

    Some argued that Gi-hun’s actions did not square with the dark portrait of reality that showrunners had developed – one that had so well captured the ruthless elements of human nature.

    “The characters’ excessive altruism was disturbing – almost to the point of seeming unhinged,” reads a comment on popular South Korean discussion site Nate Pann. “It felt like a fake, performative kind of kindness, prioritising strangers over their own families for no real reason.”

    But others said Gi-hun’s death was in line with the show’s commitment to uncomfortable truths.

    “This perfectly describes humanity and the message of the show,” another commented on YouTube.

    “As much as we wanted to see Gi-Hun win, kill the frontman and the VIPs, and stop the games once and for all before riding off into the sunset, that’s just not the world we live in and it’s certainly not the one that Gi-Hun lived in.”

    Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show’s creator, told reporters on Monday that he understood the “mixed reaction” to the final season.

    “In season one there were no expectations, so the shock and freshness worked. But by seasons two and three, expectations were sky high, and that makes all the difference,” Hwang said on Monday.

    “Game fans wanted more games, others wanted deeper messages, and some were more invested in the characters. Everyone expected something different.”

    For some, at least, Gi-hun’s final choice offered a hopeful reflection of reality: that even in times of adversity, kindness can prevail.

    “That paradox – of cruelty and warmth coexisting – is what made the finale so moving,” said Mr Jeong, the film blogger. “Watching the Squid Game made me reflect on myself. As someone who has worked in education and counselling, I’ve questioned whether kindness can really change anything.”

    “That’s why I stayed with this story. That’s why I call this ending beautiful.”

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  • Cristiano Ronaldo’s new $700 million contract reportedly includes private-jet credits and personal staff. Here’s how that compares with perks for other top athletes and CEOs.

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s new $700 million contract reportedly includes private-jet credits and personal staff. Here’s how that compares with perks for other top athletes and CEOs.

    By Weston Blasi

    Portuguese star’s deal with Saudi club Al Nassr is set to be the most lucrative sports contract ever in average annual value

    Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a record-setting new deal with Saudi Arabian football club Al Nassr for what, at almost $700 million over just two years, amounts to the highest average annual salary for a player contract in sports history. And if the money weren’t sweet enough, the lucrative contract comes with an array of nonsalary compensation and perks.

    According to reporting by the widely followed Italian sportswriter Fabrizio Romano and the Sun, Ronaldo will earn approximately $244.4 million per year in salary, plus a bevy of additional compensation including $33.6 million as a signing bonus; a 15% equity stake in the Riyadh club, to which Ronaldo jumped from Manchester United (MANU) (UK:0Z1Q) in 2023; a $5.5 million bonus if he leads the Saudi Pro League in goals; $5.5 million in private-jet credits; $82.4 million in sponsorship pacts with Saudi Arabian businesses; and the provision of 16 full-time personal staff members.

    Personal staff as perk

    Those 16 employees are said to include three drivers, four housekeepers, two chefs, three gardeners and four security guards.

    Another bonus for Ronaldo: that there is no income tax in Saudi Arabia.

    “He’s probably getting paid as much as the entire league is generating in revenue,” Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross who specializes in sports, told MarketWatch.

    Ronaldo, 40, widely ranked among the best footballers of his generation, is arguably the highest-profile player to join the Saudi league. The SPL has in recent years sought to lure big-name players from top European leagues with eye-popping contracts and extensive perks.

    “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together,” Ronaldo said in an Instagram post, alongside a picture showing him holding up a jersey reading “Ronaldo 2027.” The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, born on the Portuguese island Madeira, came to fame as a forward with Sporting Lisbon; Manchester United, where he had two stints; and Real Madrid, where he played nine seasons.

    Shades of Beckham

    Perks like those reportedly afforded Ronaldo are headline grabbers, but he is not the first player to receive atypical contract considerations.

    “The closest thing we have seen to this is probably David Beckham’s deal with LA Galaxy in MLS [2007],” the sports economist Matheson said. “When he was signed, he was making more personally than any other team, and making as much as the bottom eight teams combined in payroll with just his salary. And part of that deal included rights to have his own franchise in the future, which turned into Inter Miami.”

    Beckham’s deal back in 2007 included a clause that would allow him to purchase the rights to an MLS team at a later date for a set fee of $25 million, with some stipulations, per the Athletic.

    Matheson added that the Beckham deal and its perks “worked out well for the MLS,” which has seen a revenue boom and further expansion in the years that followed.

    Another athlete who received an unusual contract add-on was Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s longtime archrival in the top echelon of Spain’s La Liga. He now plays with Inter Miami.

    When Messi signed with the Miami club in 2023, the deal contained unique clauses that compensated him outside the bounds of a traditional salary. Messi negotiated revenue-sharing agreements with MLS kit maker Adidas (XE:ADS) (ADDYY) and MLS TV partner Apple (AAPL). As part of his contract, Messi earns a cut of all revenue from Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass streaming service, according to the sports-business publication Sportico.

    Contracts that feature compensation beyond salary are not permitted in major U.S. sports leagues including the NFL and the NBA, however, because they would circumvent salary-cap rules.

    Outside sports, high-profile business leaders have historically been offered perks and nontraditional compensation, too.

    For example, Meta (META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company’s then-chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, were reported to have spent more than $6 million of company money on private jets in 2022.

    Salesforce (CRM) CEO Mark Benioff was eligible for as much as $3 million in personal security expenses, plus $1.6 million in private-jet costs, in that company’s 2024 fiscal year, according to a proxy statement.

    The latter is a popular perk, as S&P 500 SPX component companies spent $65 million on private-jet travel for executives in 2022. That was a 50% increase from 2019.

    Some executives continue to enjoy costly perks even after stepping down. Former Morgan Stanley (MS) CEO James Gorman, for example, has reportedly been granted access to a company car and driver, as well as $400,000 a year in compensation, in his new “nonemployee adviser” role.

    -Weston Blasi

    This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. 

    
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  • Bombardier Announces Significant Firm Order from New Customer for 50 Challenger and Global Jets Including First-of-a-Kind Maintenance Services Partnership

    Bombardier Announces Significant Firm Order from New Customer for 50 Challenger and Global Jets Including First-of-a-Kind Maintenance Services Partnership

    • Combined value of the 50-aircraft firm order and services agreement is US$1.7 billion; aircraft deliveries to begin in 20271
    • Order also includes 70 new aircraft purchase options; if all options are exercised, the total aircraft and services value would reach more than US$4 billion2
    • First-of-a-kind service agreement between an OEM and operator will deliver the most comprehensive and integrated maintenance offering for the fleet’s customers from Bombardier’s top-ranked service network

    Bombardier proudly announces a significant firm order for 50 of its performance-leading Challenger and Global aircraft, combined with a first-of-a-kind service agreement. Together, the firm aircraft and service agreements are valued at US$1.7 billion with deliveries set to begin in 20271. The first-time Bombardier customer will also hold 70 new aircraft purchase options. If all purchase options are exercised, the combined aircraft and service agreements’ value would reach more than US$4 billion2. The customer has selected Bombardier’s top-ranked maintenance offerings to create an innovative partnership that will deliver an unmatched level of care and convenience for customers. The customer has elected to remain anonymous prior to unveiling their offering in the marketplace.

    “This significant order underscores the competitive advantage Bombardier’s full scope of products and services brings to customers throughout the entire aircraft lifecycle, from design to delivery, then throughout the in-service journey,” said Éric Martel, President and CEO, Bombardier. “We build trust each day with each customer thanks to dedicated team members around the world who ensure their consistent satisfaction. Our more than 18,000 Bombardier employees are proud to welcome this new, important customer to our family.”

    Delivering impeccable aircraft and services to elevate its customers’ experience on all fronts, Bombardier’s offer sets the standard in business aviation. The company’s Global and Challenger families of aircraft are renowned for their exceptional performance, proven reliability and passenger-centric cabin. Leveraging Bombardier’s impeccable engineering, these jets are designed to deliver a seamless travel experience, boasting industry-leading landing capabilities and the company’s signature smooth ride. Additionally, Bombardier’s worldwide service network delivers the company’s unmatched expertise to operators around the world, ensuring they benefit from a seamless experience at every point in their journey.  

    (1) See forward-looking statements disclaimer hereinafter. 
    (2) Includes 50 firm aircraft orders, assumption that all 70 purchase options are exercised at the discretion of the customer and the service agreement. Such assumption is a forward-looking statement—see forward-looking statements disclaimer hereinafter.

    About Bombardier

    At Bombardier (BBD-B.TO), we design, build, modify and maintain the world’s best-performing aircraft for the world’s most discerning people and businesses, governments and militaries. That means not simply exceeding standards, but understanding customers well enough to anticipate their unspoken needs. 

    For them, we are committed to pioneering the future of aviation—innovating to make flying more reliable, efficient and sustainable. And we are passionate about delivering unrivaled craftsmanship and care, giving our customers greater confidence and the elevated experience they deserve and expect. Because people who shape the world will always need the most productive and responsible ways to move through it. 

    Bombardier customers operate a fleet of more than 5,100 aircraft, supported by a vast network of Bombardier team members worldwide and 10 service facilities across six countries. Bombardier’s performance-leading jets are proudly manufactured in aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. In 2024, Bombardier was honoured with the prestigious “Red Dot: Best of the Best” award for Brands and Communication Design.     

    For Information

    For corporate news and information, including Bombardier’s Sustainability report, as well as the company’s initiative to cover all its flight operations with a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend utilizing the Book-and-Claim system visit 
    bombardier.com.

    Learn more about Bombardier’s industry-leading products and customer service network at bombardier.com. Follow us on X @Bombardier.

    Media Contacts

    General media contact webform

    Francis Richer de La Flèche
    Vice President, Financial Planning and Investor Relations 
    Bombardier
    +1 514 240 9649    		 Mark Masluch
    Senior Director, Communications
    Bombardier
    +1 514 855 716

    Forward-looking statements
    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations. By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to important known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the “Forward-Looking Statements” disclaimer contained in Bombardier Inc.’s most recently published financial report for additional details.

    Bombardier, Challenger and Global are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
     

     

     

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  • Breast Cancer Risk in Younger Women May Be Influenced by Hormone Therapy

    Breast Cancer Risk in Younger Women May Be Influenced by Hormone Therapy

    Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found that two common types of hormone therapy may alter breast cancer risk in women before age 55. Researchers discovered that women treated with unopposed estrogen hormone therapy (E-HT) were less likely to develop the disease than those who did not use hormone therapy. They also found that women treated with estrogen plus progestin hormone therapy (EP-HT) were more likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not use hormone therapy. Together, these results could help to guide clinical recommendations for hormone therapy use among younger women.

    The two hormone therapies analyzed in the study are often used to manage symptoms related to menopause or following hysterectomy (removal of uterus) or oophorectomy (removal of one or both ovaries). Unopposed estrogen therapy is recommended only for women who have had a hysterectomy because of its known association with uterine cancer risk.

    “Hormone therapy can greatly improve the quality of life for women experiencing severe menopausal symptoms or those who have had surgeries that affect their hormone levels,” said lead author Katie O’Brien, Ph.D., of NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). “Our study provides greater understanding of the risks associated with different types of hormone therapy, which we hope will help patients and their doctors develop more informed treatment plans.”

    The researchers conducted a large-scale analysis that included data from more than 459,000 women under 55 years old across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Women who used E-HT had a 14% reduction in breast cancer incidence compared to those who never used hormone therapy. Notably, this protective effect was more pronounced in women who started E-HT at younger ages or who used it longer. In contrast, women using EP-HT experienced a 10% higher rate of breast cancer compared to non-users, with an 18% higher rate seen among women using EP-HT for more than two years relative to those who never used the therapy.

    According to the authors, this suggests that for EP-HT users, the cumulative risk of breast cancer before age 55 could be about 4.5%, compared with a 4.1% risk for women who never used hormone therapy and a 3.6% risk for those who used E-HT. Further, the association between EP-HT and breast cancer was particularly elevated among women who had not undergone hysterectomy or oophorectomy. That highlights the importance of considering gynecological surgery status when evaluating the risks of starting hormone therapy, the researchers noted.

    “These findings underscore the need for personalized medical advice when considering hormone therapy,” said NIEHS scientist and senior author Dale Sandler, Ph.D. “Women and their health care providers should weigh the benefits of symptom relief against the potential risks associated with hormone therapy, especially EP-HT. For women with an intact uterus and ovaries, the increased risk of breast cancer with EP-HT should prompt careful deliberation.”

    The authors noted that their study is consistent with previous large studies that documented similar associations between hormone therapy and breast cancer risk among older and postmenopausal women. This new study extends those findings to younger women, providing essential evidence to help guide decision-making for women as they go through menopause.

    Reference: O’Brien KM, et al. 2025. Hormone therapy use and young-onset breast cancer: a pooled analysis of prospective cohorts included in the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collaborative Group. Lancet Oncol 26: 911–23.

    Previous National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences News Release

    April 16, 2024

    Microplastics, Algal Blooms, Seafood Safety Are Public Health Concerns Addressed by New Oceans and Human Health Centers


    April 16, 2024

    See all News Releases

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  • Here are all the new features and improvements for the new iPhone operating system

    Here are all the new features and improvements for the new iPhone operating system

    Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple)

    It’s true: Apple’s iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is coming your way this fall with some cool new features you’ll want to try. For those of us who’ve been loyal to the iPhone for nearly two decades, we’re most excited about the fresh home and lock screen redesign. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the new look and feel will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9. If you’re a developer, you can check out the iOS 26 beta 2 now; the public beta coming in July.

    After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).

    Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year.

    Keep reading to check out the most notable features coming to your iPhone this fall, according to Apple. Also, make sure your iPhone is eligible to download the iOS 26 update (thankfully, most recent models are).

    While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

    a list of the new OSesa list of the new OSes

    It’s official, we’re moving to iOS 26. (Apple)

    Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.

    So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.

    That said, as of the newly released iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.

    iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:

    Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.

    Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.

    Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.

    Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.

    Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.

    Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.

    New Hold Assist being displayed at the wwdc keynoteNew Hold Assist being displayed at the wwdc keynote

    Apple’s Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple)

    A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

    Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.

    If you’re a developer, you can check out the iOS 26 beta 2 now. The iOS 26 public beta will become available in July via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.

    Once you’re in and the beta is available, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.

    A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.

    iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced.

    If you’re more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here’s everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

    Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.

    Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2.

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  • govt misses target by a mile

    govt misses target by a mile


    ISLAMABAD:

    The federal government has missed the annual tax target of nearly Rs13 trillion by a record margin of around Rs1.2 trillion, as the authorities failed to increase the tax revenues to 10.6% of the size of the economy, despite putting unprecedented additional burden on the people.

    The collection, nonetheless, was Rs2.43 trillion or 26% higher than the preceding year, proving independent analysts correct that the government had set a wrong target in the first place that was impossible to achieve without a mini-budget.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) provisionally collected Rs11.73 trillion in the fiscal 2024-25 – falling short of the target by about Rs1.2 trillion, according to its provisional figures, on Monday, the last day of the financial year.

    The federal government had given a commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it would increase the tax-to-GDP ratio to 10.6% in fiscal 2024-25. However, the ratio remained at little over 10.2% of the GDP, according to the provisional figures compiled till Monday evening.

    The shortfall of about Rs1.2 trillion is unprecedented because the government had imposed a record Rs1.3 trillion in additional taxes in the budget. This follows the fiscal year 2019-20, when the economy suffered greatly due to Covid-19 and as a result the target was missioned by a margin of Rs1.6 trillion.

    After assuming the office in August last year, FBR Chairman Rashid Langrial had said that the collection through additional measures might not be more than Rs650 billion due to slowdown of the economy, and inflation falling to single digit.

    In July last year, former FBR chairman Amjad Zubair Tiwana had said that irrespective of the amount of efforts that the FBR would put in, the annual collection could not exceed Rs11.8 trillion. His prophecy was proven correct.

    The government overburdened the salaried class and taxed almost every essential consumable good, including packaged milk, to raise Rs12.97 trillion in taxes.

    The FBR had to chase an unrealistic tax target coupled with a slowing economy and falling inflation rate – the three key factors that have overshadowed the 26% increase in the collection from the sluggish economy.

    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had vowed to achieve the over Rs12.9 trillion target without the need for the mini-budget. He could not succeed, although the government increased petroleum levy rates to record Rs78 per litre to offset the impact of tax shortfall on the primary budget surplus target. At the start of the fiscal year, the petroleum levy rate was Rs60 per litre on petrol and high speed diesel.

    The huge shortfall is also far more than what the government had committed to the IMF just in March this year, when the lender lowered the target by Rs640 billion for the full fiscal year. Subsequently, the government further downward revised the target to Rs11.9 trillion in June, which was missed, too.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been personally focusing on the affairs of the FBR and he has tried to introduce many new initiatives, including digital tracking of the economy and focusing on tax evasion prone sectors.

    FBR Chairman Langrial also got more fiscal incentives for his workforce, including giving them new 1,300 cc cars and additional one to four monthly salaries.

    The federal government approved Rs55 billion worth of two projects for the FBR to strengthen its workforce, set up new custom posts along the Indus River to curb smuggling and upgrade digital infrastructure. The tax authorities said that the results of all these initiatives would be visible in the new fiscal year.

    Langrial also vowed to take affidavits from chief finance officers of the companies to check under declaration of the sales and to collect more revenues from the businesses and the people, including the richest people of Pakistan. However, all such initiatives did not help reach the goal.

    Also, the government could not meet the commitment to collect Rs50 billion in income taxes from the retailers under the Tajir Dost Scheme. The collection could not even reach Rs50 million.

    For the new fiscal year, the government has set the Rs14.13 trillion worth tax target for the FBR, which requires 20% growth in collection over the last fiscal year’s revenues.

    For the month of June, the FBR’s target was Rs1.67 trillion. However, despite taking advances and slowing refunds, it could collect Rs1.49 trillion, falling short of the target by about Rs180 billion.

    The IMF compelled the country to impose new taxes, primarily burdening the salaried class and levying taxes on nearly all consumable goods, including medical tests, stationery, vegetables, and children’s milk.

    Tax collection breakup

    The FBR missed its targets for sales tax, federal excise duty, and customs duty but again exceeded the income tax target on the back of over burdening the salaried class.

    According to the details, income tax collection amounted to nearly Rs5.8 trillion, Rs340 billion more than the target. It was also Rs1.25 trillion more than the last year. The burden was shared by the salaried class and the corporate sector, as the retailers and landlords still remained under-taxed.

    Sales tax collection stood at Rs3.9 trillion, nearly Rs1.03 trillion less than the target of over Rs4.9 trillion. The sales tax remained the most difficult area for the FBR and one of the reasons for low collection was less than estimated growth in large industries. The government had immensely increased the sales tax burden in the budget. The collection was Rs812 billion more than the last year.

    The FBR collected Rs767 billion in the federal excise duty, Rs187 billion less than the target. But it was Rs190 billion higher than the last year. The government did not spare homes, lubricants, fruit juices, cement, sugar etc from imposing the excise duty in the last budget. Yet it miserably failed to achieve the target.

    Custom duty collection stood at Rs1.28 trillion, Rs315 billion below the target. The collection was hit by lower-than projected import volumes. It was Rs173 billion more than the last year. The FBR paid Rs493 billion in tax refunds, which were Rs13 billion more than the preceding year.

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