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  • Jupiter and its 4 largest moons will line up in the sky on Aug. 8. Here’s how to see the ‘parade’

    Jupiter and its 4 largest moons will line up in the sky on Aug. 8. Here’s how to see the ‘parade’

    The predawn hours of Aug. 8 present a perfect opportunity to see Jupiter’s four largest moons line up next to the “King of the Planets” as it voyages through the stars of the constellation Gemini.

    Stargazers in the U.S. will see Jupiter rise above the eastern horizon roughly two hours before sunrise on Aug. 8, with Venus visible as a bright morning “star” less than 5 degrees to its upper right.

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  • France battles largest wildfire since 1949 as blaze continues despite losing intensity

    France battles largest wildfire since 1949 as blaze continues despite losing intensity

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    A massive wildfire that has scorched through 16,000 hectares of forest and villages in southern France since Tuesday has lost intensity but is still not under control, officials said on Thursday.

    France’s biggest wildfire in nearly eight decades has killed one person and destroyed dozens of houses. Plumes of smoke rose over the forest area in the Aude region.

    Three people are missing and two people, including a firefighter, are in critical condition, local authorities said.

    Drone footage showed swathes of charred earth after the fire swept across an area one-and-a-half times the size of Paris.

    The blaze, around 100 km (60 miles) from the border with Spain, not far from the Mediterranean Sea, has spread unusually rapidly, fanned by strong winds and very dry vegetation, following months of drought in the area.

    Read More: Indian helicopters continue rescue operation in flooded Himalayas

    It is now advancing more slowly, Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told France Info radio on Thursday morning.

    “The night was cooler, the fire is progressing more slowly, but it remains the most significant wildfire France has experienced since 1949,” Pannier-Runacher said.

    “This is a wildfire that is a consequence of climate change, of drought in this region,” she added.

    Christophe Magny, one of the officials leading the firefighting operation, told BFM TV that he hoped the blaze could be contained later in the day. But he warned: “As of now, the fire has not been brought under control.”

    Also Read: Pakistan-born newspaper vendor in Paris to receive top French honour

    Officials said an investigation was under way to determine what caused the blaze.

    Scientists say the Mediterranean region’s hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires.

    France’s weather office has warned of a new heatwave starting in other parts of southern France on Friday and expected to last several days.

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  • Sindh cabinet approves new MDCAT policy

    Sindh cabinet approves new MDCAT policy



    A representational image shows students attempting the MDCAT exam. — APP/File

    In line with the PMDC Act 2022 and a Sindh High Court directive, the cabinet has finalised a comprehensive admission policy for MBBS and BDS programmes in public and private medical and dental colleges across the province.

    The provincial cabinet meeting, headed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, designated the Sukkur IBA Testing Agency (SIBA) as the current testing agency due to its satisfactory performance in MDCAT-2024, but future selections will remain performance-based.

    It was decided in the meeting that the provincial health department, however, would regulate the MDCAT and admissions across Sindh.

    As per the PMDC Act, a uniform, province-wide MDCAT test must be conducted annually, with the provinces required to frame a formal policy, read a statement issued by the Sindh Chief Minister’s House.

    MDCAT Policy includes strict adherence to PMDC rules for merit determination, pass percentages, and eligibility, it added.

    For the applicants, a Sindh domicile is mandatory, with verification through Juvenile Cards and biometric authentication.

    The seat allocation and distribution for all medical colleges and universities will be published in the annual Prospectus for Session 2024-25, which cannot be altered by the admitting universities, the statement added.

    However, the provincial health department retains the authority to conduct the admissions process directly or through any nominated medical university. A supervisory committee will be notified by the department to oversee the process when handled by a university.

    CNIC-based vehicle registration

    Besides the MDCAT policy, the provincial cabinet approved a series of wide-ranging reforms, including the launch of CNIC-based vehicle registration and a province-wide reassessment of 3,371 protected heritage buildings.

    The cabinet gave the green light to register seized government vehicles with altered chassis, establish Vehicle Fitness Inspection Centres, and grant a final extension in service and salary payments for COVID-19-era technical and supporting staff.

    The meeting reviewed a proposal by the excise department to introduce a CNIC-based vehicle registration system, along with Personalised Registration Marks (PRMs).

    The new system will link registration marks directly to a vehicle owner’s CNIC rather than the vehicle’s chassis, allowing owners to retain and reuse their personalised number plates even after selling their vehicle.

    The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) will now be based on the chassis number, which remains the permanent identifier of the vehicle.

    PRMs can be retained, reused, or surrendered by owners.

    The system enables real-time traceability of vehicles and aligns with international standards.

    CNIC-linked registration promotes easy tracking of taxpayer assets and improves administrative convenience.

    It will be a modernised, owner-centric registration system with Integration with NADRA’s national database.

    The cabinet, in principle, approved the CNIC-based registration model and its legal amendments to bring Sindh’s system in line with global best practices and recent reforms in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

    The CM directed the Excise and Taxation Department to develop the CNIC-based system and then begin its testing, followed by amending the necessary law.

    The CNIC-based vehicle registration would not be implemented immediately, but he would hold follow-up meetings to oversee its implementation once it has been properly tested. 

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  • 2025 U.S. Gymnastics Championships: Full schedule, all results, and scores

    2025 U.S. Gymnastics Championships: Full schedule, all results, and scores

    The U.S. Gymnastics Championships, which run 7–10 August at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center, bring together the country’s best gymnasts for a high-stakes competition, with world championships berths, national titles, and spots on Team USA all up for grabs.

    The competition field includes five athletes who competed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, including women’s team gold medallist Hezly Rivera and men’s team bronze medallists Brody Malone, Frederick Richard, Asher Hong, and Stephen Nedoroscik.

    Below are the complete results from the event.

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  • Fashion Icon Kate Moss’s Onetime London Home in St. John’s Wood Now on the Market

    Fashion Icon Kate Moss’s Onetime London Home in St. John’s Wood Now on the Market

    At the height of her fame—and infamy—supermodel Kate Moss picked up this charming Victorian home nestled on the tree-lined streets of St. John’s Wood in north London. That was back in 2007, per The Daily Mail, when the British fashion icon had a young daughter and a budding romance with The Kills guitarist Jamie Hince, who she would go on to marry (and divorce).

    Arlington Residential

    The living room of Kate Moss’s onetime home in London.

    After moving into the five-bedroom hideaway, Moss put her own fashionable stamp on the interiors, creating a neon-lit party area, jungle-inspired living room, and filling the primary suite’s dual closets with her enviable collection of designer shoes and couture. She even held a medieval-themed 35th birthday bash at the home—complete with pig roast—attended by famous friends including Stella McCartney, much to the chagrin of her neighbors.

    kate moss london home kitchen

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    The dining room and kitchen have direct access to the sunken terrace.

    Moss ultimately unloaded the property in 2012, ready for a fresh start with her new husband, and purchased a lavish residence near friends Jude Law and Sienna Miller in the posh Highgate area. The new owners gave the 4,700-square-foot dwelling a pared-down makeover with modern furnishings while still retaining period elements like the living room’s original parquet floors.

    kate moss london home bathroom

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    A freestanding tub and fireplace in one of the baths.

    Today, the three-story abode is on the market again, this time for £5.95 million, or roughly $8 million, with Arlington Residential. Highlights include an eat-in kitchen that opens onto a sunken terrace, a walled garden shaded by mature trees, a sky-lit entry vestibule, and multiple dressing rooms. There’s plenty of charm outside as well, with a stucco-clad exterior featuring preserved details such as swirling wrought-iron railings, sash windows, and French doors.

    kate moss london home

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    The residence features multiple dressing areas.

    While Moss has decamped from London and lives in the Cotswolds, her former London retreat now awaits a new steward to write the next chapter of its stylish story.

    Headshot of Geoffrey Montes

    Geoffrey Montes is an associate editor at ELLE Decor with a serious love for all things real estate and design. Before that, he worked at Architectural Digest, Galerie, and Preservation magazines, covering everything from jaw-dropping listings to world-famous architects and design events like Salone del Mobile and Homo Faber.

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  • Frequent sit-to-stand transitions reduce diastolic blood pressure in postmenopausal women

    Frequent sit-to-stand transitions reduce diastolic blood pressure in postmenopausal women

    Frequent sit-to-stand transitions reduce diastolic blood pressure in postmenopausal women | Image Credit: © Chinnapong – stock.adobe.com.

    A randomized controlled trial published in Circulation has found that increasing daily sit-to-stand transitions led to modest reductions in blood pressure among postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity. The 3-month Rise for Health Study evaluated 2 sedentary behavior interventions, reducing sitting time and increasing sit-to-stand transitions (STSTs), in comparison with a control condition.1,2

    “Public health messaging urges us to sit less but doesn’t tell us the best ways to do that,” said Sheri Hartman, PhD, lead author and professor at the University of California San Diego. “Our findings suggest that while sitting less was helpful, interrupting sitting with brief standing breaks—even if you don’t sit less—can support healthy blood pressure and improve health.”

    The study enrolled 407 postmenopausal women (mean age, 68 years) with body mass index ≥25 kg/m² and daily sitting time of ≥7 hours. Participants were randomized into 3 arms: a “sit less” group aimed at reducing total daily sitting time, a “sit-to-stand” group instructed to increase the frequency of standing transitions, and a “healthy living” control group. Each group received 7 coaching sessions over 12 weeks.

    Behavioral outcomes showed that the “sit less” group reduced total sitting time by 58 minutes per day compared with the control (P < .001) but did not significantly increase STSTs. Conversely, the “sit-to-stand” group increased STSTs by 26 per day (P<.001) without significantly reducing sitting time. Both intervention groups reduced the duration of long sitting bouts (>30 minutes), but only the “sit-to-stand” group significantly reduced average sitting bout length (P<.01).

    Physiologically, the sit-to-stand intervention led to a statistically significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure compared with the control group. The estimated intervention effect was –2.24 mm Hg (95% CI, –4.08 to –0.40; P=.02). Systolic blood pressure also declined in the sit-to-stand group by –3.33 mm Hg (95% CI, –6.32 to –0.33; P = .03), although it did not meet the predefined significance threshold of P < .025. No statistically significant changes in blood pressure were observed in the “sit less” group.

    Neither intervention had a significant impact on glucose regulation markers, including fasting plasma glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), or homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR). The composite glucose outcome remained unchanged in both groups (P > .05).

    The authors emphasized that sitting time and sit-to-stand transitions are distinct behaviors and require separate intervention strategies. “What excites me most about this study is that women set their own goals and made a real difference in their sitting behaviors,” said co-author Andrea Z. LaCroix, PhD. “With a little coaching, we can teach ourselves to sit less and it makes a tangible difference to our short- and long-term health.”

    Although the average decrease in diastolic blood pressure did not reach the clinically meaningful range of 3 to 5 mm Hg, the authors note that a 2.24–mm Hg drop achieved in only 3 months suggests potential for larger population-level benefits with longer interventions. Exploratory analyses adjusting for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) did not materially change the results, indicating that the blood pressure effects were attributable to increased STSTs rather than increased exercise.

    Additional adverse events were minimal, with mild skin irritation from wearable devices being the most common. Musculoskeletal complaints were infrequent and generally resolved during the study period.

    The authors suggest that brief, frequent sit-to-stand movements may be an accessible behavioral strategy for older women to improve cardiovascular health. The research team has submitted a grant proposal to investigate the long-term impact of these behaviors in a broader cohort that includes older men and clinical populations at elevated cardiometabolic risk.

    “Adapting real-world interventions that are easy, realistic, and aligned with our personal goals—such as stand up from sitting 25 extra times per day, like 2 times per hour over 12 hours—may be doable for so many of us,” LaCroix said.

    Hartman and colleagues conclude that targeting sit-to-stand transitions may offer a feasible, low-barrier intervention to help mitigate cardiovascular risk in sedentary older women.

    References:

    1. Hartman SJ, LaCroix AZ, Sears DD, et al. Impacts of Reducing Sitting Time or Increasing Sit-to-Stand Transitions on Blood Pressure and Glucose Regulation in Postmenopausal Women: Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial. Circulation. Published online July 25, 2025. doi:https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.124.073385
    2. University of California – San Diego. Just rise: Study finds frequent standing may boost heart health after menopause. Eurekalert. August 5, 2025. Accessed August 7, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1093550

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  • FDA grants first US approval for decades-old eye drug – Nature

    FDA grants first US approval for decades-old eye drug – Nature

    1. FDA grants first US approval for decades-old eye drug  Nature
    2. FDA approves breakthrough eye drops that fix near vision without glasses  New Atlas
    3. FDA Approves Aceclidine Ophthalmic Solution 1.44 Percent as First Eye Drop for Presbyopia Treatment  geneonline.com
    4. Firm Advises LENZ Therapeutics in Matters Related to FDA’s Approval of VIZZ  Wilson Sonsini
    5. Bye bye, bifocals? New eye drops can fix farsightedness  Popular Science

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  • Sonos says it’s forced to raise prices while trying to win back customers

    Sonos says it’s forced to raise prices while trying to win back customers

    During that call, Sonos CFO Saori Casey said that the company expects “tariff expenses will be approximately $5 million in Q4.” In Sonos’ fiscal Q3, it paid $3.5 million in tariffs, Casey said.

    Sonos is still recovering from app problems

    Since July 2024, when Sonos’ then-CEO Patrick Spence admitted that a software update inadvertently broke many Sonos devices, the company has been trying to prove to customers and investors that its pricey audio devices are still worth buying.

    During the earnings call, Conrad said he believes the value of Sonos gadgets “compounds over time, thanks to the kinds of software updates that deliver new experiences.” But a widely reviled app update last year damaged Sonos’ reputation in this area. The update stripped the app of some basic features, such as the ability to edit playlists and song queues, and many Sonos devices, especially older ones, stopped functioning properly.

    Meanwhile, Sonos hasn’t released a new product since the Arc Ultra soundbar and Sub 4 subwoofer in October 2024. In March, reports surfaced that Sonos axed its streaming video player. Conrad told investors yesterday that Sonos has a release roadmap going beyond its 2026 fiscal year. Any devices in that roadmap, however, will be challenged to sell customers on their software, long-term reliability, and price.

    Customers may cut Sonos some slack, considering the widespread impact that tariffs are expected to have on electronics pricing. In May, the Trump administration axed the de minimis exemption that enabled duty-free imports of goods worth $800 or less, impacting electronics such as PC peripherals and DIY parts. Currently, the US and China have paused tariffs as the countries look to reach an agreement by August 12. At that time, goods imported from China could face tariffs as high as 145 percent, which would significantly impact the prices of most electronics sold in the US.

    But Sonos is already struggling to release and sell new products at high prices, so raising them even higher could further harm the company.

    “We lost the momentum in 2024. We’re starting to get it back, and we’re going to accelerate our pace from here,” Conrad said.

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  • Five England players nominated for women’s Ballon d’Or after Euro 2025 triumph | England women’s football team

    Five England players nominated for women’s Ballon d’Or after Euro 2025 triumph | England women’s football team

    Five of England’s European Championship-winning squad have been nominated for this year’s women’s Ballon d’Or, including three Arsenal players who claimed a club and country double of European titles this summer.

    Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly all shared Champions League and Euros triumphs, and are joined on the nominees list by Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton, who both won domestic trebles with Chelsea and clinched back-to-back European titles with victory over Spain in Basel last month.

    For the men’s Ballon d’Or, four English players have been nominated, with Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer and Declan Rice all on the list alongside Scotland’s Scott McTominay, who has been recognised after his widely lauded contribution to Napoli’s Serie A triumph. The Arsenal and England full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly made the young players’ list.

    Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses’ coach, has been nominated for the women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy, for the best coach, alongside Arsenal’s Renée Slegers and Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor. Nigeria’s Justine Madugu and Brazil’s Arthur Elias have also been nominated after their triumphs in their respective continental competitions.

    The 19-year-old England striker, Michelle Agyemang, is nominated for the young player award – the Kopa Trophy. Her two late equalisers in the knockout stages of Euro 2025 were instrumental in England reaching the final. The Chelsea youngster Wieke Kaptein is also on that five-player list.

    Leah Williamson claimed a club and country European double this summer. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

    Hampton, who saved two penalties in the Euro 2025 final, is also nominated for the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers, along with Arsenal’s Daphne van Domselaar.

    Seven Arsenal players are among the women’s Ballon d’Or prize list, after their Champions League final victory over Barcelona in Lisbon, with Spain’s Mariona Caldentey, Australia’s Steph Catley, the USA’s Emily Fox and Norway’s Frida Maanum joining Williamson, Russo and Kelly. Chelsea have two further representatives in Sandy Baltimore and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, while the Scotland and Real Madrid midfielder, Caroline Weir, has also made the list, alongside Brazil’s Marta and last year’s winner, Aitana Bonmatí of Spain.

    As expected, the men’s Ballon d’Or list also includes big-name nominees such as Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah and Vinícius Júnior, along with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and the new Arsenal signing Viktor Gyökeres. Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca are among five nominees for the men’s coach prize.

    Chelsea and Liverpool have both been nominated for men’s club of the year, while Arsenal and Chelsea are in the running for the women’s club of the year.

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  • The Hundred 2025 results: Northern Superchargers skittle Welsh Fire for 94 in 47-run thrashing

    The Hundred 2025 results: Northern Superchargers skittle Welsh Fire for 94 in 47-run thrashing

    Having chosen to bat first, Superchargers found themselves pegged back by a wicket every time they seemed to be building momentum.

    Annabel Sutherland looked in good touch but the Australia international – one of three in the home team – holed out off Matthews for 28 and at 89-4 from 65 balls, the innings could have gone either way.

    Armitage and Wareham ensured things went in the Superchargers’ favour as they stayed together for the remainder of the innings.

    The pair found the boundary regularly enough to keep the score moving and Wareham ended the innings with a bang, smashing a Jess Jonassen full toss into the stands.

    Fire’s chase got off to the worst possible start with Dunkley run out after setting off for a single that was never on and, when Linsey Smith bowled the dangerous Matthews, the pressure was on.

    Beaumont countered well, her experience shining through as she hit three sixes in an innings of controlled aggression, but a stand of 42 with Georgia Elwiss was ended by another run out.

    Wareham removed Jonassen before Grace Ballinger struck the telling blow, having Beaumont caught at cover by Armitage to leave Fire 58-5 at the halfway stage.

    There was no way back for Fire, with Superchargers bowlers targeting the stumps to great effect, taking five wickets from 19 balls that would have hit the timbers – including three bowled dismissals.

    Despite some late resistance from Shabnim Ismail and Katie Levick, Superchargers wrapped things up with two balls left in the match and go top of the table on net run-rate.

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