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Sino Biological sets new industry standard with ProPure™ endotoxin-free proteins made in the USA

Sino Biological US, Inc. proudly unveils ProPure™, an industry-leading line of ultra-pure, endotoxin-free recombinant proteins, fully produced in the USA at its state-of-the-art Center for Bioprocessing (C4B) facility in Houston, Texas. This new product line is specifically engineered to meet the rigorous demands of immunology research, vaccine development, animal studies, cell and gene therapy, and therapeutic protein manufacturing.

The newly released proteins are manufactured using advanced purification and production technologies, ensuring endotoxin levels below the limit of quantification (LOQ). By leveraging mammalian expression systems and proprietary purification protocols, the C4B delivers high-purity proteins tailored for sensitive applications where even trace endotoxin contamination can compromise results or patient safety.

Our commitment to scientific excellence and product safety has driven us to develop this next generation of endotoxin-free proteins

Researchers and biomanufacturers can now rely on the C4B for products that support the highest standards of quality and consistency, empowering breakthroughs in both basic and translational science.”

Dr. Rob Burgess, Chief Business Officer, Sino Biological US

The launch of ProPure™ product line underscores Sino Biological’s ongoing investment in bioprocessing innovation and its dedication to supporting the global life sciences community. In addition to standard offerings, the C4B provides customized protein development services, and made-to-order new product development to address unique research and production needs.

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July 14, 2025
Gravitational Wave Detected From Largest Black Hole Merger Yet: "It Presents A Real Challenge To Our Understanding Of Black Hole Formation" – IFLScience
1. Gravitational Wave Detected From Largest Black Hole Merger Yet: “It Presents A Real Challenge To Our Understanding Of Black Hole Formation” IFLScience
2. Scientists detect biggest ever merger of two massive black holes The Guardian
3. The biggest black hole smashup ever detected challenges physics theories Science News
4. Scientists Detect Biggest Merger Of Two Black Holes In History NDTV
5. Astronomers Detect a Black Hole Merger That’s So Massive It Shouldn’t Exist Gizmodo
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July 14, 2025
Spain’s women and Germany’s men take European beach titles in Alanya

The 2025 EHF Men’s and Women’s European Beach Handball Championships took place on Oba Beach in Alanya, Türkiye last week (8 to 13 July) with Spain’s women and Germany’s men winning gold.

Officially called the ‘EHF Beach Handball EURO 2025’, the 2025 event was the 14th edition of the continental championships.

Featuring 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams, all with hopes of winning continental medals, the event also saw qualification spots up for grabs for the 2026 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships which will be held in Croatia next year.

‘A winning mix of youth and experience’ – this is not only the best phrase to describe the Spanish women’s team title win in Alanya, but the last four weeks in Spanish beach handball.

Six medals in six competitions over the past four weeks has seen Spain’s beach handball teams dominate the international competition calendar in 2025.

Gold medals in both the 2025 IHF Men’s and Women’s Youth Beach Handball World Championships in Tunisia in June were followed up by the Spanish women taking gold in the EURO youth earlier this month and their men winning silver.

And in Türkiye on Sunday (13 July) Spain’s women made it a female treble with another gold as they defeated Norway 2-1 (20:24, 28:16, SO 9:6) to win their first-ever women’s continental title.

Coach Juan Pablo Morillo’s side came from behind to win the second set strongly, led by Mariam Gonzalez, Jimena Laguna and impressive goalkeeping from Patricia Encinas, Encinas causing the Norwegians, through Cornelia Haugen, to hit the post, setting up competition MVP Sara Hernandez with the single point to seal the continental title.

“I’m excited. It’s a dream. We have worked a lot and we are so happy for this win,” said Spain’s Mariam Gonzalez to eurohandball.com. “The plan was changing during the game, because they are a good, good team, but, finally, we won. We are so happy and we are excited. We are in a dream.”

The path to gold was not a smooth one for the Spanish, but they will not mind about that.

Two 2-0 wins, against Ukraine (14:6, 24:22) and Slovakia (22:14, 26:18) ensured a main round spot, but they ended the preliminary stage with a loss against Hungary, 0-2 (14:15, 18:19). This was followed with another loss, against Netherlands 0-2 (16:20, 22:27) in their main round opener, but Morillo got his side back on track with two 2-0 wins, against Sweden (22:8, 16:8) and Greece (16:14, 21:12).

This ensured qualification through to the last eight, where France were dispatched 2-0 (20:18, 15:14). A rematch against the Dutch in the semi-final saw an improved Spanish side ease to a 2-0 (21:18, 22:20) victory to ensure they did not add to their collection of the three previous bronze EURO medals (2017, 2021, 2023).

“I’m just so proud of the girls,” said Norway’s Elisabeth Hammerstad to eurohandball.com. “I don’t think anyone thought that we could be here, so we are really proud and we are happy that we were here. Of course we wanted to give Spain a harder second half, but we showed that we actually have a team that people should count on.”

Germany’s women proved to be human after all in Türkiye, their incredible gold medal-winning streak of taking the past five major international championships – EURO (2021, 2023), World Championship (2022, 2024) and The World Games (2022) – coming to an end after losing to Norway in the semi-finals 2-0 (17:14, 20:18).

They ended with bronze, with Isabel Kattner playing a key role in their 2-1 shoot-out (23:18, 18:20, SO 10:8) win over the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2023 EURO final. After both teams missed in the first round of shots, Kattner drew a foul on her own attack, allowing Belen Gettwart to score the resulting penalty shot.

“It was a tough fight; ultimately, we won the game again on defence, giving the offence the confidence it needed,” said Gettwart to handball.net. “We’ll be celebrating all night.”

Spain’s gold was an improvement on their bronze from 2023, while Norway’s silver saw them jump up from fifth spot. France, like their men’s side, considerably improved, shooting up from 13th in 2023 to eighth this time around, while Portugal dropped down to 10th after their fourth-place two years ago.

Germany’s men went one better than last time out, at the 2023 EURO in Portugal, claiming gold in Alanya after seeing off Spain in a tense shoot-out. It was their first gold and third overall medal in the competition, after taking their first silver – also in Alanya – in 2004.

The gold medal shoot-out went to a second round of shots after both sides missed a shot in the first. After six rounds, it was 10:10 and with Germany going first, Severin Henrich opened the seventh round with a strike to put the pressure on Mario Miranda Sirvent for Spain – who had seen Adria Ortola receive a red card in the previous round.

But his attempted dink over Germany goalkeeper Oliver Middell bounced off the line and away from the goal with the shot-stopper simply palming away the loose ball to confirm the first European title for the German men.

“I can’t believe it right now. It’s amazing. We have such a young team,” said Germany’s Robin John to eurohandball.com. “It was a tough game, but in the end, we have good goalkeepers and we won this game. I don’t realise it yet.”

The result was an improvement for the Germans on their silver medal last time out, in Portugal in 2023.

“We were in the game for a long time in the first half, but ultimately missed a few chances. We knew we were playing well and simply had to win things in the second round, and we didn’t let ourselves get flustered,” said Germany coach Marten Franke to handball.net.

“In the shoot-out, we had the necessary self-confidence; we had already beaten the Spanish in the same way in the world championship quarter-finals last year, so we had a good feeling.

“It’s incredible that we managed it,” he added. “With some last-minute changes, it wasn’t necessarily expected this year, so great respect and a huge compliment to each and every one of my players.”

On their way to topping the podium, Germany’s men lost just once and conceded just three sets in the process. Their preliminary group campaign saw three 2-0 wins against Czechia (26:14, 26:10), Türkiye (18:16, 20:16) and Portugal (23:22, 26:20) before 2-0 main round victories against Poland (26:20, 30:18) and Denmark (26:18, 21:20), their sole defeat coming against current The World Games and World Championship holders – and four-time EURO winners – Croatia 1-2 (20:26, 22:13, SO 8:10).

A quarter-final win against Italy 2-0 (22:20, 27:20) then set up a semi-final match-up and chance for revenge against Croatia, which Morten Franke’s team did, seeing off Mladen Paradzic’s side 2-1 (18:26, 22:20, SO 7:6), thanks to a Robin John single pointer and two saves from Mortiz Erbert.

“My team now is very sad. It’s logical,” said Spain coach Juan Vazquez to eurohandball.com. “But tomorrow, we will be very happy.”

Croatia managed to bounce back to take bronze, seeing off 2023 title-holders Hungary via shoot-out (9:8) after Hungary’s Andras John hit the post, allowing Ivan Dumencic to score in the last shot of the first round.

“We have that winning mentality and that’s why mostly we go out as winners on shoot-outs,” said Croatia’s Ivan Dumencic to eurohandball.com “I’m happy that even though it’s not gold, it’s a medal.”

Spain’s silver was an improvement on their fifth place last time, while Croatia moved up from seventh in 2023.

Away from the medal matches, it was an historic event for the France men’s team – and overall successful championships for the nation – as ‘Les Bleus’ not only secured a fifth-placed rank to better their 13th in 2023, but qualified for their first-ever IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship in the process.

Their epic 17:16 win over Portugal in the 5/6 placement match (2-1, 14:21, 15:14, SO 17:16) ensured they can now book their tickets to Croatia 2026 for the global event in Zagreb next year, where they will also be joined by fellow debutants Italy, who booked their spot thanks to their eighth-placed finish.

“I am very proud of the work done by the team and very happy with this result,” said France coach Paul Mourioux to the FFHB website, with his captain, Alexis Gilme, adding: “It is truly the fruit of an immense collective effort and I also count the absentees, who have worked on this season and sometimes on those that preceded it. There is no doubt that this collective will continue to move forward in the months and years to come.”

Despite not winning any games or sets, Alanya was also a big success for Malta, whose hard work behind-the-scenes in recent years developing the sport saw them make their continental debut in Türkiye, a valuable experience in their pursuit of becoming a regular on the international stage, just like Czechia, who managed to record a 14th place finish.

With the help of an online voting system for fans, the best players were selected for the EURO All-star Teams.

Men’s competition
MVP: Pablo Martin Ruiz (Spain)
Best goalkeeper: Oliver Middell (Germany)
Best defender: Valentino Valentakovic (Croatia)
Top scorer: Lucian Bura (Croatia) — 143 points
Fair play award: Czechia

Women’s competition
MVP: Sara Hernandez (Spain)
Best goalkeeper: Lisanne Bakker (Netherlands)
Best defender: Elisabeth Hammerstad (Norway)
Top scorer: Meike Kruijer (Netherlands) — 148 points
Fair play award: Poland

10 of the teams at the EURO will now shift their focus to The World Games Chengdu 2025 in China next month, with the men’s and women’s teams of Spain, Germany, Denmark, Croatia and Portugal all competing on the sand at the global multisport event.

EHF Beach Handball EURO 2025

Results – Final Day

Men’s competition
Gold Medal Match: Germany vs Spain 2-1 (18:22, 23:19, SO 12:10)
Bronze Medal Match: Croatia vs Hungary 2-1 (26:16, 28:30, SO 9:8)
5/6 Placement: France vs Portugal 2-1 (14:21, 15:14, SO 17:16)
7/8 Placement: Italy vs Denmark 0-2 (18:25, 12:21)
9/10 Placement: Türkiye vs Norway 1-2 (14:19, 22:18, SO 8:10)
11/12 Placement: Poland vs Sweden 2-0 (28:22, 22:16)
13/14 Placement: Bulgaria vs Czechia 2-1 (22:28, 22:18 SO 10:2)
15/16 Placement: Ukraine vs Malta 2-0 (30:14, 26:18)

Women’s competition
Gold Medal Match: Norway vs Spain 1-2 (24:20, 16:28, SO 6:9)
Bronze Medal Match: Germany vs Netherlands 2-1 (23:18, 18:20, SO 10:8)
5/6 Placement: Greece vs Denmark 0-2 (13:20, 16:19)
7/8 Placement: Hungary vs France 2-1 (16:18, 21:16, SO 9:6)
9/10 Placement: Portugal vs Sweden 1-2 (16:19, 19:16, SO 6:9)
11/12 Placement: Poland vs Ukraine 2-1 (20:21, 18:14, SO 8:4)
13/14 Placement: Croatia vs Türkiye 2-1 (21:22, 18:16, SO 6:4)
15/16 Placement: Slovakia vs Bulgaria 2-0 (28:16, 22:16)

Final Rankings
Men’s competition
1 Germany*
2 Spain*
3 Croatia**
4 Hungary*
5 France*
6 Portugal*
7 Denmark*
8 Italy*
9 Norway
10 Türkiye
11 Poland
12 Sweden
13 Bulgaria
14 Czechia
15 Ukraine
16 Malta

Women’s competition
1 Spain*
2 Norway*
3 Germany***
4 Netherlands*
5 Denmark*
6 Greece*
7 Hungary
8 France
9 Sweden
10 Portugal
11 Poland
12 Ukraine
13 Croatia****
14 Türkiye
15 Slovakia
16 Bulgaria

*Qualified for the 2026 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships
**Qualified for the 2026 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship as hosts and title-holders
*** Qualified for the 2026 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship as title-holders
****Qualified for the 2026 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship as hosts

Photo credit: EHF / Kolektiff

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July 14, 2025
DeepSwap Redefines the Best AI Video Generator with

HONG KONG, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DeepSwap, a pioneering artificial intelligence company specializing in AI video generation, today announced significant technological achievements that position the company at the forefront of the industry.

The company has one the best AI video generators with advanced character consistency that delivers unprecedented performance across multiple technical metrics, establishing new industry standards for face consistency, video quality, and motion realism.

Breakthrough Character Consistency Technology

DeepSwap’s proprietary Dynamic Feature Disentanglement (DFD) and Deep Facial Fusion (DFF) technologies have achieved a remarkable 96.2% character consistency rate, ensuring users maintain their unique appearance throughout generated videos.

This breakthrough addresses one of the most challenging aspects of AI video generation – maintaining character identity across multiple frames and dynamic scenes.

“Our DFD and DFF technologies represent a quantum leap in AI video generation,” said Penyne Wu, CEO and Co-Founder of Deepswap AI. “With 96.2% face-ID consistency, users can trust that their digital representation will remain true to their actual appearance, creating authentic and professional-quality content.”

Superior Text-to-Video Alignment

The platform demonstrates exceptional text-to-video alignment at 93.4%, meaning user prompts translate into matching visual scenes with remarkable accuracy. This high conversion rate significantly reduces the need for multiple generation attempts, streamlining the content creation process for both individual creators and enterprise clients.

Cinema-Grade Visual Quality

DeepSwap’s end-to-end optimization delivers a mean quality index of 98.7, producing visuals that rival professional film production standards. This cinema-grade clarity positions the platform as a viable alternative to traditional video production methods, offering substantial cost and time savings for content creators across industries.

Advanced Feature Preservation Technology

The company’s Dynamic Feature Locking technology succeeds 98.3% of the time in preserving facial features and clothing details, even during fast-paced action sequences. This capability ensures consistency in character appearance regardless of scene complexity or movement intensity, addressing a critical need in professional video production.

Extended Video Generation Capabilities

Unlike many competitors limited to short clips, DeepSwap enables users to generate up to 20 seconds of continuous video without stitching or interruptions. This extended generation capability allows for more comprehensive storytelling and reduces the technical complexity typically associated with longer-form AI video content.

Revolutionary Face-Swap Technology

The platform’s face-swap module maintains the same 96.2% character consistency as its primary generation technology, enabling seamless character placement across diverse scenes and scenarios. This feature opens new possibilities for personalized content creation, marketing applications, and entertainment production.

Industry-Leading Stability and Motion Quality

DeepSwap has achieved 99.5% pixel stability with flicker rates below 0.5%, virtually eliminating the visual artifacts that plague many AI video generation platforms. The company’s anti-flicker engine ensures smooth, professional-quality output that meets broadcast standards.

The platform’s physics-aware rendering scores 97.8% on realism tests, ensuring that all movements – from simple gestures to complex actions like jumping and spinning – appear natural and believable¹. Additionally, the motion-smoothing engine achieves 98.7% smoothness with jerk measurements below 2%, creating fluid, lifelike character movements¹.

Professional-Grade Camera Controls

DeepSwap’s advanced camera control system offers sub-0.05° precision for pan, tilt, and zoom operations, enabling professional-level cinematic composition¹. This precision gives content creators the tools necessary to achieve sophisticated visual storytelling typically reserved for high-end production equipment.

Market Impact and Industry Applications

These technological achievements position DeepSwap to capture significant market share in the rapidly expanding AI video generation sector. The platform’s industry-leading character consistency capabilities address critical needs across multiple industries, including entertainment, marketing, education, and corporate communications.

The combination of high-quality output, extended generation capabilities, and professional-grade features makes DeepSwap’s character consistency technology particularly attractive to enterprise clients seeking to reduce video production costs while maintaining professional standards.

About DeepSwap

DeepSwap is a leading artificial intelligence company focused on developing cutting-edge AI video generation technology with industry-leading character consistency. The company’s proprietary algorithms and advanced machine learning models enable users to create professional-quality AI-generated videos with unprecedented accuracy and realism.

Media Contact:

For more information about DeepSwap’s AI video generator with industry-leading character consistency and its technical capabilities, please contact the company’s media relations team.

Shawn Banks
Marketing Manager, Deepswap AI
shawnbanks752@gmail.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding DeepSwap’s technology performance and market position. Actual results may vary based on market conditions and technological developments.

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the Deepswap AI. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2ea90737-bbf5-4ace-8787-4ea2ed843d1e

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July 14, 2025
Rihanna Is Officially Fashion’s Coolest Mom

Alongside her glittering music career (let the record show Don’t Stop the Music went triple platinum on my iPod Shuffle), Rihanna has long secured her place as a global fashion icon. Who else could deliver legendary bangers such as Cheers (Drink To That) and B*tch Better Have My Money while clocking up prime position on the best-dressed list at the Met Gala year after year? Aside from the canary yellow Guo Pei gown and pope-core Margiela moment, it’s her maternity wardrobe that’s truly the stuff of fashion legend. No expandable waist jeans or maternity dungarees here.

Pregnant with her third child (a wordless announcement was made on the 2025 Met Gala steps in custom Marc Jacobs tailoring), Rihanna hit the Los Angeles premiere of The Smurfs in a Saint Laurent fall 2025 gown that ticked every box of her signature maternity style: lingerie-inspired and statement-making, with a biker jacket thrown in for good measure. Perhaps the biggest fashion flex of all? Her sons RZA and Riot joined her on the red carpet, dressed in mini custom Dior by Jonathan Anderson, fresh from his debut runway show for the French house.

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

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July 14, 2025
7 Individuals Selected For Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 14th Jul, 2025) The Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), in collaboration with the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) and wildlife departments from Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K), announced seven individuals for the Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025 against their exemplary efforts .

Following a detailed evaluation of 21 nominations during the third meeting of the National Committee for the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Program (CRWPP), seven individuals were selected for their outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation in Pakistan’s snow leopard range areas. Additionally, one award has been reserved for a community initiative, said a press release issued on Monday.

The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards aimed to shine a spotlight on those working behind the scenes to protect the wildlife and ecosystems of the country.

Among the selected individuals, Muhammad Ismail, Game Watcher from the AJK Wildlife Department, will receive this year’s Snow Leopard Award for his exemplary commitment to wildlife conservation.

Another Gamer Watcher from the same region, Mehboob Shah, was selected for the Musk Deer Award.

While, three officers from Gilgit-Baltistan, such as Sher Afgan Ali, Muhammad Raza, and Sakhawat Ali, will be honored with the Blue Sheep Award, Brown Bear Award and Wolf Award, respectively.

Similarly, Israr Ullah deputy ranger and Muhammad Saleem wildlife watcher from KPK have been declared winners for the Ibex Award and Markhor Award.

The awards will be presented during a formal ceremony organized by MoCC&EC and SLF later this month.

Minister of State for MoCC&EC dr. Shezra Mansab Kharal appreciated Pakistan wildlife protection awards.

“The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards are a powerful reminder of the courage and commitment shown by those who work tirelessly to protect our country’s natural heritage. These rangers, officers, and community members are the unsung heroes of conservation, and their efforts are essential in our fight against biodiversity loss and climate change. As a nation, we must continue to support and celebrate their role in securing a more sustainable future,” she said.

The Wildlife Ambassador, Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, Dr. Muhammad Ali Nawaz, Director of the Snow Leopard Foundation, Ashiq Ahmad Khan, senior wildlife expert and Chair of the National Committee, Haseena Anbarin, DIG Forest, MoCC&EC, also lauded the unseen efforts of those heroes who are tirelessly working in preserving Pakistan’s natural treasures.

MoCC&EC and SLF reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Program and strengthening conservation awareness across the country.

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July 14, 2025
Pakistan sent 336,999 nationals abroad for jobs from Jan. 1 to Jun. 30

Saudi consortium launches $50 million fund to ease pilgrimage costs for Pakistanis — CEO

KARACHI: A Saudi-based consortium of travel and hospitality companies has launched a $50 million fund to reduce the cost of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages for Pakistani travelers by as early as September, the group’s chief executive said on Monday.

The consortium includes online Umrah booking platform Funadiq.com, Emaar Al Diyafa Group of hotels, Skyline Travel Company and other firms operating in Makkah. Its stated goal is to modernize the infrastructure and operations of Pakistani travel agencies to help them meet Saudi regulatory standards and better serve pilgrims.

The consortium’s CEO Mohammad Salman Arain told Arab News the main objective behind setting up the fund is to upgrade travel agencies’ infrastructure and operations in every major Pakistani city.

He said the fund is expected to lower Hajj costs by 20 percent and Umrah costs by 25 percent for Pakistani pilgrims.

“On average, [Umrah for one person] is Rs300,000 ($1,054) and we expect that by September, a small travel agent would be able to offer it to his customers at Rs240,000 ($844) to Rs250,000 ($879),” Arain said in a telephone interview on Monday.

Arain attributed the current high costs to inefficiencies in the way many Pakistani travel agents operate:

“Once we help them operate better then Umrah will become cheaper for our pilgrims.”

His company, Umrah Companions, also launched what it calls the world’s first AI-powered Umrah agent this month, designed to help digitally savvy pilgrims customize their travel packages based on cost and convenience.

The consortium will also help Pakistani Hajj organizers adapt to Saudi Arabia’s evolving regulations.

“This should make Hajj better organized and cheaper as well,” Arain said.

In a separate statement, Funadiq.com said over 2 million Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia each year for pilgrimage and spend more than $5 billion annually, making Pakistan one of the world’s largest pilgrimage markets.

“Yet despite these numbers, the sector continues to suffer from poor management,” the company said. “More than 67,000 pilgrims missed Hajj this year alone.”

That figure refers to a large portion of Pakistan’s private Hajj quota that went unutilized this year due to reported delays by travel companies in completing payment and registration requirements, according to Funadiq.com.

Private operators have blamed the shortfall on technical glitches, payment delays, and poor coordination between service providers. Pakistan’s government fulfilled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims.

The Saudi consortium’s investment will be used for technology upgrades, staff training, and process improvements in small- and medium-sized travel agencies. These improvements could make the booking process 50 percent faster, Funadiq.com said.

“We are stepping in to help change that, working closely with the government, airlines, and private sector partners,” the company added.

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July 14, 2025
Which Diet Strategy Best Suits T2D Care in Obesity?
TOPLINE:

Patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) achieved similar improvements in A1c levels and weight loss with intermittent energy restriction, time-restricted eating, and continuous energy restriction; however, intermittent fasting provided additional benefits in lowering fasting blood glucose and triglyceride levels, improving insulin sensitivity, and increasing patient adherence.

METHODOLOGY:

The 5:2 intermittent fasting method, which involves eating normally for 5 days and restricting calories for 2 days each week, has shown effectiveness in weight management and blood glucose control; however, its direct comparison with 10-hour time-restricted eating in patients with obesity and T2D remains unclear.

Researchers in China conducted a single-center, randomized trial between November 2021 and November 2024 to compare the effects of three different dietary interventions in patients with obesity and T2D.

They randomly assigned 90 patients in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three groups — intermittent energy restriction, time-restricted eating, or continuous energy restriction — with a similar weekly intake of calories across all groups.

A nutritionist provided supervision and guidance for the interventions over 16 weeks.

The primary endpoint was a change in A1c levels, and secondary endpoints included various laboratory parameters, adverse events, and patient adherence.

TAKEAWAY:

The 16-week intervention was completed by 63 patients including 18 women (average age, 36.8 years; baseline BMI, 31.7; A1c level, 7.42%). Adherence was highest with intermittent energy restriction (85%), followed by continuous energy restriction (84%) and time-restricted eating (78%).

After 16 weeks, A1c levels were reduced by 1.03%-1.56% and weight reduced by 5.7-8.6 kg across all three groups; although no significant differences were found between the groups, the intermittent energy restriction group showed the greatest absolute changes.

Compared with the other two interventions, intermittent energy restriction resulted in significantly lower fasting glucose and triglyceride levels (by an average of 2.3 mmol/L and 1.139 mmol/L, respectively) and improved insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index, 80.23; P < .05 for all).

Hypoglycemia occurred in two patients each in the intermittent energy restriction and time-restricted-eating groups and three patients in the continuous energy restriction group.

IN PRACTICE:

“The research fills a gap in directly comparing 5:2 intermittent energy restriction with a 10-hour time-restricted eating in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The findings provide scientific evidence for clinicians to choose appropriate dietary strategies when treating such patients,” said the lead author in a news release.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Haohao Zhang, PhD, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Zhengzhou, China. It was presented on July 13, 2025, at the ENDO 2025: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting, in San Francisco.

LIMITATIONS:

This study did not report any specific limitations.

DISCLOSURES:

This study did not report any specific funding or conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
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July 14, 2025
New study reveals the four early warning signs of Alzheimer’s
Image: ©Naeblys | iStock

UCLA Health researchers have uncovered four distinct diagnostic pathways leading to Alzheimer’s disease by analysing data from 25,000 patients

Alzheimer’s disease, traditionally linked to a few common risk factors, is now understood to develop in a more complex manner. In a groundbreaking study, UCLA Health researchers examined thousands of patient health records and identified four distinct diagnostic patterns that contribute to the condition. This significant discovery provides a more comprehensive understanding of how Alzheimer’s progresses, shifting the focus from isolated risk factors to the broader, step-by-step journey that many patients experience.

The results are detailed in the journal eBioMedicine.

New insights into how Alzheimer’s develops

Researchers analysed longitudinal health data from over 25,000 patients in the University of California Health Data Warehouse and confirmed their findings in the nationally diverse All of Us Research Program. After filtering the data, the team focused on 5,762 patients who provided 6,794 unique trajectories of Alzheimer’s progression. Using advanced computational methods, including dynamic time warping (a technique for measuring the similarity between two sequences), machine learning clustering (a method for grouping data points into clusters), and network analysis (a method for studying complex systems)—the researchers mapped the temporal relationships between diagnoses leading to Alzheimer’s disease.

“We found that multi-step trajectories can indicate greater risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease than single conditions,” said first author Mingzhou Fu, a medical informatics pre-doctoral student at UCLA. “Understanding these pathways could fundamentally change how we approach early detection and prevention.”

The research identified four major trajectory clusters:
- Mental health pathway: Psychiatric conditions leading to cognitive decline
- Encephalopathy pathway: Brain dysfunction conditions that escalate over time
- Mild cognitive impairment pathway: Gradual cognitive decline progression
- Vascular disease pathway: Cardiovascular conditions that contribute to dementia risk
Each pathway exhibited unique demographic and clinical characteristics, indicating that different populations may be prone to varying progression routes. The study found that 26% of diagnostic progressions displayed a consistent directional order. For instance, hypertension often occurred before depressive episodes, which subsequently increased the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

By recognising these sequential patterns instead of concentrating on diagnoses in isolation, clinicians could potentially transform the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. This perspective comes from lead author Dr. Timothy Chang, an assistant professor of Neurology at UCLA Health, who believes that this approach could greatly enhance patient outcomes.

Predicting disease risk more accurately than single diagnoses

The researchers confirmed their findings with an independent population and discovered that multi-step trajectories predicted the risk of Alzheimer’s disease more accurately than single diagnoses alone. This indicates that healthcare providers could utilise these trajectory patterns for:
- Enhanced risk stratification: Identifying high-risk patients earlier in the progression of the disease.
- Targeted interventions: Interrupting harmful sequences before they advance.
- Personalised prevention: Tailoring strategies based on individual pathways.
The validation process in the All of Us Research Program, which includes a diverse and nationally representative cohort, confirmed that these trajectory patterns are consistent across various populations and demographics. This strong validation establishes a solid foundation for applying these findings in clinical practice, reinforcing confidence in their reliability and relevance.
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July 14, 2025
7 individuals selected for ‘Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025’

The Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), in collaboration with the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) and wildlife departments from Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K), announced seven individuals for the Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025 against their exemplary efforts.

Following a detailed evaluation of 21 nominations during the third meeting of the National Committee for the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Program (CRWPP), seven individuals were selected for their outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation in Pakistan’s snow leopard range areas. Additionally, one award has been reserved for a community initiative, said a press release issued on Monday.

The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards aimed to shine a spotlight on those working behind the scenes to protect the wildlife and ecosystems of the country.

Among the selected individuals, Muhammad Ismail, Game Watcher from the AJK Wildlife Department, will receive this year’s Snow Leopard Award for his exemplary commitment to wildlife conservation.

Another Gamer Watcher from the same region, Mehboob Shah, was selected for the Musk Deer Award.

Three officers from Gilgit-Baltistan, such as Sher Afgan Ali, Muhammad Raza, and Sakhawat Ali, will be honored with the Blue Sheep Award, Brown Bear Award, and Wolf Award, respectively.

Similarly, Israr Ullah, deputy ranger, and Muhammad Saleem, a wildlife watcher from KPK, have been declared winners for the Ibex Award and Markhor Award.

The awards will be presented during a formal ceremony organized by MoCC&EC and SLF later this month.

Minister of State for MoCC&EC Dr. Shezra Mansab Kharal appreciated the Pakistan wildlife protection awards.

“The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards are a powerful reminder of the courage and commitment shown by those who work tirelessly to protect our country’s natural heritage. These rangers, officers, and community members are the unsung heroes of conservation, and their efforts are essential in our fight against biodiversity loss and climate change. As a nation, we must continue to support and celebrate their role in securing a more sustainable future,” she said.

The Wildlife Ambassador, Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, Dr. Muhammad Ali Nawaz, Director of the Snow Leopard Foundation, Ashiq Ahmad Khan, senior wildlife expert and Chair of the National Committee, Haseena Anbarin, DIG Forest, MoCC&EC, also lauded the unseen efforts of those heroes who are tirelessly working in preserving Pakistan’s natural treasures.

MoCC&EC and SLF reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Program and strengthening conservation awareness across the country.

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July 14, 2025