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  • Pakistan’s performance under $7 billion program has been ‘strong so far,’ IMF representative says

    Pakistan’s performance under $7 billion program has been ‘strong so far,’ IMF representative says

    Pakistani commerce minister embarks on ‘pivotal’ UK visit to deepen economic ties


    ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan has embarked on a “pivotal” official visit to the United Kingdom (UK) from July 14 till July 20 to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, Khan’s ministry said on Sunday.


    The minister is accompanied by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul and this high-level visit aims to deepen bilateral commercial ties, strengthen institutional frameworks, and open new avenues for trade and investment between Pakistan and the UK.


    Khan will engage with major Chambers of Commerce in London and Birmingham to advance bilateral trade and explore opportunities in emerging sectors, besides highlighting Pakistan’s export potential and fostering greater business-to-business collaboration.


    “One of the central moments of the visit will be the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the Pakistan-UK Trade Dialogue,” the commerce ministry said.


    “This formalization marks a significant step toward institutionalizing bilateral trade cooperation, injecting greater standardization, transparency, and predictability into the economic relationship between the two countries.”


    The UK maintains zero-tariff access of Pakistan’s exports post-Brexit, making it Pakistan’s largest European and third-largest individual export partner, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.


    The Pakistan-UK trade in goods and services reached £4.7 billion in 2024, an increase of 7.3 percent, or £320 million, compared to the previous year, according to the UK government data. Of this £4.7 billion, UK exports to Pakistan amounted to £2.2 billion, while its imports from Pakistan amounted to £2.5 billion.


    During his visit, the Pakistani commerce minister is scheduled to meet with members of the UK’s All Parties Parliamentary Group (APPG), where he will advocate for stronger political support in enhancing trade and investment flows, according to the commerce ministry.


    These discussions will aim to align parliamentary efforts with Pakistan’s broader economic diplomacy goals and strengthen long-term partnerships.


    “Khan will interact with leading UK-based multi-million-dollar companies from key sectors such as food processing, information technology, engineering, fintech, and capital investment. These meetings aim to showcase Pakistan’s economic potential and attract targeted investments into high-growth industries,” the commerce ministry said.


    “The visit also includes important meetings with the UK Pakistan Business Council, Pakistan Britain Business Council, and UK Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. These discussions will focus on strengthening institutional trade linkages and leveraging diaspora-led initiatives to boost trade volumes and visibility in the UK market.”


    Pakistan is currently striving to draw overseas investment amid a gradually healing macroeconomic environment after a prolonged downturn that forced Islamabad to seek external financing from friendly nations and multiple loan programs from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).


    Khan’s visit follows another trip to the UK in June by Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s aide on privatization, Muhammad Ali, who held meetings with executives from renowned firms, including TTB Partners, STJ Partners, Deutsche Bank, Berenberg Bank, and Amundi Fund Group, to spotlight Pakistan’s privatization roadmap and its growing potential as a hub for strategic, long-term investment.


    The Pakistani commerce ministry said Khan’s visit marks a “renewed thrust in Pakistan’s efforts to advance economic diplomacy, diversify export markets, and solidify its commercial footprint in global markets like the United Kingdom.”

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  • Final report and results – 2025 EurILCA Master GER – EurILCA

    Final report and results – 2025 EurILCA Master GER – EurILCA

    1. Final report and results – 2025 EurILCA Master GER  EurILCA
    2. ASC Performance Academy’s ILCA 6 sailors at the German Europa Cup  Sail-World.com
    3. Hofmann/Brockerhoff win the European Cup  Warnemünder Woche
    4. Tricky conditions on day two  Warnemünder Woche
    5. Final results – 2025 EurILCA Europa Cup GER  EurILCA

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  • Drifters scream death to all tyres at 2025 Festival of Speed

    Drifters scream death to all tyres at 2025 Festival of Speed

    At the head of the ‘Catch My Drift’ class is Mad Mike Whiddett with his twin-turbo, four-rotor Mazda FD RX-7 ‘HUMBUL’. Mike has been a Goodwood regular for more than a decade, sending up smoke signals visible from space with his unhinged sideways antics. It’s surprising he needs a windscreen at all as he spends so much time looking out of the side windows. 

    Steve Biagioni has been on the Hill with his tyre-shredding Nissan GTR, too, as has James Deane in his Ford Mustang RTR. Both of these gents are no strangers to the Festival of Speed and, like Mike, they have an incredible ability to drift a car one-handed for the duration of their Hill runs. 

    Chris Forsberg has brought along an absolute beauty this year, the Nissan ‘Altimaniac’. As the name suggests it’s a Nissan Altima on a sugar high, with a 4.1-litre, twin-turbo V6 producing 2,000PS (1,491kW). Ryan Tuerck, meanwhile, has returned with his Toyota Stout drift truck fitted with a turbocharged four-cylinder from the old Toyota Celica GT4 tuned to deliver more than 600PS (441kW).

    The final drifter is Axel Hildebrand, who may have brought along the coolest drift car of the weekend. That’s a bold claim, but his Volvo 740 is absolutely wild, with a PPRE triple-rotor engine fitted with a Garrett G45-1500 turbocharger sending many, many tires to heaven, painfully tickling ear drums across the whole estate as it slides around. 

    The 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway! You can watch every moment of the action by watching our livestream.

    Photography by Toby Whales and Jordan Butters.

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  • ‘Emily in Paris’ fans starstruck by season five update

    ‘Emily in Paris’ fans starstruck by season five update



    ‘Emily in Paris’ takes internet by storm ahead of Season five premiere

    Emily in Paris has sparked excitement among fans ahead of the release of its much-anticipated fifth season.

    The hit 2020 rom-com series has taken the internet by storm, with fans thrilled about the surprising Italian filming locations.

    With the new installment on its way, the show is also seeing some major changes in its cast lineup.

    Alongside Lily Collins reprising her role as Emily Cooper, familiar faces returning include Ashley Park as Mindy Chen, Lucas Bravo as French chef Gabriel, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Stylie Grateau, Lucien Laviscount as Alfie Peterson, and Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello Muratori.

    However, Camille Razat – known for her portrayal of Camille de Lalisse – will not be returning for season five, as she has stepped away to focus on other projects.

    Darren Star’s popular series is also set to introduce several new characters.

    The Good Will Hunting star Minnie Driver will join the cast as Princess Jane, a royal family member and close friend of Sylvie Grateau.

    Additionally, Michele Laroque is coming onboard as a new character, Yvette, while Bryan Greenberg joins the cast as Jake.

    For the unversed, Emily in Paris season five is expected to be premiered by the end of 2025. 

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  • Honda HRC battles through Donington challenge…

    Honda HRC battles through Donington challenge…

    The Honda HRC Team has concluded the seventh round of the Superbike World Championship at Donington Park with a hard-fought top ten result for Iker Lecuona in Race 2, while Xavi Vierge also scored points. Despite the challenges, both riders climb one position in the overall standings and are now tied on points, with Vierge seventh and Lecuona eighth.

    After a brief morning warm-up, factory rider Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona were ready for the Superpole race.

    Lining up for the ten-lap sprint on the fourth and sixth row of the grid respectively, Iker and Xavi were unable to fully exploit the start, finding themselves fifteenth and sixteenth through lap one. Lecuona appeared to find a little more pace in the second half of the race, but his efforts were unfortunately thwarted when a small technical issue emerged on lap seven and put a premature end to his fight. Having gained one position in the early stages, Xavi moved up into thirteenth place towards the end of the sprint, a position he was able to hold to the line.

    The second and final 23-lap SBK race ran in the early afternoon in sunny conditions. Fifteenth through the first turns, Lecuona was soon up into twelfth. Although a gap had begun to open up in front of him, the Spaniard was undeterred, steadily closing in and breaking into the top ten in the later stages. Teammate Vierge was tasked with making up ground from seventeenth, the Spaniard immediately getting to work and making up positions right from the early stages. Inside the points zone, Xavi held fifteenth for a good part of the race before progressing to thirteenth in the final stages but was ultimately handed a one-position penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap.

    Competing as a wildcard this weekend, Honda test rider Tommy Bridewell placed eighteenth in the Superpole race but unfortunately crashed out of race 2.

    Next up for the Honda HRC team is round eight, to take place at the Balaton Circuit in Hungary on 25-27 July.

    Iker Lecuona
    7

    Honda HRC

    This weekend has been a bit black and white for me. Yesterday we had an electrical issue with the bike. We thought we had solved it, and everything seemed fine during warm-up, but in the Superpole race the same problem arose again. That wasn’t ideal because we missed out on valuable race laps and tyre consumption data. Honestly, I was quite frustrated, also because I wasn’t feeling great on the bike and we needed that information to make some setup adjustments. After that, I told Tom (Jojic) that we had to turn things around and try to reverse the situation. To cut a long story short, from the very first lap of Race 2 I immediately felt a real improvement and the bike felt good, with much more grip than we’d had all weekend, even more than in qualifying. The tyre choice was the right one. Of course, starting from very back on the grid and with such a tight field, there wasn’t huge room for improvement, but I was able to make several overtakes and maintain a decent race pace. At least this afternoon I was able to fight, I enjoyed the race, and ultimately we brought home a not-so-bad tenth place.

    Xavi Vierge

    Xavi Vierge
    97

    Honda HRC

    I’m very frustrated with today’s race and with the weekend overall, to be honest. I already knew this would be a tough round, but of course you always hope things will go a bit better. It’s true that we worked well and that we were closer in terms of lap times than in previous years, but unfortunately everyone else has also improved, so even if the gap to the front was smaller, the races were still extremely difficult. Once again, I struggled with rear grip from the very beginning, which made things hard in the battles. I had to fight from far back and every time I managed to overtake someone, they would get back past me as soon as I tried to accelerate. So I couldn’t really move forward and was constantly fighting, losing contact with the group ahead, and having to start over. It’s frustrating because I actually felt good on the bike — the feeling is strong, especially in braking and corner entry — but we’re still missing too much in the drive area, and that makes it really hard to ride the way I want. The potential is there, but we just can’t show it properly right now. That said, the team is working really hard to fix the problem or at least reduce it, and I really appreciate that.

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  • Jonas Rickaert: “I will hang a picture of today with Mathieu”

    Jonas Rickaert: “I will hang a picture of today with Mathieu”

    “My goal to be once on the Tour podium is achieved!

    It was super hard today. It started with a small joke and it got more and more serious. We planned it. Yesterday I said I would like to be on the podium of the Tour and Mathieu [Van der Poel] said we go at the front the two of us. We thought the others would never let us go but they did.

    I think they thought we would go until the intermediate sprint but the goal was to go to the finish. We tried and we almost succeeded.

    When the gap came down to 40 seconds, we thought it was over but somehow we got 1’20’’ again and then you have to start believing. We went for it.

    I have a picture at home from a similar effort with Geraint Thomas in the Eneco Tour. Now I’ll hang one with Mathieu next to it.”

    13/07/2025 – Tour de France 2025 – Étape 9 – Chinon / Châteauroux (174,1 km) – Jonas RICKAERT (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) © A.S.O./Charly Lopez


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  • Vitamin C plays key role in supporting immune system – Samaa TV

    1. Vitamin C plays key role in supporting immune system  Samaa TV
    2. Five veggies with more Vitamin C than oranges  Indulgexpress
    3. 5 Benefits of Broccoli You Should Know About  India Today
    4. 7 Vegetables With More Vitamin C Than an Orange, According to Nutrition Experts  Real Simple
    5. Broccoli Has More Nutrition C Than Oranges – Surprised?  indiaherald.com

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  • IAF to screen “King Lear” recorded stage performance

    IAF to screen “King Lear” recorded stage performance

    TEHRAN – The Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran will screen the recorded stage performance of William Shakespeare’s well-known tragedy “King Lear” directed by Masoud Delkhah on Wednesday.

    The 220-minute performance, which was staged in Iran in 2018, will be shown at the Nasseri Hall of the IAF at 6 p.m., Honaronline reported.

    Mehdi Soltani, Elham Pavehnejad, Bahareh Rahnama, Khosrow Shahraz, Rahim Norouzi, Mohammad Sadegh Malek, Nasser Ashouri, Hemidreza Hedayati, Mohammadreza Aliakbari, Mohammad Sedighi Mehr, Mahboubeh Tafazoli, and more than 50 other actors perform in the play.

    The cast is accompanied by a group of musicians and choir on stage, performing live music composed and conducted by Nader Mashayekhi.

    In the play, King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between his daughters Goneril and Regan, who pay homage to gain favor, feigning love. The King’s third daughter, Cordelia, is offered a third of his kingdom also, but refuses to be insincere in her praise and affection. She instead offers the respect of a daughter and is disowned by Lear, who seeks flattery.

    Regan and Goneril subsequently break promises to host Lear and his entourage, so he opts to become homeless and destitute, goes insane, and the French King, married to Cordelia, invades Britain to restore order and Lear’s rule. In a subplot, Edmund, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, betrays his brother and father. Tragically, Lear, Cordelia, and several other main characters die.

    The plot and subplot overlap and intertwine with political power plays, personal ambition, and assumed supernatural interventions and pagan beliefs. 

    As the plot unfolds, Shakespeare delves into themes of loyalty, justice, and the nature of true love. The play is filled with complex characters and powerful dialogue, showcasing human emotions.

    William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses.

    His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

    The Iranian Artists Forum is located in Artists Park on North Mousavi Street, Taleqani Street.

    SS/SAB
     

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  • Tim Wellens: “I will almost certainly lose the polka dot jersey tomorrow”

    Tim Wellens: “I will almost certainly lose the polka dot jersey tomorrow”

    “It has been a very fast day out. We knew it was going to be a nervous stage because of the wind. I was full on, and couldn’t even think of saving legs for tomorrow. For a long time I didn’t have any bidons, so that didn’t help for me to feel alright. In the end, I had to let the peloton go.

    Tomorrow’s stage is going to be the most difficult one of the Tour de France so far. We may suffer a lot, and it will be a working day for me – not one for myself to embark on the breakaway. I will almost certainly lose the polka dot jersey. I’m sure the breakaway riders will rack up most of the KOM points, and somebody will deserve to wear it. In any case, one day in the polka dot jersey is already a bonus and a privilege for me. Keeping it for several stages has been an honour.”

    13/07/2025 – Tour de France 2025 – Étape 9 – Chinon / Châteauroux (174,1 km) – Tim WELLENS (UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG) © A.S.O./Charly Lopez


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  • Encorafenib Combo Earns Chinese Approval in BRAF V600E+ Metastatic CRC

    Encorafenib Combo Earns Chinese Approval in BRAF V600E+ Metastatic CRC

    The FDA previously approved encorafenib/cetuximab for patients with metastatic BRAF V600E-mutant CRC in April 2020 based on findings from the phase 3 BEACON CRC trial.

    Encorafenib (Braftovi) plus cetuximab (Erbitux) has received marketing authorization in China as a treatment for adults with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) harboring BRAF V600E mutations, according to a press release from the developers, Pierre Fabre Laboratories.1

    Supporting data for the approval in China came from the phase 3 BEACON CRC trial (NCT02928224), in which investigators assessed treatment with encorafenib plus cetuximab and binimetinib (Mektovi), encorafenib/cetuximab doublet therapy, and investigator’s choice of cetuximab plus irinotecan or cetuximab plus folinic acid, fluorouracil, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI). Additionally, the approval was based on findings from the Chinese phase 2 NAUTICAL CRC trial (NCT05004350) evaluating encorafenib/cetuximab vs irinotecan/cetuximab or FOLFIRI/cetuximab in a similar patient population from China.

    “This approval represents a significant advancement and is crucial for the patients in China with BRAF V600E-mutant [metastatic] CRC [with] this particularly unfavorable prognosis cancer. Until now, no treatment specifically intended for this population has been approved by the Chinese authorities, leaving an unmet medical need,” Núria Perez-Cullell, head of the Medical & Patient Consumer Department at Pierre Fabre Laboratories, stated in the press release.1 “From now, encorafenib in combination with cetuximab will change the approach to treating the patients in China, offering the possibility to slow disease progression and improve their life expectancy.”

    BEACON CRC

    Data published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed a median overall survival (OS) of 8.4 months (95% CI, 7.5-11.0) with encorafenib/cetuximab vs 5.4 months (95% CI, 4.8-6.6) with control therapy. The risk of death was significantly reduced in the doublet therapy arm vs the control arm (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.45-0.79; P <.001).2 The objective response rate (ORR) was 20% (95% CI, 13%-29%) vs 2% (95% CI, 0%-7%) in each respective arm; the experimental doublet therapy significantly improved responses (P <.001).

    Any-grade adverse effects (AEs) occurred in 98% of the doublet arm and 97% of the control arm, with grade 3 or higher toxicities affecting 50% and 61% of patients, respectively. The most common AEs of any grade in each arm included nausea (34% vs 41%), diarrhea (33% vs 48%), and fatigue (30% vs 27%).

    In the doublet arm of the trial, patients with metastatic BRAF V600E-mutated CRC received encorafenib at 300 mg daily plus cetuximab at 400 mg/m2 as an initial dose followed by 250 mg/m2 each week. The trial’s primary end points were OS and ORR in the triplet arm vs the control arm. Secondary end points included OS in the doublet arm vs the control arm.

    NAUTICAL CRC

    According to findings presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.2 months (95% CI, 3.0-7.3) in patients who received encorafenib/cetuximab in the doublet arm vs 2.5 months (95% CI, 1.3-4.3) in the control arm (stratified HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.20-0.68; P = .0004).3 Additionally, the median OS was 11.6 months (95% CI, 8.1-14.7) vs 8.2 months (95% CI, 5.2-12.1) in each respective arm (stratified HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.99). In each arm, the ORR was 24.6% (95% CI, 14.8%-36.9%) vs 6.3% (95% CI, 0.8%-20.8%), and the median duration of response was 8.2 months (95% CI, 2.8-not evaluable [NE]) vs 4.2 months (95% CI, NE-NE).

    All patients in the doublet and control arms experienced any-grade treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs), and 47.7% vs 51.9% from each arm had grade 3 or higher TEAEs. The most common TEAEs in each arm included anemia (30.8% vs 37.0%), vomiting (26.2% vs 33.3%), and rash (24.6% vs 29.6%).

    In the doublet arm of the NAUTICAL CRC trial, patients with 1 to 2 prior regimens for metastatic BRAF V600E-mutant CRC received encorafenib at 300 mg orally daily plus cetuximab at 400 mg/m2 intravenously followed by 250 mg/m2 intravenously weekly. The trial’s primary end point was PFS per blinded independent central review. Secondary end points included investigator-assessed PFS, ORR, OS, and safety.

    The FDA previously approved encorafenib/cetuximab for patients with metastatic BRAF V600E-mutant CRC in April 2020 based on findings from the phase 3 BEACON CRC trial.4

    References

    1. Pierre Fabre Laboratories receive approval for BRAFTOVI® (encorafenib) combination in China for the treatment of adult patients with BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) after prior systemic therapy. News release. Pierre Fabre Laboratories. July 11, 2025. Accessed July 11, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/yhat474v
    2. Kopetz S, Grothey A, Yaeger R, et al. Encorafenib, binimetinib, and cetuximab in BRAF V600E-mutated colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(17):1632-1643. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1908075.
    3. Wang X, Deng Y, Zhang Y, et al. Encorafenib and cetuximab versus irinotecan/cetuximab or FOLFIRI/cetuximab in Chinese patients with BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer: The NAUTICAL CRC study. J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(suppl 17):LBA3559. doi:10.1200/JCO.2024.42.17_suppl.LBA3559
    4. FDA approves encorafenib in combination with cetuximab for metastatic colorectal cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation. News release. April 8, 2020. Accessed July 11, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/47awvc2d

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