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United States to hold talks with Iran: Trump – RADIO PAKISTAN
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Over 100 killed in Texas flash floods – RADIO PAKISTAN
- Over 100 killed in Texas flash floods RADIO PAKISTAN
- More than 100 killed in Texas floods, with 11 still missing from Camp Mystic BBC
- National Weather Service defends its Texas flood warnings amid fresh scrutiny of Trump staff cuts NBC News
- My friend, Dick Eastland: Locals mourn loss of Camp Mystic’s longtime owner and director dailytimes.com
- Between broken tree limbs and muddied cabins, a father looked for his missing child The Washington Post
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The dos and don’ts of donating art to museums
One of the biggest mistakes that a collector can make when deciding to donate art is to assume that their favourite museum will want it. “Collectors often think, ‘I live in Chicago, so I want to give this to the Art Institute of Chicago,’ but 99 per cent of the time they’re going to say no,” says Michael Darling, co-founder of Museum Exchange.
Founded in 2020, Museum Exchange is the first — and only — matchmaking platform for aspiring art donors and US and Canadian museums; it aims to avoid these rejections.
Instead of offering artworks to museums directly, would-be donors list those pieces they would like to give away in one of Museum Exchange’s online catalogues. Museums and other non-profit institutions then submit proposals for art that interests them. “We help collectors find museums that would benefit from their piece and, chances are, put it on view more often than a big marquee museum,” says Darling.
In 2024, 551 artworks were donated through Museum Exchange, which charges donors a flat fee for every artwork successfully donated and also helps with cataloguing, appraisals, shipping and tax forms.
Leading art institutions are now grappling with unwieldy permanent collections, finite space and, in some cases, diminished budgets for cataloguing, storing, conserving and insuring new works. From programmes such as Museum Exchange to upfront expectations that cash will accompany paintings, collectors are having to change the way they donate art to museums and galleries.
That is complicating matters for aspiring donors, particularly given the considerable tax breaks available for collectors or their estates. Nearly 40 per cent of respondents to the 2024 Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting said they wanted to donate some of their art to a museum or other charity in the next year.
The result is a balancing act. Institutions are actively seeking donations of art that fills gaps in their collections or advances acquisition goals, such as improving diversity, while trying not to seem ungrateful for turning down the vast majority of unsolicited donations.
Naomi Beckwith, deputy director and chief curator at the Guggenheim Museum in New York © Jonah Rosenberg for the FT “The process of gifting to museums has grown in scale,” says Naomi Beckwith, deputy director and chief curator at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. “There’s more volume, which puts institutions in a position to really think about priorities, and that may not be such a bad thing on both sides.” The Guggenheim is collecting more strategically, with a focus on diversity and innovation, and Beckwith says that when trying to change the composition of a vast permanent collection, every donation counts.
When they lived in Seattle, Washington, collectors Cathy and Michael Casteel donated art from their collection directly to local museums. But after relocating to La Jolla, California, in 2023, they began using Museum Exchange to donate art to institutions that were new to them all over the US, including university art museums and hospitals.
The platform is an efficient way for institutions to fill gaps in their permanent collections. Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) says the museum has received more than four dozen works via Museum Exchange, including pieces by Christian Marclay and Marta Minujín. “I think it’s terrific and it does fulfil a need,” he says.
Many of the new approaches to donating art also involve money. Institutions are asking for cash endowments to support the conservation, research, insurance and storage of direct donations of work. That can surprise would-be donors. “It didn’t happen before Covid as often as it’s happening now,” says Rosemary Ringwald, head of art planning at Bank of America, where she assists collectors with their tax and estate plans. She says that since the beginning of the pandemic, museums have struggled with closures, lay-offs and budget cuts. “I’m seeing this push and pull between collectors and museums during negotiations.”
The gift of Joan Mitchell’s six-metre-long triptych “Iva” (1973) to Tate this April by Jorge M and Darlene Pérez came with an endowment to help fund curatorial posts dedicated to work on African and Latin American art. Also included was the promise of the donation of additional works by African and African diaspora artists from the Pérez Collection in the coming years. It was a demonstration of how complex and multi-layered major donations can be.
Tate director Maria Balshaw, centre, Jorge M Perez, right and Darlene Perez, left, in front of Joan Mitchell’s ‘Iva’ (1973) © Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images The donation, the result of a long-standing relationship between Tate and the Pérezes, fits with Tate’s policy of collecting less, but more strategically, focusing on work by under-represented artists. “‘Iva’ is a really important painting, a beautiful, jaw-dropping triptych, and a work that would be absolutely unobtainable to us otherwise,” says Gregor Muir, Tate’s director of collection. “We simply have to focus on the absolute priorities and that is works that are transformative and strategic.”
Of course, money is always welcome. The Bukhman Foundation’s donation of £1mn to the UK’s National Portrait Gallery in March for portraits by contemporary artists has enabled it to buy works by Hew Locke and Sonia Boyce.
There are also more market-based drivers of donations. Under “buy one, gift one” deals, collectors seeking work by an in-demand contemporary artist agree to buy two pieces — keeping one and donating the other to a museum.
These deals can benefit collectors, galleries, artists and institutions. “They’re extremely beneficial to museums, which often are not going to dive into speculative markets themselves where young artists’ work is being valued at close to a million dollars,” says Tinterow, adding that the MFAH has received several important paintings made in the past couple of years through these agreements.
However, they can aggravate collectors, who feel they are being forced to buy two works just to get one, and lead to conflicts between collectors and galleries about which institutions will benefit. Sometimes galleries cannot find a museum that wants the second painting. These agreements have become less prevalent as the ultra-contemporary art market has softened.
Beckwith believes that museums have become savvier about these agreements. “I think everyone is now smart enough to know when this is a targeted strategy or a genuine offer of a future relationship,” she says.
Given their financial and space constraints, major institutions are most likely to accept individual or small groups of artworks rather than entire collections unless they are exceptional, as with Leonard Lauder’s Cubist trove gifted to the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
I think everyone is now smart enough to know when this is a targeted strategy or a genuine offer of a future relationship New York-based art adviser Megan Fox Kelly says she is working with the owners of a very large collection who want to donate it to a museum that already owns some of the same artists, so does not want the collection in its entirety. “We’re having conversations about whether the owners would entertain another institution, even an institution that they haven’t been involved with before, or breaking it up between different institutions,” she says.
In a shifting landscape, potential donors would do well to speak directly to museum directors or curators — or consult an art adviser — to understand an institution’s tax status, mission, acquisition policy and collecting priorities. Ideally, collectors should also give museums the flexibility to lend or de-accession (sell) artworks as their needs change.
The Guggenheim’s Beckwith says that collectors should build long-term relationships with museums that interest them. “Join the patrons’ groups, work with curators to educate yourself while supporting the mission and vision of that institution,” she says. “That will be one of the best shaping forces for your collection and help you understand how it can live in institutions in perpetuity.”
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Hotelier turned bitcoin hoarder Metaplanet plots acquisition spree – Financial Times
- Hotelier turned bitcoin hoarder Metaplanet plots acquisition spree Financial Times
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Developmental timing shapes fluoxetine’s effects on brain energy and mood behavior
Researchers have found that the timing of when fluoxetine (commonly known by its brand name, Prozac) is administered is vital in determining the impact it has on long-lasting mood behavior and accompanying changes in the prefrontal cortex. The new study in Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier, provides crucial mechanistic insights into alterations in neurocircuits that regulate mood behavior, which are key to making informed choices in treating depression in children and adolescents.
Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that is modulated by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac, is known to have a critical impact on neurodevelopment, influencing the fine-tuning and maturation of emotional neurocircuits. Due to its perceived favorable risk-benefit profile, Prozac is often the drug of choice for gestational and postpartum depression in mothers and treating childhood and adolescent depression.
Lead investigator Vidita A. Vaidya, PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India, explains “Using a rodent model, we addressed specific long-term behavioral, molecular, bioenergetic, and cytoarchitectural consequences of postnatal and juvenile fluoxetine treatment. We found that treatment with fluoxetine during early postnatal life in male, but not female rats, led to long-lasting increases in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, whereas treatment during adolescence had the opposite effect, significantly reducing these behaviors. This was noted as long as six months after the cessation of drug treatment, highlighting that modulation of serotonin levels with SSRIs like Prozac in developmental windows can result in behavioral changes that are highly persistent.”
Co-investigator Utkarsha Ghai, PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India, adds, “The diametrically opposing influence of early postnatal and adolescence fluoxetine treatment on mood behavior was also noted in the completely different influence on gene expression, architecture of neurons, and bioenergetics (the brain’s energy levels) in the prefrontal cortex. While early postnatal fluoxetine resulted in a long-lasting decline in bioenergetic status in the prefrontal cortex, adolescent exposure increased bioenergetics, uncovering a previously unknown role for fluoxetine administration in specific developmental windows.”
The researchers point out that the impact on neuronal bioenergetics is likely critical, as the long-lasting increase in depressive behavioral responses noted with early postnatal fluoxetine treatment could be reversed by adult-onset nicotinamide (vitamin B3), a NAD+ precursor that enhances mitochondrial bioenergetics treatment.
John Krystal, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, comments, “The notion that antidepressant effects may differ by sex and at different stages of development could be clinically important. It is interesting that the stark biological differences between fluoxetine effect among early postnatal and juveniles are limited to males. As we come to understand the human correlates of the changes observed here in rodents, it may become important to be able to prevent these effects. Thus, the finding that vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), which could easily be administered to boys exposed to fluoxetine, seems to prevent the metabolic and structural consequences of fluoxetine exposure in male rodents.”
Dr. Vaidya concludes, “The novelty of this research lies in the discovery of more than one sensitive window during postnatal life, during which perturbing serotonergic neurotransmission via fluoxetine can exert completely differing effects on mood behavior. While it is difficult to directly extrapolate the time windows in our studies with rodents to the exact equivalent human age, our results underscore the importance of considering both the temporal window of treatment and sex as key variables that can influence the molecular, cellular, bioenergetic, and behavioral outcomes of exposure to fluoxetine during vulnerable developmental stages. We believe this work may motivate further studies to carefully examine the influence of disruption of serotonin signaling in sensitive developmental epochs in both animal models and in clinical cohorts on mood behavior.”
Source:
Journal reference:
Ghai, U., et al. (2025). Postnatal and juvenile fluoxetine treatment evokes sex-specific, opposing effects on mood-related behavior, gene expression, mitochondrial function, and dendritic architecture in the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Biological Psychiatry. doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.04.026.
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Wimbledon: Djokovic, Shelton, Sinner, Swiatek and 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva reach the quarterfinals
Right before Wimbledon began, Novak Djokovic declared it was the tournament that gave him the best chance to claim an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles trophy. Made sense, really, given that he’s won seven titles there already and reached the past six finals.
For one uncharacteristically unsteady set in the fourth round on Monday (July 7, 2025), it sure didn’t look as if that would happen this year. Djokovic, though, turned things around and avoided what would have been his earliest exit at the All England Club since 2016, coming through for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 11th-seeded Alex de Minaur at Centre Court.
With eight-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer sitting in the front row of the Royal Box, very little went right at the outset for the 38-year-old Djokovic on the grass below during a breezy afternoon with the temperature in the 60s Fahrenheit (teens Celsius), a week after matches were contested in record-breaking heat.
“A lot of challenging moments for me,” Djokovic said right after the win, then later called it a “big, big relief” not to get pushed to a fifth set.
He trailed 4-1 in the fourth — before taking the last five games and 14 of the final 15 points.
“Lifted his level,” de Minaur said, “big-time.”
Djokovic’s bid for an eighth Wimbledon title and 25th Grand Slam singles trophy overall will continue against No. 22 Flavio Cobolli of Italy. Cobolli reached his first major quarterfinal with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3) victory over 2014 U.S. Open champion and two-time major runner-up Marin Cilic.
No. 10 Ben Shelton improved to 3-0 against Lorenzo Sonego at majors this year by beating him 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5. Shelton’s first Wimbledon quarterfinal will come against No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who moved on despite a painful right elbow and a two-set deficit when No. 19 Grigor Dimitrov quit because of an injured chest muscle.
Against de Minaur, Djokovic made mistake after mistake, double-faulting four times in the first set alone. Djokovic lost five of his first seven service games against de Minaur, a 26-year-old Australian who accumulated 19 break points in all.
Djokovic made 16 unforced errors in the first set alone.
All in all, Djokovic was discombobulated, chalking it up afterward to nerves and a swirling wind. He rushed between points. He reacted to flubbed shots by rolling his eyes or shouting and glaring in the direction of his guest box or putting his arms wide as if seeking explanations from someone, anyone.
At changeovers, he placed an ice-filled towel — usually wrapped around necks by players in steamy conditions — on his stomach, which he complained about during his first-round victory last week. But afterward, Djokovic dismissed the significance of that.
A loss would have been Djokovic’s soonest at Wimbledon since he was eliminated in the third round by Sam Querrey nine years ago.
Since winning his men’s-record 24th major title at the 2023 U.S. Open, Djokovic has come close to raising his total. He was the runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon last year — the second consecutive time they met in the final, with the results the same — and departed each of the first two Slams of 2025 in the semifinals.
No man as old as Djokovic is now has won a major championship. He keeps showing why it’s not preposterous to think he could.
“I didn’t have many solutions, to be honest,” Djokovic said, “but I just reset myself in the second.”
By the very end, it’s almost as though de Minaur was resigned to defeat, knowing he’s only the latest — and perhaps not the last — opponent to succumb to a surging Djokovic.
“I mean,” de Minaur summed up, “he’s been pretty good in big moments for a very long time.”
No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, an 18-year-old Russian, became the youngest player to reach the women’s quarterfinals at Wimbledon since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007, beating No. 10 Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-3. Andreeva next meets Belinda Bencic, who defeated No. 18 Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (4), 6-4. Iga Swiatek, the five-time major champion who is seeded No. 8, was a 6-4, 6-1 winner against No. 23 Clara Tauson and will play No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova, who advanced to her first major quarterfinal with a 7-5, 7-5 victory against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
The women’s quarterfinals are No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. Laura Siegemund, and No. 13 Amanda Anisimova vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The men’s quarterfinals are No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz vs. Cam Norrie, and No. 5 Taylor Fritz vs. No. 17 Karen Khachanov.
Published – July 08, 2025 08:29 am IST
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Common bacterial infection with no symptoms could be the reason behind millions of stomach cancer cases, study warns |
A common bacteria found in the stomach could be fuelling millions of stomach cancer cases globally. A new study suggests this bacterial infection could cause nearly 12 million cancers among people born over a single decade.Scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organisation, project that if current trends continue, around 15.6 million people born between 2008 and 2017 will be diagnosed with stomach (gastric) cancer in their lifetime. Of all those cases – 76%, i.e., a staggering 11.9 million, may be caused by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria (H. pylori), according to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine.Read on to know more.
What is H. pylori?
Stomach cancer, often called a “silent killer,” is grabbing global attention following the striking new warning – thanks to the world’s most under-the-radar risk.
Helicobacter pylori, previously known as Campylobacter pylori, is a gram-negative, flagellated, helical bacterium. Mutants can have a rod or curved rod shape that exhibits less virulence. This easily transmissible bacterium often shows no symptoms – which makes it more invincible.Let’s explore more.A common but concealed inhabitant: Half the world’s population hosts H. pylori in their stomach lining, often without visible symptoms. It’s classified as a class I carcinogen by IARC and the US Carcinogens Report.Transmission vectors: The bacterium spreads through contaminated food or water and close contact, like saliva or fecal-oral routes. It’s more prevalent in regions with poor sanitation and crowded living conditions, especially in Asia, Africa, and parts of Latin America.Silent but damaging: Though only 10–20% may show mild symptoms like indigestion or bloating, H. pylori quietly triggers chronic inflammation – setting the stage for ulcers, atrophic gastritis, and eventually cancer.
What does the study underline?
For the study, scientists examined the incidence of stomach cancer in 185 countries in 2022 and combined it with projections of future deaths.They looked at the potential impact of screen-and-treat strategies for H. pylori and found the number of stomach cancers could be cut by up to 75% overall.Asia accounts for two-thirds of projected future cases, with 10.6 million cases (68% of the total), followed by the Americas (2 million or 13%), Africa (1.7 million or 11%), Europe (1.2 million or 8%), and Oceania (0.07 million or 0.4%).The study projected that under current trends, 11.9 million people could be diagnosed with stomach cancer attributable to H. pylori infection by 2101, which is the year someone born in 2017 would turn 84.Dr. Jin Young Park, one of the study’s co-authors and head of the gastric cancer prevention team at the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), said: “It is essential that health authorities make gastric cancer prevention a priority and accelerate efforts to control it by planning pilot and feasibility projects, including H. pylori screen-and-treat programmes,” adding, “With demographic changes set to increase the gastric cancer burden in many parts of the world, there is an urgent need for coordinated prevention strategies and for regional health systems to be prepared to manage the growing burden.”
H. pylori and stomach cancer: A deadly connection
Stomach cancer is largely preventable, but the prognosis is poor once a patient is diagnosed. It is the fifth most common form of cancer worldwide, killing an estimated 770,000 people per year. As per the study, chronic infection with H. pylori is a major cause, and it helps explain the rise in stomach cancers among young people in recent years.The link between H. pylori and gastric adenocarcinoma is solid: infected individuals have a 2–6-fold greater risk. According to research, around 90% of stomach cancers are linked to this infection, and up to 89% of non-cardia gastric cancers may be due to H. pylori. Its presence is also tied to MALT lymphoma, with tumor regression observed after eradication.But how does a bug become a carcinogen?The bacterium’s virulence, especially strains containing the cagA gene and the cag pathogenicity island, intensifies inflammation and damages DNA repair mechanisms. Persistent inflammation produces reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, leading to DNA damage in gastric cells.Genetic susceptibility and co-factors: Not all infected individuals develop cancer. A study showed that certain genetic variants prompt immune-suppressive environments via IFNα, increasing cancer risk. Environmental risk factors – smoking, high salt intake, low fruit/vegetable diets, obesity, and genetic predispositions – can aggravate the damage.
What is stomach cancer?
Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells form in the lining of the stomach. It’s a growth of cells that starts in the stomach, a muscular, sac-like organ in the upper abdomen that plays a key role in digesting food. Most stomach cancers are adenocarcinomas, which develop from the gland cells in the stomach’s inner lining.
While stomach cancer rates have declined in many parts of the world, it’s still a significant health concern, particularly in East Asia.Symptoms: Early-stage stomach cancer often doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms, but later stages can include pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, heartburn, feeling full after small meals, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.Risk Factors: Risk factors include Helicobacter pylori infection, diet (especially high salt and smoked/preserved foods), obesity, smoking, and family history of stomach cancer.
Preventing the invisible threat
Screen-and-treat programs: The study highlights that national initiatives to screen for and eradicate H. pylori could reduce new stomach cancer cases by up to 75%. Eradication has already reduced gastric cancer risk by roughly 75% in treated populations.Effective treatment protocols: Current treatment involves two weeks of quadruple therapy: two antibiotics, a PPI, plus possibly bismuth. However, rising antibiotic resistance often requires multiple courses.Early detection boosts survival: In the US, early cancer diagnosis rates rose by 53% (2004–2021), improving survival to around 75% – compared to just 7% for late-stage detection. In regions with high H. pylori prevalence, targeted screening via endoscopy and breath/stool tests starting from age 40–50 is recommended.
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XAU/USD bull-bear tug-of-war extends amid Trump’s tariff threats
- Gold price turns south early Tuesday but remains in a familiar range below $3,350.
- US Dollar reverses the previous upswing alongside US Treasury bond yields as traders assess Trump’s latest tariffs.
- Gold price closes Monday above 50-day SMA but sellers lurk at 21-day SMA amid a neutral daily RSI.
Gold price is back in the red below $3,350 early Tuesday, remaining stuck in a familiar range since last Friday as investors assess the implications of the latest tariff threats by US President Donald Trump.
Gold price remains at the mercy of tariff talks, US Dollar
US President Donald Trump announced on social media on Monday that 25% tariffs will be imposed on imports from Japan and the Republic of Korea, respectively, beginning August 1.
Later, he announced that similar letters were sent to the leaders of 12 other countries, informing them that tariffs ranging 25% to 40% will be charged starting next month.
Risk sentiment took a further hit on Trump’s announcements, fuelling a fresh rebound in the traditional safe-haven Gold price as the renewed tariff threats revived trade war fears globally.
Gold price bounced off five-day lows of $3,297 and recovered to near $3,350 but its renewed upside was capped by the resurgent US Dollar demand as a safe-haven.
The Greenback got an additional boost from a big rally in the USD/JPY pair as the Japanese Yen fell hard on Trump’s 25% tariffs announcement on Japan.
Further, the US Treasury bond yields firmed up on expectations that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will stand pat on interest rates for an extended period if fresh tariffs stoke inflationary fears.
This narrative also aided the buck’s turnaround while the non-interest-bearing Gold price’s recovery.
In Tuesday’s trading so far, Gold sellers have made a comeback as trade concerns continue to cast a cloud on the US economic and inflation outlook, backing the case for an extended pause by the Fed.
However, the Gold price downside appears cushioned as a lack of certainty on the US tariff plans continues to keep investors scurrying for safety in the bright metal while the US Dollar faces headwinds amid renewed worries over the economic prospects if a trade war kick starts.
When asked if the trade negotiations deadline, extended until August 1, was firm, Trump said: “I would say firm, but not 100% firm. If they call up and they say we’d like to do something a different way, we’re going to be open to that.”
Heightened uncertainty around Trump’s tariff plans will continue to keep a floor under Gold price.
In the absence of any top-tier US economic data releases, tariff updates will likely keep Gold traders entertained as they eagerly await the release of the Fed’s June meeting Minutes on Wednesday.
Gold price technical analysis: Daily chart
Gold price remains confined in a narrow range, with the 21-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $3,350 acting as a tough nut to crack for buyers.
Meanwhile, the 50-day SMA at $3,322 continues to guard the downside as the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) turns neutral, clinging to the midline at the time of writing.
The leading indicator indicates a lack of a clear directional bias.
A break below the 50-day SMA on a daily closing basis is needed to negate any near-term bullish momentum.
The next support is aligned at the 38.2% Fibonacci Retracement (Fibo) level of the April record rally at $3,297.
A sustained move below the latter will target the monthly low of $3,248.
Alternatively, recapturing the 21-day SMA is critical to reviving the recovery from five-week lows.
Further up, the 23.6% Fibo level of the same advance at $3,377 could offer stiff resistance to Gold buyers.
The next topside hurdle is seen at the $3,400 threshold.
Tariffs FAQs
Tariffs are customs duties levied on certain merchandise imports or a category of products. Tariffs are designed to help local producers and manufacturers be more competitive in the market by providing a price advantage over similar goods that can be imported. Tariffs are widely used as tools of protectionism, along with trade barriers and import quotas.
Although tariffs and taxes both generate government revenue to fund public goods and services, they have several distinctions. Tariffs are prepaid at the port of entry, while taxes are paid at the time of purchase. Taxes are imposed on individual taxpayers and businesses, while tariffs are paid by importers.
There are two schools of thought among economists regarding the usage of tariffs. While some argue that tariffs are necessary to protect domestic industries and address trade imbalances, others see them as a harmful tool that could potentially drive prices higher over the long term and lead to a damaging trade war by encouraging tit-for-tat tariffs.
During the run-up to the presidential election in November 2024, Donald Trump made it clear that he intends to use tariffs to support the US economy and American producers. In 2024, Mexico, China and Canada accounted for 42% of total US imports. In this period, Mexico stood out as the top exporter with $466.6 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. Hence, Trump wants to focus on these three nations when imposing tariffs. He also plans to use the revenue generated through tariffs to lower personal income taxes.
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Ayaz lauds Azerbaijan's principled stance on key issues – RADIO PAKISTAN
- Ayaz lauds Azerbaijan’s principled stance on key issues RADIO PAKISTAN
- NA Speaker reaffirms strong support for Azerbaijan, highlights deepening bilateral ties Ptv.com.pk
- Ayaz reaffirms Pakistan’s unwavering support for Azerbaijan nation.com.pk
- Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly pays tribute to National Leader Heydar Aliyev Azərtac
- Pakistani Parliamentary Delegation visits Victory Park in Baku [PHOTOS] AzerNews
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IAF LOST 1 Rafale Aircraft, French Air Force Boss Confirms; Dassault CEO Blames High-Altitude Tech Failure
The Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighters have been in the eye of the storm since Pakistan claimed to shoot down three jets during the Indo-Pakistan clash in May 2025.
While India and the manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, have refrained from admitting any losses, the French Air Force Chief has deviated from the course and made an explosive revelation.
During the latest Indo-Pakistan clash that began on May 7 with India’s ‘Operation Sindoor,’ the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) claimed that it shot down five IAF fighter jets, including three Rafale, using PL-15E long-range missiles launched by the J-10C multi-role combat aircraft. The audacious claims were made without furnishing any evidence.
These claims, reiterated by Pakistan and amplified by its ally China, have since created a furore, with French officials making desperate attempts to save their most exported military platform from reputation damage that could hit buyer confidence.
However, in an unusual turn, General Jerome Bellanger, the French Air Force chief, stated that he had seen evidence indicating the loss of three Indian aircraft: a Mirage 2000, a Russian-made Sukhoi, and a Rafale, as reported by The Associated Press.
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He added that this is the first-ever combat loss of Rafale, sold to eight countries. “Of course, all those nations that bought Rafales asked themselves questions,” Bellanger was quoted as saying.
This may also be the first high-level confirmation made by France since the claims were reported, aside from some anonymous claims.
Earlier, an unnamed high-ranking French intelligence official, cited by CNN, also hinted that Pakistan downed at least one IAF Rafale. The official noted at the time that French authorities were investigating whether additional Rafales had been lost but provided no details.
India has not specifically detailed its losses, only giving peripheral information. For instance, India’s defense attaché to Indonesia said last month that India lost some fighter jets on the opening day of the conflict due to initial restrictions imposed by the government on striking Pakistani military assets and only aiming for terrorist infrastructure.
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Responding to claims that India lost three Rafales, one MiG-29, and a Sukhoi-30, Captain Shiv Kumar said, “I may not agree that India lost so many aircraft. But I do agree that we did lose some aircraft, and that happened only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishments and their air defenses.”
File Image: Rafale Fighter (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP) Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan had noted that “combat operations involve inevitable losses,” but he did not confirm whether these included Rafales or other aircraft.
The French Air Chief’s statement might put an end to this ambiguity. However, a French report, quoting Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Éric Trappier, stated that India had lost one of its Rafale fighter jets. However, the incident, currently under investigation, was attributed to a high-altitude technical failure rather than an enemy shootdown.
The report appeared on a French website, Avion De Chasse, saying the incident occurred “at an altitude of over 12,000 meters during an extended training mission, with no enemy involvement or hostile radar contact”.
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Any loss of Rafales would be a significant setback for the Indian Air Force, which has acquired only 36 of these and is facing an overall depletion in its fighter jet squadron strength. However, the EurAsian Times understands that even if India suffered the loss of a Rafale, the heavy damage inflicted on Pakistan might have been overshadowed by the widespread anti-Rafale campaign.
Pakistan Suffered A Setback
IAF’s Air Marshal AK Bharti said at a briefing during the hostilities that India shot down several Pakistani warplanes, preventing them from entering the country’s airspace. “Their planes were not allowed to fly over our border,” he said. “We definitely shot down several planes, and they have suffered losses on their part.”
Indian observers, experts, and dedicated military watchers have said that this four-day campaign crippled Pakistan’s aerial capabilities and decimated key command centers.
According to India’s “unofficial” version, Pakistan appears to have lost three JF-17 Thunders, two Mirage III/V variants, one F-16 Block 52, and one C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Additionally, Pakistan also allegedly lost two high-value surveillance aircraft. An Indian S-400 air defense system reportedly downed a Pakistan Air Force’s Saab Erieye-2000 flying radar. Pakistan lost another Saab Erieye-2000 in an Indian missile strike on Pakistan’s Bholari Air Base, as confirmed by PAF’s ex-Air Marshal.
Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder – Wikimedia Commons It is worth highlighting that an AEW&CS aircraft is considered crucial as it provides real-time surveillance, command, and control over large areas. Its powerful radars can detect warplanes, missiles, and even drones at long ranges, providing critical situational awareness that ground-based radars may struggle to match.
If that was not all, the PAF also reportedly lost a C-130 Hercules aircraft in an Indian drone strike in Pakistan’s Punjab region, potentially at Nur Khan airbase. As noted by Group Captain MJ Vinod Augustine for the EurAsian Times, “Loss of a heavy-lift transport aircraft during operational tempo drastically reduced Pakistan’s ability to reposition personnel and emergency supplies.”
Additionally, over 15 Pakistani unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), including Chinese Wing Loong drones, were destroyed in airspace interceptions and base attacks.
China Launched Rafale Slander Campaign
French military and intelligence officials have recently accused China of using its embassies to discredit the Rafale to drive sales of the J-10C, which it has positioned as a cost-effective alternative.
According to French intelligence findings, defense attachés in China’s foreign embassies spearheaded an effort to sabotage Rafale sales by trying to convince nations that have already ordered the French-made fighter—most notably Indonesia—not to place additional orders and to entice other prospective purchasers to select Chinese-made aircraft.
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“The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater,” the Defense Ministry wrote on its website. “The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign, therefore, did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.”
As previously noted by the EurAsian Times, French exports are mainly driven by Rafale. The aircraft has been the mainstay of France’s military arsenal for over twenty years and has become a highly sought-after asset. The sale of Rafales supports the French efforts to improve relations with other countries, particularly in Asia. Experts believe that China is attempting to undermine these efforts, limit French influence in the Indo-Pacific, and utilize it as a stepping stone to advance its position in the export market.
French intelligence officials claim that the campaign used artificial intelligence (AI)-generated information, video game depictions to mimic alleged fighting, edited photos depicting purported Rafale debris, and viral social media posts. According to French experts who focus on online disinformation, over 1,000 social media profiles that were created when the Indo-Pakistan conflicts broke out also propagated a narrative of Chinese technological dominance.
Responding to these allegations, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: “The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.”
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