After a busy month of August, Orlando City SC finally gets a break from matches as the Lions head into September. For eight first-team players, however, they will spend the week representing their countries on the international stage. Here’s a list of all the upcoming matches and results for the City, OCB and Academy players called up for the month of September.
Schedule (All times in ET):
Alex Freeman | USA | International Friendlies
Saturday, September 6, 5:00 p.m. | USA vs. South Korea
Tuesday, September 9, 7:30 p.m. | USA vs. Japan
Pedro Gallese | Peru | World Cup Qualifiers
Thursday, September 4, 7:30 p.m. | Uruguay vs. Peru
Tuesday, September 9, 7:30 p.m. | Peru vs. Paraguay
David Brekalo | Slovenia | World Cup Qualifiers
Friday, September 5, 2:45 p.m. | Slovenia vs. Sweden
Monday, September 8, 2:45 p.m. | Switzerland vs. Slovenia
Marco Pašalić | Croatia | World Cup Qualifiers
Friday, September 5, 2:45 p.m | Faroe Islands vs. Croatia
Monday, September 8, 2:45 p.m. | Croatia vs. Montenegro
Tyrese Spicer | Trinidad & Tobago | World Cup Qualifiers
Friday, September 5, 8:00 p.m | Trinidad & Tobago vs. Curaçao
Tuesday, September 9, 8:00 p.m. | Jamaica vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Gustavo Caraballo | Venezuela U17 | International Friendlies
L, 2-1 | Wednesday, September 3, 9:00 a.m | Venezuela U17 vs. England U17
Colin Guske & Justin Ellis (OCB) | USYNT U19 | Domestic ID Training Camp
Tahir Reid-Brown | USYNT U20 | Domestic ID Training Camp
Jacob Ramirez (Academy) | USYNT U17 | Domestic ID Training Camp
Dylan Judelson (Academy) | Canada U17 | International Friendlies
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Wheaties announced today that its newest legendary orange box will feature Philadelphia quarterback and champion Jalen Hurts. From being a hometown hero to Big Game stand-out, Hurts exemplifies what it means to be a Wheaties Champion, uplifting his team and strengthening his community through service, youth mentorship and support for Philadelphia schools.
“Wheaties was a staple in my childhood,” said Hurts. “To go from grabbing a bowl of Wheaties and following the icons on the box to now being featured myself is truly humbling and surreal.”
For more than 100 years, the iconic Wheaties box has featured prominent athletes on the cover, honoring what it means to be a Champion on and off the field — recognizing those who are the best at their sports, have broken barriers and made significant contributions to their communities and the world at large.
“Jalen is the true embodiment of a Wheaties Champion — paying forward the lessons he learned from mentors who guided his journey to uplift the next generation,” said Emilie Knox, Vice President and Business Unit Director for Wheaties. “That spirit of resilience and giving back is exactly why we’re so proud to feature him on the cover of this limited-edition box.”
Hurts’ football career has been defined by resilience, perseverance, and triumph. After standout college seasons, he went on to play professionally in Philadelphia in 2020. Defying early odds as a second-round draft pick, he rose to become the team’s starting quarterback, leading them to the Big Game in 2023 and then again in 2025, where he won his first professional championship and was honored for his outstanding performance. Hurts has had many impressive accomplishments throughout his professional career — from All-Pro quarterback to being named Bert Bell Professional Player of the Year in 2022.
Off the field, Hurts’ commitment to community has been just as powerful. He founded the Jalen Hurts Foundation to provide young people from all walks of life with the resources and support they need to maximize their full potential. Through the foundation, Hurts has donated $200,000 to improve classroom environments for thousands of students, including funding 300 air-conditioning units across Philadelphia schools. He regularly uplifts patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and champions opportunities for girls in sports and women in the sports industry – efforts that earned him the title of 2024 Philadelphia Citizen of the Year. At every step, Hurts’ leadership is defined by giving back and creating opportunities for the next generation.
Hurts’ limited-edition Wheaties Box will be available at retailers nationwide in November. Read more about The Jalen Hurts Foundation and head to wheaties.com for more about the new Wheaties Champion.
How we verified the first images at the scene of the funicular crash in Lisbonpublished at 11:33 British Summer Time
11:33 BST
Emma Pengelly and Sherie Ryder BBC Verify
As soon as the news broke last night about the funicular crash in central Lisbon our late shift was tasked with finding and verifying images and footage from the scene.
We started looking for social media posts showing what happened that could be fed into the BBC News live page and passed to producers working on TV news.
Here are some steps we take to verify material
When we find social media posts purporting to be from the scene of a breaking news story we first check that the images or footage are current by carrying out reverse image searches.
This means taking a series of grabs from the video and putting them into Google Images.
If it doesn’t find any matching images then we can be confident it’s new, not old material being reused.
Once this is done, we can check the location from where the footage was filmed or picture taken.
This may already be incorporated in a post but we need to check to be absolutely sure it’s from where it claims to be from.
We do this by using Google Maps in the first instance.
If we have a good idea where the incident took place we can check street level imagery using tools like Google Street View.
MILAN (AP) — Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer who turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire, died Thursday, his fashion house confirmed. He was 91.
Armani died at home, “peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,” the fashion house said. “Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections and the many ongoing and future projects.”
Armani, one of the most recognizable names and faces in the global fashion industry, missed Milan Fashion Week in June 2025 for the first time during the previews of Spring-Summer 2026 menswear to recover from an undisclosed condition.
He was planning a major event to celebrate 50 years of his signature Giorgio Armani fashion house during Milan Fashion Week this month.
A public viewing will be held in the Armani Theater where he unveiled his ready-to-wear collections on Saturday and Sunday. The funeral will be held privately, and no details were released.
Condolences and remembrances poured in from political leaders and other Milan fashion designers.
“The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever,” said Donatella Versace, whose late brother Gianni Versace was a stylistic rival of Armani in the 1990s.
Julia Roberts, who memorably wore an oversized Armani suit to the 1990 Golden Globes, posted a photo of the pair together with the text: “A true friend. A Legend,” followed by a broken heart emoji.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who often dressed in Armani’s business attire, remembered the designer for his ”elegance, sobriety and creativity,” and said he was “a symbol of the best Italy.”
Starting with an unlined jacket, a simple pair of pants and an urban palette, Armani put Italian ready-to-wear style on the international fashion map in the late 1970s, creating an instantly recognizable relaxed silhouette that has propelled the fashion house for half a century.
From the executive office to the Hollywood screen, Armani dressed the rich and famous in classic tailored styles, fashioned in supersoft fabrics and muted tones. His handsome black tie outfits and glittering evening gowns often stole the show on award season red carpets.
At the time of his death, Armani had put together an empire worth over $10 billion, which along with clothing included accessories, home furnishings, perfumes, cosmetics, books, flowers and even chocolates, ranking him in the world’s top 200 billionaires, according to Forbes.
The designer also owned several bars, clubs, restaurants and his own basketball team, Olympia Milano. Armani opened more than 20 restaurants from Milan to Tokyo since 1998, and two hotels, one in Dubai in 2009 and another in Milan, in 2010.
Armani himself was the foundation of his style
Armani style began with Giorgio Armani himself, from the penetrating blue eyes framed in a permanent tan and early-age shock of silver hair, to the trademark dark trousers and T-shirt work clothes and the minimalist decoration of his private homes.
Armani’s fashion vision was that of easygoing elegance where attention to detail made the difference.
“I design for real people. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothes and accessories that are not practical,” he liked to say when asked to identify his clientele.
In conversation, the designer’s disarming smile and exquisitely mild manners belied the tough businessman underneath, who was able to turn creative talent into a fashion empire worth over $10 billion. Never a merger nor a sale, Re Giorgio (King George) as the Italians call him, was always his own boss.
Born July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, a small town south of Milan, Armani dreamed of becoming a doctor before a part-time job as a window decorator in a Milan department store opened his eyes to the world of fashion.
In 1975, Armani and his partner Sergio Galeotti sold their Volkswagen for $10,000 to start up their own menswear ready-to-wear label. Womenswear followed a year later.
The symbol of his new style was the liningless sports jacket, which was launched in the late 1970s and became an instant success from Hollywood to Wall Street. The designer paired the jacket with a simple T-shirt, an item of clothing he termed “the alpha and omega of the fashion alphabet.”
The Armani suit soon became a must in the closet of the well-heeled man. And for women, the introduction of the pantsuit in the executive workroom was all but revolutionary. Dubbed the “power suit” with its shoulder-padded jacket and man-tailored trousers, it became the trademark of the rising class of businesswomen in the 1980s.
Over the years Armani would soften the look with delicate detailing, luxurious fabrics and brighter shades for his basic beige and gray palette. His insistence on pants and jackets led some critics to label his fashion “androgynous.”
Armani hits Hollywood
The 1980 film classic “American Gigolo” launched both Armani and actor Richard Gere on their Hollywood careers. Dressed in Armani, Gere became America’s new favorite heartthrob, and “Geeorgeeo” as they called him, the glam set’s most popular designer.
The Hollywood connection earned him wardrobe film credits in over 200 films, and in 2003 a place on Rodeo Drive’s “Walk of Style.”
Oscar night always sparkled, with smart suiting for the men and glittering gowns for the ladies. The 2009 best actor winner Sean Penn picked up his statue in a black-on-black Armani outfit, while best actress nominee Anne Hathaway walked the red carpet in a shimmering white strapless evening gown from Armani’s latest Prive couture collection.
Other longtime devotees included Jodie Foster, George Clooney, Sophia Loren and Brad Pitt. David and Victoria Beckham were the “face” of his 2009 underwear ad campaign.
So significant was the impact of Armani style, not only on how people dressed but how they approached fashion, that in 2000 New York’s Guggenheim museum presented a retrospective of Armani’s first 25 years in fashion.
Marking the Giorgio Armani fashion house’s 40th anniversary, he opened his own museum in Milan, called Armani Silos, located opposite his Armani Theater. For its 50th, he launched Archivio Armani, a digital archive last month.
“I love things that age well, things that don’t date and become living examples of the absolute best,” Armani said of his efforts.
Armani has gone well beyond fashion
Armani, who maintained a firm grip on his empire and collections until the end, had been reluctant to discuss succession, but had announced a foundation as a succession tool to avoid his businesses being split up. A rarity in the Italian fashion world, he never sold even a part of his company to an outsider.
He also indicated the creative succession would go to longtime collaborator Leo Dell’Orco and his niece Silvana Armani, who have headed the menswear and womenswear collections, respectively, for all Armani collections: Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani and Armani Exchange.
Today, the Armani empire has an army of more than 9,000 employees, who consider themselves part of a family, with women comprising half the executive suite, along with seven industrial hubs and over 600 stores worldwide, according to figures released in 2023. Along with clothes and accessories, the company produces perfumes, cosmetics and home furnishings, as well as selling its own candy, flowers and even books.
His most recent purchase was of the historic La Capannina restaurant on the Italian Riviera in Forte dei Marmi, where he used to spend holidays with Galeotti.
In the realm of fashion hobbies, Armani owned several bars, restaurants and clubs, as well as the basketball team. Recreation time was spent in getaways in Broni in the countryside near Milan, the isle of Pantelleria off Sicily and St. Tropez on the French Riviera. Each home bore the trademark of Armani design: bare walls, important pieces, few knickknacks.
Like many of his colleagues, Armani tried to give back some of the fame and fortune he amassed during the heyday of the “moda Milanese” which put Italian ready-to-wear at the center of the world’s fashion map at the turn of the millennium. Personally involved in several charity organizations devoted to children and a staunch supporter of the battle against AIDS, in 2002 Armani was named a U.N. goodwill ambassador for refugees.
Galeotti died in 1985. Armani had no children but was very close to his niece Roberta. She abandoned a budding film career to become his director of public relations, and often represented her uncle, who wasn’t much of a partygoer, at social events. More recently, she has been a key go-between with the celebrity world as head of VIP relations.
In 2006, she orchestrated the top-billed wedding of actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in a medieval castle outside Rome, while Uncle Giorgio designed the attire for both bride and groom.
Armani is survived by his sister Rosanna, a former fashion model, and her son Andrea Camerana; and nieces Silvana and Roberta, the daughters of his late brother Sergio.
Daniela Petroff, who covered Milan fashion for the Associated Press for more than three decades, retired in 2017.
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TCL has been making its E Ink-inspired Nxtpaper phones for years, but it’s taken the company until now to realize that parents are a likely demographic for it. That’s finally been remedied with the Nxtpaper 5G Junior, a kids phone launching in Europe with a focus on eye health and screentime, which arrives alongside the more mainstream Nxtpaper 60 Ultra.
The Nxtpaper 5G Junior has been announced at the IFA trade show, but it won’t go on sale in Europe until December and will cost £159 / €249 (around $250). It will also include a protective case. So far, there are no plans for a US launch.
Like other recent Nxtpaper phones, the key selling point is a dedicated button that activates Max Ink Mode, which switches the matte display to a monochromatic mode that looks a lot like E Ink and is easier on the eyes for reading. The appeal to parents will be an extra way to manage screentime: not just a binary on / off, but an in-between option that’s better for kids’ eyes and not particularly well-suited to playing Fortnite. It extends the device’s battery life, too.
The phone includes a variety of parental controls powered by Google’s Family Link, along with a “Digital Detox” mode to encourage healthy phone use. TCL has also created a range of cutesy characters called the AI Genius Squad, which look like they’ve been lifted from a slightly subpar Pixar movie.
One immediate downside is that this is a pretty big phone. With a 6.7-inch screen and the included case, this will be a bulky, heavy device that might be a little tricky for smaller hands. It comes with 256GB of storage — enough for plenty of apps and games — and dual rear cameras.
TCL is also launching the Nxtpaper 60 Ultra, the first phone to ship with the latest Nxtpaper 4.0 tech, with reduced glare and display flicker. It’s even bigger, with a 7.2-inch display and has a triple rear camera, including a 50-megapixel telephoto lens, plus optional stylus support. It’s launching today in Europe from €449 (around $525), as well as Asia and Latin America.
Baseus has announced a new accessory that can wirelessly charge a Qi2-compatible smartphone directly on an outlet, making it useful as a hands-free wall mount. It’s reminiscent of a similar wireless charger that Zens released last year, but Baseus’ new EnerGeek GT01 has additional functionality, including a 10,000mAh battery that can be separated from the adapter’s AC plug for use as a portable power bank and wireless charger, leaving behind a simple 27W USB-C charger still stuck in the wall.
Wireless charging is limited to Qi2 rates so your phone will only charge at 15W instead of the faster 25W that you’ll get from new Qi2.2 chargers. If you’re in a hurry to revive a dying phone, or want to charge a device that’s not Qi-compatible, the EnerGeek GT01 also has a USB-C port that outputs 45W on the device’s power bank half. The Qi2 pad and both USB-C ports can all be used simultaneously when the two halves are connected, but while wireless charging will maintain a steady 15W rate, the two USB ports will dynamically share the remaining available power.
Rounding out the novelties is a small LCD display on one side that shows the battery’s remaining charge level and an estimate of how many hours and minutes are left before it’s fully depleted based on what’s currently drawing power.
It’s expected to launch later this year for $89.99, which is a bit pricey for a 10,000mAh power bank — even with wireless charging capabilities (Anker has one for $60). You’re paying a premium for the convenience of fewer cables and adapters.
CINEA has signed a grant agreement worth EUR 645.2 million under the CEF Energy programme to support the Danish side of the Bornholm Energy Island (BEI) Hybrid Offshore Interconnector – one of Europe’s most ambitious and strategic energy infrastructure projects.
The grant signature ceremony took place on 4 September 2025 in Copenhagen, during the Informal meeting of energy ministers, marking a significant step towards a more resilient, interconnected, and sustainable European energy system.
Connecting offshore wind to millions of consumers
Led by Energinet (Denmark) and 50Hertz (Germany), this innovative and visionary project will connect multiple wind farms together via a single offshore energy hub on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. From there, 3 GW of offshore green electricity will be brought onshore and distributed through Denmark and Germany, helping to power millions of homes and businesses with clean electricity.
To make this possible, CEF Energy is funding the construction of two new converter stations (one on Bornholm and one in Zealand), and the installation of an extensive submarine cable system of around 200 kilometres, complemented by a 17-kilometre onshore connection, between Zealand and Bornholm. This infrastructure will serve as a crucial bridge between offshore generation and consumers, enabling electricity to flow flexibly where it is needed most. This innovative setup supports energy security, price stability, and the integration of renewable energy on a much larger scale than before.
A milestone for Europe’s clean energy transition
As the world’s first hybrid direct current interconnector, the Bornholm Energy Island project represents a new era of energy cooperation in Europe. By pooling offshore generation and connecting national grids, offshore wind energy is no longer harvested by individual countries alone. This cooperation will create a stronger, more flexible energy network capable of adapting to demand, keeping energy prices stable, and supporting Europe’s industrial competitiveness.
Paloma Aba Garrote, Director of CINEA, said:
“The Bornholm Energy Island interconnector is a landmark project for Europe’s clean energy transition. By supporting this initiative with one of the largest EU contributions under CEF Energy, we are demonstrating CINEA’s continued commitment to boosting cross-border cooperation, integrating offshore renewables at scale, and ensuring a secure, independent, affordable and sustainable energy supply for European citizens and businesses.”
CEF Energy driving Europe’s future
This major EU contribution illustrates how CEF Energy funding is driving Europe’s energy transition, investing directly in infrastructure that connects clean energy to consumers, strengthens Europe’s competitiveness, and secures a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply. By supporting projects of common interest like Bornholm Energy Island, CEF Energy plays a crucial role in delivering the EU’s energy and climate objectives and building the next generation of European energy infrastructure.
More information
More information on the project is available on its website.
From well-being to energy efficiency, Bespoke AI, Vision AI, and Galaxy AI transform the way we live and connect.
9/4/2025
At Innovation For All (IFA) 2025, Samsung Electronics showcased its vision for “AI Home: Future Living, Now”. Samsung’s AI Home aims to be a reality people can experience today — not just in the future — and one designed for everyone, not just a select few.
“At Samsung, we’re not just imagining the future of AI; we’re building it into everyday life. Samsung’s AI Home moves beyond smart devices to homes that truly understand you, adapt to your needs, and care for what matters most,” said Cheolgi Kim (CK), Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Business. “This is the beginning of a new era – where technology supports your life in the background so that you can live it more fully.”
The Samsung AI Home experience is designed to make everyday living more convenient, efficient, healthy, and safe.
Samsung research1 reveals that 66% of consumers find the idea of an AI-enabled home appealing, with many envisioning streamlined daily tasks (44%) and greater control via phone or voice commands (45%). AI Home, with SmartThings automated routines, delivers on this vision – automating lighting, temperature, and even syncing blinds with the weather for effortless living2.
The home is a sanctuary for 93% of people and a social hub for 80%. As families spend more time together, AI Home enhances shared moments with wellness checks, personalized sleep settings, and nutrition planning.
Energy efficiency is one of the main benefits consumers look for from AI. 66% believe an AI enabled home can help track costs and save money. With SmartThings Energy, AI Home can reduce washing machine energy use by up to 70%34.
Security remains critical, with 40% expecting AI to improve home protection through timely alerts. Samsung Knox Vault safeguards sensitive data at the hardware level, while Knox Matrix extends protection across connected devices with ecosystem-wide security5.
Bespoke AI Enhances AI Capabilities
The latest Samsung Bespoke AI appliances have taken AI features to a new level, offering a better living experience in both the kitchen and other spaces:
Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra: Upgraded with improved AI Object Recognition6, it can now detect liquids8, even transparent ones.
Bespoke AI Washer: AI Wash+ enables a laundry experience that better fits your clothes. It clears the minimum threshold for a Grade A in energy efficiency testing by 65%8.
Bespoke AI Dishwasher: AI Wash optimizes the cleaning cycle based on how dirty the dishes are9, and Auto Open Door allows steam to escape, accelerating the drying process.
Extractor Induction Cooktop: Integrating the extractor into the cooktop maximizes kitchen space.
Vision AI Companion Enables Conversational Viewing
Samsung Vision AI Companion is your trusted TV companion – allowing you to engage naturally with your Samsung TV and receive human-like responses – redefining personalized home entertainment. Pursuing an open platform approach, Samsung is strengthening its partnerships with global AI technology leaders, including Google, Microsoft and Perplexity, to further extend the platform’s functionality.
Other highlights include:
Micro RGB TV: The world’s first10 display to feature a micro-scale RGB LED backlight behind a super big 115-inch screen, achieving an industry-first 100% of the BT.2020 color standard11.
The Movingstyle: A portable touchscreen TV with built-in battery, integrated handle and soft-wheeled floor stand – perfect for any room or on the go.
Samsung Sound Tower: Powerful, portable sound with an up to 18-hour battery12. You can strengthen the party mood with customizable lighting and sound effects via the dedicated app.
Galaxy AI Expands with New Devices
Starting with the Galaxy S24 series and a commitment to democratize Galaxy AI to over 200 million devices in 2024, Samsung Galaxy has defined a new era of mobile AI innovation.
Now, the latest Galaxy AI experience comes to new products, designed to ensure a seamless mobile experience on a wider range of devices with multimodal capabilities.
By the end of 2025, Samsung aims to bring the Galaxy AI experience to over 400 million devices worldwide.
Experience Future Living, Now at IFA 2025
The Samsung exhibition at IFA will be open from September 5 – 9 at the CityCube, Berlin.
Samsung Electronics is also showcasing a large-scale media art installation created in collaboration with world-renowned digital artist Maotik on a massive 50-meter-wide digital façade at the entrance of the exhibition hall.
The video, themed around “wind,” features dynamic waves formed by the organic movement of data, symbolizing how Samsung’s AI technology contributes to enhancing everyday life for its customers.
For more information on the products mentioned within this release, please visit Samsung.com.
1 All consumer statistics referenced in this release are sourced from EO CMI Quantitative Survey, UK/DE/FR, consumers owning 1+ smart home appliances or devices, sample 1200.
2 Requires a wireless network, a Samsung account and the Samsung SmartThings App. AI Home routines must be manually set up by the user before AI Home can assist with their automation.
3 Savings amount estimated based on tests performed by Samsung. Estimated savings may differ from users actual savings. https://www.samsung.com/uk/home-appliances/smartthings/energy/#energy
4 Wi-Fi connection, Samsung account and SmartThings required. Can be applied when the selected washing temperature is 20~40°C. Max saving results from washing a 40 degree cycle as a cold wash. Savings based on internal testing on the WW11BB944AGB model in normal usage conditions. Results: Power consumption without AI Energy Mode = 0.539 KWh. Power consumption with AI Energy Mode = 0.145 KWh. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions.
6 Based on our deep learning model trained using a predefined set of data and may yield incomplete or incorrect information. New datasets may be introduced to our learning model from time to time to enhance its accuracy. Object recognition may be affected by an object’s shape or the environmental conditions. Only certain object types can be recognized. Stained Area Recognition needs to be activated beforehand via the SmartThings App. A Wi-Fi connection and Samsung account are required.
7 A liquid spill is defined as a colored or transparent liquid, such as water or juice, having a size of 7cm x 7cm (15 ml in volume) or larger. Identification may be affected by the size of the liquid or the environmental conditions of the floor, such as the floor pattern, color of the floor, direct or reflected light, or shape of the liquid. Excessive amount of liquid on the floor may cause secondary contamination.
8 Based on Samsung internal testing. The energy consumption of this 9kg model is EEI 18.2, which is 65% more energy efficient compared to the minimum threshold of energy efficiency class A (EEI 52 for 9kg models). Energy ratings tested with Eco 40-60 program, 65% savings tested with the Eco 40-60 program.
9 Based on an AI-created algorithm. Actual results may vary depending on individual use.
10 Each Red, Green, and Blue LED backlight is the smallest available in any RGB LED TV.
11 VDE’s verification evaluates products based on the test criteria established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for UHD (4K) color standards, BT2020, and certifies Micro RGB Color 100%.
12 18 hours of battery tested with lighting off and at volume level of 12~13.
Kelli Lehto, Associate Professor of Neuropsychiatric Genomics at the University of Tartu, is leading a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grant project that brings together genetics, psychology, and data science to investigate the causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and enhance diagnostic methods.
ADHD is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental condition, which has been primarily diagnosed in children and is characterised by impulsivity, hyperactivity and attention problems. Recently, an increasing number of adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. According to data from the Estonian Biobank over the past five years, the number of ADHD diagnosed among adults has multiplied. This trend is also confirmed by international studies.
According to Lehto, the rapid increase in the number of diagnoses suggests that symptoms characteristic of ADHD – such as restlessness and difficulties with concentration, planning, and completing tasks – are affecting a growing number of adults. While ADHD has been thoroughly studied in children, the causes and mechanisms behind the increasingly common adult ADHD remain unknown.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that, in adults, ADHD symptoms often significantly overlap with those of many other mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. These problems can also arise due to environmental factors like fatigue and stress. “However, existing data suggest that ADHD is associated with a large number of specific gene variants, which are not yet used in diagnosis but could prove to be very helpful,” Lehto explained, referring to the issue that inspired her research project.
Genetics related to ADHD
Over the next five years, Lehto’s research group plans to investigate the causes of adult ADHD-related issues using genetic data alongside environmental and lifestyle information, including data on the use of smart devices. In addition to the University of Tartu Estonian Biobank, the analysis will also draw on data from biobanks in Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The study will focus on the genetics of ADHD symptoms to determine which traits are most strongly linked to ADHD genetically, and which may stem from other factors.
Lehto acknowledges that the tools currently available to doctors do not allow for sufficiently accurate differentiation between mental health conditions.
Currently, no diagnostic biomarkers are used in psychiatry. All diagnoses are still based primarily on what the patient reports.”
Kelli Lehto, Associate Professor of Neuropsychiatric Genomics, University of Tartu
More accurate diagnostic methods
The ultimate goal of the project is to develop an innovative tool for more precise identification of adult ADHD. Using machine learning methods, the team will analyse questionnaire data on hundreds of mental health symptoms, lifestyle and personality traits to identify clusters of symptoms that are strongly associated with genetic risk for ADHD. Based on these findings, the research group aims to create a more accurate screening questionnaire that could help diagnose adult ADHD without the need for costly genetic testing. “This is where the innovation of our project lies. The result will be a novel biology-based assessment tool that will hopefully make it possible to more accurately identify adults who were not diagnosed with ADHD in childhood and who can finally receive the appropriate treatment for their lifelong problems. Even more importantly, this approach could also help to better identify other mental health conditions that are currently difficult to distinguish,” Lehto explained.
The research project has a budget of nearly €1.5 million, funded by the European Commission. European Research Council grants are among the most prestigious in the scientific world. The competition attracted over 3,928 proposals,12% of which were funded.
Nearly a decade ago, a reserve batch of Canada’s Crown Royal whisky struck awe in the hearts of critics. “To say this is a masterpiece is barely doing it justice,” wrote the British reviewer Jim Murray, adding that the company’s upmarket offering took rye to “new heights of beauty and complexity”.
But earlier this week, holding a hulking glass bottle in front of a gaggle of cameras, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, slowly poured the hazel liquid on to the ground.
“This is what I think of Crown Royal,” he said, standing defiantly next to the puddle. He said the company’s owners were “a few fries short of a Happy Meal” and “dumb as a bag of hammers”.
For months, staff at liquor stores across Canada have dutifully kept American wines and spirits off the shelves, retaliation for a trade war provoked by Donald Trump. Sales of US brands have cratered and executives have fretted over the “significant headwinds” from the boycotts which have seen millions of dollars in sales slip away.
This week, the multinational owners of Crown Royal provoked the wrath of Ford – head of Canada’s most economically powerful province – when they announced plans to shutter its plant in Ontario and move operations to the US.
Ford, who has emerged as one of Canada’s fiercest critics of US protectionism, said the planned move was a betrayal and called on others to dump the product in protest.
“They’re sitting around, just absolutely as smug as they come … they’re hurting Ontario residents,” Ford said of the company’s executives. “A message to the CEO in France: you hurt my people, I’m gonna hurt you. You’re gonna feel the pain in February when these people don’t have a pay cheque.”
The Canadian whisky, first introduced 86 years ago to mark a visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, has long stressed its roots in both domestic and international advertising. Sold in a distinct purple cloth bag with gold stitching, the drink is made with Canadian grains and water from Manitoba’s Lake Winnipeg. While it was initially only available in Canada, a decision to sell it south of the border in the 1960s has made it the top-selling Canadian whisky in the US.
Once part of the Seagram empire, the brand was acquired in 2001 by Diageo, the London-based multinational company, when the Canadian beverage and entertainment conglomerate collapsed.
Its Northern Harvest Rye was named the 2016 World Whisky of the Year, the first time a Canadian whisky had ever received the honour.
Production has remained in Canada for decades, but last week, Diageo said it would shift its bottling operations to the US in February. The move will cost 200 jobs but has taken on outsized political importance amid the backdrop of trade war between Canada and the US.
A spokesperson for Diageo said the company’s “focus at this time remains on their commitment to Canada”, adding: “Crown Royal will continue to be mashed, distilled, and aged in Canada, just as it has been since 1939.”
Still, the decision has faced strong criticism from Ontario provincial lawmakers. Lisa Gretzky, a New Democratic party member, says the government should pull the whisky from provincial liquor stores – something Ford has said is possible.
“We’re not going to stand by and let you just try and squeeze a little more money out for those wealthy shareholders at the risk of 200 people in our community,” she told local media.
Canada is the largest importer of US wine and the second largest export market for US spirits, with sales totalling $221m last year, according to the US Distilled Spirits Council.
According to Brown-Forman, the parent company of Jack Daniel’s, sales to Canada dropped 62% during the latest fiscal quarter compared with last year. The company’s chief finance officer said the “significant headwinds” in global trade, including Canada’s boycott, had “had a significant impact on our first quarter of fiscal 2026, which will impact our full fiscal year results”.
In recent weeks, Canada has made conciliatory gestures to the US in an attempt to move past the trade impasse. Mark Carney said his government would drop retaliatory tariffs against the US in order to help the two countries reach a trade deal.
But Canada’s provinces appear resistant to caving on the liquor boycott.
Alberta and Saskatchewan lifted moratoriums on buying and selling US liquor in June and remain the only two provinces which stock US drinks.
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island said they have no plans to bring wine and spirits back until US tariffs are dropped.
“It’s still going to be banned until they cut the tariffs, or we make a deal with them,” said Ford. “It’s not coming on our shelves.”
