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  • Extensive Thiago interview in Brentford v Chelsea matchday programme | Brentford FC

    Extensive Thiago interview in Brentford v Chelsea matchday programme | Brentford FC

    An extensive interview with Igor Thiago features in the matchday programme for Saturday night’s Premier League game against Chelsea.

    The forward, who netted three goals in four fixtures across the opening month of the campaign, discusses his confidence in finding the back of the net, his journey from Brazil to Brentford via Bulgaria and Belgium, and the impact of losing his father at a young age.

    “When I was 13 years old, my father passed away,” Thiago said.

    “It helped me grow up. It made me grow up faster than expected and made me let go of some things so I could focus on my family and on what was right for my family.

    “My early life definitely affected the way I play. I was also very focused on the things I wanted to do.

    “My mum is a very strong women and I’m very proud of her, because she was always able to provide us not only with the basic necessities but also good things for us, even though we were struggling a little bit.

    “She’s the strongest woman in the world.”

    He added: “I feel very proud to have been able to help my family and to help the new generation by providing them with things that other generations wouldn’t have, because they basically didn’t have anything.

    “It feels really good to be able to give my family experiences that I didn’t think would be possible.”

    Read the full interview in Saturday’s matchday programme.

    Tickets are still available for the Chelsea game – on sale now to members with 100+ TAPs.

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    Also in the Brentford v Chelsea matchday programme

    • From the Dugout: Keith Andrews reflects on the opening month of the campaign and looks ahead to a three-game week for the Bees

    • In Opposition: An in-depth look at the Blues

    • Big Ben Burgess’ Big Match Preview: The former centre-back discusses referees clamping down on holding and shoving in the box

    • The Nathan Caton Column: Brentford-supporting comedian gives his take on the transfer window

    • 100 Years in Red and White: Peter Gilham, Bob Booker, Jackie Graham and Steve Phillips pay tribute to the late Dan Tana

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  • Shahid Afridi riles up India, takes a veiled dig at Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh: ‘Bechaare jab se paida huye hain…’ | Cricket – Hindustan Times

    Shahid Afridi riles up India, takes a veiled dig at Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh: ‘Bechaare jab se paida huye hain…’ | Cricket – Hindustan Times

    1. Shahid Afridi riles up India, takes a veiled dig at Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh: ‘Bechaare jab se paida huye hain…’ | Cricket  Hindustan Times
    2. Shahid Afridi Reveals Hypocrisy of Indian Cricketers  ProPakistani
    3. Every Captain In India vs Pakistan T20I History : From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni To Shahid Afridi; Who Has The Edge?  Zee News
    4. ‘Irfan Pathan is still trying to prove that he is Indian’: Shahid Afridi takes a VILE DIG  Cricket Addictor

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  • How USA MTB rider blends mindfulness with Mamba mentality

    How USA MTB rider blends mindfulness with Mamba mentality

    Christopher Blevins: The power of meditation in life and cycling

    Before a race, Blevins follows a strict ritual: eating pancakes, drinking coffee, and… meditating. “I’ve really put mindfulness at the centre of my approach to being an athlete and, by extension, my life,” he said.

    “In mindfulness, you have the ability to come back to the present moment again and again, and you can contextualise a larger view of what racing is for—like an act of becoming a better person, and using sport to be within that process.”

    The American began this spiritual practice around six years ago after meeting Patrick Sweeney, a meditation teacher, and has since integrated it into his life as an athlete. “Training itself can be a mindful practice. I spend a lot of hours on the road alone in training, and when you come back to the simple pedal stroke, that’s a kind of practice itself,” he said.

    “I’m able to combine both relaxation and ease with the full intensity and focus you need in cross-country mountain bike racing. Since it’s an endurance event, you really have to pair those two things, which in essence is yoga.”

    Practising mindfulness has also helped him experience racing in a more conscious way. “I think sport is so uniquely able to show you different aspects of yourself, different emotions. In the race experience, you’re trying to achieve a flow state, where you let go of who you are and you’re just in the moment. That’s where some of the best sport moments come from—when athletes are in a bit of a flow state.”

    Blevins, who travels with a meditation cushion packed in his bike case, lives in his own meditation centre, where he hopes to organise training camps soon. “I look forward to really sharing it with other athletes, having a platform to help young athletes especially, giving them the tools to work with their minds, emotions, and hearts—because that’s where the magic comes from.”

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  • Human growth hormone promotes huge performance benefits – and boosting your levels start with a good night’s sleep

    Human growth hormone promotes huge performance benefits – and boosting your levels start with a good night’s sleep

    Fast forward: doing speed sessions will help boost HGH levels. Russell Burton / Our Media

    You now know how and why to optimise HGH levels for improved cycling performance.

    But what shouldn’t you do? What should you avoid in your quest for a legal high?

    “Diet impacts HGH secretion,” says Godfrey. “A high-carbohydrate diet suppresses secretion, while a higher [good] fat and protein diet potentiates it.”

    This blunting through over-reliance on carbohydrate is an athlete’s balancing act, because slow and fast-releasing sugars are a cyclist’s nectar.

    The best advice is to consume lower-glycaemic carbohydrate foods, such as rice and potatoes, after riding.

    Knocking back rapid-delivery sugary hits, such as energy gels, will stimulate insulin secretion, which contributes to HGH reduction.

    Also, keep on sipping water or electrolyte drinks, because dehydration is another dent on how your HGH levels respond to exercise.

    Look into arginine intake, too. Daily consumption of 15mg to 20mg of this amino acid has been shown to crank up nighttime HGH production by nearly 60%.

    It can be found in red meat, nuts, chicken, brown rice, soya beans and seeds.

    “HGH is affected by fatigue, too. If you keep training when insufficiently recovered, overtraining can become a problem,” adds Godfrey.

    A well-structured programme or using a fitness coach can help here.

    All of this is within your control, but this next factor isn’t. “HGH naturally decreases with age,” says Godfrey. “This is for both women and men.”

    While this is a shrinking battle, there’s evidence that a consistent programme of strength work can, if not stop the drop, at least soften the fall.

    And if all that fails, should you follow Lance Armstrong and co and tap into HGH from the lab? Well, beyond the illegality of taking HGH for performance reasons, you may not enjoy the riding boost you were anticipating.

    A team of US researchers conducted a review of 44 studies of growth hormone in athletes.

    Some 303 volunteers received HGH injections, while 137 received a placebo.

    After having daily injections for an average of 20 days, the subjects who received HGH increased their lean body mass by an average of 4.6lb.

    That’s a big gain, but it didn’t translate into improved performance. In fact, HGH didn’t generate measurable increases in either strength or exercise capacity.

    The study also found they were more likely to retain fluid – not great when cycling up a tough mountain – and to experience fatigue than the placebo crew.

    Keep to what’s legal and optimise your HGH levels by having a sound sleep, fuelling and riding programme.

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  • Zhimeng Biopharma’s Investigational Drug Approved to Initiate Phase 2 Epilepsy Clinical Trial in China

    SHANGHAI, Sept. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Shanghai Zhimeng Biopharma, Inc. (“Zhimeng Biopharma”) announced that its self-developed novel next-generation KCNQ2/3 potassium channel opener, CB03-154, has recently received clinical trial approval from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in China for refractory epilepsy. This follows the CDE’s approval in July of this year for Phase 2/3 clinical studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The upcoming trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational, multicenter study designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of CB03-154 as an adjunctive therapy in adult patients (18-70 years old) with focal epilepsy.

    Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by seizures or episodes of abnormal behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of consciousness. It affects approximately 90 million patients globally, with about 9 million in China. Existing treatments fall far short of meeting the clinical needs of epilepsy patients; nearly 30% have refractory epilepsy that cannot be controlled with monotherapy. The pathogenesis of the disease is related to alterations in ion channels and synaptic transmission/connectivity, primarily caused by an imbalance between neuronal excitation and inhibition. As the structural basis for neuronal excitability and activity, dysfunctional ion channels are closely associated with the development of epilepsy. Among them, potassium (K+) channels are the most widely distributed and diverse type of ion channel, primarily involved in regulating neuronal excitability and the frequency and amplitude of action potentials.

    CB03-154 is a novel next-generation KCNQ2/3 potassium channel opener developed by Zhimeng Biopharma. It demonstrates good chemical and metabolic stability, in vitro and in vivo anti-epileptic activity/efficacy, pharmacokinetic properties, and safety. It also possesses more specific ion channel selectivity, potentially overcoming the safety issues associated with first-generation drugs. Currently, clinical studies for CB03-154 in epilepsy are also underway in Australia.

    Research suggests that KCNQ2/3 potassium channel openers could be effective not only for epilepsy but also for major depressive disorder (MDD), ALS, and neuropathic pain. Previously, CB03-154 tablets had also been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the U.S. FDA for development in the treatment of ALS patients.

    Dr. Huanming Chen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zhimeng Biopharma, stated: ” Zhimeng has consistently focused on research in liver diseases and central nervous system disorders. From target exploration to molecule optimization, from pharmaceutical research to preclinical evaluation, we have always advanced our projects with a scientifically rigorous attitude, ultimately gaining continuous recognition from regulatory agencies. Thanks to the team’s efforts and the support of all investors and research institutions. We are committed to deepening our work in areas of unmet clinical need, progressing clinical trials in full speed, and providing patients with safer and more effective treatment options.”

    As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, Zhimeng Biopharma has consistently focused on the development of innovative drugs for antiviral and central nervous system diseases. The company has established a rich pipeline covering multiple stages of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication cycle and several indications within neurological disorders. Besides the investigational drug CB03-154 for epilepsy and ALS, the company’s novel HBV core protein inhibitor, ZM-H1505R, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), has also entered pivotal Phase 3 clinical studies.

    About Zhimeng 

    Founded in 2018, Shanghai Zhimeng Biopharma, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to develop small-molecule drug discovery focused on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), as well as novel therapies for CNS disorders, including epilepsy, neuropathic pain (e.g., cancer-related pain), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder.  Zhimeng has successfully completed multiple rounds of financing.

    SOURCE Shanghai Zhimeng Biopharma, Inc.

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  • India's Adani bans entry of sanctioned ships at its ports, sources say – Reuters

    1. India’s Adani bans entry of sanctioned ships at its ports, sources say  Reuters
    2. Adani Ports bars vessels facing sanctions from US, UK and EU  Mint
    3. Adani Port stops accepting sanctioned vessels  financialexpress.com
    4. Adani Group Stops Accepting Sanctioned Vessels At Their Indian Ports Amid US Criticism on Russian Oil Purchases  Swarajya
    5. Adani Ports will not allow US, UK, EU sanctioned vessels to dock  The Hindu BusinessLine

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  • ‘The Bold & The Beautiful’ To Feature First Gay Male Couple

    ‘The Bold & The Beautiful’ To Feature First Gay Male Couple

    EXCLUSIVE: The Bold & the Beautiful is setting a new milestone with the addition of Harrison Cone.

    The actor, whose credits include the feature films Ick and I Wish You All the Best, will join the CBS sudser as an aspiring designer who’s in a relationship with Remy Pryce (Christian Weissmann). He will make his first appearance at Forrester Creations on Sept. 16.

    The addition of Cone will mark the first time that B&B has featured a gay male couple who will also kiss on-screen (another first for the sudser). Cone’s character name is being kept under wraps because he has a close tie to one of the major B&B characters.

    This isn’t the first instance of LGBTQ representation on the Bell-Phillip serial. In 2012, B&B featured its first lesbian couple, Karen Spencer (Joanna Johnson) and Danielle (Crystal Chappell). Danielle was first introduced as Karen’s friend but was later revealed as her romantic partner.

    In 2015, the soap made history by introducing Maya Avant (Karla Mosley) as the first regular transgender character in daytime television. Maya went on to become the first transgender bride in all of TV before her character was written off in 2019.

    There have been other gay male couples in daytime, including As the World Turns‘ Luke Snyder and Noah Maye, Days of Our Lives‘ Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis. At present, CBS’ Beyond the Gates has a popular interracial gay couple played by Brandon Claybon and Mike Manning.

    Weissman joined B&B in 2024. He was nominated this year for a Daytime Emmy in the new Emerging Talent category. The Daytime Emmys are set for Oct. 17 in Pasadena.

    Cone’s other credits include Hacks, The Summer I Turned Pretty and American Horror Stories,

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  • 28 dinosaur eggs unearthed in China. Here’s why scientists just fired a laser at them

    28 dinosaur eggs unearthed in China. Here’s why scientists just fired a laser at them

    A team of scientists have used a new dating method, known as in-situ carbonate uranium-lead (U-Pb) dating, to find out when a cluster of dinosaur eggs found in Central China were originally laid.

    Traditionally, dinosaur eggs – as well as dinosaur bones and other fossil material – are dated using indirect methods. This involves dating volcanic rock, ash layers, or minerals around fossils and using these to establish a range during which they were likely deposited.

    For the first time since they were discovered, U-Pb dating has allowed scientists to date the Chinese dinosaur eggs directly and assign them an accurate age of 85.91 million years (plus or minus 1.74 million years). 

    “We show that these dinosaur eggs were deposited roughly 85 million years ago, in the Late Cretaceous period,” said Bi Zhao, a researcher at the Hubei Institute of Geosciences and a co-author of the recent study. “We provide the first robust chronological constraints for these fossils, resolving long-standing uncertainties about their age.”

    Dinosaur egg fossil being sampled for geochronology. Credit Dr. Bi Zhao

    Dinosaur egg discovery

    The dinosaur eggs dated in this recent study were found at a site known as Qinglongshan, located in Shiyan’s Yunyang District. More than 3,000 fossilised eggs have been found at this site, most of which are three-dimensionally preserved, largely intact, and display minimal deformation.

    These eggs are thought to belong to a single species, Placoolithus tumiaolingensis. This species is what’s known as an ootaxon, meaning it’s only known from the eggs it laid, rather than its bones.

    However, there’s no doubt about what kind of animal laid these eggs – based on the high porosity of their shells, scientists are confident they were laid by dinosaurs, perhaps two-legged theropod dinosaurs.

    Interior of Qinglongshan Dinosaur Egg Fossil Museum
    The eggs were found in the Qinglongshan site in the Yunyang Basin in central China – now the Qinglongshan Dinosaur Egg Fossil Museum. Credit Dr. Bi Zhao

    To date the cluster of 28 eggs that formed the focus of this study, Zhao’s team used U-Pb dating – a long-established dating method, but one that has only recently been adapted for use on dinosaur eggs.

    “We fired a micro-laser at eggshell samples, vaporising carbonate minerals into aerosol. This is analysed by a mass spectrometer to count uranium and lead atoms. Since uranium decays into lead at a fixed rate, we were able to calculate the age by measuring accumulated lead – it’s like an atomic clock for fossils,” explained Zhao.

    While only a small sample were dated, all eggs returned similar ages – ages that were also consistent with the age of the rocks surrounding the eggs.

    The dating of these eggs is significant as it places them at a time of global climatic upheaval. Just prior to their deposition, in the Turonian Epoch (roughly 94 to 90 million years) temperatures dropped worldwide. This transition from warm to cooler climates is thought to have played a role in the observed trend of diminishing dinosaur diversity towards the end of the Cretaceous.

    The team believes dinosaur eggs like those they’ve dated may be able to tell us more about how dinosaurs adapted during these times of dramatic change.

    “Our achievement holds significant implications for research on dinosaur evolution and extinction, as well as environmental changes on Earth during the Late Cretaceous,” said Zhao. “Such findings can transform fossils into compelling narratives about Earth’s history.”

    Find out more about the study: Geological Age of the Yunyang Dinosaur Eggs Revealed by in-situ Carbonate U-Pb Dating and Its Scientific Implications, published in the journal Frontiers in Earth Science.

    Top image: Egg clutch sampled for chronological studies. Credit Dr. Bi Zhao

    More amazing wildlife stories from around the world

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  • See Inside Kate Middleton’s Visit to Two Historic Textile Mills

    See Inside Kate Middleton’s Visit to Two Historic Textile Mills

    Kate Middleton visited two historic British textile mills today, continuing her advocacy for the country’s manufacturing heritage, while Prince Harry concluded his separate UK engagements in London.

    The Princess of Wales began her day at Sudbury Silk Mills in Suffolk. The 300-year-old family business has operated continuously since the early 18th century and has established itself as a leader in jacquard weaving techniques that produce intricate silk patterns for high-end interiors. It emerged during Britain’s textile boom, when demand for luxury fabrics drove innovation in weaving technology. The mill’s jacquard looms, some dating back decades, still produce the silk patterns that interior designers source for luxury hotels, historic restorations, and private residences across Europe.

    ARTHUR EDWARDS//Getty Images

    Kate Middleton picks a color with Beth Humes during a visit to Sudbury Silk Mills.

    Kate’s second stop took her to Marina Mill in Cuxton, Kent, where she toured the small-scale operation with just nine employees. Founded in 1967, Marina Mill specializes in hand-designed and screen-printed furnishing fabrics, and works directly with interior designers to create bespoke textiles for residential and commercial projects. The mill’s hand-printing process allows for color variations and artistic irregularities that distinguish their fabrics from machine-manufactured alternatives.

    The Princess has a family background in textiles. Her paternal great-great-grandfather Noel Middleton owned William Lupton & Co, a prominent woolen manufacturer in Leeds that operated for generations before being sold to AW Hainsworth in 1958. Kate toured the Hainsworth facility in 2023 to explore her family’s industrial legacy in Yorkshire’s textile heartland.

    The Princess Of Wales Celebrates British Craftmanship

    WPA Pool//Getty Images

    Kate Middleton looks on as she helps create a screen print during a visit to Marina Mill on September 11, 2025.

    The Princess conducted her textile visits to highlight the economic importance of Britain’s specialty manufacturing sector. Both mills are small businesses that preserve traditional skills while contributing to export markets, with Sudbury’s silks and Marina’s printed fabrics sold internationally.

    Thursday’s visits continue Kate’s pattern of supporting British heritage industries, following similar textile mill tours in Yorkshire and other manufacturing regions.

    Headshot of Julia Cancilla

    Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she oversees the brand’s social media platforms and writes the monthly ELLE Decoroscope column. She covers design trends, pop culture, and lifestyle through storytelling to explore how our homes reflect who we are. Her work has also appeared in Inked magazine, House Beautiful, Marie Claire, and more. 

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  • Earth’s core has ‘reversed’ rotation. What does that mean for humanity?

    Earth’s core has ‘reversed’ rotation. What does that mean for humanity?

    As early as 2024, scientists from the US and China discovered that the Earth’s core had slowed down and even stopped moving in relation to the Earth’s crust. But until now, the general public—that’s people like you and me—has barely noticed this remarkable change.

    The Earth’s core is comprised of metals and, as the name suggests, makes up the interior of the Earth. It consists of a liquid outer core (made of iron and nickel and other elements, which play a role in the Earth’s magnetic field) and a solid inner core (also made of iron and nickel, at a temperature up to 5,700 degrees Celsius).

    The Earth’s outer core begins around 1,800 miles below the Earth’s surface and the inner core begins around 3,200 miles below.

    Rotation changes in the Earth’s core

    For a long time, scientists assumed that the Earth’s inner core had a stable, even, and constant rotation below the Earth’s crust. However, with the help of seismic analyses (i.e., studies of earthquakes), researchers have discovered that this rotation is by no means constant but fluctuates. These fluctuations can be so massive that the Earth’s core can move as fast as the Earth’s crust and then appear to stand still.

    However, this doesn’t mean that the Earth’s core rotates in the opposite direction. Instead, it only appears that way because it rotates more slowly in relation to the Earth’s crust—sometimes even significantly more slowly. Nor does the Earth’s core ever remain stationary, but simply stops changing in relation to the Earth’s crust.

    This current slowdown in the rotation of the Earth’s core began as early as 2009. At that time, the Earth’s core and crust moved more or less in unison, but since then, the movement of the Earth’s core has become even slower. It seems that the Earth’s core changes its rotational direction relative to the Earth’s crust every 35 years. Therefore, the fluctuations that comprise an entire cycle last 70 years.

    What effects does this have on Earth?

    Technically, days can become longer or shorter due to the changes in rotational speed of the Earth’s core. However, the changes are tiny—in the range of milliseconds. We humans might not notice this, but it can have an effect on astronomical measurements and satellites. Changes to the Earth’s magnetic field and the climate are also possible.

    This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.

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