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Russia-Ukraine war: What are ‘frustrated’ Trump’s next options with Putin? | Russia-Ukraine war News

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for a second time in two days on Friday, with the war in Ukraine the focal point of their huddle. They had met for 50 minutes on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia on Thursday.

While campaigning for re-election, US President Donald Trump had promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

But more than four months later, the prospects of a ceasefire appear as remote as ever, with Russia launching a fierce bombardment of Ukraine in recent days.

After the Thursday meeting, Rubio told reporters that Trump was “disappointed and frustrated that there’s not been more flexibility on the Russian side” to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

So has Trump’s view of the war changed – and what are his next options?

Has Trump’s position on Russia shifted?

Rubio’s comments come at a time when Trump has increasingly been publicly critical of Putin, after previously accusing Ukraine of not wanting peace.

“We get a lot of b******t thrown at us by Putin. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless,” Trump said on Tuesday.

Since February, the US has held separate talks with Russia and Ukraine, and brokered direct talks between them in May in Istanbul for the first time since the early months of Russia’s full-fledged invasion in 2022.

But while Putin has offered brief pauses in fighting, he has not accepted the US proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine has accepted that proposal. Russia argues that Ukraine could use the truce to remobilise troops and rearm itself.

When asked by reporters this week whether he would act on his frustration with Putin, Trump responded: “I wouldn’t be telling you. Don’t we want to have a little surprise?”

However, experts caution against concluding that Trump was ready to act tough against Russia.

“Western media is full of commentary on what it calls Trump‘s ‘changing stance’ on Putin. But as yet, there is no reason to think that anything has changed at all,” Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow at the London-based Chatham House think tank, told Al Jazeera.

“There is a wave of optimism across the world that this might finally lead to a change in US policy. But, on every previous occasion, this has not happened.”

Indeed, after the Thursday meeting between Rubio and Lavrov, both sides suggested that they were willing to continue to engage diplomatically.

Arming Ukraine to fight off Russia

In early July, the Trump administration announced a decision to “pause” arms supply to Kyiv. A week later, he reversed this decision.

“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They are getting hit very hard now,” said Trump on July 8.

On Thursday, Trump told NBC that these weapons would be sold to NATO, which will pay fully for them. NATO will then pass them on to Ukraine.

“We’re sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, a hundred percent,” Trump told NBC, adding that the US will be sending Patriot missiles to the alliance.

Trump said this deal was agreed on during the NATO summit in The Hague in June.

Trump had also frozen aid to Ukraine in February, after a falling out with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a rancorous meeting in the White House. Trump accused Zelenskyy of talking the US into “spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won”.

Trump resumed the supplies weeks later. Between January 2022 and April 2025, the US has provided Ukraine with about $134bn in aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Trump’s MAGA [Make America Great Again] base has been critical of the funding that the US provides Ukraine.

Following Trump’s announcement that the US will resume sending weapons to Ukraine, several conservative Americans have responded with disappointment.

“I did not vote for this,” wrote Derrick Evans on X on July 8. Evans was one of Trump’s supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 and was arrested, to be pardoned by Trump in January this year.

Conservative social media duo Keith and Kevin Hodge wrote on X on July 8: “Who in the hell is telling Trump that we need to send more weapons to Ukraine?”

Sanctioning Russia

When asked on July 8 about his interest in a Congress bill proposing additional sanctions on Russia, Trump responded, “I’m looking at it very strongly.”

Since the war in Ukraine started in 2022, the US and its allies have imposed at least 21,692 sanctions on Russian individuals, media organisations, and institutions across sectors such as the military, energy, aviation, shipbuilding and telecommunications.

However, while these sanctions have hit Russia’s economy, it has not collapsed the way some experts had predicted it would in the early months of the war.

In recent months, Zelenskyy has repeatedly requested his allies in the West to tighten sanctions on Russia, to put pressure on Putin to end the war.

Most recently, Zelenskyy posted on X on Friday following a Russian drone attack in Kharkiv: “Sanctions must be strengthened. We are expecting the adoption of a new sanctions package. Everything that will put pressure on Russia and stop it must be implemented as quickly as possible.”

A bipartisan Senate bill sponsored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham aims to levy tariffs on countries that import oil, gas and uranium from Russia.

In 2023, crude petroleum, petroleum gas and refined petroleum constituted nearly 54 percent of total Russian exports, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

According to the OEC, China and India buy a bulk of Russia’s oil and gas products.

In 2024, Russian oil accounted for 35 percent of India’s total crude imports and 19 percent of China’s oil imports. Turkiye also imports Russian oil, with as much as 58 percent of its refined petroleum imports sourced from Russia in 2023.

But the West has not weaned itself off Russia, either.

In 2024, European countries paid more than $700m to buy Russian uranium products, according to an analysis by Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, based on data from the European Union’s statistical office, Eurostat.

In late March this year, Trump expressed anger with Putin and threatened “secondary tariffs” on any country that buys Russian oil if a ceasefire deal is not reached, but these tariffs were not imposed.

“If a new sanctions bill does pass, and the United States does impose costs on Moscow for the first time during the current administration, this would be a radical departure from Trump’s consistent policy,” Giles said.

“It remains to be seen whether Trump will in fact allow this, or whether his deference to Putin will mean he continues to resist any possible countermeasures against Moscow.”

Walking away from the conflict

On April 18, US Secretary of State Rubio said his country might “move on” from the Russia-Ukraine war if a ceasefire deal is not brokered.

“We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters in Paris after talks between American, Ukrainian and European officials.

“Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on. It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on,” Rubio continued.

On the same day, Trump echoed Rubio’s statements to reporters. However, Trump did not say that he is ready to walk away from peace negotiations.

“Well, I don’t want to say that, but we want to see it end,” Trump said.

More diplomacy

The second day of talks between Rubio and Lavrov, however, suggests that the US has not given up on diplomacy yet.

Rubio told reporters on Thursday that the US and Russia have exchanged new ideas for peace in Ukraine. “I think it’s a new and a different approach,” Rubio said, without offering any details of what the “new approach” involved.

“I wouldn’t characterise it as something that guarantees a peace, but it’s a concept that, you know, that I’ll take back to the president,” Rubio added.

Following Rubio and Lavrov’s meeting on Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a news release that the US and Russia had “a substantive and frank exchange of views on the settlement in Ukraine” and will continue constructive dialogue.

The statement added: “[Russia and the US] have reaffirmed mutual commitment to searching for peaceful solutions to conflict situations and resuming Russian-US economic and humanitarian cooperation.”

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July 11, 2025
Fixed-Duration Ibrutinib/Venetoclax Shows Durable Responses in CLL, Says Dr Ghia

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Paolo Ghia, MD, PhD, presented the final analysis of the phase 2 CAPTIVATE study (NCT02910583), highlighting the long-term efficacy and safety of fixed-duration ibrutinib (Imbruvica) plus venetoclax (Venclexta) in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).¹

The study showed that 73% of patients remained treatment-free 5.5 years after completing just 15 months of therapy. Patients with mutated IGHV had the most durable responses, but even high-risk patients, including those with TP53 abnormalities, showed meaningful benefit. Minimal residual disease (MRD) status at the end of treatment was the strongest predictor of long-term outcomes, reinforcing the value of full-course therapy before making clinical decisions.

The regimen was well tolerated, with no new safety concerns and strong retreatment responses upon relapse. These findings support fixed-duration ibrutinib plus venetoclax as a safe and effective frontline option in CLL.

In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Paolo Ghia, MD, PhD, deputy director of the Division of Experimental Oncology at San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy; full professor of medical oncology; a group leader in the B-cell Neoplasia Unit; and the head of the Strategic Research Program on CLL at the Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, discussed data from the final analysis of the CAPTIVATE study in CLL.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells: © Mari-stocker – stock.adobe.com

Targeted Oncology^TM: Can you provide an overview of the final analysis of the phase 2 CAPTIVATE study presented at ASCO?

Ghia: This is the final analysis of the CAPTIVATE study. The CAPTIVATE study is a phase 2 study that enrolled young patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in [the] frontline, and they were treated with 3 months of ibrutinib, the [Bruton tyrosine kinase [BTK]) inhibitor, to debulk, and then with 12 months of the combination of ibrutinib plus the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax.

The study was composed of 2 different cohorts. One cohort, the initial, was an MRD cohort. Patients at the end of the 15 months of treatment were randomized based on the level of undetectable MRD. We then created another cohort of patients, [the] so-called fixed-duration treatment, where all patients stopped the treatment at the end of the 15 months regardless of the level of undetectable MRD. That is the treatment scheme that has been approved in Europe and in many other countries in the world and now can be used in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the frontline.

The final analysis is, on one side, confirming—now with longer follow-up—the very good data that we already showed before, with the benefit in terms of progression-free survival, overall survival of our patients. In particular, what we now show very clearly is the subgrouping of the patients. We analyzed the progression-free survival and overall survival in patients based on the mutational status of the immunoglobulin, with the patients with mutated immunoglobulin genes having the highest benefit, with 80% of the patients still not progressing after 5.5 years. Then patients with unmutated immunoglobulin genes—which, again, we did not reach a median progression-free survival after 5.5 years—though here only 53% of the patients will not need treatment, will not progress after 5.5 years. And third, the patients with p53 aberrations—either deletion 17p or p53 mutation—they already reached a median progression-free survival, and only one-third of patients, 30%, will have not progressed after 5.5 years, which is maybe a little bit disappointing compared to all the other patients, but it’s also very reassuring because one-third of patients still might benefit from more than 5 years of progression-free survival with only 15 months of therapy. In the future, we might need to really understand who are these patients who respond better or worse than others.

The other point that we showed and confirmed now with higher numbers is that we can retreat the patient. The vast majority of patients, upon progression and need of treatment, can be retreated with either ibrutinib alone or ibrutinib plus venetoclax, and the vast majority of patients, roughly 80%, 85%, do respond again. And those who do not respond, they still have controlled disease for up to 18 months as a stable disease. One patient unfortunately developed Richter’s transformation.

What can you discuss regarding safety? Were there any other findings to highlight?

No new signals [were seen,] even with a longer follow-up. And also, in terms of other malignancies, which is always what we are worried about, particularly with continuous treatments, here we don’t see any signal. The vast majority of the other malignancies that can develop are nonmelanoma skin cancers.

We also presented the data showing that the level of undetectable MRD reached at the end of the treatment are those that are really predicting the long-term progression-free survival, and not the value that has been assessed after 7 months of treatment, really suggesting that we need the entire combination to work for a certain number of months before we get to the best response.

How durable were responses after treatment completion? How many patients remain treatment-free at follow-up?

That is a very good question because I mentioned the progression-free survival, so patients who did not progress, which in CLL is not so relevant because even when the patient progresses, then we can write it in the medical records, but we do not need to act upon progression. We need to start treatment only when the patient reaches certain criteria that really make the treatment mandatory. So, the patient becomes anemic—less than 10 g/dL—becomes thrombocytopenic—less than 100,000 per mL—or has bulky lymph nodes more than 10 cm. This is much more time beyond the progression itself. In fact, what is interesting is that three-quarters of the patients did not yet need another treatment after 5.5 years of median follow-up.

How did MRD status at the end of therapy correlate with long-term PFS and OS?

We all expected that earlier time points would predict the long-term PFS, because that’s somehow the dream of the doctor, to have an early readout that can allow us to understand, for example, whether to shorten the therapy or to prolong it. But instead, it did not turn out to be true in this particular study. So, only the undetectable level at the end of therapy was predicting the PFS. So, we need to complete the therapy before we can say if the patient achieved a durable undetectable MRD and a durable response.

What does this data suggest about using MRD as a tool to guide fixed duration therapy decisions?

This combination of ibrutinib plus venetoclax has been approved as fixed duration. We cannot either shorten or prolong the treatment based on detectable MRD. Also, we do not really have data. At the moment, there are a couple of other studies that explore the possibility of an MRD-driven approach, but we need much longer follow-up to see if this is reasonable, if this is more effective. At the moment, there is probably no need to assess the level of detectable MRD, for the simple reason that we wouldn’t know what to do, whether to prolong the therapy, to add an extra drug—we don’t have data to make that decision.

How does a fixed duration regimen compare with continuous BTK or BCL2 inhibitor therapy in frontline CLL and SLL?

At this congress there will be another abstract presented about the FLAIR study [ISRCTN01844152] that shows for the first time that ibrutinib plus venetoclax is better than continuous ibrutinib. The only problem there is that the ibrutinib plus venetoclax is given with an MRD-driven method, meaning that the patient can stop the therapy only after achieving undetectable MRD. And if they do not achieve undetectable MRD, they keep on being treated until they achieve undetectable MRD. So, it is true that it shows more benefit compared with ibrutinib alone, but it is also true that some patients will continue the combination of the 2 drugs for many years. So not really making it a fixed duration treatment because we are talking about treatment for 5 or 6 years. At the moment, we do not know. We will have the results of the CLL17 study [NCT04608318], comparing ibrutinib to fixed duration ibrutinib plus venetoclax, and also to venetoclax plus obinutuzumab [Gazyva]—2 of them have fixed duration as well.

What unmet needs still exist in this space?

The unmet need will always exist, meaning that as long as we do not cure the patient, the patient will relapse, and therefore they will become resistant to whatever therapy we are going to use in the next future. Until a few months ago, we were talking about double-exposed, double-refractory patients, those who have been treated and became resistant to BTK inhibitors and BCL2 inhibitors. Now we are talking about triple-exposed, triple-refractory patients, so patients who are also becoming refractory to the third line of noncovalent BTK inhibitor, pirtobrutinib [Jaypirca], that has been very recently approved. So now we have patients who have been exposed to all 3 drugs, and they are refractory. And in those patients, we only have the possibility of experimental studies.

What are the key takeaways from this final analysis?
The ibrutinib plus venetoclax is safe. No safety signals have been seen, even with the retreatment of the patient. Second, the responses are durable. We have a median progression-free survival that has not been reached after 5.5 years, and a time to next treatment which is much longer—73% of patients not needing therapy after 5.5 years. And third, MRD is predictive of long-term durable responses only if assessed at the end of treatment.

REFERENCE:

Ghia P, Barr PM, Allan JN, et al. Final analysis of fixed-duration ibrutinib + venetoclax for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) in the phase 2 CAPTIVATE study. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(suppl 16):7036-7036. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.7036

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July 11, 2025
Prolonged ED Stays Increase Among Older Adults in the US
TOPLINE:

A US study showed that prolonged emergency department (ED) stays and boarding times among older US adults increased between 2017 and 2024, especially in academic hospitals.

METHODOLOGY:

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the Epic Cosmos electronic health records database, covering 1633 US hospitals and 78 million admissions from 2017 to 2024.

The analysis focused on patients aged 65 years or older and assessed ED length of stay (LOS) of more than 8 hours and boarding time of more than 3 hours.

Encounters were stratified by hospital type (academic, community, critical access, safety net, or other), and trends were assessed using linear regression.

TAKEAWAY:

From 2017 to 2024, ED stays longer than 8 hours increased from 12% to 20%, while boarding delays rose from 22% to 36%.

Academic hospitals saw the steepest increase in ED LOS from 19% in 2017 to 30% in 2024 and in boarding from 31% to 45% during the same period.

Trend analyses revealed modest annual increases in ED LOS and boarding time from 2017 to 2020 (1.1% and 2.8%, respectively), followed by sharp rises during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022 (4.2% and 6.1%, respectively) and then partial declines between 2022 and 2024 (-1.7% and -3.2%, respectively).

IN PRACTICE:

“Worsening ED LOSs and boarding contribute to ED crowding, reflect systemic health care dysfunction, and, most importantly, harm individual patients,” the authors wrote. “Addressing these trends is critical to safeguarding both the health of older adults and the health systems caring for them,” they added.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Adrian D. Haimovich, MD, PhD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. It was published online on June 30, 2025, in JAMA Internal Medicine.

LIMITATIONS:

This study was limited by the overrepresentation of large academic hospitals, missing data for some encounters, reliance on system-generated time metrics, and the use of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-defined thresholds that may not reflect individual hospital goals.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was funded by grants from Harvard Catalyst and the National Institute on Aging. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
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July 11, 2025
Muslims uphold patriotism in deeply Christian Georgia

Worshipers attend a mass prayer on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Kurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, in a wooden mosque in the village of Ghorjomi, Georgia June 6, 2025. — Reuters

In the Georgian highland village of Ghorjomi, Friday prayers in the local mosque are always packed, says imam Tamaz Gorgadze.

Tucked away in the remote valleys close to the Turkish border, Ghorjomi – and the surrounding region of Upper Adjara – are a rare outpost of Islam in one of the world’s most devoutly Christian countries.

“We live in Georgia, a multi-confessional country,” he told Reuters in June, after prayers for the Eid ul-Adha religious festival.

Georgia was the second country in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion around the year 319, behind only neighbouring Armenia.

It remains devoutly Christian, and national identity closely linked to centuries of struggle against Muslim Persian and Turkic invaders.

Still today, Adjara’s Muslim Georgians are derisively dubbed “Tatars” by some, referring to a Muslim ethnic group in Russia.

According to census data, around 10% of Georgia’s 3.6 million people are Muslims. The bulk of them belong to the mostly Shi’ite Azerbaijani minority.

But ethnically Georgian Muslims, unique to Adjara, are rarer and more controversial in a country whose national flag consists of five Christian crosses.

The country’s powerful Orthodox Church is seen as a custodian of Georgian identity, and for many, membership of the church is a prerequisite for being truly Georgian.

However, for the Georgians of Upper Adjara, who were converted to Islam during centuries spent as part of the Ottoman Empire, there is nothing contradictory in being both a practicing Muslim and a patriotic Georgian.

“We are proud that we are Georgians. We have a shared past,” said Tariel Nakaidze, a Ghorjomi native and head of the Georgian Muslims Union.

Nevertheless, said Nakaidze, Georgian Muslims experience social pressures he likened to anti-religious campaigns under the Soviet Union.

He said: “During the Soviet Union in Georgia, both Christians and Muslims had to live a double life. On the outside, you were an atheist. But at home, you were a believer.”

“Unfortunately, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, that problem was replaced by the Orthodox Christian religion.”

Adjaran Islam comes with a distinctly Georgian flavours. Central to local Muslim life are Adjara’s distinctive wooden mosques.

Their outsides sheathed in corrugated iron to protect from mountain winters, on the inside Adjaran mosques feature intricate wooden carvings, vividly painted in a medley of traditional Ottoman and Georgian designs.

Down on the Black Sea coast, 100km [62 miles] from Ghorjomi, sits Batumi, Adjara’s capital and Georgia’s second city.

A raucous seaside resort town with casinos and night clubs catering mostly to tourists from the former Soviet Union, Batumi’s mosque congregations are swollen by visitors from across the Turkish border, 20km [12 miles) away, as well as by Middle Eastern tourists.

Space is so limited that worshippers are often forced to pray on the street outside.

Batumi imam Tamaz Geladze has been trying to expand his rudimentary, lean-to mosque for years. Though permission has been granted by the authorities, the project remains tied up in bureaucracy.

Even so, Geladze said he valued Georgia’s history of tolerance towards religious minorities.

“We have coexisted for centuries here, in friendship and in dialogue.”

“Georgia’s diversity is a treasure,” he added.

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July 11, 2025
BBC seeks urgent savings with overseas outsourcing drive | BBC

The BBC is examining a significant outsourcing drive that could put thousands of jobs at risk as it desperately searches for savings, the Guardian understands.

The plans being considered include the offshoring of jobs currently carried out in the UK, with the BBC understood to be talking to US tech giants as potential partners. It is said to include the outsourcing of recommendation algorithms, which direct users to content.

There are already significant concerns inside the BBC over the impact the plan could have on UK jobs and its much-lauded scheme to spread roles throughout Britain, as well as the effect it could have on the BBC’s control of its own platforms.

The outsourcing programme could lead to job losses at the broadcaster’s hubs in Salford, Glasgow, Newcastle and Cardiff. Departments being looked at for the overhaul include functions within its digital product group, responsible for developing platforms such as News Online, Sport, iPlayer and Sounds, and the finance department.

Sources said the plans had already been approved by the board, but had not been announced internally.

The proposal has been drawn up after advice from external consultants, as Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, searches for ways to cut the corporation’s costs. It comes at a time when the broadcaster is under serious financial pressure, with the licence fee losing a third of its value since 2010. Half a million people also cancelled their licence fee in 2023, as younger audiences move towards YouTube and streamers.

There are internal concerns that the plans could lead to a rolling back of the BBC’s much-heralded “across the UK” scheme to move jobs across the country. There has been significant political pressure from the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, to do more to set up various corporation operations outside London.

One of the big US technology companies could be involved as potential partners for the outsourced services.

Some believe the plans will cut costs for the BBC in the short term, but will leave it without the expertise to make longer-term savings and build its own improvements to platforms like the iPlayer.

Insiders are concerned it will leave the BBC tied into contracts that will not be able to adapt amid a rapidly changing media landscape. Others believe recent cuts elsewhere will leave the broadcaster without the procurement, legal or management capacity to properly monitor the contracts.

Davie hinted at the plans in a recent keynote speech in the spring, in which he said he was examining “new, major partnerships with the world leading big-tech companies, the hyper scalers”.

He said: “We are already working on the media supply chain, the processes behind the scenes that gets content from the camera to screen, from microphone to headphone. This will open up huge creative possibilities. And it will allow us to drive efficiencies and reinvest into world-class content.”

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The BBC did not deny the plans, but said no firm decisions had been taken. A spokesperson said: “While we wouldn’t comment on any speculation, we have made clear our ambition to innovate and transform, to be able to invest in the content and services audiences love.

“To do this, we must accelerate our transformation and take advantage of opportunities in technology or with partners to strengthen our capabilities. Like many organisations, it’s routine to assess different options that could deliver these changes and it would be wrong to suggest decisions have been taken.”

There is already growing anger over the proposals. Philippa Childs said the plans ran “totally counter to the growth agenda”. The head of Bectu, the broadcasting union, said: “The suggestion that large functions of the BBC should be outsourced and potentially offshored runs counter to the public interest and is hugely damaging to the unique role the BBC plays in UK PLC.

“We are extremely angry that the BBC has been developing these proposals without any discussion with the trade unions and that Bectu has only become aware of the project due to a leak.

“It is essential that the BBC makes clear that it is committed to supporting UK jobs. Bectu has consistently argued for fair funding for the BBC, and will continue to do so, but this news plays into the hands of those who want to undermine the BBC and see it shorn of its public service responsibilities.”

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July 11, 2025
From Microbiota to Microgravity: What’s Inside The FASEB Journal’s Latest Issue

Newswise — ROCKVILLE, MD (July 22, 2025) — The 15 July 2025 issue (Vol. 39, Issue 13) of The FASEB Journal showcases a diverse collection of cutting-edge research and reviews spanning gut microbiota, aging in altered gravity, innovative therapeutic strategies, and the cellular mechanisms driving diseases from cardiovascular conditions to cancer. This issue’s articles highlight advances in understanding collective cell migration, macrophage regulation, and the impacts of diet and microbiota on human health, while also exploring promising interventions for conditions like osteoporosis, neuroblastoma, endometriosis, and more. Together, these studies reflect the journal’s commitment to advancing knowledge across the biological and biomedical sciences.

REVIEW ARTICLES
Deciphering the Effect of Ginsenoside Rk3 on Gut Microbiota and Its Applications

Aging and Altered Gravity: A Cellular Perspective

Honokiol Targeting SIRT3: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities

Dynamic Leader–Follower Hierarchies in Collective Cell Migration

Research Progress on the Regulation of Macrophages for Cardiovascular Diseases

Small Molecules as Regulators of Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation: Mechanisms and Strategies for New Drug Discovery

Food Additives: Emerging Detrimental Roles on Gut Health

RESEARCH ARTICLES
Resistance and Aerobic Preconditioning Delays Unloading-Induced Multisystemic Physiological Changes: The NEBULA Project

Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria Contain Nuclear-Encoded RNA Species Prior to and Following Adaptation to Exercise Training in Rats

Exploring PU.1 as a Therapeutic Target to Mitigate Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Peritoneal Dialysis-Induced Peritoneal Fibrosis

Vasopressin-Sensitive Aqp2 Regulation Mediated by the TAZ-NR4A1 Axis in Renal Collecting Duct Cells

Nutritionally Responsive PMv DAT Neurons Are Dynamically Regulated During Pubertal Transition

Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter-Mediated Regulation of the SIRT3/GSK3β/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Vascular Remodeling

Therapeutic Potential of GeGen Decoction for the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Trained Immunity Induced by Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Is Dependent on Glutaminolysis

M2-Like Macrophages Exhibit Sialic Acid-Enhanced Efferocytosis via the Siglec CD22

Homocysteine: Canary in the Coal Mine or Hidden Threat? A Biochemical Study on the Role of Plasma Thiols

Microgravity-Induced Cognitive Decline: Investigating the Pathogenic Mechanisms of RyR2 Hyperphosphorylation and S107 Intervention

Obesity Affects IVF Outcomes and Mevalonic Acid Rescues the Side Effects of Statins on Follicle Growth

MRGPRX2 Mediates Mast Cell-Induced Endometriosis Pain Through the Sensitization of Sensory Neurons via Histamine/HRH1/TRPV1 Signaling Pathway

SRSF5 Regulates Trophoblast Apoptosis by Inhibiting NR2F2 Transcriptional Activity Through MLX Ubiquitin Degradation Mediated by Alternative Splicing in Preeclampsia

Akkermansia muciniphila-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles as a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Mastitis: Insights From In Vitro and Vivo Studies

ATF7–PINK1 Axis Governs Mitophagy and Intestinal Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis

TLR7/8 Agonist R848 Regulates X Sperm Energy Metabolism in Dairy Cows via Inhibiting Glycolysis and Fatty Acid β-Oxidation by LKB1/AMPK Pathway

Genetic and Functional Dissection of the NFKB2 Gene: Implications for Milk Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Dairy Cattle

Cellular Landscape of Synovial Chondromatosis Synovium Revealed by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

Genome-Wide CRISPR-Cas9 Knockout Screening Identifies Genes Modulating Cisplatin-Induced Cytotoxicity in Renal Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells

MS275 Inhibits Neuroblastoma Cell Growth by Mediating H3K27ac/PROX1 Axis In Silico and In Vitro

The Regulatory Mechanisms of Treponema pallidum Enolase on Macrophages: From Enzymatic Activity to Signal Transduction

NTPDase8 Protects Against Liver Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury in Mice

Exosomal Gene Biomarkers in Osteosarcoma: Mifepristone as a Targeted Therapeutic Revealed by Multi-Omics Analysis

AlkB Homolog 5 Regulates Hexokinase 2-Mediated Glycolysis and Participates in the Progression of Endometriosis

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Highlights a Contribution of Human Amniotic Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Exosomes to Androgenetic Alopecia

MiR-30d-5p Regulates Bone Remodeling and Vessel Remodeling in Osteoporosis by Targeting GRP78

Integration of Pharmacodynamics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics to Elucidate Effect and Mechanism of Rehmanniae Radix in the Treatment of T2DM

Comparing Soy and Milk Protein Regulation of Hepatic Omega-3 Fatty Acid Biosynthesis

Non-Invasive Ultrasound Treatment Enhances the Release of Skeletal Muscle-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Mice

Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Mono/Combined Treatment of Abemaciclib and Regulation of Neuroblastoma-Related miRNAs

Cholesterol Within Phosphatidylcholine Liposomes Attenuates the Expression of Cytokines

Wnt Activation in Mature Dermal Adipocytes Leads to Lipodystrophy and Skin Fibrosis via ATGL-Dependent Lipolysis

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy and Metformin Improve Bone Loss in Obese Mice With Periodontitis by Modulating the Gut Microbiota

Therapeutic Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome Derived From Adipose Tissue, Umbilical Cord, and Bone Marrow Against Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing and Non-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated From Urinary Tract Infections

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Ameliorates Hindlimb Unloading-Induced Bone Loss by Targeting Noggin

Multi-Omics Integration Reveals Gut Microbiota-Bile Acid Crosstalk Underlying Baizhu Shaoyao Decoction’s Therapeutic Efficacy in Weaning Stress of Piglets

Quercetin and Kaempferol Mitigate Endotoxin-Induced Skeletal Muscle Wasting by Inhibiting KLF15 Expression and Restoring the Antioxidant System

Comparison of Two MPTP Doses on Mouse Behaviors and Pathologies

Dietary Manganese Modulates Microbiota and Intestinal N-Acylethanolamines in a Sex-Specific Manner in Mice With Diet-Induced Obesity

RESEARCH LETTER
Effect of Renal Denervation on Early and Late Stages of Diabetic Nephropathy

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July 11, 2025
Senate panel questions logic of 16-km Lahore-Raiwind Motorway amid wider project concerns

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development took an unexpected turn when it was revealed that a newly proposed motorway between Lahore and Raiwind would span just 16 kilometres — a detail that sparked tough questions from lawmakers.

Chaired by Senator Quratulain Marri, the committee was reviewing ongoing development schemes when Planning Ministry officials disclosed the short length of the planned motorway. They noted the project falls under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which last fiscal year saw an expenditure of Rs1 trillion. This year, 55 projects not yet approved have been added to the PSDP and will require No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Planning Commission following a comprehensive review.

The committee was also briefed that Rs100 billion has been earmarked for the N-5 Highway in Balochistan, while seven highway projects will receive foreign assistance. Among these, the Islamic Development Bank will fund three sections of the M-6 Motorway, while two others will be completed through public-private partnerships. Upgrades are also planned for the GT Road along the Hyderabad-Sukkur route.

Senator Marri questioned the prioritization of a new motorway in Punjab when several projects in other provinces remain incomplete. “Are you building a motorway just for one house?” she asked, referring to the Lahore-Raiwind route. Officials responded that the Punjab government would finance the project and that the National Highway Authority is currently conducting a land survey.

Meanwhile, Senator Sadia Abbasi raised concerns about termite damage in Islamabad’s public library and proposed the establishment of an Allama Iqbal Research Center along with a new national library. She emphasized the need for responsible use of development funds and cautioned against misinterpreting genuine concerns as political criticism.

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July 11, 2025
Today in Energy – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
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In-brief analysis

In-depth analysis

In-brief analysis

Jul 11, 2025

In our Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025), we project U.S. production growth of crude oil and natural gas remains relatively high through 2030 due to increasing U.S. exports of petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as U.S. energy exports continue to be economical for international consumers.

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In-brief analysis

Jul 9, 2025

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Refinery Capacity Report and Petroleum Supply Monthly
Note: Refinery Capacity Report data are reported as of January 1 of each year, so changes in capacity that take place during a given year are represented in the newly reported total capacity number for the start of the following year.

California is set to lose 17% of its oil refinery capacity over the next 12 months because of two planned refinery closures. If realized, the closure of the facilities is likely to contribute to increases in fuel price volatility on the West Coast.

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In-brief analysis

Jul 7, 2025

In 2024, the United States imported about 17% of its domestic energy supply, half of the record share set in 2006 and the lowest share since 1985, according to our Monthly Energy Review. The decline in imports’ share of supply in the previous two decades is attributable to both an increase in domestic energy production and a decrease in energy imports since 2006.

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In-brief analysis

Jul 2, 2025

In 2024, the United States consumed about 94 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) of energy, a 1% increase from 2023, according to our Monthly Energy Review. Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for 82% of total U.S. energy consumption in 2024. Nonfossil fuel energy—from renewables and nuclear energy—accounted for the other 18%. Petroleum remained the most-consumed fuel in the United States, as it has been for the past 75 years, and nuclear energy consumption exceeded coal consumption for the first time ever.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 30, 2025

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Refinery Capacity Report
Note: Data reflect refinery capacity as of January 1 of the indicated year.

According to our latest annual Refinery Capacity Report, U.S. operable atmospheric distillation capacity, the primary measure of refinery capacity, totaled 18.4 million barrels per calendar day (b/cd) on January 1, 2025—essentially flat compared with last year.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 27, 2025

Electricity demand in the PJM Interconnection and ISO New England (two regional grid operators covering the Northeast United States) reached multiyear highs on June 23 and June 24, respectively. Electricity demand increased significantly due to a heat wave that affected most of the Eastern United States this week.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 25, 2025

In our Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025) Reference case, we project the electricity consumed for commercial computing will increase faster than any other end use in buildings. Computing accounted for an estimated 8% of commercial sector electricity consumption in 2024 and grows to 20% by 2050. Ultimately, more electricity could be consumed by computing than for any other end use in the commercial sector, including lighting, space cooling, and ventilation.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 24, 2025

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, World Bank, and Global Energy Monitor, Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker

Note: LNG=liquefied natural gas, FSRU=floating storage regasification unit

In 2024, about 20% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade transited the Strait of Hormuz, primarily from Qatar. The strait is a critical route for oil and petroleum products as well.

Qatar exported about 9.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of LNG through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) exported about 0.7 Bcf/d, accounting for nearly all LNG flows from the Persian Gulf through Hormuz.

We estimate that 83% of the LNG that moved through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024 went from Persian Gulf countries to Asian markets. China, India, and South Korea were the top destinations for LNG moving through the Strait of Hormuz, accounting for 52% of all Hormuz LNG flows in 2024. In 2024, disruptions to LNG flows through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, and more U.S. LNG exports to Europe pushed LNG exports from Qatar away from Europe to Asia.

Kuwait and the UAE imported LNG that originated outside of the Persian Gulf, including from the United States and West Africa. Bahrain began operating an LNG import terminal in April 2025 and also received cargoes that transited Hormuz from outside of the Persian Gulf, including recent cargoes in April and June that originated from the United States.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 23, 2025

During summer 2025, from June through September, residential customers in the United States can expect average monthly electricity bills of $178, a slight increase from last summer’s average of $173. We expect a slight decrease in consumption, driven by cooler forecast summer temperatures relative to last summer, which only partially offsets the expected increase in residential electricity prices in most areas of the country.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 20, 2025

The United States continued to produce more energy than it consumed in 2024. This surplus energy production helped energy exports grow to a record high 30.9 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2024, up 4% from 2023. Energy imports stayed flat at 21.7 quads in 2024, meaning the United States exported 9.3 quads more energy than it imported, the highest net exports in our records, which date back to 1949.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 18, 2025

We forecast U.S. ethane exports will decrease by 80,000 barrels per day (b/d) this year and by 177,000 b/d in 2026 in our June Short-Term Energy Outlook because of new licensing requirements for U.S. exports of ethane to China. Any policy changes that relax licensing requirements, such as the outcome of trade negotiations between the United States and China, would lead us to increase our forecasts for U.S. ethane exports again.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 16, 2025

The TIE was reposted to correct a data label and provide the figure data.

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis based on Vortexa tanker tracking

Note: 1Q25=first quarter of 2025. figure data

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The strait is deep enough and wide enough to handle the world’s largest crude oil tankers, and it is one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints. Large volumes of oil flow through the strait, and very few alternative options exist to move oil out of the strait if it is closed. In 2024, oil flow through the strait averaged 20 million barrels per day (b/d), or the equivalent of about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption. In the first quarter of 2025, total oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remained relatively flat compared with 2024.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 13, 2025

Underground working natural gas storage capacity in the Lower 48 states increased in 2024 according to our latest data. We calculate natural gas storage capacity in two ways: demonstrated peak capacity and working gas design capacity. Both increased in 2024. Underground natural gas storage provides a source of energy when demand increases, balancing U.S. energy needs. In 2024, demonstrated peak capacity rose 1.7%, or 70 billion cubic feet (Bcf), to 4,277 Bcf, while working gas design capacity increased slightly by 0.1%, or 3 Bcf.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 11, 2025

Developers plan to add 18.7 gigawatts (GW) of combined-cycle capacity to the grid by 2028, with 4.3 GW already under construction, according to our latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. Although electricity generators fueled by natural gas have provided more electricity in the United States than any other source since 2016, hardly any new natural gas capacity came online last year.

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In-brief analysis

Jun 9, 2025

In 2024, the United States produced a record amount of energy, according to data in our Monthly Energy Review. U.S. total energy production was more than 103 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024, a 1% increase from the previous record set in 2023. Several energy sources—natural gas, crude oil, natural gas plant liquids, biofuels, solar, and wind—each set domestic production records last year.

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July 11, 2025
As Trump seeks to be a peacemaker, Netanyahu leaves Washington without breakthrough on Gaza deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington this week netted U.S. President Donald Trump another nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize he covets, but the ceasefire the U.S. leader sought for the war in Gaza didn’t emerge.

Despite Mr. Trump throwing his weight behind a push for a 60-day truce between Israel and Hamas, no breakthrough was announced during Mr. Netanyahu’s visit, a disappointment for a president who wants to be known as a peacemaker and has hinged his reputation on being a dealmaker.

“He prides himself or being able to make deals, so this is another test case,” said Rachel Brandenburg, the Israel Policy Forum’s Washington managing director and senior fellow.

Trump’s ability to strike a ceasefire deal in the 21-month war will reveal the boundaries of his influence with Netanyahu, especially after their recent joint strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities that both leaders touted at the White House this week.

Beyond the back-to-back meetings Mr. Trump and Mr. Netanyahu had at the White House this week, there was little public evidence of progress at a time when the Republican U.S. president is pushing to end the fighting.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that when it comes to a ceasefire in Gaza, “we’re closer than we’ve been in quite a while and we’re hopeful, but we also recognize there’s still some challenges in the way.”

Rubio, who spoke to reporters while traveling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, also said that Trump “wants to see a ceasefire and we’ve invested a lot of time and energy.”

Beyond ending the bloodshed, ending the war in Gaza would give Trump more leeway to strike some of the broader agreements he seeks in the Middle East, such as expanding the Abraham Accords that started in his first term and normalising relations with Syria’s new government.

“He wants to be the one who gets hostages home and sees the war in Gaza end so he can move on to some of these bigger deals,” Brandenburg said.

Even if a truce is reached, Netanyahu has promised fighting will continue if necessary until Hamas is destroyed. The militant group, meanwhile, has conditioned the release of the remaining hostages on Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, a stipulation Israel has been unwilling to accept.

It’s unclear how much pressure Mr. Trump put on Mr. Netanyahu in their private talks this week. But the two leaders came into the visit seeming more aligned than ever — at least for now — fresh off the president having twice come to the Israeli leader’s assistance.

Mr. Trump made the risky move to join Israel’s attacks on Iran last month, delivering pivotal U.S. firepower while alarming world leaders and some of Trump’s “America first” supporters. Mr. Trump also inserted himself into Israel’s domestic affairs, calling for Netanyahu’s yearslong corruption trial to be thrown out.

That’s a marked turnaround in their relationship, which had appeared somewhat strained in recent years.

Mr. Trump shocked some of his fellow Republicans and staunch supporters of Israel by publicly criticising Netanyahu not long after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, setting off the conflict.

He said that Netanyahu “was not prepared” for the attack from Hamas and that Netanyahu had “let us down” just before the U.S. killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

Even during his last visit to the White House earlier this year, Mr. Netanyahu seemed caught off guard when Mr. Trump announced the U.S. would hold talks with Iran over its nuclear deal rather than embrace Mr. Netanyahu’s push for military pressure.

With their military objectives aligning for a time on Iran, the Israeli leader has worked to foster a warmer relationship.

In a video he released after the U.S. strikes, Netanyahu spoke — in English instead of Hebrew — of the “unshakeable alliance” between their countries while repeatedly praising Trump.

“His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

In his visit to Washington this week, the Israeli leader also showed he knows how to praise the president in a way that matters greatly to him when he unveiled a letter in front of reporters and cameras to announce he had nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Those gestures, though, may only carry him so far as Mr. Trump pushes for a deal that Mr. Netanyahu may not be able to accept.

“I think if Netanyahu stands in the way too much for too long of the sort of loftier objectives Trump has set out for himself,” Brandenburg said, “Netanyahu will be cast aside as more of a problem than an asset.”

Mr. Netanyahu, like many Israelis, believes Mr. Trump is the greatest friend they have ever had in the White House and is deeply grateful for the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites last month.

But the Israeli leader is also under mounting public pressure to end the war as hostages languish in captivity and more Israeli soldiers are killed in guerrilla-style attacks.

Israel’s military success against Iran has given him some political capital, but if he ends the war while leaving Hamas intact, he will have broken his repeated promise of “total victory.”

His far-right coalition partners have threatened to bolt if he does that, sparking early elections that could end his nearly unbroken 16 years in power and leave him more vulnerable to long-standing corruption charges.

Published – July 11, 2025 06:29 pm IST

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July 11, 2025
Humaira Asghar Ali laid to rest in Lahore – Culture

Humaira Asghar Ali was laid to rest in the Model Town Q Block graveyard in Lahore on Friday after a sparsely-attended funeral, days after her body was discovered at her apartment in Karachi.

The late actor’s remains were found in her rented apartment on Tuesday in DHA’s Ittehad Commercial by a police team executing a court-ordered eviction notice. The police believe she died eight to 10 months prior to the discovery of her body.

The autopsy report has been released to the police but the coroner could not determine the actor’s cause of death due to the level of decomposition. The authorities are awaiting the chemical examination and histopathological but have so far said they do not believe foul play was involved.

Initially, the police said that they had contacted Ali’s family who had refused to take her body for burial. This caused an uproar on social media with several people and government institutions coming forward to offer to arrange the burial, including celebrities such as Yashma Gill and Sonya Hussyn as well as the Sindh culture department and Sindh governor. On Thursday, Ali’s brother, Naveed Asghar, arrived in Karachi and took custody of her body, indicating his wishes to take it back to Lahore for burial.

He denied reports that the family had refused to claim her body and said, “The body was in police custody. The police had kept the body for investigation before calling us (the family) to claim it.”

He said that for the last three days, the family was in contact with Chhipa and the police, including Station House Officer Farooq Ahmed Sanjrani of the Gizri Police.

“According to the guidelines, we were [eventually] going to receive the body and perform the rites,” he told journalists.

As they await the histopathological and chemical examination reports, the police have said that if any foul play is involved, they will register an FIR and initiate legal proceedings.

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July 11, 2025