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  • Omega-3 supplements lower heart rate in male athletes

    Omega-3 supplements lower heart rate in male athletes

    EPA- and DHA-rich oils boosted athletes’ omega-3 index and eased exercise strain, but the supplements offered no extra edge in time trial performance.

    Study: Six weeks of either EPA-rich or DHA-rich Omega-3 supplementation alters submaximal exercise physiology in endurance trained male amateurs. Image credit: fast-stock/Shutterstock.com

    A recent study in Frontiers in Nutrition investigated the potential of EPA-rich or DHA-rich Omega-3 supplements to modify physiological responses to submaximal exercise and evaluate their effects on exercise physiology and performance in endurance-trained males.

    Athletes and dietary supplements

    Most athletes use dietary supplements to optimize their performance. Previous studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may improve endurance exercise adaptations, including exercise efficiency, resting heart rate (HR), and V̇O2 max. Reduced whole-body oxygen consumption and decreased HR during submaximal exercise indicate improved exercise efficiency.

    Although the omega-3 index is considered a useful biomarker, it often underestimates the incorporation of omega-3 in target tissues (e.g., cardiac and skeletal muscle). A previous study indicated that 1 in 106 German winter elite athletes demonstrate an omega-3 index greater than or equal to 8%, implying a significant deficiency and an urgent need for increased omega-3 intake.

    To date, the actual effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on endurance performance has remained elusive due to heterogeneity in supplementation duration, measures of bioavailability, training status, dose, omega-6 in placebo, EPA: DHA ratio, and performance measure (time trial (TT) vs. time to exhaustion). Many randomized controlled trials use fish oil as the source of omega-3 fatty acids; however, depending on the type of fish oil, the EPA and DHA ratio might vary. Considering the inconsistent results, there is a need for human intervention studies to assess the independent effects of EPA and DHA on relevant outcomes.

    About the study

    The current double-blinded, block randomized parallel control trial assessed the differential impact of supplementation with EPA-rich fish oil, or DHA-rich algae oil, compared with a true placebo (coconut oil), on the omega-3 index, submaximal exercise responses, such as HR, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and TT performance test. The EPA-rich oil contained 1.8 g of EPA and 1.2 g of DHA, while DHA-rich oil consisted of 2 g of DHA and 1 g of EPA.

    The current study hypothesized that six weeks of supplementation would elevate the omega-3 index in DHA-rich algae and EPA-rich fish oil conditions, but not in the placebo condition.

    A total of 69 endurance-trained male amateurs associated with swimming, cycling, rowing, running, and team sports were recruited. However, only 55 participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. All male participants were between 18 and 50, healthy, endurance-trained, and non-smokers. Participants who enrolled in another clinical trial, had a recent or recurring injury, regularly consumed more than two portions of oily fish a week, or took omega-3 supplements were excluded.

    Participants were matched in groups of three depending on their sporting discipline, predicted V̇O2max, and body composition. For a proof-of-concept study, participants were given three g/day of either EPA-rich fish oil, DHA-rich algae oil, or coconut oil (placebo) for 41 days. Blood samples were collected before and after the supplementation period.

    Study findings

    The mean compliance to the supplementation period for the EPA-rich, DHA-rich, and placebo groups was estimated to be 91.3%, 93.8% and 92.3%, respectively. At baseline (pre-supplementation), there were no significant differences in participants’ omega-3 index. The current study demonstrated that six weeks of supplementation with either EPA-rich or DHA-rich omega-3 fatty acids increased the omega-3 index, from levels below 6% pre-intervention to values above 8% post-intervention.

    After six weeks of supplementation, the omega-3 index increased in both the EPA-rich and DHA-rich supplemented groups but not in the placebo group. Furthermore, a decrease in the omega-6 content of cell membranes was observed in both the EPA-rich and DHA-rich supplemented groups, but not in the control group.

    At pre- and post-supplementation, submaximal HR increased along with the intensity levels in all three groups. After six weeks of receiving EPA-rich and DHA-rich oils, a reduced exercising HR was documented. However, no statistically significant change was observed in the placebo group from pre- to post-supplementation.

    The submaximal RPE increased in all three groups as the intensity levels increased from 100 to 200 Watts. A decrease in submaximal RPE was observed from pre- to post-supplementation in the EPA-rich and DHA-rich oil groups. Although the submaximal RER increased in the EPA-rich fish oil group from pre-to post-supplementation, no change was found in participants who received the DHA-rich or the coconut oil control.

    Across all participants, a significant moderate inverse correlation was observed between the change in omega-3 index and the change in submaximal HR. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was observed between the change in omega-3 index and the change in submaximal RPE. The current study documented a borderline significant inverse correlation between DHA and RPE changes and a significant inverse correlation between changes in EPA and RPE.

    Regarding the time required to complete the 24 km TT, participants were significantly quicker post-supplementation than pre-supplementation across all intervention groups. However, the study reported no significant differences in performance gains between the EPA-rich, DHA-rich, and placebo groups. While the DHA-rich group was overall faster than the placebo group, this effect was not linked to supplementation-related improvements.

    Conclusions

    The findings documented here demonstrate that for the omega-3 index to reach a physiologically meaningful level, a 6-week supplementation with either DHA-rich or EPA-rich omega-3 fatty acids is sufficient. Both EPA-rich and DHA-rich supplementation also lowered submaximal HR, suggesting improved cardiac efficiency, but these physiological changes did not translate into superior endurance performance compared to placebo.

    Future studies should ideally include both male and female participants to ensure the findings are generalizable to all sexes.

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  • Characterization and therapeutic evaluation of the lytic bacteriophage ENP2309 against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis infections in a mice model | Virology Journal

    Characterization and therapeutic evaluation of the lytic bacteriophage ENP2309 against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis infections in a mice model | Virology Journal

    Phage isolation and purification

    This study utilized 19 strains of Enterococcus from the Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Pathogen Diagnosis and Green Prevention and Control Technology in Qinghai Province as host bacteria. Wastewater samples were collected from various yak farms in Xining city for phage isolation. The phage isolation methods used were previously described by Liu et al. [13], and the phage isolation and purification process was as follows:

    First, wastewater samples were sterilized by filtration through a 0.22 μm membrane filter (Millipore). The filtrate was then mixed with the host bacteria at a 1:1 ratio (v/v). The mixture was then plated using the double-layer agar method (the bottom layer was 1.5% agar-solidified Todd-Hewitt broth, and the top layer was THB medium containing 0.5% agar). After incubation at 37 ℃ overnight, the formation and morphology of phage plaques were observed. A single phage plaque was subsequently aseptically picked and suspended in sterile PBS at room temperature for 4 h to allow phage dissociation. This suspension was then mixed again with the host bacteria and replated using the double-layer agar method. After overnight incubation at 37 °C, single plaques were isolated. This purification process was repeated three times to ultimately obtain purified phage isolates.

    Host range

    Suspensions of distinct Enterococcus strains were spread onto double-layer agar plates and preincubated at 37 °C for 2 h to form bacterial lawns. Subsequently, 5 µL aliquots of phage solution were spotted onto the solidified agar surface. Following overnight incubation at 37 °C, lytic activity was evaluated by counting the infection classes (+ 4, + 3, +2, + 1, and 0) within the bacterial lawns (Table 1). The methods described by Fayez et al. [14] were subsequently followed, Enterococcus faecalis GZ25 was used as the indicator bacterium, the efficiency of plating (EOP) was calculated. The EOP is defined as the ratio of the lysis titre of the phage against different test strains to that against the indicator bacterium.

    Table 1 Scoring criteria for plaque Lysis activity

    Morphological observation

    The phage particles were sequentially concentrated using PEG 8000 (Sigma‒Aldrich) precipitation followed by CsCl density gradient centrifugation according to established protocols [15]. The purified phage suspension was adsorbed onto 400-mesh carbon-coated copper grids (Ted Pella, USA) and stained with 1% (w/v) phosphotungstic acid (SolarBio, Beijing, China) for 10 min at room temperature. The grids were air-dried and subsequently imaged using an HT7700 transmission electron microscope (Hitachi, Japan) at 80 kV.

    Temperature stability

    Phage ENP2309 suspensions were subjected to thermal stability testing through 1-hour incubation at incremental temperatures ranging from 10 °C to 80 °C (10 °C intervals). Following thermal treatment, residual phage viability was quantified via the double-layer agar method. All experimental conditions were evaluated through triplicate independent biological replicates.

    pH stability

    The pH of the SM buffer was adjusted to values ranging from 2 to 13 using concentrated hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide solution. A total of 100 µL of phage mixture was added to 900 µL of SM buffer at various pH values and allowed to stand at 37 °C for 1 h. The phage titres were determined using the double-layer method. All experimental conditions were evaluated through triplicate independent biological replicates.

    Optimal multiplicity of infection

    Serial dilutions of phage ENP2309 were combined with host bacterial cultures (OD600 = 0.6) under conditions of varying multiplicity of infection (MOI = 10− 5, 10− 4, 10− 3, 10− 2, 10− 1, 1, 10, 102, 103, 104, and 105). After 10 min adsorption at 37 °C, the unbound phages were removed by centrifugation (8,000 r/min, 10 min, 4°C). The bacterial pellets were resuspended in 10 mL of fresh THB broth and incubated at 37 °C, and 200 r/min for 4 h. Phage progeny production was quantified through the double-layer agar method, The experiment was performed in triplicate.

    One step growth

    In accordance with on the methods of Zurabov et al. [16], with adjustments made for this study, the following protocol was used: host bacterial cultures (OD600 = 0.6) were infected with phage ENP2309 at an MOI of 0.001. A mixture of 100 µL of phage suspension and 100 µL of host bacterial culture was incubated at 37 °C for 10 min. The mixture was then centrifuged (8,000 r/min, 5 min, 4 °C). The resulting pellet was collected and resuspended in 50 mL of THB broth. The mixture was incubated in a shaking incubator (37 °C, 200 rpm/min). Every 20 min, a 2 mL aliquot of the suspension was collected, and the phage suspension was obtained by filtration through a 0.22 μm filter. Phage titres were determined using the double-layer agar plate method, and monitored continuously for 6 h. The latent period was defined as the time required for phage adsorption to the host cell and subsequent release of progeny phages. The burst size of the phage was expressed as the ratio of the final count of phage particles released during the outburst to the number of infected bacterial cells. Burst size = (Peak phage titer) / (Total number of infected bacteria in the system). The experiment was performed in triplicate.

    Phage genome extraction and sequencing

    The phage genome was extracted using a bacteriophage DNA isolation kit (Norgen Biotek, Canada) following the manufacturer’s protocol. The purified DNA was quantified using a Nano Drop One (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and assessed for quality by agarose gel electrophoresis (1% w/v). Sequencing libraries were prepared using the Illumina TruSeq Nano DNA LT Library Prep Kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Illumina TruSeq DNA Sample Preparation Guide, Rev. E) at Shanghai Paisenno Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Raw sequencing reads were quality-filtered using Trimmomatic (v0.39) and assembled de novo using SPAdes (v3.12.0) with default parameters. Contigs were screened on the basis of sequencing depth (> 50× coverage), and high-depth sequences were subjected to BLASTn analysis against the NCBI NT database [17] for phage genome identification. The final complete genome sequence was validated through manual curation and comparison with reference phage genomes in the NCBI database.

    Phage genome analysis

    The online BLASTp server was used to identify open reading frames (ORFs). The online tools ResFinder (http://genepi.food.dtu.dk/resfinder) and VirulenceFinder (https://cge.cbs.dtu.dk/services/) were used to screen for antibiotic resistance genes and virulence genes in the phage genome. tRNAs were predicted using tRNA scan SE (http://lowelab.ucsc.edu/tRNAscan-SE/index.html). A phage genome map was generated using SnapGene 6.0.2. To analyse the phylogenetic relationships of the phage, the genome sequence was used for a BLASTn search of the NCBI database. A phylogenetic tree based on the large terminase subunits of related phages was constructed by the neighbour‒joining method in MEGA 7.0 [18]. Phage genomes were compared using VIRIDIC [19] to determine their genetic relatedness (≥ 70% nucleotide sequence identity implies a genus-level relationship, whereas ≥ 95% identity suggests a species-level relationship).

    Evaluation of phage therapeutic effects

    Female BALB/C mice (16–18 g, purchased from the Lanzhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine) were randomly allocated into four experimental groups (n = 10 per group): (a) Challenge group: Mice were intraperitoneally challenged with E. faecalis GZ16185 at the minimum lethal dose (3.0 × 10¹¹ CFU/mL). (b) Treatment group: 200 µL of phage ENP2309 (2.0 × 10⁸ PFU/mL) was administered via intraperitoneal injection 15 min post-infection. (c) Phage group: This group received 200 µL of phage ENP2309 alone (2.0 × 10⁸ PFU/mL) intraperitoneally. (d) PBS group: Injected intraperitoneally with 200 µL of PBS buffer.

    The experimental cycle spanned 14 days. Throughout the study, daily body weight, survival rates, and general health status were recorded for all groups.

    In addition to the mice in the challenge group (Day 3), the mice in the other groups were assessed at the endpoint (Day 14). The mice were euthanized, and the organs (e.g., liver, and spleen) were harvested for histopathological evaluation. Tissue sections were prepared and stained with haematoxylin-eosin (HE) to assess pathological changes. The bacterial loads in the spleen and liver were quantified using the plate counting method.

    Blood samples were collected via retro-orbital bleeding on Days1, 3, 5, and 7 posttreatment. Serum cytokine levels (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10) were quantified using commercial ELISA kits according to the manufacturers’ protocols.

    Statistical analysis

    All data were processed for statistical analysis (means and standard deviations) using SPSS 22.0, and graphical representations were generated using OriginPro 2021. Group differences were evaluated by one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni correction. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Significance is indicated in the figures by asterisks (*, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001).

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  • Drax investigated by UK watchdog over ‘historical statements’ on biomass sourcing | Drax

    Drax investigated by UK watchdog over ‘historical statements’ on biomass sourcing | Drax

    The power generator Drax has revealed it is under investigation by the City watchdog over “historical statements” made about the sourcing of wood pellets for its biomass power station.

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) confirmed the investigation on Thursday, which will cover a period of more than two years between January 2022 to March 2024, and examine whether the company complied with disclosure and transparency rules, including in three annual reports.

    Drax said on Thursday that the FCA investigation related to “certain historical statements regarding the company’s biomass sourcing and the compliance of Drax’s 2021, 2022 and 2023 annual reports with the listing rules and disclosure guidance and transparency rules.

    “The company will cooperate with the FCA as part of their investigation.”

    The regulator said: “We can confirm that the FCA has opened an investigation into Drax Group.”

    The news sent Drax shares down as much as 10% in early trading on Thursday.

    It comes months after Drax’s former head of public affairs and policy Rowaa Ahmar accused Drax of having made misleading claims over its sourcing of wood for biomass pellets, which were made as part of her claim for unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal. Drax denied her claims, and reached a settlement with Ahmar a week after the case opened.

    Drax was last year found to have supplied inaccurate data for previous government subsidies, leading to a £25m fine.

    Drax is expected to receive more than £10bn in renewable energy subsidies between 2012 and 2027, the current regime period, according to the thinktank Ember.

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    The UK government confirmed earlier this year that it would continue offering new subsidies for Drax’s wood-burning power plant in Yorkshire after the existing subsidy ends in 2027.

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  • 2 suspects allegedly involved in Raiwind brothers’ murder case killed in CCD ‘encounter’: lawyer – Pakistan

    2 suspects allegedly involved in Raiwind brothers’ murder case killed in CCD ‘encounter’: lawyer – Pakistan

    Two men arrested for torturing two brothers in a Rs30 dispute with street vendors in Raiwind were killed in an “encounter” with the Crimes Control Department (CCD), the victims’ lawyer said on Thursday.

    The incident came to light after a video clip showing street vendors subjecting both brothers to torture went viral on social media. The suspected attackers were spotted holding clubs in their hands and beating the victims at a public place in Raiwind. One brother died of severe torture marks at the spot, while the other succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.

    Ali Ahmed Awan, the lawyer representing the victims’ father, told Dawn.com a day prior that a total of six suspects were named in the case, out of which three — including the main suspect — had been arrested.

    “Two of the suspects, Owais and Shahzad, were killed in a police encounter after their accomplices attempted to attack the police,” Awan said today. “The CCD is still searching for the rest of the suspects.”

    No case has been registered regarding the police encounter yet, he said.

    On August 22, a first information report (FIR) was filed on the complaint of the victims’ father at the Raiwind City Police Station under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

    According to the FIR, the incident occurred on August 21 at 5:45pm when the brothers were returning home and stopped to buy some fruit.

    “Due to a dispute over money, the owner of the fruit cart … and his brother … began beating my sons and called some other people,” the complainant said.

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  • Exacting Novak Djokovic ‘just trying to solve the riddle’ at 2025 US Open – US Open Tennis

    1. Exacting Novak Djokovic ‘just trying to solve the riddle’ at 2025 US Open  US Open Tennis
    2. US Open 2025 results: Novak Djokovic fights back to beat Zachary Svajda and reach third round, Joao Fonseca out  BBC
    3. In pics: men’s singles second round at US Open  Xinhua
    4. US Open tennis: Despite progress to round 3, Novak Djokovic nowhere near best in continuing quest of 25th Grand Slam title  The Indian Express
    5. Djokovic advances at US Open as Sabalenka, Alcaraz step up title bids  Hindustan Times

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  • Suspect identified in Minneapolis church shooting at Annunciation

    Suspect identified in Minneapolis church shooting at Annunciation

    On August 27, 2025, tragedy struck Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis when 23-year-old opened fire during a morning Mass, resulting in the deaths of two children and injuries to 17 others.

    The shooter, who later died by suicide, was identified as Robin Westman, born Robert Paul Westman, who legally changed her name in 2020 to reflect her gender identity

    Raised in Richfield, Minnesota, Westman had a personal connection to Annunciation Church; her mother served as a parish secretary from 2016 to 2021. Westman herself graduated from Annunciation School in 2017. Despite these ties, law enforcement has not indicated any direct grievances with the institution.

    Prior to the attack, Westman posted a series of videos and a manifesto online. In one video, she displayed firearms labeled with names of past mass shooters, including Adam Lanza and Brenton Tarrant. The manifesto contained violent, antisemitic, and politically charged messages, such as “Kill Trump” and “6 million wasn’t enough,” reflecting a warped worldview and admiration for previous perpetrators of mass violence.

    Law enforcement officials emphasize the importance of addressing mental health issues and the potential dangers of online radicalization.

    While Westman’s gender identity has been highlighted in media coverage, authorities caution against drawing conclusions about the motivations of the attack based solely on this aspect.

    The shooting has left the Minneapolis community in shock and mourning. Families and loved ones have gathered to support each other, and vigils have been held in honor of the victims. Local leaders have condemned the violence and called for increased efforts to prevent such tragedies in the future.

    Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz have pledged support for the affected families and emphasized the need for comprehensive measures to address gun violence, mental health, and online extremism.

    The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. 

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  • Spiders turn fireflies into glowing traps

    Spiders turn fireflies into glowing traps

    Ecologists have observed a species of nocturnal spider attracting prey to its web using the bioluminescent beacons of already trapped fireflies. This rare example of a predator exploiting its prey’s mating signal for its own gain is documented in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Animal Ecology.

    Researchers at Tunghai University, Taiwan have observed sheet web spiders Psechrus clavis capturing fireflies in their webs and leaving them there while they emitted bioluminescent light for up to an hour. The researchers even observed the spiders going to check on the captured fireflies from time to time.

    Intrigued by this unusual behavior the researchers set up an experiment to test whether this was a strategy used by the spiders to increase their hunting success. In the experiment, they placed LEDs that resembled fireflies, in real sheet spider webs and left other webs clear as controls.

    They found three times the amount of prey was attracted to webs with the LEDs compared to the control webs. This increased to ten times more prey when they only looked at fireflies being captured.

    The findings confirm that captured fireflies left as bait increase the hunting success rate of the spiders. The researchers also noticed that the majority of captured fireflies were male, who were likely mistaking the glow for potential mates.

    Dr I-Min Tso, the lead author of the study said: “Our findings highlight a previously undocumented interaction where firefly signals, intended for sexual communication, are also beneficial to spiders.

    “This study sheds new light on the ways that nocturnal sit-and-wait predators can rise to the challenges of attracting prey and provides a unique perspective on the complexity of predator-prey interactions.”

    The researchers suggest that this behavior could have developed in sheet web spiders to avoid costly investment in their own bioluminescence like other sit-and-wait predators, such as anglerfish. Instead, the spiders are able to outsource prey attraction to their prey’s own signals.

    The sheet web spider Psechrus clavis is a nocturnal sit and wait predator found in subtropical forests of East Asia. It’s main source of prey, the winter firefly Diaphanes lampyroides, uses continuous, non-flashing bioluminescence to attract mates.

    Video footage captured by the researchers (see link below) in their experiment shows sheet web spiders employing different strategies when interacting with different prey species. Spiders would immediately consume any moths captured in their webs but would not immediately consume fireflies they captured.

    “Handling prey in different ways suggests that the spider can use some kind of cue to distinguish between the prey species they capture and determine an appropriate response.” explained Dr I-Min Tso. “We speculate that it is probably the bioluminescent signals of the fireflies that are used to identify fireflies enabling spiders to adjust their prey handling behavior accordingly.”

    The researchers conducted their field experiment in the conifer plantation forest at National Taiwan University’s Xitou Nature Educational Area.

    Because they used LEDs to mimic the light signal emitted by fireflies, the researchers warn that although the wavelength and intensity of the LED set up was a close match to fireflies, it would be best if real fireflies were used in the field experiment. But they admit that this would be extremely difficult in practice.

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  • A STORY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP: PUMA AND CHARLES F. STEAD ELEVATE THE PUMA SUEDE AS NEVER BEFORE

    A STORY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP: PUMA AND CHARLES F. STEAD ELEVATE THE PUMA SUEDE AS NEVER BEFORE

    Named for its signature upper and celebrated for its nostalgic colorways, the PUMA Suede is now reimagined with a premium execution in collaboration with the maker of renowned English suede leathers.

    For this second drop, the Suede is pared back into one of its purest and most pristine expressions, featuring original detailing and rendered in three elegant and vibrant colorways: “Honey Butter,” “Persian Blue,” and “Orange Glo.” The latter edition evokes 

    a famous Knicks-orange colorway created specially by PUMA for the Suede’s one-time namesake, the ever-stylish Walt “Clyde” Frazier Jr.

    Since 1825, Charles F. Stead has crafted premium suedes known for their soft, natural feel. A meticulous tanning process sets their materials apart as some of the finest in the world. Commemorating the handshake between the two brands, each pair comes with a special Charles F. Stead hang tag, crafted from the same material as the upper.

    The PUMA x Charles F. Stead Suede is available starting September 1, 2025, from PUMA.com, PUMA flagship stores, and selected PUMA stockists.

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  • Siberian forest cat steals the show in new action comedy 'Caught stealing' – NPR

    Siberian forest cat steals the show in new action comedy 'Caught stealing' – NPR

    1. Siberian forest cat steals the show in new action comedy ‘Caught stealing’  NPR
    2. Caught Stealing review – Darren Aronofsky’s violent, chaotic and highly enjoyable crime flick  The Guardian
    3. Austin Butler and Bad Bunny on the Red Carpet Together Will Make You Swoon  yahoo.com
    4. Zoe Kravitz’ Hot Pink Party Dress Will Live Rent Free In Your Mind All Week  thezoereport.com
    5. NY Premiere of “Caught Stealing”  The Lufkin Daily News

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