DUBLIN (Reuters) -Growth in Ireland’s manufacturing sector slowed in August as output and new business growth eased to their weakest rates in seven months, a survey showed on Monday.
The AIB Ireland Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 51.6 in August from 53.2 in July, marking the slowest improvement in business conditions since March. PMI readings above 50 indicate growth, while those below signal contraction.
The report highlighted subdued demand, particularly in export markets, as a key factor behind the slowdown. New business intakes rose only marginally, with the latest upturn in order books being the slowest since January.
Respondents cited intense competition and a lack of willingness to spend as reasons for the sluggish demand. A number of firms cited lower volumes of new business from UK clients.
Despite the overall slowdown, business optimism for the year ahead rose to its highest since December 2024, with 44% of surveyed firms expecting a rise in output, up from 35% in July.
“Manufacturers linked business optimism to hopes of an improvement in the global economic backdrop and a subsequent rise in customer demand,” said David McNamara, AIB Chief Economist.
The survey showed a slight decrease in job creation, with employment numbers expanding at a slower pace than in previous months. Additionally, purchasing activity contracted for the first time in five months, reflecting efforts to streamline inventories amid softer demand.
Cost pressures increased in August as higher raw material costs from earlier in the year filtered through but the rate of inflation eased to the slowest since June 2024.
(Reporting by Graham Fahy; Editing by Toby Chopra)
In 2009, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory released a captivating image: a pulsar and its surrounding nebula that is shaped like a hand.
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X-rays from Chandra have been combined with radio data obtained by the Australian Telescope Compact Array to reveal new structures.
At the center of this image is a pulsar, a rapidly spinning neutron star, which is responsible for creating the nebula.
This system was created when a massive star collapsed and exploded after it burned through its sustainable nuclear fuel.
In 2009, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory released a captivating image: a pulsar and its surrounding nebula that is shaped like a hand.
Since then, astronomers have used Chandra and other telescopes to continue to observe this object. Now, new radio data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), has been combined with Chandra’s X-ray data to provide a fresh view of this exploded star and its environment, to help understand its peculiar properties and shape.
At the center of this new image lies the pulsar B1509-58, a rapidly spinning neutron star that is only about 12 miles in diameter. This tiny object is responsible for producing an intricate nebula (called MSH 15-52) that spans over 150 light-years, or about 900 trillion miles. The nebula, which is produced by energetic particles, resembles a human hand with a palm and extended fingers pointing to the upper right in X-rays.
The collapse of a massive star created the pulsar when much of the star crashed inward once it burned through its sustainable nuclear fuel. An ensuing explosion sent the star’s outer layers outward into space as a supernova.
The pulsar spins around almost seven times every second and has a strong magnetic field, about 15 trillion times stronger than the Earth’s. The rapid rotation and strong magnetic field make B1509-58 one of the most powerful electromagnetic generators in the Galaxy, enabling it to drive an energetic wind of electrons and other particles away from the pulsar, creating the nebula.
In this new composite image, the ATCA radio data (represented in red) has been combined with X-rays from Chandra (shown in blue, orange and yellow), along with an optical image of hydrogen gas (gold). The areas of overlap between the X-ray and radio data in MSH 15-52 show as purple. The optical image shows stars in the field of view along with parts of the supernova’s debris, the supernova remnant RCW 89.
Radio data from ATCA now reveals complex filaments that are aligned with the directions of the nebula’s magnetic field, shown by the short, straight, white lines in a supplementary image. These filaments could result from the collision of the pulsar’s particle wind with the supernova’s debris.
By comparing the radio and X-ray data, researchers identified key differences between the sources of the two types of light. In particular, some prominent X-ray features, including the jet towards the bottom of the image and the inner parts of the three “fingers” towards the top, are not detected in radio waves. This suggests that highly energetic particles are leaking out from a shock wave — similar to a supersonic plane’s sonic boom — near the pulsar and moving along magnetic field lines to create the fingers.
The radio data also shows that RCW 89’s structure is different from typical young supernova remnants. Much of the radio emission is patchy and closely matches clumps of X-ray and optical emission. It also extends well beyond the X-ray emission. All of these characteristics support the idea that RCW 89 is colliding with a dense cloud of nearby hydrogen gas.
However, the researchers do not fully understand all that the data is showing them. One area that is perplexing is the sharp boundary of X-ray emission in the upper right of the image that seems to be the blast wave from the supernova — see the labeled feature. Supernova blast waves are usually bright in radio waves for young supernova remnants like RCW 89, so it is surprising to researchers that there is no radio signal at the X-ray boundary.
MSH 15-52 and RCW 89 show many unique features not found in other young sources. There are, however, still many open questions regarding the formation and evolution of these structures. Further work is needed to provide better understanding of the complex interplay between the pulsar wind and the supernova debris.
A paper describing this work, led by Shumeng Zhang of the University of Hong Kong, with co-authors Stephen C.Y. Ng of the University of Hong Kong and Niccolo’ Bucciantini of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.
It’s easy right now to be a little despondent as a UK-based car fan, given how little fun stuff seems to be available to us. Or if it is, how expensive it seems to be. But times could hardly be better in the US, with the wild Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X coming soon, the final Blackwing Cadillacs available, surely the bulk of Mustang GTD going there, Acura Integras, 86s and BRZs… you get the picture. Truth be told, the US has been cranking out some fantastic driver’s cars for bloomin ages now. Pretty much since the Big Three were bailed out, they’ve been on an amazing streak with the Hellcat Dodges, the Voodoo-engined Mustangs, the final generation of Viper ACR and so on.
The return of the Camaro Z/28 was a perfect example of the breed. Not every Z/28 in history had been brilliant, but the fifth generation really was something special. Because it was so much more than a big engine, even if the dry-sumped 7.0-litre LS7 – paired with a six-speed manual – really was a huge part of the appeal. There was the torque from that gigantic capacity, but also a real willingness to thunder on thanks to forged titanium conrods, forged steel crank and titanium intake valves.
Extensive weight saving measures were employed, including a one-speaker stereo (!) no boot carpet, thinner glass, a lighter battery, standard ceramic brakes, simpler headlights and even the removal of the tyre inflation kit. Not that it’d have any hope, really, against four 305-section Pirellis. While the Z/28 remained a large, heavy car at more than 1,700kg, the commitment to circuit speed was laudable. And proven, with a 7:37 Nurburgring lap. For a manual, naturally aspirated car of this stature – a Camaro, no less – that’s not bad going at all.
The super sticky tyres will have helped, as will the brakes, plus the fitment of Multimatic DSSV dampers – a hugely expensive addition to a $75,000 Camaro. It was Chevrolet making the very best muscle car it could, and the Z/28 was mighty; check out the PH Rise & Drive video for proof…
The 7.0-litre Camaro was only made for a few years, never to return, and now the Camaro nameplate has been retired. What always seemed significant is now even more so. Let’s not forget another key element of the Z/28’s appeal, either: it’s glowering good looks. It’s mean, moody and handsome as hell, the Z/28 aero additions front and rear making this the best looking Camaro of a very smart generation.
This one was brought to the UK by its first owner who’d grown very attached overseas, registered here in 2018 and with 14,000 miles under its wheels. It appears to want for nothing more than many gallons more super unleaded (the trip computer is reading 11mpg). Any buyer will, of course, have to deal with left-hand drive, and make their peace with an ordinary interior, but heck does the Z/28 have plenty in its favour as well. There are 7,011 reasons to buy one just under the bonnet…
SPECIFICATION | CHEVROLET CAMARO Z/28
Engine: 7,011cc, V8 Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive Power (hp): 505@6,100rpm Torque (lb ft): 481@4,800rpm MPG: The ad says 15… CO2: Erm Year registered: 2018 (UK) Recorded mileage: 14,314 Price new: $75,000 Yours for: £48,995
A fiery festival is blazing in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet that’s resulted in mass outbreaks of Fire-type Pokémon. From Sunday, August 31, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. PDT to Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. PDT, you’ll encounter groups of Charcadet, Vulpix, and Numel in various locations. Shiny Pokémon are more likely to appear in these special mass outbreaks, so if you have a burning desire to add Pokémon with unusual color schemes to your team, this is the perfect opportunity.
Look for the following Pokémon in these locations:
Mass outbreaks are a phenomenon in which many of the same species of Pokémon appear in one location. To participate in mass outbreak events, you will need to download the latest Poké Portal News and install the latest update data for your game.
Have fun with some heated battles during this mass outbreak event, Trainers!
For decades, scientists have puzzled over how metformin, the world’s most prescribed diabetes drug, works beyond lowering blood sugar.
Now, a study from Kobe University reports that metformin users have lower blood copper and iron levels and higher zinc levels compared with non-users.
The findings, published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, suggest that the drug’s ability to bind metals may play a role in its wide-ranging benefits.
Metformin’s mechanism of action remains unclear
Metformin has been prescribed for more than 60 years and remains the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. Its glucose-lowering effect is thought to arise mainly from reduced glucose production in the liver, but the exact mechanisms remain only partly defined.
Beyond glycemic control, metformin is associated with a range of additional benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-obesity effects. These broader actions are well documented but poorly explained.
One hypothesis is that some of these effects relate to metformin’s ability to bind metals. Laboratory studies have shown that the drug can form complexes with transition metals, particularly copper. This binding has been suggested to influence mitochondrial function and cell signaling. However, it has not been clear whether such interactions occur in patients, and earlier small studies measuring copper levels in people taking metformin produced inconsistent results.
Altered levels of metals such as copper, iron and zinc are themselves linked to diabetes and its complications. Higher copper and iron levels are often associated with poorer glucose control and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Zinc, in contrast, is generally thought to play a protective role in glucose metabolism and in limiting complications.
“It is known that diabetes patients experience changes in the blood levels of metals such as copper, iron and zinc. In addition, chemical studies found that metformin has the ability to bind certain metals, such as copper, and recent studies showed that it is this binding ability that might be responsible for some of the drug’s beneficial effects,” said corresponding author Dr. Wataru Ogawa, a professor at Kobe University.
“We wanted to know whether metformin actually affects blood metal levels in humans, which had not been clarified,” he added.
Metformin’s effect on blood metals
The cross-sectional analysis involved a total of 189 adults with type 2 diabetes. Of these, 93 participants had been taking metformin for at least 6 months, while the remaining 96 had not used the drug during the same period. Blood samples from all participants were analyzed for copper, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and other related biochemical markers. The researchers identified serum copper concentration as the primary outcome, with secondary outcomes including iron and zinc levels, vitamin B12, homocysteine and parameters linked to copper and iron metabolism.
Patients taking metformin had lower serum copper levels than non-users (16.0 vs 17.8 µmol/L). Iron levels were also reduced in the metformin group (16.3 vs 17.3 µmol/L), along with ferritin and other markers that pointed to latent iron deficiency.
By contrast, zinc levels were higher in metformin users (13.3 vs 12.5 µmol/L). Vitamin B12 was significantly lower in those on metformin, consistent with earlier reports, and was accompanied by higher homocysteine levels.
Cobalt measurements showed no difference, although analysis was limited by detection sensitivity.
The associations remained after accounting for age, sex, body mass index, kidney function and medications that might affect metal metabolism. Multiple regression analysis identified metformin use as an independent predictor of reduced copper and iron and increased zinc levels.
Subgroup analyses by sex and medication use produced similar results, strengthening confidence in the findings.
What changes in copper, iron and zinc mean for metformin’s role
The findings suggest that metformin’s long-recognized ability to bind metals is not just a laboratory observation but has measurable effects in patients. The lower copper and iron levels, together with higher zinc, may contribute to the drug’s glucose-lowering activity and its protective effects against complications. This aligns with preclinical studies showing that reducing copper availability can influence mitochondrial function, dampen inflammation and even slow tumor growth.
“It is significant that we could show this in humans. Furthermore, since decreases in copper and iron concentrations and an increase in zinc concentration are all considered to be associated with improved glucose tolerance and prevention of complications, these changes may indeed be related to metformin’s action,” said Ogawa.
The results also raise questions about how different antidiabetic drugs might work. Imeglimin, a recently approved derivative of metformin in Japan, does not share the same metal-binding properties. Direct comparisons between the two could help clarify which effects depend on metal interactions.
“Imeglimin is thought to have a different method of action and we are already conducting studies to compare the effects the two drugs have,” Ogawa added.
“We need both clinical trials and animal experiments to pinpoint the causal relationship between the drug’s action and its effects. If such studies progress further, they may lead to the development of new drugs for diabetes and its complications by properly adjusting the metal concentrations in the body,” said Ogawa.
Reference: Otowa-Suematsu N, Sakaguchi K, Yamada T, et al. Association of metformin treatment with changes in metal dynamics in individuals with type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2025. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2025-005255
This article is a rework of a press release issued by Kobe University.Material has been edited for length and content.
Berneron has been one of the new sensations of the past two years, making quite some noise when launching its first and rather unusual watch, the Mirage 38. Oddly shaped, with a proprietary movement following the curves of the case and an undeniable sense of elegance, Sylvain Berneron did not compromise when it came to his unconventional watchmaking vision. But the man who believes in derestricted horology didn’t want to be affiliated exclusively with this Crash-like dress watch. The brand, apparently, had more to deliver than the Mirage models. Well, we now know that Berneron is capable of more things, with the launch of the Quantième Annuel, a radically different watch with a few tricks up its sleeve.
We’re not going to explain all about Berneron as a brand and where its founder, Sylvain Berneron, comes from. For that, you can have a look at our coverage of the brand’s inaugural release, the Mirage 38. And most likely, we will come back to the topic of the Quantième Annuel in a follow-up hands-on article, as we’re somehow looking forward to seeing this watch in the metal. But here’s what we know so far about this new watch, a model that has been largely teased on social media in the past months.
The philosophy of the brand is, I quote, “to bring a meaningful and creative contribution to the watch world.” This is materialised by a low-scale production of watches, using suppliers located within a 50km radius, entirely Swiss-made, with a self-funded business plan and an independent spirit, the brand being family-owned. The brand, for now, remains at a human scale, with each piece individually numbered and produced at the rate of 24 pieces per year, for 10 years, in order to build a stable portfolio.
The new The Berneron Quantième Annuel
The Quantième Annuel is the first watch in a collection simply named Quantième, which will cover highly technical and complicated watches – and considering the name, all of them should feature a calendar complication. This Quantième Annuel, French for annual calendar, is a complete departure, both design-wise and technically, from the inaugural Mirage. First of all, it’s back to a more traditional case design, yet with some interesting features. The case, compact in its dimensions, is 38mm in diameter, 10mm in thickness and 45mm in length. It is equipped with stepped, curved lugs and an angled bezel. Somehow, a modern and sharp interpretation of a classic dress watch.
One of the key features of the case is its construction, named Steel Layer. Most of the case, for 85% of its total weight, is made of 950 platinum. But to overcome the weaknesses of platinum, being easily scratched but tedious to repair, the case comes with a protective layer of 904L steel on the most sensitive parts to increase its longevity. This layer is composed of six distinct components (over the bezel, lugs and on the crown), all removable and replaceable throughout the life of the piece. The watch is also equipped with a classic crown and two pushers located at 4 and 8 o’clock, acting as correctors for the day and month jumping indications.
Two editions of the Berneron Quantième Annuel will be produced, one with a black dial and silver-grey accents, one with a silver dial and blue accents. The dial itself is made of solid gold, with gold hands. But what strikes most is the display, with legibility in mind. It’s actually designed as a cross architecture, with vertical timekeeping indications and horizontal calendar elements. As for the time, the regulator-style layout of the Quantième Annuel relies on a large jumping hour at 12 o’clock, a central minute hand and a small seconds at 6 o’clock.
Then, the calendar indications are positioned horizontally and placed in a way that makes them natural to read – day, date, month (at least, in Europe…). The calendar relies on a large jumping disc for the day, a centrally-mounted retrograde date and another large jumping disc for the month. An additional AM-PM indication sits inside the small seconds. In addition, the calendar function comes with a quick-set procedure, as the time and date are set with the crown (back and forth), just like on any conventional watch. The day and month are using pushers located near the windows for quick corrections. Also, calendar watches have a well-earned reputation for being temperamental if you set them incorrectly. In the event of accidental tampering during the setting process, the calibre 595 is equipped with a safety device that resets the date to the first day of the following month.
Under the hunter caseback lies a new proprietary hand-wound movement – no word given regarding its origin, but we’ll try to know more during the Geneva Watch Days. The movement, again made of solid gold, seems to be yet another impressive development with a pleasant sense of symmetry. It features two barrels, as the main issue with this movement was managing energy storage. It indeed drives 4 instantaneous jumping apertures, 2 swiping hands and 1 retrograde date, and in some cases, all five jumps occur simultaneously. As an annual calendar, it only requires one correction per year, on February 28th.
Availability & Price
As mentioned above, the Berneron Quantième Annuel will be produced in 24 pieces per colour and per year, for a period of 10 years (making the Series A). The first deliveries will begin in October 2026. And for the price, the watch has an… evolutive pricing strategy (justified by the wish to thank early collectors who ordered the first pieces… I don’t know yet what to think of that…) In 2026, it will be CHF 120,000, then CHF 130,000 in 2027 and CHF 140,000 in 2028.
Amazon Prime Video is expanding its Christian programming offerings once again with a series order for the animated adventure comedy “The Chosen Adventures.”
Prime Video has ordered 14 11-minute episodes of the series, which is co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and 5&2 Studios, the latter of which produces the hit series “The Chosen.” The series will premiere all episodes on Prime Video on Oct. 17 in the U.S. and internationally in the U.K, Latin America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and Sub Saharan Africa.
Per the official logline for “The Chosen Adventures,” the show “follows nine-year-old Abby and her best friend Joshua as they navigate life in the ancient city of Capernaum. When the children encounter a wise craftsman and teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, he helps them change the way they see the world, and they help spread his influence far and wide (among the 7 to 12-year-old set). And did we mention that she has a talking sheep?”
The Chosen Adventures stars Paul Walter Hauser as Sheep, Yvonne Orji as Pigeon, Romy Fay as Abby, Jude Zarzaur as Joshua, Danny Nucci as Abba and Zehra Fazal as Eema.
Other recurring and guest voice cast members include: “The Chosen” star Jonathan Roumie as Jesus, Jordin Sparks as Fish, Paras Patel as Matthew, Elizabeth Tabish as Mary, Noah James as Andrew, Joey Vahedi as Thomas, George H. Xanthis as John, Yasmine Al-Bustami as Ramah, Brandon Potter as Quintus, Banks Pierce as Hilarius Maximus, and Julian Grant as Cyrius Maximus.
Ryan Swanson serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Dallas Jenkins executive produces under the 5&2 Studios banner. Chris Juen, Chad Gundersen, Keith Alcorn, Kellen Erskine, and Derral Eves also serve as executive producers, alongside producer Erin Elizabeth Gardner and co-producer Myesha Gosselin.
Jenkins had originally revealed plans for “The Chosen Adventures” in an interview with Variety in 2024. The show falls under Jenkins’ and 5&2’s multi-faceted deal with Amazon MGM Studios, which was announced in February along with Amazon’s acquisition of exclusive U.S. streaming rights to and a theatrical release of new installments of “The Chosen.” 5&2 also recently landed a greenlight for the series “Joseph of Egypt” at Prime Video.
News of the animated series order comes on the same day that Amazon announced the launch date for the Wonder Project subscription offering on Prime Video. The launch coincides with the second season premiere of the Biblical series “House of David,” which is produced by Wonder Project.
Blizzard Entertainment has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Turtle WoW, a network of privately operated servers for World of Warcraft.
The lawsuit, submitted to the District Court for the Central District of California on August 29, claims that the group uses Blizzard’s code, assets, and trademarks without authorisation.
The company argues that the servers negatively affect the wider player community by fragmenting the audience, causing brand confusion, and creating potential security risks.
Blizzard stated in its complaint that it has “invested an enormous amount of time and money into creating, maintaining, and updating” World of Warcraft, and alleged that the defendants have built “an entire business on large-scale, egregious, and ongoing infringement.”
Turtle WoW launched in 2018, offering free access to alternative versions of the MMORPG. While it does not charge players directly, it accepts donations through its website.
Its servers feature fan-created expansions, including Mysteries of Azeroth, described as an exploration of original game lore. The group has also promoted Turtle WoW 2.0, an upcoming project claiming to replicate the Vanilla WoW client in Unreal Engine 5.
Blizzard alleges that Turtle WoW profits from its operations by providing “paid access to a group of unauthorised, ’emulated’ private WoW game servers, as well as all of the software and other tools necessary to access and use these emulated servers, including pirated copies of WoW.”
The company further claimed that Turtle WoW has “brazenly escalated its efforts” through social media promotion, influencer partnerships, and marketing for its next release.
In a statement to PCGamesN, a Blizzard spokesperson said, “Our games are built on decades of innovation and creativity, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect the integrity of that work for our employees, our partners, and our players.”
It’s after work on a Wednesday night, and I’m at a sports bar in downtown Manhattan. It looks exactly like what you’d expect of a bar in the Financial District. Men in button-up shirts stand around a tall table with folded arms, ranting about the current season as multiple baseball games are playing on TV screens all around the bar.
I feel out of place as I wait for a friend, but I know it’s only a matter of time until things change. A stream of women slowly trickles in, group by group. The mood abruptly changes when the TV screens flicker on to a clip of sparkling water. The bar cranks up the volume, a wistful three notes plays over the speaker, the brief theme song of what has become a show so popular that sports bars in Manhattan are throwing watch parties for women who, like me, are years older than the show’s protagonist.
I have a confession: when I first watched The Summer I Turned Pretty upon the series’s release on Amazon in 2022, I only got through two episodes. I quickly deemed the show too cringe-inducing to handle. I believed I had grown out of love triangles driven by hormones and a lack of a fully developed prefrontal cortex. Growing up had taught me there were much, much more important choices to make in life than who you take to debutante ball. Also, the lead character’s name is Belly, and no one’s questioning that?
But when I gave the show another chance this summer, after the encouragement of a friend, I realized just how wrong I was. Once I dropped my defenses and settled into life in Cousins, the fictional beach town where the show is set, I was hooked. And when my social media feeds adjusted to my new obsession, I realized just how many people were as well. Video after video showed the heavy investment adults have in this teen drama, from screaming at TVs to full-on tears from the show. Prime reported 25 million worldwide viewers tuned into the third season’s premiere the week of its release, a 40% increase from the second season’s release in 2023.
It’s been a strange summer for American pop culture. After Charli xcx’s Brat painted last summer green, there’s been a curious absence of the standard “song of the summer”. The closest contender, some argue, is the “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” ad that’s been featured in clip after clip online. The movie theaters were filled with reboots and sequels for Superman and Jurassic Park. And the most popular TV show in the US appeared to be Love Island, which had near-daily episodes of eye-rolling drama for six weeks until mid-July.
Instead of a clubby pop song, this summer’s rhythms have been dictated by constant updates to the rapidly changing world we’re living in. Americans seem to be feeling more uncertain about their futures than ever. News notifications can feel like a never-ending barrage for anyone trying to keep up.
In other words, the timing was ripe for a show that provides an escape. As temperatures started to peak, the third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty premiered in mid-July and has cemented itself, for many, as the show that saved summer.
The series centers Isabel “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung), whose family spends every summer at the Fishers’ giant beach house at Cousins, a town resembling the neighborhoods of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The series starts the summer that Belly turns, you guessed it, pretty and begins to attract the attention of boys, including the two Fisher brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno).
In the backdrop of this coming-of-age summer is the cancer diagnosis of Susannah (Rachel Blanchard), the Fisher matriarch who is the college best friend of Belly’s mom. Susannah’s diagnosis is a secret to most, allowing many of the characters to have their carefree teenage summer. Belly’s biggest concern appears to be whether Conrad, the brooding older brother and her longtime crush, has any feelings for her – or whether she should be with Jeremiah, her “best friend” who is drawn to her.
In its third season, the series has wholeheartedly embraced this Austenian love triangle, framing it against complex emotions around grief. Susannah’s death less than a year after that first summer has only heightened Belly’s emotional hold over both brothers. Their late mother, on her deathbed, called Belly “my special girl” and often referred to her as the daughter she never had.
But by the start of the season, Belly, who was 15 in the show’s first season, is now about to turn 21 and has made her choice. After an intense but failed relationship with Conrad, Belly has chosen Jeremiah. The two have been together in college for three years while Conrad was on the west coast. But while the three characters pretend things are good and settled, they are clearly far from it.
As a grown adult, I’m fully aware of how absurd this plot is. A love triangle with two brothers is only a huge red flag right next to an arrow pointed toward a therapist’s office. But at some point, I accepted The Summer I Turned Pretty as a fantasy world that is a pastel-tinged version of our own and learned to bask in its endless, wonderful melodrama.
Gavin Casalegno and Lola Tung. Photograph: Erika Doss/Prime
The Summer I Turned Pretty is the second success for author Jenny Han, co-runner of the series and author of the trilogy that inspired the show. Her other book trilogy, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was adapted for Netflix and became one of its most-watched original movies when it was released in 2018.
The series feels like a surprise hit for Amazon, which has found more success with shows targeted to male audiences such as The Boys, Jack Ryan and Reacher. Netflix has been the traditional home for originals geared toward young women and teens like Never Have I Ever, Heartstopper and XO, Kitty, the spin-off show from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Han seems to have mastered teen romance, making it all feel refreshingly tender and sweet, taking seriously what is often dismissed as frivolous. Her stories ask readers and viewers to step into worlds where the choices these teenage girls make feel undeniably consequential.
It’s a kind of unapologetic sincerity that evokes the teen dramas of the early 2000s. In The Summer I Turned Pretty, declarations of love are delivered with full gusto, the sound of waves crashing in the background. And the show never fails to lean on its seemingly unlimited soundtrack budget. So far, the series has played no less than 20 Taylor Swift songs that punctuate its emotional high points. Many have pointed out that the show shares a filming location – Wilmington, North Carolina – with One Tree Hill, which premiered over two decades ago.
And unlike the first and second seasons, which were released in batches, the 12 episodes of this final season are released every Wednesday. To those of us who grew up with cable, it’s reminiscent of the feeling of rushing home to catch the newest episode of a TV show. The wait encourages anticipation, what feels rare in an era of endless, bingeable content online. It’s also proof that old-fashioned scripted TV shows, under a traditional weekly release schedule, can still have pull over younger audiences who are increasingly drawn to platforms including YouTube.
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As much as the show brings me back to the days of Gilmore Girls and The OC, its huge online presence makes it feel distinctly modern. The endless stream of content has culminated into a sort of communal viewing experience. With clips on TikTok, fans can relive the show’s moments over and over again with plenty of commentary and mockery.
Of course, the show indulges in the drama surrounding its love triangle. As with any teen love triangle, people have divided themselves into “teams”. Who you root for suddenly becomes a barometer of your core values. The passion over the characters have become so intense that Prime Video and members of the show have had to remind viewers to conduct themselves respectfully online. Han, in an Instagram story, told fans that “the cast shouldn’t have to endure harassment because of the roles they play”. Amazon reminded fans that “the show isn’t real but the people playing the characters are”.
Some elements in the third season seem so excessive and ridiculous as to be made for virality. (Some spoilers ahead.) In a scene in the season’s sixth episode, Conrad and Belly make a pit – stop at a roadside peach stand. As Belly eats a peach, a heavy stream of juice runs down her mouth. Conrad untucks his plain white T-shirt – clearly a part of his coastal-dad drip – to gingerly wipe the juice from her mouth. Videos on TikTok quickly turned the scene into an inside joke among fans. Even Nobel prize laureate and assassination-attempt survivor Malala Yousafzai posted a picture of herself on Instagram holding up a peach, with the caption “counting the minutes until Wednesday”.
For me, the absurdity of it all is a reminder that the show is very much fiction, a world to step into like a book splayed open on a poolside lounge chair. I can’t help but root for Belly. We all know what it’s like to be young, naive and feel like the weight of the world rests on each choice we have to make for ourselves. Tuning in every week feels like a quick escape back to that time – far away from the usual cadences of life, as evocative as summer itself.
NAROWAL: As many as 1,007 prisoners have been shifted from the Sialkot district jail to different jails in Punjab owing to the flood situation in the area.
Chief Minister Task Force for Prisons Chairman Rana Manan Khan told Dawn that 565 prisoners at the Sialkot district jail were shifted to the Gujranwala district jail, 274 to the Narowal district jail and 168 to the Hafizabad district jail. He said the prisoners shifted to the Gujranwala, Narowal and Hafizabad jails included both men and women. He said the prisoners had been transferred in order to protect them from the prevailing flood situation.
Meanwhile, labourers from adjoining areas, who worked in factories of Sialkot, had been trapped in their homes and were struggling to eat three square meals a day.
As heavy rains and flash floods in Sialkot have caused severe damage to roads coupled with the closure of industries, thousands of labourers from Pasrur, Chawinda, Badiana, Chaprad, Bajwat and hundreds of villages in the area are finding it hard to earn a living.
The collapse of the bridge near Islam Center on Pasrur-Sialkot road had suspended traffic, while the roads connecting Sialkot from Bhagwal Road, Kushnawali Stop, Head Marala Road, Sherpur, Bajwat and Chaprad Sector and other areas had also been washed away in the flood. Public and private transport had been suspended and workers were trapped in their homes for six days.
Workers Muhammad Ashiq and Muhammad Afzal said that they were unable to reach their jobs. They said that it had become difficult to even afford food and the rains and floods had taken away their livelihoods.
Muhammad Imran, a resident of Kushnawali village, said that his mother was seriously ill and the local doctor had referred her to the Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot. However, he was unable to shift her to the hospital due to the dilapidated roads. He said that due to poverty, he could not afford her treatment at private hospitals.
Dozens of villages had been cut-off due to the rains and floods and the floodwater was accumulated in people’s houses and animal shelters. The residents of these villages have been waiting for relief from the government. The affectees have demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz take immediate notice of the situation.
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