Dragon Quest producer Ryutaro Ichimura said he left publisher Square Enix because the company was prioritizing “safe” projects.
Ichimura joined Enix in 2000 and spent most of his career working on the Dragon Quest series, progressing to producer on Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King and Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.
But as the developer told ReHacQ, he ended up leaving because “to put it bluntly, [Square Enix] was copying others.”
“In DQ 2, you had a three-person party, in DQ 3 you could change jobs, in DQ 4, party members could fight using AI. Each entry pushed the series forward, both through the evolution of game mechanics and by leveraging the latest hardware of the time,” Ichimura said (as transcribed and translated by Automaton).
According to Automaton’s reporting, Ichimura felt Dragon Quest was a “leader” in the RPG space, and he was keen to “build something from zero.” But with spiralling costs, the producer felt Square Enix was less willing to innovative and instead focused on its tentpole franchises or “pakuri kikaku” — copycat projects — like the Minecraft-like Dragon Quest Builders, or Pokémon Go-inspired Dragon Quest Walk.
When Square Enix wouldn’t greenlight an idea for “game in which players could learn about wordbuilding and story structure through gameplay, and then build their own Sragon Quest-style games,” Ichimura left.
Ryutaro Ichimura formed PinCool, a new NetEase Games-funded development studio, in May 2023.
Return to the legendary kingdom of Quel’thalas to take up arms against a dark invasion when World of Warcraft: Midnight*, the second chapter of The Worldsoul Saga™, begins.
Here are some of the new features and content available with the Midnight expansion:
New Zones: Venture into four new zones filled with mystery and danger.
New Race: Discover Harandar and recruit the Haranir, a new playable race, by completing their story-driven quests.
Housing: Build, decorate, and personalize your home in Azeroth while completing themed Endeavors in your Neighborhood.
Prey: Engage in the Prey system—track powerful targets throughout Azeroth and beyond, but beware: your prey can strike back at any moment.
New Specialization: Unlock the Devourer specialization for Demon Hunters, harnessing the Void with unique ranged abilities ripped from your enemies.
New Dungeons and Raids: Challenge yourself in eight new dungeons and face nine formidable bosses across three raids as you unravel Xal’atath’s deepest secrets.
Updated New and Returning Experience: Enjoy a streamlined leveling experience focused on robust characters and epic stories, ensuring new and returning players are ready for Midnight.
Enhance Your Experience
Pre-purchase World of Warcraft: Midnight Epic Edition and unlock a slew of benefits to aid you in your adventures!
Get Early Access to Housing
Put down roots and begin designing your dream home in Azeroth during the 11.2.7 content update. With Housing Early Access, you’ll get a special preview of the new feature—explore, customize, and decorate with a limited selection before the full suite of options arrives with the launch of the expansion.
Midnight Housing Decor
Adorn your new home in Azeroth with Midnight-themed decor, including the Light-Infused Rotunda, Void-Corrupted Rotunda, Light-Infused Fountain, Void-Corrupted Fountain, and four iconic character Paintings.
Voidlight Surger
Embrace both the Light and the Void when you take to the skies on the Voidlight Surger flying mount, which cycles its appearance with unique visual effects!
Enhanced Level 80 Character Boost
Prepare for Midnight with this Enhanced Character Boost that will have you ready to begin leveling in Quel’Thalas.
Transmogs, Mounts, Pets, and More!
Get the Lightstrider and Voidstrider transmog sets, the Lightwing and Voidwing Dragonhawk flying mounts, the Doomfeathers and Hopeflutter Dragonhawk pets, additional Trader’s Tender, and 30 Days of Game Time.
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Choose Your Edition
Epic Edition
The Epic Edition contains all features from the Heroic Edition, plus several additional bonuses. You’ll receive Beta Access and 3 days Early Access to Midnight, along with 30 Days of Game Time. This edition includes the Hopeflutter and Doomfeathers pets, the Voidlight Surger flying mount with dynamic color-changing effects, the Voidwing Dragonhawk flying mount, and the Voidstrider Raiment transmog set. Additionally, you’ll unlock the Midnight Housing Pack, featuring Rotundas, Fountains, and iconic character Paintings to personalize your home in Azeroth. You’ll also get a total of 2,000 Trader’s Tender to spend at the Trading Post.
Heroic Edition
This edition includes everything from the Base Edition, plus additional bonuses. You will get the Lightwing Dragonhawk flying mount and the Lightstrider Raiment transmog set to customize your character. In addition, you’ll receive a total of 1,000 Trader’s Tender to use at the Trading Post.
Base Edition
This edition includes World of Warcraft: The War Within, early access to the new Housing feature, and an Enhanced Level 80 Character Boost that comes with upgraded gear and reputation progress—so you’ll be well-prepared for your journey into Midnight. You’ll also receive 500 Trader’s Tender, which can be used at the Trading Post.
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Base Edition
Heroic Edition
Epic Edition
World of Warcraft: Midnight*
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World of Warcraft: The War Within**
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Enhanced Level 80 Character Boost***
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Housing Early Access†
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Trader’s Tenders†††
500
1000
2000
Lightwing Dragonhawk (Flying Mount)
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Lightstrider Raiment (Transmog Set)
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Hopeflutter (Pet)
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Doomfeathers (Pet)
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Voidstrider Raiment (Transmog Set)
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Voidwing Dragonhawk (Flying Mount)
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Voidlight Surger (Flying Mount)
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Light-Infused Rotunda (Decor)††
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Void-Corrupted Rotunda (Decor)††
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Light-Infused Fountain (Decor)††
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Void-Corrupted Fountain (Decor)††
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Paintings of Alleria, Turalyon, Arator, and Xal’atath (Decor)††
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Midnight Beta Access†
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3-Days Midnight Early Access†
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30 Days of Game Time
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Sign Up for the Midnight Beta
Sign-ups for the Midnight beta test are now open. Over the course of the test, we’ll be inviting community veterans, press, fansites, friends, and family to check out the upcoming expansion and give us feedback. Players who purchase or who upgrade to the Epic Edition of Midnight will also gain immediate access to the beta.
Players selected to participate will receive an email invitation directing them to download the game client directly from the Battle.net desktop app. Players who purchase the Epic Edition may also receive email notifications. As always, please be aware of phishing attempts—if you’re unsure whether your invitation is legitimate, please log in to your Battle.net account to verify that there is a Midnight beta license attached (under Your Game Accounts).
Sign Up Today
*World of Warcraft®: Midnight™ will be available on or before June 30, 2026, and does not include access to future expansions.
**If you already have World of Warcraft: The War Within on your account, the expansion will not be re-granted. Upgrading to the Heroic or Epic Edition will not re-grant in-game items previously unlocked on your account.
***In-game items and Level 80 Character Boost are not available in World of Warcraft Classic games. Enhanced Level 80 Character Boost is only usable on the WoW® game account on which it was purchased or redeemed as a gift.
†Launch dates of Beta Access, Midnight Early Access, and Housing Early Access are subject to change. Minimum Midnight Early Access duration is 3 days. Limited time only. Actual play time is subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences. Certain endgame features will not be available during Early Access periods. For more details on Beta and Early Access, please see our support article.
††Housing feature only available through purchase of, or entitlement to, World of Warcraft®: Midnight™. Decor items will be delivered during the 11.2.7 content update and will be available to use with Housing Early Access.
†††Trader’s Tender is granted only once per Battle.net® account and region upon first purchase of each edition, at a maximum of 2000 Tender from Epic.
Over more than 30 years in the business, Tony Gilroy has amassed an enviable list of writing credits that includes Armageddon, Michael Clayton (which he also directed, garnering Oscar noms in both areas), the first four installments of the Bourne franchise (the fourth of which he also directed) and the 2016 Star Wars prequel Rogue One. But “the seminal creative experience” of his life, he says, has been Andor, the Disney+ Rogue One prequel series on which he’s worked for the past six years as creator, showrunner, head writer and EP. (Its second season just received 14 Emmy noms.) And yet he can’t see himself doing anything like it ever again.
How, a few years after Rogue One, did you wind up working on Andor?
I’ve known [Lucasfilm president] Kathy Kennedy for years. After Rogue, she had an appetite to do a prequel around the five years of Cassian Andor before the film. She knew that I knew the character really well, and asked me to look at two different versions that they had. One was cool and slick, but it seemed to me that it was going to run out of road quickly, so I wrote a long email to her, sort of a manic manifesto, about how I thought the show should be built. She was like, “This is pretty mad and undoable, but I see what you’re saying about what we’re doing now.” They tried it again, and then they came back to me and said, “We looked at this memo from a year and a half ago, and it makes a lot more sense to us now. Do you want to do that?”
Did you appreciate how big of an undertaking you were signing up for? At some point the plan shifted from devoting one season to each of the five years, to having the first season cover one year and the second cover four.
I had no clue what I was stepping into. I’d been on House of Cards for a couple of years as a consultant for Beau [Willimon]. I’ve made some big movies. But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later. I was going to try to direct, rewrite all the scripts, to do all this stuff — it was ridiculous. Then COVID came. The only thing I saw positively about COVID was that it would kill the show, I thought. But eventually they started to build back up. It was obvious I couldn’t go back to London [where the show was to shoot], so we were going to have to get British directors. I wouldn’t be able to direct, but I would be able to keep writing and run the show. I got into rewriting the scripts and figured out how to run the show from here. By the time dailies started to come in, I was getting very excited about what we were doing. When I got out of quarantine, I went over there [to the U.K.], trying to come up with what we were going to do going forward. By then we knew what the scope of the work was, and Diego Luna [Cassian Andor] and I sat down, and it wasn’t a “choice,” even; we simply would not be able to make a show like this in the way we initially planned. It would go on too long. He’d be too old. People would die. But the solve presented itself very elegantly: the structure that we ended up with the second season.
The appeal of doing Andor, for you, wasn’t anything to do with StarWars as much as it was getting to delve into subjects like fascism and rebellion?
I love history and I’ve been consumed with it my whole life, not in any kind of organized way, just out of curiosity. I’d accumulated all this lumber down in the basement that I didn’t ever think I was going to get a chance to use, but then this show came along. When I started on the show, the parallels between what was happening in the world and what was happening in the galaxy and the Empire — those were already obvious. But over the six years we’ve been doing the show, that little monster got on its feet and learned how to run. When Senator Padilla was pulled out of the ICE meeting, like in the episode about the Ghorman senator being pulled out, there was a big text chain in our group like, “Oh my God. It looked like the show.” It’s very sad for us how much it rhymes.
What made Andor “the seminal creative experience” of your life? Would you ever do this kind of thing again?
I could see doing a limited series or something, but I can’t see doing anything like this again. For five and a half years, every single day of my life, I had a maximally imaginative involvement that was never complete — writing, designing, music, casting, all of it. Every demand on your imagination that could ever be asked was screaming for your attention. That’s a pretty heady place to live. I grew to love it. But I can’t imagine that I would ever be that fully engaged again.
This story first appeared in an August stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
The early stages of a supernova explosion are revelatory in what they can reveal about stars that go boom. But while catching them immediately after they detonate has proven largely elusive, astronomers now think they have developed a foolproof way to spot a young supernova.
Although we know what type of star will go supernova, we cannot predict when a star in a distant galaxy might explode. In the past it has been down to pure luck as to whether we were looking in the right direction at the right time to see a supernova just hours after it blows up.
Large-scale surveys that scan the entire night sky every few days have evened the odds somewhat, but now the challenge faced by astronomers is spotting a young supernova among the huge amounts of data that these surveys collect. To surmount this problem, very specific protocols based on strict criteria are required to recognize an early supernova. “The sooner we see them, the better,” said Lluís Galbany of the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona, who led the research, in a statement.
Two types of stars explode as a supernova. The first type are white dwarfs, which are the remnants of sun-like stars. Once their mass grows above 1.44 times the mass of our sun, known as the Chandrasekhar limit, they explode as a supernova. This happens if they can they can steal matter from a close companion star or collide and merge with another white dwarf.
The other type of star that goes supernova is a giant star with a mass at least eight times greater than the sun. When such a star runs out of nuclear fuel, its core collapses to form a neutron star, while its outer layers rebound and explode outwards.
Galbany’s team used what is currently the largest optical telescope in the world, the 10.4-meter Gran Telescopio de Canarias in the Canary Islands, to follow up on 10 early supernova explosions. Five were core-collapsing massive stars, and five were the detonation of white dwarfs. Most were spotted within six days of exploding, and a couple were less than 48 hours young.
These ten were found by following a specific protocol. First, a candidate early supernova must be missing from the previous night’s set of images, to guarantee that we are seeing it in its earliest phase. Second, the new object must be seen in a galaxy so that we don’t mistake some other transient object, such as a flare star in our Milky Way galaxy, or a fluctuating quasar, for a supernova. When both conditions are met, the detection sparks into life the OSIRIS (Optical System for Imaging and low-Intermediate-Resolution Integrated Spectroscopy) instrument on the Gran Telescopio de Canarias to measure each supernova’s spectrum.
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“A supernova’s spectrum tells us, for instance, whether the star contained hydrogen, meaning we are looking at a core-collapse supernova,” said Galbany. “Knowing about the supernova in its very earliest moments also lets us seek other kinds of data on the same object.”
Artistic elaboration of a supernova based on a new study about how to detect them quickly. (Image credit: Galbany et al., JCAP, 2025)
The first few hours and days of a supernova can tell astronomers a great deal about the star that has exploded, and how it has exploded. In particular, one of the things astronomers look for is called the ‘shock breakout’. This is a brief flash as the supernova shockwave breaks out through the outer layer of the star. The details of this flash reveal whether the explosion is asymmetric, which in turn is related to the interior structure of the star, the size of the star and its surface composition.
Meanwhile, when the blast wave slams into shells of material ejected by a star in the run-up to it exploding, the supernova produces a short-lived ‘flash spectrum’. This reveals what gases are in the shells that until recently were part of the star itself. The flash spectrum also helps astronomers picture the broader environment around the doomed star, which can teach us about the regions of space that produce stars that go supernova. And bumps in the early light curve of a supernova could indicate the presence of a close companion – a nearby star, brown dwarf or giant planet – that has become caught up in the conflagration.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is ideally placed to discover early supernovas when it becomes fully operational before the end of 2025. An estimated ten million alerts will be issued each night by Rubin, a mix of variable stars, asteroids, quasars, stellar flares, transiting exoplanets and supernovas. There are nine brokers that can then be utilized to filter those ten million alerts to an astronomer’s chosen criteria, and the protocol developed by Galbany’s team can be adapted for use on one of these brokers to identify early supernova explosions.
Galbany thinks that it will become possible to routinely detect supernovas younger than 24 hours, which could have a transformative effect on our understanding of exploding stars.
“We now know that a rapid-response spectroscopic program, well coordinated with deep photometric surveys, can realistically collect spectra within a day of the explosion, paving the way for systematic studies of the very earliest phases in forthcoming large surveys,” he said.
The conclusions of Galbany’s team were published on Aug. 19 in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.
Grapes earn “superfood” status thanks to their high levels of polyphenols, which fight inflammation and protect overall health.
Purple grapes pack the biggest punch—their deep color signals higher antioxidant content compared to red or green varieties.
Just a cup a day goes a long way, supporting heart, brain, and gut health.
When it comes down to getting an adequate amount of nutrients and minerals per day, fruits play an essential role in meeting these goals. But according to new research published by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, there’s one standout fruit that promotes a healthier brain, heart, and gut: fresh grapes. More specifically, the study claims that grapes can and should be categorized as a “superfood,” aka nutrient-rich foods that benefit your overall health and well-being.
To fully understand the impressive health benefits of grapes, we tapped dietitians to learn more.
What Makes Grapes Good for You?
The main reason grapes deserve a “superfood” classification is due to their high levels of phytonutrients—specifically polyphenols. “Polyphenols are a large class of phytonutrients that are known for their antioxidant properties,” explains registered dietitian Avery Zenker, RD, MAN. “Some of the types of polyphenols found in grapes include phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and stilbenes. Many of the health benefits of grapes are attributed to the impact of these compounds on the body, particularly their anti-inflammatory properties.” When these polyphenols enter the body, they focus on neutralizing free radicals—or the molecules that increase oxidative stress—and can improve cardiovascular, brain, immune, and metabolic health over time.
Between red, purple, and green grapes, however, you may be wondering which color packs the most nutrients. “Most of the polyphenols and antioxidants in purple and red grapes are found in the skin,” Zenker says. “Purple grapes contain more anthocyanins than red grapes, and much more than green grapes. Purple-colored grapes also contain a significantly higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC) than red or green grapes. The vibrant color of purple grapes signifies a potent antioxidant content.” Anthocyanins are what give purple grapes their deep hue—something red and green grapes have significantly low levels of.
Zenker also points out that, while grapes are high in nutrient-dense compounds, understanding the food matrix can better explain how these compounds interact with one another. “The food matrix is the physical and chemical structure of a food, and essentially, how its nutrients interact with each other,” she says. “Grapes are more than just a collection of isolated compounds like phytonutrients. The food matrix determines how those compounds are digested, absorbed, how they interact with the gut microbiome, and how they impact the body.” That’s why you don’t need to eat a boatload of grapes to reap their benefits—roughly one or two cups (or 22 to 44 grapes, to be exact) can do a whole lot for your health.
3 Healthy Reasons to Eat More Grapes
To further emphasize the message of this study, we asked our experts for some standout reasons to eat more grapes.
They Boost Heart Health
“Grapes are rich in resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, compounds that may help to support heart health by helping blood vessels relax, [lowering] blood pressure, and [maintaining] healthy cholesterol levels,” says cardiology dietitian Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD. This can be especially beneficial for those with a high risk of cardiovascular disease; the more grapes you eat, the more you’re feeding your body heart-healthy nutrients.
They Support Cognitive Health
As we age, the brain’s cognitive function tends to decline—but with a healthy diet, along with some brain-boosting lifestyle habits, you can curb or delay age-related cognitive decline. “The variety of antioxidants found in grapes may protect neurons and promote healthy brain function,” Routhenstein says. “Some research suggests that regular grape consumption may improve cognitive function and potentially lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.”
They Improve Gut Health
Grapes are an anti-inflammatory powerhouse, properties which play a vital role in maintaining the gut microbiome. “Polyphenols from grapes have been found to improve gut microbiome balance by increasing the quantity and quality of the digestive ecosystem,” Zenker says. “The microbes in the gut have also been found to improve the bioavailability of polyphenols, potentially increasing their health impacts. The relationship between phytonutrients and the gut microbiome is still largely unexplored, so more research is needed to conclude stronger associations.” What’s more, the gut microbiome has a significant impact on other bodily systems, including heart and brain health.
Editing multimedia content is challenging, especially when you’re not working with the right tools.
As demand among news audiences shifts to video and audio, newsrooms, journalists and content creators are turning to the formats, too.
To help budding professionals working with multimedia, I lay out some tools they can utilize to enhance professional efficiency and take their work to the next level.
Audio editing
Audacity
Audacity is an open-source tool that allows users to easily record, edit and adjust sound. Journalists, podcasters, creators and anyone running a digital-first newsroom can use Audacity to create high-quality audio content. Among the capabilities, users can copy, paste and trim sound while working with multiple tracks at a time.
Access: Free for basic use. Paid access is required for additional features.
Adobe Audition
Similar to Audacity, Adobe Audition allows users to record, edit and adjust sound. Journalists can use it as a virtual studio in which they work on multiple audio tracks simultaneously, visualize, isolate and remove parts of audio that they feel are no longer needed or relevant to their work. It has the ability to help clean recordings with an advanced noise reduction system.
The tool is also integrated to work effectively with other Adobe apps like Premiere Pro, which is used for video.
Access: It has a 7-day free trial after which users pay US$24.71 per month.
WavePad
WavePad is a software that allows users to record and edit audio. Among the capabilities, you can copy, cut and paste parts of audio files, or utilize effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction.
Access: Free for basic use. Paid access is required for additional features.
AudioMass
AudiioMass is an open-source tool that runs on a browser. It allows users to record, use an existing audio track, or modify it by trimming, cutting, pasting or applying a series of other functions.
The tool supports various audio file formats and is suitable to use for editing podcasts, music and more.
Access: Free to use.
Video editing
DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a software tool with a simple, easy-to-use interface for video editing. It offers the user functions for color correction, motion graphics, and audio post-production. It integrates multi-user collaboration tools for group members.
Access: Free for basic use. Requires paid access for advanced features such as AI-powered noise reduction and an upscaling feature to attain higher visual quality.
CapCut
CapCut is a popular platform for editing videos, developed by ByteDance, the same company that owns TikTok. It is popular among broadcasters, brand influencers and content creators. The tool offers a variety of ready-made templates that users can choose from, also incorporating a large library of free music tracks.
CapCut includes features like speed adjustment, text overlay and keyframe animation. Edited videos can be easily exported.
Access: Capcut is free to use and it has an advanced version available with a subscription. Of note, the tool’s data collection practices have raised concerns, specifically in the U.S. and India. The Indian government banned CapCut in June 2020 due to political tension with China, and the app also temporarily went dark in the U.S. as part of the January 2025 executive order that banned TikTok.
EDIUS.net
EDIUS.net is a non-linear editor (NLE) that works with most modern video formats.
Among its features, the tool can be used to fix poor audio, provide speech-to-text capabilities for captions, and more. The Pro version offers additional features such as high dynamic range (HDR) editing and image stabilization for unsteady shots.
Access: The tools offers a 30-day free trial after which pricing for the software depends on the version and licensing options.
A meta-analysis evaluating the relationship between semaglutide and risk of eye disorders has not found any significant association, according to a new study published in JAMA Opthalmology.1 The authors noted that the relationship between semaglutide and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) demands further research to confirm any association between them. However, another study, published recently in JAMA Network Open did determine that semaglutide and tirzepatide in patients with type 2 diabetes did lead to an increased risk of NAION.2,3
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) that is primarily used in the treatment of diabetes and obesity and has been found to have cardiovascular benefits,4 including the reduction of cardiovascular events in those who are overweight or obese. As certain eye disorders can come as an adverse effect related to diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy, the association between semaglutide and the risk of eye disorders is of particular interest in the treatment of both diabetes and eye disorders in conjunction. This meta-analysis aimed to collect data from randomized clinical trials to evaluate the association between ocular adverse effects and semaglutide, specifically as it pertains to the development of NAION and diabetic retinopathy.
Semaglutide was not associated with an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy or other eye disorders | Image credit: Peter Hansen – stock.adobe.com
Studies from MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Central Register were used to perform the meta-analysis. All studies published prior to April 10, 2025, were considered for the analysis. All randomized clinical trials that evaluated adults treated with semaglutide compared with a placebo, no intervention, or an active comparator were included in the analysis. Diabetic retinopathy and NAION were assessed along with any trials reporting adverse events. Studies of any language could be included in the analysis.
There were 78 studies, including 73,640 participants, that were included in the final meta-analysis. A total of 51 reported at least 1 event of eye disorders, 38 reported on diabetic retinopathy, and 5 reported on NAION. There were 52 studies that required diabetes as part of their inclusion criteria. The mean baseline age ranged between 33 and 70 years.
The risk of eye disorders was not changed with the treatment of diabetes using semaglutide. The absolute effect per 1000 study participants was 1 more event when evaluating the studies that included eye disorder adverse effects. The results did not change when studies without eye disorder events were included, and a linear mixed model had consistent results (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.98-1.10). There were no differences based on population (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.91-1.12) or follow-up duration (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.91-1.12). Although semaglutide was shown to be superior to an insulin group, this association was not significant.
There were 38 trials that reported at least 1 event related to diabetic retinopathy, but semaglutide did not affect the risk of diabetic retinopathy. There was an absolute effect of 1 more event per 1000 participants, and this did not change after including trials that did not contain events related to diabetic retinopathy. Consistent results were found in the linear mixed-model analysis (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.96-1.11).
In the 5 trials that reported NAION, semaglutide was associated with a higher risk of NAION (OR, 3.92; 95% CI, 1.02-15.02) with no statistical heterogeneity observed. The trials included 25,330 participants but had a low number of events of NAION, which indicates a need for further study.
There were some limitations to this study. Most of the included studies did not aim to assess ocular adverse events. Ophthalmic assessments were different across the studies, including some studies not including retinal imaging or eye examinations. No diagnostic code was present for NAION in any study. Participants with either proliferative retinopathy or maculopathy were excluded. Some included studies were also not specifically designed to assess NAION even though other ocular adverse events were studied.
The researchers concluded that semaglutide was not associated with an increased risk of eye disorders or diabetic retinopathy.
“However,” they wrote, “treatment with semaglutide was associated with occurrence of NAION, despite the fact that no definitive conclusions regarding this association could be drawn. Additional studies dedicated to checking the relationship between semaglutide and NAION are needed.”
References
1. Natividade GR, Spiazzi BF, Baumgarten MW, et al. Ocular adverse events with semaglutide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online August 14, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2025.2489
2. Steinzor P. Semaglutide, tirzepatide linked to small increase in eye disorder risk. AJMC®. August 18, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/semaglutide-tirzepatide-linked-to-small-increase-in-eye-disorder-risk
3. Wang L, Volkow ND, Kaelber DC, Xu R. Semaglutide or tirzepatide and optic nerve and visual pathway disorders in type 2 diabetes. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(8):e2526327. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.26327
4. Bonavitacola J. Experts encourage use of GLP-1s in cardiovascular care. AJMC. August 3, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/experts-encourage-use-of-glp-1s-in-cardiovascular-care
Guy Pearce, who is coming off his recent Oscar nomination, is circling a starring role as media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Pearce is in talks to lead director Danny Boyle‘s movie Ink, which is set to center on Murdoch’s path to power. The film from Studiocanal, Media Res and House Productions also has Jack O’Connell eyeing a role as Larry Lamb, the late editor of The Sun.
Boyle helms the film from a script by James Graham, who adapted his play of the same name that opened in London in 2017. In his 2019 review for The Hollywood Reporter of the Broadway run that earned two Tonys, critic David Rooney wrote that the play “has undeniable currency in the era of Brexit and Trump.”
Ink is set in 1969 and focuses on Murdoch acquiring struggling newspaper The Sun and hiring Lamb to run it. The film’s team is planning to begin shooting in October.
Boyle, Tessa Ross, Michael Ellenberg, Tracey Seaward and Tonia Davis serve as producers on the movie.
Pearce was nominated at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony for his supporting role in The Brutalist. His forthcoming features include The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Dog Stars.
O’Connell has had a big year, having played memorable roles in Sinners and the Boyle-directed 28 Years Later. His next projects include 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and Godzilla x Kong: Supernova.
Boyle most recently directed 28 Years Later, the latest installment in the franchise that launched with his original 2002 film, 28 Days Later. Sony released 28 Years Later in June — starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes and O’Connell — and the film surpassed $150 million at the global box office.
Deadline was first to report on the movie adaptation of Ink.
A Yale research team has created a new computer tool that can pinpoint when exactly genes turn on and off over time during brain development – a finding that may one day help doctors identify the optimal window to deploy gene therapy treatments.
Dubbed “chronODE,” the tool uses math and machine learning to model how gene activity and chromatin (the DNA and protein mix that forms chromosomes) patterns change over time. The tool may offer a variety of applications in disease modeling and basic genomic research and perhaps lead to future therapeutic uses.
“Basically, we have an equation that can determine the precise moment of gene activation, which may dictate important steps such as the transition from one developmental or disease stage to another,” said Mor Frank, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and study co-author. “Consequently, this may represent a potential way to identify, in the future, critical points for therapeutic intervention.”
Results of the study were published August 19 in the journal Nature Communications.
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