Here are the Fantasy Cricket Predictions and Betting Tips for the 2025 edition of the Major League Cricket, Qualifier 1, 31st match – Texas Super Kings vs Washington Freedom, to be played on the 8th of July, 2025 at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas.
Points Table
Texas Super Kings vs Washington Freedom – 8th July
Match Details:
Date: Tuesday, 8th June 2025.
Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas.
Match Time: 5:30 AM IST | 7:00 PM Local/CDT | 1:00 AM BST
Current Form:
Texas Super Kings:
The Super Kings ended third with just three losses in their season, and the form of their best players, Faf du Plessis and Adam Milne have ensured that the Super Kings have two shots at making the final.
Washington Freedom:
The table toppers, the Freedom have found even more contributions from a bunch of players and that is the reason they have ended up top with two opportunities at making the finals, continuing their performances from last season.
Players to Watch:
Texas Super Kings:
Adam Milne – one half of a deadly bowling pair, Milne has 14 wickets in five games at 8.5, going at 6.67 an over and has struck once every 7.6 balls.
Faf du Plessis – 409 runs in nine games, Faf is the leading run-scorer this season, while averaging 51.12 and has struck at 175.53, putting on a show and proving age is just a number.
Akeal Hosein– the Trinidadian has taken nine wickets in five games, averaging 9.44 but has an economy of less than six, going at 5 an over, taking a wicket once every 11.3 balls.
Washington Freedom:
Jack Edwards – with 13 wickets in ten games, Edwards is amongst the leading bowlers in the tournament, taking his wickets at 20.5 and striking once every 14 balls.
Glenn Maxwell – the captain of the Freedom has put on a show this season, with 237 runs at 33.85, while striking at 185 and has taken nine wickets at 15.33.
Mitchell Owen – the MVP of this season of the 2025 MLC, Owen has scored 313 runs in his ten games striking at 195.62 and has taken 14 wickets at 17.92.
Batting Stats T20
Head-to-Head (Last 3 Matches):
The Washington Freedom have more wins in the last three match-ups between these two sides, but the Texas Super Kings have won the most recent battle between the two, promising this to be a very enthralling battle.
Venue Stats – Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas (2022-2025):
Average 1st Innings Score:
2023 – 167.41
2024 – 167.81
2025 – 203.75
Bowling Averages and Economy Rates:
Wickets Percentage based on Innings:
Wickets Per Innings:
Wickets per Phase:
Powerplay (Overs 1–6): 1.57 wickets
Middle Overs (Overs 7–15): 2.63 wickets
Death Overs (Overs 16–20): 2.31 wickets
Dallas has turned into a batting paradise and the teams will be loving it back from Lauderhill where batting felt like a tough task at times.
The spinners just about edge ahead here, with the pacers average a shade under 30 and going at almost one extra run to the over. But at the end of it all, it has been a batting paradise.
Match Prediction – Washington Freedom v Texas Super Kings
Cricket Betting Tips and Match Predictions – PrePlay*
Who will win the toss? — Washington
Who will win the match? — Texas
Top Batter (Runs Scored) — Faf du Plessis (Texas), Mitchell Owen (Washington)
Top Bowler (Wickets Taken) — Adam Milne (Texas), Jack Edwards (Washington)
Most Sixes — Faf du Plessis (Texas), Mitchell Owen (Washington)
Player of the Match — Faf du Plessis (Texas)
Team Scores Batting First — Texas 180+, Washington 170+
Most 6’s T20
*NB these picks and predictions may be changed nearer the start of the match, once the final starting teams have been announced – also, check out the % Win Prediction Widget which is live Pre-Play and InPlay and fluctuates with the latest market odds – we will soon be running other ‘In-Play’ features, so stay tuned…. and always remember…. when the fun stops… STOP
OpenAI has reportedly overhauled its security operations to protect against corporate espionage. According to the Financial Times, the company accelerated an existing security clampdown after Chinese startup DeepSeek released a competing model in January, with OpenAI alleging that DeepSeek improperly copied its models using “distillation” techniques.
The beefed-up security includes “information tenting” policies that limit staff access to sensitive algorithms and new products. For example, during development of OpenAI’s o1 model, only verified team members who had been read into the project could discuss it in shared office spaces, according to the FT.
And there’s more. OpenAI now isolates proprietary technology in offline computer systems, implements biometric access controls for office areas (it scans employees’ fingerprints), and maintains a “deny-by-default” internet policy requiring explicit approval for external connections, per the report, which further adds that the company has increased physical security at data centers and expanded its cybersecurity personnel.
The changes are said to reflect broader concerns about foreign adversaries attempting to steal OpenAI’s intellectual property, though given the ongoing poaching wars amid American AI companies and increasingly frequent leaks of CEO Sam Altman’s comments, OpenAI may be attempting to address internal security issues, too.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) convened its 2025 summit in The Hague, Netherlands, from June 24 to 25. This summit was unprecedented in its scale, symbolism, and strategic decisions, particularly given the backdrop of continuing Russian military action against Ukraine, evolving transatlantic dynamics in the second term of President Donald Trump in the U.S., and growing calls for European defence autonomy.[1] With participation from 45 heads of state and thousands of delegates, the summit was a defining moment for NATO’s trajectory in the second half of the 2020s.[2]
Hosted at the World Forum in The Hague, the summit brought together representatives from all 32 NATO member states. Special attention was accorded to the participation of U.S. President Donald Trump, who’s past scepticism toward NATO spurred a charm offensive by the Dutch hosts, including official dinners at the royal palace.[3] Also present were the alliance’s four Asia-Pacific partners, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea (though the latter did not send a head of state). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a side dinner, reflecting Ukraine’s continuing but still incomplete engagement with NATO.[4] This summit also marked the first under NATO’s new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands.[5]
Good morning. The war in Gaza – which began with the horror of the Hamas slaughter and kidnapping of innocent Israelis on 7 October 2023, and has brought unimaginable death and destruction to the civilian population of Gaza almost every day since – has entered its 21st month.
So far every attempt to end the conflict has failed. But the the fraying patience of the US president, Donald Trump, who has promised to deliver peace to Gaza, has seen Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatch a team of negotiators to Qatar for indirect talks with Hamas, with the Israeli leader expected to come under pressure on this week’s trip to Washington DC to agree to a ceasefire.
Yet despite Trump’s desire to end the war, and Israel and Hamas making positive noises about the prospect of a ceasefire, the two sides are still far apart on a number of crucial negotiating points.
Last night, just hours before Netanyahu told Trump at a White House dinner that he had nominated him for the Nobel peace prize, Israel laid out a plan that would force all Palestinians in Gaza into a camp on the ruins of Rafah, in a scheme that legal experts described as “a blueprint for crimes against humanity”.
For today’s newsletter, I talked to the Guardian’s Middle East correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison about the prospects for peace, and what is at stake for everyone involved. First, the headlines.
Five big stories
Immigration | Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce plans for French police to do more to block small boats crossing the Channel at a summit in London this week, but a wider deal on returning asylum seekers is still up in the air.
Iran | The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said in an interview released on Monday that Israel, which last month fought a 12-day war with Iran, had attempted to assassinate him by bombarding an area in which he was holding a meeting.
Poverty | Children in England are living in “almost Dickensian levels of poverty” where deprivation has become normalised, the children’s commissioner has said, as she insisted the two-child benefit limit must be scrapped.
Environment | Millions of tonnes of treated sewage sludge is spread on farmland across the UK every year despite containing forever chemicals, microplastics and toxic waste. An investigation by the Guardian and Watershed has identified England’s sludge-spreading hotspots and shown where the practice could be damaging rivers.
US news | The Texas senator Ted Cruz ensured the Republican spending bill slashed funding for weather forecasting, only to then go on vacation to Greece while his state was hit by deadly flooding – a disaster that critics say was worsened by cuts to meteorology.
In depth: What a new ceasefire might look like – and the risks if it fails
Aftermath of an Israeli strike that destroyed homes at a refugee camp in Gaza City last week. Photograph: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters
A few hours before Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump met yesterday, the latest rounds of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha ended without a breakthrough. Despite this, Trump insisted at a dinner with Netanyahu last night that negotiations were “going along very well”.
If a new ceasefire is agreed and does come into effect, it will be the third during a war that has claimed the lives of at least 57,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
The first ceasefire – in November 2023 – lasted just 10 days. The second, in February and March this year, collapsed after Israel reneged on its promise to move to a second phase that could have seen a definitive end to the conflict.
In the months since, a new Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of thousands more Palestinians. Extreme hunger is everywhere after an 11-week siege and ongoing tight blockade, with only minimal food and aid allowed in.
What are the terms of this new proposed ceasefire?
The details of this new deal include the staggered release of 10 living hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas, and the return of the bodies of 18 more, in exchange for a number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails. There would also be more aid entering the area and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from some parts of the Gaza Strip.
Like the previous ceasefires, it will last for 60 days, with Trump and regional allies guaranteeing Hamas that Israel will engage in “meaningful” talks to bring about a permanent end to the war.
The deal would leave 22 hostages, 10 of them believed to be alive, still held in Gaza.
How strong is Netanyahu’s position with Trump?
Emma Graham-Harrison said that, on paper, Donald Trump has most of the leverage, which he is using to push a reluctant Netanyahu to the negotiating table.
Two weeks ago, the world watched as Trump publicly eviscerated Israel for breaking a tentative ceasefire with Iran. He had already forced the Israeli prime minister to turn around fighter jets on their way to Iran – a display of raw power over Israel’s leader that Emma said is “unprecedented”.
Since Trump’s F-word outburst, the two allies have once again appeared in lockstep, with the US going on to launch a bombing run in support of Israel against Iran’s nuclear programme, handing Netanyahu a huge political boost.
Trump has also backed Netanyahu on a number of other key political issues, calling for corruption charges facing the Israeli prime minister to be dropped and continuing to back his policy for distributing food to Palestinians in Gaza through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), despite hundreds of Palestinians being shot and killed while trying to reach the distribution points.
“Netanyahu has made sure that he appears to be taking Trump’s demands for an end to the war seriously; for example sending a team of negotiators to the ceasefire talks in Doha,” said Emma.
At last night’s dinner, Trump was upbeat about the prospect of a ceasefire. When the US president was asked about Israel’s reported plans to force all Palestinians in Gaza into a new “humanitarian city” built on the ruins of Rafah, Trump directed Netanyahu to answer the question. In response Netanyahu said he was working with the US on finding countries that will “give Palestinians a better future”.
Does Netanyahu really want to end the war?
While Netanyahu is aware he needs to appease Trump’s desire to present himself as a peacemaker by announcing a ceasefire, Emma said that Netanyahu’s critics say he has multiple, compelling reasons not to want a lasting end to the war.
He is still very much beholden to far-right parties within his coalition government who are vehemently opposed to a ceasefire. National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich have both threatened to leave the government if Netanyahu ends the war.
“There are very powerful voices in the Israeli government who are openly on a messianic mission to ethnically cleanse Gaza ,” said Emma.
There is also the separate issue of that corruption trial which, even with Trump’s support, he may not be able to avoid if he loses political office.
A third reason Netanyahu might want to keep the war going, Emma said, is that it allows him to delay any official examination of how the 7 October attacks happened on his watch. She thinks one possible option is that Netanyahu could attempt a “political fudge”, accepting a ceasefire and appearing to agree to Trump’s plan that it should lead to a permanent end to the war, while telling allies at home that Israel can return to fighting once the 10 hostages are home.
What about Hamas?
The hostages held by Hamas are the group’s only significant leverage in the talks, said Emma.
Militarily, Hamas has been crippled by Israel’s relentless assault and obliteration of its senior leadership, (although Emma pointed out that Hamas is far from eliminated as a fighting force.
“Agreeing to give up more hostages in a situation that doesn’t seem to be concretely leading to a permanent end to the war is arguably not that attractive an option for them,” says Emma. “I think their key aim now will be to end the war in a way that preserves some kind of power and influence in Gaza and trying to making sure that some elements of their organisation are still functioning.”
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What if the talks fail?
The Israeli offensive has reduced most of Gaza to ruins since 2023, displaced almost the entire 2.3 million population, destroyed its healthcare system and killed more than 57,000 people, burying thousands of others under the rubble.
The total siege imposed for 11 weeks after the collapse of the last ceasefire has only partly been lifted to allow a small amount of food aid and medical supplies into the territory. Aid workers are saying that fuel stocks are close to running out, which would lead to the “complete collapse” of humanitarian operations, the health system and communications.
Amid all the discussions about the ceasefire, the voices of Palestinian people themselves have seldom been heard, so I want to end this newsletter with Lama, a 12-year Palestinian girl who was interviewed by our Gaza correspondent Malak A Tantesh about what is really at stake if peace is not achieved.
“I was so happy during the last ceasefire. We felt a bit safe. When the war returned, I cried a lot because it meant going back to the suffering of tents, the summer heat and repeated displacement,” Lama said.
When asked about what she was afraid of if the ceasefire talks failed, she told Malak that she was scared of being “torn apart, killed, paralysed or losing a limb”.
What else we’ve been reading
Erin Patterson has been found guilty of murdering three relatives with a mushroom lunch at her home in regional Australia. Composite: AP/Guardian Design
If you weren’t tuned in to Australia’s extraordinary “mushroom murders” trial, in which Erin Patterson was found guilty on Monday of deliberately poisoning three relatives, Nino Bucci has a startling breakdown of every twist and turn in the unbelievable tale. Charlie Lindlar, acting deputy editor, newsletters
Hugh Muir looks back on Ken Livingstone’s speech of defiance and unity that followed the 7/7 London terrorist attacks through the prism of our increasingly divisive politics 20 years on. Annie
One often hears that we can’t raise taxes on the super-rich or they’ll leave the UK and take their money with them … but is it really true? Lauren Almeida digs into the data in this fascinating piece. Charlie
Amid the tsunami of Oasis coverage, I loved this piece by Lauren Cochrane on how the band’s fans are having a fashion moment and dusting off their bucket hats and parkas for the reunion tour. Annie
A compelling piece in the Atlantic (£) from a former New York precinct police chief, Brandon del Pozo, who argues that as ICE agents “rack up arrests on the road to 1 million deportations”, the ghoulish practice of dressing in masks and refusing to identify themselves must end. Charlie
Sport
Iga Świątek overcame early nerves, with four double faults in her first two service games, to win comfortably. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Tennis | Jannik Sinner was fortunate to advance to the Wimbledon quarter-finals as Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire through injury when leading by two sets. Novak Djokovic lost the first set in 30 minutes before recovering to beat Alex de Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and advance. Iga Świątek had a 6-4, 6-1 win over Clara Tauson to set up a quarter-final against 19th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova. The 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-3 while Belinda Bencic reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final.
Cycling | Tim Merlier took stage three of the Tour de France in Dunkirk after the peloton’s top sprinter and points leader Jasper Philipsen crashed out of the race 60km from the finish.
Cricket | Jofra Archer is poised to make his long-awaited comeback in the third Test against India this week, with Brendon McCullum, the England head coach, calling for Lord’s to deliver a pitch that has pace, bounce and sideways movement.
The front pages
The Guardian is reporting this morning that “Bosses face ban on non-disclosure deals that silence victims of abuse”. The i paper has “50,000 children will be lifted out of poverty due to rebellion on welfare reforms”. “Trump grants three-week reprieve on return of ‘reciprocal’ trade tariffs” – that’s the Financial Times while the Express takes aim at “‘Hypocrisy’ of Labour’s homes plan”. The Telegraph heralds the French president’s state visit with “No borders between us, King to tell Macron”. “Hand back our £771 million, Mr Macron” says the Daily Mail, tacking “s’il vous plait” on the end in mock courtesy. (A Tory says we’ve paid that money to France without it stopping the boats.) The Times sound more realistic with “PM set to press Macron for ‘one in, one out’ deal”. “Victims’ fury as Epstein probe shut down” – by the “Trump team”, says the Mirror. Top story in the Metro today is “Mushroom murderer targeted me four times”.
Today in Focus
Donald Trump holds a gavel as he sits at a desk surrounded by the House speaker, Mike Johnson, and other Republicans after signing the tax cuts and spending bill into law. Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA
Trump’s big beautiful betrayal
Ed Pilkington explains the president’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and what it will mean for millions of poorer Americans who voted for him last November.
Cartoon of the day | Ben Jennings
Illustration: Ben Jennings/The Guardian
The Upside
A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad
Nikki Allen. Photograph: Courtesy of Nikki Allen
Sometimes it’s the simple things that make all of the difference. Nikki Allen (above) was conditioned to say yes to requests – from a colleague at work, from the PTA, from a friend. But she discovered one night, after distractions kept her from responding to a request for help right away, that urgent queries were not always pressing.
“It was the start of a new habit: to stop saying yes on the spot. To pause and think about whether I really want to first,” writes Allen for The one change that worked. “Now, since that night a few years ago, whenever someone asks me to do something … I tell them: ‘Let me check and get back to you.’”
It’s a subtle change that has given her more time, energy and autonomy to focus on the things each day that matter much more than other people’s approval.
Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday
Bored at work?
And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
Could a simple advisory or alert in the electronic medical record (EMR) be the key to more frequent diagnosis and effective treatment of high blood pressure (BP)? While it could help, some physicians say it’s not sufficient to solve the persistent problem of hypertension.
However, such alerts could be part of an effective approach to catching more cases of hypertension and helping people manage their high BP.
Tackling High BP
Hypertension is well-known as a “silent killer.” Left untreated, it raises the risk for heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening events without causing any symptoms.
Hypertension is also a widespread problem. The CDC estimates that about 120 million adults in the US have high BP, defined as having a systolic BP higher than 130 mm Hg or a diastolic BP greater than 80 mm Hg (or taking medication to lower their BP).
However, only about 1 in 4 adults with high BP actually have their BP under control.
According to the results of a recent quality improvement study in JAMA Network Open, using technology to prompt team-based care can improve primary care hypertension control and diagnosis in the ambulatory setting.
The researchers tested an intervention consisting of a high BP advisory in the EMR, along with team training, audit, and feedback. If an elevated BP reading (systolic BP ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg) was entered into the EMR, the medical assistant received an advisory to recheck the patient’s BP. If the BP continued to be elevated, the EMR prompted a clinician-facing advisory, along with an order panel link.
“This study demonstrates that a paired human-technology intervention focused on team-based care and EMR integration is a fruitful approach to improving population health metrics,” the authors wrote.
“Anything that is done to alert the clinician is appropriate because of clinical inertia,” said Luke Laffin, MD, co-director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Blood Pressure Disorders in Cleveland, Ohio. “There’s a lot of clinical inertia in hypertension care. It breaks that inertia. I’m not surprised that this intervention works.”
The Value of an Alert
The idea of incorporating this type of alert into the EMR system is feasible, according to Brian Barr, MD, cardiologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
“Most modern EMRs — such as Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, and others — are equipped with customizable clinical support tools that allow for automated reminders, alerts, and health maintenance prompts,” Barr said, adding that configurations could allow for notifications for missing BP readings or lack of documentation of BP within a particular time period.
Alerts could also be quite useful to busy primary care physicians who see patients for a multitude of reasons.
“It’s a reminder not to get distracted by the chief complaint syndrome,” said Brent Smith, MD, a family physician in Greenville, Mississippi and member of the board of directors for the American Academy of Family Physicians. “It forces us not to overlook hypertension when there are other things that brought them into the doctor’s office.”
Using this type of tool could also identify patients with multiple elevated BP readings but no formal hypertension diagnosis, said Barr. That information could also allow physicians to follow patients more closely and confirm elevated BP in multiple settings — not just in the office, according to Blair Suter, MD, cardiologist with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“It could be the canary in the coal mine,” he said. “It could really be the sign of things to come or to progress to.”
However, healthcare organizations must also be cautious about the possibility of contributing to electronic health record alert fatigue and instead find a balance that allows the use of technology to improve patient care without increasing the alert burden on clinicians.
The authors of the study also acknowledged that some clinic managers had sustainability concerns about the time needed for BP rechecks. “[A]fter the rollout, some clinics piloted scheduling patients 10 minutes ahead of the clinician visit to increase previsit time for [medical assistants] to manage this and other population health initiatives,” they wrote.
“I think that rather than just having alerts, where people tend to get alarm fatigue, it might be more useful to focus on how we’re collecting the data and how reliable it is and how much of a true reflection it is of the patient’s true blood pressure when they’re not in the office,” said Jeremy Bock, MD, interventional cardiologist and endovascular specialist at VHC Health in Arlington, Virginia.
At-Home Monitoring
Indeed, even if alerts do help, the challenge of getting patients to monitor their BP regularly at home does persist. At-home checks can seem nonurgent to them, especially if they are already taking an antihypertensive medication and feel fine.
Kristen Trom, DO, family physician with Inspira Health in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, said that her organization’s EMR uses an alert, but it’s still a challenge to get patients to monitor their BP at home and take their medication. “Resistance to starting medication can be a major challenge,” she said. “Many of these patients have never been on medication before and prefer not to start.”
“It’s trying to find that balance between being nonintrusive and also being part of their daily routine,” said Laffin.
Physicians may need to spend more time emphasizing the importance of at-home BP monitoring and ensure patients know how to do it correctly. Prevention efforts can be time-consuming, noted Bock, but they can also improve patient-provider relationships and patient satisfaction.
One important element of that process is reminding patients to use a validated BP cuff. Suter recommends directing patients to the website validateBP.org, which is also suggested by the American Heart Association.
Future Possibilities
Time is often the biggest impediment for primary care providers. Eventually EMRs may be configured — along with AI — to incorporate the most effective cues and advisories, and then filter the information that would be most helpful for the physician, Smith said.
“It is getting better, and it has potential for the future,” he said.
Barr added that other efforts could bolster such improvements. For example, clinic-level interventions also play a major role.
“Standardized blood pressure measurement protocols, routine use of home blood pressure monitoring, automated follow-up scheduling, and nurse-led hypertension visits can all support timely diagnosis and management,” Barr said.
“Engaging patients through portal alerts, educational messaging, and self-reported blood pressure entries adds another layer of protective care. Together, these strategies help close care gaps and support earlier identification and treatment of hypertension, ultimately improving long-term cardiovascular outcomes.”
A person diagnosed with dementia has improved survival outcomes in recent years amid significant progress in dementia diagnosis and care, according to a recent multinational study led by a University of Waterloo researcher.
The study analyzed data from more than 1.2 million people over the age of 60 living with dementia in eight global regions between 2000 and 2018. It found that in five of those regions, including Ontario, a lower risk of death exists today than in previous years.
Dementia is a global public health priority. Understanding how survival among people living with dementia varies over time and across health systems can help policy makers assess its real-world impact on health and social care services.”
Dr. Hao Luo, assistant professor in the School of Public Health Sciences and lead author of the study
She said the increase in survival probability is likely due to factors such as progress in dementia prevention and care in recent years, as well as more effective drug treatments and psychosocial interventions tailored to an individual’s needs.
“Knowledge of survival after the diagnosis of dementia is important for people living with dementia and their family members for making informed decisions about the subsequent care arrangement, for clinicians to improve their prognosis and care for people living with dementia and for policy makers to improve estimation of the real-world disease burden currently carried by health systems,” Luo said.
Of the eight regions in the study (Ontario, United Kingdom, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Finland, Germany and New Zealand), only New Zealand showed an increase in the risk of death following the first hospital record of dementia diagnosis. Data from Finland and Germany were inconclusive.
“We were surprised to observe a steady increase in mortality risk in New Zealand between 2014 and 2018,” Luo said. “We later found that this coincided with a national effort to shift the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated dementia to primary care to free up specialist services. With greater involvement of primary care, people living with dementia are more likely to present to hospitals at a more advanced stage of the disease, leading to a higher risk of mortality following the first hospital record of dementia diagnosis.”
The consistently observed decrease in mortality risk across five of the regions accounted for 84 per cent of all participants. Canada, the U.K., South Korea, Taiwan, Finland and Germany have national dementia strategies already in place or in development.
Luo said her future research will look at the role comorbidities play. “To analyze multinational data using a standardized approach, some compromises were made, including not accounting for the impact of comorbid conditions on dementia survival,” she said. “One of my future research directions is to understand the patterns of comorbidity and how comorbidities affect survival among persons with dementia.”
Source:
Journal reference:
Luo, H., et al. (2025). A multinational cohort study of trends in survival following dementia diagnosis. Communications Medicine. doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00923-6.
Two signs have been installed in the village to warn oncoming drivers of the wildlife
Concerned residents are calling upon their local council to help protect a flock of ducklings from speeding traffic.
Sarah West has lived in Aldbourne, Wiltshire, her entire life and said the eight ducklings and their mother have become a beloved fixture in their small village.
After witnessing countless “near misses”, she implored Aldbourne Parish Council to install prominent ‘duck crossing’ warning signs on the B4192, but to no avail.
Aldbourne Parish Council said it will ultimately be up to the highways department at Wiltshire Council whether the signs are permanently installed on the road.
The issue will be raised at a parish council meeting on Wednesday.
In the meantime, councillor Alison Edmonds volunteered to pay for two temporary signs out of her own pocket, while they wait and hope for more official signage.
Debbie Keen
There were once 12 ducklings that roamed the village, but four sadly died of natural causes
Ms West says the mother was originally followed by 12 ducklings in tow, but four have gradually been lost to predators and environmental factors.
“Dying of natural causes is more bearable, but being squashed would be so unpleasant,” she said.
She added it is unlikely the birds could avoid a vehicle approaching them at speed.
“They’re so small you could fit them in the palm of your hand. When you watch them crossing the road, they struggle to hop up onto the pavement.”
Sarah West
Sarah West says the flock spend most of their time at the village pond, but regularly cross the road to explore their surroundings
The 61-year-old recalled a “terrifying” incident where a van drove over the entire family, but they “miraculously” ended up between the four wheels, unscathed.
“I nearly had a heart attack,” she said. “I was so scared the whole lot had been killed in front of me.
“Every day we count the ducklings to make sure they’re all still there. People tear through the village, it’s only a matter of time.
“We’ve done what we can but it’s not enough, it’s now up to the council to do their bit to protect them.”
Our senior analyst, Gerrit Schneemann will be attending Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event on 9 July, 2025. In case you are planning to be there, you can schedule a meeting to discuss the latest trends in the technology, media and telecommunications sector and understand how our leading research and services can help your business. Details below:
When: 9 July, 2025 | 10:00 AM ET Where: Brooklyn, New York
About the Event:
Samsung’s second Galaxy Unpacked event of 2025 is set for July 9 in Brooklyn, New York, and will stream live on Samsung’s official platforms. The spotlight will be on the next generation of foldable devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 7, both featuring slimmer designs, upgraded cameras, and Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 “For Galaxy” chipsets. Samsung is also expected to introduce the Galaxy Watch 8 series, offering a new design and deeper Galaxy AI integration. With One UI 8, enhanced AI features, and potential glimpses at experimental devices like the Galaxy Tri-Fold, the event marks a major leap in mobile innovation and ecosystem intelligence.
