Tensions soar in Tigray as Ethiopia alleges aid agencies are arming rebels, ‘fabricating facts and figures’ against state
Ethiopian government accusations that aid agencies are supporting rebel forces in Tigray have left international relief organisations concerned for the security of frontline staff, even as conflict escalates and hundreds of thousands of people face famine. In a statement last week, Ethiopian foreign affairs official Redwan Hussein accused aid organisations...
How publishers are coping with push to expedite name changes for ‘transwriters’
In an effort to expand inclusivity for transgender researchers, some scientific publishers and societies worldwide have adopted policies that allow rapid and discreet author name changes to be made on digital editions of published works. These include research articles, conference papers, books and book chapters. Some publishers are also extending...
‘I’m sorry, but it’s too late’: Doctor tells of how emotionally it’s taxing to care for someone who’d have prevented Covid
Dr Brytney Cobia said early this week that all but one of her Covid patients in Alabama did not receive the vaccine. The vaccinated patient, she said, just needed a little oxygen and is expected to fully recover. Some of the others are dying. “I’m admitting young healthy people to...
Strangest Olympics yet: Without spectators at Tokyo 2020, we are left only with the champions themselves
Elite sport demands superlatives. Whether it be the fastest, the furthest, the highest, the longest; the very purpose is to find a place in the extremities of history. Before the torch has even been lit, the XXXII Olympiad has succeeded in finding its transcendence. Tokyo 2020 is certain to be...
Comedians put on notice after director of Olympic Games opening ceremony is fired over Holocaust joke
The Tokyo Olympic organising committee has fired the director of the opening ceremony because of a Holocaust joke he made during a comedy show in 1998. Kentaro Kobayashi was accused of using a joke about the Holocaust in his comedy act, including the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust.” The dismissal of...
Frustrated Manchester United midfielder wants return Serie A’s Lazio
A current Manchester United midfielder wants to join a Serie A side after insisting he must feature regularly to take the next step. Manchester United finally appear to be pulling in the right direction under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The club’s hunt for silverware under the Norwegian will enter its fourth...
Graduate student mental health: Boundaries between work and life are blurred, self-care’s key
A graduate student mental health and well-being (CGS-JED) report says many PhD students say they have problems accessing care. This is because counselling centres are often closed after 5pm and at weekends, limiting access for those busy with classes, teaching and research. Some students were also apprehensive about going to...
Researchers and PhD holders want reforms in their fields addressed to rein in wastage
Nations, universities and research institutions around the world must redouble efforts to expand training for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to prepare them for jobs outside academia. So urges a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental coalition of 38 nations. The report, the result...
Gun violence: Pregnancy or recently having given birth doubles a woman’s risk of being shot dead in US
Maeve Wallace has studied maternal health in the United States for more than a decade, and a grim statistic haunts her. Five years ago, she published a study showing that being pregnant or recently having had a baby nearly doubles a woman’s risk of being killed. More than half of...
Fears of a return to Cold War heats up geopolitics after Russia unveils hypersonic jetfighter
The world was on Tuesday reminded of a simmering Cold War after Russia announced the launch of its latest fighter jet – Checkmate. President Vladimir Putin inspected the newly unveiled Checkmate warplane on Tuesday, signal the Moscow was still keen on domination geopolitics with latest technology. There was no immediate...
