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...
Biden vs Facebook: Conservative media sigh with relief as Big Tech accused of ‘killing people’
US resident Biden’s criticism of Facebook is a double win for Fox News. Not only does it draw attention away from the network’s own culpability for the vaccination gap, but it feeds a potent right-wing narrative about government and Big Tech colluding to silence conservatives. ‘ Biden and Facebook have...
South Africa’s unrest hits neighbours as Namibia tells of coffin shortage for burial of Covid victims
South Africa’s neighbours felt the shockwaves of days of unrest and looting, prompting some to rethink their economic reliance on the regional power. In Namibia, the effect was immediate. In commenting on the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said the unrest in South Africa threatened...
Chelsea offloads striker Tammy Abraham to London rivals Arsenal on loan, initially
Chelsea are willing to allow Arsenal to sign Tammy Abraham on an initial loan deal, according to reports. The Champions League holders are actively looking to sell Abraham this summer but have been holding out for a £40 million transfer fee. West Ham and Aston Villa both registered their interest...
