The research partially answers a quandary puzzling scientists for decades on why squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) in the mouth, lungs, and skin often look similar under the microscope, but vary dramatically in how aggressively they grow and spread. Squamous cell carcinomas are a type of epithelial cancer.

Co-author from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 says the key to the difference lies not in the cancer cells themselves, but in the fibroblasts鈥攕upporting cells in the surrounding tissue鈥攖hat send powerful biochemical signals shaping how the cancer behaves.

The translational study published in Nature Metabolism is funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research.

According to the study, fibroblasts from the mouth and lungs have strikingly different patterns of fat metabolism, producing and transferring different types of fats to nearby cancer cells.

The transferred fats act as molecular cues that push SCC cells to become more invasive through a process known as epithelial鈥憈o鈥憁esenchymal transition, a change that allows cancer cells to move more freely and spread.

In oral cancers, fibroblasts supply cancer cells with sphingomyelins, a type of fat that activates the ceramide/S1P/STAT3 pathway, a chain of molecular events known to drive cancer cell migration and invasion.

In lung cancers, fibroblasts instead transfer another type of fat called triglycerides, which stimulate cholesterol production inside the cancer cells and fuel a highly invasive behaviour associated with poorer patient survival.

By contrast, fibroblasts in the skin contain far fewer fats, and as a result, cutaneous SCC tends to be less invasive than its oral or lung counterparts.

Dr Viros said: 鈥淭hese findings highlight that the tumour microenvironment鈥攑articularly the fibroblasts and the fats they produce鈥攑lays a decisive role in determining how dangerous a particular SCC will become.

鈥淚t suggests several promising therapeutic strategies, including blocking fat production in fibroblasts, preventing cancer cells from taking up these fats, or disrupting the pathways that break them down once inside the tumour. It is encouraging that many drugs that already exist approved for lipid disorders, like statins, can potentially be repurposed to prevent aggressive epithelial cancers鈥�.

Co-author Dr Timothy Budden from the University of Liverpool said: 鈥淭argeting these fat鈥慸riven interactions could slow or even halt the spread of oral and lung SCC, offering new hope for patients with these aggressive cancers.

鈥淪o we think this work opens the door to more personalized cancer treatments based on the biology of the tissue where the tumour arises, rather than treating all SCCs as a single disease.鈥�

• The paper Tissue-specific fibroblast lipid cues impose the rate of epithelial cancer invasion is available DOI:

• Higher levels of education are consistently linked to longer life expectancy
• In some countries, the gap between education levels exceeds a decade of life
• Women aged 20-49 show particularly large differences in mortality by education
• New statistical methods allow researchers to estimate mortality even where data is missing
• The study provides new evidence from under-researched regions including North Africa and Western Asia

What did the study find?

The study, funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences analysed mortality patterns across 13 countries in South-East Europe, Western Asia and North Africa between 1980 and 2015. 

Researchers reconstructed mortality rates by age, sex and education level using a new statistical model designed to work even where official data is incomplete or inconsistent.

The findings revealed a clear and consistent pattern: people with more education live significantly longer than those with little or no formal education. 

How was the research done?

The research was carried out by Professor Arkadiusz Wi艣niowski from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, alongside Dr Andrea Tamburini and Dr Dilek Yildiz from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria.

The team developed an innovative modelling framework that combines data from multiple international sources, including the United Nations, Eurostat and Demographic and Health Surveys.

This approach made it possible to estimate life expectancy differences even in countries where reliable birth and death records are limited. 

Where are the biggest differences seen?

In some countries included in the study, the difference in life expectancy between people with higher and lower levels of education was equivalent to more than ten years.

The gap was particularly striking among women aged 20 to 49, where those with secondary education or higher experienced much lower mortality rates.

Why does education affect life expectancy?

The findings highlight the wide-ranging impact of education on people鈥檚 lives.

鈥淎ccess to education means better health knowledge, better jobs, and better access to healthcare - but it also changes how people make decisions about their lives,鈥� said Professor Arkadiusz Wi艣niowski. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a powerful social equaliser.鈥� 

Why has this been hard to measure before?

Until now, much of the global evidence linking education and life expectancy has come from high-income countries with strong data systems.

In many parts of the world, incomplete or inconsistent records have made it difficult to understand how education shapes health outcomes.

Why does this matter?

By filling these data gaps, the study provides one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of how education influences survival across diverse global populations.

The model could now be applied more widely to help governments and international organisations better understand population health and plan future services.

What are the implications?

The researchers say the findings strengthen the case for treating education as a key public health intervention, not just a social or economic priority.

鈥淲e hope this work helps policymakers see education not only as a path to better jobs, but as a key public health intervention,鈥� said Professor Wi艣niowski. 鈥淚nvesting in education is investing in life itself.鈥� 

Publication details

This research was funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences and is published in Demographic Research.

DOI:

Keir Starmer鈥檚 decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US keeps coming back to haunt him. It has now emerged that Mandelson was granted security clearance by the Foreign Office, despite concerns raised during the . Top Foreign Office civil servant Olly Robbins was sacked over these revelations.

Mandelson was controversial long before Starmer appointed him in 2024. A New Labour figure known as the 鈥減rince of darkness鈥� due to his reputation as an adept but often ruthless and underhand political operator, Mandelson had already been embroiled in a number of scandals involving allegations of corruption. He was also known to have had a close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as close business links in China.

Starmer fired him in September 2025 after emails were released showing Mandelson offering supportive messages to Epstein, who faced charges of soliciting a minor at the time. Further emails released by US officials suggested that Mandelson might have passed privileged and market-sensitive information to Epstein during the fallout of the financial crisis. In February 2026, the former ambassador was on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has denied criminal wrongdoing and has not been charged.

Therefore, it is perhaps unsurprising that Mandelson did not pass the vetting process carried out by the Cabinet Office鈥檚 UK Security Vetting team. Almost all civil servants are required to go through some form of vetting. But as a top diplomat, Mandelson was subject to the most intensive form of scrutiny. From what is known about the process, red flags were probably raised about Mandelson鈥檚 links with Chinese and Russian business interests, though the exact details have not been made public.

Starmer and his allies have argued that Robbins did not tell the prime minister about concerns raised in the vetting process as he should have. , Robbins said that Number 10 took a 鈥渄ismissive鈥� approach to the vetting process. He also said that he was under 鈥渃onstant pressure鈥� to approve Mandelson鈥檚 clearance due to this being a political priority for Starmer. Mandelson鈥檚 appointment was announced publicly before the vetting took place.

The opposition is piling on the pressure for Starmer to resign. But behind speculation about the prime minister鈥檚 future stands a deeper set of constitutional questions about accountability and standards in public life.

From Starmer鈥檚 perspective, the scandal has revealed a pressing need to improve the independent scrutiny of appointments. He has ordered a review into vetting procedures, and argued that failings lie with civil servants in the FCDO and with the robustness of vetting processes 鈥� not with him.

On one level, this defence is an effort to deflect blame. Yet the response also fits with Starmer鈥檚 approach to politics as a .

In arguing for a more robust independent process around vetting in their attempts to avoid blame, Starmer and his allies invoke a of Whitehall culture. This view treats independent, depoliticised scrutiny and checks and balances as key missing links in British politics. Building these would be vital for ensuring transparency and accountability around appointments and politics more broadly.

Since coming to office, Starmer has consistently argued for a rewiring of the British state to modernise the government. Like academics, thinktanks, journalists and former Whitehall insiders before him, Starmer鈥檚 view suggests that Whitehall and the centre of the British state operate in an antiquated way. When it comes to accountability and standards, the government arguably lacks proper independent scrutiny and constitutional checks and balances to hold decision-makers to account.

Instead, Whitehall is too reliant on a , which suggests politicians typically act with the best of intentions and therefore do not need to be subject to independent scrutiny.

Who is responsible?

Critics, echoing Robbins鈥� testimony, have argued that Starmer and his allies pressed Mandelson鈥檚 ambassadorship as a political priority, announcing it before vetting procedures had been completed in order to push through the appointment.

Many have pointed out that Mandelson鈥檚 reputation as a potentially suspect character was well known before the release of the Epstein files. Within this narrative, blame for the appointment of Mandelson lies squarely with Starmer.

In a sense, this approach offers a different view of British politics. In terms of appointments 鈥� both to top civil service positions and to more political posts 鈥� the UK鈥檚 approach has been argued to resemble . Here, the ruler decides their key advisers on the basis of their own preferences and objectives.

This too implies a lack of proper checks and balances around appointments. But one of the proposed advantages of such a system is that it places accountability and responsibility for decisions clearly in the hands of elected politicians. Britain has a longstanding tradition of individual ministerial accountability.

Starmer, however, is now seemingly weakening this tradition by deflecting blame onto the civil service and its processes. It is this notion of direct political accountability that Starmer鈥檚 opponents are invoking when they call for his resignation.

Overall, these two images of British politics are contradictory and indicative of the emergence of an . On the one hand, the state has failed to move towards modern and robust independent scrutiny of ministerial decision-making around appointments. On the other hand, politics has shifted away from a culture of clear, individual ministerial accountability.

This leaves Britain in a 鈥渨orst of both worlds鈥� scenario when it comes to accountability and standards in public life. It has neither robust independent scrutiny, nor clear lines of political accountability. More than anything, the Mandelson vetting scandal reveals the need to fix this broken system.

, Research Associate, Department of Politics, and , Research Associate,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

• Growing global demand for beef is a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon
• Up to 80% of cleared forest land is converted into cattle pasture
• Higher land values after deforestation create strong financial incentives to clear forests
• Gaps in supply chain oversight allow deforestation to continue
• New framework identifies where interventions could have the greatest impact

What did the study find?

The research focuses on the Brazilian Amazon, where cattle farming is a leading cause of deforestation. It shows that decisions made by farmers are shaped by a powerful mix of global market demand, land prices and government policies. 

In many cases, clearing forest actually increases land value, creating a cycle where deforestation leads to profit 鈥� and to more deforestation. At the same time, environmental rules and sustainability initiatives often fail to fully reach the people making land-use decisions on the ground. 

Why does this matter to people?

Although the Amazon may feel far away, the study highlights how everyday consumption is connected to environmental change. Beef sold around the world in supermarkets and restaurants can be linked back to land-use decisions in the rainforest. 

The consequences are global. The Amazon plays a vital role in storing carbon and regulating the climate. As forests are cleared, this contributes to climate change, biodiversity loss and more extreme weather patterns worldwide.

What makes this study different?

Most research looks either at economic systems or environmental systems, but rarely both together. This study introduces a new approach that connects global supply chains with local ecosystems, showing how they influence each other in real time. It reveals that environmental damage is not just an unintended side effect 鈥� it is built into how global production systems operate. 

Where are the biggest challenges?

A key issue is that governance systems are fragmented. Governments, companies, and environmental organisations often work separately, with limited coordination.

For example, large meat companies may enforce sustainability rules for direct suppliers, but indirect suppliers 鈥� where much deforestation occurs 鈥� can slip through the cracks. 

At the same time, smaller farmers often lack access to credit or technical support, making it harder for them to adopt more sustainable practices. 

What are the solutions?

The study highlights several key opportunities to reduce deforestation:

• Strengthening enforcement of environmental laws
• Improving traceability across supply chains
• Supporting farmers with finance and training
• Rewarding conservation through incentives like payments for ecosystem services

Importantly, the research shows that no single solution will work on its own 鈥� progress depends on better coordination across global and local systems. 

Why this research matters now

As global demand for beef continues to grow, pressure on the Amazon is expected to increase. The researchers say their findings provide a clearer roadmap for policymakers, businesses and organisations trying to balance economic growth with environmental protection, and offers a new way to tackle one of the world鈥檚 most urgent environmental challenges. 

The study was conducted by an international team of researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Brazil鈥檚 Funda莽茫o Getulio Vargas S茫o Paulo School of Business Administration, and is published in Competition & Change.

DOI:  

A Lego-style Iranian military commander : 鈥淥ur inbox is flooded with Americans saying they don鈥檛 watch the news. They listen to our songs instead since your media is full of sh*t.鈥�

This is the opening line of an AI-generated video which is part of Iran鈥檚 meme campaign 鈥� built around Lego-style animation and rap soundtracks, which have online. The line captures the strange reality of contemporary politics: news is often most effectively disseminated not through journalism but humour, memes and entertainment.

Since late February, pro-Iranian media groups 鈥� most notably, the 鈥� have flooded social media with AI-generated video content mocking Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and US foreign policy. It has been dubbed 鈥� but the sophistication is striking.

These videos but do not look or feel like state propaganda 鈥� despite the spokesperson for Explosive Media admitting to the BBC that the . They capture the internet zeitgeist: fast, funny, visually familiar and designed for virality.

Trojan horses

The success of these memes lies in their audience strategy. They do not target people actively seeking news. Instead, they mimic the language of everyday internet culture to reach those who are not following events in the Middle East at all.

Humour is the mechanism they use to get reach. These videos function as Trojan horses, drawing viewers in with recognisable imagery, references and music 鈥� while communicating a narrative about American overreach, dysfunction and corruption.

As , a US-based expert in disinformation, notes, this kind of content reaches 鈥減olitically uninvested people who otherwise wouldn鈥檛 have engaged with war-related content鈥�.

The key insight here is not geopolitics but audiences. Conventional political communication, including press conferences, policy statements and traditional news coverage, reaches people who are already paying attention. These AI meme videos are designed to reach everyone else: the millions of people whose understanding of international conflict extends no further than what happens to appear in their social media feed.

Humour is the primary mechanism these videos have harnessed to conquer the social media algorithms. The joke is not the message 鈥� it is the delivery system. By packaging geopolitical arguments inside 鈥渄iss tracks鈥�, pop culture references and shareable clips, these videos communicate political ideas before audiences have even registered they are consuming political content.

What makes audiences receptive to 鈥榮lopaganda鈥�?

But this raises a deeper question. Why are people so receptive to receiving political information in this form? The answer is that they have been primed for it.

For two decades, a generation of Americans 鈥� and increasingly British and European viewers 鈥� have learned to process political news through satire. Jon Stewart鈥檚 The Daily Show became, for many younger viewers, a than the nightly news.

The likes of Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel also built enormous audiences by making politics funny, accessible and emotionally engaging in ways that conventional journalism often failed to do. The implicit message, repeated nightly, was that humour was not merely a gloss on political commentary. It was a .

This was largely a progressive phenomenon. The targets were politicians and large institutions, both government and private sector 鈥� and the satirists positioned themselves as holding power to account. But this created an expectation that , and that comedy is a legitimate vehicle for political understanding.

Iran is copying populist strategy

Since 2008, many populists have recognised the in their election campaigns 鈥� none more so than Trump. His campaign appearances on comedy podcasts, his and stunts, and his endless memes are not distractions from his political strategy 鈥� they are his political strategy.

Trump reached, and mobilised, millions of who had long since stopped engaging with political news in any traditional form.

Iran has been paying attention. The American scholar of propaganda has that Iran is now 鈥渦sing popular culture against the No.1 pop culture country, the United States鈥�.

The Lego aesthetic, the rap beats, the 1980s pop covers, the selection of jokes are not random choices. They demonstrate a precise calibration of what can effectively reach online audiences in the western attention economy.

The result is content that is not immediately visible as foreign propaganda, and instead looks like entertainment. For audiences already accustomed to learning about politics through comedy, the distinction barely registers.

There is a profound irony here. The cultural conditions that produced shows like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight 鈥� the erosion of trust in mainstream political communication and the demand for authenticity and humour over formal rhetoric 鈥� have produced a media environment in which a foreign state can distribute propaganda to millions of Americans, and have it feel indistinguishable from domestic entertainment.

This is not to say that late-night satire and Iranian AI content is equivalent. But they are operating in the same media ecosystem 鈥� one in which humour has become a primary method of political communication.

The most unsettling thing about what is happening right now is what this means for our information environment.

If propaganda is indistinguishable from satire, and satire accumulates millions of views while news does not, the line between political entertainment and political persuasion has seemingly collapsed. And the people most affected are those who think they are not following the war at all.

, Early Career Researcher, Religions and Theology Department
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黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 University Challenge team have been crowned winners of the UK鈥檚 toughest quizzing tournament.

Having beaten out New College Oxford and LSE to reach the quarterfinals, from there defeating UCL and Sheffield, and sailing past Imperial with 250 points to 70 in the final semi-final round, they finally triumphed over Edinburgh in last night鈥檚 finale.

The victory is an historic one for the University, as with this fifth win (2006, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2025) it becomes the most successful University in the history of the competition, joint with Imperial College London.

The winning team this year was made up of Ray Power (Film Studies and English Literature), Kirsty Dickson (Medicine), Rob Faulkner (Physics with Astrophysics) and their captain, Kai Madgwick (PhD, AI and Astrophysics), along with reserve player, Argyro Olympitis (PHD in Immunology).

It can feel as though there鈥檚 something mystic about acquiring a seat on the University Challenge team, a tap on the shoulder in a quiet area of the quad one day maybe, but according to Ray, that that isn鈥檛 so.

鈥淕rowing up, my Grandma was always a huge fan of University Challenge, and when a friend of mine who鈥檇 been a contestant a couple of years before told me that they were recruiting again, I signed myself up!鈥�

After passing a first-stage online quiz, and doing herself proud in a trial match held by Quiz Society, Ray鈥檚 name was on the team sheet.

鈥淭he great thing about how UoM do it is that the whole thing is led by students. The Uni supports it, but it鈥檚 all run by Quiz Society. There鈥檚 a real sense of community, we even have contestants from previous years coming back for mentoring and to help us practice.鈥�

Rob, Kirsty, and Ray, all took the same sign-up route to the team, while their Captain, Kai Madgwick, was already a Quiz Soc stalwart, having competed in plenty of inter-university quiz tournaments.

Once in the team, the training process is tough, spending hours each Tuesday sequestered away in a quiet part of the library, testing each other and playing along with old episodes. It wasn鈥檛 all about gruelling revision, though.

鈥淚 feel really lucky to have been able to meet the rest of the team, I鈥檝e made four really good friends. I don鈥檛 think we expected to have such a good time together!鈥� said Ray. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to pick out just one highlight, but filming the trophy presentation in London was amazing, and it was so lovely to be together with the team through the whole process.鈥�

Ray insists that it isn鈥檛 all down to their hard work 鈥� there鈥檚 some chance involved too, and that losing starter questions, or feeling like you don鈥檛 have the momentum of the game, can really affect the outcome. The score of the semi-final against Imperial, she says, really didn鈥檛 reflect how strong that team were, and that 黑料网吃瓜爆料 were lucky to have played such a great team game that round, where everybody contributed to the win.

And while there might be an element of chance, it sounds like there鈥檚 a little bit of fate in there too, with a semi-final tie against UCL seeing them ace a music round, picking out tunes from Fontaines DC, Black Midi, Squid, and Wet Leg.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so weird, Kai鈥檚 a huge Squid fan - one of the first conversations I remember having with them was about going to a Squid gig鈥� after that music round, Squid actually shouted us out on Instagram!鈥�

Ray says they never expected to win when they began the contest, they just kept playing and ended up in the final.

鈥淲e never expected to win, we were just happy to be there. The whole thing was nerve-wracking! It was so intense and felt so much like a super weird school trip!鈥�

Having been beaten by Edinburgh 195 to 80 in the quarterfinals of the competition, the tournament鈥檚 last leg was a chance for the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team to right some wrongs.

鈥淵eah, they beat us really badly. It was scary but we were happy with how far we鈥檇 already come. We knew how wonderful and clever the team from Edinburgh were, and we just went into it wanting to do our best!鈥�

Do their best they did, and in bringing home the trophy for 黑料网吃瓜爆料, they are the fifth team to do so, placing UoM at the top of the all-time leaderboard, in the company of ICL.

• Social media can reduce loneliness when used to build or maintain relationships
• Passive use, such as scrolling without interacting, is linked to higher loneliness
• People with strong offline networks benefit more from social media use
• User motivations - such as connection versus escape - shape outcomes
• Platform design and online experiences influence whether users feel connected or isolated
• More long-term research is needed to fully understand impacts on wellbeing

What did the study find?

Dr Rebecca Nowland assessed the latest global evidence on the relationship between social media and loneliness.

The findings highlight a complex picture. Social media can strengthen social connections when it is used to interact meaningfully - such as messaging friends, sharing experiences or receiving supportive responses.

However, simply scrolling through content without engaging - often referred to as 鈥榩assive use鈥� - is consistently linked to higher levels of loneliness. 

Why does how we use social media matter?

The study shows that the impact of social media depends heavily on how and why people use it.

People who go online to connect with others may experience reduced loneliness. In contrast, those using social media to escape difficult feelings or social situations may see the opposite effect.

In some cases, trying to replace face-to-face interaction with online activity can actually make loneliness worse. 

Who benefits most from social media use?

Not everyone benefits equally.

The research found that people who already have strong social networks are more likely to gain positive experiences online, including support and a sense of belonging.

Those who feel isolated offline, however, may struggle to achieve the same benefits - even if they use social media frequently.

What role do platforms and online experiences play?

Platform design is also important.

Features that encourage direct interaction - such as private messaging or sharing images - can help create a stronger sense of connection. By contrast, platforms or features focused on broadcasting or passive consumption offer fewer emotional benefits.

Experiences themselves also matter. Supportive comments and meaningful exchanges can reduce loneliness, while being ignored, excluded or exposed to negative interactions can increase it. 

What are the gaps in current research?

Despite growing interest in the topic, the study highlights important gaps in existing research.

Much of the evidence is based on snapshots in time rather than long-term studies, making it difficult to determine cause and effect. The paper calls for more robust research using real usage data and longer-term methods.

Why does this matter?

With loneliness increasingly recognised as a major public health issue, the findings suggest that improving how people engage online could play an important role in tackling the problem.

Encouraging more active and meaningful use of social media - and designing platforms that support this - may help maximise benefits while reducing harms.

This research was published in Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences.

DOI:  

• Governments across the global North and South are increasing their role in delivering affordable housing
• States are adopting new tools to influence housing supply, finance and land development
• Public-private partnerships and new financial models are being used to support large-scale housing
• Cities are experimenting with different ways to balance social need and market pressures
• Salford and Shanghai highlight contrasting but equally interventionist approaches

What did the study find?

Led by Dr Tom Gillespie, the study provides one of the first global comparisons of how states are responding to a growing housing crisis affecting billions of people.

Drawing on research from Shanghai, Salford, Nairobi, Paris, Casablanca and Rome, it shows that governments are increasingly stepping in as private markets struggle to deliver adequate and affordable homes at scale.

While previous decades favoured light-touch state involvement, this is now changing, with governments taking a more active role in shaping housing systems.

How are governments responding?

The research shows that states are adopting a wide range of new approaches to influence housing supply, finance and land development.

In many cases, this includes experimenting with public-private partnerships, land value capture and new state-backed financial mechanisms to make large-scale housing programmes viable.

Across all six cities, the researchers identified common themes, including what motivates governments to intervene, how new financial and institutional tools are being used, and how risks in housing markets are being redistributed.

What is happening in Salford?

Salford is highlighted as one of the most distinctive examples in the study.

Within England鈥檚 market-driven planning system, the local authority has developed an unusually interventionist approach. While earlier regeneration focused on property-led development such as Salford Quays, more recent efforts have aimed to address the lack of affordable housing.

From 2016, the Council began redirecting developer contributions into a council-owned company to build new social housing. These homes are let at below-market 鈥淪alford rents鈥� and are exempt from the national 鈥榬ight to buy鈥�, helping to protect them from speculative pressures.

Although still relatively small in scale, the model is identified as an example of local state action designed to 鈥渄e-financialise鈥� housing while still working within a market-led system.

What about Shanghai?

Shanghai offers a contrasting but equally interventionist model.

After decades of market-driven housing growth, the city has shifted towards a more active role, using state control of land and developers to deliver affordable homes for different social groups.

Policies include shantytown renewal, shared ownership schemes and subsidised rental housing, aimed at tackling rising property prices while supporting social stability and inclusion.

Why is this shift happening?

The study highlights a broader global shift away from reliance on private markets alone.

As housing affordability crises deepen, governments are increasingly intervening to address gaps in supply and access. This marks the end of an era of minimal state involvement and the emergence of more active, experimental approaches to housing policy.

Researcher quote

鈥淥ur research shows that states are once again becoming central players in efforts to tackle the global affordable housing crisis, but this isn鈥檛 a simple return to old models of public housing,鈥� said Dr Tom Gillespie. 鈥淚nstead, we are seeing a wide range of new approaches emerging as governments try to balance social needs with the realities of financialised urban development.

What are the implications?

The researchers suggest that understanding how different cities are responding can help inform future housing policy.

By identifying shared patterns and innovative approaches, the study provides a framework for policymakers seeking to tackle housing crises in their own contexts.

Publication details

The study was published in journal Urban Studies.

DOI:

Key findings

Rwanda has achieved rapid economic growth and built a reputation for effective state-led development, but the book argues that long-term prosperity may depend on deeper industrial transformation rather than continued reliance on service-led growth.

Why has Rwanda been described as Africa鈥檚 鈥榤odel nation鈥�?

Over the past two decades, Rwanda has often been portrayed as one of Africa鈥檚 standout economic success stories. The country has recorded strong GDP growth, expanded healthcare and education, increased tourism revenues and built an international reputation for effective state leadership.

Kigali has also positioned itself as a hub for finance, conferences and high-end tourism, helping Rwanda gain praise from international donors and policymakers.

What does the new book examine?

In , Dr Pritish Behuria offers one of the most in-depth accounts yet of how Rwanda has pursued rapid development in the face of major historical and structural challenges.

Drawing on nearly two decades of research, including extensive fieldwork and interviews with policymakers, business leaders and development partners, the book explores whether Rwanda has achieved genuine economic transformation or whether its growth masks deeper vulnerabilities.

Why might Rwanda鈥檚 future remain uncertain?

Dr Behuria argues that growth alone does not necessarily lead to long-term development.

Instead, sustainable prosperity typically depends on what economists call structural transformation: the shift from dependence on agriculture and raw materials towards higher-value manufacturing and productive domestic industries.

While this process underpinned the rise of many economies in Europe and East Asia, manufacturing remains limited across much of Africa, including Rwanda.

Has Rwanda relied too heavily on services?

Rather than prioritising manufacturing, Rwanda has focused heavily on services such as tourism, finance and international events.

The book examines whether this strategy can create enough jobs, technological learning and domestic business development to sustain long-term economic progress.

Rather than offering a simple verdict, the book presents a balanced assessment that recognises Rwanda鈥檚 achievements while exploring the risks and limits of its current model.

What does Rwanda鈥檚 experience say about development more broadly?

The book contributes to wider debates about whether African countries can build new pathways to development in today鈥檚 global economy.

鈥淭he space to experiment, protect industries and build domestic champions is much narrower. Rwanda鈥檚 experience shows what is possible - and how fragile success can be - in today鈥檚 globalised era.鈥�

Publication details

will be published by Cambridge University Press on April 30th, and will be available open access.

• Peer pressure, bullying and emotional difficulties are linked to higher substance use
• Strong relationships with parents and teachers, and a sense of school belonging, are protective
• Substance use increases with age, with alcohol the most commonly reported
• Close friendships are not always protective and may increase exposure to substance use
• Girls, LGBTQ+ young people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds report higher levels of use
• Differences between schools explain more variation than differences between neighbourhoods

What did the study find?

The study analysed data from the #BeeWell programme, covering more than 30,000 pupils across 100 schools and over 1,500 neighbourhoods. #BeeWell is a collaboration between 黑料网吃瓜爆料, The Gregson Family Foundation and Anna Freud who, together with the Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Combined Authority (GMCA), launched the programme in 2019.

It shows that teenage substance use is shaped by a combination of social, emotional and environmental factors. Young people who felt pressured by peers, experienced bullying or struggled with emotional difficulties were more likely to use substances.

In contrast, those with strong relationships with parents and teachers, a sense of belonging at school and positive perceptions of their academic performance were less likely to report substance use.

How does substance use vary by age and type?

The findings show that substance use increases with age, with older teenagers significantly more likely to report using alcohol or drugs.

Alcohol was the most commonly-reported substance, with around one in six young people reporting recent use. Vaping was less common but still notable, with around one in fifteen reporting use.

What role do friendships and peer relationships play?

The study highlights a complex role for peer relationships. While often seen as protective, close friendships were in some cases associated with higher substance use.

This may reflect increased exposure to social situations where substances are available, suggesting that peer influence can both increase and reduce risk depending on context.

Are there differences between groups?

The researchers found important differences between groups of young people. Girls and LGBTQ+ young people were more likely to report substance use than boys.

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were also more likely to vape, smoke and use drugs, indicating that inequalities play a role in shaping these behaviours.

How do different factors influence different substances?

The study found that different substances are influenced by different factors.

Stress and emotional difficulties were strongly linked to vaping, smoking and alcohol use, suggesting these behaviours may act as coping mechanisms. In contrast, illicit drug use appeared to be more strongly shaped by relationships with adults and broader school experiences.

Why does the school environment matter?

While a wide range of determinants were identified, the study found that differences between schools explained more variation in substance use than differences between neighbourhoods.

This suggests that the school environment - particularly peer relationships, social norms and support systems - plays a crucial role in shaping young people鈥檚 behaviour.

Researcher quote

鈥淲e often assume that where young people live shapes their behaviour most, but our findings show that a wide range of social and emotional factors are at play,鈥� said lead researcher Dr Emma Thornton. 鈥淓xperiences like peer pressure, bullying and mental health difficulties can increase risk, while strong relationships and a sense of belonging can be protective.鈥�

What are the implications?

The research team hopes their findings will inform national policy and support the development of more targeted, evidence-based approaches to preventing substance use among young people.

Publication details

The study was published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

DOI:

Key findings

• A grammar-based authorship analysis method matched or exceeded leading AI systems across most test datasets
• The approach outperformed several neural network-based authorship verification models
• Researchers tested the method across 12 real-world writing datasets including emails, forums and reviews
• The system is more transparent than many AI models because it shows which grammatical patterns informed decisions
• Researchers say the findings challenge assumptions that more complex AI always produces better results

What did the study find?

Researchers found that a relatively simple, linguistically grounded method can perform as well as - and in some cases better than - complex artificial intelligence systems in identifying authorship.

The study suggests that increasingly sophisticated AI is not always necessary for high-performing writing analysis, particularly when methods are designed around established principles of how language works.

How does the LambdaG method work?

The method, called LambdaG, analyses patterns in grammar rather than relying on large-scale machine learning models.

It builds a statistical profile of how an individual writes by measuring features such as function word usage (words like it, of and the), sentence structure, punctuation patterns and other grammatical habits.

The researchers say these features create a distinctive behavioural signature for each writer.

Why is this different from AI-based authorship analysis?

Many current authorship verification systems rely on complex AI models trained on vast datasets. While effective, these systems can be difficult to interpret, computationally expensive and hard to explain in high-stakes settings such as legal investigations. By contrast, LambdaG provides a transparent explanation of which grammatical features influenced its conclusions.

How accurate was the method?

Researchers tested LambdaG across 12 datasets designed to reflect real-world writing scenarios, including emails, online forum posts and consumer reviews.

In most cases, the method achieved higher accuracy than several established authorship verification systems, including neural network-based approaches.

Why does grammar reveal authorship?

The researchers argue that grammar acts as a behavioural signature, like how we write our signature or how we walk.

Over time, individuals develop unconscious habits in how they structure sentences and use language. These habits create identifiable linguistic patterns that can distinguish one writer from another.

What are the potential applications?

The researchers say the method could support work in:

• Forensic linguistics
• Criminal investigations
• Online abuse detection
• Academic integrity monitoring

The study was published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.

DOI:

DOI:  

Ava Begley鈥檚 parents say they feel 鈥渄eeply grateful鈥� that the researchers, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM), have made this discovery, which is one of the most common genetic causes of severe epilepsy.

Delivered through the this groundbreaking work is already transforming the lives for many children and young people around the world, providing long-awaited answers and hope for the future.

Ava鈥檚 parents, Daniel Begley and Elizabeth Dowd, from Sydney, Australia, said: 鈥淥ur first reaction was a mixture of emotion 鈥� relief at finally having a diagnosis, but also sadness in understanding the seriousness of the condition and how rare it is. Above all, we felt grateful that Ava鈥檚 experience may contribute to greater knowledge and future progress and treatment.鈥�

This new condition, which the researchers have named as 鈥淩ecessive RNU2-2-related neurodevelopmental disorder鈥�, results in difficult-to-control seizures and severe developmental delays in children, often appearing within their first year of life.

Published in the journal , the research has so far identified 84 individuals living with the new condition, while experts estimate that thousands more remain undiagnosed across the world.

The team estimates that millions of people globally could be 鈥榗arriers鈥� of the faulty gene behind this disorder.

Study lead and first author of the paper Dr Adam Jackson, Academic Clinical Fellow at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine, part of MFT, and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, explained: 鈥淲e believe that as many as in 1 in 100 people could unknowingly be carriers of this condition. If both parents are carriers, there is a 1 in 4 chance with every pregnancy that their child could be affected. We estimate roughly 1 in 40,000 people may be living with this condition, making it one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders currently known. Our discovery brings hope for many patients and families who have been searching for answers and is already having a positive impact around the world.鈥�

This major advance builds on in which they showed the importance of the RNU genes in brain development and function.

The research team made the new discovery by analysing changes in several hundred RNU genes in data of individuals who took part in the 100,000 Genomes Project, a Genomics England initiative to sequence and study the role genes play in health and disease.

Dr Jackson, who is also an early career researcher in the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC鈥檚 Rare Conditions Theme, explained: 鈥淲hat makes this discovery even more remarkable is that RNU2-2 is extremely small in comparison to other genes. Unlike most other genes, RNU2-2 does not even make a protein. We were astonished to discover how changes in this tiny gene can have such profound effects in so many individuals.鈥�

Children with the condition experience severe early on in life, often in their first year. This means they have seizures 鈥� sudden surges of electrical activity in the brain which can cause the body to stiffen, jerk, shake and lose consciousness. These seizures can be difficult to fully control with medication, highlighting the urgent need for improved therapies.

The condition also has a profound impact on brain development, causing delays or inability to achieve key milestones such as walking or talking. Almost all affected individuals have significant learning problems.

Ava鈥檚 story

6-year-old Ava has lived with complex neurological symptoms from early childhood and requires full-time care and ongoing medical support.

Ava鈥檚 condition includes developmental delay, profound intellectual disability and severe epilepsy with frequent seizures. She would often experience 100 to 200 seizures per day, but these are now more controlled with medication.

Ava is non-verbal and cannot communicate through speech or gestures. She requires full-time support with daily life, including bathing, toileting and feeding. She also experiences major motor and balance difficulties, can only walk short distances and falls frequently. Ava often bites and pulls hair out and screams in frustration.

Collaborating with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers, the Sydney Children鈥檚 Hospital Clinical Genetics Team who support Ava and her family, were able to link Ava鈥檚 condition to the newly identified recessive RNU2-2-related disorder.

Ava鈥檚 dad, Daniel and mum, Elizabeth, said: 鈥淎va is a beautiful little girl with a bright presence. She loves looking through books, music, sensory play, being outdoors, and spending time with her family. Even with the immense challenges she faces, Ava brings extraordinary love and meaning into our lives. She has a deep presence about her that touches everyone who meets her.

鈥淔or many years we have been through extensive medical investigations, specialist appointments, and genetic testing, hoping to find an answer that could explain Ava鈥檚 condition and guide her care. Like many rare disease families, we have lived with a long period of uncertainty.

鈥淗aving a diagnosis is incredibly meaningful. It gives Ava a name and a place in the medical world, rather than being an unanswered mystery. It helps us feel that we are getting closer to the starting point of being able to find a cure/treatment, and provides hope that research and awareness may lead to better understanding and support in the future.

鈥淲e believe that rare disease research is vital, not only for families like ours, but for the broader medical community. Ava鈥檚 journey has been challenging, but she is deeply loved, and we are committed to advocating for her and for all children living with rare and complex conditions.鈥�

Study lead and senior author Consultant Clinical Geneticist at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine at MFT, Professor of Genomic Medicine and Rare Diseases at UoM and Rare Conditions Theme Co-Lead at the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC said: 鈥淥ur work helps expand knowledge of conditions related to RNU genes, an emerging group of diseases which potentially affect around 1 in 10,000 individuals globally. It also shines a light on the regions of the human genome sometimes dismissed as 鈥榡unk DNA鈥�. We now see that so-called 鈥榙ark regions鈥� are vital for health.鈥�

Prof Banka, who is also Clinical Director of the , a virtual centre based at MFT which aims to improve the lives of people with rare conditions, added: 鈥淎t MFT, we have established a dedicated RNU clinic to identify and support more patients with these conditions. Looking to the future, this discovery paves the way to help unlock life-changing treatments for the recessive RNU2-2-related neurodevelopmental disorder.鈥�

Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: 鈥淒iscovering the cause for conditions like Ava鈥檚 is the first step to personalised treatment and improved lifelong health and quality of life. This breakthrough is a testament to the robust research infrastructure the NIHR has developed over the last 20 years, enabling us to turn world-class genomic science into better care.鈥�

• The paper 'Biallelic variants in RNU2-2 cause a remarkably frequent developmental and epileptic encephalopathy is published in DOI: . 

The study found SEND complaints make up 27% of the complaints received by the LGSCO and 48% of the cases that it upholds. Common issues include delays in carrying out Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessments, and failures to deliver the support children are legally entitled to.

Despite these challenges, the research also points to the impact of the Ombudsman鈥檚 work. Its recommendations can help councils identify problems, strengthen accountability, and push for improvements that benefit families.

In some cases, the findings have empowered local officials to argue for more resources or rethink how services are delivered - however, the report also highlights limitations including the time and capacity required to respond to investigations, and repeated recommendations on issues councils recognise but lack the means to resolve.

A key gap identified is that the Ombudsman cannot investigate complaints directly against schools - even though they play a central role in delivering SEND support - which can leave families without clear routes to resolve issues.

The report sets out recommendations to strengthen the system, which include extending the Ombudsman鈥檚 powers to cover schools, raising awareness of joint investigations with health bodies, and improving communication between councils and the Ombudsman. Crucially, it emphasises that meaningful reform must address underlying pressures on the SEND system, including funding shortages and workforce gaps.

鈥淭his research comes at a key moment for SEND system reform,鈥� said Ash Patel, Programme Head for Justice at the Nuffield Foundation. 鈥淭he Government鈥檚 intention to improve complaints and mediation processes - enabling faster and more collaborative, resolution of disagreements and reducing the need for appeals to the SEND Tribunal - is welcome. However, the proposals are silent on the role of the LGSCO, and it remains frustratingly unclear how disputes will be avoided or how routes for appeals and complaints will operate.鈥�

鈥淭he report points to high levels of tension between the education system and families of children with SEND; without greater attention to minimising these conflicts, it is difficult to see how existing pressures on complaints and appeals will ease.鈥� 

It follows a campaign led by a national coalition of partners, including academics from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, and  legal representatives from Garden Court Chambers and Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, who challenged the previous policy framework.

The rules, which affect asylum seekers who have waited 12 months or more for a decision on their initial claim, come into effect on 26 March 2026.

The previous policy restricted asylum seekers to occupations on the Immigration Salary List, excluding most health professions, including doctors and nurses.

One of the leading voices in the campaign was the Refugee and Asylum Seekers Centre for Healthcare Professionals Education (REACHE), directed by, Dr Aisha Awan, a Senior Clinical Lecturer at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation.

Displaced clinicians at REACHE receive specialist language, clinical and acculturation training alongside strong pastoral support, enabling them to secure regulatory registration and safely return to practice within the NHS.

The policy change follows legal proceedings which highlighted that highly qualified, NHS-ready clinicians were unable to work in shortage specialties despite clear workforce need.

Dr Awan said: 鈥淎s we continue to witness increasing displacement of people by conflict and global events, we must ethically address that doctors, nurses and health professionals becoming deskilled is a huge loss to humanity.

鈥淎longside being economically counterproductive, undermining NHS workforce capacity and negatively impacting mental health and integration.

鈥淎t a time of increasingly hostile rhetoric around migration, it鈥檚 been important to show the impressively positive impacts of this programme on the NHS and patients.

 鈥淚鈥檓 immensely  proud to be part of our University which supports this sort of positive and impactful change. Our success demonstrates how evidence, persistence and coalition-building can influence systems, no matter how big the resistance to change.鈥�

Undergraduate students from the University鈥檚 school of Law, Medicine, Computer Sciences and Languages were involved in the Interfaculty Service Learning project, attending the judicial review hearings.

Maria-Ioana Dicu a second year computer science undergraduate, was one of the undergraduates  to observe how research, evidence and advocacy connect within real-world policy debates.

She  said:  鈥淭hese doctors resilience and desire to help others was incredibly powerful and their fight to practice shows the impact you can have if you step outside your comfort zone, even against all the odds.鈥�

Aaron Drovandi, Senior Lecturer in Medical Education Research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, who was involved in the data and evaluation for REACHE said: 鈥淭he team have achieved tremendous impact on international debate and national policy, with the work being  acknowledged by a broad range of stakeholders including the British Medical Association and World Health Organisation.鈥�

Stephanie Harrison KC, Garden Court Chambers, said: 鈥淥ur clients were highly qualified doctors who wished to provide their skills to NHS patients in need. One of our clients was able to take up a role that had remained unfilled for over a year. This is an important step but the full removal of restrictions still recommended. It is important that policy is guided by reason and compassion, recognising both the contribution individuals can make and the wider needs of society.鈥�

Becky Hart, from Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, said: 鈥淲e are glad the Secretary of State has agreed to amend her policy to expand the jobs those claiming asylum can work in鈥� to include doctors, nurses, and other skilled occupations.鈥�

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President (Social Responsibility), at 黑料网吃瓜爆料  said: 鈥淲e are proud to have played a part in this success, which is a powerful illustration of how 黑料网吃瓜爆料 values social responsibility and interdisciplinary collaboration.

鈥淚t also reflects our obligation, as a university, to act ethically, contribute positively to society, and prepare students not only academically but also as responsible global citizens. It is a concept that connects education with real-world impact, so that we do not exist in isolation but actively shape a better future.鈥�

Image from left to right:
Front Row: Becky Hart Solicitor Bhatt Murphy; Isaac Ricca-Richardson KC Garden Court Chambers; Aisha Awan Senior Clinical Lecturer UoM, Director of REACHE 
Back row: REACHE Doctors;  Stephanie Harrison KC  Garden Court Chambers; Maeve Keaney - REACHE Founder; Maria-Ioana Dicu - UoM Yr 2 Computer Science Undergraduate, Faculty of Science and Engineering; Dorothy Anand - UoM Yr 2 Law Undergraduate, Faculty of Arts

The rankings measure the quality and reputation of research and include measures on academic and employer reputation, citations performance and international collaboration.

The University remains in the top 40 globally in the broad subject rankings, with Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, and Social Sciences & Management all improving this year. Natural Sciences remained the same, while Arts & Humanities fell slightly. Life Sciences & Medicine achieved its highest ranking in the past seven years.

In individual subject rankings, the University was ranked in 46 subjects. Twenty subjects moved up in the rankings, 13 maintained their position and 13 declined.

Among the top performers, Geography moved into the global top 10, while Anatomy & Physiology rose into the top 25 worldwide.

Significant increases were also recorded in Medicine (up seven places to 26), Modern Languages (up seven places to 28), Physics (up 15 places to 34), Education (up 10 places to 35) and Dentistry (up to 48), reflecting the University鈥檚 continued strength across a diverse range of fields.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淚 am really pleased to see the strong progress across so many of our subjects in this year鈥檚 QS rankings. From Geography breaking into the top 10 to Life Sciences & Medicine achieving its highest rank in seven years, these results show how our colleagues across the University are excelling in teaching, research and innovation across a wide range of disciplines.

鈥淲e will continue to raise our standards, pushing to be at our best across everything we do, providing the best experience for our students and strengthening our position among the best universities in the world.鈥�

Performance at the Detailed Subject Level 

• Four subjects ranked in the top 10 globally (up from three in 2025)
• 34 subjects ranked in the top 50 globally (up from 31 in 2025)
• 19 subjects ranked between 50-100 (up from 11 in 2025)
• A total of 45 subjects ranked in the top 100 worldwide (up from 44 in 2025) 

Top 10 Subjects 

Development Studies 鈥� ranked 5 (up from 11 in 2025)

Architecture 鈥� ranked 5 (same as 2025)

Geography 鈥� ranked 9 (up from 18)

Nursing 鈥� ranked 10 (same as 2025)

Subjects Ranked 11-25 

Petroleum engineering 鈥� ranked 12 (down from 10)

Materials science 鈥� ranked 17 (up from 21)

Engineering 鈥� chemical 鈥� ranked 17 (down from 16)

Pharmacy and pharmacology 鈥� ranked 18 (up from 25)

Sociology 鈥� ranked 20 (same as 2025)

Anthropology - ranked 20 (up from 21)

Accounting and Finance 鈥� ranked 21 (up from 23)

Chemistry 鈥� ranked 23 (down from 22)

English Language at Literature 鈥� ranked 22 (same as 2025)

Library and Information Management 鈥� ranked 23 (down from 20)

Anatomy and physiology 鈥� ranked 24 (up from 29)

Another 19 subjects are ranked between 26 and 50 and 19 between 50 and 100 globally, demonstrating a strong presence and broad academic excellence across subject areas.

The annual QS World University Rankings by Subject evaluate universities across 55 individual subjects and five broad subject areas, using indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact.

This year, QS analysed the reputation and research output of almost 6,277 institutions and 1,912 were ranked.

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is ranked 35th in the QS World University Rankings, 2025 (6th in the UK) and 46th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2025.  It was also recently recognised with 10 subjects featured in the top 100 in the  for 2026.

鈥淭hank you to the 57,000 young people who shared their views this year, and to the 161 schools who made it possible,鈥� said Councillor Mark Roberts, Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 portfolio lead for children and young people. 鈥淥ver five years #BeeWell has now heard from more than 143,000 young people, making this the biggest exercise of its kind.

鈥淚n Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, we have committed to improving the wellbeing of young people across the city region, and it is through #BeeWell that we can track our progress. As this year鈥檚 results show, there is a need to continue strengthening relationships in schools to improve attendance, ensuring young people remain involved in the development of our Live Well approach, and working so that every young person has a clear line of sight to good jobs, through programmes like the MBacc and Beeline.

鈥淲e will continue to act on the views of young people across our city region, and be guided by our excellent Youth Steering Group, so that every young person in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 can thrive.鈥�

"This is just the start. It's encouraging to see wellbeing improving, but we are at the beginning of a long journey and we鈥檙e excited to see how things continue to improve,鈥� said Daniel & Ayisha from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group. 鈥淭here are still worrying signs in the data, particularly in the inequalities we see. There are a lot of young people worried about these topics and a lot of work to be done. It's important young people are leading the next steps and actions following the results." 

The agreement to house the memorial at the University follows a commitment by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, to find a permanent and fitting home for it within the city-region. The memorial will now become part of the University鈥檚 collections, where it will be cared for as a place of remembrance, reflection and learning for generations to come.

Developed in collaboration with Inquiry participants, the memorial contains bottles with a message in each one written by someone affected by the scandal.

On display at the Infected Blood Inquiry until the publication of the Inquiry Report in May 2024, the memorial has been sited  in the . Its presence at the University will support research, teaching and public engagement, particularly in areas relating to patient safety, ethical practice in healthcare, trust, and health inequalities.

As a civic university rooted in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, the University is committed to working alongside communities to acknowledge difficult histories and to create spaces where reflection and learning can take place with care and respect. Through exhibitions, teaching programmes and public events including the annual Universally 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Festival, the memorial will remain accessible to the public, helping to ensure that the experiences of those affected continue to be heard and understood. 

By providing a permanent home for the Infected Blood Inquiry Memorial, the University hopes to honour those whose lives were changed forever, while supporting ongoing dialogue, understanding and learning that can help shape a more compassionate and responsible future in healthcare and public life.

Christine Burney, the widow of Peter Burney, who died of hepatitis following a blood transfusion said: 鈥淚 lost my husband Peter Burney in 2019 to liver cancer, after being given hepatitis C following a blood transfusion. The inquiry memorial holds deep personal significance. As I live on the outskirts of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 I have visited it numerous of times since its arrival on the university grounds, finding solace in its presence.

It serves as a vital, permanent reminder of this tragedy for the medical professionals of tomorrow. My hope is that by including this history in their curriculum we ensure that the lessons of the past directly inform the care and ethics of the future.鈥�

Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, said: 鈥淲e must never forget the devastating effects of what happened. Foremost among them is the anguish, suffering and profound loss, so eloquently highlighted by the messages carefully placed in this Memorial by people infected and affected.  I wish to thank the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 for providing a permanent home for the Memorial. It stands now, and for the future, as a testament to all of those who fought so long to be heard.  The infected blood disaster was not an accident and its like must never happen again.鈥� 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: "This memorial is a powerful way to honour those thousands of people and their family members who suffered so much and those whose lives continue to be blighted by the infected blood scandal.  I hope this memorial provides some closure, and a place for reflection for all people fighting injustice.

鈥淚 pay tribute to the campaigners like Fred and Eleanor Bates from Wythenshawe who never gave in and helped me understand the scale of the injustice. I am proud that the memorial will be based here, in the centre of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, and I know they would be too.鈥�

Professor Stephanie Snow, Professor of Health, History and Policy and Academic Lead for Public Engagement who is based at The University鈥檚  Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine said: 鈥淥ur stewardship will honour the Inquiry鈥檚 intention that the Memorial will be a permanent symbol of the human suffering and loss caused by the contaminated blood scandal.

鈥淢any thousands of NHS patients were infected after being given contaminated blood in what has been called the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

鈥淎ccording to the inquiry, the victims had been failed "not once, but repeatedly", since 1948, the date when the risk of viral infections in blood products originated. This memorial is a fitting tribute and a powerful reminder of their story. We are honoured it is to become part of the University鈥檚 collections.

John McAuliffe, Associate Vice President (Cultural Portfolio) at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Director of was also part of the team who helped to bring the monument to 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

He said: 鈥淥ur collections inspire and nurture world-class research, teaching and learning and this memorial will be of huge interest to writers, historians, social scientists, clinicians and scientists,  and others connected to the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, and to the University鈥檚 research platforms, Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Healthier Futures, which support interdisciplinary research, as well as to colleagues and students attached to the Justice Hub, the Centre for New Writing and the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology.

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淎s a civic university, we believe it is important to remember difficult histories with honesty, compassion and respect. The Memory Bank Memorial gives powerful voice to those affected by the contaminated blood scandal and stands as a reminder of the human impact behind it. 

鈥淚t is a privilege for the University to become its custodian, and we hope it will support reflection, learning and dialogue for generations to come, reflecting our commitment to social responsibility and to serving our communities in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and beyond.鈥�

• Image from left to right: Sir Brian Langstaff, Andy Burnham, Stephanie Snow, Christine Burney, Nalin Thakkar

DOI:  

She added: 鈥淪eparate from the UKCHA, the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 has research partnerships with Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Wuhan University and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Becoming the lead UK-based Coordinating Team reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting high quality, impactful research between world-leading Humanities academics.鈥� 

Established in 2016, The UKCHA鈥檚 aim is to intensify international cooperation in Humanities. This includes joint work on research and publication, staff and research exchanges, and connections with specialist arts and cultural institutions.   

The announcement has been made as part of a high-level delegation from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Led by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor and including a delegation of academic and university staff, the visit is connecting with alumni, donors, partners and universities. 

The visits are in conjunction with the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 China Centre and the East Asia Centre, based in Hong Kong and will also include a graduation ceremony in Shanghai and launch events for the University鈥檚 fundraising and volunteering campaign, Challenge Accepted. 

This pioneering study, led by scientists at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and involving teams in Denmark, has been published in

In what is considered a major breakthrough in the battle against brain cancer, scientists have found early evidence that a pair of proteins in the blood may help identify glioblastoma with high accuracy and provide insights into how the disease responds to treatment.

Glioblastoma is notorious for late diagnosis, rapid progression, resistance to treatment and extreme biological complexity. At present, diagnosis and follow-up rely largely on MRI scans and invasive surgical biopsies, which can miss early changes and cannot be repeated frequently. As a result, clinicians often struggle to determine in real time whether a treatment is working or whether the tumour is beginning to return.

The new research shows that two blood-borne proteins 鈥� coagulation factor IX (F9) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) 鈥� form a powerful 鈥渄ual-marker鈥� signature that distinguishes patients with glioblastoma from healthy individuals with high accuracy (more than 90%). In samples taken from patients during surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the markers showed dynamic changes, reflecting treatment response and disease progression.

Professor, The Brain Tumour Charity chair of Translational Neuro-Oncology at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, who led the study, said: 鈥淕lioblastoma is one of the most devastating cancers we face. Late detection is among the contributing factors to poor outcomes and a source of anxiety our patients face leading up to their diagnosis. The lack of reliable tests has been a major barrier to earlier diagnosis and treatment response monitoring. What is remarkable about our findings is that, despite these tumours being very different in genetic make-up, and constantly evolving, the signal in the blood is stable, robust and highly informative. We hope that once validated, this simple blood test may pave the way for earlier diagnosis and more precise monitoring of patients during and after therapy.

 鈥淥ur dual-marker blood test achieved diagnostic accuracy greater than 90 percent and continued to perform just as well when the disease returned. This opens the door to a future where we can follow the tumour鈥檚 behaviour through a simple blood sample, complement brain scans, and potentially recognise when the treatment isn鈥檛 working and the cancer returns much earlier than is currently possible. We still have a long way to go before we would see this used in clinic, but it鈥檚 a very promising and exciting development in neuro-oncology research.鈥�

Dr Simon Newman, Chief Scientific Officer at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: 鈥淲e are immensely proud to support Petra鈥檚 role as The Brain Tumour Charity鈥檚 Chair of Translational Neuro-Oncology through a grant worth 拢1.35 million. Early and accurate diagnosis is absolutely critical for people with brain tumours, yet current tools are limited and often invasive. This research therefore marks a significant step towards a simple blood test that could help clinicians detect glioblastoma and monitor how patients are responding to treatment in real time.鈥�

Professor Hamerlik, who is also the brain tumour lead for concluded: 鈥淲hile validation of this finding is ongoing with the generous contribution of UK patients who kindly donated their blood for this research, our results strongly support the development of a clinically accessible blood test for glioblastoma. Ultimately, this could help doctors make more informed treatment decisions, reduce the need for repeated invasive procedures, and, most importantly, give patients and families clearer, earlier answers.鈥�

The study was co-funded by The Brain Tumour Charity and conducted at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), reinforcing 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 leading role in translational neuro-oncology research. The Danish Cancer Society and NovoNordisk Foundation in Denmark also part-funded this study.

• The paper Non-Invasive Detection and Monitoring of Glioblastoma Subtypes via Dual-Marker Plasma Proteomics DOI
• Philanthropic support has been central to enabling this research. The University is proud to partner with the Brain Tumour Charity and a number of individual donors who support Petra and her team's work. Find out more about how supporting 黑料网吃瓜爆料 drives impact across our research here: Challenge Accepted

Faye brings extensive experience in the Cambridge innovation cluster to the role, having worked across communications consultancy, innovation and economic development over the course of her career.

She founded and directed cofinitive 鈥� a communication consultancy at the forefront of innovation 鈥� for a decade before selling and exiting the business at the end of 2025.

Faye is currently Chair of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and has previously served as Business Board Member for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and as a Board Member and key contributor in other organisations involved in technology innovation and good growth.

Faye said of her appointment: 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to be leading this partnership at a time when collaboration across the UK鈥檚 innovation ecosystems has never been more important.

鈥淐ambridge and Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 are two of the UK鈥檚 most dynamic innovation ecosystems and by working together we can deliver far greater impact than either could alone. I鈥檓 excited to work with partners across both cities to move quickly and define a model for collaboration that could be replicated across the UK.鈥�

Faye鈥檚 appointment follows on from the launch of the partnership last year and the inaugural board meetings held in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in February 2026.

Driven by the cities鈥� respective universities and their innovation ecosystem organisations  and , the partnership aims to boost UK economic growth and advance inclusive innovation, while supporting the delivery of industrial strategy and local growth plans. 

Professor Duncan Ivison, President & Vice-Chancellor of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淚nnovation is at the heart of our 黑料网吃瓜爆料 2035 strategy and our sector-first collaboration with Cambridge plays a key role in this. We are working together and using our respective strengths to create a thriving cross-city innovation network, helping to grow investment and deliver inclusive growth. 

鈥淚 am so pleased to welcome Faye at such an exciting time for the partnership, and she joins us following an extensive career within the Cambridge innovation cluster. The partnership is a fantastic example of how universities can use their resources to contribute significantly to the economy, and we are all ready to work with Faye to drive it forward.鈥� 

Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge commented: 鈥淚 am delighted to welcome Faye Holland as the new Director of the Cambridge x 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Partnership. Faye brings an exceptional understanding of the Cambridge innovation ecosystem, alongside a proven experience of convening organisations, championing talent, and strengthening regional collaboration. Her appointment marks an exciting next chapter for this strategic partnership between two great cities and universities.鈥�

As Director, Faye will spend time in Cambridge and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and will be integral to both the Unit M and Innovate Cambridge leadership teams, and she will drive the partnership forward as it strives to pioneer a new model of place-to-place collaboration.

Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭he Cambridge x 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Partnership shows how universities can exchange knowledge, talent and assets and bring together their wider ecosystems to supercharge innovation and growth. Under Faye鈥檚 expert direction, this partnership will produce real-world impact and provide an example for other cities to follow.鈥�

Dr Kathryn Chapman, Executive Director, Innovate Cambridge commented: 鈥淔aye has an outstanding track record of working with innovators and turning ambition into impact. As we move into the next phase of delivery, with strong backing from government, academia and business, her leadership will play a key role in strengthening research networks, supporting the growth of scale-ups and attracting further private investment.鈥�

The partnership is a major focus for both cities, backed by each鈥檚 respective combined authorities, and has secured 拢4.8 million from UKRI Research England over the next three years and is bolstered by further investment from both universities.

Dr Simon Hepworth, Director of Knowledge Exchange at Research England, said: 鈥淯niversities are driving the evolution of innovation ecosystems through bold new models of collaboration. The appointment of Faye Holland will help drive the Cambridge x 黑料网吃瓜爆料 innovation partnership forward and deliver successful outcomes for the country 鈥� to maximise opportunities for place-based innovation, economic growth, and as an exemplar for the wider HE system."

The partnership is connected at every level: University to University, innovation ecosystem to ecosystem, council to council, Combined Authority to Combined Authority and business to business. This multi-layered connectivity allows ideas, talent, investment and opportunity to flow between places and organisations.   

To find out more about the partnership, visit:   

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The full conference programme and ticket information can be found at , or you can follow @fm44conference on X (Twitter) and @fm44conference.bsky.social on Bluesky. 

Conference sponsors: British Commission for Military History (BCMH), Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS) and 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Student Enhancement Fund.

Published in , the study was mainly funded by the Medical Research Council. Respondents were members of a long-term project on police health at Imperial College London, which also provided infrastructure support for the survey. 

Most UK police officers wear an ear-piece in one ear. The devices are capable of high sound levels so that they can be heard over background noise. Past reports have emphasised that officers must choose low volume-control settings to protect their hearing. 

Until now, there has been no research into the volume settings actually used, or their effects on hearing health. 

黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers asked 4,498 UK police personnel about their volume-control settings, patterns of ear-piece use, immediate after-effects, and long-term hearing symptoms. 

Over 45% of ear-piece users reported experiencing signs of temporary hearing loss (muffled hearing or ringing in their ear) immediately after using an ear-piece. These after-effects were more common in police who used higher volume-control settings. 

Even more important were links to long-term hearing problems. Ear-piece use accompanied by immediate after-effects more than doubled an officer鈥檚 risk of having tinnitus (spontaneously ringing ears, which can indicate permanent hearing damage). It also raised the risk of having diagnosed hearing loss by 93%. 

Crucially, symptoms were much more common in the ear with the ear-piece than the opposite ear, increasing the likelihood that hearing problems were directly linked to ear-piece use. 

The project鈥檚 senior advisor, Professor Chris Plack of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not unusual to experience signs of temporary hearing loss after being in extremely noisy environments, such as nightclubs or concerts. For police to experience these after-effects in the workplace is concerning.鈥� 

The lead researcher, of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淲e were surprised that ear-piece use with after-effects was so strongly linked to long-term hearing symptoms. And the fact that symptoms tended to appear in the exposed ear, rather than the opposite ear, is a particularly telling finding.鈥�

But Dr Guest cautioned: 鈥淚t鈥檚 important not to over-interpret our results, since they are based on survey responses. Going forward, laboratory hearing tests are needed to confirm whether ear-piece users have measurable differences between their ears.

鈥淭hese should include standard clinical hearing tests, like those used by NHS audiologists, but also tests that are sensitive to the early warning signs of hearing damage.鈥�

Professor Plack said: 鈥淲e also need to understand why officers choose such high volume-control settings. This knowledge could help us find ways to reduce risks to police hearing, such as improved ear-piece technology, training for officers on safe use, and increased monitoring of hearing health.

鈥淥ur data aren鈥檛 the final word, but they are a notable discovery that warrants further investigation. They point to the need not only for follow-up laboratory testing but also for practical steps to reduce long-term risk.鈥�

Dr Guest added: 鈥淲e are pleased that key groups within UK policing - including the Disabled Police Association and the Police Chief Medical Officer - have been open to discussing our findings and are keen to explore measures to protect police hearing.鈥�

• The paper, Leveraging monaural exposures to reveal early effects of noise: Evidence from police radio ear-piece use, is published at
• Simple visualisations of the key study findings are available for media professionals and the public at

The researchers found the same pattern of seasonal variation in the highest quality sperm in two very different climates鈥� Denmark and Florida鈥� suggesting that seasonality affects male fertility more than temperature alone.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal and has practical implications for male fertility care.

Understanding seasonal patterns, for example, could help clinics optimise the timing of treatment and fertility testing to provide better guidance to couples trying to conceive.

Though scientists have long known that many human biological processes change with the seasons, previous studies on the quality of semen at different times of the year have provided conflicting results due to small sample sizes or differences in climate and laboratory methods from study to study.

To address that, this new study analysed semen samples from 15,581 men applying to be sperm donors between 2018 and 2024.

The men were aged 18 to 45 and lived near Cryos International clinics in Denmark and Florida.

All samples were analysed within an hour using the same computer assisted system to ensure consistent measurement.

The team examined sperm concentration, sperm motility (how well sperm can swim and move forward), and ejaculate volume across all months of the year.

They also looked at outdoor temperatures during the month the sperm was collected and two months earlier, when early sperm development begins.

Advanced statistical models were used to identify seasonal trends while accounting for the man鈥檚 age, outdoor temperatures, and long-term changes across the study period.

The results revealed strong and consistent seasonal variation in the concentration of progressively motile sperm.

Fast鈥憁oving sperm were most abundant in June and July in both Denmark and Florida.

Levels were lowest in December and January, even though Florida remains warm year round.

The study found no seasonal changes in total sperm concentration or ejaculate volume, suggesting the number of sperm produced does not vary by season, though their ability to move effectively does.

The number of motile sperm per ejaculate also followed a seasonal pattern, even after accounting for temperature, indicating that factors other than heat鈥攕uch as variation in lifestyle, daylight, or environmental exposures鈥攎ay influence sperm motility.

Co-author P from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淲e were struck by how similar the seasonal pattern was in two completely different climates.

鈥淓ven in Florida, where temperatures stay warm, sperm motility still peaked in summer and dipped in winter, which tells us that ambient temperature alone is unlikely to explain these changes.鈥�

He added: 鈥淥ur study highlights the importance of considering seasonality when evaluating semen quality. It also shows that seasonal variation in sperm motility occurs even in warm climates. These findings deepen our understanding of male reproductive health and may help improve fertility outcomes.鈥�

Medical director at Cryos international, Anne-Bine Skytte said: 鈥淭hese data suggest that the month of the year when a man first attends a clinic to be evaluated as a sperm donor, will impact on the quality of the sample he produces and therefore may influence the chances of him being accepted as a donor.

鈥淗aving an ejaculate that contains a high number of swimming sperm is one of the main characteristics we look for when deciding whether he is suitable or not.

• The paper Seasonal trends in sperm quality in Denmark and Florida is available https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-026-01537-w

黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Calgary researchers publish their study today in the Journal of Health Economics amid a backdrop of dwindling numbers of GPs practice owners-known as partners.

That, say the researchers, puts the managerial and financial burden of operating a practice on increasingly smaller numbers of GPs, with a heightened consequential risk of burnout and stress.

It is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit (PRU) in Health and Social Care Systems and Commissioning.

Practices in the UK are generally owned and operated by one or more self-employed independent contractors referred to as partners.

Under most general practice contracts with the NHS, there must be at least one General Practitioner (GP) partner at a practice; however, not all partners need to be GPs.

One potential way to provide a sustainable alternative structure for general practice they say, could be non-clinical ownership with practice managers as partners.

The managers, responsible for administration, HR, and financial management, typically handle the business and operational aspects of the practice and do not usually have medical training.

By 2022, the number of practices reporting they had a manager partner had grown to 335, from 0 in 2015, serving 7% of patients registered at general practices in England.

Based on analysis of data from England鈥檚 37,660 practice-years from 5,026 general practices between 2015 and 2023, the researchers use a range of sources to investigate the impact of non-clinical ownership stakes on key primary care outcomes.

They found that appointing a manager partner leads to significant increases in full-time equivalent (FTE) direct patient care staff, excluding GPs and nurses, as well as administrative staff numbers and total patient list size.

Practices that appoint a manager partner were found to be more sustainable because they were less likely to subsequently merge or close.

There were no significant impacts on numbers of GP or nurse staff, GP turnover, quality of care, patients鈥� satisfaction and access. And income from reimbursement for non-core services, such as local or direct enhanced service, quality outcome framework payments, and medication administration payments,  were higher following appointment of a practice manager as a partner.

Co -author from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淥ur study shows shared GP and manager partnership has the potential to reduce risk of closure of practices while easing GP partners financial and administrative burden.鈥�

鈥淭his ownership model is feasible within many other healthcare systems, where physicians may seek to share with non-clinical colleagues the financial and administrative burden associated with operating practices.鈥�

Co-author Dr Sean Urwin from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淎s the number of GP partners continues to decrease, the managerial and financial burden of operating a practice is placed upon an increasingly smaller number of GPs.

鈥淲hile not a like-for-like substitute for GPs, we argue that non-GP partners can alleviate some partnership burdens and offer additional managerial skills.

鈥淥ur analysis also indicates that manager partners offer a potential route for smaller practices to retain their independence rather than being integrated into larger organizations.鈥�

Co-author Dr Ben walker from the University of Calgary, Canada, said: 鈥淭he appointment as of practice managers as partners may offer a number of benefits.

鈥淭he increase in direct patient care staff in practices that appoint manager partners could be indicative of the manager鈥檚 efforts to improve the organisational efficiency and performance of the practice.

鈥淲ith expertise in business planning, they may be better placed and more incentivised to maximise income, leaving more time for GPs to concentrate ion patient care and even potentially slowing the decline in GP partner retention.

鈥淏ut also, manager partners鈥� skills in HR and financial planning may improve staff organisation and recruitment.鈥�

• The paper Shared Stakes in English General Practice: The Impact of Practice Managers as Partners on Outcomes is available  

Although focused on Mexico, the findings have global relevance as countries accelerate restoration pledges and international initiatives led by organisations such as the United Nations. The researchers hope their work will help policymakers to design fairer, more effective restoration strategies, ensuring that efforts to restore nature also strengthen communities and deliver lasting benefits for people and the planet.

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The landmark licensing agreement was announced at a celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Cypriot university this week (18 Feb) in Limassol.

黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 School of Medical Sciences programme will be used as a model to develop a new offering to teach undergraduate medical students at a new medical school in 2028, with a new building planned at the Limassol campus.

The agreement is testament to the quality of medical education at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 which can trace its roots way back over 250 years.

It is also reflects the university鈥檚 commitment to  social responsibility by helping to reduce the global deficit of health professionals.

黑料网吃瓜爆料 will provide training to support staff at Frederick University working with two private hospitals in Limassol: Ygia hospital and the Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus to deliver clinical placements for the Frederick University medical students.

The programme is being thoughtfully adapted to reflect the healthcare priorities, regulatory framework, and cultural context of Cyprus, ensuring that graduates are prepared to meet local and regional medical needs while benefiting from an internationally respected academic framework.

The programme, which is still being finalised, will be submitted to the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education.

黑料网吃瓜爆料, one of the UK鈥檚 leading centres for medical education, research, and clinical excellence, will provide ongoing support and training for each academic year.

Deputy Dean and Deputy Vice President of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Professor Allan Pacey and Professor Margaret Kingston,  Director of Undergraduate Medical and Dental Studies, were at the celebration.

Professor Pacey said: 鈥淎s one of the United Kingdom鈥檚 largest and most innovative medical schools, we are delighted to announce this partnership.

鈥淏ased in one of Europe鈥檚 largest healthcare hubs in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, our medical students benefit from early patient contact, world-class teaching hospitals, and a curriculum grounded in innovation, compassion, and evidence-based practice.

鈥淕raduates leave not only as highly skilled clinicians, but as leaders ready to shape the future of global healthcare.

鈥淲e are delighted to be able to share our experience with Frederick University so they will be able to nurture their own world class medics in Cyprus.鈥�

Professor Tony Heagerty, Head of the School of Medical Sciences said: 鈥満诹贤怨媳�,  founded as a civic university, has had a historic focus on social responsibility and this partnership has been built on a foundation of those shared values.  

鈥淥ur agreement between School of Medical Sciences and Frederick University  reflects our part in helping to reduce the global deficit of health professionals.

鈥淎nd It aligns with the university's commitment to ensuring teaching can make a positive, ethical, and lasting impact on society.

鈥淚n Frederick, we recognise a partner which is also focused on making a difference in Cyprus and the rest of the world.鈥�

President of the Council of Frederick University, Natassa Frederickou said: 鈥淲e are honoured to partner with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in this landmark collaboration, which marks an important milestone for Frederick University and for the development of medical education in Cyprus.

鈥淭he establishment of the first Medical School in Limassol reflects the shared long-term vision of Frederick University and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to advance medical education and research in the region. This partnership is grounded in a common commitment to academic excellence, social responsibility, and global impact.

鈥淏y sharing the curriculum approach, academic philosophy, and rigorous standards associated with one of the world鈥檚 leading medical schools, we will offer education of international calibre. Together, we aim to educate future doctors who combine scientific expertise with compassion, while strengthening healthcare systems and advancing medical research for the benefit of society. This partnership is built on shared values, and we are proud to take this significant step forward together.鈥�

Earth-observation satellites are increasingly relied upon to support efforts to meet the United Nations鈥� 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing critical data on issues like land use, urban development, ecosystems and disaster response. However, the rapid growth of satellite missions is also making Earth鈥檚 orbits more crowded and hazardous, increasing the risk of collisions and the creation of long-lasting space debris.

There are currently around 11,800 active satellites in orbit, but some predictions suggest that number could rise to more than 100,000 by the end of the decade. Collisions in space can generate large amounts of debris, threatening satellites, astronauts and the long-term usability of key orbital regions.

The new model, which links satellite mission objectives with collision risk as a key first step in mission design, is presented in the journal .

Lead author , PhD researcher at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淥ur research addresses what is described as a 鈥渟pace sustainability paradox鈥�, the risk that using satellites to solve environmental and social challenges on Earth could ultimately undermine the long-term sustainability of space itself.

鈥淏y integrating collision risk into early mission design, we ensure Earth-observation missions can be planned more responsibly, balancing data quality with the need to protect the orbital environment.鈥�

Many applications that support the SDGs rely on very high-resolution satellite imagery. To achieve this level of detail, satellites often operate at lower altitudes, which reduces their field of view. Alternatively, they can operate at higher altitudes but must be larger and heavier to carry bigger optical systems. This increases their exposure to space debris and makes collisions more likely and potentially more damaging.

The new modelling framework allows satellite performance requirements and collision risk to be considered together during mission design, rather than being assessed separately or late in development.

The approach links mission requirements, such as image resolution and coverage, with estimates of satellite size, mass, the numbers of satellites in a constellation, and the level of debris present in different regions of low Earth orbit. This allows designers to explore how different mission choices affect both data quality and collision risk.

Using the model, the researchers found that collision risk does not simply peak where debris is most concentrated - satellite size also plays a major role. For example, for a satellite designed to deliver 0.5 metre resolution imagery, collision probability was highest between 850 and 950 kilometres above Earth - about 50 kilometres higher than the peak in debris density.

The study also found that although higher orbits require fewer satellites to achieve coverage, those satellites carry a greater individual collision risk because they are much larger. Lower orbits need more satellites, but each one can be smaller and therefore less hazardous.

Dr , Lecturer in Aerospace Systems at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淎s satellite use continues to grow, our method offers a practical way to ensure that space remains safe, sustainable and usable for generations to come, while still delivering the data needed to address the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges.鈥�

, Professor of Space Technology at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淭he method could also be adapted for different Earth-observation systems and expanded to include more detailed space-environment impacts. In future work, we could account for how long debris fragments stay in orbit, how likely they are to hit other satellites, and the wider environmental effects of satellite re-entry. This would allow mission designers to evaluate trade-offs across the full sustainability picture.鈥�

This research was published in the journal Advances in Space Research

Full title: Collision risk from performance requirements in Earth observation mission design

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鈥淔aster access to emergency funding, more resilient supply chains and better disaster planning could help prevent payment delays from turning into job losses and business failures.鈥� 

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The study, led by 黑料网吃瓜爆料, suggests that while removing livestock from upland grasslands can increase fast-cycling carbon stored in plants and dead vegetation, it can also lead to losses of a more stable form of soil carbon. This long-lived carbon, known as mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), is bound to soil minerals and can persist for decades to centuries, making it critical for long-term climate mitigation.

Grasslands store around one-third of the world鈥檚 terrestrial carbon, with the vast majority being found in soils. As governments pursue net-zero targets, removing livestock from historically grazed grasslands has increasingly been proposed as a scalable climate solution.

Traditionally, scientists and land managers have relied on 鈥渢otal carbon stocks鈥� to assess carbon removal projects. However, the new findings, published in the today, show that focusing solely on the total amount of carbon stored, rather than how securely it is stored, may be misleading.

鈥淲hile ungrazed grasslands tend to accumulate more unprotected carbon in plants and litter, they are associated with lower levels of soil carbon protected by minerals, which is the form most resistant to warming-induced decomposition,鈥� explained Dr Luhong Zhou, lead author of the study and visiting scholar at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 鈥淎lthough high grazing intensity can negatively affect soil carbon, our results show that total grazer exclusion does not necessarily lead to greater long-term soil carbon storage.鈥�

The team of researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UK), Lancaster University (UK), Yale University (USA), Fujian Normal University (China), and Leiden University (the Netherlands), analysed 12 upland grassland sites across an 800-kilometre south鈥搉orth gradient in the United Kingdom, from Dartmoor to Glensaugh in Scotland. At each site, they compared grasslands that had been ungrazed for more than ten years with neighbouring areas that had been grazed over that time.

They found that ungrazed grasslands tended to accumulate more short-lived carbon in plant biomass and surface litter but generally contained lower levels of MAOC.

The decline in long-lived soil carbon is linked to changes in vegetation following the removal of grazing sheep. As a result, grass-dominated landscapes are increasingly replaced by dwarf shrubs such as heather. The roots of the shrubs form associations with a specialised fungi called ericoid mycorrhiza. These fungi slow the decay of plant litter, causing an increase in production of short-lived carbon but also stimulating the breakdown of older, more stable soil carbon, in order to gain nutrients to sustain plant growth. Wetter soils can also further weaken the minerals that normally help protect MAOC.

鈥淰iewing grazer removal as a universally beneficial strategy for carbon mitigation often overlooks the continuum of carbon durability within ecosystems, and the fact that not all carbon gains contribute equally to long-term climate mitigation,鈥� said Dr Shangshi Liu from the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture who co-led this study. 鈥� When slow-cycling carbon declines, grassland carbon stocks may become more vulnerable to future climate change. Effective climate mitigation strategies must therefore consider  both how much carbon is stored and how durable it is鈥�

The findings come at a critical time for environmental management policy in the UK and globally, as governments develop land-use frameworks to meet net-zero targets.  

Professor Richard Bardgett, Chair of Ecology at Lancaster University, who initiated the study while at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淥ur results suggest that maintaining low-intensity grazing in upland grasslands, which cover large areas in the United Kingdom, is important for protecting the most stable forms of soil carbon.鈥�

The authors emphasise that their findings do not argue against reducing overgrazing. Rather, they call for more balanced grassland management approaches that account for both total carbon stocks and carbon persistence.

The study was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the European Research Council (ERC), and Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture fellowship.

The findings are Published in PNAS

Full title: Grazer exclusion is associated with higher fast-cycling carbon pools but lower slow-cycling mineral-associated carbon across grasslands

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鈥淎t a time when many people feel overwhelmed or anxious about the future, these experiences often helped people reconnect with hope and a sense of purpose.鈥�

鈥淭his research shows that therapy doesn鈥檛 always have to happen in a room,鈥� said co-author Professor Terry Hanley. 鈥淔or some people, being outdoors creates the space they need to reflect, heal and move forward. As mental health services face growing demand, nature-based approaches could be a valuable part of a wider, more humane response to wellbeing.鈥�

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Developed through the Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Civic University Agreement, the initiative enables postgraduate researchers to teach up to 20 hours per week in FE settings, providing specialist expertise in priority subjects such as engineering, STEM and digital skills. In turn, the programme offers researchers valuable, paid teaching experience while helping colleges tackle critical local and regional skills gaps.

University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison highlighted the civic significance of the programme: 鈥淲e鈥檙e putting PhD researchers into Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 colleges to teach alongside experienced staff 鈥� starting with engineering, where skills shortages are most acute. This will help colleges with specialist expertise, give our researchers valuable paid teaching experience, and create clearer pathways between further and higher education. This is the kind of collaboration that will contribute to the region鈥檚 economic growth and is exactly what a civic university should be doing.鈥�

Professor Callum Kidd, who led the pilot programme, said: 鈥淭his initiative strengthens the link between Higher Education and Further Education, creating pathways for learners and tackling regional skills gaps. It also offers PhD researchers real-world teaching experience that enhances their career prospects.鈥�

The pilot phase of the programme was launched in 2025 at Wigan & Leigh College, where three postgraduate researchers from the School of Engineering were recruited through the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) Doctoral Academy. The project has been chaired by Professor Callum Kidd (FSE) and jointly developed by a cross-institutional team.鈥慽nstitutional team

Anna Dawe, Principal of Wigan & Leigh College, added: 鈥淲e are delighted to build together this partnership with 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Bringing PhD researchers into our colleges enriches students' learning experience and helps address the pressing need for skilled educators in technical subjects. This collaboration is a fantastic example of how Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 education ecosystem can work together to deliver real impact.鈥�

The programme aligns with national and regional priorities to strengthen the civic role of universities while boosting access to specialist expertise across FE colleges.

Following the success of the first phase, the project team is now developing plans to expand the programme across the full Faculty of Science and Engineering, with long term ambitions to extend it university wide. Discussions with additional Further Education colleges in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 are underway, with participating institutions set to be confirmed later this year. A full review of the pilot phase will be completed in February 2026.鈥憈erm ambitions to extend it university鈥憌ide. Discussions with additional Further Education colleges in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 are underway, with participating institutions set to be confirmed later this year. A full review of the pilot phase will be completed in February 2026.

For further information please directly contact mags.bradbury@manchester.ac.uk

Dr Wasim Ahmed, of the University of Hull, explained: 鈥淲omen and girls in sport deserve environments, both online and offline, where their achievements are celebrated. Our findings highlight an urgent need for stronger protections and platform-level responsibility. Without meaningful intervention, we risk normalising behaviour that has real and harmful consequences for those targeted.鈥�

Dr Emma Kavanagh, of Loughborough University, said: 鈥淲e must act now to protect the health and wellbeing of athletes as they navigate their careers in the era of online media. Online abuse can have profound and lasting effects, and it can no longer be normalised or accepted as part of modern sport. Ensuring athletes are equipped to manage online environments and enhancing their safety is a vital step forward in advancing player care.鈥�

Dr Maz Hardey, Professor of Business and Computing, Durham University, outlined: 鈥淲e are witnessing a pivotal shift where online impunity is finally meeting real-world retribution, financially and legally, for perpetrators. However, the cost for the victims remains unacceptably high. This abuse has actively dismantled careers and forced women to withdraw from UK football culture entirely to ensure their own safety. Legal wins are crucial, but we must act faster to ensure women are not forced into professional exile just to survive the abuse.鈥�

Dr Rosy Boardman, of the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淥ur research shows how influential figures can radically shape the tone and trajectory of online conversations. When individuals with large followings use their platforms to normalise misogyny or direct hostility toward women in sport, they don鈥檛 just express an opinion - they legitimise harmful narratives that would otherwise remain on the fringes. Their words act as accelerants, fuelling polarisation and creating digital environments where abuse becomes routine.

The paper, Misogyny, Misogynoir and Violent Online Rhetoric Against Women and Girls in Sport: The Case of Joey Barton has been published in .

Barton was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court in November 2025 of six counts of sending grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety, and sentenced in December 2025 to six months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

The University ranked in the top 50 globally for four subjects, including Arts & Humanities (41), Business & Economics (41) and Social Sciences (32). The University received its highest ranking for Engineering, taking 5^th place in the UK ranking and 48^th globally.

The University saw its ranking improve in 3 subjects compared to the previous rankings, including Social Sciences (by 5 to 32), Arts & Humanities (by 2 to 41) and Physical Sciences (by 4 to 51).

The THE subject rankings cover 148 individual disciplines under broad subject areas. The methodology judges universities based on five core pillars of evaluation: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.

Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said of the latest rankings: 鈥淭his global subject ranking is testament to the high level of teaching and research excellence this University prides itself on. We use global rankings to inform our evaluation of our current offering and strategic plans to ensure we are providing students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in their chosen fields, both at the University and beyond.鈥�

Professor Jenn Hallam, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 added: 鈥淔ollowing the recent launch of our 2035 strategy, we are collectively working to meet our big ambitions of making learning flexible, personalised and digitally-enabled, and allowing students to co-create their study on their own terms. These rankings are useful in demonstrating where we are, and where we would like to be, to ensure we keep building on the high-quality teaching we deliver to our talented students.鈥�

Right now 黑料网吃瓜爆料 ranks 8^th in the UK and 56^th in the world in the THE World University Rankings for 2026. The prestigious rankings evaluate more than 2,000 institutions from 115 countries and territories. 

In the QS World University Rankings 2026, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 ranks 7^th in the UK and 35^th in the world, while the University also ranks first in the UK and second in the world in the .

Claire Costello, Chief People and Inclusion Officer at Co-op explained: 鈥淥ur Co-op believes everyone, whatever their background, should be able to access opportunities in the arts and creative sector throughout Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Apprenticeships can provide a 鈥榮tepping stone鈥� for future careers, that鈥檚 why Co-op is encouraging Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 employers to share unspent apprenticeship levy funds to raise 拢3 million over 3 years to support 200 new apprenticeships in the arts and creative sector throughout Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料.鈥� 

The inquiry鈥檚 findings are being launched on January 26^th at an event at the Whitworth Art Gallery at The University of  黑料网吃瓜爆料 in collaboration with research platform Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料, where the Mayor of Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Andy Burnham, is due to speak.  

The report can be downloaded .

The research 鈥� funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (ARC-GM) - explores how being unable to attend healthcare appointments during normal working hours affects the health and wellbeing of employees.

It found that jobs lacking flexibility for workers to attend healthcare appointments are linked with significantly lower health-related quality of life. This was driven mainly by effects on physical health rather than mental health, with workers who have long-term conditions being the most affected.

In the UK, there is no statutory requirement to allow employees to attend healthcare appointments during working hours, however some employers choose to allow this type of flexibility.

The research team, led by academics from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, suggest that to move towards a more prevention focused health system, people need to be able to access routine GP appointments and cancer screening before the point of serious illness.

, Research Fellow in Health Economics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淲orking full time presents challenges for many workers whose jobs don鈥檛 offer the flexibility needed to take time away to attend healthcare appointments. This has significant implications for early diagnosis and management of long-term conditions.

鈥淭he findings of our research make it clear that population health could be significantly improved by removing barriers during typical working hours to allow workers to access primary care services, such as GP and screening appointments.

鈥淲hile positive steps have been taken to address this access issue through the offer of out-of-hours appointments, there鈥檚 a wider discussion to be had about the role employers can play in supporting their employees鈥� health by permitting flexibility around healthcare appointments 鈥� without having to take paid leave or forego income.鈥�

Dr , Deputy Theme Lead for Economic Sustainability at ARC-GM, and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淲ork shouldn鈥檛 be a barrier to remaining healthy. But this research shows that for some people working in inflexible jobs where they aren鈥檛 able to attend healthcare appointments during the typical working day, it can have an impact on their physical health. These challenges are particularly pressing in the context of our ageing population and the more frequent need for routine healthcare among older age groups.

鈥淲e鈥檇 welcome further investigation into the impact of this barrier to accessing healthcare, and the cost-effectiveness of different policy approaches.鈥�

Researchers used data from the National General Practice Patient Survey in England, which is a large national survey targeting random samples of individuals registered with each general practice. Data from six waves of the survey (2013-2017) was used in which a measure of health-related quality of life was collected. The measurement of health-related quality of life covers five domains: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.

The sample used was restricted to individuals aged between 18 and 64 years and only included those in full-time employment.

• The full study - 鈥業mpact of Constrained Access to Primary Care on Health-Related Quality of Life鈥� - has been published by the Value in Health journal. You can read the report and its results DOI

• 65,000 staff and students will receive full Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training as 黑料网吃瓜爆料 becomes the world鈥檚 first university to offer universal provision across its entire community.     
• The University-wide rollout will equip students with future-ready skills, strengthen teaching and research, and help address the emerging digital divide through equitable access to the advanced AI tools within Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Today鈥檚 announcement builds on 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 76-year AI legacy, from Alan Turing to today鈥檚 ground-breaking research, positioning the University as a leader in ethical, responsible AI adoption.   

黑料网吃瓜爆料 has announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft, becoming the first university in the world to give Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training to every student and colleague. 

The landmark agreement will see 65,000 students, academics and colleagues benefit from the full Microsoft 365 Copilot suite, alongside training to support effective and responsible use.  

This initiative forms part of the University鈥檚 wider digital and AI transformation programme, which focuses not only on tools, but on building long-term AI literacy, and ensuring the responsible integration of emerging technologies.

It will support learning, research and professional work, and graduate employability. It addresses the emerging digital divide by ensuring that all students 鈥� regardless of personal means 鈥� can benefit from advanced assistive and productivity tools. 

The announcement comes 76 years after Alan Turing published his seminal 鈥楾uring Test鈥� paper while working at the University, one of the first on artificial intelligence, and reflects 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 continuing leadership in AI, with more than to understand and shape the technology. 

The Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout, to be completed by summer 2026, will equip 黑料网吃瓜爆料 students with future-ready skills and enable researchers to accelerate interdisciplinary discovery and analysis at scale.   

• Through access and training,  黑料网吃瓜爆料 graduates will be well prepared for the modern workplace, where employers increasingly expect graduates to be confident users of AI technologies. Students will also be able to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to support their studies in line with the University鈥檚 policies on the responsible use of AI.
• Universal access will help address the emerging digital divide by ensuring that all students can benefit from advanced assistive and productivity tools, regardless of personal means.
• Researchers across the University will be able to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to reduce time spent on routine tasks and explore ideas beyond their immediate disciplines. It enhances evidence gathering by navigating wider and more diverse literature, strengthens understanding through fast and accurate synthesis, and accelerates data analysis to unlock insights sooner.  黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers are already using AI to advance breast cancer treatment and improve menopause care, transform crop productivity, and reduce waste in the fashion industry.
• For academic and professional services colleagues, Microsoft 365 Copilot will support more efficient ways of working and free up time for higher-value, strategic activity. A pilot conducted between 2024 and 2025 demonstrated strong engagement, with 90 per cent of licensed users adopting the tool within 30 days and around half using it several times a week.   

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淎I is now part of everyday life. Our responsibility is not only to make these tools available to all our students and staff on an equitable basis, but to use the depth of expertise across our university to shape how AI is developed and applied for public good.   

鈥淏y embracing the AI transformation early, we are working with students, colleagues and partners to maximise the benefits and manage risks responsibly. The great universities of the 21st century will be digitally enabled 鈥� this partnership represents a significant step on that journey for 黑料网吃瓜爆料.鈥�

Darren Hardman, CEO, , said, 鈥淎s someone who grew up in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, I鈥檓 proud to see the University extending access to Microsoft 365 Copilot across its entire community, helping 65,000 students and staff build the skills they鈥檒l need to thrive in an AI鈥慹nabled economy. This is a powerful example of how we can pair 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 deep AI heritage with responsible, ethical adoption that helps to close the digital divide and equip people to learn, research and work more effectively.鈥�  

The strategic collaboration with Microsoft is one of the first major developments following the launch of the University鈥檚 new strategy, From 黑料网吃瓜爆料 for the world, demonstrating its ambition for research impact, world-class teaching and learning, and responsible leadership in digital transformation and innovation in action.  

The rollout will be delivered in partnership with the Students鈥� Union, trade unions and staff networks. The University is working closely with Microsoft to ensure transparency around environmental and wider impacts, and to promote best practice in responsible and sustainable AI adoption.  

Microsoft鈥檚 long-standing commitments to sustainability were an important consideration for the University in partnering with them. These include being committed to becoming carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030. 

Professor Jenn Hallam, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students, said: 鈥淓very student deserves access to the best AI tools to enable them to thrive in their studies 鈥� no matter their circumstances or background. AI is an enabler for teaching and learning, not a replacement. It鈥檚 not just supportive in the classroom, but in wider productivity and future life skills and we鈥檙e giving students the tools and training to use it in the right way, ethically and appropriately. We鈥檙e not just preparing graduates who can go out and get good jobs, we鈥檙e preparing the next generation of citizens. That鈥檚 the mission of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 鈥� you'll get a great degree, but we鈥檒l also prepare you for a fast-changing world.鈥� 

Kanishka Narayan, Minister for AI and Online Safety, said: "When we bring a technology like AI together with the peerless expertise of UK universities, the potential is enormous. Whether supporting students in their studies, opening new avenues of research, or slashing the time spent on routine tasks, the benefits are transformative.   

"This partnership between 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Microsoft will help our brightest minds do what they do best 鈥� innovate. Meanwhile, initiatives like the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's Sp盲rck Scholarships will attract high-potential AI talent to top universities like 黑料网吃瓜爆料." 

The study found that wellbeing programmes worked best when led by senior school leaders but shaped collaboratively by staff and pupils. Initiatives such as 鈥榢eep, tweak or ditch鈥� reviews helped teachers cut unnecessary workload, while pupil wellbeing ambassadors and parent workshops extended the benefits beyond the classroom.

鈥淭his research highlights the power of schools working as communities - not just institutions that deliver lessons, but places that nurture people,鈥� added Dr MacQuarrie. 鈥淭he schools we studied created a sense of belonging, where staff and pupils alike feel heard and supported.鈥�

Dr Hennessey concluded: 鈥淲ellbeing and learning go hand in hand. Schools that invest in the health and happiness of their staff and students aren鈥檛 just improving education - they鈥檙e shaping stronger, kinder communities.鈥�

The study is published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism today (15/01/26) and is the first of its kind to compare alcohol treatment outcomes for all adolescents aged 11 鈥� 17 seeking specialist treatment for alcohol problems in England.

It included data of marginalised groups, like those who are NEET, homeless, experiencing sexual exploitation and registered with social services.

Almost 26% of NEETs and 18% of adolescents with a child protection plan - which indicates risk of significant harm through neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse - did not complete treatments.

Older adolescents and those with higher alcohol use at treatment start were also at greater risk of dropping out of treatment compared with other vulnerable groups.

They also found that early onset alcohol use, mental health problems and substance use among family or household members reduced the chance of stopping drinking (becoming abstinent), by the end of treatment.

Adolescent alcohol abuse can lead to developmental problems, higher risk of addiction, accidents and injuries, mental health problems and poor performance at school.

Treatment typically involves psychosocial interventions including psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, family therapy and safeguarding.

A 2023 Government report showed that 5% of all school pupils said they usually drank alcohol at least once per week. The proportion increased with age, from 1% of 11 and 12 year olds to 11% of 15 year olds

There were also 14,352 children and young people aged 17 and under in alcohol and drug treatment between April 2023 and March 2024, a 16% increase from the previous year.

However, the numbers of young people in alcohol and drug treatment are 41% lower than at peak in 2008/09. Over this period concerns have been raised about cuts to funding and changing trends in alcohol consumption.

This study suggests among those who do access treatment, outcomes vary significantly based on socioeconomic disadvantage and early life adversity.

The researchers analysed National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) data of 2,621 adolescents whose publicly funded alcohol treatment took place between April 2018 and March 2023 in England.

Lead author Dr Mica Komarnyckyj from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淎lcohol abuse is a serious problem among young people and can lead to lifelong consequences.

鈥淪o understanding which people struggle with treatment is crucial as it could help services provide more tailored support for those at higher risk.

鈥淢any challenges that put adolescents at risk of being NEET -  such as lack of parental support, economic inequalities or emotional difficulties 鈥� may be the same barriers that make it harder for them to complete treatment.鈥�

She added: 鈥淵oung people with child protection plans also had greater risk of dropping out of treatment. Many have experienced neglect or abuse, and some use alcohol to cope with trauma. Embedding trauma-informed approaches in services is essential鈥�

Co-author Dr Stephen Kaar, Addiction Psychiatrist from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淭reatment services for adolescents with alcohol problems need to be appropriately funded, multi-disciplinary with a professionalised workforce, have access to mental health expertise and receive multi-agency support to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations鈥�.

An embargoed copy of the paper Associations between childhood risk factors and alcohol treatment outcomes in adolescence is available here

For many years, I lived in the Indian city of Chennai where the summer temperatures can reach up to 44掳C. With a population of 4.5 million, this coastal city is humid and hot.

Its suburbs are home to 600 Hindu temples and there鈥檚 a wildlife reserve called Guindy national park in the heart of the city. of the streets but green parks are few and far between 鈥� as is the shade.

As and the rest of , urban forests become more vital. These clusters of trees in parks, gardens, public spaces and along roads and rivers have multiple benefits 鈥� from cooling the surrounding air to providing homes for wildlife and creating space for people to enjoy nature. Yet they are often overlooked by city developers.

shows that, in Chennai, there are 26 square miles of tree and other vegetation cover, mainly accounted for by formal green spaces such as Guindy wildlife reserve. On the outskirts of this city, an area of nine square miles of unused land is ideally suited to creating more urban forest. Similarly, there is more potential space for urban forests in other fast urbanising Indian cities like Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli.

recommend having at least 30% tree cover in urban areas. suggests that cities should allow for nine square metres of urban tree cover per person. Most Indian cities .

Improving urban forests in India has been a challenge for many years due to high land prices, lack of urban planning and little public participation .

Policies introduced by the Indian government to 鈥済reen鈥� urban areas often equate tree planting with cooling cities and building climate resilience. But it鈥檚 not that simple. The success of urban forests depends on factors such as rainfall, understanding interactions with local wildlife and people鈥檚 needs.

A warns that in hot, dry cities with limited water availability like Chennai, trees slow the cooling process by water evaporation from leaves and instead contribute to urban heat. Urban heat comes from the reflection and absorption of sunlight by buildings and land surfaces. This is particularly high in smaller Indian cities with populations of 1 to 5 million.

Planting trees with the sole aim of cooling cities could negatively affect wildlife too. Not all birds, bugs and mammals depend on trees for food or shelter. A from researchers in Bengaluru, India, shows that non-native tree species contribute little to bird richness. Meanwhile, urban grasslands and marshlands that are often misclassified as 鈥渨aste land鈥� support wildlife and help regulate flooding.

In India, cities and villages have open 鈥渃ommon鈥� land where people graze their cattle or harvest fuelwood from trees that grow naturally there 鈥� tree-planting initiatives in these open land areas can displace poorer communities of people who rely on open lands for grazing and fuel wood collection.

Design with nature

Urban forests can be planned to meet the needs of people, birds and other wildlife.

In 1969, Ian McHarg, the late Scottish landscape architect and urban planner came up with the concept of 鈥渄esign with nature鈥�, where development has a minimal negative effect on the environment. His idea was to preserve existing natural forests by proposing site suitability assessments. By analysing factors such as rivers and streams, soil type, slope and drainage, to identify which areas suit development and which are best preserved for nature.

This approach has advanced with new technology. Now, geographic information systems and satellite imagery help planners integrate environmental data and identify suitable areas for planting new trees or conserving urban forests.

Using the principles of landscape ecology, urban planners can design forest patches in a way that enhances the connectivity of green spaces in a city, rather than uniformly planting trees across all open spaces. By designing these 鈥渆cological corridors鈥�, trees along roads or canals, for example, can help link fragmented green spaces.

Planting native tree species suited to dry and drought-prone environments is also crucial, as is assessing the local community鈥檚 needs for native fruit-bearing trees that provide food.

Growing urban forests

By 2030, one-third of India鈥檚 electricity demand is expected to come from cooling equipment such as . Increasing urban forests could help reduce this .

National-level policies could support urban forest expansion across India. In 2014, the government of India released its urban greenery and flagship urban renewal programmes such as the have tried to increase tree cover. But guidelines often overlook critical considerations like ecological connectivity, native species and local community needs.

In 2020, the government of India launched (a scheme to improve tree cover in cities) with a budget of around US$94 million (拢70 million). It aims to create urban forests through active participation of citizens, government agencies and private companies. But there is little evidence that urban forest cover has improved.

Urbanisation reduced tree cover in most Indian cities, and much of it was rather . But by protecting and planting more trees, citizens can live in greener, cooler cities. By shifting urban forest policy from counting trees to designing landscapes, plans that enhance climate resilience, nature conservation and social equity can be put into practice.

, Postgraduate Researcher, Climate Adaptation,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

DOI:

The study, supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is published in the journal today

The findings, based on the analysis of four linked national datasets comprising over 24,000 patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, hold true even when accounting for the different complexities and durations of the surgery.

The data showed late-morning surgery was linked to an 18% higher risk of death - almost one fifth - from heart related causes compared with early-morning surgery.

And the most common surgical start time was 07:00鈥�09:59- early morning - accounting for 47% of all surgeries.

Though complication rates and readmissions were unaffected by the time of day, the findings still pose questions about the best time to schedule heart surgery.

They also give an important insight into the potential influence of the body clock - a set of 24-hour biological cycles present in our cells and organs 鈥� on surgery as a whole.

Lead author is Dr Gareth Kitchen, Clinical Senior Lecturer at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. He is also part of the Respiratory Theme and Co-Lead for Industry and Commercialisation at the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC.

He said: 鈥淕iven that over 25,000 heart operations are performed across the UK every year with around a 2.7% mortality, even small improvements in timing-related outcomes could have significant benefits to patients.

鈥淭his research shows a slightly higher risk of heart related mortality is likely to occur when heart surgery starts in in late morning.

鈥淗owever, though the risk is statistically significant, it is relatively modest and patients can be reassured that most people will almost certainly be unaffected.

鈥淚t is though, our duty as clinicians to ensure the best possible outcomes, and moderating timings is a potentially inexpensive method to achieve that.鈥�

The researchers compared four starting times for the 3 to 5 hour operations: early morning (07:00 to 09:59); late morning (10:00 to 11:59); early afternoon (12:00 to 13:59); and late afternoon (14:00 to 19:59).

The main outcomes they examined were hazard of death from cardiovascular disease and time to hospital readmission for heart attack or acute heart failure.

Secondary outcomes included duration of postoperative hospital stay, occurrence of major cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.

The researchers accounted for potential bias by taking into account key mortality predictors such as age, sex, diabetes and urgency of surgery.

Dr Kitchen added: 鈥淚ntegrating body clock biology into the planning of heart surgery could support a more personalised, precision medicine approach.

鈥淎s some people鈥檚 body clock makes them early birds and others makes them night owls, it is worth exploring tailored operative times through further research.

鈥淲ith more understanding of how body clock biology varies between individuals, precision and personalised scheduling of cardiac surgery may one day allow us to achieve better patient outcomes.鈥�

• The paper Time of Day and Outcomes Following Cardiac Surgery in the UK: A Secondary Analysis of Linked National Datasets is available . doi.org/10.1111/anae.70125

The unrest poses the most serious challenge to  since 2022. That year, nationwide protests erupted over the death of 22-year-old  in police custody after she was arrested for violating hijab rules. Those  were ultimately suppressed through force.

Iran鈥檚 political establishment has for decades defined itself through permanent confrontation on multiple fronts: with , the  and what it sees as global imperialism. This posture has reshaped domestic life by subordinating the economy, governance and social stability to ideological resistance.

What the latest protests reveal is not simply frustration with the hardship that has accompanied this political stance. They seem to reflect a growing consensus among Iranians that this order  into something functional and must therefore be replaced.

This has been apparent in the language used by the protesters. Many demonstrators have linked their daily hardships to the regime鈥檚 foreign policy priorities, expressed perhaps most clearly  that has echoed through the streets of various Iranian cities in recent days: 鈥淣ot Gaza, not Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran.鈥�

The slogan is a rejection of the regime鈥檚 official stance that sacrifice at home is necessary to fulfil ideological goals of 鈥渞esistance鈥� abroad. Iran has long pursued a policy of supporting militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah to counter the influence of the US and Israel in the Middle East.

Chants of  鈥� a reference to Iran鈥檚 ageing supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 鈥� are yet more evidence of the broad rejection of the political order among the Iranian population. They signal that many Iranians now view their economic survival as inseparable from fundamental political change.

The protests have spread across wide sections of Iranian society. What began as strikes by bazaar merchants and shopkeepers in Iran鈥檚 capital, Tehran, quickly drew in students, professionals and business owners elsewhere in the country. Protests have  in Qom and Mashhad, cities whose populations have traditionally been loyal to the state.

The state鈥檚 initial response to the protests was muted. The government recognised the protests and  to the 鈥渓egitimate demands鈥� of the demonstrators. However, despite a warning from US president Donald Trump of US intervention should security forces 鈥渒ill peaceful protesters鈥�, at least 36 people have . Over 2,000 more people have been detained.

Donald Trump posts on his Truth Social media platform in response to the protests in Iran. 

Post-war paralysis

The protests come six months after Iran鈥檚 brief but destabilising war with Israel. This conflict severely strained the state鈥檚 capacity to govern, with Khamenei largely withdrawing from public view since then due to heightened fears over his safety. Major decisions in Iran require Khamenei鈥檚 approval, so his absence has slowed decision-making across the system.

The effects of this have been felt nationwide. Universities and schools have been hampered by repeated closures, shortened schedules and the sudden suspension of in-person classes. Transport networks have faced repeated disruption and economic planning has become nearly impossible.

Prices are . The official annual inflation rate stands at around 42%, with food inflation exceeding 70%. The prices of some basic goods have reportedly risen by more than 110% compared with a year ago, and are  further in the coming weeks.

Iran鈥檚 authorities have also intermittently suspended routine daily and weekly activities since the end of the war, such as school days, public office hours, transport services and commercial operations. They , pollution or security concerns as the reasons for doing so.

Underlying these disruptions is a governing system braced for the possibility of renewed war, either with Israel or possibly the US. The regime is operating in a prolonged state of emergency, which has pushed Iranian society itself deeper into crisis.

Iran鈥檚 governing paralysis has been strained further by intensifying competition within the ruling elite. The war with Israel led to the deaths of several senior Iranian military and security figures, which has created gaps in networks of power.

With authority fragmented, rival political, military and security factions have sought to position themselves for influence in a post-Khamenei order. Networks associated with figures such as former president Hassan Rouhani, former foreign minister Javad Zarif and current president Masoud Pezeshkian are pursuing negotiations with western powers to address Iran鈥檚 foreign policy challenges.

But others appear to be engaging in talks aimed at securing backing from ideological allies such as Russia and China. These include people in security and intelligence circles, along with figures ideologically aligned with Khamenei like his second-eldest son Mojtaba, current speaker of parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and conservative clerics such as .

These rival strategies have not produced coherent governance. Instead, they have reinforced perceptions among the Iranian public that the system is preoccupied with survival rather than addressing everyday breakdowns in basic administration, public services and economic coordination.

Iran stands at a crossroads. One path leads toward deeper militarisation, elite infighting and prolonged paralysis. The other points towards a reckoning with a political order that large segments of Iranian society no longer believe can deliver stability or welfare.

The protests suggest that the central question for many Iranians is no longer whether the system can be repaired, but whether continuing to live under it is viable at all. What is clear is that Iran is at a critical political moment, with significant changes likely to unfold in the weeks and months ahead.

, Research Fellow at the Global Development Institute
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