In most mammals, including humans, females have two copies of the X chromosome while males have only one (accompanied by a Y). So you might think females get a double dose of proteins encoded by the 850-odd genes on the X chromosome, while males get only a single dose. How can this be fair? Indeed, this gene dosage difference between men and women would cause genetic mayhem if it were not for a system that balances out the dosage difference. In humans, mice and other mammals, one of the two X chromosomes in females is “silenced”. Silenced genes on this…
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The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has confirmed today (Monday 5 August) that 98% eligible farmers have received their first instalment of the new delinked payments. This means that a further £401 million has now been released into the rural economy alongside funding from other schemes. Delinked payments provide continued financial support as Defra encourages farmers and land managers to enter the environmental land management schemes, where they are paid to take actions that will support sustainable food production while protecting the environment. This is the first of two instalments this year. The RPA have also brought forward the second instalment,…
After widespread backlash, Google pulled its “Dear Sydney” Gemini ad from Olympics coverage. The ad featured its generative AI chatbot tool, Gemini, formerly known as Bard. The advertisement featured a father and his daughter, a fan of United States Olympic track and field athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. The father, despite considering himself “pretty good with words,” uses Gemini to help his daughter to write a fan letter to Sydney, saying that when something needs to be done “just right,” Gemini is the better choice. Google and Team USA’s advertisement for Google’s generative AI chatbot Gemini. This advertisement sparked widespread backlash online…
From Tuesday 6 August 2024 providers must use the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service for all crime applications and are encouraged to start using it now if they are not already doing so. Apply for Criminal Legal Aid (CRM14 and CRM15) Functionality allowing applications for a change in financial circumstances has now been released. This means 100 per cent of applications can now be made through the Apply for Criminal Legal Aid service. Providers are encouraged to use Apply for Criminal Legal Aid as soon as possible, particularly as any post submission evidence (PSE) can easily be processed through…
More than 250 people are reported to have been killed, amid fears that the toll could rise to over 500, the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a flash update on the disaster, issued on Thursday. Gezei Gofa Woreda, in southern Ethiopia, suffered three successive landslides following heavy rains on 21 and 22 July. More than 15,500 people are said to be affected, including at least 1,320 children under five and 5,293 pregnant and nursing mothers. “These people are at high risk of further landslides and need to be evacuated to safe zones immediately.…
The defendants were part of the so-called “UAE 84” group who were subject to mass trials and convicted for establishing a terrorist organization under the country’s 2014 Counter-terrorism Law for acts dating back to the Arab Spring, some 14 years ago. Most had already spent a decade behind bars for national security-related offences allegedly committed during the same period. Experts ‘shocked’ The experts issued a statement saying they were shocked at the life sentences, which were handed down earlier this month by the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal. Ten other people were also given between 10 to 15 years in prison.…
The coach-athlete relationship is key to achieving greatness in elite sports. And at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the margins between success and failure will be tiny. Our new research offers insights on how the dark triad personality traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy), which tend to be more prevalent among athletes, might damage the relationship between coach and athlete, affecting their performance. Studies have shown that athletes with a stronger relationship with their coach perform better. Elite athletes tend to be more satisfied with their own performance when they have a good relationship with their coach, too. They…
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mr. Türk said he was “extremely concerned” about increasing tensions in the South American country. Voting took place on Sunday and incumbent President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner the following day, which has sparked protests. Arrests ‘deeply’ troubling Mr. Türk noted that demonstrations have been taking place in at least 17 of Venezuela’s 24 states, including the capital, and hundreds of people have been arrested, including children. “This troubles me deeply,” he said. The UN rights chief was also alarmed by reports of disproportionate use of force by law enforcement officials along with…
The UN agency’s comments follow reports on Monday that dozens of people are missing after a boat carrying hundreds of people capsized in the waters off the coast of the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott. Recent months have continued to see a surge in the number of people setting out from North and West African countries, including Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco. Their final destination is often the Canary Islands. “UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, is deeply saddened by this tragic shipwreck that has resulted in the deaths and disappearances of numerous people off the coast of Mauritania,” said spokesperson Shabia Mantoo. “The…
The arms embargo was established in 2013 against the backdrop of a brutal intercommunal conflict, when the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power leading to the mostly Christian militias fighting back. Civilians bore the brunt of the conflict, with several thousands killed and many forced from their homes. Unanimously adopting resolution 2745 (2024), the Security Council also authorised Member States to “seize, register and dispose” of prohibited items – weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts – destined for armed groups and associated individuals operating in the CAR. Member States are required to notify the…