“I am deeply worried about the rising risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East and plead with all parties, along with those States with influence, to act urgently to de-escalate what has become a very precarious situation,” Volker Türk said in a statement. He stressed that “human rights – first and foremost the protection of civilians – must be the top priority.” Avoid further ‘spiralling’ Mr. Türk noted that over the past 10 months, civilians – mostly women and children – have endured unbearable pain and suffering as the result of bombs and guns. “Everything, and I mean…
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Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “The Science of Cats” What prompted the idea for the course? I’m an evolutionary biologist who has spent my career studying the evolution of small lizards in the Caribbean. I’m also a lifelong cat lover, but it never occurred to me to do anything scientific with house cats. They’re hard to study – ever tried to follow your cat around to see what they’re doing? And in contrast to amply studied lions, tigers and other wild felines, I was under the impression…
Australia’s south and east have seen freezing temperatures and wild weather this winter. At the same time, the continent as a whole – and the globe – have continued to warm. What’s going on? As ever, it’s hard to pinpoint a single cause for weather events. But a key player is likely an event unfolding high above Antarctica, which itself may have been triggered by a heatwave at surface level on the frozen continent. Here’s what’s happening – and what it might mean for the rest of this year’s weather. When the stratosphere heats up Out story begins in the…
As of April 2023, the Veterans Welfare Service for Northern Ireland has expanded its offerings to all veterans, regardless of their service background. In recent years, veterans’ services in Northern Ireland have undergone a significant transformation. Traditionally, veterans in this region have been a hidden community, often concealing their service careers due to security concerns encountered during ‘the Troubles’ or Operation Banner. This new service framework evolves from the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) and the Royal Irish Aftercare Service, established in 2007 during the post-Operation Banner era. The newly-established Veterans Welfare Service – Northern Ireland (VWS NI) ensures that veterans…
NEWARK, NJ – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a federal court order that requires two New Jersey construction companies and their owners and managers to pay $600,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 131 former employees after a federal investigation found the employers engaged in an illegal bonus pay scheme.Entered by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the consent judgment follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division and litigation by the department’s Office of the Solicitor. The division found that masonry and concrete contractors Innovative Design and Development LLC, E&N Construction…
Diagnoses for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are increasing in older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the number of people older than 65 diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in the U.S. increased about three-, five- and sevenfold, respectively, from 2010 to 2023. Data also suggests that women older than 50 are at greater risk for HIV than younger women. Explanations for why these infections are so common in older adults include limited understanding of STIs in this age group, infrequent condom use and increased availability of medications for conditions that typically limit sexual activity in…
An oil tanker carrying 1.4 million litres of fuel sank in rough seas off the Philippines capital, in the Manila Bay caused by a monsoon. Now downgraded to a typhoon, Gaemi (locally called Carina) combined with effects of southwest monsoons to bring intense rains and winds to western Luzon Island, home to over half of the Filipino population. Close to 400,000 people were affected by the rains and floods on Wednesday alone, including about 198,000 who sought refuge in evacuation centres. At least 13 people have been killed, with reports that two more may have perished. In addition, La Mesa…
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell met today with outgoing Finnish Ambassador to the United States Mr. Mikko Hautala. They affirmed the strength of the U.S.-Finland relationship and committed to widening existing collaboration in many areas, including in defense, trade, and technology. The Deputy underscored the importance of increased European cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners, and he and Ambassador Hautala reaffirmed their united resolve to stand with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression. They also discussed next steps on the recently announced Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) Pact between the United States, Canada, and Finland,…
Australian children are among the healthiest in the world. However, First Nations children continue to be left behind. To break the cycle of disadvantage, we need to foster First Nations children’s wellbeing so they can enjoy strong, happy childhoods. Research can help us achieve this, but there’s a critical challenge – how do we include the voices of First Nations children in the research that aims to support them? We must do this safely and effectively. One of the biggest hurdles is that participating in research can be boring, if not downright scary, for many children. We’ve come up with…
So far in 2024 there have been more than 17,000 cases of whooping cough (pertussis) across Australia. This is well above our usual national average. It’s already six times more cases than we saw in all of 2023. News headlines in multiple states have warned of whooping cough outbreaks over recent weeks and months. Most recently, Western Australia has reported a surge, highest in the state’s south-west. Young infants are at the greatest risk of severe disease and death as whooping cough numbers continue to climb. So why has it been such a big year for whooping cough? And how…