In our everyday life, we are surrounded by objects that have properties enabling them to perform certain functions. Rigidity and softness enable an object to perform a specific function. These propoerties are seemingly opposing in nature, and one property cannot be traded for another. For example, pillows are soft to provide the necessary cushioning and comfort. A rolling pin is rigid and round to be able to roll over dough. Once these objects are fabricated, those properties cannot be changed. A pillow cannot flatten dough, and a rolling pin cannot provide support for a head and neck. But imagine if…
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An explosion rocked the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv on July 8, 2024. The explosion, part of a broader Russian missile attack on Ukraine, killed dozens of people. The sight of children fleeing the hospital grabbed international attention. Ukraine immediately condemned the attack. “It is very important that the world should not be silent about it now and that everyone should see what Russia is and what it is doing,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Likely due to the horrific nature of the act, Russia responded by arguing it was one of Ukraine’s own surface-to-air missiles that hit Ukraine’s biggest pediatrics…
In 2022, EU exports to non-EU countries generated €2 526 billion of gross value added, or 17.7% of the total gross value added in the EU. The share increased by 0.2 percentage points (pp) compared with 2021 (from 17.5%) and by 3.9 pp compared with 2010 (from 13.8%). Jobs of 31.1 million people in the EU were supported by exports to non-EU countries in 2022 and they accounted for 14.5% of the total EU employment. The share remained stable compared with 2021 and increased by 2.6 pp compared with 2010 (from 11.9%). Source datasets: Eurostat calculations This information comes from Full…
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the successful resolution of a course of remediation addressing alleged labor rights violations at the RV Fresh processing facility in Michoacan, Mexico, under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Rapid Response Labor Mechanism. The Secretary of Labor and U.S. Trade Representative co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee.After U.S. officials requested Mexico review the matter in February 2024, the two governments negotiated a course of remediation in April 2024. RV Fresh has responded by distributing a neutrality statement and guidelines, implementing a zero-tolerance policy against employer interference in union affairs and by conducting comprehensive training for all personnel.…
The Medical Research Council’s (MRC) prizes recognises the breadth and diversity of skilled people needed for the future biomedical research and development workforce. MRC Impact Prize The MRC Impact Prize celebrates outstanding individuals and teams across a broad career stage who have made transformative impacts in three areas: open science impact outstanding team impact early career impact Dr Joan Chang from The University of Manchester was awarded the Early Career Impact Prize for her work championing the institutional postdoctoral community since 2017. Professor Paul Denny from Durham University accepted the Outstanding Team Impact Prize on behalf of the Global Network…
The previous Conservative administration under Rishi Sunak had referred to China as an “epoch-defining challenge” but resisted calls from backbench Tory MPs to formally label Beijing as a “threat.” Back in the game Robertson is one of several New Labour figures that have been moved to top jobs under Starmer in his first week in office. Cabinet Office chief Pat McFadden, part of the prime minister’s inner circle of top ministers dubbed the “gang of four,” served under both Blair and Gordon Brown, while newly elected MPs returning to the party after years of absence, such as Douglas Alexander, the…
Over the past few decades, animal sounds have seen a huge surge in research. Advances in recording equipment and analysis techniques have driven new insights into animal behaviour, population distribution, taxonomy and anatomy. In a new study published in Ecology and Evolution, we show the limitations of one of the most common methods used to analyse animal sounds. These limitations may have caused disagreements about a whale song in the Indian Ocean, and about animal calls on land, too. We demonstrate a new method that can overcome this problem. It reveals previously hidden details of animal calls, providing a basis…
Today at the launch event of the 2024 Aid Transparency Index (ATI) in Washington DC, it was announced that the Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) joined the league of most transparent donors and now ranks in the “top 10”. This is the first time since the creation of this Index that DG INTPA (and a European Commission service) ranks this category. European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, commented:” According to Aid Transparency Index, DG INTPA is one of the top-ranking donors. Accountability and transparency are crucial to the legitimacy of our work, including investment strategy Global Gateway. This…
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today in Washington with Foreign Ministers and representatives of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and addressed key deliverables arising from the 2024 NATO Summit, including accelerating Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO and providing a bridge to membership. They also emphasized the urgency of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of hostages and facilitates the increased delivery of humanitarian aid and discussed ongoing work to establish security, governance, and reconstruction for…
For the past few weeks, Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) after the first crewed voyage of Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft hit a snag. Concerns raised by Boeing and Nasa over thruster problems and several helium leaks (helium is used in Starliner’s engine system) have prevented the craft from making the return journey as scheduled. Nasa has now said the astronauts may have to stay put until the next scheduled crew switchover in August – potentially on another ship. Boeing and Nasa are trying to put a positive spin on…