New legal powers to trap animal rights militants
New powers to tackle animal rights extremists by clamping down on protests outside people's homes and providing further protection for companies against harassment are to be announced later this week by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary.
( The Guardian , The Times , The Independent )
Tarzan of the capes and mortar boards
Tarzan's breast-beating, Jane's skimpy dress, and their treatment of Cheetah are to be placed under the academic microscope by a University of Reading historian who is trying to find out how the 1930s films went from soft-core porn to domestic bliss. Her research, and new vocational degrees in surfing and soap operas, were scorned as "Mickey Mouse" affairs by the chairman of the Professional Association of Teachers, Barry Matthews, at its annual conference in Bournemouth yesterday.
( The Guardian )
UK scientists develop key new drugs test
Athletes competing at the Athens Olympics next month will, for the first time, be tested for the use of the banned drug Human Growth Hormone, thanks to research carried out by Southampton University.
( The Guardian )
Fox myth exploded by study
Urban foxes in Britain now number 33,000 and their country cousins 225,000 according to the most accurate estimate ever, says Bristol University. The results are remarkably similar to those in 1981, 1995 and 2000. Researcher Stephen Harris said that approximately 20,000 to 25,000 foxes are killed by hunting with dogs every year, with some 100,000 dying on the roads. Professor Harris said that the research suggested that there was "no reason to expect fox numbers to rise when hunting was banned".
( The Guardian , Journal of Applied Ecology )
'Dull, directionless and uninspiring'
One disillusioned student tells John Clare why she abadoned her degree course in English at Bristol University.
( Daily Telegraph )
Lend support by degrees
To work in a university you need to be caring, calm and flexible, says Fred Redwood. Feature on the huge numbers of people working behind the scenes running the administration at universities.
( The Times )
How to pay your way through university and avoid debt
The exams are over and the university places have been bagged - all school-leavers have to worry about now is how to pay for their higher education.
( Daily Mirror )
Unhealthy Scots still see no reason to be happy
Life satisfaction north of the border is significantly lower than in other parts of the UK, according to a network of economists called scotecon.net, based at 12 of Scotland’s universities. Their report, The Scots May Be Brave, But They Are Neither Healthy Nor Happy , claims that there has been no improvement in life satisfaction since 1973. Even devolution failed to make an impact.
( The Times, Daily Telegraph )
EU language barrier 'costing lives'
Doctors in some of the world's poorest countries are being denied cheap life-saving drugs for patients because Brussels lacks enough linguists to translate a new patent law into the 20 languages of the European Union, the British Government said last night.
( The Guardian )