Edinburgh fire destroys informatics library
Edinburgh University's artificial intelligence library and archive have been completely destroyed in the worst fire within living memory in the city's Old Town. The fire badly damaged the university's school of informatics, and 90 students have been evacuated from nearby student flats and rehoused in halls of residence.
Surrey scientists shadow dieters for TV
Surrey University scientists are to coordinate an experiment for a new reality TV show following dieters as they test four of the best-known weight loss plans. Diet Trials , to be broadcast by the BBC in March, follows 300 volunteers through six months spent on the Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Rosemary Conley and Dr Atkins diets.
South African trained doctors leave in droves
At least 43 per cent of South Africa's newly qualified doctors plan to leave the country next year, according to a survey of 1,100 doctors at the country's eight medical schools who qualified last year by the University of Natal's Nelson Mandela medical school.
Tehran student demonstrations continue
About 3,000 Tehran University students demonstrated from their campus on Saturday in a protest at a death sentence against university professor Hashem Aghajari for insulting Islam and in support of a national referendum on Iran's political future. Off-campus rallies have been banned for the past two years but hundreds of supporters scuffled with police in the streets, who fired in the air to disperse them.