the universe

An Italian court on Monday convicted three Egyptian security officials for their involvement in the 2016 kidnapping of Giulio Regeni, the Cambridge University student whose tortured body was found on a Cairo roadside days after he disappeared. The verdict is a landmark in Italy's years-long effort to establish accountability, though Egypt has consistently denied involvement and the defendants were tried in absentia.

An Italian court has convicted three Egyptian security officers in absentia for the kidnapping of Giulio Regeni, the Cambridge University student tortured and killed in Egypt in 2016. The verdict marks a rare step toward accountability in a case that has strained Italy-Egypt relations for years. Rome continues to press Cairo for answers about who ordered and carried out the killing.

An Italian court has convicted three Egyptian security officials over the 2016 torture and killing of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, while acquitting a fourth defendant. The ruling, delivered in absentia, comes after years of pressure for answers over the researcher's death, which strained relations between Rome and Cairo. All four men were being tried over the abduction and murder of the Cambridge University student near the Egyptian capital.

The US Senate has moved forward with legislation to overhaul the college sports system, according to ABC News. The bill's advancement marks an early but significant step in a long-running debate over how college athletics should be governed, particularly around athlete pay, name-image-likeness rights, and the broader structure of the NCAA. Details of the proposed reforms and their chances of passing remain limited so far.

An Italian court has convicted three Egyptian security officials for their role in the kidnapping of Giulio Regeni, the Cambridge University student tortured and killed in Egypt in 2016. The verdict delivers partial justice, as none of the defendants were present at trial and no one has been convicted for Regeni's murder itself. The case has long strained relations between Italy and Egypt.

The New York Times reports on claims that Anthropic's Claude AI system produced a new scientific finding on its own. An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the model, and that the AI's new finding matched their unpublished work. The report raises questions about whether the discovery was genuinely independent or informed by the researchers' input, and it is prompting discussion about how AI contributions to science should be evaluated and credited.

Stroke rates among younger adults have nearly doubled, according to a report highlighted by University of Cincinnati researchers. The increase in adults under around 55 marks a shift from stroke's traditional reputation as an older person's illness, and is drawing attention to rising rates of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes as likely contributing factors. Health experts are urging younger people to monitor blood pressure and adopt healthier lifestyles to reduce their risk.

A new report on the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University says his organization, Turning Point USA, insisted he appear outdoors despite security concerns. The university, where Kirk was killed, reportedly failed to properly assess dangers, including the possibility of a rooftop shooter. The findings renew scrutiny of security planning for the event and questions about who bears responsibility for the lapses.

Three Egyptian security officials have been convicted in absentia over the kidnapping of Giulio Regeni, the Italian Cambridge University student found tortured and killed near Cairo in 2016. The verdict, handed down by an Italian court, is seen by human rights advocates as a rare step toward accountability, though none of the convicted men is likely to be extradited or serve prison time.

The Trump administration is retreating from a proposed executive order that would have given the White House greater control over National Institutes of Health grant decisions. Reporting by Semafor says the plan, which would have tightened political oversight of NIH research funding, is now considered 'dead' after significant pushback from scientists, universities and lawmakers. The retreat comes amid ongoing concerns over federal science funding policy.

A student from Gaza has been suspended by a Dutch university after he claimed to have taken part in the October 7 attacks. The move has drawn attention to how European universities handle students who openly declare involvement in the Hamas-led assault, and the case is being reported in Israeli and international media.

A new commentary argues that major powers selectively invoke universal human rights norms to serve their own geopolitical interests rather than genuine humanitarian concerns. The piece contends that human rights language is used as an instrument of foreign policy, deployed against rivals and ignored when applied to allies, undermining the credibility of the international system meant to protect them.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino addressed the World Leaders Forum at Columbia University, discussing Panama's sovereignty, migration and climate change. His remarks come as the Panama Canal, migration through the Darién Gap and climate pressures remain central issues in US-Panama relations, drawing attention to how the small Central American nation navigates major global powers and environmental challenges.

A university student has spoken out about ongoing strikes at their institution, saying the disruption is 'not what we signed up for'. The comments reflect frustration among students caught in the middle of staff walkouts over pay and conditions, with classes cancelled and teaching interrupted as the industrial action continues at universities.

The US Senate has passed a sweeping college sports bill, with details still emerging on what exactly it would change. The legislation is expected to reshape the college athletics landscape, touching on issues such as athlete compensation and the governance of college sports. Attention now turns to how the bill would be implemented and what it means for student-athletes, universities and the NCAA.

Indonesia's government will provide a $1.1 billion capital injection into BPJS Kesehatan, the state agency that runs the country's universal health insurance scheme. The move is aimed at strengthening the insurer's finances as it covers the medical costs of hundreds of millions of Indonesians under one of the world's largest single-payer health programs.

Prosecutors are reopening a rape case connected to a fraternity at Cornell University in New York, according to NPR. The decision to revisit the case has drawn attention given the university's prominence and ongoing concerns about sexual assault and accountability in college Greek life. Details about the original case, the individuals involved, or the reasons for reopening it have not yet been made public.

The United Nations University argues that artificial intelligence regulation should be grounded in human rights rather than technology-specific rules. The piece contends that existing international human rights frameworks — covering privacy, non-discrimination and freedom of expression — already provide a basis for holding governments and companies accountable as AI systems spread into public services and daily life, and calls for these principles to anchor new governance efforts.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine report that people who use cannabis frequently tend to have more severe epilepsy. The finding, covered by Medical Xpress, suggests heavy marijuana use is associated with worse seizure outcomes, though the relationship between cannabis and epilepsy remains an active area of debate in medical research.

A POLITICO investigation has found more than 100 open records requests filed at 19 public universities across the United States, targeting at least 30 researchers over the past five years. More than half of the requests were filed since Donald Trump's reelection in November, prompting concern among academics about scrutiny and potential chilling effects on research.

The Trump administration has rescinded federal funding from a set of higher education programs, drawing attention from colleges, students and policy watchers. Details on which programs are affected and the total dollar amount involved remain limited, with education sector outlets reporting the move and its likely impact on institutions relying on the money.

China has announced a sweeping reform of its higher education system that officials say will allow 'everyone can attend university'. The plan, reported by the South China Morning Post, points to a major expansion of university access across the country. Details of how the reform will be implemented, and what it means for admissions and funding, have not yet been made fully clear.

Roughly 85% of the matter in the universe has never been directly detected, as it does not interact with standard scientific instruments. UCLA astrophysicist Alvine Kamaha and the LUX-ZEPLIN collaboration are working to change that, operating a detector nearly 1.6 kilometres underground in South Dakota to catch rare particle interactions from dark matter.

A Harvard study reports that students using an AI tutor to learn physics achieved better results than peers in standard active-learning classes. The findings suggest personalized, conversational AI instruction can outperform established classroom methods, sparking debate among educators about how such tools should fit into teaching and whether AI could reshape how universities deliver science education.