Jane Prinsley is the Investigations Correspondent at the Jewish Chronicle accuses university of ‘genocide complicity’Officials clear ceremony after Palestinian flag-waving activist breaks current injunction on protest Jane Prinsley 1 min readA student graduating from Cambridge University was reportedly threatened with police action after she interrupted a formal ceremony on Saturday to accuse the institution of “complicity” in “genocide in Gaza.” the student walked to the front of Senate House held up a Palestinian flag in front of Cambridge graduands and their families and made a speech she claimed: “Cambridge University is complicit in genocide in Gaza Over 60,000 people have been killed by Israel in Gaza and Cambridge continues to invest in Israeli arms The student sat on the floor and raised the Palestinian flag amid a smattering of applause. University administrators approached her before clearing the hall. According to Cambridge student paper, Varsity university staff threatened police action as the student remained seated in silence One student who spoke to the student paper accused the protester of “derailing” the ceremony They said: “I’ve always been quite sympathetic to the pro-Palestinian cause “Lots of families like mine have travelled a long way to see people graduate and having this celebration derailed by a protest over something they have no role in feels wrong.” The protest comes weeks after the High Court granted Cambridge an injunction to prevent protests on parts of its campus until July 26 to prohibit the disruption of graduation ceremonies The university won a four-month court order blocking Gaza demonstrations from certain areas of its campus until the end of July Gaza protests allegedly disrupted the graduations of more than 1,600 students citing a “strong probability” of further disruptive demonstrations protesters who interfere with graduations could be liable to criminal damages The injunction period will also cover the university’s end-of-year exams “I am satisfied that there is a compelling need for the granting of an injunction,” the judge said The University of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire Constabulary were approached for comment Cambridge Anti-Israel protests Pro-Palestine protests Universities was supposed to be full of construction workers building 60 condominiums a quick walk from the Red Line Despite its location on a main thoroughfare in one of the strongest housing markets in the world the project won’t make enough money to attract investors who will pay to build it and the developers say a key city affordable housing policy is to blame But housing is so expensive to build right now that some developers say that this so-called inclusionary housing requirement may be backfiring making otherwise profitable projects too costly to build and stopping them before shovels hit the ground a policy aimed at generating affordable housing may actually be preventing it “The simple reality is that the math of the inclusionary policy is preventing development,” said Daniel Sibor managing partner of North Cambridge Partners ”The project we’re doing is one where the numbers should work Inclusionary zoning is popular among many Greater Boston municipalities for the simple reason that it can generate affordable homes with no public money At least half of the cities and towns in Greater Boston have some form of inclusionary zoning on the books according to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council they’ve created thousands of income-restricted apartments But lately, amid soaring costs for building materials and higher interest rates developers and some local officials wonder if those policies might be doing more harm than good as they are currently written And now some communities are evaluating whether to dial back their requirements in hopes of kicking construction back into gear It’s a tricky balance. Cities like Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville have increased their affordable housing requirements in recent years leveraging their hot markets to create much-needed affordable housing The prospect of lowering that requirement feels perverse even if it may be a practical solution to generate more units “We have a desperate need for affordable housing and inclusionary [zoning] is our greatest tool for delivering it,” said Ellen Shachter director of Somerville’s Office of Housing Stability “Changing it would have to be a last resort.” Cambridge first passed its policy in 1998 mandating developers set aside 15 percent of units in projects 10 units or larger at rates that are affordable to people making 80 percent of the Area Median Income (or roughly $130,000 for a family of four) or less the program has created just shy of 1,600 units of affordable housing in Cambridge and developers were still building projects under the 20 percent requirement for a few years after it went into effect when the economy of building homes in the US began to shift Not only did those changes reduce builders’ profit margins they also made investors more skeptical of the return on investment from housing so they began demanding higher margins to finance projects those factors dramatically increased the cost of building homes And while setting aside 20 percent of a project’s units at below-market rents may have been sustainable three years ago North Cambridge Partners figured their project would generate about $108 million in sales if all the units were sold at market prices who is also the founder and CEO of the Cambridge Innovation Center But with 12 of those units sold at far-lower “affordable” prices under the city’s inclusionary rule The developers figure they’ll sell the market rate units at somewhere around $1,500 per square foot one that’s partially driven by high construction costs and the need to offset the discount on the affordable units would come in closer to $275 per square foot 72,000-square-foot building would cost $85 million to build leaving the developers with $5 million in profit But to come up with that $85 million to begin with they’d need to find an equity investor willing to put up about 35 percent of the money — $30 million — and then borrow the rest The investors the developers have talked with about financing the project are seeking such a high rate of return that the project would need to net roughly $16 million $11 million more than what the developers currently project to make the $18 million the developers would lose on the inclusionary units even with the market rate units set at luxury prices “It’s lots of fun to say f— capitalism and f— developers but we rely on developers to build the city they have to make money to pay the people that fund the projects,” said Patrick Barrett you’ve got a bunch of different social interests digging into the bottom line of a building.” why housing production in Cambridge has taken a significant dip over the past three years builders in the city broke ground on an average of 790 units annually developers only finished construction on 39 units But 439 of those units were in one project — a luxury tower in Kendall Square that will soon be the city’s tallest building part of a bigger development that will also include lab space while another 106 were approved in a project under special zoning rules allowing for taller buildings on the condition that every unit in them is affordable (such projects are typically financed with public subsidy and don’t include inclusionary units.) Only one project — the Kendall Square tower — contained inclusionary units That means developers are mostly building projects that avoid the affordable housing requirement or that are so large they can offset the cost Developers have yet to break ground on a 19-unit project on McGrath Highway that was permitted last year with inclusionary units there is far from universal agreement that the inclusionary policy is to blame for the slowdown City Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler said he would not support lowering the requirement because it has been the city’s top driver of affordable housing production the city could consider creating a sliding scale that ties the share of units required to the size of the building “This policy has created thousands of affordable homes for people in our city,” he said “I don’t think we should just drop the requirement because a couple of developers complained.” That balance — between affordable housing and sluggish construction — is a source of debate in communities throughout the region a principal regional housing and land use planner at MAPC plans to review its inclusionary housing policy which is also set at 20 percent and drives most affordable housing production in the city They have heard complaints from developers and have seen building slow in recent years Everett, which over the past decade has seen a building boom on its formerly industrial land recently increased its inclusionary requirement for projects on polluted parcels from 5 to 10 percent (Other lots in the city have a 15 percent requirement.) Still the city managed to generate nearly 700 affordable units between 2017 and mid-2024 the city’s director of planning and development Challenger Josh Kraft has proposed dialing back to 13 percent which he says will unlock stalled projects The Wu administration says the rise in construction costs and interest rates are responsible for the slowdown said Cambridge City Councilor Patricia Nolan because it is broad changes in the economy that have really changed the math of building for developers When Cambridge first studied raising the requirement to 20 percent in 2016 it showed that projects could still pencil out but they can control the affordability requirement If they want to see more affordable housing built lowering the policy may be the only effective lever to pull Nolan filed a policy order last week that proposed the council study altering the affordable housing requirement “20 percent of zero is still zero,” said Nolan “I’d rather have some affordable housing than none.” Andrew Brinker can be reached at andrew.brinker@globe.com. Follow him @andrewnbrinker. Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Log In Manage My Account Customer Service Delivery Issues Feedback News Tips Help & FAQs Staff List Advertise Newsletters View the ePaper Order Back Issues News in Education Search the Archives Privacy Policy Terms of Service Terms of Purchase Work at Boston Globe Media Internship Program Co-op Program Do Not Sell My Personal Information Tom Youngs made 246 league appearances in his career and scored 51 goals Northampton Town and Bury forward Tom Youngs has died at the age of 45 Youngs started his career with the U's after joining the club aged 10 and made 180 appearances between 1997 and 2003 He won promotion to the third tier with Cambridge in 1998-99 After 30 appearances in an injury-hit three seasons with Northampton Youngs had a short spell at Leyton Orient before joining Bury in June 2005 He played 49 league games for the Shakers and scored seven goals in two seasons before a hip injury ended his playing career with non-league Mildenhall Town in 2011 Youngs was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014 after moving back to Bury St Edmunds to work as an accountant Having studied sports journalism at Staffordshire University What Dreams are (Not Quite) Made of: No Fame In their obituary, Cambridge wrote, external: "Tom will be remembered as a gifted player who intelligent positioning and poise in front of goal graced the Abbey Stadium between 1997 and 2003." Northampton added, external: "Tom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a life-changing event that he faced with the same resilience and honesty that marked his entire career "He later wrote a moving and insightful book reflecting on both his footballing days and his experience with the disease offering comfort and inspiration to many." 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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. was “the home of lost causes and forsaken beliefs” Now Cambridge is giving it a run for its money Oxford’s chancellor election last year was widely billed as a two-horse race between the elder statesmen Lords Mandelson and Hague; the latter in the end won handily They both had their hang-ups and lost causes too Fortunately for Gina Miller it is customary for Cambridge chancellors to be lacking in political acumen Does Gina Miller – who in her latest attention-seeking stunt wants to be the next chancellor of Cambridge University – matter Miller said in 2018; but things move swiftly and the passions which attended the great Brexit debates of the late 2010s have largely faded away Already a subscriber? Samuel Rubinstein is a history student and writer currently based in Paris Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3 Already a subscriber? your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Brittany Kaiser says that online data protection has scarcely improved since she testified to UK parliament in 2018 that millions of people may have had their Facebook data harvested The scandal broke in 2016 after it emerged that more than 87 million people may have had their data collected on Facebook through a personality quiz Though it is unclear how that data was used Kaiser said that Cambridge Analytica did "chargeable work" with Donald Trump’s election campaign and Leave Both organisations said there was no contract signed to work with the analytics company “I wish that I could say that it has gotten better I would say there are now many parts of the world where people are starting to be legally protected which wasn't the case in 2018,” Kaiser told Euronews Next Though she said there are more data protection laws now she said there are no federal data laws in the US and that if an individual wants to take legal action against companies using their data without permission “If you don't want to spend a lot of time in a courtroom or dealing with the law I would say technically we are less protected because the technology is so much better at targeting,” she added Artificial intelligence (AI) is also making things worse especially when it comes to election interference “The rise of generative AI has made it so much easier to make things look like they are real very basic algorithmic creation of content that the world was using at that time,” she said where you can mimic reality because the AI has become so good,” she said Kaiser said that despite working to advocate for digital rights even she has been fooled by AI-generated images circulating online she thought something awful was happening in New York when she was momentarily convinced that an AI-generated image of a car being set alight in Manhattan was real “Knowing that it's difficult to even find a real picture of something anymore I would say that can very easily be abused for politics or for commercial purposes - or for whatever purposes people want to use,” she said “We're still in the scenario where you know a lot of our intelligence agencies are saying that ‘there's just as much money being spent by Russia and Iran on disinformation communications,’” she added “But the technology is so much better that the impact is more and the money goes further to whatever aim it has” more than 60 countries headed to the polls in what was a super-cycle of global elections Research is limited on whether AI played a role in them But a recent paper by the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS) at The Alan Turing Institute found that during the UK’s general election there were 16 viral cases of AI disinformation or deepfakes The researchers also analysed the US election and found examples of AI-generated disinformation These included AI bot farms mimicking US voters and allegations against immigrants which also led to viral AI-enabled content being referenced by some political candidates and received widespread media coverage While the paper said there was not enough evidence that AI-enabled disinformation had a measurable impact on the US presidential election results it did add that this AI content did shape US election discourse by “amplifying other forms of disinformation and inflaming political debates” Kaiser said one of her biggest concerns is the contracts that governments are signing with the Big Tech AI companies “Because governments are willing to try to use AI a lot of them are licensing AI products from large companies that are closed source and our data and our government data is just going into these closed source for-profit systems Open source generally means the software’s source code is available to everyone in the public domain to use closed source AI means that the code and data the AI is trained on are kept in the company’s full control and ownership there could be national security implications of having large open source AI models in the hands of anyone who can code “OpenAI has a vast majority of government AI contracts and for all of our personal data as well as all of the government data from all these different government agencies and departments it creates an even bigger liability,” Kaiser said She added that this is similar to how Cambridge Analytica and Facebook were over a decade ago Kaiser is now pushing for governments to adopt more open-source AI companies She said open-source is “essential for civilian-facing government agencies especially now when it's become popular for the first time for the public to be able to audit what the government is doing with databases and with data” She argued that more open-source AI systems would be a more ethical step forward to gain public trust as governments start to adopt AI which in the US comes as there is no federal legislation to protect people from how their data might be used in these systems Kaiser has recently taken on a new role at open source AI platform ElizaOS She is leading the company’s new subsidiary to help the US public sector build open-source AI technology for governments Kaiser is hopeful that the Trump administration may take data protection more seriously “This particular government seems quite set on having serious federal technology policy and engaging with technologists and hiring the technologists to run a lot of government departments,” she said “So I'm hopeful that that means that we'll actually see something happening in the US “It would be quite great if we could finally see federal legislation to protect American citizens and to protect our rights in the face of growing tech adoption” However, the US made it clear at the AI Action Summit in Paris in February that overregulation of the technology could upend innovation and that the country would be leading on not putting extraneous regulation on these technologies “Excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative sector just as it's taking off," US Vice President JD Vance said Kaiser does not see this as hindering her ambitions for US data protections or open-source AI but rather that there is a balancing act when it comes to regulation “I certainly don't agree with [OpenAI CEO] Sam Altman when he says that we should allow any data to be used for our models so that we can be competitive I think that's very ‘move fast and break things’ for me,” she said she said she also does not think that extraneous regulation is going to help because it ends up not being technically implementable which she said happened in some components of Europe’s GDPR “But I do believe that common sense regulation that is co-written with technologists so that it's easily implementable… would be a good thing for Americans and for the economy,” she said Take part in Varsity’s anonymous survey to help uncover how many students at Oxford and Cambridge have close relatives who also went to either university it can sometimes feel like everyone around you has a connection to the place — a parent But how many students really have family who attended Oxford or Cambridge And how much do these connections shape who gets in Take part in Varsity’s anonymous survey to help uncover how many students at Oxford and Cambridge have close relatives who also went to either university Whether you’re the first in your family to apply or part of an Oxbridge dynasty Please fill out the short survey here Varsity is the independent newspaper for the University of Cambridge In order to maintain our editorial independence our print newspaper and news website receives no funding from the University of Cambridge or its constituent Colleges We are therefore almost entirely reliant on advertising for funding and we expect to have a tough few months and years ahead we are going to look at inventive ways to look at serving our readership with digital content and of course in print too Varsity is the independent student newspaper for the University of Cambridge All content © 1996-2025 Varsity Publications Ltd and sovereign wealth fund managers fly into the University of Cambridge the real headline is who brought them there Thanks for signing up for our daily insight on the African economy We bring you daily editor picks from the best Business Insider news content so you can stay updated on the latest topics and conversations on the African market Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected Home News Article Four arrests have been made after a teenage boy was stabbed in the face on Saturday (3 May) night Police received a 999 call just before 10pm reporting that the 16-year-old had been attacked at the playing fields off Ermine Street North in Papworth Everard The boy was taken to hospital with serious and possibly life-changing injuries Four people were taken into custody at Parkside Police Station in Cambridge – a 17-year-old boy from Huntingdonshire a 17-year-old boy from Saffron Waldon in Essex a 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man both from Chatteris Det Insp Lindsay Harbour said: “I understand the concern from the local community following this incident however I hope it provides some reassurance that we have made four arrests “Officers will be in the area today carrying out enquiries I would urge anyone who has not yet spoken with us to make contact as soon as possible.” Anyone with information should contact police online via the reporting forms or webchat and quote 35/31987/25 Those without internet access should call 101 Sign in Join now, it's FREE! held April 27 at Tapestry Hall in the Gaslight District reports Galt Jazz founder Dave Ottenbrite. The festival exceeded its goal with over 500 tickets sold and the venue was alive with the vibrant sounds of jazz and the enthusiastic energy of our attendees The festival featured the Tim Louis Sextet kicking off the afternoon with interpretive jazz melodies which brought the spirit of New Orleans to Cambridge JUNO-nominated vocalist Heather Bambrick, who also served as MC provided lots of laughter and Pretzel Logic headlined the evening with a spot-on tribute to Steely Dan The community's support was overwhelming "The rave reviews for Tapestry Hall were unanimous - attendees praised its stunning blend of historical charm and modern elegance and perfect atmosphere for live jazz." Many guests commented that it was "the perfect venue" and "an incredible place to experience music." The festival was organized by a small but dedicated festival committee and came together thanks to an amazing group of volunteers whose dedication and hard work helped make this event possible And special thanks to my organizing partner whose input and talents proved to be the key to our success." It wouldn't have been possible without generous donors whose support provided a solid financial base and enabled the success of this inaugural festival "Your commitment and generosity have helped set a strong foundation for future events." The community's commitment has resulted in a significant $5,000 donation to the Cambridge Food Bank from the proceeds of the event I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended Your enthusiasm and love for jazz made this event truly special," Ottenbrite says Galt Jazz is bringing back its popular monthly jazz shows in downtown Cambridge this summer with its first outdoor show of the season happening on Main Street It will feature Tia Brazda featuring a backup band it's fun and it’s patio season with another wonderful opportunity to experience great jazz in the heart of Cambridge." the protester is liable for criminal damages if the University chooses to pursue them A Cambridge student graduating on Saturday (03/05) interrupted the ceremony to protest the University’s “complicity” in “genocide in Gaza,” breaking the four-month High Court injunction against protests in Senate House proceeded to the centre of the Senate House room and held up a Palestinian flag She stated: “Cambridge University is complicit in genocide in Gaza Following mixed applause from attendees, administrators cleared the hall and reportedly threatened police action as the student silently sat One student inside the graduation hall told Varsity: “It’s frankly very frustrating that this has happened I’ve always quite been sympathetic to the pro-Palestinian cause and having this celebration derailed by a protest over something they have no role in feels wrong,” they added This comes over a month after the High Court granted the University an injunction to prevent protests on parts of its campus for four months in order to prevent disruption at the 12 graduation ceremonies taking place this year the protester is liable to criminal damages if the University chooses to pursue them In late February, the University was initially granted a “very narrow and limited court order” to prevent disruption to graduations that weekend but its proposed injunction of five years was rejected and restrictions beyond Saturday’s graduations were deemed not “necessary and justified” The University’s successful re-application faced significant protest, with over 1,000 students, staff, and alumni signing an open letter in March seeking to prevent restrictions to pro-Palestine protests in Cambridge the injunction was described as “authoritarian,” calling on the University “to withdraw” it and reaffirm its “commitment to protect the freedom of speech and assembly of its members” Cambridge University granted four-month injunction against Israel-Palestine protests It stated: “We note that the application to the court is made in the name of the ‘Chancellor Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge’ and wish to state publicly and clearly that you are not acting in our name in preparing such an assault on freedom of expression.” this injunction runs contrary to the collective rights and interests of the University community as a whole to debate assemble and protest in order to hold those in authority to account We wish to remind you that the demands raised by students in solidarity with the Palestinian people have wide support from members of the University community,” it continued These injunction attempts were in response to the encampment established on Senate House lawn in both May and November of 2024 alongside occupations of King’s College lawn and Greenwich House by pro-Palestine protesters In early March, pro-Palestine protesters sprayed the Old Schools building with red paint criticising the University’s investments in arms The University of Cambridge has been contacted for comment The City of Cambridge’s Community Safety Department has released its first impact report The report details the Community Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) Team’s activities in 2024 including its response to 9-1-1 calls and community outreach efforts the CARE Team began an unarmed civilian response to non-violent behavioral health crises the team had responded to 208 crisis calls excluding nearly 1,600 needles safely removed from local streets and parks The CARE Team assisted about 160 community members through its crisis response efforts with about 94% of calls resolved without police involvement The CARE Team also provides case management and referrals to community members it supported about 60 individuals with ongoing services The team has built strong partnerships with local organizations such as the YWCA and Salvation Army to enhance support for residents Youth employment program: Paid summer jobs for Cambridge teens: Apply by May 9 including expanding the team’s response to 9-1-1 calls five days a week starting in March Residents can access the full 2024 Community Safety Department Impact Report online For more information about the department, visit www.cambridgesafety.org or subscribe to the monthly newsletter – Police are currently investigating at shooting on April 24th that led to the arrest of two teens officers around the 700 block of Pine Street heard shots fired in the area They also got a shot spotter alert for shots fired on the 700 block of Douglas Street City cameras show the suspect firing the gun and fleeing in a specific set of clothing officers saw a group of people in the area near Douglas Street and Wells Street was a person wearing the same outfit the suspect wore in the videos When police tried to approach the group of people They were able to apprehend two teens and found two discarded loaded handguns a ghost gun and a stolen gun related to a burglary in 2023 Cambridge police ask that anyone with information about this incident call 410-228-3333 Because Local Matters The Waterloo Region Courthouse in Kitchener but breath tests revealed a blood-alcohol level twice the legal driving limit But breath tests revealed the man’s blood-alcohol level was twice the legal driving limit Officers in an unmarked cruiser followed a Kia Soul on Feb after learning the driver’s licence was expired failed to stop at a stop sign at Norfolk Avenue and Roxboro Road in Cambridge Officers pulled him over and asked for his licence “He was unsteady on his feet and it took approximately five minutes for him to locate his documents,” Crown prosecutor Harsimran Sidhu told Kitchener court Thursday “He admitted to having one beer after work.” The Cambridge man failed a roadside breath test “He then admitted to having two pints of beer,” Sidhu said taken more than an hour after he was stopped revealed 160 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood “I screwed up,” he told Justice Melanie Sopinka The judge agreed to a request from the Crown and defence for a $2,000 fine and one-year driving ban Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account By Sarah CollinsPublished 17 April 2025 Artist's impression of the exoplanet K2-18b Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have detected the chemical fingerprints of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and/or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) which orbits its star in the habitable zone primarily microbial life such as marine phytoplankton While an unknown chemical process may be the source of these molecules in K2-18b’s atmosphere the results are the strongest evidence yet that life may exist on a planet outside our solar system The observations have reached the ‘three-sigma’ level of statistical significance – meaning there is a 0.3% probability that they occurred by chance To reach the accepted classification for scientific discovery the observations would have to cross the five-sigma threshold meaning there would be below a 0.00006% probability they occurred by chance The researchers say between 16 and 24 hours of follow-up observation time with JWST may help them reach the all-important five-sigma significance. Their results are reported in The Astrophysical Journal Letters Earlier observations of K2-18b — which is 8.6 times as massive and 2.6 times as large as Earth and lies 124 light years away in the constellation of Leo — identified methane and carbon dioxide in its atmosphere This was the first time that carbon-based molecules were discovered in the atmosphere of an exoplanet in the habitable zone Those results were consistent with predictions for a ‘Hycean’ planet: a habitable ocean-covered world underneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere However, another, weaker signal hinted at the possibility of something else happening on K2-18b. “We didn’t know for sure whether the signal we saw last time was due to DMS, but just the hint of it was exciting enough for us to have another look with JWST using a different instrument,” said Professor Nikku Madhusudhan from Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy To determine the chemical composition of the atmospheres of faraway planets astronomers analyse the light from its parent star as the planet transits or passes in front of the star as seen from the Earth JWST can detect a drop in stellar brightness and a tiny fraction of starlight passes through the planet’s atmosphere before reaching Earth The absorption of some of the starlight in the planet’s atmosphere leaves imprints in the stellar spectrum that astronomers can piece together to determine the constituent gases of the exoplanet’s atmosphere inference of DMS was made using JWST’s NIRISS (Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph) and NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instruments which together cover the near-infrared (0.8-5 micron) range of wavelengths independent observation used JWST’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) in the mid-infrared (6-12 micron) range “This is an independent line of evidence using a different instrument than we did before and a different wavelength range of light where there is no overlap with the previous observations,” said Madhusudhan “The signal came through strong and clear.” Transmission spectrum of the habitable zone exoplanet K2-18 b using the JWST MIRI spectrograph “It was an incredible realisation seeing the results emerge and remain consistent throughout the extensive independent analyses and robustness tests,” said co-author Måns Holmberg a researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore DMS and DMDS are molecules from the same chemical family and both are predicted to be biosignatures Both molecules have overlapping spectral features in the observed wavelength range although further observations will help differentiate between the two molecules the concentrations of DMS and DMDS in K2-18b’s atmosphere are very different than on Earth where they are generally below one part per billion by volume they are estimated to be thousands of times stronger - over ten parts per million “Earlier theoretical work had predicted that high levels of sulfur-based gases like DMS and DMDS are possible on Hycean worlds,” said Madhusudhan Given everything we know about this planet a Hycean world with an ocean that is teeming with life is the scenario that best fits the data we have.” Madhusudhan says that while the results are exciting it’s vital to obtain more data before claiming that life has been found on another world He says that while he is cautiously optimistic there could be previously unknown chemical processes at work on K2-18b that may account for the observations he is hoping to conduct further theoretical and experimental work to determine whether DMS and DMDS can be produced non-biologically at the level currently inferred “The inference of these biosignature molecules poses profound questions concerning the processes that might be producing them” said co-author Subhajit Sarkar of Cardiff University “Our work is the starting point for all the investigations that are now needed to confirm and understand the implications of these exciting findings,” said co-author Savvas Constantinou also from Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy “It’s important that we’re deeply sceptical of our own results because it’s only by testing and testing again that we will be able to reach the point where we’re confident in them,” Madhusudhan said “That’s how science has to work.” While he is not yet claiming a definitive discovery Madhusudhan says that with powerful tools like JWST and future planned telescopes humanity is taking new steps toward answering that most essential of questions: are we alone we may look back at this point in time and recognise it was when the living universe came within reach,” said Madhusudhan where suddenly the fundamental question of whether we’re alone in the universe is one we’re capable of answering.” The James Webb Space Telescope is a collaboration between NASA The research is supported by a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Frontier Research Grant To learn more about Hycean worlds, visit hycean.group.cam.ac.uk Reference:Nikku Madhusudhan et al. ‘New Constraints on DMS and DMDS in the Atmosphere of K2-18b from JWST MIRI.’ The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025) The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Only a quarter of staff are satisfied with how their department tackles bullying and harassment Only a quarter of staff at Cambridge University are satisfied with how their department tackles bullying and harassment according to an internal survey seen by the Observer Cambridge undertook its staff culture survey in January 2024 and is now facing accusations from academics that it tried to cover up the “grim” results which have been released through freedom of information (FoI) requests A spokesperson for the university said this weekend that it was supporting departments to take action where issues had been identified They said: “We take concerns about bullying seriously and strongly encourage anyone who experiences such behaviour to report it.” Just 27% of staff agreed that they were happy with attempts to address bullying and harassment – with some of the most high-profile science departments scoring especially badly – and only half of staff (52%) said their department supported their mental health and wellbeing The results have prompted an academic at the university to break with tradition and seek nominations in the forthcoming election of Cambridge’s new chancellor on an anti-bullying manifesto after Labour peer David Sainsbury announced his resignation from the post last year Prof Wyn Evans wants to seek nominations in the forthcoming election of Cambridge’s new chancellor on an anti-bullying manifesto Photograph: Sophia Evans/The ObserverEvans said: “This survey reveals a grim culture of bullying and harassment yet the most shocking thing of all is that the university found this out a year ago and hasn’t taken any action “If a senior academic is valuable to the university because they hold a lot of research grants bringing in a lot of money Evans said that having an outward-facing ambassadorial chancellor had worked well in the past but the university was facing an “internal crisis” of bullying and too many academics on insecure short-term contracts It now needed a chancellor who would push for “sweeping reforms” A survey by the university and the three main campus unions in 2020 found that nearly a third of staff had experienced bullying or harassment at work in the previous 18 months Then vice-chancellor Stephen Toope wrote a statement to accompany the survey results pledging action and stating: “To be a leading institution we must accept this type of behaviour has no place at Cambridge.” The university is far from alone in facing challenges of this kind. In 2020, a survey by the Wellcome Trust one of the largest charitable funders of research in the UK questioned more than 4,000 researchers across 20 universities and found that nearly two-thirds of them had witnessed bullying and harassment More than three-quarters of them felt that intense competition to win research grants and publish in high-profile journals – with research departments also competing to perform well in league tables and respond to government initiatives – had created “unkind and aggressive” conditions head of research and funding equity at Wellcome said: “Research shouldn’t come at the cost of damaging people’s wellbeing and it’s encouraging to see institutions asking students and staff about the issues they face.” He added: “The research sector can and should learn from one another By painting a picture of people’s experiences we are all better placed to design a positive and inclusive research culture.” Wellcome has explicit anti-bullying, exploitation and harassment rules as a pre-condition of its grants, and in 2018 revoked £3.5m in funding from Prof Nazneen Rahman one of Britain’s leading cancer scientists who was then based at the Institute of Cancer Research in London after 45 colleagues made accusations of bullying and harassment denied the allegations and said at the time “there were no disciplinary findings against me” Cambridge declined to release survey results for some of its departments under FoI among the detailed results seen by the Observer there are some departments with more concerning results In the Medical Research Council toxicology unit 69% of staff who expressed an opinion disagreed or strongly disagreed when asked if they were happy with how bullying and harassment was addressed this figure was 61%; in the Cavendish laboratory of physics it was 58%; and at both the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Cambridge Institute and in the department of oncology it was 50% Other departments with close to half of staff who expressed an opinion disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that these issues were tackled well included earth sciences When “don’t know” responses are taken into account the figures decrease by between 11 and 26 percentage points; for example the dissatisfaction among toxicology unit staff falls to 58% and in the Cavendish physics laboratory it falls to 32% A cancer researcher who left the university recently and claims they were “intimidated harassed and bullied” by a senior academic at CRUK Cambridge Institute said: “Research was my whole life I really looked forward to coming into the department exchanging ideas and inspiring research students I was left despairing and had many months of demoralisation.” The researcher said: “The ordeal ruined my personal life colleagues and former students – but from the university just bland exhortations to see the GP.” supported a colleague in blowing the whistle on bullying at a UK research institute and now campaigns for universities to tackle the issue better complaints against revenue-generating professors often result in the victim leaving while the perpetrator continues to build their career.” The spokesperson for Cambridge added: “The university strives to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all staff feel valued Although the low response rate of 23% limits the breadth of feedback we aim to increase participation in future surveys to ensure a more comprehensive understanding of staff experiences.” While the survey results were not disseminated to all staff Cambridge rejected the suggestion of a cover-up and said the findings had been made available to department heads and discussed at relevant committees some of which included trade union and student representatives The spokesperson said that the university had introduced a new code of behaviour and updated its dignity-at-work and grievance policies This article was amended on 15 April 2025 to reinstate a sentence of the response from Cambridge University which had been omitted during the editing process It was also amended on 17 April 2025 to include the university’s position on the “cover-up” claim and to correct a misstatement which said the departmental percentages were based on “staff who responded” The Observer’s calculations were in fact based on those who expressed an opinion ie excluding “don’t know” responses; additional text has been added to show how the results change when these answers are included This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Community Safety Department Director To Resign Amid Tension With Cambridge Police Department From Lab to Startup: Harvard’s Office of Technology Development Paves the Way for Research Commercialization People’s Forum on Graduation Readiness Held After Vote to Eliminate MCAS 8 Takeaways From Harvard’s Task Force Reports Toner was charged with buying sex from a high-end brothel network that operated in parts of Cambridge and Watertown at a Friday hearing Toner and ten other men were named on Friday as suspected brothel clients and charged with sexual conduct for a fee — a misdemeanor that rarely carries jail time — at a probable cause hearing at the Cambridge District Court Though Toner was summoned to appear for the probable cause hearing — the second of three hearings scheduled for 28 alleged clients — he did not come to court like the rest of the men identified Friday appearing in front of a clerk magistrate instead of a judge The three scheduled “show-cause” hearings determine whether there is enough evidence to charge a defendant with a crime In a Friday afternoon statement to The Boston Globe Toner wrote that he “caused pain for the people I care about most Toner did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Crimson A city spokesperson and multiple councilors said that he would not advise Toner to resign CPD Lieutenant Jarred Cabral presented evidence from a December 2023 police report detailing text exchanges between Toner and the brothel ringleaders that arranged the time and payment for multiple visits in 2023 Toner communicated with a phone run by the brothel operators and patronized the brothel multiple times between January and September 2023 Toner paid $340 for an hourlong “GFE,” or “girlfriend experience,” which police have said refers to a more “intimate experience” and can include sex acts Flaherty called Toner a “man of high character” at the courthouse in Medford after charges were filed against the councilor on Friday “None of us are perfect,” Flaherty said to reporters after the hearing adding that “Cambridge is lucky to have him.” Casey agreed to advance the charge of sexual conduct for a fee issuing a criminal complaint that opens the door for Toner’s trial in the next several weeks The charges against Toner come one week after a dozen men were criminally charged with buying sex through the brothel network The remaining twelve alleged clients are set to be named at a hearing next week Toner — a Cambridge native — has served on the council since 2022 touting himself as a “practical progressive” with more moderate views than some of his colleagues Toner has championed increased city spending for police and education He also proposed a series of amendments to the city’s upzoning proposal to reduce the allowed height of developments Toner co-sponsored a proposal last year to extend the city’s deadline to complete its network of separated bike lanes by a year — and he was one of five councilors who voted to approve the delay after a contentious meeting last April Toner spent more than a decade in union leadership serving for eight years as the president of Massachusetts Teachers Association a teachers’ union with more than 100,000 members Toner was one of 11 men named and charged in the Friday hearing Though all were ordered to appear in person Grant argued that police failed to provide sufficient evidence After hearing details from the police and brief arguments from the attorneys present Casey ruled to proceed with criminal charges for all 11 men The 23 men charged thus far are all scheduled to be arraigned in May —Staff writer Matan H. Josephy can be reached matan.josephy@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @matanjosephy —Staff writer Laurel M. Shugart can be reached at laurel.shugart@thecrimson.com. Follow them on X @laurelmshugart or on Threads @laurel.shugart Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter. Adolescents who sleep for longer – and from an earlier bedtime – than their peers tend to have improved brain function and perform better at cognitive tests researchers from the UK and China have shown Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks But the study of adolescents in the US also showed that even those with better sleeping habits were not reaching the amount of sleep recommended for their age group Sleep plays an important role in helping our bodies function toxins that have built up in our brains are cleared out and brain connections are consolidated and pruned Sleep has also been shown to boost our immune systems and improve our mental health We tend to start going to bed later and sleeping less All of this coincides with a period of important development in our brain function and cognitive development The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that the ideal amount of sleep during this period is between eight- and 10-hours’ sleep Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge said: “Regularly getting a good night’s sleep is important in helping us function properly but while we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and later life we know surprisingly little about sleep in adolescence even though this is a crucial time in our development and what impact does this have on their brain function and cognitive performance?” Studies looking at how much sleep adolescents get usually rely on self-reporting a team led by researchers at Fudan University and the University of Cambridge turned to data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States more than 3,200 adolescents aged 11-12 years old had been given FitBits allowing the researchers to look at objective data on their sleep patterns and to compare it against brain scans and results from cognitive tests The team double-checked their results against two additional groups of 13-14 years old The results are published today in Cell Reports The team found that the adolescents could be divided broadly into one of three groups: slept an average (mean) of 7 hours 10 mins They tended to go to bed and fall asleep the latest and wake up the earliest They had average levels across all sleep characteristics They tended to go to bed and fall asleep the earliest and had lower heart rates during sleep Although the researchers found no significant differences in school achievement between the groups when it came to cognitive tests looking at aspects such as vocabulary Group Three performed better than Group Two which in turn performed better than Group One Group Three also had the largest brain volume and best brain functions with Group One the smallest volume and poorest brain functions Professor Sahakian said: “Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small at just over a quarter-of-an-hour between the best and worst sleepers This drives home to us just how important it is to have a good night’s sleep at this important time in life.” First author Dr Qing Ma from Fudan University said: “Although our study can’t answer conclusively whether young people have better brain function and perform better at tests because they sleep better there are a number of studies that would support this idea research has shown the benefits of sleep on memory The researchers also assessed the participants’ heart rates finding that Group Three had the lowest heart rates across the sleep states and Group One the highest Lower heart rates are usually a sign of better health whereas higher rates often accompany poor sleep quality like restless sleep frequent awakenings and excessive daytime sleepiness Because the ABCD Study is a longitudinal study – that is one that follows its participants over time – the team was able to show that the differences in sleep patterns tended be present two years before and two years after the snapshot that they looked at Senior author Dr Wei Cheng from Fudan University added: “Given the importance of sleep we now need to look at why some children go to bed later and sleep less than others Is it because of playing videogames or smartphones or is it just that their body clocks do not tell them it’s time to sleep until later?” The research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China National Natural Science Foundation of China National Postdoctoral Foundation of China and Shanghai Postdoctoral Excellence Program The ABCD Study is supported by the National Institutes of Health Ma, Q et al. Neural correlates of device-based sleep characteristics in adolescents. Cell Reports; 22 Apr 2025; DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115565 Credit: harpazo_hope (Getty Images) I wish to receive a weekly Cambridge research news summary by email The University of Cambridge will use your email address to send you our weekly research news email. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what information we hold. Please read our email privacy notice for details Fragments of a rare Merlin manuscript from c 1300 have been discovered and digitised in a ground-breaking three-year project at Cambridge University Library By Jessica Keating Amélie Deblauwe and Błażej Mikuła undertaking 3D scanning of the manuscript A fragile 13th century manuscript fragment hidden in plain sight as the binding of a 16th-century archival register has been discovered in Cambridge and revealed to contain rare medieval stories of Merlin and King Arthur The manuscript, first discovered at Cambridge University Library in 2019 has now been identified as part of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin a French-language sequel to the legend of King Arthur The story was part of the Lancelot-Grail cycle There are less than 40 surviving manuscripts of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin with each one unique since they were individually handwritten by medieval scribes. This latest discovery has been identified as having been written between 1275 and 1315 The inner front cover of the manuscript as it was discovered making reading and accessing the text hidden beneath particularly difficult without damaging the material The manuscript had survived the centuries after being recycled and repurposed in the 1500s as the cover for a property record from Huntingfield Manor in Suffolk owned by the Vanneck family of Heveningham. It meant the remarkable discovery was folded and even stitched into the binding of the book - making it almost impossible for Cambridge experts to access it What followed the discovery has been a ground-breaking collaborative project, showcasing the work of the University Library’s Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory (CHIL) and combining historical scholarship with cutting-edge digital techniques to unlock the manuscript's long-held secrets - without damaging the unique document. As every manuscript of the period was copied by hand it means each one is distinctive and reflects the variations introduced by medieval scribes This one is believed to belong to the short version of the Vulgate Merlin and small errors—such as the mistaken use of the name "Dorilas" instead of "Dodalis"— will help Dr Fabry-Tehranchi and her colleague Nathalie Koble (ENS Paris) to trace its lineage among surviving manuscripts. photographed in standard conditions as seen by the naked eye shows the wear and tear sustained over the centuries including a band of faded text around the middle The way the manuscript has been carefully executed gave further clues to its origins and helped indicate that it was produced between the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century the language of the court and aristocracy in medieval England following the Norman Conquest and this particular fragment belongs to the genre of Arthurian romances which were intended for a noble audience The fragment tells two key episodes from the end of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin The first part recounts the victory of the Christians against the Saxons at the Battle of Cambénic It tells of the fight of Gauvain (with his sword Excalibur his horse Gringalet and his supernatural powers) The second passage presents a more courtly scene set on the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with Merlin appearing at Arthur’s court disguised as a harpist—a moment that highlights his magical abilities and his importance as an advisor to the king Dr Irène Fabry-Tehranchi holding the rare manuscript before inserting it into the Micro CT scanner in the Department of Zoology The medieval fragment was discovered in 2019 in this box of court rolls during the re-cataloguing of the manorial and estate records relating to the Vannecks of Heveningham (Suffolk) A translation from the Suite Vulgate du Merlin manuscript found at Cambridge University Library Multispectral Imaging: Principle Component Analysis (PCA) of the back inner cover Sally Kilby (Conservation Department) and Błażej Mikuła (CHIL) carefully photograph inside the folds of the manuscript made with Multispectral Imaging and processed using the Minimal Noise Fraction method brings out annotations on the left-hand side which were invisible to the naked eye including the stamp ‘Huntingfield’ believed to have been added in the 16th century when the manuscript was repurposed as a binding taken with a Multispectral Imaging camera and processed using the Minimal Noise Fraction method brought out the band of faded and erased text across the cover One theory by researchers is that at some point over the centuries there was a band (possibly made of an oily material such as leather) around the book holding it in place which rubbed off the text they were able to bring out the missing text digitally allowing researchers to read the story clearly and help place the manuscript amongst the Merlin literary canon 3D model produced using Artec Space Spider The fragment’s condition posed a significant challenge with tears and folds that made it difficult to handle Traditional methods of conservation might have involved physically removing the binding to unfold the fragment but this risked causing irreparable damage the team decided to preserve the fragment in situ keeping it as an example of 16th-century archival binding practices while using cutting-edge technology to virtually unfold and digitise it A multidisciplinary team comprising curators and imaging specialists from across the University of Cambridge including departments such as Archives and Modern Manuscripts all worked together with CHIL to analyse and digitise the fragment The methods undertaken by Amélie Deblauwe, Błażej Mikuła and Maciej Pawlikowski from CHIL, with the support of Jennifer Murray from the Library’s Conservation Department allowed them to unfold the fragment virtually and access hidden parts of the text Multispectral Imaging (MSI) This technique used in CHIL involved capturing the fragment in various wavelengths of light The high-resolution images produced by MSI allowed the team to enhance the readability of the text Images processed using geospatial software revealed details that were invisible to the naked eye The fragment had been heavily rubbed and worn from its use as a cover but MSI helped to bring out the text and highlighted annotations in the margins Computed Tomography (CT) scanningConducted with equipment and expertise from the University’s Zoology department the team used a powerful X-ray scanner—typically used for scanning fossils or skeletons—to virtually penetrate the layers of parchment and uncover hidden structures in the binding It provided a 3D model of the fragment and its binding and allows researchers to examine the structure of the binding without physically dismantling it The scan revealed how the fragment had been stitched into the cover providing insights into 16th-century archival binding techniques A micro CT scan of the binding structure utilises advanced segmenting structures to separate different materials within the manuscript By digitally removing the book and leaving just the thread enabling precise viewing and facilitating more accurate research A CT scanner relies on the difference in density of the material In this case both materials were the same density The pages were stitched using thin strips of the same or similar parchment The team spotted enough gap between the pages and the stitching to record that separation 3D modelling Industrial scanning techniques created highly detailed virtual models of the fragment Virtual unfoldingThe fragment’s text was not in a straightforward sequence; parts of it were hidden under folds or stitched into the binding the team at CHIL carefully photographed each section of the fragment The hundreds of resulting images were then painstakingly reassembled digitally the team could simulate what the document might look like if it were physically opened.Scroll down to watch the unfolding This video showcases a 3D animation that simulates the parchment unfolding It uses composite images to uncover the previously concealed text Fabry-Tehranchi described the process as “like solving a puzzle.” "If this had been done 30 years ago preserving it in situ gives us a crucial insight into 16th-century archival practices as well as access to the medieval story itself." Beyond revealing the fragment’s story of Merlin this project has established a new benchmark for the conservation and digitisation of medieval fragments "This project was not just about unlocking one text—it was about developing a methodology that can be used for other manuscripts Libraries and archives around the world face similar challenges with fragile fragments embedded in bindings and our approach provides a model for non-invasive access and study." The discovery has already sparked interest among researchers and conservators including those at the UK’s National Archives who are keen to explore how these techniques might be applied to their own collections A digitsation technique she used on the Merlin manuscript The team hopes the project will inspire further research into medieval manuscripts hidden in unexpected places The story of King Arthur and Merlin has been told and retold for centuries The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 25 March 2025Words and design: Jessica KeatingManuscript photography: Cambridge University Library / CHILAll other photography: Cambridge University Library / Błażej Mikuła / Amélie Deblauwe Dispute between Oxford and Cambridge proves even rowing can be a contact sport when it comes to blue boats With almost 200 years of intense rivalry the Boat Race has already inspired several major films, and after an extraordinary week Hollywood producers now have plenty more material to go at. What began last December as a disagreement between various alumni of Oxford and Cambridge over eligibility criteria for next month’s race exploded into a full-blown incident this week, with allegations of “slimy tactics,” academic snobbery and female rowers being viewed as collateral damage in a dispute between the male boat clubs. Paris 2024 gold medallist Tom Ford has also been prevented from rowing for Cambridge on 13 April due to the so-called 12-year rule which stops anyone competing if it was more than 12 years since they started an undergraduate degree course The 12-year rule was added to the joint agreement between the two boat clubs that governs the race four years ago after the double Olympic champion James Cracknell rowed for Cambridge in 2019 at the age of 46 The bad blood between the two camps is such that the former Olympic and world champion Annamarie Phelps who is chair of Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) Phelps described the situation as “deeply disappointing this week” and Imogen Grant the reigning Olympic lightweight double sculls champion and a three-time Boat Race winner with Cambridge Oxford could certainly do with a new strategy as they have lost seven women’s races in succession and five of the last six in the men’s race No one associated with OUBC has yet commented officially on the matter Kate Crowley and Molly Foxell who have been banned from competing in the 2025 Boat Race Photograph: Avpics/AlamyThe dispute is being taken so seriously that the vice-chancellors of both universities are now said to be considering intervening There are also concerns at the Boat Race Company that the controversy could impact on their title sponsorship deal with Chanel The announcement that Chanel had agreed a headline commercial deal with the Boat Race last autumn was a genuinely historic move as it is the French fashion house’s first sponsorship in sport Next month’s race will be called the Chanel J12 Boat Race – a reference to the brand’s J12 unisex watch – in the start of a five-year deal which the company have the option to extend Given that Chanel are a female-focused brand “It looks like Oxford saw an opportunity and went for it as they took the view that Matt Heywood was a strong rower and they wanted to stop him competing,” said Cath Bishop an Olympic rowing silver medallist and Cambridge graduate “The impact on Cambridge’s women’s squad losing two members is collateral damage If the PGCE ban stands it will affect women disproportionately “It is also an insult to all the alumni on both sides who have rowed while on PGCE courses and a poor look for Oxford to be undermining an important degree-level qualification for the teaching profession that is so crucial to society.” was also offered a place at Oxford before opting to go to Cambridge although dual applications are not unusual Heywood said this week that the decision to exclude him “doesn’t align with any values of sportsmanship or race spirit that I have known in rowing” Whatever Oxford’s motives this stormy week off the water will not be the end of the matter The role of the independent panel in particular is being scrutinised with sources at Cambridge claiming they appear to have change their minds about the issue on two occasions the panel reversed their original decision and the three rowers were told they could race but were informed last week that the decision had changed again A source with knowledge of the case told the Guardian that the second U-turn resulted from Oxford successfully challenging the panel’s constitution which they discovered does not include a right of appeal meaning the original decision had to stand Cambridge are also understood to have received legal opinion from a king’s counsel that the 12-year rule is discriminatory While they have opted not to challenge the joint agreement at this stage given the proximity of the race Home What's On Article The Trees in the City exhibition – at Thrive in Cambridge until 12 May – is a celebration and a warning by a group of artists who want to draw attention to the beauty and important function of the arboreal world Most of the artists belong to the Unit 13 studio at Barnwell Business Park whose appreciation of the city’s trees has grown even as they become more challenged by both the warming world and the relentless development taking place in and around the city Organiser Charlotte du Blois said: “All artists trade in emotion which is why Unit 13 artists decided to put the exhibition together to strike against too much concrete in defence of our green lungs “As someone who lives in central Cambridge I can see how rapid urban expansion is destroying ‘the green lung’ and I wanted to get a warning out there Keeping soil safe from concrete overcoats so that it can absorb rain water plays a vital role in the city.” reveals the inspiration for the exhibition “It was 70 years old and could have expected to enjoy at least another 70 years of life or more,” notes Charlotte “A developer next door to the garden where the tree grew and at the time acting without permissions The photograph is displayed in a coffin frame.” despair and frustration – informed the DNA of the exhibition “The exhibition is very much to do with local trees and how precious they are to us,” says artist contributor Cathy Dunbar “ and we felt as a local studio we should be doing more to celebrate them and to recognise them We walk past them every day and don’t notice them but we notice them when they’re gone “The battle to save the St Matthew’s Pieces trees showed that people care and the council rightly identified the trees have been there longer than the houses and they realised you can’t just cut the trees down because someone wants to make an insurance claim Sometimes trees are more important than other things.” She added: “We’re one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world we cover nature up all the time and make it ‘neat’ “Even if we cut one down and plant more it takes years for them to do what that one tree was doing in terms of converting CO2 into oxygen: we need to think about these things much more.” The exhibition at Thrive on Norfolk Street ends on 12 May On 17-18 May the exhibition will move to Artworks at 5 Green’s Road All works are for sale and an auction will be held on Sunday afternoon for any work not previously sold German comedian Henning Wehn - the self-styled ‘German Comedy Ambassador to the United Kingdom’ - brought his new show about climate change to the Cambridge Corn Exchange on Saturday It was the first time he’d been back to the venue since bringing his It'll All Come Out in the Wash tour to town in 2022 Henning apologised to all the Germans in the audience for the late start the differences between British and German humour (“We like to have a laugh once the work’s done not instead of it”) and his reasons for moving to Hastings from London He also mused on Thomas Tuchel becoming manager of the England football team and the delights of the M6 Toll services - a theme he would return to throughout there were cards on each of the seats inviting members of the audience to write down their suggestions for what is to blame for climate change He read some of them out during the second half - the ‘main show’ his witty and very cleverly-observed statements were often spot on and hilarious and one or two of his more ‘risqué’ jokes even drew a few gasps of shock from the sold-out crowd expressions and idioms - as well as his laugh-out-loud references to English popular culture staples like the much-loved television series Bullseye - was also a joy to behold He’s one of those comedians who just naturally looks and sounds funny - as if he was born to do this for a living Henning looked at the reasons for climate change and concluded that not having children might be the best way of tackling it “I don’t have children because I don’t like carrying stuff,” he joked adding that he would like to have them when he’s in his 80s for reasons I won’t go into in case anyone reading this is planning to catch him on one of his upcoming dates on the tour the affable comic sat in the foyer and met the fans allowing them to take selfies with him and signing their merchandise Henning Wehn is one of my favourite stand-ups and one I would always hope to go and see whenever he’s in town For more information, and to check on tour dates for Acid Wehn, go to henningwehn.de Fossil fuel activist Louise Lancaster has spoken of her time in jail after being released on licence with a tag was sentenced to four years in prison on 4 July last year after being found guilty with four others of conspiring to organise Just Stop Oil protests that blocked the M25 motorway in 2022 The case caused uproar with a UN special rapporteur who attended the trial saying that the sentences were “not acceptable in a democracy” whose sentence was reduced by a year on appeal was released on licence after nine months on 8 April and must wear a tag until 16 September Until then she is also confined to her home between 7pm and 7am because it was necessary to stimulate a public conversation It was useful at that time,” Louise told the Cambridge Independent “During the trial it became clear that we were going to get quite a long custodial sentence and people engaging in any sort of activism today need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario “I was fortunate in that I went in with good mental health and that makes a big difference as most people are carrying trauma when they arrive in prison.” Being in the same prison as two of the other jailed activists provided some much-needed solidarity “I was in the same prison as Lucia [Whittaker De Abreu] and Cressy [Cressida Gethin],” Louise notes “We were not always in close proximity but it was very reassuring that three of us were in the same spaces They are all strong and pleased to be released early but are also recognising that the appeal didn’t produce justice They just decided to reduce the longer sentences We stayed very strong throughout prison and were helping people where we could “We considered ourselves as just another prisoner – though other prisoners became aware of why we were there Many had a lot of sympathy - they knew of the lack of compassion in the system so they were friendly “Some we will be keeping in contact with and certainly in HMP Send where people are in for quite a long period of time there’s quite a strong sense of community - people look out for each other and we felt part of that Most of them don’t fit the public view of what a prisoner should be - we certainly jail a lot of people in the UK.” The aftermath of being released from jail seems to have been quite a rollercoaster “It felt like a real treat to be out,” said Louise “It was like going from black and white to colour I think it's taken a bit of adjustment - using a phone is really strange “I think there's a stress from being in prison: you manage while you're there The first week it all catches up with you and last week I was pretty stressed but now there’s a lot of people I’ve met so the jigsaw is starting to fill in now of life on the outside.” “I can’t go out after 7pm as I’ve got a curfew tag which is active between from 7pm to 7am and if I leave the house it alerts the authorities and they will come and arrest me so I can go into the front garden but not beyond that,” she explained “It is what it is and better than being in prison - I was going to be in prison until September but we had a lot of support and protest around the appeal so the five of us got some reductions but I’m still on licence until February 2027 I’m restricted as to where I can go and who I can see There's always the potential for surveillance and they track you online so obviously I’m aiming to stick within my licence conditions “The sentence was reduced from four to three years but I have to check in with probation regularly and if the licence conditions are broken you generally go back to prison “I would need to ask my probation officer if I went away on a holiday At the moment I’m not feeling like a holiday the way the world is going there’s work to be done to make the planet sustainable - and connecting with people is holiday enough!” She remains deeply alarmed by the climate crisis “It's sobering to realise that though 89 per cent of people in the UK are concerned about climate change the government is moving in the opposite direction It’s important everyone feels they have a voice and that the environment can be improved in any way it can “I’ve had support from [South Cambridgeshire MP] Pippa Heyling, plus tremendous support from a wide range of people, some I knew already, some I didn't know. The support has made a massive difference to the time I was inside.” is eager to develop her work with Cambridge Retrofit Hub a not-for-profit hub “run by retrofit expert residents for residents” “It’s a time for looking to the community to tackle the injustices in our system,” she notes. “There’s a lot of great stuff happening in Cambridge in food and water and the environment - and in retrofitting “I’m going back to work where I can fit it in and am helping the hub get training set up for young people I’m excited that work will be in Cambridge - and looking forward to being part of something that's going to help people be in more sustainable Liberal Democrat MP Ms Heylings said: “It is good that Lou is back home and among family and friends after the successful appeal I was pleased to help her as my constituent particularly in her transfer from the maximum-security prison where she was being held initially “Lou’s original prison sentence of four years was one of the longest custodial sentences ever handed down on peaceful protestors in the UK It is not right for MPs to interfere in the independence of the judicial system either in sentencing or appeal cases What I have been doing is to advocate for an independent review of the legislation and sentencing practice for peaceful I made a formal submission to the independent Sentencing Review being led by David Gauke [former Secretary of State for Justice] about the overcrowding of prisons requesting a review of the legislative changes within the Police Sentencing and Courts Act (PCSCA 2022) and sentencing guidelines around the prosecution of peaceful environmental protest “In the context of severe prison overcrowding where the government has been forced to release prisoners early including those convicted of violent crimes the custodial sentences imposed on individuals engaged in peaceful non-violent protests are increasingly difficult to justify “Liberal Democrat MPs will always stand up for the fundamental democratic right of peaceful protest and assembly.” Home Sport Article Elias Kachunga looks set to be a Cambridge United player next season following confirmation of his contract extension The forward’s previous deal had been due to expire at the end of June but head coach Neil Harris has revealed that an appearance related trigger has been met to see the German extend his terms at the Cledara Abbey Stadium by another 12 months Kachunga, who was sent off for two bookable offences during this afternoon’s season-ending 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City Harris also revealed that some soon-to-be out of contract players had been offered new deals by the club while adding that a number of squad members be moved on during a summer that will ‘a lot of change’ take place He said: “We’ve got 12 players under contract They will either be on to pastures new or on loan somewhere because they’re a little bit younger “Some of the players in the building will be offered contracts Some have been offered contracts already and a couple more will be offered contracts There’s a lot of conversations that I’ve had already and there’s some more to be had this week at the training ground We have to look to the future to freshen up.” It is expected that the club will release its retained list at some stage next week Cambridge United signed off from life in League One with a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of record-breaking Birmingham City The two teams have experienced very different campaigns While big-spending Birmingham will return to the Championship as champions having amassed a third tier record of 111 points the hosting U’s will be playing League Two football next term following their recent relegation The visitors went ahead in the 25th minute at the Cledara Abbey Stadium when Christoph Klarer’s delivery from the right corner of the box looped beyond home goalkeeper Nathan Bishop and dropped into the far corner Cambridge were level 12 minutes later as forward Shayne Lavery got the better of Grant Hanley before firing an exceptional shot beyond Ryan Allsop The second half had been largely uneventful until the 68th minute when Elias Kachunga fouled Lee-Myung Jae and was sent off for a second bookable offense And Birmingham made the most of their numerical advantage scoring the winner when Lukas Jutkiewicz –making his final appearance before retirement – put Kell Watts under the pressure forcing the United defender to turn the ball into his own net Researchers have finally been able to reveal it with cutting-edge techniques It is the only surviving fragment of a lost medieval manuscript telling the tale of Merlin and the early heroic years of King Arthur's court the magician becomes a blind harpist who later vanishes into thin air He will then reappear as a balding child who issues edicts to King Arthur wearing no underwear The shape-shifting Merlin – whose powers apparently stem from being the son of a woman impregnated by the devil – asks to bear Arthur's standard (a flag bearing his coat of arms) on the battlefield The king agrees – a good decision it turns out – for Merlin is destined to turn up with a handy secret weapon: a magic this fragile remnant of a celebrated medieval story lay undisturbed and unnoticed repurposed as a book cover by Elizabethans to help protect an archival register of property deeds Now, the 700-year-old fragment of Suite Vulgate du Merlin – an Old French manuscript so rare there are less than 40 surviving copies in the world – has been discovered by an archivist in Cambridge University Library folded and stitched into the binding of the 16th-Century register researchers at the library were able to digitally capture the most inaccessible parts of the fragile parchment without unfolding or unstitching it This preserved the manuscript in situ and avoided irreparable damage – while simultaneously allowing the heavily faded fragment to be virtually unfolded digitally enhanced and read for the first time in centuries "It wasn't properly inventoried," says Irene Fabry-Tehranchi "No one had even recorded that it was in French." When she and her colleagues realised the fragment told a story about Merlin and his ability to change shape "we were really excited," she says The Suite Vulgate du Merlin was originally written around 1230 a time when Arthurian romances were particularly popular among noblewomen although the fragment is from a lost copy dated to around 1300 "We don't know who wrote the text," says Fabry-Tehranchi "We think it was probably a collaborative exercise." It is positioned as a sequel to an earlier text in which Merlin is born a child prodigy gifted with foresight and casts a spell to facilitate the birth of King Arthur who proves his divine right to rule by pulling the sword from the stone "The Suite Vulgate du Merlin tells us about Arthur's early reign his relationship with the knights of the round table and his heroic fight with the Saxons It really shows Arthur in a positive light – he's this young hero who marries Guinevere invents the Round Table and has a good relationship with Merlin Stylistic evidence in the text indicates the fragment was written by an unknown scribe in a northern French dialect understood by English aristocratsIt is thanks to the sequel that the story of the Holy Grail – and Merlin's place in that story – could be retold in a coherent way from beginning to end "If the sequel was written to facilitate that That became the main way the story was transmitted." Stylistic evidence in the text indicates the fragment was written by an unknown scribe in a northern French dialect understood by English aristocrats "These are Celtic and English legends which had circulated orally across the British Isles But the language used when they are written down is Old French Old French had fallen out of favour in England "There was a linguistic shift to English among readers of Arthurian literature," says Fabry-Tehranchi This may be why the fragment ended up as the book binding of an archival register: "The text had lost its appeal The library wanted to preserve the register which was created in 1580 to record the property of Huntingfield Manor in Suffolk as evidence of 16th-Century archival binding practices in England it would have been necessary to cut this binding to access the parts of the folded fragment and the heavily faded areas of the texts would have remained illegible whose job it was to "illuminate" manuscripts with decorative illustrations and rich colours in a small photographic studio dominated by a multispectral camera that cost over £100,000 ($125,000) the lab's chief photographic technician Amélie Deblauwe says: "The specialist imaging techniques that were employed on the Merlin fragment revealed details that would not be visible to the naked eye." Different inks and different papers react differently to different lights – Amélie DeblauweThe camera takes 49 images of each page using different combinations of light panels emitting different wavelengths of light into both sides of the paper it moves right through the visible spectrum – "all the colours of the rainbow" – to invisible infrared light "All of these are measured in nanometres So we very accurately know what we are doing to the page with these lights we are really in control of what we're bombarding it with." Using a range of light colour bands meant that even the tiniest residue of ink could be made to stand out clearly in images Technicians made the writing more legible by processing the image data using geospatial and open source software "That's because different inks and different papers react differently to different lights," Deblauwe says While some lights are absorbed by the parchment and the ink The camera can even reveal tiny scratches on the parchment by sending light towards the paper at different angles "We call it 'raking light'," says Deblauwe An unexpected discovery came when the images revealed that the parchment was significantly lighter in the middle "That was an amazing moment for me," says Deblauwe "It was a little bit noticeable in the colour image but it became really apparent in the MSI." she realised the parchment was also shinier in the middle and had a waxier feel to it This indicates that a leather strap had probably once been tied around the middle of the book to hold it together more firmly and rubbed some of the parchment's fibres away "Sometimes you have a bit of a lightbulb moment and that gives you a greater understanding of the history of the item," says Deblauwe "This is next level study of manuscript material." One of the "trickiest" challenges the team faced was how to access the text hidden by folds The solution was for conservators to carefully handle the parchment while technicians inserted a "very narrow" macro probe lens into the darkest crevices of the hidden areas via any part of the parchment that was still accessible "The lens can get very close to an object," says chief photographic technician Błażej Władysław Mikuła • The book with 1,300-year-old doodles • A map of the ocean may be in reach • The Shakespeare play lost since 1603 The result was hundreds of images of Old French words and letters – all handwritten by a medieval scribe – which needed to be put together like a jigsaw some of the images were taken using mirrors to reflect otherwise inaccessible areas of the text so the images were curved or needed to be rotated or flipped Figuring out where a particular image belonged was a painstaking process Only a few square centimetres of the text remain unseen but otherwise the fragment has been forced to give up all its secrets which can distinguish between different materials the team was even able to digitally remove the thread from the spine of the book in a new process which allowed the stitches and materials used by the Elizabethan bookbinders to be analysed "We never knew that we would obtain such a good quality image of the structure of the binding," says Fabry-Tehranchi Mikuła sometimes wonders what these Elizabethans would have made of all his efforts to analyse the fragment It could never have crossed their minds what we would do to it." He suspects there may be other such manuscripts out there "This library is full of treasure that needs to be discovered." If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. What's inside a black hole?Black holes are one of the mysteries of the universe where all the laws of nature as we know them stop working. Using bubbles to remove forever chemicals from our waterBBC Click visits a UK research team working on a solution to remove toxic chemicals known as PFAS from water. Can smart phones get smarterBBC Click attend Mobile World Congress to test the latest tech products and trends. Can technology help reduce Parkinson’s symptoms?BBC Click visits a Madrid hospital to see patients treated with an ultrasound for tremors. 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In 1956, Commander "Buster" Crabb disappeared during a visit to the UK by Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev. In 2006, a BBC reporter read the files that detailed his secret mission. The find could shed light on how Indians lived 1,000 years ago - but is without a museum because of red tape. Grip strength is associated with a range of health outcomes, from type 2 diabetes to depression. Here’s how to check yours. For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 02:49 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 Variable cloud with some bright or clear spells. Coastal showers. Variable amounts of cloud feeding in from the North Sea through the night with winds mostly easing. Coastal showers remain possible with brisk winds here. Possible rural grass frost in western parts where winds become light by dawn. Minimum temperature 2 °C. A cold and fine start for most with variable, often large cloud amounts. There should be some bright or sunny spells. Coastal showers remain possible. Brisk winds near coasts. Maximum temperature 16 °C. Settled, mainly fine weather with sunny or clear spells and mostly light winds. Showers possible Wednesday and Thursday, especially in east. Temperatures near normal by day, cold nights at first. Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period. Overall, fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers, with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places. Overall, temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average. Lukas Jutkiewicz came off the bench 18 minutes from the end and marked the final appearance of his professional career by making a key contribution to the winning goal eight minutes from time Lee-Myung Jae crossed from the left and Jutkiewicz was there to pressure Cambridge defender Kell Watts into heading into his own net The champions had gone ahead in the 25th minute when Christoph Klarer's delivery from the right corner of the box looped beyond U's goalkeeper Nathan Bishop and dropped into the far corner The second half had been largely uneventful until the 68th minute when Elias Kachunga fouled Jae and was sent off for a second bookable offence Birmingham made the most of their numerical advantage scoring the winner after Jutkiewicz had come on To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made Peacock-Farrell Match OfficialsReferee: Charles BreakspearAssistant Referee 1: Paul ListerAssistant Referee 2: Andrew AylottFourth Official: James DurkinMatch StatsKey Scroll LeftScroll RightCambridge United won their last home league games against Birmingham City a 1-0 victory in April 1995 in the third tier After winning the reverse fixture 4-0 in February Birmingham City will be looking to complete a first league double over Cambridge United Cambridge are unbeaten across their last four six games of a league season (W3 D3) Birmingham have lost four of their last five games to end a league campaign (W1) though their last in the third tier saw them beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 away from home in 1995 Marc Leonard (Birmingham City) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the top centre of the goal Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal James Gibbons (Cambridge United) wins a free kick in the defensive half Josh Stokes (Cambridge United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half Ben Stevenson (Cambridge United) wins a free kick in the defensive half Marc Leonard (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner Tom Youngs came through the ranks at Cambridge UnitedCambridge United have confirmed the death of their former striker Tom Youngs who has passed away at 45 after a battle with multiple sclerosis expressing their shock and sadness at the news is survived by his wife Chelle and two daughters joining the academy at just 10 years old and going on to score 48 goals in 180 first-team appearances from 1997 to 2003 The statement from Cambridge United read: "The news of the death on Sunday of former Cambridge United forward Tom Youngs came as a shock to all connected with the club who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014 graced the Abbey Stadium between 1997 and 2003 "He signed YTS terms in 1996 while staying on at school to study for A levels he bypassed the rest of his YTS stint and signed a two-year professional contract Youngs played for Northampton Town after leaving Cambridge UnitedArticle continues belowNorthampton Town saying: "Tom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis Youngs went on to play for Leyton Orient and Bury in the Football League before playing non-league for Stafford Rangers Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Football email newsletter From the latest transfer news to breaking stories Simply click on this link then provide your email address and that's it You'll receive an email with all of the top football stories You can also sign up for our sport email, Off the Ball, for all the latest darts, boxing, snooker, F1 stories and more, right here Youngs studied sports journalism at the University of Staffordshire and was working as an accountant for a pub chain in Bury St Edmunds when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in summer 2014, three years after he retired from non-league. Tributes have poured in for the former forward, with ex-teammate and Bury striker Jon Newby writing: "Very sad to read this. Played with Tom at Bury and he was a nice, very likeable fella. Even when he was at Bury, I remember him speaking very fondly about his time at Cambridge and how much he loved it there." A heartbroken Cambridge supporter also expressed their sorrow: "Absolutely devastated, spoke to Tom at the Blackpool game earlier in the season reminiscing the good ol days, you will always be in our hearts." Win Happy PremiumSearch Rayo greatest hits cambridgeshire news'Remarkable' Cambridgeshire village set for VE Day partyStreet parties are being planned to mark 80 years since war in Europe ended Celebrations are taking shape from today across Cambridgeshire to mark eight decades since VE Day This Thursday will be 80 years since the end of war in Europe with some places holding street parties over the May Day bank holiday That includes in Little Shelford near Cambridge where a party will be held next to The Side Quest pub in the village "We all came together in the pub one evening and the topic came up and we've done very successful parties in the past," David Jones "This was (organised at) short notice but we felt the need to pull something together to have a good family oriented event to both celebrate 80 years of peace without any world wars." People coming along to the party are encouraged to bring along food drink and wear wartime fancy dress with open mic sessions also planned "I think the community engagement that takes place in this village is remarkable but it's because of events like this where we celebrate commemoration of VE Day," David Martin chair of the Lt Shelford Local History Society "It brings the whole village together and everybody it's it's conscious of what happened." Cllr Jones hopes that another message can be sent to the local community "Particularly (for) the younger folk that come as part of the families is that 80 years of peace doesn't come for free that lots of people over the generations have made sacrifices," he added "It's also a reminder that we really are a strong community and very supportive of each other." Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) How to watch Georgia high school boys lacrosse: Cambridge vs May 6Data SkriveLovett School is on away versus Cambridge High School on Tuesday How to watch Lovett School vs. Cambridge boys lacrosseLovett School and Cambridge will match up on Tuesday, May 6, at 7:45 p.m. ET. Don't miss out on any of the action with NFHS Network The NFHS Network gives you access to live high school sports around the country Follow your favorite team and never miss a game Want to track your alma mater, local team or family member's school throughout the playoffs? NFHS Network has high school lacrosse streaming live plus on-demand replays and highlights of all the action from thousands of schools across America Watch Cambridge vs. Lovett School on NFHS Network! All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at and through the NFHS Network Mobile Apps for iOS and Android and TV Apps for ROKU The YWCA Cambridge has announced 24 nominees for its Women of Distinction Awards the awards recognize the contributions women have made on the community in the workforce and through volunteering “It's with deep admiration that I congratulate this year’s extraordinary nominees Every one of them is a shining example of what it means to lead with courage compassion and purpose,” Kim Decker chief executive officer of the YWCA Cambridge “Women and gender-diverse individuals in our community are driving real change every day — lifting others breaking barriers and building a better future for us all These nominees reflect the very best of who we are and we're honoured to celebrate them.” seven will be selected as recipients by an external selection committee This year's ceremony is scheduled for June 11 at Whistle Bear Golf Club with special musical guests photo booth and networking opportunities planned Proceeds from ticket sales support the YWCA Cambridge and its community-based programming for women, girls and gender-diverse individuals, along with its newly opened women's emergency homeless shelter inside Grace Bible Church in Galt Halfway through their tour across North America, Niis made a visit to Boston they are thrashing through their first headlining tour The timing is perfect as they celebrate their debut LP Niis World Released in March 2025 through Get Better Records looming notes from bassist Izabella DeVroende with singer Mimi SanDoe interchangeably whispering and growling the vocals push and pull of those tones is reflected in the live set heeled leather boots for the verse portions of many songs and then perches herself atop the speakers in a spider-sprawled pose The venomous poses accentuate her guttural tone Each syllable has an emphasis through her dynamic performance While belting out the chorus of one track standing atop a speaker she slipped and fell about six feet to the floor “Did you all see when I nearly just died?” asked SanDoe due to her landing with such a composed pounce Chunky guitar riffs fuel the narrative of the Niis tracks Ryan McGuffin steers this aesthetic with Gibson the point comes across snarling loud and clear Niis drummer Jonathan Salvo played at times with such a relaxed composure that he rested a leg across his drum kit he was seemingly saving energy for the cataclysm of rhythms to come Skipping over a brightly tagged corner of the club’s load-in area for post-show photos anyway.” The absence of color in many instances does seem to allow the striking orange and red tones of SanDoe to further make a statement As she whips her long tresses during the show it adds a volatile aspect to the performance It can be an emblematic summation of their set—pure cut Pollyanna of New Jersey are supporting the tour with Niis The band blend pop-punk and grunge aesthetics which is defined as irrepressible optimism singer Jill Beckett bares a huge smile and goofiness through much of the set Even when leading the audience in some “fuck you” chanting the snarl is done in a saturated release of joy Boston locals JVK opened the show powerful voice and glam vibes across the stage Issue 73 featuring Pinhead Gunpowder is available now This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website Learn more