Latest news with #UniversityofLeeds
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant to become uni chancellor
Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant is to become the next chancellor of Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University. The designer will be installed in his new role at the first of the university's graduations at the Usher Hall on 7 July. The chancellor is the ceremonial head of the university, presiding over graduation ceremonies and performing an ambassadorial role. Brought up in Edinburgh, Grant has developed an international reputation as a champion of UK textile manufacturing, supporting local communities while producing high-quality, long-lasting garments. Celebrity chef becomes uni chancellor Having been educated in both Edinburgh and Barnard Castle, he went on to study a degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Leeds, followed later by an MBA from the University of Oxford. Pamela Woodburn, chairwoman of the Court of Queen Margaret University, said: "Patrick's career and achievements resonate strongly with the university's strong social justice ethos, and with our commitment to building strong communities and acting as a force for good." Past chancellors at the university have included celebrity chef Prue Leith and Sir Tom Farmer, who died earlier this month.
DW
5 days ago
- General
- DW
Kenyan literary giant Ngugi wa Thiong'o dies at 87 – DW – 05/28/2025
With novels like "The Devil on the Cross" and "Matigari" writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o sheds light on the failings of post-colonial Kenya. This cost Ngugi his home. Africa has lost a pioneering author and visionary. Throughout his life, Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o advocated for the African continent and his home country to free itself from Western cultural dominance. Baptized James Ngugi, he was born on January 5, 1938, in the central Kenyanregion of Limuru. He died Wednesday at the age of 87. "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngugi wa Thiong'o this Wednesday morning," wrote Wanjiku Wa Ngugi. "He lived a full life, fought a good fight," she added. Ngugi studied at the renowned Makerere College (now Makerere University) in Kampala, Uganda, in the early 1960s, and the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. By the age of 30, he had established a writing career, making literary history in the process. Ngugi's drama "The Black Hermit" was performed during Uganda's 1962 independence celebrations. His 1964 work "Weep Not, Child" was the first published novel from East Africa. More English language novels would follow. After Ngugi's time in the United Kingdom, he renounced Christianity and shed his Christian name, because he believed it was a sign of Anglo-American neocolonialism. He took the name Ngugi wa Thiong'o in 1967, the same year he began teaching English literature at the University of Nairobi. Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o eventually settled in California, where he was a professor of English and comparative literature at the University of California, Irvine Image: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA/EPA/picture alliance The power of native language A key moment in Ngugi wa Thiong'o's life came in 1977 when he was asked to write a play with fellow writer Ngugi wa Mirii for a theater near Kenya's capital, Nairobi. The pair wondered which language would be most appropriate. Ngugi wa Thiong'o later reflected: "The very fact that we had to ask ourselves in what language we were going to write the play is in itself a telling point about how far gone we were, because the answer should have been obvious." The writers decided on the local language Gikuyu, which was also their own mother tongue. The theater piece "Ngaahika Ndeenda" ("I marry when I like") was a success. It attracted audiences from the entire Kikuyu region. The play hit home partly because it was written in the language of laborers and farmers, who also contributed to the play's production. But it also attracted unwanted attention: the prospect of Ngugi's influence as an independent thinker alarmed the Kenyan government. After just the 9th performance, "Ngaahika Ndeenda" was banned and Ngugi was detained for a year. But detention did little to discourage Ngugi. In fact, it cemented his conviction to write in his mother tongue, Gikuyu. Ngugi wrote his first Kikuyu novel "Devil on the Cross" on toilet paper while in prison. "Toilet paper in prison is meant to punish prisoners, so it is very coarse," the author explained years later. "But what is bad for the body, can sometimes be very good writing material." Colonial legacy Literature in African languages barely existed before Ngugi's time. When Ngugi turned his back on writing in English, he stoked a heated debate. Writers like Nigerian icon Chinua Achebe believed in appropriating the colonial language and adapting it for local realities. But for Ngugi, colonial languages in Africa symbolized neocolonial oppression beyond political independence. In an essay published in 1986, Ngugi wrote that after "psychological violence in the classroom" followed physical violence on the battlefield. By then, Ngugi lived in exile in England after hearing that President Daniel arap Moi's government planned to have Ngugi killed. Ngugi's writing continued to ruffle feathers with the Kenyan government. His heroic protagonist Matigari, in the eponymously named 1987 novel, is a returning independence war veteran whose enthusiasm for victory is soon stifled when he realizes the liberated country is turning into a police state where the old colonialists had simply been replaced by a new elite. Though Ngugi remarked that the setting and era was arbitrary, many interpreted this work as a thinly veiled commentary on Kenya's political system. No future in Kenya Ngugi lived in exile for 22 years, only returning to Kenya in 2004 when Daniel arap Moi was no longer president. But just two weeks later, intruders broke into Ngugi's apartment, torturing the writer and raping his wife. Three of the accused were sentenced to death for rape and theft. But Ngugi believed there were political motives behind the attack. His home country had become too dangerous. In 1989, the United States had become his haven. He taught at US universities, including Yale, New York University, and the University of California. Ngugi's novels have been translated into over 30 languages. He often translated his works into English himself. He has held on to the vision that literature written in African languages such as Luo or Yoruba would be translated directly into other African languages without using English as an intermediary. "That would allow our languages to communicate directly with each other," he reasoned. In 2022, his son, Mukoma wa Ngugi, alleged that he had physically abused his first wife, Nyambura, who died in 1996. Ngugi wa Thiong'o denied the accusations. Ngugi's 2006 novel "Wizard of the Crow" — an award-winning satire about corrupt leaders — gained international acclaim. Since then, he has been in the conversation for the Nobel Prize in Literature, earned honorary degrees from universities worldwide, including Yale University. "Ngugi had shown us the potential of literature to incite change and promote justice," according to Yale. Ngugi's most recent work, "The Perfect Nine", published and written in Gikuyu, became the first work written in an indigenous African language to be nominated for the International Booker Prize. This article was originally written in German.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Uni life 'like any other' despite brain cancer
David Izekor was just 18 and in his first year at the University of Leeds when his life took an unexpected turn. One night in 2021, he woke up feeling unwell. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a hospital bed, being told he had suffered a haemorrhagic stroke, a bleeding in the brain by the rupture of a blood vessel. The east Londoner had to undergo an emergency operation and was told he had a rare form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Four years on, the film student has made a documentary sharing his experience. He hopes it "springboards conversations in schools or to other cancer groups to share that a diagnosis doesn't mean the end". Apart from being at university during the Covid pandemic, Mr Izekor says his life had been like any other fresher's. On the night he ended up in hospital, he says he doesn't remember anything, but his flatmate said he asked for some milk, which he then poured all over the kitchen floor in a delirium. "Then I woke up in hospital, a doctor was telling me I had a brain aneurism. I knew something wasn't right," says Mr Izekor. He was referred to a London hospital as doctors tried to find out what was causing the aneurism. "Then doctors attended a big meeting to discuss my future, without me present, there was lots of big words used so I had to go to Google and find things out - which is really scary," he says. "I received a call in the middle of the night one night. I had to have an emergency ten-hour awake operation on my brain because they'd found something in my head - so they needed to do a biopsy." Glioblastomas affect more than 3,000 people per year in the UK, with an average prognosis of 12 to 18 months, according to The Brain Tumour Charity. As a film student, Mr Izekor found a unique way to process his diagnosis - by documenting his journey through the lens of a camera. From his hospital bed, he began creating TikTok videos. "I was told 'my life is a movie' and I wanted to develop that idea," he says. "Through sharing my journey, I have had so many people share their own stories - even things like how to speak to family members about what you're going through." What began as short clips evolved into a full-length documentary titled One in Two, co-produced with his university flatmate and close friend, George Child. The film captures not only his personal experience but also the stories of others affected by glioblastoma. "In the making of my documentary I met lots of other families. "One family I filmed with, a young girl had the same cancer as me and unfortunately died. Her parents have been really supportive," says Mr Izekor. "I'm hoping that this springboards conversations in schools or to other cancer groups - to share that a diagnosis doesn't mean the end. "Your life will change, but there can be positives and I want to share that." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Man's brain tumour shrinks by half in therapy trial 'Glioblastoma took my fun-loving dad away' Man with terminal brain tumour welcomes new trial Brain Tumour Research charity: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) The Brain Tumour Charity
India.com
7 days ago
- Science
- India.com
Neither humans nor birds, Earth will be destroyed in just a moment due to..., know what is Miyake event
Solar storm- Representative image We all have heard since our childhood that a day will come when everything on Earth will be destroyed. Adding to the theory, it is also said that 'Mahapralaya' occurred on Earth millions of years ago, leading to destruction of everything on Earth. However, this story is about an event, which is assumed to be more dangerous than this 'Mahapralaya' in our universe. Largest-ever solar storm In a massive discovery reported in 2023, an international team of scientists discovered a huge spike in radiocarbon levels 14,300 years ago. The scientists got to the result by analysing ancient tree-rings found in the French Alps. As per the report, scientists discovered that the radiocarbon spike was caused by a massive solar storm, the biggest ever identified, as per a report carried by IANS. The largest and the directly-observed was a solar storm that occurred in 1859. It is known as the Carrington Event and was caused massive disruption on Earth. As a result of the storm, telegraph machines were destroyed, creating a night-time aurora so bright that birds began to sing. Details on Miyake Events It has also been known that nine such extreme solar storms — known as Miyake Events — have been identified as having occurred over the last 15,000 years. As per the IANS report, the most recent confirmed Miyake Events occurred in 993 AD and 774 AD. However, it also reported that this newly-identified 14,300-year-old storm is however the largest that has ever been found. However, the Miyake Events would have been a staggering entire order-of-magnitude greater in size. Extreme solar storms Most importantly, the scientists have warned that it is critical to understand the future risks of events like this, to enable us to prepare, build resilience into our communications and energy systems and shield them from potential damage. 'Extreme solar storms could have huge impacts on Earth. Such super storms could permanently damage the transformers in our electricity grids, resulting in huge and widespread blackouts lasting months,' said Tim Heaton, Professor of Applied Statistics in the School of Mathematics at the University of Leeds in the UK. (With inputs from agencies)
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists grow concerned over devastating phenomenon impacting world's largest landlocked body of water: 'It is advisable to start action as soon as possible'
Coastal ports on the Caspian Sea could be left high and dry — and crucial habitats could be strongly affected — if the sea's level continues to drop with increasing global temperatures, a recent study reported. The research warned of risks to humans as well as protected species. Researchers led by University of Leeds faculty explored the possible impacts of projected declines in the sea's level by as much as 21 meters (about 70 feet) by the end of the century. They published their findings in April in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. The water level of the Caspian Sea — the world's largest landlocked water body — is declining as global temperatures increase, because more water is evaporating than flowing in, a university report about the study explained. The researchers concluded that, even if global temperature changes are limited to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, the Caspian Sea will likely drop 16 to 32 feet. This 2-degree mark is considered by many scientists to be a key threshold for efforts to limit the most severe effects on Earth's climate. Recent assessments consider it likely that the world will exceed this temperature increase. The new findings estimate that more than 27 million acres of the Caspian Sea — an area larger than Iceland — would dry up under even this more optimistic climate scenario. According to the new study, the sea level change under this scenario will "critically disrupt key ecosystems" as well as "reduce existing marine protected area coverage by up to 94%, and render billions of dollars of civil and industrial infrastructure obsolete." Per the report, the Caspian coast is home to more than 15 million people — in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. They rely on it for fishing, shipping, and trade. The research indicated that, depending on the scenario, Northern Caspian communities and port equipment could end up anywhere from six to 60 miles from the shoreline of a dried-up sea. Dropping water levels will also reduce the breeding habitat of endangered Caspian seals and will limit access to rivers where several species of sturgeon spawn, per the research. A drying sea will also cause the loss of lagoons and other shallow-water habitats crucial to other fish and migratory birds. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The researchers noted that their findings come at a key juncture. "Some Caspian Sea level decline appears unavoidable," Simon Goodman, who supervised the research, said in the University of Leeds report. "It should be possible to find ways to protect biodiversity while safeguarding human interests and well-being ... [but] it is advisable to start action as soon as possible to give the best chance of success." Included on the researchers' list of recommendations are investments in biodiversity monitoring, conservation, and sustainable development. They advocated for helping coastal communities diversify their economies. They also argued for creating protected areas with flexible borders, to accommodate shifting habitats. The recommendations also included cuts to heat-trapping pollution on a global scale — to limit the warming that carries with it risks to the Caspian and the world. These cuts require work for companies and countries — and individuals can also contribute, through efforts ranging from reconsidering what we eat to limiting the carbon pollution of our homes. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
