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Academic Who Raised Plagiarism Allegations Against Jason Arday Suspended

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Nathan Cofnas, the U.S. academic who raised plagiarism concerns about late Cambridge professor Jason Arday, said on Thursday that he had been suspended by Ghent University in Belgium and was under investigation for discrimination. The university confirmed that Cofnas had been suspended as a precautionary measure while a preliminary disciplinary investigation is carried out.

Arday, who was once described as Cambridge’s youngest Black professor, was found dead in London last week at the age of 41, days after resigning from his position. He had denied plagiarism allegations but acknowledged making mistakes. The allegations attracted widespread media attention and led to scrutiny of other claims surrounding his career and personal life.

Cofnas said he had been contacted by a source at Cambridge University in July about the plagiarism accusations involving Arday. His suspension comes amid wider controversy surrounding his own academic career, including disputes with Cambridge’s Emmanuel College over blog posts that students had raised concerns about. Arday’s family has said he was subjected to misinformation and harassment, while thousands of people attended a vigil in London following his death.

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Norway Expands Arctic Brigade as NATO Strengthens Northern Defences

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Norway expanded its Finnmark Brigade on Thursday as the NATO member strengthens its military presence in the Arctic following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The brigade, established last year as Norway’s second military brigade and the first created since the end of the Cold War, is headquartered in the country’s northern Arctic region.

The expansion adds an artillery battalion, an air defence battery and a communications company to the brigade. These capabilities will allow Norwegian forces to strike targets on land at longer distances and coordinate operations with Norwegian and NATO aircraft and naval forces. The brigade has also been responsible for monitoring and patrolling Norway’s 198-km border with Russia.

Norway has significantly increased defence spending in recent years, with NATO estimating that military expenditure will reach 3.17% of GDP in 2026, compared with 1.5% in 2014. Norwegian officials say the strengthened Arctic presence is intended to improve the country’s ability to respond to threats against Norway and NATO, while Russia has previously rejected claims that it poses a threat to the alliance.

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Giant Whales Move Into Greenland Waters as Sea Ice Disappears

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Giant whales are increasingly moving into previously inaccessible waters along Greenland’s east coast as rising temperatures cause sea ice to disappear. A decades-long study found that fin, humpback and minke whales are now feeding in ice-free coastal waters during summer, marking a major shift in the region’s marine ecosystem.

Researchers recorded a sharp rise in whale activity, with aerial surveys, satellite tracking and observations from Inuit hunters providing evidence of the change. An estimated 4,000 humpback whales, 6,000 fin whales and 6,000 minke whales visited the Greenland Sea in summer 2024. Scientists believe warmer waters and increased food availability are attracting the whales to the area.

While some whale species appear to be benefiting from the changing conditions, Arctic species such as narwhals and belugas could face growing pressure as their traditional habitat changes. Scientists say the movement represents a major ecological shift, highlighting how climate change is creating new opportunities for some marine species while threatening others.

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France Fines Boohoo €2.3 Million Over Fake Discounts

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France’s consumer watchdog has fined British fast-fashion retailer Boohoo €2.3 million for deceptive practices on its website. The DGCCRF said the company exaggerated discounts, giving shoppers a misleading impression of the savings they were receiving.

The regulator found that 40% of promotions reviewed were not genuine price reductions, while 7% offered smaller discounts than advertised. In 48% of cases, the prices were actually higher. Boohoo was also accused of using terms such as “leather” and “suede” for synthetic products, violating French product-labeling rules.

Boohoo said the issues occurred between October 2023 and February 2024 under its previous management and have since been resolved. The company said it cooperated with the regulator and continues to review its pricing and product-labeling practices. Shares in Boohoo parent Debenhams fell 2.4% on Thursday.

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Putin Visits Newly Unearthed Remains of Medieval Russian Prince

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Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Moscow’s Cathedral of the Archangel on Thursday to inspect the recently uncovered remains of medieval warrior prince Dmitry Donskoy. The remains were discovered last month during restoration work in a crypt near the cathedral’s southern wall, surprising historians who had believed the prince was buried elsewhere.

The Russian Orthodox Church said the well-preserved remains were identified as those of Donskoy based on their physical characteristics and historical records. Experts said the remains belonged to a man just under 180 cm tall who died of natural causes between the ages of 35 and 45. Putin lit a candle inside the frescoed cathedral and stood beside the white-stone sarcophagus as experts explained the discovery.

Dmitry Donskoy died in 1389 at the age of 39 after ruling the principalities of Muscovy and Vladimir. He is remembered for expanding Muscovy’s territory, overseeing the construction of the first stone Kremlin fortress and defeating Mongol forces in the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo, a major event in Russian history.

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A Decade After Earthquake, Italy’s Amatrice Struggles to Rebuild

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Ten years after a devastating earthquake killed 303 people and destroyed much of central Italy’s Amatrice, the town is still struggling to recover. The 6.2-magnitude quake left thousands homeless, with Amatrice suffering the highest number of deaths. Although the government has approved billions of euros for reconstruction, only 38% of damaged properties in Amatrice have been restored.

Rebuilding has been slowed by bureaucracy, legal disputes, ownership issues and labour shortages. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted construction, while Italy’s Superbonus renovation scheme increased building costs and diverted workers to more profitable projects elsewhere. Around 1,000 residents, or about 60% of Amatrice’s population, still live in prefabricated shelters.

Beyond the physical reconstruction, residents fear the town is losing its connection with a younger generation. Families that once returned every summer are increasingly staying away, while some residents have left permanently. Mayor Giorgio Cortellesi says the town is being rebuilt, but questions whether recreating the old town is enough to restore the community and its way of life.

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Irish Lawmakers Summon TikTok Over Dangerous Driving Videos

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Irish lawmakers have asked TikTok to explain how it handles videos that glorify illegal and dangerous driving after police warned that young people were driving on the wrong side of motorways for social media attention. The move follows a deadly crash on Sunday in which five teenage boys died, while three women and a child in another vehicle were seriously injured.

Videos reportedly showing dangerous driving and motorway stunts have spread widely across social media. Ireland’s media regulator has also asked TikTok for details on the steps it has taken to address reckless driving content. TikTok said it was monitoring material linked to the crash and removing videos and accounts that violate its rules.

Irish police groups say groups of young men have been competing to create increasingly dangerous videos involving traffic violations and encounters with police. The government has promised additional resources for law enforcement and is considering making wrong-way motorway driving a separate offence, while police plan to introduce vehicle-pursuit training later this year.

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Germany’s VDMA Urges Europe to Accelerate Humanoid Robotics Amid China’s Surge

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Germany’s VDMA engineering association has urged European and German policymakers to place humanoid robotics and physical AI at the top of their political agenda. The industrial lobby warned that Europe must urgently build resilient domestic supply chains for critical components to keep pace with the rapidly accelerating global market. According to the association, the central challenge facing the region is scaling up local manufacturing capabilities to secure technological sovereignty.

The call to action comes as global shipments of humanoid robots nearly quadrupled in the first half of the year to 19,100 units, with Chinese manufacturers largely driving the surge. Demonstrating this momentum, Chinese robot maker Unitree saw its stock skyrocket during its Shanghai trading debut, marking a major milestone for China’s robotics industry. As the sector rapidly becomes a key battleground in the broader Sino-U.S. tech rivalry, European leaders fear being left behind without decisive policy support.

To counter the growing dominance of foreign competitors, the VDMA stressed that Europe must establish a comprehensive, end-to-end value chain. By manufacturing key physical AI components locally, European nations can protect their industrial sectors against supply disruptions while attempting to capture market share in the emerging global race for humanoid robotics leadership.

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Italy’s Fragmented Space Industry Faces Pressure to Consolidate Amid European Defence Push

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As Europe accelerates efforts to strengthen its strategic autonomy in defence and critical technologies, Italy’s space industry is facing mounting pressure to scale up. Historically defined by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with niche engineering expertise, the sector is struggling to meet evolving customer demands. Major defence buyers like Leonardo, alongside commercial clients, are increasingly favoring larger suppliers that can offer vertical integration, broad production capacity, and end-to-end industrial solutions rather than standalone components or engineering know-how.

The push for scale is driven by the growing importance of dual-use (civilian and military) technologies, competition from heavily capitalized global players like SpaceX, and broader geopolitical shifts. However, Italian executives point to limited access to private capital and fragmented European funding as significant barriers to growth. To overcome these hurdles, public and private initiatives are stepping in—such as a joint financing program by Intesa Sanpaolo, the European Investment Bank, and the European Space Agency aimed at providing up to €300 million to space SMEs, as well as an estimated €7.8 billion in total national sector investments expected by 2028.

To build competitiveness quickly without sacrificing specialized innovation, leading Italian space firms are turning to mergers and acquisitions. Companies like Officina Stellare and D-Orbit are actively acquiring complementary tech and production specialists to expand their capabilities and secure larger government and defence contracts. Industry leaders emphasize that the key challenge moving forward is securing the necessary scale and capital before foreign competitors outpace or acquire them.

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Jamal Musiala Diagnosed with Neurological Dysfunction After Second Match Collapse

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Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala has revealed he is undergoing treatment for a temporary neurological dysfunction after collapsing on the pitch twice within a four-day period. The most recent incident occurred on Tuesday during Bayern’s 4-2 friendly win against Heidenheim, where the 23-year-old collapsed just six minutes after entering as a substitute and had to be helped off the field appearing dazed. This followed a similar collapse during another friendly against RB Leipzig the previous Saturday.

Following the matches, Musiala addressed the situation directly on Instagram to reassure supporters, explaining that doctors have diagnosed him with brief, treatable absence seizures. While acknowledging that the episodes look alarming, he shared that he is receiving top-tier medical care, feels optimistic, and is fully supported by his family, friends, and FC Bayern. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl confirmed that the club was already aware of Musiala’s ongoing health condition prior to the recent matches.

The health scare comes as Musiala works his way back into form after missing the first half of last season due to a broken ankle suffered at the 2025 Club World Cup. He had successfully returned for the second half of the campaign and went on to start three matches for Germany at the 2026 World Cup.

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