Frequent mutations of SARS-CoV-2 have reduced the effectiveness of vaccines, highlighting the need for mutation-resistant treatments. In a collaborative study, researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo), Japan developed CeSPIACE, a peptide inhibitor that blocks the virus from binding to host cell receptors. Unlike some existing treatments, CeSPIACE works against many variants, including those from the original strain to Omicron XBB.1.5. This breakthrough could help prevent and treat COVID-19.

Violence is trapping women across Northern Ireland in cycles of trauma and homelessness, with some facing further abuse in temporary accommodation, despite moving there to find a place of safety.

The research from Heriot-Watt University and University of Edinburgh was commissioned by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and funded by the Oak Foundation. It is based on in-depth interviews with women with lived experience of violence over five areas of Northern Ireland.

The areas include Belfast and Derry, one smaller urban area in County Down, and two more rural areas of County Antrim and County Fermanagh. The report also covers findings from focus groups with frontline workers and senior key stakeholders.

Shockingly, the report found that victims often face abuse from multiple perpetrators, including intimate partners, extended family members, strangers, and in some cases, paramilitary violence. This combination of threats creates deep challenges for women seeking safety in Northern Ireland communities.