Experts

• The Score project (Systematizing Confidence in Open Research and Evidence) has published findings in the journal Nature regarding the reliability of social science research. • The study involved 865 experts over a seven-year period to evaluate the consistency and reproducibility of academic studies. • This research addresses a critical scientific debate over whether current social science methodologies provide dependable evidence for policy and theory.

Two independent reviewers of terrorism legislation call for safeguards for NGOs and journalists before bill becomes law this weekBritish foreign correspondents could be at risk of prosecution if they use sources within state-backed groups in countries such as Iran under national security legislation being rushed through parliament this week.David Anderson, the UK’s former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has warned that unless the bill is amended it could accidentally pull journalists working in danger-zone countries into prosecutions for terrorism. Continue reading...

• South Korea's Kospi index experienced a sharp crash, sparking concerns about potential global market contagion and spillover effects. • Financial experts suggest the impact on Indian markets will be minimal, noting that India is less at risk compared to other Asian economies. • A key reason for this resilience is the divergent performance in 2026, where markets in Korea and Taiwan soared while the Nifty fell, leaving Indian valuations less stretched.

• The CDC reports that drug overdose deaths decreased by 13.2% over the most recent 12-month period. • Experts warn this progress is fragile due to the emergence of new synthetic drugs and the use of medetomidine. • Separately, a June 2026 clinical trial indicated that seniors with depression showed greater improvement when adding a daily probiotic to their antidepressant regimen compared to a placebo.

Doubled penalties will have little effect if platforms not held to account for the content they carry, observers sayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe government needs to switch into “enforcement mode” and take on tech giants over its social media ban after doubling fines, experts have warned.The federal government announced on Sunday it would introduce new legislation to double fines to $99m for platforms that breach the social media ban, and give the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, stronger information-gathering powers. Continue reading...

• Early-stage research indicates that GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro, may reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. • Data shows that patients with liver, breast, colorectal, or lung cancer using these drugs were 38% to 50% less likely to progress to stage 4 disease. • Experts caution that current findings are based on observational studies, which analyze existing data and are less conclusive than controlled clinical trials.

Agreement could also end hopes of ICC jurisdiction in Lebanon – a move advocates pushed for to prosecute Israel A new agreement between Lebanon and Israel could block victims of Israeli war crimes in Lebanon from pursuing accountability and hinder future efforts to give the international criminal court jurisdiction in the country, legal experts warned.Lebanon and Israel signed a 14-point framework agreement in Washington on Friday designed to work towards an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Continue reading...