Today's news

Troops may guard Oxford research lab
The Army may be placed on standby to assist the building of an £18 million laboratory at Oxford University should further contractors pull out of the project because of harassment by animal rights extremists. Ministers are considering a plan to use army units to deliver critical building supplies to the site to ensure that the research centre is not derailed by violent protests.
For the full story, see tomorrow's Times Higher .
Times

Call for laws to fight animal rights terror rejected
Scientists were warned last night there would be no fresh legislation to tackle animal rights extremists as a second contractor, RMC Group, pulled out of a troubled project to build a biomedical research centre at Oxford University. The developments will spread further alarm among researchers who use animals in the quest for cures to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and leukaemia. Yesterday it emerged that RMC Group, which has been supplying concrete to the £18 million site since March, was also pulling out of the project.
Independent, Guardian, Daily Telegraph

Former Hefce member to head NHSU
Barbara Stephens is to chair NHSU, a learning organisation for anyone working in health and social care. Ms Stephens, a higher education specialist with an ethical recruitment consultancy, is a former board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England and was chief executive of the Local Government Commission for England.
Guardian

Honorary degrees of separation
July in the universities. Undergraduates have gone off to work double shifts in the KFCs of their home towns. Dons are resolving to use the long vacation to finish the book they began writing in 1987. It's degree ceremony season: time for a candid look at the cream of this year's celebrity crop of honorary doctors.
Independent

Graduating to real life
A range of tips on sensible budgeting for those making the transition from student to worker.
Daily Mail

Insights on the yawn of man
Chimpanzees yawn when they see other chimps doing the same, adding to evidence that human beings' closest relatives can show empathy. A study, led by James Anderson of the University of Stirling, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society , found that chimps often yawn "contagiously".
Times