Latest news with #RoyalInstitution
Malaysian Reserve
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
MCMC: Probe underway into misleading post on Royal Institution
PUTRAJAYA — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is investigating false content concerning the Royal Institution, allegedly uploaded by an individual via a Facebook account. MCMC, in a statement, said that the content is believed to contain unfounded allegations claiming that the Conference of Rulers had made a preliminary decision on the appointment of the Chief Justice. 'The allegations are misleading the public and undermining the integrity of the country's legal system, as well as the credibility of the Royal Institution,' it said. MCMC added that the individual involved was summoned to give a statement at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters yesterday at 2.30 pm. It also confirmed that the investigation is being carried out under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), which provides for a maximum fine of RM500,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, upon conviction. MCMC also reminded the public not to spread false content related to religion, race, or royalty (3R), as such actions can disrupt public order and national harmony. — BERNAMA
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
MCMC probes misleading post on Royal Institution
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is investigating a misleading Facebook post containing false allegations about the Royal Institution. The post claimed the Conference of Rulers had made a preliminary decision on the Chief Justice appointment, which MCMC stated was unfounded. In a statement, MCMC said the false content misleads the public and undermines the legal system's integrity as well as the Royal Institution's credibility. The individual behind the post was summoned to provide a statement at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters yesterday afternoon. The investigation is being conducted under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries penalties of up to RM500,000 in fines, two years' imprisonment, or both. MCMC also warned the public against spreading false content related to religion, race, or royalty (3R), as it threatens public order and national harmony. - Bernama
Wall Street Journal
10-07-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
June's U.K. Home Buyer Demand Turns Positive for the First Time Since December
U.K. house buyer demand in June turned positive for the first time since December 2024, but challenges remain for both buyers and sellers, according to a report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. According to the report, the net balance for new buyer enquiries rose 3% in the month, an improvement from May's minus 22%. Still, this indicates a period of stabilization rather than a strong recovery, RICS says.
Bloomberg
09-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK Homebuyer Demand Rebounds to a Six-Month High, Index Shows
A closely watched gauge of demand from potential British homeowners climbed to its highest level in six months, a signal that the real estate market is starting to stabilizing from a tax-increase induced slowdown that's weighed on house prices. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said its index tracking new buyer inquiries rose to +3 in June, indicating the number of estate agents seeing higher demand outnumbered those reporting a drop, figures released Thursday showed. It was the first positive reading since December and a sharp jump from -22 in May.
Times
30-06-2025
- Science
- Times
Moving suspended gold particles to Royal Society is a delicate job
It is not far from the Royal Institution to the Royal Society. Less than a mile. But this week, as Charlotte New travelled between the two — holding some bottles of pinkish liquid containing a little sprinkling of gold — every foot was planned. The taxi driver knew the preferred route, knew not to brake suddenly, and knew that New, head of heritage at the Royal Institution, would be very upset with jolts. 'We do not want jiggling,' she said before the transportation. 'There is to be no jiggling.' She would not tell The Times when she was leaving though — for insurance purposes it had to remain secret. Only once in the 170 years since Michael Faraday accidentally made an odd suspension of gold particles have these, his colloids, left the Royal Institution, the scientific organisation famed for its Christmas lectures. Then, it was because of the blitz. The country's most precious treasures were moved to the slate mines of Wales. These odd bottles, which glow ruby in the light, spent several years out of the light, alongside old masters, the Magna Carta and first folios of Shakespeare. This time, they are being moved for an exhibition at the Royal Society, Britain's national scientific academy. There, they will appear alongside other colloids as researchers investigate how a phenomenon discovered by mistake by Faraday, long considered an optical curiosity, might have practical value. The colloids were created as part of attempts by the Victorian polymath, most famous for his work on electricity, to make ever-thinner sheets of gold. He was investigating, among other things, the optical properties of the gold. To make gold leaf as thin as possible, he washed it in acid. But then he noticed that this run-off was itself interesting. When he shone a light through it, it scattered with a ruby glow. He realised it was hitting tiny particles of gold, suspended in the liquid. The particles are small enough that over almost two centuries they have in some of the bottles stayed suspended — held aloft by the movement of water molecules. Others have settled. No one is sure what shaking will do. 'When we clean them, we use paint brushes,' New said. 'We dust around them, and not very often.' The Royal Institution is taking the risk of moving them, along with Faraday's notebook, as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations of its Christmas lectures, as well as Faraday's discovery of benzene. At the Royal Society's summer exhibition, opening from July 1 to 6, they will not merely be there as part of scientific heritage. They will be exhibited alongside some modern colloids, with potentially important applications. Dr Aliaksandra Rakovich, of King's College London, said: 'Faraday cared about colour. He was curious about that, and that's what he investigated.' But, today, his work is seen as a landmark in nanotechnology, and among the first investigations into the properties of very small particles. Dr Simon Freakley, of the University of Bath, said: 'Gold is perceived as being inert. When you make these very, very small particles of gold, they actually become incredibly reactive.' In particular, if you shine a laser at them then they get extremely hot. This can be a low-energy way to facilitate difficult reactions. Freakley and Rakovich are looking at ways to harness the reactive properties of colloids in industrial processes and also for tasks such as removing air pollution. Faraday's colloids will, hopefully, not be reacting though. We do know, now, that they made the journey unharmed. By shining a laser, the Royal Institution confirmed the properties were unchanged during the second journey of their lives. Now New just has to get them back.
