A recent COVID-19 study suggests men are more reluctant to wear face masks in public.

The study, conducted by researchers Valerio Capraro from Middlesex University London and Hélène Barcelo from the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, California, found that American men were more likely to leave the house without a mask, saying wearing one is a sign of "weakness" and "not cool."

"We found that men more than women disagree with the statement, 'Wearing a face covering is cool' and agree with the statements: 'Wearing a face covering is not cool,' 'wearing a face covering is shameful,' 'wearing a face covering is a sign of weakness,' and 'the stigma attached to wearing a face covering is preventing [them] from wearing one as often as [they] should,'" the authors wrote.

"Wearing a face covering is difficult because it requires a substantial change in our habits," the authors wrote in the paper released May 11 by the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science. "The risk that people do not adhere to it is high."

More than 50 countries have implemented compulsory mask-wearing laws to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Currently, 14 U.S. states require that residents wear cloth masks or face coverings in public places.

In U.S. states that don't require people to wear masks, men less than women intend to cover their mouths and nose, the study's researchers said. But this difference disappears in states where wearing face masks is mandatory.

"Regulations that explicitly punish the violation of the rule are certainly crucial to impose behavioral changes," the authors wrote. However, "it is important to complement explicit governmental laws with implicit behavioral interventions."

Several reports have stated that COVID-19 is striking men harder than women, with research finding that men are more likely to die from the ailment than women. COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus.

Despite the findings in those reports, "We also find that men less than women believe that they will be seriously affected by the coronavirus, and this partly mediates gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering," Capraro and Barcelo wrote.

Another survey by the Gallup/Knight Foundation, conducted from April 14 to 20, found that 38 percent of men never wore a face mask or cloth face covering outside their homes.

The poll also showed that the perceived effectiveness of face masks varied by age: 37 percent of participants between the ages of 18 and 34 said masks were equally or more effective as hand washing, while 51 percent of participants who were 55 and older said masks were equally or more effective as hand washing.

For some men, reluctance to wearing a mask has a racial component, as well.

"I'm going to be honest here. As a racially ambiguous, over 6ft black dude, I'm afraid wearing a face covering outside could not end well for me. I'm still going to do it, but please don't shoot me or call the cops for no reason. I'm just trying to do my part to save lives," a Twitter user by the handle @politidope posted.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."