CHICAGO, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — What do you get when you combine a spotless shop floor, a legacy of quality craftsmanship, and an entrepreneur with vision? A modern American Dream in motion.
Billy Banks, a Chicago-based entrepreneur, father of triplets, and former Northwestern University entrepreneurship professor, has acquired General Machine, a precision manufacturing business based in Freeburg, Illinois. Established in 1980, General Machine has earned its reputation by delivering high-quality custom metal fabrication and machining services to industries such as mining, construction, power generation, and infrastructure.
A native of Elkhart, Indiana, Banks began his career in the RV industry, learning the fundamentals of American manufacturing firsthand. From there, his journey was anything but linear—spanning corporate roles, startups, and even academia. He first cut his teeth by co-founding M-Tec Corporation, a steel fabrication business servicing the RV, commercial vehicle and trailer industries. Next, he co-founded Reach360, a HR-tech platform focused on providing Fortune 500 HR services and benefits to small businesses. Whether in the classroom or the boardroom, Banks has remained committed to creating opportunity and building things that last.
“When I was growing up in northern Indiana, I saw what happens when manufacturing disappears—it leaves a void in communities,” said Banks. “But I also saw what’s possible when you reinvest in people and production.”
That belief led him to acquire General Machine—a business with skilled employees, strong customer relationships, and untapped potential. The acquisition, which included both the business and its real estate, required a creative financing solution. That’s where First American Bank stepped in.
To overcome high capital barriers, Banks partnered with the bank to structure a deal that leveraged the SBA 7(a) loan program to reduce the down payment, finance goodwill, and support stable cash flow through a 10-year amortization schedule. Working in tandem with GrowthCorp, First American Bank also utilized the SBA 504 program to secure 40% of the project at a fixed 25-year rate—while requiring only a 10% down payment. A working capital line of credit rounded out the financing to support ongoing operations.
“Billy brought a clear vision, strong experience, and a deep passion for revitalizing American manufacturing,” said Ross Van Beek, Senior Vice President, Commercial Loan Relationship Manager at First American Bank.
“This is exactly the kind of entrepreneurial story we love to support—because it creates jobs, strengthens communities, and builds the future of American industry.”
Van Beek, along with colleagues Mark Kroencke and Madelyn McCarthy, played a pivotal role in structuring and closing the transaction.
Now at the helm, Banks has ambitious plans: double the business in three years—and then do it again.
He’s building on a rock-solid foundation. General Machine’s capabilities include:
Large precision machining for industrial-scale components
Welding and fabrication of steel, stainless, and aluminum
CNC machining, plasma cutting, and forming for structural and heavy equipment applications
Sheet metal and custom part fabrication backed by deep technical expertise
Banks is already modernizing the company—enhancing digital outreach, deepening customer relationships, and integrating advanced technologies like AI to improve quoting, scheduling, and operational efficiency.
“General Machine has all the right bones,” said Banks. “Now it’s about honoring what works—craftsmanship, relationships, integrity—while building something even bigger.”
Thanks to First American Bank’s strategic financial support and Banks’ bold leadership, General Machine is poised to lead the next era of precision manufacturing—one expertly machined part at a time.
If you’re looking to take your business to the next level with innovative financial solutions, contact First American Bank today. Our team is ready to help you structure the right financing to fuel your growth.
For more information about First American Bank and its services, visit www.firstambank.com.
First American Bank is a Member FDIC.
Contact: Teresa Lee 305-631-6400 tlee@firstambank.com
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Lang, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Fine Art , University of Lincoln
The Turner prize is the world’s most prestigious award for contemporary art. Named after the renowned British painter J.M.W. Turner, the prize used to be a huge media affair. After it relaunched in 1991, it had a full live feature on Channel 4 (back in the day when most people only had four television channels) presented by British art critic Matthew Collings, and the prize was announced over the years by major celebrities, such as Madonna.
Famous for courting controversy, the Turner prize shortlist was often featured on the front pages of tabloid newspapers – Tracey Emin’s “unmade bed” being a point in case. In more recent years, the prize has become less controversial and shifted towards more political themes, following certain trends such as new media and identity politics.
Originally, the prize was limited to a British artist under the age of 50, but the age limit was removed in 2017 to accommodate Lubaina Himid (then 63) who was seen as emblematic of overlooked artists (in particular women of colour).
Organised by the Tate which appoints a jury to select the shortlist, this year’s panel includes Andrew Bonacina (independent curator), Sam Lackey (director of the Liverpool Biennale), Priyesh Mistry (associate curator of modern and contemporary projects at the National Gallery, London), and Habda Rashid (senior curator of modern and contemporary art at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).
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The criteria for selection are straightforward: the artist must be based in Britain and have had an outstanding exhibition in the last 12 months. Since this exhibition could take place anywhere in the world, it’s not uncommon for the British public not to have seen it, and this is the case this year. On the 250th anniversary of J.M.W. Turner’s birthday, the shortlist for the 2025 Turner Prize was announced at Tate Britain, with four artists shortlisted: Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa.
Nnena Kalu was selected for her show at Manifesta 15 in Barcelona, supplemented by work at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Kalu creates colourful cocoon-like hanging sculptures that are wrapped and woven, and respond to the architectural space in which they hang.
Much will be made of Kalu’s identity as a black, learning-disabled, female artist, but this doesn’t really need to come into the assessment of her work, which is really an exploration of colour, gesture and repetition.
Rene Matić was nominated for their show at CCA Berlin. Matić’s work addresses race, gender and class from personal experience, reflecting concerns that are so commonplace in contemporary art that – ironically for one of the youngest-ever Turner Prize nominees – they now seem behind the curve, like a pastiche.
Unlike Kalu, Matić’s installations and photography place identity front and centre, predictably from a personal point of view. This is supposed to make a powerful statement about the intersectionality of modern life, but is hardly an original position today.
Mohammed Sami was nominated for his exhibition at Blenheim Palace, which, while in England, was easily missed by art lovers.
Sami’s paintings depict interiors that evoke memory and loss. His use of shadows and the absence of human presence create a sinister atmosphere, adding depth to his exploration of personal and collective histories and to the genre of the interior.
Zadie Xa was nominated for her show at the Sharjah Biennial 16. Xa’s interdisciplinary approach combines sound, textiles and mural painting to delve into her Korean heritage, including themes like shamanism.
Her work pushes the boundaries of painting, integrating it with other media – such as sound, textiles and murals – to create immersive experiences.
This year’s Turner prize is notable for including painting for the first time since before the pandemic – perhaps a nod to Turner himself in this anniversary year. Sami’s oil on canvas contrast with Xa’s interdisciplinary methods, highlighting the diversity of contemporary art practices. Kalu and Matić provide installations, photography and text art diversifying the shortlist in terms of medium.
The four shortlisted artists will be exhibited together at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford in September, and the winner will be announced on December 9. While the line-up is stronger than others in recent years, it is still somewhat predictable and lacks the excitement and controversies of years gone by.
Mohammed Sami is by far the best artist on the shortlist and is already emerging as a clear favourite to win. Although the 2017 winner Lubaina Himid’s work included elements of painting, if Sami does win, he would be the first painter to win the prize since Tomma Abts in 2006.
Martin Lang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In the sweltering summer of AD18, a desperate chant echoed across China’s sun-scorched plains: “Heaven has gone blind!” Thousands of starving farmers, their faces smeared with ox blood, marched toward the opulent vaults held by the Han dynasty’s elite rulers.
As recorded in the ancient text Han Shu (the book of Han), these farmers’ calloused hands held bamboo scrolls – ancient “tweets” accusing the bureaucrats of hoarding grain while the farmers’ children gnawed tree bark. The rebellion’s firebrand warlord leader, Chong Fan, roared: “Drain the paddies!”
Within weeks, the Red Eyebrows, as the protesters became known, had toppled local regimes, raided granaries and – for a fleeting moment – shattered the empire’s rigid hierarchy.
The Han dynasty of China (202BC-AD220) was one of the most developed civilisations of its time, alongside the Roman empire. Its development of cheaper and sharper iron ploughs enabled the gathering of unprecedented harvests of grain.
But instead of uplifting the farmers, this technological revolution gave rise to agrarian oligarchs who hired ever-more officials to govern their expanding empire. Soon, bureaucrats earned 30 times more than those tilling the soil.
And when droughts struck, the farmers and their families starved while the empire’s elites maintained their opulence. As a famous poem from the subsequent Tang dynasty put it: “While meat and wine go to waste behind vermilion gates, the bones of the frozen dead lie by the roadside.”
Two millennia later, the role of technology in increasing inequality around the world remains a major political and societal issue. AI-driven “technology panic” – exacerbated by the disruptive efforts of Donald Trump’s new administration in the US – gives the feeling that everything has been upended. New tech is destroying old certainties; populist revolt is shredding the political consensus.
And yet, as we stand at the edge of this technological cliff, seemingly peering into a future of AI-induced job apocalypses, history whispers: “Calm down. You’ve been here before.”
The link between technology and inequality
Technology is humanity’s cheat code to break free from scarcity. The Han dynasty’s iron plough didn’t just till soil; it doubled crop yields, enriching landlords and swelling tax coffers for emperors while – initially, at least – leaving peasants further behind. Similarly, Britain’s steam engine didn’t just spin cotton; it built coal barons and factory slums. Today, AI isn’t just automating tasks; it’s creating trillion-dollar tech fiefdoms while destroying myriads of routine jobs.
Technology amplifies productivity by doing more with less. Over centuries, these gains compound, raising economic output and increasing incomes and lifespans. But each innovation reshapes who holds power, who gets rich – and who gets left behind.
As the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter warned during the second world war, technological progress is never a benign rising tide that lifts all boats. It’s more like a tsunami that drowns some and deposits others on golden shores, amid a process he called “creative destruction”.
A decade later, Russian-born US economist Simon Kuznets proposed his “inverted-U of inequality”, the Kuznets curve. For decades, this offered a reassuring narrative for citizens of democratic nations seeking greater fairness: inequality was an inevitable – but temporary – price of technological progress and the economic growth that comes with it.
In recent years, however, this analysis has been sharply questioned. Most notably, French economist Thomas Piketty, in a reappraisal of more than three centuries of data, argued in 2013 that Kuznets had been misled by historical fluke. The postwar fall in inequality he had observed was not a general law of capitalism, but a product of exceptional events: two world wars, economic depression, and massive political reforms.
In normal times, Piketty warned, the forces of capitalism will always tend to make the rich richer, pushing inequality ever higher unless checked by aggressive redistribution.
So, who’s correct? And where does this leave us as we ponder the future in this latest, AI-driven industrial revolution? In fact, both Kuznets and Piketty were working off quite narrow timeframes in modern human history. Another country, China, offers the chance to chart patterns of growth and inequality over a much longer period – due to its historical continuity, cultural stability, and ethnic uniformity.
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Unlike other ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians and Mayans, China has maintained a unified identity and unique language for more than 5,000 years, allowing modern scholars to trace thousand-year-old economic records. So, with colleagues Qiang Wu and Guangyu Tong, I set out to reconcile the ideas of Kuznets and Piketty by studying technological growth and wage inequality in imperial China over 2,000 years – back beyond the birth of Jesus.
To do this, we scoured China’s extraordinarily detailed dynastic archives, including the Book of Han (AD111) and Tang Huiyao (AD961), in which meticulous scribes recorded the salaries of different ranking officials. And here is what we learned about the forces – good and bad, corrupt and selfless – that most influenced the rise and fall of inequality in China over the past two millennia.
Chinese dynasties and their most influential technologies:
Black text denotes historical events in the west; grey text denotes important interactions between China and the west. Peng Zhou, CC BY-NC-SA
China’s cycles of growth and inequality
One of the challenges of assessing wage inequality over thousands of years is that people were paid different things at different times – such as grain, silk, silver and even labourers.
The Book of Han records that “a governor’s annual grain salary could fill 20 oxcarts”. Another entry describes how a mid-ranking Han official’s salary included ten servants tasked solely with polishing his ceremonial armour. Ming dynasty officials had their meagre wages supplemented with gifts of silver, while Qing elites hid their wealth in land deals.
To enable comparison over two millennia, we invented a “rice standard” – akin to the gold standard that was the basis of the international monetary system for a century from the 1870s. Rice is not just a staple of Chinese diets, it has been a stable measure of economic life for thousands of years.
While rice’s dominion began around 7,000BC in the Yangtze river’s fertile marshes, it was not until the Han dynasty that it became the soul of Chinese life. Farmers prayed to the “Divine Farmer” for bountiful harvests, and emperors performed elaborate ploughing rituals to ensure cosmic harmony. A Tang dynasty proverb warned: “No rice in the bowl, bones in the soil.”
Using price records, we converted every recorded salary – whether paid in silk, silver, rent or servants – into its rice equivalent. We could then compare the “real rice wages” of two categories of people we called either “officials” or “peasants” (including farmers), as a way of tracking levels of inequality over the two millennia since the start of the Han dynasty in 202BC. This chart shows how real-wage inequality in China rose and fell over the past 2,000 years, according to our rice-based analysis.
Official-peasant wage ratio in imperial China over 2,000 years:
The ratio describes the multiple by which the ‘real rice wage’ of the average ‘official’ exceeds that of the average ‘peasant’, giving an indication of changing inequality levels over two millennia. Peng Zhou, CC BY-SA
The chart’s black line describes a tug-of-war between growth and inequality over the past two millennia. We found that, across each major dynasty, there were four key factors driving levels of inequality in China: technology (T), institutions (I), politics (P), and social norms (S). These followed the following cycle with remarkable regularity.
1. Technology triggers an explosion of growth and inequality
During the Han dynasty, new iron-working techniques led to better ploughs and irrigation tools. Harvests boomed, enabling the Chinese empire to balloon in both territory and population. But this bounty mostly went to those at the top of society. Landlords grabbed fields, bureaucrats gained privileges, while ordinary farmers saw precious little reward. The empire grew richer – but so did the gap between high officials and the peasant majority.
Even when the Han fell around AD220, the rise of wage inequality was barely interrupted. By the time of the Tang dynasty (AD618–907), China was enjoying a golden age. Silk Road trade flourished as two more technological leaps had a profound impact on the country’s fortunes: block printing and refined steelmaking.
Block printing enabled the mass production of books – Buddhist texts, imperial exam guides, poetry anthologies – at unprecedented speed and scale. This helped spread literacy and standardise administration, as well as sparking a bustling market in bookselling.
Meanwhile, refined steelmaking boosted everything from agricultural tools to weaponry and architectural hardware, lowering costs and raising productivity. With a more literate populace and an abundance of stronger metal goods, China’s economy hit new heights. Chang’an, then China’s cosmopolitan capital, boasted exotic markets, lavish temples, and a swirl of foreign merchants enjoying the Tang dynasty’s prosperity.
While the Tang dynasty marked the high-water mark for levels of inequality in Chinese history, subsequent dynasties would continue to wrestle with the same core dilemma: how do you reap the benefits of growth without allowing an overly privileged – and increasingly corrupt – bureaucratic class to push everyone else into peril?
2. Institutions slow the rise of inequality
Throughout the two millennia, some institutions played an important role in stabilising the empire after each burst of growth. For example, to alleviate tensions between emperors, officials and peasants, imperial exams known as “Ke Ju” were introduced during the Sui dynasty (AD581-618). And by the time of the Song dynasty (AD960-1279) that followed the demise of the Tang, these exams played a dominant role in society.
They addressed high levels of inequality by promoting social mobility: ordinary civilians were granted greater opportunities to ascend the income ladder by achieving top marks. This induced greater competition among officials – and strengthened emperors’ authority over them in the later dynasties. As a result, both the wages of officials and wage inequality went down as their bargaining power gradually diminished.
However, the rise of each new dynasty was also marked by a growth of bureaucracy that led to inefficiencies, favouritism and bribery. Over time, corrupt practices took root, eroding trust in officialdom and heightening wage inequality as many officials commanded informal fees or outright bribes to sustain their lifestyles.
As a result, while the emergence of certain institutions was able to put a break on rising inequality, it typically took another powerful – and sometimes highly destructive – factor to start reducing it.
3. Political infighting and external wars reduce inequality
Eventually, the rampant rise in inequality seen in almost every major Chinese dynasty bred deep tensions – not only between the upper and lower classes, but even between the emperor and their officials.
These pressures were heightened by the pressures of external conflict, as each dynasty waged wars in pursuit of further growth. The Tang’s three century-rule featured conflicts such as the Eastern Turkic-Tang war (AD626), the Baekje-Goguryeo-Silla war (666), and the Arab-Tang battle of Talas (751).
The resulting demand for more military spending drained imperial coffers, forcing salary cuts for soldiers and tax hikes on the peasants – breeding resentment among both that sometimes led to popular uprisings. In a desperate bid for survival, the imperial court then slashed officials’ pay and stripped away their bureaucratic perks.
The result? Inequality plummeted during these times of war and rebellion – but so did stability. Famine was rife, frontier garrisons mutinied, and for decades, warlords carved out territories while the imperial centre floundered.
So, this shrinking wage gap cannot be said to have resulted in a happier, more stable society. Rather, it reflected the fact that everyone – rich and poor – was worse off in the chaos. During the final imperial dynasty, the Qing (from the end of the 17th century), real-terms GDP per person was dropping to levels that had last been seen at the start of the Han dynasty, 2,000 years earlier.
4. Social norms emphasise harmony, preserve privilege
One other common factor influencing the rise and fall of inequality across China’s dynasties was the shared rules and expectations that developed within each society.
A striking example is the social norms rooted in the philosophy of Neo-Confucianism, which emerged in the Song dynasty at the end of the first millennium – a period sometimes described as China’s version of the Renaissance. It blended the moral philosophy of classical Confucianism – created by the philosopher and political theorist Confucius during the Zhou dynasty (1046-256BC) – with metaphysical elements drawn from both Buddhism and Daoism.
Neo-Confucianism emphasised social harmony, hierarchical order and personal virtue – values that reinforced imperial authority and bureaucratic discipline. Unsurprisingly, it quickly gained the support of emperors keen to ensure control of their people, and became the mainstream school of thought in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
However, Neo-Confucianist thinking proved a double-edged sword. Local gentry hijacked this moral authority to fortify their own power. Clan leaders set up Confucian schools and performed elaborate ancestral rites, projecting themselves as guardians of tradition.
Over time, these social norms became rigid. What had once fostered order and legitimacy became brittle dogma, more useful for preserving privilege than guiding reform. Neo-Confucian ideals evolved into a protective veil for entrenched elites. When the weight of crisis eventually came, they offered little resilience.
The last dynasty
China’s final imperial dynasty, the Qing, collapsed under the weight of multiple uprisings both from within and without. Despite achieving impressive economic growth during the 18th century – fuelled by agricultural innovation, a population boom, and the roaring global trade in tea and porcelain – levels of inequality exploded, in part due to widespread corruption.
The infamous government official Heshen, widely regarded as the most corrupt figure in the Qing dynasty, amassed a personal fortune reckoned to exceed the empire’s entire annual revenue (one estimate suggests he amassed 1.1 billion taels of silver, equivalent to around US$270 billion (£200bn), during his lucrative career).
Imperial institutions failed to restrain the inequality and moral decay that the Qing’s growth had initially masked. The mechanisms that once spurred prosperity – technological advances, centralised bureaucracy and Confucian moral authority – eventually ossified, serving entrenched power rather than adaptive reform.
When shocks like natural disasters and foreign invasions struck, the system could no longer respond. The collapse of the empire became inevitable – and this time there was no groundbreaking technology to enable a new dynasty to take the Qing’s place. Nor were there fresh social ideals or revitalised institutions capable of rebooting the imperial model. As foreign powers surged ahead with their own technological breakthroughs, China’s imperial system collapsed under its own weight. The age of emperors was over.
The world had turned. As China embarked on two centuries of technological and economic stagnation – and political humiliation at the hands of Great Britain and Japan – other nations, led first by Britain and then the US, would step up to build global empires on the back of new technological leaps.
In these modern empires, we see the same four key influences on their cycles of growth and inequality – technology, institutions, politics and social norms – but playing out at an ever-faster rate. As the saying goes: history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.
Rule Britannia
If imperial China’s inequality saga was written in rice and rebellions, Britain’s industrial revolution featured steam and strikes. In Lancashire’s “satanic mills”, steam engines and mechanised looms created industrialists so rich that their fortunes dwarfed small nations.
In 1835, social observer Andrew Ure enthused: “Machinery is the grand agent of civilisation.” Yet for many decades, the steam engines, spinning jennies and railways disproportionately enriched the new industrial class, just as in the Han dynasty of China 2,000 years earlier. The workers? They inhaled soot, lived in slums – and staged Europe’s first symbolic protest when the Luddites began smashing their looms in 1811.
During the 19th century, Britain’s richest 1% hoarded as much as 70% of the nation’s wealth, while labourers toiled 16-hour days in mills. In cities like Manchester, child workers earned pennies while industrialists built palaces.
But as inequality peaked in Britain, the backlash brewed. Trade unions formed (and became legal in 1824) to demand fair wages. Reforms such as the Factory Acts (1833–1878) banned child labour and capped working hours.
Although government forces intervened to suppress the uprisings, unrest such as the 1830 Swing Riots and 1842 General Strike exposed deep social and economic inequalities. By 1900, child labour was banned and pensions had been introduced. The 1900 Labour Representation Committee (later the Labour Party) vowed to “promote legislation in the direct interests of labour” – a striking echo of how China’s imperial exams had attempted to open paths to power.
Slowly, the working class saw some improvement: real wages for Britain’s poorest workers gradually increased over the latter half of the 19th century, as mass production lowered the cost of goods and expanding factory employment provided a more stable livelihood than subsistence farming.
And then, two world wars flattened Britain’s elite – the Blitz didn’t discriminate between rich and poor neighbourhoods. When peace finally returned, the Beveridge Report gave rise to the welfare state: the NHS, social housing, and pensions.
Income inequality plummeted as a result. The top 1%’s share fell from 70% to 15% by 1979. While China’s inequality fell via dynastic collapse, Britain’s decline resulted from war-driven destruction, progressive taxation, and expansive social reforms.
Wealth share of top 1% in the UK
Evidence for UK inequality before 1895 is not well documented; dotted curve is conjectured based on Kuznets curve. Sources: Alvaredo et al (2018), World Inequality Database. Peng Zhou, CC BY-SA
However, from the 1980s onwards, inequality in Britain has begun to rise again. This new cycle of inequality has coincided with another technological revolution: the emergence of personal computers and information technology — innovations that fundamentally transformed how wealth was created and distributed.
The era was accelerated by deregulation, deindustrialisation and privatisation — policies associated with former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, that favoured capital over labour. Trade unions were weakened, income taxes on the highest earners were slashed, and financial markets were unleashed. Today, the richest 1% of UK adults own more 20% of the country’s total wealth.
The UK now appears to be in the worst of both worlds – wrestling with low growth and rising inequality. Yet renewal is still within reach. The current UK government’s pledge to streamline regulation and harness AI could spark fresh growth – provided it is coupled with serious investment in skills, modern infrastructure, and inclusive institutions geared to benefit all workers.
At the same time, history reminds us that technology is a lever, not a panacea. Sustained prosperity comes only when institutional reform and social attitudes evolve in step with innovation.
The American century
While China’s growth-and-inequality cycles unfolded over millennia and Britain’s over centuries, America’s story is a fast-forward drama of cycles lasting mere decades. In the early 20th century, several waves of new technology widened the gap between rich and poor dramatically.
By 1929, as the world teetered on the edge of the Great Depression, John D. Rockefeller had amassed such a vast fortune – valued at roughly 1.5% of America’s entire GDP – that newspapers hailed him the world’s first billionaire. His wealth stemmed largely from pioneering petroleum and petrochemical ventures including Standard Oil, which dominated oil refining in an age when cars and mechanised transport were exploding in popularity.
Yet this period of unprecedented riches for a handful of magnates coincided with severe imbalances in the broader US economy. The “roaring Twenties” had boosted consumerism and stock speculation, but wage growth for many workers lagged behind skyrocketing corporate profits. By 1929, the top 1% of Americans owned more than a third of the nation’s income, creating a precariously narrow base of prosperity.
When the US stock market crashed in October 1929, it laid bare how vulnerable the system was to the fortunes of a tiny elite. Millions of everyday Americans – living without adequate savings or safeguards – faced immediate hardship, ushering in the Great Depression. Breadlines snaked through city streets, and banks collapsed under waves of withdrawals they could not meet.
In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal reshaped American institutions. It introduced unemployment insurance, minimum wages, and public works programmes to support struggling workers, while progressive taxation – with top rates exceeding 90% during the second world war. Roosevelt declared: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much – it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
In a different way to the UK, the second world war proved a great leveller for the US – generating millions of jobs and drawing women and minorities into industries they’d long been excluded from. After 1945, the GI Bill expanded education and home ownership for veterans, helping to build a robust middle class. Although access remained unequal, especially along racial lines, the era marked a shift toward the norm that prosperity should be shared.
Meanwhile, grassroots movements led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. reshaped social norms about justice. In his lesser-quoted speeches, King warned that “a dream deferred is a dream denied” and launched the Poor People’s Campaign, which demanded jobs, healthcare and housing for all Americans. This narrowing of income distribution during the post-war era was dubbed the “Great Compression” – but it did not last.
As oil crises of the 1970s marked the end of the preceding cycle of inequality, another cycle began with the full-scale emergence of the third industrial revolution, powered by computers, digital networks and information technology.
As digitalisation transformed business models and labour markets, wealth flowed to those who owned the algorithms, patents and platforms – not those operating the machines. Hi-tech entrepreneurs and Wall Street financiers became the new oligarchs. Stock options replaced salaries as the true measure of success, and companies increasingly rewarded capital over labour.
By the 2000s, the wealth share of the richest 1% climbed to 30% in the US. The gap between the elite minority and working majority widened with every company stock market launch, hedge fund bonus and quarterly report tailored to shareholder returns.
But this wasn’t just a market phenomenon – it was institutionally engineered. The 1980s ushered in the age of (Ronald) Reaganomics, driven by the conviction that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem”. Following this neoliberalist philosophy, taxes on high incomes were slashed, capital gains were shielded, and labour unions were weakened.
Deregulation gave Wall Street free rein to innovate and speculate, while public investment in housing, healthcare and education was curtailed. The consequences came to a head in 2008 when the US housing market collapsed and the financial system imploded.
The Global Financial Crisis that followed exposed the fragility of a deregulated economy built on credit bubbles and concentrated risk. Millions of people lost their homes and jobs, while banks were rescued with public money. It marked an economic rupture and a moral reckoning – proof that decades of pro-market policies had produced a system that privatised gain and socialised loss.
Inequality, long growing in the background, now became a glaring, undeniable fault line in American life – and it has remained that way ever since.
Fig 5. Wealth share and income share of top 1% in the US
Sources: wealth inequality: World Inequality Database; income share: Picketty & Saez (2003). Dotted curves are conjectured based on Kuznets curve. Peng Zhou, CC BY-SA
So is the US proof that the Kuznets model of inequality is indeed wrong? While the chart above shows inequality has flattened in the US since the 2008 financial crisis, there is little evidence of it actually declining. And in the short term, while Donald Trump’s tariffs are unlikely to do much for growth in the US, his low-tax policies won’t do anything to raise working-class incomes either.
The story of “the American century” is a dizzying sequence of technological revolutions – from transport and manufacturing to the internet and now AI – crashing one atop the other before institutions, politics or social norms could catch up. In my view, the result is not a broken cycle but an interrupted one. Like a wheel that never completes its turn, inequality rises, reform stutters – and a new wave of disruption begins.
Our unequal AI future?
Like any technological explosion, AI’s potential is dual-edged. Like the Tang dynasty’s bureaucrats hoarding grain, today’s tech giants monopolise data, algorithms and computing power. Management consultant firm McKinsey has predicted that algorithms could automate 30% of jobs by 2030, from lorry drivers to radiologists.
The rise of AI isn’t just a technological revolution – it’s a political battleground. History’s empires collapsed when elites hoarded power; today’s fight over AI mirrors the same stakes. Will it become a tool for collective uplift like Britain’s post-war welfare state? Or a weapon of control akin to Han China’s grain-hoarding bureaucrats?
The answer hinges on who wins these political battles. In 19th-century Britain, factory owners bribed MPs to block child labour laws. Today, Big Tech spends billions lobbying to neuter AI regulation.
Meanwhile, grassroots movements like the Algorithmic Justice League demand bans on facial recognition in policing, echoing the Luddites who smashed looms not out of technophobia but to protest exploitation. The question is not if AI will be regulated but who will write the rules: corporate lobbyists or citizen coalitions.
The real threat has never been the technology itself, but the concentration of its spoils. When elites hoard tech-driven wealth, social fault-lines crack wide open – as happened more than 2,000 years ago when the Red Eyebrows marched against Han China’s agricultural monopolies.
To be human is to grow – and to innovate. Technological progress raises inequality faster than incomes, but the response depends on how people band together. Initiatives like “Responsible AI” and “Data for All” reframe digital ethics as a civil right, much like Occupy Wall Street exposed wealth gaps. Even memes – like TikTok skits mocking ChatGPT’s biases – shape public sentiment.
There is no simple path between growth and inequality. But history shows our AI future isn’t preordained in code: it’s written, as always, by us.
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Peng Zhou does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By M. Sudhir Selvaraj, Assistant Professor, Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford
India is in mourning after 26 tourists were killed on April 22 in a resort in picturesque Pahalgam. The massacre is considered to be the deadliest attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir since 2000.
The attack happened during peak tourist season as thousands flocked to the popular tourist destination. Most of those killed were Indians, with the exception of one Nepalese national. All the victims were men.
Pakistan has denied any involvement, but there are serious fears of escalation between the two nuclear powers. India’s defence minister, Rajnath Singh, openly accused Pakistan and threatened: “We will not only target those who carried out the attack. We will also target those who planned this act in the shadows, on our soil.”
India has shut a key border between the countries, expelled Pakistan’s diplomats and suspended the landmark Indus waters treaty which allows the sharing of water between the two countries.
The timing of these attacks is noteworthy as it coincides with major international and domestic events. The US vice-president, J.D. Vance, had arrived the day before with his Indian-American wife Usha and their three children, seeking closer India-US relations against the backdrop of a burgeoning trade war between the US and China. Notably, Pakistan considers China historically as an all-weather friend and ally.
The attack also comes a few weeks after the Indian government passed the Waqf (Amendment) Act which seeks to change how properties worth billions donated by Muslims, including mosques, madrassas, graveyards and orphanages, are governed. This act is also accused of diluting the rights of India’s Muslim communities by permitting the appointment of non-Muslims to their boards and tribunals.
Resistance Front
The Resistance Front (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the attack. A hitherto lesser-known armed group in the Kashmir region, TRF emerged in 2019 with the aim to fight for Kashmir’s secession from India. In 2023, it was designated as a terrorist organisation by the Indian government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the group’s founder, Sheikh Sajjad Gul was declared a terrorist.
TRF was formed largely in response to the Indian government’s move to strip Kashmir (India’s erstwhile only Muslim-majority state) of its semi-autonomous status in 2019. At this point, the Modi split Kasmhir into two union territories – Jammu & Kashmir – and brought it under more direct federal control.
The move also paved the way for the extension of land-owning rights and access to government-sponsored job quotas to non-locals. These changes could deprive locals of much-needed opportunities, and radically alter the demographics of the region.
In a message on messaging app Telegram, the group said: “Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally.” This tends to support the idea that the influx of “outsiders” was the justification for the attack.
In its short life, TRF has been responsible for numerous attacks targeting civilians, security forces and politicians in the region. The group took shape using social media and continues to rely on it to organise and recruit members.
Notably, the name TRF breaks from traditional rebel groups operating in the region, most of whom bear Islamic names. By doing so, it supposedly aims to project a “neutral” (read as non-religious) front, rather emphasising the fight for Kashmiri nationalism.
Was Pakistan involved?
The group is also reported to be linked to the Pakistani spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Pakistan has denied these links. But analysts fear that any retaliation could escalate and threaten the tenuous peace along the border between the two countries.
Importantly, the TRF is believed to be an offshoot of, – or perhaps simply a front for – the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based armed group. The LeT was involved in many terrorist attacks on Indian soil, most significantly, the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks in which an estimated 176 people were killed. The perpetrators of the atrocity are believed by many – including the US government – to have involved help from the ISI.
While not explicitly stated as a link to the Pahalgam attack, it is noteworthy that the suspected mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian citizen was extradited to India from the US on April 10. The US Embassy in New Delhi has confirmed that Rana will stand trial in India on ten criminal charges.
In contrast to the supposed “neutral” ostensibly non-Islamist nature of the TRF, the LeT (which translates as Army of the Righteous/Pure), is a Sunni terrorist group. Its aim is to to establish an Islamic state in south Asia and parts of central Asia – with Kashmir being integral to its plans.
To achieve this, since its formation in the early 1990s, the group’s focus has been on attacking military and civilian targets in Kashmir, supporting Pakistan’s claim to the region.
In the late 1990s, the then US president, Bill Clinton, described south Asia as the most dangerous place on Earth. Given the chance of a rapidly escalating India-Pakistan standoff, this could well be the case once again.
M. Sudhir Selvaraj does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lauren Bridgstock, Research Associate, Healthcare Communication, Faculty of Health and Education, School of Nursing and Public Health, Manchester Metropolitan University
In the emotionally complex world of dementia care, communication is more than just what we say – it’s how we say it. Terms of endearment like “darling”, “my lovely” and “sweetheart” are often used by healthcare staff with the best intentions: to comfort, connect and show warmth. But some people believe that elderspeak may sound patronising.
In my research, I focused on the use of elderspeak – a style of speech often directed at older adults. It typically involves a higher-pitched tone, simplified grammar and sentence structure and the use of terms of endearment.
Some people compare elderspeak to the way someone might speak to a young child, which is why it’s often viewed as patronising. Terms of endearment – like love, sweetheart, or darling – are particularly controversial and frequently debated in healthcare settings.
Some people have strong opinions about ‘elderspeak’ and assume it’s patronising.
Yet, despite these concerns – and that healthcare professionals are discouraged from using terms of endearment during training – the data showed that experienced healthcare professionals were using the terms regularly, suggesting that they might actually serve a valuable purpose in communication. When I closely analysed a range of real-life hospital interactions where terms of endearment were used, that’s exactly what I found. Three key themes emerged from the data.
1. Mirroring
First, healthcare professionals weren’t the only people using these terms. Terms of endearment were used responsively – so both patients with dementia and staff used them, reflecting or mirroring each other’s language.
This resulted in positive interactions. For example, a patient saying “OK duck” when a doctor asked them if they could sit the hospital bed up higher, and the doctor responding with “all right mate”. These examples shows that terms of endearment can be helpful for building rapport and trust between staff and patients.
2. Signposting
Second, terms of endearment were used at the beginning and end of conversations between staff and patients. In this case, terms of endearment were helpful for signposting and giving information about context to patients. Previous work has shown that people living with dementia can struggle with recognising cues in conversation. So, a term of endearment could help to signal that a conversation is coming to an end, such as a nurse saying: “Alright darling, it’s lovely to speak to you.”
This is not surprising since people use terms of endearment to signal the end of conversations in many social settings. For example, in a shop, a cashier might say “Thanks very much, love!” to signal the end of the transaction.
Terms of endearment were also used regularly when conversations began, signalling that the healthcare professional who has come to speak to the person with dementia is someone familiar or friendly. Although in this case, the healthcare professional would need to show caution depending on context and whether they’re familiar to the patient.
For example, one doctor opened a conversation with: “Hello my dear, you haven’t seen me for a while, have you?” The conversation continued with no issue. Another doctor used a very similar opening of: “Hi darling, I’m Ethan I’m the doctor for today.” In this case some conversational trouble followed. The difference here is that in the first example the doctor’s words demonstrate he has met the patient before. In the second, the words show they are unfamiliar.
3. Mitigation
A third way terms of endearment are used is to mitigate or minimise an imposition on a patient. Examples of this are:
• When a healthcare professional asks a patient to repeat something if their words were hard to interpret or unclear. For example: “What my lovely? Say that again.”
• When a healthcare professional is giving an instruction during a healthcare task. For instance: “Just bend this knee my love.”
• When a healthcare professional is responding to a patient expressing unease or discomfort – often when an unpleasant but medically necessary medical task is occurring, such as a blood test. For instance: “I won’t be a second darling.”
In these cases, the terms of endearment work to soften whatever the healthcare professional is doing. This can help to save face – avoid or reduce embarrassment on the part of the patient – particularly in cases where the healthcare professional has to ask them to repeat a comment or question. It can also aid in minimising whatever the professional is doing – similar to if someone said “We’re just going to do xyz,” rather than “We are going to do xzy.” Terms of endearment also acknowledge the sensitivity of the healthcare situation.
While there were many examples of terms of endearment being used successfully in healthcare settings, they are not a magic bullet that can improve every situation. There were a couple of examples in the data of patients rejecting terms of endearment. In both cases, patients were particularly distressed about the healthcare activity at hand – a painful injection, for example.
In these cases, the terms of endearment were not enough to excuse the action that the healthcare professional was trying to do. This is therefore an example of where context and sensitivity to the individual situation are important.
Lauren Bridgstock received funding from an ESRC Midlands Graduate School DTP collaborative PhD studentship between the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (ES/P000711/1). The data discussed in this article were collected as part of the NIHR funded VOICE (13/114/93) and VOICE2 (NIHR134221) research projects. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the ESRC, NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
My ongoing PhD research is analysing masculinity, class and nationalism and exploring how these narratives appear in the everyday lives of men. I argue that responding to the harm that stems from these online communities requires an understanding of the manosphere as a product of a global, neoliberal, capitalist system built on inequality and division.
Neoliberalism can be described as “capitalism on steroids”. It’s a hyper-individualistic and market-driven ideology that fosters a culture of competition.
Neoliberalism encourages us to see ourselves as isolated individuals, responsible for our own success or failure. Among many other things research has shown that one of its outcomes is a profound loneliness. This is something that the manosphere exploits.
Role models are important, but the disconnect felt by so many today won’t be fixed by better role models within the same system. For example, black feminist thought, which recognises the way racism and sexism intersect and can offer extensive structural critiques, shows us that efforts to end violence against women must take place alongside work to change wider systems. So to start preventing violence we must first deal with root causes, such as poverty and inequality.
Measuring people by ‘value’
The manosphere picks up on messages around failing. Alongside hate-filled and misogynistic content, shame-based narratives from the manosphere suggest that boys and men are losers, weak and lazy if they aren’t “succeeding”. This is deeply damaging to all who find themselves drawn to such messages.
The concept of self-worth regularly appears in the manosphere, but it’s largely in relation to wealth or productivity: hustle harder, rise and grind, make money. These ideas don’t just exist in these online spaces. Similar language – self-investment, output, productivity, personal growth, efficiency – has become part of our everyday way of talking about ourselves and others.
The wellness industry promises us we can “glow up”. Self-help books and hustle culture encourage us to be better and produce more. Lifestyle influencers demonstrate how to turn our everyday existence into a marketable product.
This way of thinking turns people into products. It’s not about who you are – it’s about what you produce. Today’s far-right (of which the manosphere is part) capitalises on these ideas and the obsession with economic value.
There are versions of this aimed at women and girls, such as “cleanfluencers”, who reframe housework not only as a consumable personal brand but also as glamorous and fun.
But the hustle culture messaging central to the manosphere is particularly distinct in its hypermasculine messaging centred on “self-improvement” which advocates working harder and longer while being ruthless and dominant.
A focus on domination and individual success encourages young boys and men to see their self-worth tied up in that and that alone. This message extends beyond the manosphere and is part of the very system with which we all exist.
Resisting the system
Those captivated by manosphere narratives are victims as well as perpetrators. This doesn’t excuse their actions, or mean they shouldn’t be held accountable. How we care for each other within a capitalist society isn’t easy or straightforward.
Too often, though, discussion focuses solely on punitive responses, such as advocating for longer prison sentences. If we only focus on punishment, we miss the bigger picture. We need to find more inclusive ways of talking about, and responding to, harm – while rethinking what it means to truly care for each other.
Abolitionist movements strive to create systems which improve people’s health and safety and build a future without prisons. They seek to build responses to harm that are founded on education and community accountability – where communities take responsibility for identifying issues they need to address.
Abolitionist approaches advocate for expanding support networks and investing in resources deemed appropriate by survivors. Proposals like this work towards preventing violence. Their community focus means they address the isolating effects of neoliberalism at the same time.
We also can’t convince ourselves that once the likes of Andrew Tate and others involved in the manosphere disappear, women and girls will no longer suffer such extreme levels of misogyny and violence at the hands of boys and men.
This is because we exist within a system built on inequality and violence. It’s a system which rewards competition over cooperation, greed over care and one which is harmful to us all.
Sophie Lively receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council as part of Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jason Hawreliak, Associate Professor, Game Studies. Department of Digital Humanities., Brock University
While some film adaptations of video games achieve commercial success, others struggle to replicate the ‘feel’ of a video game for cinema audiences.(Warner Bros.)
Video game adaptations are having a moment. On television, shows like HBO’s The Last of Us and Amazon Prime’s Fallout — each based on popular game franchises — have been gigantic hits. On the big screen, 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Moviebroke box office records, and at the time of writing, A Minecraft Movie looks to be well on its way to generating one billion dollars in ticket sales.
With these recent successes, it can be hard to remember that movie adaptations of video games have historically been notoriously bad, typically failing to win over audiences and critics alike.
My first experience with adaptation disappointment came from the 1993 adaptation of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros., starring Hollywood legend Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as his brother, Luigi.
Movie studio executives can perhaps be forgiven for trying to capitalize on the popularity of video games. With billions of players worldwide and a market valuation surpassing Hollywood and the music industry combined, video games are seemingly low-hanging fruit for commercial success. So why, with a few notable exceptions notwithstanding, are video game adaptations so difficult to pull off?
A trailer for A Minecraft Movie. (Warner Bros.)
The problem with adaptations
One key issue is that video games and movies are two very different media with different functions and different representational strengths and weaknesses. At their most basic, video games are meant to be interactive. They provide players with goals to achieve and challenges to overcome through some combination of strategy, skill and luck.
Sometimes, these goals and challenges are clear and direct. When a player sees a Goomba approach in Super Mario Bros., for example, they must press a button to jump on its head and defeat it; otherwise, the player takes damage and may have to start the level again.
Other times, the goals and challenges are less direct. In open-world or “sandbox” games like Minecraft, players are given a high degree of freedom in how they interact with the game world. There are ways to “win” in Minecraft, but the true pleasure of the game lies in giving players freedom to explore a vast world and create unique structures, villages, or even functional computers.
Interacting with a game world — its goals, rules and aesthetics — is a fundamentally distinct process from watching a film or reading a novel. Minecraft’s motto of “Create. Explore. Survive.” is not readily applicable in media like film and books though these media have experimented with interactivity too.
Game worlds on the big screen
So why have adaptations like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie been successful, at least commercially? Part of the reason is that these are massive franchises with instant brand recognition. Even people who do not play video games know who Mario is, and Minecraft is among the most popular games of all time.
However, as we have seen with recent unsuccessful adaptations like Warcraft and Borderlands, brand recognition alone is not sufficient.
One reason why The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie have done well is that they get the “feel” of their respective worlds right. When Mario transports into the Mushroom Kingdom in the 2023 film, it looks and sounds like the Mushroom Kingdom players encounter in the games.
The colours, shapes and sounds in the film closely match the colours, shapes, and sounds in the games. The Goombas look like Goombas, the power-ups look like power-ups and the film retains the whimsical nature of the games.
Although the radical freedom afforded to players of Minecraft is difficult to replicate in a film, A Minecraft Movie nevertheless retains the look, sound and feel of the game. The Creepers look and behave like Creepers and the Piglins look and behave like Piglins.
When Steve (played by Jack Black) first learns to build his first structures, the audience watches as he joyfully creates whatever he can imagine, gradually learning to build larger and more complex structures, just as players do in the game.
Finally, it should be noted that while these films were commercial successes, they have failed to win over critics. On Metacritic, The Super Mario Bros. Moviesits at 46 (though the user score is a healthy 8.2) while A Minecraft Movie has a similarly paltry 45. As the Los Angeles Times puts it in their review, “A Minecraft Movie is a block of big dumb fun.”
So no, it is unlikely the film will win an Oscar for best picture. But its ability to capture the essence of Minecraft is clearly enough for audiences, many of whom have spent countless hours exploring virtual mines, fending off zombies and creating their own fantastical worlds.
Jason Hawreliak receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Laurel Lee – Florida (15th District)
Tampa, F.L. – Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) announced Nishant Sailesh Shah from Carrollwood Day School as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Florida’s 15th District. His piece, “Calm Before the Storm,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. for the next year, alongside artwork from other winners from congressional districts across the country.
“I’m thrilled to congratulate Nishant Sailesh Shah as the winner of this year’s Congressional Art Competition for Florida’s 15th District,” said Congresswoman Laurel Lee. “Nishant’s piece, Calm Before the Storm, truly captures the spirit of this competition, and I am excited to see it proudly on display in the U.S. Capitol. Every year, I am inspired by the heart and vision our local students bring to this opportunity, and I thank all of the students who participated in this year’s competition.”
The other finalists’ artwork will be displayed on the walls of Congresswoman Lee’s district office.
Each spring, the House of Representatives and the Congressional Institute sponsor a nationwide art competition to highlight talented high school artists from across the country. The winner from each district will have their artwork displayed in the Capitol for one year. The competition first began in 1982 and more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
1st Place Winner: Nishant Sailesh Shah, “Calm Before the Storm,” Carrollwood Day School
2nd Place Winner: Brylie Davidson, “Remembrance,” Strawberry Crest High School
People’s Choice Winner: Raina Kim, “Open Book,” Strawberry Crest High School
Lessons in using the latest tech, playing chess like a Grandmaster, the best bait to use to land the biggest fish, and enjoying a chat over a good book, are all things that Manchester’s youngest and oldest residents will be getting to grips with together over this next week as the city marks Global Intergenerational Week (24-30 April).
The annual worldwide campaign celebrates the power of intergenerational relationships and the enormous benefits they bring to individuals and communities – from transferring skills across the generations, to helping combat social isolation and loneliness, and challenging ageism.
Already reaping the benefits of time spent with each other are the residents of Belong Morris Feinmann in Didsbury and pupils at neighbouring Moor Allerton School, whose primary aged pupils delight in nipping through the fence that separates them from their next-door neighbours once a week, armed with a pile of books, to read together with their new-found older friends who live at the residential home.
Teacher Angela Luckett said: “Every half term a different year group of children come across once a week to read, and so they get to really know each other. Pupils read with the residents, sharing their literacy skills, but also quite often just having a chat with each other, which is really lovely to see. It’s beautiful to see the relationships that have built over the visits – they get to form great friendships and really connect with each other.”
Year 5 pupil Miles added: “I like it, it makes me calmer. I like to read with them and it’s really fun.”
For their part, the home residents really enjoy hearing the youngsters read and talking to them about the books they’ve brought in, as well also chatting with them about their own lives and things they’ve done.
Resident Pauline Pike said: “I think it’s fantastic. I think we both learn something from each other. I think the children learn from us, and we certainly learn from them.”
The weekly Book Buddies session at Belong Morris Feinmann
Meanwhile, across at Didsbury Library a weekly chess club – running for a year now – provides the chance for would-be Grandmasters of all ages and all abilities to take each other on in sometimes tense table-top chess matches, learning new moves and strategies from each other as they talk and play, each vying to reach checkmate first.
Didsbury Library is also the venue for a special intergenerational digital drop-in session that takes place each week.
Talking tech and understanding all the ins and outs of how to get the most out of it is of course what young people often have a particular knack for and pupils at Barlow RC High School are no exception. They’ve been putting their digital skills to good use over the last year by partnering with local charity Didsbury Good Neighbours to offer free tech training to any adults in the community who need it at the weekly drop-in sessions in the library.
The weekly digi drop-in sessions run by pupils from The Barlow RC High
Over in north Manchester the King William Angling Society based in Boggart Hole Clough offers a chance for young and old to put away their tech and enjoy the great outdoors together as they try their hand at the fine art of fishing.
With a variety of fish of all sizes including Bream and Tench, Rudd, Perch, and Carp, all ready to be netted, the Society is running special intergenerational sessions this weekend on Saturday 26 April for young anglers to bring their grandparents along to learn to fish together – with all equipment and bait provided.
Also in north Manchester, Heaton Park is inviting families to come together in the park this Saturday with their oldest and youngest family members and bring a picnic with them to enjoy together before taking a walk amongst the many blossom-filled trails full of spring colours, enjoying the ever-popular playground, or maybe taking a boat out on the lake in the park.
Global Intergenerational Week 2025 takes place as Manchester journeys towards becoming a UNICEF recognised Child Friendly City – helping make Manchester the best place for a child to grow up in – a place where children are not only respected, but also where their voices are heard and they’re encouraged to participate in and play an active role in their local communities.
Councillor Julie Reid, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, Manchester City Council, said: “Anyone who was lucky enough to grow up with much-loved grandparents, aunts and uncles or other older adults in their lives will already know how special these relationships across the generations can be and how much the different generations can learn from each other. Not everyone however has been so fortunate or may no longer have these people in their lives, which is why creating opportunities for our younger and older generations in the city to get together and spend time with each other, enjoying each other’s company, helping each other, and learning new things, is so important.”
Alongside the city’s ambition to be recognised as a Child Friendly City is its long-standing involvement in the World Health Organisation’s network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities – helping to ensure that people over the age of 50 in Manchester age well and have a happy and successful later life with greater independence and connectedness to their communities.
Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, said: “All generations can benefit from each other and here in Manchester, there are lots of opportunities for them to connect, share their skills, and not only stave off loneliness but benefit from each other’s wisdom, whatever it is, it’s important that they get the chance to come together.”
The University of Connecticut announced Thursday that it has raised more than $720 million in a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign, the most ambitious in the University’s history.
The multi-year “Because of UConn” Campaign is comprehensive, spanning all schools, colleges, campuses, and UConn Health. The campaign focuses on four pillars:
Students First: making transformative investments in financial aid, student health, career readiness, and life skills to improve time-to-degree and career outcomes.
Academic & Innovation Excellence: driving investment in top faculty and graduate fellows and building the innovation ecosystem of the state and beyond.
Health & Wellness of People & Planet: focusing on patient care, medical research, and the development of life-changing technologies that improve health care outcomes.
Husky Pride: investing in athletic excellence and supporting a thriving UConn Nation that includes more than 290,000 alumni worldwide.
UConn President Radenka Maric unveiled the campaign at a kickoff event on Wednesday, April 23 at UConn Avery Point. “This ambitious campaign is fully aligned with a strategic plan that will lead the way to a bigger, brighter, bolder UConn,” says Maric. “It supports students to help them excel in the classroom and post-graduation. ‘Because of UConn‘ elevates our academic standing and fuels groundbreaking research that moves Connecticut and the world forward. It asks our donors and alumni to invest in a healthier world and our continued excellence in D1 sports.”
Governor Ned Lamont speaks during the Because of UConn campaign event at the Avery Point campus on April 23, 2025. At left is President Radenka Maric (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
The campaign is by far UConn’s largest and most ambitious to date. The momentum of the campaign has sparked the strongest start to a fundraising year ever, up more than 76% compared to this time last year.
The campaign pillars support UConn’s 10-year Strategic Plan, designed to make an education more affordable and a UConn degree more valuable by elevating UConn among its national peers.
Putting Students First
The campaign’s top priority is to bolster UConn’s academic mission to create opportunities for our students, including more than 8,550 who are the first in their families to attend college.
The campaign will support efforts to improve student retention and graduation rates. Investing in student success will help UConn reach its goal of increasing its six-year graduation rate from 83% to 90% by 2030, with a particular focus on first-generation students.
Research Excellence
As a world-class research institution, UConn encourages students and faculty to ask big questions and find solutions to pressing problems from biotech to advanced manufacturing to advance the Connecticut and national economy. The campaign will help the University provide fellowships for much-needed graduate researchers, help recruit and retain top faculty, and invest in lifesaving and world-changing research at more than 80 centers and 100 state-of-the-art STEM facilities on campus. UConn boasts nearly 300 scientists who are in the top 2% of researchers investigating everything from cancer to AI.
UConn basketball great Emeka Okafor ’04 (BUS) speaks during the Because of UConn campaign event at the Avery Point campus on April 23, 2025. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
It will also invest in UConn’s athletic programs and the health and financial literacy of student-athletes, including the men’s and women’s basketball teams, which have brought home three consecutive NCAA National Championship trophies in the last three years. UConn is proud to have 26 national championships across all sports.
Leading the Way to a New Era
The quiet phase of the campaign has been led by some of the University’s most generous lifetime donors, whose significant support has set the pace for this effort, including:
Over $52 million from Elisabeth DeLuca ’69 (NUR) to build a new state-of-the-art nursing facility at UConn to innovate in the field of nursing and address a statewide nursing shortage.
$46.5 million from Peter J. Werth to establish a legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship by creating an institute that empowers students and faculty to transform ideas into impactful ventures that fuel economic growth and opportunity. Werth has also been generous in his support of UConn student-athletes and their championship pursuits.
Over $25 million from alumni Denis ’76 (BUS) ’77 MBA and Britta Nayden ’76 (BUS) who have supported initiatives across the University, with a strong focus on student success. Their generosity has helped launch programming in the School of Business, expand scholarship support, and, more recently, advance initiatives in student athlete financial literacy, mental health, and wellness.
$15 million from Trisha Bailey ’99 (CLAS) ’23(HON) to transform student-athlete support by establishing a world-class facility that advances academic achievement, mental and physical wellness, and athletic excellence.
Over $11 million from Toni Boucher ’02 MBA, marked by a lead gift to establish the Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department, empowering students across disciplines to launch innovative ventures, drive economic growth, and honor the entrepreneurial legacy of her late husband, Bud.
Corporations, including Eversource, Synchrony, Travelers, The Hartford, RTX, Stanley Black & Decker, and Bank of America, have been philanthropically generous in supporting students through scholarships, programming, as well as providing job opportunities.
Bruce Liang, dean of UConn School of Medicine, and Provost Ann D’Alleva speak at the Because of UConn campaign event at the Avery Point campus on April 23, 2025. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
“’Because of UConn‘ will have a profound impact on the University. It will double the number of named scholarships, fund scientific breakthroughs and advanced lifesaving therapies, and engage UConn Nation in the life and mission of the University like never before” says Amy Yancey, President and CEO of the UConn Foundation. “We are so grateful for the generous support of alumni and friends of the University who are investing in UConn to ensure a thriving Connecticut and success for future generations of Huskies.”
Other campaign objectives include growing the endowment; increasing the number of donors; and increasing engagement touchpoints with UConn alumni and supporters through events, giving, social media and storytelling during the campaign timeframe.
The campaign is led by volunteer alumni co-chairs Toni Boucher, Rich and Joyce Eldh, Doug and Sheila Elliot, and Board of Trustees Chair Dan Toscano. The Eldhs have been generous supporters of full scholarships for students from Bridgeport and the Elliots have been generous across many programs, including Elliot Ballpark, home to the UConn baseball team; the Toscanos, longtime supporters of UConn, have invested in scholarships, faculty, innovative programming such as Hillside Ventures, and UConn Athletics. Honorary co-chairs include Vlad Coric, Denis Nayden, Molly Qerim and Peter Werth. They’re among the more than 30 members of the campaign committee.
€34bn of private Assets under Management for third parties
Solid financial structure: Strong liquidity and LTV ratio at 17.2%
Fully diluted Net Asset Value1as of March 31, 2025: €176.7 per share
Fully diluted NAV per share down -4.8% since the start of the year reflecting market volatility and evolution of valuation multiples:
Listed assets (29% of Gross Asset Value): flat total value year-to-date
Unlisted assets (33% of GAV): total value down 7.3%, mainly due to lower market multiples
Following the acquisition of Monroe Capital, Asset Management now represents 17% of GAV
Good performance of Group companies in Q1 20205
Principal investments: all Group companies generated positive total sales growth in Q1, except Scalian
Asset management: good momentum in fundraising and revenue growth
IK Partners’ revenues up +33% in Q1. Successful closing of the IK X flagship fund at €3.3 billion, the largest fund raised in its history and continued momentum in fundraising of IK Small & Dev Cap
Altogether IK Partners and Monroe have successfully raised more than €3 billion of new funds on various strategies over Q1 2025
Successful implementation of new strategic directions
Principal Investments: successful Forward Sale of 6.7% of Bureau Veritas’ share capital, at a price of €27.25 per share on March 12, 2025
Wendel entered into a call spread transaction to benefit from up to c.15% of the stock price appreciation over the next three years on the equivalent number of shares underlying the Forward Sale Transaction
Total net proceeds for Wendel of €750 million
Wendel has retained 26.5% of the share capital and 41.2% of the voting rights of Bureau Veritas
Asset Management: With Monroe Capital acquisition, Wendel’s third party asset management platform reached €34 billion in AUM2
On March 31, 2025, Wendel has invested $1.133 billion to acquire 72% of Monroe Capital’s shares together with rights to c.20% of the carried interest generated on past and future funds
Dividend: €4.70 per share, up 17.5%, proposed to May 15, 2025, AGM
c.2.5% of NAV as of December 31, 2024, as stated in the strategic roadmap
Representing a yield of c. 5.5% compared to the current share price4
Strong financial structure and committed to remaining Investment Grade
Debt maturity of 3.4 years with an average cost of 2.4%
LTV ratio at 17.2%5 as of March 31, 2025, on a pro forma basis
Proforma total liquidity of €1.76 billion as of March 31, 2025, including c.€800 million in cash and €875 million in committed credit facility (fully undrawn)
On March 31, 2025, S&P revised Wendel outlook to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative’ on debt reduction and reaffirmed its ‘BBB’ rating
Laurent Mignon, Wendel Group CEO, commented:
“The first quarter of 2025 marks a significant milestone for Wendel, with the successful closing of Monroe Capital’s acquisition, materializing our strategy to grow third-party asset management alongside our principal investment activity. With €34 billion of assets under management and €3.4 billion raised in Q12025 now with Monroe Capital and IK Partners, we are building a strong and significant Asset management player generating recurring and predictable income, enhancing significantly Wendel’s value creation profile.
We also successfully completed a forward sale of Bureau Veritas shares, achieved in good conditions, generating €750M of proceeds, that, combined with our financial discipline, contributed to significantly improve of our LTV ratio. This strengthened financial profile is a key lever to successfully deliver our 2027 value creation roadmap. Our teams remain fully mobilized to generate value through the current portfolio and put in place the asset management platform.”
Wendel’s net asset value as of March 31, 2025: €176.7 per share on a fully diluted basis
Wendel’s Net Asset Value (NAV) as of March 31, 2025, was prepared by Wendel to the best of its knowledge and on the basis of market data available at this date and in compliance with its methodology.
Fully diluted Net Asset Value was €176.7 per share as of March 31, 2025 (see detail in the table below), as compared to €185.7 on December 31, 2024, representing a decrease of -4.8% since the start of the year. Compared to the last 20-day average share price as of March 31, the discount to the March 31, 2025, fully diluted NAV per share was -47.9%.
Bureau Veritas contributed negatively to Net Asset Value, as end of March 2025, its 20-day average share price was down YTD (-3.2%). IHS Towers (+37.2%) and Tarkett (+55.5%) 20-day average share prices impacted positively the NAV. Total value creation per share of listed assets was therefore neutral (+€0.0) on a fully diluted basis over the first quarter.
Unlisted asset contribution to NAV was negative over the course of the quarter with a total change per share of -€6.5 reflecting overall multiples’ decrease.
Asset management activities contribution to NAV was slightly negative, -€0.8, due to IK Partners multiples’ evolution. A total of €29M of sponsor money is included in the NAV as of end of March, both for IK Partners and Monroe.
Cash operating costs,Net Financing Resultsand Other items impacted NAV by -€1.7, as Wendel benefits from a positive carry and maintains a good cost control.
Total Net Asset Value evolution per share amounted to -€9.0 since the start of the year.
Fully diluted NAV per share of €176.7 as of March 31, 2025
(in millions of euros)
03/31/2025
12/31/2024
Listed investments
Number of shares
Share price(1)
2,965
3,793
Bureau Veritas
89.9m(2)/120.3m
€28.5/€29.5
2,565
3,544
IHS
63.0m/63.0m
$4.4/$3.2
254
192
Tarkett
€16.4/€10.5
146
57
Investment in unlisted assets (3)
3,346
3,612
Asset Management Activities (4)
1,778
616
Asset Managers (IK Partners & Monroe)
1,749
616
Sponsor Money
29
–
Other assets and liabilities of Wendel and holding companies (5)
161
174
Net cash position & financial assets (6)
2,058
2,407
Gross asset value
10,308
10,603
Wendel bond debt
-2,378
-2,401
IK Partners transaction deferred payment and Monroe earnout
-244
-131
Net Asset Value
7,686
8,071
Of which net debt
-564
-124
Number of shares
44,461,997
44,461,997
Net Asset Value per share
€172.9
€181.5
Wendel’s 20 days share price average
€92.0
€93.5
Premium (discount) on NAV
-46.8%
-48.5%
Number of shares – fully diluted
42,456,176
42,466,569
Fully diluted Net Asset Value, per share
€176.7
€185.7
Premium (discount) on fully diluted NAV
-47.9%
-49.6%
(1) Last 20 trading days average as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024. (2) Number of shares adjusted from the Forward Sale Transaction of 30,357,140 shares of Bureau Veritas. The value of the call spread transaction to benefit from up to c.15% of the stock price appreciation on the equivalent number of shares is taken into account in Other assets & liabilities. (3) Investments in unlisted companies (Stahl, Crisis Prevention Institute, ACAMS, Scalian, Globeducate, Wendel Growth). Aggregates retained for the calculation exclude the impact of IFRS16. (4) Investment in IK Partners (excl. Cash to be distributed to shareholders), in Monroe and sponsor money. (5) Of which 2,005,821 treasury shares as of March 31, 2025, and 1,995,428 as of December 31, 2024. (6) Cash position and short-term financial assets of Wendel & holdings. Assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the euro have been converted at exchange rates prevailing on the date of the NAV calculation. If co-investment and managements LTIP conditions are realized, subsequent dilutive effects on Wendel’s economic ownership are accounted for in NAV calculations. See page 285 of the 2024 Registration Document.
Wendel’s Principal Investments’ portfolio rotation
On March 12, 2025, Wendel realized a successful placement of Bureau Veritas shares as part of a prepaid 3-year forward sale representing approximately 6.7% of Bureau Veritas share capital and increased its financial flexibility by reducing the pro forma loan-to-value ratio to approximately 17%. The transaction immediately generated net cash proceeds of approximately €750M to Wendel.
Wendel reinvested €11.5m in Scalian upon the acquisition of a specialized IT services player focused on the Defense sector in January 2025.
Wendel’s Asset Management platform evolution
Acquisition of a controlling stake in Monroe Capital LLC closed, a transformational transaction in line with the strategic roadmap
Wendel completed on March 31, 2025 the definitive partnership agreement including the acquisition, together with AXA IM Prime, of 75% of Monroe Capital LLC (“Monroe Capital” or “the Company”), and a sponsoring program of $800 million to accelerate Monroe Capital’s growth, together with an investment of up to $200 million in GP commitment.
With IK Partners and Monroe Capital, Wendel’s third party asset management platform reached €34 billion in AUM7, and should generate, on a full-year basis, c.€ 455 million revenues8, c.€160 million pre-tax FRE (c.€100 million in pre-tax FRE (Wendel share) in 2025. Wendel’s ambition is to reach €150 million (Wendel share) in pre-tax FRE in 2027.
Strong value creation and performance of Third Party Asset Management (17% of Gross Asset Value)
Q1 2025 performance
Over the first quarter of 2025, IK Partners registered again particularly strong levels of activity, generating a total of €46.4 million in revenue, up 33 % vs. Q1 2024. Total Assets under Management (€14.9 billion, of which €4.8 billion of Dry Powder9) grew by 8% since the beginning of the year, and FPAuM10 (€10.2 billion) by 2%. Over the period, €0.64 billion of new funds were raised (IK X, IK PF III, IK SC IV and IK CV I) and 2 exits have been realized, for over €0.26 billion.
As of March 31, 2025, Wendel’s third party asset management platform11 represented total assets under management of €34 billion and achieved €3.4 billion of fundraising.
Sponsor money invested by Wendel
Wendel committed €500 million in IK Partners funds (of which €300 million in IK X). As of March 31, 2025, €29 million of sponsor money have been called in IK Partners and Monroe Capital funds.
Principal Investment companies’ sales
Listed Assets: 29% of Gross Asset Value
Bureau Veritas – A robust first quarter and an unchanged 2025 outlook; Increased returns to shareholders with a €200m share buyback program (full consolidation)
Bureau Veritas revenue in the first quarter of 2025 amounted to €1,558.7 million, an 8.3% increase compared to the first quarter of 2024. Bureau Veritas delivered an organic growth of 7.3%. Three businesses led the growth: Industry, up 14.3%, Marine & Offshore, up 11.8%, and Certification, up 10.9%. Agri-Food & Commodities grew 6.0% while both Consumer Products Services and Buildings & Infrastructure grew low-single-digit organically in the first quarter of 2025. The scope effect was a positive 1.4%, reflecting bolt-on acquisitions (contributing to +3.0%) finalized in the past few quarters and partly offset by the impact of divestments completed over the last twelve months (contributing to -1.6%). Currency fluctuations had a negative impact of 0.4%, due to the strength of the euro against most currencies.
2025 Share buyback program On April 24, 2025, Bureau Veritas announces a new EUR 200 million share buyback program to be completed by the end of June 2025. This decision reflects the Group’s confidence in its resilient business model and takes advantage of the current share price.
2025 Outlook unchanged
While customers are navigating an uncertain period, Bureau Veritas has a robust opportunities pipeline, a solid backlog, and mid-to-long-term strong market fundamentals. Therefore, Bureau Veritas keeps its outlook unchanged, and expects to deliver for the full year 2025: Mid-to-high single-digit organic revenue growth;
Improvement in adjusted operating margin at constant exchange rates;
Strong cash flow, with a cash conversion12 above 90%.
For more information: https://group.bureauveritas.com
IHS Towers – IHS Towers will report its Q1 results in May 2025
(1) Indian operations are deconsolidated and accounted for by the equity method due to the absence of audited figures. 3 months revenue from December 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025.
Stahl – Total sales13up +2.4% in Q1 2025, in challenging market conditions (full consolidation)
Stahl, the world leader in specialty coatings for flexible materials, posted total sales of €231.0 million in Q1 2025, representing a total increase of +2.4% versus Q1 2024.
Q1 2025 was marked by increased levels of market uncertainty driven by geopolitical and trade tensions. Organic growth was -5.4%, against a high comparison basis with Q1 2024 (when sales grew organically by +9.8%). Scope contributed positively by +8.1% thanks to the Weilburger Graphics acquisition completed in September 2024, while FX was negative (-0.3%).
Proforma for the sale of the wet-end leather chemicals activities, total growth over the quarter would have been +6.0%.
Crisis Prevention Institute – Revenue growth of +5.8% as compared with Q1 2024
(full consolidation)
Crisis Prevention Institute recorded first quarter 2025 revenue of $30.7 million, up +5.8% vs. Q1 2024. Of this increase, +5.3% was organic growth, -0.9% came from FX movements and +1.4% from scope effect. Despite ongoing federal oversight and funding uncertainty for some of CPI’s customers, staff training sessions have continued to grow, however customers have been slower to add or replace new certified instructors during this period of uncertainty.
On January 21, 2025, CPI announced the acquisition of Verge, a Norwegian leader in behavior intervention and training. This acquisition extends CPI’s presence in the Nordics, and enhances CPI’s ability to support professionals worldwide, leveraging Verge’s innovative techniques to address challenging behaviors, aggression and violence.
ACAMS – Total sales up +6.4% in Q1, reflecting double-digit growth in the core North American segment as well as continued momentum in the conference sponsorship & exhibition business
(full consolidation)
ACAMS, the global leader in training and certifications for anti-money laundering and financial-crime prevention professionals, generated total revenue of $22.0 million, up +6.4% compared to the first quarter of 202414. First-quarter results were driven by double-digit growth in the core North American segment, with both bank and non-bank customers, as well as improved conference sponsorship & exhibition sales, offset by headwinds in select EMEA and APAC markets.
Q1 growth reflects momentum from recent strategic and organizational changes including the senior leadership additions in 2024, a shift in focus to selling solutions for large enterprise customers, market expansion with the introduction of the Certified Anti-Fraud Specialist certification (CAFS), and investments in the technology platform. ACAMS anticipates continued growth in 2025 as these strategic changes and investments take hold.
Scalian – Decrease of total sales of -6.3% in Q1 2025, in the context of continued market growth slowdown. Acquisition of a French IT services specializing in the defense sector in January 2025.
(full consolidation)
Scalian, a leading consulting firm in digital transformation and operational performance reported total sales of €131.8M as of March 31, 2025, a -6.3% decrease vs. last year. The slowdown is spread across several sectors and geographies particularly automotive in Europe and Aeronautics (supply chain disruptions). Sales are down -11.2% organically but have benefited from a positive scope effect of +4.9%.
In January 2025, Scalian completed the acquisition of a French IT services specialist. The acquisition was funded through shareholders’ equity contribution, including a €11.5m equity injection from Wendel in Scalian. This acquisition further reinforces Scalian’s unique positioning in the OT/IT space and is fully in line with the buy-and-build strategy implemented by the Group and which has resulted in the acquisitions of Yucca in 2023 as well as Mannarino and Dulin in 2024.
Globeducate – Revenue growth of +11%15
(Accounted for by the equity method. Globeducate acquisition was completed on October 16th, 2024. Indian operations are deconsolidated and accounted for by the equity method due to the absence of audited figures. 3 months revenue from December 1, 2024- February 28, 2025.)
Globeducate, one of the world’s leading bilingual K-12 education groups, recorded first quarter 2025 revenue of €109.6 million, up +11% vs. Q1 2024. Of this increase, +3.5% came from accretive M&A transactions.
Over September and November 2024, Globeducate completed 2 acquisitions:1 in Cyprus (Olympion School) and 1 in the UK (Ecole des Petits).
Preliminary estimated impact of new tariffs on Wendel’s businesses
Wendel Group’s companies are mainly business services, and are therefore only slightly directly impacted by conflicts over tariffs. For industrial companies (Stahl and Tarkett), these two companies have production units generally located in the countries in which they generate their revenues. According to the information available, the direct impact for these two companies is limited. The lack of visibility on the evolution of tariffs, as well as their real impact on global economic growth and USD exchange rates, constitute the main risk on the value creation potential of our assets.
1 Fully diluted of share buybacks and treasury shares. Without adjusting for dilution, NAV stands at €7,719m and €173.6 per share. 2 As of end of March 2025, AuM of IK Partners and Monroe Capital
3 This amount includes usual closing adjustments
4 Share price as of April 23, 2025: €86.05
5 Including sponsor money commitment in IK (-€500m partly called as of 03.31.2025) & expected commitments in Monroe Capital (-$200m partly called as of 03.31.2025), IK Partners transaction deferred payment (-€131m), Monroe Capital 100% acquisition (including estimated earnout and puts on residual capital, i.e -$528M).
6 €2.1bn of cash as of March 31, 2025, restated from sponsor money commitment in IK (-€500m partly called as of 03.31.2025) & expected commitments in Monroe Capital (-$200m partly called as of 03.31.2025), IK Partners transaction deferred payment (-€131m), Monroe Capital 100% acquisition (including estimated earnout and puts on residual capital, i.e -$528M).
13 Total sales including wet-end activities, of which sale closing is expected in Q2 2025.
14 Revenue in Q1 2024 excludes PPA restatement impact of $0.3m. Including this restatement, revenue is $20.4m in Q1 2024.
15 Indian operations are deconsolidated and accounted for by the equity method due to the absence of audited figures. 3 months revenue from December 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025. These figures are compared with the same period last year and are estimated and non audited, accordingly, changes in percentages are rounded to the nearest whole figure.
Agenda
Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 3 PM CEST
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
H1 2025 results – Publication of NAV as of June 30, 2025, and condensed Half-Year consolidated financial statements (post-market release)
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Q3 2025 Trading update – Publication of NAV as of September 30, 2025 (post-market release)
Friday, December 12, 2025
2025 Investor Day.
About Wendel
Wendel is one of Europe’s leading listed investment firms. Regarding its principal investment strategy, the Group invests in companies which are leaders in their field, such as ACAMS, Bureau Veritas, Crisis Prevention Institute, Globeducate, IHS Towers, Scalian, Stahl and Tarkett. In 2023, Wendel initiated a strategic shift into third-party asset management of private assets, alongside its historical principal investment activities. In May 2024, Wendel completed the acquisition of a 51% stake in IK Partners, a major step in the deployment of its strategic expansion in third-party private asset management and also completed in March 2025 the acquisition of 72% of Monroe Capital. As of March 31, 2025, Wendel manages 34 billion euros on behalf of third-party investors, and c.6.3 billion euros invested in its principal investments activity.
Wendel is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris.
Standard & Poor’s ratings: Long-term: BBB, stable outlook – Short-term: A-2
Wendel is the Founding Sponsor of Centre Pompidou-Metz. In recognition of its long-term patronage of the arts, Wendel received the distinction of “Grand Mécène de la Culture” in 2012.
A former Abilene preschool teacher, Mark Penfield Eichorn, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Eichorn admitted that he paid two young boys, ages 12 and 13, to record videos of themselves performing sexual acts on each other.
Mark Penfield Eichorn, 28, was indicted in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to Production of Child Pornography. He was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment, the statutory maximum, by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Eichorn to pay $66,087.50 in restitution.
“Stopping horrendous acts against children, such as those in this case, is a core mission of this Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We hope that the maximum punishment in this case serves as a message to other child predators, and that the victims and their families find some measure of comfort knowing that this abuser will be off the streets for a very long time.”
“This defendant made the depraved decision to exploit children, not only failing to meet any standard of human decency but choosing to victimize them through the production of sexually explicit materials,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “I’m grateful for the collaborative effort between our law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation, ensuring Mr. Eichorn will spend the next 30 years behind bars, unable to harm an innocent child again.”
According to court documents, Eichorn admitted to struggling with desires to sexually assault children since 2019. During this time, he continued to work with children. He also admitted to being involved in child pornography trading groups across various Internet platforms, such as Kik and Telegram. Eichorn confessed to possessing and trading prepubescent child pornography online. Among the disturbing material was a video involving a child between the ages of 10 and 12-years-old engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At the time of his arrest, Eichorn was employed as a teacher at a local private school. Eichorn initiated contact with one of the child victims in this case and offered to send him $100 per week to be his “Sugar Daddy.” Eichorn admitted that he subsequently paid both victims hundreds of dollars to produce videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At sentencing, Judge Hendrix told Eichorn that the maximum sentence is warranted especially for “protection of the public.” In imposing the maximum sentence, Judge Hendrix said, “I have to make a lot of difficult decisions. This is not one of them.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the joint efforts of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations—Abilene Resident Agency, the Abilene Police Department, and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to a new survey conducted by Lingokids, the #1 interactive app for kids aged 2-8, more than 74% of American parents, including 75% of Millennial parents, admit to feeling guilty about their child’s screen time use regardless of the need for it and its potential benefits. Despite this struggle with feelings of guilt, less than 10% of American parents frequently engage in discussions about screen time with other parents or caregivers as they feel judged by others.
Inspired by this data, Lingokids is inviting parents to open a conversation around screen time parent guilt and putting the screen time debate on trial. New Yorkers this week may have noticed thought-provoking out-of-home content prompting parents to vote “guilty or not-guilty” about their feelings when it comes to screen time use for their kids. The verdict will be revealed in a multi-channel campaign culminating with the release of a brand film debuting on May 6.
“The data highlights the reality parents today are experiencing, with a tension between feeling guilty and judged for allowing screen time while seeing a need for it and the potential benefits,” said Lingokids CMO Mikael Journo. “It’s clear there’s a gap in communication among parents about this topic and a need for more open conversations about healthy management of screen time for children. At Lingokids, we are working to start a transparent conversation on this topic and help this generation navigate the complexities of digital-age parenting.”
Challenges of Parenting in a Digital World
Approximately 87% of American parents permit their children to use screens, with 41% of parents allowing up to two hours a day. This reality is compounded by the 54% of American parents who struggle with balancing work and family responsibilities, indicating that external pressures may influence screen time decisions. In addition:
Nearly half of parents (46%) feel pressured to constantly entertain their child
Admittedly, the pressure mostly comes from themselves (76%), followed by their children (42%), and society (31%)
Screen Time, Guilt + Judgment
These modern-day parenting challenges and misalignment with screen time guidelines often result in significant feelings of inadequacy. This sentiment is further amplified by societal judgment, with 77% of American parents feeling judged by others at least some of the time for allowing their children to use screens. In fact, nearly 30% of parents admitted to lying to other parents and caregivers about their child’s screen time use due to fear of judgment.
The findings also show that 27% of American parents consider themselves mindful about their own screen usage, thereby setting a healthy example for their children. Those who view themselves as positive role models in digital habits report significantly lower levels of guilt, indicating that self-awareness and intentional modeling can alleviate some of the psychological burdens associated with screen time.
Interestingly, American parents who are largely free from guilt regarding their child’s screen time use are more focused on the quality of the content their child views or engages with rather than the amount of time they spend using screens, pointing to a shift towards content-driven usage. Those grappling with high levels of guilt, however, remain concerned about the duration of screen exposure.
“This dichotomy suggests that not all screen time is equal,” said Lingokids Education Advisory Board Chair Suzanne Barchers, EdD. “It is important for parents to discern the most beneficial content for their child’s development. This understanding can lead to increased confidence when making screen time decisions and significantly alleviate parental guilt.”
Screen Time + Parental Mental Health
This guilt and judgment surrounding their child’s screen time can profoundly affect the mental health of American parents. In fact, one in four American parents report that judgment related to their child’s screen usage has a detrimental impact on their mental well-being. Furthermore, one in five American parents believe that feelings of guilt associated with their child’s digital engagement also negatively impacts their mental health. These statistics align with the concerns that led to the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents and caregivers and underline the critical need for enhanced support and understanding regarding management of screen time for children.
Lingokids conducted paid surveys in February and March 2025 utilizing Pollfish, a leading survey platform, to collect insights from 1,000 parents of children aged 2-8 in the United States.
About Lingokids
Lingokids is an EdTech and media company behind the #1 interactive app for kids aged 2-8.
With more than 165M downloads around the world, the Lingokids app is packed with thousands of shows, songs and interactive games kids love—all fun, safe and educational.
Its unique Playlearning™ methodology puts kids at the center of the Lingokids universe. As they explore, they’ll pick up academic knowledge and modern life skills in a safe, age-appropriate, ad-free environment designed for independent exploration. For more information, please visitwww.lingokids.com
Donald Trump has threatened to walk away from the Ukraine peace talks if there is no progress soon. The implicit threat here is that the US will no longer get involved, perhaps withdrawing arms shipments and even humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
It is understood that the proposed plan the Trump team has been working on has involved Ukraine giving up territory including Crimea and giving up any possibility of joining Nato. The plan favours Russia’s recent demands and Trump has recently said he has found Russia much easier to deal with than Ukraine.
But which country do US voters feel closer to and which do they feel is more of an ally to their nation?
An Economist/YouGov poll conducted on March 17 asked Americans whether they thought Russia and Ukraine were allies or enemies. Some 2% thought Russia was an ally, compared with 46% who saw it as an enemy. In the case of Ukraine, the figures were 26% ally and 4% enemy. Given these figures, Trump’s Russia-friendly policy looks unpopular.
Meanwhile, the Cooperative Election Study data in the US has just been released. This project involves a large group of researchers who conducted a survey of 60,000 Americans at the time of the presidential election last year. This very large sample provides an accurate picture of US public opinion.
American attitudes to policy alternatives for dealing with the Ukraine war
The survey included the following question: “As you may know Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. What should the U.S. do about the situation in Ukraine?”
Respondents were asked to choose as many of the options shown in the above chart which they favoured, with some choosing one or two and others several.
This technique means that failing to choose an option does not mean they disagreed with it, since they may not have thought about it, were indifferent to it, or did not believe it would work.
It is clear from the chart that Americans do not want their troops to get involved in combat in the Ukraine, since only 5% chose this option. However, 22% agreed with the idea of sending military support staff, 33% agreed with sending military aid and 51% favoured sending humanitarian aid.
A key point is that only 23% said the US should not get involved. There is not much support among Americans for abandoning Ukraine.
Can President Trump abandon Ukraine?
This raises the question as to whether the US can simply walk away from the war as the president suggested. However, this could cause political problems for the Trump administration.
The US has already provided US$66.5 billion (£49.9 billion) of aid to the Ukraine. Abandoning the country would call into question Trump’s much vaunted negotiation skills and mean that achieving a peace deal, supported by 41% in the survey, had clearly failed.
When former president Joe Biden withdrew US forces from Afghanistan in 2021, he was heavily criticised by Republicans in the US Congress, despite the fact that the previous Trump administration had negotiated the agreement to withdraw. Rapid withdrawal now from Ukraine could attract even stronger criticisms in light of his earlier claims that he would settle conflict in 24 hours.
The chart below, based on questions in the survey, shows that American voters are not that reluctant to send troops abroad if they agree with the reasons for doing it. They were asked to choose as many of five policy alternatives relating to military interventions abroad.
Once again, different respondents chose different numbers of alternatives. The chart makes clear they are not enthusiastic about using military force to assist in the spread of democracy, or to ensure that the US has a regular supply of oil.
American support for using US military forces abroad
At the same time, it shows that 38% support using troops to prevent a genocide happening and 46% support using them to protect allies being attacked, or as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force. Finally, a majority support the idea of destroying a terrorist camp, a response probably influenced by the elimination of Osama Bin Laden by US special forces when Barack Obama was president in 2011.
There is no contradiction between a generalised willingness to use force in various circumstances and a reluctance to do this in Ukraine. Americans fighting in Ukraine would mean involvement in a war with Russia with all the risks that would entail.
But there was a strong willingness to support Ukraine prior to Trump’s second term and these attitudes suggest that if he tried to withdraw from Nato or continues to put forward a pro-Putin deal large numbers of American voters would be unhappy with this, and it could affect his support.
There has been global criticism of the Trump administration’s introduction of high tariffs and warnings of the consequences of these for the world economy. And what might be seen by many Americans as an abandonment for Ukraine would also alienate many international allies of the US, but so far Trump has not shown many signs of worrying about that.
Paul Whiteley has received funding from the British Academy and the ESRC.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anastasia Vayona, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Science and Policy, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University
Have you ever thrown something in the recycling bin, hoping it’s recyclable? Maybe a toothpaste tube, bubble wrap or plastic toy labelled “eco-friendly”?
This common practice, known as “wishcycling”, might seem harmless. But my colleagues and I have published research that shows misleading environmental claims by companies are making recycling more confusing – and less effective.
This kind of marketing leads to greenwashed consumer behaviour — when people believe they are making environmentally friendly choices, but are being misled by exaggerated or false claims about how sustainable a product is.
We surveyed 537 consumers from 102 towns across the UK to explore a simple question: is there a link between greenwashed consumer behaviour and wishcycling? We wanted to find out whether they feed into each other, what drives them both, and how consumers perceive the connection.
What makes this issue particularly interesting is its psychological foundation. We argue that modern consumers have been burdened with a responsibility that may be beyond their capacity: deciding what to do with product packaging after use.
Many people are unprepared, undereducated or simply unaware of the full effect of their choices — and why should they be? This is a burden that should not rest on their shoulders. Into this gap has stepped recycling, presented as the solution. Consumers are led to believe that by recycling, they are doing their part to help the environment.
However, when products carry environmental claims or symbols — even vague ones like a green leaf, green banner or “earth-friendly” label — consumers often fall prey to what we call the “environmental halo effect”. This cognitive bias causes people to attribute positive environmental qualities to the entire product, including how it’s disposed of, even when those claims may not be accurate.
Surprisingly, our study reveals that environmentally conscious consumers can be most susceptible to this effect. Their strong environmental values may make them more inclined to trust green marketing claims, even when those claims are vague or misleading.
Driven by their desire to make sustainable choices, these consumers often accept green marketing claims at face value, assuming that environmental claims reflect genuine efforts toward sustainability.
Even more intriguingly, we found that people with higher levels of education tend to trust companies’ environmental claims more readily, especially when these companies present themselves as environmentally responsible.
This all leads to more wishcycling, not less. When companies talk about their environmental ethos and social responsibility, we’re more likely to believe their packaging is recyclable – even when it isn’t.
Our research also suggests that younger consumers, despite being generally more environmentally aware, are more likely to wishcycle. While millennials and generation Z often express strong environmental values, they’re also often more likely to contaminate recycling streams by throwing in non-recyclable items.
The future is circular
The solution is not to stop caring for the environment, but to channel that care more effectively. At the heart of this approach is the concept of a circular economy, where products and materials are reused, refurbished and recycled, rather than discarded.
The answer isn’t just better recycling – it’s better packaging design and corporate responsibility from the start. While we as consumers should continue doing our part, the primary burden should rest with manufacturers to create packaging that’s genuinely recyclable or reusable, not just marketed as “eco-friendly”.
This means implementing clear, standardised labelling that leaves no room for confusion, using packaging made from single, easily recyclable materials, and designing for reuse and refill systems.
On February 11 2025, the EU enacted a new packaging and packaging waste directive. This is designed to reduce packaging waste and support a circular economy by setting rules for how packaging should be made, used and disposed of throughout its lifecycle.
Until these systemic changes are fully implemented, we need to be both environmentally conscious and critically aware consumers. But it’s important to remember: while our daily choices and actions matter, the key to real change lies in pushing for corporate and policy-level transformation of our packaging systems.
By designing out waste, the circular economy offers a sustainable model that can guide these changes and reduce our dependence on single-use packaging. Hopefully, this can inspire us to improve current practices and keep finding better ways to do things, leading to a more sustainable and resilient future.
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Anastasia Vayona does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The early morning light spills over the raised beds of a thriving community garden in Harlem, New York. It’s a Saturday, and people of all ages move among the plants – harvesting collard greens, making compost and packing bags of fresh vegetables.
A community initiative called Harlem Grown began in 2011 as a single urban farm on an abandoned neighbourhood lot. It has since become a lifeline for the people who live there.
The project combats food insecurity, provides fresh produce to local families – 150,000 servings of food in 2023 alone – and teaches the next generation how to nourish themselves and their communities. As one long-term female volunteer told me: “Healthy habits start young.” That’s why their programmes involve schoolchildren as young as five.
Across the boroughs of New York City, a lively ecosystem of urban farmers, non-profit leaders, dietitians and chefs work together to localise food systems. This helps communities to become more self-sufficient and less reliant on ultra-processed foods, all while ensuring support reaches the most vulnerable.
While healthy food options are readily available in affluent areas such as in upper east side Manhattan, lower-income neighbourhoods – dominated by fast-food establishments – face a far greater need. In the Bronx, residents are establishing community gardens to encourage access to fresh, organic produce that people would otherwise require to travel outside the borough to find.
Some young, female urban farmers from minority communities in New York believe that “like fashion, farming is political too”. Some have built their capacity through courses at the Farm School NYC, which provides them with the tools needed to become effective leaders in the food justice movement.
Localising food systems involves growing and foraging for food in urban settings to reduce food miles and reclaim diverse, locally rooted food traditions long-displaced by industrial systems. This is one of the key lines of work explored by women in my book, What if Women Designed the City?
I’ve been investigating how women as experts of their neighbourhoods engage with local food movements – organising community gardens, coordinating cooperatives and managing farmers markets – viewed through a transatlantic lens that connects efforts in North America with those alive in the UK.
My research adopts a regenerative perspective on urban development, viewed through the eyes of women from diverse backgrounds who uncover untapped potential rooted in the uniqueness of their neighbourhoods. For instance, I conducted walking interviews with 274 women from both affluent and hard-to-reach areas in three Scottish cities: Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth.
A participant from the modernist housing estate of Wester Hailes in Edinburgh observed that locals often favour convenience foods: “People in this area like hamburgers, pizzas, mashed potatoes and stuff like that.” In her view, encouraging more community gardens could provide healthier alternatives while also reconnecting residents with fresh, seasonal produce.
Another resident recognised the social benefits such spaces could bring, helping to counter isolation. Regular meals at the Murrayburn and Hailes Neighbourhood Garden, for instance, attract people who live alone, providing a welcoming space – even for those who don’t feel like talking. As one participant put it, these meals are especially “good for people who are slightly depressed”.
Research suggests that getting our hands into the soil stimulates the release of serotonin, a natural antidepressant, triggered by the soil bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae, which can help people to feel more relaxed and happier. This aligns with compelling evidence on the benefits of “green care” – including social and therapeutic horticulture, care farming and environmental conservation – which has been shown to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.
Growing native
At the heart of this community-led food justice movement is the belief that both herbalists and everyday gardeners should prioritise cultivating native plants that naturally thrive in their surroundings, rather than relying on plants from distant regions, that require harvesting, processing and transportation over long distances using fossil fuel energy.
This ethos underpins the work of a growing network of women from the Grass Roots Remedies workers cooperative, who meet regularly at the community-led Calders Garden in Edinburgh to exchange experiences while growing, foraging and making their own herbal medicines.
The vital role of communities as growers and foragers in urban resilience has largely been overlooked by city officials, urban planners and developers. Yet, these community-led efforts are bringing more life and vitality to urban spaces, fostering biodiversity, regenerating soil health and reducing the carbon footprint embedded in industrial food systems.
Several of the women I interviewed believe that being thoughtful consumers involves also taking part in producing what they eat, while reducing food waste at all stages of production. Women are also leading the way by repurposing vacant lots and development sites for community gardening and herbal medicine kitchens while integrating local food production into urban planning and building codes.
Regulatory measures that tie planning approval of new developments to the provision of open space for garden cultivation – either on-site or within the neighbouring area – can ensure that urban agriculture becomes an integral part of city planning. In cities, growing and foraging together deepens social links, encourages more diversified diets, reduces food miles and fosters a regenerative approach to community healthcare.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
May East does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nitasha Kaul, Professor of Politics, International Relations and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Westminster
The horrific targeted attack by militants in Kashmir on April 22, which killed at least 25 Indian tourists and one Nepalese national and injured many more, bears all the hallmarks of terrorism. The timing of the attacks during the high-profile visit of the US vice-president J.D. Vance to India, highlights that this was calculated to achieve maximum impact.
The attack came at the beginning of the peak tourist season, right before a major annual Hindu Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage that attracts thousands each year. It also happened soon after provocative statements from Pakistan’s military chief, Asim Munir. In a recent speech, Munir said: “No power in the world can separate Kashmir from Pakistan. Kashmir is Pakistan’s jugular vein.”
The attack was made by gunmen who identified Hindu men by demanding they recite verses from the Qur’an before killing them, while sparing women and children.
Kashmir is a site of multiple competing claims, entrenched conflict and intense militarisation. The political dispute has further been used to divide Kashmiris along religious lines, resulting in a discourse of competing victimhoods between Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Hindus.
Against the backdrop of already normalised Islamophobia in India, such an attack creates greater prospects for repression and violence against Muslims.
The reaction in the Indian media has followed a predictable script. Amid the Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) ratcheting up of anti-Muslim sentiment in the country, some people took to social media to demand the annexation of Pakistan Administered Kashmir (known as “PoK” – or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir by many in India). Kashmiri Muslims in India are reportedly now facing Hindutva groups threatening to target them.
Hindu majoritarianism in India has long relied on constructing a narrative of the beleaguered majority under attack from a Muslim minority. So this attack becomes part of a selectively retold and lengthy history where Muslims have always been aggressors and Hindus always victims.
Indian Muslims then often have to prove their patriotism. A Muslim member of India’s Congress Party even called for the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi to be “flattened”.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, held an emergency meeeting of the (all-male) security cabinet and immediate measures were announced after the meeting included a condemnation of Pakistan for encouraging “cross-border terrorism”. Barely a day later, he is already on the campaign trail in the Indian state of Bihar for the upcoming elections there.
There is a continuing clamour on social media for cross-border military strikes and a desire to go after Pakistan (#AvengePahalgam). These two countries have a long history of conflict. With an ongoing spiral of tit-for-tat responses, a de-escalation cannot be guaranteed and a more general irrational miscalculation between the nuclear-armed neighbours cannot be ruled out.
A question of accountability
In the cacophony of jingoist calls for revenge, what is being ignored completely by the mainstream nationalistic media – often satirically referred to in rhyme as Modi’s “godi” (lapdog) media – is the question of accountability.
In 2019 Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded from a state to a “union territory”, since which all matters of security have been the responsibility of the Delhi-appointed lieutenant governor and central home ministry. So when the home minister Amit Shah – Modi’s right-hand man – went to the region after the attack, the local chief minister, Omar Abdullah, a veteran political leader, was excluded from security briefings and meetings.
Voices calling for accountability and even Shah’s resignation (he was the architect of downgrading Jammu and Kashmir in the name of greater security and integration) are being ignored and termed “anti-national” or traitorous. This contrasts with the reaction after the Mumbai attacks of 2008 under the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance. Following that terror attack, the Indian home minister resigned.
By contrast, Shah and India’s current national security advisor, Ajit Doval have remained in post over many such attacks, the last major one being in Pulwama in 2019 when 40 central reserve police force (CRPF) personnel were killed, also in the Kashmir region.
Before the most recent attack there, despite the heavy tourist presence, there was no security deployment on the main road from Pahalgam to Baisaran, another major tourist resort.
Important questions need to be answered. What were the lapses in security and who is responsible? What are the policy failures in Jammu and Kashmir that allowed this to happen? Who in government should be accountable and what lessons can we take from the attack?
In a democracy, elected leaders are held accountable and those who speak truth to power can do so without being punished. Yet, in an environment of censorship on dissent, any questioning of Indian ruling party leaders, especially Modi and Shah, is branded as hostile to India’s national interest.
The problem with tourism as a political solution
Modi’s policy towards Kashmir has been to encourage tourism in response to terrorism. This makes the people there dependent on the centre, as well as presenting the idea of post-conflict normality as a propaganda coup.
But anyone who knows Kashmir will tell you that official platitudes about “normality” mean very little. The conflict in Kashmir has a complex history in which the idea of Kashmiri self-determination has long been the most important factor. Now the region is without autonomy and only held an election last year – for the first time in a decade – after the Indian Supreme Court ordered it.
In today’s India, where authoritarianism is ascendant and Hindu nationalism poses a threat to Muslim rights and security, questions of Kashmiri people’s rights are almost impossible to address.
Meanwhile they are vulnerable to attacks in the name of revenge for whatever Pakistani or Pakistani-backed militants do. And any acts of solidarity by Kashmiri Muslims, such as vigils and shutdowns tend simply to be ignored by a narrative that points the finger at Muslims.
Rather than focus on the shared grief, the risk is that Modi’s Hindu nationalist government will adopt a narrow and aggressive stance, making tensions in the region worse. Calls for a vendetta may fail to distinguish between Indian Muslims or Kashmiri civilians and terrorists. This will only make the entire south Asian region less secure and more violent.
Nitasha Kaul does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chantal Gautier, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Sex and Relationship Therapist, University of Westminster
Warning: contains minor spoilers for Dying for Sex.
When Molly (Michelle Williams) learns that her breast cancer has returned and time is now slipping through her fingers, she decides she isn’t ready to write off her ending. Not before living the chapter she’d never dared to start: the one about self and sexual discovery.
The Disney+ series Dying for Sex opens with a couples’ therapy moment that, as a sex and relationships therapist, I know well. Molly is craving more sex but her husband Steve (Jay Duplass) just isn’t feeling it. After one final attempt to elicit sex, Molly gives Steve a blow job, but when she moves his hand to her chest, he breaks down. “When I touch your breasts,” he explains, “it makes me think about the mastectomy and then I think about losing you”.
It’s not uncommon for partners like Steve to share these feelings. Studies have shown that the physical and emotional toll of care-giving and desire to protect the patient, can sometimes lead partners to withdraw from intimacy.
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Still, it doesn’t land well. Watching Molly’s reaction is painful but it marks a turning point. She decides to divorce, firmly declaring that she “doesn’t want to die with him” and longs to be seen beyond the lens of her illness.
In pursuit of unlocking her true sexual self, Molly navigates her way through the wilds of dating apps, embarking on a string of sexual escapades from hook-ups to experimentation with sex toys. But it hits her that she doesn’t know what she really likes or dislikes.
This isn’t unusual. Many people don’t have a clear sense of their turn-ons or preferred pleasures at first. In my private practice, it’s actually a frequent theme. Clients often come feeling unsure or disconnected from their desires, and together we explore what’s sometimes called their “erotic template”.
In pursuit of her “yums”, Sonja (Esco Jouley), her palliative-care specialist, invites Molly and best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate) into the sex-positive world of the “play party”, a space where like-minded people into kink, BDSM, and other forms of consensual play can hang out, connect and explore.
It’s here that something in Molly awakens. She allows herself to fully embrace new aspects of her sexuality as she discovers a preference for dominance and a strong desire to have others submit to her sexually. We get an early glimpse of this power dynamic between Molly and her neighbour Guy (Rob Delaney), setting the stage for their unique relationship.
The trailer for Dying for Sex.
Despite taking naturally to her newfound proficiency at dom/sub dynamics, Molly is still held back in seeking her own pleasure, specifically, her quest for an orgasm with another person. It’s only when we delve into her history that we truly see how profoundly haunted Molly is in moments of sex and her struggles to stay connected.
This kind of disconnect or dissociation is a common response to trauma, a way the mind tries to protect itself when things feel unsafe or too overwhelming. When the body senses a threat – even if there is no real threat, but a reminder of past trauma – it can shoot us outside our window of tolerance, meaning we disconnect.
Realising that she has spent most of her life locked out of her own body pushes Molly to revisit her childhood and subsequent sexuality. Perhaps sex and dominance is a language her nervous system can understand – a way to heal. In dom/sub spaces, everything is based on clear consent, safety and mutual respect. Here Molly can decide who touches her and how.
And so, we find Molly at a crossroad where something deeper quietly begins to take root: agency. Molly starts to feel in charge of her life, her body and her choices – including how she navigates her cancer. She makes her own choices about which treatments feel right for her: when to stop chemo, when to be sedated for pain management and even who she wants by her side when she dies. Not out of fear, but from a place of clarity and ownership, because she has found her power.
Dying for Sex takes viewers on a roller coaster of emotions – laughter, surprise, tenderness, sadness, even hope. Boldly provocative and deeply moving it weaves together themes of sexuality, love, a complex maternal relationship and enduring friendships.
What emerges is not just a story about dying for sex – but a powerful celebration of what it means to truly live.
Chantal Gautier does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Immigrants and diaspora communities make up a growing segment of Canada’s population. In 2021, a record 23 per cent of the Canadian population, more than 8.3 million people, were current or former immigrants, the highest share since 1921. People from Asia constituted 51.4 per cent of this immigrant population.
I am a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Education. My doctoral research focused on the integration practices of South Asian immigrants from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh living or working in northeast Calgary.
Using the Canadian Index for Measuring Integration, I explored how they engaged with Canadian society across economic, social, health and political dimensions. Much of this engagement is driven by multilingualism and ethnic networks, increasingly mediated by platforms like WhatsApp, X and Facebook.
Researching political integration in a multilingual digital world
Since the federal election was called in late March, I’ve been conducting a digital ethnography of social media pages run by South Asian community influencers. Digital ethnography involves observing how people use internet technologies to communicate, engage and make meaning in online spaces.
The influencers in my study are individuals who manage digital platforms, such as Facebook groups, WhatsApp chats and other community networks, and play a key role in shaping how community members access, discuss and act on political information. The pages I examined — mostly on WhatsApp, Facebook and X — continue to show how multilingualism and ethnic networks shape political awareness and influence voter behaviour.
Too often, political engagement is narrowly defined by voter turnout. But my research with the South Asian diaspora in Calgary shows that political integration extends far beyond the ballot box. It happens on social media, at mosques, temples and gurdwaras, through multilingual volunteering and in community spaces where language, culture and civic life intersect.
Crucially, it also extends to transnational issues. Many community members discuss global events — such as the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war or United States trade policies — as well as Canadian issues like immigration.
For my research, I interviewed 19 first-generation South Asians from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, living in Calgary. Participants in my study described the wide range of civic and democratic activities they take part in: volunteering, joining online discussions and attending cultural or religious events where political issues were discussed — mostly in both English and their heritage languages.
Participation spans both formal volunteering, often in English-dominant spaces, and informal volunteering at religious institutions, festivals or on social media. Many preferred to volunteer where they could speak Hindi, Punjabi, Bangla or Urdu or sometimes a mixture of multiple languages, referred to as translanguaging.
One participant, a banker and social media influencer who runs a Pakistani Facebook group, said:
“I often volunteer on Facebook. I also join politicians in their campaigns. My entire social media work is based on Urdu. It allows me to connect with people.”
During digital ethnography, this participant was observed combining artificial intelligence (AI) generated images with multilingual postings to campaign for a political party.
Beyond voter turnout
South Asians are Canada’s largest visible minority group and their civic participation offers a vital lens into how democracy functions in a multicultural, multilingual society. There’s a widespread belief that if people aren’t engaging with politics in the dominant language, then they must not be engaging at all.
However, my research shows otherwise. Societal multilingualism — the ability to use both English and heritage languages — is protected under Canada’s Multiculturalism Act and supports more inclusive participation. A participant who works for a settlement agency explained that multilingual political activities help “in communication, explaining policies, responding to people’s questions, understanding their concerns and addressing them.”
There’s also a common misconception that nominating a candidate from a specific ethnic background guarantees community support. While that may influence local elections, federal voting decisions are often more complex. Participants in my research emphasized party platforms, past performance and national and international issues alongside identity. Ethnic concentration alone does not determine electoral success.
Ethnic networks — made up of extended family, faith groups, digital communities and neighbourhood ties — act as civic incubators. They are not isolated enclaves but dynamic platforms where newcomers develop political literacy and trust.
Rethinking political participation
Canada’s official languages are English and French, but multilingualism plays a central role in immigrant communities. In my research, language is dynamic — a social and cultural resource that fosters identity and engagement.
Participants translated political materials, explained policies to others and used multilingual platforms to discuss topics like housing, health care and immigration. These practices are visible in this election cycle too, as South Asian community members use language, digital tools, artificial intelligence and hot-button issues to engage voters. Language in these settings is cultural capital. It enables participation through familiarity, emotional connection and social belonging.
Faith-based spaces like gurdwaras, mosques and mandirs are civic forums. Candidates visit during campaigns and community leaders help shape political dialogue and participation. These institutions offer cultural fluency and language access that mainstream systems often lack.
As immigration reshapes Canada’s demographics, political integration is more than a trend — it’s essential to a functioning democracy. While some parties provide translations or host cultural events, they often miss how deep civic engagement already exists within these communities.
Immigrants are not passive recipients anymore. They are active participants, shaping conversations in their own languages and networks. Ahead of the 2025 election, it’s time to move beyond ethnic voting myth and recognize the full civic ecosystem — from WhatsApp groups to mosque courtyards.
Political parties must go beyond hiring translators or leaning on community leaders. Multilingual civic participation is not an afterthought — it’s foundational. It’s time to engage people in the languages they speak, in the spaces they trust.
If we want a truly inclusive democracy, we must meet people where they are linguistically, culturally and locally. Ethnic networks are not detours from political life. They are on-ramps. And multilingualism is not a barrier to participation. It’s the language of democracy.
Kashif Raza receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.
IAM International President Brian Bryant has appointed Jonathan Ortiz from Philadelphia Local 1776 as an Educational Representative at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Md., effective May 1, 2025.
“Jonathan’s extensive knowledge base and well-developed skill set will enable him to create engaging learning experiences, adapt to the need of our members, and foster a supportive and effective classroom environment,” said Bryant.
No stranger to the Winpisinger Center, Ortiz has taken leadership and organizing programs. He is also a member of the Spanish Leadership Working Group and has been involved in reviewing, translating, developing and delivering the leadership programs in Spanish.
“Organizing and education are critical to the future of the IAM,” said Winpisinger Center Director Mary McHugh. “With Jonathan’s hands-on experience working alongside rank-and-file members and navigating grievance procedures from the ground up, he is well-prepared to make an immediate and meaningful contribution to the work we do at the Center.”
As a union activist for more than 20 years, Ortiz built a strong foundation as an educator, organizer, and committeeman. He began his career with American Airlines in 2001 and joined the IAM Union in 2015 following the American-US Airways merger announcement. When the merger was finalized in 2020, Ortiz was appointed to the American Airlines Grievance Committee, making him the first Hispanic grievance committeeman in the history of the Local.
He joined the District 141 Education team in 2022 and has traveled extensively to educate members who work for American, United, and United Ground Express. At the 2024 International Convention, Ortiz served as Chairman of the Young Workers Committee.
In the heart of New York City’s Times Square, a popup by British tech startup, Hypervsn, showcases life-size holograms in a health supplement store. From behind the glass, a virtual humanoid avatar with spunky pink hair waves to passersby. She is just one sign of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution in marketing taking place.
Down the street, H&M — the Swedish fast-fashion giant — offers a new kind of immersive shopping experience. The flagship store showcases a room covered in mirrors equipped with virtual environments, encouraging shoppers to make social media content while they try on merchandise.
These AI-generated replicas sparked global excitement and debate. But as digital replicas of real people become more common, especially in image-based industries like fashion, urgent ethical questions are emerging. These include conversations about the future of work, compensation and identity in the cultural economy.
H&M AI models. One is real, one is an AI generated model. H&M
Digital twins, explained
In New York’s bustling AI startup scene, where tech, fashion and finance collide, the potential of digital twins is being met with optimism.
Developers, investors and brands believe that by cloning our human bodies and personalities, we can reach a future in which we live in “double time.” That time would look something like us sinking back into our couch for some rest while our identical avatars show up to work on our behalf. But is it really that simple?
What does it mean for workers whose identities are being cloned without clear guidelines on compensation, ownership and rights?
Digital twin production is a meticulous process that begins with a person’s unique identity. This includes their voice, personality, body and face, all things considered to be their intellectual property (IP).
When someone signs off to be cloned with a digital twin startup, they agree to the use of generative AI replicating everything about their physical body: personal identity, distinct features and skills.
The ethical framework around digital twins
The emergence of digital twins has forced the development of new ethical frameworks, still in flux. Industry leader Natalie Monbiot, former co-founder of HourOne, has coined the term “Virtual Human Economy” to describe this growing sector.
Companies like HourOne, Synthesia and Soul Machines are competing to dominate this space. They offer digital twins for applications that range from fashion modelling to corporate training videos and online education.
The ethical challenges are significant, particularly regarding ownership.
The human half of the H&M digital twin models, for example, will receive “fair compensation,” including continued payment for the use of their digital replicas beyond initial creation. The company has said models will retain some rights to how their likenesses are used, but industry standards for such contracts remain inconsistent.
Most digital twin companies establish contracts where the human “original” receives initial compensation for the creation process. This typically involves extensive scanning, voice recording and movement capture.
But such arrangements remain inconsistent across the industry, and the long-term value proposition of these digital likenesses is still unclear.
Some companies offer royalty structures, while others purchase full rights upfront. This raises questions about the fair valuation of a person’s digital likeness.
Traditional image rights contracts, borrowed from the entertainment industry, don’t account for AI’s ability to generate novel content using a person’s likeness. The industry is essentially creating its ethical standards in real time, with some companies adopting more transparent approaches than others.
‘Jackpot’ economy means those at the top take all
For workers in image-based industries, like models and photographers, the rise of digital twins brings a fundamental shift in how labour and compensation are structured. While modelling has always been hyper-competitive, social media has dramatically intensified that and is now playing a large role in how opportunities are allocated.
American labour scholar Andrew Ross pinpoints these dynamics as a “jackpot economy,” where intellectual property becomes “the glittering prize for the lucky few” while the majority face increased precarity.
U.S. fashion scholar Minh-Ha Pham has also written about how digital technologies amplify the winners-take-all economic structures within the fashion and blogging industries. She describes concentrated opportunities and rewards among an elite minority.
To add to this, New Zealand scholars Rachel Berryman and Misha Kavka have demonstrated how the rise of “parasocial” relationships has become increasingly central to career success in these fields. A parasocial relationship describes the sense of intimate connection followers feel toward influencers and celebrities.
In other words, those successful digital twins could further concentrate power among models who already possess substantial followings and cultural cachet. This cachet allows them to multiply their earning potential while those with less visibility struggle to compete against both humans and AI-generated alternatives.
While digital twins based on actual humans may provide more authentic representation than fully synthetic avatars, they still risk reinforcing existing inequalities in who receives visibility and compensation.
On the other hand, digital twinning could potentially offer improvements over purely synthetic virtual models.
By maintaining a connection to real human subjects who can negotiate their representation and compensation, digital twins might provide a more equitable approach than computer-generated avatars created entirely at a corporation’s discretion.
Behind the digital glamour are real-life issues
Our collective fascination with technology and the new AI-driven digital twins may be distracting us from a more pressing (but also old) issue. Let’s not forget to look at the economic structures that govern work cultures, human creativity and labour norms.
The debate isn’t just about banning or regulating AI, which enable phenomena such as digital twins; it’s also about how we ensure fair compensation and equitable access to these new forms of labour.
The “jackpot economy” often benefits only a select few, leaving the majority in precarious positions. As digital twins technology continues to evolve, we must develop regulatory frameworks to ensure fair compensation for workers in creative industries.
While we focus on the capabilities and potential of AI, we also need to shift the conversation towards the economic systems and power structures in which these technologies operate.
Jul Parke receives funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)
WASHINGTON—Last night, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Florida’s Fourth Congressional District during an awards ceremony held at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) Downtown Campus. Students from across the district submitted artwork for the competition pertaining to the theme “Service and Sacrifice of our Armed Forces.”
“Who knew Florida’s Fourth District was full of Picassos? These young artists submitted creative and impressive artwork that showcased just how talented our Northeastern Florida high school students are,” said Congressman Bean. “Congratulations, Emma, on your winning entry. I look forward to seeing your artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.”
The winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition are listed below:
Grand Prize Winner: Emma Kruthoff, The Medals, Fernandina Beach High School
CLAY COUNTY Winner: Hayden Gorneault, In The Shade of Heroes, Middleburg High School Runner-Up: Kalena Parris, A Nation’s Lament, Ridgeview High School
DUVAL COUNTY Winner: Katherine Zickuhr, The Legacy of Our Armed Forces, Stanton College Preparatory School Runner-Up: Lauryn Taylor, Honoring our Armed Forces, William Raines High School
NASSAU COUNTY Winner: Em Alexander, Blue Depths, Red Horizons, Fernandina Beach High School Runner-Up: Emily Moore, Fierce Relations, Fernandina Beach High School
BACKGROUND
Each spring, the House of Representatives and the Congressional Institute sponsor a nationwide competition as an opportunity for high school students to showcase their talents. Students from Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties submitted their artwork for the competition, and local artistic professionals judged the pieces.
The winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol Building. Additional student artwork will be featured as part of a Student Gallery at the Jacksonville International Airport and will be displayed from May 13th through July 31st.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
Speaker Johnson Hosts Awards Ceremony Honoring 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winners and Community Leaders
Washington, April 24, 2025
WASHINGTON — Today, Speaker Johnson honored winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition and Congressional Commendation recipients at the 2025 Community Awards Ceremony for Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District.
“We just had an extraordinary event – we love to do this annually. We give out awards for people who really represent our communities well and do a lot of extraordinary work in all of our 20 parishes around the 4th Congressional District, which is the greatest district in America. There is of honor to give, and it is due,” Speaker Johnson said. “It was a great day, and we love to do this event.”
The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide, visual art contest for high school students, in which one piece of artwork from each congressional district is chosen by a panel of judges to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. The second, third, and fourth place selections will be proudly displayed in Speaker Johnson’s congressional offices.
Congressional Commendation recipients were submitted for consideration by constituents of Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District and chosen for their efforts to better their communities.
2025 Congressional Art Competition Winners:
1st Place: “Craw-Fever” by Grace Rougeau, Faith Training Christian Academy2nd Place: “Glow of the Magnolia” by Ava Agee, Airline High School
3rd Place: “Serene” by Samirah Etienna, South Beauregard High School
4th Place: “Bayou’s Serenity” by EMantyi Mosby, Airline High School
Staff Pick: “Beauty of the Swamp” by Jarei’Yuana Adams, Homer High School
Staff Pick: “In Loving Memory” by Angela Smith, Simsboro High School
2025 Congressional Commendation Recipients:
Allen:
Patsy Cavenah, Founder and Director of Lighthouse Ministries
Beauregard:
Kenneth Harlow, DeRidder Fire Chief (30 years of service)
Bossier:
Natalie Davis, Haughton High School student, worked to get girls’ wrestling sanctioned in Louisiana
Brad Zagone, Bossier City Fire Chief (30 years of service)
James “Trey” Morriss, Mission Operation Secret Squirrel, Director of Staff, Eighth Air Force & Joint-Global Strike Operations Center
Warren Ward, Mission Operation Secret Squirrel, Executive Director, Louisiana Tech Research Institute
Lane Calloway, Barksdale Air Force Base Historian
Caddo:
Laurie Boswell, CEO of Holy Angels
Jacob Schneider, Caddo Magnet High School student, Eagle Scout, led a team from Shreveport to Tumutumu, Kenya to train 72 students in livestock management, farming skills needed to increase the yield of their family farms by 60%, and financial skills to market their produce and manage their money.
Bienville:
Deanna Curtis, Bienville Court Appointed Special Advocate, Chamber President, Victims for Youth Justice Board Member, and DART volunteer
Claiborne:
Pat Abshire, Claiborne Chamber President
Grant:
Bonita Armour, created an after-school program for Grant Parish youth
Jackson:
Wilda Smith, Secretary and Treasurer for the Jackson Parish Museum Board, Jackson Parish Tourism, Jackson Parish Cancer Board, Jonesboro Hodge Lions Club Board, Secretary Jackson Parish Industrial District Board, and the Treasurer Jackson Parish Study Guild
Lincoln:
Sam Mattox, Oldest-living WWII veteran in Louisiana, turning 106 this year
Ouachita:
Roy Heatherly, Ouachita Chamber President
Sabine:
Crystal Hable, dedicated to service and organization of events in community
Blake Byles, organizes hunting trips for disabled children and veterans
Union:
Axton Nolan, 2025 U.S. Service Academy Appointee, United States Air Force Academy
Vernon:
Melinda Granger, School teacher of 36 years at Rosepine High School
Webster:
Jerry Madden, Minden Lion, veteran, past Minden Man of the Year
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On April 24, a joint meeting of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the All-Russian Trade Union of Education was held at the State University of Management with the participation of rectors of higher education institutions and members of the coordinating council of chairmen of primary trade union organizations of employees of higher education institutions.
In his speech, Konstantin Mogilevsky noted the importance of building systematic work with participants and veterans of the special military operation, as well as members of their families who are employees of universities subordinate to the Ministry. The Deputy Head of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia emphasized that veterans arriving from the SVO zone should receive all the necessary support from their employers for a speedy return to civilian life.
“I would like to emphasize that it is important for rectors to know such employees by name. I know that the universities of the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions have already set up the corresponding records. If this work has not yet been done, I ask you to set the corresponding task to the heads of your personnel departments,” Konstantin Mogilevsky addressed the participants of the meeting.
Rector of GUU Vladimir Stroev spoke about why the meeting is taking place at our university.
“At one of the previous congresses, we agreed that such meetings should take place not only at external venues, but also in the educational institutions themselves, where our main activities take place. Today, many heads of educational organizations, trade unions, and ministry departments have gathered at the State University of Management, which provides an excellent opportunity to discuss problems, listen to criticism, and agree on many issues. I am confident that this work will not be in vain; many useful decisions will be made,” concluded Vladimir Stroyev.
The Chairperson of the Trade Union of Public Education and Science Workers of the Russian Federation Larisa Solodilova emphasized the role of higher education in shaping the future of the country.
“Our organization maintains a constant dialogue with ministries and the rector’s corps. And the experience of meetings with trade union members, where they discuss socio-economic issues, the legal framework, etc., is especially valuable. Our main resource is specialists, professionals, the most proactive of whom are often elected as chairmen of the trade unions of their institutions. In addition to their main educational, scientific, and upbringing work, they also manage to engage in this side of the activity. We must understand that the realization of youth is impossible without higher education. Together we are preparing a new generation of professionals for the future,” noted Larisa Solodilova.
Larisa Aleksandrovna also announced the awarding of the Badge of Honor “For Social Partnership” to Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Andrey Omelchuk, Director of the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Alexey Svistunov and Director of the Department of Economic Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Aslan Kanukoev. Honorary certificates were awarded to Director of the Department for Coordination of Activities of Educational Organizations of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Vitaly Grishkin, Deputy Director of the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Nikolay Tsumerov and Head of the Department of the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Tatyana Gazizova.
Director of the Department of Economic Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Aslan Kanukoev, who received an MPA degree from the State University of Management, gave a report and noted the well-coordinated joint work with representatives of trade unions.
“First of all, I would like to thank the management of the State University of Management for organizing the meeting. We have good constructive relations with the trade unions: we meet regularly and sum up the results of the year and discuss plans for the next one. And such a joint event is very important and useful, since here you can raise and resolve issues of interest directly,” noted Aslan Kanukoev.
Director of the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, graduate of the State University of Management Alexey Svistunov emphasized the uniqueness of the meeting.
“The Ministry and the All-Russian Trade Union conceived of the joint event as a discussion platform for pressing issues, and I am sincerely glad that we have managed to do it on an even larger scale than planned. Today we will outline the main areas of interaction, and these are not only issues of labor relations, labor protection and teachers’ salaries, but also the importance of increasing the prestige of work in educational organizations, attracting young specialists. I hope that this format of communication will be useful and in demand,” said Alexey Svistunov.
In total, about 200 people took part in the meeting.
Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, heads of educational and trade union organizations from different parts of the country presented reports and discussed issues of fair labor relations, increasing the prestige of the profession in the field of higher education and directions for further joint work.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/24/2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
PM remarks at the IEA Future of Energy Security summit: 24 April 2025
Prime Minister’s remarks from the IEA Future of Energy Security summit.
Good afternoon, everyone – it’s really fantastic to see so many people here, in London, welcome to London, I’m so pleased we have got so many representatives from so many places and in a sense we’re here today for one simple reason:
Because the world has changed.
From defence and national security on the one hand, much discussed in recent months…
To the economy and trade…
Old assumptions have fallen away.
We are living through an era of global instability…
Which is felt by working people as an age of local insecurity.
Working harder and harder for the pound in their pocket…
But feeling at the same time that they have less control of their lives.
*
And energy security is right at the heart of this.
Every family and business across the UK…
Has paid the price for Russia weaponizing energy. And it has.
But it’s not just that.
*
Let’s be frank.
When it comes to energy…
We’re also paying the price for our over-exposure…
Over many years…
To the rollercoaster of international fossil fuel markets.
Leaving the economy – and therefore people’s household budgets…
Vulnerable to the whims of dictators like Putin…
To price spikes…
And to volatility that is beyond our control.
Since the 1970s, half of the UK’s recessions have been caused by fossil fuel shocks.
That’s true for many of the other nations represented here this afternoon.
So what’s different today is not the information we have.
It’s not our awareness of the problem.
No.
What’s different now…
Is our determination…
In a more uncertain world…
To fix it.
It’s our determination that working people…
Should not be exposed like this anymore.
*
So, to the British people, I say:
This government will not sit back…
We will step up.
We will make energy a source…
Not of vulnerability, but of strength.
We will protect our critical infrastructure, energy networks and supply chains…
And do whatever it takes…
To protect the security of our people.
Because this is the crucial point –
Energy security is national security…
And it is therefore a fundamental duty of government.
And I’m very clear –
We can’t deliver that by defending the status quo…
Or trying to turn the clock back…
To a world that no longer exists.
*
Of course, fossil fuels will be part of our energy mix for decades to come.
But winning the fight for energy security depends on renewal –
It depends on change…
It depends on cooperation with others.
And that’s why we’re all here today – so many countries, so many communities represented.
*
The IEA was founded in 1974,
In the midst of an energy crisis,
To help us work together to secure energy supplies…
And reduce future energy shocks.
Well, that has taken on a new urgency today.
So our task is clear –
To act – together…
To seize the opportunity of the clean energy transition.
Because homegrown clean energy…
Is the only way…
To take back control of our energy system…
Deliver energy security…
And bring down bills for the long term.
*
And I want to tell you –
That is in the DNA of my government.
When we came into office last year…
We knew there was no time to waste.
So in our first 100 days…
We launched Great British Energy –
As a national champion to drive investment and transform clean power.
We scrapped the ban on onshore wind…
And became the first G7 economy to phase out coal power.
While we won’t turn off the taps…
We’re going all out –
Through our Plan for Change…
To make Britain a clean energy superpower…
To secure home grown energy…
And set a path to achieving clean power by 2030.
*
Now, I know, some in the UK don’t agree with that.
They think energy security can wait.
They think tackling climate change can wait.
But do they also think that billpayers can wait too?
Do they think economic growth can wait?
Do they think we can win the race for green jobs and investment by going slow?
That would serve no one.
Instead, this government is acting now…
With a muscular industrial policy –
To seize these opportunities…
To boost investment…
Build new industries…
Drive UK competitiveness…
And unlock export opportunities –
In wind, nuclear, hydrogen, carbon capture, heat pumps and so much more.
That is the change we need.
We won’t wait –
We’ll accelerate.
*
Because we’re already seeing the benefits.
The UK’s net zero sectors are growing three times faster than the economy as a whole.
They have attracted £43 billion of private investment since last July.
And now they support around 600,000 jobs across the UK.
That means more opportunities…
And more money in people’s pockets.
And we’re going further.
We’ve stripped out unnecessary red tape…
To put Britain back in the global race for nuclear energy…
And allow for Small Modular Reactors for the first time.
We’re speeding up planning for clean energy projects –
Including onshore wind…
To power millions of homes and unlock further investment of £40 billion each year.
*
It’s really clear to me –
That investors want policy certainty.
They want ambition.
That is what we’re providing.
And now we are raising our ambition even further.
I am really pleased to announce today…
That we’re creating a new Supply Chains Investment Fund –
As part of Great British Energy.
It will be backed by an initial £300 million of new funding…
For domestic offshore wind…
Leveraging billions of new private investment…
Supporting tens of thousands of jobs…
And driving economic growth.
When companies are looking to invest in clean energy…
When partners are looking to build new turbines, blades or cables…
Our message is simple:
Build it in Britain.
I am determined to seize this opportunity –
To win our share of this trillion-dollar market…
And secure the next generation of great jobs.
I’ve met apprentices at the docks in Grimsby – fantastic individuals…
I’ve been to Holyhead in Wales…
And the National Nuclear Laboratory in Preston…
And I’ve seen the brilliant clean power infrastructure that we are building in this country.
But more than that…
I’ve seen the pride that these jobs bring.
This is skilled, well-paid work…
Meaningful work –
A chance to reignite our industrial heartlands…
To rekindle the sense of community pride and purpose…
That comes from being part of something that is bigger than yourself.
And so I’m pleased to tell you…
That I can share some more good news this afternoon.
Earlier today, we finalised a deal with ENI.
It will see them award £2 billion in supply chain contracts…
For the Hynet Carbon Capture and Storage project…
Creating 2,000 jobs, across North Wales and the North West.
I want to thank all those here today who are part of this success story.
Because it is all built on stability, yes…
But our ruthless focus on delivery…
But it is also built on partnership.
*
So let me say –
It is a real pleasure today to welcome my friend –
President von der Leyen.
Ursula – it is so good to have you with us this afternoon. Last time we were in this building, Ursula and I stood together with other colleagues here at Lancaster House, that was just last month, six weeks ago…
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Zelenskyy…
Working together for European security.
Today we stand, again together with Fatih and others and the IEA…
United behind European energy security.
Europe must never again be in a position where Russia thinks they can blackmail us on energy.
And until Russia comes to the table and agrees a full and unconditional ceasefire…
We must continue to crack down on their energy revenues which are still fuelling Putin’s war chest.
This is the moment to act.
And it is the moment to build a partnership with the EU that meets the needs of our time –
Facing up to the global shocks of recent years…
And working together to minimise the impact on hard-working people.
So we’re doing more with the EU to improve our interconnections…
And make the most of our shared energy systems…
As well as building on the fantastic partnerships that we already have…
With countries like the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and so many others.
We have a common and important resource in the North Sea…
Which can help us meet common challenges –
To me, this is just common sense.
So let’s seize this potential…
To drive down bills…
And drive up investment, growth and energy security.
I was elected with a mandate to deliver change.
So I make no apologies for pursuing every avenue…
To deliver in the national interest and secure Britain’s future.
That is always my priority.
And of course this has to be a global effort as well.
We need to see a wider coalition…
That unites the north and south…
In a global drive for clean power.
That’s why I launched the Global Clean Power Alliance at the G20 last year…
Working alongside the EU’s Global Energy Transitions Forum.
And that’s why we’re joining forces to take this forward.
We want to tackle the barriers and bottlenecks that are holding countries back.
So I am pleased to announce today…
That, under the Global Clean Power Alliance…
We are establishing a first-of-its-kind global initiative…
To unblock and diversify clean energy supply chains.
We are harnessing the political leadership needed to make this happen.
Because, ultimately…
That is what this is about:
Leadership.
In this moment of instability and uncertainty…
Where we are buffeted by global forces…
We are taking control.
We are working together with partners from around the world…
With the IEA and all of you here today…
To accelerate this vital global transition.
And in the UK…
We are stepping up now…
To make energy a source…
Not of vulnerability, and worry…
Which it is at the moment and it has been for so long…
But a source of strength, of security and pride.
With British energy, powering British homes, creating British jobs –
A collective effort, to boost our collective security…
For generations to come.
Thank you very much.
*
And now it is my very great pleasure and privilege to introduce…
President von der Leyen, my friend Ursula, thank you very much for being here. Ursula, the stage is yours.
The WHO Health Emergencies Programme, with the support of the WHO Academy, recently hosted Learning 4 Impact 2025, a series of virtual workshops that aims to catalyse build back better holistic learning programmes to address post-pandemic challenges.
The world is not on track to achieve its health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and targets by 2030; progress is at half the required rate of change. The increasing number of global crises and the danger of future pandemics underscore the urgent need for health systems to strengthen both technical capacity and community engagement.
Addressing critical skills gaps among health and care workers is crucial to meeting these emergency needs in the future, but there is a chronic shortage of public health professionals and health workers around the world. According to WHO estimates, there will be a shortfall of at least 10 million health workers by 2030.
In addition, the International Health Regulations (IHR) are undergoing several amendments in response to the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Member States agreed to a package of amendments to the IHR in 2024 that should come into force in mid-2025. This will result in a new demand for training from Member States to implement the new and updated IHR core capacities.
The Learning 4 Impact series, which took place over the course of February and March, is focused on the training needs of health and care workers, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), who serve on the frontline of public health emergency response. The workshops were aimed at IHR focal points and those working in community protection in WHO Member States, as well as WHO technical staff and partners across the globe.
Competency-based learning for better community protection
Within the context of WHO’s Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPR) framework, community protection plays a critical role in ensuring that emergency preparedness and response efforts are grounded in the realities of the people they serve. Community-centred approaches are essential for effective leadership in health emergencies, ensuring that interventions are trusted, inclusive and responsive to local needs.
“Community protection is a cornerstone of emergency response. Strengthening the learning ecosystem for those working with and within communities helps us build trust, respond more effectively and ultimately save lives. This is a crucial step towards embedding community protection into the way we prepare for and respond to public health threats,” said Dr Kai von Harbou, Unit Head for Community Protection and Resilience in the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
Throughout the five virtual workshops, 600 participants worked together to map existing health learning products, provide insights on preliminary learning needs analyses for their countries, and identified and redefined target health learning audiences
Community health workers (CHWs) were identified as a key learning audience, particularly in LMICs where they often serve as the first point of contact in health emergencies. Their learning needs were systematically mapped and prioritized, recognizing the crucial role CHWs play in community engagement, disease detection, risk communication and basic service delivery during crises.
“Community health workers often operate with limited resources, unclear roles in emergency protocols and without adequate training. By investing in structured, competency-based learning the Community Protection and Resilience Unit empowers CHWs to act confidently and effectively in times of crisis – an investment that strengthens both response outcomes and long-term community resilience,” Dr von Harbou added.
Lifelong learning for better health outcomes
Together with key experts from the WHO Academy, participants also discussed innovative strategies and modalities that can improve the health learning experience. Following these workshops, both the IHR and community protection focal points plan to conduct more extensive learning needs analyses with their respective target learners and develop curriculum plans in collaboration with WHO. Feedback from post-webinar evaluation surveys was mainly positive. One of the participants said, “I love the fact that the Organization takes time to get feedback from the Member States on the strategies that are used so as to improve their work. This is really good.”
Head of the Learning Design and Production Unit at the WHO Academy Melinda Frost says that to reach the SDG health targets, health systems and health and care workers need to make better use of evidence-based solutions and focus on competency-based learning.
“Learning needs to be continuous. Health-care practices are consistently evolving, and we need to ensure that our health and care professionals continually acquire the new skills needed to deliver programmes and services for essential public health functions,” she said. “Our aim is to reach learners in LMICs, where the need is greatest. This is the Academy’s priority – to reach learners in these countries, driving equity in access to learning for health and care workers globally.”
BOSTON, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Richard Scannell, CEO at occupancy analytics software company Lambent, will be a featured speaker at University Facilities 2025 taking place April 28-29 at the Renaissance Boston Seaport Hotel. Scannell will co-present with Sara Walsh, Executive Dean of Finance and Administration at the Brown University School of Public Health. Their session will highlight the university’s experience using advanced analytics and data modeling to gain a better understanding of space usage and how they used that data to optimize usage and deliver tangible financial, operational and user results.
As the future of higher education evolves, campus space utilization is becoming mission-critical. The University Facilities 2025 conference looks at how new academic facility planning and space management initiatives are being shaped by changing academic priorities and funding streams. The event provides capital project teams, project managers, facility managers, space planners, construction managers, architects, engineers, financial officers, capital planners, and university administrative staff with the data, metrics, and decision-making rationales they need for:
New space plans for better utilization and cost-efficient growth
Greater facility flexibility for shared and different uses
Capital project investments that attract faculty and students
Improved planning processes and tools
Scannell and Walsh will present their session twice at the event:
Session Details:
Space use visualization tools to overcome skepticism and bureaucracy
Dates/Times:
Mon. April 28
2:20 – 3:15 p.m.
Tues. April 29
8:35 – 9:30 a.m.
All the data in the world is useless if it can’t be turned into relevant insights and communicated clearly. This presentation illustrates the leveraging of sophisticated data modeling tools and the influence of academic partners to advance projects through the administrative approval process and overcome significant hurdles. Scannell and Walsh will illustrate how to harness data to demonstrate space utilization problems and opportunities in ways that build enthusiasm at every level through the approval process. They will examine tangible financial impacts, project story telling models, and the tailoring of communication strategies for productive ad-hoc meetings, budgeting, and IT department engagement.
Speakers:
Sara Walsh Executive Dean of Finance and Administration Brown University School of Public Health
Richard Scannell CEO Lambent
Walsh will also lead another session at the conference titled: Growth in a landlocked campus: Brown University’s space utilization and repurposing solutions. In that session, she will profile Brown’s strategy to answer the call for more space amid rapid growth, while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Walsh will detail Brown’s multi-faceted model for campus expansion which reconciles academic priorities and financial constraints with community considerations. She’ll examine decisions on strategic property acquisition and development, the repurposing of existing structures, opportunities identified to improve space utilization, and balancing expansion with financial prudence by measuring capital expenditures. The session takes place Monday, April 28th, 10:25 – 10:50 a.m.
About Lambent Lambent is an occupancy analytics software company helping corporate and higher ed campuses optimize space utilization, facilities operations and real estate investments. Its SaaS platform, Lambent Spaces, leverages existing data sources such as Wi-Fi and sensors to provide anonymous and predictive analytics to inform decisions related to utilization, workplace experiences, planning, scheduling, and maintenance. The software delivers actionable intelligence so facilities professionals and space planners can make better use of the spaces they have. For more information, visit https://lambentspaces.com/.
em>Salem, OR — Please join the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), in partnership with the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office, AARP, Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities, and the Oregon State University Extension Service for a two-part virtual educational series on how to help older adults prepare for the disasters we face every year in Oregon such as ice storms, wildfires, and extreme heat. This series is intended for organizations, community groups, faith-based organizations serving older adults, emergency management professionals, and anyone else interested in this topic.
Older adults often face unique challenges when it comes to disaster preparedness—such as living on fixed incomes, relying on mobility devices, or experiencing social isolation. This educational series will offer practical guidance for individuals and organizations working with older adults to strengthen emergency readiness across the state.
Part 1: April 23, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST Topics include:
Building partnerships between emergency managers and aging service providers
Planning for evacuation, sheltering, and medical equipment needs
Signing up for emergency alert systems
Part 2: May 21, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST Topics include:
Managing medications during disasters
Avoiding scams and misinformation post-disaster
Supporting mental health and reducing social isolation
Who Should Attend: Organizations, faith groups, and individuals who support older adults, along with emergency management professionals and community preparedness advocates.
Access & Registration: The series is free and open to the public. Sessions will be offered in English with interpretation in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, and American Sign Language (ASL). Recordings will be available on OEM’s YouTube channel.
Register here: Virtual Event Registration
For questions or accommodation requests, contact: community.preparedness@oem.oregon.gov
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
April 24, 2025
Sends letters requesting information on harms to members of 12 leading education, civil rights organizations
New, comprehensive initiative is latest from Senator’s Save Our Schools campaign
Text of Letters (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education (ED) for students, families, and teachers. The initiative is the latest in her Save Our Schools campaign.
Senator Warren wrote letters seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions for the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers: the American Council on Education (ACE), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Parents Union (NPU), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC), Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR).
“Americans rely on [the Department of Education] to fund a range of critical services such as financial aid to pay for college, special education, afterschool programs, and more. The Department is also responsible for protecting students from civil rights violations, fraudulent for-profit colleges, and predatory student loan servicers,” wrote Senator Warren. “Accordingly, I request your assistance in understanding whether the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department will jeopardize students’ access to affordable, accessible, and high-quality public education.”
President Trump and Education Secretary McMahon have already begun to dismantle the Department and its core functions by firing nearly half of ED’s employees. Even before the firings, ED was significantly understaffed, had fewer employees than any other cabinet department, and was struggling to work through long backlogs of civil rights investigations, college audits, and student debt relief claims from defrauded borrowers. Nonetheless, the Trump Administration has doubled down on their efforts to gut the Department, issuing an executive order to abolish the agency and announcing the transfer of key ED functions to other agencies.
“These actions risk major interruptions and delays in key services that students and families rely on,” wrote Senator Warren.
Senator Warren asked the organizations to share how the Trump Administration’s attacks on public education affect their members, including students, families, and teachers, by May 22, 2025.
The letters are the latest action from Senator Warren’s Save Our Schools campaign, a coordinated effort to fight back against Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education. The campaign has already notched wins, including a new investigation from the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General following a request from Senator Warren, and Secretary McMahon’s first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education, which is now being used by Somerville Public Schools, Easthampton Public Schools, AFT Massachusetts, and AFT National in their lawsuit against Trump’s executive order to abolish ED.
More information on the Save Our Schools campaign can be found here.
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Elena Kolosova, Victoria Vinogradova and Alexander Ladygin
The speakers of the BIMAC plenary session considered information modeling technologies (IMT) as a driving force for the integration of technologies, data, organizations and specialists. The moderators – General Director of Roseko-Stroyproekt Alexander Ladygin and Deputy Director of the Center for Digital Competences of SPbGASU Denis Nizhegorodtsev noted: this topic is in the center of attention of all industry participants and specialized educational institutions, since everyone understands that this integration is necessary.
TIM as a pattern
Advisor to the Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia, Deputy General Director of Renga Software (part of the company “ASCON”) Maxim Nechiporenko recalled that the company, together with the market, studied and automated everyday tasks for a quarter of a century and assessed the prospects in the construction sector. Therefore, it was ready for digitalization.
“From process automation, software creation to mechanisms that allowed integrating three-dimensional models, we approached the development of new products, so there was no doubt about the need for TIM. After the departure of foreign vendors, there were quite a lot of companies developing various software on the domestic market. We had a whole set of products with different functionality, implementation methods, so we began to study with partners how these products can interact with each other, how the customer will use them. But in practice, nuances still arise, and our task is to adapt them at customer enterprises taking into account their activities, planned deadlines for the implementation of production work, assigned resources, and existing competencies. We agree with developers on a more complex technological meaning and simpler interaction for users,” noted Maksim Nechiporenko.
He added that there is a need to improve the system of design documentation for construction (SPDS). During the study, ASCON analysts found that its founder is the temporary instruction on the composition and design of construction working drawings of 1974. The expert believes that it would be good to return to it as a laconic and simple document that helped in work better than modern regulations.
Operational data is the key to success on construction sites
Elena Kolosova, Development Director of K4 LLC, noted that the entire construction process can be stopped due to documentation that is not prepared on time and is late for the construction site, or materials are not delivered on time. Due to such nuances, downtime occurs, and as a result, maintaining one worker at the construction site costs the company up to a million rubles per month. “TIM will be widely used when builders appreciate its advantages, efficiency, and want to implement it. While they are hesitating, designers are torn apart, processes are delayed, and the builders themselves do not receive value from the implementation. As a result, the situation is: the data has not reached the construction site, and the team is idle. How to avoid this? Provide the construction site with complete data. The designer can give the builder almost all the information. Therefore, the designer can either organize the construction or kill it. In order to prevent the latter, he must provide the construction in advance. With the highest organization of processes, this requires at least a quarter.
Designing “on the fly” leads to failure. What prevents us from building a data system in which everyone will use the same information collected from different sources? We need to encode information so as not to re-enter data, rewriting it from documents sent in different formats, for example, PDF. As a result, documentation takes more time than production work. All these problems are solved by an information model, in which all participants in the construction process see the information in real time. Models do not operate with words, so the encoding system is important here,” said Elena Kolosova.
Reference books, classification, identification
Kira Besprozvannaya, Head of the BIM Department at ASCON-North-West LLC and a graduate of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, agreed that TIM is, first and foremost, information, and for it to bring value, the entire process needs to be automated: competencies, interaction with other information systems, libraries, and model export settings are important.
“It is important to implement technologies not by obligation, but by choice. We begin our work with the customer by finding out what software products they work with, with whom and how they exchange data, we are interested in the scenario and goals of implementation, we study the standards of their activities. Then the technologies are adapted, and the implementation is effective. Then we provide training and support to the customer. This approach leads us to the creation of successful cases,” said Kira Besprozvannaya.
Kirill Voytyuk, Development Director of Aibim LLC, confirmed that when implementing information systems, it is necessary to bring reference books to a common form, and the company is doing this successfully.
“TIM should be implemented to solve specific problems. Today, there are planning tools, but the construction schedule printed on wallpaper still lives on. It’s strange. We work out the model with clients before construction, conduct scenario analysis, thus we conduct optimization, which, in turn, can be absolutely different, and its effectiveness is confirmed in practice. We have a product that allows you to check all collisions,” said Kirill Voytyuk.
Technical expert of Tangle LLC Alla Zemlyanskaya reminded that data is a connecting component of processes, people, regulations, rules and technologies themselves. But here it is necessary to differentiate the concept of data and information.
“Data is a set of facts, observations, numbers, presented in raw form. Information is processed structured data that is useful. To identify data, you need to designate its specific characteristics and purpose. Automation is needed to process it faster. We do this for specific requests for specific specialists, so that the data is a working tool. Throughout their life cycle, they must be handled correctly, so we are working on integration,” Alla Zemlyanskaya clarified.
She cited real cases as examples that have proven their effectiveness in practice.
Estimators advocate for innovation
Maxim Gorinsky, President of the Association for the Development of Digital Solutions in Cost Engineering, Pricing and Information Modeling Technologies, Vice President of the Union of Cost Engineers for Regional Development, Director of Galaktika IT LLC, Editor-in-Chief of the Telegram channel “Just about Estimates,” clarified that today in our country there are three areas of the industry: the register of requirements, digitalization, and pricing. “The interest of experts and banks in this will help spur the transition to TIM, since we are talking about transparency and volumes. The more companies start working on TIM, the more feedback there will be and the faster these digital products will develop. Today, everyone wants to do it cheaply first, and then well and quickly. Meanwhile, process automation is an aid in decision making. If an estimator picks up standards with his eyes from morning to night or recalculates a project in a rush, then obviously there will be no increase in personnel. We need to try to transform the industry, including by changing processes innovatively, in order to attract young people who prefer to work where there are projects that are interesting to them,” noted Maxim Gorinsky.
According to him, an Association for the Development of Information Modeling Technologies will be created, and a practical course with assignments for teachers will be launched, which can be used for teaching students.
Interaction between industry and education
Director of programs for developing interaction with educational and scientific organizations of Nanosoft Development LLC Oleg Egorychev emphasized that any software or toolkit during digitalization is impossible without specialists with the relevant competencies. Therefore, the interaction of educational organizations and vendors is the basis for the transition to the use of TIM.
“Our company’s interaction with educational institutions is based on one main goal – to prepare and attract highly qualified personnel with modern competencies to the industry. For our part, we provide educational institutions with licenses for our products to conduct educational activities in any quantity, conduct training for faculty, help in developing educational programs for academic disciplines, integrate our products as tools and provide teaching aids for them. We provide all this free of charge. The integration and implementation of TIM in the first and second years of basic education is going well, but there is still a lot of work to do in this direction at graduating and specialized departments,” Oleg Egorychev noted.
According to him, free online courses, advanced training, and student project competitions in which winning students and their mentors are awarded prizes are in demand.
Maksym Nechyporenko confirmed that interaction with universities is a good example of combining efforts to promote TIM. Future and already working designers need to be given knowledge on how to use these tools, how to achieve maximum effect.
“Summer schools are proving their effectiveness in this area. An important synergistic effect occurs when developers, users and educational institutions unite,” concluded Maksym Nechyporenko.
Vice-Rector for Continuing Education at SPbGASU Victoria Vinogradova reported that given the digital transformation of the construction industry, it is important to develop digital competencies, including in TIM technologies and artificial intelligence, at all levels of education, so the university launched TIM classes in schools. The project is aimed at attracting motivated applicants who will subsequently grow into highly qualified specialists.
“The educational organization is the contractor, it fulfills industry orders. In order to minimize the difference between the requirements of the labor market and educational programs, our university has created an Educational and Methodological Council, which also includes experts from the industry community. All our educational programs and projects are practice-oriented. TIM classes opened in schools have proven their demand: the growth of students has doubled. Next year, we plan to transform them into digital classes, since, in addition to TIM, we will include classes on artificial intelligence. We also plan to expand the geography through regional operators, which can be any organization. We will provide everything necessary. The educational process is based on two points: we impart knowledge and test it in practice. The school TIM championship, the digital GTO show the demand for all projects in this area, and the projects themselves are organized in close cooperation with industry companies,” noted Victoria Vinogradova.
She also noted the demand for additional education programs implemented by the university.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
